Apply, Dry & Peel

I was hoping to kick off my beauty blogging comeback with an awesome never-been-blogged-before-brand-spanking-new-hot-off-the-press beauty product but it's not going to happen because I have dropped off most of the PR call-put lists now { sob, sob } so I don't have a Scooby Doo what is new in the beauty world these days.

Instead, the product I am going to blog about today was purchased after I read two raving reviews of it { and the fact that it was half price helped too! }.

Without further ado, I am going to review...

*drum roll*

...Maybelline Tattoo Brow 3 Day Gel Tint  { Aussie gals - you can buy this at Priceline! }

It's basically a DIY paint-on gel tint for brows which lasts up to 3 days; perfect for those who would love daily brow definition but don't have time to draw in brows every morning but also, who don't go to the beauty salon to get their brows tinted.  That me!

So it's super easy to use in 3 simple steps :-

1.  Apply a thick even layer over brows in the shape you desire
2.  Wait for at least 20 minutes for it to dry { browse through Insta-stories to kill time }
3.  Peel it off and brush brows gently with a spoolie

I like it!

It's convenient without breaking the bank and doesn't require too much effort from lazy old me.

Added bonus :  the peeling bit is fun and reminds me of primary school when I used to enjoy picking off dried PVA glue on my hands.  Tell me I am not alone!!!

And evidently, I have given birth to another aspiring baby beauty blogger!  Thank you my dear little Dainty for kindly modelling my tube of Maybelline Tattoo Brow 3 Day Gel Tint with your cute ickle hands and flashing us your wee piggy toes too! Disclosure : Product was purchased by moi!

He Said, She Said : The One About 4 Different Perfumes

There are 10 days till Christmas!

Has the panic kicked in yet?  Have you bought all your Christmas shopping?

If not, are you thinking of buying perfume for anyone?  Or are you wanting a new perfume for Christmas?

If yes, then you might find this perfume review somewhat useful...

I was lucky enough to receive 4 different perfumes in the mail throughout the year, but it's only been now that I have been able to handle perfumes as I was averse to a lot of scents earlier in the pregnancy.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to enlist the help of my husband to help me review these perfumes as everyone has different taste in scents...

Vera Wang Princess Revolution

They said :  This is for the confident, edgy and rebellious who has found the perfect balance of rock and romance.
He said :  Oh it's Vera Wang - isn't she a designer who makes wedding clothes?  { wedding dresses, duhhh! }  This is nice.  It's not overpowering.
She said :  Look, you can wear the crown as a ring as well as the band ring!!  The bottle design is also funky and edgy; very appealing to young girls.  It smells like watermelon and very fresh.  I do like it a lot!

CK One Gold

They said : The new aroma for her and for him, coming out mid-2016, is a modern interpretation of the iconic fragrance conveying the message: "Be brave. Stand out from the crowd. Everything you touch exudes gold. "
He said :  I liked the original CK One when I was younger...but this one is a maybe.  Maybe I would wear it?  Maybe not.
She said :  This is my favourite bottle design out of the 4.  Oh, it smells quite woody and sweet.  I think this would smell good on you.  Wear it!

Beyonce Heat Seduction

They said :  A sensual, intoxicating and irresistible fragrance of exotic fruits, hypnotic flowers and carnal amber and resins.
He said :  Beyonce has a perfume?!  This smells...oh...I don't like it.  It smells like...talcum powder.  It DOES smell like talcum powder.  Just no.
She said :  It smells like vanilla to me.  And I guess I won't be wearing it if I want to turn on the heat and seduce you since you don't like it at all!!

Chloe My Little Roses De Chloe

They said : Gentle and graceful, the fragrance tries to capture a walk down the Parisian rose gardens.
He said :  This smells like lychee!  This is my second favourite after Vera.
She said :  I LOVE THIS!!!  The bottle is super cuuuute!!!  It smells like roses, very feminine and classic - but not like a granny or overpoweringly floral.  This is my favourite.  I'm gonna wear this every day!!!

It was super fun doing this perfume review together and interesting to see how my husband reacted to different scents.

Have you tried any of these perfumes?  What do you think of them?  And what is your current fave scent?
Disclosure :  Thanks to Coty PR for sending these perfumes for review.

I Can Still See My Toes

Every pregnancy is different.

This time round nearing the end of my 3rd trimester, I can still see my toes!!!

Hence the need for a pretty pedi.

I'm a big fan of shellac pedicures because they last for ages, there's no chipping and it's pretty reasonable in terms of cost depending where you go.

This turquoise green Express Pedicure was done at Organique Wellness and Beauty Bar in Pran Central for $35.  { Well, it was actually $35.35 because there was a 1% card surcharge :P }

The first thing Bunty said to me when she got home that day was - "NEW COLOUR MUMMY!!!  I WANT!!!"

Seriously, toddlers notice E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!!

