PRODUCT REVIEW: VOGUE X BELLA BOX

Xmas 2013 Giveaway – #2

As you may have seen in yesterday’s post, Santa is coming to the Beauty and Lifestyle Hunter blog.

Xmas giveaway #1 started yesterday, and over the next few days more giveaways will be coming up… so make sure you stop by every day the next couple of days… But remember that you can only win one of these Xmas giveaways, so make sure you select carefully which one(s) you’d like to enter.

 

And whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you’re in luck, as for the second Xmas Giveaway Endota Spa has kindly sponsored a Face First Gift Pack. This pack has everything you need to keep you fresh faced and radiant this summer, containing a 20ml bottle of fig n sugar cleanser, 20ml of rosehip oil, 15ml of green tea and pea eye cream and 20ml of bush honey & macadamia skin drink. This pack has a combined RRP of $60.

Entry is very easy, simply follow the prompts in the Raffle copter widget below.

Before you enter, keep in mind that there will be a few giveaways coming up in the next few days, and you can only win ONE of them, so if you happen to be the winner of this first giveaway, and your name is drawn again for subsequent Xmas giveaway, a new winner will automatically be drawn!

This giveaway is open to AUSTRALIA ONLY (so sorry to my international friends, I promise that I will do another international giveaway very soon.)

The giveaway begins today, the 2^nd December 2013, and ends on the 16^th December 2013.

It is REQUIRED to follow The Beauty & Lifestyle Hunter by either GFC or Bloglovin' (you’ll get extra entries if you follow me on both!), as well as it is REQUIRED that you post a comment below (and make sure that you include your GFC/Bloglovin' name with your blog comment, failure to follow these steps, and you will be disqualified.

You will be banned from future giveaways if you're only following my blog on GFC, Facebook, Bloglovin, or SheSaidBeauty, because of the giveaways on my blog and un-follow straight after.

Also remember that you can get extra entries as well by selecting more options in the Rafflecopter widget.

From contacted, the winner has 48 hours to respond with their address details. Failure to respond within this timeframe will result in a new winner being drawn.

Also note that Endota Spa will send the prize directly to the lucky winner. I will do my best to ensure the winner will receive the prize in time for Christmas, but I cannot guarantee this. Also note that I take no responsibility for lost, misdirected or damaged mail.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Xmas Gift Ideas – Part One

Christmas is almost upon us, in fact it is less than a month away – and well, if you are like me and celebrate Xmas on Christmas Eve, you'll have a day less… and I don’t know about you, but I always struggle finding presents for my family and friends, so I thought that I’d do a couple of posts on gift ideas.. So here are my first picks..

 

Endota Spa Body Brilliant Pack

 

I only just recently discovered the products from Endota Spa, including the Avocado & Grass Lilly Skin Drink and the Gel Cleanser Orange & Cehami, which are both amazing, and the new Body Brilliant pack from is truly brilliant way of discovering several products from the brand. It contains a full sized 170ml of lilly pilly body moisturiser, which is a vitamin rich body lotion with organic herbs including lavender to regenerate the skin, lilly pilly to tone and nourish, and an organic vanilla bean scent – and it not only smells fantastic, in an instant it also makes my dry skin especially on my legs feel soft and so thoroughly moisturised, without feeling greasy or sticky.
It also contains a generous sample size with 20ml of river salt & desert lime shower gel, which has the most gorgeous refreshing citrus scent to give you a nice stimulating boost in the morning.

Finally, it also contains a generous sixe of 20ml of mimosa and ginseng body polish, which helps rid the skin of dead skin cells revealing a soft and glowing skin, without being too harsh or drying out the skin.

Everything comes nicely presented in a canvas drawstring back which is perfect to use for packing your hair straightener, hair dryer, or even your ballet flats when you are going away.

RRP: $45 (valued at $65) – Available from Endota Spas, and Endota Spa Online

 

bhave Travel Pack

 

Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that I love love love the products from bhave. They are so amazing, and after just the first wash I can immediately tell the difference in the look and feel of my hair. It not only feels nicer and is easier to manage and style, it also looks healthier and shinier.

