Skin Physics Pore Away Intensive Refining Serum

Skin Physics is an Australian skincare and beauty brand that I have recently come across and their Pore Away skincare range has sparked my interest as my combination/oily skin suffers from visible pores, redness and uneven skintone. Recently, I was given the opportunity to trial a product from the Skin Physics range and I selected the Pore Away Intensive Refining Serum (A$69/30ml), which targets large pores, and uneven skintone and texture. Skin Physics Pore Away Intensive Refining Serum works to minimise the appearance of pores, absorb excess oil on the skin, reduce redness and even skintone and texture.

Skin Physics Pore Away Intensive Refining Serum is housed in a very convenient pump bottle where the nozzle of the pump pops up once you rotate the base of the bottle. Just a couple of pumps dispenses a large pearl sized amount of the semi-transparent clear gel serum. I use this serum twice daily and distribute it evenly across my face and decolletage. The serum glides on smoothly and absorbs very quick, leaving my skin looking matte and feeling soft and supple. The serum is formulated using a Pore Away complex which consists of a medical resin derived from the bark of a tree grown on the Greek island of Chios. After about 4 weeks of usage I've started to notice that my skin has started to stay in control and reduce the production of excess sebum and skin oils. As a result, my skin appears to be more clear and radiant as each week goes on. However, in terms of reducing the appearance of pores, this claim did not occur for me. Despite this, I did find this serum effective as a skin primer to prep my skin before foundation application, since this serum does leave a matte and smooth canvas.

Skin Physics  is available at Priceline, and selected Myer stores and pharmacies nationally. For additional information on the Skin Physics range please visit their website here.

Do you have large pores that are difficult to minimise in size?

Which pore refining serums do you use?

xx Rose

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

Pamper your feet with Pedi-Sox!

L-R: Pro Pink, Mary Jane, Polka B/W and Pink Original.

The crisp winter weather has definitely not interfered with my regular pedicure sessions - thanks to The Original Pedi-Sox (A$9-11/pair)! Pedi-Sox is a toeless pedicure sock which can be worn at home, in the salon or anywhere before you paint your toenails to prevent your feet from becoming dry and/or cold while you pamper your feet. You could practically wear these socks throughout the year if you like! 

These Pedi-Sox are designed to keep your feet softer and smoother for longer and also help to reduce the effect of calluses and repair dry cracked skin/heels. If you use serums or creams to protect and repair your feet, these Pedi-Sox will help to lock in the benefits of these treatment products. 

Pedi-Sox is made in Mexico and available in a multitude of fun and fashionable designs, and they are REALLY COMFY to wear! The stretchy material means that this 'one size fits all' Pedi-Sox will fit the majority of people. Different designs are made from a variety of different materials which means that there are some varieties that are comfortably thick for winter and nicely thin for summer. 

L-R: Pro Pink, Mary Jane, Polka B/W and Pink Original.

Pro Pink (Pro range, A$9/pair) (in support for breast cancer research) is a warm pink ribbed Pedi-Sox which is quite thick (60% Acrylic, 35% Nylon and 5% Elastic) and a great winter warmer!

Mary Jane (Ultra range, A$11/pair) is probably the cutest design of the four! The material is 95% Nylon and 5% Lyra, so it is a lot thinner than the Pro Pink pair and can be worn regardless of the weather. Also, if you prefer thin socks, than the Ultra range of Pedi-Sox would be your best option.

Polka B/W (Lite range, A$9/pair) is also thin like the Mary Jane Sox, however, the material is made from 30% Acrylic and 70% Cotton. If you tend to have sweaty feet, this pair would be most suited. 

Pink Original (Original range, A$9/pair) is part of the Original and Traditional White Sox range which has a colour band at the base and top. Pink Original is very thick and stretchy, so perfect for the cooler weather. The material is a heavier weight thick cotton blend consisting of 30% cotton and 70% Acrylic.

