DIY: Pecan Facial Scrub & GIVEAWAY!!

I have always been a fan of do it yourself facial masks and scrubs. Not only are they fun to make but they can be very beneficial for your skin. Usually I gravitate towards the old favourite oatmeal, yogurt and honey masks but recently I was contacted by the people from Pecanfan.com.au to try a new DIY facial scrub with the main ingredient being none other than the tasty pecan!

I've always loved eating pecans (especially in desserts - my sister Jess makes awesome pecan muffin cakes!) but have never thought to add them, or any kind of nut really, to a face scrub before. Pretty silly considering they are packed full of things your skin loves such as antioxidants, omega-3 and a tonne of important vitamins and minerals.

The best thing about this facial scrub is it only contains 3 ingredients and it's super simple to make.

Ingredients;

1 Tbl Honey
2 tsp Avocado
1 Tbl Ground Pecans

Procedure;

1. Mix honey and avocado together until combined (should look like a green paste)

2. Grind the pecans in a mortar and pestle and add to said paste.

3. Apply to your face! Gently massage in a circular motion (avoiding eyes). - Cue crazy photo!!

ARGHHH I suggest doing this while the bf is out! lol

4. Leave on as a mask or rinse off to use as a scrub.

The result - nice clean and smooth skin!

Before applying the scrub I was worried it would be quite sticky because of the honey and thought it would be a pain to remove. However I found it to be quite pleasant to apply and managed to rinse it all off well with just water. The ground pecans act as a great exfoliant and the honey and avocado helped to calm the skin.

The result was smooth skin which felt really clean. It made me feel good knowing what I was putting on my face was all natural. I am a fan of regular facial scrubs (even though they can contain some naughty chemicals) but it is nice to switch it up every now and then and incorporate some all natural ingredients!

So would you like to give this a go?? Well the lovely team at Pecanfan.com.au are willing to offer one of my readers a prize pack featuring all the things needed to make this mask, including a mortar and pestle!

To win you must be a follower of this blog and comment telling me your favourite DIY beauty treatment. Please leave an e-mail address to so I can contact you if you win :)

Giveaway is only open to Australian residents (sorry!!) and you must be over 18 or have the home owner's permission to provide me your mailing address - which I will pass onto the team at Pecanfan.com.au so they can send you out your prize :)

**Edit: Forgot to add the competition will run until the 1st of May and winner will be chosen at random using random.org**

If you want to know anything more about the benefits of pecans or want some tasty recipes be sure to check out pecanfan.com.au

Enjoy, 


Hannah xox

*Provided for review, however all opinions as always are 100% honest*

Revlon Lip Butters - Priceline BOGOF Deal!!

Like many beauty lovers I was eagerly awaiting the release of Revlon Lip Butters in Oz. A cross between a lippie and a balm? Come on who wouldn't be excited. 

Priceline are currently offering a buy one get one free on Revlon Lip and Nail products lasting until the 23rd April. The lip butters retail for $21.95AUD (pretty ridiculous considering their ~$8 price tag in the US) so having the buy one get one free deal is pretty awesome and brings their price closer to our US friends. 

When I visited my Priceline the stand looked like it had been attacked by beauty lovers. The testers (if there was one) were in a terrible state and the colours were all jumbled up, however, I still managed to find four colours I liked. They were also having a GWP (Gift with purchase) if you spent over $39.95 on Revlon products, which was a little brush kit. 

These are the colours I got;

Creme Brûlée (nude)

Sweet Tart (barbie pink)

Raspberry Pie (think MAC Girl About Town dupe) 

and Red Velvet (dark cherry red).

So far I have only worn Creme Brûlée (apart from testing) and I love it. It's so moisturising and the colour is perfect. The only problem I find is if my lips are quite dry I find it doesn't last too long as my lips just suck up all the moisture and the colour tends to go with it. I'm hoping the darker colours will last a bit longer on the lips. Another thing I love about these is that they have a Vanilla scent which smells just like the MAC lippies. 

No Flash L-R: Creme Brûlée, Sweet Tart, Raspberry Pie & Red Velvet

With flash - You can see how moisturising they are in this pic!

The GWP is a four piece brush set which comes in a cute sturdy red case, perfect for travelling. The brushes in the kit are alright, not the best quality but they are definitely usable.

I also picked up my second Eco Tools brush, the angled liner brush - which is perfect for gel liner as it has a really fine tip.

Have you guys picked up any Lip Butters yet? What are your thoughts on them??

Hannah xoxo

March Favourites!!!

I know it's a tad late but thought you guys might like to see what I was loving in March. Half the month I spent on holiday in Geelong (click here to see what I was doing). I was wearing pretty much the same makeup look everyday and in doing so discovered some new favourites!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation No 52 - $32AUD

I love this foundation for two reasons - it's super easy to apply with my fingers and it looks really natural on the skin. Two things crucial when you're on holidays!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eye Eraser Concealer 20 Light Pale - $18.95AUD

This is a great concealer, it matches me perfectly and it doesn't cake at all. The only thing I don't like about it is it seems a bit unhygienic not being able to wash the sponge applicator which you use to apply the product. Saying this I haven't had any troubles with my skin when I use this and I love that it can be to cover both my dark circles and any spots.