As for the gorgeous gold snake print sandals adorning my feet, they are courtesy of Naturalizer from the Kids Business Bloggers Brunch Event I attended a couple of weeks ago.

Comfy yet stylish.

Perfect for this busy mama who is planning to drop a sprog very, very soon!

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All I need is less rain and more sunshine so I can show off my pretty feet!!!  D'you hear me Melbourne??!!!

My First ColourPop Haul & It Won't Be My Last!

I never used to be a fan of online shopping because I like having instant gratification from my retail therapy.

HOWEVER, that was until I turned into the size of 3 whales and waddling around shops didn't seem that enjoyable anymore. #preggolyf

Enter online retail therapy which has delayed gratification...but when your parcel arrives, it's like unboxing a present to yourself.

TOO.  MUCH.  FUN.

One of my online shopping hauls was from ColourPop cosmetics.  I ordered on a Saturday night and my parcel arrived 10 days later...  *squee*

SO QUICK!!!

FYI, I didn't buy ALL of those goodies...

Half of it belonged to my girlfriend, Minda...

But it looked really impressive though didn't it?

Anyway, here's what I bought, dear readers...

ColourPop Bangin' Brunette Brow Pencil

Say hello to my new HOLY GRAIL brow pencil!!  Yup, it's perfect.  Well, except for one thing...  Once you wind it up, you can't wind it down again.  GURRRR!!!

The colour is spot on now that my hair roots are showing through.  And the skinny tip is fantastic for emulating brow hairs.  I LOVE IT!!!

ColourPop Easy Peasy Sculpting Stix

I need help in the contouring department especially now that I have a big moon face thanks to pregnancy weight gain, so I thought I'd give this contour stick a go since it's supposed to be "Easy Peasy".

The colour looks very brown (see my swatch below) but once blended in, it suits my yellow Asian skin tone...but I still need to work on my non-existent contouring skillzzzzzzz

ColourPop Let's Play Lippie Stix

The packaging is uber cute.  This lippy is from their newest collab with Hello Kitty.  I may be 36 years old but I will love Hello Kitty foreverrrrrr!!!

The colour is a beautiful cranberry red with a hot pink micro shimmer - very festive and very apt for Christmas.  I wore it without prepping my lips beforehand with lip balm so it did feel slightly dry.  It's a very full-on colour and it lasts ages on the lips before fading into a pretty berry stain.

ColourPop Frick N Frack Ultra Satin Lip

This is one of their bestsellers so it went into the shopping cart.  The Ultra Satin Lip formula felt great on my lips - almost like I was not wearing anything.

Unfortunately, Frick N Frack is too brown for me.

Even my little toddler tried it on and asked for it to be removed straight away!  She likes her pinks and reds like her mama!

I have to layer a bright red over it to make it a semi-wearable shade for me.

ColourPop Cheerio Blush

I thought I made a boo boo buying this blush because it looked like a really strong bold cranberry pink shade which would make me look like a China doll...

But once applied on the cheeks, it suited my skin tone to a tee!  It just gives me a lovely healthy flush of colour on the cheeks.

This creme powder formula is AMAZING!

And I wish, I wish, I wish I bought some eyeshadows to try now.

ColourPop Swatches

From left to right, we have swatches of ColourPop Banging' Brunette Brow Pencil, Easy Peasy Sculpting Stix, Let's Play Lippie Stix, Frick N Frack Ultra Satin Lip and Cheerio Blush on my yellow Asian NC-30-ish skin tone.

Now I know why so many peeps rave about ColourPop cosmetics!  I am a convert!!!

Sadly, I'm now officially on a spending ban { because #maternityleave #anothermouthtofeed } but when I have saved up some moolah for makeup ( 48587 years later! ), I will definitely buy more stuff from ColourPop.

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Have you tried anything from ColourPop cosmetics yet?  What was your latest online shopping haul?

New Additions To The Real Techniques Range

A few weeks ago, I waddled along to a Real Techniques event where I met the Pixiwoo sisters #fangirlmoment where they introduced us to the 3 new { to us in Australia } additions to the Real Techniques range :-

• Miracle Sculpting Sponge RRP $15.99
• Ultimate Base Set RRP $45
• Miracle Mine Eraser Sponges RRP $16.99

Miracle Sculpting Sponge

This bright pink sponge has 6 surfaces and is designed for highlighting (using the small side) and contouring (using the large side).

For everyday busy women and mamas out there, who has time to highlight and contour in the mornings??  Definitely NOT me.

I did find the large flat side useful for applying and blending out blush though when I ran out of clean blusher brushes.

And I can see how this Miracle Sculpting Sponge would be useful for those women out there who have time and skills to highlight and contour.

Ultimate Base Set

So this set contains 3 goodies and one dud.

The 2 makeup brushes are great with super soft bristles.

The Expert Face Brush is great for applying and buffing liquid foundation.

