SPOTLIGHT: Favourite June 2019 LOTD's...

Squeezing in the June LOTD's with some classic Winter colours - yum! Maybelline is dominating thanks to the Made For All pack I was so kindly sent, but there are a few pre-loved faves and a couple of newbies that I really didn't need, but couldn't resist lol ♥...

So let's get on with the details...

1. Bourjois Rouge Edition - Brun Boheme. SO love this colour - it's particularly stunning paired with  an olive themed outfit, and the comfort factor is 10/10 ♥,,,

2. Nude by Nature Moisture Shine - Garnet. So different from the other "garnet" lippies in my kit (which are way redder) but another supremely softening and lip-loving formula ♥...

3. Colour by TBN - Raison Rage. One of my latest bargains, this was in a bowl in Price Attack for under $5. I've not seen this brand anywhere else, but I'm quite impressed. Very moist, wears well for the price, and the shade is a rare breed in my collection ♥...

4. Maybelline ColourSensational Made For All - Red For Me. Gorgeous orangey red, this is the only matte in the range (well for now at least). Very comfortable and long-wearing. You'll find my dedicated post HERE ♥...

5. Maybelline ColourSensational Made For All - Ruby For Me. Oh goody - side by side with the Red For Me it's easier to see the colour difference between these two than it was in my article. This beauty def has more pink content - so moist, so delish! ♥...

6. Maybelline ColourSensational Made For All - Mauve For Me. Surprisingly this is the one I've worn the most so far - amazingly flattering to my skin tone and goes with just about anything. A raging success story Maybelline! ♥...

7. Maybelline ColourSensational Made For All - Pink For Me. I call this kind of shade antique pink - love that it's muted but still packs enough punch for those of us who need some colour to look healthy lol ♥...

8. Colour by TBN - Vampira. Bargain #2 from Price Attack. They only had one other shade in the bowl - a nude that was too pale for me, but I'm hoping to find another outlet for these where I can check out the whole range ♥...

9. Shanghai Suzy - Miss Georgina Pink Plum. A much-loved berry (you can tell by the label wearing off). I simply MUST try more of these (vegan & cruelty-free). There's a special at the mo' - 3 for $50 with free express shipping HERE, although this particular shade seems to have been discontinued ♥...

10. Maybelline ColourSensational Made For All - Fuchsia For Me. Wowser bold pink that's sure to lift your spirits - a total knockout if you're wearing a black, grey or navy outfit ♥...

11. Maybelline ColourSensational Made For All - Plum For Me. The other one from this stunning range that's particularly dear to my heart. This is so ME! ♥...

12. Sash Cosmetics Luminous Lipstick - Insomnia. I feel a bit bad posting anything from this brand as it folded last Christmas, and there's nothing worse than falling head over heels for a lipstick colour only to find it's no longer available, so forgive me. I keep hoping they'll be reincarnated ♥...

So that's the June's lineup done and dusted - do let me know your thoughts on the Maybelline Made For All lippies if you've tried any of them!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

REVIEW: July Bellabox...

When I was made redundant last year, I thought it best to cancel all my subscriptions until I landed a new job, and I sure have missed the parcels of goodies that used to turn up every month from various sources. And even though I've been working fairly steadily since then, I haven't re-subscribed to anything because it was the perfect opportunity to use up the ton of products I had stashed away - a task I've only just recently managed to (almost) complete. But then as luck would have it, last week the generous folks at Bellabox kindly sent me their July pack to review, and after grazing through the terrific contents, and seeing the value, I'm sorely tempted to make this monthly offering my next adventure ♥...

No doubt some of you are familiar with this particular sub, but for those of you who aren't, let's take a closer look at what's in this month's box...

Luna by Luna Eyeshadow ($15)

The shade I received was Miracle - a gorgeous shimmery plum that's smooth as silk and blends like a dream. Delighted to have a compact single pan to slip into my makeup bag in case I need to pat on a little more during the day, although I doubt I'll need to - this seems to have excellent staying power, and it's cruelty-free ♥...

MODELCO Highlighting Shimmer Whip ($12)

This is a stunning cream luminiser in the shade Champagne - the prettiest soft gold with an amazing metallic sheen. I'm not a big user of highlighter - I usually just dust a little on the top of my cheeks and the tip of my nose, but I've already tried blending a teeny bit of this liquid with my foundation, and I'm amazed at the difference it makes to my face - gives me a lovely youthful radiance without looking overdone. I also stroke a smidgin down the centre of my nose after contouring, and I far prefer the result than the powder I've been using ♥...

