FATHER'S DAY GIFT IDEAS 2014

Are you fed up with your other half using your precious skincare products, using way more product than they should and having no respect of the cost and value of your products? Well, with just a week left until Father’s Day I thought that I’d give you another handful of gift ideas for products he can call his own..

 

 

Molton Brown Razor-Glide Shaving Gel*

 

I prefer my hubby to be clean shaven, and luckily he does too. And this shaving gel, as promised gives him a very close shave. The gel is best used on wet skin and it takes just a little to froth it up to a soft foam that instantly softens any stubble making it easy for the razor to do its job.

It is so gentle that it doesn’t irritate the skin, and it doesn’t dry it out, rather it keeps the skins soft and moisturised. It contains African whitewood extract that helps prevent the skin from shining, and it has a nice yet gentle and not too overbearing masculine scent.

RRP: $40 (150ml) – Available from David Jones and Molton Brown

 
 

Wella SP System Professional Refresh Shampoo*

 

This shampoo is an everyday shampoo that has been specifically designed to cater for men’s hair issues. It gently cleanses the hair, removing all hairstyling products, while targeting oily scalp issues – all without drying out the hair or the scalp. The shampoo is concentrated so it only takes a little, and it leaves the hair soft and shiny. And it has such a lovely masculine scent that once he has tried it and smelt it, he won’t guaranteed never want to use your shampoo ever again.

RRP: $32 (250ml) – Available from select Salons

 

Wella SP System Professional Everyday Hold Strong Gel*

 

They may not want to admit it, but making sure that their hair stays put all where they want it, is important. The Everyday Hold Gel can be used in both dry and damp hair, and styles both short and mid-length hair, giving it strong hold with definition and a wet look while still leaving the hair flexible, and not feeling stiff or crusty, and with a nice shine too. And unlike other gels, it doesn’t ‘ooze’, so it doesn’t leave his forehead feeling greasy. It comes in a handy pump bottle, and like the shampoo, it has a nice masculine scent that remains in the hair.

RRP: $33.50 (100ml) – Available from select salons

 

Rusk Paste*

 

If he is more for a medium hold using a paste, you cannot go past this one from Rusk. It has a fibrous texture that makes it easy to manipulate the hair into even the craziest hairstyle. The coconut scented paste can be used in both wet and dry hair and comes in an easy to use tube.

And because it remains pliable, he can continuously reshape his hair throughout the day.

RRP: $29.95 (113g) – Available from Rusk

 

Rusk Putty*

 

If your man wants to do some serious hairstyling, then this Putty from Rusk will answer his prayer. The putty adds both volume, texture, definition and control to the hair all day long, all while keeping it flexible and without any stiffness, and without flaking during the day.

The milky-white paste has a thick consistency and is easy to dig out of the plastic tub. It leaves the hair with a matte look.

RRP: $29.95 (113g) – Available from Rusk

 

Nivea Men Clear Effect Volcanic Mud Foam Face Wash*

 

This face wash offers more than any other face wash. It is a ten in one formula that cleanses the skin leaving it feeling cool and refreshed. And thanks to containing salicylic acid, menthol and volcanic mid, it cleanses deep down every pore offering oil control, preventing and reducing acne and clears breakouts, tightens pores, prevents white and black heads, and evens out the skin tone – all while being so gentle that he can use it once or twice a day.

 

RRP: $9.99 (100ml) – Available from Supermarkets and Priceline

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

So there you go, some skincare treats for your dad or the man in your life..

Have you purchased your father’s day present yet? Any great gift ideas?

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WINTER CARE FOR HAIR

The cold winter temperatures often leaves skin, hair and body feeling and looking worse for wear, so in a series of posts I will running you though some of the products that help me get though the cold months. In the first part I was concentrating on hands, nails and feet, and today I will be focusing on products that will help keep your hair looking healthy this winter;  

 

Unico Intense Shampoo & Conditioner*

 

These products are designed for hair that has been chemically treated, and perfect for straight hair, so they are the perfect for my long straight-ish coloured hair. The shampoo is lathers up easily to a soft lather that gently cleanses your hair and scalp while the conditioner is rich and so moisturising, yet without weighing my hair feel heavy. After use, hair is easier to comb and it looks shiny and healthy, and with minimal frizz. The products come in simple, yet modern lime green bottles which will look amazing in any bathroom, and they have an incredibly gorgeous minty scent with a slight citrusy undertone from the added essential oils used, and this scent also lingers in your hair once washed and dry.

I also love that the products have added UV protection so they help protect my coloured hair from fading, as it is so rare these days that I can be bothered to sit half a Saturday in the chair at the hairdresser to get it coloured, that I want to ensure the colour stays bright and vibrant for as long as possible. The UV protection is also perfect to protect your locks from drying out under the harsh Australian summer sun.

