REVIEW: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - Best in Beauty 2015...

Crikey, it's beautyheaven Best In Beauty Awards time again! This time last year I was voting, and racking my brains over my entry in this awesome annual competition, and to my absolute delight, I was one of the lucky winners ♥ To be fair I won't be entering again this year, but I'll sure be letting beautyheaven know which ones are my faves from the list of nominations. I still have a stack of long overdue reviews of the fabulous products that came in my prize pack, so here goes with the amazing Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - this is a long forgotten love, and one I'm so grateful that bh reminded me of, plus it's been nominated again this year... 

I first discovered this ever so gentle skin smoother, soother and brightener back in 2013 - from memory I collected several freebie sample bottles from some magazine covers, and was 100% sold after the first use. It's a very fine rice-based powder that you mix with water into a creamy paste, gently massage into your skin for approximately 1 minute, and then rinse off...

Apart from Rice Bran, other ingredients include Green Tea, Gingko and Colloidal Oatmeal, along with Licorice Root, Allantoin and Papain. It's honestly the gentlest "scrub" I've ever had the pleasure to use - gentle enough to use every day, even on my ancient face...

Containing no artificial colours or fragrances, it has a kind of oatmealy scent, but it's very subtle. Just LOVE how my face feels after a dose of this magical powder - amazingly smooth and silky, and the overall texture looks more refined. Best of all there's not even a hint of pink when I step out of the shower, or any other visible sign of irritation ♥...

No wonder it won last year, and I'll put my money on it scoring another accolade this time around - I'll certainly be voting for it! Thank you again beautyheaven and Dermalogica for reminding me that I need this in my life on a permanent basis ♥

This is definitely my HG exfoliator - would love to know yours...

Did you enter the beautyheaven Best in Beauty Awards 2016 competition?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. Linking this to the always brilliant Ingrid's Monday Madness Link Up Party ♥...

REVIEW: Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour - Best in Beauty 2015

I first tried Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour when it was released in 2013, and loved it - with no ammonia, no stinky smell, and a high oil content, this was the home dyeing kit I'd been waiting for. My penchant for fire engine red hair got the better of me though, and with only one clear red in the range that was too dark for me, I switched back to my usual brand. But then a box of Olia Very Light Blonde(!) arrived in my beautyheaven Best in Beauty 2015 prize pack, and it started me thinking...

...time for a change - how about a new lighter colour? And as fate would have it, another part of the BIB prize got me there quite by chance (you can read about it here), and in the space of one afternoon, I became a copper babe. Well it just so happens that there's a stunning copper in the Olia range (7.40 Intense Copper), and that's one of the products I'm using to keep my new tresses looking fresh and vital...

I used the copper to dye my white roots, and then experimented with mixing the Very Light Blonde with what was left of the copper concotion, and applied it all over for 10 minutes - turned out to be just the ticket to prevent the ends turning out too dark or orangey, and both roots and lengths were blended with no tide mark - woo hoo! I've done this combo twice now, and it's perfect ♥ Who new?

Anyways I'm thrilled to be back in Olia land, and I bet my scalp is breathing a sigh of relief. This really is a gentle yet effective option for home dyers - everything you need is in the kit, it's super easy to apply (with no drips), it smells fresh and florally, and leaves my hair even softer and more manageable than before...

Here's the blurb from the box, front and back...

The instructions are a snap to follow, and the whole process takes me 45 minutes max.  There's also a perforated circle on the back of the pack which you punch out, and it holds the mixer bottle steady while you're dispensing the developer cream and the colourant - clever. You can bet I'll be stocking up whenever I see this range on special, which seem to be fairly often at Coles ♥

Do you colour your hair at home, and if so, have you tried Garnier Olia?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. I've linked this post to Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party ♥

REVIEW: Goldwell Kerasilk Keratin Treatment - Best in Beauty 2015...

Saturday 30th January 2016 will forever be a significant day in my diary - it was the day I had a Goldwell Kerasilk Keratin Treatment done on my hair, one of the prizes from my beautyheaven Best in Beauty 2015 win. I'll be honest, I hadn't read anything about it beforehand - actually thought it was a deep conditioning thingy, and oh yeah, nice one, my hair could sure do with that. Well it turns out that this unbelievably fantastic process is primarily a de-frizzer, and the result for me was nothing short of jaw-dropping...

