Mini Review Skin79 Super+ BB Gold Label -UPDATED WITH PHOTO

Firstly let me say a HUGE thank you to Kathi from Lotus Palace for her review of this cream which is what prompted me to purchase it. I know it's a little be early to be singing HG from the mountains but I really feel like I'm onto a winner here. I have been wearing this cream for the past two days and I'm loving it!

I initially thought it was going to be to dark for me but it seems to blend into my skin perfectly leaving me a nice even skin tone. Also I noticed that my pimples seemed a lot more soothed then before. I have been suffering from a lot more blemishes then normal due to all the medications I've been on and It's really been getting me down. When I washed my face last night after wearing this cream all of the blemishes were almost completely gone. This morning when I woke up my skin was dramatically improved - it was plumper and more hydrated and the blemishes were not noticeable, in fact all of the inflammation and infection is gone from them and all I'm left with is a few pink scars were they were.

I will keep you updated and also add some pictures when I can.

UPDATE 8 July - I got my camera cable back, yay! I have had surgery today so I'm not going to write much because I don't feel great. Still loving this cream!

Good Mail Day!

I received two parcels in the mail today so you can expect some reviews in the near future. Unfortunately there are no pics at the moment because I left my camera cable at my cousins on the weekend and won't be able to get it back until next weekend!

First parcel - Skin79 Super+ BB Gold Label from ebay, the seller kindly included a sample tube which is great because I can test it out before opening the big bottle. I have just put some of this on and first impressions are very good. I will review in more details once I've tried it a few times

Second Parcel - from sasa.com, Baby Pink Lip Jelly (RASPBERRY), Casuelle Vitamin E Lip Booster Stick, Colour Zone Colour Zone Juicy Nourishing Lip Balm, Kanebo MEDIA Lip Gloss (RS-1), DOBEST 3 colours eye shadow palette (#03), SKINLITE Brightening Essence Mask & JUJU Cosmetics AQUAMOIST HA Face Mask. I haven't tried any of these yet but I'll let you know what I think when I do.

REVIEW: Shiseido Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss PK384

This is a really cute little gloss but when I say little I mean little. This gloss is about half the size I expected it to be but it was fairly inexpensive so I'm not overly upset. The colour PK384 is a lovely sheer peachy pink shimmer that I just love, it's great worn on it's own but also works well over lipstick.

I really like the texture of this gloss, it is thick and slightly tacky which means it lasts a long time on your lips. I often go for hours without having to touch up this gloss. I do find that it works best with some sort of lipbalm underneath because it doesn't really moisturise my lips.

I think this is a great little gloss and I will look at purchasing some of the other colours in future - I just wish they came in a bigger tube!

REVIEW: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara

I have fairly long lashes naturally so I don't normally buy lengthening mascaras. I gave this mascara a go because I found it cheap on ebay while looking for a everyday natural looking mascara. I have loved Maybelline mascaras for years now with Full 'N' Soft being my favourite so I was reasonably confident that I would like Define-A-Lash.

Firstly lets start with the brush. I was surprised a how soft and flimsy the brush was. I didn't think there was any way it would have enough strength to coat my lashes. I was partly right, it does take a bit of work to get the lashes nicely coated but the result is really good so I don't mind taking the time to work with it.

This mascara does exactly what it says it will do. It defines and lengthens lashes. The formula is good and does flake of irritate my eyes. I did notice some minor smudging on my brow bone on a very humid day but normally I don't notice any smudging. Because it lengthens my lashes I do have a little bit of trouble with the formula transferring to my brow bone before it's dry. I have to be very careful to keep looking down for a few minutes after application which can be annoying when your in a hurry and have other things to do. I did find this mascara took a little bit longer to dry then other mascaras.

Overall I do like this mascara but I honestly don't know if I would repurchase it. It does do what is claims to and I don't have any major issues with it I just think that I like others like Cover Girls Lash Exact better. If you have short lashes then give this one a go, it's great for the price and in my opinion is much better then most high end mascaras out there.

Here are some pictures using this mascara - please note that I do not use a lash primer and I don't curl my lashes so this is straight on the lashes as they are.

REVIEW: Avon True Luminous Moisturising Makeup Base

I have a problem with foundations oxidizing on my skin and turning orange, I always have to wear a base to stop this from happening. I have tried many many many different types of makeup bases both expensive and inexpensive. Some were good, some were just ok and some were plain bad! Nothing I have ever tried even comes close to Avon's True Luminous Makeup Base. I am already on my third tube of this beautiful little product and will repurchase again and again (In fact I have just ordered another 2 tubes from ebay.)

