Aussie Competition Entry

Hey Sheilas,

While Bruce was checking out the surf, I threw some shrimp on the barbie and got to work on my look!
My inspiration came from the Aussie brand bottles. Purple and cream....
I also wanted to factor in a golden, aussie, laid back kinda look. With the Aussie fun factor thrown in...


From a distance.... yes I chose the room that is currently being decorated to sit in!




Purple on the lower lashes....gold on the lids....


Thumbs up for the stupid pose!


Surely the purple hair gets extra points....


And the winning factor.... my Joey! No Kanga is every without her Joey!

What I used-
Revlon colorstay foundation
Benefit erase paste
Barry M natural Dazzle bronzer
Gosh Easy Mango eyeliner
Urban Decay Lust eyeliner
Maybelline Colossal Mascara
Mac Underage Lipglass

Post a link to our entries below! You have till tomorrow morning to get your entries in, there havent been many which means your chancecs of winning are higher! Plus I get to pick my lucky winner! :)

xoxo

Amie Skincare...

When I was first approached, I hadn't heard of this brand before. Then I thought...we have the same name, I defo need this on my bathroom shelf!

Amie is aimed at 'young skin', approaching my mid 20's I was hoping I still scraped into that category. All of their products are dermalogically testes, contain no parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals, mineral oil, soap, GMO or animal extracts. They are vegan and vege friendly and come in 100% recyclable packaging. Thats my good deed of the day done!

To be honest I wasn't expecting much from a 'natural' product. Most skin care I have used contains all sorts of ingredients to kill off blemishes, slow aging and probably do more bad than good to my skin.

In the set are 5 different products, I have mixed reviews on them so I will talk about the separately.

Bright eyes- 'Very gentle eye make up remover-this oil free formula sweeps away traces of the day without irritating the delicate eye area.' Nice smell, but this just wanted to get into my eyes which hurt! It says no tears on the bottle but I an assure you there were on a couple of occasions. You have to be really careful with this. It was quite messy when removing my mascara, 10 cotton pads later my eyes were clean. It did leave them refreshed and not irritated. I have very sensitive eyelids so this was nice to use.

New Leaf- 'Skin Exfoliating Polish- this moisturising exfoliating wash gently yet effectively cleanses pores whilst smoothing away dulling dead surface cells.' I love exfoliators. I have dry skin so this is a must have for me. This one was nice and creamy and did the job. I would have preferred some more 'grit' in there but as it is aimed at young skin I can see why the formulation is like that. I have been using this every few days.

Morning Clear- 'Purifying Facial Wash- effortlessly cleanses delicate facial skin to lift away dirt, oil and make up' This is so creamy, smells so lovely and left my skin feeling clean but without the usual tightness. Love this.

Morning Dew- 'Matte finish moisturiser- lightweight, oil free daily moisturising lotion keeps skin shine free and hydrated'. I really didn't think I would like this. I like my skin to glow and I thought this would dull it down. It does mattify but it doesn't dull the skin. My skin still looked fresh even through my make up. The best thing about this, I got to the end of the day when I was driving home and realised how fresh my sin felt. Normally I cant wait to take off my make up and let my skin breathe, but there was no rush with this. Plus a little goes a long way. This is the star product from the range.

Spring Clean- 'Cooling Clay Mask- Pampering French White Clay, Lime Butter and organic peppermint mask' I haven't used this yet...oops!

I really have enjoyed using this range. The packaging is lovely and the set I received comes in a wash bag with my name on...well Amie... This would be the perfect stocking filler for a sister or cousin who is just getting into make up and skin care. It retails at £19.95 and is exclusive to www.amieskincare.com. My sister said she has seen this in Superdrug too. If you only try one thing from the range, try the moisturiser! Order online and you can get free P&P.



xoxo

Mavala Nail Care

When their new season colours landed on my doorstep, my initial thoughts were how nice the colours were. The collection inspiration was taken from A/W 09-10 catwalk colours.

Liberty(taken from Chloe)- a soft nude.

