Friday 27 February 2009

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm

Reve de Miel is one of those balms that has a cult following. According to Nuxe, around the world, one of these balms is sold every 30 seconds. Personally, I don't understand why.

It's a very thick balm that's great to use in winter or when my lips are really sore and chapped. It also works well as a lip primer as it's matte and waxy. Due to the shea butter it can get a little lumpy, when this happens I zap mine in the microwave for about 20 seconds and that melts them all. As it's so thick and waxy, I usually use this as a night balm. I don't really like to use it during the day as it balls up unless I apply a very light layer.

Whilst this balm does a pretty good job, I'm not in love with it. It smells good, but I find it a little bit too thick to use regularly.

Would I buy it again? No. It's a nice balm, but there are better ones that cost a lot less.

Ingredients: cera alba, butyrospermum parkii, vegetable oil, lecithin, behenoxy dimethicone, prunus dulcis, mel, dimethicone, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, citrus grandis, caprylic/capric triglycerides, hydrogenated vegetable oil, limonene, glycine soja, rosa moschata, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, allantoin, citrus limonum, candelilla cera, calendula officinalis, citral, linalool.

Thursday 26 February 2009

A'kin White Tea & Aloe Vital Hydration Gel Creme

I really like this product. It's got an amazing texture, when I first put it on it feels quite rich, but it sinks in almost immediately and leaves my skin feeling matte, without any tightness or discomfort. It does a pretty good job of keeping my skin shine free, even in the humid weather we've been having. I do get a little bit of oiliness, but nothing compared to what I would have if I wasn't wearing this. Bearing in mind, I'm not really oily, but it's a great product that works well for me.

It also keeps my skin feeling nicely hydrated. I've been using this on it's own, without any serum or moisturiser, and it's doing a great job. It also does a fair job as a primer. For liquid products this is a great primer, but it's not so great under powders.

This is what A'kin has to say about White Tea and Aloe Vital Hydration Gel Cream: Skin quenching and matifying light gel creme. Aloe, olive extract, antioxidants from white tea, anthyllis, vitamins b5 and e work to refresh and rehydrate your skin all day long. Your skin will feel smooth, comfortable and look clear and fresh. Oil free for oily and combination skins.

All A'kin products are free from sulfates, ethoxylates, parabens, propylene glycol, petrochemical cleansers, silicones, phthalates, mineral oils, dea and artificial colours. They are ingredient rich, vegan, 100% natural botanical aromatherapy and formulated without animal ingredients or animal testing.

Would I buy this again? Yes, I'll be using it every summer and whenever my skin is oily.

Ingredients: aqua, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate, panthenol, tocopheryl acetate, glycerin, sorbitol, glycerin and aqua and anthyllis vulneraria flower extract, maltodextrin and camellia sinensis leaf extract, maltodextrin and centaurea cyanus flower extract, phenoxyethanol, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, bisabolol, xanthan gym, alpha lipoic acid, hydrolysed oats, sodium hyaluronate, citric acid, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium gluconate, citrus aurantium , bergamia fruit oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride and carotenoids, rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract and caprylic/capric triglyceride and lecithin and tocopherol, citrus aurantium amara flower oil, citrus aurantium amara leaf oil, fusanus spicatus wood oil, d-limonene, farnesol, geraniol, linalool.

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Neostrata Bionic Eye Cream


I've heard great things about this eye cream from friends and on skin care chat boards, so was really interested to see if I would get the same results as others have. In the past I've tried products others have raved about, and I haven't liked them at all, so I wasn't holding my breath.

Neostrata say that Bionic Eye Cream targets dark eye circles, puffiness and reduces the visible signs of aging in the delicate eye area. I don't have puffiness so can't comment on that. I haven't noticed any difference in my dark circles, they are just the same as they were before I started using this.

However, I'm delighted to say that for the signs of aging, this works! I've been using it for six weeks now, the fine lines around my eyes have reduced, there aren't as many wrinkles around my eyes when I smile and my smile wrinkles aren't as deep as they used to be. Also, the lines at the sides of my mouth are reducing, as I rub the leftover cream onto those lines after I've moisturised my eyes.

I'm really interested to see how I look once I've been using this for a few more months, so I'll report back when I have. I'm also only using this once a day, and I imagine I would have seen ever better results if I was using it twice a day.

