The Pink Powderpuff

Interstate Beauty Haul

2012-02-22T20:11:00.001+11:00

Hi Beauties, when I traveled interstate a few weeks ago I purchased myself a few beauty items that I thought I would share with you.

I didn't have anything specific in mind that I wanted to purchase on this trip which is quite unusual for me. I usually have a few things in my mind that I definitely want to purchase but on this trip I decided to wing it and just take things as they came.

I actually enjoyed not being too prepared. It was fun waking up each day full of anticipation about what the days beauty shopping would bring. What made this trip all the more fabulous was that I had a fellow beauty junkie traveling with me. My Cousin Christina and I traveled together and like me she loves beauty products and all things pretty.

Christina and I spent hours upon hours cruising around the city beauty halls, boutiques and perfumeries. We arrived rather late on the Friday evening and had an agreement we would go straight to dinner. Somehow Myer and David Jones got in the way and we found ourselves wandering around looking at every big name counter they had until the store was closing and we were eventually kicked out!

On our way up the street to have dinner in China Town we stumbled upon an Asian Cosmetics Boutique. I am really into Asian cosmetics after hearing so many amazing reviews about them on You Tube. I really wanted some Fairy Drops Mascara. Upon entry to the store a Sales Assistant offered to help us. Trust me we needed all the help we could get as everything was written in a foreign language so we had no idea what anything said (talk about fish out of water). I inquired about Fairy Drops Mascara and was taken to a stand and handed a tube of mascara. The Sales Assistant assured me that it was Fairy Drops but something told me it wasn't when I could see the brand Kiss Me written on it (LOL)! I ended up buying it anyway and am really loving it!

(Pictured Above Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascara around $20 here in Australia)

Next up I found a cute little hand cream in a pink jar shaped like some little animal, turns out to be a Dolphin apparently but I think it looks like a penguin. It smelled gorgeous and I thought I would get it because It would be cute to pull out of my bag. I am such a sucker for anything in cute packaging. I also thought I could refill the cute little jar after I finish it with any old random hand cream.

(Pictured Above: Etude House Missing You Hand Cream in Pink Dolphin Story around $8 here in Australia).

Next I spotted B.B Creams. I love B.B creams. I have very good blemish free skin most of the time but I am ridiculously pale. I am not sure if this is because I am unwell a lot or if it's because I never expose my skin to the sun. Perhaps I'm just ghost like because that just how I am, who knows? Anyway back to the topic of B.B Creams. I love them and they seem to love my skin. I know that Asian B.B Creams are the bomb particularly those made in Korea. The Sales Assistant told me that this one particular B.B Cream was a best seller in Korea. Who would really know after some of the things she tried to sell us and our final ordeal at the checkout (more on that later). Anyway it was my first night in the city and I had the urge to spend so I asked how much it was. I was told it was $29. I decided to purchase it. It is the Hanskin Anti-Wrinkle Whitening Collagen Lifting B.B Cream.

(Pictured Above: Hanskin Anti-Wrinkle Whitening Collagen Lifting B.B Cream approximately $40 here in Australia)

I also picked up three masks that I have been wanting to try for a long time. These were a bargain at $2 each and I was so happy to be able to buy them individually rather than buy an entire box of them to see how I like them first. There were so many varieties to choose from. I ended up choosing Gold and Marine Collagen, Japanese Cherry Blossom and Cooling Mask. Well that's all I could read on the packaging.

(Pictured Above: Random Masks available from www.sasa.com)

I could have easily spent way more money in this little Asian Cosmetics Boutique but thankfully my trusty shopping partner dragged me to the checkout before I could make any more purchases with the promise that we could always come back! Here's the part where things got really interesting. We arrived at the checkout and suddenly the Sales Assistant pulls out this blinged up calculator unlike anything I have ever seen before in my life! Think something like this:

(Above image thanks to www.kollada.com)

The Sales Girl then says ''sorry me told you wrong price B.B Cream is $49.95'' She then says ''That's okay you can have for $39.95''. Initially she told me $29.95. She then says ''Oh Sorry me told you wrong price for hand cream''. What I found most amusing was that she was determining all of this just by switching on her bling bling calculator. I would have been annoyed given any other circumstances but I was finding this entire experience rather hilarious. She then scans my items using the register and starts laughing hysterically. She then says (through her fits of giggles) ''ohhh sorry me not know what anything cost I give up, you decide''! I was almost having a funny turn I was laughing so hard at the Sales Girl and how totally clueless she was. We ended up settling on $70 for everything! I laughed all the way to the restaurant for dinner and then some more throughout dinner. Regardless of anything that little Asian Store made the first night of our trip most enjoyable and memorable and as for my sales girl, bless her little heart she tried!

After Dinner that night we headed home for some much needed rest and a few more belly laughs about our little Asian Cosmetics Boutique experience. I tried the B.B Cream the next morning and I am obsessed with it.

The next morning we were up and at it early. We visited a number of shops and made some non beauty related purchases from Top Shop, Forever New and Peter Alexander. We then headed to Kit Cosmetics where we had so much fun with the girls. I swear you will never find nicer Staff than those at Kit Cosmetics stores. We met the Lovely Ebony who is moving to the Myer Bourke Street Mall Kit permanently. This young lady is so gorgeous, friendly and welcoming. Ebony is a former Hobart Girl which is how we initially bonded. I ended up purchasing a few things:

(Pictured Above: Korres Milk Protein Cleansing Wipes $18.95, Ladybug Steam Cream $24.95 and Origins Vitazing $44.00 all available at www.kitcosmetics.com.au)

(Pictured Above: Too Faced Beautiful Dreamer Set Containing Eyeshadow Quad, Blush/Bronzer Duo, Shadow Insurance Mini, Mascara and Lipgloss $75.00 available at www.kitcosmetics.com.au)

(Pictured Above: Too Faced Amazing Face Powder Foundation $59.95 available from www.kitcosmetics.com.au)

Next we headed to the Benefit Brow Bar for a Brow Shape. You can read my Blog Post dedicated to that experience if you haven't already. Due to the service I was given this new release blush was all I purchased and that was just because I wanted it badly otherwise I would have bought nothing!

(Pictured Above: Benefit Hervana Blush $51 available at www.adorebeauty.com.au)

Next Stop was the Illamasqua Counter at Myer. I love Illamasqua beyond words. I think it is fast becoming my favourite cosmetics brand on the market! I could have gone totally nuts there and purchased so many items but I remained restrained because I have purchased quite a few things recently from the Myer online shopping site. The Counter Girl was amazing. She did my makeup from start to finish, sharing tips and tricks as she applied each product. She explained that Illamasqua's newest foundation was designed like a B.B Cream but with a little more coverage than a B.B Cream (she told me this without knowing of my love of B.B Creams). Naturally I had to purchase it. I also purchased another powder blush in Lover which is a gorgeous soft peach colour. I know it's hard to believe but I occasionally buy other coloured blush than pink.

(Pictured Above: Illamsqua Face Base Foundation $65 and Powder Blush in Lover $42 available at selected Myer stores or from www.Myer.com.au)

Mecca Cosmetica was our next stop where I purchased:

(Pictured Above Stila Classic Beauty Eye Shadow Palette $48 available at www.meccacosmetica.com.au)

(Pictured Above Stila Love at First Blush $25 at www.meccacosmetica.com.au)

We then wandered into David Jones where I purchased:

(Pictured Above: Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream 100ml $81, Dr Hauschka Eye Contour Day Balm $62 and Kiehls Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado $39).

(Pictured Above: Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Cologne 100ml $170 and Jo Malone French Pear and Freesia Cologne 9ml Free with any 100ml Fragrance Purchase).

I finally wandered up to Mecca Maxima where I had a bit of a look around and shockingly all I purchased was a tiny little Soap and Glory Hand Food for my Bag.

(Pictured above right Soap and Glory Hand Food $8 at www.kitcosmetics.com.au)

I also picked up a few samples on my way arpund various places:

I hope you all enjoyed my little haul. Please let me know in the comments below if there is anything at all that you would like me to review.

Thanks so much for reading everyone xxxx

Note: This post is not sponsored. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

My Second Visit To The Benefit Brow Bar!

2012-02-20T18:13:00.000+11:00

My regular readers will remember that just prior to Christmas I had my first visit to a Benefit Brow Bar. Whilst I was away I decided I would give them another go and see how my two experiences compared.

On my first visit you will recall that the Benefit team tried to sell me everything but the kitchen sink but the service I received was great. I wish I could say the same this time. Upon walking into the Myer Store the actual assistant that ended up doing my Brow Shape was standing outside smoking. After signing into the brow bar she returned inside the Brow Bar and called out my name. Thankfully she did use some hand disinfectant before commencing my brow shape.

I took my seat and told my service consultant I just wanted a brow tidy. She was very rough with me and I can't remember feeling so much discomfort before during a wax. She was slapping wax on and ripping it off very roughly, not even applying pressure for some relief after taking the wax strips off. Thankfully my ordeal was over in under 7 minutes. We conversed very little. What truly surprised me was that she didn't try to sell me anything. I was a little concerned that she didn't bother to freshen up my makeup or conceal any of the redness which stuck out like nobodies business after she had finished. I didn't care I just wanted out of there!

The next day I had red bumps all around my brows. I have experienced this before on a few occasions but it isn't typical. This settled within a few days and in general I was very happy with how my brows had been shaped. Now a week later they look great. However the unpleasant experience really wasn't worth it.

My general thoughts are that I will not be returning to a Benefit Brow Bar again anytime in the near future. I would much prefer to stick to a Beauty Salon where I am made feel comfortable and welcome. I am really disappointed because I love Benefit as a brand. I think that I will stick to just purchasing their products in the future.

Note: I am not sponsored by Benefit or Benefit Brow Bars. My service was fully paid for by my own money and all opinions are exclusively my own.

Diesel Loverdose

2012-02-18T17:24:00.000+11:00

This week I purchased the brand new fragrance offering from Diesel. I was particularly looking forward to the release of this fragrance since I heard the notes in it included Mandarin, Lemon, Star Anise, Gardenia, Jasmine, Licorice, Vanilla, Ambrox, Cedar and Sandalwood. When I had my first sniff of Loverdose I wasn't at all disappointed.

I like sweet fragrances. I always have, although my taste is somewhat maturing as I get older and I now wear fragrances from all fragrance families, the days of smelling like a sickly sweet lolly shop are thankfully behind me. I guess as I approach my mid thirties my life experiences and I like to think a little bit of wisdom is making my taste perhaps a tiny bit more refined than it once was.

Loverdose is still a sweet scent but it is a little more grown up than some of the other sweet scents on the market (Britney Spears I am looking at you). Diesel created this fragrance with the 25-55 age group in mind. I personally think age should not influence scent and that anyone can wear any scent regardless of age.

The bottle is a translucent purple heart with faceted glass which resembles a diamond. It has a black lid and a black sword going through the bottle from the inside (eludes to a sword through the heart one would assume).

This fragrance lasts a long time on my skin and I love wearing it. Best of all at the moment if you buy a 75ml bottle from Myer or The Perfume Connection you get a 30ml bottle for free as a gift with purchase. The 30ml bottle is gorgeous to keep in your handbag. The 75ml costs $110.

I would recommend this fragrance to anyone who likes a sweet scent. It is so feminine and pretty.

Note: I am not sponsored by Diesel, Myer or The Perfume Connection. This fragrance was purchased with my own money and all opinions are entirely my own.

Clean Fragrances

2012-02-17T20:47:00.000+11:00

Last weekend I had a little interstate trip and did a little shopping. I went a little crazy on fragrances.

I was wandering around Kit Cosmetics when I came across the Clean Fragrance range. I am currently loving crisp clean scented fragrances so naturally I had to stop and have a sniff.

(Pictured Above Left to Right - Clean Shower Fresh EDP, Warm Cotton EDP and Fresh Laundry EDP)

There are around five different fragrances in the Clean range. I decided to get three of them in the 30ml bottles ($45 each) because I couldn't decide which I liked better. You can also get the fragrances in 60ml bottles for $76.95 each or the cute 10ml roller balls for $24.95 each). As far as I know Clean fragrances are sold exclusively through Kit Cosmetics and Mecca Maxima Stores in Australia.

I have worn each of these fragrances and I still can't decide which one is my favourite. They last a good six to eight hours on my skin so their staying power gets a big thumbs up from me.

When I apply these fragrances they make me feel so fresh and clean (hence the name). The scents evoke feelings of just getting out of the shower and feeling all crisp and clean or perhaps even just getting into fresh white sheets on my bed.

Anyone that knows me personally will tell you that perfume is like my crack. It makes me happy and can transform my mood in an instant. I am digging these Clean fragrances like nobodies business and I am so hooked on them that I am considering ordering the others that I didn't get. Best of all Clean is an eco-conscious collection so no harm is done to the environment with these.

Call me strange but this morning I bathed my two fur babies Banjo and Molly and it suddenly occurred to me that the Clean Fragrances would smell good on them to. Okay so there's nothing worse than the scent of wet doggy, so after their blow dry I spritzed a little Warm Cotton into their coats. I get the impression that Banjo was really feeling it but Molly still prefers her beloved Katy Perry Purrrr. I'll keep that in mind for future reference LOL!!

For anyone who likes clean, crisp, fresh scents I highly recommend checking out the Clean range. The best thing about them is that they aren't common so you will certainly have something unique when wearing them.

Note: I am not sponsored by Clean fragrances or Kit Cosmetics. All products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own.

Long Time No See!

2012-02-17T20:46:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,
I am so sorry for my eight week absence. I haven't been well and unfortunately with my health status that means sometimes I will disappear off the face of the earth for a while.

I am sincerely sorry for the lack of posting on my blog recently. I am very much an all or nothing type of person and I didn't want to do posts when I wasn't feeling great and able to give my all to them.

I hope every single one of you are doing well and having a great 2012 so far!

So without further ado I will get started on what we are all here for and get back to posting.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.

Kxo

Happy New Year Blabber!

2012-01-05T20:14:00.000+11:00

Hey Everyone,
Sorry I have been so absent from posting during December. I have been very busy with lots of social occasions and Christmas etc and things tended to get a little bit busy. I am now back and refreshed and excited to start blogging more regularly from now on.

I hope everyone has had an amazing start to 2012.

Christmas was crazy and to be honest I am so glad that it is over! Boxing day I am usually out shopping the sales like a mad woman but I was so exhausted this year that I slept all day. The thing is on Christmas day we have a huge day with so much crammed in that we literally don't stop. Up at 5am and rushing for breakfast followed by visiting the cemetery's where the graves lie of loved ones past. We then hot foot it up the East Coast of Tasmania to my Mum's Sisters house (around a 2 hour drive), have a huge seafood and traditional Christmas lunch then we hightail it back down south (another 2 hour drive) and host around 30 for Dinner. Christmas Day usually ends sometime early on Boxing Day Morning. Boxing Day we have friends and people we didn't get to see the day before over again. It's all very draining!

New Years Eve was very quiet. I honestly couldn't have thought of anything worse than being in big crowds surrounded by drunk hooligans watching fireworks. Something tells me I am getting old! Instead we went to my Cousins house for a lovely dinner and helped celebrate her Husbands 40th Birthday. We were home at 9.30, mainly because I was worried about the puppies if anyone started letting fireworks off in the park lands down below. Here's where the story gets really pathetic, when the clock struck midnight and everyone else was screaming Happy New Year I was in bed!

New years day was great. I got to catch up with all my relatives at my Uncles 60th Birthday and have a good chat with my cousins who were home for the holidays from Queensland. It's always great to see them.

On January 2nd I went to The Taste of Tasmania which is a part of the annual Summer Festival here in Tasmania. Basically it all coincides with The Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race (which I love).

Tasmania is known for it's amazing food and produce especially it's fruit and seafood. The Taste of Tasmania is Basically a big food festival showcasing some of Tasmania's best food and wine. On Monday I spent much of the day there enjoying things such as Pink Eye Potatoes With Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream, Huon Valley Mushrooms with Chilli Plum Sauce, Thai Chilli Calamari with Palm Sugar, Mixed Tasmanian Berries amongst other things!

I hope you have all had a great holiday season whether you celebrate Christmas or not. I hope 2012 brings all you want and more. I look forward to getting to know you all more throughout the year.

I want to thank each and every single one of you for your support with my Blog. I honestly still can't believe that anyone would want to read anything I write. As many of you know I have multiple illnesses which keep me confined to home a lot and this blog gives me an outlet to talk about the things I love such as makeup and beauty products. Again thank you so much for your support and friendship.

If anyone has any requests on blog posts you would like see please feel free to make your suggestions in the comments below.

My Visit To The Benefit Brow Bar

2011-12-28T19:58:00.000+11:00

I recently made my very first visit to a Benefit Brow Bar. Having never visited one before I had no idea what to expect. I approached the Benefit Brow Bar in at Myer with caution as I wanted to suss things out before I committed to the experience.

The first thing I noticed was that there was a hive of activity around the Brow Bar. There seemed to be people everywhere both on seats and looking at products. I thought this was a positive sign but continued to lurk in the background trying to take as much in as possible.

Finally I was busted by a Benefit Staff Member who asked if there was anything they could help me with. I explained I wanted a brow shape and before I knew it my bum was on a hot pink seat and I was holding a hot pink mirror in my hand.

The first part of the process at a Benefit Brow Bar is to sign in. You sign your name in a book which puts you in order of waiting line. In my case there was no waiting time at all and I was taken straight to a Brow Station. The next step is to discuss whether you want your brows waxed or shaped using tweezers. They will also offer you a tinting service. A general brow shape using wax costs $25 or $30 for a shape using tweezers with no wax. Your service also includes a full mini makeover at the conclusion of your service.

The first thing I noticed was how clean everything looked at all the stations. There were bottles of alcohol and hand sanitiser everywhere. All sets of tweezers were all removed from sterile bags and every brow pencil was sharpened again after use on a client. This was all very important to me. The staff were also beautifully presented in their black and hot pink outfits.

In total about 15 to 20 minutes was spent waxing and shaping my brows. My consultant was extremely friendly and made me feel instantly at ease with her. She talked to me like a best girlfriend all the way through my brow shape. She did a great job of my brows and they were immaculately groomed at the end of my consultation. I was extremely happy with the brow shape provided.

However I sensed from the time I entered the Benefit Brow Bar that I was going to have Benefit products pushed onto me throughout the entire service. My hunch was spot on. Being very familiar with the Benefit brand and owning quite a lot of their products didn't seem to help me much because despite owning most products my consultant tried to sell me everything that I didn't have regardless of whether it suited me or not!

In the end it became quite uncomfortable. Every product she suggested she proceeded to collect from the stock cupboard and put in a pile for me to purchase at the end. I was sitting there thinking to myself ''how the heck am I going to get out of buying this stuff''! I ended up buying over $300 worth of product from the Benefit Brow Bar, some things I really love but others I certainly didn't need or even want for that matter.

