Friday 31 May 2013

My Makeup Collection - Part 2



Last week I showed you all Part One of my collection, which you can read about here, showcasing my primers, tinted moisturisers, BB creams & illuminators. Part Two is here to show you my foundations! So this includes liquid, gel, mousse and powder foundations! (Some of these aren't actually open, so don't think I'm a crazy foundation lady!)


Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation in 100, 071, 010 *, Models Prefer Liquid Foundation, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, Revlon Colorstay Foundation, Savvy by DB Flawless Finish Makeup, Arbonne Perfecting Liquid Foundation *, Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum, Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation (older mix), Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation, Avon Ideal Flawless Foundation, Revlon Photoready Foundation, Nude by Nature Flawless Liquid Velvet Foundation

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, Essence Soft Touch Mousse, Rimmel London Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation, Kryolan Aqua Color White

Rimmel London Stay Matte, Natio Mineral Pressed Powder, Nude by Nature Natural Mineral Cover, Nude by Nature Finishing Veil

--

If you'd like to read any in-depth reviews on the above products, I have linked the ones I have already reviewed - any others, let me know and I'll see what I can do! Watch this space next week for part three of my collection, which will feature blushes! 

Don't forget to check out Part One here, and if you have a collection post (or series of posts) let me know, as I'd love to check them out!

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think? 

--


Products marked with a * were provided for consideration. 

Share:

De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo in Chocolate *


It's no secret that I love my hair, and sometimes I feel it's one of my best qualities! I usually bounce from black to brown hair, depending on my mood or whether or not I'm too lazy to dye my hair, so when I was asked to try out the De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo in Chocolate, I couldn't say no! 



My hair is brown at the moment, but I find that it's mostly one colour, which can be a little bit flat and boring. The idea of the De Lorenzo Chocolate shampoo is to enrich natural chocolate tones in brunette hair. So this is absolutely perfect for my currently flat and lifeless hair!



The process couldn't be simpler! Use the De Lorenzo Chocolate Shampoo like you would a normal shampoo, only leave in for about five minutes to enhance the effect! My first time using it, I did not read the instructions and washed it out almost immediately, yet the effect was still very noticeable.

When washing it out, it was almost like I had just given my hair a mini dye job! There was "dye" everywhere in my shower - except it easily rinsed off, which makes it a lot nicer and quicker than hair dye! The scent was also far more kinder to the senses, with a beautiful lavender rose tea scent! It left my hair smelling beautiful all day, too! 




The Outcome

I used this shampoo only a few times, and since I didn't have the De Lorenzo Colour Care conditioner, I just used a normal colour lock conditioner which seemed to work just fine! I found the effect to be instant, after just one wash, but intensified after a few more washes. Like I said, after only three or four washes, I had really beautifully toned hair, and even when I switched back to normal shampoo to see if it would wash out, the toned look remained for some time before dulling again! Needless to say I'm back using the Chocolate!

--

I really loved this shampoo! It made my hair feel brand new again, as if I was getting a salon treatment right there at home every time I washed my hair! The product didn't lather up a lot either, which is supposed to be a good thing, but I did find I had to use a fair amount of product to cover my lengthy locks. (Although that could be said of any hair product, when you consider the length of my hair!)

I would definitely recommend this to any brunette who feels they might be lacking something, or even for someone who may just want to add a little extra oomph to their hair! It was really easy to use, and gave a fantastic result first time around!
Have you tried the De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo yet? If so, what did you think? Have you tried any other types of colouring shampoos?


This product was provided for consideration.

Share:

Thursday 30 May 2013

BYS Pearlized 16 Eyeshadow Palette


You know that feeling when you go shopping in hopes to buy heaps of stuff, and then just before leaving, you realise you purchased nothing? Cue the impulse buy! Buying something for the pure joy of bringing something new home to play with. This is the exact experience that led me to purchase the BYS Pearlized 16 Eyeshadow Palette from K-Mart not too long ago. 

While I am a fan of BYS products, this was not really something I needed! But, after having a play around with it, I was pleasantly surprised by the results! 


As the name suggests, the palette includes 16 pearl eyeshadows. At first glance, I really liked the look of the bright and fun colours, which is why I ended up with this palette!

The palette also comes with two double sided applicators, great for quick touch-ups.


Top row; left.


Top row; right.


Bottom row; left.


Bottom row; right. 

