garnier

It’s getting hot in here – 2 hot weather essentials!

Hey! How has everyone’s week been going so far? I am a lucky critter to be on holidays this week but of course (knowing my so/so “luck”!) it’s a week when the weather has been extremely hot. In my hometown, when we say that it means the weather is at least +35 degrees Centigrade. Today is forecast to be 37 degrees, I believe, and the hot weather is not due to settle down a bit till at least Monday.

Here are two products I have found to be very effective and helpful in this heat!

#1 – Face of Australia (FOA) Face Base Primer

Cost: $11.95 AUD

Where can I get it? Priceline and other selected chemists and discount department stores (e.g. Big W).

I’m a noob when it comes to primers but have heard a lot of good stuff about them. For those who are also noobs like me (! ;)), primers are now available for your face and also eyelids and lips. They are a type of cream or lotion which forms a protective layer over your skin, and then helps the makeup go on smoothly as well as last longer. Some are also very effective in evening out any fine lines or enlarged pores, so that these are much more hidden once make up is applied.

Laura Mercier‘s primer was recommended to me by friends but I decided that for my first foray into this area I would go more budget. FOA‘s products that I have used to date have been of good quality and so I decided to give their brand’s primer a try.

It has a light gel-like texture and absorbs into the skin quickly. There is no notable fragrance which is always a + for me! (I then know it is unlikely to irritate my skin.) I wait a few minutes after applying for it to kind of “set” before I then go ahead and apply my makeup.

This formulation also contains Vitamin E and chamomile to provide some extra goodies for your skin. I noticed that FOA also has an SPF 15 version of this primer, but I already use a day moisturiser with 30+ so didn’t think that one was necessary for me.

I have tried this product on cooler days, when putting on my makeup in the morning for work (and then having to go out at night straight after work), and also the past week when the weather has been scorching. It certainly works in keeping my makeup on; I’ve also noticed that my face doesn’t get as shiny looking during the day as it normally does (if I wasn’t wearing primer).

The only downside to this one is that I don’t think it does a very good job in camouflaging large pores or fine lines. I have a few enlarged pores and some fine lines around parts of my eyes and didn’t notice much difference on those. But hey, when it’s 37 degrees, if your makeup is not melting all over the place, you’re on to a winner! 😉

Beautiful Rating: quality 4/5, value 5/5 (overall it performs well for a budget product)

#2 – Garnier Deodorant: invisi mineral

Cost: I picked this up for $2.50 AUD when it happened to be on sale, typically it retails for approx. $5 AUD.

Where can I get it? Most supermarkets and chemists.

Yes, it does go without saying that deodorant is essential at any time of year. However, when it is boiling hot outside I want a deodorant that I know will provide super duper protection. Our climate can be so extreme here that I have had experiences where a deodorant that I thought was performing well completely bombs as soon as the mercury hits 30 or so! 😦 (Unfortunately this happened with the Nivea deodorant I have previously reviewed.)

I have been using this one for the past fortnight and find that it is working well so far. I have had a day or two where I did notice that I was sweating but there has been no odour, which was awesome! (However I wouldn’t leave it on for “48 hours non stop” as they suggest, I like my daily showers lol!). I have tried it wearing white, light, and dark coloured clothing and no marks or stains, so that aspect of the product works just fine too.

Additionally, this deodorant is different to many others on the market at the moment in that it is free of alcohol and parabens. However it does contain aluminium and I understand that there is some debate about whether or not that is a “healthy” ingredient to include in deodorants.

Nevertheless, I’m giving this product –

Beautiful rating: quality 5/5, value 5/5.

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What are some of your hot weather essentials? 🙂 To this list I’d also add sunscreen (I’m finding the Coles supermarket brand in the orange packaging to be working well for me and not causing any breakouts), sunglasses, and some form of hat or umbrella. Oh and let’s not forget a bottle of water!

Empties! (November)

Evening all! 🙂

Wow I can’t believe how close Christmas is… I’m hoping to write my Christmas cards for work colleagues and family tonight but I’m not sure if I will get through them all in one go! :-0

If you haven’t yet, do enter my CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!!!! It is easy to enter, just click here! 🙂 It is open to Australian and international readers and visitors!
(Entries close midnight 4th January 2012 Adelaide time – GMT +09:30.)

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An interesting way of reviewing products which I have noticed is to focus on “empties”, that is, to review products that you have used up recently. I thought it was quite clever so I am going to do it too! 🙂 So here are my empties for last month:

My thoughts on these products, from L –> R:

Bathox Dry Skin Shower Gel & Bath Foam

Price range: <$10 AUD

Where can I get it? Most supermarkets!