My Mum also decided to get her Brows shaped and tinted so I had to wait around for her. To my horror despite having just had my brows done and purchasing $300 in products I had the very same girl that shaped my brows as well as two other Benefit girls trying to get me to buy more products. It even got down to them trying to bribe me with Gifts With Purchase if I purchased more items. It made me very uncomfortable in the end.

Overall I was really happy with the level of technical service given to me at the Benefit Brow Bar. These girls certainly know what they are doing when it comes to shaping brows. The entire team is incredibly friendly (there were about 11 girls working there on this day probably as it was so close to Christmas). I love that you don't need to book, you simply turn up and wait your turn which is so convenient. A little tip I was given was to avoid turning up between 5 and 6.30pm because that's when a lot of people finish work and it gets ridiculously busy.

However I must admit that I was turned off by the pushy sales assistants. They really put the hard sell on me as far as products were concerned and trying to get out of buying their suggested products that I didn't want was rather embarrassing and uncomfortable.

Benefit Brow Bars also offer services such as Body Waxing and False Lash Application.

Note: I am not sponsored by Benefit Brow Bars and all opinions are my own.

I'm Back With A Haul!

2011-12-19T21:54:00.001+11:00

Hey everyone. Sorry for the long absence and lack of posting. I have been interstate on a little Christmas Shopping expedition and as it is the silly season things have been rather busy with Christmas parties to attend and shopping to be done. I have also been a little unwell and have had quite a bit of trouble with my Diabetes. Thankfully now I seem to be making some headway with that and appear to be on the right track.

I had a blast whilst I was away. I did some great shopping and caught up with some gorgeous friends and family. I ate at some amazing places also.

Unfortunately I can't show you any major purchases until after Christmas because my major purchases were bought for me as gifts and I have been asked not to reveal them until after December 25th. Rest assured I won't keep you in the dark and will be showing you my gorgeous gifts after Christmas! Yay for designer handbags I say!

I purchased a couple of things, little Christmas Gifts for myself whilst I was away that you might be interested in. What am I talking about, of course you'll be interested this is a blog for complete beauty junkies like me after all.

What is it that makes taking a look at other peoples hauls that makes us so happy? Is it living vicariously through others or more just getting a thrill that someone else is as mental as you are about pretty beauty products?

Without further ado here is my little haul of beauty loot from my recent trip:

Benefit So Hooked On Carmella Fragrance (30ml for $59.95) - This is my third bottle of this fragrance. I absolutely love it. As my regular readers will know I am a sucker for anything sweet smelling or gourmand. This fragrance has a gorgeous vanilla oriental type scent. The packaging is darling and looks like a little cocktail shaker (as do all the Benefit Crescent Row fragrances). This makes such a cute gift that I picked a couple up for friends!

Benefit They're Real Mascara ($38) - I haven't used this yet but I am so excited to give it a try as I have heard such amazing things about it. I will definitely review it after I give it a try!

Benefit Glam Therefore I am Palette ($69) - This is a Limited Edition set for the Holidays. This palette took my eye and I ended up buying it for the cuteness factor. I love the little mini sized Girl Meets Pearl and Bad Gal Mascara. Also a purchasing point was the limited edition face powder/highlighter combo. I love Benefit's Life On The A-List Gloss and who doesn't want another four eye shadows to add to their ten million others? Whether I end up using this will be a question to be determined in the coming weeks! I always buy things like this and put them away and forget to use them.

Benefits Ticket To Glossy Town Mini Lip Gloss Set ($49) - Another of Benefit's Limited Edition offerings for the holidays this set contains six of Benefit's best selling lip gloss shades.

Benefit Instant Brow Pencil in Light ($38) - Nothing special about this just a dark blonde brow pencil with a brush on the end to work through the product.

L'Occitane Almond Apple Cleansing Oil ($39.95 for 200ml) - This cleansing oil has been discontinued to my absolute horror! It is my favourite cleansing oil! I was horrified when I learned it had been discontinued but thankfully a L'Occitane store I visited had a supply stashed away and I was able to get hold of one.

Benefit Powderflage - This is a powder light reflecting concealer from Benefit. I was given this as a Gift With Purchase.

Soap and Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser ($36.95) - This is a deep pore cleanser that is deeply purifying. It contains essential oils and comes with a muslin cloth.

Mor Marshmallow Perfume ($69.95) and Scented Candle ($20) - Mor's Marshmallow range has been a long time favourite of mine. If you like musk you will love this scent. I was lucky enough to find the candles in a factory outlet store so purchased some for my Mum also.

Too Faced Glamour To Go Dream Edition Palette ($32.95) - I get these limited edition palettes from Too Faced every year. Initially I purchased this for a friend but I decided I liked it enough to go and get myself one also. They are awesome little palettes that contain eight eye shadows, a bronzer, blush and lip gloss. They are perfect for travel and the packaging is gorgeous!

Natural Company Duck On A Rope ($14.95) - Is this not the cutest little thing you have ever seen? It is scented with Sicilian Grapefruit and smells amazing. I got these for my God Daughters but couldn't resist one for myself. How cute is this going to look hanging in my shower?

Jelly Belly Travel Candles in a Tin ($12.50 each) - If you didn't know that the Jelly Belly gourmet jelly bean company also make candles to match their jellybeans you do now. These candles smell exactly the same as the flavours of the jellybeans. I got 2 x Blueberry, 1 x Bubblegum and 1 x Crushed Pineapple. The best thing about these candles is that they are calorie free.

M.A.C Creme Color Base in Pink Shock ($36) - This colour is avaialble from M.A.C Pro only. It is an amazing bright pink shade. I will use it on my cheeks and lips.

Illamasqua Powder Blush in Nymph ($42) - This is a gorgeous bubblegum bright pink. The Illamasqua packaging is just gorgeous and their products are highly pigmented. I purchased quite a few things from Illamasqua but you will have to wait until after Christmas to see them!

Jo Malone Rosewater and Vanilla Cologne Intense ($230 for 100ml)- This is my second favourite Jo Malone scent. I am absolutely obsessed with Jo Malone fragrances. Come to think of it I must do a post on all my Jo Malone Products. Jo Malone products are not cheap. However they are so unique and special that I can always justify the spend. This is my second bottle of Jo Malone Rosewater and Vanilla. It is very soft and feminine not sickly sweet at all. It lasts a lot longer than the regular line of Jo Malone Scents because it is from the intense range which come in a black bottle as opposed to clear and are more concentrated.

I hope you enjoyed my little Pre-Christmas haul. I am looking forward to sharing my Christmas Haul with all of you!

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the above mentioned brands. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Christmas Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-09T19:00:00.000+11:00

Congratulations Fluffystuff73 who has won the Pink Powderpuff's Christmas Giveaway! Please e-mail me your address at banjoandmolly@hotmail.com and I will get your package express posted to you next week in plenty of time for Christmas.

For those of you who didn't win, don't stress as I am going to be doing other epic giveaway in the new year! Perhaps even more fabulous than this one!

Cheers

Kxo

Christmas Gift Ideas For Her!

2011-11-30T18:55:00.000+11:00

So Christmas is basically 24 more sleeps away which means if you haven't started your Christmas shopping you had better get your skates on.

Buying gifts for other people can be a traumatic experience. We've all been there, running around the shops, looking for the perfect gift only to find the left over dregs of cheap rubbish still sitting on the shelves. You have to stick to a budget but you want to find something that you know the recipient will like and get some enjoyment out of.

Shopping for friends if often the most fun but also often the most difficult. Sometimes you just want to give a token gift to say Merry Christmas, have a good one and other times you want to spend a little more and make the gift a really special one.

Here I have some gifts that cost under $50 that you can give to the girls in your life, your Sister, Bestie or even your Aunt. You could even give them as a stocking stuffer. I hope these ideas give you some gift buying inspiration.

Philosophy Candy Cane Trio $22 from www.sephora.com or www.skinstore.com A great gift that comes in a cute as a button festive gift box. It contains peppermint scented shower gel, body lotion and lipshine.

O.P.I Best Of The Best Collection $44.95 from www.adorebeauty.com.au This gorgeous set of nail polishes includes ten of O.P.I's best selling shades. You could give this to one person or break them up and give to multiple people.

Kikki-K 2012 Mini Diary $24.95 from www.kikki-k.com I always buy a Kikki-K diary every year. I usually get the big one but this year I decided to get the smaller one mainly because it will be easy to keep in my bag. They are the cutest diaries and contain little slots and pockets to store things and also have cute stickers included.

Glitzy Glam Small Terry Makeup Bag ($10) and Key Chain ($10) with Personalised Initial from www.shopglitzyglam.com Glitzy Glam is an online store owned by You Tube Beauty Guru Sisters Elle and Blair Fowler. I love their store and have purchased many items from them over the past couple of years. Items usually only take around 7-10 days to ship to Australia and the turn around time is super fast and there is something in everybody's price range in the store. I purchased these two items for myself and a few friends. They make such adorable gifts and are really great quality.

L'Occitane Mini Hand Creams $9.95 from www.adorebeauty.com.au These make an awesome little stocking stuffer. They would also make a nice gift for the host of a Christmas Party or even your friends Mum.

Benefit Ticket To Glossy Town Lip Gloss Set $49 from www.adorebeauty.com.au I think any beauty loving girl would love to receive this set of lip glosses for Christmas. This set contains 6 mini sized glosses.

Woodwick Bakery Cupcake Candle $35 from www.candelabra.com.au This candle would be perfect for anyone who loves vanilla gourmand scents. Woodwick are beautiful candles and contain a wick which crackles ever so lightly as the candle burns.

Too Faced Glamour To Go Palette $32.95 from www.kitcosmetics.com.au A gorgeous little palette containing everything you need for a complete makeup look. It includes 8 eye shadows, a lipgloss, blush and bronzer. I get these palettes from Too Faced every year. They are fabulous to travel with.

Smashbox Life Is Your Set Holiday Pencil Kit $39.95 from www.kitcosmetics.com.au This set contains 5 Smashbox Eye Liners in shades of Black, Gold, Espresso, Emerald and Sapphire. It would be great for anyone who enjoys experimenting with makeup.

The Body Shop Candied Ginger Mini Gift Cube $24.95 A gorgeous little Candied Ginger gift containing a shower puff, 50ml body butter and a 60ml shower gel.

Kikki-K Sundae Ipad Case $49.95 from www.kikki-k.com.au - This would make a cute gift for anyone with an ipad.

I hope some of these suggestions will give you some ideas for Christmas gifts for your friends and family.

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the brands or companies listed above. All opinions are my own.

Australia's 1st Glossy Box

2011-11-30T16:32:00.000+11:00

Today I received the very 1st Glossy Box. I was really excited to receive this one as I have been checking out the British version for a while and let me just say that the British version is awesome.

So here is what arrived on my doorstep today:

The contents of Australia's very 1st Glossy Box Includes:

Jurlique Age-Defying Ultra Firm & Lift Cream - 5ml Sample Tube.

Bio Oil - A full sized 60ml bottle.

Essie Nail Polish Mini - I got Meet Me At Sunset.

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil - 15ml Sample Size.

Mirenesse 3D Forever Gloss - Full sized in LA Nude.

A bag of Pink Jellybeans.

So there you have the contents of the very 1st Aussie Glossy Box revealed.

My First impressions of this box are good. I really liked everything in it and was especially happy to get to try the Bobbi Brown cleansing Oil. I really like Bio Oil and the Mirenesse Lip Gloss looks like a gorgeous colour. I will stick with Glossy Box for a few more months to see what else is on offer.

Note: I am not sponsored by Glossy Box, I purchased my own subscription and all opinions are my own.

NPSET Time To Shine Lip Gloss Set!

2011-11-26T18:38:00.000+11:00

Wandering through Target the other day I happened upon this cute as a button mini lip gloss trio by Napolean Perdis's NPSET range. The best part of all was the price tag, priced at just $15 I thought this would make a gorgeous Secret Santa gift or stocking stuffer for any pink loving girls. Naturally I had to get myself a set and I also picked up a few sets for some girlfriends.

I would be stoked to receive these for Christmas as I am sure any pink loving girl would be. They are great for people who perhaps don't have the budget to spend on brands such as M.A.C or perhaps have a limit on how much they can spend on things such as Secret Santa. As far as I know this pack is the only pack available. There are no other packs with alternative colours. I wish there had of been, I would have gone off!

The glosses are really pigmented and not at all sticky. I think $15 for a pack of three different shades of glosses is very reasonable.

Note: I am not sponsored by Napolean Perdis or NPSET. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

M.A.C Dazzlesphere Haul

2011-11-25T14:36:00.000+11:00

I have been very well behaved so far this season. I normally sweat on M.A.C's Holiday Collections like an alcoholic waiting for the nearest pub to open in the morning!

In the past five years I have just about purchased every single thing from the M.A.C Holiday collections. Of course I didn't really need any of it but since it was there staring me in the face and I was able to purchase it for less than half the price in America as opposed to here in Australia through Hopshopgo I thought I may as well go ahead and get it.

This year has been different. I have realised that I have so much makeup that I have hardly or never used that I have decided to curb my spending. I am finding it hard to justify spending a huge amount of money on makeup when there are people dying from famine overseas and people living in poverty here in Australia.

So for the M.A.C Holiday 2011 I have purchased two things. One of them is for me and the other is for my giveaway which you all need to enter if you haven't done so.

I really liked the look of the Dazzlesphere Ornaments. Priced at $65 from M.A.C Counters and www.maccosmetics.com.au

Being a pinkaholic of course I had to get myself the Pink Ornament and I thought the safe option was to get the Neutral Dazzlesphere to giveaway to a subscriber.

(Pictured Above Left to right- Dazzleglasses in Rags To Riches and Like Venus and Cremesheen Glasses in Fashion Scoop and Petite Indulgence).

This Pink Dazzlesphere is my dream set of lip glosses. By now you would all know that I am obsessed with pink makeup products but usually when I buy things like glosses in sets there's always one shade that I don't like or wouldn't wear, this is not the case with this set. I love every single colour. I like to get a bit of sparkle on my lips over the festive season and I really enjoy M.A.C Dazzleglasses and I am obsessed with Cremesheen's. I think this would make an awesome gift for someone. It is so pretty and I can tell you with no uncertainty that I will not regret this purchase.

I am not going to undo the Neutral Dazzlesphere because I want it to be lovely and new for the winner of my giveaway. However it includes two Dazzleglasses and two Cremesheen Glasses in Boy Bait, Bare Necessity, Over Indulgence and Get Rich Quick.

Note: I am not sponsored by M.A.C Cosmetics. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Christmas Giveaway!

2011-11-25T11:12:00.000+11:00

I am really excited to do this giveaway for Christmas. One lucky subscriber will be taking home an Urban Decay Naked Palette, Too Faced Naked Palette and finally a M.A.C Dazzlesphere Neutral Ornament containing 2 M.A.C Dazzleglasses and 2 M.A.C Cremesheen Glasses in various neutral shades.

If these are not your thing, you could always give them away for Christmas or Birthday gifts.

The Rules:

1. The competition is opened from today November 25 2011 until Thursday December 9th 2011 at 5pm Hobart Time.

2. You Must be a subscriber to The Pink Powderpuff.

3. Competition is opened for Australian and International Subscribers.

4. The winner will be selected randomly by www.Randomorg.com

5. The Pink Powderpuff will not enter into any correspondence once the winner is selected. The Pink Powderpuff's decision is final.

6. To win the three items all you have to do is comment below saying why you want to win.

Good Luck!

MeMeMe Cosmetics Haul

2011-11-24T21:10:00.000+11:00

Here's a few things I have picked up for myself over the last few weeks. I have been doing quite a lot of shopping recently but because a lot of my purchases are for Christmas gifts I can't post them here.

I hope you enjoy this haul and perhaps get some inspiration for your own Christmas shopping or wishlist.

1. MeMeMe Cosmetics Pink Best Seller Bundle - I hadn't even heard of MeMeMe cosmetics until my friend Glossy (www.beautifullyglossy.blogspot.com) reviewed one of their products on her Blog. I decided I needed to investigate the brand further. Upon browsing their website (www.mememecosmetics.com.au) I couldn't believe how similar their products were to Benefit products but for just a fraction of the price of Benefit. Being a big Benefit fan I was concerned about the quality of MeMeMe products but decided to go ahead and make an order anyway to see for myself.

I decided to purchase the Pink Best Seller Bundle for $39.95 and their Beat The Blues Skin Illuminator in Sunbeam for $13.95.

My order from MeMeMe was dispatched the very next day after I placed it and reached me in just four days. Best of all with all purchases over $40 postage is free.

Now to my thoughts on the actual products. The Pink Best Seller Bundle contained a Light Me Up Lip Gloss in the shade Illuminate, Blush Me Pink Blush and a Nail Polish in shade 78 Ambitious. I also purchased the Skin Illuminator in Beat The Blues Sunbeam.

The Light Me Up Lip Gloss in Illuminate is a beautiful shimmering baby pink shade. It is the perfect dupe for M.A.C's Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks. It has a minty flavour and comes with a handy mirror on the side. When removing the doe foot wand from the gloss two lights come on making the gloss packaging literally light up. I think Modelco may have made gloss with a similar concept in the past. The best thing about the gloss to me is that is is not at all sticky. I think the gloss is gorgeous and I will get a lot of use out of it.

Blush Me Blush in Pink is absolutely gorgeous. It is actually a lot brighter than it appears in the pictures. It reminds me a lot of M.A.C's Pink Swoon. The MeMeMe blush in Pink does have a small amount of shimmer in it. The blush packaging is identical to the packaging of Benefit's Powder Boxes. It even has the same little plastic insert and a very similar brush as the Benefit powders do. One difference with the MeMeMe boxes is that there is a mirror in the lids of the boxes which is a genius idea. The Blush itself is highly pigmented and blends beautifully. I am so impressed with the quality of the product. The Blush Me Blushers come in Bronze, Coral, Pink and Rouge and are a steal at just $21.95 here in Australia as opposed to the Benefit Box Of Powders Priced at $51. Alternatively you can purchase the bundles for $39.95.

The Long Lasting Gloss Nail Polish in Shade 78 Ambitious is a very pale pink. Only one coat of this polish will give you a glossy opaque finish. I have only had it on for 24 hours but so far there is no chipping.

Beat The Blues Skin Illuminator in Sunbeam is a perfect dupe for Benefit's High Beam. It is a beautiful pale pink colour which has a cool silvery tone to it. It is perfect for highlighting or mixing with foundation for a dewy luminous finish. Priced at $13.95 it represents excellent value for money. I absolutely love this product and have decided to order the other cheek and lip tints and the other Skin Illuminator shade available in Moonbeam.

I think the Best Seller Bundles would make a beautiful Christmas or Birthday gift idea for any makeup junkies in your life. They come beautifully packaged in a box and there are four colour variations to choose from. The quality of the products is great and the value for money is excellent. Where else are you going to find 3 great quality makeup products for under $40. Alternatively you can purchase individual products which would also make great gifts. MeMeMe also include a gorgeous little packet of lollies, with their company name on them, tied with a black bow in each order. I would be stoked to find anything from MeMeMe under my tree this Christmas.

