REVIEW: Good Green Box - April Edition...

I feel blessed that the generous lovelies at GoodGreenBox have so kindly gifted me with the April edition of their deliciously natural (and mostly organic) collection - I was crazy about the March one (reviewed HERE), but I reckon this one is even better. Again the contents are worth over $60 (outlay of $25), but there are no less than 9 items in this haul - in fact so many goodies, the box was bulging lol ♥...

Kudos to whoever does the packing as all the treasures were crammed into the parcel, and yet nothing was damaged or even vaguely squished. I love the mix of brands and different types of products, and it's a relief to know that if I'm mad about any of them, most are purchasable from their website... 

Keeko Oil Activated Coconut Charcoal Powder...

Totally intrigued by this - on the card that comes in the box, it's listed as a mouth wash, but it multi-tasks as a teeth whitener and a face mask! Loving charcoal products as I do, I figured I had nothing to lose so I tipped a little of the powder into my hand - it's the most finely milled powdered anything I've ever come across, so whatever you do, don't sneeze! I wet my toothbrush and mixed a tiny amount of the powder into a paste, and started brushing my teeth. A word of warning - this stuff is blacker than black, and if you don't keep your mouth closed while you're brushing, you'll flick black blobs everywhere. No discernible taste, and I panicked a bit when I spat out and checked my teeth in the mirror - dark grey, so were my lips and my tongue was straight out of a horror movie! Anyways I rinsed with warm water, and that improved things considerably, although my gum line and tongue still looked grey. My teeth felt terrific though, super smooth and super clean....

Because of the grey around my gums, I brushed my teeth (and tongue) with normal toothpaste, after which everything was back to normal again, and you know what, I reckon my choppers didn't look quite as yellow as they did beforehand. But I'll have to get back to you on whether it does in fact whiten my teeth noticeably over time. Meanwhile I've put the pouch in the shower caddy ready to try it as a mask. As a rule I use all charcoal products in the shower because it's so darn messy, but the rewards are awesome ♥...

MooGoo Cow Lick Lip Balm...

How come I didn't know that MooGoo made lip balm?  Have already pampered my pout numerous times with this beauty - has a delicate (totally NOT overpowering) mandarin scent and taste, delightfully soothing and smoothing, and all the (edible) ingredients are listed on the cute-as box that's made from recycled cardboard - LOVE ♥...

Pukka Detox & Turmeric Gold Tea...

While I have one latte almost every morning, for the rest of the day I'm a devoted tea-drinker (from way back in my youth actually), so I'm looking forward to sampling these two yummies that are bursting with ethically sourced and organically grown ingredients...

Organyc Feminine Hygiene...

This sample pack contains a pad and panty shield made from 100% organically certified cotton, they're breathable and biodegradable, hypoallergenic, contain no plastic, and yet are waterproof. Thank goodness someone is thinking of us gals with sensitivities, and anyone concerned about what they keep so close to their precious girly bits. While my period days are long gone, I'm not at all comfortable unless I'm wearing a shield to keep me feeling fresh, and being allergic to most brands out there, this range is a very welcome discovery ♥...

RAW Body Skincare (Scrub)...

I'm SO getting into body scrubs lately, and this one sounds like it'll be a magical experience - organic coffee beans, organic virgin coconut oil, organic coconut sugar and natural Himalayan rock salt.  My skin is tingling with delight and anticipation just reading the ingredients ♥ I tried a little on my hand, it's quite gritty and grainy, smelled like there was a barista in the bathroom, and the result was ridiculously soft skin. Get ready legs!...

Nuori Vital Foaming Cleanser...

What a treat to find this full size cleanser in the box! I used it last night to take off my makeup, and it worked brilliantly. I took the cap off for the photo so you could see it's a foam dispenser - the bottle recommends one pump for regular cleansing, but I used two as I had long wear foundation to remove. It has a very very faint and pleasant fragrance, and as you massage it into your skin, it forms a white creamy smooth paste which eventually becomes invisible. You then rinse it off with warm water...

I judge the effectiveness of cleansers by a) the colour of the rinse water in my basin & b) whether second cleansing with micellar water reveals any discolouration on the cotton pad. Well, my sink water was tinted the hue of my foundation, and the micellar pad was clean as a whistle. Yay! Not only that, my skin felt super cleansed AND hydrated afterwards. Another winner ♥... 