The Deluxe Concealer Brush is obviously meant for using with concealer - but I actually like to use it to apply eyeshadow because the dense brush picks up a lot of pigment.

I'm already a major fan of the Miracle Complexion Sponge - which is the NUMBER ONE SELLING PRODUCT IN PRICELINE!!!

That's a photo of the duo pack of sponges** - I bought these when they were on sale as a backup.  I like to use this sponge in its damp state for applying liquid foundation or BB cream because it somehow makes my skin look more dewy than when I just use my fingers.  It's also great for blending in concealer under my eyes too.

As for the dud... it's the Exclusive Mirror To-Go Case...which I assumed would fit both brushes but it didn't....and I just don't see the point in it really.  Sorry!  >_<

Miracle Mini Eraser Sponge

This cute little purple sponge comes in a pack of two.  The sponge is dinky and used damp for blending away harsh lines and dry to sweep away makeup mistakes.

I like the idea of it but I have to admit that I didn't reach out for it as much as I thought I would as I am so accustomed to using my fingers / cotton bud / makeup wipe when I make a makeup boo.

Instead, I think these Miracle Mini Eraser Sponges are a perfect gift if you have little mini-me's who love to play with their mummy's makeup!

Clearly, my beauty blogging genes have passed onto Little Miss B!

Disclosure :  Thanks again to 360 PR for inviting me to the event and gifting me this goodie bag.
** I bought this duo pack of sponges, liked it and wanted to blog about it.  You can call me Disclosure Queen :P
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5 Antipodes Skincare Products You Should Try

3 things...

Firstly, I have totally neglected this blog but if you're still hanging around, thank you so much!

Secondly, I won't bore you with my excuses for being MIA in beauty blogging but just in case you're wondering (yes, Mum, I'm talking about YOU!), no I am not pregnant again.

And thirdly, I received a lovely Antipodes skincare package at the start of LAST year.  Took photos of it.  Tried all the products.  But forgot to blog about it...

...until now!

If you haven't heard of Antipodes before, you clearly don't browse the skincare aisles like I do in Priceline!  The skincare brand hails from New Zealand and I'm so glad I was introduced to their products.

1.  Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser

The first Antipodes product I tried was The Grapeseed Butter Cleanser because I was so intrigued by it.

Being a "butter cleanser", I was expecting a smooth butter-like balm but there are white bubble-y bits.

Anyway, it turns out that the white bubble-y bits are the exfoliating hibiscus flowers so everyone keep calm and exfoliate!

It also comes with a cute wee spatula.  Hi there!

You apply this onto dampened skin in circular motions and rinse off with a cloth.  The instructions recommend an organic cotton cloth, but the closest thing I could find resembling that in my house was an organic cotton nappy liner...ummm, no thanks, I'll stick to my non-organic face washer.

My skin feels nice and soft after I use it but if I don't apply serum or moisturiser shortly afterwards, it can feel a tad dry.

I also must mention that I wasn't too keen on the scent at first - it's a bit lavender-ish?? - but I got used to it after a while.

2.  Antipodes Divine Face Oil

I only used this a couple of times before my Mum stole it off me because she loves everything that contains rosehip oil.

Funnily enough, even though it is a face oil, I used it on my nails and cuticles and it really nourished them.

Side note :  My Mum used this on her face and gives this a big thumbs up!

3.  Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream

This is only a 15ml sample sized tube so I used it up in no time.  It smelt so yummy because it reminded me of vanilla ice cream.

But because it was only 15ml, I can't tell you much about the long term benefits of using this moisturiser.  My skin was happy for the short time this tube lasted.

4.  Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

Definitely my favourite Antipodes skincare product from the package.

It contains manuka honey active 20+ and it just felt like a luscious treat for my forever dehydrated skin.

It's also good for clearing up blemishes which is why I like to apply it on my chest area.  Anyone else get chest zits???  So annoying!!!

5.  Antipodes Jubilation Ultra Nourishing Hand & Body Cream

If you love a nice big tube of hand and body cream, you will love this.

I'm the worst when it comes to moisturising my hands and body...I don't know why...maybe it's because I am lazy...?!!!  But yeah, this tube is gonna last me foreverrrrrr!


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So, what have you been up to this year?  Can you believe we're already flying towards March already?!!!  Have you tried Antipodes products before?  What should I try next?  #iasktoomanyquestions

Skincare Review : Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Cleanser, Toner & Moisturiser

Can you believe that I did some gardening last weekend?  Who even am I???!!

The flowers in the photo are from my garden - aren't they pretty?

And the trio of Paula's Choice products were kindly sent to me for review........like a bajillion years ago!!!

Ooops!

I actually used this trio a few months ago when we were still in Winter...but it wasn't rich enough for my severely Winter-fied skin back then so I stowed them away and brought them back out now that we are in the warmer months of the year.

