REVIEW: Dermaveen Soap-Free Wash & Shower & Bath Oil...

Every Autumn when the chilly winds start to blow, the skin on my bod starts demanding extra moisture. And for some reason this year it seems to be yelling even louder than usual, so I've been on the hunt for some hydrating shower products to give my skin an extra boost. Using body washes that help replenish what the season takes away is a bonus when I'm in a rush on workdays, and it's Dermaveen to rescue! I've never tried anything by this brand before, but I'm sold on their Soap-Free Wash and  Shower & Bath Oil ♥...

I found both of these chunky 500ml containers at Coles for $14 - the bottles are so super sturdy, I reckon they'll easily survive multiple drops on the tiles, and the pump dispenser is equally heavy duty. To me the label design and colours are totally uninspiring, meh in fact, but I'm so glad I didn't let the boring exterior put me off as what's inside is really quite lovely. The wash has barely any scent - unusual for me to go for something that isn't potently fragranced, but when my skin is cracking up, I'm prepared to make an exception. Actually I can detect the faintest hint of something very pleasant and natural ♥...

It's not big on bubbles (yay!) - more like a calming creamy lather, and from the very first wash I noticed an improvement in my snakeskin legs. While it does contain SLS, the big winner here is Colloidal Oatmeal, which helps soften the skin and soothe away any kind of irritation. It's pH-balanced and free of lanolin, preservatives, artificial colouring, alcohol and fragrance. Another bonus is that there's an expiry date on the bottom of the bottle - LOVE it when companies do this (mine says Oct 2018)..

The Shower and Bath Oil is even more special. Thick and rich, this is like a hybrid of shower cream and body oil - translucent and pearly, it transforms into a milky lotion once it's mixed with water. Has a fragrance that's difficult to pinpoint, so I'll say "oaty" - whatever it is I love it, and I love how it makes every inch of my bod soft and supple. There's a warning on the pack regarding shower slippage, but I haven't had a problem. I pat myself dry with a soft towel, and there's no need to apply anything else. My skin isn't left feeling greasy, just satiny soft with a subtle healthy sheen ♥...

I've been alternating this with the wash, and I'm no longer dealing with any tight, flaky or itchy bits. I haven't used it in the bath yet - saving that experience for once the big freeze hits. Can also be used to relieve nappy rash and cradle cap, dermatitis and eczema as well as a facial cleanser, and there's no SLS in this particular formula...

My skin seems to love the oatmeal content, and I'm tempted to stock up on the 1-litre bottle from Chemist Warehouse - it's on special for $16.99 right now, which is amazing value. I'm suitably impressed with both products, and there's more in the range including shampoo and conditioner, and heaps of moisture lotions and creams which I will most certainly be exploring ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. Adding this link to Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - starts at 6:30, and posts are added up until Wednesday night, so keep checking back to catch all the terrific reads ♥... 

EOTD's & Giveaway!...

My how things change in the space of a few months! Sure we've had some magnificent days of Autumn sunshine, but the overnight temps in the last few weeks have been chilly-as, so it's time to delve into the "cold weather" palette drawer, and swap over the wardrobe contents. I took very few eye pics in March, so I've launched straight into the April ones - instead of sandals in the outfit photos, I'm already into boots! But I don't mind - I live in boots as soon as the season changes, and wear them for up to 5 months of the year ♥ I've been a bit slack with my giveaways too, so I hope you'll join in the fun at the bottom of the page lol...

For this first one, I used two of my favourite shadows - Sleek Ink from the Ultra Matts V2 palette, and Colourpop Super Shock Slave2Pink. The latter is the most gorgeous duochrome magenta with a blue colourshift, and it's the perfect match for the NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream in Fuchsia Fusion, and NYX Ombre Blush in Code Breaker ♥♥ I'm also wearing the new Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation - LOVE it ♥ This was also the first "outing" of my new necklace - yet another Lovisa bargain, it looks like sapphires and diamonds, but I picked it up on special for $2.50!...

For this next look, I turned to my Rimmel Magnif'eyes Keep Calm & Wear Gold palette (gifted), and lined my waterline with Eye of Horus Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil...

The necklace and earrings I've had for more than 10 years - found them at a thrift store, which is often where I find unusual pieces. My foundation was Mirenesse Velvet Maxi Lift Supreme, for cheeks and contouring I used Essence Shape Your Face Contouring palette in Ready Set Peach, and lips were David Jones Moisture Cream Lipstick in Honey Gold...

This emerald green shadow is ah-mazing! Super pigmented, and would you believe it's from a Kmart OXX palette (Utopia) that set me back the massive sum of $2! There are six of these palettes available, all slightly different, but all pretty and bright colours. Not all the pans are as pigmented, but the ones I've tried so far have been quite magical for the price ♥...

For my face I used L'Oreal Infallible Total Cover foundation, Elf blush palette (the dark one), and injected some colour into the monochrome outfit with NYX Intense Butter Gloss in the shade Cherry Custard ♥...

And for this last look, I turned to the always reliable Too Faced Chocolate Bar for Milk Chocolate and Creme Brulee, with Colourpop Creme Gel Liner in Over Board on the waterline...

MNY Dream Cushion Foundation again, Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light on my cheeks, and Innoxa Summer Matte Liptstick in Chocolate on my pout. The necklace was a gift many years ago from a dear friend - I adore it, and don't wear it anywhere near often enough...

