Monthly Archives: May 2012

Sample size

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Last week when Katherine wrote about the 5 'Try Before You Buy' tips, she urged you to try sample sizes first.

I love free samples.  It doesn't matter whether it's a sachet in a magazine, or a sample dropped into the letter box – I love them.  And I use them.  And I think all companies should use as many opportunities that they can to get their products into women's hands.
 
I have just had the most wonderful girl's week-end away at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, on the Gold Coast in Queensland.  It included two different cocktail functions on board two different boats on the Thursday night; Ladies on the Water lunch on Friday with Ita Buttrose as the guest speaker; and Ladies on the Water High Tea on the Saturday.
 
At the two Ladies on the Water functions we were presented with goody bags.  I love goody bags.  One of them even included Ita's latest book 'A Guide to Australian Etiquette'- For all occasions from weddings to work by Ita Buttrose. But enough about the book, what about the beauty products.  Palmer's gave us sachets of their great Cocoa Butter Formula and Alpha-H gave us samples of their two lovely products, Liquid Gold and Triple Action Cleanser. 
 
The Palmer's Coca Butter is so thick and creamy, smells great and contains Vitamin E.  I will definately buy this product based on the great sample, and the fact that the company went out of its way to let me try it.  Probably wouldn't work so well in our hot, humid summer here, as the product is so thick, but for our cold, dry winter, it is perfect. The combination of Vitamin E and 100 percent cocoa butter gives deep and long lasting moisture.
 
The Alpha-H Liquid Gold is a powerful night time resurfacing and firming lotion for the skin. The promotion says it jump-starts the skin’s metabolism, tightens enlarged pores, and delivers lighter, clearer and more even skin tone.  Teamed with the Triple Action Cleanser, it feels really great.  It's a non-foaming gel cleansing gel that works by removing with a damp cloth.  I use a micro-fibre cloth, and that works really well.  The product also sucessfully removes all traces of face & eye makeup.
 
And if all that wasn't enough, when I got home on Monday, Priceline had sent me a Nivea sample sachet set of Visage Vital Soy Anti-Age Day Cream (with SPF12), Night Cream and Eye Cream for Mature Skin plus a $5 off voucher.  Great marketing Priceline and Nivea – five stars to both companies!  I'll be trying these next week and will let you know what I think.
 
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Nailed It – Denim Nails

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Last week I was wandering around the shops and discovered this delicious nail colour in Sportsgirl. Denim. Now, I rarely wear blue denim since my dad introduced me to black jeans years and years ago and these days I'm even starting to venture into coloured denim, but blue is still a bit strange for me. On my nails, however, it makes me very happy.

Continuing my cheap colour spree, I picked this bottle up for $7.95 and am a little surprised that I didn't grab a bunch of other colours at the same time but the pressure of the shop shutting made me lose my mind momentarily. All the same, I'm often sceptical of chain store cosmetics so it was probably a good idea to do a trial run before getting too carried away.

Can I say, I'm pretty surprised. At first I thought the colour was quite watery, but a second coat seemed to do the trick and it lasted pretty well and didn't chip all week. I was playing around with my new white nail pen and added some dots to my index finger a few days in and the only signs of wear and tear are from my nail growing at the bottom.

Overall I'm pretty happy but I had to take the colour off earlier than planned because I was wearing enemy colours for the State of Origin between Queensland Maroons (my team) and New South Wales Blues (where I live) and I couldn't be seen supporting them!

Have you tried any good cheap-o products lately? Or tried out any of my cheap product tips from last week?

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Mother/Daughter Monday – Napoleon Camera Finish

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We have been MIA for the past few days, I have been working a lot and procrastinating too much and Mum has been away at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show in Queensland – rubbing shoulders with the Gold Coast fancies, drinking cocktails, eating amazing food and just generally lviing the high life (jealous).

This Mother/Daughter Monday we decided to talk about a product that I have been using literally since I was 18 and that Mum has just decided to give a whirl. Napoleon's Camera Finish.

 
The Purpose: Napoleon says, "The silky finish of this pristine powder conceals, mattifies and sets your makeup like never before"

The Price: $65 from Napoleon concept stores and department stores with a Napoleon counter (David Jones, Myer).

