L'Occitane Provencal Essentials Collection Pack

L'Occitane currently has a special offer for a limited time only to recognise ten L'Occitane favourites. When you spend A$50 or more (including one of the ten favourite products*) you can purchase the Provencal Essentials Collection pack for A$15 or you could purchase the pack alone for A$30.

*The ten L'Occitane favourites are as follows: Shea Butter Hand Cream 150ml, Divine Cream 50ml, Almond Shower Oil 250ml, Shea Ultra Rich Body Cream 200ml, Lavender Foaming Bath 500ml, Verbena Eau de Toilette 100ml, Immortelle Precious Cream 50ml, Almond Firming Milk Concentrate 200ml, Pivoine Eau de Toilette 75ml and the Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo.

Offer is available while stocks last.

Enjoy!

xx Rose

Products were provided as a gift from L'Occitane. I am not affiliated with L'Occitane and did not receive remuneration to post this product review. 

Organix Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask

Organix - 'Drench your strands in an ultra-moisturising luxurious formula infused with nutrient rich macadamia oil to instantly hydrate and smooth parched, dry hair while exotic sugar cane extract and bamboo extract soften and mend split ends for a luscious, vibrant mane with brilliant shine.'

Organix Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask (A$19.99/237 ml) is from the Hydrating Macadamia Oil Collection and there is also the Shampoo, Conditioner and Dry Styling Oil within this collection. I've been introduced to Organix hair therapy products in the past and I absolutely love how hydrating and amazing these products are! I was particularly interested in the Macadamia Oil Collection as I haven't used any hair care products which contain the core ingredient of Macadamia Oil. My hair needs constant maintenance and replenishment, so I never miss a day without applying hair serum or oil to nourish and hydrate the ends of my hair. Organix Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask is a deep conditioning product which I have been using once per week. I just scoop a decent amount of the creamy rich mask and leave it in my hair for about 15 minutes before rinsing it out with cool to lukewarm water. After about a month of using this product, my hair has become silky smooth, hydrated and the texture of my hair looks neat, less frizzy and voluminous. I sometimes run my fingers through my hair because it is just so nice to touch! The scent is so beautiful, sweet and floral and it keeps my senses happy while leaving it my hair. Even after rinsing out the product I could still sense the lovely sweet scent. I'm very happy that my hair has responded positively to Organix Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask and it has become a staple to my winter hair care regime to bring back the moisture and nutrients my hair needs.

Which hair masks are you currently loving? 
 

xx Rose

Product was provided for consideration only. This review is 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Organix and did not receive remuneration to post this product review. 

Evodia Body & Hand Lotion in Pink Frangipani

Evodia is an Australian owned and made beauty and lifestyle company who house a wide variety of bath, body, fragrance and organic skincare products with a range of beautiful and lovely scents. Evodia products are not tested on animals and their products do not contain harmful ingredients such as parabens, artificial colours or preservatives.  They have recently revamped their website where you could find information on Evodia products, beauty tips and news about the brand here.

A few weeks ago, I was sent an Evodia Body & Hand Lotion in Pink Frangipani (A$14.95 / 250ml) and it actually arrived in perfect timing. The harsh elements of winter has left me with dry and dehydrated skin and so I have been using Evodia Body & Hand Lotion in Pink Frangipani to nourish and protect my skin. The lightweight body and hand lotion absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling very moisturised and nourished. I normally add a generous amount to dry areas of my skin such as the arms and legs. The scent of Pink Frangipani is invigorating and makes me feel refreshed and relaxed! The formula consists of antioxidants, vitamins, essential oils and precious plant extracts to nourish and revitalise the skin. The formula also contains ingredients with hydrating benefits and they are Peach Kernal Oil, Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil and Glycerin. The list of ingredients within the formula are great and my skin is really loving this! 

There also a number of other divine scents in the range and these include: Belle Rose, Champagne Melon, Frangipani, Coconut & Lime and Mango & Pink Grapefruit. There is also an accompanying Hand & Body Wash to the Lotion which retails for A$13.95 / 250ml.

Evodia products are available in Australia at David Jones, Myer, Pharmacies and gift stores.

Which body lotions are you using to nourish and hydrate your skin?

xx Rose 

Product was provided for consideration only. This review is 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Evodia and did not receive remuneration to post this product review. 

Estee Lauder GWP at David Jones

Image source: David Jones

It's that time of the year and Estee Lauder are currently having a beauty GWP at David Jones until 28th July 2012 or while stocks last. I love their idea of offering customised beauty bonuses suited to your skin type and tone.

