Sunday 20 December 2015

My favourite cleansers

Hey everyone! Today I want to share with you some of my favourite cleansers. I used to think that any cleanser would do, since it's a product that you wash off anyway, but after switching to organic skincare I've realised that a cleanser should help maintain the right pH, not strip the skin of all its natural oils, be gentle but thorough and should leave your skin feeling soft, clean and nourished.

Let's start off with makeup removers:
Byphasse Micellar Water, Rubifresh Oil Cleanser
1. Rubifresh Oil Cleanser (step 1)
This is my first oil cleanser and I love it! It's so easy to use; two pumps, massage it all over your face, splash on some warm water and wipe of gently with a couple of cotton rounds! I was a little wary of the citrus oil around my eyes, but I didn't experience any irritation. In fact I think because this runs a little waxy it doesn't drip, which means you have lots of control around the lashline. I also love how dewy, glowly and bouncy this makes my skin, I think it's organic ingredients and essential oils.

2. Byphasse Micellar Water
I spotted this at Chemist Warehouse for $5 and thought it was such a steal. It doesn't sting my eyes, and gets rid of all my eyeliner and mascara. I love this because it's so gentle on the skin, in comparison to makeup wipes. If you want to protect your skin against wrinkles, micellar water is the way to go. 

I like to follow up with another cleanser to make sure there's no makeup residue:
Sukin Cream Cleanser, Rubifresh Gel Cleanser
1. Sukin Cream Cleanser
I think I've said this a million times but Sukin is one of my favourite brands for healthy good-for-skin skincare. Their cream cleanser smells like oranges, is incredibly gentle and  very very hydrating. I feel like I could massage this onto my skin for ages, it's just so nourishing. The packaging makes it a little awkward to travel with, but I like how handy it is sitting on my bathroom counter.

2. Rubifresh Gel Cleanser (step 2)
This is the second step of Rubifresh's cleansing system, and it's amazing. It's a funny texture, it also seems to separate as you work it into your skin. There's something about Rubifresh's ingredients that just make my skin look so calm and feel so soft. The combination of the oil cleanser and this gel one leaves my skin hydrated enough that all I need is some Rose Mist toner and my skin is soft, bouncy and fresh.

And finally, right before bed, I like to use my Sukin Super Greens Facial Scrub:

I think it really cleanses my skin and preps it to soak in all my skincare. The beads aren't the sort that are bad for the environment, and it leaves my skin so glowy.

Monday 7 December 2015

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Perfect Fit SPF 30 Review

 
I mentioned in my November favourites that I've been meaning to do a review on this BB cream, so here it is! I've been wearing this BB cream a lot more lately and I've been really loving it. When I first was looking for an Etude House BB cream to try, I wasn't sure because there weren't many reviews out there so I hope this helps some of you!

The point of BB cream is that it has skincare, sunscreen and coverage all in one. I like how it has SPF 30, but be careful because the sunscreens they use are all physical sunscreens, which means flashback if you're using flash photography. If you look at the ingredients list it has Pearl as the second ingredient (water being the first), which just shows how serious Etude House is about skincare embedded makeup products. In fact all the pigment is at the bottom of the list of ingredients, which is definitely a good sign. I find my skin has been looking brighter and feels softer after wearing this BB cream, but my skincare routine is probably also helping with that.


The formula and texture is very creamy and smooth, and blends into the skin very easily. I would consider this to be a light-medium coverage, and very brightening. It doesn't have a dewy finish but it's not matte either. I had initially picked this BB cream because I heard it was matte, and while it does dry down to a slightly powdery finish, I think it's more of a satin finish. Depending on how you like your skin to look, you may need to powder but I don't think it's a necessity. It sits and feels fairly comfortable on your skin, you'll definitely feel like you have something on your face but it doesn't look or feel cakey. If you have textured skin or dry patches, this might not be as flattering. I have combination skin with textured acne scarring and I find it can be a little patchy if I don't blend this in with a sponge.

I love how it comes with a pump, and the packaging is very travel friendly. This is something I look out for in BB creams, because they're such an all-rounder product that I feel like it constantly belongs in my travel makeup bag.


Korean base makeup isn't known for being very diverse in colour range. I use the colour W24 Honey Beige, one of the darker shades. If you have pale and pink toned skin, you'll probably really like Asian makeup. If you're around NC20 to NC25 in MAC and have yellow tones, then W24 should work for you.

