XMAS GIFT IDEA: CLINIQUE KICK UP THE VOLUME GIFT SET

My love affair with Clinique started many decades ago, where it was the first high end brand that I spend my hard earned and limited cash on. Since then, I’ve continued to love their products, and have many favourites amongst the huge product range – but a few times a year when the limited edition gift sets comes out, you can get some amazing value sets, including this Kick Up The Volume Gift set which is available exclusively from Sephora and Mecca.

The gift set includes a full size High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara, - and that’s one product from Clinique that I’m particularly fond of, as even with my sensitive eyes I’ve never had any issues with my eyes getting irritated using the mascaras. And they never to fail to impress either.

The kit also includes a full sized Cream Shaper Crayon for Eyes in black diamond which has a tiny hint or shimmer. This eye liner has such a lovely soft consistency that you do not drag or pull the sensitive eye area, yet it stays put all day without smudging or fading.


 

Finally, the kit also includes a deluxe sample size with 30ml of the Take the Day Off Makeup Remover which quickly and easily removes all makeup from eyes, lashes and lids, even waterproof and long wearing, all in just a swipe or two – no need to wake up in the morning with panda eyes.

The Kick Up the Volume Gift set is limited edition only available in the lead up to Xmas. It retails at the amazing price of $38, and as you’d normally pay the $38 for the mascara along and you hence get the eye liner and the makeup remover absolutely free, it couldn’t be better value!! Definitely a winner under the Xmas tree! 


Available from Clinique Online, and Sephora

* Some products may have been kindly provided for editorial consideration, and have been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy, and reviews are 100% honest and based on personal opinion and experience. Note that The Beauty & Lifestyle Hunter is not a professional or expert, so please do not substitute these opinions as professional advice. Also note, this post may contain affiliate links, which means you pay no extra, but I get a small commission fee if you click through and buy something. And if so, thank you much for your supporting the running costs of my blog. xx


Remember that in between my blog posts you can always keep up with me on Twitter, Facebook, Bloglovin or Instagram

XMAS 2015 GIFT IDEA: LIP SMACKER GIFT SETS

Less than 4 weeks until Xmas now – Yikes. Where did the year go!! I know, for my part, spending 4.5 months in hospital with our baby has certainly meant that the year has flown as we’ve basically missed spring.

This also means that unlike other years, I haven’t even started thinking about Xmas presents, and as our little baby still has next to no immune system following his bone marrow transplant, he is not allowed go to shopping centres as it is simply too crowed and too high infection risk for him. So I will need to do a large part of my shopping online, or duck out quickly over the coming weekends when hubby is home to get sorted, so need to do a lot of research beforehand from home to speed things up..

I’m sure there are others who are time poor, so over the coming weeks I’ll show you some great Xmas gift ideas suitable for the whole family, and all budgets.

First up are some cute little gift sets from Lip Smacker fantastic for young girls, or those young at heart..


The Lip Smacker Delicious Donut Cosmetic Clutch

This little clutch with a cute donut print includes 4 products; a clear Vanilla flavoured liquid lipgloss, two donut flavoured lip balms – one in Strawberry Glaze and one in Raspberry Jelly, and finally also some super cute press-on nails. Needless to say that the products smell so delicious that you almost want to eat them. And make sure too, that you don’t confuse the press-on nails inspired by donut icing and sprinkles with a donut!! RRP: $15.99 (Available from Big W)



Lip Smacker Frozen Bath and Body Bag


 

I think that there is no denying that the Disney movie Frozen has been the hit of the year amongst especially little girls – so they are also sure to love this cute little bag, which includes two bath and shower gels in the scents Cotton Candy and Wild Berry, perfect to use as both shower gels or as bubble bath, and used with the included pink shower pouf, it creates the softest foam. The kit also includes two lip balms in the scents Cool Vanilla Mint and Strawberry Shake, again smelling absolutely divine. And of course, the products features the favourite Frozen characters Elsa and Anna. RRP: $11.95 (Available from Target)



Lip Smacker Sweet Treats Cosmetic Collection

 

Finally, this Sweet Treats Cosmetic Collection includes 6 uber cool pieces; The press-on nails inspired by donut icing and sprinkles, the clear Vanilla flavoured liquid gloss, two donut flavoured lip balms in the flavours Strawberry Frosting and Confetti Sprinkles, A Berry Buttercream lipgloss pot in the shape of a cupcake as well as a nail file, all presented in the cutest and most adorable little toilet bag adored with donuts. How sweet! RRP: $19.99 (Available at Target) $19.99


So there you go –some sweet gift suggestions, that any little girl – or sweet tooth for that matter would adore! 