Enjoy!

xx Rose

Clinique GWP Online

Image source: www.clinique.com.au

Clinique's Online Store is currently having a fabulous GWP which comes with a cute miniature of the popular Chubby Stick! With the purchase of $80 or more on Clinique products at www.clinique.com.au, you will receive a bonus 8-piece bonus gift ($138 value) including the following:

All About Eyes 7ml

Youth Surge SPF15 15ml

Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser 50ml

Deep Comfrt Body Wash 50ml

Chubby Stick 1.8g (full size is 3g)

Blushing Blush Powder Blush 1.8g

High Impact Mascara 3.5ml

Clinique Cosmetic Bag

There is no offer code as the offer will be automatically applied at checkout.

Enjoy!

xx Rose

NEW L'Oreal Paris Rouge Caresse Lipsticks

As you may have noticed in my previous posts, I went on a short holiday to Berlin where I went on a fun-filled shopping spree. In Berlin, I stumble across a store called Drogerie Markt (DM) which is the Priceline of Australia but smaller and that they also house a few grocery store products. The Beauty section was situated in one corner of the store and they stocked products from Essie, Essence, L'Oreal and Maybelline, just to name a few. I was hoping to come across the Revlon stand to purchase a few Lip Butters, however, there was none in site as the store is quite small. Despite this, I was VERY EXCITED to see the brand new range of L'Oreal Paris Rouge Caresse Lipsticks (€9.90) which is reminiscent of Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters! These L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks have not reached Australia yet, so I was quite stunned to come across these beauties! L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks was initially released in Europe early in the year and they have recently launched in the US, however, the packaging is different (it's square shaped and gold-toned). I honestly prefer the packaging of the European version :)

These L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks claim to provide a weightless sensation, meltingly soft application, feather-light feel and a luminous and fresh pop of colour.

L'Oreal Paris - 'Don't just stroke them, Caresse them. Lips say yes to this Caresse. A futter of kissably soft light-weight feeling colour. It's delicate texture glides onto lips creating a veil of colour with a luminous shine.'

Depending on which country, the number and shades of L'Oreal Rouge Caresse is slightly different. In the UK there are 10 bright and eye-catching shades of the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks, however, in Germany there are 15 different shades available.

I purchased the shades 04 Rose Mademoiselle (rosey cool-toned pink), 102 Mauve Cherie (medium rosey mauve), 301 Dating Coral (peachy coral) and 03 Lovely Rose (light pale pink). The packaging is sleek, sophisticated, luxe and comparable to high end lipsticks such as the Dior Addict Be Iconic lipsticks! I am very impressed with the packaging as it looks like a high end lipstick. The cap of the lipstick tube is transparent, so you could see exactly what the shade of lipstick it is and this makes selecting a shade very easy.  

L-R: Rose Mademoiselle, Mauve Cherie, Dating Coral and Lovely Rose

L-R: Rose Mademoiselle, Mauve Cherie, Dating Coral and Lovely Rose

The L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipstick formula is very moisturising (like lip balm) and pigmented being a hybrid lip blam and lipstick. The formula feels very smooth when applied on the lips and I was surprised to see how pigmented these were as I had expected them to be quite sheer. One application provides a beautiful soft intensity of colour, whereas, two or more applications provides a more pigmented and near-opaque finish. The formula contains extremely subtle shimmers that are barely noticeable. It feels lovely and comfortable on and does not dry or flake during wear. If you have dry and dehydrated lips, these lipsticks will be your saviour! The glossy and shiny finish leaves my lips looking luscious and brightens the look of my face (just as would a lipstick would provide).

The longevity of L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks is around 3-4 hours, so I normally do a full re-application after lunch to maintain the pigmentation and hydration. However, on days that I don't re-apply, my L'Oreal Rouge Caresse leaves a subtle stain on my lips which still looks quite lovely. 

All in all, I love the shades I purchased and I love the moisturising feeling from the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick formula. The pigmentation is pretty good for a hybrid lipstick. If you prefer lip products with great hydration and a luscious pop of colour, L'Oreal Rouge Caresse is the one for you. But, if you prefer lip products which provide a more bold and opaque finish, then opting for a lipstick would be better. 

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse is very similar to Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter, but both are unique in their own ways. To choose between the two, I prefer L'Oreal Rouge Caresse over Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters as they are more pigmented, hydrating and I prefer the chic shades of L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks. 

