REVIEW: Sarah Jessica Parker Born Lovely EDP...

Just over a year ago I discovered Lovely, the first fragrance from Sarah Jessica Parker (review HERE) which had been on the market since 2005, so I decided to be a bit quicker off the blocks in discovering the daughter of this original scent, Born Lovely ♥...

As with the first, I found this at Chemist Warehouse for $9.99 for the 30ml bottle. This is actually a brilliant marketing strategy as the price is crazily affordable, the flacon is compact enough to fit in a handbag, and the presentation is as stunning as fragrances at least 4 or 5 times the price. The bottle is the same shape but instead of clear glass, it's a soft smoky grey with pink accents and a cute bow instead of a plain band around the neck. And while I loved the original look, this is even prettier ♥...

For me, the fragrance has some similarities to Lovely, no doubt due to the same mandarin top note and cedarwood base (see below), but my nose picks up more floral and fruit than wood in this version. Overall I would say it's aptly named as it's gentler, younger, simpler and more innocent than Lovely. Equally gorgeous and totally feminine, on my skin, it isn't obvious past a couple of hours, and yet at the end of the day, I still get little wafts of freshness that make this a treasure. I've no doubt if you enjoy Lovely, you will also want to find a place for Born Lovely in your collection ♥...

Lovely                              

Top Notes: Mandarin, bergamot, rosewood, lavender, apple martini

Middle Notes: Patchouli, paperwhites, orchid
Base Notes: Cedarwood, white amber, musks, woods             

Born Lovely

Top Notes: Mandarin, peony, cassis

Middle Notes: Freesia, honeysuckle, orange blossom

Base Notes: Patchouli, cedarwood, caramel

Light and fresh, this is an ideal fragrance for the transition from spring to summer, and well into the hot weather when I don't want anything too potent when I douse myself in a cooling spray. Nice one SJP!

Have you tried this one yet?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: lookfantastic Advent Calendar 2019...

Oh wow - after several agonising weeks' wait, my lookfantastic Advent Calendar 2019 finally arrived, and it's even more fantastic than I'd hoped. Interestingly, it's the only Advent Calendar I've ever bought and what a way to start! For $145, the contents are advertised as being worth over $750, and almost all of them are full-size. And having opened all the boxes, I definitely chose wisely for my first experience ♥...

Spoiler Alert - contents will be revealed! 

The presentation is absolutely gorgeous! The box is huge and really quite heavy, made of super sturdy cardboard in a deep blue with gold embellishments. I have to say I'm feeling a bit of a tease as this is currently listed as "sold out", but I'm posting all the goodies in case it might inspire you to put some pennies aside throughout the coming year so you can score one next Christmas - I sure as hell am! ♥... 

Each slide-out box contains a beauty item professionally wrapped in midnight blue tissue paper, with a cute little numbered card describing the product - it's all so so beautiful, so let's get on with the contents. This will be a picture heavy post without many words as I haven't tried any of the products yet, but you'll see my reviews as usual in the Empties posts going forward ♥...

#1 - Morphe 9A Always Golden Eyeshadow Palette*

A mix of matte and shimmer pans in beautiful warm shades - I have a couple of Morphe palettes in my kit and their pigmentation is excellent and the texture buttery smooth...

#2 - Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment

This styling cream promises strength, shine, smoothing, volume & condition - right up my alley!...

#3 - Caudalie Vinopure Clear Skin Purifying Toner

I haven't used a toner for years, but looking forward to trying this on my open pores...

#4 - Luxie Eye Makeup Brushes - 121 & 141

Excellent! Some nice new eyeshadow brushes never go astray...

#5 - Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Day Cream

Holey guacemoley - this cream sells for $196 at Mecca, and it promises to "...soften wrinkles, firm, tone and hydrate for visible results in 14 days."  Fingers crossed!

#6 - Illamasqua Nude Collection Lip Liner - Raw*

A little pale for me, but everything I've ever tried from Illamasqua has been fabulous...

#7 - Rituals The Ritual of Ayurveda Dry Oil

This is for both hair and body, and I can't wait to try it out...

#8 - Philip Kingsley Elasticizer hair mask

Ooh yes please, and I'll probably leave it on overnight instead of the recommended 20 minutes...

#9 - Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel

Perfect timing with the start of the warmer weather and my shift away from cleansing balms. This is non-foaming as well which makes it even more appealing...

#10 - First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

I'm hoping for mega-radiance from these pads, which contain lactic and glycolic acid, and pretty awesome reviews on Sephora...

#11 - Avant Skincare Moisture Surge Overnight Treatment

Crikey - this is the same quantity (and appears to be the same product) as the jar on the lookfantastic website that's priced at $156.40. I'll be saving this for special occasions lol!...

#12 - PRAI Throat & Decolletage Creme

How perfect is this for me? Whoop, whoop, whoop!...