Firstly let me start by saying I find Avon a little bit hit and miss - some products are great and others not so great. I was very dubious when I first purchased this makeup base. Surely it would not work the miracle I was dreaming for when so many other more expensive brands have failed?

I have a love/hate relation ship with primers. I need them to stop my makeup going orange but I hate the way they feel on my skin and feel like I'm suffocating, then inevitably my skins breaks out after a few days use. Avon's base didn't do any of the above. It felt comfortable on, my skin seems to have a bit of extra glow even without foundation on and MAJOR plus - no breakouts! I love this product so much that sometimes I even wear it when I'm not wearing foundation because it makes my skin baby soft and seems to even out my skin tone just slightly making my skin look radiant. Another plus is that this primer does ball up like some others do.

Ok now to the drawbacks of this product. As much as I love it I need to point out a couple of little flaws -

#1 - the tube is to small, I go through a tube every couple of months. This means it's not as great value for money as it seems and it's annoying to have to reorder constantly.

#2 If you apply to much the base seems to draw to much moisture to the skin and your face feels clammy and sweaty as if the weather was really humid. This is easily avoided by not using to much. I use about a pea sized amount

#3 It can be hard to spread evenly. The first time I tried it I found it difficult to spread evenly over my face without applying to much. I have discovered that if I apply about it to my hands and warm it with my hands first it spreads better. Also I find it works best if you start by patting it over the different areas of your face and then blend with fingers.

I also want to let you know that this product does have a fragrance. I don't mind it but some people might find it annoying because it doesn't seem to fade and sticks around all day. I it a fairly mild scent and doesn't bother me most of the time but if I have headache I do notice it.

REVIEW: China Glaze imMATERIAL GURL Collection

Quite some time ago I purchased three colours from the China Glaze imMATERIAL GURL collection as I was going through a phase of loving cremes. All the colours in this collection are cremes which makes a nice change from the usual shimmer and glitter out there. I must say that while I do like the colours for me they are really more toe colours, they just seem a bit to much on the hands for some reason. I do like the formula though, even though when applying it sometimes seems like it's going to be streaky it always evens up to a beautiful smooth finish with a lovely shine


<--------- Atelier Tulle is probably my favourite of the three, it is a muted dark pinky peach (hahaha that's a pretty vague description) I find that I can actually wear this one on my hands as long as my nails are relatively short.















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Designer Satin is a muted magenta creme. It is a really really pretty colour but just to intense for wearing on the hands. This may be because I am very pale. I love this on toes and will get a lot of use out of it this way












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Mom's Chiffon is hard to explain, it's like a Barbie pink that is not quite as bright. I'm not really a fan of this colour, it just doesn't work for me. I can get it to work by using a sheer shimmery top coat but most days that is just to much trouble. I think it would be a much better colour for people with more tanned skin then me.

REVIEW: Becca Turkish Rose Creme Blush

Becca's Turkish Rose Creme Blush was one of the first cream blushes I ever purchased. Looking at the tester in store didn't really wow me - it looked pretty boring.

The SA insisted that it would be prefect for my complexion (I am very pale) and I let her apply some so that I could try it out. Well, I have not looked back since. This blush gave me the perfect slightly coloured but still natural looking cheeks that I had been looking for.

My face is instantly brighter when I apply this blush. Because I am so pale I do have to be careful not to apply to much but this is the same for any blush I use. I love the cream texture, it feels comfortable on but isn't to greasy. I have been using this pot regularly for about 3 months and the above picture shows just how much I have left. I think this will last me a while.

If you are looking for a natural looking blush that is easy to apply then I would highly recommend Becca's Turkish Rose. I can't remember the exact price but I know it wasn't cheap. For me though it's great value for money because I love it, it makes me feel good when I wear it and you don't use much so it will last a long time.

BEAUTY CHALLENGE NUMBER 2 - Relax

Welcome to my Beauty Challenge #2, If you haven't already done #1 I suggest you go and do that one now and then come back to this one later.

When you are relaxed you smile more, your outlook on life is clearer and more positive and people notice that you look happier. This challenge will be easy for some but more difficult for others. It's about letting go for a bit and taking some time for yourself.

What you need -

an area of floor space to lie down (if you have hard floors put a couple of towels down so that it's not uncomfortable)
relaxing music (I suggest something classical, my favourites are Moonlight Sonata & Jupiter from the Planets. If you don't have classical music just use something that you enjoy listening to that isn't to fast and isn't sad)

Put the music on and lie on the floor face up making sure your back is straight.

Close your eyes and just listen to the music, it may take a couple of songs for you to completely relax, take as much or as little time as you want.

