Sunday, October 25, 2015

THE DOLL CONNECTION


~  The Doll Connection  ~
Blogger/Vlogger Event
#thedollconnection

Blogger events in Australia seem to be growing as the world of beauty, fashion & lifestyle
blogging and vlogging grow at a rapid rate. Since beginning my Youtube channel way back in
2010 I have seen the handful of #beautyguru's expand from what only felt like the US in the 
beginning to now having quite a few big names right here at home in Oz.

The Doll Connection was held here in Brisbane yesterday on the 24th of October at The Stock
Exchange Hotel in the city which I had never been before and was also very keen to head from the
south side over to the city for the day as I don't often get the chance to and I LOVE THE CITY! :)

Since this was my first time attending a blogger event and not ever having met any of the other 
beauties attending in real life my anxiety was on a high note but I still really wanted to go to network
and meet many of the beautiful and talented ladies whom I have connected with online, but never in
the flesh. So a big massive 'Thank you!' goes out to my fellow blogging sis who agreed to come along
to keep me company and she said she ended up having a great time and she even won a prize! (A 
huge basket of goodies from Harvest Garden!).
Me & my sis! #besties

My sister's generous gift basket of goodies she won from The Harvest Garden!

The brands who attended the event included - 
V10 Plus, Wardrobe Warriors, Arbonne, BotanicES, The Harvest Garden, Sunsense, Cocosun.....
The ladies from Cocosun!                                       Me with the gorgeous Rhiannon from Arbonne!

Additional brands/companies who donated product for goodie bags/prizes included -
Lush, Benefit Cosmetics, Tanezze Australia, Mr.Blanc, Hydralyte, Summer Salt Body, Kosmea
Australia, Beginning Boutique, Plunkett, Eye Of Horus, Scunci, VS Sassoon, Furless, People For 
Plants, Sukin, Apollo's Day Spa, NYX, Rimmel London, People For Plants, Pukka Teas....

So many amazing companies to meet, learn about and try their products! 
I was especially excited to actually meet the lovely people from both BotanicES & The Harvest
Garden to whom I have recently been working with. :)
Meeting the very lovely Christelle from BotanicES!           The Harvest Garden's delicious display!

I feel so lucky with the gigantic goodie bag and all the goodies we received!
Here is a pic of everything I lugged back to the car with me!
Goodie bag haul video coming soon! :)

I was lucky enough to win a few super fun prizes as well! :)

And of course getting out of my comfort zone (I am naturally very shy!) and making sure I made
a big effort to meet, chat and take selfies with as many attendees as possible. Unfortunitely I didn't 
get pix with everyone I met (next time!) and I cannot wait to catch up with so many of them again!
From top left to bottom right - Celiaspainmua, Rachelleea, DaniTheGirl_xo,
BrittanyJones, Kels_Sarah, Pynkbunnyy & A Bella Adventure!

Have you ever attended a blogger/vlogger event?
Were you at The Doll Connection yesterday?        

Let's follow each other! 

*These products were gifts from The.Doll.Connection blogger/vlogger event
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

Thursday, October 22, 2015

SEPTEMBER EMPTIES


~  September Empties!  ~
---------

Previous -> August / July / June / May / April / March / February / January

Better late than never, welcome to my September Emtpties....even though it's half way through
October, what?! Gosh another month has completely escaped me! I seriously need to get me a time
machine or one that stands time still. My life is crayzay!

Randoms!

Nivea Pure Invisible 48hr Deodorant (Buy!) - Pretty awesome stuff. Sprays on dry and not powdery.
Great price over most others. Would def buy again!
Woolies Select Nail Polish Remover - Not fussed so long as it does the job and this does just that.
Great cheapie! Def buy again, however have tried the other variations in the green and I think it's
blue or yellow bottles? Can't tell the difference, they all feel/do the same to me.
Clever White Dissolving Whitening Strips - FINALLY finished the box! Yay! Goal reached! haha!
If you've been following my empties over the past few month then you'd know how I feel about 
these. I would highly recommend checking out PureSmile products instead. :) 

Hair!

Pantene Ice Shine Shampoo (Buy!) - Reviewed this ages ago and finally got around to finishing
the bottle! Woohoo! Onto the next! This was a pretty good one for Pantene I have to say. Make a 
nice difference to my overall hair's look. 
TRESemme' Split Remedy Conditioner (Buy!) - After finishing up the matching shampoo last month
I finally caught up and finished off the conditioner this month! This stuff is great if you have trouble
with split ends. I honestly had them really bad and now they are completely gone. I feel like using 
this as well as having regular trims really helped! (Review!)
Suigo Shampoo & Conditioner - Sadly I didn't get a whole lot of use out of these sample size
bottles which were sent to me for review. However I did like them and after two washes my 
hair felt pretty spectacular! (Buy!)

Cleansers!

Frangipani w/Jojoba Oil Body Wash - A random from a gift pack I was given for I think either
Christmas or my birthday? Was a pretty pink shade and bubbled up nicely smelling oh so yum!
Dove Pink Beauty Cream Bar Soap - Loved the change from white to pink with this soap I have
used a million times before. My 4yr old daughter also is a fan. :) 

Moisturisers!

Britney Spears Curious Body Souffle - An old favourite but time to say good bye. I am still
working my way through my massive batch of moisturisers being very strict with myself and
making sure I lather up top to toe every single day! I think I am beginning to see some space in
my bathroom. Miracle! (Buy!
Frangipani Moisturising Lotion - I am not sure of the brand of this but it was super duper nice!
Smelt exactly like a Frangipani tree (Bliss!) and was shimmery like fairy wings. Just my style! ;)

Samples!