Verdict :  My skin likes these products a lot better now that we are in the warmer seasons!

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser :  My favourite product from the range.  It cleanses my skin beautifully without making it that horrible squeaky clean feeling, where I have to dowse my face with moisturiser immediately.  My skin feels soft and supple after using this.

Note :  If you don't close the lid by popping it shut, there will be dried crusty bits of cleanser at the opening tip - which are not easy to clean off!

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner :  I'm not a big fan of toner because I have lazy-itis.  That said, this is pretty soothing after a blackhead-squeezing session.

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturiser :  I shall ignore the fact that the label is spelt with a "z" in moisturiser.  And well, this is a lovely moisturiser but as I mentioned before, I needed something MORE enriching during the cold winter months.  You can always supplement with a serum beforehand though.

Overall, this was a great introduction for my skin to Paula's Choice products.  I'd love to try more of their bestselling products to see if they work wonders on my skin too.

Have you tried any Paula's Choice products before?  Which one do you recommend?

Review & Swatches : Bobbi Brown Telluride Collection

I was recently sent a few items from the newly released Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Telluride Collection and I had instant *heart eyes* because...well...take a look yourself...

Such a beautiful collection, right??!!!

I was IMMEDIATELY drawn to the Telluride Eye Palette $95 { can you blame me? } which has 7 complementary neutral eyeshadows.  My current favourite combo is Velvet Plum Metallic and the Antique Rose together to create a bronzey-rosy look.

Such a shame it doesn't have a matte medium brown shade I can use for my brows though otherwise it would be perfect.

The dual ended brush is pretty good too with the fluffy end for blending and the flat end for lining.

Bobbi Brown Telluride Eye Palette is fantastic for those who love their neutrals - everyday, work, weddings - and because it's smaller than the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, I'm definitely going to be taking this travelling instead { sorry UD! }.  It is a bit of a splurge at $95 but hey, you deserve it *winks*

Next up, I was intrigued by the New Telluride Pot Rouge For Lips & Cheeks $44 because of the unusual shade - it's milk chocolate brown.  When swatched, it's a warm mauve brown but once blended { it blends beautifully btw! }, it becomes more natural looking and really helps contour my cheekbones.

This multi-tasking blush { because you can use it on lips too! } works well with the Shimmer Brick Compact in Sunset Pink $72 because a light dusting of the  superfine powder helps set the cream but also adds a touch of 'je ne se quois'; a subtle radiance.

Side note : My shimmer brick looks a little worse for wear because Mr Postie didn't handle it with care *sad face* but I pressed it back in and it still does it's thang ;)

Last but not least, there's the Twilight Glow Lip Trio $82 which consists of :-

• Bobbi Lip Pencil - a long lasting nude brown pencil which helps accentuate lips
• Bobbi Sheer Lip Color - mauve brown lipstick which is so on trend
• Twilight Shimmer Lip Gloss - mocha coloured gloss with microshimmer

Anyway, that was a long blog post so if you've read this far, I hope I've convinced you to go to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter to check out the Telluride Collection.  It is Limited Edition so don't leave it too late!

Did any of these products tickle your fancy?  What is getting added onto your wishlist?

Disclosure : Thanks to Bobbi Brown PR for providing these items for consideration. 

Makeup Review : Paula's Choice Brow-Defining Cream Duo

I have a friend who has Sharpie brows.

You know them crazy eyebrows that are drawn on really thickly with what seems like a permanent marker?

Yeah, them Sharpie brows.

We are not close at all so it's not as if I can say something like, "You need to tone them down, babe, no offence, like!" #iamsuchameangirl

In fact, we live in different countries so thank goodness I never have to bump into her otherwise I would totally stare at those Sharpie brows.

Like, how can she not see that her brows are totally OTT???!!!

Anyway, what she needs to do is ditch that Sharpie and get onto Paula's Choice Brow-Defining Cream Duo because it is brow-lliant!  See what I did there?

Paula's Choice Brow-Defining Cream Duo is a nifty little brow kit which comes with a surprisingly good mini dual-ended brow brush.

The brow creams are a light blonde/brown and a darker brown - which you can mix together if you require an in-between shade.

For my Chinese brows, I only use the darker brown.

And you don't need to use a lot of product because the pigmentation is bold and strong.  Once the cream dries, it stays put.

Once upon a time, if I had time to apply only ONE makeup product, I would grab my lippie.  But nowadays, I've been defining my brows instead!!!

Paula's Choice Brow-Defining Cream Duo - love it because it gives strong brows without that Sharpie look.

Disclosure : Thanks to Paula's Choice for sending this for review.  I genuinely like it and would be happy to purchase this again.
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Review : Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush

Thanks to Nalini for requesting a review of the Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush I bought recently from Mecca Maxima.

So I'm not going to beat around the bush and I'm going to tell it to you straight - I almost love it.