What do you think of L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks? Would you be keen to try these out yourself?

xx Rose

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters (A$21.95 / 2.55g) have created a huge craze across the world due to their amazing spectrum of 20 indulgent and delectable shades (named after sweet desserts) and their hydrating and smooth ColorBurst Lip Butter formula. I'm a pink lip gal, and the shades Sweet Tart, Lollipop and Strawberry Cupcake did spark my interest at first, however, I decided to pick something different and more towards the other side of the spectrum. I chose Cherry Tart. The shade Cherry Tart is a sheer red shade with miniscule silver shimmer - perfect to brighten a simple makeup look and great for everyday wear. The formula glides on the lips smoothly and feels very hydrating due to Shea, Coconut and Mango butters and keeps my lips moisturised during the day. The formula is scented with vanilla and the intensity of the scent is very suble. I love it when lipsticks are formulated with a subtle yet sweet-smelling scent! Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter Cherry Tart does provide sheer coverage, however, it is buildable to provide more colour intensity to the lips. The finish is smooth and shiny and the silver shimmer is very subtle that it does not reflect on the lips and does not feel gritty. The pigmentation lasts for about 2 hours and leaves a subtle tint to the lips. I tend to re-apply a couple times during that day just to keep my lips hydrated and pigmented. Since the Lip Butter is relatively sheer I didn't expect good longevity of the formula.  Also, applying directly from the tube without a mirror is feasible! 

Swatch of Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

Which Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter shade is your favourite?

xx Rose

WINNERS ANNOUNCED: Dove Hair Oil Care Treatment Pack Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who participated in my Dove Hair Oil Care Treatment Pack Giveaway! There were a total of 82 entries received and only 65 entries were valid. I have drawn the three winners using Rafflecopter and the winners are:

Tram P. from Beauty With The Beautifool

Kate R. from Nothing Too Fancy

Michelle G. from Beagle Book Space and My Little Space

The winners have been e-mailed, so if your name is listed please check your inbox!

Have a lovely week everyone!

xx Rose

Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF35 PA+++

To be honest, I think I'm falling behind on the Beauty/Blemish Balm cream (or simply BB cream) bandwagon as I have never attempted to try any... until now. BB creams are a super convenient all-in-one one-step multitasking product combining the characteristics of skincare and makeup (i.e. moisturiser, blemish balm, primer, light foundation and SPF). These BB creams claim to provide benefits to the skin as well as an overall tint or foundation finish for a flawless look. Particular BB creams are suspected of causing breakouts (no brands will be mentioned here) and in some cases an oily T-zone after a few hours of wear (especially for people who have an oily skin type). Having a combination/oily skin type myself I never really found an interest in these BB creams and pretty much stood clear from these all-in-one products. 

But! (lol, I guess you all saw this coming!) it wasn't until I was introduced to Bobbi Brown BB cream (BB BB Cream, 40ml) which claims to be specifically suited for people who have an oily skin type (yay! That’s me!). That sounds amazing doesn't it? BB Creams in general are huge in Asia and I think there is a line of BB Creams in every brand they stock over there. The BB Cream trend is slowly spreading outside Asia and so far, BB BB Cream has not yet reached Australian shores (but it will be very soon!). My friend went on holiday to Asia and I was lucky enough to receive this product from her.

I have tried Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturiser (the previous formulation) in the past, however, unfortunately the product didn't work well for my skin type. So, despite this and after hearing about the claims of this BB BB Cream I decided to take the plunge and try this product for myself. 

BB BB cream provides PA 35+++ sun protection (protection from UVA and UVB damage) and there are three shades available: Extra Light, Light and Medium to Dark. The packaging is super sleek, like all Bobbi Brown products, with a squeezable long tube and screw on lid at the base. Since the tube stands while inverted, you would probably not have much difficulty trying to use up the last few mls. 

I currently have the shade Light and I'm surprised as to how well the shade blends in to give me natural looking skin (for reference my skin tone suits Chanel Claire 20, MAC NC20, NARS Fiji, Giorgio Armani 4.0 and Burberry Trench No.05). BB BB Cream is slightly yellow based and gives my skin a healthy and fresh look - my face matches my neck, which is a huge bonus! The coverage is sheer to medium and is quite buildable to provide extra coverage. I would say the finish is comparable to that of sheer foundation. I really like the fact that BB BB Cream provides more coverage than your typical Tinted Moisturiser as you wouldn’t need to bother with additional foundation to conceal any small blemishes or rosacea. Although, I must say that I do need to use concealer over my dark circles. 

