August 2012 Favourites

Hey Pretties

I wanted to share with you today my favourites for the month of August.  I'm super excited to say goodbye to August as we also get to say goodbye to winter here in the Southern Hemisphere and hello to spring so I could not be happier!

As always I like to keep my favourites to just 5 to stop me from rambling and rambling and if there are any questions on specific products I can do a whole review.

Firstly I could not decide which blush was my favourite this month so I decided to include the two I have been using the most.

The first blush is 'Primrose' by Face Of Australia which is a medium dusty pink colour and the second is Fleur Power by Mac.  A stunning pinky/coral colour.

Next is my Inglot colour palette that I recently added to when I went to Chatswood.  I have particularly been loving the top three shades together as a warmer weather combo.

Next is my Revlon lip butter in Peach Parfait.  When I first bought this lip butter I wasn't particularly fussed with it but this month I have been really enjoying a nude(ish) lip and this is the perfect colour for that.

Lastly is a product by Rimmel London and it is the Exaggerate eye liner in noir.  I have not been well this month as I keep getting the flu on and off so I've been trying to get as much sleep as possible.  Quickly taking this eyeliner across my top and bottom lash line with a neutral colour swept across the lid has been getting me ready for work and out the door really quickly.

So tell me, what are your August favourites?

August Lust Have It - Open Box

Hey Pretties!

My August Lust Have It arrived today and the theme of the month is Fun and Flirty.  Unlike normal months where Lust Have It arrives in a colourful makeup bag, this month came in a large box instead.  I don't mind the makeup bags but I do prefer the box.  I feel obliged to keep the makeup bags but I really don't need them.  For me, a box is a little more useful.

This box contained contained a whopping total of 7 items!  That's pretty huge!

From left to right, back to front this box contains;

Appelles Body Booster Skin Lotion
Appelles Skin Detox Shower Gel
TanGo Tanning Glove
ModelCo Eyeliner in Black
Tigi Rockaholic Rock Out Shine Blaster
Appelles Body Bar Vegetable Soap
Mark Jacobs DOT Fragrance

I have mixed emotions about some of the products in this box.  The Tanning Glove has got me beat.  For one, it is not a glove but rather a strip of material quite similar to a face washer.  The $29.95 RRP on this stuns me and as I don't really self tan this product is not very useful for that purpose.  I do think it will make a nice face washer though.

ModelCo is a brand that confuses me also.  While I'm the first person to put my hand up and say "I love makeup items" I have never purchased a ModelCo eyeliner yet this is now the 4th one in my drawer.  They come in everything!  At least they are decent :)

The Appelles Body Bar Vegetable Soap is marketed at being 'unisex'.  Huh??  Since when are soaps discriminatory?

I guess my confusion is not with Lust Have It but the companies supplying the products and their interesting marketing tactics and the naming of their products.  A glove with no finger holes, a brand that I have quite a collection of that I have never purchased and unisex soap.  Gets me giggly lol.

Anyways back to LustHaveIt I am quite fond of this box and look forward to trying the products (however strange the marketing ploys may be).  Oh, and I LOVE the smell of the Tigi product.  Smells like lollies.

What was in your LustHaveIt?

Everyday haircare routine! (Video)

Sydney 2012 IMATS Tag!

Hi Pretties

I'm very excited for IMATS!  Will I see you there??

QUESTIONS!

1. Have you been to IMATS before? No, this will be my first year going.

2. What day are you going to IMATS in Sydney? Saturday :)

3. Who are you going with? At this stage only myself.

4. Is there anyone you want to meet at IMATS? You guys!

5. What makeup brand/exhibit are you most excited to see? Inglot, Mac, Scotty's.

6. Do you plan to be there the whole day? As much of it as I can be!

7. Will you be having Mcdonalds for lunch with Beautybybrittneyx & Shellbarbie? For Sure.

8. What days will you be in Sydney? Saturday.

9. What do you want to get out of IMATS? Meeting new people, seeing awesome exhibits, buying makeup!

August Bellabox - Open Box

Hi Pretties

My Bellabox came today yea!

The theme of this  month was 'Go Green' and this box contained natural products

The products in this box include;

Boujois Smoky Pencil - 72 Dark Purple

EmerginC Skincare - Kombucha Cleanser and Phytocell Cream

Luk Beautifood Lip Nourish - "Awful brown colour" 

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion

Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner

USPA Organic Wild Thyme Foot Pumice

Phytocare Daily C

Bonus Product

You, Me & Everybody Bodhi Me Hand Wash with every Bellabox purchase

In this months box I am most excited about the Lush body conditioner and the foot pumice.