I'm probably being overly critical as I had high hopes for it especially seeing as it was $35 for this brush.

Don't get me wrong because it looks great,  The handle is solid and it stands out from my other brushes.

Yes, the bristles are lovely and soft so it feels lovely on my skin...but it's a tad too soft.

Yes, it can buff.

BB cream and foundation look flawless (compared to applying it with fingers!) and I can see why it's called Optical Blurring.

But the bristles aren't dense enough to give the feeling of awesome buffing.  I don't know about you but I like that awesome buffing feeling on my face.

It's like massages - I like those super deep massages where it's hard to distinguish between pain and pleasure.

Does that make sense???

And that, my friends, is why I almost love this brush.  It only just missed the mark.

If you want the perfect foundation brush with that amazing buffing feeling, I would suggest paying a little bit extra for the Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush $49 as it gets into those awkward spots and gives the best buffing.  

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Skincare Review : Obagi Professional-C Serum 10% & Hydrate Luxe Moisture-Rich Cream

Obagi.

Is it Oh-bag-ee or O-ba-zhee?

Anyhoo, let me profess my undying love for both of these products that entered my life thanks to the Obagi PR.

Obagi Professional-C Serum is indeed a potent miracle serum!

Let me tell you why...

As you know, I was pregnant over a year ago and since then, my facial skin has changed.  For the worse!

It had gone really dry, dull and lacklustre { from severe sleep deprivation } and don't even get me started on the post-pregnancy pigmentation!  Just EW!

At the end of last year, I went CRAZY using retinols, brightening serums, scar fading potions and it broke me out into this horrible, itchy, red, sandpaper rash.  It took a while for me to nurse my sandpaper skin back to its usual normal/dry skin condition but I finally got there.

However, the pigmentation and dullness still remained so I was in desperate need of some miracle skincare product to address that.

Luckily, the skincare gods answered my prayers in the form of Obagi Professional-C Serum.

Obagi Professional-C Serums come in 3 concentrations of L-Ascorbic Acid : -

• 20% for normal-to-oily skin
• 15% for most skin types
• 10% for dry, sensitive or reactive skin

And luckily, I was sent the 10% to use which suited my skin to a tee.

I use 7 drops every morning before sunscreen.

For the first few days, it stung a little bit when I applied the serum and it went flaky for a day or two until I exfoliated away the dead skin.

After 10 days of usage, I started noticing the AMAZING results.

I kid you not.

My skin looked brighter and I noticed that my pigmentation was starting to fade.

And then a few more days later, I felt that my skin was that much softer and it looked more plump too.

Obagi Professional-C Serum has seriously been a lifechanger!  It's one of those skincare products that has delivered fantastic results in a short period of time.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!  As much as I love Netflix!

As for Obagi Hydrate Luxe Moisture-Rich Cream, I save this for my evening skincare routine where I need full-on, no-holds-barred hydration for my uber dry skin and this thick luscious cream totally delivers!  It is SOOO good that I don't actually have to use a hydrating serum under it.  MAJOR LOVE!

Disclosure :  I was sent these Obagi products and I am SO GRATEFUL.  Highly recommended indeed!

Bargain Beauty Buys : MUD Matte Lip Creams

If you're needing a little pick-me-up to brighten your day, allow me to point you in the direction of these MUD Matte Lip Creams at only $5 a pop.  Bargain, right?

There are a range of colours so buy one first and if you like the matte texture, go back and buy more.

If you want to know how the MUD Matte Lip Creams look like on lips, I wore the Light Pink shade in the video above.

$5 at Woolworths.  You're welcome!

#prsamples
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Tried & Tested Trio : Crop Natural Skincare Oils

I've been PMS-ing this week, suffered extreme backache plus a mother of all migraines and you will get a moody bi-atchy me.

I hate taking so many painkillers because I feel that they make my head cloudy and I can't articulate my thoughts properly.

Luckily, I prepared this post earlier thanks to the "schedule" button.

Some time last year, I received a lovely care package from Crop Natural Skincare.  In amongst the goodies were these trio of oils :-

• Pure Rosehip Oil
• Pure Macadamia Oil
• Pure Argan Oil

I've finally decided whether I like them or not so here are my thoughts...

Crop Pure Rosehip Oil :  I have dry/sensitive skin so you would totally assume that my skin would drink this up right?  WRONG.  My skin didn't take to it at all.  But then again, it was going through a crazy irritated rashy phase when I trialled it.  However, it was great for cuticles and helped strengthen my nails too.

Crop Pure Macadamia Oil :  I used this as a cleansing oil to remove stubborn lipstick and it worked like a dream.

Crop Pure Argan Oil :  This is a multi-purpose oil with "all around care" but seeing as I was already treating my hands and face with the other 2 oils, I used this on my hair tips to see if it would help bring life back to my frazzled ends.  Sadly, no, it didn't repair those darned split ends but it gave my hair a shiny but not oily boost.

