I have quite long and also thick hair, which I only wash every second or sometimes even every third day. My hair is used to it, so it is never greasy, and when I feel it needs a ‘pick me up’, there’s always dry shampoo. However, on the days that I don’t wash my hair, I do feel that it can look a little frizzy, and also a little dry at the ends. And that’s when I rely on a good hair oil. So today I’d like to put focus on three different Hair Treatment Oils;
Dove Pure Care Dry Oil for Hair
This Pure Care Dry Oil from Dove contains African Macadamia Oil and just a few drops spread through my hair is giving it much needed moisture boost, while leaving it feeling incredibly soft and shiny, and without weighing it down or making it feel greasy. It is great to use after washing your hair as a leave-in treatment, and also on the days you don’t wash your hair for extra moisture and to tame frizz. And you can even use it before washing your hair as a treatment, by applying a generous amount and leaving it in for up to 30minutes before washing, so overall a great multi-tasking product. It absorbs quickly into the hair, leaving it feel lovely and soft, and it has a lovely floral scent and in spite of the bargain price of $19.95 the glass bottle makes it feel more luxe.
RRP: $19.95 (100ml) – Available from Priceline, Supermarkets and select pharmacies
NFuzion Zero Frizz Serum
This Zero Frizz Serum from Nfuzion is also a multi tasking product as it both adds moisture and shine to the hair, while controlling flyaway frizzy dry hair, and it can be used both before and after styling. You see, you can add a few drops to your styling product to add additional shine, as well as after styling as a finishing product to smooth and control frizz, seal the hair cuticles and split ends as well as add shine. T
The serum is extremely concentrated so just a few drops is more than sufficient. It comes in a cute little pump bottle that makes it easy to dispense just the right amount of product. It has a scent of coconut, which personally I am not too fond of, but if you like coconut scented products you’ll love this. But in saying that, it makes such a significant difference to the look of my hair that I can certainly put up with the coconut scent.
RRP: $18.95: (60ml) – Available from Salon Supplies
Kevin Murphy Young.Again Immortelle Infused Treatment Oil
This Young.Again Treatment is the most expensive of today’s products, costing almost $50, however, it is also an amazing product. The Treatment Oil has been infused with Immortelle to counteract the oxidization and ageing process, caused by heat styling and hair colouring. When using the nutrient rich oil daily it not only helps add shine to the hair and control frizz, it also helps moisturise and condition dry and damaged hair, help it regain elasticity, and protect it from further damage. Young.Again can be used both in damp hair after washing it, before any styling products, as well as it can also be used in dry hair to add further nutrients to the hair and further smooth down the hair and remove any fly-aways. The lightweight oil has a slightly spicy floral scent that is quite lovely, and it is very concentrated so you need to be cautious not to use too much.
At $49.95 for 100ml, it is not cheap, but I love how it makes my hair feel incredibly soft and smooth, and without weighing it down, so to me it is worth the spend if you can afford the splurge!
RRP: $49.95 (100ml) – Available from Adore Beauty and Select Hair Salons
So there you go, three different Hair Treatment Oils, at different price points so there is something for everyone and every budget!
*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
Do you use hair treatment oils? Any recommendations?
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Thanks to being a part of the BeautyDirectory Expert Panel I was lucky to be given the PuraSonic Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush for trial. Here are my thoughts;
What They Say:
The PuraSonic device is a facial cleansing brush that deeply cleanses skin. Using oscillating technology, the device has over 300 movements per second and is proven to be up to nine times better than manual cleansing when used with a cleanser*. The device is fully rechargeable, waterproof and safe to use in the shower. It features three speeds and a built-in timer, which designates 20 seconds for both the forehead and chin, and ten seconds for each cheek. The PuraSonic also has three built-in speeds that allow users to customize their cleanse. The device comes with a Gentle brush head for sensitive skin and an Everyday brush head for normal skin, as well as a magna-link charger, USB cord and waterproof stand. Available in four colours: Artic White/Pink Button, Arctic White/Grey Button, Perfectly Pink and Lovely Lilac.