Zuanna Cosmetics Smoothing Minerals Exfoliating Mask...

Made from Moroccan Rhassoul Clay & Marshmallow Root, rice powder, colloidal oatmeal, organic orange peel, hibiscus flower, sandalwood & licorice root powder. Oh stop! I don't want to put it on my face, I want to eat it ha ha ♥ I started my Sunday using this, and followed the instructions to mix the powder in my palm with some water. It's very pink, dries super quick and tight, and the beauty of this mask is that the whole exercise takes 5 minutes, so you can do it while you're cleaning your teeth ♥ Love that the sachet is resealable, and I reckon there's enough in the pack for 3 goes. The end result? Instantly refined pores, and becalmed baby soft skin. Hmmm...I wonder if they sell this by the kilo?... 

After sampling most of the box contents, I'm even more impressed with what this company offers - awesome value, and the introduction to mainly non-mainstream brands producing high quality products that are kind to the environment, animals and my bod. Their tagline "Better Beauty" is spot on ♥...

Heaps of thankyou's to Good Green Box, and Bloggers United Au for hooking me up with this fab source of beauty products. You can subscribe three ways to the Good Green Box. Also the promo is still on to receive the first box for $10 using the code TRYGOODGREENBOX10 ♥...

Are you familiar with any of these brands? Is there one product in particular that piques your interest?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. As I do every week (because it's so much fun!) I'm joining Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - it's a great way to find the best of the blogs all in the one place ♥...

REVIEW: March Good Green Box...

Oh yay - had a lovely surprise last week when the March edition of the Good Green Box arrived in the post for me to sample, thanks to Bloggers United AU. I'd read reviews by other bloggers in the past, but hadn't gotten around to investigating it any further - silly me! Anyways I'm really impressed with the value ($65 worth for an outlay of $25) and it's such a cute and compact presentation of a variety of products with a focus on natural and vegan formulas - I can tell it's been put together with a lot of care. And I do enjoy the fact that if I fall in love with any of these goodies, quite a few of them are purchasable from the website shop. So...on with the contents...

The box is expertly packed with seven products, and there's a card with all the details. What's not pictured on the insert is the glue for the false eyelashes, but more on that later...

I'm starting with the Bondi Wash Body Wash because you know how I love body washes ♥ This one is scented with Tasmanian Pepper and Lavender - oh yum! I haven't opened it yet as I'm riddled with a virus at the mo' and can't smell much at all, so saving this for a few days time when I can truly enjoy the fragrant experience. Also lists bergamot and cedarwood oils in the ingredients, plus it's anti-bacterial - absolutely busting to try it! ♥...

Next is an interesting one - a wipe infused with magnesium that you use for pain relief.  The formula is oil-based, and the recommendation is to wipe along the lower back or across sore muscles for instant results. Wow I almost wish I had something painful in my bod right now so I could try this out - definitely putting it in the medicine drawer for when I or anyone in the family have an injury ♥...

Well we all know how good Wotnot wipes are, and these are specifically for the face, and for normal/sensitive skin. Ingredients include organic aloe vera, rosehip & sweet almond oils, and the blurb says they will even remove waterproof mascara. I used one last night to cleanse my face after a day in bed - not much grime to remove, but it was a good test as my nose is red raw from tissue chafing, and yet there was no stinging sensation whatsoever. My skin felt soft and lightly moisturised afterwards - definitely getting myself a big pack of these and will report on the makeup removal effectiveness, probably in my April Empties post ♥...

For those of you with particular sensitivities, the reverse of the product listing card spells out the main ingredients of each of the items - now that's helpful ♥...

Next up is the MIOD Balancing Face Oil. Very happy to see a plastic seal around the top of the dropper, and what little I can smell of this is delicious. Started this last night as it's for all skin types, but especially for oily skinned gals and anyone dealing with pore congestion. That's me to a T - just about every time I try a new moisturising range, my pores react by getting all clogged up, so I'm delighted to have the opportunity to put this to the test...