Sue says:

It was Katherine who first promoted the benefits of Napoleon's Camera Finish Foundation to me many years ago.  But for a long time I continued to be a primer…foundation…loose powder user, saving pressed powder for carrying in my handbag for touch-ups throughout the day.
 
But I switched to Camera Finish recently – and I'm glad I did.  Being quite fair I'm a G1 Beige Beauty, and I love the new gold packaging as well as the product itself.
 
This is a really lovely powder that appears much finer and lighter than some powders I have used before.  Having older skin, I am very mindful of how the use of powder can exacerbate the appearence of wrinkles, so I am always careful to press it into my skin and then brush any excess off firmly. But It's such a good coverage that I'm finding that using it on top of my foundation as part of my work morning routine means I don't have to worry with touch-ups during the day.  And I have also tried it alone over primer (without liquid foundation) on a non-work day, as a light coverage, fresh, week-end look. 
 
This is perhaps more expensive than some pressed powders on the market, but it really can work as a duel-purpose product, making it quite economical. 

Katherine says:

As I said before, I've been using Camera Finish since I started wearing make up. I have chopped and changed my foundation, concealers, primers, moisturisers, blushes, and so on, but the one thing that I have not deviated from is the Camera Finish. Why? Because it is perfect and why give up on a good thing?

I wear light foundation but I have sensitive skin and often have trouble with reddness and blemishes. I find Camera Finish gives me an extra boost of coverage without piling on the foundation and covers and sets my make up for the day. It isn't too heavy either and it is one of my absolute necessities when applying my make up for any occasion – on the weekends, it is often my stand alone when I want a very light base with the security of the coverage it provides.

I'm yet to try the new formula that claims to be better than ever with anti-aging properties and Vitamins C and E for additional antioxidant protection. I'm not entirely sure what that means but I'm going to assume it's a good thing, particularly when encased in the shiny gold compact. I can't wait to try it out!

I'm going to be a bit cheeky here and let you in on a secret – this could be one of my best beauty tips so read closely. There is a site called ActiveSkin and you can get Napoleon super cheap there. To give you an idea, you can get the same Camera Finish that is sold in store for $10 less. Yes, you have the additional postage costs but if you spend over $140, you get free shipping, plus they always throw in extra items. You will thank me when you check out all the great products you can get at ActiveSkin so I will end this with two words: you're welcome!

Do you have a product that you have used consistently for years? Please share, we're always on the lookout for those extra special items that I've noticed other beauty bloggers referring to as their Holy Grail (HG) items. Camera Finish is definitely on my HG list! Tell us what's on yours.

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Lust Have It – May Box

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I told you the other day how excited I was about the impending arrival of my Lust Have It! box, and how the additional gift, two full-sized Lancome products, had made my day.
 
My excitement as I ripped open the packaging on my first Lust box was electric!  Inside was a beautiful pink satin make-up purse, complete with the company's insignia.  And inside that……………7 (I repeat – 7) products for me to try!!!
 
 
Lust Have It! was born out of Nicci Herrera, a beauty therapist with 20 years in the industry, constantly being asked by people what products she used, what treatments were new in the industry, and what they should use.  Nicci used her experience to choose brand partners to compile these wonderful packs that allow subscribers to try new products each month.
 
Anyway – back to my 7 products.  Very varied and fun to try.
 
A full-sized ModelCo lip gloss in Sugar Plum -  Wonderful colour, perfect for me and sporting a mirror down one side of the tube, therefore great to carry in my handbag.  Not too sticky, and gives a great shine.
 
Evo The Therapist Calming Shampoo – The information card states that this is a 'cult salon product that gently cleanses, repair and hydrates damaged, dry or frizzy hair.  Contains hydrolised wheat, argarnia and spinosa kernel oil.' No wonder it smells good enough to eat.
goes with…
Evo The Therapist Calming Conditioner – This contains panthenol to hydrate and smooth, and protects hair from sun damage.
These two products together really have left my hair feeling and looking good, and they smell great.  My only complaint is that it is hard to get the conditioner out of the sample-sized packaging (cute square design but not very user-friendly).
 