As you can see, the colours are actually fairly pigmented for such a cost-effective brand. While some of the colours may have been a little chalky, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the eyeshadow applied! 

-- 

I actually really like this palette. I think this is a great palette for those who love to have a bit of a play around with different looks and colours, but don't want to waste their "fancy" makeup! At only $8.99 I think this is an absolute steal! The palette includes some really cute colours, and I've already created some lovely looks!

You can buy this palette anywhere BYS is stocked, and online here.


Have you tried this palette from BYS yet? If so, what did you think? Have you tried any other BYS products?
Share:

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Neutrogena Deep Clean Range *

(Image sourced from Media Release) 

When I was asked to review the Neutrogena Deep Clean range, I couldn't say no! I love anything Neutrogena seem to come up with, and a deep clean was exactly what I was after! I started out writing seperate reviews for each of the Neutrogena Deep Clean products, but because they worked so well altogether, I figured it might be easier to read as one big post. If you aren't up for a long read with lots of pictures, close your browser now!
  


The Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser was probably my least favourite of the four; not that I didn't enjoy it! I found this one to be extremely creamy, as the name suggests, and I feel this would be best suited to those of you with dry skin, as this really helped lock in the moisture! 



I found this product worked best with the Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser, to help balance the amount of moisture that was being retained by my skin. As somebody with oily skin, I found it to be too moisturising, and if used alone I may have experienced breakouts, and further oiliness. 

 

The Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser was probably my favourite out of the four, and I'll tell you why! As a complete opposite to the Cream Cleanser, I found this helped "dry" my skin out, and left me with an almost clammy feeling. I realise that doesn't exactly sound desirable, and it doesn't make your skin feel the greatest, but the outcome was definitely worth it! 



When Neutrogena says that the Foaming Cleanser controls oil, they really mean it controls oil! Although I mentioned a slightly clammy feeling on the skin (which is why I used this with the cream cleanser to balance out the amount of moisture I was getting) I found this worked instantly for my skin! Within days, my blackheads had reduced, and my skin was feeling fresh and clean! But more importantly - reduced blackheads! I've been searching for a product to reduce my blackheads, and some have worked, but never this significantly. I would say if you have oily skin and you struggle with blackheads, give this foaming cleanser a go and see if it helps!



We all know I love a good scrub, and the Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub was just what the doctor ordered! I found this to be a really gentle scrub, as the name suggests, yet still gritty enough to get in there and exfoliate! 



I found this worked best with the Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser, as it really helped exfoliate any dead skin left behind from my first round of cleansing. While this was gentle enough to use everyday (or even twice every day) I stuck to using it just once a day, after my make-up removal, to make sure my skin was not over-exfoliated! I really enjoyed this scrub, and while it didn't do as good of a job removing blackheads as the Foaming Cleanser did, it really did help keep breakouts in check, and kept my skin feeling soft and smooth. 


The Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser was the very first product I tried in this range. I really liked the texture, as it was smooth and almost gel like, and cleaned my face incredibly well! If you're looking for something to leave your skin feeling deeply clean - without anything fancy - then this is it! 



I love that this product is really just about cleaning. There are no claims to reduce blackheads, or increase moisture or smoothness. It's just about a good old fashioned deep clean, which I think is great for any skin type every now and then! I found this particular cleanser helped keep my skin the cleanest feeling, and combined with the scrub, I had the freshest face possible! Once I combined this, the Gentle Scrub and the Foaming Cleanser (sorry Cream Cleanser!) I had found an almost perfect combination!

-- 

I really enjoyed using the Neutrogena Deep Clean Range. All of the products worked really well for me, and three out of four of them worked amazingly well for me! While I am lucky not to have incredibly problematic skin, I do find that mixing and matching products, and even changing it up every now and then can really help your skin! Before trying out the entire range, I would probably only use one product at a time and not really get the whole effect of using two or more products in the same cleansing regime! I think these products work really great together, and a regime can be altered for most skin types!

Have you tried any of the products from the Neutrogena Deep Clean Range yet? If so, what did you think?

Products were provided for consideration.
Share:

May Lust Have It!



I am a little late with my review on this month's Lust Have It! My box arrived on Friday, just as my boyfriend and I were leaving for our romantic weekend away in Melbourne city - so sadly my box remained unopened for a good remainder of the weekend! But the moment I got home, I managed to rip it open and finally managed to get some decent lighting today for some pictures!

