Sunday, 31 August 2014

Warner Bros. Man of Steel Fragrance for Fathers Day

Man of Steel

Eau De Toilette 100ml - RRP $19.95

Super Dad to the rescue! If your Dad is a super Dad then this is the perfect present for him or even if you're looking for a fab fragrance that Dad can wear into spring/summer time!

Often we are on tight budgets and this should be at the top of the list for anyone who is looking for a value buy gift under $20! I was actually blown back by how they could mark the RRP at $19.95 - bargain for a scent that I would compare to a high end fragrance like Gucci Sport fragrance!

Warner Bros. “Man of Steel®” Eau De Toilette is a water based fragrance with notes of mandarin, bergamot and neroli, blended with rosemary, nasturtium, jasmine and sea notes. Featuring base notes of Moroccan cedar, sensual patchouli, amber and white musk, the fragrance will instil confidence in the wearer whilst impressing bystanders.

For me this scent was a warm but fresh scent at the same time. I can definitely feel the warmth scent majority of the time.

Aesthetically, “Man of Steel®” exudes charisma and eternal strength. Encased in a cool, glass bottle with the iconic Superman S-Shield displayed front centre, it will look sleek and modern in the bathroom cabinet.

Not only is the bottle something special but so is the box it comes in. It's presented in this box with a flip top lid like you would normally get with a watch - this would be something to fool dad with!

It shows elegancy and luxury through its box and I am not the least bit disappointed in the scent!

I love that this is from a fictional character and now those cartoon loving Dad's can have some real merch that can give them super powers - of smelly amazing!

Man of Steel is available at selected pharmacies nationally.

Friday, 29 August 2014

Bobbi Brown Supports Breast Cancer Awareness

Pretty Pink Ribbon Lip Gloss Collection - RRP: $68

“When you feel good about yourself, there’s no limit to what you can do — and that’s Pretty Powerful.” – Bobbi Brown

In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics continues to empower women and provide them with the necessary tools to go from pretty to pretty powerful. This year, the brand is proud to support the efforts of The Estée Lauder Companies’ BCA Campaign, with the limited-edition Pretty Pink Ribbon Lip Gloss Collection, featuring four 4ml Lip Glosses in varying pops of pink: Pretty Pink Sheer Lip Gloss, Pink Tulle High Shimmer Lip Gloss, NEW Limited Edition Bright Lilac Lip Gloss and NEW Limited Edition Soiree Pink Shimmer Lip Gloss.

In support of The Estée Lauder Companies’ BCA Campaign, Bobbi Brown will donate 20% from the purchase price of this limited-edition Pretty Pink Ribbon Lip Gloss Collection to The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Available 1st October, 2014, at the Bobbi Brown Studio, selected David Jones and MYER stores, and online at bobbibrown.com.au

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Viktor & Rolf - Bon Bon Fragrance REVIEW

30ml RRP $99 | 50ml RRP $159 | 90ml RRP $199

This little baby is my first Viktor & Rolf fragrance that I have on my perfume shelf and has taken a front middle display as I am very in love. I have heard so many things about the Viktor & Rolf fragrances and to finally have one of my own and not just have a tester spray spritz from the fragrance stands in stores, I just need to contain myself now and not spray it constantly.

The scent itself is a fruity sweet smell that leaves you smelling like a delectable lolly shop - almost edible! This is the calorie free scent that will bring all that happiness and joy that comes with getting a trip to the lolly store when you were younger.

The sweet fruity smell is mandarin and orange slices - crystalized into crackling pieces of caramel wrapping succulent fruit. Peach and jasmine make an appearance in BonBon as well that bring about this paradise scent.

BonBon would be a fantastic fragrance all year round with the mix of fruit and caramel as the main features but I think if there was a season to stick to using this fragrance - I would say it's very fresh Spring scented - perfect timing!

The bottle is very unique with the bow, which stands beautifully. Bonbon's glass bottle is wrapped in a luxurious, raspberry-toned box imprinted with the scent's black bow and Viktor&Rolf's signature seal.

You often don't think about anything more then just the fragrance itself and after reading into how BonBon was made just makes me appreciate a good designed perfume bottle that much more. BonBon was handcrafted and is injected with air to form the wings and folds of the bow - this bottle took a year to get together! Can you believe that? It's just phenomenal and their work has really shown in my eyes.

BonBon is on counters in Myer & David Jones - newly added into David Jones as of this month.

