Review: Australis All Over Face & Body Tint

A lot of people are comparing Australis All Over Face & Body Tint* to MAC's Face & Body Foundation and although they may look the same in my opinion that is where the similarities end.

Australis may have taken inspiration from the packaging of the MAC foundation but I don't think they were trying to replicate it. For starters they call it a tint not a foundation, which is exactly what it is.

Australis says "This all over Face & Body formula provides skin with a sheer lightweight tint to enhance skin tone. A blend of natural emollients including Jojoba, Pomegranate, Rosehip and Avocado oils help to moisturise, condition and evenly distribute pigments. The sheer natural looking coverage is easy to blend and ideal for your complexion all over."

From the several times I have used this product I would say that the description they give matches it to a tee. It is very sheer and when applied you can barely tell you are wearing anything at all apart from the fact that it makes your skin feel moisturised. 

If you are someone who doesn't like wearing a lot of makeup or has naturally great skin then you will probably love this product. For me I tend to like a bit more coverage than this so I have been using it underneath my foundation or bb cream as a base layer to add some extra moisture to my dry skin.

 

The picture on the left is me bare faced (eeeek) and the one on the right is with a layer of the tint applied. As you can see it doesn't offer much coverage but does even out your skin tone.

I find the best way to apply this is with the fingers as they manage to blend it seamlessly into the skin. There is a slight scent to it, most likely from the oils it contains. I don't mind the smell although if you are sensitive to smells you might not enjoy it.

All done up using the tint as a base for my foundation

It comes in three shades; light, medium and dark. As the formula is quite sheer & blends really well into the skin most people should be able to find a match within these three shades. If not though you can always mix the shades together to find your perfect match.

Australis All Over Face & Body Tint contains a huge 94mL and retails for $19.95AUD so it'll last you a far while which is great. It can be purchased from Priceline or anywhere that stocks Australis cosmetics.

Have you tried out this product? What are your thoughts?

Hannah xox

*Product provided by PR. All opinions are my own & 100% honest as per my disclosure statement.

Review: Paul Penders Hair Products

A little while ago I was contacted by the lovely Chui who works for Paul Penders. At the time I had not heard of the brand before so I was intrigued about the company and their products. Chui explained to me that the company was founded over 40 years ago in Holland and is run by Paul Penders who is an avid environmentalist and animal lover. You can read more about their story here.

It is for these reasons that the products are all derived from natural ingredients and are never tested on animals. He started creating shampoos and has since moved on from there now incorporating all kinds of beauty products into his environmentally friendly line.

I was a bit of a newbie to natural hair care products so Chui kindly explained to me that there were a lot of benefits to using products with natural ingredients as opposed to the chemically packed shampoo & conditioner I was previously using. The most obvious being that your not putting unnatural chemicals into your hair, which although may make it feel nice in the short term, can be quite damaging in the long term, with increased hair loss and even bad reactions to the chemicals they contain.

They kindly sent me a few products from the hair care line to test out and give my thoughts on. Here is  what I thought of each of the products :)

Paul Penders Time-Release Jasmine Shampoo ($25.00AUD - 200mL)

What they say: 

"Paul Penders Time-Release Jasmine Shampoo is designed to first cleanse the scalp, ensuring a healthy foundation for beautiful, shiny & manageable hair. During lathering, as some water is added, this shampoo formulation "breaks open" to create rich foam. After washing hair is visibly full, feels luxurious and is easy to style."

What I say:

For those who haven't tried a natural shampoo before they will get a bit of a shock the first time using this. It is not a shampoo that really lathers and foams up, instead it only slightly foams when adding a touch of water. At first it can be quite hard to work into the hair but once you have used it a couple of times you get used to the feel and the best way to work it into the scalp and hair. I do find that it really gives my scalp and hair a good clean and my hair does feel very nice after I have finished washing it. I wouldn't say that my hair is any easier to manage after using this to another shampoo but I have never found a shampoo/conditioner where my hair isn't a tangled mess after washing (probably a result of the way I wash/dry my hair!). I have to say though that this smells incredible and makes your hair smell amazing! 

