Review: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection

At last! I've finally found my 'Holy Grail' moisturiser! 


You may have read my post on the newest release to Kiehl's Since 1851 skincare line:

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection

My skin suffers from uncontrollable moisture outbreaks, leaving me with an oily skin surface at the end of a long day at work. Kiehl's has recently launched their brand new Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection which helps to balance skin and control shine over a 24 hour period.

I've been trialing the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner and Gel Cream and so far, these products have put a huge smile on my well balanced and fresh face!  

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner

The striking blue packaging that houses this toner looks brilliant! I also love that the packaing is made from sturdy plastic material. The bottle is capped with a flip-top lid and you could easily control the amount of toner required.  This toner comes in a huge 250 mL bottle and I think this will last me quite awhile.

 I've been using this toner for just over a week after cleansing my face using Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser. This toner is great for my sensitive skin and it does not feel astringent like most other toners I have used in the past. It's great to see that this toner is free of oil, alcohol, paraben and fragrance.  The scent is extremely subtle and I could only notice a gentle refreshing scent when I held the product close up.   


Although a cleanser removes the majority of oils, impurities and dirt adsorbed to the skins surface, the use of a toner also aids to remove any remnant impurities (especialy oils) which are difficult to remove using a cleanser. Squirt or shake the bottle to apply a few drops onto a cotton ball and then gently wipe the surface of skin. After wiping most parts of my face, I could already see some dirt and impurities which were strongly bound to my skin.

This toner makes my skin feel very nice and relaxed! I love that this toner contains core ingredients of Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract and Antarcticine, which help to soothe and hydrate skin.

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream

This gel cream is a lightweight formula which goes on translucent and applies on smoothly to my skin. Since the consistency of this product is quite thin, I found it very easy to evenly apply a small amount of product to my face and decolletage. 
 
My skin looked moisturised immediately and the absorption rate of this product was pretty fast! Despite making my skin feel a little sticky, my skin looked and felt matte after about 20 seconds after application. I am very impressed with this gel cream and how well it penetrated through my skin so quickly. There was no shiny layer from the gel cream left behind. After a few hours, my skin managed to maintain shine as it no longer looked shiny.

This product is encased in a jar with a white twist top lid. Honestly, I must say that I am disappointed with the packaging. The gel cream appeared slightly watery in the jar and upon opening the lid for the first time, I almost 'spilt' the gel cream off it's edge. The jar is basically filled to the top and there was no protective plastic cover that you sometimes get between the top of a jar and lid of a moisturiser product.  The slightly watery consistency would have been better packaged in a pump bottle rather a jar. I always have these hygiene issue with moisturisers encased in a jar, when it would be perfectly suited in a pump bottle!  

Overall, I love this product as it is oil-free, hydrating and VERY fast absorbing, leaving my skin to appear very matte and refreshed! These characteristics are great in a moisturiser as I usually don't wait long enough for my regular moisturiser to settle in before applying primer/makeup. 

I will definitely have these products as my skincare staples!

This new Ultra Facial Oil-Free collection is definitely suitable for oily skintypes and I highly recommend these products. I'm very satisfied with these two products from Kiehls new Ultra Facial Oil-Free collction, so I may as well purchase the cleanser to complete the collection!

Have you tried Kiehl's new Ultra Facial Oil-Free products?

Rose

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner and Gel Cream were provided for consideration. This review is 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I  did not receive remuneration to post this product review.

 

Dior GWP at Myer

I went by Myer yesterday and stumbled upon this Dior GWP happening at Myer. I don't know how long this offer will be available, though I would assume it's while stocks last (that's usually the case!). There were was no advertisements of this gift with purchase offer and the Dior sales assistant was no where to be seen!

All I know is that with your purchase of $110 or more on Dior products at Myer, you will receive this gorgeous pink Dior pouch containing five deluxe samples (new version of Miss Dior Cherie, Diorshow Extase mascara, Dior Capture Totale One skincare treatment, makeup remover and cleanser).

