APRIL 2014 FAVOURITES

How time flies, and it is now that time of the month again where I share some of the products that I’ve particularly loved during the past month;

 

Arbonne It's a Long Story Mascara*

 

A little while we moved into our new house – well that is, the house we will be living in until we’ve finished building our new house. And with all the unpacking I’ve done the last month, along with looking after our little boy who has been teething with several teeth coming out at the same time and hence needed extra cuddles, I have had several days were I’ve gone more or less au naturel – wearing nothing more than mascara – as that is the one product that I would never leave the house without wearing. And I’ve been enjoying the It’s A Long Story Mascara from Arbonne.

Just one coat of this mascara instantly makes your lashes look incredibly long and glossy, nicely defining and separating the lashes and without clumping them together – and over time it also promotes the appearance of longer-looking lashes due being formulated with revolutionary polypeptides, bamboo extract and pro-vitamins to pamper, condition and nurture the lashes. While I’m yet to see the long term effects of using this mascara, the look that this mascara gives my lashes, makes it worthwhile regardless.  And the mascara is waterproof, and so gentle too, so perfect for my sensitive eyes.

RRP: 46.00 – Available from Arbonne

 

Illamasqua Precision Ink in Havoc*

 

When I have been wearing a little makeup, and felt like spicing things up a little, I’ve been using the Illamasqua Precision Ink in Havoc which is a reddish brown waterproof liquid eyeliner.

And as the name suggests, it makes it easy to make a precise line, even for fumbly fingers like mine. And it really does stay put all day, perfect for eyes like mine, which are sensitive and easily water.

RRP: $32 – Available from Myer

 

Laura Mercier Longwear Cream Eye Pencil in Sage*

 

To contrast the reddish brown liquid liner on my upper lashline, I’ve enjoyed using the Laura Mercier Longwear Cream Eye Pencil in Sage along the lower lashes. Sage is a dark olive green colour, and I feel that it the combination of the two colours really make the green colours of my eyes stand out a little more.

The eyeliner is such a joy to use, and applies easily without the need to drag or pull, yet it stays put all day, which is very rare for a kohl eyeliner.

RRP: $30 – Available from Adore Beauty

 

Clarins Rouge Eclat in Pink Berry*

 

I absolutely adore this Rouge Eclat in Pink Berry from Clarins. This is a lip treatment and lipstick in one, as it is an Age-Defying Lipstick which contains Nutri-Youth Complex to help create younger-looking, fuller lips, all while giving the lips a gorgeous colour. The Pink Berry, is a gorgeous red toned colour, and is very pigmented so just a quick swipe will leave you will fully saturated colour with a nice satin sheen, perfect for both casual wear and a night out. It feels incredible comfortable to wear, and it has a long wear, but as it wears off, it leaves the lips feeling so soft and smooth.

And not to forget, it has the most divine scent that I just can’t get enough off! I’ve already got my eyes on a few other colours to add to my collection!

RRP: $38 – Available from Clarins counters and Adore Beauty

 

Color WOW Pop & Lock*

As a stay-at-home mum, I no longer have my hair coloured as often as I used to – finding the time to sit in the chair at the hairdressers for hours when you have a baby is a luxury that I often haven’t got. And that’s why I’ll do anything to protect my hair colour by using products specifically designed for coloured hair. This Pop & Lock from Color WOW is a clear gel containing shimmers, and it contains shellac that adds a protective layer on the hair’s surface making the hair colour pop and gives the hair an incredibly healthy shine at the same time as it smoothes down any frizz. It also contains UV filters that helps prevent the hair colour from fading. And always looking for multi-tasking products, I love that it can be used in both wet hair, as well as to freshen up dry hair.

RRP: $29.95 (55ml) – Available from Hairhouse Warehouse

 

Pacifica Skincare Frangipani & Lime Body Butter*

 

I had never before heard of Pacifica Skincare when I was asked to trial this body butter. And now I feel I have a lot of catching up to do as this body butter is nothing short of divine. The last time I was on a tropical holiday is a very long time ago, in actual fact, it was in Fiji during 9-11! But this body butter transports you to that secluded tropical island as soon as you open the cream.