Yes to Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask (10ml, $5.99)

Haven't tried this yet, but it's scheduled in for the end of the week which is when I always ALWAYS indulge in some kind of mud mask. While I don't experience acne, my skin can always do with some detoxifying, and I'm loving the sound of the tomato, watermelon and pumpkin ingredients. The blurb says it's 96% natural, so that's a bonus too ♥...

Liar Wrinkle Cheater Eye Serum (12ml, $39.95)

I'm always up for a new eye product, and this clear serum is 100% natural, cruelty-free and vegan, and has a lovely fresh scent. With a metal rollerball applicator, it feels icy cold in the current Sydney temperatures, so I'm stashing this away till the weather warms up a bit. Specifically for reducing wrinkle depth and preventing new ones forming, I'll report back on this via one of my Empties posts later in the year. Love the writing on the tube - "Tell them your real age, they'll never believe you" ♥...

Coco & Eve Like a Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque (212ml, $64.90)

Can't wait to try this when I next shampoo - it smells SO good, and the instructions say it only needs to stay on for 10 minutes. Cruelty-free and vegan, it's also minus any sulfates or parabens and is designed to restore damaged hair, tame the frizzies, and deliver lots of hydration and shine. Sounds like my kind of hair product ♥...

Plunkett's Nutri-Synergy Working Hands Intensive Repair Treatment 

I actually have a half-finished tube of this magical hand repairer in my bedside table drawer - I've been sidetracked with three others that came my way, but it will appear in my Empties post in the next month or so. Absolutely BRILLIANT hand cream - totally unglamorous, but boy does it work, and it absorbs completely ♥...

I've checked out the contents of previous boxes, and they all seem to be of the same excellent quality. Bellabox costs $19.95 per month, and the fact that there will always be five sample-sized products is especially appealing as there's no chance my bench will become overloaded again with a whole bunch of stuff that I'll struggle to finish. And the bonus is that anything I try that I love, I can probably buy from their website. I've lost count of the number of beauty items from other subscription services that I adored, but could never purchase because they simply weren't available in Australia...

Thank you Bellabox for the opportunity to sample your terrific product - I love that there's a mix of skincare, hair and makeup items, so this is a winner!

What say you lovelies - does this sound like your kind of thing, or are you already a customer?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

June 2019 Empties & Giveaway!...

Missed writing a post last weekend - I've just started a new job and it's eating into my blogging time, but hey, it pays the bills and keeps my beauty addiction going, so I can't complain. And yes lovelies - this is my biggest Empties post of all time! It will probably hold the record forever as I've now pretty much cleared my shelves and benchtops of the partially used beauty bits and bobs that have been clogging up the works for years. Feeling much freer because of the cleanout, although it will take a fair amount of personal discipline to not let the buildup happen again, but...I'm up for a challenge of such magnitude lol ♥...

Body

OGX Extra Hydrating Radiant Glow Argan Oil of Morocco Body Wash (577ml, $17.99)

Reviewed in my SLS-Free Body Washes post HERE ♥♥...

Repurchase?

You betcha ♥♥...

Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Creme Sugar Scrub (227g, RRP $10)
One word, two syllables - di-vine! This is listed on the "limited editions" page of their website. I don't know what that means in terms of availability going forward, but I've just bought another jar, and because my order total came to >$50 I was able to choose a second jar for free - woo hoo! Smells fantabulous and it works a treat on my rough bits leaving my skin silky smooth and deliciously nourished. The main ingredient is sugar, closely followed by coconut oil, and there's some shea butter as well. Love it to bits! ♥♥♥...
Repurchase?
Absolutely ♥♥♥...

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Soap (230g, RRP $13.95)
I think this is my favourite soap in the whole wide world - reviewed HERE ♥♥♥...
Repurchase?
I have a few bars scattered around the house and just ordered a spare ♥♥♥...
P.S. Reminder: use code KATS at the website checkout to receive 30% off - it doesn't apply to Limited Editions but works with the regular range

Regulars

Oral-B 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste (96g, RRP $9.49)
Reach Dentotape (20m, RRP $2.99)
White Glo Charcoal Total Mouth Detox Whitening Mouthwash (500ml, RRP $6.99)

Face

Dr.Lewinn's Eternal Youth Rejuvenate & Refine Skin Polishing Exfoliant (100g, RRP $29.95)

The last of my scathingly brilliant bargains from the Priceline Hornsby Beauty Store closure - it was on the shelf for $5, and if it wasn't for the store closing, I may never have had the opportunity to fall in love with this wondrous scrub. Before I start my rave, I'm not happy with the screw cap - don't companies realise how hard it is to remove the lid, squeeze out the contents and screw the lid back on when you're all soapy in the shower? Now for the rave - LOVE this! Delish refreshing scent, the cream itself is dark grey (from the charcoal) and the exfoliating bits are finely ground walnut shells. Gentle enough to use every day, I treat myself to it once or twice a week just so I can make it last. Leaves my skin surface as smooth as glass, and perfectly prepped for the rest of my morning regime ♥♥♥... 