Note: I am not sponsored by MeMeMe Cosmetics. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Update

2011-11-22T19:46:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,
Firstly I would like to apologise for my absence. The past week has been a little hectic with myself not being well and then having a sick puppy (Molly) to care for. Sometimes life gets in the way!

I haven't done a whole bunch of hauling for myself although I am well into my Christmas Shopping now (Thank God)! I am usually one of those people who is still running on Christmas Eve looking for something for someone. This year I am determined to be organised!

So for those of you who do celebrate Christmas who is organised for Christmas 2011?

Tomorrow I will have a haul for you and there are lot of exciting things coming up here on The Pink Powderpuff so stay tuned!

Mor Hand Cream Winner!

2011-11-18T23:39:00.000+11:00

Congratulations to the lovely The Bellelumiere who has won the Mor Hand Cream Giveaway!

A Candied Vanilla Almond Hand Cream is coming your way. Please e-mail your address to banjoandmolly@hotmail.com so I can send it off to you.

When Only A Pink M.A.C Lipstick Will Do!

2011-11-16T21:28:00.001+11:00

How many pink M.A.C Lipstick does a girl need? A lot evidently. Don't even get me started on how many pink lipsticks I actually have from different brands. It's quite disgusting actually.

So for your light entertainment here is a picture of my M.A.C Pink Lipstick collection.

Note: I am not sponsored by M.A.C Cosmetics. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

November Lust Have It Box

2011-11-16T20:17:00.000+11:00

Today I FINALLY received my November Lust Have It Box. I know most people received theirs more than a week ago. Most of you have probably seen the contents already but for the benefit of my International Subscribers I will post what was in the box anyway.

The Contents of November Lust Have It box includes:

1. Nude By Nature Lip Liner in Chique - This is a full sized product.

2. 3 x ROC Complete Lift New Technology Daily Moisturiser sample tubes.

3. 2 x Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose perfume sample vials.

4. Hawley International Miracle Shine 2 Step Miracle Nail Shiner.

5. 5 x Kerastase Nectar Thermique Sample Sachets.

I haven't tried any of these products in this box before. I am already in love with the Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose perfume so that is going straight on my wishlist for Christmas. The Nude By Nature Lip Liner is a great shade that I can see myself using a lot. The Nail Shiner is something that never goes astray and is handy to keep in my bag. I am excited to try the ROC moisturiser and Kerastase Nectar Therique.

To subscribe to Lust Have It visit www.lusthaveit.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by Lust Have It. I purchased my subscription and all opinions are my own>

The 1st I Love This Box

2011-11-16T19:21:00.001+11:00

Today I received the very first edition of I Love This Box. Guess What? I actually loved this box! I will definitely be staying subscribed to this one for the time being. As my regular readers will know I am currently subscribed to all 4 monthly sample boxes available in Australia. I must say I am thinking that so far I Love This Box is my favourite sample box that I have received. Perhaps I can do a box off in a couple of months and advise you all which box I think is worth subscribing to (comment below if you would like to see this).

So without further ado here is the unveiling of the very 1st I Love This Box.

The contents of the very first I Love This Box included:

Caudalie Paris - 2 x 3ml and 1 x 2ml Sample Tubes of Moisturiser, Anti-wrinkle Serum and an Anti-Wrinkle Ultra Nourishing Cream.

Certified Organic by Nature, NVEY ECO's Eye Shadow in Taupe - A great neutral brown shade. This is a full sized product valued at $29!

Essie French Affair's Spring 2011 Nail Polish Mini in Topless and Barefoot. The perfect creamy nude colour.

Keratinology By Sunsilk Shampoo and Conditioner. Premium products designed to protect the investment women make in salon treatments such as bleaching, colouring and ironing. These products are valued at $10.99 to $13.99 each and are the full size 200ml products.

POD Liquid Tan Gradual Tanning Face Serum - This is a full sized product valued at $40.

First Impressions - I am extremely impressed with the first addition of I Love This Box. It was certainly worth the $15 investment as I have received at least $100 worth of goods. I am so excited to receive the next December Box. If it's anywhere as good as the first one I will be subscribing for a year!

If there is anything anyone would like a more in depth review of in the November I Love This Box please just leave a message in the comments below.

You can subscribe to I Love This Box at www.ilovethisbox.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by I Love This Box. I purchased my subscription myself and all opinions are my own.

Urban Decay Naked Palette V's Too Faced Naked Eye Palette

2011-11-12T21:41:00.000+11:00

As promised here is the much anticipated review and comparison between the Urban Decay Naked Palette and the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette.

I have had the Urban Decay Naked Palette for some time. I was so keen to get my hands on it because I am such a fan of the neutral colour spectrum. I thought this palette containing twelve shades would be my perfect go to palette for everyday use. I have loved this palette so much that I ordered a second one to have as a backup.

The Urban Decay Naked palette has been enormously successful. It was sold out for months on end at places like Sephora and Ulta in the United States. Finding a Naked palette was as rare as hen's teeth. Thankfully now they are a lot easier to get your hands on.

The first batch of Urban Decay Naked Palettes came with a mini 24/7 eye liner (another cult Urban Decay product) and a tiny sample sized Primer Potion. However there was some kind of difficulty supplying the mini 24/7 liners so these days the Naked Palette comes with a sample sized primer potion and a surprisingly good quality eye shadow brush instead.

One of the best features of the Urban Decay Naked Palette is that it has 12 shades of neutral eye shadows in the one easily transportable palette. There are colours to use on the lid, crease, highlight and also as a liner.

Urban Decay shadows are notoriously beautiful. They blend like a dream and look phenomenal on the lids. However the one fault I have found with the Urban Decay Naked Palette is there can be quite a bit of fallout from the shimmery shadows in particular. This is extremely annoying, messy and time consuming to clean up. I can't do my eye makeup first prior to foundation etc as Makeup Artists such as Napolean Perdis recommend. It just doesn't feel right to me and after having tried it out a few times I ended up with a huge mess anyway.

Since the huge success of Urban Decay's Naked Palette many other companies have followed suit and came out with neutral palettes. I love Too Faced products so naturally decided to try out their Naked Eye Palette to see how it compared to the cult favourite Urban Decay Palette.

The Too Faced Naked Eye Palette contains nine neutral shades. Three shades are much larger than the other six. It comes with a relatively poor quality applicator in a little slide out drawer in the palette. A cool feature of this palette is that it comes with three different instruction cards which teach you which shades to use to achieve particular looks. The quality of the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette eye shadows are incredible. They are the softest textured, most easily blendable shadows I have ever used. They are so easy to apply and there is no fallout whatsoever upon applying them. I could happily use this palette for the rest of my life and nothing else. I am obsessed with it at the moment.

When comparing the Urban Decay Naked Palette to the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette there are some obvious differences. The Urban Decay Naked Palette is priced at around $50 and the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette is priced at around $35. The next difference is that the Urban Decay Naked Palette contains twelve neutral colours and the Too Faced Palette contains nine. Both sets contain colours that can be used on the lid, crease, highlight and as a liner.

If I had the choice of only one Naked Palette I would go for the Too Faced Palette hands down every single time. The reason being that it is less expensive but in my opinion the shadows are much easier to work with. There is no fallout and the Too Faced shadows are easier to apply. This is not to take anything away from the Urban Decay Naked Palette. It is beautiful and obviously has a huge following. The shadows are great quality but there is a bit of fallout from the shimmering colours. I am so blown away from every single shadow in the Too Faced palette. I seriously adore every single one. There are a few in the Urban Decay Palette that I could do without. I think the reason the Urban Decay Palette is so successful is because it has been endlessly promoted and advertised on places such as You Tube. The Too Faced Palette hasn't had as much exposure.

I hope you enjoyed my review on these two amazing eye shadow palettes. If there is anything at all you wish to know more about just pop a comment below.

Note: I am not sponsored by Urban Decay or Too Faced. These products were purchased by me and all opinions are exclusively my own.

Win a Mor Hand Cream

2011-11-10T20:22:00.000+11:00

How would you like to win a Mor Emporium Black or White Hand Cream in a scent of your choice?

These hand creams are absolutely gorgeous. They absorb so quickly and leave hands feeling soft and hydrated.

Best of all these hand creams are not tested on animals and are free of parabens, mineral oil and synthetic dyes.

The scents you can choose from include:

Belladonna - White Narcissus, Moroccan Rose, Pink Tulips, Meyer Lemon, French Cassis, Sandalwood and Musk.

Cucumber and Casaba - Fresh Cut Melon, Green Nuances, White Jasmine, Murguet, Rose Petals, Beige Woods and White Musk.

Indian Pomelo -Pink Grapefruit, Red Current, Raspberry, Caramelised Sugar and Vanilla.

Feijoa Lime - Candied Citrus, Pear Blossom, Apple Leaf and Vanilla.

Royal Mulberry - Citrus, Black Current, Peony and Raspberry.

White Hydrangea - Juicy Melon, White Flowers and Musk.

Tonka Bean Musk - Bergamot, Jasmine, Lily Of The Valley, Tonka Bean and Musk.

Candied Vanilla Almond - Candied Almonds, Sugar Blossoms and Vanilla.

Italian Blood Orange - Italian Blood Oranges, Jasmine, Roses and Lily Of The Valley.

Lychee Flower - Lychee Flowers, Ripe Berries, Soft Powdery Florals and Green Forest Woods.

Snow Gardenia - Gardenia, Juniper Berry, Angelica, Ylang Ylang, Vanilla and Sandalwood.

Black Cherry Plum - Cherries, Plum Red Currant, Tangerine Zest and Blonde Woods.

My personal favourite from the range is Candied Vanilla Almond. It is seriously to die for! You can also use these hand creams as body lotions. If hand cream is not your thing you could always give it away to someone for a Christmas or Birthday gift.

Competition Rules:

1. You must be a subscriber to my blog.
2. Leave a comment below saying which hand cream you would like to win.
3. Competition is open from November 10th 2011 until 7pm Hobart Time 18th November 2011.
4. Competition is open to both Australian and International Subscribers.
5. Winner will be chosen by random selection and The Pink Powderpuff's decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Good luck and feel free to spread the word!

Note: I am not sponsored by Mor. Prizes are purchased by me and all opinions are entirely my own.

Dear Santa - Christmas Wishlist!

2011-11-10T12:28:00.000+11:00

Dear Santa,
I have been a very good girl this year and because of this I know you will be wanting to stop by my house on Christmas Eve this year. Just in case you are struggling for ideas on what to bring a good girl (aka me) for Christmas here are some ideas.

1. The Body Shop Waterproof Camomile Eye Makeup Remover $16.95

(Image Courtesy of www.thebodyshop.com.au)

2. The Body Shop's Brush On Radiance $38.95

(Image Courtesy of www.thebodyshop.com.au)

3. The Body Shop Earth Lovers Pear & Lemongrass Shower Gel $14.95 - One of my favourite Shower Gels.

(Image Courtesy of www.thebodyshop.com.au)

4. Woodwick Santa's Cookies Scented Candle $34.95

(Image Courtesy of www.candelabra.com.au)

5. Lush Angel's Delight Soap $6.90 per 100g

(Image Courtesy of www.lush.com.au)

6. Jo Malone Rose Water and Vanilla Cologne $230

(Image Courtesy of www.jomalone.com.au)

7. Mor Candied Vanilla Hand Cream $24.95

(Image Courtesy of www.morcosmetics.com)

8. Benefit They're Real Mascara $38

(Image Courtesy of www.adorebeauty.com.au)

9. Tarte The Starlet Limited Edition Makeup Vanity $52

(Image Courtesy of www.Sephora.com)

10. Philosophy Sweet Kisses & Merry Wishes $36

(Image Courtesy of www.sephora.com)

I hope that helps Santa. Remember I have been a very good girl this year! I will leave you out some beer, biscuits and a carrots for the Reindeer's on Christmas Eve

Love

Your Very Good Girl

Kxo

GlassHouse and Dusk Candle Haul

2011-11-08T20:50:00.000+11:00

Recently I did a little shopping and picked up some Christmas Candles from Glasshouse and Dusk. Nothing makes me get into the festive spirit like some good Christmas scents. I also picked up a couple of Dusk's Aromatherapy items whilst I was in store.

Glasshouse White Christmas Candle - This is a new release for Glasshouse. Also back for Christmas 2011 is The Night Before Christmas (Dancing Sugar Plums) which has been released in previous years.

Glasshouse White Christmas smells amazing and consists of notes including Cedar Leaf, Fruity Clove, Eucalyptus and Pine. It also comes in a snowflake covered glass container. Priced at $39.95 this candle will burn for up to 100 hours. Glasshouse candles will fill an entire room with fragrance. All Glasshouse candles are triple scented for an extra strong scent throw. In my opinion Glasshouse candles represent the best value for money as the quality of the candles are outstanding. Glasshouse Candles can be purchased online from www.candelabra.com.au

Dusk has an amazing selection of products for Christmas this year. The Candle Hurricanes I saw in store were just gorgeous. I must go back there to get a couple. Dusk's Christmas scents include White Christmas, Gingerbread, Berry Christmas, Christmas Tree, Mistletoe & Cranberry, Sandalwood & Spiced Pear, Velvet Cream and Red Forest.

I picked up Gingerbread and White Christmas for myself in the glass containers which cost $23 each. I also picked up some matching Melts which cost $4 each or you can purchase 5 for $15.

Dusk Gingerbread - This candle smells good enough to eat. Every year my God Children delight in making a Gingerbread House and decorating it with my Mum. This candle smells exactly like the annual Gingerbread House.

Dusk White Christmas - This is a combination of Sweet Pea and Vanilla intermixed. It smells very sweet and reminds me of my cousins famous White Christmas Slice she makes every year. Totally delicious and calorie free this candle rocks!

I am having a bit of a melt phase at the moment so whilst I was at Dusk I picked up a container of Dusk's Aromatherapy Melts. In the packs you get 10 Melts for $28. Dusk's Aromatherapy Melts smell incredible and the scents can really help lift my mood or aid in helping me go off to sleep.

Finally I couldn't resist getting a couple of Dusk's aromatherapy room sprays. They looked so pretty sitting on the shelf that I couldn't help myself. I purchased Awakening which consists of Lime and Tangerine. It is so refreshing and uplifting I just love it. I also purchased Harmony which consists of Geranium and Lavender. I don't usually like lavender but mixed with geranium it is gorgeous. I absolutely adore this fragrance. These room sprays smell so good and the best part is that they are only $13 each.

All Dusk products are available at Dusk stores or online from www.dusk.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by Glasshouse or Dusk. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Woodwick Candle Winner!

2011-11-04T21:20:00.000+11:00

Congratulations to Sydney Sparkle who has won the Woodwick Clothesline Fresh Candle Competition here on The Pink Powderpuff.

Sydney Sparkle please forward your details to banjoandmolly@hotmail.com and I will have the candle sent to you early next week! Congratulations and Thank You for being a subscriber xxxx

More Dusk Candles and Melts

2011-11-03T15:01:00.000+11:00

On the weekend I popped into Dusk as it was the last day of their sale where you could purchase any two candles from the Temptations range for $25. I also picked up 5 Melts. I have already used one!

Dusk's Temptation range of candles burn for 30 hours each and give a nice scent throw. Dusk melts smell amazing and whilst they really only hold their scent for two or three burns they are so beautiful.

(Pictured Above: Dusk's Calm and Parisian Melts, Home Baked Pumpkin Pie Candle, Pineapple Splash Candle and Meditation and Spirituality Melts (I got two of these).

The sale for Dusk's 2 for $25 Temptations Candles is still available online. Dusk Melts retail for $3.99 each but at the moment you can choose 5 melts for $15.

Dusk have also just launched their Christmas line so I will definitely be checking that out!

All products are available from www.dusk.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by Dusk. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Lush Cleanser Reviews

2011-11-02T23:00:00.001+11:00

At the risk of sounding like a Lush addict I thought I would review three of their cleansers which I have somehow acquired recently. I am not usually a Lush skin care fan. I really don't like a lot of it but for some reason I seem to end up with their cleansers a lot.

The reason there has been so much Lush talk on my blog is because I am obsessed with Lush's Christmas collection. I can't go into the city without going in there because I love all their Christmas products especially Snow Fairy! I am a huge bath and body product junkie so naturally putting a Lush store near me is like putting a kid in a candy store.

My skin is typically combination with dry cheeks in Winter and and an oily t-zone in Summer. It can also be a little sensitive at times. I have had all of these cleansers before so I must have liked them enough to repurchase in the last month or so.

Aquamarina - This is a weird looking cleanser. It is a pink colour wrapped in green seaweed.

This isn't the type of cleanser I would typically use every day. However if my skin is a little stressed and sensitive it's really calming and soothing. It would be good for people suffering from redness or breakouts and also for those who have had a little too much sun.

The consistency of this cleanser took me a little bit of getting used to. It is quite difficult to apply. You need to ensure you skin is wet to get the thick cleanser to spread. I suggest moistening your hands a little with water and then taking a chunk of cleanser and trying to make a paste with it in your hands. Once you have done this you can then apply to the face. I will warn you that coupled with the seaweed in it Aquamarina looks kind of strange on your face.

My skin feels a lot softer after using Aquamarina Cleanser. It is really soothing and calming on my skin. It needs to be removed with a face cloth as it doesn't rinse well with just water. I wouldn't recommend this cleanser for removing makeup. It's more a cleanser for upset skin or to be used as a soothing treat for reactive skin.

Ingredients Include: Glycerine (Glycerine), Calamine Powder (Calamine Powder), Kaolin (Kaolin), Irish Moss Gel (Chondrus crispus), Organic Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis), Fine Sea Salt (Fine Sea Salt), Nori Seaweed (Algae), Sweet Wild Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Perfume (Perfume).

Aquamarine costs $15.95 per 100g.

(Pictured Above: Lush Aquamarina Cleanser)

9 To 5: This is a fantastic cleanser for removing makeup. It is the only liquid facial cleanser in Lush's current line. It is extremely gentle on the skin.

This cleanser is a white liquid cream cleanser which feels very comforting and soothing to massage into the skin. It will remove even the most stubborn of makeup and leaves my skin feeling super soft, clean and hydrated.

9 To 5 comes in both a 240g gram size for $15.95 and the smaller 95g size for just $7.95. The smaller size is ideal for travel. I like to keep one in my handbag so if I am out late and feeling tired I can take my makeup off in the car on my way home (well that is if someone else is driving). It's also great to have just to freshen up if you're feeling a bit sweaty and gross. One great thing is you don't need to use water with this cleanser if you don't want to or if it isn't available, it can simply be removed with a tissue. There is absolutely no greasy residue left after removal. The price of this cleanser is also very affordable for the amount of product you receive.