Paul Penders Herbal Lemon Conditioner ($25.00AUD for 200mL)

What they say: 

"Herbal Lemon Conditioner is particularly designed to add shine, restore balance and harmony for all hair types. Apply generously throughout for instant moisture, vitality and shine. Corrects dry hair and brittle ends. Does not "weigh down" hair. Leave in for 2 minutes before rinse for best results."

What I say;

First of all, this again smells incredible, is it just me or do natural products usually smell amazing? I really enjoy using this. In the past I have been known to use an unnecessary amount of conditioner...you know how your mother always tells you "use the amount of a 20c coin" well I was never one to follow that rule. My conditioner blob looked more like a couple of 50c coins! What I find with this conditioner is that I don't have to use half the bottle in order to make my hair feel super soft, even though it is quite a lightweight consistency for a conditioner. I cannot express how nice this makes my hair feel after I have rinsed it out as well as how shiny and healthy my hair looks. This is a definite favourite for me.

Paul Penders Intensive Hair Repair Therapy ($29.50AUD for 120g - Currently on sale for $14.75!!)

What they say: 

"Restores balance and life to dry, damaged, permed or coloured hair leaving it glowing and manageable. Hair indulged with this emollient feels silky without weighing down. Apply generously and massage through hair and scalp. Leave for up to 30 minutes to infuse. Rinse well. For vitality and shine. Corrects dry & brittle ends. Use daily or weekly after Paul Penders shampoo & conditioner."

What I say: 

Again this product smells incredible due to the numerous flower and herb extracts it contains. This is a light-weight hair mask which feels nice when applied and leaves the hair silky and smooth. It adds extra necessary moisture back into my hair as my hair can get very dry and brittle feeling if it's not washed or treated regularly. All in all its a great hair mask and one that I will continue to use. I probably wouldn't use the product daily as they recommend as I feel this would be too difficult time-wise and I wouldn't want my hair to get used to this much treatment so regularly but I find that once a week or once a fortnight is good to keep my hair from getting too dry and brittle.

My biggest concern about trying a natural shampoo & conditioner was that I thought my hair would not feel as clean or as soft...but boy was I wrong. After using these products for a couple of times I was pleasantly surprised by how clean my hair was feeling and how shiny and silky it was to the touch.

Paul Penders products are available to purchase at their website. They are currently having a 50% off sale on some of their items including the hair mask I talked about. The sale ends 31st March 2013. 

Have you tried any Paul Penders products or any natural hair care products? What are your thoughts?

Hannah xox

**Products provided for review as per disclosure statement. Please note I only review products provided by companies if I am genuinely impressed with them. All opinions are 100% my own & honest.

Review: Mask in a Cup

At home face masks are one of my little luxuries in life. I love whacking a mask on when I am feeling stressed and it instantly relaxes me. Mud masks are probably my favourite kind of mask so when I was offered the chance to test out a few from Terra 2Skin I jumped at the opportunity. 

Mask in a Cup is made from active clays "which are extracted under strict conditions and naturally sun-dried to ensure that their active mineral contents and rich trace elements are retained, silica, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorous and zinc to name a few".

I was very interested in the how the clay was beneficial for the skin. Terra 2Skin explains that the clay is "naturally absorbent, detoxifying and draws toxins, excess oil and impurities from the skin." They also explain that "the rich minerals and trace elements naturally contained within the clay are also a drink for your skin, replenishing the necessary nutrients that our busy lifestyle, lack of sleep or pollution may have depleted".

The mask was super easy to use. All you need to do is lift off the lid, add 30mL of water and stir using the spatula provided. The instructions explain to only use the wooden spatula provided as metal can affect the  clays elements. Using this spatula you then apply the mask to your face. It is very easy to control as it has a paste like consistency that slides onto your skin.

There is quite a lot of product in the container, even after layering it on I still had plenty for another use. You could definitely get three uses out of the one container. It says you can store it for 2-3 days under cling-wrap, otherwise you could simply split up the powder into three uses before adding the water.