Try and concentrate on the music - If your having trouble with this pick what instruments are used, try and follow just one instrument

When your ready to stop just slowing open your eyes but stay lying down for a minute or so before you get up.


Notes: Please only do this if you feel comfortable doing so. Some people may have medical conditions which prevent them lying on the floor and some people may feel uneasy with the sense of letting go and detaching from what's going on around them. ONLY do this if you want to and remember that you can stop at any time if your not comfortable

REVIEW: Kose Visee Liquid Eyeliner BR300

I love liquid eyeliners but some of them can be so messy and hard to apply in a straight line. I really like the Visee Liquid Eyeliner because it is in a click tube pen with a brush applicator. The brush is great for applying a nice straight line. I use my lashes as a guide and just run the pen along. Once the formula is dry it is budge proof. Sometimes I need to go over the line twice to build up the colour as it can go on a bit sheer. Also I find it best to twist a couple of times and then apply some liner to my hand and use it from there so that I can control the amount and not end up with globs of liner. The colour is a beautiful deep brown with shimmer.

One drawback is that if I rub my eyes this liner can start to flake, but if I can remember to leave my eyes alone then it's fine. Some liquid liners sting my eyes but I have not had any problems with this one. If your looking for a black liquid liner I would recommend the Kanebo Kate Super Sharp Liner but if you looking for a colour other then black I highly recommend the Visee. I will definitely be getting some of the other colours.

REVIEW: Shiseido Maquillage Eye Shadow Singles

My favourite brand for eyeshadow singles in Maquillage, nothing beats the amazing silky soft texture and feel of these shadows. Colour payoff is good and can be adjusted easily - they can be applied as a sheer wash or built up for more intensity without having to cake the shadow on.


This first one is BL784 which is one of my favourites, it has a fantastic smooth texture and a shimmer finish (no glitter!) The colour is a very wearable medium blue with a hint of grey.


This is VI627, another great colour. The colour payoff isn't quite as good with this shadow but it's still decent.


Above is RD748 which is not my favourite colour in the world but is ok on occasion. RD748 is a deep maroon with gold micro glitter.


GR747 is a lovely olive green with gold micro glitter


This is BR771 which is a warm medium brown with gold micro glitter. This colour is really pretty used wet as a liner.


BR628 does not have the fantastic texture of most other Maquillage shadows but the colour payoff is still good. This is a darker brown then BR771.

REVIEW: Sofina Aube Jewelry Shower Eyes EX02

Firstly, sorry the pictures aren't real clear. I know my last review was for an Aube palette and I really should review something completely different but I wanted to share my favourite item of makeup with you. This quad does not look like much but let me tell you - it creates the most beautiful looks. EX02 was a limited edition release from Sofina Aube at around the time I started getting into Japanese cosmetics. The quad is made up of three powder shadows and one cream shadow (which is a translucent blue glitter).

When this first arrived I was disappointed, it was super glittery, the colours looked boring and when I swatched it I wasn't overly impressed with the texture. I actually was so disappointed that I put this up for swap on makeupalley.com. I decided to give it another shot and discovered that the glitter is just on the top of the powder shadows. Once the glitter is removed you are left with very smooth gorgeous shadows. The colours still looked quite boring though. I wasn't doing anything special that day so I did my makeup with the palette and then pretty much forgot about it. Later in the day my husband commented on how pretty my eyes looked. I quickly went and had a look in the mirror and WOW, he was right. The shadows had somehow melded with my skin making them look smooth and pretty - and seamlessly blended.

Another great thing about this quad is it's so versitle. You can create many different looks and the glitter cream can be used to add sparkle by applying it under or over the powders. Here is a couple of pics of different looks I've done with this palette.

REVIEW: Sofina Aube Impression Eyes 54 Purple

I really love Sofina Aube Eyeshadow Palettes. In addition to this one I also have Impression Eyes 53 Pink and Jewelry Shower Eyes EX02. The actual palette is slightly more purple then in the picture. What I love about these palettes is how versatile they are, all the colours go together and you can do many different looks using the one palette. The texture of the eye shadows is great - they are nice and silky. Colour payoff is decent, you can apply the colours as a sheer wash but it's not hard to build the intensity. All the shadows blend beautifully and feel fantastic on - I sometimes forget I'm wearing eyeshadow because it's so comfortable.

Another thing I love about this particular palette is that while it is the purple it is still very wearable for everyday, the purple is quite understated. This palette would be great for someone wanting to branch out into purples.















Here is an EOTD using this palette. It is a little bit more purple in real life - my camera has washed out the colours a touch.