RRP: $99 – Available from Priceline, Target, Ry and Purasonic
What I Say:
I have to be completely honest and admit that cleansing brushes are not new to me. I’ve trialled several different ones, and frequently use my Clairsonic Mia 2 which I purchase several years ago, and still love dearly.
The PuraSonic Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush is very similar to the ClairSonic. In fact so similar that the actual brush looks more or less identical. But they are no affiliated (as also stated on the PuraSonic box!).
Like the Clairsonic, the PuraSonic has 300 oscillating movements per second where the inner bristles of the brush oscillate a little to make it feel like it is vibrating to clean deep down every single pore to rid the skin or any excess oil, dirt and makeup. And I have to agree with the claim that the brush clean the skin so much better than cleansing the old fashioned way with your hands, you can simply see and feel it on your skin afterwards. I have also always been prone to breakouts, but using the brush regularly I definitely feels that I get less breakouts, and those that I do get, are considerable smaller and also seems to fade quicker too, than when I’m not using the brush.
The PuraSonic is waterproof so you can take it with you in the shower, which I really like. It comes with a stand that is also used as the charger, and once fully charged, it can last a month before needing to be charged again.
The brush has 3 different speeds, and a built-in 1 minute timer that helps you cleanse your face in the most optimal way without over-cleansing, as it allows 20m seconds to cleanse the forehead 20 seconds for the chin and nose area, and 10 seconds for each cheek – so hence allowing a little more time for the t-zone area that generally needs it more than the cheeks.
After using the PuraSonic for several weeks my skin is definitely clearer and my skin seems to be less greasy and I consequently have less breakouts, and my pores also seems to be smaller and my skin more refined – and therefore I also find that my makeup applies more evenly, and also stays put for longer. Unfortunately, as claimed, any lines and wrinkles on my face don’t seem to have changed or minimised one bit, but I have noticed that any serums and creams that I use absorb into the skin quicker, and that my skin in general has a healthier glow. Here it is again important to keep in mind that I am a regular user of a ClairSonic, and these results are the same as what I’d see with the Clairsonic when I start using it again after not using it for a while.
Overall I really like the PuraSonic Cleansing brush as it is an easy-to-use cleansing brush that cleans deep down every pore, making my skin softer and smoother and with a more radiant and healthy glow - and in general I couldn’t live without a cleansing brush, as it has just done wonders to my skin since I started using one. The PuraSonic retails at $99, which, while still not cheap, is still considerably cheaper than the ClairSonic Mia 2 which retails for around $190. While the oscillating movements are supposed to be the same on the two brushes, it for some reason seems as if my (several years old) ClairSonic is still a touch more powerful – in saying that, if I didn’t already own a Clairsonic, I wouldn’t hesitate purchasing a PuraSonic, especially if I was on a budget, as this difference is still only minor so the PuraSonic is a great alternative if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, yet still wants a good deep cleanse of your skin.
*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
Have you tried a sonic cleansing brush? Or do you prefer simply using hands?
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Today it is all about the June Violet Box, here are my thoughts on this month’s box;
What They Say:
Violet Box brands promises to every month include 4-6 premium beauty and lifestyle samples from well-known and trusted Australian beauty brands as well as exciting new International brands, one in particular is a revolutionary product currently trending in New York and has been featured in Vogue and on the Today Show!
RRP: You can subscribe to Violet Box for:
1 month – $22.95
3 months - $66.00
6 months - $130
12 months - $250
Available from Violet Box
What I Say:
This month the Violet Box comes in a slight different box than previous months, as it is no longer slide-out box, but rather a standard opening box. Personally I prefer the slide out-design and find it better designed for reuse, but in the end of the day I have heaps of these boxes by now so it really doesn’t matter, it’s more about the contents of the box…
Starlooks “Cuddle” Lipgloss – Sample Size (RRP: $14.00/Full size)
This lipgloss in the warm shimmery mauve shade, Cuddle, promises to be non-stick while giving long-lasting glassy glistening gloss effect. The shade is quite nice, but possibly feel that it may be too shimmery for my liking, but only a test will show. Can’t wait to put it to the test. And besides, lovely to see a new brand not before seen in the Violet Box!
