30 Sept 2014

Cactus Skincare Sample Set: Review


Lemon Myrtle Cleanser: $54.95 for 200g 

What it is and what it's supposed to do:

This cleanser is suitable for sensitive skin and is 'light and refreshing' (it smells as though it may just be). This has the consistency of moisturiser and smells of lemon. It does contain sandalwood - which I can't stand, but you can't smell it so good for those who aren't fans of bloody sandalwood! This one is full of anti-oxidants and is supposed to have an anti-inflammatory effect.  For more information visit their product description here

My experience of it:

I really enjoyed using this cleanser. I loved the scent and it was very light and refreshing, great for the warmer months. It removed make up fairly well, although like I have previously said, I use waterproof mascara and eyeliner so it's a real challenge to get it all off for any product. All in all, I really enjoyed using this. 

Nature's Anti-oxidant Creme: $59.95. I can't see how much is in this so if anyone knows, lemme know. 

What is it and what is it supposed to do:

 This is a day cream which protects the skin from the environment and dehydration. It contains natural mineral sunscreen and is suitable for dry or sun-damaged skin. This cream looks like moisturiser and smells of lavender (not my favourite scent as those of you who read this review know, but I will try to reserve judgement until I've tried it!) For more information visit their product description here
 


My Experience of it

This was a nice moisturising day cream. It smells of lavender which isn't my thing but the smell is faint and doesn't last long once it's rubbed in. It did a sting around my nose when I first put it on, but this didn't last long either. It left my skin feeling nice and soft. 


Intense Hydrating Cream:$69.96 for 60g

What it is and what it's supposed to do:

 
This is a cream for dry or sun-damaged skin and can be used as a day or night cream. I will be using this as a night cream as I already have the anti-oxidant cream for use during the day. This yellow moisturiser smells of lemon as well. I freakin love the smell of lemon in my moisturisers so a big win there! It will apparently sooth sun-damaged, dry skin which is great as my skin needs this.  They also state that it ' may help soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles'. I'm not going to be using this long enough to comment on its effect on wrinkles.  For more information visit their product description here

My Experience of it:

This cream had a lovely lemony scent which I found to be very pleasing. It left my skin feeling really soft the morning after use which made waking up exciting! It stung when first put on as well. While writing this, I also used up the rest on my hands. I have got to say that I like it. My hands feel delightful and they smell of lemon (no stinging either). Win!


 White Clay Mask: RRP $59.95 for 70g

What is is and what it's supposed to do:

This mask can be used just before a night out, or once per week generally. It is supposed to leave skin cleansed and luminous and be refreshing. It is suitable for all skin types. It has a thick moisturiser-type consistency and you just paint it onto your face.  I found that this product stings quite a lot when you first put it on - its almost a burning sensation for me. When you purchase the sample set this came in, you are warned about this sensation which is great as it would be very distressing if you weren't ready for it. Fortunately it doesn't last long and when it wears off it feels quite nice. They suggest you do a spot test if you are unsure.  You leave it on for 12-15 minutes. It dries quite stiff but doesn't feel overly tight which is nice. It doesn't have much of a smell which is great.  For more information visit their product description here.

My experience of it:

I found that the day after I used this product my face felt amazingly soft. My husband and I literally could not stop rubbing my cheeks. It was almost a shame to cleanse and moisturise but I wanted to follow the suggested plan to the letter so I could give a relevant review. Left to myself I would probably just leave my face as is because it was incredible! I used this product twice and my experience was the same both times.

The Verdict:

I really enjoyed trialling these products. I was really impressed with the White Clay Mask and would have to say that one was my favourite. Whilst I was OK with the stinging sensation for the clay mask, I was less so for the two moisturisers. Probably just because the mask is a weekly product, however having my moisturisers sting my face twice a day was getting to me a bit by the end of the week. Having said that, I think that if the stinging doesn't bother you you'd be more than happy with these products - just as I am with the mask. 
I'm fairly sold on the mask and the cleanser but will be looking at the moisturising oils/serums Cactus Skincare have on offer to take the place of the two creams so as to avoid the twice daily sting. 
Cactus Skincare offer a percentage off which increases with every additional product you buy - details are available on their website and I would recommend checking this out. 
I would also strongly recommend trying the sample pack! It's great value and the bundle price reductions mean that if you don't like one product, you can replace it with another and still save money.

I would also like to note that the customer service is incredibly good. I had a question, it was answered the same day and a solution offered.  

 



Have you used cactus skincare products before?

What did you think?

What is your favourite product?

Note: I paid for these products using my own money and have not been approached to do this review. These are my opinions and should not be regarded as anything other than that.  