On a side-note, I'm absolutely loving this month's box design. It's a real shame that mine was so jam packed with goodies that it can't be closed properly again!



Look at all them goodies...




Seacret Buffing Block

Ahh I actually had one of these a long time ago. I remember my  mum and I walking through a shopping center and being "attacked" by one of the Seacret sales people. My mum caved and purchased a pack of goodies, which she then gave to me, and I remember the buffing block was my absolute favourite toy! (Mind you I was in my early years of high school, so having shiny, buffed nails was exciting!) I'm always up for a new buffing block, so I'm excited to give this one a go again!




Camouflage Colour Lip Gloss in Pure Vanilla

I've seen a few other boxes who received this lip gloss, but in a clear. How disappointing. While this one is mostly clear anyway, it does have a slight tinge of colour, which is much appreciated. I'm a little concerned this is going to be a bit of a sticky one though, as the lid is already a little sticky. But we'll see!




Bed Head by Tigi Recharge & Elasticate samples

These are actually fairly generous samples, especially for sachets, so I'm not at all unhappy to receive these! My sister and I have been a fan of Bed Head by Tigi products for a long time, so I'm always happy to give their products a go!



Nude by Nature Papaw Ointment

I actually ran out of Papaw Ointment a long time ago, and have been meaning to get out there and buy some more, but for some reason I just keep forgetting! I'm super happy this was included, as it's a fairly big jar of papaw goodness!




Paula's Choice Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution

Oh wow, I've been looking for something to try to get rid of my redness, and so I'm happy this was included. I've heard a few things about Paula's Choice before, so I'm happy to give this brand a go! I love that this was not in a sachet!



Last but not least, there is a special promotion next month - one lucky subscriber will win a Stylerocks ring! I love the ring in the picture, so I really hope I win! Cross your fingers for me!

--

Overall, I'm pretty darn pleased with this month's box. Everything I got, I was happy with, and there weren't any dud items this month around. I'm pretty happy I subscribed annually, as the boxes seem to be going really well. I also love the collectible designer boxes!

Have you received this month's Lust Have It yet? If so, what did you think? Have you tried any of these products before?

Also, don't forget - if you're thinking about signing up to Lust Have It! or one of their other boxes, don't forget to use my promotional code to get $5 off your first box! Codeword is SWEET! Enjoy! 


Share:

Sunday 26 May 2013

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion *


Winter is the absolute worst for dry skin - and my skin is usually dry all year round, so you can imagine how much dryer it gets in winter time! (Ironically, my face is oily. What's up with that?) I'm a big fan of a hot shower before bed, so usually my skin is bone dry and climbing under the covers is not all that comfortable with flaky, and sometimes itchy skin. I've been using the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion the past month or so, and I've really noticed the difference!



The Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion boasts a 24 hour lasting moisturiser with relieves and protects dry skin. Blended with natural oatmeal, the unique formula helps to keep your skin moisturised, without clogging your pores. Sounds great to me!



When I first began using it, I was surprised at how moisturised the lotion left my skin feeling! The lotion was non-greasy and really absorbed into my skin well. I liked that there was no scent, which means it was a lot more neutral to apply before bed than one of my fragrant moisturisers. 

I also found that after using it for a little while, the 24 hour promise began to kick in. By the time it came to moisturise before bed again, my skin didn't feel as dry as it did beforehand. I felt like I needed less and less moisturiser each time to keep my skin feeling soft - which is always a good thing! I also found that I didn't need a lot of this moisturiser to cover my body, a little went a long way, and still had a luxurious feel to it!

--

I would definitely recommend the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion! It's become my favourite before-bed lotion, especially as the winter weather is getting worse! And if you don't take my word for it, at least take the lovely Jen Aniston's word for it! She's the spokesperson for Aveeno, and she's done the cutest ad for the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, which you can watch here!

Have you tried the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion yet? If so, what did you think?

This product was provided for my consideration. 
Share:

Saturday 25 May 2013

My Makeup Collection - Part 1




Being a beauty blogger, I have a fair amount of makeup. I was inspired by the lovely Sophie's series (you can check out her blog here) showcasing her impressive makeup collection, and after a little bit of convincing, I've given in and decided to show you all my collection!

I thought I'd start things off with base products; including primers, BB creams & tinted moisturisers, concealers, illuminators & highlighters. I decided that because I have way too many foundations, I'd save those for another post!


Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer, Arbonne Primer*, Nude by Nature Undercover Airbrush Mineral Primer, Face of Australia Primer, Australis Primer, Australis Matte out Mattifying Face Base, Avon Face Perfector, Make Up For Ever High Definition Primer, Too Faced Primed & Poreless


Australis All Over Face & Body Tint, Nude by Nature BB 5-in-1 Miracle Cream, Garnier BB Cream (Light)*, Nivea BB Cream Light*, Nude by Nature Tinted Moisturiser, Garnier BB Cream (Medium)*


Nude by Nature Flawless Concealer, Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer, Covergirl TruConceal, Rimmel London Stay Matte Concealer, Cargo OneBase


Rimmel London Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch, Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator, Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator, Australis High Lights, Essence Circus Circus Highlighter, Essence Breaking Dawn Shimmer Powder, Essence Cherry Blossom Girl Shimmer Powder

Chi Chi Eye Brow Lift, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Too Faced Lip Insurance

--

If you'd like to read any in-depth reviews on any of the above products, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, the products I have reviewed have been linked back to the original post!

I hope you liked part one of my makeup collection! If you have a makeup collection post or series, make sure you link me to it, I'd love to check out your collection as well!

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think?

--

Part One - Primers, BB Creams & Illuminators
Part Two - Foundations
Part Three - Blushers & Bronzers
Part Four - Mascaras


Products marked with a * were provided for my consideration. 


Share:

Wednesday 22 May 2013

May Lip Factory


Last month I heard about the beauty subscription box Lip Factory; and so I decided to subscribe. I was a little hesitant to subscribe, as it is an American subscription box. They do ship internationally however it costs a little extra, and takes a little longer! But let's see if it's worth the wait!

I loved the packaging it came in, a box within a box, so it's very safe! 


The box itself was a little smaller than Bellabox.


This month's theme is Under The Veil. A cute theme. One thing I did notice about the card is that it doesn't give you a whole lot of information about the product like Australian beauty boxes do, although there is a lot of information about the products they've included on their website. 


The goodies inside.


Flat Sponge Blending Brush

I'm not sure what brand this is from, as it doesn't specify on the card. I've rarely seen this type of brush, so I'm happy to give this a go! According to the website this is supposed to be used for foundation. 


Pure Ceuticals Kukui Nut Mineral Scrub sample

I've never heard of this brand before, but I'm happy to give this a go! I'm a fan of scrubs, as you all know, so this is the perfect sample for me! A full sized product costs $40 US (and I don't want to know how much it would be in AU) so I'm pretty happy with this sample.


Studio 277 Eyelight Pigment in Kryptonite
Unfortunately my photo did not really show the colour very well, but it is a pretty bright, metallic olive green colour. I usually shy away from such colours as they aren't really "me" but it's certainly nice to have a colour like this in my collection, and I'm always happy to try new products!


NYX Round Gloss in Sparkle

I'm always happy to receive NYX as it's so tough to find here in Australia; although I'm not really liking the slight wear around the edges just under the lid. I'm not sure if it means that this lipgloss is really old, or if the packaging is just cheap (which is definitely likely with NYX!) Despite that, I'm happy to give this a go as I've never tried the NYX gloss before.


NYX Color Lip Balm in Arigato

I actually did not know this product existed, but I'll put that down to not hearing enough about NYX in Australia. This is actually a nice little lip balm, and has a really light coral/red colour which gives just the right amount of tint on the lips!


Bombshell Cosmetics Blush in Glowing Goddess

This is another brand I've never heard of, but always happy to give them a go. When I saw that it was in Glowing Goddess I expected a bronzier colour, but I'm really happy with the colour that I received. It's very wearable and pretty.


Studio 277 Lipgloss in Almost Nude

This is an absolute stunner of a colour! I'm in love. I've already tried the lipgloss itself and I really like how it feels on my lips. It's not too sticky and glides on nicely. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this lovely colour.

--

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with this month's Lip Factory. I've seen a few other amazing boxes out there from previous months, and while this one didn't make me go "wow" I was happy to try out some brands I've never heard of before. I'm going to give them another month, and if I'm not wowed next time, I think I might give it up. Although it's a lovely box, I find the waiting time paired with the cost (around $30 with the exchange rate) might outweigh the excitement of getting makeup goodies all the way from the US.

All in all it's a good box. If you live in the US, it's a really good box. You can find out more about the Lip Factory subscription box here.

What did you think of this month's Lip Factory? Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what did you think?