When applied to the skin it has a cooling feeling and as it dries it tightens on the skin. The drying time depends on the thickness of application. With a thin layer it took about ten-fifteen minutes to dry. The instructions tell you to remove the mask with warm water, but if you are anything like me I love pulling off the big chunks of clay first before I remove the remainder with water. (Yeah I'm a sicko like that...you know the kind of people that use the pore strips and examine what comes out - that's me! haha)

The mask left my skin feeling clean and looking brighter. I definitely recommend these masks, they made my skin feel really clean and soft and it was super easy to use. The benefits of the clay on your skin are also very impressive.

Before

Just applied

Mask drying (I put a bit too
much on the cheeks!)

After

Mask in a Cup retails for $8.99AUD each and can be purchased here. I definitely recommend trying these out especially if you like mud masks. They are great value as you can get at least 3 uses from each cup. There are a few different kinds to choose from; including ones for dry skin, oily skin, aged skin, tired skin and sensitive skin.

Have you tried these out?? Are you a face mask fan??

Hannah xox

**Product provided for review, but my opinion is 100% honest as per my disclosure policy :)

Review: Model's Prefer BB Cream

While shopping around at Priceline the other day I noticed Model's Prefer have released their own skincare line. One item that really intrigued me is their BB cream. I know what you're thinking....not another westernised tinted moisturiser claiming to be a BB cream in a hope to capitalise on the craze! 

Simple sleek packaging

But this one is different, for starters it is actually made in Korea - so that should give you an idea of how similar it is to the original asian style BB creams.

Great size for travel!

Here is what they say "MP BB cream effectively minimises pores and smooths the skins surface whilst concealing imperfections. BB cream leaves the skin perfectly soft, moisturised and with a flawless glow." The whole skincare line including the BB cream contain the "MP aquaflex system" which is supposed to do all this great stuff but really I think its just a fancy term for locking in moisture. It is dermologically tested, free of parabens and fragrance free, so is perfect for those with sensitive skin.

No wastage with such a thin nozzle

The packaging is a thin, sleek tube with a screw top lid and thin nozzle. It's easy to squeeze and contains 40mL of product. The thin nozzle gives you great control over how much product is dispensed so you don't get any wastage.

Swatched. Heavy on the left & blended out to the right.

In terms of consistency it's thicker than the western BB creams (i.e. Garnier), however, its slightly thinner than traditional asian style BB creams (i.e. Missha). I use my fingers to apply as I find they are best at really melting the product into the skin. It's one of those products that as you apply it your skin looks instantly smoother and evened out. It gives a medium coverage and so can be used in place of foundation, which is how I have been using it. I find that it is quite long-lasting as well. I have been wearing it to work most days and I find it still looks great by the end of the work day.

Just the BB Cream

As you can see this BB cream gives you a really nice glow but it isn't overly dewy (like the Garnier one) so even oily-skinned girls could get away with using this by just adding a powder. It is also pretty good at covering any minor imperfections as you can see in my before & after photos below. 

Before

After

The one downside is I don't think it contains any SPF. The reason I say I don't think it does is although it sorta smells like my other korean style bb creams (you know the slightly sunscreen-y smell) which do contain SPF it doesn't say anywhere on the packaging that it does. 

All done :)

The Model's Prefer BB Cream comes in two colours Light & Medium. I have the Light and it is a pretty good match for my skin, which is quite pale. It retails for $12.99 which I think is such a great price for what you are getting. This has fast become my favourite BB cream as it gives good coverage but is still quite natural-looking.

Have you tried this? Or are you a bit over the BB cream craze??

Hannah xox

Father's Day Present Idea featuring Dermalogica!

Father's Day is fast approaching and if you are at a loss as to what to get your dad then this post may help you out. I always find men especially hard to buy for and if the men in your life are anything like mine it's because they never give you any hints!

A safe bet I find is some form of quality skin care item(s). Most men wouldn't think to buy these things on their own accord and I find Blake (and his skin!) really appreciate it when I buy him some good skin care items.