Would I buy this again? Definitely, I'll be buying another tube when mine runs out.

Ingredients: aqua, octyldodecyl neopentanoate, butylene glycol, gluconolactone, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, propylene glycol, PEG-75 stearate, glycerin, lactobionic acid, phytonadione (vitamin K), dimethicone, triethanolamine, retinyl (vitamin A) palmitate, tocopheryl (vitamin E) acetate, panthenol, camellia oleifera (green tea) leaf extract, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, sodium hyaluronate, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, ceteth-20, steareth-20, arginine, BHT, disodium EDTA, methylparaben, chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben.

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Dermalogica Age Smart Renewal Lip Complex


Recommended for the smart management and treatment of skin aging. A sophisticated daily treatment with a patented polypeptide restores delicate tissue, minimises contour lines and helps prevent the signs of aging caused by advanced glycation end products (AGEs - a damaging by product of sugar/protein reactions in the skin). Vitamin E fights damaging free radicals (reactive oxygen species) while a moisturising blend of avocado oil, combined with shea and cocoa seed butter, quickly smooths rough, uneven lips. Contains no artificial fragrance or colour.

After reading that, how could I resist buying this lip balm? Not that I can resist buying most lip balms, but this one sounded so good I was convinced to hand over the $ so I could find out if the claims were actually true. I bought mine from skincare store as they are so much cheaper than other places and they have a price match guarantee.

The first thing I thought about this is that it's like using a lip gloss. It's got the shine of a gloss, without the stickiness. The second thing I thought was, it smells great, just like berries!
It has a very slight berry taste, but it's barely noticeable. The texture is great, it's rich and moisturising without being waxy.

The applicator is great, it's a slant tip with holes in it, and you twist the base to get the balm to come out. I find the balm to be very moisturising and long lasting. I only need to apply this every few hours.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this balm, but let's face it, lip balm is lip balm, and it'd have to be pretty amazing to make it worth over $20. And even if it was amazing, would a lip balm really be worth over $20? I have to say no.

Whilst I really like this balm, I just don't think it's worth the price. It doesn't do anything that other, cheaper balms do.

Would I buy it again? No, it's not worth the cost.

Ingredients: bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, synthetic beeswax, tocopheryl acetate, di-c12-15 alkyl fumarate, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, lauryl lactate, arginine/lysine polypeptide, palmitoyl oligopeptide, persea gratissima (avocado) oil, oryza sativa (rice) bran oil, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), sodium hyaluronate, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, safflower oil/palm oil aminopropanediol esters, squalane, ethylhexyl palmitate, silica dimethyl silylate, butylene glycol, tribehenin, sorbitan isostearate, stevioside, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, VP/eicosene copolymer, benzyl alcohol, flavour (aroma).

Monday 23 February 2009

What I'm loving this week

I thought I'd do something different today and tell you what products I'm loving at the moment. Some of these are early raves, so I'll do a proper review of them when I've used the more. I normally don't like reviewing products until I've used them for at least a month.





Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel - This has the most amazing texture, I'm absolutely in love with it. It comes out as a gel, and as I rub it onto my face it turns into an oil, and then when I was it off it turns into a milky cleanser. It only takes on application to remove all my make-up, including my eye make-up. If I don't have any problems, this could be my new favorite cleanser.











Becca Sheer Tint Lip Colours - I absolutely love the smell of these, it's so nice. I also love the case, it's a twist cap so there is no chance of the lid coming off in my bad. The other reason I love these is they are so moisturising, it feels like I'm wearing a lip balm.









Rimmel Sweet Jelly Lip Gloss - The main reason I love this gloss is because of the flavour, it tastes really yummy, like caramel chocolate. And the taste lingers even after the gloss has worn off. I'm not in love with the texture, it wears off quite quickly, but that's probably more to do with me licking it all off cause it tastes good.







The Face Shop Quick and Clean Blemish Balm - I've been wanting to try a blemish balm for ages, but couldn't find one here, so I was really excited when I discovered that there was a Face Shop in Perth. I've been using my Blemish Balm for a week now and I'm loving it.










Neostrata Bionic Eye Cream- I've got a review of this that I'll post this week, but I still had to include it on my list, because it actually works! I'm so excited that I can see results from using this.