9 To 5 contains ingredients including: Water (Aqua), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Stearic Acid (Stearic Acid), Fresh Dove Orchid Extract (Dendrobium), Everlasting Flower Absolute (Helichrysum stoechas), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Triethanolamine (Triethanolamine), Cetearyl Alcohol (Cetearyl Alcohol), Perfume (Perfume), Propylparaben (Propylparaben.

Ultrabland - This cleanser is my favourite cleanser from the Lush range. I absolutely love it and so does my skin. It has a thick rich texture. It feels like butter to apply to the skin. I can really feel it penetrating down into the pores and removing every trace of makeup, dirt and oil in its path. I am not sure this would work for people with oily skin but for anyone with normal or combination skin I think it would be lovely.

Ultrabland requires a face cloth to be removed as it does leave a bit of a residue. This would also be great to use once or twice a week for a deep cleanse. After using this cleanser I feel like I've had a facial. My skin is so soft, clean and feels really hydrated. I highly recommend this cleanser for anyone who loves a soft, clean and hydrated complexion after cleansing.

Ingredients Include: Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Rose Water (Rosa damascena), Beeswax (Cera alba), Honey (Honey), Fresh Iris Extract (Iris florentina), Glycerine (Glycerine), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Tincture of Benzoin (Styrax benzoin), Propylparaben (Propylparaben)

Ultrabland comes in two sizes a 45g tub for $19.95 or a 100g tub for $28.95.

(Pictured Above: Lush Ultrabland Cleanser)

All Lush products are available from www.lush.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by Lush. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Special Guest - Maltese Molly

2011-11-02T12:39:00.002+11:00

Dear Readers,
I am very excited to be this weeks special guest on The Pink Powderpuff. My name is Molly and I am a 1 year old pure bread Maltese beautyista. I am going to share lots of information about my experiences in the beauty world with you all today.

Maltese Molly Fact No 1 - My favourite perfume is Katy Perry. Considering this is in a cat bottle you might think this is strange but I love it. When I have finished my morning paw lick I like a spritz of Katy Perry behind my ears. I find it really gets me off to a good start in the mornings.

Matltese Molly Fact No 2 - My favourite lipstick is Sweetie by M.A.C! I like to share this with my friends when they come over to play. I take a lot of care when I apply it to friends and a tip I will share with you, dear readers, is that a lip liner is not required to complete this gorgeous look.

Maltese Molly Fact No 3 - I love the Doggy Day Spa and I attend every eight weeks for a pawdicure, pawlish, cut, blowdry and ribbon application. A girl must keep up her maintenance in order to uphold her image. My favourite pawlish colour is OPI Sweetheart because I feel it really matches my personality.

Maltese Molly Fact No 4 - My favourite designers are Chewnel, Chewy Vuitton and Sniffany & Co.

Maltese Molly Fact No 5 - My favourite brand of collar and lead is Louis Vuitton. I like to match my Mummy's handbags. I also like Tiffany & Co charms for my collar. I think they look cute but if you find me please don't send me back to Tiffany & Co New York as I like my house better.

Maltese Molly Fact No 6 - I take a long luxurious bubble bath every week. I like a drop or two of orange and lemon oil in my bath, Mummy says it makes me smell ever so good. I also like to use sulphate free shampoo and conditioner in my coat. I use Mummy's when she's not looking.

Maltese Molly Fact No 7 - My favourite skin care brand is Beauty and The Bees. It is a Tasmanian Company and I love the Baby Balm for my Paws when they get a bit dry.

Maltese Molly Fact No 8 - I will give all of my dear readers my top beauty tips but shhhh don't tell anyone else okay. Always use sunscreen on your nose. Sun burn will age you like a pitbull terrier and let's face it nobody wants to look like one of those! Also drink lots of water from a bowl as it does wonders for my complexion.

Maltese Molly Fact No 9 - I look to Dr Harry for style advice. He gets some strange looking birds on that show, some from as far away as Queensland.

Maltese Molly Fact No 10 - When I finish a hard days work I like to kick back and enjoy a puppacino whilst reading my magazine DOGUE. Whilst doing this I usually enjoy a snout mask from Lush. My favourite is Cupcake.

Well dear readers I hope you have enjoyed my words of wisdom and more importantly learned something from my tips. I have to go and work out now as I need to maintain my figure. Sending you all puppy love

Maltese Molly xxxx

Mor at Target!

2011-11-02T12:00:00.001+11:00

Some of you may have noticed that Target are now stocking a small range of Mor Products in three Scents including Sorbet, Pomegranate and Honey. The range includes scented candles, hand creams, body lotion, body wash and soaps. All products are attractively priced between $10 and $15. They also have gift sets containing a soap, hand cream and a scented candle for $30.

My favourite scent from the Target range is Sorbet followed closely by Pomegranate. I have been a fan on sorbet since it burst onto the scene when the Mor company was founded many years ago.

I have been using two of the hand creams alternatively from the Mor for Target range in Sorbet and Pomegranate. These hand creams are lovely. They absorb very quickly and don't leave a greasy residue as some hand creams tend to. They moisturise extremely well leaving the skin very soft and hydrated.

The fragrances of them are quite strong so you need to be mindful of that if you wear fragrance. I don't want any of you walking down the street stinking to high heaven of a brothel, not that I know what one of those smell like but one can only assume!

Priced at just $10 these hand creams make lovely gifts or stocking stuffers for Christmas. The packaging looks so pretty and luxurious. I think any woman would love to receive one of these as a gift. I recently gave my Mum the entire 3 hand creams as she gets really dry hands and she is absolutely loving them. You could even use them as a body lotion if you wanted to.

Mor Products available at Target. Each hand cream contains 80ml of product for $10.

Note: I am not sponsored by Mor Cosmetics or Target. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

My Favourites Things!

2011-10-29T21:49:00.000+11:00

Colour: Pink
Season: Winter
Food: Japanese (or anything that ends in ese really)
Handbag: Louis Vuitton
Jewellery: Tiffany & Co
Fragrance: Jo Malone Blue Agava and Cacao and Jo Malone Vanilla and Rosewater

Makeup Favourites:

Foundation: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Concealer: Laura Mercier Secret Concealer
Powder: Stila Sheer Pressed Powder
Brow Products: Smashbox Brow Tech and M.A.C Brow Pencil in Fling
Eye Shadow Base: Urban Decay Primer Potion and M.A.C Paint Pots
Eye Shadows: Too Faced, M.A.C, Urban Decay or Napolean Perdis
Eye Liner: Laura Mercier Black/Gold and Urban Decay 24/7 Liners
Mascara: Chanel Intimable and Benefit Bad Gal Mascaras
Bronzer: Nars Laguna and Chanel Soleil de Chanel Cream Bronzer
Cream Blush: Becca Lip and Cheek Creme in Rosebud
Powder Blush: M.A.C Pink Swoon or Nars Orgasm
Lip Liner: M.A.C Life's a Breeze
Lipstick: Nars Roman Holiday
Lip Gloss: Nars Turkish Delight

Skin Care Favourites:

Cleansing Oil: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil
Cleanser: Audra James Botanicals Cleansing Balm
Toner: Audra James Botanicals Rose, French Lavender and Rose Geranium Mist
Eye Cream: Lydia Jordane Eye Lifting Cream
Moisturiser: Creme De La Mer
Exfoliant: ASAP Daily Exfoliating Facial Scrub
Masks: Alpha-H Liquid Gold Mask, Alpha-H Purifying Clay Mask and Thalgo Moisture Quenching Mask
Serums: Audra James Skin Elixir, Lancome Genifique and Biotherm Super Serum

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the above mentioned brands. All opinions are my own.

October Favourite Makeup Products

2011-10-29T15:51:00.000+11:00

Here are my favourite and most used makeup items for the month of October.

1. Jimmy Choo EDP - Not exactly a makeup item but this has been my most worn fragrance for October. It's so pretty and light. I think this will be a most worn for sometime to come.

2. Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in Light - This is so light weight and practically invisible. It buffs into the skin beautifully and barely looks like you are wearing powder.

3. M.A.C 116 Blush Brush - This is a smaller version of the M.A.C 129 Blush Brush. I use it to apply powder blush as its smaller head gives a more precise application.

4. Sigma F82 Round Top Kabuki Brush - This dense brush is perfect for applying foundation or cream blush. Because of the synthetic fibers in the brush it doesn't suck up product like a natural fiber brush would.

5. NYX Powder Blush in Angel - In my opinion NYX Powder Blushes are the best value blushes on the market. They are less than $12 here in Australia but way less if you choose to bring them from the United States. The blushes are super pigmented and have long staying power. Angel is a cool soft pale pink. It is my perfect shade.

6. VOV Cosmetics Blush in No 26 - I found this blush at a little Asian store in Hobart. It was $7 and is a gorgeous medium pink colour with a hint of shimmer. I expected it to be chalky but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of it. VOV is a Korean company.

7. Nars Cream Blush in Enchanted - A gorgeous cream peach coloured blush with gold shimmer. I much prefer this shade compared to Nars's Penny Lane.

8. Nars Powder Blush in Sex Appeal - This powder blush is great for anyone out there with super pale skin like mine. It is such a lovely delicate peach shade and looks so pretty on my cheeks. I do advise using a peach cream blush under this in order to make the colour pop.

9. Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation in Ultra Light - One of my favourite foundations. It provides a medium coverage but feels so light on the skin it doesn't feel like you are wearing foundation.

10. Laura Mercier Eye Liner in Black/Gold - This is my very favourite eye liner ever. It comes out as an antique gold colour and is the perfect liner to compliment my brown eyes.

11. M.A.C Paint Pot in Nubile - This is a limited edition Paint Pot from the Posh Paradise Collection. It is very similar to M.A.C's Painterly but has a little more of a peach undertone to it. It is such a versatile colour and would suit everyone. It is ideal for use as an eye shadow base.

12. M.A.C Paint Pot In Treasure Hunt - This is another limited edition Paint Pot from M.A.C's Posh Paradise Collection. It is a gorgeous gold shade that looks amazing on its own or can be used as a base for eye shadow.

13. Too Faced Naked Eye Palette - For those of you that have used Too Faced Eye Shadows in the past you will know how amazing the consistency of the shadows are. They feel like velvet they are so soft to apply. Every shadow in this Naked Eye Palette is just divine. Expect to see this in a lot of makeup favourites to come.

14. Urban Decay Naked Palette - By now you would be starting to realise that I love to rock a neutral eye. I wear other colours as well but nothing suits me like a neutral eye shadow. The Naked Palette is the best invention since sliced toast for people who love neutrals. The only negative thing I have to say about this is that the shimmery colours do tend to have a little bit of fall out which can be annoying.

15. Nars The Multiple in Copacabana - I use this as a highlight on the cheek and brown bones. A beautiful champagne colour that can be used on the lips, cheeks or lids.

16. Nars The Multiple in Riviera - A pink shade that I use as a cream blush although as with all Nars Multiples it can be used on the lips, lids or cheeks.

17. Benefit Dallas - I have had this for years and I use it every single time I do my makeup and still haven't hit pan! It can be used as a blush or a bronzer. It is a gorgeous warm brown with shimmer.

18. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in 1 - The best under eye concealer I have ever used. It is so creamy and easy to work with (I do want to try the Bobbi Brown one next). It covers Dark Circles remarkably well.

19. Napolean Perdis Colour Disks in Bronze Age, Molton Chocolate, Copper Topper and Leather & Lace - Beautiful neutral shades of brown. These are extra large sized eye shadows with amazing pigmentation. They are so soft and easy to blend.

20. Christian Dior Addict Lipstick in Vintage - A neutral shade of brown that would suit every skin tone. These lipsticks are buttery soft and glossy.

21. Christian Dior Addict Listick in Siguliere - My perfect shade of glossy pink.

22. Nars Lipstick in Roman Holiday - Possibly my favourite shade of lipstick in the entire world. A gorgeous vibrant pink that wakes my face up and provides a very nice slathering of colour to my lips.

23. Chanel Coco Shine Lipstick in Chance - If you haven't already read it, go and check out my review on this lipstick. A gorgeous glossy sheer pink. It is so 'me' I could wet myself!

24. M.A.C Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks - A pretty sparkly baby pink gloss that I go to whenever I am in a hurry and don't have time to think about my lips. Looks gorgeous over any lipstick.

25. Lush Celebrate Lip Balm - This is so moisturising and yummy tasting. I was so hungry the other day I ate some and it was good! Lol! It is perfect for creating a nude lip! This would make a fabulous Christmas Pressie for any girly girls you might know who love pink and nude shades.

26. Benefit Ooh La Lift - My secret weapon against puffy eyes. This potion somehow makes bags disappear. Just a tiny amount is required and within seconds bags have shrank and all but disappeared.

Audra James Botanicals Review

2011-10-28T19:10:00.000+11:00

Since I started my blog I have been showing you little hauls from Audra James Botanicals which I have purchased. I have been using Audra's products for well over a month now so I feel I can adequately review them for you.

Skin Cleansing Balm - This soft wax balm contains key ingredients of Argan Oil, Rosehip Oil, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, Jojoba Oil, Natural Beeswax, Vitamin E, French Lavender, Mandarin, Roman Camomile and Essential Oils.

A very small amount of this gorgeous smelling balm goes a very long way. It melts into the skin like butter and feels lovely and comforting as you massage it into the skin. It is designed to be used once or twice a week as a deep cleanser. The balm has a thick rich texture that feels like pure luxury as you work it into your skin. The balm comes with a muslin cloth to remove it from the face. After use my skin feels incredibly soft, clean and hydrated.

I have used some ridiculously expensive cleansers in my time, some of them have been lovely but nothing compares to this amazing Skin Cleansing Balm by Audra James Botanicals. I love this so much I have already purchased another one ready to use once my current one is gone. I am not even a quarter through my current one and I have used it quite a few times. I really mean it when I say a little goes a very long way.

A 60g jar of Audra James Botanicals Skin Cleansing Balm costs $38 or you can purchase a 100g Jar for $58. I highly recommend this product to anyone wanting a luxurious deep cleanser to use a couple of times a week. I have never used anything quite like it.

Rose, French Lavender and Rose Geranium Facial Mist - This floral water mist smells absolutely divine. It is designed to be used after cleansing as a toner or it can be used for a freshen up during the day. It can be applied using a cotton pad or simply spritzed as a mist onto the face.

Rose, French Lavender and Rose Geranium Facial Mist is available in 100ml spray pump bottles for $28. I wish I could buy this in a larger bottle because the way I am going through it I will be out of it very quickly. I think I will ask Audra if she can make me a bigger bottle. Rose and Mandarin scented Facial Mist is also available.

Argan Oil - A lot of hair products are marketed as being derived from Moroccan Argan Trees but you would be surprised to know that many of them contain only tiny amounts of actual Argan Oil and the rest is made up of all sorts of nasty ingredients. Audra James's Argan Oil is pure organic Argan Oil.

Audra James's Argan oil is a multipurpose product that can be used on the hair, skin and nails. I had a couple of drops of Rose Geranium Essential Oil added to mine as I just adore the scent. I was initially concerned that my skin would look greasy after using this even though I only use it in the evenings. It also took me a while to get my head around the fact that I could use this on my hair as well as my skin.

It is little wonder Argan Oil is known as "Liquid Gold". Audra James's Argan Oil is the most amazingly versatile oil I have ever encountered. My skin drinks it up like nobodies business and there is no residue left on my face whatsoever. All that I am left with is the most amazingly soft, comforted and supple skin. My hair also loves it. I can honestly say I am obsessed with my Rose Geranium scented Argan Oil.

Audra's Argan Oil is available in 30ml bottles for $28 or a 50ml bottles for $42.

Skin Elixir in Boost - My Skin Elixir by Audra James included ingredients such as Organic Argan Oil, Organic Rosehip Oil, Organic Camellia Oil, Calendula Infused Oil, Bulgarian Rose Essential Oil, Jojoba Infused Camomile, Evening Primrose Oil and Vitamin E.

The Skin Elixir can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used on its own as an overnight treatment, mixed with your favourite moisturiser or used as a quick boost prior to showering. The steam from the shower helps the oils to penetrate deeper into the skin.

My skin is loving Skin Elixir. It absorbs into my skin instantly and makes it feel extremely soft, calm, hydrated and rejuvenated. I have been using it alone as an overnight treatment. I am noticing my skin is maintaining more consistent levels of hydration and looks glowing in the morning when I wake up. This is better than any serum I have purchased from a department store. Slowly I am learning that Mother Nature's ingredients are far better for my skin than anything else I have ever used.

Audra James Botanicals have four types of Skin Elixir's available in Boost, Calm, Balance and Bespoke. Mine was ordered in Boost but Audra customised it to suit my concerns by adding a few different ingredients to address occasional redness on my cheeks. Skin Elixir is available in 30ml bottles and costs $45.

Skin Cleansing System - This is a gorgeous oil based cream cleanser infused with de-congesting and purifying essential oils. It is designed for all skin types and comes with a muslin cloth to remove the product. It is formulated to re-balance skin and is extremely gentle but effective.

I use the Skin Cleansing System every morning and evening. It has a thick rich texture that smooths easily over the skin. Only a small amount is required. It smells amazing and I am really enjoying using it on my face. It leaves my skin feeling clean and not at all dry or tight. I would recommend this product to anyone who enjoys using cream cleansers. It is also fine for people with oily skin.

Skin Cleansing Oil - A gorgeous natural and organic blend of pure plant oils infused with an essential oil formula. This oil is designed to cleanse skin without drying it out. Ingredients include: Jojoba Oil, Sunflower, Grapeseed, Castor Oil, Vitamin E, Lavender, Geranium and Mandarin.

I am really enjoying using this oil. It is great at removing my makeup or even just using alone at night to get my daily layer of sunscreen off my face. It leaves my skin soft and not feeling at all tight and dry. As with all Audra James products it smells incredible. It's a great product that is suitable for all skin types including oily. It dissolves all dirt and makeup leaving me with a clean face ready for bed. Skin Cleansing Oil comes in 100ml bottles and costs $34.

The fabulous thing about Audra James Botanicals is the personal attention to detail every single client receives. Audra is a renowned Aromatherapist and she goes out of her way to custom blend her products specifically for each individual client. Each client receives a questionnaire, via email, containing questions about their skin type and any particular concerns they may have about their skin. She then works her magic and adds essential oils to your products to address your skin type and concerns.

Audra makes everything from scratch when she receives your order. Nothing sits on the shelf waiting to be sold. You can be assured of the freshness of Audra's products. Products typically take 4-5 days to be formulated. This is due to the care Audra takes to make sure her formulations are blended exactly right. You really are getting a premium quality product when you buy from this lady.

Audra also includes a wealth of information about her products with every order. She will include information sheets telling the client of every ingredient in their products and also which essential oils she has included and what those oils will address. The information sheets also state exactly how to use your products.

The great thing is some of Audra's products are multipurpose and can be used in a variety of ways. Audra also provides a follow up service where you can contact her if you need advice or help with anything. It's like having your own Beauty Therapist at your fingertips.