Now the best thing about these oils is that they only cost $18 each and they are available at Coles supermarkets { sorry non-Aussie ladies } so pop them into your trolley the next time you're there and report back on whether you liked them or not.

Thanks for reading and I shall hopefully have another blog post up soon once I chase away this damn headache/backache which won't stop plaguing me! xxx
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Keep Calm & Relax with L'Occitane

It has been quiet on the blog this week because :-

a)  I am extremely tired
b)  I have been super busy
c)  I am enjoying as much freedom* as I can before my in-laws arrive tomorrow to stay with us for God knows how long (kill me now!!)
d)  All of the above

And the answer is... d) All of the above... BUT especially c)

*By "freedom", what I mean is - prancing around in the comfort of my own home with no bra on!!!  Ladies, you all know what I mean, right?

Anywaaaaay, I've been doing a lot of breathing exercises lately to help me relax and wind down.  I am usually an extremely patient, mild-mannered, non-confrontational person but I am preparing myself in case I need to "have it out" with my MIL.

Luckily for me, to help me relax, L'Occitane sent me a lovely package of their soon-to-be released Aromachologie Relaxing range - Perfumed Sachets, Pillow Mist and Massage Body Oil.

Three words - TO. DIE. FOR.

As you already know, I'm a big fan of lavender pillow sprays from This Works so I was SUPER eager to test out L'Occitane's version.

The Relaxing Pillow Mist contains essential oils from lavender, bergamot, mandarin, sweet orange and geranium.  It is BEAUTIFUL!

It comes in a generous 100ml bottle which is a good thing because I spray this liberally all over my 3 pillows, my side of the duvet { Aussies say 'doona' } and even on my wrists because I love the smell that much.  It is definitely not one of those old-lady-overpowering-lavender scents but just to be on the safe side, have a sniff in store before you purchase it.

As for the Relaxing Perfumed Sachets, they give the extra oomph!  Because I am an insomniac, I struggle to fall asleep and I'm always tempted to turn on my phone and go on Facebook or something until it bores me to sleep.  But now, instead of doing that, I take a DEEP SNIFF of the Perfumed Sachet { which I conveniently place under my main pillow } and do a few deep breathing exercises and that gets my sleepy senses going.

There are 2 sachets in a box but the other one is currently sitting in my work locker as I'm saving it for the uber stressful days at work, i.e. every Monday to combat Monday-itis!

I have relaxed so much more since using both of these L'Occitane products.  They are already on my Regular Repurchases List.

The Relaxing Body Massage Oil has sadly not been put to use yet.  My husband is always asleep by the time I jump into bed.  I shall have to test it tonight { Fifty Shades of Grey style! TMI?!! LOL! } before the in-laws get here.  I'm very hopeful since the other products have been awesome.

Anyway, if you're a fan of lavender scents and/or you're looking for some relaxation, do check these out when they hit L'Occitane stores in March.

Disclosure - thanks again to L'Occitane for providing these products to help me relax!

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Review : bhave smoothe keratin therapy

Check me out with shiny, straight and frizz-free hair!!!

How did I manage to tame my un-tameable frizzbomb Asian mane?

Allow me to point you in the direction of bhave smoothe keratin therapy.

In a nutshell, this was my experience of bhave smoothe keratin therapy :-
1.  Hair was washed then dried.
2.  Treatment was applied and left for under an hour.
3.  Hair was washed then dried again.
4.  Hair was straightened in sections.  Done!

The photos do not lie.  I arrived at the salon with frizzy poofy hair and I left the hair salon with shiny, glossy, frizz-free locks.  Just wow!

If you need more convincing to get this done, it's formaldehyde-free and Aussie beauty guru, Zoe Foster-Blake got it done just before she popped her sprog!

The downside is that it does not last forever... (apparently, it can last up to 5 months)...

To ensure that bhave smoothe keratin therapy lasts as long as possible, there are 4 things you are instructed to do :-

1.  Avoid washing your hair for 48 hours post-treatment
2.  Use sulphate-free and sodium chloride-free shampoo and conditioner (bhave have a great range - which you have a chance of winning at the end so stay tuned!)
3.  Activate it with heat (i.e. use a hairdryer after washing) to get straighter results
4.  Eat chocolate...!  *winks*

I was extremely delighted with the results of bhave smoothe because I did not have to stress out about my hair going nutso during the wildly humid summer days.  I've been using bhave Scalp and Rescue shampoos and conditioners to keep my hair happy.

It's been over 2 months since I had it done and my hair is still reaping the benefits...but my roots are starting to show through....ugh!

Disclosure : Thank you bhave for the complimentary treatment and for providing bhave products to keep my mane tamed!

Calling All Insomniacs - Check Out This Works!

Every vain person knows the importance of beauty sleep.

But if you're a vain insomniac like me, then getting some shut-eye is almost impossible!!