Overall I'm really happy with this BB cream and I'm excited to try other Etude House products. I think I would give this a rating of 7.5/10! Have you tried any or do you have any you'd like to try? Feel free to share below in the comments section!

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Thursday 3 December 2015

November Favourites!

I'm so inconsistent with favourites posts, but now I'm on holiday I'm trying my best to be consistent with my posting. Read ahead to learn more about my favourites of late and I hope you enjoy the mini reviews!

1. Sukin Mist Toner: So so refreshing after the shower or on extra hot days. I've heard really great things about rosewater and I think this is what's making my skin glow lately.

2. Sukin Super Greens Facial Scrub: I love using this in the morning, it's very brightening and refreshing. One of my favourite Sukin products, and I'm running out so I definitely need to repurchase soon.

3. Etude House BB Cream: I've been getting back into liquid face products and this BB Cream has been very handy for days I don't have much time to get ready. I usually wear mineral makeup but sometimes when I'm in a rush I don't have time to buff and build. This is really easy to slap on and it dries to a powdery finish so I don't even need to set it. I want to write a review on this soon, so keep an eye out!

4. Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner: I picked this up fairly recently at the Priceline sale but I have to include this in here because I've been wearing winged liner every day since then because it's so easy with the liquid liner!!! I love the tip, it's just so easy and precise. This definitely lived up to the hype.

5. Maybelline Lash Sensational: I did a review on this, and I'm still loving it. I honestly think it gets better with age too. I pretty much carry this with me everywhere.

6. Nude by Nature Lipgloss: I love this lipgloss because it isn't sticky, it gives a lovely natural shine to the lips, it's very hydrating and softening and it's by one of my favourite makeup companies!

7. Nude by Nature Virgin Blush: I've been loving youthful and dewy makeup inspired by Korean idols, and I think this blush helps to complete the look. It's a loose powder which is a little messy, but I think it's worth it.

Klorane Dry Shampoo: A spur of the moment buy and holey moley dry shampoos are amazing?! Where have they been my whole life? I needed something to freshen up my hair before going out with some friends, and this stuff makes my hair smell and look fresh and clean and awesome. I have really long hair that can look a little flat once it gets greasy, so this is great for volume as well as oil control. I'm really tempted to get the Batiste one next but I know I should finish this first.

Monday 30 November 2015

Rimmel Match Perfection SPF 20 Foundation Review



Hey everyone! Today is a quick review on Rimmel's Match Perfection Foundation with SPF 20. I'm a lover of mineral makeup but recently I've needed a night-time foundation, and I've been reaching for this. (It's got a little bit of flashback but not as dramatically as my Nude by Nature Mineral Cover.)

My favourite thing about this foundation is its texture. It's very smoothing and light and liquidy, and is just fantastically comfortable on my skin. I think this will be very soothing for people with dry and/or dehydrated skin, which I tend to get around my cheeks. My t-zone can get oily throughout the day, but this foundation doesn't really shift, as long as you powder the problem areas. It takes a little while to dry down properly, but when it does it's a very flawless satin finish. It's also very blendable, and easy to apply with a flat top brush or just your fingers. I would call this medium but buildable coverage, which is my favourite because it means the foundation is very flexible.

The packaging is also very functional with a pump, and the glass bottle is a classy touch, although it does make it a little fragile to travel with.

I use the colour Soft Beige, which is an okay match, but I do need to lighten it a little with concealer and powder. For reference I have light-medium yellow tones, around NC20-25 in MAC colouring. The colour range isn't all that impressive to be honest, especially with a name like 'Match Perfection'. They do cater for light shades but definitely not darker shades.

Have you tried this foundation? Or do you have a foundation for photography to recommend? Comment below! :)

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Thursday 26 November 2015

12 Present Ideas Under $50 - Beauty Edition

I think this is my first Christmas on this blog and I'd like to share my recommendations for this busy gift-giving season. I've decided to choose affordable products, mainly gift sets of my favourite things/from my favourite brands since all the money spent on gifts tend to add up.