Doucce Ultra Precision Eye Liner – Full Size (RRP: $30.00)
I always use either dark brown or black eyeliner so a new one certainly doesn’t go astray, although it I not a wow product as such. In saying that, this eyeliner does feel lovely and soft, so I look forward to putting this one to the test as well.
Gascoigne & King Love Vanilla Candle – Full Size (RRP: $25.00/200g)
YAY a candle! Don’t recall seeing that in a beauty box before, so that was nice –although you could argue that it as such is not a beauty product – but even so, I love it. Have heard a many good things about Gascoigne & King, so very excited to finally be trying out one of their products. The candle comes in a sleek silver tin, and the Love Vanilla candle contains vanilla, tonka bean and hazelnut and smells absolutely divine, even before starting to burn it, so I cannot wait to let the beautiful scent spread throughout my house! And even my husband agreed it smells divine, something we often don't agree on with candles! Win!
Mullein & Sparrow Tinted Lip & Cheek Balm – Full Size (RRP: $22.00)
And yet another new brand, YAY! This little cute tin contains all natural tinted balm that gives your lips and cheeks a lovely tint, whilst nourishing your lips as the same time. In the tin the tint has quite a dark berry shade, but once on the lips or cheeks it blends out to a beautiful sheer blushed tint. I’m really into cheek balms at the moment, so I’m excited about the inclusion of this one and look forward to really trying it out!
Jing Ai Velvet Shine Lip Jewel Lip Crayon in Pink-A-Boo – Full Size (RRP: $29.00)
And another new brand, for me, the fourth new brand in this box! And I really love the ease of using lip crayons at the moment so also excited about the inclusion of this one. I got the shade Pink A Boo which is a medium cool toned pink shade, - and I have to admit to generally preferring warmer shades, but still I love the sound of this one infused with macadamia seed oil, shea butter and jojoba seed oil to nourish your lips.
Overall, I’m impressed with this month’s box, and personal think it is the best one I’ve received in a very long time! For me it had the WOW factor with the introduction of 4 new brands, and containing products that I am also likely to use. And 4 full sized products and one deluxe sample is also pretty good. The full sized products alone have a value of $106, which is also very impressive for the cost of $22.95.
If I had to nit-pick it would be that there are essentially three lip products in the box and a little more variety by replacing one or two of them with hair or body products, or even other types of makeup would have been ideal.
*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
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La Prairie is one of those luxurious skincare brands that I’ve always dreamt of using, so when a beautiful parcel from La Prairie arrived inviting me to participate in a two week skincare challenge for visibly younger looking skin, testing their newly launched Anti-Ageing Rapid Response Booster along with the Anti-Ageing Eye & Lip Contour Cream, I was naturally very excited. Here are my thoughts;
What I They Say:
Experience a new level of timeless beauty with Anti-Aging Rapid Response Booster, La Prairie’s most accelerated wrinkle interceptor yet. A revolutionary active delivery system targets the cells that make skin look younger with precision and speed and delivers anti-wrinkle ingredients exactly where your skin needs them most. Beautiful, visibly younger looking skin is only two weeks away. RRP: $335 (50ml) – Available from La Prairie Counters
La Prairie Anti-Aging Eye and Lip Contour Cream is a highly moisturising cream formulated to treat the age-sensitive contours of the eyes and lips. The cream features an amino acid complex that works to immediately fill wrinkles and hollows in the eye area using a similar action to lipo-filling. An anti-discoloration complex works to prevent future darkness around the eye area, while volumising ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, olive fruit extract and shea butter help to plump, smooth and hydrate the skin around the lips. Tropical fruit extracts are utilised to exfoliate and stimulate the skin for a younger, fresher look.
RRP: $225 (20ml) – Available from La Prairie Counters, or visit La Prairie Online for more details.
