MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base Review

About a month ago I purchased a jar of MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base.

OK I need to go back further.  LUPUS makes my face peel, there is nothing worse when you try to put on foundation and your face is flaking and all you can do is take the foundation off and go bare because you know everyone is looking at your flaky skin.

Bare skin is not pretty on me either because LUPUS makes my face red and patchy, I would prefer people didn't stare.  I would still like to go out occasionally instead of hiding my head under a pillow feeling hideous.

So it doesn't matter if I go bare or flaky someone is always looking at my face.  There began my quest for good skincare that helps stop the peeling and redness.

OK back on topic.

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base 30ml - Primarily this is a moisturising primer for your face  Lightweight rich moisturising cream which contains Shea Butter, vitamin A and beta-carotene to help heal, soothe and hydrate your skin.  Prepares your skin for your foundation by smoothing skin and evens out skin tone.

When I first purchased this cream I thought it was going to be tinted (it's white) which surprised me and then I was a bit cynical that this would work to even out skin tone.

The first thing you will notice when opening this jar is the smell, no wonder they call this Seventh Heaven it is truly divine.  Such a fresh burst of citrus lemon & lime hits your senses that you find yourself going back for further sniffs to keep the sensation going, it truly is aaahhhhhhh!  If this is Seventh Heaven I want to go there now!

My face is naturally very red and hot at times and this cream cools and removes the redness like magic, I couldn't believe how good my skin felt and looked.  It certainly removed all the redness and evened out my skin tone as promised.

You only need a little and my skin felt refreshed, soft and hydrated.  I did exfoliate first to remove excess flakiness so I could start with a smooth base.

When I applied my foundation after a few minutes as directed there was no redness or flaky skin to be seen, my foundation looked perfect.  My skin remained feeling hydrated during the day and my foundation stayed put, my foundation coverage by the end of the day had not budged.

This is certainly a miracle cream for me and if you have problems with redness, need extra hydration or just want a good primer to smooth the skin, I certainly would give this one a go.

Seventh Heaven is about as close to perfection as it gets for me.

Made in the UK but available in Australia, they sell a range of cosmetics too but the cream is No.1 for me.

You can find out more about them here at their website and if you subscribe via email you will receive a 20% coupon off your first order.

Lip Factory Beauty Kit May

This is my third Beauty Kit from the Lip Factory and I have not been disappointed yet with what I receive.  I wish Australian Beauty Boxes could deliver something similar, lots of cosmetics with a little skincare thrown in.

This is what I received this month;

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PureCeuticals Kukui Nut Mineral Scrub Sample

Flat Sponge Blender Brush - Sponge applicator brush for foundation & concealer

277 Cosmetics Eyeshadow Pigment ~ Kryptonite - This is a very sparkly loose mineral powder in a green/gold shade.

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277 Cosmetics Lip Gloss ~ Almost Nude - Nude/Pink lipgloss, just leaves your lips looking glossy with no colour really.  Feels nice and moisturising on your lips and there is no tackiness, I really like how this one feels.

NYX Cosmetics Colour Lip Balm ~ TACK - Very fruity smelling berry shade, looks really pigmented in the tube but  I was very surprised  how sheer it was because when I put it on there was no real change in colour on my lips.  Extremely moisturising and smells yummy.

NYX Cosmetics Colour Lip Balm ~ TACK

Bombshell Blush ~ Blind Date - Lovely pink blush with just a little shimmer, highly pigmented and the colour is buildable.

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Bonus product:  NYX Round Gloss Sparkle ~ 05 Sparkle - this is just a sparkly gloss that can be worn on it's own or over lipstick.

That's 6 full-sized products and 1 sample for $22 plus international postage $10, great value even with the postage.  If you would like to try LipFactoryInc for yourself please go here for details.

Purchasing goods Internationally instead of supporting local business, Un-Australian?

I was recently contacted by an Australian Company and asked if I would support their business by blogging about purchasing from their company even though their foreign imported goods were up too twice what I paid for them internationally.

I said NO

Now I am all for supporting Australian companies whose products are manufactured in Australia because ALL the profits stay here, they provide jobs and help communities grow.  In fact if I can buy Australian, I do.

But.... I will NOT support retailers who import products from overseas and then sell them with a huge mark-up.  All their promises if you buy from us it will allow us to grow our business and import more products for you and become more competitive is a load of crap to be quite honest.  Australia has ALWAYS had less choice than the rest of the world in a variety of goods and services and we have ALWAYS paid more for them.