Let's start with the some lippies. I think lip products are fantastic gifts because they're fun, colourful and tend to work for most people despite skin type etc.
This Chi Chi Lip Gloss Favourites set is awesome because it has a range of colours, and they're small and travel friendly. This set could even be broken up into smaller stocking stuffers, and retails for $17.
This set is the Brights Creamy Matte Liquid Lipstick Collection by Chi Chi, but you can also find the set in Nudes. Considering how popular liquid lipstick are nowadays, this lets people try different colours and formulas without breaking the bank. Plus the box is super cute which means less wrapping for the gift giver. 

Since we're on a roll with Chi Chi, I'd also like to recommend the Choose Chi Chi Face Extravaganza palette. It has some gorgeous eyeshadows, blushes, highlighters and bronzers and is a great kit for people starting with makeup or even people just looking to expand their collection. Chi Chi powder products have always been soft and good quality and this ginormous palette is currently on sale at Myer for $24.





And finally, to round off the lovely products of Chi Chi, here is a travel perfume set of a bunch of their perfumes. I own two of their scents myself, and absolutely love them. They don't smell cheap and childish despite their cute packaging and incredibly affordable price tag. This is also currently on sale for $20.
I recently picked up this Nude By Nature Bronzed Beauty Cheek kit at the Priceline sale, and I think it's absolutely gorgeous. I love NBN as a brand, as their products are good for the skin and look amazing. This kit is another great starter kit for someone who isn't really into makeup, since it comes with both a bronzer and a blush in one as well as brushes so they don't need to go out and buy their own. Currently retailing for $40 but NBN is stocked in plenty of places, and I'm sure you'll be able to find a sale sometime somewhere. 

Another great find at Priceline is the Katy Perry Parfums Collection featuring Killer Queen, Oh So Sheer, Spring Reign and Royal Revolution. Mini perfume collections make great gifts if you're not sure of their exact perfume favourites/tastes, or you're not sure what they already own. This retails for $39 which makes it fantastic value for 4 perfumes.

If you're looking for something a little more luxurious with a brand name to it, but still want to stay within budget, this Benefit set is perfect. Featuring a range of Benefit favourites and all neatly tucked into an adorable box that again, makes wrapping super easy, this set helps to achieve that perfectly glowy and youthful look for the holiday season.

Another way to glow is with this Revlon Christmas Photoready Set. With some fantastic full sized products, this set is another great value kit, and is currently on sale at Myer for $40.

I am a huge fan of Natio and their products, and I love the look of this Sparkle Gift Set, $26 at David Jones.

When I first saw this theBalm palette I had a mini shock. This is kind of my dream palette, and I want to get my hands on this so bad. This will make a fantastic gift because it features theBalm's best hits and all their popular and most favourite products! It's a steal at $50 for so many different products!


And let's finish off with some nail stuff. I love OPI polishes but they're very pricey, so I think sets like these are fantastic value for yourself or as gifts. The Twinkle set in particular even includes rings to match!

I'll back back to regular reviews very soon, I hope everyone is having a fantastic day!

Sunday 22 November 2015

Priceline 40% off Cosmetics Haul!


Hey everyone! I just wanted to quickly share the goodies I picked up at the Priceline sale :) I can't wait to try everything out and play around with it all.

I think I'm the most excited about this. I own the Virgin blush by Nude by Nature but it's loose and messy and I've been looking for a good mineral but pressed blush for a while, and this kit looks amazing. Plus it comes with a double ended brush!


I needed a new eyeliner since my Essence one has completely dried out and it was just a massive pain. The master precise has been raved about for ages and I really hope it lives up to its hype.

Completely didn't need this but I don't have a mauvey colour like this so I decided to pick it up anyway.I've tried it and this essence lipstick is so ridiculously creamy and I love the grey tones it has.

What'd you buy at the Priceline sale? Comment below!
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Monday 16 November 2015

Priceline recommendations for tomorrow!

There's a 40% off makeup sale tomorrow and Thursday at Priceline, and just wanted to quickly pop in with my shopping list and recommendations :)

Touch In Sol Flawless Skin Top Coat - wishlist
$30 AUD after discount

Savvy by DB Mineral Pressed Powder - recommendation
$6 after discount
Models Prefer Contour Palette - wishlist
$6 after discount 

 Nude By Nature Liquid Mineral Concealer - wishlist
$12 after discount

Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls Blush - recommendation
$13.2 after discount

Burt's Bees Lip Crayon in Napa Vineyard - wishlist
$10.2 after discount
Nude By Nature Lipstick in Demure - recommendation
$10.8 after discount

What's on your shopping list? Feel free to add to mine ;)

Wednesday 11 November 2015

MooGoo Acne Cleansing Cream Review


Hey everyone! Just wanted to start with an apology for my absence, university exams were slowly crushing my soul for the past month or so but I'm back now with my skincare secret.