My hair kinks and frizzes at the first hint of moisture in the air, and while I've been able to keep it relatively under control with my new ghd Air Professional and the REF products I use, as Sydney's humidity skyrocketed throughout January (as it does every year), I was rapidly losing the battle. The above left pic was taken on the 22nd - while I'd started the shift to a lighter more coppery hair colour, I had heaps of dark red colourant to get rid of, plus I was struggling to straighten and style my new pixie-ish cut, which has a (much cooler) wispy fringe, and it was taking a good 15 minutes workout (and several products) to get it looking like this. The pic on the right was taken this week without ANY styling or straightening - I just bent over and blew hot air through it for four and a half minutes. Needless to say I am totally BLISSING OUT!

So here's how it all began - the lovely Peieta from Goldwell had kindly booked me into Ruffles Hair Design just down the road, and advised I needed to allow 3 hours for the process. With my short length, it took just under 2 hours - a delightfully pampering experience, with absolutely no discomfort, yucky smells or scalp irritation. Phase 1 was a quick wash and partial blow dry, followed by the application of a solution which smelled fruity and delicious - my hair was sectioned and the liquid painted on, pretty much all over. The timer was set for 15 minutes, and then my hair was rinsed. The very experienced Justine then began Phase 2 - blow drying my hair with a standard dryer and brush, and that's when the major magic happened. Not only did each strand become totally tamed as the solution was activated, a whole heap of the red dye up and vanished as she worked the brush and heat through my hair! She told me that this major fade ONLY happens if the hair is coloured with home dyeing products (my natural hair is white). Given that I was working towards going copper anyway, I was ecstatic as it meant I wouldn't have to bleach or strip my hair with harsh chemicals. Now that was an unexpected bonus!

After the blow drying transformation, my hair was looking pretty sleek and slick, but Justine then switched to a straightening iron, and worked it through sections until it was even more smooth. You can probably imagine that by this stage I was tripping at the sight of my previous red fuzzball having been converted into a frizzless strawberry blonde do! Then it was back to the basin for Phase 3 - a final rinse and the application of a leave-in solution, followed by one last blow dry...

Being the brave blogger that I am, below are the (grossly unflattering) before and after selfies taken at the salon. The end colour was quite a mixed bag of blonde, copper and red, and really needed some evening out. While I've since read other bloggers reviews that say "don't colour for 2 weeks" after the treatment, my stylist advised that waiting 24 hours would be ok, which I did. As you can see from the "after" photo at the top of the page, there was absolutely zero ill effect after re-colouring so soon - no loss of shine, condition or smoothness whatsoever...

Because my hair is so short, the treatment will probably only last for around 3 months, but I'm not in the least bit fussed as that will take me into Autumn, and beyond the steamy season. For now, here it is a week later, and I'm basking in the previously never experienced joy of having silky soft, straight, glossy and 100% frizz-free tresses. I've been severely windblown and even rained on since my defrizzing, and it makes not the slightest bit of difference - all I have to do is run my fingers through my hair to put it back in place. OMG - I am in hair heaven! 

This process costs $350, and I'm declaring right now that I'm having it done every Summer, without fail. I figured if I put aside $29 a month (or $6.73 a week), I'll be ready for the next treatment in January 2017...

Beautyheaven and Goldwell, I can't thank you enough for this life-changing experience - I am thrilled beyond my wildest dreams ♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party is a great site to visit if you're looking for beaut blog reads ♥

REVIEW: ghd Air Professional Hairdryer - Best in Beauty 2015......

If you've ever wondered what difference spending $200 on a hairdryer makes, then hopefully this review will satisfy your curiosity. This amazing device came to me as part of my beautyheaven Best In Beauty 2015 prize pack, and it's blatantly obvious why it won this prestigious award ♥

I'm a very lucky gal - this is the third hairdryer I've won from beautyheaven competitions. At the time of receiving the others, they were the best I'd ever used, but this little powerhouse is the ultimate when it comes to finish...

SPECS: 2100W, ionic technology, removable air filter, 2 concentrator nozzles, 2 heat settings, 2 power settings, cool shot button. The cord is a generous 3 metres long and unlike every other hair dryer I've ever owned, it's made from very soft and flexible plastic, so there's no kinking or tangling when using it. The unit weighs around 600 grams...

The power and temperature control buttons are housed on the outside of the handle, and they're slightly recessed - so while it's a little trickier to adjust the settings, there's almost no chance of them changing accidentally while you're using the dryer...

The cool shot button is located on the inside of the handle - you press and hold it, and when you let go, the temperature returns to whatever setting it was on before...

There's a hook on the end of handle for ease of storage, and the air filter is a snap to clean...