And now for the giveaway! How about some Lovisa bling to add some sparkle to your outfits, and somewhere to store it?

Up for grabs is:

• Lovisa Diamond Simulants Heart Necklace and matching Earrings set
• Lovisa Diamond Simulants bling ring (size M-L)
• Simply Bathroom Acrylic Four Drawer Jewellery Organiser (from Aldi)
• Simply Bathroom Acrylic Necklace Holder (from Aldi)

Here's a closeup of the jewellery - there's a mark on the black paper backing of the earrings (top right) where I (foolishly) peeled off a fleuro "sale" sticker, but that's the only damage to the box...

Total prize value is approx $100, all items are brand new, and were purchased by me. Because it's quite bulky, I'll have to restrict the entries to Australian Residents Only...

The usual rules apply - one entry per person, follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter section, and leave a comment below that answers the question inside the copter...

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Congratulations gorgeous! 

Fay please respond to the email I've sent you by 

Wednesday 24th May to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Fay has claimed her prize

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Hope you'll enter so that I can send these goodies off to a good home ♥...

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. Linking to Ingrid's always popular Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party -up and running after 6:30am ♥... 

REVIEW: NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream...

Wow, wow, wow! SO excited about this new NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream range, although with 18 shades on the US website, and only four in my local Priceline, my euphoria is a trifle dampened. Still, it's early days yet, and more may be released in the coming weeks - I can only hope lol! With a stunning formula that's like silk on the lips and unbelievable intensity of pigmentation, you'll be busting to try these if you're as nutty about colour and sheen as I am. I bought only three as the fourth one is blue - a very pretty blue mind you, but blue lips are not my thing. I reckon I'll have enough trouble achieving that hue naturally once Winter gets its claws in ha ha. Interestingly the blue is not available online at Priceline...

I'm blissing out because this is another range that's not a matte formula, which as I've mentioned before, really doesn't do my 60+ lips any favours. I'm also quite impressed that the release price is $16.95, which isn't going to break my budget, although seeing the US$7.50 price tag makes my blood boil...

The three I bought are Fuchsia Fusion, Asteroid Aura and Speed of Light, and they're swatched in that order below. The pink and the purple contain teeny little sparkles, whereas the copper one is a straight metallic pearl..

And here's how they look on my pout. The Fuchsia Fusion is such a fabulously bold hue and leaves an impressive stain. Like most glosses, transfer is initially a bit intense, but after it dries down a bit, you won't leave so much behind on your cup. When reapplying, there's no chunky bits or flaky build up - it goes on smooth and creamy every time. No discernible scent or taste either..

Here is Asteroid Aura, my favourite kind of pinky purple - the only challenge is finding a lip liner that matches, and like most lip glosses, you'll need to line your lips to prevent bleeding. I still have an ancient Nabi liner in Dark Fuchsia which is a pretty close match, but I'm almost down to the stump, and haven't seen this brand around my local haunts for yonks. They do have a website with the biggest range of lip liners I've ever seen, but there's no shipping info so I don't know if they'll post to Australia...

And lastly is Speed of Light. My camera makes this look a bit apricottish, but in real life it has quite a coppery glow, or some might say rose gold. Either way, it's just plain gorgeous!...

The applicator is the usual does foot, but it's super furry, and applying is a snap. I'd say the finish is more pearly metallic sheen than gloss, and I've had numerous compliments since they made their debut at the office ♥...

Totally in love with these, and I've my fingers crossed they take off in Oz so that the rest of the colours will become available. There's another purple (Ultraviolet) and a breathtaking orange (Solar Energy) that I can't wait to get my hands on, as well as half a dozen neutrals, most of which are marked as "NEW", so I'm reasonably confident these will be around for a while. Well done and thank you NYX! ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. Linking to Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - come join us after 6:30am ♥... 

REVIEW: Vera Wang Be Jeweled Rouge EDP...

A number of Vera Wang fragrances have captured my heart over the years - I have two versions of Lovestruck (original and Floral Rush), and the most recent addition was Princess Revolution last September. Still exploring her range, so when I used up the last drop of the first Be Jeweled, I decided to replace it with Be Jeweled Rouge, which I love even more than the original ♥...

It's a similar theme of course - a fresh berry floral, but unlike it's predecessor, this one lasts a good 4 hours. Interestingly I usually keep my fruity florals for Spring and Summer, but this darling has enough oomph to survive the cooler months, I think because of the vanilla content. It starts off with a tantalising burst of red currant and pomegranate, but the fruit is almost instantly partnered with gardenia, pink peony, and vanilla, and they all live happily ever after on a base of praline, cashmere wood and musk. It's really quite beautiful - like other "rouge" fragrances, it kinda smells pink, if you know what I mean. Zesty and sweet enough for the young at heart, but the dry down is sufficiently sophisticated for more mature gals...

There's something about Vera Wang bottles that always appeal to me - they're girly, some might say gaudy, but when I reach for a perfume, I want to be reminded of my femininity even before I spritz, and this faceted crystal and bejewelled flacon does that every time ♥...

Classified as a floral oriental, I'm more inclined to say floral fruit gourmand. I bought the 50ml bottle last year at a local chemist for around $30, sadly I can't seem to find it anywhere online except on eBay or Amazon, so I guess it isn't all that popular- a pity as it's a gem of a scent ♥...

Take care of you,

kats xxx