Monday, 25 August 2014

Dove Invisible Dry Deodorant REVIEW

With having such sensitive skin from having dermatitis Dove has always been in my household for a very longtime to assist my skin issues so anything Dove that comes out I am always more then willing to test them out.

When I first heard about the Invisible Dry from Dove being anti-white mark I thought yes, no more white stains on my clothing - I wear a lot of black and especially in my gym tops which are mostly dark as well I hate having this obvious white patch in the armpit area at times from deodorants especially when I put on that nice black top for a blogging event and then I see marks after just putting my spray and top on... Well no more will that happen and no more white marks will ever stain these clothes!

New Invisible Dry is Dove's first anti-white mark deodorant proven to leave no marks on 100 different colours, from black to white and all colours in between. Whilst it doesn't leave any marks on clothes, it contains all the goodness of Dove including it's unique 1/4 moisturising cream, which also helps skin repair itself from the damage caused by shaving.

I wanted to see if it was true or not with spraying directly onto clothes - yes it does come out white but it fast disappears into nothing! Dove have made no lie when they have said anti-white, it's nothing short of that.

I did find that the scent of this particular deodorant was a bit strong but not in a bad way as in it was horrible smelling, it was just a lot of a scent at once.

There was no sting on my skin after shaving and applying the deodorant also which is a big up!

The packaging for this deodorant aerosol is very light weight compared to most other brands that are on the market which puts this one at an advantage for travelling and to stash into the handbag.

Dove Invisible Dry Deodorant is available in an aerosol for RRP $5.25 and Roll on for RRP $3.89

http://www.mydove.com.au/en/

Brand Focus: Spiral Foods REVIEW

A new addition to our shelves here in Australia as of June just past to be exact is Spiral Foods who have a huge range of foodie products on offer but the newest are: Spiral’s Dip & Toss Pasta Oils are as versatile as they are tasty. Available in Rosemary & Garlic, Sun Dried Tomato & Basil and Basil & Parmesan, the Dip & Toss Pasta Oils are made with fresh herbs and spices matched with premium quality cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

The options of what you can use Spiral's Dip & Toss Pasta Oils for are endless:
Stir it through fresh pasta with a dollop of tapenade, or drizzle it over a pizza for that restaurant-quality taste. For something a bit different, mix the Dip & Toss Pasta Oil with vinegar and toss through a green salad, or simply use as a dip with crusty fresh bread and watch as the bowl is wiped clean.

Green Chicken Salad with Basil & Parmesan Oil

Now for me I didn't ever have these things in my childhood and it's not until now (my early twenties) that I have come across the infused oils that can make that dish of yours extra special.

Eating crusty bread dipped in oils is definitely something different and I felt a little el' elegant having it that way but boy, oh boy was I a fan of this!

What I loved having with Spiral's Dip & Toss Pasta Oils most of all was putting it over the top of a green salad with a burger pattie! By far my favourite!

I also added some of the oils on top of our family BBQ meat a few weekends ago and this was a hit!

I was so surprised at the realness taste of the dipping oils as they really are just flavour bursting! There is no fake taste to them and they match exactly what they are! If you are looking for an oil that tells no lies, will add the utmost flavoursome taste to your meals with a quality product then Spiral's Dip & Toss Pasta is for you!

The Organic Sugos are available in three varieties: Basil & Garlic, Arrabiata and Primavera.

We all have pasta sauce in our cupboards that we keep on hand as well as a bag of pasta for those lazy easy quick whip up dinners or lunch. Trade those brands in and get your hands on Spiral Food's Organic Sugo sauces which are just out of this world!

I'm saying bye to what I currently have left in the cupboard and will be using Sugo from now on. Organic is what I try to opt for now these days with trying to be kinder on my body and provide it with as much full nourishing as I can.

Turkey mince with Slendier noodles and Primavera Sugo

Chicken with Slendier Konjac Rice and Arrabiata Sugo

The Organic Sugo pasta sauces have a the perfect size small chunks of vegetables in them that would make this enjoyable for those fussy eaters who don't want to get there veggies down raw.

Each Sugo sauce comes in a 710g jar that is placed with a luxurious cardboard piece for the label making these sauces stand out and catch your eyes.

We usually struggle to get through a full jar of the regular 600g of pasta sauce when we have pastas for dinner and this Sugo was definitely not going to waste so I made sure that I put the rest of the Sugo sauces in the freezer until the next use and it still tasted just as good!