#13 - Lord & Berry Eye Liner - Travel Black*

I have several lip crayons from this brand and they are brilliant - very creamy, long-lasting and beautifully pigmented...

#14 - Mellow Cosmetics Liquid Lip Paint - Tehran*

While this shade isn't all that appealing, the formula sounds like my kinda thing...

#15 - Rodial Dragon's Blood Lip Mask

Just what the doctor ordered for my shrivelled pout...

#16 - Molton Brown Fiery Pink Pepper Bath & Shower Gel*

I'm positive this would smell totally divine, but it contains SLS so I'll be gifting this baby...

#17 - Emma Hardie Moisture Boost Vit + C Cream

One of the very few sample sizes in the box, I'll definitely use it on some of my pigmentation spots...

#18 - Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Hand Cream

Can never have too many hand creams, and this sounds delish...

#19 - Bioeffect EGF Serum

This is the cutest bottle, and while it's only 5ml, it'll be plenty if all I need is 2-4 drops. The 15ml dropper bottle sells for $195 so I'm more than happy with $65-worth...

#20 - Eyeko Lash Alert Mascara - Black*

Oh wow, how interesting - my lashes could do with some caffeine!...

#21 - Delilah Cosmetics Eye Brow Pencil - Sable*

Such a pity this is way too dark for me...

#22 - lookfantastic Bubble T Limited Edition Bath Fizzies - Salted Caramel

Well, these should satisfy my sweet tooth...

#23 - Filorga Meso-Mask

You know of my passion for face masks - thankyou, thankyou, thankyou...

#24 - Sleek Makeup Highlighting Palette - Solstice*

The package was sealed so I didn't open it, but it looks stunning...

#25 - Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist Limited Edition

So looking forward to the delightful boost this will give me at the end of a hot humid day...

I haven't heard of half of these brands, but I'm busting to try them, and I tell you what with all this going on my face, body and hair over the next 12 months, I'll have no excuse to not look fantastic by the end the of the year ha ha. Overall I reckon this is the most unbelievable value and massive thanks to darling Ingrid from fabulous and fun life, without whom I would never have known it existed! ♥♥♥...

Even though I've already peeked inside every box, I've put everything back, and am planning to still play along with the tradition, and only open and try each product on the relevant day in December - incidentally any of the above products marked with an asterisk (*) are the ones that don't necessarily suit me, so watch this space in the weeks ahead as I might just have a special giveaway ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

REVIEW: Urban Rituelle Seaside Story Hand & Body Lotions...

It's been way too long since I indulged my passion for any of the lovingly prepared Urban Rituelle products, and I'm counting my lucky stars that just recently, Team UR gifted me with their collection of exquisitely fragranced Seaside Story Hand & Body Lotions. And they arrived just in time for the warmer weather when my skin is in sore need of some preparation before breaking out the summery shorts and sleeveless tops ♥...

For as long as I can remember, Urban Rituelle has created a theme for each of their collections, and Seaside Story is aptly named indeed. Each one of these deliciously scented potions encapsulates an essence of a sea-and-sun lifestyle, and they are all captivatingly unique. The creamy formulation is both enriching and revitalising, leaving the skin ever so soft, and aglow with a healthy sheen. Absorbed in seconds, the skin-pampering ingredients include chamomile and cucumber, and three especially nourishing oils - argan, avocado and rosehip, all blended together with a caring concern that's palpable ♥...

Coconut & Lotus

I so need this fragrance in my collection! Lotus blooms drizzled with coconut milk. and the petals dusted with powdery musk. Well, that's what it smells like to me - beachy and sensual, with a hint of the tropics. There's also shea butter, macadamia, olive and wheat germ oils in the mix to keep skin supple and moisture-rich. Every summer-loving body needs this fragrant juice ♥...

Tiare Flowers

If you shower at night, you'll want to slather this on before you climb between the sheets. Heady white flowers blended with bergamot and ylang-ylang - mmmm, gardenia lovers, this is for you. Can a hand and body lotion be seductive? I think so ♥...

Mandarin Blossom

Us fruity-floral fragrance fiends have been well looked after with this gem - an absolute delight for the senses, it's the perfect balance of juicy fruits and sweet spring blossoms. with an added zing of crisp bergamot. This is for mornings when I want a little zest to get me started, and it's not too potent to interfere with whatever EDP I'm spritzing. I would say it's the prettiest and most delicate scent of the range ♥...

Sea Kiss

SO hard to pick a favourite, but I reckon this is it. I don't get to the beach much these days, but I don't need to any more - it's all here in a tube! Whoever came up with the name got it right. It's a little musky, a little salty, and a little peachy - I literally can't get enough of it. So fresh and clean, my skin smells like I've just emerged from the surf. I'll be coating myself in this after a long hot day (if there's any left!). Absolutely love it ♥...

