♡ July Favourites 2015 ♡

Hello-hello everyone,

It’s time for a sort-of-on-schedule-July-favourites!

I only have a small amount of products today because I’m simply a poor university student but, as they say, quality over quantity, amirite? (Yeah, okay, I’m just poor..)

We’re going to spice things up a lil bit and start with skincare this time, as I couldn’t resist buying a few goodies in the 40% off skincare sale at Priceline!

Let us begin!

The Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub [x] has made a comeback this month, as it simply is (as the kids say) my bae. I’ve been using Benzac 2.5% to deal with long-term acne, and this beautiful scrub has been perfect for removing the dry patches and peeling skin that have been an unfortunate side effect of achieving a clearer complexion. It is still gentle enough for me to use daily without consequences, and I can’t see myself not repurchasing the shit out of this gorgeous product. We’re now partners for life ♡.

 

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Now, as I have previously mentioned, I have had some dry skin issues from my acne treatment. As someone with skin so oily you could fry an egg on it, I have never had to deal with dryness on such a pervasive scale. I had heard about the magic of serums for returning intense moisture to the skin, and I knew I just had to pick one up in the Priceline sale. I chose the Nude By Nature Nude Miracle Serum [x], which claims:

“Oil free. Moisturising. Deep Hydration for 72 hours. Improve skin softness and smoothness. Contains Aloe Vera, Green Tea, Quandong, Australian Desert Lime & Kakadu Plum. Helps to reduce visible signs of fatigue. Assist to rebalance melatonin production. Visible reduction in dark circle, under eye bags and dull complexion from fatigue. Increase skin luminosity. Reduce Skin redness. Stimulates skin detoxification to restore glow.”

I must say is one of the most pricey skin care products I have ever bought. In saying that, the quality is just top notch! My skin feels baby bum smooth using this, and I have seen a reduction in redness over the past week I’ve been using it. Be warned, if you put moisturizer on top of this serum, your face is 100x more baby soft and you may never stop stroking it. However, my dark circles haven’t disappeared, but I didn’t expect this as chronic fatigue dark circles are for life.
In terms of morning use, I never thought I could use a moisturizing serum under my makeup until I used this, and I have not seen any signs of wear on the longevity on my foundation throughout the day! If you have the money to splurge on thie beauty, I seriously recommend giving this a go. I have heard that the Sukin Super Greens serum is also very good but I chose this instead as the Sukin one only lasts for a few weeks, whilst my Nude by Nature serum is said to last for a very long time.

Here’s the ingredients list, for those that are curious:

Aqua, Glycerin, Ethanol, Sodium PCA, Albizia Julibrissin (Persian Silk Tree) Bark Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Globularia Cordifolia (Globe Daisy) Callus Culture Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, XanthanGum, Saccharide Isomerate, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Fruit Extract, SantalumAcuminatum (Quandong) Fruit Extract, Citrus Glauca (Australian Desert Lime) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate.

Now that my face is a godly level of soft, I thought it would be nice to get my body to mirror that silky goodness. I have visions of attaining MILF status by preserving my body in oils for the next twenty years. Hey, it could happen! Let a girl dream!
I had previously tried to DIY my own body oil, and ended up with dark red burns all over my arms. It turns out that my skin doesn’t appreciate pure essential oils, and I think I’ll leave it to the professionals from now on. 

I chose to buy the Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil [x], which claims:

“Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil is a light oil specially formulated with pure Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E tohelp soften and sooth rough, dry skin.
This rich formula absorbs quickly, allowing you to put on even the most delicate of fabrics immediately.”

To the point, just how I like it.

 My skin hasn’t reacted while using this, even if I apply it straight after shaving (kudos, Palmers). As for the quick absorption claims, it can take about ten minutes to fully sink in. This is pretty easily forgiven, as it is made entirely of oils, so I just choose to apply it at night instead of during the day. The only thing I’m not a fan of is the smell directly after application, as you will smell strongly of Easter Sunday from all the chocolate-y scents going on. For that reason, it makes it difficult to apply on nights where I’m having a bad nausea day, which is a darn shame.
This product is only $10.80 RRP, so it was a ripe steal during the 40% off sale! I do recommend you give this a try if you’re a budget queen like me!

