The Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Cream Review

I recently visited the The Body Shop and picked up their new BB cream.

This is what the Body Shop has to say about their new BB cream.

The Vitamin E Cool BB cream illuminates, evens skin tone and moisturises for 12 hours.  The air-whisked lightweight texture will effortlessly smooth onto the skin for a fresh and natural look.

Contains Vitamin E, mica minerals and 8 different sheer and weightless colour pigments.

This is my thoughts on The Body Shop BB cream.

Pros:

Super moisturising, plumps the skin and makes your face look fresh
Evens out skin tone, my Mum's skin looked great after applying this cream
No smell & Non greasy formula
Excellent primer for foundation, this cream works great to smooth and prepare your skin for foundation
Pea-sized amount covers your entire face and neck, a little goes a long way
Does not contain sunscreen I personally do not like sunscreen in my creams and foundations as they react with my skin, I prefer to use a natural mineral sunscreen like what you find in mineral powders.
Long lasting, The Body Shop claim this cream hydrates for 12 hours, I would have to agree with that, my skin felt hydrated until I removed my makeup at the end of the day

Cons:

Only comes in one shade, while this looked great on my Mum it did not match my fair skin
Redness Coverage is very sheer, was enough coverage for my Mum's darker skin tone and did wonders for the shadows under her eyes but did nothing for my pink skin, coverage was nil on me, does not cover redness.
Does not contain sunscreen, no good for those that like sunscreen in their BB cream or foundation

I am still trying to figure out what the "Cool" means as I did not notice any cooling effect on my skin.

Swatches below left to right, THICK ~ PEA-SIZE ~ SHEER

natural light

day lamp

I do like this BB cream because it worked wonders on my mother's more mature skin, she really did look healthy, younger and glowing and the shade suited her skin tone perfectly.

For myself with my fairer pink toned skin, I liked the moisturising effect and it worked great as a primer but I could not use this on it's own and would need foundation.

As you can tell by the two swatches above my skin is just too fair.

The Body Shop should think about bringing out different shades because one shade definitely does NOT fit all.  It's a pity because besides the lack of colour choice this is a very good BB cream.

If you haven't found a BB cream yet that works for you this one might be worth a try, especially if you have found other BB creams to be too light for your skin.   You can walk into any Body Shop and they will give you a generous sample to try.

RRP$21.95 for a 50ml tube

The Body Shop is now online for those of you who don't have a shop near you, so now you can pick up all your favourite Body Shop products here

Would love to hear if you have tried this BB cream and what your thoughts are please leave a comment below.

Jac x0x

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.

My Friday Priceline Haul

After I have my Chemo for the week my husband always takes me to one of two places Hand Bag Shops or  Cosmetic Shops.  Then he lets me loose, lol........It really is wonderful therapy and I am very fortunate to have such a wonderful caring husband.

Because I had to get my prescriptions filled I decided to have a little look around Priceline while I was waiting and this is what I picked up.

Because of my Chemotherapy I am a little more aware of what I am putting in my body these days and find myself leaning more and more towards natural products.  Firstly with all the nausea I suffer,  natural essential oils don't make me feel ill like chemical fake scents tend to do these days.  I just don't want to be absorbing anymore nasties than I have too.  My body feels overloaded as it is.

NUDE BY NATURE BB 5-1 MIRACLE CREAM - LIGHT - 50ml RRP$19.95, on sale $14.95.  I actually received the medium shade in January's LHI box but it just isn't the right tone for me.  When you have very fair skin which shows redness you need Fair shades.  I find that there is something in the lighter shade which tones down redness and that is missing in the more yellow medium.  The light also seems to offer more coverage while the medium is more sheer.  I do like this cream, smells really nice and as I work outside with Athletes mornings and afternoons even with perspiration it stays put and no sunburn.  So I was pretty happy that I managed to get this on sale at Priceline.

NUDE BY NATURE PAPAW OINTMENT - 30g RRP $5.95, on sale $4.46.  What's not to like about this ointment.  All natural, no petrochemicals or parabens, comes in a generous sized tube, smells yummy. Extremely moisturising because of the coconut oil, shea butter and jojoba, soaks right into your skin and doesn't leave it greasy.

Natio had a free gift with purchase if you spend over $30 on their products.

TRAVEL SIZE BRUSH AND MANICURE SET

Contains 8 manicure tools and 5 makeup brushes with a good sized mirror in a very handy pink case.

I purchased the following three items so I could get the travel set.