Friday 20 February 2009

Perfect Potion Rose Petal Lip Balm

I've never tried Perfect Potion products before, so naturally the first thing that I tried from their range had to be the lip balm!

The Perfect Potion website says "treat yourself to the perfection, love and beauty that rose blossoms symbolise." I have to agree, to me, the scent of roses makes me think of love and happiness. I find the scent of roses uplifting and cheerful, which is why I love this balm so much.

I find this better to use in summer, as in winter it's quite firm and difficult to get out of the pot, but it's the perfect texture for summer. It has no taste, and is really moisturising. The rose scent is beautiful.

Rose Petal Lip Balm is one of those balms that I wear all the time, because it's shiny enough that I look like I'm wearing a gloss. The texture is great, it's soothing and creamy.

The one thing I don't like about this balm is the pot. It's really difficult to get the balm out without getting it under my fingernails, so I decanted mine into a pot with a wider mouth.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I want to try the vanilla flavour next.

Ingredients: butyrospermum parkii butter, theobroma cacao butter, persea gratissima oil, tocopherol, rosa damascena flower oil, citronellol.

Thursday 19 February 2009

Tinderbox Fennel and Yarrow Cleanser


I'm quite disappointed with this cleanser. I was expecting good things from it as I've always loved Tinderbox products, but this one just didn't live up to my expectations. The reason I don't like it is because of the texture. It's like water, so is really difficult to use. Even when I use it on a cotton pad/ball, it's just too watery to be able to get enough product onto my face to properly cleanse it. If this had a thicker texture it'd probably be a fairly good cleanser.

It works great as a make-up remover, but not for eye make-up, it really stings my eyes and makes them very red. At the moment I'm using this as my morning cleanser, and keeping it well away from my eyes.

This is what Tinderbox has to say about it: A cleansing, softening and restorative lotion, with pure plant oils to thoroughly clean facial skin. Ideal to remove make-up. Use daily to benefit from the remarkable firming and healing properties of the herbs used.

Would I buy it again? No.

Ingredients: purified water, organic sunflower, almond oil, vegetable emulsifying wax, extracts of fennel, yarrow, grapefruit seed extract, vitamin e, essential oils: geranium, sage, manuka, gum benzoin and rosemary extract.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Anna Sui Lip Gel

I'm obsessed with this gloss at the moment, which is rare for me as I have so many glosses, but this is so nice. It's the only gloss I've been using for 3 weeks now, I'm even using it in place of lip balm as it's really moisturising. Unfortunately I've nearly run out cause it's only a little tube.

I got this in 400, which is a lovely pink that's very close to my natural lip colour, which is a mid tone pink. The texture is thick and moisturising, with no stickiness. It has a super shiny finish, it's one of the shiniest glosses that I've used. This is one of the few glosses that lasts a long time on me. I only need to apply it twice a day, first thing in the morning and then after lunch.

There are only two things I don't particularly like about my Lip Gel. Firstly, it has a soft floral scent with no flavour. I don't particularly like the scent, but it fades quickly, so I can put up with it. And secondly, I don't really like the tube. It just has a twist off lid, which means that I need a lip brush to apply it, which I find annoying. But those are small things that I can forget about because I love everything else.

I can't find this on the Anna Sui website, so I'm hoping that it's not discontinued. I have found it on strawberrynet and a few other websites, so if you like this gloss it might be a good idea to stock up just in case it is discontinued.

Would I buy it again? Definitely, it's a lovely gloss.

Tuesday 17 February 2009

YSL Freshness Cleansing Milky Veil

I've always believed that you don't have to spend a lot of money for good skin care products, but I also think that when I find something that works for me, I'll buy it regardless of the price.

I originally got this as a sample, but liked it so much that I bought a full size. I use this daily when my skin is playing up, and weekly when it's in good condition, as it's like a deep cleanser for me (but I have sensitive skin). Amazingly, it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin, but I wouldn't recommend using this on irritated skin.

Like most YSL products, this has the floral scent. It doesn't bother me as it's very soft and hardly noticeable. Overall I'm really happy with this cleanser. It's great for when my skin is oily and pimply. It works well as a make-up remover, but not for the eye area as it stings. Because of this I usually use it in the mornings.