UR presentation is always stunning, and these lotions are in 60ml recyclable plastic tubes with convenient flip top caps, and along with the box, each one has an original design and colour scheme that reflects the contents. They retail for $14.95, and there are matching soy candles and purse-size fragrance sprays... 

All Urban Rituelle products are never tested on animals and made in Australia by a team of creative individuals who so love what they do.  Yes I'm raving, but I can't help it when it comes to this brand - you can read some of my previous gushy reviews of products (that are still available), HERE, HERE & HERE...

Thank you thank you Urban Rituelle for this beautiful gift, and what perfect timing as I'm putting together my shopping list for Christmas for friends, family and ME - Santa, please take note!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: Favourite September 2019 LOTD's...

Yay for Spring! A distinct lack of deep plums and berries in this collection, but that's to be expected as I slowly shift to the warmer weather wardrobe Every year the October long weekend is my signal, and every year, the week after I pack away the woollies, it gets cold again lol! Usually just for a week or so, but what's the point of patterns if you don't learn something, so this time I was smart and kept a few outfits aside just in case, and I actually didn't box my boots till today. It's still a bit too chilly in the mornings for strappy sandals, but I've dusted off the between-season shoes, the fake tan bottle is on the bench, and I've rearranged the wardrobe so I'm ready for the >25 degree days ahead -  bring it on! ♥...

Only one red last month - I've been wearing more pastel shades so far, but I've no doubt it'll make a comeback once I get into the summery brights that are starting to wave at me from the closet ♥...

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Pearl - Gold Goddess. This isn't a true representation of the actual lipstick - it's a gold slightly metallic shade, quite pale and sheer, but because I rarely want to look like I've just stepped out of a Bond movie (lol), I apply it over the top of something else, usually a brown that isn't golden enough to match my outfit, and it does the trick ♥♥♥...

2. Bourjois Rouge Velvet - Brownette.  One of my fave brown lippies, this one seems to go with any of the earthy shades in my wardrobe. The formula is super comfortable, and I usually only reapply after eating ♥♥♥...

3. Australis Metallic Velour Lips Matte Lip Cream - Bang Kok. Another one from my Australis $3 sale splurge. Simply adore the colour, but I'm not a fan of the drying effect it has on my lips so I carry around a toning gloss which I apply just to the inner part of my lips to stop them sticking together ♥♥♥... 

4. Covergirl Katy Kat Matte - Catoure. Have had this one a while, and I have a spare just in case it's discontinued, although I can still see it on the Priceline website. LOVE this shade, the feel and the finish. It's a demi-matte which is the only kind I can wear comfortably ♥♥♥...

5. Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer - Sunstone. In theory, this should be EOL as I bought it in...2015! I know because I reviewed some of the range HERE, and there are still some colours available, sadly not this one. What a brilliant formula though - to last this long with no change in taste, smell, texture or colour. Still awesomely hydrating, and the gloss just keeps on keeping on! ♥♥♥...

6. Innoxa Summer Matte - Tangerine. My lipstick cull has slowed lately as I keep finding ancient lippies (like this one) that are still perfectly viable. And this being such a juicy and vibrant orange, I simply can't toss it yet, although I bought it in 2014! Holey guacemoley, how is that possible? Streak-free oranges are so hard to come by, so this will stay with me for a while yet ♥♥♥...

7. Nude By Nature Satin Liquid Lipstick - Sienna.  One word - divine! I have a few of these now, just hanging out till they expand the range into some brights, like a red or a fuchsia or a purple This is the boldest one I've swatched (and bought) so far, and given how blissfully comfortable this creamy liquid is, I hope they realise they're onto a good and great thing, and cater for us gals that go gaga over loud lip products ♥♥♥...

8. Maybelline ColorSensational Made For All - Red For Me. I think you know by now how I feel about this little darling. Full review of the range is HERE ♥♥♥...

9. Nude By Nature Satin Liquid Lipstick - Rich Plum. Ditto #7 ♥♥♥...

10. Nutrimetics Hydra Brilliance 50th Anniversary Lipstick - Marshmallow. I should have bought more of these. Actually, I did, but I gave them away! This shade is just so gorgeous, flattering and versatile. Looks equally fab with navy, khaki, grey or teal ♥♥♥...

11. Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick - Electric Pink. Almost three years old, this one never fails to keep my lips hydrated, or brighten my day. Another one that I can't toss - I still have the whole set that I reviewed HERE ♥♥♥... 

12. Australis Liquid Lips - Pan-Na-Cotta.  Far more comfy formula than the matte range - I can handle this one, and of course, this shade is to die for. I'll be giving it a hammering this summer as I KNOW it will go perfectly with so many outfits ♥♥♥...

That's it for September lovelies - October collage is in the pipeline!

Take care of you,
kats xxx