PLEASE SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES WHO MARK-UP THEIR IMPORTED GOODS UNREASONABLY THAT YOU WON'T BE SUPPORTING THEM.  SHOP AROUND THERE ARE ALWAYS GOOD DEALS TO BE HAD IF YOU LOOK.

I consider myself a Savvy shopper and I purchase the majority of items online from national and international websites and the one thing I noticed with the rise of the Aussie dollar was that national retailers did NOT lower their prices, department stores and superstores were STILL charging over-inflated amounts for goods.    They did NOT pass on any savings to you or I, their profit margin just got larger.

So the smart shopper starts looking at international companies online that can sell the same products cheaper and usually with a better shipping cost (I can never understand why international companies can ship to Australia cheaper and quicker than Australia Post but I'm not complaining).  Who doesn't love a good bargain, who would be insane enough to purchase something in Australia that you can pick up online for half the price?  Not me!!

All of a sudden local business notice they're not selling their marked up goods anymore and start crying foul. You may have heard this reported on the news, read about it or watched Current Affair shows where very very rich old men were bleating about losing profits.

National companies want you to support them even if it is costing you MORE.  They encourage you by saying it's un-Australian to buy overseas, keep the profits in Australia, support Aussie business.  Where do you think they are purchasing their foreign made goods from to begin with?  NOT from Australia.  Being Aussie does not mean we have to pay twice as much as the rest of the world and we shouldn't be expected too.

Be a savvy shopper.  Shop around there are many good australian businesses who are competitive and do pass on savings.  Of course by all means buy from local and online businesses if you can.  I love a good sale and have been a bargain hunter for years but if that means I find better bargains overseas at half the price I will buy internationally.  It's my hard earned money and I will spend it wisely as I see fit.

If you truly want to support Australia then STOP buy foreign goods all together and ONLY buy AUSTRALIAN.

DON"T allow these so called Aussie companies to guilt you into feeling un-Australian because you don't buy their foreign produced goods at twice the price from them.  It will not benefit you at all just their profit margin.

It is up to Australian businesses to become more competitive in a Global Market if they want my money.

Below are some links to great Aussie businesses where I do the majority of my shopping, they have the best prices, fantastic sales and competitive shipping.  I don't need to have giveaways or be tempted by discount codes that earn me points or cash to share these great companies with my readers. So you know if I say these companies are good then they are, no persuasion or payment necessary.

If you want a bargain from a great Aussie business well then you can't go wrong starting with one of these.

David Jones
Westfield
BigW
Kmart
Urban Rituelle
Catwalk
Kosmea
Ebay Australia
Cosmetics Now
Makeup Express
Fashion Addict
Priceline
Chemist Warehouse
Alanna Renee Indie Nail Polish
Glossi
Top Buy
Oz Sale
Deals Direct
ASOS Australia

If I have missed any great Aussie businesses please share a link in the comments and I will add them to the list.

Lust Have It May 2013

Can't say I am impressed at all with this month's box.

Seacret  Bath Salts - Ok since when does 100gms of Dead Sea Salts cost $30??    One sachet per bath, that's a bloody expensive bath and I would rather use the money to travel to the sea and bathe.  No salt costs $30, absolute rip-off!!

The Natural Source Camoflage Colour Lip Gloss $12.95.  Wild Orange.  Very thick, sticky and full of glitter that makes your lips feel like sand, doesn't feel very nice at all and there is no moisturising benefit that I can feel.  Has no colour or flavour so I don't know where the Wild Orange bit comes in.

Nicole by OPI Textured nail polish $14.95  Oh lucky me, silver crackle nail polish, how old am I?  Twelve?    

Eleven Miracle Hair Treatment, teeny tiny 6ml sample of leave in hair conditioner, I will be lucky to get one use out of this tiny tube.

Paula's Choice Resist Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum another teeny tiny sample 7mls thats less than a teaspoon and a half.  It's about the only thing that interests me as I use Retinol products already.

Ok 5 products only one of them interesting, from a box that is now charging $5 more and promised to be bigger and better.  Pffft!!

Second month in a row I have received the crappy box, not happy!!

Oh and their offer, if you refer a friend to join you will receive a Paula's Choice Facial Cleanser.  Firstly I would be embarassed to refer my friend if this was the box they received and secondly they would probably stop talking to me for wasting their money!!

