Josie Maran Argan Oil

Hey guys,

Today I am going to be reviewing the Josie Maran Argan Oil which I bought from Mecca Maxima during the holiday season. Now when it comes to my oily skin I always thought that I need to use products that will take away the oilyness on my face but I was wrong. To combat oilyness I started using this Oil as my moisturiser and I can say it has made such a big difference to my skin. 

 

So it all started with a sample sachet I got with one of my Mecca order and I used it for a couple of nights. Instantly I found a difference to my skin when I woke up in the morning. So I read a bit more about the product and found that it can be used during the day as well. I bit the bullet and bought this bottle for $70, which is a steep price to pay but 4 months down the line I think it is worth every cent I paid. Now this is a multipurpose product that can be used from head to toe on the whole body. Be it to smooth your hair or  to strengthen cuticles Josie Maran Argan Oil comes to the rescue. Made with 100% pure Argan Oil that is organically grown, cold pressed, cruelty free, paraben free and vegan.

 

 

Let's talk about the packaging first, it comes in a glass bottle with a dropper fixed to the screw top lid so you can easily use how much ever product you want. I think the packaging is a 10/10 for the consistency of the product. I also travelled with this to India and back and it is still in one piece.

The actual oil is clear, light, non sticky and very blendable. I like to use it every morning after cleansing I apply the Estée LauderAdvanced Night Repair Serum and follow with the Josie Maran Argan Oil, about 4-5 drops for my entire face and neck. I wait about 5 minutes and then apply my sunscreen and makeup. 

Like I said before this bottle has lasted me 4 months and I have been using it every single morning to moisturise my face. My skin has never felt so good in the past 10 years, I have suffered from a lot of acne and occasional dry patches but after I started using the Argan Oil I rarely get a pimple. It could be because of the fact that my skin is now not over producing oil and thus not blocking pores. 

Josie Maran also has a light version of this Oil but I have not tried that so cannot tell you the difference but as an oily skin girl I think the original version is quite light too. You can purchase the 50ml bottle for $70 or the 15ml for $23 from Mecca online or in Mecca Maxima Stores.  I highly recommend this product as it has been a game changer for my skin. 

Brand Focus- Natralus Australia*

Hey guys,

Today I am going to be reviewing a couple of products from the brand Natralus. Natralus is a wholly Australian owned and operated family business located in South Australia. Their products are created with natural and organic ingredients leaving no place for chemical ingredients.

After the success of the original Natralus Natural Paw Paw ointment and lip balms, they have now introduced Lip Butters made with organic papaya, free from petroleum jelly and enriched with Shea butter, Vitamin E and and natural flavours like Coconut and Strawberry.

These lip butters come in 4 flavours, Coconut, Strawberry, Honey & Vanilla and Cocoa Butter. I personally loved the Coconut and Honey & Vanilla flavour but they all performed the same way. The product itself is a bit thicker than normal lip balms and you only need a tiny bit. I have been using it at night time to give my lips a bit of extra moisture. Some lip balms I have tried dry my lips out after a while but with these I did not experience that, infact my husband uses them on a daily basis and loves them too.

If you are looking for an affordable, natural lip balm that provides long lasting moisture and nourishment I would highly recommend you to try these out.

Next up, Natralus have released a Moisturiser that is again made out of organic papaya and its called the Natralus Paw Paw 95% Pure Moisturiser. They say it is an all-natural moisturiser for the face and body that captures the benefits of organic paw paw while keeping the skin hydrated and soothed for hours. All these benefits without any petrochemicals, petrolatum, parabens, silicones, mineral oil, alcohol, fragrance or colour.

This moisturiser also contains the goodness of Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, both really good to keep the skin hydrated. I have been using this moisturiser everyday since I received it on my body and to be honest I absolutely love it. It is non sticky and absorbs straight into the skin. Because it is free from nasty chemicals I use it on my belly to relieve the itchiness caused by my skin stretching due to pregnancy. The lotion itself is very light and can be used on the face but I have personally not tried it.

If your in the market for a body lotion that is fast absorbing and hydrating you should give this a go.

Natralus products are available from leading pharmacies and independent supermarkets.

The lip butters retail for $5.75 and you get 10g of product and the moisturiser comes in three sizes 30g for $5.95, 75g for $9.95 and 200g for $15.95.

Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick review*

Hey guys, I have been lucky enough to trial the new Rimmel lipstick collection called The Only 1.

This range consists of 12 lipstick shades and 3 lip liner shades. The colors vary from wearable nudes to deep berry shades. 

I have 6 of the lipstick shades that I tried and tested; and I must say I am very impressed with the quality and wear of these lipsticks. 

First let's talk about the packaging, these lipsticks are housed in a sleek black case with a band that shows the color of the lipstick. 

All of the shades were very pigmented and true to the color in the tube. The formula is very smooth and creamy that glides on easily. 