Spiral Foods as a whole have just been a mouth watering burst of full flavour in my mouth and didn't let me down with any of their products that I trialled for this post.

Pairing Spiral’s Dip & Toss Oils with its Organic Sugos has home cooks covered for both entrée and main, bringing a flourish of flavours that are quality, fresh and versatile – truly pantry staples.

Spiral Foods believes good safe wholesome food is a basic human right. Spiral Foods is proud of its contribution to help slow the unnecessary changes that are occurring to our earth, climate and oceans. Spiral Foods continue to provide nourishment and wellbeing across the generations of people who take care about the food they eat and our earth.

www.spiralfoods.com.au

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation REVIEW

Max Factor Skin Liminizer Foundation

RRP: $33.95 - available in 6 shades.

Specifically created for women who are seeking subtle radiance and luminosity that gets their healthy-looking skin and not their foundation noticed – this innovative product delivers beautiful coverage with the added benefit of enhanced skincare properties.

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation contains an innovative swirled formula packed with subtle skin luminizers that deliver a beautiful luminous finish with added skincare benefits. The pearl pigments brighten skin tone for instant radiance while elastomers create “windows” in the skin through which light can be reflected back, creating a luminous and wide-awake effect.

One of my new favourite foundations, well actually I would probably go as far as to say it is the best foundation I have come across this year!
Max Factor have just realised a newbie under their name with releasing Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation. For me being a Mumma shortcuts are my thang and I like to be able to make my face routine as quick as possible so I can rush out the door which seems to be the normal these days.

My problem is that I tend to find my foundations will not stay all day and this would be because of my skin type issues but Max Factor just stuck to my face like glue and wouldn't allow my 'real no makeup red nose' to pop through. I was left with all day coverage that would do exactly what the point of foundation is meant to be for.

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation comes in a push top bottle for easy application.
The 'swirl' part that you can see within the bottle is the luminizer that will give you that luminious finish.
The foundation itself is very light on the skin but don't let that fool you as it's easily build able for more coverage - I use more on that areas that I don't normally brighten up.

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation has added Vitamin B & E as well as added glycerine which will moisturise our skin and help to hydrate it.

I did find that the finish of the foundation was a bit dewy/creamy and sticky though so I used some finishing/setting powder lightly on top just to soak that up and give it a flawless finish.
For me the Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation was best applied via your finger or a sponge blender as the brushes didn't seem to apply well with this foundation.

I loved the glow I was left with and leaving my skin with a luminous finish. It complimented the areas I would normally brighten well.

At the moment I sit well with the shade Beige 55 but when it comes tanning time I would definitely be a Golden 75, bring on Summer!!

Max Factor Australia Head Make-up Artist, Liz Kelsh, recommends applying Skin Luminizer foundation for a perfect luminous look; “I love that this is a buildable foundation so I can add more coverage where needed while still keeping that great lit from within radiant finish.”

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation is available now in 6 shades:
Natural 50, Bronze 80, Beige 55, Golden 75, Warm Almond 45 and Light Ivory 40.

www.maxfactor.com.au

Arbonne - Got You Covered Mineral Powder Foundation REVIEW

Got You Covered Mineral Foundation Powder

RRP $53 - available in 10 shades.

Transform your complexion to perfection. For flawless, naturally beautiful skin, try our silky-smooth, feather-light mineral powder foundation to conceal imperfections and provide buildable coverage. This “no makeup” feel formula helps prevent moisture loss and creates a shine-free finish. The innovative fabric sifter keeps the powder inside for no mess.

Got You Covered Mineral Powder Foundation is the newest on market for Arbonne.
I have always been a huge lover of mineral foundations as they are just so much nicer on your skin.
Powders I have only really used just as a setting/finishing off product for my liquid foundations but Arbonne have changed my mind on that side of it.

Arbonne's Got You Covered Mineral Powder Foundation has really 'got you covered'. It's an easily buildable coverage foundation that allows you to set the mark on how you will achieve the perfect look.
I love how mineral foundation powders just feel so much lighter on the skin as well and allow you to not feel cake faced.
Powder foundations are what I wear mostly in the summer for those hot days so my face doesn't melt off like it would with liquids.

The struggle is though with powder foundations that they don't stay all on day unfortunately so try using a light liquid foundation or even a BB/CC cream underneath that's light and then build up your coverage with the powder just to hold onto it for an all day coverage with little reapplication.