Overall it's a swanky looking unit, ergonomically designed to suit either right-handers or lefties - it's around 100 grams heavier than any of my previous models, but that's not a problem as I don't have to hold it for as long, which leads me to what is it about this dryer that sets it apart from the others...

First of all the wattage is lower than my last dryer, but it's way WAY more powerful - I literally have to bolt down anything loose on my dressing table or else it takes off! The "hot" setting is also super hot, but not enough to fry my scalp - so with loads more power and heat, that all makes for faster drying time. And combined with the "ionic technology", that means...LESS FRIZZ!

My hair is naturally curly, but about 10 years ago, the curl kinda morphed into an uncontrollable frizz, and a smooth silky finish was only ever achieved by my hairdresser. Well, not any more - with this dryer, even I can convert my frizzy tresses into silky straight shiny locks. In fact it's so straight and silky, I have to remember to curve my hair around the brush for some shape. The other amazing thing is that it stays that way between shampoos - whoa! I can't tell you what a bonus that is - even in high humidity, my hair stays glossy and frizz-free...

Another major bonus is that the ghd air is refreshingly quiet - about half the noise level of anything else I've ever owned, and therefore far less environmentally intrusive, especially in the wee hours...

In summary, this is the best dryer I've ever experienced, and for once, I am in total control of my hair ♥♥♥

Take care of you,

kats xxx

REVIEW: Mirenesse Lip Bombs - Best in Beauty 2015...

The first of MANY reviews I'll be churning out starring the amazing goodies I received in my beautyheaven Best in Beauty 2015 prize pack ♥ Mirenesse Lip Bombs have been around since 2012, well at least that's when I first discovered them. At the time they were quite innovative, and of course lots of cosmetic companies have since released similar types of lip lacquers, but none have a formula quite like these babies...

My prize pack contained #24, and it was a very welcome addition to my collection, which you can see above. The formula is thick and super rich, very moisturising, and in the case of the deeper shades, leaves a welcome stain when the gloss wears off, which is usually after 2 or 3 hours, longer if you don't consume anything. For the scent sensitive, they do have a bit of an oil-like smell (probably due to the Botanical Oils & Vitamin E content) and a slight taste (supposed to be mint but I can never pick that up), but in both cases, it's very faint ...

Apart from the deliciously dense creaminess, the moisturising power, and the intensity of the pigmentation, the applicator is my absolute favourite of all time. It's a firm but flexible dumb-bell shape, very gentle on the lips, and by adjusting the angle, I find it super easy to create a crisp outline, and filling in is a breeze. I'm very particular when it comes to applicators, in fact I won't buy a gloss or lacquer if the tip is small. I can't bear ones that don't pick up much product - to me it's stingy and time-consuming. I enjoy lavishing lots of gloss onto my pucker, and this little furry tip delivers the goods like no other...

Mirenesse Lip Bombs are all numbered, so here we go with the swatches - I've included direct links to the bombs on their website so you can compare their online colours with mine...

#2

Very dark in the tube, but bright and sassy on the lips. Gorgeous GORGEOUS glossy orange-red ♥...

#3

This one arrived just the other day in my VIP pack - love the vividness of the blue-pink, right up my alley in fact ♥...

#4

Love this one too - a little less blue content than #3, and an exceptionally versatile bold and smile-inducing pink ♥...

#6

This one has a wee bit of orange content, so it's almost a coral - very flattering for my particular colouring ♥...

#8

Don't like this one at all - way too pale for me. I reckon it would suit maybe...Pamela Anderson? - having revisited this, I've binned it...

#12

This is a lovely nude, but once again it's too pale for me - the contrast with my bright red hair is just to stark, and I look like I've rushed out the door without finishing my makeup. Gone the way of #8...

#17

Adore this one - beautiful peachy hue that has a slight gold shimmer (the only one of my nine with a reflect). Suits my skin tone to a T ♥...

#23

Whoa! No I didn't choose this one - it came in another VIP pack. I haven't actually worn this outside the house, but I'll work up the courage next winter lol - fabulous deep deep berry hue...

#24

And the one that I received as part of my prize - beautyheaven couldn't have chosen a better shade for this little black duck (thank you so much!). It's bright but subtle, exceptionally pretty shade, and a definite favourite ♥...

The packaging is cute and fun, and I have only one complaint - the clear pointy lid has separated from the cap of four of my nine lip bombs. I glued three of them back on, but as you can see in the main picture above, it makes the whole thing look pretty crappy, and I even used clear glue. So I left the fourth one as is (below) - this minor defect doesn't affect the contents, just doesn't look quite as swanky...