Finally, my lips needed a little TLC during these winter months. Usually I would reach straight for my Lucas Paw Paw Ointment, until I realized its just fancy pants Vasoline. I decided to give Redwin’s Coconut Balm [x] a whirl, as I’m a massive fan of anything natural and coconut-scented. This product claims:

“With 100% Certified Organic Coconut Oil and an infusion of the naturally moisturising Papaya Extract and Jojoba Oil, Redwin Coconut Balm naturally hydrates your lips. It not only relieves dry, chapped lips but helps to heal them. Can also be used as an intensive moisture boost on skin that’s very dry and cracked, as well as on burns, cuts, and insect bites. Petroleum-jelly free.”

Let me just say I was not let down in the slightest! This stuff is buttery soft on the lips, and heals all the yucky dry patches I get on a daily basis. It also works wonders on the cracked skin on my knuckles (I’m just a dry mess..). If you feel betrayed by your Paw Paw ointment as I did, give this baby a go. You won’t be disappointed!

This product retails for $5.99 RRP, and is 20% off at Priceline until the 10^th of August.

Now let us move on to the tiny makeup favourites!

Enter, the beautiful MOMMA Semi Matte Mineral Base in Ivory [x], and the glorious Powder Colour Corrector in Green [x]!

I talked about these babies in one of my previous posts, and I’m still saving up to buy the full sizes. When applied, these products literally look like your skin, but a million times better. Imagine looking photoshopped in the best possible way and you’ll understand the effect that they give. I’ve worn the mineral base around the house as a test and it didn’t oxidise, even under the warmth of the heater, and it also didn’t come off even when I got soy sauce all over my face like a hot ass mess during dinner time. In terms of foundation longevity, that ticks all the boxes for me! The green colour corrector is also fantastic, as it neutralizes the redness on your skin prior to the foundation application. I can’t wait to do a full demo of these products once I can finally afford them!
The Semi-Matte Mineral base retails for $16.00 RRP, while the colour corrector retails for $15.00 RRP.

Let’s talk about hair, ba-by!

I know I have already raved and raved about how fantastic Cedel’s Firm Hairspray is…but it’s coconut scented and that is really important, okay?

I initially intended to buy the teeny tiny travel size hairspray to put in my purse, as there’s always that one strand of hair that droops into my eyes after a couple of hours. However, the smallest I could find in the time of crisis was this coconut scented version [x], and I thought this would be a better time than ever to give it a try.
It doesn’t smell like gross hairspray, at ALL. It smells like a wonderful coconut body spray! I’ve been able to spray this around my mother, who coughs at the slightest chemical or perfume-y smell, and she actually enjoys the fragrance it gives off! I’ll admit, I have used this to fix my hair after trying on clothes in changerooms (no shame…), and it just smells like I’m spraying myself with an Impulse can. It seems to have the same amount of hold as my original hairspray, but I’ll need to trial it on a full day out to be able to tell you if there is any significant difference…

This product retails for $4.99 RRP, which is really decent for the quality!

Finally, a bonus product rave!

(…yeah okay not really, I forgot to put it in the original photo)

This is my super cheapie synthetic teasing brush [x] that I bought off of Ebay!

My fringe has been rustling my jimmies lately when it starts to grow out, so I thought now would be a good time to learn to tease the frick out of it. I’ve found that giving my fringe that grip really helps get rid of those nasty “fringe gaps” that happen to me throughout the day, and for only $2.30 it’s been quite the handy tool!

Aaaaaand that’s all folks! Hope you enjoyed this July edition of my favourite things!

                                                                                                    ♡ Until next time ♡

♡ MOMMA Samples Kit Review ♡

Hello lovelies,

Today, I received my samples from The Ministry of Mineral Makeup Australia, or MOMMA for short. I was so very excited that I immediately rushed home to do some swatches of their products!