 

29 Sept 2014

Cactus Skincare White Clay Mask: Review

White Clay Mask: RRP $59.95 for 70g
 

What is is and what it's supposed to do:

This mask can be used just before a night out, or once per week generally. It is supposed to leave skin cleansed and luminous and be refreshing. It is suitable for all skin types. It has a thick moisturiser-type consistency and you just paint it onto your face. 
I found that this product stings quite a lot when you first put it on - its almost a burning sensation for me. When you purchase the sample set this came in, you are warned about this sensation which is great as it would be very distressing if you weren't ready for it. Fortunately it doesn't last long and when it wears off it feels quite nice. They suggest you do a spot test if you are unsure. 
You leave it on for 12-15 minutes. It dries quite stiff but doesn't feel overly tight which is nice. It doesn't have much of a smell which is great.  For more information visit their product description here.

My experience of it:


I found that the day after I used this product my face felt amazingly soft. My husband and I literally could not stop rubbing my cheeks. It was almost a shame to cleanse and moisturise but I wanted to follow the suggested plan to the letter so I could give a relevant review. Left to myself I would probably just leave my face as is because it was incredible!
I used this product twice and my experience was the same both times.


The Verdict:

I think that this is a fantastic product (and arguably the best mask I've every tried). I do think that the stinging/burning sensation might not be for everyone however. For me, it is a trade off, I really don't like the way it feels initially but the long-term pay off is worth the short-term discomfort. It's a big ole' thumbs up from me, in fact it is now on my Christmas wish-list.


Have you tried this product?
What did you think?
Would you use it again? 

25 Sept 2014

Corman Organyc: Pad & Pantie Liner Review

      
sorry about the terrible photo, overcast today!


Yes, this is a review of sanitary products. I know it's not something everyone wants to read about but this is actually important to me as I am allergic to most options out there. In the spirit of honesty, I'm going to be as explicit as I need to to get my point across so if you don't want to read about it, I suggest you stop now. 





22 Sept 2014

Cactus Skincare Sample Pack. Review to come.


This little baby just cam in the mail. It was $5 and you are sent a little package of 4 sample pots and you get an email detailing how to use them/what they are for. This price includes postage. 
 
One thing I'd like to say right from the start is that Cactus Skincare is an animal cruelty-free, Australian company. They used ethically sourced, natural and mostly organic ingredients. They are also a family business. Given these facts, I very much hope I like these products as I would like to support these sorts of businesses as much as possible. Anyway, on with the show.

19 Sept 2014

bioderma crealine H2O: review

BIODERMA crealine H2O


I received my little 20ml deluxe sample in the August Lust Have It (I am not subscribed to this box any more). I have tried it with a full face of make-up.
the price
$29.95 for 250ml

what it does
This product is a make-up remover and cleanser. It is soap-free, fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. It sooths sensitive skin and doesn't mess with your skin's natural balance. It looks just like water. You use it by soaking a cotton pad in it and cleansing your face. It reckons you don't need to rinse but I'm not sure how I feel about that. 


what I thought of it

18 Sept 2014

sk'in brightening and hydrating masque: review

sk'in brightening and hydrating masque


I received this mas k in my September Nature's Beauty Bag, see here for review and pricing. It is vegan, animal cruelty-free and organic. This is a mask which claims to enhance complexion and smooth skin. It is for sensitive, normal or dry skin -  a no go for you oily ladies out there.

16 Sept 2014

from the bean: foot scrub review

from the bean: foot scrub review


 I received this sample in the September Nature's Beauty Bag, see review and pricing here. It contains coffee and flax seed and can be used as a scrub, or left on with socks over the top for 10 minutes. I decided to try the latter with socks I didn't mind throwing out. It was quite messy as you literally just grab a handful and scrub it into your feet so make sure you do it over the bath or other receptacle. It left my feet feeling really lovely and smooth and the smell was great - if you don't like the smell of coffee though you may be in some trouble! There was a lot left over in the rather large sachet. You could put it in a container but I chose to use the rest as a body scrub in my shower. I really was invigorating and left my skin feeling squeaky clean and soft. Again though, very messy but if you are prepared for that it's really not a problem. I would definitely use this product again. It smelled great and did exactly what it claims to. I wear thongs pretty much 3 quarters of the year so I do suffer from dry and sometimes cracked heels so this product really is for me. Great work guys!

Visit their website for more information or to purchase their product. 




Have you used any from the bean products before?
What did you think?
What is your favourite product?

 

 Note: I paid for these products using my own money and have not been approached to do this review. These are my opinions and should not be regarded as anything other than that.  


sk'in rejuvenationg moisturiser & softening cream cleanser: review

zk'in rejuvenating moisturiser and softening cream cleanser: review

 


I recently received these items in my September 2014 Nature's Beauty Bag, see review here. There are two other products from this range that I have yet to try but here is my review of the two in the photo. 