Review: MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base

Recently, I stumbled upon MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base which is said to prime the lids, neutralise lid colour, conceal discolouration of the lids and is used as a base for eye shadow and pigments.

The packaging is very simple and sleek. It comes in a thin plastic disc with a twist top lid. The lid and the box features a starry night sky with blue glitters and the usual black packaging. The packaging can get a bit fiddly as the lid is quite flat and if I'm not careful I would easily dig my nails into the primer. 

The formula of this eye base has a very creamy yet thin consistency and it is not rock solid, like most other primers/concealers I have used in the past. The smooth creamy texture makes this product easy to apply to the lids and just glides on effortlessly. My lids are slightly oily, though this eye base helps to give a smooth matte base for eye shadow.

I sometimes use my fingertips to apply this base to my lids so that the warmth from my fingertips helps to blend in the product. After applying this product, by gently dabbing and blending, you could instantly see how this eye base lightens up the lids and making them appear uniform in texture and tone. 

I sometimes use this product to conceal dark circles as it works perfectly to slightly moisturise my undereyes as well as cover up these circles before applying foundation. I would suggest to allow the product to settle for about half a minute before applying eye shadow. Since this is a cream-based formula, it is important to allow the product to set and dry. 

In my opinion, MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base is more of a concealer/corrector than a primer. The opaque finish of this product works very well to hide discolouration of the lids and this effect can make the intensity of eye shadow to appear bold and not sheer. 

MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base is available in three shades: 

 light, medium and medium dark

and retail for $A33 at MAC stores and online. 

Have you tried MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base before?
 Which eye primer is your holy grail?

Rose

Shop Til You Drop Magazine + FREE Kiehl's Lip Balm #1

Haven't tried Kiehl's famous Lip Balm #1 yet? Well, Kiehl's is celebrating its 160 years and to celebrate, you could score a FREE Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 (full size worth $12!) with the September issue of Shop Til You Drop magazine (with the lovely Jessica Alba on the cover). 

Just take the page (or snip off the pink corner voucher) from the Shop Til You Drop magazine and redeem your Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 at any participating Kiehl's counter in Australia.

To find your nearest Kiehl's counter, call (02) 9931 8888
or
visit www.kiehls.com.au

Hurry, as this offer is only available between 8th August 2011 until 11th September 2011, or until stocks last!

Kiehl's lip balms are so moisturising and soothing! If you've haven't read my review on the Kiehl's scented Lip balm #1 in Pear, click here to see the review.

Which Kiehl's lip product is your favourite? Lip Balm #1, Lip Balm #1 scented or Lip gloss?

Rose

Australia's First Ever Beauty Box: Exclusive Inivitations NOW OPEN!

Following the trend of Birchbox in the US, Luxe Box by Loose Button in Canada and GlossyBox in the UK, Australia has finally jumped on the bandwagon and have just started introducing this new concept. 

Introducing.... B E A U T Y  B O X!

Gorgeous Beauty Box!

Beauty Box is a monthly subscription in which a selection of up to 5 of the latest and best luxury beauty products on the market are beautifully gift wrapt, packaged in a 'Beauty Box' and sent to your door on the 10th of each month. Beauty products will include a selection of skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care. 

The beauty products associated with Beauty Box are HIGH END deluxe/miniature sample sizes, so that you could get a decent experience using the product before making that wise decision and purchase the full size if you are happy with the product. 

When I say HIGH END products I mean products from the following brands:

Biotherm

Bobbi Brown
CK Fragrances 
Clinique

Garnier

John Frieda

Jurlique

Marc Jacobs

Playboy (Fragrances for women)

Sally Hansen

Shiseido

Shu Uemura
Yves Saint Laurent
Essie
Thalgo
Bio-Oil

How amazing are the above beauty brands?! As you all know I am a huge fan of Bobbi Brown, Jurlique and Shu Uemura just to name a few! I love the idea of receiving surprises in the mail and that the total value of the contents always end up being above the purchase price. This scheme is also a convenient way to introduce new products on shelf and even the chance to try luxury brands that you've never ever thought about purchasing.

Inivitations to subscribe has started today, so if you'd like to receive an invite, sign up at the Beauty Box website.