When I heard fellow insomniac @Legeeque raving about This Works sleep sprays, I knew I had to get my hands on them so I hopped straight over to their website and ordered this trio.

Note : These sleep sprays are NOT CHLOROFORM and won't knock you out immediately but they have fantastic sleep-inducing benefits...

This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray is an UH-MAZING lavender fragrance which is super soothing and helps me wind down.  I love spraying it all over my pillow and my end of the duvet (Aussies say doona!) cover.  Not only does it help prepare me to sleep, it masks the stench of my hubby's windy bum.  He is very prone to snarting (snoring AND farting!).

Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is also another lavender scent but it is more potent in terms of lavender.  However, I find that I have a DEEPER sleep with Sleep Plus Pillow Spray compared to Deep Sleep Pillow Spray.

My insomniac sister is arriving in Melbourne next week so I'm going to gift her the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray and see if it works better on her.

As for the Deep Sleep Stress Less, it packs a punch (in rollerball form) with lavender and eucalyptus oil which I LOVE!  I work in an environment where there are occasionally less than pleasant smells (think bad breath, B.O., etc) so I can easily whack this onto my face mask and inhale this instead.  However, instead of making me sleepy, it actually makes me more awake.

I'm still suffering from occasional bouts of insomnia but at least, I feel more relaxed at bedtime and my quality of sleep feels much better with This Works products.  It really works!

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You can buy This Works products online and I bought my haul from their website - which offered free international delivery...but it ended last week...oops...sorry for not sharing earlier...I was too busy catching up on zzz's :P

Review & Swatch : MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in Reckless

After giving a not-that-fantastic review on the MUA Ever After Matte Palette, I wanted to quickly follow up with a better review on another MUA product I bought this year.  It's from their MUA Luxe range - Reckless, a Velvet Lip Lacquer.  You know I love my lip products and this one is on point and I wish I bought more colours.

{ Side note : If you didn't know already, I've resurrected my Lip Stalker channel here or go straight to my new YSL 52 lipstick swatch video here.  I've just reached over 29K subscribers & nearly 10 MILLION video views!  Just WOW!  Thanks for the support! }

To be honest, I wasn't expecting to like this but I bought it because I was curious on how matte lip lacquers would fare on my lips and at only £3, I wasn't fussed if I only used it once - anything for a beauty blog post, right?

It is beautiful.  A beautiful beetroot rich dark red.  I actually wore it on the day I had a beetroot and red wine beef stew for lunch and thought, "Hey, that matches my lip colour!".

And the application.  Oh the application.  You have to be really careful to apply this slowly in front of the mirror.  Good thing that the doe foot applicator is nice and thin so you can get it into the corners of your lips without making a mistake.

[ Mucho apologies for the not-so-stellar lip swatch.  Pre-baby days, I would have done the lip swatch again until I achieved perfection but nowadays, mehhh, I have a demanding baby and too many other distractions in my life! ]

It dries really quickly.  And when it does, it stays!  It does not budge.  And there's no noticeable stickiness and it doesn't bleed.  And more importantly, it does NOT dry out lips.  I applied it without priming my lips beforehand and my lips did not shrivel up.  There isn't a noticeable scent nor taste.  I wore it for hours and it faded slightly after the 6 hour mark but not much.  It is simply beautiful.  I am wowed!  Just wowed!

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in Reckless has totally converted me into a matte lippy lover!

Review & Swatches : MUA Ever After Matte Palette

For today's blog post...oh wait...let's all do the...

*Friday happy dance*

...for 5 minutes first!

And then, let's continue with today's post...

I picked up the MUA Ever After Matte Palette on my travels back home to UK this year and I finally cracked it open a couple of weeks ago.  It was cheap as chips at only £4 so should you buy a ticket to UK to buy this baby?

There are 10 matte eyeshadows in a cheap plastic palette with a double ended eyeshadow applicator - which is pretty useless so you can chuck that out and use your dirty fingers instead :P

I am happy to see that the shades now have names instead of numbers (which they had when I first encountered MUA back in 2010).

These are the swatches of the top row which contains the lighter matte shades - Unwrap, Butter, Bare, Taffeta, Fade.

The pigmentation was slightly disappointing.  They were almost non-existent in my yellow Asian skin.  I actually had to swatch a few times for it to show up on my arm.  But I appreciate the subtlety if you are going for a barely there makeup look.

These are the swatches of second row which contains the darker shades - Penny, China, Truffle, Fog, Smoke.

The pigmentation was better here, but not OMG-I-MUST-FLY-TO-UK-AND-BUY-THIS-RIGHT-NOW.  My favourite shade is Penny - a great shade for contouring - the only problem is... I don't know how to contour properly without looking like i have a dirty face, hehe!  But it's also great for faking the crease area on my Asian hooded eyelids.