In case you're not familiar with the Mirenesse brand, here's there deal. They're pretty much an online-only company, and in my opinion, the RRP of their products is outrageous. HOWEVER, if you become a VIP member, everything is half price every day, and shipping is free. VIP membership costs $25 per month, and for that you receive a pack every second month containing a surprise selection of  makeup and skincare items worth at least $50 (and usually full-sized) - you fill out a personal profile on their website, so the products you receive in the packs are suited to your colouring and skin type. It's actually a terrific way to try their products, and every month, I receive a $25 coupon to spend on any orders ♥ I've been a member for 5 years, and the majority of what they produce (and what I've received) is brilliant - like all companies they have their misses, but the quality is exceptionally high. They use natural ingredients, and are certified Cruelty Free.

Lip Bombs are $39, but if you're a VIP member, they're $19.50 - there are 32 colours to choose from!

Have you ever tried any Mirenesse products? They're often available free with magazines, especially their lip plumping glosses, which are also excellent and highly recommended...

Take care of you,

kats

P.S. It's time for another of Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - be sure to pay her website a visit from 6:30am ♥

SPOTLIGHT: beautyheaven Best in Beauty Prize Pack!...

Christmas sure came early for me on Friday with the arrival of my beautyheaven Best in Beauty prize box - a huge carton containing a selection of this year's award winning products worth over $1,000! From what I can see from the other lucky winner's haul pics, the contents of each prize box is different - there are some items common to all, but the majority are unique to each winner, which means this post is not going to spoil the surprise for the other lovelies who are still waiting for delivery of their great big box ♥ I'm absolutely thrilled to bits with what bh selected for me, and still in shock at my good fortune to be one of the 10 gals who scored this fabulous collection of beauty-booty...

For those readers who don't know about beautyheaven, it's THE place to go to for the latest beauty news, a forum community of gorgeous like-minded beauty gals, generous weekly competitions, how-to articles and videos, and honest and entertaining member reviews of a massive range of products from the market. I've been a member since 2008, and if you're after a daily dose of what's happening in the beauty world, there's none to compare ♥...

The beautyheaven Best in Beauty awards are held every year around August - members vote for their favourite all-time beauty products from the list of nominations. You can see which products won here. Anyone can vote, but this year only members could go into the draw to win one of the prize boxes, by submitting a 25-words-or-less answer to a question about their favourite beauty product. Well Lady Luck was sure shining on me, and in case it's not clear from the photo, here's the list of what I received (in alphabetical order)...

Banana Boat EveryDay Sunscreen Lotion

Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel (medium/deep)

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme

Colgate Optic White Express White Toothpaste

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lip Volumizer

Garnier BB Cream (Light)

Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour (Dark Blonde)

ghd air Professional Hairdryer

Glasshouse Triple Scented Candle (Tahaa - Vanilla Caramel)

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

L'Occitane Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream

Milky Foot Intense Exfoliating Foot Pad

Mirenesse Lip Bomb (#24)

Mirenesse Secret Weapon Supreme 24hr Mascara

Mirenesse Whipped BB Moisture Fill Airbrush Line Filling Luminiser

Muk Ultra Soft Conditioner

Muk Ultra Soft Shampoo

Nads Ingrow Solution

Natio for Men SPF 30+ Face Moisturiser

Neutrogena Body Oil

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Clear Face Sunscreen Liquid Lotion

Nude by Nature Ultimate Nude Eye Shadow Palette

Olay Regenerist Advanced Cleansing System

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel & Topcoat (Shock Wave)

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes

Sukin Detoxifying Clay Masque

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

All up, 30 fantabulous products - there's only a couple that don't suit me colour-wise, but these will be lovingly shared with the friends and family members already queueing up outside my door ha ha. There's SO MANY I haven't tried before, plus a few firm favourites, and of course I'll be reviewing them, both on beautyheaven and here on my blog. I reckon it will take me at least 12 months to get through the list!

My heartfelt thanks to beautyheaven, and all the generous companies who provided their products for the competition. I feel truly blessed ♥

Are any of these products on your Holy Grail list?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. In case you're wondering which HG product I wrote about to win this prize, it was Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner. It wasn't in the prize pack, but it doesn't matter a fig - this is such a staple on my beauty bench, I already have two spares in my drawer lol ♥

P.P.S. Why not join me in reading the wonderful blogs listed on Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - starts every Monday morning at 6.30am...