I am thrilled with the results I am getting from using Audra James Botanicals products. I am using her range exclusively at the moment and my skin has never looked or felt better. I highly recommend these products to anyone interested in trying them especially people who are interested in natural products with essential oils. If you are lucky enough to live in her area Audra also does facials and aromatherapy workshops.

To view all of Audra James Botanicals Products visit www.audrajames.com

Note: I am not sponsored by Audra James Botanicals. All products were purchased by me. All reviews are entirely my own based on my experiences using the products.

My Perfume Evolution

2011-10-27T15:02:00.001+11:00

If you don't know me personally something you may not know about me is that I collect perfume. I have hundreds upon hundreds of fragrances.

My passion for perfume began when I was a little girl of around 6 years old. My Grandmother, a very stylish woman for the time, would have bottles of Estee Lauder's Youth Dew and Chanel No 5 sitting on her dresser. The bottles looked so pretty and I loved to stand there and look at them. I would sometimes sneak a spritz thinking nobody would notice not realising that I would stink to high heaven with those heady fragrances on my skin.

When I was eight or nine I remember getting my first perfume. It was Avon's Little Blossom collection. I thought I was so grown up with my matching lip balm. I think I went through the entire bottle in two days because naturally all my dolls and teddy bears had to have some Little Blossom Perfume to, it was only fair to share the love!

By the age of 13 I had graduated to the big time and started wearing The Body Shop's White Musk Perfume Oil. I was in High School and became very conscious of my sense of smell. This is largely because there were a few girls at my school who smelled like they hadn't bathed after weeing their pants three months ago! I tried to help them by spraying them madly with Impulse Deodorant but that didn't seem to mask the stench for long. Throughout High School I collected just about every single Perfume Oil The Body Shop ever released. The girls at school always told me how good I smelled and that is something I regard as a very high compliment to this day. It is something I take a lot of personal pride in.

When I turned 18 I had a fancy Birthday Dinner and all of my Aunts and Uncles gave me money and gift cards. I was stoked because this meant I had enough money to go and buy perfume from the big department stores. I remember like it was only yesterday buying Calvin Klein Eternity, Calvin Klein One and Elizabeth Arden's Red Door. Looking back on it now I can't for the life of me understand why I picked such shocking fragrances but at the time I loved them so much. I had them proudly displayed on my dresser.

By my mid to late twenties my passion for perfume had turned into a full on obsession. Every single cent I had went on perfume. I would have gone without food in order to buy perfume. My Mum told me I was demented but I just kept on buying fragrance after fragrance.

My scent tastes have evolved so much over the years. I have always loved sweet scents. When Britney Spears released Fantasy I got the 100ml bottle and I flaunted it every single day. Now Fantasy gives me an headache and it's just too sickly sweet for my liking. Lolita Lempicka have never done a fragrance I haven't liked. I have them all and I love them. I am also quite partial to a nice floral. Stella McCartney is and always will be one of my favourite perfumes. These days, I'm now in my 30's, I also love a great clean and crisp scent. Something that smells like clean cotton or linen.

My fragrance choices vary upon the season. In Summer I prefer lighter cleaner scents and in Winter I like stronger more heady scents. My current favourite perfumes are Jo Malone's Vanilla and Rosewater and Blue Agava and Cacao and another favourite is Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle. I still keep a bottle of Estee Lauder's Youth Dew in my collection even though I never wear it I like to spray it sometimes because it takes me back to being that little girl in front of my Grandmother's dresser where my love affair with perfume first began.

(Pictured Above: One of my dressers totally over loaded with perfume. That is just a fraction of my collection. I have cabinets and wardrobes full of fragrances).

Fragrance Facts: Yes fragrance does go off! I will never get through my entire collection and every few months I go through it all and if a bottle has gone off I either throw it away or if it's a bottle like Chanel I will just put it back away and keep it for decorative purposes.

Rubbing your wrists together after you apply perfume will bruise the notes of your fragrance and it won't last as long as it would had you left it to develop on your skin.

The best selling fragrance in the world is still Chanel No 5 by Chanel.

My current favourite perfume for Spring is Christian Dior's Miss Dior Cherie Blooming Bouquet.

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the above mentioned companies. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Napolean Perdis Colour Disc Eye Shadows

2011-10-27T11:09:00.001+11:00

The other day on my little journey through Hobart I stopped by my Beauty Therapists to get a little bit of a brow tidy. The lovely Ella had the most beautiful combination of eye shadows on and I decided to ask what they were.

It turns out Ella was wearing a couple of Napolean Perdis Colour Disk Shades. Of course when I went to purchase these shades the salon was out of stock so I went to another makeup store and purchased a couple of shades and then came home and ordered the shades Ella was wearing online.

I got a call today to say the Salon had got new stock and the shadows I had wanted were there if I still wanted them. I decided to take them even though I had ordered them online because I am going to do a pretty awesome giveaway involving some gorgeous makeup in the near future and I am going to include them in that.

I have quite a few Napolean Perdis colour disk eye shadows. I personally love these. The pigmentation of them is great and the shadows are beautiful to work with. They are very easy to blend and look gorgeous on the eyes.

Here is a pic of two shades I have picked up. I will do another post on the other two once I have collected them from the Post Office.

(Pictured Above Left to Right: Napolean Perdis Colour Disks in Molton Chocolate and Bronze Age).

Bronze Age is a cool toned bronze shade with a shimmer finish. Molton Chocolate is a rich dark chocolate brown with silver glitter reflects in it. These shadows are so soft and velvety. They are a dream to blend and retail here in Australia for $29 each. They are huge in size compared to a M.A.C shadow and come in a clear compact case with a built in mirror.

It's a big statement to make but I would go as far to say that I like the Napolean Perdis Colour Disk shadows more than my M.A.C eye shadows.

I absolutely love a neutral eye, pink lip and cheek look on myself. I have way too many neutral eye shadows but I just can't stop buying them. Neutral shades are just so easy to pop on without having to give too much thought to your makeup look and neutral colours go with everything.

I give these Napolean Perdis Colour Disks a big thumbs up. They represent great value for money and have a large range of colours to choose from.

Napolean Perdis products can be purchased online at www.napoleanperdis.com or from www.adorebeauty.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by Napolean Perdis Cosmetics. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Win a Woodwick Trilogy Candle

2011-10-26T20:55:00.002+11:00

I am excited to announce my next giveaway!

How would you like to win a beautiful Woodwick Trilogy Candle in one of my favourite scents Clothesline Fresh? This contains three layers of gorgeous scents including Linen, Cotton Flower and Cashmere.

It is so much fun giving away my favourite things. It kind of makes me feel like Oprah (lol in my dreams).

The Rules:

1. To be eligible you must be a subscriber to my blog.

2. Leave a comment below telling me what your favourite scented candle is?

3. Competition is open from today Wednesday October 26th 2011 and closes on Friday November 4th 2011 at 5pm Hobart Time.

4. Competition is open to Australian and International Subscribers.

5. Winner will be decided by random selection. The Pink Powderpuff's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Good Luck and don't forget to leave your comment below telling me what your favourite scented candle is!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector - B.B Cream

2011-10-26T13:35:00.001+11:00

My good friend Luisa told me I needed to get some of this Garnier B.B inspired cream in my life. When Luisa recommends something I sit up and take notice because she is quite the beauty product expert. Her tastes are very refined and she is very particular about what she will and won't use on her amazing skin. In her 40's she looks nowhere near her age. She has a wealth of knowledge on ingredients and their benefits for the skin. She admitted she didn't have great expectations for the Garnier B.B Cream but was amazed by how lovely it is when she used it.

Yesterday I purchased this from Big W for the bargain price of $13. I spend more than that on a magazine and drink from the supermarket. It comes in two shades of Light and Medium. It has the benefits of skin care and a tinted moisturiser or makeup base.

I will review this product once I have had a chance to road test it!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector is available from everywhere Garnier is sold.

Note: I am not sponsored by Garnier. This product was purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Lush Haul

2011-10-26T13:20:00.002+11:00

Yesterday I popped into to Lush again because I wanted to get my hands on the Limited Edition Halloween products. I am a sucker for Limited Edition products and I get quite anxious about missing out on them. I was really glad that my Lush store still had everything I wanted available.

Here is what I purchased:

1. Twilight Shower Gel - A limited edition Halloween Shower Gel. Contains lavender, ylang ylang and tonka absolute. I am not usually a lavender scent person but there is something soothing about this shower gel and it will be lovely to use before bed in the evenings ($9.95 for 100g Bottle).

2. Ghost Shower Gel - A limited edition Halloween Shower Gel. I have actually had this one before in previous years. This gel is infused with rose and dove orchid. It smells like lilies ($9.95 for 100g Bottle).

3. Snow Fairy Shower Gel - I got more of this limited edition Christmas Shower Gel. It is one of my favourite scents ever so I can never have too much of this ($9.95 for 100g Bottle).

4. Dirty Shower Gel - A spearmint scented shower gel designed for men. However as with all Lush products there are no definite rules and I thought this one would be a great pick me up on mornings I need a little kick start to get going ($8.95 for 100g Bottle).

5. 2 x Lady Catrina Soaps - A limited edition Halloween Soap. Lime and neroli scented this is a gorgeous smelling soap. I liked it so much last year I purchased enough of it to last me until this year ($6.25 per 100g).

6. Northern Lights Soap - This limited edition Christmas pine and lime scented soap smells so uplifting and delicious ($6.90 for 100g).

7. Angels Delight - Again I purchased more of this soap as I just adore it's sweet fruity scent ($6.90 for 100g).

8. Aqua Marina Cleanser - I am not usually a fan of Lush skin care but this cleanser is so calming I decided to pick one up. Wrapped in seaweed and containing kaolin this is really great if you suffer from a bit if redness or have upset skin. I remembering using this after being a little sun burned once and it was great ($15.95 for 100g).

9. Snow Globe Soap - Another of Lush's limited edition Christmas Soaps. I loved this one last year and regretted not buying more. It contains such an uplifting scent of lemongrass and lemon myrtle. Bliss!

All products are available from Lush Stores or online in Australia from www.lush.com.au

Something else I have noted is that different countries have some products which differ from the products we have here in Australia for occasions such as Halloween.

Note: I am not sponsored by Lush. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Audra James Botanicals Haul

2011-10-26T12:27:00.001+11:00

A few weeks ago I posted a haul of skin care by Audra James Botanicals. I have received another order:

(Pictured Left to Right: Skin Elixir, Skin Cleansing Oil and Skin Cleansing Balm)

I will be doing a full review and current skin care routine post soon so if you would like to know more about this brand and its products stay tuned!

Note: I am not sponsored by Audra James Botanicals. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Pink Powderpuff Ramble

2011-10-25T21:51:00.001+11:00

Hi Guys,
I have been missing in action for a few days due to a few computer issues after my little girl puppy Molly decided to vomit over my keyboard. No biggie except my computer is a laptop! Anyway I have had my computer fixed and I'm back.

Molly

Banjo

I have some hauls coming up for you tomorrow. I am also really looking forward to sharing an interview I am doing with a totally awesome Makeup Artist with you. I think it's also time for another giveaway!

There's lots coming up here on The Pink Powder Puff so watch this space!

Monthly Subscription Boxes

2011-10-23T13:48:00.001+11:00

Recently the deluxe sample boxes of luxury skin care and cosmetics modelled on the uber successful American Birchbox have flooded the market here in Australia. Not surprisingly I have subscribed to all of them! First there was Lust Have It, then came along Beauty Box, next was Bellabox and just on Friday I subscribed to I Love This Box which is launching its first box in November.

Either I am totally insane or just a huge beauty junkie to subscribe to all of these boxes. I told my girlfriends I am going to unsubscribe from two of them once I decide which two are the best for me and which I want to stay subscribed to. It may take me a while to decide (think forever). You see clever marketing and my intense desire to want to stay in the loop is what makes me want to stay subscribed to all four. If I cancel a subscription and then I miss out on something I really wanted to try I will be crushed. I try to justify my reasoning for having all of these subscriptions by saying that I don't buy every magazine on the market anymore and therefore I am saving well over $150 a month. These subscriptions are only costing me $60 a month and the valuable knowledge I am aquiring on beauty products is very educational and is sure to enrich my life beyond measure. Furthermore most of the boxes contain way more than $15 in products.

So what do I think of each company so far -

Lust Have It - I am really happy with Lust Have It so far. Their customer service is fantastic. They let me know when my payment has been approved each month. They send me notification when my box has left in the post and they provide regular updates on what new brand partners are joing their company. Based here in Tasmania (where I am from), I love that I get my box before all of my mainland Australia counterparts.

The range of brand partners associated with Lust Have It includes:

O.P.I
Kerastase Paris
Burt's Bees
Dermalogica
Lancome
Nougat London
Naked Tan
Mirenesse
Urban Rituelle
Lash Republic
Bio Effect
Pure Fiji
I Love My Muff
Taut
Laura Mercier
Lush
Limelily
Decleor
MD Formulations
Roc
Nude By Nature

I can see myself staying subscribed to Lust Have It. I have really enjoyed all of my boxes so far and can't wait to see what is coming up in the November edition.

Lust Have It Subscriptions cost $14.95 a month and you can cancel anytime. www.lusthaveit.com.au

Beauty Box - Last week subscribers were notified firstly via Facebook that Beauty Box has now joined forces with Glossybox and will be known as Glossybox from now on. This collaboration is to enhance the Beauty Box experience and make a wider range of global brands available to subscribers.

The initial gripe I had with Beauty Box was that they would not ship to Tasmania because they would not break aviation laws and post dangerous goods such as nail polish and fragrance samples to Tasmania. This was totally ridiculous to me because I order goods from mainland Australia on a weekly basis including fragrance and nail polish and have no issue getting them deliverd safely and legally. It just requires goods to be sent via surface mail and takes a couple of extra days to arrive.

I wanted to be subscribed to Beauty Box so badly that I decided to get my box shipped to a friends Mum's house in mainland Australia every month and then get him to send it to me (via surface mail) from there. If that is not commitment to a cause people I don't know what is. The things I will do in the name of beauty research should not be taken lightly!

To furthermore to add to my unrest Beauty Box processed my payment for the November box last Sunday. On Thursday they announced on Facebook, prior to notifying their subscribers, that if we wanted to receive Glossybox we had to subscribe to that company because Beauty Box no longer existed. It was terribly confusing for many subscribers.

In my humble opinion the company took subscribers money for a product they had no intention of supplying. Beauty Box have since said that any payments that have been taken for Beauty Box will be converted to glossy dots (a rewards system that Glossybox have) sometime in November and would entitle subscribers to a free Glossybox upon redemption of the glossy dots. This sounds reasonable and I have subscribed to Glossy Box because they appear to have some great brands on board.

I can only hope that Glossybox is so good that it voids my mistrust issues and makes me completely inspired to continue my subscription. Also It would appear that Glossybox unlike Beauty Box are going to be shipping to Tasmania which will save me a lot of inconvenience getting it shipped elsewhere.

I have received the first two Beauty Boxes which contained some great products and some not so great products in my opinion. I had very mixed feelings about them. However in fairness with any beauty samples type subscription you are not always going to like everything in your box every month.

Beauty Box contacted subscribers to let them know when their payments had been processed.

Glossybox have the following brand partners:

Auscreen
Australis
Bio Oil
Biotherm
Bobbi Brown
Calvin Klein
Clinique
Essie
Garnier
Illamasqua
John Frieda
Jurlique
Marc Jacobs
Playboy
Sally Hansen
Shiseido
Shu Uemura
Thalgo
Yves Saint Laurent

I wish Beauty Box in patnership with the new Glossybox smooth sailing and all the best for the future and I look forward to receiving my very first Glossybox in November.

Glossybox subscriptions cost $14.95 per month and you can cancel at anytime. www.glossybox.com.au

Bellabox - I received the very 1st Bellabox on Thursday. The company are very good at communicating with their subscribers about when their box has left for its destination and when payments have been received.

I was thrilled with the first Bellabox. I loved the packaging and the variety of products included. I think this has been my favourite box out of all the boxes I have received from all the subscriptions so far. I can't wait to receive Novembers Bellabox. If it is as good as the first one I received I can see myself being subscribed for a long time to come.

Bella Box Brand Partners include:

A'Kin
Alpha-H
Gantineau
Napolean Perdis
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
One Skin System
Orofluido
Pandapen
Pangea Organics
Phytomer
Twist Band
Wine Wipes
Kosmea
Savoir Faire

Bellabox subscriptions cost $14.95 per month and can be canceled at any time. www.bellabox.com.au

I Love This Box - I signed up for this subscription on Friday night. I am excited to receive the first one in November. They have some amazing brand partners including:

Nvey Eco
Decleor
Ahava
Revlon
Elizabeth Arden
Benefit
Elixir
Smashbox
Lancome
Bobbi Brown
Chanel
Soy Lites
Skinscience
Catrice

I Love This Box subscriptions cost $14.95 per month and you can cancel anytime. www.ilovethisbox.com.au

Let me now in the comments below if you have any box subscriptions and if so which ones and what you think of them so far.

Note: I am not sponsored or associated with any of the above mentioned companies or brands. All subsciptions were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

The Very 1st Bellabox

2011-10-23T11:09:00.001+11:00

Last week I received the very first Bellabox.

Here is what it contained:

1. Napolean Perdis Autopilot Pre-Foundation Primer 15ml - I have used this before and really like it.

2. Akin Lavender, Geranium and Jojoba Hand And Nail Cream 30ml - This is a very strongly scented hand cream that I have also tried before but I really like it.

3. Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant 2 x 5g Sachets - I am really excited to try this out as Alpha-H is one of my favourite skin care brands and I haven't tried this before.

4. Savoir Faire Lipstick in Miss You - This for me was the best thing in the Bellabox. The packaging is amazing. It comes in a magnetic box which you can use as a lipstick case. The silver metal case of the lipstick itself is gorgeous and the pale peach shade Miss You is perfect for my colouring. Valued at $48 this is a major score!! The colour is just beautiful.

5. One Skin System Daily Hydrate 10ml - This is a rather cute concept as the product comes in a click pen packaging. It is a day cream designed to hydrate, nourish, enrich and protect. I used this last night and it felt amazing on my skin. I think I love it already.

6. Wine Wipes - Removes red wine stains from your mouth and teeth. Hmm quite a novel idea this one. I wonder if it will remove the orange diet cordial stain from around my mouth! Lol. Will try and get back to you.

To subscribe to Bellabox it costs $14.95 per month and you can cancel anytime. www.bellabox.com.au

Note: I am not sponsored by Bellabox or any of the above mentioned companies. My Bellabox subscription was purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Empties for the month so far!

2011-10-22T11:14:00.001+11:00

As someone who has more beauty loot that you can poke a stick at I wanted to prove to my doubters that I do in fact use things up. I admit some of these products are mini sized but hey I used them so that still counts right?