These Pedi-Sox are one of my winter essentials and they are just super duper comfy to wear! I wear them around in the house all the time and they do look a lot like leg warmers, but for your feet!

For more information on The Original Pedi-Sox please visit the official website here.

The Original Pedi-Sox range is available at CNE Beauty Salon Supplies (based in Melbourne) online here and will soon become widely distributed in Australian nail salons soon. Currently on the CNE online store you can buy 4 pairs and get the 5th pair for free!

Have you worn Pedi-Sox before? Do you pamper your feet often?

xx Rose

*Products were provided for consideration only. This review is 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Pedi-Sox and did not receive remuneration to post this product review.

Maybelline Baby Lips Loves Color in Rose Addict

Maybelline Baby Lips Loves Color in Rose Addict

Maybelline Baby Lips is one of my favourite Maybelline products to date! A few months ago, Maybelline launched the new Baby Lips Loves Color (A$3.95/4.5g) collection! There are four delightful shades available: 001 Pink Lolita, 002 Berry Crush, 003 Rose Addict and 004 Cherry Kiss. 

Baby Lips Loves Color is even better than the original Baby Lips as it adds a nice kick of colour. Another difference between the original and colour version is that the original one contains SPF 20 and offers 4 g of product, whereas the colour version has SPF16 and offers 4.5g of product. So weighing out the differences, I very much prefer to buy Baby Lips Loves Color due to the added colour!

I was looking for a shade which provided the most intense tint to the lips, as the shades Pink Lolita and Cherry Kiss seemed to be lightly tinted based on their packaging. So, I opted for Rose Addict (not just because it has my name on it), as a tinge of red would help to enhance my natural lip colour.

Maybelline Baby Lips Loves Color in Rose Addict is lightly pigmented and it almost appears translucent as you can see in the photo below. The shade looks great for an everyday look and it does provide temporary colour to my lips. The texture is very lightweight and feels very comfortable when applied. I usually need to re-apply a couple of times during the day as this balm stays put for about 3 hours. The formulation of the balm consists of  nourishing Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil, so it's no wonder why my lips looked and felt soft, smooth and supple! The sun protection factor is 16, so a great factor to protect the lips during the day. 

Maybelline Baby Lips in Rose Addict is a great balm that provides a nice tint to my lips and the small packaging means that I could carry it in my jeans pocket or pop it in my handbag. I'm tempted to try the other three shades as they are so affordable and feel great on my lips!

Maybelline is available at Priceline, Coles, Woolworths, Target, Big W, K-Mart, Terry White Chemists, My Chemist and selected pharmacies nationally.

Are you a lip balm addict like me?
Which lip balms do you love most?

xx Rose

The First Violet Box (June 2013)

This morning, I received the very first edition of Violet Box, which is the latest monthly beauty subscription box to launch in Australia! Violet Box gives you the opportunity to discover new products by receiving a curated box each month containing 4-6 high-end and luxury beauty and lifestyle samples. As a beauty enthusiast, I could never ever have enough of any one beauty product!

Violet Box costs A$22.95/month and there are options to subscribe for:

• 3 months (A$66, 4.3% off discount)
• 6 months (A$130, 5.6% off discount)
• 12 months (A$250, 9.2% off discount)

I received a white glossy cardboard box in a postal satchel which had the Violet Box logo imprinted on one side.

The actual Violet Box was found inside the white cardboard packaging and it's a matte black box that is made from simple card paper with the Violet Box logo printed in one corner. I think it's a great size and will be perfect to re-use as a gift box or storage.

Upon opening the lid of the box there were three cards found sitting atop the goodies wrapped neatly in violet tissue paper.

The contents of the June Violet Box

My Violet Box was completely filled to the brim with a total of 6 products! There were 3 full-size and 3 deluxe travel-sized products ranging from makeup to skincare to haircare and to perfume!