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

Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram |

PRODUCT REVIEW: VS SASSOON SECRET CURL SILICONE POP UP ROLLERS

Today I’d like to the newly launched VS Sassoon Secret Curl Silicone Pop Up Rollers;

What They Say:

VS Sassoon Secret Curl Silicone Pop Up Rollers offer an easy and gentle way to curl hair, with a clipless design to reduce creases. The rollers heat up quickly, and feature a heat-ready indicator as well as a silicone surface to enhance shine. Two sizes included.


RRP: $92.95 – Available from The Shaver Shop

What I Say:

I have always had straight hair, and I remember when I was little and my mum used to use her old hot curlers in my hair to create soft curls if we were going out to special family occasions. And the day I moved out of home, I got the curlers to take with me as I had continued to use them throughout my teenage years. Sadly they stopped working a few years later, but I’d also hate to think how old they were by then.

These new Secret Curl Silicone Pop Up Rollers from VS Sassoon are basically a newer and more updated version of those curlers.

The rollers heat up in their stand/holder very quickly, and have an indicator that shows when they are warm enough to use.

 
For the best and a lasting result I like to spray my hair with a styling spray prior to using the rollers, and then I simply roll up the sections of hair.

And you decide the look you want. You can roll up all of your hair tightly all the way up to your scalp and leave the rollers in until they are completely cool, to achieve a head-full of bouncy curls. And the less hair you roll up in each roller, the better your hair will respond, and hence the more curls you will get. Or alternatively, which is what I prefer, a look with looser curls and volume which you get when you roll up sections of your hair from the end to the middle of your hair, leaving them in slightly for a slightly shorter period.

 
Regardless, after you have taken out the rollers, I like to spray my hair with a light mist of flexible hair spray to ensure that the curls last longer in the hair.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, the design of the rollers which have a clipless design make them easy to use without the need for hair pins, you simply just roll it around your hair and click it shut. And when the rollers have cooled down in the hair, you simply open and carefully unwind the hair from the roller. The rollers also come in two sizes, you can also create a more natural look with different sized curls.

The stand conveniently the 12 rollers and it is handy to store away until the next use. The 12 included rollers is a little too little for my long thick hair, but luckily you can purchase additional rollers.

I also like the rollers features a silicone surface, which not only helps give the hair a nice shine, but it also protects the hair and helps provide the best styling result.

Overall I really like these Secret Curl Rollers from VS Sassoon as they are such an easy way of updating your hair style from a head full of tight curls to softer and loose curls, even in my long, heavy and straight hair.

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

Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram |

BRAND FOCUS: AVEENO BABY

Today I’m putting focus on a range of baby products from Aveeno Baby;

Aveeno Baby Fragrance Free Soothing Relief Creamy Wash with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal
 

I love this Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash is a tear-free creamy wash, specially formulated to gently cleanse and soothe dry skin. Aveeno's baby Wash is enriched with colloidal oatmeal to care for baby's sensitive skin. In spite of being fragrance free, it has a soft gentle scent that is perfect for both babies and adults. The wash is paraben free, which is always great, and it is also soap-free and has been clinically shown to help relieve dry skin, when used in a daily routine with Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief moisture Cream. And you can tell it gently cleans the skin leaving it feeling soft afterwards, and it is also great to use as a bubble bath, so it is also perfect that it is a tear-free formula so no need to worry too much about it getting into your baby’s eyes. RRP: $10.99 (236ml) – Available from Priceline, Supermarkets & Pharmacies



Aveeno Baby Fragrance Free Soothing Relief Moisture Cream

I absolutely love this Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream, and I’ve been using it on my own body and hands in the last few weeks of my pregnancy when my skin was particularly irritated. The thick cream is enriched with colloidal oatmeal to care for the skin, and provide moisture for up to 24 hours, and it is so gentle that it is suitable for baby's sensitive skin too. It absorbs so quickly into the skin, without leaving behind any greasiness, and instantly provides relief to even the driest of skins. Like the creamy wash, it is also fragrance free, yet has a lovely gentle scent. RRP: $10.99 (140g) – Available from Priceline, Supermarkets & Pharmacies



Aveeno Baby Fragrance Free Daily Lotion



 

