Thursday 31 December 2009

Hits and misses of 2009

Well it's been an interesting year. I've discovered a few more holy grail products and some products that are terrible.

Hits:
Becca Glossy Lip Tints
Bobbi Brown Corrector
Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel
Clarins Eye Make-up Remover
Bobbi Brown Nude Eye Palette
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eye Shadows
Bobbi Brown Long Wearing Cream Eye Shadows
Neutrogena UltraSheer sunscreen
The Face Shop BB Cream
John Masters Organics Lip Calm
Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lip Gloss

Misses:
Australis Brush On Foundation
Napoleon Perdis Jet Black Mascara 
Mirenesse Secret Weapon Mascara
Nature's Gate Fruit Blend Deodorant
U Little Beauty Kiss Me Quick Lip Balm

Wednesday 30 December 2009

Products I repurchased in 2009


Clarins Pure Melt Cleanser - This is one of my holy grail cleansers, I love that it's so easy to use and gentle enough to use on my eyes when I'm feeling lazy.

Clarins Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover - Works better than any eye make-up remover I've ever used. It removes all my eye make-up in one wipe.


Ganache for Lips lip balm - I'll always have one of these lying around, they work really well and taste great.


Shizen lip balm - One of my top five favorite balms.


Clinique Super City Block - I've been using this for years, it's a great, gentle sunscreen.


Ardell clear brow gel - This works well and it's cheap.


Fudge Dynamite - My holy grail deep conditioning hair treatment.


Fudge 1 Shot+ - The best leave in conditioner I've ever used.


Crazy Rumors lip balm - These are all natural, very hydrating and come in a great range of flavours.


Dove Energy Glow Moisturiser - My favorite face moisturiser, it's hydrating but not oily.


Australis Lip Inject Mineral lip gloss - I'm obsessed with these, they are my new favorite lip gloss.


Lancome Juicy Tubes - My other favorite lip gloss.


Monday 28 December 2009

December Empties

December has been another good month for me. I've realised that posting pictures of everything that I use up is a great motivator for me. Since I've started posting about all my empties I haven't been tempted to buy anything new, which is pretty amazing.

Gloria perfume
Clarins Pure Melt cleansing gel
NeoStrata Daytime Protection cream
The Body Shop Coconut lip butter
Burt's Bees Watermelon lip shimmer
Nature's Gate deodorant


KMS California SilkSheen
Philosophy Senorita Margarita shower gel
The Body Shop Cranberry body butter


Phytomer HydrContinue body milk
Rexona Crystal deodorant
John Masters Organics Lip Calm
Kore Restorative day cream

Wednesday 23 December 2009

My Top Five Lip Balms for 2009



John Masters Organics Lip Calm - This is my holy grail lip balm. I'd happily use only this for the rest of my life, it's that good.

Shizen lip balm - A great Australian product, it comes very close to being my favorite balm.

Crazy Rumors lip balms - I love the taste of these balms, they have some beautiful flavours and are all natural.

Carmex - The best balm for healing sore, cracked lips.

My Lip Stuff balms - They have over 400 flavours so there is something to suit everyone.

Monday 21 December 2009

U Little Beauty Kiss Me Quick Lip Balm



I'm really disappointed with this lip balm. So disappointed that I really don't know what to say about it. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be like this or not, but it's so runny that it's like applying oil to my lips. And that's what my lips feel like when I've put the balm on, they feel really oily. I can't say if this is an effective lip balm because it's so oily that it runs off my lips straight after I've applied it. You can see in the picture below, I swiped it on my hand and it'd already started running down my hand when I took the photo.


On a positive note it does have a fresh citrus scent.

Here's what U Little Beauty has to say about Kiss Me Quick lip balm: You’ll be kissable in no time and capable of seducing anyone with this nourishing lip balm. Enriched with Calendula, Macadamia and Avocado seed oils. ULB kiss me quick is the perfect treat for kissable glossy lips.

Would I buy it again: No.

Ingredients: castor oil, canola oil, shea butter, candelilla wax, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, carnauba wax, avocado oil, calendula officinalis flower oil, lemon myrtle oil, tocopherol.