If you want to subscribe to an Australian Beauty Service that sends out value for money consistently for $15 + free shipping go here and read my latest review here  for Bellabox's May box, they win hands down for better quality boxes and superb customer service and they do it cheaper.

Bellabox May 2013

BEAUTY SOS!

In case of emergency, put mascara on yourself before helping others.

I received a SUPER-SIZED bellabox this month, I could tell before I even opened the box it was going to be great, it was so darn heavy!

I loved just about everything this month, 7 fantastic products for the low price of $15 + free shipping.  If you are wondering which beauty box you should subscribe too, my recommendation would be this one.  Great value for money, they are the cheapest, offer fantastic customer service, free-shipping with orders from their shop with lots of extra samples thrown in, you can find out more about them here

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Ok now on to the exciting bit what I received this month.

griffin + row ~ Hydrate ~ LUXE ~ full-size 100ml RRP$27.50 ~ this is a hydrating refreshing spray that you can use as toner, to set your makeup or just refresh and hydrate your skin during the day.  Has a lovely botanical scent and I am really excited to receive this product as I love facial sprays.

BLOOM Lip Stain ~ Peach ~ COLOUR ~ full-size RRP$18.00.  This is a buildable lip stain that you can wear on its own for long lasting colour or layer with lipstick or lip gloss.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo ~ CULT ~ sample size 3ml ~ RRP$29.95, 40ml.  I am a little confused as to why I would have received this and the next sample for oily clogged skin as I have dry mature skin and have NEVER suffered oily skin in my life.  

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La Roche-Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel ~ CULT ~ sample size 15ml ~ RRP$19.95, 200ml.  Again I have very dry skin and this is specifically for oily skin, it even says "Goodbye Oil!" on the card, I NEED every drop I can get.  I don't think they have matched these products very well to my profile at all.  UPDATE: I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS GEL TO ANYONE WITH VERY DRY SKIN, I JUST USED THIS TO WASH MY FACE AND I HAVE THE WORST CASE OF SKIN BURN, I HAVE BLISTERS APPEARING, STINGS SOMETHING AWFUL AND MY FACE HAS GONE ALL PUFFY.  THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT FOR DRY MATURE SKIN.  My poor husband is freaking and wants to take me up the hospital, YES it's that bad!

MANICARE DUO Mascara brushes ~ ON TREND TOOL ~  full-size RRP$4.99 pack of 10.  Two different types of disposable mascara brushes, 5 for volume and 5 for curl.

SUKIN Facial Moisturiser ~ Essential ~ full-size 125ml RRP$9.95.  Face moisturiser for all skin types, full of botanical goodies to quickly hydrate your skin.  I have often seen SUKIN in Priceline and never picked any up, I am really happy to be able to try this brand.

NANOBLUR  ~ sample 3ml ~ BONUS ~ RRP$29.99 30ml.  I have seen this product in Priceline too but haven't read very good reviews.  It is suppose to make you look 10 years younger in seconds.  Refracts the light and I guess make everything look fuzzy!  Yep huh huh, I'll let you know when I try it.

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OK that's it from BB this month, a really good box, not everything matched my profile and I will ask why they sent me products for oily skin, but overall a really good selection of products.

What did you get this month were you as happy as I was?  Let me know.

TAG ~ The 7 Deadly Beauty Sins

I saw this on the lovely Louise from Dream Dust blog this morning and I just thought the pictures were so gorgeous.  I can't even pick a favourite they are all so beautiful.

Greed ~ What is your most expensive beauty item?  I splurged out one year and purchased a SmashBox Be Discovered Holiday Palette.

Wrath ~ Which beauty item do you have a love/hate relationship with?  That would have to be Foundation, some days it just doesn't work and others perfect!!

Gluttony ~ Which brand makes up the biggest chunk of your makeup collection?  That would have to be OPI, I have a ton of their nail polishes.  I love to collect and their collections are always so tempting.

Sloth ~ Which product do you neglect to use due to laziness?  Body Moisturiser, I don't moisturise my whole body as much as I really should because I have very dry skin.

Pride ~ Which product gives you the most confidence?  Mascara, I have very long lashes and large green eyes, I always get compliments about my eyes.

Lust ~ Which item is at the top of your beauty wishlist?  Being such a lustful creature I can't narrow it down to one so I would say New Season Collections, I want them ALL!