I've had hormonal acne since I was 9, started on hormone regulators when I was 15 or so and through my many years of topical treatments and strange remedies there hasn't been anything as effective as this cleansing cream by MooGoo. I used to get breakouts almost every day, and would always have an active pimple on my face. Ever since using MooGoo in conjunction with my current acne-fighting-skin-soothing organic skin care routine, my skin has literally been clear for months. Even during that time of the month, where I am particularly prone to breakouts, my skin is clear. 

Essentially it is a moisturiser with beneficial oils and ingredients that nourish the skin and prevent the natural oils in your pores from going rancid and causing white heads and pimples. It's also brightening, which helps to lighten my acne scars that litter my cheeks and forehead and chin and basically my entire face. It also doesn't have Benzoyl Peroxide, which I actually used when I was 13 and it left me heaps of brown scarring and hyper-pigmentation on my forehead that took years and years to go away.

My scarring and pigmentation are still here. This is a miracle cream and it won't fade your scars right away. But I do see a difference between my old red-purple scars and my now pinkish scars. I'm really hoping that with sun protection and a good skin care regime my skin will be eventually clear for the first time since I was a child :)

MooGoo is honestly one of my favourite companies. It's Australian, they don't test on animals, and they're always really transparent with their ingredients list. Skin care is always on the top of their priorities; even their Earth Cream, which is like a tinted moisturiser with sunscreen, has mostly skincare ingredients and only pigment ingredients for coverage at the bottom of the list.

To learn more about this acne cleansing cream, check out MooGoo's website and their testimonials. Btw this post is absolutely not sponsored and MooGoo doesn't even know I exist lol.

Saturday 26 September 2015

Dr Lewinn's Private Formula Day Cream Moisturiser Light with SPF 15 Review!


Hey everyone! I'm back with a review on the Dr Lewinn's Private Formula Day Cream Moisturiser Light with SPF 15 (omg what a name), after a little break from blogging because university has just been soooo busy!


I got to try this light weight moisturiser because of the lovely Beauty Heaven. I've never tried a Dr Lewinn's product before, they look so shiny and pricey at Priceline that I've never really gone near the display. I'm really happy I got to trial this so a big thanks to BH!

So the claims of this moisturiser are:
  • "anti-ageing day cream designed to hydrate and provide the skin with SPF protection"
  • "lightweight texture"
  •  "helps promote cell turnover, while protecting against free radical damage"
 Let's start with the packaging: obviously it is very pretty, and I'm happy it has a pump. But I don't think that it's the most travel friendly in terms of size (and also it technically doesn't have a cap), which is a bummer because this is such an all-rounder sort of product that would save you carrying around even more stuff in your makeup bag. To get around this I might deposit this into smaller travel-size bottles for my overnight bag.

The finish of the moisturiser is very skin-like, ever so slightly leaning towards matte, which is fantastic for something with sunscreen in it. It also leaves my skin very very soft and smooth, virtually zero texture at all. I have some pitted scars, so this smoothing factor really helps my skin look flawless under makeup.

In terms of performance, I think the moisturiser fulfills the promise of 'lightweight texture' very well - I can barely feel it on my skin! It's a different sort of feeling for me because I'm very used to facial oils and thicker textures like zinc/physical sunscreens, etc. But this barely-there feel is definitely welcome in the warmer months, which Australia is heading into now.

I'm not so sure about the moisturising factor - my skin is very dry around my neck area, and while it feels very soft and hydrated while I have this on, I don't feel or see any long-term improvements from this moisturiser.

The price of this is a bit much, honestly. This day cream retails for $49.99 at Priceline, which is quite steep for a moisturiser. But if you're serious about skincare, and have textured/dry skin, this is worth a try.

Have you tried this product before? Let me know your thoughts below!

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Sunday 13 September 2015

Dusty Girls Earth Cream Review



I first came across Dusty Girls in a random chemist, and I was surprised because I hadn't seen or heard about them before, which is a rarity for me nowadays because I'm quite beauty obsessed. I decided to look up reviews and couldn't really find any, but the ingredients and the DG website were enough for me to make my first purchase, the Earth Cream.

