Mothers Day Gift Ideas 2014 #2 - Beauty Buys under $20

Last week I did a post on Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, which you can see here, but I thought that I’d follow up with one with budget friendly gift ideas – and in this case, beautiful gifts you can give your mum for under $20..

 

 

MOR Marshmallow Duet
This gift pack that contains a Little Luxuries Hand Cream (50mL),and Little Luxuries Soapette (60g) in the delicious marshmallow scent.

RRP: $19.95 – Available from Myer

 

 

Benefit The Perfect Pair

This gift set contains mini bottles (2x4ml) of High Bean and Posie Tint. High Beam is a pearlised pink highlighter is the make-up artists secret for a natural dewy glow on all skin tones. Use it as a spot highlighter or blend all over your complexion...the soft-focus sheen is enticing and sexy.

Posie Tint is a petal-pink stain for a see-through tint on cheeks & lips. With hours of smudge-proof, just-picked perfection, you'll be the prettiest bloom in the bunch!

RRP: $19 – Available from Myer

 

Natio Caress Gift Set

This Mother’s Day skincare set comes with a limited-edition pink floral hat box, and contains a Lavender and Rosemary Hand and Nail Cream (75mL), Skin Nutrition Body Creme (150g) and Natio Nail Brush.

RRP: $19.95 – Available from Myer

 

 

NIVEA Pure & Natural Pack is a Mother’s Day gift pack

This gift set contains a Pure & Natural Body Lotion (400mL), Pure & Natural Lip Care Milk and Honey (4.8g), Pure & Natural Soothing Day Cream for Dry & Sensitive Skin (50mL) and a Pure & Natural Hand Cream (75mL).

RRP: $20 – Available from Chemist Warehouse

 

BioElixia Hand & Nail Duo Gift Set

This gift set that contains a Hand Revitalising Cream (30g) and a four way nail buffer to shape, shine, polish and buff the nails in four steps.

RRP: $16.95 – Available from BioElixia

 

 

Lush Strawberries and Cream

This Mother’s Day gift pack contains Sympathy for the Skin body lotion (100g), and Strawberry Feels Forever massage bar.

RRP: $18.95 – Available from Lush

 

Revlon Paradise Collection

This collection contains two Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nails in China Flower and Pink Pineapple. With notes of fruit and florals. Valued at $31.90 by Revlon.

RRP: $19.95 – Available from Myer

 

 

There you go – my selection of budget friendly beauty buys. What do you think of these? Any that you would consider giving to your Mum?

 

Product Review and LOTD: Illamasqua Lipstick in Shard

Today I’d like to talk about the *Illamasqua Lipstick in the colour Shard;

 

What They Say:

"Let your lips speak volumes. Indulge in colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent finishes. Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout. A must have for professional make-up artists, and those who want to make a statement."

 

RRP: $30 - Available from Myer 

What I Say:

This is my first lipstick from Illamasqua, although I have recently also tried the Intense Lipgloss, which I really love.

The colour is an intense dark violet with a red undertone, and it is extremely pigmented, so just one swipe gives you full coverage. It has a nice velvety matte finish.

 

 

It is lovely and creamy so it is very nice to wear without drying the lips out, or without settling into the fine lines of the lips, or even worse bleeding!

 

 

The lipstick comes in classy black square packaging, and it is very long lasting, lasting for several hours before a touch up is needed, it even lasts through several cups of tea and coffee, and even survives a sandwich lunch.

 

I don’t normally wear this dark lipsticks, but it is a refreshing change to the otherwise ‘safe’ colours that I normally wear. This definitely won’t be my last lipstick from Illamasqua, and with over 30 colours in the range, there are plenty to choose from! If you are after a highly pigmented lipstick then I highly recommend that you check out these ones from Illamasqua!

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

 

Have you ever tried any of the makeup from Illamasqua? Do you wear dark lipstick? Or are you conservative like me?

Industry News: OPI Launches the Muppets Most Wanted Collection

Inspired by Disney’s new film Muppets Most Wanted OPI announces the launch of eight new limited edition nail lacquers.

With an all-star cast including Kermit the Frog, Constantine, Ricky Gervais, Miss Piggy, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey and the whole Muppet gang, this family comedy is directed by James Bobin and written by Bobin and Nicholas Stoller. 

 
“The Muppets are a fun-loving, colourful cast of characters. These eight new nail lacquers were inspired by their latest adventures in Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted, which includes a glamorous international stage tour – and lots of surprises”, explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Co-Founder & Executive VP.

Top Row: Intl Crime Caper - Muppets World Tour -
I Love Applause- Chillin Like a Villian
Bottom Row: Lets Do Anything We Want - Gaining Mole-mentum -
Kermit Me To Speak - Miss Piggy's Big Number

“Fashionable Miss Piggy is represented through soft pink, peach and pearlescent hues, as well as a frosty sapphire blue – Miss Piggy’s Big Number – to match her fabulous tour gown. The remaining four shades highlight the film’s unexpected elements and include a colour-shifting mauve and three sparkle-packed lacquers – including my personal favorite Gaining Mole-mentum, a gold and rose chunky shredded glitter.”