It kind of makes me excited that I have used up all this stuff. Does that mean I can now go and buy more?

In case you are interested here is what I have used up and some thoughts on the products:

Perfumatory Cotton Candy Lane Shower Scene - A gorgeous multi purpose product that can be used as a shampoo, body wash or bubble bath. My favourite scent from the entire range I used this as a shower gel. It contains no sulphates or parabens etc. It works up into a lovely lather and smells incredible just like cotton candy. It costs $9.95 for 113g bottle.

Perfumatory will soon be changing back to its old name Make Me Smooth. This is due to the owner Nancy moving back to Canada from Australia and having a client base that wanted her to go back to the companys original name. I highly recommend her products and shipping even from Canada is relatively fast and affordable. It does take Perfumatory a couple of weeks to process your orders because everything is made fresh just for you. The beauty of this is once you find your favourite scent you can have anything you want in that scent from perfume, body lotion to shower gel. www.perfumatory.com

NAK Repl-ends Spray - A leave in moisturising spray for the hair. I always have some of this handy. I pop a leave in spray into my hair everytime I wash it (usually daily) to help add vital moisture and protection. This is a great weightless detangler which provides UV and heat styling protecton using NAK's famed Bio-Marine Complex.

You will see a lot of NAK products pop up in my empties because I love the brand and have been using it for a few years now. I purchased this spray from a wholesaler for around $9 for 100ml. It is also available in a 250ml bottle.

NAK Aqua Fortifying Mask - I am obsessed with this mask and am never without it. It is specifically designed for those with fine hair. I use it two or three times a week in place of my normal conditioner. It leaves my hair incredibly soft and shiny. I highly recommend this mask for people with fine hair that want to give their hair a treat. A gorgeous product. This cost around $13 from a wholesaler for 150ml tube of product. You can buy N.A.K products from professional hair salons or online at www.catwalk.com.au

M.A.C Brush Cleanser - A simple yet effective makeup brush cleanser. I like to use this to clean all my makeup brushes prior to cleansing them with baby shampoo. The only thing I don't like about this is the packaging. It would be so much easier to have a spray bottle. I empty mine into a spray bottle which makes it far easier to apply to your brushes. This retails at M.A.C Counters for $20 for 235ml or can be purchased at M.A.C online www.maccosmetics.com.au

L'Occitane Almond Exfoliating Delicious Paste - A lovely natural exfoliant to use in the bath or shower. It contains crushed almonds and sugar crystals to gently cleanse and exfoliate the skin. This is quite an expensive product at $54.95 for 200ml but it is a lovely treat if you feel like splurging. Available at L'Occitane stores or online at www.adorebeauty.com.au

M.A.C Pro Eye Makeup Remover - I recently repurchased this and I have no idea why! It is a good eye makeup remover and does the job but I have used better ones that are less expensive than the $35 I paid for this one. I think I had a brain freeze because I needed to purchase more M.A.C Brush Cleanser and for some reason ended up with this again and no brush cleanser.

The Body Shop Dreams Unlimited Shower Gel - I recently purchased The Body Shop's Dreams Unlimited Perfume so I picked up the mini shower gel and body lotion to match. I am right into lovely clean and fresh scents for Spring and Summer. This shower gel reminds me a lot of The Body Shops discontinued scent Oceanus. It's a lovely clean and crisp scent. The shower gel works into a lovely lather and rinses leaving no residue. I think I will purchase a big bottle next. This was $4.95 for 60ml from The Body Shop.

Pure Fiji Coconut Milk Shower Gel - If you haven't tried Pure Fiji products you are missing out. The products are amazing and all made in Fiji using the most eco friendly methods available. I received this travel sized bottle with my Lust Have It subscription. It is very gentle on the skin and contains lots of lovely cold pressed oils. I am putting a big bottle of this on my wish list along with about 20 other things from the line! www.purefiji.com

Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser - I received this cleanser when I purchased my Clarsonic Mia. It is a non foaming gel cleanser. I didn't enjoy this cleanser as much as I had hoped. It just didn't leave my skin feeling as clean as most other cleansers do.

Alpha-H Harmony Infusion Moisturising Facial Spritz - This contains herbal extracts and other moisturising properties. It's gorgeous to use as a toner or as a facial freshening spritz during the day. I like to pop this in the fridge and then pop it in my bag on hot summer days. It really does provide my skin with a pick me up. The bottle contains 100ml of product and cost around $18. It can be purchased at www.adorebeauty.com.au

Dermalogica Precleanse - A lovely but highly scented cleansing oil for the face and eyes. Amazing for removing makeup and excess oil on the skin. Also great to use daily prior to your usual cleansing routine. The only thing I will say about this product is that it isn't great on my extremely sensitive eyes. The essential oils are just a little too strong for my eyes. If I just use it on my face the fragrance still upsets my eyes. However if you are not sensitive this is a beautiful product to try. The bottle contains 150mls of product and cost $65.50 and can be purchased anywhere Dermalogica is sold or online from www.adorebeauty.com

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the above mentioned companies. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Pure Shampoo and Conditioner Winner!

2011-10-21T22:06:00.002+11:00

Congratulations to Lilbabybeetroot who has won the Pure Shampoo and Conditioner giveaway here on The Pink Powderpuff.

Thank you to everyone who entered. If you didn't win stay tuned as there will be lots more giveaways and competitions coming up very soon.

I plan on sharing the love and am working on some awesome products to giveaway to my subscribers over the coming weeks leading up to Christmas!

Love and Pink Powderpuff Hugs

Kxo

Biotherm White D-Tox B.B Cream Review

2011-10-21T09:14:00.001+11:00

If you haven't heard of B.B cream you had better get used to the idea as they are about to flood the market here in Australia.

B.B Cream (Blemish Balm Cream) first appeared in Korea then Japan and then into the rest of Asia. They are massively popular in the Asian countries and it would now seem the rest of the world is following suit.

I decided when hearing of these B.B Creams that I wanted to try one. So after seeing that Biotherm had one I headed to my local Biotherm counter and purchased their White D-Tox B.B Cream.

At the time I purchased this B.B Cream I really had no idea what it was for. I had just seen many You Tubers raving about B.B Cream and decided I wanted one to see what all the fuss was about. My Biotherm Consultant gave me a brief education and whilst I don't have blemishes she said I would love it and to try it out.

The special thing about B.B Cream is that it doesn't just have one purpose. It can be used in a similar way to a tinted moisturiser or it can be used as a makeup base or primer. The Biotherm B.B Cream only comes in one shade but as I am a very pale faced lass I knew it would be fine for my skin tone.

B.B Creams are designed to be worn during the day and to make any skin transparent under any light. The Biotherm White D-Tox B.B Cream contains SPF25, is oil free and provides 24 hour hydration. It provides coverage against hyperpigmentation, redness and shine.

When I first applied my Biotherm White D-Tox B.B Cream I must say it was love! I could not believe that even just by applying it with my fingers the B.B Cream gave my skin a flawless appearance. My skin drank it up so quickly and felt like velvet when I touched it afterwards. The coverage is excellent and looks better on my skin than a lot of foundations I have tried.

The texture of the B.B Cream is a smooth liquid which can come out of the bottle very quickly so you need to be careful when dispensing it. It is extremely light weight so it doesn't feel like you have makeup caked on the skin.

I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to try it. I would say that people with darker skins should test it before deciding to purchase just to make sure it doesn't wash them out too much. However if you are applying foundation over the top it should be fine.

I will defintely repurchase this product once I have used up my current one. It is amazing and I can see myself using this for a very long time.

Biotherm White D-tox is available from Biotherm Counters and online from www.adorebeauty.com.au It costs $49 for 30ml of product.

Note: I am not sponsored by Biotherm and this product was purchased by me. All opinions are entirely my own.

Sigma Synthetic HD Kabuki Brush Set Haul

2011-10-20T12:44:00.002+11:00

I received the Sigma Synthetic Kabuki Brush Set that I ordered recently. This is my second set of these brushes. I liked them so much I decided to get another set.

I have a couple of complete sets of Sigma makeup brushes. They are outstanding value for money and are fantastic quality. I think they closely compare to M.A.C makeup brushes (I also have a set of those). The most beautiful aspect of the Sigma Brush Sets is you can get an entire set for under $100. All Sigma Brushes wash up beautifully and come up great wash after wash so they will last you a very long time provided you care for your brushes properly.

The Sigma Synthetic Kabuki Brush set contains 3 High Definition Synthetic Kabuki Brushes. The density of the hairs in these brushes is excellent. They are so dense and firm making for a very precise application.

(Pictured Above from Left to Right: Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki, Sigma F84 Angled Top Kabuki and Sigma F82 Flat Top Kabuki)

The set contains:

Sigma F82 Round Top Kabuki - This brush is designed for use with liquid and powder products particularly around the nose and eye area.

Sigma F8O Flat Top Kabuki - This brush is designed to be used with liquid, cream or powder products. I personally love this brush for applying pressed powder. It buffs powder in so well you can barely tell you are wearing any. It's also ideal for applying liquid foundation for a flawless finish although I personally prefer to use a stippling brush for this purpose.

Sigma F84 Angled Top Kabuki - This brush is specifically designed for applying cheek products in either powder, cream or liquid formulations. The angled head on the brush allows you to get a very sculpted and defined cheek which is hard to achieve with other brushes.

I highly recommend this brush kit for anyone wanting to add more brushes to their collection. If you are just starting out in makeup this wouldn't necessarily be the kit I would suggest you start with. A more basic set of brushes would probably suit you better. You could try something like the Face and Eyes Kit from Sigma which costs $49 and then maybe add the Kabuki set to your collection as you learn more about makeup application.

The Sigma High Definition Kabuki Brush Set retails for $56 from www.sigmabeauty.com

As an added bonus Sigma includes a free travel brush with every order. I received The Sigma E25 Mini Blending Brush which will be great for travel (which I will be doing a bit of over the next couple of months).

Note: I am not sponsored by Sigma Makeup. All products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own.

My 1st Ever Haus Of Gloi Haul

2011-10-19T10:30:00.001+11:00

Less than 2 weeks ago I made my very first Haus of Gloi order after the company came highly recommended by my shopping enabler Gloss_Queen (www.beautifullyglossy.blogspot.com). You see the thing about Glossy is she is the most beautiful friend in the world but she can encourage and enable you to shop like there's no tomorrow. Thank heavens we don't live near each other because we would both be most certainly doomed for bankruptcy.

In the case of Haus Of Gloi I am so glad I took the plunge and ordered. When I received my 1st order yesterday it was just like Christmas.

(pictured above: Troika Body Emulsion, Litchi Milk Tea Soap, Litchi Milk Tea Soft Bubbling Scrub, Twice Is Nice Sugar Exfoliant, Satyr Body Emulsion, Twice Is Nice Soft Bubbling Scrub, Peaches and Cream Gumball Perfume Oil sample and Twice Is Nice Pumpkin Butter)

All products are available online from http://www.hausofgloi.com/ and are very reasonably priced. Shipping is a little more expensive depending on how much you buy.

I will do a more in depth review on any products anyone wants to know more about. Just leave a comment below.

All Haus Of Gloi Products are 100% Vegan. Every Order comes with a free perfume oil sample.

Note: I am not sponsored by Haus Of Gloi, all products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Chanel Chance Lipstick Review

2011-10-19T10:26:00.001+11:00

I have been lusting over Chanel Coco Shine Lipstick in the shade Chance since I first saw it on a You Tube video a while ago. I don't know why I didn't get it sooner considering it's my perfect shade of pink.

(Pictured Above: Chanel Coco Shine Lipstick in Chance). The colour quality of the picture is actually very accurate and true to shade.

I finally purchased it on Sunday and I am so excited to tell you all that I am in love with it. It was worth every single penny I spent on it because it is the most beautiful lipstick on earth as far as I am concerned (well at least for this week or until I find something else that floats my boat more).

So what makes this lipstick so great you ask? Well the best thing about it is that it's a cross between a lipstick and a lip gloss. It has a gorgeous high shine and actually looks like you have a gloss on over the top when in fact you don't. You could of course pop a gloss on over the top if you wanted to. The texture of the gloss is so creamy and smooth, it glides across the lips like silk and feels so luxurious when applied. The Slimline Chanel case is also pretty awesome.

This lipstick costs $50 from Chanel Counters here in Australia. That is a pretty big spend on a lipstick. I am sure there are many dupes out there for this and I will certainly keep an eye out for one. However I don't regret this purchase at all and I would happily buy it again. Something has captivated me about the Coco Shine Lipsticks and I am sure there will be more shades added to my collection in the very near future.

I also love the name Chance. It reminds me of Chanel's Fragrance of the same name.

Note: I am not sponsored by Chanel. I purchased this product with my own money and all opinions are my own.

Free Mirenesse Eye Shadow Trio?

2011-10-18T21:23:00.001+11:00

When purchasing this weeks edition of Woman's Day Magazine at any Woolworths Store you will receive a free Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless eye shadow trio. There are 6 different palettes on offer.

I usually don't like many of the cosmetics that come free on the front of magazines but occasionally there is a freebie worth getting. This Mirenesse eye shadow trio happens to be one of them. The pigmengation of these shadows is unbelievable and they are so soft and easy to blend. I chose the most neutral colours I could find.

I am so impressed with this free palette that I stole off the front of my Mum's Woman's Day Magazine that I have decided to go and get a couple of different coloured ones.

So if you are looking for an inexpensive way to get a great quality eye shadow palette pop into Woolworths or Safeway stores and get a copy of Woman's Day. The palette is valued at $29.95. Well worth buying the $5 magazine for.

Note: I am not sponsored by Woolworths/Safeway or Mirenesse Cosmetics. All opinions are my own.

Beauty Bay Haul

2011-10-18T15:40:00.001+11:00

Yesterday I received an order I placed from a U.K company called Beauty Bay. So without further ado here is what I got in my package:

(Pictured Above: Urban Decay Naked Palette, Too Faced Naked Eye Palette and Jemma Kidd Makeup School Light As Air Foundation.

The Urban Decay Naked Palette and Jemma Kidd Makeup School Light As Air Foundation are both re-purchases for me. The Too Faced Naked Eye Palette is something new to play with.

I am going to do a comparison between the two naked palettes and review both in an upcoming post.

Here are some close up pics of each palette:

(Pictured Above: Urban Decay Naked Palette).

(Pictured Above: Too Faced Naked Eye Palette).

(Pictured Above: Too Faced Naked Eye Palette and Urban Decay Naked Palette).

Urban Decay Naked Palette cost $50.60, Too Faced Naked Eye Palette Cost $30.60 and Jemma Kidd Makeup School Light As Air Foundation cost $26.90. All purchased from www.beautybay.com

I have several other orders coming so stay tuned for them in future posts.

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the above mentioned brands. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

M.A.C, Chanel and Bloom Cosmetics Haul

2011-10-18T11:17:00.001+11:00

I recently picked up a couple of things from Chanel, M.A.C and Bloom.

M.A.C Pro Eye Makeup Remover - I ran out of this and don't really know why I purchased again. I guess I just saw it there and thought 'I need another one'. It's not my favourite eye makeup remover but it does the job. It isn't cheap at $34 for 100ml. My favourite eye makeup remover is Clinique Take The Day Off. If you have a favourite eye makeup remover please let me know what it is in the comments below.

Chanel Lait Confort Creamy Cleansing Milk - A replacement for the one I recently finished. I'm not impressed that this has mineral oil in it but it does make my skin feel lovely and let's face it who doesn't want a bit of Chanel sitting in their bathroom! $58 here in Australia from Chanel counters.

Chanel Lotion Confort Silky Soothing Toner - Another replacement product here. This is alcohol free and I must say one of my favourite toners. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and comforted. This toner is $58 here in Australia and is available from Chanel Counters.

Bloom Boost Lip Balm Trio - I love Boost Juices so imagine my surprise when I found that Bloom Cosmetics have produced a range of lip balms in the flavours of Boost Juices. I was tempted to buy them all but thought I would see what they were like before I bought each one. I saw a little gift set containing 3 flavours for $14.95 so I picked that up. The flavours in my gift set were: Watermelon Crush (my favourite Boost juice), Tropical Storm and Mango Tango. My watermelon crush has already gone AWOL and for the life of me I can't find where I have put it. If I haven't found it again by Friday I will have to repurchase because it is absolutely phenomenal. It tastes exactly the same as Boost's Watermelon Crush. These balms are the best balms Bloom have ever produced in my opinion. They are so beautiful on the lips. I can't wait to go back and get the other flavours.

There are 5 flavours in the Bloom Boost Juice range including: Berry Bang, Watermelon Crush, Tropical Storm, Banana Buzz and Mango Tango.

The really cool thing about these balms is that they actually have Boost Juices in them. The boost juices are made and then popped in the blender with beeswax, jojoba seed oil and vitamin e. Bloom Boost Juice Lip Balms are $4.95 each and available everywhere Bloom is sold and at Myer Stores in Australia.

Chanel Coco Shine Lipstick in Chance - I am obsessed with this lipstick. Of course it is a beautiful shade of shiny pink. The thing I really love about Chanel's Coco Shine Lipsticks is that there is no need to apply a gloss over the top (of course you can if you so desire). I have deliberately not included a picture of this because I am going to do an in depth review on it very soon!

Coco Rouge Lipsticks are available at Chanel Counters in department stores here in Australia for $50 each.

Note: I am not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the above mentioned brands. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Lush Haul

2011-10-17T19:40:00.001+11:00

Yesterday I popped into Lush because I knew they had their Christmas stock in. I have loved Lush for years now but up until almost 2 years ago we never had a Lush store in Hobart and I always had to order everything via mail order.

I remember visiting Melbourne (which I do relatively often) and finding Lush in Swanston Street for the first time. My clearest memory of the store is that I could smell it before I could see it.

When Lush arrived in Hobart it was Christmas time and I remember being the 1st customer there waiting for the doors to open. I looked like a nelly no friends standing in Murray Street waiting for the doors to open. In the end the staff came out and said ''we're so sorry but we won't be opening for a few hours as we are behind''. The look of utter disappointment on my face was enough to guilt them into letting me in to do my shopping. So here I was in Lush all by myself with a huge basket loading everything I could get my hands on into it.

I have always loved Lush at Christmas mainly because of Snow Fairy, the pink glittery shower gel they bring out every year. I always buy enough of it to last me all year until the next Christmas. If Lush ever discontinue Snow Fairy I will be sure to hold a massive protest on a global scale!

So yesterday I popped into Lush Hobart and purchased this:

A more up close and personal view of the products:

(Above Back Left to Right: Abombinaball Bath Ballistic, The Melting Snowman Bath Melt, Fizzbanger Bath Ballistic, Front Left To Right: So White Bath Ballistic, Rocketeer Bath Ballistic and Golden Wonder Bath Ballistic).