It simply smells incredible, beyond words. If you love frangipani and lime – which I are two of my all time favourite scents, then this will no doubt tick your boxes too. The cream leaves your skin feeling silky soft and smooth, and the scent more or less lingers for the rest of the day, which is pretty rare for a body butter. And then how cute is the floral box the cream comes in!

RRP: $20.95 (120gms) – Available from Pacifica Skincare

 

Paco Rabanne Million Lady Collectable Key Chain*

 

It has been awhile since this fragrance was launched, but nevertheless, it is a true classic. It is fresh and floral, sweet yet it is not sickly! It contains among others bitter orange and raspberry, neroli and jasmine and gardenia. As it is so floral and fresh it is perfect for daytime wear, yet as it also has such a depth, it is just as perfect for a night out.

And you know it is a quality perfume when it lasts all day, without really needing to respray (I can even smell it in my hair where it has brushed against my neck the following day) – Yet the small keychain is just so cute and gorgeous and perfect for the handbag, that I’ve found myself carrying it around regardless. I love it, and have already given my hubby subtle hints, so maybe one day I will get a full sized bottle..

RRP: $64 (Key Chain Travel Spray 10ml + 10ml refill) – Available from Selected Myer and David Jones

Ultraceuticals Even Skintone Serum*

 

One of the key thinks that bothers me about my skin is pigmentation, and I am forever in search of products which can help minimise it, and this serum has dramatically made a difference in the appearance of dark spots, hyperpigmentation as well as minimised the look of pores and not to mention the amount of breakouts that I get - and just a month.

It I not a cheap serum, but it is really does deliver on its promises, so worth every cent! You can check out my full review here.

RRP: $100 (30ml) – Available from David Jones

 
BioElixia Body Shaper Stretch Mark Diminishing Cream*

I’ve never had a lot of stretchmarks, guess genes, and regular exercise has kept it at bay. But then I got pregnant, and while I didn’t get as many as I thought I would, and which I think would have been normal considering my 14kgs weight gain, I still can’t say that I loved them. The BioElixia Body Shaper Stretch Mark Diminishing Cream claims to help visibly reduce stretchmarks by smoothing out their appearance and fading discoloration, by an average of 46% after just 4 weeks of use, and 87% after 8 weeks of use. Pretty impressive stats, don’t you think! I am not sure that I can see that the few stretchmarks on in particularly my thighs and breasts have reduced by almost half in the just over a month I’ve been using this cream – but I know that I can both see and feel that there is a difference, and my skin feels super soft too, so the $39 it is well worth it if you ask me.

RRP: $39 (125ml) – Available BioElixia

 

Aphelia Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid*

 

This cleanser helps clean the skin deep down every single pore, and detoxify it, leaving it ready for any treatment care. I have had a few issues with breakout the last few months, but I believe that this cleanser has helped get my skin back to normal again, as it has cleaned it so well from any makeup and excess sebum, yet without drying it out or irritating my skin. It easily removes even longwearing makeup, but I’ve been using it as the second cleanser to give my skin the good deep clean it has obviously needed. It is extremely concentrated, so just a small pump is more than sufficient.

RRP: $29.95 (100ml) – Available from Aphelia

* Products were kindly provided for consideration, and have been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

So there you go, these are some of my favourite products for the month of April.

Have you tried any of these products? Any that you’d like to try?

Product Review: Violet Box February 2014

Another month has gone by, and yesterday, the 25^th February, the February Violet Box arrived at my door step – so a little while ago, but as we are still waiting to get internet connected in our new house and only have extremely limited internet access, So I struggle both writing and posting new posts on my blog, so I have been relying on posts I had made in advance and scheduled to go live in this period. So when you see this, it has actually been a little while since I received the box, but anyway, here are my thoughts on the *February edition of the Violet 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:

Violet Box yet again arrived in a narrower sized black matte box, with the magnetic closure and a purple ribbon, and this is what was in the February Violet Box…

Red Carpet Kolour – Sample Sachets x 2 (RRP: $ 49.95/150ml)

At first glance I thought this was a self-tanner, but it is not. It is a body lotion that gives your skin coverage for imperfections, such as pigmentation, veins, age spots and wrinkles, without transferring onto your clothes. Available in light, medium and tan, this is basically a foundation for the body. With a baby, I hardly have time enough to do the makeup on my face, so honestly I doubt that this is something I’d make use of on a daily basis. But in saying that, I do have some pretty ugly veins on my legs, which were made worse during my pregnancy, so for special occasions this would be the perfect solution.