Overall, I was left feeling a wee bit disappointed with the MUA Ever After Matte Palette because the eyeshadows weren't buttery smooth and as strongly pigmented as their mono single eyeshadows which I love.  I guess I had high expectations as MUA is a brand that I have loved from their early beginnings when they only sold £1 products.  However, the palette was ONLY £4 so it's definitely WAY better than other cheap eyeshadow palettes that I have come across which reek of some grandma scent with too much mica sparkles and looking at it will give you conjunctivitis - you know which ones I mean right?!

Well, thanks for reading this week!

Hope you all have an awesome weekend and catch ya next week.

Peace out,
Ling xoxo
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Review & Swatches : Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Pop

M for Monday...itis!

But hey, I'm fully recovered from my bout of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (thank you to baby germs!) so I ain't complaining!

M is also for Maybelline!  They recently sent me a few of their newest products and I immediately gravitated towards the Baby Lips Electro Pop Lip Balms.  (Okay, so they aren't new in the US of A but they are new to Australia.)

I am already a major fan of Maybelline Baby Lips but these Electro Pops are the sexier and more colourful elder sister (I'm only saying that because I am the eldest of 7, haha!  Sorry sibs!)

Basically, Electro Pops are awesome moisturising lip balms with a sheer tint of punchy colours.  I like the packaging of these more than the original Baby Lips because I like the longer lids which make them look more sophisticated like lipsticks.

• Pink Shock is Watermelon flavour
• Oh! Orange! is orange flavour
• Berry Bomb is berry flavour.

I have been wearing all 3 babies non-stop, but I think my favourite has to be Oh! Orange! but seeing as they are only $3.95 a pop, just buy them all! :)

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Five French Favourites featuring Uriage, Nuxe, La Roche-Posay, Gatineau & Bioderma

Today's letter is brought to you by the letter F.

Yes, it is Friday.

F yeah!

And also, I have Five French Favourites { featuring Uriage, La Roche-Posay, Nuxe, Gatineau and Bioderma } that I am really excited to share with you.

Clearly, the French do it best - French fries, French accents (mais, oui, eet eez zo zexyyy!) and French skincare - ooh la la!!!

1.  Uriage Xemose

When I was pregnant last year, I piled on 55lbs and most of it was due to my giant belly bump.  To keep my belly moisturised, I knew I needed something non-irritant, non-scented and highly hydrating.  Enter Uriage Xemose (Merci beaucoup to the lovely Emilie) and my bump was happy.  What is super awesome about this moisturiser is that it absorbs quickly without leaving an annoying greasy residue.  I got my Husband to moisturise my belly when it grew too big for me to do it myself and out of all the lotions and potions I used, he loved this the most because of the reasons I mentioned.  Added bonus was that his dry hands got moisturised too so they were well prepped for when baby popped out.

2.  La Roche-Posay Redermic [R]

I was only introduced to this infamous French brand earlier this year at the launch of Redermic [R].  This is a lovely retinol-based product which targets those dreaded wrinkles.  I am a big fan of retinol because it is a scientifically proven potent skincare ingredient.  Redermic [R] only contains 0.1% retinol and 0.2% retinol lineate so it is not as intensive as the concentrations that I have used before.  That said, I had stopped using retinol whilst pregnant so it was a gentle product to ease my skin back into retinol use without stripping it dry.  Fantastic for retinol skincare virgins.  There is also a Redermic [R] version for use around the eyes - I must get my hands on this!

3.  Nuxe Merveillance Expert Enrichie Jour Rich Correcting Cream For Visible Lines

With the changing seasons, my skin can go out of whack easily.  This is a fantastic ultra-hydrating day moisturiser which will keep very dry skin ladies like moi very happy.  It is a day moisturiser without SPF which is actually a good thing in my opinion because it forces you to apply additional sunscreen.  A lot of people skip sunscreen because they think that SPF 15 in their day moisturiser / makeup / BB cream is adequate - listen up ladies, it is (usually) NOT effective enough!

4.  Gatineau Activ Eclat Flash Radiance Serum

If you want beautiful glowy skin, get this pronto!  This just adds that special 'je ne sais quoi' radiant touch.  I have been mixing a few drops with my foundation and it just transforms my skin.  Love it!

5.  Bioderma Atoderm Nourishing Cream

Bioderma is famous for its micellar water but there are also some outstanding products in their range and this is one of them.  As a newbie mum, I only want the best skincare products for my baby's delicate skin.  Bunty's poor wee face was suffering from a rash (teething? weather? allergies? not sure...) and I tried 2-3 different creams but this Bioderma Atoderm Nourishing Cream was the only one which worked in calming down the redness and flakiness.  Now, we use it every night after her bath.  Not just for her face but all over the body too.  Major thumbs up from me!

Merci for reading.  All the products mentioned were provided for editorial consideration but I wouldn't recommend them if I didn't like them.  Je t'aime beacoup.  Au revoir!

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