Here's what YSL has to say about Freshness Cleansing Milky Veil:
Reveal your skin’s natural beauty!
This make-up removing milky gel transforms into a fresh fluid, to dissolve all traces of make-up, impurities and pollutants. Enriched with revitalizing Aloe Vera sap and bark of Enantia Chlorantha, it refines and improves the quality of the skin, giving it a pleasant and fresh sensation. Cleansed and invigorated, the skin reveals a pure radiance.

Would I buy it again? Yes, this is a great cleanser for when my skin is oily.

Ingredients: water, isohexadecane, blycerin, pentylene clycol, cocoglycerides, dicaprylyl carbonate, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, butylene glycol, tocopheryl acetate, parfum, hydroxeyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, caprylyl clycol isohexadecane, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, triethanolamine, polysorbate 60, enantia chloranta bark exttract, tetrasodium edta, oleanolic acid.

Monday 16 February 2009

Yes to Carrots C Smooth Body Moisturising Lotion

The people at Yes to Carrots were kind enough to send me a full size bottle of C Smooth Body Moisturising Lotion to try, which was very generous of them. I had it sitting on my dressing table for a few weeks because I thought it'd be too heavy to use in summer, but then couldn't resist trying it out.

I'm happy to say it's a great lotion to use in summer. It has a lovely light texture, sinks in quickly and leaves my skin feeling moisturised and smooth. The moisturising factor lasts all day, even when I'm working in air-conditioning. With other lotions I often find that I need to reapply them halfway through the day, as the air-conditioning dries out my skin, but with C Smooth I don't have that problem.

One of the great things about this moisturiser is that it comes in a pump pack, which is my preferred packaging for body lotions, but often difficult to find. It has a very slight scent which reminds me of the beach. I can see this being one of my favorite body lotions. It's light enough to use in summer, and I'll be interested to see if it's hydrating enough to use in winter.

Would I buy this? Definitely, once my bottle runs out I'll be getting some more, in fact I'll probably buy a new bottle before the old one runs out so that I don't have to go without.

Ingredients: water (aqua), dead sea water (maris aqua), daucus carota (carrot) juice, isopropyl myristate, propylene glycol, aloe barbadensis leaf gel, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, calendula officinalis oil, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) juice, ipomoera batatas (sweet potato) extract, cucumis melo (melon) extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) fruit extract, honey (mel) extract, silt (maris limus), olea europaea (olive oil), fragrance (parfum), potassium cactate, chamomila recutita (chamomile oil), tocopherol acetate, algae extracts (rhodella, dunaliella, spirulina), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, persea gratissima (avocado) oil, propolis extract, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, niacin, daucus carota (carrot) seed oil, imidazolidinyl urea, punica granatum (pomegranate) peel extract.

Friday 13 February 2009

Dove Go Fresh Energise Body Wash


This shower gel smells amazing. It's a mix of grapefruit and lemongrass that's so zesty and citrusy, it's perfect as a morning wake up product.

Dove calls this an ultra light hydrating gel formulation with fine beads to invigorate your skin. That's a pretty accurate description. It's a creamy gel, with really small beads in it. They're tiny, so don't really exfoliate the skin, although I have found they're great for exfoliating my armpits.

I like to use this in the mornings when I'm feeling tired ands sluggish, cause the scent is refreshing. I love the feel of this gel on my skin too, it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

Ingredients: water, sodium c12-13 pareth sulfate, glycerin, oxidized polyethylene, cocamidopropyl betaine, acrylates copolymer, fragrance, cocamide mea, isopropyl palmitate, glycol distearate, styrene/acrylates copolymer, helianthus annus seed oil, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium choloride, lureth-4, acacia senegal gum, gelatin, xanthan gum, silica, citric acid, sodium chloride, ppg-12, sodium benzoate, ci 19140, ci 77019, ci 77491, ci77891.

Thursday 12 February 2009

Spa Organics Moisturising Body Souffle


Spa Organics is a range made by The Body Collection and available at Kmart, Target and chemists. I really like their Moisturising Body Souffle, and I'll definitely be buying it again.

It's a deeply hydrating cream that has silver shimmer in it, so my skin looks healthy and sparkly when I use it. The shimmer is very small and subtle, it's only visible when I look really closely, from a distance it just looks like my skin is glowing.