Share:

Friday 31 May 2013

My Makeup Collection - Part 2



Last week I showed you all Part One of my collection, which you can read about here, showcasing my primers, tinted moisturisers, BB creams & illuminators. Part Two is here to show you my foundations! So this includes liquid, gel, mousse and powder foundations! (Some of these aren't actually open, so don't think I'm a crazy foundation lady!)


Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation in 100, 071, 010 *, Models Prefer Liquid Foundation, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, Revlon Colorstay Foundation, Savvy by DB Flawless Finish Makeup, Arbonne Perfecting Liquid Foundation *, Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum, Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation (older mix), Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation, Avon Ideal Flawless Foundation, Revlon Photoready Foundation, Nude by Nature Flawless Liquid Velvet Foundation

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, Essence Soft Touch Mousse, Rimmel London Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation, Kryolan Aqua Color White

Rimmel London Stay Matte, Natio Mineral Pressed Powder, Nude by Nature Natural Mineral Cover, Nude by Nature Finishing Veil

--

If you'd like to read any in-depth reviews on the above products, I have linked the ones I have already reviewed - any others, let me know and I'll see what I can do! Watch this space next week for part three of my collection, which will feature blushes! 

Don't forget to check out Part One here, and if you have a collection post (or series of posts) let me know, as I'd love to check them out!

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think? 

--


Products marked with a * were provided for consideration. 

De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo in Chocolate *


It's no secret that I love my hair, and sometimes I feel it's one of my best qualities! I usually bounce from black to brown hair, depending on my mood or whether or not I'm too lazy to dye my hair, so when I was asked to try out the De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo in Chocolate, I couldn't say no! 



My hair is brown at the moment, but I find that it's mostly one colour, which can be a little bit flat and boring. The idea of the De Lorenzo Chocolate shampoo is to enrich natural chocolate tones in brunette hair. So this is absolutely perfect for my currently flat and lifeless hair!



The process couldn't be simpler! Use the De Lorenzo Chocolate Shampoo like you would a normal shampoo, only leave in for about five minutes to enhance the effect! My first time using it, I did not read the instructions and washed it out almost immediately, yet the effect was still very noticeable.

When washing it out, it was almost like I had just given my hair a mini dye job! There was "dye" everywhere in my shower - except it easily rinsed off, which makes it a lot nicer and quicker than hair dye! The scent was also far more kinder to the senses, with a beautiful lavender rose tea scent! It left my hair smelling beautiful all day, too! 




The Outcome

I used this shampoo only a few times, and since I didn't have the De Lorenzo Colour Care conditioner, I just used a normal colour lock conditioner which seemed to work just fine! I found the effect to be instant, after just one wash, but intensified after a few more washes. Like I said, after only three or four washes, I had really beautifully toned hair, and even when I switched back to normal shampoo to see if it would wash out, the toned look remained for some time before dulling again! Needless to say I'm back using the Chocolate!

--

I really loved this shampoo! It made my hair feel brand new again, as if I was getting a salon treatment right there at home every time I washed my hair! The product didn't lather up a lot either, which is supposed to be a good thing, but I did find I had to use a fair amount of product to cover my lengthy locks. (Although that could be said of any hair product, when you consider the length of my hair!)

I would definitely recommend this to any brunette who feels they might be lacking something, or even for someone who may just want to add a little extra oomph to their hair! It was really easy to use, and gave a fantastic result first time around!
Have you tried the De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo yet? If so, what did you think? Have you tried any other types of colouring shampoos?


This product was provided for consideration.

Thursday 30 May 2013

BYS Pearlized 16 Eyeshadow Palette


You know that feeling when you go shopping in hopes to buy heaps of stuff, and then just before leaving, you realise you purchased nothing? Cue the impulse buy! Buying something for the pure joy of bringing something new home to play with. This is the exact experience that led me to purchase the BYS Pearlized 16 Eyeshadow Palette from K-Mart not too long ago. 

While I am a fan of BYS products, this was not really something I needed! But, after having a play around with it, I was pleasantly surprised by the results! 


As the name suggests, the palette includes 16 pearl eyeshadows. At first glance, I really liked the look of the bright and fun colours, which is why I ended up with this palette!

The palette also comes with two double sided applicators, great for quick touch-ups.


Top row; left.


Top row; right.


Bottom row; left.


Bottom row; right. 