(Above: Snow Fairy Shower Gel, Oatfix Fresh Face Mask, Glogg Shower Gel, Ultrabalm, Celebrate Tinted Lip Balm and Snow Fairy Tinted Lip Balm).

(Above: Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Three Gold Rings Bubble Bar, Superstars Bubble Bar and 2 x Australian Igloo Sugar Scrubs).

(Above: Sugarbabe Sugar Scrub, Rockstar Soap, Summer Pudding Soap, Angel's Delight Soap, Summer Pudding Soap and Snowcake soap).

So there you have my Lush Haul. If there is anything anyone would like to know more about or me to do a review on please pop a question in the comments below and I will get back to you.

You can purchase Lush Products from Lush Stores or Online in Australia at www.lush.com.au You can also find prices of all the products here.

Note: I am not associated with or sponsored by Lush Cosmetics. All products were purchased by me.

Lip Balm

2011-10-17T12:26:00.001+11:00

I have always been a fan of lip balm. I absolutely detest my lips being dry and cracked although regardless of how much lip balm I use it still seems to happen from time to time.

I remember being a little girl and getting lip smackers in my Christmas stocking. I though I'd struck gold when I pulled a couple of those out on Christmas morning. Back then the Lip Smackers were lipstick to me and I would stand in front of the bathroom mirror with my Mum, watching her applying her lipstick, and I would imitate her.

I remember being 13 and having my first ever trip to The Body Shop. The lip balms came in little glass jars with black lids back in the day (shame they don't still do that). The first flavour I ever got was kiwi fruit. I thought I was so sophisticated carting my lip balm around from The Body Shop in my pocket. I remember how devastated I was when that kiwi fruit lip balm fell into the toilet at school!

As I progressed through high school I went through phases of loving chapstick, Bonne Bell and Blistex amongst other balms.

A couple of years ago I purchased some Perfect Potion lip balms and they were the best lip balm I had ever used. I also stared using Carmex when my lips became very chapped. Carmex is brilliant and very cheap and cheerful but it does the job so well.

About 7 weeks ago my good friend Gloss_Queen, www.beautifullyglossy.blogspot.com , told me about this fantastic site called A2LB, www.addicted2lipbalm.com.au , Well this started a frenzy of ordering and sussing out the products and then e-mailing back and forth and ordering more. I never knew I could get so excited about lip balm until I discovered this site. It seriously has the most amazing array of lip balms you will ever find. Most of the brands I had never heard of.

My first order was for the six pack of EOS (Evolution Of Smooth) egg shaped balms that I had seen so many times on You Tube videos. I wanted them as much for the packaging as I did for the product.

(Above From Left to Right - Lemon Drop SPF15, Sweet Mint, Strawberry Smoothie, Medicated Tangerine, Summer Fruits and Honeysuckle Honeydew)

EOS Lip Balms are 100% natural and contain no petrolatum or parabens. They have really great ingredients such as Shea Butter, Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil. These balms are so nourishing and hydrating. I adore them and highly recommend them. Every time I pull one out people ask me what it is. If you aren't a fan of the egg shaped packaging they also make a couple of stick balms in Pomegranate Raspberry, Sweet Mint and Vanilla (and yes I got those to). Priced at just $6.35 each and available from www.addicted2lipbalm.com.au

Next on my journey of lip balm discovery I found a brand called Crazy Rumors. The packaging was ridiculously cute and the flavours sounded to die for. Of course with names like Gumball and Banana Split I was going to order some.

(Above from Left To Right: Raspberry Sherbert, French Vanilla, Berry Bubble, Grape Bubble, Spiced Chai, Apple Spice, Limeade, Amaretto, Banana Split, Coffee Bean, Black Cherry and Bubble Gum).

Crazy Rumors ingredients include: Certified Organic Jojoba Oil, Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Certified Organic Shea Butter, Candelilla Wax, Soy Wax, Natural & Organic Flavor Oils & or Pure Essential Oils, Vitamin E, Certified Organic Carnauba Wax & Natural Stevia.

The flavours in this range are seriously mind blowing. There really is a flavour for everyone. I intend to keep collecting until I have every single one. I'm good like that! If I love something, I keep going until I have every single one in the collection. My lips are in love with Crazy Rumors lip balms. They are so gorgeous and buttery and glide across the lips leaving them super soft and smooth. At just $5 each they are within everyone's reach. Crazy Rumors are available from www.addicted2lipbalm.com.au

My next lip balm rave is probably my very favourite brand out of all of my new found lip balm obsessions. Hurraw! Lip Balms are seriously rocking my world at the moment. They are the most beautiful lip balms I think I have ever used. They are smooth, creamy and decadent on the lips. They moisturise and keep lips so soft. I honestly can't rave enough about them. The really are so lovely and come in a large range of flavours.

Ingredient in Hurraw! Lip Balms Include: *Prunus dulcis (sweet almond) oil; ***Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax; **Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, **Theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) oil, *Olea europaea (olive) oil, organic almond flavor; Tocopherols (vitamin e)

*cold pressed / organic **raw & organic ***wildcrafted

Hurraw Lip Balms are $4.95 each and are available at www.addicted2lipbalm.com.au

(Above from Left To Right: EOS Pomegranate Raspberry Smooth Stick Balm, Buddha Lychee Pomegranate Soy Lip Balm, Buddha Crushed Mint Pineapple Soy Lip Balm, Hurraw! Lime Lip Balm, Hurraw! Vanilla Bean Lip Balm, Hurraw! Almond Lip Balm, Hurraw! Night Treatment Moon Balm, Hurraw! Chai Spice Lip Balm, Hurraw! Licorice Lip Balm, Hurraw! Vanilla Bean Lip Balm, Buddha Mandarin Orange Ginger Soy Lip Balm, Buddha Burnt Sugar Fig Soy Lip Balm and EOS Vanilla Smooth Stick Balm)

My Final Lip Balm love is Buddha Balms. These balms are made of soy and are just beautiful on the lips. They only come in four flavours so naturally I had to get them all. I highly recommend these balms for their lip hydrating benefits as well as the delicious flavours.

Ingredients in Buddha Balms include: Soybean Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Zinc Oxide.

Buddha Balms are available at www.addicted2lipbalm.com.au and are priced at $4.95 each.

Addicted2lipbalm give amazing customer service. All orders are dispatched within hours of the order being made (or the next business day if your order on the weekend or public holiday). If you spend $50 or more you also get free postage. I highly recommend this company to shop with if you are in Australia.

Note: I am not sponsored by Addicted2lipbalm or any of any of the above mentioned brands. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are completely my own.

Sunday Ramble

2011-10-16T21:47:00.001+11:00

Hey Everyone,
Thank you so much for all your support. I can't believe my subscription numbers are now at 20 and I have been blogging for less than a week. Thank you so much for believing in me and being interested enough to follow me. It really means so much.

As an amateur blogger I really have no idea what I am doing. I am just a girl with a passion for beauty products. If something looks pretty, smells nice or involves looking after skin I am all over it.

I want to tell you all a little about myself. I am 33 years old and due to some rather horrid medical conditions I am currently stuck at home a lot of the time apart from keeping the medical profession employed with my frequent Specialist visits. I have also become blind in one eye recently which has taken some adjustment. I am also a diabetic. However in spite of all this I am passionate about life. I feel really blessed to be alive and to have amazing family and friends.

I have two purebred Maltese fur babies who recently turned 1. They are spoiled beyond belief but I wouldn't have it any other way. Banjo is my little boy named after the great Australian Poet Banjo Paterson and my little girl is Molly. Molly was going to be Matilda after Australia's unofficial anthem Waltzing Matilda but when the puppies were born I had an Aunt and Uncle who were terminally ill with cancer and they chose the name Molly. My Aunt and Uncle passed away before I brought the puppies home at 8 weeks and calling her Molly somehow keeps them close. Besides Molly really suits her. Banjo is placid and very serene, Molly is a real little diva and drama queen.

Last night I had a total of zero sleep. Banjo had a very bad tummy upset and being the sensitive little soul that he is required constant tummy rubs, cuddles and reassurance that everything was okay. I had organised a lunch, shopping and movie date with a girlfriend and I didn't want to let her down so seeing as Banjo was much better I went ahead and did that.

I am really glad I went out for the day even if I did look a little worse for ware. I ended up picking up a couple of things that I will share with you soon. I got a fairly significant haul from Lush, picked up some new lipstick and lip balm as well.

I had a yummy lunch at a local restaurant called Plum. Butternut pumpkin Gnocchi Salad which was delicious. To end of the day we went and saw the movie One Night In Paris. Very interesting movie!

Thanks so much for following and I look forward to blogging some more in the coming days.

What's In My On The Go Makeup Bag?

2011-10-15T17:40:00.001+11:00

One thing you should know about me is I love Louis Vuitton. I have quite a few pieces. At the moment I am toting my Louis Vuitton Speedy 35 Damier Ebene Canvas around that my Brother purchased for me at Macys New York Louis Vuitton Counter when he was in America last year. I love my Speedy 35 because I can stash a lot in it. I have a penchant to carry around everything but the kitchen sink with me.

Pictured Above - My Louis Vuitton Speedy 35 Damier Ebene Canvas.

What's In My On The Go Makeup Bag?

I love having a sticky beak in other peoples bags. My handbag is in a frightful state at the moment (think tissues everywhere) so that's for another day. However I though I would show you what I carry around with me in my little makeup bag in my handbag.

1. Australis Makeup Finishing Spritz - This is great to freshen up or cool down on a hot day. It also sets your makeup.

2. Jila Sugar Free Mints in Spearmint - Basically so I don't get bad breath.

3. Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Colour in Oleander - A gorgeous rose pink creamy cheek colour that blends effortlessly on the go.

4. Chanel Natural Finish Pressed Powder - A gorgeous pressed powder for touch ups when I'm out and about.

5. Burt's Bees Rejuvenating Lip Balm With Acai Berry - I love Burt's Bees Lip Balms and this one is so moisturising. The fact that it smells and tastes delicious is just an added bonus.

6. Smashbox Lip Gloss in Snappy - A pretty petal pink shade.

7. M.A.C Lipglass in PRRR - A gorgeous peach shade.

8. Harlotte Lippie Pots in Bride's Nighty and Birthday Suit - These come in the most adorable tiny little compacts with built in mirrors.

9. M.A.C Lipstick in Myself - A nude shade with a lustre finish.

10. Dior Addict Lipstick in 465 Singulere - My current favourite lipstick. A bright vibrant bubblegum pink in the tube but it is quite sheer upon application so doesn't look as bright as it does in the tube.

11. Becca Roosebud Lip and Cheek Creme - A dual use product for cheeks and lips in the most beautiful deep rose pink shade.

12. Smashbox Mini Buki Brush - I got this for free with Smashbox Halo powder a while back. The quality isn't great and it sheds a lot. I have it in there in case of dire emergency.

13. Pur Flat Top Kabuki Brush - Just a great mini brush to apply powder with when I'm out.

14. Lush Charity Pot - These tiny little pots are available at Lush for just $2 with any purchase. All the proceeds go to charity and it can be used as a hand or body lotion.

15. Dettol Instant Hand Sanitiser - Because nobody likes germs!

16. The Body Shop Delipcious Tinted Lip Balm - Made with food grade ingredients this is a pretty pale pink tinted lip balm.

17. Nars Roman Holiday Lipstick - I adore the bright pink lipstick. I think I have around 7 of them.

18. M.A.C Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks - The perfect baby pink sparkly lip gloss. Dazzleglasses do tend to be a little stick though.

19. M.A.C Lip Pencil in Life's A Breeze - The perfect rose pink lip liner. This is no longer available and was a part of M.A.C's The Beach Collection.

20. Hurraw! Lip Balm in Licorice - Smells and tastes exactly like licorice. Hurraw! balms are brilliant. They are extremely moisturising and the flavours are phenomenal.

21. Clinique Chubby Stick in Whoppin' Watermelon - A lip liner and gloss in one. The chubby sticks are very sheer.

22. EOS Lipbalm in Strawberry Sorbet - I love these egg shaped balms. I have every flavour. Not only are they a good talking point but they are fantastic lip balms as well.

(Pictured Above: Christian Dior Addict Lipstick in Singuliere as requested by Gloss_Queen)

If there is anything else you would like to know more about don't hesitate to put a question in the comments and I will get back to you.

Scented Candles - How I Love Thee

2011-10-15T15:34:00.001+11:00

I could literally talk about scented candles all day long. You could say I am obsessed with them. I am constantly trawling websites like a stalker looking for scented candles to buy. All the local boutiques in Hobart call me the candle lady!

I have hundreds of scented candles stacked in a floor to ceiling built in wardrobe. My Mother often looks at me in disgust when she sees me with another big bag loaded with scented candles. Although I have converted her and she now loves them to she thinks I should race to the nearest Psychiatrist to be diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder!

You could say I am a bit of a snob when it comes to candles. Quality is everything when it comes to forking out my cash. I can't be bothered with candles that don't throw well and believe me I have had plenty. I bet anyone who loves scented candles will tell you they have had some absolute duds! There's nothing more annoying than buying a candle with great expectations and then getting home to find it doesn't smell once it's been lit. You have to be careful because sometimes candles smell amazing in the shop but when you light them they end up scentless.

The best advice I can give about buying good quality scented candles is listen to people that know their candles. Bloggers, friends and family can save you a lot of expense and disappointment by recommending ranges of candles to try. Never and I mean never trust a sales assistant no matter how honest and genuine they seem. It's a tough economic time at the moment and people are desperate to make a sale.

It's really good if stores have a candle burning on the counter that way you can make up your own mind about scent throw and quality before making a purchase.

On You Tube you will hear most of the American Beauty Gurus raving about Bath and Body Works candles. Bath and Body Works do not ship to Australia but you can buy them through shopping services such as hopshopgo. This is a company that provides you with a US postal address and charges you a modest fee to do your shopping for you. They then forward your goods on to Australia when they arrive at your USA address (again you pay the postage).

After all the reviews on Bath and Body Works candles I decided to bite the bullet and make an order. I had to see what all the fuss was about. I ended up ordering around 20 large Bath and Body Works candles in one of their 2 for $20 sales. It ended up costing me more for the postage than the actual candles cost! It was worth it just to see what the candles were like.

Bath and Body Works candles are excellent value for money. They give a great scent throw and burn for up to 100 hours. I wouldn't by any means say they are the best candles you can buy and I personally have tried better but for the price they are amazing.

My Favourite brand of candles made here in Australia are Glasshouse. These triple scented double wicked candles are excellent value for money. They burn for approximately 80 to 100 hours and the company are constantly producing new scents. Priced at just $36.95 these candles are just gorgeous and of an extremely high quality comparable to the major league players in candle land such as Diptyque and Jo Malone. The throw is enough to fill very large rooms and drift around your home.

My favourite Glass house candle is Cradle Mountain (guava and sandalwood). I love guava but also felt a little loyalty towards the name because Cradle Mountain is actually in Tasmania where I live. I am disappointed that Glasshouse have changed the name from Cradle Mountain to Monte Carlo. I have no idea why any Australian company would change an Australian name like that!

Yankee Candles are very famous on a global scale. They are amazing and come in so many different scents it's almost too difficult to choose which ones to buy. I currently have Strawberry Butter Cream and Vanilla Cupcake on rotation and they smell sublime. The scent fills my entire bedroom and travels right throughout my house. Yankee candles are available in 3 different sizes and range in price here in Australia from $20 to $50. The large ones are the best value for money as they are huge and burn for up to 150 hours.

Voluspa Candles are amazing. Kim Kardashian recently gave all of her female wedding guests a custom made Voluspa Candle. Voluspa also make my favourite candle of all time Crisp Champagne. It seriously is the most amazing scent I have ever had the pleasure of sniffing. Voluspa candles come in a variety of different sizes and range from around $20 for a small one to $60 for one of the larger ones here in Australia.

I recently discovered a brand called Keystone Candles. They have the most amazing scent range including Red Velvet Cake, Sugar Cookie, Wedding Cake, Raspberry Lemonade and Chocolate Covered Cherries! I am such a sucker for foodie scents. These throw and amazing scent and I am obsessed with getting my hands on as many as possible. Keystone Candles come in 3 different sizes and start at $20 for the small ones, $35 for the medium ones and $45 for the large ones here in Australia.

As I said at the beginning of this post I could go on all day about scented candles. I will always be reviewing different ones here on The Pink Powderpuff as well as showing you my frequent candle hauls. I think it's time I gave up my information and shared with you my favourite brands of candles and where you can get them from here in Australia.

My Favourite Tred and Tested Brands - Yankee, Voluspa, Keystone, Lily Flame, Dusk, Glasshouse, Woodwick, Jo Malone, Bridgewater, Salt City, Wicked Wix, Circa Home, Aquiesse, Jo Malone and Diptyque.

Where I Shop -

www.candleberries.com.au - Yankee, Aquiesse, Salt City, Woodwick, Lily Flame and Bridgewater. You actually have to phone your orders through to this company in Berry NSW. They have the most lovely helpful staff and provide free postage on any order over $70.

Candle Wick House - Wicked Wix, Salt City, Keystone and Lily Flame. This company provides very fast customer service although shipping does add up with the more you buy.

www.candelabra.com.au - Glasshouse, Circa Home, Wicked Wix, Woodwick, Lily Flame and Aquiesse. Excellent customer service again and flat rate postage of $5 no matter how much you buy. They have also just opened a brand new store in The Hunter Valley.

www.bathandbodyworks.com - Do not ship to Australia but can be accessed via sites and services such as Hopshopgo.

Jo Malone - www.jomalone.com.au Jo Malone candles are a little on the expensive side but they are a gorgeous treat!

Diptyque - Available at www.meccacosmetica.com.au Again a more expensive candle but totally worth the expense.

Voluspa - Available from www.saison.com.au - Excellent customer service and prompt postage. Every order receives a free gift and they have amazing sales. Saison are the Australian distributor of Voluspa Candles.

Candle Care Tips

Always keep your candle wicks trimmed to around 1cm in length.

If your candle starts to discharge black smoke, extinguish the flame and trim the wick.

Always remove wick clippings from the candle.

Candles have a memory so to get the most out of your candles on the first burn let the wax melt over the entire surface of the candle. Failure to do this will result in your candle getting a big hole down the middle and not burning for as long as it should.

If you have any left over wax in your candles scoop it out and use it as a melt in an oil burner.

Note: I am not associated with or sponsored by any of the candle companies or brands listed above. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Win a Pure Satin Soft Bath and Rinse

2011-10-14T19:18:00.001+11:00

Hi Guys, I am excited to announce my 1st give away on The Pink Powderpuff! Just a little way to say thank you for supporting me and following me on this little blog.

The prize is a Pure Bath and Rinse (shampoo and conditioner). I will contact the winner and ask about their hair type and concerns and this will determine which bath and rinse from the Pure range they will receive.

The Rules

You must be a follower of The Pink Powderpuff.

The competition is open to all followers including international ones.

All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me what sorts of things you would like to see on The Pink Powderpuff in the future.