The monthly subscription costs $14.95 per month and you can cancel anytime.
There is also a prepaid 6 month subscription (with a discount), however, this is currently not available.

Have you subscribed to Beauty Box?

What do you think about the concept of purchasing deluxe sample sized beauty products?

Rose

Kiehl's Unveil NEW Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection

Have you heard about the great news from Kiehl's yet??

New York skincare brand Kiehl's Since 1851 has launched an exciting, new and improved Ultra Facial skincare line today in Australia!

Introducing the

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection

A skincare solution produced for people with normal to oily/combintaion skin, large pores or clinically excessive oil production.

Kiehl's- ''Packed with pure, efficacious hydrator to help naturally rebalance moisture levels and control shine for 24 hours.''

The collection includes an Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, Toner and Gel Cream, which provides all day moisturisation with 24-hour shine control. 

I love the striking blue packaging of these products as it gives the impression that these products provide high moisture content to the skin without that icky feel and shiny look.

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection is oil-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, dye-free and fragrance-free.

Here is a promotional clip of this exciting new range. You gotta love this cute animation!

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser (150mL, A$26)

Lightweight formula to remove excess oil and impurities

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner (250mL, A$28)

Hydrating formula to balance and freshen skin

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream (50mL, A$34)

Hydrating Formula to balance and freshen skin

For a limited time, receive FREE SHIPPING (shipping is normally A$10) on your online purchase of A$70 or more:

http://www.kiehls.com.au/shop-by-collection/face-ultra-facial-oil-free.aspx

Images and media: press release.

What do you think of this brand new collection from Kiehl's?

Rose

Illamasqua Summer SALE up to 65% off!

Illasmasqua's online store (based in the UK) is currently holding a Summer SALE with a  HUGE selection of amazing cream and power eye shadows, eye liners, eye pencils, Pure Pigments, eye concealers, blushers, foundations, powder foundations, Intense and Sheer lipglosses and lipsticks! 

The products are categorised into three sections: £5 (A$7.80), £10 (A$15.70) and 25% rrp of selected Illamasqua cosmetic products. 

This really is a great chance to try a few of Illamasqua's fabulous range of high impact colour makeup at an affordable price!  

Shipping is a flat rate of £8.50 to Australia, so hop to it while stocks last!!

For price conversions, see the following link: www.xe.com 

Which Illamasqua products would you highly reccomend?

Which products are you going to purchase from the online sale?

Rose

Clinique GWP at Myer

Receive a FREE 10 piece Clinique gift with purchase (worth $229) when you spend $60 or more on Clinique products at Myer. 

The contents of this Clinique gift with purchase includes:

High Impact Mascara 3.5mL
Eyes 1, 2 & 3 Colour Compact with Colour Surge EyeShadow Trio (Blackberry Frost Shade, Night Plum and Slate)

 Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle and UV Damage Corrector 15mL
Youth Surge Day SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturiser 15 mL
7 day Scrub 50 mL
DDML 30mL
Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream 30mL
Superbalm Gloss 7ml
Cosmetics Bag with Companion bag

Offer available until 21st August 2011, or until stocks last.

Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream

Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream

Recently, I had the privilege to attend the launch of Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream at the new Jurlique store located on level 1 of the Wintergarden Complex (Brisbane). This event was also a great opportunity to meet all the lovely Brisbane Beauty Bloggers for the first time. 

 

Laurence Crussol (general manager at Jurlique) on the left and Vivienne Hess (area manager at Jurlique International) talk about the new Ultra Firm and Lift cream

The Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream is the latest release from Jurlique and is part of the Purely Age-Defying range. This cream is suitable for all skin types (e.g., dry, oily and combination skin) and texture.

Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream is a high performance cream which contains a concoction of the most potent, biodynamic, organic and natural botanical ingredients collected from hand cultivated farms in South Australia. The key ingredients include Yeast Extract, Amino Acid Lipid Complex, Rock Samphire Extract and Beech Tree Extract to help minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The ‘triple action formula’ arises from ingredients which help benefit the skin to promote firmness, lift slack skin by stimulating the regeneration of collagen and new skin cells and strengthen the elastic fibres of skin.