Envy ~ Which makeup product or look, looks great on others but not on yourself?  Dark Smoky Eye, I am so pale I just come off looking like Morticia Addams and I can't wear Red Lipstick, I am so envious of girls who can.

That was so much fun, I really enjoyed doing this TAG today.

I TAG anyone who would like to do this and please leave a comment below so I can come and read your answers.

Jac x0x

World Lupus Day 10th May

Today is World Lupus Day.  May is Lupus Awareness Month.

Some of you may be aware that I have Lupus and I thought I would share with you all a little bit about this disease.

Systemic lupus erythematosus ~ Lupus is an auto-immune disease.

In a normal healthy body the immune system attacks foreign objects like bacteria and viruses.  With Lupus the immune system creates an excess of antibodies which attach themselves to healthy tissue causing inflammation, pain and damage.

There are varying degrees of Lupus and it is a life threatening disease.

Lupus can affect anyone but 90% of cases are women and most develop this condition in their reproductive years.

After many years of research they still don't know what causes Lupus but they believe some possible triggers are;

Hormones, some medications, diet, viruses, bacteria, stress, genetics, pregnancy and exposure to UV light.

Lupus can affect every part of the body, Brain and Nervous System, Heart, Lungs, Liver, Reproductive, Blood, Immune System, Kidneys, Joints, Muscles, Tendons etc....

Some of the symptoms of Lupus are:

Fatigue, pain, fever, skin rashes, joint swelling, Pleurisy (Lung inflammation), Depression, Nephritis (Kidney inflammation), visual disturbances, Anaemia, Pericarditis (Heart inflammation), Brain seizures, swollen Lymph nodes etc.......

Lupus is a difficult disease to diagnose because it mimics many other diseases and it can take years for a proper diagnosis to be made.


THERE IS NO CURE

Treatment depends on your symptoms and the severity of your Lupus.  Some treatments include:

Pain killers, Anti-depressants, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Steroids, Antimalarial drugs, Immune suppressants such as those used in Cancer treatment.

One of the best descriptions I have ever read about what it is like to live with Lupus is called
"The Spoon Theory" and you can read about it here.

I have had Lupus since I was 15 but it took many years for a proper diagnosis and it has been a long and often very painful journey.

What has hurt me the most is people's lack of understanding and compassion about my disease because,

"You look so well"

and the most hurtful comment I have ever received is;

"Well at least you don't have Cancer"

If you would like to learn more about Lupus please click on these links below.

http://www.lupusnsw.org.au/
http://www.lupus.com.au/
http://www.lupuswa.com.au/
http://www.lupusresearch.org/
http://www.lupusuk.org.uk/
http://www.lupus.org

Top Ten I am loving

I read a lot of blogs about monthly or weekly favourites and I can't say that I introduce that many new products into my routine to be able to blog about them on a regular basis.

So I thought every now and then I would do a blog about products that stand-out for me or have made their way into my routine without me really noticing but suddenly I realise I am reaching for them more and more.

So in no particular order skincare and makeup;

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1.  NUXE Oil - I was introduced to this through bellabox a monthly beauty box I subscribe too, you can find out more about them here.  I love this oil, I use it to moisturise my face, body, hair, nails and occasionally as a very light perfume.  There is nothing this oil can't be used for, add a little salt or sugar for an exfoliate or as an all over body massage oil.  I use this as an oil cleanser on my son's face to help control his acne, I massage a little on his face and it helps loosen and clears his pores.  I prefer the spray bottle it's less messy and one spray in the palm of my hand does my face and neck or my hair, a little goes a long way.

2.  INDIO Salt Scrub - This is another amazing product introduced to me through bellabox I have been looking for a very fine scrub that doesn't strip my dry skin of what moisture it does have while gently exfoliating my face and NOT causing break outs.  This scrub is wonderful, does a fantastic job of exfoliating and leaves me with soft clean skin with no redness or irritations.  You only need a pea sized amount for your face and it moisturises as it exfoliates.  Contains Dead Sea Salt and Herbal extracts, leaves my skin looking soft and hydrated, I use it once a week.

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3.  NATIO BB cream, FAIR - Ok I am starting to see a pattern emerging here, this is another product which was introduced  via bellabox I swear I am not doing this on purpose but I guess when you subscribe to beauty boxes that's where you will find the majority of your new favourites. 