Nuxe Crème Nirvanesque – Sample 15ml (RRP: $49.95/50ml)

I only recently tried some products from Nuxe (you can see me review here), and so loved them, so I was happy to see the inclusion of this cream. It promises to smooth, de-stress and relax first expression lines and is made from 80% natural ingredients. I do have an expression line between my brows that I am not too fond of, so I look forward to testing this one out, and I love seeing that it is suitable for all skin types, so it shouldn’t cause any issues for my combination skin.

Be a Bombshell The One Stick – Full Size (RRP: $21/7.3g) 

I love the sound of this all-in-one stick which can be used on the eyes, cheeks and lips. A true multi-tasking product. I got the colour Girl Crush, which is a lovely pale pink shade with just a touch of simmer. I love the fact that this is a full sized product and I can’t wait to test it out.

WotNot Facial Wipes – Sample pack/5 wipes (RRP: $7.95/25 wipes)

I have mentioned this several times, but unless I fly overseas on long-haul flights, I am not a regular user of facial wipes. To remove my makeup I simply prefer to use foaming face washes so I can splash my face with water. And these wipes have been included in, I believe, several beauty subscription boxes previously, so the novelty factor has now worn off, and really doesn’t excite me that much. Having said that, I do like the WotNot wipes, especially the baby wipes that I often use on my little boy, as I like that they are natural and organic.

The box also included a card with details of how to get pack of the newly launched facial wipes for oily/sensitive skin for free, which is a great bonus.

Aphelia Oasis Acne Solution – Sample Size 2ml (RRP: $49/50ml)

I have previously tried some products, and they are amazing. If you’ve missed them, check out my reviews for the amazing hand cream and fantastic Peony eye cream). I have always suffered with breakouts, and always trying to find products that actually will work when I get that nasty pimple, so I love the inclusion of this acne cream, as it is made from herbs, and is gentle, yet promises to be fast acting – so sounds pretty promising. In saying that, the inclusion of an acne product may not be suitable for all subscribers, but personally I am very happy about it.

Be A Bombshell Lip Crayon – Full Size (RRP: $19/2.5g)

Another full sized product, how great is that. This lip crayon is said to be able to go on from sheer to full coverage. There were two options, Trophy White and Some Beach, and I got the Some Beach, which is a coral colour with a touch of shimmer. I haven’t got a lot of coral lip products, so I love the inclusion of this, and can’t wait to try it out.

Finally, the box also included a cute heart shaped lolly, won’t stay untouched for long. Such a sweet inclusion, literally!!

So there you have it, the contents of the February Violet Box. And yet again, Violet Box has impressed me with two full sized products and four samples. The inclusion of the two full sized Be A Bombshell products makes the box well worth its cost, and add to that the generous size of the Nuxe cream, and also the Acne cream from Aphelia, all of which I will look forward to testing out.

And as per previous months, if I have to be negative, it would be that there are two products included from the Be A Bombshell brand, and while I love both of these full sized products, I would personally have preferred just one of these products and have the second product replaced with another full sized product from another brand that is new to me. But again, that is just me being fussy, as what really matters is the value of the box both in terms of money, but also if you are actually going to use the products, and on both levels, this month’s Violet Box is  extremely good value.

So all in all, I am very impressed with this month’s box – yet again, well done Violet Box, keep up the good work!!

*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

What do you think of the products of this month’s Violet Box? Did you get this months’ box too? What did you think? And if not, would you consider subscribing?

And of course, as always, if you’d like to see an in-depth review of any of products in the box, leave me a comment below..  

Product Review: Violet Box – July Review

Last month Australian beauty fanatics were spoilt with the addition on a new monthly beauty subscription box, The Violet Box – if you’ve missed my review, you can see it here. Here are my thoughts on the July edition of the *The Violet 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 - $130.00
12 months - $250.00

For full details, visit the Violet Box
 

What I Say:

Quite impressed with the Violet Box’ launch box, I was looking very forward to and had very high expectations for the July box.

Like the launch box, the July box does seem to be to a particular theme. The Violet Box comes in a stylish matte black box, which is closed with a magnetised flip lid and a purple ribbon, and it has the purple Violet Box logo in the corner of the box. And inside, the samples were wrapped in violet tissue paper. The actual box is of a sturdy design, and the fact that it closes completely with the magnet, makes it easy to re-use it to for instance store jewellery etc.

