Hawaii Haul: Cosmetics, Skin Care, Candles

My Mum and Grandmother recently took a trip together to Honolulu, Hawaii. So of course, I saved up some money and sent my Mum off with a long list of beauty products to buy for me! I picked a few high-end products because they are much more affordable in the USA compared to Australia. I can't wait to try these products out and see if they live up to m expectations. Let me know if you've tried and tested any of these products, or if you'd like a specific review on a particular product. 

 

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Chantecaille Just Skin Anti-Smog  Tinted Mositurizer SPF 15,  Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Emerveille, Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer, MAC Eyeshadow in Nylon, MAC Eyeshadow in Dazzlelight, MAC Eyeshadow in Jest, MAC Lip Pencil in Redd, MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo, NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base 

L’Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara, Maybelline Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara, Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara, Benefit They're Real Mascara  

Maui Babe Browning Lotion, Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer, 2x Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid, Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner, Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid Whitestrips, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Smooth Operator Kit (2x Ultra Repair Cream, Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask, Ultra Repair Lip Therapy)

Bath & Body Works: Frosted Cupcake 3-Wick Candle, Vanilla Bean Noel Candle, Peach Bellini Candle, PocketBac Hand Sanitizers 

November Empties

• 2 x Skinvitals H-Revive Cloth Facial Treatment Mask - These are not as good as My Beauty Diary sheet masks, but they are readily available at Priceline. 
• 2 x Skinvitals Eye Brighten Cloth Eye Treatment Mask
• Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream - I enjoyed using this sample as this cream left my skin feeling hydrated and smooth - I can see why this is a popular product from Keihl's.
• Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser
• Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner 
• Bioré Ultra Nose Strip 
• Say it with Scent Green Tea Hand & Body Lotion 
• Caron Laboratories Bump eRaiser Medi Paste - This is a fantastic product I discovered thanks to Lust Have It. It helps to get rid of bumps and ingrown hairs created by shaving.
• Cetaphil Moisturising Cream - A staple moisturiser that I love!
• Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defence SPF30+ Daily Facial Moisturiser - I found this moisturiser didn't absorb into my skin very easily and didn't feel moisturising enough, but I do like the fact that it has SPF 30, making it ideal for summer.  
• 2 x Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion 
• Crest 3D White Vivid Whitestrips 
• L'Occitane Soothing Concentrated Mask 
• Mask in a Cup - I like the unique packaging of this facial mask, it's a clever product which would make a nice gift for a beauty-loving friend!
• Rexona Women Hypo-Allergenic Anti-Perspirant Deodorant
• Philosophy Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser - I can't believe I finished this huge bottle of cleanser! I really like this cleanser from Philosophy and it works great with my Clarisonic Mia. They stock Philosophy now in David Jones, so if you can get your hands on a sample I'd recommend trying this out!
• MorrocanOil Moisture Repair Conditioner - A great conditioner, I just wish it wasn't so expensive!
• Redken Iron Silk 07 Ultra Straightening Spray - I wouldn't recommend this heat protectant as I didn't like how it left my hair feeling.
• Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs 
• Evo Soap Dodger Body Wash
• Puretopia Glowingly Smooth Body Polish - A great find thanks to the Priceline Skincare Goodie Bag. I've been looking for this as I want to repurchase it but can't find it anywhere :(
• Yes to Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes 
• Almay Oil-Free Makeup Eraser Sticks - These handy little cotton tips make cleaning up eye makeup a breeze! Great for fixing up liquid liner and eyeshadow. Perfect for travelling! 

My Spring Makeup

Just a quick post on the makeup I've been loving and wearing most days this Spring. This look is quick and easy and takes me no time at all. I use a tinted moisturiser instead of a foundation to keep the look natural and appropriate for day time. Also, I apply an SPF under my makeup - this is very important!

• After moisturising, I apply Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock (I bought this from the US and it's not available in Australia, but Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock is also good.) 
• Next I apply a spritz of MAC Fix+ to hydrate and refresh my skin.
• To help my makeup stay put during the hotter weather I use Laura Mercier Primer as a base.
• I then apply a pea sized amount of Laura Mericer Tinted Moisturiser (I use the shade Nude) and dot it over my face, blending it in with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. 
• Next, I apply Garnier Anti-Dark Circles Roll-On under my eyes and blend it in with my ring finger (I alternate this with Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer.
• I use Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer on any blemishes.
• I keep my face from looking shiny as the day wears on, by lightly dusting Maybelline Dream Matte Powder over my face, focusing on my T-zone with my Real Techniques Powder Brush.
• I then apply Benefit Dandelion to the apples of my cheeks with a Real Techniques Blush Brush.
• Then, I curl my eyelashes with my MAC Eyelash Curler (not pictured) and apply Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara.
• Finally, I spritz my face with MAC Fix+ again to set my makeup and I'm done! 