Ruby (taken from 3.1 Philip Lim)- a bold striking pink

Tokyo (taken from Balmain)- a deep dark blue, matte finish.

What makes Mavala different?
The formula delivers microscopic air pockets to allow nails to breathe and is free from parabens, formaldehydes, toluene, camphore, cellophane, animal ingredients and heavy metal.
This means is a perfect range to use when you are growing out nail damage from extensions. I removed my gels this weekend ready for my nail break and new gels this week. I used my usual Sally Hansen base and then Liberty. The polish was so easy to apply, no gloopyness, no running. It was just, easy. My biggest bug bear with nail colour is streaking which this didn't do either. So many nudes I have used in the past haven't managed to give me a consistent colour without looking streaky and awful. The smell of these was muted too which made the whole experience that little bit nicer.

The best thing about this brand is the price. The pots are 5ml and priced at £3.66. These are smaller than most polishes but more than enough to get you through a season before the next trend comes along. You can buy these in salons, department stores and Debenhams. Perfect stocking fillers and Secret Santa items.




3.1 Philip Lim (Ruby)


Balmain (Tokyo)

xoxo

New Hair Time...

Once again in hair history I am bored with the colour.

Time for a more Christmas look for those parties and festivities!

Introducing purple tones....a la Peaches Geldof.





Rich berry colour perfect for my skin tone and something a bit different!
Come the new year I am bound to end up brunette again then maybe blonde for the summer?....

What do you think?

xoxo

Sebastian Professional Microweb Fiber

Wants posh's new do? This product can help with that tousled look!

Once again Sebastian have come up with a unique product that I haven't seen anywhere else in the market place.

How to use it-




My sister is currently sporting the grown out bob look so was the perfect person to review this.


What she said-
'I love how the product feels, really sticky and goes gummy on your hands. It distributed through my hair well and created the look I was after. The only thing is the look didn't hold all day. Maybe some hairspray would add to the effect? This is a really good product for giving texture before creating an up do. I liked how there wasn't a big perfumed smell either.'

This retails for £13.50 and is sold in Selfridges along with the rest of the range.

xoxo

Aussie Competition

Aussie have launched an Aussome (get it?!) competition where you can win a prize. The prize isn't yet announced but As you can see from my other Aussie posts, these Joeys don't mess around.

Lauren says-

'We have set you a challenge based on your passion for beauty and makeup. We want to see you get creative and come up with a look that sums up, for you, what Aussie is all about. Post your entry to your blog and we’ll give the best contenders pride of place on Uncover Aussie, with the best one from each category bagging the winner an awesome prize.

So get cracking! The competition ends Monday 30th November, and we’ll announce the winners after that. Good luck - we can’t wait to see what you come up with!'


So all you need to do it create a look with Aussie being the theme. The great thing is, its completely how you interpret it. you can take inspiration from a picture, person or object! You can do a hair look, NOTD, FOTD whatever you fancy!

I will be posting my entry on here over the next few days. You can post your entry on your blog and email me the link or just email me the pictures. (email in the sidebar).


I get to chose one lucky winner! Bribes completely allowed!

Competition closes Monday 30th November!

xoxo

L'Oreal Lash Renewal Serum

When this was first launched I held out for some reviews before parting with just over a tenner. I didn't want to fall for what could tun out to be a gimmick type product. A few weeks later and some good reviews later I toddled off to my local boots to grab myself one. Like everyone had said, there are no instructions, no selling points, nothing! So I decided to use my contacts to get me the inside scoop!

L'Oreal say-

The Renewal Lash Serum is a 1st for us at L’Oréal Paris.

The development of this product was based on L’Oréal research on the mechanisms that determine eyelash growth cycles. The findings showed that only 15% of eyelashes are in the growth phase vs. 85% of hair.

The Renewal Lash Serum was therefore developed to give lashes a nourishing boost. It has an intensive formula enriched with Arginine and Centella so lashes feel fortified and look renewed.

Directions for use:
1) Use rounded tip to treat the lash line
2) Sweep the curved brush from lash root to tip

By day, apply under your mascara.

By night, remove mascara and apply to bare lashes.