I can see why it's called an Earth Cream, because it's an awesome skincare product with sunscreen and a tint, with natural and healthy ingredients for the skin. It's not just a tinted moisturiser that's for sure, and it's better for your skin than most of the BB creams on the western market.

So I just want to talk about Dusty Girls for a moment. They're the sister brand of MooGoo, which is also an amazing skincare brand (if you have acne, especially white heads, you NEED to try their Acne Cleansing Cream, it has literally saved my skin). Their ingredients are natural and they're also very honest with everything in their products. If you browse their website you'll find articles on different ingredients they use and also on stuff they choose to exclude, proving that a lot of thought on how to maintain healthy skin while wearing makeup has been put into their products.


But back to the Earth Cream. I wore this for almost month straight when I first bought it; it was surprisingly nice coverage, it was silicon free (which is something I like to see in liquid products), it dried to a matte finish and it also had a little SPF in it. I should note that because it is built of more natural ingredients, that this cream doesn't have the same texture as others on the market.

I accidentally pumped out too much - you need maybe half this amount for your whole face!

It pumps out with a mousse like appearance, but it is actually very airy and thin, but at the same time it holds a decent amount of pigment. It also doesn't spread across the skin as evenly as traditional foundations because it doesn't have silicon, but I find if you pat it in with your finger tips it looks the most even. It can also accentuate dry patches, and I imagine this was formulated with more oily skinned people in mind, but I find it works fine with a good moisturiser underneath. 


It comes in two shades, light and medium, but from the reviews and also my experience, I think that the shades are actually quite versatile because of the light coverage hence sheer colour. I use the colour light and it's a little too neutral for my olive toned skin, but it manages to adjust a little after half an hour or so.

I definitely recommend this for people who are looking for a lighter coverage, who want a everyone-in-one product that is actually good for the skin. I think it's perfect for sensitive skins, especially the for those with a skin type that breaks out with shifty ingredients.

You can look for the stocklist on the Dusty Girls website or just buy online, and I know they chuck in a couple of samples along with online orders :)

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Wednesday 9 September 2015

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara Review

I got to try this in a free beauty pack at Beauty Heaven, and while I was excited to receive it, I'd heard so much hype about it by beauty bloggers that I was half expecting it to be a flop (heads up: it isn't).

The packaging is obviously gorgeous, I love the light metallic pink, and I think it's definitely a highlight in my makeup drawer.



The brush is strange, it's curves like a banana shape, and I like to turn it so it's like a 'U' because it contours my eye-line perfectly and cups and catches every lash. I think it's because of this I find it curls, defines, separates and lengthens perfectly. I don't think I've been this impressed by a mascara before, which I've been saying a bit lately because I've just been on a mascara kick, and seem to be picking the right ones.

I would rate this mascara a 9/10 - it looses a point because the formula is a little wet, and I have to be sure to wipe off any excess every second use, but I find these types of mascaras last way longer, so I'm not too fussed. I will probably repurchase this at the next Priceline 40% off sale!

Have you tried this mascara? Have any mascara recommendations? Let me know below :)

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Sunday 6 September 2015

Liebster Award 2015

 Picture


 This is unbelievably exciting but I got nominated for my first blog award, the Liebster Award! Thank you so much to the lovely Space of Beauty for nominating me, you can click here to check her post.

The guidelines:
  • You need to thank the blogger who nominated you
  • You need to answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger
  • Nominate 6-11 blogs with under 200 followers (I've switched this up a little bit)
  • Ask your nominees 11 questions, that they can post on their blog
Let's start :)

1) If you had to start your make-up collection from scratch what would be the first 3 products you would buy?
Assuming I still had all my skincare and brushes, I would buy the Nude by Nature Mineral Cover for my skin base, Natio Mineral Eyeshadow Trio for my brows, eyeshadow, nose contour, eyeliner and highlighter, and the Essence liquid liner.

2) What products do you try and save money on?
I think a lot of people do this, but I tend to me a huge cheapskate with mascaras. I like Essence mascaras the most because they're so affordable and they do the trick.

3) Favourite Make-Up Brush
Nude By Nature has some amazingly soft brushes, my favourite is their powder brush.