John Plunkett Glyco Peel (A$28.95/15ml - full size received)

John Plunkett Glyco Peel is a night time exfoliator which is to be applied to the face before applying your regular night cream. This Glyco Peel works to exfoliate the outermost layer of your skin cells to reduce the appearance of fine lines and skin discolouration. The formula contains Glycolic Acid, Lactokine and Aloe Vera, and is suitable for ALL skin types, however, since the formula is of clinical strength, frequency of application is dependent on whether you have dry, oily, normal or sensitive skin.

I have never ever used a glycol peel before and I did feel a little hesitant at first when I read the name of this product. So, I will do a patch test first to be on the safe side and ensure that my skin does not react negatively.

CK One Color Cosmetics Gloss Eyecolor (A$25/4g - full size received)

I was so excited to see that Violet Box included a CK One Color Gloss Eyecolor! I recently discovered this new beauty brand a couple of months ago and I am head-over-heels with their Brow Pencil and Eye Brow Duo! See my CK One Color haul and review here.

There are five different shades of CK One Color Gloss Eyecolors available and beauty bloggers who have recently received their Violet Box have received either of the shades #400 Vivid (blue), #500 Pop (green), #600 Spin (gold/yellow) or #800 Ultra (silver). The shade Vivid is a really pretty and vibrant blue and it's a shade that I don't have in my collection. I think this shade would really make my hazel eyes pop!

Swatches of each shade can be seen in the photo below. Unfortunately, the photo doesn't do it justice as these Gloss Eyecolors look absolutely stunning! The emollient formula of these chunky eye pencils glide on smoothing and effortlessly without tugging the eye area, just like applying lip gloss to the lips. The finish is metallic and the gorgeous miniscule silver shimmers are noticeable from each shade. The lightweight formula is highly pigmented and can be smudged and blended with other shades easily.

Swatches of CK One Color Gloss Eyecolor in Pop, Ultra and Vivid

LashControl Clear Coat Control Mascara and Brow Fix (A$25/8.87ml - full size received) 

LashControl Clear Coat Mascara and Brow Fix originated in NYC and it is a multi-purpose eye brow/lash product which tames unruly brows and seals in mascara as a top coat. Now this is exactly what every girl needs in her make-up bag! I love multi-purpose products and especially love the idea of this beauty product!

Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty EDT (A$80/50ml - 1.2ml sample received) 

CK Sheer Beauty EDT is the new edition of the popular CK Beauty fragrance launched awhile ago. Sheer Beauty is a floral-fruity blend with core floral notes of Peony, Pink Lily and Jasmine, fruity notes of Bergamot, Red Berries and Peach Bellini and base notes of Sandalwood, Musk and Vanilla Blossom. This scent is very feminine, soft and very likeable!

Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser (A$23.95/200ml - 50ml sample received)

Eau Thermale Avene are always generous with their deluxe travel-sized samples! I've tried samples of their skin care products (Gentle Milk Cleanser, Ystheal+ Emulsion and Eluage Eye Contour Cream) that I received in my previous Bellabox and Glossybox, so I was glad I received a sample of something I haven't tried before. 

This cute little travel sized bottle of Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser is a great travel accompaniment that is suitable for normal to combination sensitive skin. My combination/oily skin always agree with gel-type cleansers, so I'm really looking forward to trying this product! The formula is soap-free and hypoallergenic, which is a great plus!

Argania Hair Oil Travel Cuties (A$34.95/100ml - 5ml sample received) 

Argania Hair Oil is a hair treatment made with certified organic Moroccan Argan Oil. Argan Oil is such a popular ingredient in most hair nourishing treatment products, that I was quite happy to receive a travel sized product that I could take along with me on my travels.  The formula is rich in Vitamins and Antioxidants, so it's packed full with goodness to keep the hair looking shiny and healthy.