Haul: Kiehl's, Aesop, Haircare, MAC

Kiehl's Creme de Corps, Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15, Superbly Smoothing Argan Shampoo, Ultra Facial Cleanser, Ultra Facial Toner, Superbly Smoothing Argan Conditioner, Creme with Silk Groom, Ultra Facial Cream, Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream

From Kiehl's I picked up their cult product Creme de Corps as I've heard it's a great body lotion, as well as the Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15, which I though would be a good lighter moisturiser to use in summer. I couldn't believe how generous the store assistant was with samples, everything else was given to me to try out! It really impressed me as receiving samples is a great way to try out products from a brand to see what you like. I liked the Ultra Facial samples and I'd consider looking into this skincare line in the future. 

Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque, Control, Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque

Over at Aesop I picked up the much raved about Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque - and it hasn't disappointed! I really like this masque as a purifying mask as it helps with blemishes but doesn't dry my skin out.  I also picked up Control, which is a blemish gel that you apply and leave overnight. This helps mildy, but I haven't been wowed with this product so far. Whenever I go to Aesop I always get a sample sachet or two. This time I received two samples of the Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque, which was nice to try but I think I prefer the Parsley Seed. Also, the full-size packaging is in a pot as opposed to a tube which isn't as convenient. 

Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Shampoo, Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Conditioner, Matrix Biolage Hydrathérapie, Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner, Bun Maker

I picked up a few hair care products from Hairhouse Warehouse. First up was a Joico pack which consisted of 500mL pump bottles of the K-Pak shampoo and conditioner. This was a great deal and is one of my favourite lines, so I picked this up as it was good value. Next, I picked up a Biolage shampoo as my hairdresser uses this on me and I wanted to try it out properly. This is my current shampoo and I love the scent it leaves in my hair and it leaves my hair feeling hydrated. I also grabbed a new leave in conditioner to try out - and this one from Healthy Sexy Hair was recommended by Amarixe so I though I'd try it out - it smells nice and works okay but it's not my favourite so I'll be looking for something else when I finish up this bottle. Finally I picked up a donut bun maker - which I've tried out but haven't actually worn out yet! 

First Aid Beauty Smooth Shave Cream, Glassshouse Montego Bay Candle

From David Jones, I purchased a travel size shave cream from First Aid Beauty. I've found it hard to find small sized shaving creams at the pharmacy so I picked up this little mini to use when travelling. It sounds like it will be great for my sensitive skin. I also bought a new Glasshouse candle for summer, this one is Coconut Lime and it smells truly fabulous, reminding me of a tropical holiday!

MAC Vegas Volt Amplified Lipstick

Over at MAC I traded in 6 containers and received a new lipstick through their Back to Mac recycling program. I chose Vegas Volt which is a lovely bright orange coral, and I really love it, especially because I didn't have to pay for it!

Lust Have It: November 2012

ModelCo Fibre Lashxtend Mascara, Davroe Colour Senses Ends Repair, Face of Australia Purifying Cleansing Wipes, Lomasi Pomegranate Body Creme, Star&Rose Tweezers

This months Lust Have It box was an improvement from the October box. It was nice to receive a full-sized mascara valued at $28, I hope this offering from ModelCo works well. Once again a Davroe hair product was included, which is a hair care brand that has popped up in numerous boxes, so I wasn't too excited about receiving this. A full-sized packet of makeup remover wipes isn't too interesting - a bit of boring product. It would have been better to have included a makeup product from this brand. The Lomasi body creme smells really lovely and I do like trying out body lotions, so I'm happy with this sample. Finally the tweezers are cute, but I already have a pair so I don't really need two.

Although this months box is an improvement, it could have been much better. Hopefully Lust Have It keeps working at improving their boxes and the Christmas box will be great. The card mentions that this is the last coloured makeup bag and that next month there will be new packing. Hopefully the new packaging is appealing and also reusable.

September & October Empties

I finished a huge number of empties over September and October that my basket was simply overflowing with containers that I was hoarding for this post! I also worked through a number of sample sachets - it's nice to try new products and great to get rid of the sachets that I'd been accumulating in my stash. 