MOMMA is an Australian Brand that creates natural makeup and skincare products that are both cruelty free and chemical free. As I have sensitive, oily skin (as well as LOVE animals a crazy amount), I was very excited to stumble across this brand and try their products!

NOTE: I bought these samples with my own ten dollars, and all the opinions are my own.

MOMMA offers their buyers a Mega Ten Piece Samples Kit, wherein you can choose ten samples of their products for ten dollars that they will then deliver to you for free. This was pretty difficult to pass up as you get a choice of trying the BB cream or Liquid Foundation, two Matte and Semi-Matte Mineral Base Powder Foundation samples, and then get free-pickin’s of the rest of their products!
I chose to try their HD Finishing Powder, Highlighting and Contouring Powders, and their Yellow and Green Powder Correctors.

Let’s have a looky at some swatches of these products, shall we?

The reason I discovered this brand was that I’m on the lookout for my HG foundation. I heard so many good things about their Mineral Makeup on BeautyHaven, and I simply couldn’t resist trying these bad boys out!
MOMMA describes their Mineral Bases as follows:

"MOMMA’s Mineral Base Powder are formulated with only 100% natural ingredients, is virtually sweat-proof and waterproof (perfect sports makeup and great for busy mums and brides!), does not clog pores and contains NO synthetic chemicals. Feel and see the difference!

Apply directly on dry skin for a lighter coverage or apply straight after your daily moisturiser/day cream or using a dampened brush for heavier coverage and full spectrum sunscreen. Offers incredible oil control with no separate concealer or setting powder required."

Since I was a little unsure of the shade selection, I ordered the matte [x] and semi-matte [x] bases in both ‘Fair’ and ‘Ivory’ – the two lightest shades. Now, I’m not porcelain princess pale, but I’m not a tanned goddess either. Nevertheless, I was a little worried that these shades would turn up orange on me just like every supposedly pale foundation you’ll find in drugstores.
I was very pleased to be proven wrong!

 

From left to right: Liquid Mineral Base in 'Fair', Matte Mineral Base in 'Ivory', Matte Mineral Base in 'Fair', Semi-Matte Mineral Base in 'Ivory', Semi-Matte Mineral Base in 'Fair'

I found my true love in the Semi-Matte Mineral Base in ‘Ivory’. It is such a beautifully pale colour with yellow undertones, and blends into my skin like a dream. UGHHH, I love it! Just take my money now!
On their website, MOMMA does offer a shade in the Semi-Matte Base called ‘Porcelain’, and I’m not too sure if there has been a mix up as my love ‘Ivory’ is much lighter than the ‘Fair’ shade. I’ll have to update you on this, as ‘Porcelain’ wasn’t an option in the sample kit!
EDIT: I emailed MOMMA about the shade selection and, within minutes, they informed me that the light shade is indeed 'Ivory'. 'Porcelain' is about to be discontinued :(.
From swatching the Mineral Bases on my skin, I can say these are definitely full coverage. There was a pimple where I placed my true love shade, not anymore! They also feel so soft on the skin, like baby bum soft. Let’s just say that I’m very excited to try applying this with a brush to see how it looks and wears overall!

I chose to try the Liquid Mineral Base [x] instead of the BB Cream, as my skin is too damn oily to wear a moisturising foundation.

Below is the description MOMMA offers for their Liquid Mineral Base:

"NEW! Part of our Winter Collection, MOMMA Liquid Mineral Base is a Lightweight, Long Lasting, buildable, Medium to Full Coverage liquid mineral foundation formulated with pure minerals to give your skin a fresh, soft Matte finish all day without clogging pores or turning oily.

Non-sticky, non-drying, non-oily. Perfect for cold and dry winters and suitable for all skin types.

Only very little is required. Use approximately size of HALF a hazelnut for full face Medium coverage or size of one hazelnut for Full coverage. Blend and buff using Flat Top Brush until desired coverage is achieved. For a sheer coverage, blend using sponge. Use with or without MOMMA Mineral Base Powders for a complete full coverage."

