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: 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

Beautyheaven Turns 10!...

My favourite beauty website, beautyheaven, is 10 years old this year, and I was blessed with an invitation to their birthday celebration at The Ivy Sunroom in Sydney yesterday. What a wonderful time was had by all - seriously, my face was aching from smiling so much lol!  And by the time I got home, my arms were aching from the weight of all the fabulous beauty products they and their sponsors so kindly gifted to us. This will be a long, loving and picture-heavy post, so grab a cuppa and let's get started ♥...

The venue was perfect - located in the heart of Sydney, beautifully appointed, delicious and innovative catering, helpful and efficient staff, couldn't wish for anything better. It was champagne on arrival, which was 10am, but I didn't let the early hour stop me from getting into instant party mode. We were ushered into the media room for a welcome speech by several of the bh staffers (and MD) and viewed a delightful video that captured the essence and evolution of beautyheaven over the years. I don't know the numbers but I'd say at least 100 guests, and the space around the atrium was set up with a huge refreshment bar (most important!), and 8 beauty "stations" manned by sponsors & their staff. We had been given wristbands when we arrived that included a random group number, and after finding our fellow "groupies" we were joined by a bh staffer and guided to each of the product stations in a sequence, sort of a moving beauty feast. My group was led by the stunningly gorgeous Bree Macgugan (pictured below left) - what a wonderfully warm and vivacious lady she is, thanks for the love Bree! ♥...

Also pictured above are Vanessa Rossini & the MD Michelle Blancato - what I wouldn't give to have a boss of her calibre, a truly lovely lady with an amazing energy field around her, and a genuine passion for what she does. These three beautiful women were actually having their official photo taken, but it was an opportunity too good for this pushy blogger to miss, and I thank you all for being so gracious considering we'd only just met! ♥ I was also super happy to meet and chat with darling Debbie Black, but in all the excitement, forgot to grab her for a snap! ♥...

Of course catching up with the other bh staffers and members was a MASSIVE part of the day, and the most common sound you could hear at any point in time was "Oh my gosh, you're ...!!!" as we finally put a real face to the avatar, and in some cases matched them up to an Instagram handle. Was delighted to meet the effervescent mum-to-be Ying (aka Ellyloves) below ♥...

My group's first station was Beauty by Nicholas - had not heard of this brand before, but if their products live up to their claims, I reckon you'll be reading all about them on my blog going forward. This is a range of serious skincare for folks who are serious about results (count me in!), and they don't test on animals ♥....

The presentation was super impressive and we were able to choose our shade of Foundation No More, a multi-purpose cream that does everything, and that I think is going to become a staple in my kit. Will review ASAP, along with their Eye Alchemy (goody bag inclusion) which I can't WAIT to try out ♥...

Next stop was the Fun Factory/We-Vibe Fun Room - a long table loaded with all sorts of strange looking devices for personal pleasure seekers! I won't go into too much detail here, but we were able to ask questions about their purpose and the best way to use them, and received some very interesting answers lol. It was all a bit of a giggle, but the products themselves are beautifully made, that bold pink one top right reminded me of a Smurf!...

And here are the contents of our Svakom goody bag...

We moved onto the Nutrimetics station, and learned about several of their amazing skincare ranges - Ultra Care Platinum (untried so far) & their classic Nutrich-Rich (know and love!) ♥...

I was excited to see this brand at the party as I used their products decades ago, and have only recently joined up again as a home buyer, so to receive all the fabulous lotions and potions below for free was a bonus I wasn't expecting - so generous! Plus they included their latest release - Lip Polish, which is certainly going to get a work out on my pucker ♥...

Another gorgeous face I was super happy to see was Laura (aka thelifeoflaura) - this beauty came all the way from Canberra for the event. Now that's what I call a megawatt smile! ♥...

We then had about 45 minutes of consuming the most stunningly presented munchies, followed by coffee or tea, after which we headed to the MAC station. While we were waiting for the previous group to finish, I leapt at the opportunity to capture the gorgeous gal Lily aka LilyNotLouise. We were able to select any colour from their Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour range, and have it expertly applied by one of the consultants - I had to decline as I'm still recovering from a cold sore that reared its ugly head a few days ago, but thoroughly enjoyed seeing the lips of the other lovelies transformed with this wondrous formula. We each received one in the bh goody bag (pic further down) ♥...