What I Say:
This new Anti-Ageing Rapid Response Booster from La Prairie comes with some pretty hefty claims of offering ‘timeless beauty in just two weeks, by delivering targeted ingredients to where the skin needs them most, the cells responsible for the production of collagen and elastin, so over the course of two weeks, La Prairie promises that the depth and length of wrinkles, showing dramatic visible improvements in the skin. It also promises to improve the overall look of the skin, including enlarged pores and skin texture, while exfoliating and brightening the skin. Sounds pretty amazing to me!!
The actual serum has a beautiful lightweight and non-greasy texture that instantly absorbs into my skin, leaving it feel incredibly soft and smooth, and it simply feels so lovely on the skin. I simply fell in love with it from the very first use.
The serum is to be used both morning and night, before your moisturiser, and is extremely concentrated. I was sent two small bottles (10ml in total), and to be honest doubted that they would last me for the two week trial. But, and not I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been using the serum too sparingly, but after the two weeks I still had some serum left, that lasted me for almost another week!! But in saying that, it is recommended to use the serum on face, neck and décolleté, so only using it on my face (where I really wanted to see the results!), probably explains why I’m managed to make it last longer. So I’ve only been using the tiniest drop and gently padding it into my skin, avoiding the eye area as recommended.
So how did the serum perform? Well I naturally didn’t see an immediate reduction in my lines and wrinkles, but what I did see and feel from the very first day, was that it thoroughly moisturised my skin, making it look more healthy and glowing, even in spite of having a newborn and getting up several times during the night for feeds, and consequently being quite sleep deprived and drained. Wow! And after a week’s use, close friends commented how nice and glowing my skin looked, even in spite of being so tired, and having been sick very sick and admitted to hospital too.
And after the two weeks trial, I could definitely see a difference. Fine lines, especially on my forehead really looked visibly reduced, but more importantly, that large frown line that I have between my brows (that I sadly think I’ve inherited from my Mum, thanks Mum!!), has significantly minimised, in particularly in depth, which I’m really excited about. And in addition, my skin really does feel more hydrated, yet without being congested or breaking out, and it really does look and feel softer and plumper and simply has a nice healthy almost lit-from-within glow.
The serum comes in the most beautiful silver pump bottle, which is almost a piece of art in itself, and it has the most divine scent, which I believe is common for most products from La Prairie. And no, it is not cheap. It will set you back $335 for a 50ml bottle, but if you’re serious about anti-ageing skincare, and want to see rapid results, then this all-in-one multi-tasking serum really is worth it. Personally I’m hoping that my wage as a stay-at-home mum (read no wage!), can justify purchasing another bottle!
Along with the Anti-Ageing Rapid Booster, I also used the Anti-Ageing Eye and Lip Contouring Cream. And needless to say that this little silver pot of moisturiser is just as amazing. It is designed as another multi-tasker as you can use it both around the eyes and lips to help treat fill in wrinkles and lines. When used around the eyes it promises to help fill wrinkles and hollows in the eye area and prevent future darkness around the eye area, while when used around the lips, it promises to help plump, smooth and hydrate the skin, while exfoliating and stimulating the skin to make it look younger and fresher! Another WOW!!
And call me a tight-ass again, but again I decided to make the tiny 3ml jar last longer and solely used it around my eyes where I really wanted to see the results.
The cream is quite rich, yet light and silky, and you only need to use the tiniest amount (again I’ve managed to stretch the tiny jar to last over two weeks), and the cream instantly absorbs into the skin, leaving it feeling so soft, and smooth and hydrated.
And yet again, already after using the cream for just a day, I could tell a difference. The skin around my eye area, which does show signs of ageing with fine lines, and not least bags and dark circles, (again made worse by lack of sleep!), immediately looked better. Lines appeared minimised and dark circles.
So overall I have to say that I am truly impressed with these products from La Prairie. They are every bit as luxe as I expected them to be, from the packaging to the consistency and feel of the products, and more importantly, their effectiveness, - the products really do live up to their claims, and in just two short weeks.
If you are serious about anti-ageing products for your skin and can afford the splurge I highly recommend that you try these products, you won’t be disappointed.