RRP: All shades: $19.95, Mini Pack: $24.95, Full size duo pack: $24.95
- Available from selected MYER, David Jones stores and selected salons


What do you think of his OPI Muppets Collection? Keen on getting your hands on some of the shades? Are you a Muppets fan?

Industry News: Chloé Launches My Little Chloés

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Chloé introduces My Little Chloés, a limited edition collection of mini fragrances.

The newest edition of the Chloé signature line, Roses de Chloé, joins the collection of miniatures that also consists of Chloé and L’eau de Chloé. All three perfumes com in delightful 20ml miniature versions.

 

 

Each fragrance captures a different facet of the rose, now the iconic floral embodiment of the Chloé house. Sensual in the eau de parfum, airy in L’eau de chloé.

For roses de chloé the story is one of tender freshness, combined with notes of bergamot, magnolia and musk.

The three my little Chloés fragrances are displayed in store on a delicate golden see-saw, with humor and lightness.

Each bottle is available individually or as a set.

RRP: $45 each (20ml) – or $120 trio set 3x20ml – Available from David Jones

 

What do you think of these little Chloés? Tried any of them?

Product Review: Violet Box April 2014

How time flies, another month bites the dust, and it is yet again time for a beauty box review. Here are my thoughts on the *April 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:

Some beauty boxes seems to be regularly changing their packaging, but Violet Box seems to stick with the same matte black box, which personally I like, as they look simple and elegant when I reuse them for storing other little titbits.

Anyway, this is what was in the April Violet Box…

 

Villainess Dulces en Fuego Whipped! Body Creme – Sample jar (RRP: $15.00/170g)

 

I was first introduced to the Villainess Dulces en Fuego in the January Violet Box, but not tried other products from the brand so I am excited to see the inclusion again, and this time of a more useable body cream. It a sweet but spicy scent, and feels lovely on the skin. Hopefully there will be enough to cover my whole body, unless I save it and use it as a hand cream so I can enjoy the fragrance a little more!

Bioderma Crealine H2O – Sample, 20ml (RRP: $19.95/100ml, $29.95/250ml, $39.95/500ml)

 

I have read so many rave reviews about this makeup remover but yet to try it myself. I believe it to be the original Micellar cleansing water, but I have only tried the new Micellar Water from Garnier, so I am quite excited to see how this one compares, and see if it is worth the hype and higher price tag too. However, the bottle is rather tiny, so you won’t get many goes from it, so I would ideally have liked to see the sample being a little larger.
 

Cedel Scented Hairspray in Oriental Blossom – Full Size - (RRP: $4.99/100g)

 

Finally – a hair spray that smells nice. Who isn’t over the average smelling ones that have been dominating the market for years. This hairspray guarantees to keep your hair in place while smelling amazing all day long. I also love the bright packaging of this hair spray. While this is a full sized product, it is small in comparison with other hairsprays, but it is perfect for weekends away. Also available in two other scents , Coconut Bay and Raspberry Punch, which I wouldn’t mind putting to the test as well. And of course also big bonus points to Cedel for supporting Breast Cancer research.

 

Be a Bomshell Eyeliner in Midnight – Full Size (RRP: $19)

This is not the first time Be a Bombshell cosmetics have appeared in Violet Boxes. Generally I like being introduced to new brands, so on one hand I would have loved to see a new brand – but on the other, all the Be a Bomshell products that I’ve tried so far have been pretty good, so I don’t mind the inclusion of this marker style liquid eyeliner. The shade Midnight is a very dark navy shade, which admittedly is not a colour that I’d wear very often, but as it is so dark, and you could almost mistake it for a charcoal, I might even give it a go. I did try it out on my hand, and it is extremely long wearing, lasting several hand washes, and doing the dishes as well!!

Teeez Trend Cosmetics Chain of Stones Nail Lacquer in Melted Copper  - Full Size (RRP: $15/8.5ml)

 

I have never heard of this brand before, so the inclusion does excite me. The colour Melted Copper is a lovely copper shade with a hint of orange, and it has a holographic finish. I haven’t tried a holographic nail polish before, so I cannot wait to play with it, and the colour is just perfect as we head towards winter.

Yet again another Violet Box that I am impressed with. It contains three full sized products, all of which I am happy with and can’t wait to try, and the two sample sized products are great additions too. I am also pleased with the combination of products in the box, haircare, body care, facial care, nails and makeup – in fact, couldn’t be better! IF I had to be picky, it is that products from the same brands, in this case Be a Bombshell and Villainess Dulces en Fuego, and ideally I’d love to see new brands included, but again, that is just me being picky as I do like and look forward to using these products.

So yet again, Violet Box is keeping their consistently high quality of their boxes, so well don’t Violet Box! I am already looking forward to seeing what will be included in the next Violet Box!

…in saying that, Violet Box has already given a sneak peak into the May Box, ‘introducing the Goldwell StyleSign Sleep Perfection….’ Sounds pretty good to me!!

  

*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..