I have been using this for 3-4 weeks now. I first saw results after just 2 applications. My lashes were more conditioned which gave a fuller and longer look. I have noticed a little bit of growth but not sure if that is linked to this product. So although this isn't a Lilash alternative in terms of growth, its enough for me. I will continue to use this for a full 3 month lash cycle to see the true effects but so far so good! I have used about 1/8 of the product so far over nearly 4 weeks and I have been applying every night.

Has anyone else used this?



xoxo

I can't stop...

Using these little lot!

MeMeMe Radiant Minerals Foundation
My latest foundation has run out, sad times. But I got to try this one. I really like it. My skin still glows with it and stays that way. It is very similar to Maybelline's Dream Satin Liquid. I would like more coverage than this offers but by the time I have powdered and added concealer, I'm good to go. I have been using the anti fatigue one too which has great coverage for those days where you need an extra boost in looking alive!

Hugo Boss Deep Red Perfume
My current winter smell. I finally gave into the transition into winter. I love this as it isn't over powering but still a deep warm smell. Oh and its lasts all day! I have been using this for a week and keep getting asked what I am wearing....love that!

Aussie Volume Hairspray
I took this away with me at the weekend. Pretty much everyone I was with ended up with quiffs and volume created by this! There wasn't an un-sprayed head in the building! Great for creating bouffs too!

Essie Bermuda Shorts Nail Colour
Courtesy of VexintheCity my NY twin! Love her for bringing this into my life! I keep reapplying just because I can!! Its living on my toes at the moment. I am waiting for my next gel appointment so I can go lighter and show the true colour of this!! J'adore!


Any new loves?

xoxo

Sanctuary Giftset Winner!

Random.org has come up trumps again and picked a winner!!

Drumroll please...

The winner is...

Maxime

Please dm me your address on twitter or email me (address in the side bar).

xoxo

Aussie Package

My Aussie box arrived today! yay!

I ripped it open and it looked like this... boo :( Stupid DHL man!



Another cryptic clue from Aussie.... oh and a timtam that didn't quite make it to the picture!





However, if you want to taste heaven, watch the below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHzMfZ1FaqA

If you cant get hold of Tim Tams try a penguin!

xoxo

Method Hand Wash

I am a clean freak. I have a weird thing that my hands and feet cant be dirty. Don't ask my why as I really don't know but I hate it so much that I carry wet wipes, alcohol hand gel and keep supplies at work and in my car. So when some hand soap landed on my door step I actually got a bit excited!! (It was a long week and it was the one good thing that had happened that day!!)

I had not heard of the brand before but they are all about natural ingredients. Part of their press release mentions how some chemicals in household cleaning products can cause asthma in children. Their products are non toxic and are safer and healthier. They are made from naturally derived, biodegradable ingredients, are cruelty free and come in 100% recycled plastic bottles.
I put the hand wash in the kitchen where I knew everyone would reach for it and give it a go.

Personally, the first thing I noticed when I used it was how soft and clean my hands felt after using it. Most soaps leave my hands clean but tight and needing moisturiser. With this I can pretty much skip that step.


Comments from the builders working on the house...(actual quotes!!)

'My hands feel amazing, nothing like they have before. I feel like I need to rough them up a bit in case the missus notices!'

'Feel a bit of a girl using it, don't tell anyone I like it!'

'I keep finding excuses to wash my hands!'

Mum's view 'Oh, its nice isn't it, smells lovely too. The bottle looks nice too!'

So happy hands all round! The bottle looks nice on the shelf too and its covered in logos. I prefer this to the Molton Brown liquid soaps. Method hand washes are sold in Boots.



xoxo

Surya Luxury Natural Hair Care

Winter is pretty much on our doorstep but my skin and hair are already feeling the effects. Everything is dry and a bit blah! I have promised myself that I wont neglect my skin and hair this winter and have a mad panic when it comes to Spring and I want glossy locks and fresh glowing skin!