The formula is lightweight and very creamy which makes it very easy to evenly blend a small amount of product for each application. BB BB cream contains Vitamin E and Rice Bran Extract which makes my skin feel very hydrating yet at the same time provide a beautiful natural matte finish. The formula also contains Sucrose, Caffeine and Scutellaria extract (obtained from the mint plant variety) which helps to provide an even and clearer skin tone.

I really love the outcome of BB BB cream as it is pretty much the perfect formula for my daily morning routine, especially when I'm in a rush and don't have the time to apply moisturiser, primer, and then foundation. Rather than layering products onto my skin, I only need one formula/product to hydrate, prime and provide my skin with an even skin tone and flawless coverage.

BB BB cream lasts from 8am to 6pm and is capable of controlling the oiliness on my skin that usually develops towards the late afternoon. It does not result in flaky and dry patches on my skin and it doesn’t fade considerably towards the end of the day. My T-zone has become less shiny and I was really surprised as to how less frequently I had to blot my T-zone compared to wearing tinted moisturiser or medium-coverage foundation without powder.

Overall, I am super pleased with Bobbi Brown BB Cream as it is a brilliant multitasker which provides very high SPF of 35, hydration to the skin, less shiny skin, light-med coverage and a beautiful foundation-like finish. What more could I ask for in this product??

Bobbi Brown BB Cream (A$60/40ml) will be available in Australia in-store and online on the 12th of August 2012 and only the SPF35 version (rather SPF 35 PA+++) will be sold nationally. 

Have you hoped onto the BB Cream bandwagon? Which BB Creams would you reccomend?

xx Rose

Burberry Beauty HAUL!

On my recent trip to Germany a few weeks ago I went all out and crazy shopping in the streets of Berlin! Berlin is a beautiful city with so many historical buildings, inspirational museums and most of all easy access to all the high end beauty brands and fashion labels. Since arriving back to Brisbane after an exhausting 20+ hour plane trip, I've been busy back at work and haven't really had the chance to flick through all the photos.

During my trip I accidentally splurged on clothes and beauty products that I was surprised my luggage just made it under the 23kg cut-off limit! One of my hauls was from the Burberry Beauty counter at the Galeries Lafayette Department Store on Friedrichstrasse in Central Berlin. In fact, I think the only Burberry Beauty counter in Berlin was at Galeries Lafayette. Burberry Beauty has become so popular since reaching London, Asia and the US. Burberry Beauty reached Aussie shores just mid-last year and to date there is only one counter that I am aware of and that is at David Jones Melbourne City.

I was glad to have encountered Burberry Beauty in Berlin as the prices are soo affordable! The second my eyes hit the Burberry Beauty counter I fell head-over-heels and it was like LOVE at first sight! The packaging of this cosmetic line is a major hit with the signature Burberry checkered plaid and sleek charcoal metal-like casing. The compact foundation, blushers, powders and eye shadows are all housed in a lovely velvet pouch with the same checkered pattern print. Oh how I absolutely adore the packaging! If you love Burberry apparel and accessories then you will DEFINITELY LOVE BURBERRY BEAUTY!

The range of products is not so broad being a newly developed cosmetics line. The Burberry Beauty range includes a collection of Sheer Foundation, Sheer Compact Powder, Light Glow (blush), Warm Glow (bronzer), Fresh Glow (illuminating primer), Sheer Eye Shadow, Eye Definer, Mascara, Lip Cover (lipstick), Lip Mist (lipstick), Lip Glow (gloss) and Lip Definer.

My credit limit was reaching a near zero, though I was lucky enough to purchase a few things from their line. I walked out happily with Sheer Foundation in Trench No.05 (equivalent to NARS Fiji, Chanel Claire, MAC NC20 and Bobbi Brown Sand 2), Sheer Compact Powder in Trench No.07 (I was meant to receive Trench No.05 but unfortunately I didn't check to see if I received the right shade), Light Glow Blush in No.04 Peony,  Lip Cover in Primrose Pink Hill No.30 and Lip Mist in Feather Pink No.09. 

The Burberry Beauty SA was very helpful despite the fact that she could only speak a little English, I personally thought she was cheerful and full of character which made my experience on counter very entertaining! She was also very generous for gifting me a few samples and miniatures for me to experiment with. I received an adorable cute little miniature of the Lip Cover in Cameo Pink No.03, Lip Cover sample palette (Nude Beige No.01, Rosewood No.04, Blush No.09 and Brick Red No.19), Sheer Foundation sachets in Trench No.05 and No.07 and Burberry Body perfume vials.