RRP: $21 (250ml) each – Available from Adore Beauty
 

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Beautyfying Oil Masque*

 

This intense hair masque contains from maize, pracaxi, argan and camellia oils, and also contains moisturising serum and lipidic compounds to give the hair extra nourishment. It is so thick and creamy, and extremely concentrated, so about two table spoons full is more than sufficient for my long (below my bra strap) and very thick hair. And after leaving it in for 5-10 minutes or so, or for even more intense nourishment, I leave it in my hair for 20-30 minutes with either a shower cap (those disposable ones you find in hotel rooms are so brilliant for this), or alternatively use cling wrap – and once rinsed out, my hair is left feeling extremely smooth and so soft to touch, and so incredibly shiny and healthy looking – and with the most beautiful and delicate scent which no doubt comes from the added Camellia oil. The hair Masque comes in a plastic tub with a gold screw lid, which makes it look as luxurious as it makes your hair feel. 

$60 (200ml) – Available from selected hair salons


Kevin Murphy Fresh.Hair*

 

Having so long hair, means that washing it takes quite a while, and drying it afterwards even longer – time which I haven’t got with a toddler. Obviously I wash my hair, usually every second day, and when I do, I generally let it dry naturally instead of using the hair dryer, which I am sure is quite beneficial for the health of my hair. But on the days I don’t wash my hair, I generally rely on a dry shampoo to make my hair feel, look and smell fresher, and the Fresh.Hair from Kevin Murphy really does make my hair feel almost as clean as washing it, almost, and a couple of seconds and a few sprays is all that it takes.

Fresh.Hair has a gentle subtle scent, and unlike other dry shampoos, it doesn’t leave my hair looking matte with the tell-tale sign that a dry has been used, but rather it leaves my hair with a nice shine, and some much needed body and volume too. Absolutely brilliant must-have item, including for those mornings when you’ve hit the snooze button once too many times.  

RRP: $32.95 (250ml) – Available from Adore Beauty



evo happy campers hard-working moisturiser*

 

I love evo’s philosophy of being ‘a manufacturer that speaks the truth’, and ‘desire to produce an exclusive salon range (and not sell it as the answer to life, love and other woes), evo steps outside the normal realm of truth-stretching invention in a ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ crusade of twisted honesty – designed to make people think’. Sulfate, paraben and glycol free, with added sun protection, ‘happy campers allows a little bit of healthy, sun-protecting, moisturising maintenance while you go about your dailies, especially for those of you lucky enough to be spending time at the beach in the next couple of days (this isn’t a hint for the holiday we weren’t giving away; give you an inch and you take a mile!!! You already get two products in one and now you want more…greedy mother #&*%$%!!!!).’ – reads the text on the packaging, hahaha. I love a company that has a bit of humour, such a refreshing change. And especially when the lighweight leave-in treatment leaves my hair feeling so soft, quickly transforming dry ends to feeling and looking so much healthier, smoothing down any frizz, and simply just makes my hair so soft and healthy and easier to manage, while leaving behind the most gorgeous fruity scent.

RRP: $25.95 (150ml) – available from RY and The Facial Co

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil For Hair*

 

With the wet weather during winter, my hair always tends to become more frizzy, and feel drier too, so I always rely on hair oils, and the Pure Care Dry Oil from Dove a good suggestion. It 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 fantastic 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. It has an exquisite warm floral scent and the heavy glass bottle makes it feel more luxurious than the $ it costs

RRP: $ 100ml – Available from Priceline, Supermarkets and select pharmacies

 

Wella Professional SP Luxe Oil*

If you can afford to splurge a little more, you really cannot go past this hair oil from Wella that can be used in both wet and dry hair. As the name suggests it really is luxurious thanks to a blend of three oils; argan, jojoba almond oil to help provide nutrition and hydration to the hair, while protecting the keratin in the hair, and locking in moisture and strength by forming a protecting layer around each hair strand. Just a few pumps makes my long hair so smooth and look incredibly shiny and healthy, yet without making the hair feel greasy or weighing it down, and it leaves behind the beautiful sweet almond scent.

RRP: $42 (100ml) – Available from hair salons and RY

 

bhave Fresh Ends*

I have previously declared my devoted love for the amazing products from bhave, including this Fresh Ends Leave-In Crème (check out my full review here), which contains among others certified organic argan oil, macadamia oil, aloe vera and replicine functional keratin not only moisturise, nourish and add shine, but also give the hair strength and elasticity to help prevent hair breakage. 
Fresh Ends is free from chemical nasties including parabens, sulphates and sodium chloride, and comes in a luxurious and stylish looking silver jar, with a nifty pump function. And it is the perfect product for using in the ends of the hair, both when wet and when dry, to prevent split ends, smooth down frizz, prevent heat damage when using hot styling tools, and simply add moisture to the hair to leave it looking healthy and shiny. 