The lightest shade of this Liquid Mineral Base was ‘Fair’ and let’s say that it was a little….dark.  Because of this I wouldn’t recommend it for people on the paler end of the spectrum, but I would be interested to see how it wears on someone that it matches!

Let’s move right along to the other half of the samples…

I of course had to try the HD Powder [x], as I don’t think I could ever go without setting my foundation unless I want to be an oily nightmare.
MOMMA’s description of the powder also reeled me in with these claims:

"Made of 100% pure mineral silica, our HD Finishing Silk Powder is designed to fight humid weather and oily skin. The translucent fine powder mattifies oil and shine and helps keep skin looking fresh and radiant all day! Dust lightly before or after foundation on areas prone to oil and shine."

Who doesn’t want ALL of those things?

I think it’s probably a good thing that I couldn’t manage to swatch the HD Powder, as it properly disappears into the skin like magic rather than leaving a yucky white cast on your skin. It’s like another level of softness, I couldn’t stop stroking my arm afterwards! I’ll be really interested to see how it fares at controlling my oils, as I have not yet found a power that is mighty enough to combat them.

Now for the swatches:

From left to right: Colour Corrector in 'Yellow', Colour Corrector in 'Green', Mineral Highlighter, Mineral Contour Powder in 'Hazelnut'

 I’m quite the fan of colour correcting, as I have both super dark under-eye circles and a lot of facial redness from acne.

Here is MOMMA’s description of the correctors [x], for those who are new to the concept:

"Color correctors are worn under our Mineral Base to help neutralise redness and dark circles.
Green cancels out really red areas like pimples, rosacea, broken blood vessels and red rings around the eyes on fair skin tones.
Apricot brightens dull sallow skin and works great on dark eye circles on darker skin tones.
Yellow works on olive or tan skin and cancels out those purple-blue under eye circles and dark patches."

The colours of both of these seem a little intimidating but, when I applied a small amount of the green to my bright red nose, it transformed into a very light pinky hue. For a powder corrector, that’s pretty decent! Both of these correctors are available in a cream formulation, as well as an apricot shade for darker skin tones. I’m thinking I’ll pick up a yellow cream corrector instead, as I need a bit more coverage under the eye as I cancel out the purple tones.

Finally, let’s talk highlighting and contouring powders!

I am a massive rookie when it comes to highlighting and contouring. I have to put it out there, I stink. I thought I would give these mineral alternatives a go in case they were more forgiving of my lack of skills!

Here are MOMMA’s descriptions of both the highlighting and contouring powders:

Mineral Highlighter [x]:

"For that special night out when your skin needs little bit of sparkle! Our silky shimmer and illuminating powder is highly pigmented so a little goes a long way! Apply and blend into skin using a kabuki brush on body or our all time favourite Flat Top Brush or use a fluffy Blush Brush on the face to highlight and sparkle! Apply to cheek bones, shoulders, decollete, cupid’s bow, eye lids, inner corner of your eyes, brow bone,  forehead, nose… anywhere! Suits all skin tones."

Mineral Contour Powder [x]:

"Long lasting, extremely blendable formula for sculpting and defining your features! For best results, apply using with our Sculpting Brush and Flat Top Brush for blending. For highlighting, use our Fair shade Matte or Semi-Matte Mineral Base!"

The Mineral Highlighter is veeeery pretty. It is very subtle, with finely milled shimmer particles throughout to give a really nice shimmery effect to the skin. I can see myself using this, as it seems very beginner friendly. I’m all about that!

The Mineral Contour Powder is very soft and blendable, yet unfortunately is too dark and orange for my skin tone. I would LOVE to see how this works on someone with a matching skin tone, though!

We’ve reached the end of the samples! I hope this has been helpful if you have been looking into natural makeup, or just want to switch to cruelty free cosmetics!

   ♡ Until next time ♡