I am least excited about the Luk Beautifood Lip Nourish.  This would be great if it wasn't awful brown!  I have no idea why Bellabox insists on giving me brown lip products.  It's not fair!

Anyways that is my August Bellabox.

What did you get in yours?

Empty Product Review - Essence Mascara

Hello lovelies

Today's empty product review is on the Essence Get Big Lashes Volume Boost Mascara.  I picked this up from Target for only $4.50 for the $20 makeup challenge (that I never filmed) and I freaking loved it!  For about a month.....

I think this mascara is fantastic if you love bold big lashes.  The brush is quite large and fibrous and distributes a great amount of product.  For about a month......

I normally will use a mascara for 8 weeks before I throw it out but this one I could only keep for 4 weeks. While the formula was perfect to start with and had no flakes or anything after a couple of weeks I noticed that by the end of the day it was starting to flake and the texture had changed quite a bit.  It also developed an awful smell.

Would this stop me repurchasing?  No, probably not.  I really enjoyed this for 4 weeks and for the price of it I can justify only having if for that long.  I would normally spend $10-20 on a mascara anyway so it does work out to be the same price.

Empty Product Review - TN Dickson's Witch Hazel Toner

Hi Pretties

I have an empty product review for you today.

This is the T.N. Dickson's All Natural Witch Hazel.  This is a HG product for me.  I could not even tell you how many bottles of this I have gone through but I have been using this for at least the last 8 years.  My step-mother got me onto this and I can't thank her enough.  It only costs around $8.50 as well so it is quite affordable but you can normally find it on special for around $6 as somewhere.  This can be a little hard to find sometimes, but it is available at most of the major stores but it is the only  T.N. Dickson's product available in Australia so it can be hidden well at times.

I love this product because it has one ingredient.  100% Distilled Witch Hazel containing 14% Alcohol.  No, the alcohol is not drying.

This has got to be the gentlest product I have ever put on my face as well.  There is no stinging around the eyes at all and it even removes excess make up you may have missed.

I rate this product 11/10 and will purchase as long as I can find it.

Crappy Product Review - Redwin Coal Tar Fragrance Shampoo

Hi Pretties

I have a review for you to day that I was extremely disappointed in.  So disappointing in that I am throwing it in the bin.

This is the Redwin Sensitive Skin Coal Tar Fragrance Shampoo Dry Scalp Management for healthy hair and scalp.  Redwin says this does the following;

Removes flaking scalp
Soothes itchy scalp
Moisturizes dry scalp

I say it does this;

None of the above
Makes flakes worse
Dry's hair out
Smells bad

I'll start with why I purchased this.  I suffer from seasonal flakes so going into winter I get flaky and going into summer I get flaky.  It's not dandruff but dry scalp.  I normally use the Neutrogena Coal Tar shampoo which I love, but it costs $12 so when I saw this one for only $4.50 I just had to give it a go.  I was in a hurry so I grabbed it and left the shop (I paid first of course).

After I used this the first time I was baffled as to why my hair was so dry and my flakes were worse.  And the itching!  I studied the bottle a little closer and realized this is not actually a coal tar shampoo but coal tar fragrance   Why first question was why the hell would they do that?  It's a crappy smell to start with.  The ingredients list is not even remotely similar to the Neutrogena Coal Tar shampoo either.  I guess that is my mistake though for not checking more carefully.

Anyway.  Boo to this product.  It's going in the bin!

Olay Pro X Advanced Cleansing System - Open Box/ First Impressions

Hi pretties

I wanted to share an open box/ first impressions product that I purchased off Amazon.com.

I was looking for a product similar to the Clarisonic Mia as $150 is way out of my budget for a product that I don't particularly need.  I do not have acne scaring, and I only suffer occasional hormonal breakouts so for me $150 is just too much for me to spend on a product I don't particularly need.

I started doing some research into similar products and dupes for the Clarisonic at a lower price and I came across a product I really wanted to give it a try.  This product does not work the same as the Clarisonic.  Where the Clarisonic vibrates back and forward this product rotates so it is quite different technology.

My parcel came from Amazon.com today that I ordered on 30 July 2012 so it only took a week to get here.  It was left by my front door out of the weather as no one was home.