For the last few washes of my hair, I have been using Surya Brazil Nut Nutritive Hair Mask. I have been a 3 minute Miracle girl for a long time. This however contains natural ingredients including Brazil Nut Oil (duh!) vitamin A & E which they say will help condition and hydrate dry hair. Brazil Nut Oil adds shine and softens hair.

I shampooed as usual and then applied the mask to my hair. Normally I don't need a lot of product because my hair is so fine and only shoulder length. When I was applying it, it seemed to really ling to my hair and I found it hard to work through my hair and so I used a lot of it. This may be because my hair was particularly dry or needing some love? I wrapped my hair in a warm towel and left it for 20 minutes. It washed out so well, it felt like it was falling out. I really loved how my hair felt as I washed it out. I really cant remember a time when it felt this nice. I dried my hair as normal.

The biggest difference I noticed was the shine it gave me. I wouldn't say I was amazed by it but I did like how my hair looks and feels after. I would like to try the shampoo with this too as normally like products work well together. The mask is £10 but should easily last 2 months if you use it once a week.

All Surya products are free from SLS Parabens, GMO's artificial colouring or fragrance. They are cruelty free, certified by Eco Cert and vegan approved.

Surya Haircare is exclusive to Liberty at the moment but you can mail order it by calling 0207 7341234.

Has anyone used this brand?



xoxo

Monday Poll

Mood: Good until work called...

This morning I told myself to _____ . Relax and enjoy the day off work...

Three bits of hard-learned makeup advice: 1. Drink water 2. Natural light for day time looks. 3. Get good eyebrows!

Last text message I sent: 'Its on the spreadsheet in the folder there are 9' Yep work on my day off...

Eyes/lips/cheeks: Molasses eyeliner, well dressed and snob lipstick.

____ make(s) me happy. My girls.

____ make(s) me bitchy. Work colleagues!

Outfit: Leggings, dress and boots.

Weekly goals: Make it to Friday without walking out of work?!!

xoxo

While I'm gone...

Don't forget to comment on this post to be in with a chance of winning a gorgeous Sanctuary gift set! Winner will be announced on Monday!

xoxo

Leaving...

Just not on a jet plane this time...

I'm off on a girls weekend! After losing one of us 18 months ago, we are all too aware of how much we mean to each other. We really have seen each other through thick and thin and most of us have been friends since we were about 5. Friends come and go and as I have been through school and the like I have realise who I want in my life. It sounds harsh but you come to realise its just part of growing up. I really do count my lucky stars for my close girlfriends. This weekend we are celebrating my best friends birthday in true 80's style! I'm defo giving 'material girl' Madonna a run for her money!

We have rented a cottage in the middle of no where we will be watching dvd's going on country walks and pretty much doing whatever takes our fancy.

I will be MIA for a few days on a much needed break from life and work. Chances are by 9.30am tomorrow I would have had 2 calls from work! Even being half way across the world doesn't stop them calling!

More blogs coming when I get back.

Have a lovely weekend!

xoxo

Monday Poll

Its been a while... shamelessly stolen from our fav Monday Poll girl!

Mood: Giggly :)
At what age were you allowed to date? There wasn't ever a point where my parents 'allowed' me to date. I just kinda did!
Which lip gloss do you wear the most? At the moment underage, boring I know!
Dark, milk, semi-sweet or white chocolate? Whats semi-sweet? Milk please!
Eyes/lips/cheeks: Mascara, carmex and coralista! Adventurous huh!
What’s your favorite store at the mall? The whole of westfields!
Are you hungry right now? No just had my yummy dinner!
Which supernatural being would you rather be: vampire, werewolf, shapeshifter or telepath? er none!
Outfit: Work - Grey Smock dress, leggings and boots.
Weekly goals: Make it to Thursday night so I can have my weekend away with the girls!! eee!

xoxo

Remington Wet2Straight Straightner

Like some of my favourite bloggers, I have been trialling Remington's Wet2Straight straighteners. I have to to say I was dubious of how well they would work and do I want to put my hair through such a harsh styling routine.