And just in time for Xmas, bhave has released a selection of travel packs, which includes shampoo (60ml), conditioner (60ml), Riot Control Oil (15ml), a bhave headband all presented in a clear travel case. As bhave so nicely puts it, "The Professional Hair Care System that ensures your hair behaves even when you don’t". There is an option for normal to dry hair with the Hydrator Shampoo & Conditioner duo, an option for fine hair with the Magnify Shampoo & Conditioner Duo and for very dry and damaged hair, my personal favourite, the Rescue Intense Repair Shampoo & Conditioner Duo. This travel pack is truly amazing for keeping your tresses in top condition for summertime getaways.

RRP: Hydrator or Magnify packs $29.95 each, Rescue pack $34.95 – Available from select salons

Sanctuary Spa Little Luxuries

I have only just recently discovered the Sanctuary Spa products, including the Youth Boosting Facial Warming Micro-Brasion Polish, Essentials Salt Scrub, and Crème Soufflé, and these products are absolutely amazing, so I am loving this gift pack as it is a fantastic way to trial some more of the products from the brand. The pack includes Body Wash (75ml), Body Scrub (50ml), Foaming Bath Soap (75ml), Body Lotion (75ml) and a Luxury Bath Float (75ml) – in other words, everything you’ll need for a pampering session at home. Oh, and did I mention that the products smell absolutely divine!

The products are nicely presented in a gift box, and come at a cheap price that makes this the perfect stocking filler or Kris Kringle/Secret Santa pressie.

RRP: $12.95- Available from Priceline

 

Urban Rituelle Shine So Bright Soy Wax Candle

 

This Christmas is going to be extra special for my little family. This is our baby boys first Christmas, although he will only be 6 months at the time, so too young to really make any sense of it all.

But on top of that, my parents are planning on coming from Europe to visit us, and it is the first time in over ten years that we’ve spent Christmas together, so it truly will be a special time. I will do whatever I can to make sure it will be an exceptional time, and that will include bringing the festive season into our house by burning a Shine So Bright Soy Wax Candle from the Urban Rituelle, which is a soy wax candle highly fragrant with scents of fresh fig and sun-ripened plum.

The candle comes in glass jar in a stunning red and gold gift box, so you don’t even have to wrap it, and as it burns for up to 40 hours, there will be plenty of time to enjoy the amazing scent. As well as a body care products, Urban Rituelle also makes the most amazing home products including scented candles and diffusers.

RRP: $25.95 – Available from Urban Rituelle and select stockists


So there you have it, my first Xmas gift suggestions that I’d personally would be so happy to receive.

As always, if you would like in depth reviews of any of these products, please do let me know in the comments below.

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

 

Would do you think of these products? Tried any of them? Would you consider gifting any of these to friend or family member, or maybe yourself?

 

Product Review: Endota Spa Avocado & Grass Lilly Skin Drink

With combination skin, which often tends to get even oilier and break out more frequently during the hot and humid summer months, I am always looking for a great moisturiser. Here are my thoughts on the *Endota Spa Avocado & Grass Lilly Skin Drink;

What They Say:

"The Endota Spa Avocado & Grass Lilly Skin Drink is a clean-feeling moisturiser for normal to oily skin. It contains avocado, which soaks deeply into the skin for intense healing and wrinkle defence, as well as grass lilly for its cooling, calming and natural healing benefits. Blemishes and skin irritations are greatly reduced".

RRP: $50 (50ml) – Available from Endota Spa Online, or Endota Spa Salons.

What I Say:

I have only ever tried one product from Endota Spa, the Gel Cleanser Orange & Cehami, which I reviewed a little while ago. If you’ve missed the review, you can see it here.
I really liked the cleanser, and the fact that it is made from certified organic ingredients, so I naturally also had very high hopes for the Avocado & Grass Lilly Skin Drink.

All the products in the Endota Spa range contain at least 70% certified, organic ingredients. I also love the fact that the products are naturally free from from chemicals, preservatives and colours. Also very impressive is that Endota Spa donates 1% of skincare sales to protect Australia’s land, water and wildlife. This definitely makes me give them bonus points!