I find this moisturiser to be very hydrating, I can put it on in the morning and at the end of the day my skin still feels soft and moisturised. Those of you with dry skins should definitely try this moisturiser. It has a very slight fresh, natural scent that disappears upon application.

Ingredients: water, isopropyl myristate, cyclomethicone, glycerin, glycine soja oil, cetearyl alcohol, butyrospermum parkii, potassium cetyl phosphate, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, simmondsia chinensis seed oil, peg-20 stearate, spriulina maxima extract, undaria pinnatifida extract, carbomer, pheonxyethanol, dimethicone, fragrance, citrus nobilis peel oil, mica, iron oxides, titanium dioxide, methylparaben, propylparaben, disodium edta, benzyl alcohol, triethanolamine.

Wednesday 11 February 2009

Nivea Lip Care Star Fruits Pink Grapefruit lip balm

As a moisturising balm, I don't love this, but as a sheer lip tint it's perfect. I don't find this to be overly moisturising, however it smells lovely and gives a very pretty, soft wash of natural pink.

If I have really dry lips I'll use lip balm underneath this, otherwise I find it little drying. It's quite a firm balm so lasts quite well, usually a few hours before I need to reapply. This is a good balm for days when my lips aren't dry.

What I really like about this balm is the scent, which is a lovely grapefruit scent, and the colour.

Would I buy it again? No. It's nice but not amazing, and there are nicer tinted balms available.

Ingredients: polyisobutene, ricinus communis, octyldodecanol, pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate, hydrogenated polydecene, candelilla cera, myristyl myristate, butyrospermum parkii, cera microcristallina, isopropyl palmitate, synthetic wax, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, polyglycerly-3 diisostearate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, prunus dulcis, simmondsia chinensis oil, tocopheryl acetate, glycerin, vitis vinifera seed oil, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, aqua, limonene, linalool, geraniol, bht, citronellol, citral, parfum.

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Lush Dreamtime Bath Melt


Lush advertises this as a bath melt with chamomile and lavender to help you switch off. It's one of the Lush products that I've purchased over and over again. However, I don't usually use it as a bath melt.

This is a winter product for me. I rarely use it in summer, but when I have winter dry skin it's perfect. As a bath melt it is an okay product, but I find that it makes the bathtub pretty greasy, and I have to clean it out afterwards, which is really annoying.

So, are you wondering what I use this for? I use it in the shower, as an in shower moisturising/cleansing bar. It can be quite greasy, so I rub some onto my hands or a loofah and then wash myself with it. Then when I get out of the shower I pat myself dry, and I'm left with soft, moisturised skin.

The smell is lovely and calming. Despite Lush's instructions, I'll often use it in the morning, as the scent puts me in a lovely, serene mood for the day.


This is what Lush has to say about Dreamtime Bath Melt: This is a bedtime bath, do you hear? Take note. Useth not in the mornings or thou shalt nod off before coffee time. Dreamtime is a small, creamy bar made from cocoa butter and almond oil designed to melt in the bath water to soften your skin and calm your troubled head so you can go straight to bed, without having to apply body lotion, and sleep soundly. It does this by plying your nostrils with chamomile, the ultimate calming oil, with relaxing sandalwood and jasmine, balancing lavender and warming ginger. The only reasonable response to this is to fall asleep.

Would I buy this again? Yes, this is one of those products that I have repurchased over and over again.

Ingredients: Cocoa butter, laureath 4, almond oil, ginger oil, lavender oil, sandalwood oil, jasmine flowers, perfume, jasmine oil and chamomile oil.

Monday 9 February 2009

Becca Eye Tint

After the problems I had with Becca's cream eye shadows, I was a little concerned about buying this, but I'm glad that I did. I purchased Baroque, which is a lovely soft, medium taupe.

It gives a lovely sheer wash of colour when one layer is applied, and is easy to build up to a deeper colour with more layers. I like it use it as an eyeshadow base, it helps to intensify some of my lighter colours that look too pale on their own. It's great to use under pale taupe's, as it really brings out the colour in them.