I have to say after a week of using them, I am pleasantly surprised. My first pair of straighteners(which were probably the most peoples first) were the Babyliss ones. They did the job but thankfully due to technology GHD's hit the scene and I have never looked back. I think the main reason is I have never needed to. I have had 2 pairs over about 7-8 years which to me is value for money. Since then ceramic plates come with pretty much every straightener.

Remington say- 'Remington is really proud of their new Wet2Straight hair straighteners - they straighten damp hair, are kinder than straightening from dry and release conditioners to keep hair frizz-free all day long.'

Being worried about possible damage to my hair, I loaded up with heat protection. I towel dried my hair and did my make up before moving onto the hair styling. I started on the underneath and took the first section. A slight fizz(which is the Steam Hydration Therapy) but nothing like I was expecting. I made my way through my hair until I was finished. It took no where near as long as I had expected, my hair was straight and one thing I noticed compared to my GHD's was my hair wasn't as dull as was shinier than normal. Big thumbs up as this means less products needed on my hair. I was having either having a good fringe day or it was the straightners!

These promise up to 8 hours anti frizz protection, which doesn't seem like very long, to me I normally spend longer than 8 hours on the office each day, but luckily my hair isn't naturally frizzy so wont effect me...phew!

Overall I have liked how my hair looks with these which is a softer version of my poker straight GHD locks! I would use these on a regular basis and I would be interested to see if the shine stays. They are easy to use, one button to switch them on, you can use them wet or dry AND you can change the temperature.They heat up real quick too. 15 seconds to be precise! They did make me realise how much heat I actually use on my hair. You can cook a dinner at 200 degrees and I am more than happy to whack this on my hair most days! Thank god for decent hair products and my hairdresser!


I think if my hair was thick or naturally curly, these would have to work harder and it would probably take longer to style my hair. I guess I am lucky with my hair type on this occasion.

My GHD's are looking a bit sorry for themselves after these brand spankers have been on my dresser!

These retail at around £70-80 but are current on sale in argos!



xoxo

Sanctuary Spa Gift Set Giveaway!

Yes Xmas may be 'just around the corner' but I still haven't done ANY of my present shopping!!

Luckily Sanctuary Spa are helping us out with 3 for 2 offer on their gifts sets. That's one for mum, one for the best friend and I think I'll keep the free one for myself!!

I have teamed up with the lovely people @ The Sanctuary Spa to give away one of their gorgeous gifts sets to a lucky reader.

All I ask is that you are a follower (follower only exclusive!) and you are willing to write a review that will guest star(just like in Friends!) on my blog.

One lucky reader will win...


Mela Sumptuous Body Indulgence



Collection contains:
200ml Mela Body Scrub
250ml Mela Shower Drench
300ml Mela Body Butter
Body Polisher

Sanctuary say... 'Treat yourself to some Indian pampering with this indulgent selection of Mela products. Combining powerful elements from Indian traditions this exotic collection contains sumptuously relaxing formulations that leave body and spirit in perfect harmony.'


All you need to do is write 'enter me' in the comments box and if you wanted you could leave a little joke too!!

All their gift sets can be found here, so even if you don't win, you can still pick up something pretty for someone....or yourself!

xoxo

Thank you!

Just a lil thank you to my readers and all the awards I have been given recently. I will get round to doing these very soon!

Thank you

xoxx

Play O

I was dubious about my last post from this range and how it would be received. I didn't need to worry as I had emails flying through about how thankful you were that I blogged about products that are 'taboo' and how they were glad they had someone to tell them about them. This is the reason I agreed to try another product from the range. Any prudes can click that little x in the corner now!

After the Sex and the City Era (which thankfully is still going strong!) empowering women to be more than men's perceived view and to talk about the taboo subjects has turned offices worldwide into a place were you can learn about the latest 'must haves' in the...well ya know, bedroom! I know some girls who prefer to keep things to themselves but also others that cant wait to catch up with their girlfriends to tell them the latest goings on!

I am all for women coming into their own, girl power and the such which is why I want to introduce you to Play O.

What the box says-
Play O has been created and tested by women for women using a unique combination of ingredients designed to stimulate, increase desire and bring you the most intense orgasms you've ever experienced.