15 Sept 2014

Nak Colour Fix (Bella Box) V Miracle Hair Treatment (Lust Have It)

 In each of the August Bella Box and Lust Have It Boxes I received a full size hair product. I am going to conduct a review without paying attention to what they claim to do, but rather what I have found they do within the realms of what I do with my hair (very little, the occasional straighten). I realise this will be useless for thos wanting a review of what they claim to do but I feel I am not qualified to conduct such a review so I'm sticking to what I actually do with this lovely mop of hair I have. 

the jojoba company 100% natural australian jojoba & 100% natural ultimate jojoba: review

the jojoba company 100% natural australian jojoba & 100% natural ultimate jojoba. RRP $39.95

I have included a picture of this vial next to a 5cent piece to give an idea of its size. Both of the vials i received (1 for each product) are the same size. The oil smells slightly of roses and is quite nice to put on. I have chosen to include this picture because it shows how far this stuff goes. 
This vial was only just over half full and I have used it several times all over my face. 
Clearly there is still a fair bit left so I would call this a generous sample size, despite the fact that it does look quite tiny! Given that I am only sampling these products, I don't think I will be able to get a good idea of how well the 'youth potion' works at visibly decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles or how well they both minimise the appearance of skin imperfections/conditions/scars unfortunately. I can say though that it is a wonderful moisturiser. I have always loved to use oils for this purpose and they really do work a treat. The full size of the 100% natural ultimate jojoba (youth potion) is $39.95 for the 50ml size. The full size natural australian jojoba starts at $19.95 for 30ml. This one is available in 85ml, 100ml and 200ml as well. 



Have you used any jojoba company products before?
What did you think?
What is your favourite product?

 

 Note: I paid for these products using my own money and have not been approached to do this review. These are my opinions and should not be regarded as anything other than that.  

happy skincare: cloud 9 deep cleansing balm: review

 happy skincare: cloud 9 deep cleansing balm: review

I was lucky enough to receive this product in the September 2014 Nature's Beauty Bag. It is 100% naturally sourced, 85% organic, vegan and animal cruelty-free. 
It is incredibly thick, like spreadable butter, and has a really light citrus scent. To me it smells like lemon balm tea. This light scent it really important as, without it this balm would be in danger of feeling too heavy. The instructions state to mix a pea sized glob with a few drops of water and rub the rich milk-like fluid into your skin. You leave it on for a few minutes, then rinse it off. It took me a few times to figure out how to use this for my skin without ending up with slightly oily skin. I was moisturising after using this but it turns out you don't need to. This is the key! After I stopped moisturising, there was no problem with oil at all. I absolutely LOVE this product. I find the scent incredibly pleasing and it leaves my skin feeling well moisturised and clean.
The full size product is $34.10 for 80ml. I received 20ml. It is an incredibly generous sample size. I have been using this every day since I received it over a week ago and I have barely touched the surface. I have included a photo of the jar as it is now and have even stuck my finger right down to the bottom so you can see just how deep this little jar is. This product as a sample size is available in a skincare discovery pack on their website which contains samples of 3 other products and costs $19.80 including shipping and a $9.95 voucher (to be used within 21 days). They claim there is enough product to last for 2 weeks. Check out their website if you are interested. 

update: Phoebe from Happy Skincare has read my review and offered some advice for the use of this product. I have permission to publish this so here it is!: thanks for sharing your wonderful review! We're thrilled you loved the Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm. We usually recommend using a tonic or toner after cleansing and before moisturising to make sure you don't have an oily feeling due to balm being left on your skin, but your solution of just not moisturising is a good one too because you'll get the full effects of all of the wonderful ingredients in there by leaving a little on your skin




Have you used happy skincare products before?
What did you think?
What is your favourite product?

Note: I paid for these products using my own money and have not been approached to do this review. These are my opinions and should not be regarded as anything other than that.  

INDIO: review of 3 products


indio: review of 3 products

after having received a sample the indio skin tonic in my first (and only) Bella Box August 2014 i liked it so much i looked into purchasing the full size. It's incredibly light and smells amazing and is very refreshing. Even though I really have no idea what toner is supposed to do i thought it would be fantastic in summer just to freshen me up. The full size is around $35.00 for 200ml which for me was far too much. I decided instead to join the indio VIP club as you receive a free sample when you do so i could try another of their vast range of products. Soon after joining i received an email with two offers, a free full-sized age-defense SPF 30+ sun cream worth $69 with your first purchase, and a $20 off voucher. I decided to buy the toner using the $20 off voucher and was not expecting the sun cream to remain on offer, but it was. This is how i managed to purchase both products, along with a free sample, for $15.20 plus $9.95 shipping. I couldn't have been more chuffed. It was shipped the same day and I received it 5 days later - which is impressive as I live in Tasmania and parcels generally take just over a week to get to me.