As you can see, the colours are actually fairly pigmented for such a cost-effective brand. While some of the colours may have been a little chalky, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the eyeshadow applied! 

-- 

I actually really like this palette. I think this is a great palette for those who love to have a bit of a play around with different looks and colours, but don't want to waste their "fancy" makeup! At only $8.99 I think this is an absolute steal! The palette includes some really cute colours, and I've already created some lovely looks!

You can buy this palette anywhere BYS is stocked, and online here.


Have you tried this palette from BYS yet? If so, what did you think? Have you tried any other BYS products?

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Neutrogena Deep Clean Range *

(Image sourced from Media Release) 

When I was asked to review the Neutrogena Deep Clean range, I couldn't say no! I love anything Neutrogena seem to come up with, and a deep clean was exactly what I was after! I started out writing seperate reviews for each of the Neutrogena Deep Clean products, but because they worked so well altogether, I figured it might be easier to read as one big post. If you aren't up for a long read with lots of pictures, close your browser now!
  


The Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser was probably my least favourite of the four; not that I didn't enjoy it! I found this one to be extremely creamy, as the name suggests, and I feel this would be best suited to those of you with dry skin, as this really helped lock in the moisture! 



I found this product worked best with the Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser, to help balance the amount of moisture that was being retained by my skin. As somebody with oily skin, I found it to be too moisturising, and if used alone I may have experienced breakouts, and further oiliness. 

 

The Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser was probably my favourite out of the four, and I'll tell you why! As a complete opposite to the Cream Cleanser, I found this helped "dry" my skin out, and left me with an almost clammy feeling. I realise that doesn't exactly sound desirable, and it doesn't make your skin feel the greatest, but the outcome was definitely worth it! 



When Neutrogena says that the Foaming Cleanser controls oil, they really mean it controls oil! Although I mentioned a slightly clammy feeling on the skin (which is why I used this with the cream cleanser to balance out the amount of moisture I was getting) I found this worked instantly for my skin! Within days, my blackheads had reduced, and my skin was feeling fresh and clean! But more importantly - reduced blackheads! I've been searching for a product to reduce my blackheads, and some have worked, but never this significantly. I would say if you have oily skin and you struggle with blackheads, give this foaming cleanser a go and see if it helps!



We all know I love a good scrub, and the Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub was just what the doctor ordered! I found this to be a really gentle scrub, as the name suggests, yet still gritty enough to get in there and exfoliate! 



I found this worked best with the Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser, as it really helped exfoliate any dead skin left behind from my first round of cleansing. While this was gentle enough to use everyday (or even twice every day) I stuck to using it just once a day, after my make-up removal, to make sure my skin was not over-exfoliated! I really enjoyed this scrub, and while it didn't do as good of a job removing blackheads as the Foaming Cleanser did, it really did help keep breakouts in check, and kept my skin feeling soft and smooth. 


The Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser was the very first product I tried in this range. I really liked the texture, as it was smooth and almost gel like, and cleaned my face incredibly well! If you're looking for something to leave your skin feeling deeply clean - without anything fancy - then this is it! 



I love that this product is really just about cleaning. There are no claims to reduce blackheads, or increase moisture or smoothness. It's just about a good old fashioned deep clean, which I think is great for any skin type every now and then! I found this particular cleanser helped keep my skin the cleanest feeling, and combined with the scrub, I had the freshest face possible! Once I combined this, the Gentle Scrub and the Foaming Cleanser (sorry Cream Cleanser!) I had found an almost perfect combination!

-- 

I really enjoyed using the Neutrogena Deep Clean Range. All of the products worked really well for me, and three out of four of them worked amazingly well for me! While I am lucky not to have incredibly problematic skin, I do find that mixing and matching products, and even changing it up every now and then can really help your skin! Before trying out the entire range, I would probably only use one product at a time and not really get the whole effect of using two or more products in the same cleansing regime! I think these products work really great together, and a regime can be altered for most skin types!

Have you tried any of the products from the Neutrogena Deep Clean Range yet? If so, what did you think?

Products were provided for consideration.

May Lust Have It!



I am a little late with my review on this month's Lust Have It! My box arrived on Friday, just as my boyfriend and I were leaving for our romantic weekend away in Melbourne city - so sadly my box remained unopened for a good remainder of the weekend! But the moment I got home, I managed to rip it open and finally managed to get some decent lighting today for some pictures!

On a side-note, I'm absolutely loving this month's box design. It's a real shame that mine was so jam packed with goodies that it can't be closed properly again!