All-in-all, I am very impressed with the launch box of Violet Box and glad to see that a variety of skincare, makeup, haircare and perfume products were included! The total value (~A$85) of the contents in the launch box surpassed the cost of the monthly Violet Box (A$22.95) subscription, so you are definitely getting you money's worth!

For further information on Violet Box please click here.

Have you jumped on the Violet Box Bandwagon? 

What did you receive in your Violet Box?

xx Rose

*Products were provided for consideration only. These reviews are 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Violet Box and did not receive remuneration to post these product reviews. 

Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturising Lotion

Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturising Lotion (A$12.99/354ml) contains an aromatic mixture of Lavender, Chamomile and Ylang Ylang to promote relaxation and Aveeno's signature natural ingredient Colloidal Oatmeal to soothe and hydrate the skin. Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturising Lotion provides aromatherapy and skin therapy in one huge bottle to keep the skin and body calm and relaxed!

Active Naturals Colloidal Oatmeal is recommended by dermatologists and has been used way back in the days when ancient Romans and Greeks frequently bathed in oat to soothe skin ailments. This ingredient helps to restore the normal pH level of skin while protects and prevents dry skin by targeting the skin's moisture barrier. 

Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturising Lotion has a silky smooth and creamy texture that has an absolutely divine scent! It is in fact the only body product I look forward to using when I arrive home from a long day at work and I would apply this lotion straight after taking a shower! This body lotion feels ultra hydrating and the relatively good consistency allows even distribution to my skin. My skin feels well nourished and my dry winter skin is currently in for a fast recovery to smooth and silky smooth skin!

Which products do you use to keep calm and relax?

xx Rose

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

Protect Your Skin While You Sleep!

 Protecting and maintaining your skin texture and health are one of the utmost important steps towards looking after your skin. During the day, the skin is exposed to environmental aggressors and bombarded with the formation of free radicals (caused by sun exposure), which contribute to premature ageing and skin sensitivity. Therefore, using day creams which are packed full of antioxidants and SPF are necessary to protect the skin during the day and using a night cream helps to repair and revitalise the skin while you sleep. Within the last few weeks I’ve been enjoying using a number of night creams, which not only helped to replenish my skin while sleeping, but also recoup my skin from the change in weather.  

 *Luminesce Advanced Night Repair

Luminesce Advanced Night Repair (A$79.15/30ml) is a powerful and revolutionary night cream formulated using stem-cell technology, which helps to rejuvenate, moisturise and replenish the skin.  This type of stem-cell technology uses human stem cells to naturally improve the texture of your skin. This is the first of its kind to launch, so I was super excited to test-drive this night cream! 

Lumeinesce Advanced Night Repair aims to boost the skin with vitamins A, B,C and E that help to replenish the skin, Baicalin to promote cell growth, a Luminesce complex to restore the skin's natural protein levels, Hyaluronic acid to plump and soften the skin while Apple, Lentil, Watermelon, and Cucumber extracts assist in locking in skin moisture.

Advanced Night Repair cream has a lovely soft and pleasant floral scent with an ultra lightweight and luxurious texture, which, upon application feels refreshing, leaving my skin feeling ultra smooth and moisturised. The cream absorbs quickly into my skin and my skin feels amazingly plump and soft when I wake up in the morning! 

Luminesce Advanced Night Repair is all-natural, hypoallergenic and paraben-free.  The cream also comes with a spatula to ensure hygiene.

Luminesce is available online at www.jeunesseglobal.com


*Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream

Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream (A$19.99/48g) contains Total Soy Complex and Vitamin B3 to eradicate dullness, tiredness, blotchiness and brown spots  while simultaneously improve the radiance in your skin while you are fast asleep. The presence of soy is a wonderful hydrating product which makes my skin feel super moisturising.

Surprisingly, the texture of this rich cream is quite the opposite of smooth and creamy. The texture is actually reminiscent of custard pudding and homogenous all throughout! Despite the custard-like texture, Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream glides onto my skin like a dream! It feels so silky smooth once distributed onto my skin and I tend to use a little more product compared to other creams. 