 

 

So what was in the first Violet Box…

 

ModelCo Shine Ultra Lip Gloss, in colour Striptease – full-size (RRP $18.00)
 

This is a reflective and shimmering lipgloss in a pale pink colour. It is a good every day shade and I can imagine that it will look great on top of most lipsticks as well. I love the packaging too, and the fact that it comes with a built-in mirror, making it so easy to apply on the go. It has a lovely fruity scent. I have not actually tried any of the makeup from ModelCo, so I look forward to trying this one.

Aphelia Peony 9+5 Advance Beautifying Eye Creme - sample size (RRP $69, 15ml)

 

 

The eye crème promises to help with fine lines and wrinkles, targeting underlying causes of the delicate eye area whilst allowing powerful new modern peptide technology to provide some earlier faster benefits. I have already tried a full sized eye crème, and absolutely love it, if you’ve missed my review, you can see it here.

Catalina Geo Long and Deep Mascara, Plus Refill, Black (RRP $31.50)

 

This is a lengthening waterproof mascara, suitable for sensitive eyes. The mascara contains among others vitamins A and E to relieve irritation, repair and hydrate the lashes. And believe it or not, it comes with a refill mascara. How good is that! I guess my only negative is that using up one mascara, the brush would need to be re-used in the refill, in spite of then already being loaded with bacteria, and consequently ideally should be replaced too!

 

 

But in saying that, I have tried the Catalina Geo compact foundation, which I really liked, so I do have high hopes and look forward to trying the mascara too.

It also comes with a discount voucher giving you 30% of Catalina Geo foundations until 30 September 2013, which is a great offer too.

 

 

Adorn Cosmetics Eye Create Intensive Eye Shadow, Shade and Eye Create Matte Shadow, Jasper and Quartz – two samples (RRP each $15, 1.5g).

 

 

These loose eye shadows pigments are from an Australian brand, and organic, natural and non-toxic. I love the sound of that. Jasper is a golden brown colour with a lot of shimmer, while Quartz is a dark matte chocolate brown. I usually wear neutral eye shadows, so I really like both colours. And as I have never tried any products from Adorn Cosmetics I really look forward to seeing what the quality, pigmentation and staying power of these eye shadows is like.

 

 

It also comes with a discount voucher for $15 for Adorn Cosmetics, and it doesn’t seem to come with any minimum order requirement (great bonus!), so I will definitely have to check out their website!

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse - sample 50ml (RRP $39.95, 120ml, RRP $59.95, 240ml)

I have heard a lot of good reviews about the St Tropez bronzing products, and I have never tried any of their products, so it’s exciting to see the sample in the box. Yet, I have to admit that I don’t often use self-tanners.  Being pregnant I couldn’t reach all areas of my body properly to bother, and now, with a newborn, I am not sure I can find the time….but then again – I do look a little tired and worn out right now, so a bit of colour on my pale body may be just what I need!!

All in all I have to say that Violet Box has done it again. I was impressed with the quality of the samples in last months box, and I am equally impressed with the selection, and not least value in this months box. Alone the full sized two mascaras (remember, there was a refill too!), are worth more than the $22.95 that the box cost. And then there is the $18.95 full-sized ModelCo lipgloss. And I am very keen on trying the Adorn Cosmetics eye shadows too.

As I said last month, if the Violet Box can maintain this quality and value of products in their monthly boxes, and furthermore manages to customise the products you are sent, then it is sure to be a success, and I for one, am very tempted to subscribe…

*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

 

What do you think of the contents of this launch box from Violet Box? Did you get this months’ box too? What did you think? And if not, would you consider subscribing? Do you subscribe to any other monthly beauty boxes? And if so, which one is your favourite?

 

Product Review: Aphelia Luminance 11+7 Whitening & Lightening Crème

Having increasing pigmentation I was very excited when I was asked to trial the Aphelia Luminance 11+7 Whitening & Lightening Crème.