Bioderma Crealine H2O Makeup Remover – It looks and feels like water, and removes even the last traces of mascara.  No stinging, no residue.  Terrific product!
 
Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty Perfume – This is not a perfume I would wear all the time, but it is great to try it and because it is such a different fragrance to what I normally wear, it makes me feel just a little mysterious
 
Lush Lust Soap – A little on the strong-smelling side, heavily jasmine-infused, but great for a guest bathroom.
 
Caron Laboratories Bump eRaiser Medi Paste – This product is for the elimination of ingrown hairs.  It's the coldest autumn I can remember in years  - I'll try it when I have some skin that is ready to be exposed to the elements.  Watch out in summer and I'll let you know how well it works.
 
OPI Nicole nail polish in a deep, deep purple – It's not a colour I would wear (Sue my nail lady thinks I am very conservative when it comes to my nails, but I'm a 54 year old public servant for heaven's sake!) and I sent it to Katherine knowing that she will get some great wear out of it. 
 
The fun thing about the Lust Have It! box is that the products are meant to be tried.  Not put away or stored on a shelf or in a cupboard.  They're to be used and used up.  Such fun – and I can't wait to see what other great products Nicci is going to get me to test.  And all for $14.95 per month – bargain!!!

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5 ‘Try Before You Buy’ Tips

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I've definitely started becoming more adventurous this year with trying out beauty trends and experimenting with colour, but I have bought something on a whim to try it out, decided it doesn't suit me or is too out there for me, and never worn it again.

Sometimes, I find myself shying away from trying a new trend for this reason alone and lately I've found a way to try new things without the risk of not liking it and wasting money I could be spending on more Revlon Lip Butters! Some things you love straight away and know they are going to work with your current beauty regime and some things you need to put on trial before committing to loving them unconditionally.

I've got a few tips that I've put into action in the past couple of weeks and I wanted to share them with you:

You can skimp on some products – I would never go cheap on a moisturiser or serum but there are plenty of items you can skimp on and not have to worry about.  I recently bit the bullet and spent an entire $2.95 on a teal eye liner. This way I can try it out, see if I like it, and if I don't, I've sacrificed less than a cup of coffee to give it a go plus it's not an item I'm worried about my sensitive skin reacting to and if it doesn't last the whole day, it's not going to be a massive disaster.

Try a sample size or colour first – Being a big fan of pastel colours and the new yellow nail trend seen on Seal from The Voice and on the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week catwalks, I definitely wanted to check this colour out but was wary of how the yellow might look against my pale colouring. Instead of a $20 OPI or Essie nail polish I might normally buy, I decided to save my bucks until I was certain. I grabbed a polish for less than $5 at the chemist the other day and although I don't expect my yellow mani to last too long, it will be long enough for me to decide if I want to invest in a pricier brand.

Take advantage of free gifts or 2-4-1 specials – I have been interested in the ModelCo Fibre Lash product for a while now but just haven't been super keen to throw down $40+ on it without knowing if I like it or not. I picked up the May issue of Cleo magazine for less than $8 and got a free travel size Fibre Lash worth $38 for free!
 

Ask for a sample – Since Mum reviewed Clinique's Even Better, she has been insisting that I try it too. I just bought a brand new foundation and didn't want to buy another but I asked at the counter if I could try some and the gave me a small pot of Even Better in Alabaster for me to try out for a couple of days before i commit to buying. The ladies were so helpful and happy to let me try it out.
 

Share with friends -  Mum and I both wanted to try two perfumes that were exactly the same but we weren't sure how badly we wanted them. Instead of both of us splashing out a couple of hundred bucks each on perfumes we weren't sure we'd wear, we bought one each with the intention to swap after a few months. We ended up keeping our original purchases because we liked them so much, but it's a good tip if you don't have the budget or the overwhelming desire to part wtih the cash.

There are so many ways you can try out a new product or trend without getting too out of pocket before you're sure it's right for you. I'd love to hear if you have other ways of trying before you buy.