RRP: $32.95 (50ml) - Available from select hair salons 


Scrunci Detangle Brush*

My hair is also often quite tangled when I have washed my hair –especially right now as I am extremely overdue for a haircut, so my long hair tends to get a little knotty at the dry ends. I must admit that when I saw the brush, and felt the soft bristles, I thought that there was no way it would be able to comb through my thick long hair. But how wrong was I. My hair is so easy to comb with this Detangle Brush, and it easily removes knots without pulling or tugging as much as my normal paddle hairbrush would, so there is simply less damage and breakage to my hair when I brush it. It looks so simple, but it is simply brilliant. And being so lightweight, it is perfect to pop into the handbag too!

RRP: $14.95 – Available from Priceline


Kevin Murphy Session.Spray*

Having so long and thick hair, I don’t use a lot of styling products in my hair as often I find that they simply just make my hair tangled and difficult to comb out at the end of the day, - so the products I usually use on a daily basis apart from a leave-in moisturiser, and a shine serum or oil treatment, is a hair spray to help tame those annoying flyways around especially my face. And the Kevin Murphy Session.Spray is weightless, yet offers both a flexible finish and hold, that doesn’t make your hair clump together or feel stiff, and it also makes your hair look incredibly shiny and glossy at the same time, and while hairsprays usually don’t smell very nice, this one ticks all boxes too!

$29.95 (337ml) – Available from Adore Beauty
 

So there you have it, these are my choices for keeping my hair in top condition this winter…
*This product was kindly provided for consideration, and it has been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy. 

Have you tried any of these products? Does your hair look worse for wear during winter? Which products do you reach for to get it back to top health?

 

 

February Favourites 2014

I have not done of these posts before. But I really like reading other beauty bloggers favourites posts. And trialling a fair share of products every month, while I genuinely love by far the majority of the products I trial, there are obviously products that I for one reason or another like more than others, and that I continue to use after a trial period, or keep going back to – and so I thought that it was time that I started doing a monthly favourites post too.

And yep, I am a little late, very late actually, posting the February post, but moving house and our internet provider stuffing up so now almost three weeks after moving in, we are still without internet in our new house (plus for the almost three weeks prior to that while we were living in a holiday house), explains all of that. And as I’ve had the post ready to go live, I thought that I’d go ahead and post it, even in spite of being almost a month late!!! So without further ado, here are the products that I have continuously reached for during February..

Neutrogena Rapidly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub*

I have always struggled with my skin breaking out, but luckily have managed to get it under control. Well most of the time. Having recently moved house, twice in a month, and the stress that came with it, and add to that we also in the process of getting a new house designed, has stressed my out skin a bit. Actually probably a little more than I like, as my skin has gone bonkers this last month. But I have found some help in the Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub from Neutrogena. This scrub is so gentle that it can be used daily. The small exfoliating beads helps remove dead skin cells, while the salicylic acid, helps clean deep down every pore removing excess dirt and oil, leaving my skin feeling less greasy, and simply soft and smooth.
RRP: $13.99 (125ml) - Available from Priceline and supermarkets

Palmer's Purifying Mask*

To further help clean my skin, I have also been relying on the Palmer’s Purifying Mask a few times a week. This mask contains kaolin clay to help draw out impurities and purify the pores, and after leaving it on for just 10 minutes, my skin free from all the excess oiliness that is otherwise plaguing it at the moment, and it is left looking healthy and smooth. Yet at the same time it also contains among others cocoa and shea butters, vitamin E and sweet almond oil, to help moisturise and nourish the skin. Used regularly, it simply helps makes my makeup stay put for longer without sliding off my face. It comes in a handy tube, and has the most gorgeous scent floral scent

RRP: $9.99 (120g) - Available from Priceline and supermarkets

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer*

With all the breakouts, this past month I’ve also been relying on the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer. The concealer is a unique two-toned concealer that allows you to custom-blend your own perfect shade to match your skin. And it easily covers redness, blemishes and age spots. And as it is so pigmented you only need to use so little, which also means that the result is very natural. And my combination skin also loves that it is an oil-free formula that stays put all day. Not cheap, but worth every cent!