I like that it creates a nice thin barrier on the surface of my skin, even though the cream slowly penetrates my skin. Being a night cream, the slow adsorption rate doesn't bother me as it feels so rich and hydrating without feeling greasy and pore clogging. The scent of this cream is fresh and subtle and it eventually becomes non-existent so you needn't worry about going to bed with any scents lingering around. 

Aveeno products are available at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets, Priceline, Target, K-mart, Big-W, IGA, Franklins and selected pharmacies nationally.


*Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream
 

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream (A$59.99/50ml) is a highly nourishing antioxidant night cream which helps to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, increase skin elasticity and hydration, improve skin tone and texture, while restoring skin smoothness thanks to the rich concoction of natural botanical extracts. The core ingredients include Vitamins A, C and E and Moth Bean, African Birch and Kakadu Plum extracts to achieve all these skin benefits. 

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream is a lovely and lightweight night cream which felt uber-gentle to my sensitive combination/oily skin. I absolutely LOVE the silky smooth texture of this cream and it feels amazing once applied! As an overnight cream I've noticed that it calmed the redness to my cheeks, slightly evened my skin tone and restored my skin radiance. I guess it was the rich mix of natural antioxidants combined with herbal and floral extracts which worked effectively to improve my skin texture. I am very satisfied with Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream as I noticed an improvement in my skin texture after approximately 4 weeks of nightly usage. 

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream is formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs and triclosan. 

Jurlique products are available at Myer, David Jones, Jurlique boutiques and selected pharmacies nationally.

Are you currently using a night cream as part of your skin care regime? 

Which night creams do you recommend?

xx Rose

*Products were provided for consideration only. These reviews are 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Luminesce, Aveeno nor Jurlique, and did not receive remuneration to post these product reviews. 

Manicare Travel Essentials

This winter season, if you are planning on jet-setting away for a few days, weeks or even months, it's always great to travel light and only bring along the beauty tools and kits that you will need. Manicare have a wide range of travel essentials which not only make packing easier, but also ensure that you travel without stress. Here are a few travel essentials that may come in handy when traveling:

*Manicare Sleeping Mask (A$7.50)

Packed in a convenient and re-usable soft plastic zip-lock pouch, this sleeping mask helps to promote peaceful sleep. It has adjustable straps and is ideal for home and travel. This sleeping mask is comfortable to wear and super great if you are traveling on a plane during the evening.

*Manicare Toothbrush and Toothpaste Tube (A$6.50)

I usually pack my toothbrush and toothpaste in a durable and hard plastic case, but now that Manicare and come up with this flexible tube/case, I am now converted! The flexible tube is designed to ensure that you don't need to struggle with packing bulky items in your suitcase or vanity bag, plus the base has a few minute holes to allow moisture to drip away. Thereby protecting your toothbrush against unwanted germs/bacteria. When not in use, you could store it flat or just roll it up and store it away. 

 Manicare Automatic Tweezers (A$14.95)

These Automatic Tweezers are completely different to those typical tweezers as these ones have a pink plastic covering with a spring operated mechanism which automatically 'pulls away' hair as you 'pluck'. The stainless steel slanted tip is quite sharp and allows spot-on precision, so just a little word of warning to be careful to avoid scratching your skin while targeting unwanted hair. The spring mechanism takes a little getting used to, though it works marvelously and does its job!

*Manicare Soothing Eye Gels (A$5.50/pkt 2)

These Manicare Soothing Eye Gels are one of my favourite travel essentials, as they instantly cool and relieve tired/puffy/stressed eyes. They come in a packet of two and you can store them in their original zip-lock bag and place them in the fridge for a few hours before use. If you are going on a road trip, storing these eye gels in an esky or bucket of ice will have them all ready to use when needed. The eye gels are large enough to cool my entire eye area and after about 15 minutes, my eyes feel pampered and relaxed. 