Thursday 17 December 2009

Blog Giveaway Winner

The winner of the NV Perricone Advanced Eye Area Therapy is Kittenish! Congratulations Kittenish! I'll be in touch with you via email to get your address to send the prize to.

Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more giveaways coming up soon.

Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lip Gloss


It's very rare that I fall instantly in love with a product, especially a lip product. The last time I fell in love with a lip gloss was many years ago when I discovered Lancome's Juicy Tubes. As you can imagine, I was very surprised to fall instantly in love with Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lip Gloss. I'm so obsessed with these glosses that I have three of them and I'm planning on getting more. They're heavenly. If you haven't tried these yet, you need to get some asap.

So you're probably wondering what made me fall instantly in love. When I first opened the gloss I noticed an amazing scent that smells yummy enough to eat. Then when I put on the gloss it felt like I had a lip balm on. It feels rich, creamy and moisturising.  

At the moment I have three Colour Inject Glosses, they are (shown above from left to right) Rumba, Lambada and Jazz. I'm planning to get Contemporary and Moonwalk next, in fact I'm tempted to buy one of each colour (especially as they are on sale at Priceline at the moment). 


Rumba is my favourite colour. It looks dark in the tube but it goes on a natural, mlbb pink. The scent is lychee and there is no flavour. The gloss is long lasting and not at all sticky.

This is what Australis has to say about Colour Inject Mineral lip gloss: The ten lychee scented colour range provides long lasting shine to your lips without that sticky factor. The natural mineral gloss contains the inject super formula to give your lips the ultimate care treatment. Its powerful active ingredients include:
Australian native kakadu plum for its extremely high levels of vitamin c to help with the formation of collagen as well as its antiseptic and soothing properties.
Vitamin e for moisturising, soothing and repair as well as providing protection from environmental stress.
UV filters to help absorb, reflect, scatter and block ultraviolet radiation.
Peptides to help enhance the contour of the lips, making them smoother and better defined.

Would I buy these again? Yes, I'm in love.

Ingredients (taken from the Australis website):
polybutene, pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate, ethylhexyl palmitate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, tricontanyl pvp mica ci 77019, lecithin, bismuth oxychloride ci 77163, flavour/fragrance (aroma), tribehenin, tocopheryl acetate, isopropyl myristate, sorbitan isostearate alcohol, kakadu plum (terminalia ferdinandiana) fruit extract, palmitoyl oligopeptide.
May Contain: titanium dioxide ci 77891, iron oxides ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499, red 6 ba lake ci 15850, red 7 ca lake ci 15850, red 27 al lake ci 45410, red 33 al lake ci 17200, orange 5 al lake ci 45370, yellow 5 al lake ci 19140,
blue 1 al lake ci 42090, tin oxide ci 77861.

Wednesday 16 December 2009

John Masters Organics Lip Calm

Today I'm mourning the loss of my John Masters Organics Lip Calm. I'm currently doing the Post and Shame Challenge with lip balms so I can't buy another one until I've finished four eyeliners and four lip balms. That's going to take me a long time. Meanwhile I'm not sure how I will survive without Lip Calm.


I know I've already done a post about John Masters Organics Lip Calm but it's so amazing that I have to do another post. If you are a lip balm fanatic and you haven't tried this balm, you need to. It is the best lip balm I've ever used. Truly. I know that's a big call coming from a lip balm addict like myself, but it really is that good.

In the tube it looks yellow but as you can see from the swatches below it goes on clear and glossy. It's not the type of balm that I expected to fall in love with as it is unflavoured, but the texture is amazing, very moisturising and calming.

When I apply Lip Calm my lips instantly feel hydrated and soothed. As it's quite thick I don't need to reapply for hours. When I use this before bed I can still feel the balm on my lips when I wake up.

If I could only use one lip balm for the rest of my life this would be it.

You can buy Lip Calm from Ikigai.

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Australis Luminescence Kit


This gorgeous Luminescence Kit is another product that was sent to me by Australis. I've since bought a few of them as they are perfect christmas gifts and a bargain at only $14.95.
 
