Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayons

Some time ago on one of my Priceline excursions I picked up a box of Lip Crayons by Face of Australia.

I have to tell you I LOVE these crayons and to anyone who hasn't tried them you really need to go and pick up some.

This collection is a Limited Edition so I guess that means they will be around as long as stocks last, if you can find them I really recommend you pick them up.  I did see the boxed collection in Priceline the other day for $14.95 and you can purchase them individually online here. For $4.95 each.

There are three shades available,

CUPCAKE     SUNDAE     MACARON 

They are all very moisturising and don't dry your lips, the shades are very wearable, non-sticky, smells like vanilla and they stay on your lips a long time.  Wind up pen applicator that you never need to sharpen, the lids stay on tightly so you can just throw them in your bag and your good to go.

There is nothing about these crayons that I don't like.

Cupcake   ~   Sundae   ~   Macaron

Have you tried these lip crayons?  Please let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Jac x0x

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

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;

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

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.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

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.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

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

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

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.  

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

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.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

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.