Repurchase?

Picked up two more on special, and I'm giving away one at the end of this post (I must be crazy lol) ♥♥♥...

Elucent Anti Ageing Eye Cream (15g, RRP $50)

This was a blast from the past - haven't had a tube of this for over five years, and it came my way I think from Beautyheaven, but remembering the source is a huge problem when you have too much stuff. Wherever it came from I was delighted to be reminded of this classy cream that I used faithfully for several years. Feels lovely on the skin and kept my delicate eye area well hydrated, however, nothing much else in the way of apparent improvements in the wrinkles, sagging skin or baggy areas. As I keep saying, I need creams that can work miracles, and sadly this one just doesn't cut my old mustard ♥...

Repurchase?

No ♥...

Garnier Skin Active Micellar Cleansing Water  (125ml, RRP $6.95)
Covered this in my Micellar Magic Series Part 1 HERE. One of the best there is! ♥♥♥...
Repurchase?
Yup! ♥♥♥...

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream (48g, RRP $48.99)

Been quite a while since I first discovered this skin care masterpiece (even before I started posting empties), and I'd quite forgotten how fabulous it is. This sample jar came from...I can't remember...but it's been sitting part-used on my bench for over a year, and I'm so glad I finally finished it off. I'm in love with the fragrance and how enriching the formula is, especially for my dry winter skin. Because there's no SPF I've only been applying it at night, but I do love the feel of it on my face, as well as the way my skin looks and feels the next morning. If I wasn't on my retinol path, I'd be quite content to use this all the time ♥♥♥... 

Repurchase?

Not at this stage because of the Neutrogena range I'm working with - but I have another (unopened) sample jar in the drawer so I won't forget about it again ♥♥♥...

Sukin Purely Ageless Rejuvenating Day Cream (120ml, RRP $22.95)

This one's been hanging around for a while. I'm such a Sukin fan and was mad keen to try this (and the Night Cream) when they first came out (was it last year?) - their skincare is SO good and so affordable. This is a beautiful cream with a delightful and delicate floral fragrance, but no SPF, and it's just not potent enough for all my ageing issues. Like a lot of others in my backlog, I've been using it as a body moisturiser (what a treat!), and I'm kinda sad that it's come to an end ♥♥...

Repurchase?
No - it's lovely, but I need much more powerful guns in my arsenal ♥♥...

Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub (125ml RRP $13.95)
Detailed review HERE. Next time this will appear in my Regulars ♥♥♥...
Repurchase?
I actually bought another one yesterday at Priceline - on special 3 for 2, so I chose the Oil-Balancing & Rejuvenating ones as well ♥♥♥...

Regulars

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Make-up Remover (112ml, RRP $10.89) 
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream with Accelerated Retinol SA (48g, RRP $48.99) 
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum with Accelerated Retinol SA (29ml, RRP $42.99)
Nivea Hyaluron Cellular Filler Anti Spot Treatment Serum (30ml, RRP $34.99)
Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence (40ml, RRP $39.99)

Face Masks

Beautycare (Kmart) Raspberry Leaf Botanical Eye Mask (pack of 2, RRP $3)

These were the find of the month. Kmart has been out of stock of my fave Purederm Ginkgo eye patches for weeks (what the hell is going on?), so in desperation, I thought I'd give these a shot, and they're awesome, and a pretty good substitute. You can just make them out in the piccie below - they're clear with a sort of cross-hatch pattern, and they stick really well considering they're the gel kind. I'm going to experiment with sleeping in them (which is how I use the Purederm ones) - very cooling and they do seem to firm the under eye area a bit ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

Already have ♥♥♥...

Skin Republic 24K Gold Aquagel Under Eye Patch (2 pairs, RRP $12.99)

So happy I revisited these - they're really something special because they actually reduce my puffy bags, if only for a short while ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

On and on, and on, and on ♥♥♥...