The palette contains eighteen eyeshadows, 2 blushes, 1 bronzer, 3 lip glosses and 3 lipsticks which makes it perfect for travelling. I'm planning to take mine away on holidays with me as the only other thing I'll need to take with me is foundation.

One of the things that I love about this palette is that all of the colours are part of the regular collection, so if I find something that I love I can repurchase it. There is a leaflet that comes with the palette showing what all of the colours are.



If you are on the hunt for a cheap christmas present then I highly recommend you check out the Luminescence Kit.

Sunday 13 December 2009

NV Perricone Giveaway Reminder

Just a reminder that I have an NV Perricone giveaway happening. Click here for the full details. There are only a few days left to enter!

Friday 11 December 2009

Nature's Gate Fruit Blend Deodorant


I have very sensitive armpits and am constantly on the hunt for a gentle yet effective deodorant. I've found the gentlest deodorants to be sticks, so whenever I see one that I haven't tried before I buy it. I bought Nature's Gate Organics Fruit Blend Deodorant in Grapefruit and Wild Ginger at Priceline about a month ago. It's paraben and aluminium free.  

What I don't like: I've been really disappointed with this deodorant. It does nothing. No matter how many layers I put on it doesn't work. I may as well not be wearing any deodorant for all the coverage I get from this. Also the deodorant doesn't fill up the whole tube, so it wiggles around when I'm trying to use it.

It does have a nice spicy scent but it fades quickly. Even if I reapply this three for four times a day it's still ineffective. This cost me around $11, and it was a total waste of money.


Would I buy it again? No, it doesn't work. 


Ingredients:Glycerin, water, sodium stearate, steareth-100, pelargonium graveolens flower/leaf/stem extract, salvia sclarea flower/leaf/stem extract, actindia chinensis fruit extract, citrus japonica fruit extract, ficus carica fruit extract, sodium bicarbonate, malva sylvestris flower/leaf/stem extract, humulus lupulus extract, betula alba bark extract, rosa gallica flower extract, calluna vulgaris flower extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, zingiber officinale root extract, ctirus grandis fruit extract, glyceryl stearate, olec acid, stearic acid, stearyl alcohol, bisabolol, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium chloride, butylene glycol, fragrance.  

Thursday 10 December 2009

Post and Shame Challenge Update


I thought it was about time I did an update for the post and shame (or post and feel proud in my case) challenge. This is going to take me forever. The lip balm side will be easy, but using up eye liners is going to be really difficult. I'm not even close to finishing any eye liners. I have a strategy though, I'm using the same 3 eye liners every day so hopefully that'll work.

I've already finished one lip balm and have gotten rid of two others, one because I've had it for at least five years and the other because Mr GQ left it in his car and the texture changed. I don't have a picture of the other one that I threw out, but it was a strawberry Nivea balm.


By the end of this challenge I'm hoping that my lip balm collection will be a bit smaller, considering how long I'm expecting to take to finish off four eye liners I'd say that it will be. 

So far I haven't had any problems sticking to my challenge. I haven't been tempted to buy any new lip balms or eye liners, which I'm very pleased about.

Wednesday 9 December 2009

Australis Brushes




Australis have recently bought out a new range of brushes and I was lucky enough to be sent two of them to try. I received the foundation brush and the lip brush. The first thing that I noticed was the gorgeous packaging. They are black and pink with a very cute little flower on them (you can see the flower in the picture below). I really like the look of the brushes, they look sleek and sophisticated. 

For such cheap brushes the quality is surprisingly good. The lip brush is the best lip brush I've ever used. Its has a wider head than other lip brushes I've used which makes applying my lip products a lot quicker and easier. 


The foundation brush is also good. It's not as dense as others that I've used, but it does a great job of applying my foundation. I've found that it applies my foundation better than more dense brushes and I get less streaking. Where this brush really stands out is as a cream blush brush. I've been using this to apply my cream blush for a few weeks now and it does an amazing job.

 
As you can see in the picture below, they come in a reusable pouch. On the back of the pouch are instructions for use and washing instructions.