L-R: Dermalogica Post-Shave Balm and Close Shave Oil

My favourite skincare brand is Dermalogica and when I was offered a couple of products from their men's line for Blake to test out I was very excited. Both of the products are to do with shaving, great considering each time Blake gets home from his two on one off mines shift he has crazy facial hair going on!

Close Shave Oil

Dermalogica Close Shave Oil 30mL

What Dermalogica say;

"No nicks. No cuts. No redness. All accuracy! Create an instant cushion between skin and razor with this ultra-smooth shaving oil for the ultimate close shave. Clear, skin-comforting formula creates an instant comfort barrier that encourages razor glide while allowing you to see where you're shaving. Contains no artificial fragrance or colour."

What I say;

First off this smells incredible and no wonder considering the mix of tea-tree, lavender and orange oils. Its an oil so obviously it is very silky and glides onto the skin easily making it feel very smooth, which I imagine would be good for a close shave.

What Blake says;

As someone who uses an electric shaver, this product was a bit confusing! We figured out though that it was to be used after a shave with a regular razor when you want a very close shave. Blake loved the smell and the texture of the oil, however as he prefers an electric razor he would probably not use this very much. However, if your man loves a close shave (or your sick of pash rash!) then this would be perfect.

Close Shave Oil retails for $41AUD and is available for purchase here.

Post-Shave Balm

Dermalogica Post-Shave Balm 50mL

What Dermalogica say;

"Refresh. Recharge. Fight ingrown hairs! So much more than an after shave: help reduce discomfort and redness brought on by shaving with this super cooling treatment balm. Shortens post-shave recovery time without leaving skin feeling heavy or shiny. A unique ingredient complex controls oily shine and helps prevent ingrown hairs and bumps. Contains no artificial fragrance or color."

What I say;

Upon application I definitely notice the cooling effect, it feels amazing on your skin. Its a lightweight gel formula which absorbs quickly into the skin leaving it feel very soft and smooth. It has an interesting smell and when you look at the list of ingredients it's clear why. A mixture of Artichoke extract, horse chestnut, rosewood, cedar wood but somehow it works and I do enjoy the scent.

What Blake says;

The first thing he noticed was the cooling effect which he thought was really soothing after the shave. He loved how his skin felt after it and rushed out to tell me that this stuff was "bloody good" even asking me to stroke his face so I could see how nice his skin felt! This amused me as usually I am making him do this to me after testing various products haha

Post-Shave Balm retails for $35.50AUD and is available to purchase here.

L-R: Close Shave Oil, Close Shave Balm.

Both of these would work great for a father's day gift but also as just a nice treat for the special man in your life.

Looking pretty happy with himself! haha

Do you find it hard buying for the men in your life? What are your Father's Day gift ideas?

Hannah xox

**Both products were provided for review by PR. All Blake and my opinions are 100% honest :)

Review: Arbonne Cosmetics Lip Products

I was recently contacted by a representative of Arbonne Cosmetics, a brand I had never heard of before but was eager to try once I found out a bit more about them. They started out in Switzerland with high quality skincare products formulated by a group of leading bio-chemists, biologists and herbalists.

It's focussed heavily on providing high quality products based on botanical properties. The company is all about the environment, from the ingredients that are used in their products to their "green commitment" in the production processes of their products. 

They have since expanded into makeup which is focussed on bringing out your natural beauty while benefiting your skin. Their products are noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, gluten free, nut free with micro sized pigments for improved textures and are formulated without parabens, talc and phthalates.

I was sent two lip products to try, a lipstick in Strawberry Fraise and a lip polish in Raisin. Here's what I thought!

Arbonne Lipstick in Strawberry Fraise

I'm going to start out by saying that this lipstick is without a doubt the most moisturising lipstick I have ever tried and judging by the fact that my lipstick drawer barely closes thats saying something!