This is what the open box looks like.  Nice and secure for international travel.

When I open up the first box this is what was inside (I have already inserted the batteries).  The package comes with the cleansing system, a brush head, 2 AA batteries and an exfoliating cleanser.  I also ordered 2 replacement brush heads at the same time.  The whole package plus shipping cost me $40.

The back of the system has two control buttons.  The top button switches it on and the second button changes the speed.  There are two speed settings.

I have not yet seen this product in Australia (have not been looking for it though either) so I ordered it Internationally.  The box says the unit has; two speeds, water resistant, replaceable soft bristle brush heads available, pro-x exfoliating renewal cleanser (sample), cleanses 6 times better than basic cleansing.

Overall I'm pleased with the product so far.  The bristles feel so gentle, the unit is quite sturdy and looks pretty simple.

I will give you an update in a few weeks with the results (if any) I am getting with this product!

Caitlin xoxo

August Featured Blogger! Get to know Sandy

Hi pretties

I have decided to start a new series and include a featured blogger each month!

My featured blogger for August is the talented Sandy from Love or Sick Addiction.

Get to know Sandy from her questionnaire below!  She has some fabulous tips to share with my lovely followers :)


Name: Sandy


Blog name: Love or Sick Addiction


Blog URL: http://loveorsickaddiction.blogspot.com.au/


Blog social networking sites: None yet


Your location: Sydney


I was born in the (60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s): 90s




What is the main focus of your blog? Makeup and Beauty


What made you decide to start blogging? I had a lot to share and talk about but don't know anyone who shares the same passions as me


Do you have any tips for aspiring bloggers? If you've been wanting to do it for a while, just do it! Don't worry so much about what other people think because you would be surprised.




What is one beauty item you cannot live without? Under eye concealer


What is your most re-purchased item? Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil. I think I'm on my 4th or 5th one.


What is your favourite brand? So hard to choose just one. I'd have to say either Maybelline or Chi Chi. I like different brands for different things :)


What is your best budget buy? Essence Gel Eyeliner. Amazing for just under $4


Lipgloss or lipstick? Lipstick!!!


Your biggest beauty sin? Probably using my makeup past its expiration. I've had eyeshadows for longer than the 2-3 years it says you can keep it. As long as the looks, smells and works the same as always, I'll keep using it.


Your best makeup tip? Even if I've applied foundation with a sponge, fingers or regular foundation brush, I still lightly stipple over with a clean stippling brush. This just makes sure everything is blended and makes my skin look extra flawless!


Your best hair care tip? Don't wash your hair everyday. Even if you get really greasy, eventually your scalp will balance out and you won't get oily so fast


Your best skin care tip? Similar reasoning behind the haircare one. If you have oily skin, don't keep trying to strip the oil off your face. You skin realises it's dry so it keeps producing more oil. Ever since I eased off, my skin as gone from oily to normal.


Your favourite quotation? Gossmakeupartist always has this in his video intros and it's so true. "No amount of makeup can mask an ugly heart" - Kevyn Aucoin.






I would like to thank Sandy for being my August featured blogger, and would love for everyone to check out her blog.  You will also find a 'quick link' in my sidebar for the whole month of August to her blog as well.

Sandy has been kind enough to share with you one of her famous perfume inspired looks as well.  Check that out here!

August Featured Blogger! Perfume inspired look by Sandy

Hi pretties

My August featured blogger Sandy from Love or Sick Addiction has been kind enough to share one of her fabulous perfume bottle inspired looks with my followers.  These looks won her the Beauty Heaven Blog Star Awards this year.

Check out her talented work below!

Perfume Bottle Inspired Look - Britney Spears Cosmic Radiance

I would like to thank Sandy so much for being my August Featured Blogger.  You can get to know her by reading her Featured Blogger Questionnaire!

July is over....

Hi pretties!

July is over so I have a couple of videos for you :)

Favourites

Done and Dusted

Stay tuned for more exciting stuff coming up in August :)

Empty product review - Smartskin Moisturising facial cleansing wipes

The hunt continues for the perfect facial cleansing wipe.  This is not it!

The Smartskin wipes are the Woolworths branded wipes and cost only a couple of dollars.

The pros- cheap, do the job

The cons - wipe is too thin, not particularly moisturising, sting the eye area.

I think that about sums it up.  I won't be repurchasing these.