I also love the fact that the moisturiser does not contain parabens, sulphates, synthetic fragrances and dyes, mineral oils, glycols, SLS/SLES, silicones or PEGS.

My combination skin, always tend to get a little more oily in the summer months, and even worse when it is very hot and humid, so this moisturiser sounds like the perfect. It contains avocado, to provide intense healing and wrinkle defence for the skin, as well as grass lilly to cool and calm the skin, as well as provide natural healing benefits to help not only heal and also reduce blemishes, and stop them from occurring in the first place.

The moisturiser has a pleasant and subtle and natural scent of the lilly used in the moisturiser.

The moisturiser comes in a simple pale olive coloured tube with a flip lid, which makes the product very easy to use. And I love that it is designed to stand on its head so the moisturiser drops down in the tube as you use it, so you can easily use every single drop, without any wastage. The tube comes in a very simple box made from recycled cardboard.

The moisturiser has a good consistency, neither too light or too heavy, and it soaks into my skin immediately, and leaves it soft without any greasy residue sitting on the skin surface, so I can start applying my make-up immediately over it. And it works very well under makeup, seemingly absorbing grease during the day, although I still need to powder my t-zone in the middle of the day.

After having used the Avocado & Grass Lilly Skin Drink moisturiser for a couple of weeks, my skin feels thoroughly moisturised and looks healthy and clearly enjoys not being bombarded with chemicals. I always worry when trying a new moisturiser that it will make my skin break out, but that has not been the case, I have had neither more nor less breakouts, which means that the moisturiser also hasn’t completely stopped my breakouts from occurring (which would have been nothing less than a miracle as nothing has so far!!). 

All in all this is a great moisturiser, and I really love the fact that it is made using certified organic ingredients, so I will definitely consider purchasing this again

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

Have you tried any of the products from Endota Spa? What’s your favourite moisturiser? Do you use natural skincare products? And if so, which ones are your favourites?

  

Product Review: Endota Spa Gel Cleanser Orange & Cehami

The right cleanser can make all the difference to how your skin looks and feels and not to mention hope your makeup looks and how long it lasts. Consequently, I am always on the lookout for the perfect cleanser, so I was excited when I was asked to trial the *Orange & Cehami Cleanser from Endota Spa.

Here are my thoughts;

 

 

What They Say:

A clearing, calming gel cleanser for normal-oily skins, using down to earth ingredients, including native Australian cehami is a non-irritating plant ingredient highly effective for clearing oil and debris. Sweet orange is a natural skin toner which boosts skin vitality and appearance.
Normal to oily and acne-prone skins are clear winners. Used morning and night, this astringent cleanser clears impurities without drying or irritation.

RRP: $38.50 (90ml tube) – Available from all Endota Spa Salons, as well as from Endota Online.

What I say:

I have not previously tried any of the products from Endota Spa, so I did a little research into the brand and I was pleasantly surprised to see that every product in the Endota spa certified organic skincare range contains at least 70% certified, organic ingredients. I also love the fact that the products are naturally free from from chemicals, preservatives and colours. Also very impressive is that Endota Spa donates 1% of skincare sales to protect Australia’s land, water and wildlife.

My combination skin always tend to get a little more oily during the summer months, and even worse when it is very hot and humid, so this gel cleanser sounds like just the perfect solution to clear my skin. The cleanser contains sweet orange as a toner and plant ingredient, which detoxifies and eases skin stress, while cehami clear oil and impurities from the skin to leave it clean and clear.

The cleanser has a pleasant and subtle and natural scent of the oranges used in the cleanser.

The cleanser comes in a simple pale olive coloured tube with a flip lid, which makes the product very easy to use. And I love that it is designed to stand on its head so the cleanser drops down in the tube as you use it, so you can easily use every single drop, without any wastage. The tube comes in a very simple box made from recycled cardboard.