I really don't need to say too much about this apart from the fact that what the box says is spot on! Those dark winter nights aren't getting any easier so you may as well fill them!

Plus, the bottle is small and discreet so you don't need to worry about anyone rifling through your drawers!



xoxo

Herbal Essences Uplifting Volume

Just a quick post about Herbal Essences Uplifting Volume products. As my quest for voluminous locks goes on, I picked up these after reading a review that I stumbled upon. I use to always use Herbal products but one day decided to try something else and then kind of forgot about them. I have been using one of their hair masks recently which you can read about here...

I have been using the shampoo and conditioner for around a week now and love the results.

Love the volume but also love how my hair looks and feels afterwards. Super soft, super shiny and with volume. And these smell amazing! I couldn't stop sniffing the bottle the other day and accidently squeezed it and got my nose covered in shampoo!

The shampoo range is on BOGOF in Boots and Tesco at the moment so I picked up the big bottles of shampoo and conditioner for under £4 for the pair.


Any flat locks out there?...try these.



xoxo

Body By Brigitte Home Waxing

Home Waxing-Salon Results

PainlessPreciseAbsolute Perfection

I have had my fair share of waxing disasters in the past! And as much as I would love a professional touch every month, some things need to be sacrificed during a recession! When I
was approached to try some home waxing kits I thought it was perfect timing!
I was sent 3 kit boxes which covered, legs, under arms, upper chin, brows and bikini.

Not keen to inflict pain on myself straight away, I enlisted the help of my sister who's eyebrows needed sorting out!!(she'll love me for that!)

I have pictures but unfortunately they really wouldn't come out very well which is really annoying.

Each kit comes with desensitizing wipes, wax strips or tube of wax and material strips and aftercare wipes.


So we went through the motions of eyebrow waxing! (haha I love this part!) After a few screams we were done. The wax picked up and removed all the hairs, the only thing I would suggest to other users is to cut the strips to the shape of your brow to help remove the correct hairs. Unlike some home kits there was no wax residue left on the skin that I had to wax over again to remove. Regrowth has been the same as a professional wax which normally for me is a monthly basis for my brows.

I am happy with the results of these products but I guess nothing is quite the same as going to the salon for a pamper session!




xoxo

Flutter time...

My obsession with eyelashes continues in the form of false lashes! If you don't have it, fake it!!

Sometimes I like a little helpful boost in the lash area that wont look dramatic and OTT but just so and pretty. Step aside Katie Price style...

Introducing Revlon Fantasy Lengths.

They come in a range of styles, lengths and even application options! My favourite being self adhesive strips! One famous group sang easy as 1, 2, 3 which pretty much sums up these lashes.

You take them out of the packet, make sure they are the correct size and stick them on! Easy!

No messing around with glue that dries in blobs and ruins your look. No flapping the lashes around madly trying to get the glue tacky!

These are perfect for adding that little something something!

You can buy these in Boots which are currently running an offer of buy on get one half price.



xoxo

A/W 09/10 Trends on a budget

I personally don't like to spend lots of money on products that are a current trend. The main reason is that in 6 months time, I probably will have moved onto the next trend and don't fancy a £30 lipstick gathering dust!

I am sure you have all lusted over the pictures of Rhianna with her purple hue. You can rock this look too for a purse friendly price!



Revlon has launched their new range for Autumn and included are some gorgeous berry colours.

Firstly the lipstick called Va Va Violet (663) is a gorgeous warm purple colour, which at first I thought I would never be be to pull off. Because of the warmth in it, i don't feel like I should leave it in my halloween collection! The key to wearing this is to mute your lips first then apply and add a clear gloss over the top. Muting your lips will also prevent staining. The lipstick has a creamy feeling and isn't drying at all.


Sorry for the bad quality, if only today was sunny!

Next onto their nail varnish. Plum Night(025) is the perfect match to the lipstick. I love dark nails. I think painting your nails is the best and easiest way to follow a trend which change quickly!



Revlon's new collection is available in Superdrug and Boots nationwide.

xoxo