NATIO meditate HAND CREAM - YOGA SCENT PINK LOTUS ATTAR - 100ml RRP $9.95.  All natural,  has a lovely floral fragrance, moisturises well with no greasy after feel.  I don't know about you but I hate it when you put on hand cream and then you can't open doors, jars or something as simple as taking the lid of a pen because your hands keep slipping.  Contains Pink Lotus Water which I am guessing is where the fragrance comes from, Neem, Turmeric, Sweet Almond, Jojoba and Sesame seed oils.

NATIO PURE MINERAL SKIN PERFECTING BB CREAM SPF 15 -  50g RRP $14.95.  I also received a sample of this BB cream in my Bellabox January in medium.   I did use the sample up and liked it enough to go and purchase the correct shade for my skin tone in Fair.  I use a lot of BB cream because I am outside and slap it on twice a day.  I like that this contains SPF and it does work.  It is also a good moisturiser, contains Vitamin E, Jojoba and Shea Butter.   Wonderful natural scent, contains Sweet Orange, Ylang Ylang and Lavender.

NATIO LITTLE TREASURE NAIL COLOUR - LEMON 9ml  RRP $5.95.  I have been wanting to try a yellow nail polish for a while, I just love the pastel colours that have been available this summer.  Formaldehyde, Toluene and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) free.  I don't wear nail polish on my hands due to the nature of my profession, I keep my nails short but I do love to paint my toe nails!!

Ok so that was my little haul from Priceline, if you don't have a Priceline near you, you can order online here.  They also have a Sister Club worth joining as your receive points on ALL your purchases and they are redeemable for quarterly vouchers and special offers.  I like Priceline because they have such a wide variety of cosmetics and skincare available, there is something for everyone!

Please leave a comment below I would love to hear from you.

Lust Have It January 2013

LHI's effort for this month.

LOVE the box, it's fantastic.  Beautiful pattern and colour, love that it closes magnetically, can think of lots of things I might use this for.

I am hoping that next month's box will have a U on the spine so in the end LUST HAVE IT will be spelt out in a nice little collection of boxes.  If not maybe they will all be differently coloured like the bags.

LUSH COSMETICS - EMOTIONAL BRILLIANCE MAKEUP - RRP $24.95.  I received CONFIDENT Believe in Yourself, this is a gorgeous gorgeous Eggplant Purple, unfortunately too dark for my fair skin, I could never pull it off as a lipstick, eyeshadow or blush.  I am just going to admire the bottle from afar lol.......I am going to try this as a lip stain and then cover it in light lip gloss I think that might be wearable.  The only concern I have is that it doesn't seem to set and smudges everywhere!!  Sorry I couldn't get a good swatch of this, kept coming off brown on my camera and it is definitely NOT brown!

Also included was a card for a Free Emotional Brilliance colour reading in store and a free sample of make-up remover, unfortunately I live about 200km's away from my nearest Lush Store so I won't be able to partake of this offer.

lush.com.au

NUDE BY NATURE BB 5-IN-1 MIRACLE CREAM - 50ml, full-size RRP $19.95.  I received Medium.  I normally would purchase Fair but I can live with this, smells lovely, creamy hydrating texture, I will probably pick up a Fair and mix the two so I get the use out of this tube.  I generally use BB creams when I go for a walk first thing in the morning, covers the ghostly appearance of my pale skin as well as protection from the Sun.  I use quite a lot of BB cream as I work as an Athletics Coach, BB creams offer great coverage, sun protection and doesn't come off with perspiration, works best if you set with powder.

LUST HAVE IT KABUKI BRUSH - full-size RRP $19.95.  I don't know anyone who can't do without a Kabuki Brush, these brushes really are the best.  Lovely dense soft bristled brush, good one LHI!!

KLORANE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER - samples 10ml, RRP $9.95.  Formulated with Pomegranate and Mango Butter for colour treated hair.  Great,  but the samples need to be bigger for longer haired ladies such as myself.  Two teaspoons of conditioner just doesn't do it when your hair is down to your waist.

AVENE CLEANANCE SKIN RANGE - sample size,  prices start at  RRP$24.95.  OK I am just about Avene -d OUT!!  I have so many unused tubes in my sample basket, I just don't like the stuff.  This is also not for my skin type, these products are for oily blemish prone skin, I am mature dry skin,  this is where LHI"S lack of profiling their customers lets them down.

OK so besides the totally wrong skin care from AVENE, I am not too unhappy with my box this month.  In fact after seeing what some other lovely LHI customers received I am quite relieved.