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Mother/Daughter Monday: Gel/Shellac Nails

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Oh, it's Monday again! Here at The Perfect Lipstick, we aren't massive fans of Mondays but we are massive fans of well kept nails! Mum is big into the gel nails and I've given the Shellac a go on a couple of occasions so we thought for this Mother/Daughter Monday we would share with you what we think!
 
The Product: Gel and Shellac Manicures
 
The Purpose: "A gel manicure is a type of manicure that uses gel to bind the synthetic fingernails to the natural nails. Unlike acrylic nails, the other option for manicures, gel nails are stronger and less likely to chip. Gel can also be applied over natural nails to keep them healthy and long." -
 
The Price: Gel and Shellac manicures seem to range from about $25-$40 and last for up to 2-3 weeks.
Sue says:
 
I have not been able to sport naked nails since I was in my teens.  My nails grow fast, and I prefer to keep them short, but they peel back, layer by layer, even when short.  No matter how I look after them – with rubber gloves and barrier creams – they break and peel and split; therefore I have always protected them with nail polish, even if it was clear.
 
Over the years I have also built up a wonderful collection of nail polishes (amusing my daughters as many of the colours are only slight variations of the same hue), but even with weekly do-it-myself manicures, I often found my hands looking shabby by mid-week as they began to chip.
 
For the past 18 months, though, my hands have been kept looking perfect through fortnightly applications of gel.  My great nail technicion Sue, and her equally talented daughter Erin, (they are more nail artists and I have a whole blog to do on them down the track) have kept my nails strong and attractive with Bio Sculpture, Gelish and Lish gel products, in a range of great colours and french polish. 

I love the confidence that comes with knowing I can thrust my hand into my handbag without breaking a nail, and that my nails are going to look good from morning till night.  I can never go back now, and just love the look and feel of my 'gelled' nails.

Katherine says:

I've always had long, strong nails until the past six months or so where they've started to peel and split like Mum's. One day a few months ago, my friend and I were driving home after a ridiculously long shoot and we were both pretty miserable and she suggested we get a bit of Shellac to cheer us up. I've never really spent much time in nail salons but, that day, we got some much needed pampering and walked out of there new women with shiny, Shellac'd nails.

A few weeks later, I booked in again because the Shellac had run its course. I was going to just get a normal manicure but then I remembered how happy the thick, shiny look of the Shellac and went for a bright coral after a couple of weeks of black.

I love the strong, thick nails and the shiny polish resulting from Shellac and always envy Mum's gel nails, but it's something I will probably save only for special occaisions because of a number of things:

- I really like to change my nail polish colour when I want to. Some times I will leave a colour on for only a few days and get so excited by a new hue that I want to immediately remove the existing colour. This is most difficult when you have Shellac or Gel nails (self removal can prove difficult, plus who do you think inherited Mum's massive collection when she switched to permanent gel nails!?).

- You could buy at least one nail polish (maybe more depending on your price point) for the price of two weeks of Shellac. So many pretty colours!!

- I have very pale, freckly skin and a history of skin cancer on both sides of my family, a major reason why I stay out of the sun and avoid any kind of UV. Despite the very short amount of time with my hands under the UV lamps (three minutes for each coat, so probably about 10 minutes in total), 10 minutes every two weeks for years adds up and it is still UV that I would rather I didn't have anywhere near me (there have been reports of women developing skin cancer from the dryers and although I tend to take those reports with a grain of salt, for me, it's not worth the risk!)

- My nails were strong and pretty amazing with the Shellac, but it didn't help the strength of my nails overall. I'd rather work to strengthen my nails than cover them up.

- I can't speak for the Gel range – Mum seems to have a really good variety of colours to choose from – but the colour range currently available for Shellac is very limited and this can put a dampner on your mani experience.

- Over an hour in the salon every two weeks can put a bit of a dint into the already too-short weekend!

I hope I haven't brought down the fun of getting a Gel or Shellac mani! Mum loves her gel nails and the multi billion dollar industry can't lie. I had a great time being pampered at the salon – everyone needs a bit of that sometimes – but with my budget and the other factors I considered, I think this will only be a special treat for me when the occasion really calls for it.