*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
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The June Lust Have It box arrived on my doorstep on the 29th June, and after running delays for the past many months, and also skipping the April box, its great to see that LHI seems to be back on track and the box actually being delivered in June! Here’s my thoughts on this month’s box;
What They Say
Lust Have It boxes regularly contains products worth $60+ for only $19.95/month! Monthly box filled with 5 to 6 premium beauty samples. Delivered to your home or work each month for you to try.
RRP: Lust Have It Box (monthly) RRP: $19.95, Eco Box (quarterly) RRP: $29.95 – but if you use my unique code LIFESTYLE at the checkout on the Lush Have It website, you are eligible for $5 off your first box from Lust Have It, and at the same time you’ll also be supporting Beauty & Lifestyle Hunter, as I will get a few dollars too if someone subscribes using this code.
Available from Lust Have It
What I Say:
Like the last couple of months, the products this month came in a plain, foldable plain gift box, this month in a silver box, and this is what was in the box;
Teeez Trend Cosmetics Eve’s Ready to Wear Lipstick in Classy Caramel – Full Size (RRP: $35.00)
I ready got one of these lipsticks from another beauty box last year, so as such it is not a new item for me. But in saying that, I did get a different shade, this one a warm deep orangy red shade, which is quite lovely. The lipsticks claims to nourish, hydrate and repair cracked or dry lips, and it does indeed feel very lovely on the lips. I look forward to using this one!
NAK Thermal Shield – Full Size (RRP: $25.95/150g)
This spray is designed to help weatherproof the hair and protect it from harsh styling and thermal heat, making it less prone to frizz and damage. This sounds great, only I rarely heat style my hair, let along hair dry it, sadly with a newborn and a toddler that becomes a thing of luxury, only possible for special occasions – but I’ll certainly look forward to trying it out! Chapstick Hydration Lock – Full Size (RRP: $4.95/4.4g)
This is a dual-ended lipbalm that has a hydration part in the one end and in the other a part that locks in the moisture for up to 8 hours. My husband is addicted to Chapsticks, and never leaves the house without his trusted lipbalm in his pocket –he can even be 30mins away from home and he will either turn around to go home and get it if he has forgotten it, or stop at the nearest chemist to get a new one, so I think this one will be passed on to him, with the argument that if you apply before you leave home, you should more or less be able to make it home from work again before you’d need to apply again. Brilliant ideal Chapstick!
The Cosmetic Kitchen Peppermint Foot Mask – Full Size (RRP: $24.95/50g)
I’ve tried a few other products from the Cosmetic Kitchen thanks to being included in beauty boxes, but luckily I haven’t yet tried this foot mask. It contains peppermint and tea tree and promises to ‘say goodbye to sad winter toes’. Sounds pretty good to me, after being pregnant and not able to reach my feet, my feet are a tad neglected, only issue is finding the time – but when the day comes, I’ll look forward to trying it.
The Cosmetic Kitchen Wake Up Body Scrub – Full Size (RRP: $29.95/60g)
Another product from the brand that I’m yet to try. This body scrub contains raw sugar, coffee and alkalising salts, pink organic clay and essential oils, to help slug away dead skin cells. As a coffee lover, this sounds pretty good to me, so another product I’ll look forward to testing out!
So there you are, the contents in the June Lust Have It box. It contains a total of 5 products, of which are full-sized, which is pretty impressive, - and hence so is the total value of the products which comes to $117 – not bad for a $20 box!!
Overall I am quite happy and impressed with both the value and the selection of products this month, even if I feel I haven't really got the time to lock myself in the bathroom and pamper myself with the body scrub and foot mask, or have time to style my hair, and passing on the Chapstick to my husband, all there is left is the Teeez Lipstick – but that is not Lust Have It’s fault – and hopefully that will change as my boys grow older! And even so, the Teeez lipstick still has a higher value than the cost of the box!
If I have to be negative, it is that there are two products from The Cosmetic Kitchen,and for the sake of variety and surprise factor too, I would have loved if one of the products had been replaced by a product from another brand.But overall, well done Lust Have It, I cannot wait to see what you’ve got in store for next month!
*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
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