Ahh yes, natural deodorants. What a challenge it is for companies to come up with a deodorant that's effective, but doesn't contain the usual array of harmful-to-good-health chemicals. I've tried this Earth Mumma Pit Paste once so far (love the name lol), and with reasonable success - a wee bit of wetness, but definitely no stinkies.  It's a paste made from all natural ingredients that you rub into your armpits like a moisturiser - recommendation is to use a pea sized amount, and its stain free. Even with my blocked nose, I can smell the delicious lemongrass oil. Haven't been game to wear it on a work day yet, but I'll test it out again over Easter ♥...

And lastly, the product I'm most excited about  - Sarah Jean False Lashes, and an adhesive that comes in a mascara style applicator. I'm hoping this will be a turning point for me as I've struggled in the past to get the glue part right. Also the lashes look so lovely and fine - last time I tried falsies they were a lot bolder than this, and despite giving myself a pat on the back for getting them stuck on reasonably well, the reaction from the fam was "what's wrong with your eyes?". Sigh... The glue is clear, water soluble, latex free, anti-allergenic, and made in Korea. Will give these a go shortly, so watch my Instagram page for an extra special EOTD piccie ♥...

Overall I think this is an inspiring variety of products, and excellent value. You can subscribe to the Good Green Box - there are three options, and a healthy discount if you sign up for 6 months. Also there's a current promo to receive the first box for $10 using the code TRYGOODGREENBOX10. Now that's an amazing deal - imagine receiving all of the above for a tenner?

Thank you again Bloggers United AU and Good Green Box for sending me this box to sample and review - I'm so looking forward to whatever surprises are in the April edition ♥...

What do you think of  the Good Green Box - is it something you'd be interested in?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. Happy Easter Lovelies!

CONFESSIONS: Of a Body Washaholic (part 20) - Dove...

For many reasons I'm so glad I attended the Bloggers United AU Event last November. One big one was being reminded just how skin-loving Dove Body Washes are ♥ I was a fan of their Go Fresh Nectarine variety years ago, but they stopped making that particular flavour (well I couldn't/can't find it any more), and I moved on to explore the offerings from other brands. But at the event, we were gifted with a bottle of both the Aqua Moisture and Triple Moisturising varieties, and I loved them so much, I went out and bought the Cucumber & Green Tea one so I'd have a trio of hydrating heavyweights to look after my skin now that the cooler weather has arrived ♥...

Dove Go Fresh Fresh Touch Body Wash - Cucumber & Green Tea Scent

What a lovely fragrance this has - there's a delightful freshness to it, and despite cucumber always conjuring up a "cooling" mental image, this blend with the Green Tea will work beautifully for me all year round.  Whatever this Nutrium stuff is, it works a treat on dry skin. I haven't been able to figure out why it is that as soon as the temperature starts dropping below 20 degrees celsius, my bod starts demanding extra hydration - I wondered if it's because I start wearing long sleeved tops and camisoles, and there's some sort of friction thing happening, but more likely the pores shrink a bit and therefore don't produce as much natural oil (wish they'd shrink on my face lol!). Whatever the reason it's a fact that I have to switch my products once we get past March, and this pastel green body cleanser delivers the right amount of enriching juice to keep my skin supple and soft ♥...

Dove Aqua Moisture Nourishing Body Wash 

Love this one too - an unidentifiable florally scent that's refreshing without being overpowering, and it's such a pretty pale pearly aqua colour. I much prefer a body wash to produce a soft lather rather than lots of soapy bubbles, and this Aqua Moisture is creamy, calming and soothing.  Incidentally, all of these containers are easily manageable with wet hands, and the flip top cap snaps shut without leaking - when the contents are down to about one third, I always up-end the bottle in the shower caddy for quicker dispensing (the liquid is very thick), and none of these have ever leaked ♥...

Dove Triple Moisturising Nourishing Body Wash

I my beauty book, this Triple Moisturising variety is the jewel in Dove's crown of body washes. The clean powdery fragrance is an absolute delight, and the formula is so incredibly lush that I don't need a body moisturiser after showering with this gem. What I find particularly interesting is that while my skin feels like satin, it doesn't leave the floor of the shower feeling slippery or slimy. The plan was to hang onto this until the really cold weather when I need that extra boost of nourishment, but after trying it once, there was no hope of it going back into the cupboard for later. It's also terrific for when I'm shaving my legs, after which I ALWAYS need to moisturise, but not with this body wash. Now that's a time-saver as well as a skin-saver. It's actually no wonder this luscious shower treat gets a 5-star rating on beautyheaven, and has won two Best in Beauty Awards ♥...

The recommended retail price of these 375ml bottles is $7.36, but they're often on special at supermarkets, chemists and Priceline, plus they're also available in the giant 1 litre size (with pump) for $12.99. There's also an exfoliating one in the range which I'm keen to try...

So delighted to have discovered these three - this might just be the first Winter where I don't experience my usual snakeskin crack and peel, especially on my legs. Thank you again Dove and Bloggers United AU ♥

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Bloggers United AU 2nd Birthday Bash at Lush!...

If you're an Aussie Blogger, and you haven't hooked up with Bloggers United AU yet, you're missing out on a whole heap of benefits, including invitations to fabulous events, like the one I attended on Saturday 11th March. To celebrate their 2nd Birthday, this powerful team of gorgeous gals (who incidentally are blogging experts and so generously offer their tried and tested advice) arranged a celebration at QVB Lush, and I jumped at the chance of wishing them a Happy Birthday, enjoying the unbelievably colourful and scented surroundings of Lush, and catching up with some of my beautiful blogging buddies ♥...

Absolutely tickled pink (and red, and green, and blue lol) to see my lovely friend Ingrid from Fabulous and Fun Life at the door. We first met at last year's November event, and it was so wonderful to see her again and have a chat. She's such a warm, wise, fun and friendly lady, and her blog content is world class ♥...

After exploring some of the sights and smells in this wonderland of scintillating scents, tantalising textures and riotous rainbow hues, we were warmly welcomed by the knowledgeable staff, and were treated to a guessing game of "what are the ingredients in the Cupcake Mask" (which I believe Ingrid won!). We then split into two groups, and watched in amazement as the Lush ladies made two of the top selling masks, right in front of our eyes. My group was observing the blending of the luscious ingredients that go into the Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask. Incidentally that vision of loveliness on the right in the pic below is Rachel from Rachel Beauty Style, one of the Sydney Bloggers United team, and an absolute delight to know ♥...

And here's the finished product we were given to take home - those purply blue bits are freshly crushed blueberries! There's also chamomile, rose, and almond oils included in the formula, plus calamine powder and this kinda weird Irish Moss gel. We were advised to keep the mask in the fridge (no preservatives), and I treated myself to it's cooling and calming effect earlier this week - it's especially effective if you're dealing with redness. My complexion is still feeling super smooth and soft, and I'm so looking forward to another dose of this brilliant concoction...

Another guest I was delighted to catch up with was the stunning Marisa from Marisa Robinson MUA - this gal knows her makeup craft inside and out, and if you're not following her blog, you're missing out on awesome makeup tutorials and brilliant reviews of just about any beauty product you can imagine ♥...

After the mask-making, we headed on over to the cosmetic section, and here's the Goddess that is Barbe the Babe from Fashionista in Suburbia ♥ getting herself all swatched with eyeliner, lip colour, concealer, highlighter etc. I had no idea Lush made makeup, and I was so impressed with the quality and pigmentation, I bought one of their Liquid Lipsticks - more on that later...

There was a whole range of yummy refreshments to nibble on, and all of us were gifted with a selection of Lush products, plus there was the extra special treat of choosing something (pretty much anything) we liked, and that went into the bag as well. Below is what I scored - all divine creams that I've been thoroughly enjoying sampling this week (reviews soon)...

My special gift was a no-brainer - I chose the Dark Angels Fresh Facial Cleanser, which is actually more of a scrub than a cleanser, but being pitch black and made from charcoal, rhassoul mud, black sugar and cold pressed avocado oil, there simply couldn't be another choice hey? Here's what it looks like in store...

...and here's what's inside my pot. It's dry and firm, and you pinch off a piece about the size of a pea, mix it with water in your palm till it's like a paste, and then massage it into your skin. Being black the drips are a bit messy, so I'm keeping this in the shower recess. It smells a bit like licorice, and oh, what it does for my face is a wonder - my skin felt like that of a newborn babe, complete with the healthy glow. LOVE!

And what a joy it was to spot the truly gorgeous face of Mel from Aussie Beauty Talk. This woman is a total doll, and I reckon I deserve a bravery medal for standing next to her radiant beauty for this picture. I've been following Mel's blog for a while now - she does the best, funniest, 100% natural videos in the business, and sometimes her cute-as bunny is in them too. I say again, a total doll ♥... 

Not content with the goody bag, there were a few other items I just had to take away with me on the night, and I was ecstatic we were able to make purchases. Below is what I bought - a cake of lavender, fennel & ginger Sugar Scrub, the absolutely fascinating Whoosh Shower Jelly, mouthwateringly berrylicious The Comforter Shower Cream, and the amazingly pigmented Liquid Lipstick in the shade Power Without Force...

And here is the lipstick on my pucker. Head over heels in love with the formula - creamy, smooth, non-drying, and I swear I reapplied it ONCE throughout the whole day. Hard to see in the pic, but it has the most gorgeous gold shimmer. Yes indeedy, I'll be getting more of these ♥...

What a fabulous night it was - I'm still on a high, and there are so many Lush products I want to try! Thank you Bloggers United and Lush for inviting me to this wonderful event ♥...  

Are you a Lush-aholic? What's your favourite product from their range?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. Come on over to Ingrid's awesome Monday Makeup Madness Party any time after 6:30am ♥...

REVIEW: Natural Secrets Goatsmilk...

You may have gathered I LOVE discovering new brands - sure I have my favourites, but finding a new love is always a delight, and I have the Bloggers United AU Event last November to thank for my latest skin and body care adventure. All the attendees were gifted with a tube of Goatsmilk Hand Cream and a cake of Goatsmilk Moisturising Soap from the generous folk at Natural Secrets. An all Australian brand, they make a range of products (some for bubs too) that you'll find in selected pharmacies. So far I haven't been able to locate one chemist that stocks the entire range, but when I fall in love with something, I don't mind heading off on a seek-and-ye-shall-find mission till I track down what I'm after. Below is only part of their selection, but it will keep me going for now ♥ If you have any trouble spotting this brand in your usual haunts, all products are purchasable from their website...

The first product I tried was the Moisturising Hand Cream - a delight from the very first application, it's non-greasy, and has a lovely fresh florally scent. My hands were in pretty poor shape after the move, from days and days of cleaning (without gloves - smack!) and ripping open cardboard boxes, but this deliciously hydrating cream fixed them in a week. I've actually been using it exclusively for the last month, and have already bought a standby tube ($6.99 for 80ml) ♥...

When I found out they made a Shower Gel, that was next on my list. With the same delicate scent, this bottle is what I reach for when I need some serious moisturising for my bod. Comes in a big fat 500ml container for $11.99, and your skin will love you for slathering on the super-softening pearly white bubbles. Suitable for dry and sensitive skin, it's made with goat's milk (no surprises there ha ha!), milk protein, aloe vera & vitamin E, and most importantly, free from sulphates, parabens & petrochemicals. Actually the entire range excludes these harsh chemicals ♥...

Just like makeup palettes, it's always a struggle for me to unwrap a cake of soap and actually use it - I do so love to keep them all pristine in my undies drawer, but I made an exception with this cake. Again the same refreshing scent, the one that was gifted was the plain moisturising variety, but I've since bought the kind that contains Manuka Honey. There are several other variations too, and both of these formulations leave your hands so soft and hydrated as well as clean. Although I'm a liquid hand wash gal, I always have a cake of soap on the vanity for when I want a really good scrub (especially under the finger nails), but also for guests so that they have a choice ♥...

The Moisturising Handwash was a must to try, and it didn't disappoint. Love the squat chubby bottle that never topples over (a steal for $6.99) - the formula is quite runny but highly concentrated, so one pump is enough to give your hands a fragrant cleanse that won't dry out your skin, in fact my hands always feel more supple and moist after a wash than before ♥...

Love each and every one of these products. There's also a Hand & Body Cream (250ml for $17.99) that I have my eye on - just desperately trying to use up a whole bunch of other body moisturisers that will expire in the next 6 months, but after that, I'll be adding it to my collection for sure ♥...