Enriched with Vitamin E and Rosa Fruit oil they leave the lips feeling moisturized and do not dry them even after wearing away like most lipsticks do. They have a very obvious fruity scent which doesn't linger on the lips thankfully as it can be quite strong for some people. The formula reminds me of the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks, creamy and pigmented. Once applied on the lips they literally feel like you have nothing on. The nuder shades don't leave a stain like the darker and brighter colors do but they stay on a for about 4-5 hours after which they fade evenly. I found that after a meal or a drink they made my lips a little tacky, I didn't mind that much as I reapplied and it was fine but some people may not like that feeling. The overall look is shiny but not completely glossy and wears down to a satin finish. 

  

The shades I have are Naughty Nude- a midtone pink nude, It's a keeper- a mauve pink, Listen Up- deep pink, Cheeky Coral- pink toned coral, Revolution Red- Warm red, Pink a Punch- vibrant pink. My favorite shades out of these 6 are Naughty Nude and Listen up. 

The Exaggerate lip liner is slowly becoming my favorite type of lip liner as it is retractable, smooth and stays on for hours. I have tried heaps of lip liners and some are very drying (*cough *MAC* cough*) but this one was easy to apply without pulling or drying my lips out. I am excited to try out other shades and hope Rimmel comes out with more shades in this formula.

The lipstick retails for $15.95 and liner for $12.95. Considering Rimmel goes on sale often you can grab these for cheaper and I highly recommend you do.

The Only 1 Lipsticks and Lipliners are available at all the places which stock Rimmel like Priceline Pharmacies, Chemist Warehouses, Target, BigW, Kmart and selected Woolworths and Coles.

Have you tried The Only 1 lipsticks? What do you think of them? Let me know in the comments below.

JORD Wood Watch in Koa and Rose Gold*

Hey guys,

Today's post is going to be about my new accessory which has been an everyday staple in my wardrobe for the past few weeks.

Jord contacted me to review their product and I was given an opportunity to choose any one watch out of their wide range. It did take a while for me to choose because I wanted something that would work with a variety of outfits and something I wouldn't get bored of. Finally I chose the Koa and Rose Gold watch from the Cora collection. I chose this watch purely because I have nothing close to what it looks like in my collection and with the rose gold trend going on, I thought it would be a perfect accessory this spring/summer.

Koa (Acacia Koa) is a species native to Hawaii and is considered to be the most beautiful out of the native hardwoods. Depending on the season the tones in the wood range from medium gold to reddish brown.

Jord provides free shipping worldwide and the watch took a week and half to get to me. I was happy that it was packaged really well and there was a lot of bubble wrap to make sure it didn't damage in transit. They resize the watch to fit you before hand so its not a hassle for you. Incase you don't have a tape measure handy, their website provides a downloadable wrist sizer that you can print and measure your wrist. This particular watch retails for $275 USD but I think it is worth every cent.

It came in a wooden box which had the Jord logo engraved on it. Inside the box, the watch sat on a pillow again covered in bubble wrap to ensure it didn't break. The box also included the warranty card, instruction card, cleaning cloth and extra links that they took off from the watch for resizing.

As you can see in the pics, the watch itself looks gorgeous with the rose gold dial and the golden brown wood to complement it. The back has a clear glass and you can see the mechanism through it. The wood itself ranges in colour from burnt gold to brown and has its natural texture which makes this watch even more unique. I have had a lot of people complimenting every time I have worn this watch.

 Features:         

sapphire crystal glass

deployment buckle with push button

swarovski crystal markers

screw-down crown

Movement:

Sea-Gull ST6103K

display: hours - minutes - seconds

jewel bearing: 21 jewels

drive system: self-winding automatic (requires no battery)

I am currently obsessed with my new watch and if you are looking to add a lovely, different piece to your collection I highly recommend you check out Jord watches because they are nothing like those  metal watches that you see everyone wearing and it is sure to catch peoples eyes. Convinced you to buy it? You can check out the whole range here. 

Luxury Wood Watch

Colour Theory Spring Racing Makeup look*

Hey guys, 

Today I am going to be talking about a really affordable but good quality makeup brand.

Color theory has been in the market for a few years now and their products are available at Amcal and Guardian Pharmacies. They have over 100 products ranging from eye shadows, lipsticks, nail polishes, mascaras, base products and gift sets. The prices range between $4-$10 which I think is great considering the quality of these products. The packaging isn't very fancy, all the products are housed in clear plastic compacts/ tubes but I think you get what you pay for so I don't mind the packaging.  I have always wanted to try some of these products but didn't get a chance to. I was sent these products to review and as always I will give my true , honest opinion on any product featured on my blog.

To create this look I used the eyesadow duo in Berrylicious, blush in Cheeky Glow, Lipstick in Fuschia Frenzy and  the Define Mascara. 