4) Favourite Skin Care Item(s)
I'm currently loving MooGoo's Acne Cleansing Cream, Thursday Plantation's Tea Tree Oil & Witch Hazel Toner and Natio's Ageless Rosehip Oil (all three of which were featured in my latest favourites post). I also love sheet masks, they're so relaxing and always leave my skin feeling fresh.

Thursday 3 September 2015

Update on Project Pan

Jergens Crema, Coconut Revolution Body Lotion and Hand Cream, Target Eye Makeup Remover, NYX Butter Gloss, Essence Eyeliner Pen
Just a quick post today: I wanted to do an update on how I'm going on my Finish 15 by Halloween project. I tried gathering all of my empties to take a photo with but I actually forgot some and accidentally dumped one of the empty packages, so I'll just write down a full list below.

Done:
  1. Jergens Body Creme
  2. Target Eye Makeup Remover Wipes
  3. Essence Eyeliner Pen (will repurchase)
  4. Coconut Revolution samples x2
  5. Chi Chi Watermelon Perfume (not pictured)
  6. Target Makeup Remover Wipes (not pictured)
  7. Essence Mascara (not pictured)
That's 7/15 products completed, with only 8 more to go! I'm also very close to finishing:
  1. NYX Buttergloss - I'm realising now it's a horrible colour on me, and it's quite sticky which isn't pleasant when you've got a lot of thick long hair around your face, so I'm going to just give it till end of October and then I'm tossing it. I don't think there's much left in there anyway
  2. Invisible Zinc Sunscreen - I want to finish this before summer hits full force so I can get a new sunscreen
  3. Burts Bees Beeswax Lipbalm - After trying the honey flavour in the same line and also the KORA lipbalm, I've realised that this is actually quite dry, and doesn't moisturise my lips as well, so I'm really eager to finish this too
  4. Goats Milk Soap in Honey 
So hopefully by the next update (around the start of October) I would have finished the above products and maybe some extra ones too. 

If you're doing any project pans, feel free to link them for me to check out below in the comments.

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Sunday 30 August 2015

August Favourites!

Natio Ageless Organic Rosehip Oil, MooGoo Acne Cleansing Cream
 It's been a couple months since I've shared with you my favourites, so I decided to because I've been having some really great luck with my products lately.

Let's start off with my skin care:

The Acne Cleansing Cream by MooGoo has been my skin care saviour for the past few months. I even bought a second one to keep at my boyfriend's to minimise the breakouts. It doesn't have Benzoyl Peroxide, which I used back in the day and it just dried out my skin and made it more sensitive. This has natural ingredients that naturally brighten and lighten my acne scars, and it also keeps my oily skin balanced.

I got the Natio Ageless Organic Rosehip Oil at a Priceline sale, and it has been amazing. I've used RHO before by Trilogy and I've never seen such beautiful and glowy results before. I massage this into my skin before bed and it leaves my skin the softest and the healthiest it has ever been.

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Toner
I also picked up Thursday Plantation's Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Toner at the Priceline sale, and I wish I'd tried this out years ago, when my acne was at its worst. Since using this I haven't had a single new breakout. I use it pretty much every time after I cleanse my skin, so 2-3 times a day, and it's amazing how much stuff it gets off (that I didn't realise was on my face to begin with). It also smells so fresh and is a great pick-me-up step in the morning.

Choose Chi Chi Eau De Parfum Persimmon
And last of all I wanted to share my new scent with you; I recently finished Chi Chi's Watermelon perfume, and decided to try another one. I'm not one for owning many scents, just because I know I won't be able to get through them all. So I've been wearing this every day, and it smells so sweet and yummy. It smells like lollies straight up when you first spray it, but after it settles into your skin it turns almost musky and floral. An absolute gorgeous scent that lasts, and I'm in love with the packaging too.

So there you go! Feel free to share with me your favourites of the month, and link below your blog if you want me to check it out!

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Monday 17 August 2015

Sukin Purifying Facial Masque Review

I picked up this mask when Priceline was having a 3 for 2 (along with some other goodies!), and have so far reviewed the Eye Serum, and am yet to review the Micellar Cleansing Water (but stay tuned for that). And keep reading to see my thoughts on Sukin's mask ;)

So the low down: this mask is supposed to purify, refresh and cleanse the skin. I like to scoop some with a spatula onto my fingers and spread it across damp clean skin. I keep it on for 10 minutes, by which time it's dried and is very tight on my face. The mask starts off a pinkish colour, and finishes looking like you've smeared tomato juice all over your face. I wash it off with warm water, pat dry, and continue on with toner and moisturiser.