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you go to the salon for some TLC time or is it a regular thing? Are you a Shellac girl or into acryllic?

 

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Our Weekly Wish Lists

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It's Friday again and time for us to spill the beauty products we're thinking about, wanting, lusting over, interested to try for the week. When you read lots of beauty blogs, spend too much time shopping online or browsing in Priceline or the department store beauty counters it's pretty easy to regularly put together these lists

Sue's list:

1 – A body brush because Katherine has made me long for the benefits of dry body brushing.

2 – The Body Shop Shea Beautifying Oil -pure beauty in a bottle (for after body brushing and showering). Made with a lightweight blend of nut oils including Community Fair Trade marula oil, it gives instant hydration and a shimmering finish. This one has a delicious nutty scent.
 
3 – Estee Lauder Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator. Reduces the look of dark circles and puffiness (I have a very bad habit of rubbing my eyes when I wake up in the morning
 
4 – Lancome's Absolue L'Extrait.  The power of youthful skin is captured in a cream-elixir that delivers a new sensorial experience. Each jar contains up to 2 million Lancome rose stem cells which enhance the self-renewal potential of our skin's stem cells and subsequently a more complete regeneration is now made possible. (Sounds too good to be true – but I think I need to try this!!)
 
5 – Laura Mercier Eye Canvas – Eye Canvas transforms your eyelid into the perfect canvas for eye makeup application. The innovative formula acts like a foundation for your eye, neutralizing the eyelid by providing lightweight coverage – all while extending makeup wear and prevent creasing and smudging all day.  (Whilst clearing out bookcases recently I came across my Laura Mercier beauty secrets book – I love her work and can't believe I've still never tried her products.  Must remedy that.)
 
 
Katherine's list:

1 – Chanel nail polish in 543 Frisson because that colour is too good to not own!

2 – Benefit Watts Up Highlighter – I've never tried a highlighter before and would have to research how to use it but there's something about this particular highlighter from Benefit that makes me want it.

3 – Some sort of exfoliator for sensitive skin (if it exists) because my skin is getting sad but I can't find anything that isn't going to make it red and angry. If anyone has any suggestions or recommendations, they would be greatly appreciated!

4 – NARS Ramatuelle Trio Eyeshadow – these colours are out of control amazing. Anything peachy coral is in my lust book at the moment!

5 – Unicorn Farts Lipbalm from Etsy – I know, it's horrifying to even include this in a post that also features Chanel, but it's brilliant and the combination of natural beeswax, unrefined cocoa butter, unrefined shea butter, jojoba, sweet almond, and grape seed oils who wouldn't want Unicorn Farts lipbalm?

 

Have a great weekend and, as always, feel free to share your beauty lust list with us!

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The Lost Lipstick

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Do you find that when you love a particular product, no matter how many substitutes you have, if you can't find it you can't stop thinking about it?  Two years ago, for my birthday, my sister-in-law – who loves Clarins products – gave me a Clarins lipstick and a hand cream. 
 
 
I had never tried a Clarins lipstick before and this one was beautiful – a great creamy texture, good staying power, and a better colour I couldn't have chosen for myself.  I loved it.
 
Now, as I've mentioned before, I have in excess of 100 lipsticks, and I know that you know as well as I do that I can't wear them all and so about once a year I have a clean out and reluctantly throw a few old ones away.  But there are some that are really special, and the one Clarins lipstick that I owned was a special one. 
 
And I lost it! 
 
I searched everywhere.  I knew I couldn't have lost it outside so I searched all handbags, jacket pockets, make up bags, make up cases, travel cases, drawers in the bathroom, in the bedroom, in my dressing room, in my office and in the glove box in the car.  I found other great lipsticks in hiding, but not the Clarins one. 
 
Months later when feeling the sense of loss again, I searched all of those places that I'd searched once, all over again and, earlier this year, after performing the same search again (you're beginning to think I'm a little obsessive now, aren't you?) I went to the Clarins counter to replace it but because I didn't know what the colour was called, I was reluctant to make the purchase.
 