Here's what Australis have to say about their brushes: trusted experts in cosmetics, we know the tools of the trade. Different cosmetics applications require precise brushes for optimum results. We see the need for high quality brushes suitable for your every make-up application. We hav selected superior grade synthetic fibres, packed perfectly for specific application needs.

Regarding the foundation brush Australis says: Why this brush? The tapered brush fits the contours of your face and blends product seamlessly. The synthetic bristles won't absorb oils or products, making it the most hygenic way to apply product and gives the most natural looking coverage possible. It can be used with any liquid or cream make-up such as foundation, mousse foundation and shimma sticks.

Regarding the lip brush Australis says: Why this brush? The small, tapered point allows you to easily swipe colour and gloss. can be used to line the outer rims of your lips for extra definition. Retractable brush head means you won't get gloss or colour all over your belongings. Use this brush with all lipsticks, lipglosses and lip balms. 



The lip brush has nylon hair, and aluminium handle and a polyvinylchloride pouch.
The foundation brush has nylon fiber hair, a wood handle and a polyvinylchloride pouch.

The Australis brush range consists of every brush you could possibly want: eyeshadow contouring brush, eyeshadow brush, angled liner brush, base eyeshadow applicator, blush brush, powder brush, kabuki brush, foundation brush, retractable lip brush and a brush set. All of the brushes (including the brush set) are priced under $20.

Would I buy these? Yes, they are great if you're looking for cheap brushes.

Monday 7 December 2009

Purestuf Kissable Mint Lip Balm


I wrote the review for Purestuf lip balm ages ago when it was sent to me by Ikigai, but I've discovered that it never appeared on my blog which is bizarre. Its been sitting there showing as scheduled for ages. So sorry Ikigai for the extremely late review, but here it is.
 
Purestuf Kissable Mint lip balm is a men's lip balm, so I thought that I'd get Mr GQ to test it out and tell me what he thought of it. Being a man of few words he didn't give me a great description so I used it as well. 

Mr GQ said that this is a nice lip balm. He likes the mint flavour but would prefer that it came in a stick version so that he could take it to work.


I'm happy with Purestuf. It's very minty which I love and it gives a tingle when I apply it. The balm is quite light and when I've put it on it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything. Because of this I feel like I need to reapply it regularly to get the coverage that I need. 

This is a great balm to use underneath lipstick or gloss due to the light texture. Despite the light texture I find it to be quite hydrating. It's not as hydrating as thicker balms are, but it still does a good job of keeping my lips soft. 


Would I buy it? For myself no, because I like thicker textured balms. However I would recommend this for people who prefer lightweight lip products.


Ingredients: beeswax, shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamin e acetate, manuka honey, calendula oil, spearmint essential oil, peppermint essential oil.

Friday 4 December 2009

Thursday 3 December 2009

Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque


Dermalogica's Sebum Clearing Masque has been a life saver for me lately. My skin has been awful, I've had constant break outs. Two things have helped clear up and stop the break outs, and they are this mask and Lush's Angels on Bare Skin.

I've been using Sebum Clearing Masque on my problem areas three times a week for about six weeks now and it's made a big difference to my pimples. It helped to quickly clear up the break outs that I had and now I only have the occasional pimple. It also helps to draw out blind pimples. I had a huge, red, sore lump on my cheek for three days and it wouldn't form a head. So I put some Sebum Clearing Masque on it and an hour later it'd formed a head. Magic.

As you can see from the picture above, it's a white clay mask. When I put it on it feels pleasantly cool but not at all irritating. I leave it on for ten minutes then wash it off. I also use it as a spot treatment, I'll put it on individual spots and leave it on overnight as it helps to calm them and reduce the redness.

 
Dermalogica says: A cooling, refining and deep cleansing Kaolin and Bentonite clay masque that purifies, absorbs excess surface oil and helps prevent breakouts. Niacinamide, zinc gluconate, yeast extract, caffeine and biotin prevent overactive sebaceous gland activity while soothing aggravation. Silicylic acid clears congested follicles to minimize development of futre comedones and breakouts, while spiraea and cinnamon bark extracts prevent the growth of bacteria while stimulating the skins natural barrier function for clearer, healthier skin. 