Ingredients list from Sukin: Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Glycerin, Bentonite, Talc, Kaolin, Lecithin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil (Rose Hip), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Vanillin,  Vanilla Planifolia Extract, CI 77491, Citrus Paradisi Extract (Grapefruit Seed), Linalool,* Limonene.*
* Natural component of essential oils.

As you can see, the ingredients list is pretty amazing, save for talc, which I'm honestly a little disappointed about, and probably wouldn't have picked it up if I saw it when I was shopping.

The packaging is a strange one... I like that I get a big tub of it, but I don't like this sort of packaging because I feel like it's not as sanitary is a squeeze bottle. But considering the thick texture of this mask, having it in a tub makes sense.

As I said before, the texture of this is thick, but rather creamy, and I find it really easy to spread about my face. It's not goopy or drippy, so I don't make too much of a mess when I apply it around.

In terms of performance and whether or not it works, I find it's a decent mask. It's not magic, and I don't see pimples miraculously disappear after one use, but I certainly see some improvement in terms of brightness and skin texture. My redness is always reduced when I wash this off with warm water, and my skin feels incredibly soft. I don't reach for this when I'm breaking out, as I prefer to reach for treatments like tea tree oil, but I think this has a place in my skin care routine... but would I repurchase? Honestly, I would rather give Sukin's other mask a try first.

The price is a very reasonable $15.95 AUD for 100mls, and all in all I would give this a 7/10.

Check out my Sukin Eye Serum review here, and follow me on Bloglovin' here.

Let me know if you're tried out any Sukin products, and suggest some for me to try below! Also, what are your favourite face masks for purifying and cleansing the skin?

Friday 14 August 2015

I Heart Drugstore Makeup Tag!

I've been a little MIA lately, but the good news is I'm back with a little post on my favourite drugstore makeup.

On another note, I decided to swap some points on beautyheaven, so expect a post on my random box of goodies soon!

1. What is your favorite drugstore makeup brand?


This is a hard one, because I like a lot of brands... my favourite is probably Nude by Nature, although I'm not sure if it's considered 'drugstore', because it's not the most affordable brand, but it is stocked at Priceline. A more affordable brand that's surprisingly nice is Essence, but I do appreciate NBN's ingredients way more.

2. What are your favorite face, cheek and lip products? 

I've raved about the Nude by Nature Mineral Cover Powder Foundation and Natio 's Mineral Bronzer in Sunswept before, (click on the links to check those posts out), and my favourite lippie product right now is the Burts Bees Beeswax Lipbalm, which I'm also trying to 'pan'.

3. Least favorite product?
Beauty Essentials lipgloss - I got this in a bargain bin, and man is this stuff frosty! It makes my lips look practically white.

4. What is the best makeup bargain?

W7 Absolute Lashes - $5 AUD for a mascara that is crazy defining, separating, lengthening and curling.

5. What is your favorite underdog product? (Something you love that often gets overlooked?)

Natio Mineral Bronzer, it's massive, talc-free and a gorgeous bronzer. I also want to do a special shoutout to the Dusty Girls' Earth Cream, not available at as many places as typical 'drugstore brands' like Maybelline, but it's an amazing product for your skin and for coverage, and I'm actually seeing MooGoo/Dusty Girls pop up in more pharmacies now.

6. A drugstore product that is overpriced?
I think the whole Nude by Nature range is a little overpriced, but I guess that's what you have to do for quality ingredients.

7. Show your best drugstore dupe(s)!!
I don't own the They're Real mascara by Benefit, but apparently Absolute Lashes is a dupe for it. I also love the Nude by Nature blush in Virgin and I think it's in the same colour family, and probably gives your cheeks a similar effect.

8. Drugstore product that isn't worth the hype?
Revlon Colorstay... I know this is a cult favourite but I don't actually think the coverage is that fantastic after you buff it out properly. Especially because I had scarring and pigmentation, I found I had to really layer up the product, and this stuff is thick and I don't like the heavy feeling of makeup. Not the mention this stuff stains all your sponges and brushes, and is equally hard to get off your skin and out of your pores.

Have you done this tag? Link it below so I can check it out :)

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