The Manicare range is available at Priceline, Target, BigW, and selected Pharmacies.

What are your travel essentials??

xx Rose

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

SK-II GWP at Myer, David Jones and Online at Adore Beauty

Image source: Adore Beauty

This month, SK-II is currently offering a fabulous 6-piece GWP when you spend $99 or more at either Myer, David Jones or online at Adore Beauty. The gift contains four deluxe SK-II skincare products plus your choice of moisturiser. This is such a great opportunity to trial some of SK-II's most popular skincare products! The deluxe sized products are also great for travel!

This offer is available in the month of June or while stocks last.

Enjoy!

Sisley GWP at David Jones

Sisley Paris is currently offering an exclusive 10-piece Sisley gift when you purchase two Sisley products, one being skincare. The gift includes:

• Eau Efficace Gentle Makeup Remover (30ml)
• Linden Facial Blossom Facial Mask (15ml)
• Sisleya Eye & Lip Contour Cream (2ml)
• Sisleya Daily Line Reducer (3ml)
• Sisleya Global Anti-Age Day and Night (5ml)
• Soir De Lune Eau de Parfum (2ml)
• Instant Perfect (5ml)
• Self Tanning Facial Hydrating Skincare (5ml)
• Phyto Svelt Global (15ml)

This Sisley gift is available from Sunday 2nd of June, while stocks last.  

Available at Elizabeth St, Bondi Junction, Burwood, Castle Towers, Chatswood Chase, Miranda, Canberra Centre, Bourke Street Mall, Chadstone, Doncaster, Queensplaza Robina Town Centre, Adelaide Central Plaza, Hay Street Mall, Claremont Quarter and online at www.davidjones.com.au

Enjoy!

Shiseido GWP at Myer

Benefiance WrinkleResist 24 Gift

It's that time of the year and Shiseido at Myer is currently offering a swanky 8 piece GWP when you purchase two Shiseido products, one being skincare. There are four different gifts available to suit your skin type (Benefiance WrinkleResist 24, Benefiance Hydration, White Lucent Brightening and Future Solution LX gift) and each gift contains a full size eyeliner pencil in black and a Shiseido cosmetic pouch.

Offer is available at Shiseido counters at Myer department stores until Saturday 15th of June, or while stocks last.

Enjoy!

Kit Cosmetics Diamond Nail Bows

The latest offering from Kit Cosmetics is the gorgeous and glamorous Diamond Nail Bows (A$15.95/set of six), which reminds me a lot like the glitz and glam on the set of The Great Gatsby movie! This set features six diamond nail bows, nail glue (1ml) and glue remover (5ml). These diamond nail bows are the cutest nail embellishments to add some bling bling to your nails!

Directions:

1) Apply a base coat to protect and strengthen your nails - I used Manicare Base Coat & Strengthener (reviewed here).

2) Paint your nails - I'm wearing the shade Monroe by piCture pOlish. 

The shade Monroe is one of my favourite red shades as it looks so elegant and feminine on my nails. Monroe is described as a blood red jelly which contains minuscule iridescent holographic shimmers. The quality if great and the formula is excellent, where the consistency is not too thick and the finish is ultra smooth and reminiscent of jelly! 

3) Place a small amount of nail glue to the bed of your nail and hold the diamond nail bow in place for a few seconds until the glue has dried. 

4) To remove the diamond nail bow, use the glue remover provided or alternatively use regular nail polish remover.

Voila! These diamond nail bows are so easy to apply and they sit nicely on the nail bed. They add a touch of spark and are just so adorable! I've already received compliments after wearing them on this morning!

Kit Cosmetics Diamond Nail Bows are limited edition and currently available at Kit Cosmetics, Mecca Maxima, Mecca Cosmetica and selected Myer department stores nationally.

Have you come across these gorgeous diamond nail bows before?

xx Rose