I use this when having baths, rather than as a shower gel, but it is certainly suited to both. It smells lovely and is a gentle formula, which doesn’t irritate my skin! It also creates a nice foam/lots of bubbles in the bath.

*They also do a cherry blossom scented one which is also lovely!

Beautiful rating: quality 5/5, value 5/5

*

Garnier Fructis Style Elastic Power Fix Hairspray

Price range: <$10 AUD

Where can I get it? Most supermarkets, as well as chemists.

I have been using this product since the start of this year and am now on my 3rd (or so!) can. It smells nice and does its job, holding my hair in place well. It is also easy to brush out and your hair still retains natural movement (so is not like wearing a helmet LOL!).

However, if you want to keep a punk, emo, or similar hairstyle in place which defies gravity, this will not give you enough hold (despite its claims of being “mega strong”).

It contains bamboo extract but the packaging does not clearly explain what is so special about that!

Beautiful rating: quality 4/5, value 5/5

*

NIVEA Invisible for Black & White Deoderant

Price range: <$10 AUD (haha everything so far in this review has a similar cost! ;))

Where can I get it? Most supermarkets, as well as chemists.

Nice scent, does what it is supposed to do (though there is no way it would really last “48 hours” as it claims; when I get home from work and get changed to exercise or attend Zumba I need to reapply!), and lasts a reasonable time. Most importantly, to date (I have been buying this one for approx. 6 months, prior to that I was using Rexona’s version of the same product which I found had changed formula and was not as effective for me :(), I have not had any white marks on black or darker coloured clothing nor yellow marks on white and/or light coloured clothing.

Beautiful rating: quality 4/5, value 4/5

*

Nutrogena Oil Free Moisture: Sensitive Skin

Price range: approx. $15 AUD

Where can I get it? Most supermarkets, as well as chemists.

I bought this when looking for a light night cream. Unfortunately, despite me having combination skin, it did not provide quite enough hydration for me and I had to apply a lot for my skin to feel moisturised. (The back of the bottle indicates only “1 pump” is needed for your entire face and neck; for me it was approximately 3!!!!)

I think this would be best for those with oily skin.

Beautiful rating: quality 3/5, value 3/5 (based on my skin type)

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Hope that you all have a great week ahead; don’t forget to enter my giveaway competition!!! 😉

thalgo collagen cream

Hope everyone’s been having a good day!

Was walking around during my lunch break today and I saw that BIG W has some great discounts on a variety of beauty products at the moment, including most of the Garnier product range (body lotions were 1/2 price!); Australis and Palmer’s were also discounted. I was extremely tempted to buy some stuff but I’ve already got heaps (but can you ever have enough? LOL! ;-)).

Coles supermarkets also have their latest free beauty magazine out today, which has some handy how tos in it but does focus only on products Coles sells! What I do like about it, however, is that it’s not bad for a free read and it also caters to guys with articles focusing on products specifically aimed at men.

Okie dokies, what am I reviewing today? Another facial moisturiser!

You might have read my previous Thalgo review, in which I found the moisturiser was very good but did leave my skin a teeny bit dry. Well, I fed this back to my beauty therapist and she switched to Thalgo’s Collagen Cream: Hydration – First Wrinkles. Here are my thoughts (aside from the fact that when I read “first wrinkles” on the jar and on the free sample I was given to take home, it kinda hit home that I’m certainly getting older *cue mini moment of panic!!!!* ;-))…

Price range: Again I’ve seen this range from $40.00 ish AUD online through to much more at beauty salons.

Where can I buy it? Certified Thalgo stockists (usually beauty salons) and online.

Like the Energising Vitality Cream, this moisturiser has a natural and neutral scent which does not irritate my skin. The consistency is again somewhere between a cream and lotion, and it rapidly absorbs into the skin. A small amount goes a long way, which I always appreciate with pricey products! When testing the sample I again used it at night and took note of my skin’s texture in the morning. Woohoo there was no excess oil, and no dryness at all! I think I have found the perfect moisturiser for me!!!!!!

(I should point out that all the Thalgo stuff I have tested at night rather than in the day because it has not contained any SPF. I’m a bit cheeky as my beauty therapist recommends I not use SPF products on my face at all due to my skin type and its risk of breakouts at times, but I cannot resist – I’m afraid of looking like a lizard otherwise as the Aussie sun is extremely strong!)

As this product mentions “first wrinkles” this one is for those in their late 20s through to probably early 30s, but don’t take my word for it as this time my beauty therapist did not tell me much about it! At the time of writing this I could not see a lot of detail on the Thalgo website either which is disappointing.

In my view I would strongly recommend this one for those who are at the stage where they may be starting to get a fine line here or there and want a moisturiser that does not leave the skin oily nor underhydrate.

Beautiful rating: quality 5/5, value 5/5