This is another moisturiser that I really love thanks to its gentle and fragrance-free formula. Like the rest of the range, the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisturising Lotion Fragrance Free is enriched with colloidal oatmeal that adds intense moisture while it soothes even the driest of skins, and protects chafed, chapped or cracked skin. I’ve also been enjoying using this non-greasy lotion on my own skin, which tends to become extra during winter, but I happy knowing that the formula is gentle enough to use on even my newborn’s skin. RRP: $10.99 (227g) – Available from Priceline, Supermarkets & Pharmacies


Aveeno Baby Lightly Scented Wash & Shampoo

 

Unlike the other products, this Wash and Shampoo is lightly scented, so I’ve only been using it on my toddler, at this stage preferring to avoid fragranced products where possible on my newborn. In saying that, it is still a hypoallergenic formula that is so gentle that it is suitable for everyday use. I love the fact that it is a two-in-one formula that can be used as both a body wash and shampoo, making bath time so much easier, and of course it can be used by adults with sensitive skin or those preferring gentle products too. I also love that it is tear-free. It has lovely very light and fresh scent. Like the rest of the range, it contains natural oat which cleanses without drying out the skin or the hair. RRP: $10.99 (236ml) – Available from Priceline, Supermarkets & Pharmacies
For me the standout products are the Fragrance Free Soothing Relief Creamy Wash with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal and the Fragrance Free Soothing Relief Moisture Cream, and would certainly consider repurchasing.


Have you tried any of the Aveeno Baby products?

*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram |

PRODUCT REVIEW: ARBONNE SEASOURCE DETOX SPA RENEWING BODY GELEE

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’d know that I love the products from Arbonne. They are simply of such a high quality and always live up to their promise, so when I was asked to trial the Arbonne Seasource Detox Spa Renewing Body Gelee, I happily accepted. Here are my thoughts;

What They Say:

After the beach or a long run, cool off with this refreshing gel that hydrates for soft, smooth-feeling skin. The formula, with hydrating sea and botanical extracts, help revitalise, renew and restore skin’s moisture barrier.

RRP: $68 (354ml) – Available from Natalie Xylas, Independent Arbonne Consultant

Ph: 0414 465 944 / Email: nataliexylas@y7mail.com / Facebook 


What I Say:

This Renewing Body Gelee from the Arbonne Seasource Detox Renewing, which is designed to detox the skin from the impurities it encounters and accumulates during the day. The actual gelee is a cross between cream and gel and it is so light. Arbonne recommends that it is perfect to use after being in the sun, but I didn’t get this until summer was basically over, and besides being pregnant, I’ve been avoiding extended time in the sun this summer as it simply made me feel uncomfortable and dizzy. But that doesn’t meant that I haven’t been enjoying using the Body Gelee.
- The Body Gelee contains a mixture of botanical ingredients, including Bladderwrack Extract to soften, detox and soothe the skin

- Sea Plant Extract, an antioxidant and humectant that provides hydration to the skin

- Sea Algae that naturally re-mineralises and exfoliates the skin

- Sea Fennel to add moisture to the skin

- Micro-Algae, which is high multivitamin, protein and amino acid content to restore the skin

- Laminaria Digitata, a hydrating antioxidant that encourages efficient functioning of the body


The Body Gelee has the most beautiful and refreshing and slightly zesty scent too, that continues to linger on the skin for some time.

Being so light, the Gelee absorbs instantly into the skin, leaving it so soft and smooth, and feeling so deeply hydrated, with no greasiness or stickiness in sight. And I really love the cooling and soothing feeling the gelee gives the skin immediately on application, and can only imagine how lovely it would be after a day on the beach – but I have also been enjoying it to massage into my growing pregnant bump, which as the weeks has gone on, has gone more and more itchy as it has grown and the skin stretched! I don’t normally suffer with skin irritations, but for some reason I do in the ladder months of pregnancy, which I also did when expecting our first! But this Renewing Body Gelee simply instantly provides soothing relief, so it has become a habit for me to massage it in to especially my tummy after not only my shower in the morning, but also at night as I sit on the couch and watch a bit of telly before bed – and well, so far, it has stopped me from scratching the skin on my tummy to bits during the night!

The light green cream comes in a heavy duty plastic tub with a blue metallic lid, and at $68 it is on the expensive side – but that said, the tub also contains a generous 354ml, and is quite concentrated too, so you don’t need to apply a lot at the time!

Overall I am really enjoying using this Renewing Body Gelee, which again is no surprise as so far I’m yet to try an Arbonne product I didn’t like – so if you can afford the splurge, I certainly wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to you, as well as I wouldn’t hesitate trialling any of the other products in the Seasource Detox Spa Range!

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

  Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram |