October 2019 Empties & Giveaway!...

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before the Regulars in my Empties post far exceeded my never-tried-before products, and it happened big time in October, with only seven items that haven't appeared here before, and 19 that are recurring gems in my beauty routine. So perhaps I'm settling into a pattern of using trusted products rather than being overly adventurous? Nothing wrong with that of course as it means I've found a whole bunch of goodies that suit me to a T, but it may make these posts (well at least this one) a bit boring. But have no fear - I'll no doubt relent and give in to my passion for experimenting with new ranges, especially when it comes to skincare and fragrances ♥...

Body

Glow Lab Coconut & Spiced Fig Hand Wash (300ml, RRP $5)

Hard to decide if this is my favourite from the range, but it's close, and will definitely appear again here over the summer. So delicious, with the spiced fig a wee bit more dominant than the coconut, but perfect for the festive season when we're all thinking about fruit mince pies and other yummies. Love this NZ brand in general for the absence of chemical inclusions, and their no animal testing stance ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
Absolutely ♥♥♥...

Plunketts Nutri-Synergy Working Hands Intensive Hand Cream (150g, RRP $11.95)

Thanks to beautyheaven, I scored a full-sized tube a long long time ago and it only just made the front line of the stash in the last few months.  Awesome hand cream, well actually a treatment, for when your paws are in very paw poor shape - this will sort out any dryness, cracks and redness from the second or third application. After that, the skin is building resilience and becoming smoother and softer by the day ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
Ooh yes - I reckon I need a tube of this on standby, always ♥♥♥...

Regulars

Ecostore Vanilla & Coconut Body Wash - (400ml, RRP $8.99)
Natural Secrets Goatsmilk Moisturising Handwash (300ml, RRP $5.99)
Nutrimetics Nutri-Rich Shower Oil (200ml, RRP $42)
Oral-B 3D White Luxe Diamond Strong Toothpaste (96g, RRP $9.49)
Reach Dentotape (20m, RRP $2.99)
White Glo Charcoal Total Mouth Detox Whitening Mouthwash (500ml, RRP $6.99)

Face

L'Occitane Immortelle Overnight Reset Oil-In-Serum (30ml, RRP $90)

Holey guacemoley, where do I start with this gem. OK from somewhere or other I scored a 5ml sample of this fantabulous serum, and after using this teeny tiny quantity for a week, well, I just had to have more. Fortunately, my discovery coincided with an unusually generous tax return (from not working 4 months of last year) so I treated myself to two (yes two) bottles because I decided I couldn't possibly live without it, and I was right. It's pure heaven for my skin. I'll work on a dedicated post over the Christmas break as it truly deserves a place in the spotlight, and the bottle is so exquisite I need to spend some time on the photography so I can do it justice. For now, let's just say that it's like Mother Nature decided to put all her goodness into one jar, and then give L'Occitane the rights to sell it. Complexion bliss ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
Putting a dollar coin away every day so I can buy the next bottle ♥♥♥...

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

I think this may just make the regulars list once I finish off my retinol night cream. My skin needs a break from the treatment over the Summer, and I'll probably go with this one for night, and the Whip one for daytime. It's really so good, I love the fragrance, and my skin always looks radiant and feels so loved after I massage it in ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
Already have, picked it up for half price ♥♥♥...

John Plunkett Collagen Eye Lift Firming Eye Cream (15ml, RRP $39.95)

Can't remember where this came from - probably bh, but I certainly didn't buy it. A lovely eye cream that I decided to crack open (it's been in my drawer for ages) because my retinol one was causing the skin on my left hood to peel. No idea what's so special about the left one, but anyway, this cream fixed the problem after two applications. Nothing special, but nicely hydrating ♥...

Repurchase?
Maybe as a standby - I think there are more effective eye creams out there in this price range, well for my old eyes anyway ♥...

Regulars

Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes (Pack of 25, RRP $7.99) 
Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Make-up Remover (112ml, RRP $10.89) 
Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence (40ml, RRP $39.99) 
Swisspers Make-up Pads (Pack of 80, RRP $3.79)

Face Masks

Regulars

Purederm Ginkgo Eye Puffiness Minimizing Patches (2 pairs, RRP $3)

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

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

Fragrance

DKNY Be Delicious Intense EDP (100ml, RRP $110)

Adore this for summer - it's my third bottle, and won't be my last. Detailed review HERE ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
Undoubtedly! FeelingSexy has it on special at the mo' for $64.95 ♥♥♥...

Hair

Goldwell Dualsenses Blondes & Highlights Anti-Yellow Shampoo (300ml, RRP $25.95)

My one my only toning shampoo. Once you've tried this you will stick to it like me - works brilliantly as an antidote to the dreaded yellows, and unlike EVERY other purple shampoo I've tried, it smells divine and leaves my hair silky soft. Even my Kerasilk master tells me I can use this fairly regularly without detriment to my quarterly treatment ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
For as long as I'm on this ashy/silvery grey kick ♥♥♥...

Regulars

Schwarzkopf Live Colour Pastels - Cool Grey & Metallic - Lilac Chrome (RRP $5.49)

Makeup

ModelsPrefer Infinite Colour Eye Pencil - Lime Tart ($12.99)

I'm SO pi$$ed off because they've dropped this shade from the range - the PERFECT lime for Spring/Summer! Mind you I've had this for years and while I haven't actually finished it, it's just too old and dry to use any more. Pretty good staying power on the waterline, but I used it mainly for tightlining and as an eyeshadow base. Sob ♥♥♥...

Repurchase?
If only I could ♥♥♥...

Regulars

Australis HD Translucent Loose Setting Powder (RRP $16.95)
Eye of Horus Scarab Sapphire Goddess Pencil (1.2g, RRP $30)

Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Definer (RRP $17.95)

Giveaway

This month we have up for grabs...

• Australis HD Translucent Loose Setting Powder
• DKNY Be Delicious EDP - 30ml
• Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence
• Skin Republic Volcanic Ash Mud Sheet Mask

All items were purchased by me and the approximate value is $110.  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 find out who won!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay, the Rafflecopter is working again!

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

Congratulations gorgeous! 

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

Thursday 5th December to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Anne has claimed her prize ♥

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Best of luck to all who enter!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

REVIEW: DKNY Be Delicious City Blossom Urban Violet EDT...

Never enough - that's how I feel about fragrance ♥ It doesn't matter how many bottles are on my shelf, there's always another that captures my heart, and my most recent ticker entrapment was orchestrated by DKNY Be Delicious Limited Edition Urban Violet.  If you've a passion for violets and soft, powdery florals with a splash of fruit, then you will fall in love with Urban Violet, just like I have ♥...

There are around 60 variations in the Be Delicious range, the majority in similar almost spherical bottles, which are cute-as, but a challenge to photograph (reflections!) and actually quite difficult to handle when you want to decant the perfume into something more purse-friendly, but I won't hold that against Ms Karan because she designs such glorious everyday scents for the young at heart. I have two others - Skin Fresh Blossom EDP (reviewed HERE) and Eau So Intense (reviewed HERE) and was therefore already familiar with this particular DNA...

And so as luck would have it, the universe was most definitely looking after my interests a few Saturdays ago when I popped into the local Priceline Beauty Store that was closing down (sob!) and spotted this fabulously purple elixir all alone on a "Clearance" table for $10. $10? Are you serious? I took it to the counter to have it checked, and sure enough, that was the price. So my perfume stars had aligned yet again, and this fruity fresh floral precious was mine ♥...

Released in 2014, her opening notes are a green burst of apple blossom, crisp red berries and juicy mandarin, followed by a garden bed of freesia petals, and then...and then...the violets raise their pretty heads and start swaying in the breeze, their soft scent wafting up into the fragrant cloud that by now is surrounding me. Sigh. A few blissful minutes later, the sandalwood, musk and orris lend their support to the fruit and flowers, and then this fresh, fun and carefree strictly all-girl band plays the Urban Violet symphony on my skin for the next few hours ♥...

Despite being a limited edition, Priceline still has this 50ml bottle on their website for $49. She's an absolute darling, and I only wish she was an EDP just so I wouldn't have to spritz quite so frequently, and the bottle would have a better chance of lasting me a full season. As it is, the level has already dropped considerably, but I'm putting what's left of this sweetheart away till next Spring when I'll dust her down, polish her mirror cap, and we'll blossom and bloom fragrantly together ♥...

Take care of you,

kats xxx

REVIEW: DKNY Be Delicious Skin Fresh Blossom EDP...

Mmmmmm, here's another fragrance that I've worn frequently this Summer - DKNY Be Delicious Skin Fresh Blossom EDP. The name pretty much says it all - delicious, fresh, blossom. My favourite DKNY fragrance will always be Be Delicious - Eau So Intense (reviewed just over 12 months ago here), but this is a very close second ♥...

I'm deeply regretting only buying the small bottle - on the other hand it sure is super cute, and being flat rather than round, doesn't take up nearly as much room as the 100ml size, and I have to say that perfume space is becoming a MAJOR issue in my room! The shape is also far easier to grasp when spritzing, and I do like the fact that it has a protective cap to prevent accidental squirts when it's in my handbag. Fragrance-wise, she's an absolute bliss bomb of grapefruit, apricot, lily of the valley and rose notes (lots of rose). There's jasmine there too, but it's been tempered by all the other participants - thankfully, as I'm not keen on that particular ingredient in products, although as mentioned in other posts, I adore the actual flowers on the bush. The initial burst is almost as zesty as the crisp apple of the Eau So Intense, but in a matter of seconds, the blooms whisk the whole affair out of the orchard, and into an English country garden. The fruit content is always there though as an underlying theme, and nestles beautifully into the blonde woods base...

I find this fragrance ultra-feminine, fresh and light - it lasts a good 3 hours with my particular skin chemisty, and is an absolute delight to wear in the warmer weather. I will put her away for the Winter though as I prefer ambery orientals once the chill sets in, and she'll be waiting in the wings all rested and ready for the next time the blossoms emerge ♥

Take care of you,
kats xxx

REVIEW: DKNY Be Delicious Eau So Intense...

You probably have gathered by now that a blend of fruit and flowers is my favourite fragrance combo for the warmer seasons. I'm not necessarily all that enamoured with the citrus fruit ones, but apple, stone or tropical fruit scents are what send my senses into heavenly overdrive. So with a mega hit of juicy green apples, grapefruit and magnolia, and a supporting base of sandalwood and white amber, is it any wonder that I fell completely in love with DKNY Be Delicious Intense - ahhh my darling girl, you SO hit my perfume mark with your tantalising mix of apple and white flower sweetness, with a tinge of tart...

Add to that the fact you're the summeriest green hue and you're encased in a super cute bottle, although I must say it's somewhat of a challenge to decant you into something more handbag friendly, and to take your photo without capturing my messy office in your mirrored lid. But I'll forgive you those niggly little details because you make me so very happy that I just want to kick off my shoes and dance ♥

This perfume is one of the cleanest, crispest fragrance I've ever come across, and I can't imagine any of my future Summers without it. I was first entranced by the original version at the beautyheaven "Degustation" event in June last year - I was so taken with it's fruity freshness that I noted down the name, and then nabbed a sample of the Skin variety from myperfumesamples.com. Well I was a goner, and loving potent, long-lasting perfumes as I do, I just had to get my hands on the Eau So Intense version from Feeling Sexy...

I believe the apple content is stronger in this EDP, although the magnolia isn't at all intimidated by the power of the fruit component, in fact I think they make a totally loved-up couple. My nose can detect a hint of rose and violet also, but I can't seem to find a reliable source of info on the ingredients to confirm whether that's the case. It lasts so well on my skin - I  normally spritz around 5:30am, and although I can still smell little wafts of the fruit and flowers five or six hours later, I'm champing at the bit for a freshen up at lunchtime. It's really a beautifully blended perfume - apart from the first invigorating burst, there's very little difference between the initial spray and the dry down several hours later...

My first ever DKNY fragrance, and what a fabulous introduction, although I think this will be a pretty hard act to follow - just gorgeous, just delicious!

Take care of you,

kats xxx