The actual cleanser is a clear gel, and used on a damp face, it only produces a light foam (no doubt due to not containing SLS!) on the skin, which is easily massaged into the skin. Afterwards it is easy to wash off and doesn’t leave any residue behind and importantly doesn’t leave any dry tight feeling after use.

The cleanser works really well to remove make-up as well, but I have to admit that I prefer to use my normal makeup remover first, and then follow with this cleanser for a more deep clean on my skin and pores. The cleanser is very concentrated and you only need a small amount - no more than the size of a 5 cent coin. This is also super gentle gel cleanser, and even when used to remove makeup, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes.

My skin felt refreshed and really clean after just a couple of uses and after a couple of weeks of using the cleanser twice a day, my skin seems less greasy, and is also much less congested than usual. In spite of being recommended for normal to oily skin types, but I would say that even those with just slightly oily skin would benefit from using this cleanser.

All in all this is an amazing cleanser that has done wonders to my skin in a very short time, so I will definitely be purchasing this again.

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

 

Have you tried any of the products from Endota Spa? What’s your favourite cleanser?

Weekly Wish List - 8 Nov 2012

The list of things that I would like is usually pretty long, and this week is no exception. Here’s what's on the top of my wish list this week:


Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura Cosmetics

'Mon Shu Girl' is the exciting new range of cosmetics by Shu Uemura personally designed by Karl Lagerfeld. The colour selection and packaging design were all created under the direction of Karl himself. This stunning range is a celebration of Japanese pop and European chic.The range includes a 17-piece collection with everything from lipstick, eye shadow, nail art and false lashes to even a super chic makeup brush set.
I love the look of the colours in the Prestigious bordeaux palette

RRP: $120 - Available from David Jones 

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Epure Cordless Phone

I absolutely love the look of this retro looking phone. Made by the innovative Swiss company Swissvoice, this modern phone has such a modern design yet features from an old era. It would make a great statement in my house.

RRP: $99.95 – Available from Form & Design

 

 

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Endota Nail Paint

Endota spa, known for their amazing spa treatments and natural products, has now add a range of non-toxic nail polishes come in a dazzling range of delicious, vibrant shades. These nail polishes are as natural as a nail polish can be as they do not contain formaldehyde, toluene or db, which sounds pretty good to me. Shown below in colours Ephraim Island and Surfers Paradise.

RRP: $20 (12ml) – Available from Endota Spa


 

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Shiseido Zen Secret Bloom Eau de Parfum Intense

I have the original Shiseido Zen perfume, so the sound of the Zen Secret Bloom sounds so amazing. It has a floral freshness including a blend of jasmine, freesia, patchouli, and a hint of black vanilla. And the bottle looks absolutely divine too.

RRP: $60 (50ml) – Available from Shiseido counters

 

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Cue Colour Spliced Clutch 

I love the look of this over-sized structured clutch, which is spliced with chartreuse, black and off white leather panels. Fastened with a sleek magnetic insert and fully lined with black cotton, the interior has one main compartment with a zip closure pocket and a smaller compartment through the front of- white panel. This will be a perfect accessory at any Christmas party.

RRP: $225 – Available from Cue
 

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Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow

This eye shadow in Harmonie du Soir, just looks so divine, and contains absolutely everything you need to create the perfect sexy smoky eye. How gorgeous does this look, almost a shame to use it!

RRP: $90 – Available from Chanel
 

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Slinks Sandals

I love shoes, and I always need just another pair. And then I came across the Slinks. These amazing sandals have been available in the UK for a while, and are now finally also here in Australia. Slinks bases made from leather and the uppers are sold separately, allowing you to personalise your footwear just how you like it, making them so versatile.

The handcrafted uppers come in ten different styles ranging from simple leather straps to beaded, rosette and ribbon designs.

RRP: $69.00 for the Slinks Bases, and $39.00-$70.00 for the Uppers.

I love the Slinks Set that includes two sets of uppers and a fair trade silk pouch to store pieces. And technically buying more uppers doesn’t count as new shoes, so no longer any need to have to explain your purchase to your other half!

RRP: $180 – Available from Slinks

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So what do you think of my wish list this week? Will you be adding any of these items to your wish list?