Skin Republic Retinol Hydrogel Under Eye Patch (3 pairs, RRP $9.99)

If you've been reading my Empties posts for a while you may remember last year I couldn't stop raving about the Collagen Eye Patches from Skin Republic - well, these Retinol ones are EVEN BETTER. There aren't any pictures because I slept in them every night for 12 nights last month, and they made quite a difference to my under eye area, smoothing the wrinkles and reducing the annoying pigmentation that I have to cover every day with concealer. I came to the conclusion I should sleep in them every night, but my bank balance would take too much of a hit ($100 per month), so I'll just treat myself to a mini-series of them whenever I need a boost ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

Oh yeah, baby ♥♥♥...

Regulars
Garnier SkinActive Pure Charcoal Tissue Mask with Black Algae (RRP $4.99)

Neutrogena Hydro Boost 100% Hydrogel Mask (RRP $5.99)

Skin Physics Instant Lift V-Shape Vitality Mask (RRP $14.99)

Skin Republic Volcanic Ash Mud Sheet Mask (RRP $12)

Hair

Amazon Series MuruMuru Anti-Frizz Smoothing Masque (250ml, RRP $29.95)

Embarrassed to say I've been working through this jar for over 2 years. My hairdresser recommended it, and it's truly fabulous for controlling the frizzies, but I prefer to use the Kerasilk mask as that's what's recommended to maintain my post-treatment condition. And for a while, I couldn't find where to buy it, so this was the next best thing. The MuruMuru is full of botanical goodness, contains no parabens, and it smells like heaven - highly recommended! ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

If I can't find Kerasilk, then yes ♥♥♥...

Schwarzkopf Live Salon Permanent - Ultra Light Ash Blonde & Medium Ash Blonde (RRP $13.99)

These should actually be in regulars as I go through 2 packs of each every month. But looking back I haven't included the Medium one before. Anyway, I mix these two together 60/40 (medium/light) in order to get the colour I want because they don't actually make a Light Ash Blonde, the Medium is too dark, and the Ultra Light doesn't take on my white roots. I've tried other brands but the colour either turns out too yellowy, or the formula is too damaging for my hair. What I actually want is to dye my hair silver grey, but it doesn't seem to be possible in a home colourant - boo! ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

I stock up whenever they're on special, but the Ultra Light is becoming harder and harder to find - a fact that I'm trying not to stress about ♥♥♥...

Regulars
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector (100ml, RRP $49.95)

Scott Cornwall Colour Restore Iced Platinum Anti-Yellow Toner (100ml, RRP $16.95)

Makeup

Australis HD Translucent Loose Setting Powder (6g, RRP $15.95)

Well now, when I went to pick up my usual Ready-Set-Go Finishing Powder from the stand and found this there instead, I'll admit to having a moment of panic. I've been using it for more years than I can remember and was mortified at the prospect of it being discontinued and replaced with something that might not be as good. But I needn't have worried as this HD one is almost identical - the original was flat matte, and this just has the merest hint of shimmer, but nowhere near enough to be a problem. Phew! ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

Forever, well at least until they revamp it again ♥♥♥...

Beauty by Nicholas Foundation No More - Medium (30ml, RRP $30)

Love this foundation, and it's come down in price considerably since my in-depth review HERE ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?

You know the score - just as soon as I use up some others on my bench l ♥♥♥...

Regulars

Australis AC On Tour Contouring & Highlighting Kit - Cool Tone Cream (RRP $24.95)

Giveaway

Ok, so this month we have up for grabs...

• Australis HD Translucent Loose Setting Powder
• Beautycare (Kmart) Raspberry Leaf Botanical Eye Mask
• Dr.Lewinn's Eternal Youth Rejuvenate & Refine Skin Polishing Exfoliant
• Olay Regenerist Starter Kit
• Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Creme Sugar Scrub
• Skin Republic 24K Gold Aquagel Under Eye Patch

All items were purchased by me and the approximate value is $100.  The giveaway is open to...

Australian Residents Only! 

Here's how to enter...

1. Leave a blog post comment on this page that answers the question inside the Rafflecopter (please note: if you don't leave a comment on this page, you won't be included in the draw!) If you're unable to leave a comment for technical reasons, please email your answer to katshepsutt(at)gmail.com.
2. Leave your email address inside the Rafflecopter so I can contact you if you win
3. Follow my blog one way or another from the many choices listed
4. Only one entry per person, please read the T's & C's inside the Rafflecopter

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This giveaway is now closed - check back later tonight to see who won!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Woo hoo! - random.org has chosen the beautiful Christine Y as the winner.  

Congratulations gorgeous! 

Christine, please respond to the email I've sent you by midnight

Wednesday 24th July to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Christine has claimed her prize ♥

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Best of luck to all who enter!

Take care of you,

kats xxx