What did you get this month and what did you think, let me know comment below.

bellabox January 2013

We Love Australia!

This month it's all about celebrating Australian Beauty Brands and this amazing place we call home!

YOU ME AND EVERYBODY COOL IT ALOE VERA GEL 100ml full-size RRP $8.95.  This is not something I would normally purchase as I don't need it.  I did try a little on the back of my hands and it was lovely and hydrating.  I have passed it on to my husband to use on his face after he shaves.

AURORA SPA ROSE AND ALOE BODY CLEANSER 50ml sample, RRP $28 275ml.  I love Aurora Spa, their products smell divine.  This is a generous travel size 50ml sample, I am going to enjoy trying this.  UPDATE:  This is low lathering, I applied with a sponge and found I was using twice as much to wash myself.  Smelt great while I was washing but fades pretty quickly, lovely botanical rose aroma.

AURORA SPA ULTRA RICH BODY CREAM 50ml sample, RRP $52 200ml.  Another great Aurora Spa product, I think it's pretty expensive for a body lotion, but it smells soooo good I just might treat myself. UPDATE:  Lovely and moisturising, this is a very rich cream,  has a lovely botanical aroma but fades pretty quickly.   I like that as it doesn't compete with any perfume you might want to wear during the day.  I still think its very expensive for 200ml of body moisutriser.

NATIO PURE MINERAL SKIN PERFECTING BB CREAM SPF 15 5g sample, RRP $14.95 50g.  Natio have been around since I was a teenager and I really like their products,  their lip gloss is great.   I am a big fan of Korean BB Creams and I usually find that western BB creams are no more than a glorified tinted moisturiser.  I will update when I try this.  UPDATE;  I tried this today, lovely and creamy, pleasant botanical aroma, moisturising, easy to apply.  Wrong skin tone I am fair NOT medium, I can wear this but it is just a little dark for my liking.   FURTHER UPDATE.  I did purchase this in Fair and I love it.  Great coverage and last all day even in hot weather.  All you need do is set with some powder.

FACE OF AUSTRALIA COLOUR MAX EYE SHADOW PALETTE full-size RRP $10.95.  This is a 4 shadow palette called GOLDMINE, From top left,  Silver/grey sparkle, Matte Brown , Gold Shimmer and Darker Brown Sparkle.  I haven't opened this yet but when I do I will provide swatches. I love the colour selection.   I am really happy to see this in my BB box as I rarely receive eye shadows, mascaras etc......... and  I love eye shadow!

As long as I get at least one product I like in a box I am fairly happy and I was really happy to receive the eye shadow and the Aurora Spa products.  For some reason the second shipment later in the month seems to get the luxe products and I really wanted to try The Little Alchemist and Jurlique samples  but this was an OK box for me.

If you would like to try BB for yourself go here.

Mirenesse VIP Beauty Box

Today I received my Mirenesse VIP bi-monthly FREE beauty box.

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For those that don't know this is how it works.  For $25 per month you receive a VIP membership which entitles you to a FREE beauty box every two months, a $25 monthly voucher off a $65 purchase, free shipping, up to 80% discount every day and special VIP only offers.  I think that if you really like to use Mirenesse that this a terrific membership.

This is my second month as a VIP so this was my first FREE beauty box.

I received three items, all full-size and what I liked best of all was the 'letter' which introduces and explains each product.

This month's box was titled;

SIMPLY FLAWLESS - 3 Magic Steps for a Nude Glow

Take on 2013 with a new confidence & a new look!  Be fabulous, confident & comfortable in your own skin all year round with your Simply Flawless Skin Perfecting Kit.

Sounds good!!  So what did I receive?

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1. THE ILLUSIONIST - Magic Touch BB Foundation - Vienna 40g - RRP $49.50 - VIP $39.60.

 

www.mirenesse.com

This foundation very much reminds me of Korean BB creams which I absolutely love they are far superior to the western ones.  Gel like consistency which goes on smoothly to provide light to medium coverage and will last all day.  I have this in Vanilla which is a shade lighter and I love it so I know I will like this one too, both shades are suitable for light-medium skintones.  Sponge applicator which is removable for those of us that prefer to apply with our fingers, there is also a mirror on the lid which comes in very handy I have found (you can just see it there).