Coles Nail Polish Remover Strengething Formula, Nivea Intensive Nourishing Hand Cream, Principessa Cattiva Diva Silky Hand Cream, Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, SugarBaby The Heel Deal Soothing Foot Cream

Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion, Vaseline Cocoa Butter Smoothing Body Butter, Dove Silky Nourishment Body Cream, Appelles Body Booster Skin Lotion, Pure Fiji Hydrating Orange Blossom Body Lotion, Kosmea Replenishing Moisture Cream (this is actually meant for your face, but I used it as a body lotion), Malin + Goetz Neroli Hand + Body Lotion, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula, Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, Subtle Energies Divine Passion Double Cream, L'Occitane Concentré De Lait

Dove Triple Moisturising Deeply Nourishing Body Wash, Gillette Satin Care Sensitive Skin Shave Gel, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Spray, Rexona Women Hypo-Allergenic Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, Rexona Women Clinical Protection Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, Rexona Women Cotton Fresh Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, Appelles Skin Detox Shower Gel

Bioré Pore Unclogging Scrub, Avène Eau Thermale Spring Water, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock, Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, My Beauty Diary Aloe Sheet Mask, My Beauty Diary Chocolate Truffle Sheet Mask, Skinvitals H-Revive Cloth Facial Treatment Mask, Skinvitals C-Brighten Cloth Facial Treatment Mask, Skinvitals Eye Lift Anti-Puffiness Anti-Wrinkle Firming Cloth Eye Treatment Mask, Bioré Ultra Nose Strips, Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser, Aesop Primrose Facial Cleansing Masque, Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque, Ahava Gentle Smoothing Facial Cleanser

Selsun Gold Dandruff Treatment Shampoo, Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Anti-Breakage Shampoo, MorocconOil Moisture Repair Shampoo, John Frieda Frizz-Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-in Conditioning Spray, Klorane Dry Shampoo, John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine Illuminating Shampoo & Conditioner, John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Shampoo & Conditioner, Kiehl's Superbly Smoothing Argan Shampoo & Conditioner, Kérastase Nectar Thermique

There's too many products here to write individual reviews and I'm sure it would be an incredibly long and boring post. So I thought I'd list my favourite items from the empties above:

• Nivea Intensive Nourishing Hand Cream - This was a surprise favourite of the bunch. I have tried a lot of hand creams but this one left my hands feeling really soft and hydrated, without leaving a greasy residue. 
• Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion - I've talked about this before and I'm still loving it!
• Vaseline Cocoa Butter Smoothing Body Butter - My first container of this body butter. I enjoyed this as it's thicker and more hydrating then the body lotion. However, you get a much smaller amount for the price.
• Dove Silky Nourishment Body Cream - A nice body cream with a thick and creamy formula, and clean scent. Left my skin feeling smooth and hydrated.
• Dove Triple Moisturising Deeply Nourishing Body Wash - A great body wash that doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped of moisture. It has a pleasant scent which isn't too strong. Lathers well with a loofah.
• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion - A great basic moisturiser. I wouldn't pay the ridiculous Australian price of $74 for the 125mL bottle, but in the US it's only $25 for 125mL which seems like an absolute bargain!
• Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner - This was a generous sample size so I was able to try this out properly. I loved that it had a spray nozzle, which made it easy to apply. This left my skin feeling clean and refreshed. I haven't been using a toner with my current skin routine but I am thinking of picking up a full-size of this product. 
• My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks - Love these! Unfortunately these two were the last of my stash. I need to buy some more but wish they weren't so hard to find - I order mine from Sasa
• MorocconOil Moisture Repair Shampoo - This shampoo was really nice. I only needed a relatively small amount, as it lathered really nicely once applied. It left my hair feeling clean and nourished at the same time. I would repurchase this, but it is very expensive at $32.95 for a 250mL bottle.
• Klorane Dry Shampoo - Love this, my all-time favourite dry shampoo.
• Kérastase Nectar Thermique - I do like this, but I'm still unsure wheather to puchase a full-size bottle. This is a product that you apply after washing your hair, before blow-drying. I let my hair dry naturally most of the time to avoid heat damage. So I know it would take me forever to use a full bottle up.

Lust Have It: October 2012

Avène Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser, Avène Cleanance K Cream-Gel, Avène Cleanance Anti-Shine Regulating Lotion, Star & Rose White Bath Fizzer, Mask in a Cup, Waxaway Sensitive Wax Strips, NYX Girls Nail Polish in Mushroom Glitter

The Lust Have It box for October was honestly a fail. Once again there were more Avene samples, as well as a bath bomb, some wax strips and a nail polish in a shade I'm not to fond of. The only thing I was interested in trying was the Mask in a Cup as it looked like a fun and different product from a brand I'd never heard about. The last few boxes have been a bit of a let down. I hope they step it up for next months box, or I will consider unsubscribing.