Station #5 on my circuit was Clinique, and a colour match of their new Even Better Glow Foundation. Being such a dull day, the lighting wasn't the best for such an endeavour, but my lovely consultant used her phone light to try and get the best match - for me it was Stone, which is a warm neutral...

And in the bh goody bag I found this gifted beauty, Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm - woo hoo and thank you! ♥...

Next stop was Estée Lauder, and a colour matching session of their Double Wear Foundation. With my cool base and warm freckles, I'm a bit of a challenge to match, but they have this amazing gadget which they hold against various areas of the face & neck, and it recommends the best match. Mine was Pale Almond, but because it is somewhat paler than I'm used to, the consultant also gave me a sample of  Desert Beige, which is similar to what I've worn before. At the same time we were handed one of the new Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Powerfoil Masks - you know my love of sheet masks, so you can imagine that I was blissing out! And then in the bh bag, I found a sample of their Advance Night Repair Synchronized Complex II - talk about spoilt ♥...

The next station was Plunketts - they have a new treatment called Working Hands which I reckon will be appearing in numerous empties posts going forward. It had an instantly softening effect on my hand, and absorbed in a few seconds - that's my kind of hand cream! Chuffed to find a full-size tube in the bh goody bag, and during the presentation, we were given the Pure Vitamin E Oil and Collagen Lift Moisturiser. I'm so looking forward to trying all of these ♥...

Last stop on our beauty journey was Justice - the hair care range from Just Cuts salons, and they also have a web store. The Smooth & Groom product was demonstrated on a brave volunteer from the group - it's a hair moisturiser that doesn't create any weight or greasy feel, and can be applied several times per day. Sounds like something my bleached tresses are in dire need of. We were gifted with a bag containing the samples below, and because it was the last session of the day, we also received one of various full size products, mine was the Argan Oil ♥...

After all these station hops, we moved into the media room again for the presentation of some awards for the bh members who have been the most active participators in the site - heaps of congrats to Shop A Everyday, misfortunate8, Yohanna & iluvspring. These four gals received bags containing over $1000 worth of products! The presentation was followed by the cutting of the bh cake, and then we were offered one more glass of champagne and a yummo cup cake ♥...

What a glorious day ♥ So after saying farewell to my bh mates, and a whole bunch of new found friends, I staggered home with bags and bags of loot. Below is everything else that was in the bh swag that I haven't already covered above...

Batiste Dry Shampoo and Hairspray, Lady Jayne Swirly Pins & a folding contraption from We-Vibe (I think it's a massager) 

Fabulous collection of Barry M products in a cute little cosmetic case - the lipstick is shade #167...

Elle Magazine...

Vonblu Lipstick (Riva) and MAC lipcolour (Dance With Me)...

Nads Ultimate Brow Shaping Kit, Nair Wax Strips, and 1000 Hour Lash & Brow Dye...

Manicare Eyeliner brush, Pearl Drops Charcoal Toothpaste, Ecotools Color Correcting Mini Blenders, Nature's Way Beauty Collagen Gummies, & Skinny Superfood Detox Greens & Berries...

Rosehip Plus Roll-On Rosehip Oil, SkinB5 Skin Purifying Mask, Natura Siberica Oblepikha Hand Cream, Bondi Sands Coconut Coffee Body Scrub (Bubblegum), Swisse Rosehip Facial Moisturiser, Swisse Manuka Honey Detoxifying Facial Mask, and Swisse Deep Sea Hydrating Mist Toner

The warmth and friendliness between every one of the bh staff and their guests was palpable, and a joy to be a part of - it felt like home ♥ It was actually a beautyheaven competition 4 years ago (Blogstar) that got me started on my little blogging adventure, and I credit them with igniting my passion for all things beauty-related. Truly I knew so little about skincare or makeup (let alone how to apply it) before I joined 9 years ago, and the combination of site information, opportunities to trial products way beyond my budget PLUS the loving feedback from the ultra-supportive Forum members, launched me on a path that I'm following to this very day, and will continue until my hands shake too much to apply my eyeliner in a straight line lol ♥...

Thank you beautyheaven for the opportunity to participate in this awesome event, many happy returns to you all, and congratulations on providing a beauty home-away-from-home for the last 10 years. In my book you are the best-in-beauty business the industry has to offer - long may you shine ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. The stunning colour of the Say It With Polish enamel at the top of the page is called...Beauty Heaven ♥...