This week I recycled some old suits from a spare wardrobe at my mum's that I haven't worn since winter 2010 (last year they didn't fit me and this year they do!) and when I was trying on one of the jackets, I felt something in the pocket.  I felt a great sense of elation before I even put my hand in to check it, I already knew it was the lost lipstick!  Imagine my excitement!
 
I have worn Clarins Joli Rouge 705 Soft Berry every day this week and  I am so glad to have it returned to it's rightful place – within my lipstick collection.  It's a beautiful lipstick in a beautiful colour.
 
Do your lipsticks end up hiding in crazy places?
 
 
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Tried and Tested: Dry Body Brushing

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The other week I came across this post by Kimmi from The Plastic Diaries about achieving super soft skin. I read, with interest, that she is an avid dry body brusher and loofaher (yeah, I made that up but you get the gist). Her post explains her favourite products and, more importantly, HOW exactly to successfully body brush.

Basically, you are trying to direct blood flow from your limbs to your heart to increase circulation and reduce cellulite, but for more extensive, step-by-step instructions click here to see her post. I also checked out Jess' tips from Well of Being and found them really helpful too.

Image from Well of Being

I decided to take her advice and switch out my normal body puff for a more heavy duty hand-sized loofah. I also purchased a dry body brush (both EcoPure Bath from Priceline, relatively cheap)

I have been dry body brushing every morning before my shower (in the shower so as not to coat my bathroom with skin flakes) and then following that up with a warm shower using the loofah and body soap. When I get out of the shower, i moisturise with The Body Shop's Aloe Soothing Body Lotion while my skin is still damp and let it soak in. The results: the first time I tried dry body brushing, I couldn't believe how painful it was. I was concerned that the sharp bristles were going to welt my fairly sensitive skin but I could actually feel the blood pumping around my body (as weird as that sounds, it could have been from all the brushing movement though…). Surprisingly, there were no adverse effects to my skin and once I got out of the shower, there was no indication that it had been brushed too roughly at all.

I've been dry brushing for over a week and use the loofah at least once a day, often twice, and always follow up with a moisturiser or Bio Oil. I can honestly say that my skin feels amazing. My arms, in particular, used to always feel a bit rough and they are so smooth, also the skin on my stomach and hips is much softer and more even; there are visible improvements!

It's sometimes hard to add another 10 minutes to your morning routine, but I think it's worth it! I am a little bit addicted now.

Have you tried dry body brushing before? What are your thoughts?

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Lust Have It – Lancome Gift

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I am one of the easiest people to buy presents for.  I love clothes, perfume, candles, books, DVDs, and all manner of other girly things.  But this year for my birthday in early April, Katherine emailed me and said she wanted to do something different this time.
 
Inspired, I think, by the 'gift that keeps on giving' idea that her sister had used a couple of years ago in the form of a one year magazine subscription, she wanted to sign me up and pre-pay a monthly subscription for a home-delivered beauty box containing 5-6 sample-sized premium and boutique products.  I got to choose which company I wanted this wonderful gift from, and I chose Lust Have It.  Included with the first months box, there was to also be two Lancome skincare products, which I have always loved, as an additional gift.
 
I was hoping the first box was going to arrive before I went to Sydney, but it was not to be.  Then, whilst I was away, I got an email from them telling me that they were sorry, but I had missed out on the April box, as they had acquired another similar company (ie Glossybox) and were having to meet the demand of subscribers to both companies.  However, they assured me I would have my May box within 2 weeks.  But, I pondered, would the May box bring with it the additional Lancome products?  I got a bit worried and I wished for time to fly so that I would have my delivery.
 
Then, a couple of days after the first email, Lust Have It emailed again to say my pack had been dispatched and then again when it was delivered.  While I was stuck at work all day, I watched the clock tick slowly, wanting to get home to my package and wondering what it was waiting for me.
 
It was a smaller package than I had anticipated but I eagerly ripped it open – and lo and behold – they were right.  The May package was still on its way to me and today's package was the additional Lancome gifts – full-sized Renergie Morpholift Eye Serum and Night Cream worth over $200.
 
Thank you Lust Have It. Thank you Katherine.  I can take this kind of confusion any day – I know Lust Have It and I are going to have a long and happy relationship.
 
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