Would I buy it? I originally won this in a competition, but yes, I'd definitely buy it.

Active ingredient: triclosan (0.2%).
Other ingredients: water, kaolin, bentonite, glycerin, polysorbate 20, carthamus tinctorius seed oil, cetearyl alcohol, gutylene glycol, polysorbate 60, salicylic acid, tocopheryl acetate, spiraea ulmaria extract, avena sativa kernel extract, yeast extract, aesculus hippocastanum seed extract, cinnamomum zeylanicum bark extract, bisabolol, lauryl laurate, ethyl menthane carboxamide, methyl diisopropyl propionamide, methyl lactate, farnesyl acetate, panthenyl triacetate, niacinamide, ammonium glycyrrhizate, panthenol, propylene glycol, zinc gluconate, caffeine, biotin, capryloyl clycine, sarcosine, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, camphor, hydroxyethyl behenamidopropyl dimonium chloride, glyceryl stearate se, hydroxyethylcellulose, 1, 2 hexandiol, caprylyl glycol, tropolone, disodium edta, chlorphenesin, menthol, phenoxyethanol, titanium dioxide (ci 77891), zinc oxide (ci 77947).

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Roy Jones Jnr Vs Danny Green 2009 Knock out Round 1

Australis Jumbo Mineral Bronzer



I can already tell that Australis Jumbo Mineral Bronzer is going to be my favorite product this summer.


Australis says: The summer glow we all strive for is now an easy fix with the Australis Jumbo Mineral Bronzer in Bronze Ambition. The light, glowing formula allows you to gradually build colour until you have achieved your desired look and can be used on both your face and body. Best of all this quick tanning fix has SPF - protecting your skin from the sun while keeping it looking beautiful.


Being pale I usually stay away from bronzers but this one is lovely. With one layer it looks like a light, shimmery bronze and more layers give a deeper, more intense colour. The pictures above and below are after I heavily swiped my finger through the compact, it doesn't look like that on.


Jumbo Mineral Bronzer can be used on the face and the body. On both the face and the body it looks gorgeous and lasts well. When I was first testing this out I had some on the inside of my arm at it lasted for half a day without rubbing onto my clothes. 


Ingredients: mica, dimethicone, zinc oxide, zinc stearate, polymethyl methacrylate, methylparaben, propylparaben, mica, ci 77491, titanium dioxide ci 77891, iron oxides ci77499, ci 77492, ci 77491, mica ci 77891.

Tuesday 1 December 2009

NV Perricone Advanced Eye Therapy Giveaway

I'm very excited as today is the start of my first blog giveaway. It's kindly being hosted by the lovely people at Perricone MD. Below is a picture of the product that you could win.





The more I read about Perricone products the more I want to try them. Here's some information from their website about Advanced Eye Area Therapy:
Alpha Lipoic Acid - Patented
- The ultimate antioxidant protects the cell
- Diminishes fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration
- Refines skin texture
- Reduces pore size, puffiness, imperfections and uneven skin tone

DMAE - Patented
- Provides ultimate contouring benefits to skin beginning to lose elasticity
- Delivers lifted, tightened and toned appearance to the skin
- Diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Vitamin C Ester - Patented
- A powerful antioxidant that improves firmness and elasticity
- Diminishes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration
- Imparts a radiant, smooth and luminous appearance

Click for more information about NV Perricone products.

How to enter:
  • You must be a follower of my blog. 
  • Leave a comment in the comments field telling me why you need Advanced Eye Therapy and what products you've tried that didn't work.
  • If you post about this competition on your blog and paste the link here you will get 2 extra entries. 
  • The winner will be chosen randomly using random.org

The competition will run for 15 days, starting on the 1st of December 2009 and finishing at midnight on the 15th of December 2009. I will announce the winners on 16th of December 2009. Bear in mind that as I'm in Australia midnight on the 15th of December for me is not the same as in the US. If it helps, Western Australia is +8 hours GMT.

This giveaway is open to US residents only. 

Good luck everyone!