Love this range, and I reckon this old chooky and goats milk are a match made in heaven ♥...

How does your skin feel about goat's milk products? Have you tried this particular brand before?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: December Empties!...

Considering the house was in a state of total chaos for several weeks, I'm kinda proud of myself for finishing these, but more so for not losing track of them in the move lol! I did my utmost to afford myself some "me" time in between packing and unpacking, hence the three masks (and what a treat they were), but let's get on with it...

Cenovis Chewable Sugarless C 500mg (300 tablets, RRP $16.95)

As mentioned in a previous empties post, I just buy whichever brand is on special whenever I run out - they all taste the same to me, and providing they're sugarless, I'm easy ♥...

Repurchase?
Sure ♥...


Nivea Free Time Shower Cream (250ml, RRP $2.99)

This was an interesting one. Always happy with Nivea shower products as they're so incredibly moisturising. I enjoyed this particular fragrance (Star Fruit + Aloe Vera) - quite tangy and sharp, but very refreshing. Found this at Chemist Warehouse, but haven't seen it since ♥...

Repurchase?

I have a few others to get through, but I would buy it again if it was available, mainly for the skin softening properties ♥...

Clearasil Daily Clear Superfruits Refreshing Scrub (150ml, RRP $10.99)

Lovely scrub, I reviewed it in full HERE. To this day I'm still amazed that Clearasil products work so well on my ancient face, without any irritation. I've enjoyed many tubes of this scrub, but I'm bored with the raspberry/cranberry fragrance now, and won't buy it again for a while. But it works really well ♥...

Repurchase?
Yes, but not in the immediate future...


Skin Republic Anti-Aging Hand Repair (18g, RRP $7.99)

Great idea, but not quite as exciting as I'd hoped. The gloves are ridiculously large, so big I wondered if they'd stay on while I rested - they did, but I don't understand why they need to be yeti-sized. The serum inside them was highly effective, but not as nourishing or rich as I'd hoped - I'd prefer something less runny, something that I could massage in afterwards rather than pat, but hey that's just me. My hands absolutely LOVED the treatment - ingredients include marine collagen, shea butter, vitamin E & 7 plant extracts. You leave them on for 20 minutes, but I had an afternoon nap of around 2 hours while wearing mine ♥...

Repurchase?

Probably, but I'll have a look around to see what other brands are available - so far I've only found them online ♥...

Skin Republic Collagen Hydrogel Under Eye Patch (3 pairs, 18g, RRP $9.99)

Totally in love with these thingies - they're quite firm so they stay put reasonably well without flapping around, and there are 3 pairs in the pack. Didn't do much for my baggies, but my under eye area was supremely hydrated, and the skin looked far less crepey afterwards. I reckon I need one pack per week for the rest of the year lol! Contains collagen, green tea, aloe vera & vitamins A & E. These were gifted to me at the Bloggers United AU event ♥...

Repurchase?

Already have - I sleep in these, although they've usually fallen off by morning ♥...

Skin Republic Brightening Vitamin C Face Mask Sheet (25ml, RRP $7.99)

This refreshing sheet mask came in the November Marie Claire Ageless Parcel pack - loved my first go, so much so I bought a stack more. This is a great excuse to take some time out because you really need to lie down once you've applied the sheet. Supposed to even out skin tone by reducing age spots - I didn't notice any improvement in that department, but it's early days yet, and I plan on treating myself to one of these each week. Gave my skin a lovely boost of hydration, and it's mess-free. I'm keen to try the bubbling charcoal one, but so far I haven't found anywhere that stocks it ♥...

Repurchase?

Several already, including some of the other varieties ♥...

Sukin Energising Coffee & Coconut Body Scrub (50ml sample, 125ml, RRP $14.95)

Another product that came in the November Marie Claire Ageless Parcel. I'm not a regular user of body scrubs, so I can't compare this to any other brand. But from a new-comer's point of view, it smelt nice and I like all the natural ingredients, but I found it really scratchy (yikes!), and the consistency was a bit too watery. I reckon I'd prefer something with a bit more substance, and granules that aren't so hard. Maybe I'm a sugar scrub kinda gal?