2.  HIGH DEFINITION POWER - Touch on Concealer - Golden Cream 8g - RRP $29.50 - VIP $23.60.

Conceals and hydrates while minimising lines and concealing shadows and blemishes.  This is quite a bright concealer which would work well as a highlighter and would definitely brighten your under eye area.  Comes in two shades Ivory Pink and Golden Cream.  Great tube applicator just squeeze a little on your finger and pat into the skin where needed.

Golden cream is a light yellow based concealer which is good for brightening your complexion and reducing the appearance of dark circles.


LUXURIOUS & LUSTROUS - Viva Eternal Gloss - Show Girl 8g - RRP $29.95 - VIP $23.96.

This is a neutral pink shade infused with opalescent glitter.  Can't say I am a big fan of glitter but I love Mirenesse Lip Gloss formulas.  They always glide on easy, non sticky, moisturising and long lasting.  Nice fruity sweet flavour and the first time I have used a glitter lip gloss where the glitter didn't feel gritty on my lips.

Overall I am very happy with my first VIP Beauty Box.

www.mirenesse.com  - Ship internationally

Love to hear what you think, please leave a comment below.

Beauty Repurchased Makeup

I have such a large collection of cosmetics it was really hard to find a few products that I liked the most and repurchase, I buy far too much makeup than I will ever need!!

Here are a few things that I have really loved in 2012

Bonne Bell blend'nglow in natural blush.

This is the one and only Bronzer/Highlighter that I have ever found that matches my fair skintone.   The four shades can be used individually as bronzer, blush and highlighter or a general sweep over the entire pan can be used for an all over healthy glow.  Natural matte like finish with just a little bit of glow, perfect for my skin, I use this exclusively to contour my entire face.  I have to purchase this from Amazon.com because it isn't available in Australia.

EVERYDAY MINERALS MULTI-TASKING NEUTRAL - SEMI-MATTE mineral powder.   I can't wear mineral powder on its own because it is too drying on my skin. I love to use this product for setting my liquid foundation or when I am wearing BB cream and want a little bit of extra coverage.  I have been using EDM for years and this is always the powder I reach for, nothing else compares.

ALMAY ONE COAT GET UP AND GROW MASCARA.  This is the mascara that I reach for most often and have repurchased several times.  I have very sensitive eyes that itch like crazy when they come in contact with anything foreign and this is one of the very few mascaras that does not irritate my eyes.  Thickens and lengthens and stays put.  I really like Eye of Horus Mascara too but I haven't had to repurchase that yet but I will.

ELISHACOY ALWAYS NUDDY BB CREAM.  I have tried many BB creams but this is the one that I have repurchased.  Gel like texture that leaves your face with a healthy glow, doesn't break down or settle in your pores, lasts all day and is a great base for mineral foundation.  Recommended for all skin types but I have found that this is more moisturising than other BB creams which is probably why I prefer it, I don't think it would be suitable for oily skin.

My favourite cosmetic is Lip Gloss, I don't wear lipstick as I find it too drying but I have lip gloss everywhere!  I love MIRENESSE LIP GLOSS.  They come in sheer glosses, sparkle, shimmer and matte shades.  Super moisturising, long lasting and the colour range is fantastic.  Another lipgloss that I have fallen in love with this year is;

MUA Makeup Academy Intense Kisses Lip Gloss, my favourite shade is Sealed with a Kiss.  Lovely creamy matte musky rose, non-sticky long lasting formula, for a budget lipgloss these really are the best.  Available online at www.muastore.co.uk or Superdrug, they do ship internationally.  This is a good brand of cosmetics, very reasonably priced and I have loved everything I have purchased from there so far.

My all time favourite go too eyeshadow would have to be Covergirl Eye Enhancers Tapestry Taupe.  Very very popular with Beauty Bloggers worldwide, you can find it on Amazon, Ebay and Priceline have it here as part of a quad called 'Country Woods'.  This is a magical eyeshadow that can be worn on its own but depending on the light lookes multi-dimensional.  Very buildable colour which makes a great smoky eye for very fair skin and stays put all day.  Everyone should have this in their beauty collection.

My all time favourite concealer is Benefit Erase Paste in fair.

 



This is just the best concealer, great coverage and very blendable.  I conceal under my eyes after foundation, I just pat this in and I'm good all day.  Doesn't build up in the creases and give me an extra boost of moisture, while brightening my under eye area.  What I like best about this concealer is I don't need to set with powder which can be very drying on my skin and accentuate lines.

This was a very difficult blog to write as there are so many favourites but these are just some of the ones I find my self using every day.

Please don't forget to leave a comment, I would love to hear what some of your favourites are.