It is a pleasure to apply and goes on very pigmented and glossy. Usually lipsticks, even moisturising ones, start to dry your lips out after about half an hour to an hours wear but this was just as moisturising after an hour as when I first applied it. It seriously felt like I could have been wearing a lip balm.

Being that moisturising you'd think that it wouldn't last all that long on the lips but I was pleasantly surprised as this lasted a good few hours on my lips before needing to touch up. I haven't seen how it holds up after a meal but I would usually re-apply anyway so that's not a big deal for me.

Lipstick in Strawberry Fraise

The shade Strawberry Fraise is a bright glossy reddish pink. Perfect to use as a statement lip colour. 

The lipstick is packaged in a thin sleek tube with a strong clasping lid. The bullet is on the smaller side which makes applying the lipstick a lot easier, especially for those with smaller lips like me. 

They are quite pricey at $36AUD each but when Revlon Lip Butters are $21.95AUD I think its bearable. I love my lip butter in Creme Brulee but I think if I found a similar colour in this range (I'm thinking Shell) I would prefer it as I find them to be more moisturising than the lip butters and longer-lasting.

Arbonne Lipsticks retail for $36AUD and come in 14 shades. 

Arbonne Lip Polish in Raisin

This is a deep purplish/burgundy lip gloss which is super smooth on the lips. It can apply a little streaky so if you are wearing this alone you have to be a little careful with application. 

The smoothness of this product is what blew me away initially. Years and years ago I had this lip gloss that was like silk on your lips, it was so so smooth and velvety (I think it may have been from Maxfactor but I'm not sure) but I hadn't come across anything quite like it until I applied this. It goes on so smooth and silky and has almost no stickiness. 

Lip Polish in Raisin

The lasting power is pretty good for a gloss without much stickiness. I was wearing this for at least an hour before having to touch up. It is pretty pigmented so you can wear this alone or it would look fantastic over a deep berry lipstick.

The packaging for these is super nice like the lipsticks and remind me of the Revlon Super Lustrous glosses but better quality. The applicator is a doe foot, which is my preferred gloss applicator as I find brush applicators transfer too much product onto the lips at once.

These are also quite pricey at $36AUD each, however they are a great gloss. They are available in 7 shades one of which is a really bright coral colour which I really want to try. 

L-R: Lip Polish in Raisin, Lipstick in Strawberry Fraise,
Combined.

Arbonne cosmetics are available for purchase online through their website. The shipping to Australia is quite reasonable too. 

Have you tried any Arbonne Cosmetics?? What were your thoughts? Do you prefer to use natural products, or are you not bothered?

Hannah xox

**Products provided for review. All opinions are my own and 100% honest as per my disclosure statement.**

Review: Garnier BB Cream

I recently won two giveaways for these creams hosted on Lilit's blog Makeup and Macaroons and Coco's blog Prettymom. I know right? Pretty lucky to win twice!!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfecter in Light

As part of the giveaway you were sent two creams, one in light and the other medium. I am going to be giving away one set of these creams in my 100 follower giveaway coming up soon so keep a look out for that if you are keen to try these!

BB creams have been pretty popular in the online beauty world for a while now, however they can be tricky to get your hands on so to have a company like Garnier, which is widely available in a lot of countries, release their own bb cream is pretty cool. 

Swatch of BB cream in shade Light

Now since I haven't tried any other brands of BB cream I cannot give you a comparison of this one to those but from what I have seen online these creams differ a little from the original asian-branded ones. For starters they seem to be thicker than the average bb cream and look to me more like a tinted moisturiser.  Also a lot of the bb creams I have seen reviewed seem to be a bit ashy in colour and then change to suit your skin tone. With this cream I do see it changing to suit my skin tone but only slightly.

Left: Light shade, Right: Medium shade

Garnier claims that "skin is beautified, hydrated and protected" and that it "evens complexion, reduces sun spots & imperfections, boots healthy glow and is a tinted 24H hydration with UV protection of SPF 15"

So what do I think? Well here's a list of the good and the bad.