Here are my thoughts;

 

What They Say:

Luminance’s calming and cooling complexes redress redness and neutralise stressors, for more balanced, even and lustrous skin tone. Protective and gentle re-brightening and lightening unguents defend skin, for diminishing pigmentation, dark spot, redness, age spots, sun spots and redress acne scarring. Luminance contains the potent anti-oxidant Vitamin C, to help protect cells from free-radical damage (pigmentation & dark spots). Specifically designed for dark spot correction, pigmentation and damaged skin.

RRP: $69 (30ml) – Available from Aphelia Online

What I Say:

Aphelia products are made using pure, natural herbal power that has been combined with cosmetic science. The ingredients are hand selected and are then expressed and percolated into own concentrated extracts using the traditional Asian methodologies. The products from Aphelia represent a hand crafted, east meets west fusions of holistic tradition and modern science, - ancient oriental herbal knowledge fused with the latest developments in Western skin care technology, giving you the best of both worlds.

The Luminance Cream promises to diminish pigmentation, dark spot, redness, age spots, sun spots and redress acne scarring - and as I sadly can tick a box at every one of those issues, and having previously tried and been extremely impressed by the Aphelia Peony 9+5 Eye Cream, I was very excited to trial the Aphelia Luminance 11+7 Crème.

The Aphelia Luminance 11+7 Crème comes in a bright green box with gold writing, and Chinese (I assume!) writing down one side of the box, and on the other side the words "The Origin of Beauty".  On the last side of the box, the ingredients of the cream and the instructions are listed. I remember the first time I saw one of these green boxes (when I tried the Aphelia Luscious Intensive Hand & Skin Cream), I recall not having high expectations of what I would find inside….but much to my surprise I found a lovely and luxurious looking cream.

The Luminance Crème comes in a square gold plastic bottle with a pump, and although made from plastic, it looks like it is made from glass, and is sleek and simple looking and looks expensive and luxurious. And I love the fact that it comes with a pump, as it is very hygienic, although this may consequently make it a little difficult to use up every last drop of cream, but only time will tell. One negative is that there is no way of knowing how much cream is left in the bottle.

 

Unlike a lot of other brands, Aphelia actually lists on the pack when the product has been manufactured, as well as when it expired, which I really do like. I wish that was requirement for all skincare and cosmetics products.

The crème only has a slight but pleasant scent which quickly fades. It is very gentle and did not cause any irritation to my very sensitive eyes what so ever.

Aphelia Luminance 11+7 contains 11 advanced herbal brightening ingredients to reduce pigment imperfections, dark spots, age spots, and blotchiness.

The key herbal extracts in the Luminance cream are, Morinda Citrifolia, better known as Noni fruit, which is an exotic natural source of a multitude of nutrients including antioxidant vitamin C.

It also contains Polygonatum Sibiricum, which is famed for its re-moistening capabilities in Chinese therapies; nourishing the yin. It has soothing and calming qualities.

The Cera Alba is pure beeswax that provides a protective barrier to damage and dryness.

Chrysanthemum Morifolium, which contains antioxidants that strengthen and protect cells, as well as lightening and re-brightening constituents.

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, also known as cucumber extract, which has cooling and firming hydrating actions.

As well as Yeast Extract, which is an intensely nutritious concentrated source of vitamins and nutrients, and perfect for refining and caressing the skin.

You can see the full list of ingredients here.

The cream, which actually has a consistency like a serum, has a light feel when applied to my face, and it absorbs instantly without leaving the skin feeling greasy or sticky. Although the main purpose of Luminance is to fade discolourations, scars and pigmentation, it also contains some moisturising ingredients. However, I didn’t find it moisturising enough on its own, so consequently used it as a serum and always use my normal day or night cream on top.

After a couple of weeks of using the cream twice a day, I started noticing how radiant my skin looked – even without makeup, and I also started to get comments from other people. Small pigmentation and brown spots have disappeared, while darker marks have considerably reduced in size. Scarring from past acne and blemishes also appear to have softened in look. My skin is simply looking softer, smoother, and more glowing. I am impressed and can’t wait to see the improvements in my skin with continued use of this wonder cream!!

*This product was kindly provided for consideration, and it has been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

If you haven’t seen my other Aphelia product reviews, you can see them here:

Aphelia Luscious Intensive Hand & Skin Cream

Aphelia Peony9+5 Eye Cream

Aphelia Purify Classic Cleanser

 

Have you tried any of the products from Aphelia? Do you suffer from pigmentation, and if so, what products have you come across that actually work?