Eco Tools Bamboo Bronzer Brush - $17.95AUD

I have been umming and ahhing about buying Eco Tools brushes for the longest time and now that I own one I have no idea what took me so long. This has got to be the softest brush I've ever felt! My main reason for purchasing this was to use damp with my MAC mineralised skinfinish natural. It does an amazing job at applying the powder and buffing it into the skin while still looking very natural.

Bourjois Sculpting Duo Effect Blush 05 Warm Pink/Golden Skintone - $23AUD

I snapped this baby up at the Perth Online Beauty Blogger Meetup's swap. It's a gorgeous bronzy pink blush which I love using to contour my cheekbones. The highlight is also super pretty and the brush is perfect for applying both which is great when travelling. This became my everyday blush colour in Geelong as it can be used as a blush, contour and highlight all in the one compact. 

Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette - Not available in Aus but $52USD

The colours in this palette are to die for. There are so many different combinations that can be used to create gorgeous day and night time looks. Everyone always talks about how having a matte black colour in a palette is essential and I never understood why until I actually had one haha I love using it as soft eyeliner and also at the corner lashes in the outer edge of the eye to create the impression of fuller lashes.

Some of my favourite colour combinations are;

Foxy, Bootycall & Tease;

Verve, Suspect & Pistol;

YDK, Tease & Busted;

Bootycall, Half Baked & Snakebite;

Foxy, Chopper & Bootycall

These are just a few but there are so many more great ones!

Essie Nail Polish in Lady Like (Mini from the Fall Collection) - $24.95AUD

While in Geelong I almost bought the full-sized version of the burnt orange colour (Very Structured) from Essie's Fall Collection. However when I looked up (duh) I saw they had a pack of four minis from the collection for only a few dollars more. Seeing as I never use up a full nail polish anyway I thought it was a great deal. Lucky I did as it turns out my favourite of the four was not the burnt orange as expected but this dusty pink with a tinge of lilac called Lady Like. 

I decided to wear this on my nails for the wedding and it definitely lived up to its name, I looked very lady like indeed. Its a gorgeous shade which applies nice and opaque. 

Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Perfume 30mL (Gift)

I have loved this scent ever since receiving two samples of it in my first GlossyBox. Luckily I have a mum and a soon to be step dad that travel all the time...meaning duty-free!! Also luckily they were nice enough to buy it for me, thanks guys!! :)

What were you guys loving this March?? 

Hannah xox

Getting Naked with Bellabox: March Review

I was recently contacted by Lauren from Bellabox to review their March box. I'm already subscribed to GlossyBox and love it and have been contemplating signing up to Bellabox as I have seen some great products pop up in past boxes so I was pretty excited when this opportunity came up!

For those of you who haven't yet heard of the craze that is beauty subscription boxes it is a box sent straight to your door filled with 5 high quality beauty product samples for you to try out. 

This months Bellabox was all about getting naked! So naturally it focused on products to enhance your skin and hair. 

Here's what was inside;

It was packaged in bubble wrap and then in a calico Bellabox bag inside the iconic tiffany blue coloured box. There is a card which explains the theme of the box and on the reverse is a list of the products you receive in the box as well as their price and a short description.

1. Yes to Carrots Lip Tint - $9.95 (Full size) 

I was excited to try this product as I have heard a lot about the brand online. I received a pale pink colour called Cotton Candy which gives more of a sheen than a tint of colour but feels very moisturising on the lips. It does have that minty scent and tingling feeling. 

2. Pure Fiji Coconut Hydrating Body Lotion - $29.95 for 354mLs

This light-weight but moisturising body lotion reminds me of holidays in Bali. It has a gorgeous coconut scent which is a favourite of mine for lotions. I love getting these samples as they are so handy to travel with or throw in your handbag to use throughout the day.

3. Planet Eve Daily Face Moisturiser - $59 for 50mL

This face moisturiser combines organic ingredients that are targeted to reduce fine lines and ageing. I'm only 23 so I'm not on the lookout for anti-aging properties but it is a really nice moisturiser and the fact that its all organic is a plus. Another plus (for me anyway) is it smells exactly like play-doh! 

4. U Little Beauty Natural Repair Hair Mask - $19.95 for 100mL

A light-weight, non greasy Australian all natural hair mask. This got me excited, especially given it is a full size product. This makes my hair super soft and healthy looking - love it!

5. Bellamer Eye Balm Sample - $40 for 15gms

This eye balm has the same minty smell and feeling as the lip tint. It feels nice to apply and feels like it would be a great night-time eye cream as it is quite moisturising. 

They also included a Carman's Classic Fruit & Nut Muesli Biscuit which looks really yummy! 