Triple Action Formula

In general, it is important to grasp an understanding of the key ingredients of skincare products as the skin is the largest organ of the body and it is vital to ensure the ingredients are compatible with the skin. Information on each key ingredient listed here is also shown on the Jurlique website.

Yeast Extract helps to promote collagen synthesis and acts as a tissue restructuring and repair agent

Amino Acid Lipid Complex promotes skin remodelling andcontraction of collagen fibres

Rock Samphire Extract supports skin density while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Beech Tree Bud Extract accelerates the production of new skin cells

As mentioned previously, Jurlique products are formulated from naturally derived extracts and there are no toxic/nasty chemicals/ingredients present in their products. Jurlique skincare products are purely focused on ‘Nature. Science. Innovation’, which is in fact, their tagline. This Aussie brand is all about simplistic thinking at its finest! Jurlique skincare products are gentle to the skin and leave your skin feeling smooth, luxurious and glowing. 

Clinical trials of the new Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream have been conducted and the results show that more than 90% of women experienced smoother, more hydrated skin almost instantly on the first application. After 6 weeks of using the product, 100% of women showed increased skin firmness and 84% of women saw a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. 

The Purely Age-Defying Collection

Products from the Purely Age-Defying Range include the following:

Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream (50 mL) A$90

Purely Age-Defying Refining Treatment (40 mL) A$42

A natural skin refiner with Apricot Seed and Calendula to enhance cell renewal and refine the skin for smoother, more even-toned and luminous skin.

Purely Age-Defying Facial Serum (30 mL) A$89

A highly concentrated serum with Black Elder and Licorice to help fade discolorations and help lessen fine lines and wrinkles.

David Jones Beauty Book Spring 2011

The David Jones Beauty Book Spring 2011 has just been released online (click HERE or download the pdf file HERE) and the hardcopy version will be released tomorrow! 

Gorgeous Miranda Kerr is on the cover looking hot and sexy with a bold red lip.

There are over 70 pages packed full of amazing beauty products with gift with purchase offers and fantastic instore offers. Click on image to enlarge.

Look out for your Lancome 9 piece gift with purchase (including your choice of skincare from either the Hydrazen, Renergie and Absolute range) when you spend $70 or more from the Lancome range.

 When you purchase two facial skincare products from Jurlique, receive a fabulous Skin Hydration Kit (worth $118), which includes three full sized products: Purely Age-Defying Eye Cream, Moisture Replenishing Day Cream and Moisturising Hand Sanitiser.

Spend $70 or more on L'Occitane products and receive your face & body care travel set as your gift which includes: shea extra-gentle milk soap 25g, verbena body lotion 75mL, almond shower oil 35mL, pivoine flora shower cream 75mL, immortelle divine cream 3mL, shea butter hand cream 15mL in a limited edition provence market tote bag.

Receive a luxurious and stylish Balenciaga Paris phone case and Eau de Parfum 7.5mL as your gift when you purchase a Balenciaga Paris 75mL perfume bottle. 

With any purchase from the beauty department at David Jones, you are eligible to purchase an exclusive Heritage tote bag filled with fantastic goodies for only $19.95. 

The list of products, valued at over $140, include: OPI nail lacquer 3.75mL, new David Jones beauty SPF 15 moisture cream lipstick in 'sunday best' 4g, Aveda dry remedy hair care trio 3 x 10mL, The Aromatherapy Co. hand and body lotion 200mL, Nude By Nature face oil 60mL, Revlon age defying with DNA advantage 10mL, Natio mineral pressed powder 12g, Burt's Bees honey lip balm 8.5g. Plus the following: Gorgeous Cosmetics lip liner 1.15g and Crabtree & Evelyn iris hand therapy 25mL, or Bloom mini lip gloss 3mL and Al'chemy & A'kin leave in conditioner 150mL.

Don't forget to grab your copy of the David Jones Beauty Book Spring 2011 edition tomorrow!

Image source: David Jones