A few tips that I've learned the hard way. Firstly, give the product a good shake before you use it, to make sure that it's well mixed. Secondly, you only need the tiniest amount as a little goes a long way. It's got quite a watery texture, and according to Becca it's waterproof. I haven't tested that out, so can't say if it is or it isn't, but by the way it applies I'd say that it probably is.

Would I buy it again? Definitely. When they come out with new colours, I'll certainly check them out.

Ingredients: isododecane, cyclopentasiloxane, cera alba, dimethicone, isostearyl neopentanoate, oxidizedpolyethylene, talc, polyethylene, trimethylsiloxysilicate, disteardimonium hectorite, tocopherol, nylon-12, polymethyl methacrylate, propylene carbonate, silica, mica, tin oxide, alumina, titanium dioxide ci77981, iron oxides ci77491, ci 77492, ci77499, ultramarines ci77007, bismuth oxychloride ci 77163, carmine ci 75470.

Friday 6 February 2009

Becca Mattifying Primer Base


For me, this is a like but not love product. It does a pretty good job, but just doesn't compare to Lola's Refine Shine.

Here's what Becca has to say about their Mattifying Primer with anti-oxidant vitamin E, works to visibly improve the look and texture of the skin by smoothing fine lines and pores to create and even canvas for makeup. It helps the skin retain moisture without a greasy feel, giving a matte finish to oilier, shiny skin and extending the wear of liquid and cream makeup. Leaves the skin feeling velvety soft.

Maybe I've been spoilt by my Lola mattifying primer, but I was expecting great things from Becca's primer and I didn't get them. It's a nice primer, but it's not a great mattifier. By lunchtime I have oily skin again. My skin is just as oily using this as it is when I don't use it. So that's the mattifying part of it. Now for the primer side.

As a primer, this is a nice product. It makes my skin feel smooth, and my makeup last all day. It even works very well as an eye primer. For people with normal skin, this would be a great primer. It's one that I'll probably use in winter, when I have dry skin.

Would I buy it again? No. It's a nice product, but not as a mattifier. There are much better mattifying products available. I would consider buying it again to use as a primer though.

Ingredients: aqua, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, magnesium aluminium silicate, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, glycerin, tocopherol, ceteareth-6, stearyl alcohol, ceteareth-25, allantoin, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, proplyparaben, isobutylparaben, parfum.

Thursday 5 February 2009

Elemis Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask


Elemis counters have only recently arrived at Myer stores around the country. Prior to this, I'd never heard of Elemis. But then my friend Music started saying how much she loved their products, and telling me that I just had to try them. So of course, I just couldn't resist. I purchased two products when they had a GWP, and got some travel sized products with the GWP. One of the products I got is the Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask.

This is now one of my two favorite ever face masks. I use it once a fortnight to keep my skin feeling soft and smooth. Afterwards my skin feels great for a week. Elemis says that you can use this mask twice a week, but I don't find that I need to.

It smells gorgeous, like fresh, ripe strawberries. As it's a cream product it feels lovely on my skin, and doesn't dry to a hard, tight shell like clay masks. Because of this I'll often leave it on for an hour or so. When I first tried it I was a little worried as it says that it tingles, and I have sensitive skin, but I only noticed a very slight tingle, with no irritation or redness.

Also included in the box was a sample tube of the Papaya Enzyme Peel. I've never bought a product that included a sample in the box, it's a great idea, cause now that I've tried the Papaya Enzyme Peel I want it!

This is what Elemis has to say about the Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask: This powerful rejuvenating mask is rich in active extracts of strawberry and kiwi fruit. Ideal before special occasions to restore a glowing complexion, or when the skin is looking tired and dull. You will experience and active tingling sensation as the mask gently deep cleanses, rejuvenates and lifts the tone of your skin.

Apply to the face and neck, leave for 10-15 minutes and remove with warm water. Repeat twice weekly and for maximum benefit gently skin buff the face before application.

Would I buy it again? Definitely, it's a beautiful product.

Ingredients: water (aqua), kaolin, propylene glycol, vegetable oil (olus), PEG-100 stearate, glyceryl stearate, cetyl alcohol, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit, fragaria veseca (strawberry) fruit extract, actinidia chinensis (kiwi) fruit extract, ethoxydiglycol, methylparaben, fragrance (parfum), tocopherol, dichlorobenzyl alcohol, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol, propylparaben.