I was really impressed with the quality of the samples in the March Bellabox, especially the fact there was two full sized products and a cookie!

Bellabox is $15AUD a month or $165AUD for 12 months. You can cancel your subscription at any time and the box is delivered to your door (or nearest PO if you aren't home). You can also acquire rewards points by referring friends, giving feedback, shopping their online store or just subscribing which can be used to pay for your next box. 

Bellabox is also available to give as a gift for three, six or twelve months, which I think is a really unique gift idea. 

*Product provided for review, however all opinions are honest and my own*

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Easter break!!

Hannah xox

What I did on holiday!! Plus Bridal Makeup before and after

The past two and a half weeks Blake and I have been holidaying in Geelong, Victoria. Now some of you may ask why would you choose to holiday there?? Well it happens to be Blake's hometown and his older brother David was getting married to his gorgeous partner Lea. But before that we took a little detour to Melbourne.

In Melbourne we were lucky enough to stay with Blake's aunt and uncle in St Kilda, which was amazing. We spent a lot of time walking up and down Acland St which is filled with restaurants and awesome shopping. The first night we arrived we had dinner at Rococo. Let me just say you need to go to this place. It has amazing atmosphere, incredible service and some of the best food I have ever eaten. I had the quail and pancetta risotto which has earned its way into the top five meals of my life. 

Hey you, I'm just hanging around

We spent Saturday at Melbourne Zoo with the soon to be newlyweds and their two kids Madi and Oscar. We hadn't seen them for such a long time it was really nice to be able to wander around the zoo and just watch the kids reactions to all the animals. 

Watching the animals at the zoo!

Sunday was Grand Prix day. In the past year and a bit Blake has somehow managed to get me into watching the formula one. I think the reason I like it is because it's so technical and requires so much skill. This was my first grand prix (Blake's mum and dad gave us the tickets for xmas!) and of course I was rooting for Mark Webber, the aussie driver for Red Bull. We were also going for Daniel Ricciardio, whose only 22 and lives a few suburbs over from us here in Perth! 

Blake and I in our seats!

Webber ended up coming fourth after starting in fifth and Ricciardo came ninth after starting in tenth. They didn't win but it was still a great race!

The Roulettes

Ferrari Formula One car

Monday was shopping day so we headed to the CBD first and then to Chapel St. I was on the hunt for more faux leather pants and by nightfall I had somehow acquired four more pairs haha. Guess you could say I am a tad addicted to this trend. 

The rest of the holiday was spent in Blake's hometown Geelong. We had a lot of catching up to do with his family and friends and also had a lot of wedding things to do before the big day on Saturday 31st. 

A friend of ours Joel, showing off his kiteboarding skills!

Lea asked me to do her makeup for the wedding a few weeks back and naturally I was honoured but also extremely nervous! I had never done a bride's makeup before and had only ever applied makeup to a handful of friends and family. We did a trial run and settled on a very natural look as Lea's makeup bag only consists of an empty concealer, black eyeliner and mascara.

Before

After!

The base was easy as Lea already has great skin. Just a bit of long-lasting foundation and concealer topped with some MAC mineralised skin finish natural to set. I then contoured her face using bronzer and highlighter and added a pale pink blush.

For the eyes I decided to use Champagne-y colours on the lid and a plum toned colour on the outer corner to deepen the look just a tad. I then added a thin line of black gel liner to the top lash line as well as black pencil liner to the waterline. I *tried* to curl Lea's lashes (which she wasn't too happy about) and added a coat of black long-wearing mascara. 

Lea didn't want much on her lips so I just used a very natural nude lipstick with a light pink gloss on top creating a really natural but still put together lip combo.

Shall we get dressed now??

Me and the Bride :)

Getting dressed!! Starting to get nervous now

Here's a list of the products I used;

Primer: L'Oreal Base Magique

Foundation: Revlon Colourstay Stay Natural Makeup in True Beige

Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser in Medium

Powder: MAC MSF Natural in Medium

Brozer: Nars Laguna

Blush: MAC Well Dressed

Highlight: Revlon Skinlights Liquid with Dior Amber Diamond on top

Eye primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eye shadow: UD Sin all over the eye, UD Toasted in the outer corner/crease - same combo under the eye with UD Tease to blend.

Eyeliner: Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner on top lash line, L'Oreal black pencil liner on waterline

Mascara: Covergirl LashBlast 24hr

Lipstick: Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Undressed

Lip Gloss: Alison Jade Super Gloss in Super Sweet

The wedding was fantastic! It was located at Bellbrae Harvest which is a mud-brick restaurant/accommodation located just out of Torquay, VIC surrounded by nature. It was a gorgeous setting and the food was incredible. Lea looked so beautiful and it was a privilege to watch two amazing people who love each other so much tie the knot. We even had a visit from a Kangaroo!

All in all it was a fantastic holiday and I am really going to miss hanging out with Blake's family, especially his niece and nephew who are just too cute for words!

Hope you guys enjoyed this post :)

Hannah xox