Repurchase?

No - I'll probably explore other brands of body scrubs in due course, but I don't think this is the one for me...

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner - Eastend Snob (0.25g, RRP $12.95)

Really like these lipliners - this one is a twist up variety, creamy and smooth, great pigmentation. I think I have all six of the colours it comes in. If you're after a good quality nudey lip liner, then this is the go ♥...

Repurchase?

You bet - actually took the old one with me to make sure I bought the right replacement ♥...

L'Oreal Age Perfect Golden Age Re-Densifying Day Cream (50ml, RRP $36.95)

Oooh yes, just published my review of this beauty HERE. Love the whole range actually, so much so I'm giving away a set so I can share the lurve ♥...

Repurchase?

Already have - bought it 2 weeks into the trial because I was so impressed ♥...

Simple Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Water (200ml, RRP $9.99)

Reviewed HERE as part of my Micellar Magic series. I have SO many bottles of micellar water in the cupboard, so I was thrilled to actually get to the bottom of this one!...

Repurchase?

Probably not - it's nice, effective for what I want to do with it, good price, but nothing startling, and well, there's so many others out there that have the edge...

it Cosmetics Color Correcting Full Coverage CC+ Cream (32ml, RRP $58.00)

Major rave about it HERE. Will NEVER be without this wonder cream ♥...

Repurchase?
Already have, and about to order a spare ♥...


Neutrogena Deep Clean Revitalising Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub (100g, RRP $13.99)

Was listed as one of my empties last April, but it's SO good, I'm adding it again. Adore the fragrance, love the consistency, delighted with what it does for my skin ♥...

Repurchase?
Absolutely! ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Bloggers United AU Kris Kringle...

When the lovelies at Bloggers United AU invited me to participate in their annual Kris Kringle swap, I jumped at the opportunity to be involved in such a fun caper. Unlike a few of the secret santa events I've seen in the community, it wasn't a standard exchange - we were matched with two completely different bloggers. BUA provided details to send a gift to one gal, and we were to receive our pressie from another unidentified beauty. It was so well organised - we completed a form on which we listed what we'd really love to receive (and not!), general likes and dislikes, and any allergies. There was a spend limit ($25) and a set date for postage, and providing proof/tracking information was also one of the very mindful conditions. I had a ball choosing for my gal, sent the package off in good time, and was excited to receive my parcel this week - here's what was inside...

My Kris Kringle match was the lovely Katelan from Katelan Maria. She included this gorgeous Goddess card, and on the reverse introduced herself with some personal details and how to contact her. Katelan is a blogger and MUA from Brisbane who's relatively new to blogging, but she's well on her way, and I'm certain will have lots of interesting articles to contribute to the blogosphere...

Now for the surprises. Always believing the saying good things come in small packages, I opened the smallest parcel first, and to my delight, it contained this stunning Pro Lip Cream Palette (The Reds) by NYX. I'm absolutely over the moon as I don't have anything like this in my makeup kit, and adoring NYX lip products as I do, I'm busting to try every one of these stunning scarlet hues ♥...

Next up was the BIG package, which contained this lovely travel purse, with three delicious products by Fresh Fruit Spa. Never heard of this brand before, but loving fruity body goodies as I do, these are sure to be a winner. There's Papaya Moisturising Hand Cream, Coconut Body Lotion and Berry Cleansing Body Wash - yummm!

When I unwrapped the longish parcel, I was chuffed to find two BYS nail polishes - a scented one (Parfum Posies) and Confetti Top Coat. Again I have nothing like these in my enamel collection, and am very much looking forward to scented and spotted toes this Summer lol! Also in the package was a 7th Heaven Very Berry Mud Masque, which I will thoroughly enjoy plastering all over my face stat - ingredients include pressed blueberries, crushed cranberries, peach kernel oil and aloe ♥...

And here's everything all together - such a lovely gift ♥...

Katelan my dear, thank you so much for this very special present - I love everything, and so appreciate the care and thoughtfulness you put into choosing these products for me. I wish you and your family the merriest of Christmases, hope that your heartfelt desires all come true in 2017, and I'll be in touch with you soon ♥...

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. Adding this to Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - come join in the fun from 6:30am ♥