 Everything about Burberry Beauty exudes luxe and sheer elegance! So far, I'm very pleased with the quality of Burberry Beauty and will definitely look into expanding my collection (reviews on Burberry Beauty will come soon!). I've been searching for stores which stock Burberry Beauty and although there is one store in Melbourne, I might actually consider buying online directly from Harrods as they deliver directly to Australia (although postage is quite expensive at GBP 30). 

Are you a huge Burberry Beauty fan? Which Burberry Beauty products have you tried and love?

xx Rose

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner

A few weeks ago I won a Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner (A$24.95 /7.5g) in Nude Eyes by participating in Priceline's Twitter competition (Priceline holds weekly giveaways and generous offers via twitter, so make sure you follow via @PricelineAU). I was absolutely ecstatic to be one of the lucky 20 people to win as I've been lusting over these funky palettes since they hit stores a few weeks ago. There are four different Physicians Formula Shimmer Strip palettes and they are: Nude Eyes, Smoky Eyes, Fashionista Eyes and Casual Eyes. 

The Nude Eyes palette is so adorable and gorgeous, I absolutely love the packaging! The palette is very lightweight and wrapped in black lace with a peach coloured bow on top. I like how the palette has a see-through window the name 'Physicians Formula' written on the bottom and that the palette opens up like a book. It comes with a convenient multi-tasking applicator with a soft sponge tip to apply the eye shadow base, eye liner and highlighter. This palette makes a great little eye makeup essential when travelling.

There are a total of 9 different shades and in the Nude Eyes palette, the shades are categorised into three groups: Trio #1 Natural, Trio #2 Playful and Trio #3 Dramatic. Each trio has a highlight, base and liner so you could create a soft and shimmery look to the eyes.  The nude shades are all complimentary and you can apply them wet or dry to achieve a dramatic or soft look respectively. The shimmers in each of the shades are all subtle and the finish is just stunning! I love the nude shades as they are suitable for all different skin types and you could play around with the various shades to create day and night time looks. 

The pigmentation is quite sheer, but buildable, however, like with most eye shadows a primer is a must to prolong the staying power. The eye shadows apply on smoothly without any fall-out and it is best to use a sponge tip applicator to create the 'soft effect'. I tend to find myself applying a lot more product than with other eye shadows as it is quite sheer and you will need to apply a few times just to get a decent amount of colour intensity.

Overall, the Nude Eyes palette reminds me of the most raved about nude palette, Urban Decay Naked Palette, however the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips palette is a petite size and the packaging is just sooo adorable! 

Have you tried any products from the Physicians Formula range yet?

xx Rose

PHYT'S Activ'Peel Scrub

PHYT'S Activ'Peel Scrub (A$38 /40g) is an organic certified facial exfoliating scrub formulated using organic ingredients including Bamboo Extracts, Aloe Vera and essential oils of Grapefruit, Lemon, Pansy and Geranium. The product is also Certified Organic 'BIO' as you can see on the top right hand side of the tube/box. The scent of the scrub is quite overpowering and rejuvenating that I don't mind the strong scent at all! The scent of this scrub makes the whole experience so relaxing as I feel like the citrisy scent stimulates my senses. I seriously cannot get enough of this amazing scent! The scrub is suitable for combination and oily skin types, so this is right up my alley! Just a 10 cent coin sized amount of Activ'Peel Scrub is enough for one application. Apply to damp skin and concentrate on the T-zone to thoroughly cleanse through the pores and purify the skin. Activ'Peel is a pore refining face scrub and to date, after using this scrub twice a week for the last 3 weeks I haven't really noticed any change in the appearance of my pores. However, I have noticed that my skin feels nice and soft to touch since using this product. The consistency is not too thick or thin, it's just about right to easily and evenly massage the scrub across the skin. The granules are decently sized to the point where you could actually feel the 'scrubbing action' and that it thoroughly cleanses deep into the pores. I really love the feel of this scrub, however I would not recommend this if you have very sensitive skin. 


PHYT'S Certified Organic Skinare products are available online at www.phyts.com.au and are stocked in Australia's Top Spas including Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat (Tallebudgera Valley, QLD), Peninsula Hot Springs (Mornington Peninsula, VIC) and Chuan Spa (Southbank, Melbourne).

Which organic based scrubs are you familiar with?

xx Rose

Product was provided for consideration only. This review is 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with PHYT'S Certified Organic Skincare and did not receive remuneration to post this product review.