RRP: $49 – Available from David Jones and Adore Beauty

Wella SP Color Save Mask*

I usually get my hair coloured at the salon 3 to 4 times a year. And I hate it. Well, I love the result, that’s why I keep getting it done, but I hate actually getting it done. I have very long and thick hair, and usually have very fine strands of hair coloured throughout my hair, which makes it look quite natural, but it is a process that takes several hours, and that’s what I hate. So I’ll do anything to protect the colour and prevent it from fading too quick and that’s where the Wella SP Color Save Mask is so brilliant. It not only helps keep my hair looking healthy but this hair mask has been created to protect coloured hair providing long-lasting colour brilliance and care against fading. It also includes UV Filters to shield against sunlight damage, beeswax for increased shine and olive leaf extract for its colour-retaining benefits, and of course, not forgetting ingredients to  moisturise and protect the hair from drying out.

RRP: $34 - Available from hair salons

L'Oreal Luminosity Code BB Cream*

I love multi-tasking products and this Luminosity Code BB Cream from L'Oreal is no exception. It is not only a BB Cream that helps cover imperfections, but it also works to helps to even out the skin tone. It contains Lumi-Gen technology, which is designed to regulate the skin’s pigmentation so the skin is more even day after day. The BB Cream doubles as a moisturiser and it is oil free and extremely lightweight has well as it is non-comedogenic, so perfect for my combination skin for wear on a hot summers’ day for a casual outing. It only has a very light coverage, but it is enriched with pearlescent light reflectors, so it leaves the skin with a lovely healthy glow, without being too shimmery or making the skin look shiny. And it is perfect to be used in combination with the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer. The cream has a gorgeous gentle floral scent, and as a as an added bonus offers protection from harmful UV rays.

RRP: $29.95 –Available from Priceline, variety stores, selected pharmacies, department stores and supermarkets

Schick Quattro Papaya & Pearl*

I have to be completely honest and admit that I normally use an epilator to shave my legs, although I don’t use it under my arm pits, as I’m way too much of a chicken to do that. But moving house, I completely forgot to pack the epilator with the stuff I was taking with me to the holiday house, and that’s where this new shaver from Schick came in so handy. It has a whole four blades for a closer and smoother shave, and the tip is enriched with papaya and pearl to leave the skin feeling so incredibly soft. It comes with a handy suction cup holder for the shower and it has a cute coral colour. And I have to admit that I do love the smoothness of shaving my legs with a blade, especially now that it is still warm and I generally wear skirts or dresses, - the shave just doesn’t compare to using an epilator…. So I may just give my epilator a little holiday for a while..

RRP: $11.99 - Available from Priceline, variety stores, selected pharmacies, department stores and supermarkets

Palmer's Natural Bronze Instant*

I love summer and feeling the sun warm up my body, but having a baby means that this summer I’ve been less outside and in the sun than I normally am. That means my legs are somewhat paler than they usually are at this time of year, and that’s where the Palmer's Natural Bronze Instant is so brilliant. It is not only an instant tanner, it is also a self-tanner that gradually builds up a nice and natural looking tan, so it looks like I too have spent the summer at the beach.

RRP: $9.39 (250ml) - Available from Priceline, variety stores, selected pharmacies, department stores and supermarkets

Advanced Cosmeceuticals Magnifibres Brush-On False Lashes*

Once upon a time I had long lashes. No so anymore. These days I am so envious of my little 9 month old boy, whose lashes seems to grow longer and longer by the day. But lucky there is help to be found. These Magnifibres Brush-On False Lashes from Advanced Cosmeceuticals is brush on false lashes in the shape of a mascara wand. Simply apply a coat of your normal mascara, then follow by applying the brush with the cotton wool-like fibres onto your lashes, and finish off with a final coat of your normal mascara – and you are left with an incredible false lash effect, with lashes that are both longer and has more volume, yet looks natural. Perfect for someone like me who has not yet mastered applying false lashes! But I do have to admit that I did worry using the Magnifibres on my sensitive eyes, as they easily get irritated and water, and I feared that it would drop particles into my eyes, but I had no need to worry as that has not been the case. Combined with the casual look of the BB Cream, these Magnifibres takes my everyday makeup look to a complete new level.
RRP: $59.95 – Available from select stockists, or from Advanced Cosmeceuticals

FAB First Aid Beauty Lip Therapy*

During summer my lips always get so dry from the sun and from air conditioners too, but this summer, the Lip Therapy from FAB has come to the rescue. This little wonder product has kept my lips soft and hydrated, and after a day of sailing which resulted in chapped and dried out lips from the wind, it got my lips back to top shape in no time. It has a lovely fresh minty smell and feels cooling on the lips, and what’s even better is that it contains absolutely no chemical nasties, including no parabens or colourants.
RRP: $12.95 (14.8ml) – Available from Priceline

So there you have it – some of the products which I have particularly loved using in February. And stay tuned… I will be posting about my March favourites before you know it!!

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

Have you tried any of these products? Or any you’d love to try? Did you discover any new products in February?