I love the packaging that the powder came in - which is something I commend Arbonne on, as there packaging has never been a disappointment when it comes to how it looks. It has the elegance thing going on and is quite luxurious with the peep hole at the bottle through the glass.
My only drama was that I had so much powder come through the lid that when I first opened up the powder and pulled back the little white pad that keeps it all behind the mesh that I ended up wasting quite a bit of it trying to get the pad off as it flew everywhere and was sitting on top of the mesh instead of underneath.

For best application of the Arbonne Got You Covered Mineral Powder Foundation I suggest using a flat round kabuki type brush to really get the powder into your skin in an even setting tone.

The put off for me is the price point of Arbonne's products but if a product really works for you and it does amazing things to your skin it's worth it, the soft flawless coverage that you get from this product would definitely make it worth the spend.

Bronze shade swatch

Something that I can't get past with most cosmetics brands is that they don't just keep the same line of shades and Arbonne are one that I can never get right with the differences of the shades. Unfortunately you can't buy Arbonne in stores so it would be hard to get the right shade without testing first.

www.arbonneinternational.com.au

Saturday, 23 August 2014

Splash Candy REVIEW

Splash Candy is a brand of confectionery who are making those special events that much easier.

For us we are getting ready to celebrate Niah's FIRST birthday! Yes, can you believe it?! Niah is turning one in 2 weeks time, it has just flown by. Candy Buffets are all the rage still, as I did for my baby shower, I will have a candy buffet for miss Niah as well - it's just a cute little way to do goodie bags for the guests and to dig into through out the time at the party.

When I was doing the candy buffet for my baby shower I had to travel about an hours away to get to a special store that stocked a large range of confectionery so I could pick out all the pink coloured things for my buffet.

Splash Candy have it all sorted into colour codes for you and are of an amazing quality and best yet - at a reasonable and decent cost!

If only I Splash Candy was around at my baby shower time when I was heavily pregnant running around after candy to fill my buffet. This would have been a short trip down the road to collect Splash Candy.

This time around - I'm going to be set with Splash Candy.

We were sent out a few packages to photograph and try out. The quality of the Splash Candy is just delicious!! I'm surprised at the price tag that is on Splash Candy products when they taste just as good as they look!!

Of course we had to get them baby approved from Miss. Niah first to see if they were up to standard for her birthday - I'm pleased to say; they passed with flying colours!

The launch collection for Splash Candy comes in six colours and nine different flavours.

Scrumptious Milk Chocolate Balls, Milk Chocolate Hearts, Choc Drops, Gumballs, Mini Jelly Beans, Sixlets, Swirl Pops, Jewels and Marshmallow Puffs come in vibrant tones of blue, white, green, pink, purple and black all individually packed by colour and flavour. You can mix and match to suit any occasion and with more colours to come, the possibilities are endless.

Create a Splash at your next party with the new Splash Candy collection. Perfect for baking, candy buffets, favours and parties, you can tailor your lolly colour to your theme. Wow your guests and add fun and excitement to any event. Splash candies not only taste delicious, they look amazing. Tones are rich, vibrant and with shimmer colours, add a touch of luxury to any creation.

Pick your footie or cricket team colours for a sports theme celebration. Choose bright pink, if ‘it’s a girl’ and powder blue for a boy baby shower, scary black for Halloween and green for St Patrick’s. Sweeten up your office reception area with a Splash Candy selection jar in your corporate colours, so your clients can leave your office with a sweet treat and a smile.

Decorate with Splash Candy, the perfect way to add colour to your baking and cake decorating. With crisp chocolate Sixlets and Choc Jewels you can create delicious and colourful treats. Bake or decorate in chocolate chip cookies, cakes or cupcakes; add to ice-cream, a trifle or Pavlova for a colourful sweet twist that the kids and adults will love.

Excite your party guests with a stunning candy buffet, beautiful cupcakes and desserts. Splash Lollies are an exciting new range that allows you to express your creativity through mixing and matching endless colour combinations and flavours of your choice. Splash Candy offers a value for money without compromising on premium quality chocolates and lollies.

With convenient pack sizes and prices ranging from $2.29 to $4.99, Splash Candy’s are an affordable must-have for any occasion. Splash Candy will be available at Spotlight, Cheap as Chips and other specialist and independent retailers across Australia from August 2014.

Don't let it stop at just having the set colours in your buffet - mix it up a little with the colours and add in straws to have a touch of difference.