Look at all them goodies...




Seacret Buffing Block

Ahh I actually had one of these a long time ago. I remember my  mum and I walking through a shopping center and being "attacked" by one of the Seacret sales people. My mum caved and purchased a pack of goodies, which she then gave to me, and I remember the buffing block was my absolute favourite toy! (Mind you I was in my early years of high school, so having shiny, buffed nails was exciting!) I'm always up for a new buffing block, so I'm excited to give this one a go again!




Camouflage Colour Lip Gloss in Pure Vanilla

I've seen a few other boxes who received this lip gloss, but in a clear. How disappointing. While this one is mostly clear anyway, it does have a slight tinge of colour, which is much appreciated. I'm a little concerned this is going to be a bit of a sticky one though, as the lid is already a little sticky. But we'll see!




Bed Head by Tigi Recharge & Elasticate samples

These are actually fairly generous samples, especially for sachets, so I'm not at all unhappy to receive these! My sister and I have been a fan of Bed Head by Tigi products for a long time, so I'm always happy to give their products a go!



Nude by Nature Papaw Ointment

I actually ran out of Papaw Ointment a long time ago, and have been meaning to get out there and buy some more, but for some reason I just keep forgetting! I'm super happy this was included, as it's a fairly big jar of papaw goodness!




Paula's Choice Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution

Oh wow, I've been looking for something to try to get rid of my redness, and so I'm happy this was included. I've heard a few things about Paula's Choice before, so I'm happy to give this brand a go! I love that this was not in a sachet!



Last but not least, there is a special promotion next month - one lucky subscriber will win a Stylerocks ring! I love the ring in the picture, so I really hope I win! Cross your fingers for me!

--

Overall, I'm pretty darn pleased with this month's box. Everything I got, I was happy with, and there weren't any dud items this month around. I'm pretty happy I subscribed annually, as the boxes seem to be going really well. I also love the collectible designer boxes!

Have you received this month's Lust Have It yet? If so, what did you think? Have you tried any of these products before?

Also, don't forget - if you're thinking about signing up to Lust Have It! or one of their other boxes, don't forget to use my promotional code to get $5 off your first box! Codeword is SWEET! Enjoy! 


Sunday 26 May 2013

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion *


Winter is the absolute worst for dry skin - and my skin is usually dry all year round, so you can imagine how much dryer it gets in winter time! (Ironically, my face is oily. What's up with that?) I'm a big fan of a hot shower before bed, so usually my skin is bone dry and climbing under the covers is not all that comfortable with flaky, and sometimes itchy skin. I've been using the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion the past month or so, and I've really noticed the difference!



The Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion boasts a 24 hour lasting moisturiser with relieves and protects dry skin. Blended with natural oatmeal, the unique formula helps to keep your skin moisturised, without clogging your pores. Sounds great to me!



When I first began using it, I was surprised at how moisturised the lotion left my skin feeling! The lotion was non-greasy and really absorbed into my skin well. I liked that there was no scent, which means it was a lot more neutral to apply before bed than one of my fragrant moisturisers. 

I also found that after using it for a little while, the 24 hour promise began to kick in. By the time it came to moisturise before bed again, my skin didn't feel as dry as it did beforehand. I felt like I needed less and less moisturiser each time to keep my skin feeling soft - which is always a good thing! I also found that I didn't need a lot of this moisturiser to cover my body, a little went a long way, and still had a luxurious feel to it!

--

I would definitely recommend the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion! It's become my favourite before-bed lotion, especially as the winter weather is getting worse! And if you don't take my word for it, at least take the lovely Jen Aniston's word for it! She's the spokesperson for Aveeno, and she's done the cutest ad for the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, which you can watch here!

Have you tried the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion yet? If so, what did you think?

This product was provided for my consideration. 

Saturday 25 May 2013

My Makeup Collection - Part 1




Being a beauty blogger, I have a fair amount of makeup. I was inspired by the lovely Sophie's series (you can check out her blog here) showcasing her impressive makeup collection, and after a little bit of convincing, I've given in and decided to show you all my collection!

I thought I'd start things off with base products; including primers, BB creams & tinted moisturisers, concealers, illuminators & highlighters. I decided that because I have way too many foundations, I'd save those for another post!


Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer, Arbonne Primer*, Nude by Nature Undercover Airbrush Mineral Primer, Face of Australia Primer, Australis Primer, Australis Matte out Mattifying Face Base, Avon Face Perfector, Make Up For Ever High Definition Primer, Too Faced Primed & Poreless


Australis All Over Face & Body Tint, Nude by Nature BB 5-in-1 Miracle Cream, Garnier BB Cream (Light)*, Nivea BB Cream Light*, Nude by Nature Tinted Moisturiser, Garnier BB Cream (Medium)*


Nude by Nature Flawless Concealer, Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer, Covergirl TruConceal, Rimmel London Stay Matte Concealer, Cargo OneBase


Rimmel London Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch, Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator, Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator, Australis High Lights, Essence Circus Circus Highlighter, Essence Breaking Dawn Shimmer Powder, Essence Cherry Blossom Girl Shimmer Powder

Chi Chi Eye Brow Lift, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Too Faced Lip Insurance

--

If you'd like to read any in-depth reviews on any of the above products, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, the products I have reviewed have been linked back to the original post!

I hope you liked part one of my makeup collection! If you have a makeup collection post or series, make sure you link me to it, I'd love to check out your collection as well!

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think?

--

Part One - Primers, BB Creams & Illuminators
Part Two - Foundations
Part Three - Blushers & Bronzers
Part Four - Mascaras


Products marked with a * were provided for my consideration. 


Wednesday 22 May 2013

May Lip Factory


Last month I heard about the beauty subscription box Lip Factory; and so I decided to subscribe. I was a little hesitant to subscribe, as it is an American subscription box. They do ship internationally however it costs a little extra, and takes a little longer! But let's see if it's worth the wait!

I loved the packaging it came in, a box within a box, so it's very safe! 


The box itself was a little smaller than Bellabox.


This month's theme is Under The Veil. A cute theme. One thing I did notice about the card is that it doesn't give you a whole lot of information about the product like Australian beauty boxes do, although there is a lot of information about the products they've included on their website. 


The goodies inside.


Flat Sponge Blending Brush

I'm not sure what brand this is from, as it doesn't specify on the card. I've rarely seen this type of brush, so I'm happy to give this a go! According to the website this is supposed to be used for foundation. 


Pure Ceuticals Kukui Nut Mineral Scrub sample

I've never heard of this brand before, but I'm happy to give this a go! I'm a fan of scrubs, as you all know, so this is the perfect sample for me! A full sized product costs $40 US (and I don't want to know how much it would be in AU) so I'm pretty happy with this sample.


Studio 277 Eyelight Pigment in Kryptonite
Unfortunately my photo did not really show the colour very well, but it is a pretty bright, metallic olive green colour. I usually shy away from such colours as they aren't really "me" but it's certainly nice to have a colour like this in my collection, and I'm always happy to try new products!


NYX Round Gloss in Sparkle

I'm always happy to receive NYX as it's so tough to find here in Australia; although I'm not really liking the slight wear around the edges just under the lid. I'm not sure if it means that this lipgloss is really old, or if the packaging is just cheap (which is definitely likely with NYX!) Despite that, I'm happy to give this a go as I've never tried the NYX gloss before.


NYX Color Lip Balm in Arigato

I actually did not know this product existed, but I'll put that down to not hearing enough about NYX in Australia. This is actually a nice little lip balm, and has a really light coral/red colour which gives just the right amount of tint on the lips!


Bombshell Cosmetics Blush in Glowing Goddess

This is another brand I've never heard of, but always happy to give them a go. When I saw that it was in Glowing Goddess I expected a bronzier colour, but I'm really happy with the colour that I received. It's very wearable and pretty.


Studio 277 Lipgloss in Almost Nude

This is an absolute stunner of a colour! I'm in love. I've already tried the lipgloss itself and I really like how it feels on my lips. It's not too sticky and glides on nicely. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this lovely colour.

--

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with this month's Lip Factory. I've seen a few other amazing boxes out there from previous months, and while this one didn't make me go "wow" I was happy to try out some brands I've never heard of before. I'm going to give them another month, and if I'm not wowed next time, I think I might give it up. Although it's a lovely box, I find the waiting time paired with the cost (around $30 with the exchange rate) might outweigh the excitement of getting makeup goodies all the way from the US.

All in all it's a good box. If you live in the US, it's a really good box. You can find out more about the Lip Factory subscription box here.

What did you think of this month's Lip Factory? Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what did you think?

-

© Sweetaholic Beauty | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Developed by pipdig