Competition runs from today October 14th 2011 and the winner will be announced on 22nd October 2011.

Winner will be decided at random selection.

The Pink Powderpuff's decision on the winner is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Good Luck!

Pure Satin Soft Bath and Rinse Review

2011-10-14T17:12:00.000+11:00

About a month ago at a Hair Wholesaler I stumbled across a new range they had called Pure (produced by a company called Hair Jamm). The first thing I noticed was all the different colours of the packaging. Naturally I needed to investigate further and decided I would pick up a shampoo and conditioner to try on my superfine coloured hair. The range also came highly recommended by one of the qualified hair dressers who worked at the wholesaler.

All Pure products are sulphate, paraben and silicone free.

My hair is extremely fine, coloured and naturally very curly. It was once very thick but then I became very ill and required to take a lot of medication and all my hair fell out. Because I will continue to take quite a lot of medication for the rest of my life I assume my hair will remain this way.

I had a bit of trouble deciding which shampoo and conditioner to purchase for my hair as there are quite a few different ones for different hair types in the Pure range. When I look for hair products the most important thing for me is hydration. This can be disadvantageous at times because too much hydration can weigh down fine hair. However when I am just at home and not doing anything special I don't mind. As soon as I saw that the Satin Soft range contained Argan Oil it was a done deal for me. Argan oil has done amazing things for my hair and skin and I absolutely love it.

Pure Satin Soft Bath and Rinse are designed for dry, frizzy or dehydrated hair. Both contain argan oil, organic extracts and essential oils. 300ml of product comes in each bottle. Pure products are Australian owned and made.

Pure Satin Soft Bath - This shampoo smells amazing. It is a light lilac colour with a thick texture that works into a luxurious rich lather. Leaving my hair clean, hydrated and prepared for conditioning.

Pure Satin Soft Rinse - This conditioner is so beautiful. It is designed to protect against heat styling and colour fade whilst adding essential hydration to the hair at the same time. It is a thick rich consistency with a pale pink colour. My hair seems to drink this up.

After using these two products together my hair feels so soft, hydrated and more manageable. It certainly appears to have more shine as a result of using it. The frizz in my hair is definitely less of an issue and I find I am able to get away with not using an anti-frizz serum most of the time.

Both the Bath and the Rinse contain lovely ingredients including ginger root extract, nettle leaf extract, lavender flower , rosemary leaf extract, marshmallow leaf extract, Apricot fruit extract, argan nut extract, aloe leaf juice, ylang ylang oil, pink grapefruit oil and orange peel oil.

This shampoo and conditioner retail for around $25 each. However I paid about $16 each because I get my hair products at a wholesale rate.

Note: I am not affiliated with or sponsored by Hair Jamm or Pure Products. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are entirely my own.

Alpha-H Mini Haul

2011-10-13T17:28:00.000+11:00

Yesterday I finally picked up my Adore Beauty order from the post office. These Alpha-H products purchased are all repurchases for me. I simply love them and am never without them.

Left to Right: 2 x Alpha-H Liquid Gold 100ml ($46.57 each), Alpha-H Liquid Gold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask 100ml ($52.92 and Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex Gel 15ml ($55.60) available at www.adorebeauty.com.au

Alpha H Liquid Gold - I call this stuff my miracle in a bottle. It contains key ingredients of Glycolic Extract, Licorice Extract and Silk Proteins. It is excellent for evening out skin tone, clearing up congested areas of the skin and giving skin an energised and vibrant look. It is best used at night. At first you get a little tingling sensation when using this due to the active ingredients but it doesn't last long. I was lucky enough to get 2 x 100ml bottles of this for the price of 1 as well as 20% off at a recent sale Adore Beauty had.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask - Without doubt this is a Holy Grail mask for me. I have used it for the past 3 or 4 years and can't imagine ever finding anything that compares. Formally known as the Alpha-H 15% Glycolic Hydrating Mask I use it once a week as a do it yourself chemical peel. It hydrates, smooths and exfoliates in just 10 minutes. My skin glows after using this and feels so soft, smooth and hydrated. If I could only ever use 1 face mask again this one would be it. Because of the glycolic acid content in this mask it is perfectly normal to experience tingling when this is applied (it means the product is doing its job).

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex Gel - A cool and refreshing gel that helps with dark circles and puffiness. I use this one in the mornings as it isn't quite hydrating enough for the evenings on my skin. Contains Hibiscus Flowers, Beech Tree Extract, Serum Albuim, Hyaluronic Acid, Dextran Sulphate, Olive Leaf Extract, Cucumber, Allantoin and Panthenol. I got this eye gel as a gift with purchase from Adore Beauty.

Note: I am not affiliated with or sponsored by Alpha-H or Adore Beauty. All products were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Wednesday Mini Haul Beauty & The Bees and Lush

2011-10-13T12:07:00.000+11:00

Yesterday I met a friend for an amazing Japanese lunch and afterwards we stopped by a Tasmanian store called Beauty & The Bees. Beauty & The Bees is a Tasmanian owned company specialising in natural skincare made with honey and other natural ingredients. Being a proud Tasmanian of course I have been all over this brand for years and they have the most darling little shop in Hobart's Centrepoint.

I have fads whereby I will be in at Beauty & The Bees every other week and then will go on to something else and not visit the store for ages. Yesterday I renewed the fad. I have purchased a lot of skin care recently so I restrained myself and only picked up a couple of things.

I am a complete floozie when it comes to skin care. I never stay loyal to just one brand, and I probably have enough for 10 lifetimes. I have never been into all natural skin care although I am now finding I am really enjoying natural products a lot which, coupled with my Audra James goodies I received the other day, inspired my visit to Beauty & The Bees.

Yesterday I picked up from Beauty & The Bees:

Lemon Pure Essential Oil 10ml - $19.95
Lemon, Lime and Avocado Soap - $7.95
Leatherwood Honey and Olive Pure Tasmanian Lavender Protective Moisture Cream 120ml - $35.95
Rosewater Flowerpetal Toning Mist 100ml - $19.95

I also stopped by Lush yesterday as I wanted to get my favourite Fresh Face Mask Oat Fix. Lush was out of stock but were expecting a fresh shipment today. I was also excited to learn that all of Lush's Christmas goodies are available in store as of Friday this week. I will be cruising in there like nobodies business over the weekend that's for sure.

I ended up just picking up another Toner. Eau Roma Water 100g for $7.95. I adore this to spritz on my pillows and skin. It only contains rose and lavender waters. It's also great to pop in the fridge on hot days and take with me in my bag to freshen up or cool down in the heat.

Beauty & The Bees Products are available from www.beebeauty.com and Lush Cosmetics are available from www.lush.com.au in Australia.

Note: I am not associated with or sponsored by Beauty & The Bees or Lush Cosmetics. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Lust Have It October 2011

2011-10-13T11:30:00.000+11:00

Yesterday I came home to find my October Lust Have It waiting for me. For those of you unfamiliar with Lust Have It Boxes they are very similar to the concept of Birchbox in America. It is a monthly subscription service whereby for $14.95 per month you get a little box delivered to your door containing 5 or 6 luxury beauty samples.

This months Lust Have It contained:

Taut Collagen Orange Drink - Supposedly loved by Dannii Minogue and drank 3 to 4 times per week it provides a natural source of concentrated bio-avaialable Collagen. This contains shark cartilage extract which should not be used by anyone pregnant or allergic to seafood. I just can't see myself trying this! Eeeew!

Kerastase Resistance Samples x 6 - 2 x10ml samples of Bain De Force Reinforcing and Refinishing Shampoo, 2 x 10ml samples of Ciment Thermique Heat Activated Reconstructor Milk and 2 x 10ml samples of Ciment Anti-Usure Reinforcing and Refinishing Treatment.

Lush Honey I washed The Kids Soap - One of my all time favourite scents and soaps from Lush. A gorgeous toffee and honey scented bar of goodness.

Limelily Cosmetiics Cream Blush in Harmony - A full sized gorgeous peach cream blush.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate - 2 x 5ml sample tubes of this amazing serum. I already own this and love it! These little tubes will be ideal for travel.

If anyone would like to know what I think of any of these products just pop and comment below and I will be happy to review them once I have tried them.

Lust Have It subscriptions are available from www.lusthaveit.com.au for $14.95 per month within Australia.

Note: I am not associated with or sponsored by Lust Have It. This subscription was purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own.

Haul - Dusk Candles and Audra James Botanicals

2011-10-11T19:00:00.000+11:00

Today I popped in to Dusk to have a look as I haven't been in for a few weeks. I was delighted to find a new range of limited edition candles in the yummiest variety of scents. The collection is called The Dusk Temptations Collection. Dusk have been creating a few limited edition ranges of late and I have been very impressed with the scents they have produced.

I am a HUGE scented candle fan. I shamefully have hundreds hidden away in a cupboard waiting to be burned. You could say I'm obsessed but hey I can live with that tag and proudly own it! There are worse things to be obsessed with, right? Today was a classical example of an I want it but don't need it purchase. Scented candles make me so happy. They can turn a truly awful day into a beautiful one. There's nothing I enjoy more than laying down with a good book and a beautiful scented candle burning beside me. Simply Heaven!

Top Left: Dusk Baby Powder, Bottom Left: Dusk Licorice Heaven, Top Right: Dusk Licorice Heaven, Bottom Right: Dusk Grandma's Spiced Cookie.

These Limited Edition Candles are $15 each or 2 for $25 at Dusk Stores and Online.

I arrived home this afternoon to find a much anticipated package waiting for me from Audra James Botanicals. A month ago I hadn't ever heard of Audra James until a gorgeous friend of mine put me onto her. Audra James is an acclaimed Aromatherapist who custom blends every product to suit every individual client. If you're looking for some personal attention to detail and exceptional customer service using only the purest ingredients and essential oils then look no further than Audra James Botanicals. I will be doing a full review of all of my Audra James Products once I have had a chance to use them.

Audra is a lovely lady who goes above and beyond to provide customer satisfaction. She constantly communicates with the client to ensure she is addressing all their concerns with her products. I am so excited to dive in and try everything out.

Products Purchased from Audra James Botanicals include: Rose, French Lavender and Rose Geranium Facial Mist ($28.00), Skin Cleansing System ($38.00), Argan Oil ($28.00), Skin Cleansing Balm and Cloth ($38.00) and Bespoke Body Oil (from $16.95). www.audrajames.com to view and purchase all of Audra James beautiful products.

Note: I am not associated or sponsored in any capacity by Dusk or Audra James Botanicals. All products were purchased by me and all opinions are entirely my own.

New M.A.C Paint Pots - Posh Paradise Collection 2011

2011-10-10T17:52:00.000+11:00

From Top Left: Genuine Treasure, Treasure Hunt. Bottom Left: Nubile and Imaginary.

On Friday I may have accidentally stumbled into my M.A.C counter at Myer Hobart to suss out the new Paint Pots from The Posh Paradise Collection. Okay who am I kidding, I went in there knowing I was going to walk out of there with some of these Paint Pots. I was shocked that my M.A.C Counter actually had any stock as I usually have to resort to buying what I want online.

I love M.A.C Paint Pots. I would say that they are probably my favourite M.A.C product ever. They are amazing in that they are multifunctional and can be used alone or as a base for eye shadow. I use them as an eye shadow base. They really give your eye shadow truly amazing colour pay off. They can be applied with your fingers or a brush. I like to use my M.A.C 228 Mini Shader Brush to put them on.

In the Posh Paradise Collection there are 8 new Paint Pots. I purchased four of them and liked them so much I ordered the other four online. A girl can never have too many Paint Pots right? Here in Australia Paint Pots are available from M.A.C Stores and Counters for $35 each.

In honesty you probably only need one paint pot especially if you are just starting out in cosmetics and have quite a few things you need to get for your collection. Being the beauty junkie that I am of course I need more than that!

Some very average swatches of my four new Paint Pots.

Over the weekend I went out every day and evening which gave me ample opportunity to play with my new Paint Pots. Here are my thoughts:

Genuine Treasure: A gorgeous cool dark brown with antique gold shimmer reflects. The texture of this paint pot is very different to any other Paint Pot I have ever tried. It isn't smooth and you can feel the fine glittery particles in it. I found I had to use quite a lot of product to get the colour intensity to stay put. I was disappointed as this was the colour I was most excited about getting. After a little time and effort it did look lovely on my eyes.

Hidden Treasure: This is a beautiful yellow gold shade. It has very good colour pay off, is smooth in texture and very easy to apply.

Nubile: This colour is a neutral peach tone. It reminds me of M.A.C's Rubenesque Paint Pot but without the shimmer. This colour is so versatile and I can see myself getting quite a lot of use out of this particular colour. It is a very soft and creamy texture and applies very easily to the lid.

Imaginary: This is a very intense dark navy colour that has a purple dimension to it. It has amazing pigmentation and a smooth easy to apply texture. This would be fabulous for creating a smokey eye look or just adding an extra little bit of drama to the eyes.

I will add pictures, reviews and swatches to the blog of my other Paint Pots from the collection when they arrive.

Note: I am not associated with M.A.C Cosmetics in anyway. All products were purchased by me with my own money. The reviews posted here are entirely my own and not sponsored in any way.

Face Wipes Anyone?

2011-10-10T15:41:00.000+11:00

I have never considered myself to be a face wipe kind of girl. I much prefer to take my time with makeup removal and use a cleansing oil, eye makeup remover and finally my daily cleanser. For someone who is not a face wipe kind of girl I seem to have quite a collection of face wipes happening at the moment.

Face wipes are something I often pick up as an impulse purchase just because it seems to be a god idea at the time. Unfortunately many of my face wipes end up drying up in the packet because I don't use them.

There have been a couple of face wipes I have developed an intense love of over the years and take with me whenever I travel. These include Korres Milk Proteins Cleansing and Makeup Removing Wipes ($18.95 in Australia for 25 wipes at Kit Cosmetics), Korres Pomegranate Cleansing Wipes ($18.95 in Australia for 25 wipes at Kit Cosmetics) and M.A.C Cosmetics Cleansing Wipes ($44.00 for 100 wipes in Australia from M.A.C Counters and stores). These three types of wipes remove makeup super effectively and leave the skin soft and clean. These babies are more high end wipes and they cost a pretty penny continue to read on for less expensive alternatives.

A couple of weeks ago a good friend of mine Gloss_Queen (www.beautifullyglossy.blogspot.com) recommended I get some Wotnot wipes to try. After reading her review on them I naturally had to order some and try them for myself. Wotnot Naturally Nurturing Facial Wipes contain absolutely no nasty ingredients and their claim to fame is 100% of what's good for your skin and 0% of what's not. They contain certified organic aloe vera, rose hip, sweet almond and jojoba oil. They are specifically designed for sensitive skin.

After a week of using Wotnot Facial Wipes I have to say I am extremely impressed with them. They are a larger sized wipe that removes all makeup including eye makeup. After use my skin feels so clean and super soft with none of the burning I sometimes get from other wipes! Wotnot wipes seem to be less expensive than other brands I have used and I think for the time being they will be the only brand of wipe I will be using (Wotnot wipes are available in Australia from www.okme.com.au for $9.99 for a packet of 25 wipes).

I like to carry some wipes in my bag because they come in handy for freshening up on hot summers days. They are also great for when I have been visiting makeup counters and have swatches all over my hands from where I have been testing the latest and greatest products. Somehow those cheap tissues the girls at the counters provide just don't cut it when you're trying to clean up.

From the picture at the top of this post you can see I have a few different brands of wipes accumulated. I do like the Nivea Daily Essentials Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes. They are a great less expensive alternative for people with sensitive skin (approximately $7 in Australia from Priceline stores for 25 wipes). They remove makeup well and skin feels quite soft and hydrated after using them.

An even less expensive option is the Face Of Australia Purifying Cleansing Wipes. These wipes are alcohol free and do a very thorough job of removing makeup. I like to keep these ones in the glove box of the car so if I have a late night I can take my makeup off in the car on the way home. (Face of Australia Purifying Makeup Wipes are available in Australia at Priceline Stores for $4.99 for 25 wipes).

If I could only have one brand of face wipes at the moment I would definitely be sticking with Wotnot wipes. I highly recommend them to anyone wanting to use natural products on their skin especially if their skin is sensitive as mine tends to be at times.

Note: The products in this post were all purchased by myself. I am not sponsored in anyway to promote any of these products. All opinions are my own.

A Blog Ramble

2011-10-09T23:02:00.000+11:00

Over the coming weeks you may see some different things happening with my blog. I am notoriously hopeless with technology so I enlisted the help of an expert, aka my best male friend Peter. Peter will be taking charge of the layout and presentation of my blog and he is going to follow my orders and "pretty things up".

However rest assured that as of tomorrow I am starting to post pics of my hauls and chat about all the beauty related adventures I have been up to on a regular basis. You will just have to bare with the rather ordinary presentation until Pete works his magic.

I am currently waiting on several orders to arrive and I will be sure to take pictures and show you what I have purchased recently.

I absolutely adore looking at, reading about or watching hauls. There's something so satisfying about seeing inside someones shopping bag. In some ways it is comforting and lets me know I am not alone and that there are other beauty obsessed lunatics out there like me. In other ways it validates my own purchases especially if another blogger is telling me I definitely need a certain product in my collection. I mean they wouldn't say I needed it if I didn't would they?

On Friday I subscribed to Bellabox! I am already subscribed to Lust Have It and Beauty Box but I figured I may as well give Bellabox a go to. There is also another couple I plan to subscribe to but after I work out which boxes I prefer I will only keep subscribing to a couple (I say that now but I will probably end up keeping all of my subscriptions).

On Friday I went to M.A.C and picked up a few of the new Paint Pots from the Posh Paradise collection. Stay tuned for a review of those.

I am hoping this week to receive my orders from Audra James Botanicals, Adore Beauty, Haus of Gloi, Sigma Brushes, Beauty Bay and Kiss and Makeup. I know I have more orders coming but I have forgotten what they are. It's a worry when you get Beauty Product Dementia but it is so fun when packages turn up and you have no idea what is in them. Occasions like these I like to call Karen's Demented Christmases.

Well that's just a little update on what going to be happening on The Pink Powderfuff and some ramblings on what I have been up to. I look forward to kicking off my Blog and hope you will find it fun and entertaining.

Welcome To The Pink Powderfuff

2011-10-06T13:19:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog. My name is Karen and I am a 33 year old beauty product junkie from a little place called Hobart in Tasmania, Australia.

The Pink Powderfuff is going to be a little journal about my life and endless pursuits to find the ultimate beauty products on the market. There will be hauls, product reviews and probably quite a bit of rambling involved. Some of you will laugh at me, others will laugh with me but at the end of the day who cares as long as we have fun along the way.

I will share with you my favourite places to shop online, my favourite brands as well as things and people that inspire me.

Be warned I do take my shopping very seriously (as every girl worth her weight in gold should). So again welcome and if you feel so inclined do feel free to follow me.

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