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Becca Sheer Tint Lip Colour


The first thing that drew me to these lip tints was the scent, they have the most amazing caramel scent. I love flavoured and fragranced products, and I just couldn't resist the amazing smell. I'm also a huge fan of sheer lipsticks.

I've had my sheer tint lipsticks for over a week now, and I'm in love. In fact I haven't been wearing any of my other lipsticks or glosses since I got these, which is amazing as I usually change lipsticks and glosses every day.

There's no flavour (which is a shame), just the lovely caramel scent that fades quickly upon application. Using this lipstick is like using a lip balm, that's how good they feel. One layer provides a sheer wash of colour, and more layers provides a heavier colour. They have a gorgeous glossy finish, and last well, I only reapply about twice during the day.

There are only two things I don't like about these lipsticks, and that's the size and price. They're only 3 grams, when the average lipstick is 4 grams. It doesn't sound like a lot, but when you compare the size difference it's very noticeable. And the second thing is the price, they cost $48 each, which is excessive.

But of course that didn't stop me, and I bought two of them, Gisella and Yasmina.


Gisella is described as a sheer caramel nude on the website, but as you can see from the swatch, it's more pink than caramel. On me it looks like a sheer pinky nude.



Yasmina is a sheer mauve nude, which looks just like the swatch.



They're both beautiful colours, and I'll definitely be buying these lipsticks again, even though they are small and expensive!


Ingredients: pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate, ricinus communis seed oil, phytosteryl oleate, isostearyl isostearate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, polyethylene, polyisobutene, kaolin, euphorbia cerifera wax, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, flavour, beexwax, ozokerite, butyrospermum parkii, theobroma cacao seed butter, luffa cylindrica seed oil, tocopheryl acetate, honey extract, water, ethylhexyl palmitate, caprylyl glycol, ethylhexylglycerin, hexylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, talc.

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Weleda Everon Lip Salve

I've heard so many people raving about this lip balm that I just had to see what all the fuss was about.

It smells great, a mix of vanilla and rose that is delightful and cheering. Maybe it's just me, but I always find the smell of vanilla and rose makes me feel relaxed and happy. There's no flavour, which is probably good, cause I don't think rose and vanilla would taste particularly good together.

I first tried using this in winter, and it didn't work, because it's just way too hard. But for summer it's ideal as it softens up a bit. Everon has a matte finish and works very well under lipstick and gloss. It keeps my lips feeling soft and moisturised. It's not super moisturising, so I don't use it when my lips are really dry, but it's great for everyday use.

This is what Weleda has to say about Everon lip balm: Weleda Everon Lip Balm has been carefully formulated to protect the lips from drying, cracking and chapping. This simply beautiful product is scented with delicate musk rose. It not only protects the lips as a barrier, but also soothes after exposure to sun and wind. The natural waxes give a sun protection factor 5 without the use of synthetic UV filters.

Would I buy it again? Hmmm, probably not. It is a nice balm, but it's not amazing. If I did buy it again, it'd be because I love the scent, not because I love the balm.

Ingredients: jojoba oil, beeswax, shea butter, candelilla wax, rose wax, carnauba wax, vanilla extract, rose extract.

Monday 2 February 2009

Lola Refine Shine


Being a dry skinned girl I haven't had any use for mattifying products, however in the last few years with the increasing summer humidity, I've been getting a little oily. My first foray into mattifying products was with Lola's Refine Shine anti shine gel. As I'd never used a mattifier before I didn't have high hopes, so wasn't really expecting it to work, which is why I'm surprised to say that this product is amazing! It keeps me shine and oil free all day, with no touch ups required. However, I'm only moderately oily, so I'm not sure how it'd work for those who are super oily.

I use it before make-up as it makes a great primer and keeps my makeup looking fresh and flawless all day. Lola says that Refine Shine helps to tighten pores and soften fine lines. I used a whole tube and didn't find this to be true.

Refine Shine can also be used as a touch up during the day, over the top of make-up, to blot oiliness. The only gripe I have is that I can't get hold of this in Australia anymore, as the shop I used to buy it from has shut, and the only Australian stockist of Lola doesn't have Refine Shine. So now that I've found a great mattifier, I'm on the hunt for another one!