I am a real BB cream snob and prefer the Asian BB creams over the western formulations BUT... out of ALL the western BB creams I have tried NATIO make THE best BB cream for me and I am already on my second tube.  This BB cream hydrates, offers good coverage, SPF15 protection, the Green Tea and Chamomile soothes redness while the Vitamin E repairs and the Shea butter and Jojoba oil moisturise.  Has that great natural NATIO aroma and I just love the way it feels on my skin and the natural skin coverage I achieve for my every day look.  I also notice as I am outdoors a lot that the SPF in this cream offers very real protection and my face is not red by the end of the day.

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4.  MUA Pro's Every Lash Volume and Lengthening Mascara - Black - this is one of those little gems that you don't expect much from because of the price and it becomes your HG of mascaras.  This is the only mascara I have been using for weeks now, it sat at the bottom of my trial box ignored for the longest time and now it's the mascara I reach for when I want perfect lashes EVERY time.  The brush on this is amazing, it separates and coats every single lash even the little ones, no clumping, no fall out and NO panda eyes.  If you haven't tried this mascara yet I urge you to get a tube, it is one of THE best mascaras I have EVER used.  You can find it here.

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5.  Rimmel Glam Eyes -  Smokey Quartz - This is the newest eye shadow I have purchased recently, it was half price at BigW and I have been using it pretty consistantly ever since.  Gorgeous, silky formula with just the right amount of sheen, multi-dimensional shade means you can wear it on its own and the depth of colour appears different depending on the lighting.  

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6.  MUA Bronzed Perfection, I would have to say this is THE best bronzer I have ever come across and even though I try others I ALWAYS come back to this one.  Perfect for contouring my face, adds just the right amount of colour and shadow, the shade is buildable.  NO glitter, that is very important to me, you can find it here.

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7.  Rimmel - Match Perfection Blush - Fair.  Creates a natural flush on the cheeks, the separate shades can be used for deeper colour and contouring or you can sweep you brush over the entire palette.  This is THE perfect blush for my fair skin and I have never found one better.

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8.  Yes to Carrots C Me Blush Lip Tint - Coral Sunshine ~ Natural Smile ~ Cotton Candy.  Sorry no swatches, these tints are so sheer they don't show up on my camera.  Super moisturising, with a hint of colour, great to just throw in you handbag.

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9.  AUSTRALIS Ready Set Go Finishing Powder - superfine, translucent silica powder.  This is the best powder for setting your foundation without drying your skin out and leaving it looking powdery.  Since I discovered this powder I haven't used anything else. Perfect!

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10.  Urban Rituelle Turkish Rose & Vanilla Perfume Oil - this is the perfect  mix of Rose, Musk and Vanilla in a oil base roll-on bottle.  Apply a little to your pulse points and the perfume lasts all day, this is one of my favourite perfumes and I carry it with me always.  This perfume is part of Urban Rituelle,s Tea Ceremony range and you can find them here.

Ok, that's my Top Ten for now, there are other products I use consistantly so this is just a snapshot of a few favourites and I am sure it will change when I find new products or rediscover some old favourites.

Love to hear what some of your favourite products are, please comment below.

NATIO Haul

David Jones have two NATIO gwp offers this week and it is available online.  If you purchase $38 worth of Natio products you will receive a cosmetic bag filled with Natio goodies valued at $70.59 absolutely free.  Their second offer is, if you spend a further $11 on Natio products you will receive a second cosmetics bag filled with Natio goodies to the value of $14 for free.

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Advanced Lifting and Firming Serum ~ Face Mask Purifier ~ Illuminating Primer

I decided to take advantage of these offers, I purchased the three products above and received the following GWP's.

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Included in the first bag was;

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Rich Colour Creme Gloss - Serene
Lash Definition Mascara - Black
Mechanical Long Lasting Eye Liner - Black
Wellness Intensive Hand Cream - 30ml
Ageless Lifting Day Cream - 20ml
Ageless Firming Night Cream - 20ml
Ageless Dual Action Cleanser and Exfoliator - 20ml


Included in the second bag was;

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Spa Gently Cleansing Bar - 100g
Clay and Plant Face Mask Purifier - 20ml
Moisturising Lip Balm - SPF30

What great value, purchase over $49 worth of Natio and receive two cosmetics bags full of goodies valued at $84.59 absolutely free.

I love NATIO products and this is certainly a great way to try more of their fantastic range.

This offer is still available online until stocks run out, GWP's will be automatically added at checkout or just walk into David Jones and ask.