The eyeshadow retails for $6 and has two shades, one light and one dark. The lighter shade is a pale pink slightly shimmery shade. The darker color is a more brownish maroon shade with very little specks of glitter but that glitter does not show up on the skin when you apply it. I used the lighter shade all over my lid and the dark shade in the crease and lower lashline. With a primer these shadows lasted only a few hours on me which was a little disappointing but if you don't have oily lids these are a great everyday , easy to slap on eye shadows. They blend very well too so that's a plus.

The blush in Cheeky Glow is a very natural flush of colour that looks good with any look. It retails for $6 and I think its a great blush that lasted throughout the day on me.

Blush in Cheeky Glow, Eyeshadow duo in Berrylicious and Lipstick in Fuchsia Frenzy

The lipstick in Fuschia Frenzy is a bright neon pink that is great for the spring and summer, to be honest I was a little disappointed in this as it accentuated my dry chapped lips but that could be because of the colour. Otherwise it was very easy to apply and comfortable to wear. It lasted a good few hours and also stained my lips so the wear wasn't very obvious. The Colour Theory lipsticks retail for $6 and I can't wait to try other shades.

My favorite of the lot is the Mascara in Define. This mascara lenghthens, volumises and seperates my lashes better than many high end mascaras that I have tried. For me this is a must try product from this range. The wand has plastic bristles and the formula is neither too wet nor too dry. This mascara retails for $8 and is a definite winner in my opinion.

Overall I think Colour Theory is a very promising brand and I would highly recommend to try their products out particularly the mascara. Available at Amcal, Amcal Max , Guardian Pharmacies and online here. 

Have you tried any products from Color Theory? Let me know what you think of them in the comments below.

Dolce by Dolce and Gabbana Perfume Review

Hey guys,

Today I am going to be reviewing this beautiful perfume I won in an Instagram competition a few months ago. Dolce by Dolce and Gabbana is a feminine and fresh scent which would suit a wide range of women. 

"The concept of this perfume embodies the delicate balance between timeless craftsmanship and innovation in the art of perfume composition. Dolce is one's personal touch, signature scent."

The design of the bottle is very elegant, made out of thick,clear glass with soft curved lines. The flower stopper pays tribute to Sicilian customs. It was this vintage looking flower that first caught my attention to this perfume. I love anything vintage and customary and this is probably my favorite perfume, packaging wise that I own. The black grosgrain ribbon is a reminder of the white shirts and black bow-ties that were a signature of early Dolce and Gabbana catwalk shows. The most personal touch is Dolce signed in black script, a replica of Domenico Dolce's father's own signature. 

Top Notes- Neroli Leaves and Papaya Flower

Heat Notes- White Water Lily, White Daffodil and White Amaryllis ( a South African flower used for the first time ever in a scent)

Base Notes- Musky notes, Cashmeran and Sandalwood

I absolutely love fresh, floral scents and that is why Dolce is becoming a new favorite of mine. The scent lasts a whole working day on me, its not very strong nor mild, its the perfect in-between for me. If you are someone who loves floral scents I highly recommend you trying this perfume out.

Dolce is available at Myer and Priceline. The prices are as follows:

                   Myer

               30ml : $75

               75ml: $135

                Priceline

               30ml : $64

               50ml : $87 

               75 ml : $114

( Prices may vary; these prices are true as of 11/09/2015)

Have you tried any of the Dolce and Gabbana Perfumes? Which is your current favorite perfume? Let me know in the comments below.

Klara Cosmetics RESET Instant New Skin Review

Hi guys, 

Its been such a long time since I have blogged but I was a little busy with my life and I lost interest in blogging. I didn't want to do it just for the sake of it that is why I thought of taking a break but I am back now and here to stay for good.

Today's review is going to be about the Klara Cosmetics RESET Instant New Skin. This revolutionary gel innovation is formulated to mimic a microdermabrasion treatment in a bottle.

The formula contains French honey, bamboo and olive extract, it exfoliates the skin as well as unblocks and tightens pores. It also claims to diminish the appearance of fine lines. Suitable for the face and body, RESET gives the skin a radiant and smooth surface, ready for subsequent applications of skincare and makeup.

It comes in a sleek black and silver plastic container with a pump. For my face I use 2 pumps of product and work it into my skin after cleansing. 

Once you work this product into the skin it balls up all the dead skin into little white particles( as seen in the photo below)

It is recommended to leave this on for about two minutes and then can be washed or wiped off with a tissue. I tend to wash it off but I found these little particles stuck to my peach fuzzy facial hair around my jawline. It does get a little hard to remove because I have to go in with a facial towel and rub it off by giving a lot of pressure. It is recommended to be used 3 times a week but if you have very sensitive skin then I would probably use it only once a week. I have been using it for more than 8 weeks now and found that everytime I used it my skincare absorbed better into the skin. I haven't noticed any other significant difference other than that on my skin. My pores do feel tighter after every use but it doesn't last very long. 

Overall I enjoy using this product on the days I really want smooth radiant looking skin as it does help my skincare and makeup sit nicely on my skin. RESET retails for $34.99 at Priceline and it goes on sale quite often. 

Have you tried RESET? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.