REVIEW : Kanebo Lavsucha Eye Color Select Quad PU-2

I am a big fan of Japanese cosmetics and have quite a few in my collection. One of my favourite brands is Kanebo's Lavshuca. They offer quite good quality for a very reasonable price, and they are just so cute! Japanese cosmetic packaging is adorable!

I do like the colours in this quad but for some reason the two purple shades look muddy and dull on my eyes. I am able to overcome this by using the very pretty beige and taupe shades but it does take a little bit of work to make this look nice on. In the palette all the colours are very pretty and it's a cute little palette to have sitting around.

I also find the two purple shades a little bit difficult to blend and the pigmentation is not great. The beige and taupe though are a completely different story and are lovely colours which are silky soft and have good pigmentation. The taupe is very glittery which can cause a bit of fallout over the course of the day. I think this quad is worth it just for the beige and taupe.

BEAUTY CHALLENGE NUMBER 1 - Mini Manicure

Occasionally I will post a beauty challenge. These are challenges to help you feel beautiful. Today I am challenging you to give yourself a mini manicure. You don't have to have perfect hands or nails to do this.

What you need

Bowl of warm water
Towel
Hand Cream or Moisturiser (if you don't have these you can use Olive Oil)


1. Soak your hands in warm water for 5-10 mins. If you have any essential oils you can add a couple of drops to the water. Lavender is especially good because it will help you relax.
2. Gently pat hands dry with the towel.
3. Massage the cream or oil into your hands. Take your time with each hand. Work your way up each finger massaging in small circles. Pay particular attention to your cuticles.
4. Gently pat off any excess cream or oil with the towel.
5. Smile, you've just given yourself a mini manicure!

Notes: If you want after doing the steps above you can gently push back the cuticles, file your nails and polish them. If you are going to apply polish then it's a good idea to swipe each nail with some polish remover to remove the cream or oil residue from the nail.

RECIPE - Chicken & Corn Soup

Looking good is not just about the outside, it's also about the inside. When you feel good people around you notice. I wanted to share with you my number one feel good recipe. Now matter how bad I've been feeling this soup always makes me feel better. It's super easy to make and very satisfying.

Chicken & Corn Soup

serves 4

Ingredients

- 1L chicken stock
- 1 cup chopped cooked chicken (I use BBQ chicken from the supermarket, you can also use leftover roast chicken)
- 1 can creamed corn
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon cornflour
- pepper to taste

1. In a saucepan combine stock, chicken, & corn. Simmer gently for 5 mins.
2. Mix cornflour with a small amount of cold water and add this to soup. Stir well. Simmer for another 5 mins.
3. Add pepper and parsley to soup. Stir well.
4. Serve and ENJOY

Notes: I make the stock using stock cubes and hot water, I add 1-2 cubes more then the directions on the packet. Taste your stock and make it stronger if you'd like - it's up to you. I add quite a lot of pepper to give a nice kick.

REVIEW : OPI Didgeridoo Your Nails? from the Australia Collection

This is my very favourite nail polish (which is saying something because I have quite a few) It is an amazing medium pink shimmer which to me is not to dark, not to light, not to bright - it's just right! It also has stood the test of time. I have had this bottle for quite a while and still love it as much today as the day I got it. Being OPI the application and wear of this polish is great provided you use a base and top coat. The only minor draw back is that I do experience a tiny bit of nail staining but that is common with most polishes.

REVIEW : Gunnar Peterson's Core Secrets FUNdamentals DVD

Rating : 4.5 out of 5

Good Points : Easy but still challenges. Explains and demonstrates well. Great for a beginner

Bad Points : Becomes repetative

Additional Notes : This is an excellent DVD for a beginner and for those that have never used a fitness ball before. If you are more advanced though this will be way to easy and may be a bit borning.

I started using Core Secrets two years ago in the lead up to my wedding. It did an amazing job then and I can't believe I was silly enough to stop using it.

I have started back up again with the FUNdamentals DVD in which Gunnar takes you through the basics. I have been using this DVD approx 3 times a week for the past 3 weeks and have noticed a definite improvement in my body. I am more toned and I feel great. Once you are used to working out 'on the ball' this DVD can be a little bit to easy and gets slightly boring after you've watched it so many times. I use this one to help ease myself back into working out. I also use this DVD when I up the weights I am using, it's a nice way to get use to a heavier weight.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog. I will be adding my thoughts, tips and reviews of different things relating to BEAUTY. It is very important to me that beauty is not just what we see on the outside, it's also how we feel on the inside. This blog is my way of sharing my thoughts on inner and outer beauty.