Pros;

• Evens out skin tone and covers minor imperfections.
• Doesn't feel heavy on the skin.
• Changes slightly to suit the colour of your skin.
• Provides a nice "no makeup" base.
• Not greasy.
• Applies nicely with fingers. 
• Leaves you with a nice glow and slightly dewy look.
• It has an SPF 15 so gives you some protection from the sun.

Cons;

• It has a strong floral scent which seems to stick around once applied.
• It's only available in two shades, so hard to match if you aren't similar to one of the shades.
• Doesn't last all day, however when I have set this with a powder like my MAC MSF I find it does last a whole day at work.
• Only comes in a 15ml tube where most foundations are 30ml. **Edit: It's actually 50ml sorry! I fail at reading tubes clearly...**

Cue scary before and after photos! Eeeeek

Left: Before, Right: After application of bb cream

Left: Before, Right: After

Would I buy this? Absolutely for $13.95AUD it is rather affordable and on the days I don't want to put on a full face of foundation I have been using this and really liking the natural looking result. 

Do I recommend it? I'd recommend this product to people looking for a light coverage tinted moisturiser whose skin tone fits either one of the two shades. I think it would be more suited to those with normal or dry skin as it does leave a dewy look to the skin, which I know a lot of oily skinned girls aren't a fan of. However, if you set it with a powder it tones down the dewiness. If you are sensitive to scents I would not recommend this for you. 

And here is a close up look of the product on my skin;

Close up of bb cream on my skin

As you can see from the photos it is quite light coverage but I find it still covers minor imperfections and it does even out my skin tone nicely. 

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector can be purchased anywhere that stocks Garnier. For example Priceline, Big W, K-Mart, Target, supermarkets or selected chemists.

Have you tried this yet? What are your thoughts?

Hope you are having a great weekend!!

Hannah xo

Review: MAC Paint Pot in Indianwood

I have been lusting over this particular paint pot for a while now and was lucky enough to have my mum bring it back for me from Italy. 

Since buying my first paint pot in Rubenesque I hadn't really been blown away by them like most people seem to be. However again and again I kept hearing of how much people loved them and thought maybe my one was just a dud. So I thought I would give them another go and this time I was definitely blown away.

Indianwood is apart of the permanent paint pot collection which MAC describes as an "metallic antique bronze" and I think that sums it up perfectly. The colour reminds me a lot of the MAC eyeshadow Woodwinked. One thing I have noticed is that when applied to my eyes in tends to turn a bit more of a coppery colour (which Woodwinked also does) so I do think the colour will differ slightly depending on your skin tone, however, it's a very universal colour that anyone could pull off. 

The thing that blew me away about this paint pot as opposed to Rubenesque is that it is a lot thicker in consistency and therefore shows up a lot more pigmented, which is a big improvement. It also has amazing staying power. I have normal/dry skin and where Rubenesque creases on me within a couple of hours Inidanwood lasted my whole working day, which is about 12hrs. This was without a primer underneath and without any shadow to set it. 

That's the other thing I love about this paint pot, you can just swipe it over your lid, blend the edge out with a skin-toned matte shadow and you have a gorgeous look that literally takes maybe a minute to do. Especially good when you are up at 6.30am and just want to go back to bed!

Photo taken in the morning before work

Here I am just wearing Indianwood all over and blended out the crease with the colour Naked from the naked palette (a matte light brown). I also smudged some black liner in the outer corner. 

Same day but 12hrs later (excuse the bad lighting, it was dark out!!)

And here is the same look but 12 hours later! As you can see it still looks pretty much identical to when I first applied it. 

Indianwood can be applied with a brush (I use a concealer brush) or just with your fingers, which is what I prefer as the warmth in your finger helps to blend the colour. I also find that the colour is even more pigmented on the eye when applied with a finger. 

Would I repurchase? Absolutely. Great pigmentation, Amazing staying power and a beautiful colour!

Indianwood paint pot can be purchased from MAC for $35AUD. (The US price is $17.50USD)

Have you tried Indianwood? What is your opinion on MAC paint pots?

Hope you are all having a great weekend!!

Hannah xoxo