Vagisil Intimate Wash 
Vagisil Wipe
The Body Shop x2
Revlon Photo Ready Prime + Anti Shine
ModelCo Double Sided Facial Wipes (Buy!)
Virtual Illusion Makeup Primer
Maskd The Green Mask

How do you go with de-stashing your stash?
Do you tend to hoard or use your samples quickly?           

Let's follow each other! 

*Some of these products may have been kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

Monday, October 19, 2015

OPI VENICE


~  OPI  ~

Venice Mini Collection!


What a breath taking experience it would be to wander the cobble stone streets getting lost amongst
the grand historic buildings vastly rich in overflowing history. Venice is a place I have always wanted
to visit. Traveling the globe at this time in my life is just not a luxury that I can see happening any
time soon. So in the meantime indulging in inspiring designs in beauty from places around the
world such as this Fall/Winter mini collection from OPI, I can feel a small connection to the
place with a hint of glamour and a lot of beauty.

Swatched below from top left to bottom right are the shades which I will speak a little about each
below.  

Amore At The Grand Canal
This classic bold red has me feeling like a royal tourist in my Venice daydreams.
This is such a rich shade which I found to be slightly darker than OPI's iconic 'Red' shade.
Loving this one for anytime of the day, night, season or occasion.

Worth A Pretty Penne
You know how I love my shimmer and this shade to me looks like a mix of glitzy rose gold copper.
It is simply gorgeous and definitely my favourite of the four. It goes with everything!

My Gondola Or Yours?
The fashionable black has me feeling mysterious and vampy. Reminds me of Angelina Jolie in the
movie 'The Tourist' with Johnny Depp. If you haven't seen that movie I highly recommend doing so.
It's shot in Venice and those two are a strangely perfect match in my opinion and two of my absolute
fav actors of all time!

A Great Opera-Tunity
Honestly, not my favourite colour nor one I would go for. The pale peachy hue just doesn't do enough
for me. I much prefer bright bolds, timeless natural classics and shimmer/glitters. I just found this 
shade a little boring. But great for those who like very subtle or nude nails which don't draw any
attention.


You can find this collection currently at Myer, David Jones, selected pharmacies and stores for a
RRP - $24.95 (Buy!)
           

Let's follow each other! 

*This product was kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

Sunday, October 18, 2015

PURE SMILE


~  Pure Smile  ~

PureSmile Teeth Whitening & Cleaning Foam - $39.00

Teeth, the only bones in our body which we actually see. Pretty gross when you think about it like
that isn't it? But why, oh why can't they just grow in the right place and stay perfect forever? I know 
I could have had it a whole lot worse, however I feel as though I am never quite happy with my teeth.

I have been lucky enough not to ever need a filling. I did get a cavity in one of my wisdom teeth
which I quickly booked in to get removed as it was giving me hell some years ago. I wore braces
(That's a whole other crazy story!) in my early teens for two whole years and when all that metal 
finally left my mouth I remember it feeling very, very weird but oh so good! My teeth were the
straightest they have ever been and seemed to be very white as well. Over time, becoming an adult,
working stupid long hours and discovering caffeine, my teeth have paid the price. I have cut back
considerably over the past few years however nothing seems to be able to get them back to that
youthful looking healthy white shade I crave. (More than caramel iced mocha complete with cream
and rainbow sprinkles!)

Needless to say I jumped at the chance to try something new which promised to make a vast
improvement. You may or may not have seen PureSmile concept stores set up in your local 
shopping centre where you can go and get your teeth professionally whitened in your lunch break
for an incredibly affordable price. This trusted brand also helps you keep your teeth looking as bright
as possible with their range of teeth whitening products including their Teeth Whitening Pen, Enamel
Booster and Teeth Whitening & Cleaning Foam.

This foam if safe to use twice daily and is recommended by dentists. Unlike your regular mouth
wash, instead of swishing a cap full around in your mouth for 30 seconds and then spitting and
rinsing. The way to use this foam is a little different and unexpected. 

To use, use to pump to express the foam directly onto your toothbrush and then, well, brush!
Once done, spit out the excess and DO NOT RINSE! Be sure not to eat or drink for at least 
15 minutes afterwards and then you're good to go!

Here are my results after using for 6 weeks.
                                                          Before                                                                 After       

I tried to get the same kind of lighting in each pic smiling the same. Hopefully you can see some
kind of difference here. In real life I can definitely see a change of at least a few shades whiter!

How do you keep your teeth looking nice & bright?           

Let's follow each other! 

*This product was kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

PLAYBOY


~  PLAYBOY  ~

Play It Wild

http://www.playboyfragrances.com

There is nothing like a fresh brand new scent to begin a new season and since Spring has sprung
this is the one I have been using. 

I spent my early 20's addicted to watching the Playboy 'Girls Next Door' series and fell in love with
the fun loving Holly, Bridget & Kendra. Although they lived a lifestyle I would never get into, they
always seemed to have so much fun and make the most of every opportunity which in some way 
inspired me to try to shake off the stress and pressure of my own everyday life at the time and live in 
the moment and focus on the brighter side of life.


This fragrance not only looks oh so cuuute with it's lil pink bow and crazy leopard print. The scent
will have you wanting more! However targeted for the younger consumer, I feel this scent could 
quite possibly appeal to all ages with the mix including violet, zesty orange, neroli, pear, dry amber 
and my personal favourite, VANILLA! Yum!

This generous size 75ml glass bunny eared bottle is available to purchase from Chemist Warehouse,
Priceline as well as other leading pharmacies & selected retailers.

Currently just $14.95! (Buy!)


What fragrance are you loving for Spring?

Let's follow each other! 

*This product was kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

Monday, October 5, 2015

BOE PROFESSIONAL


~  Boe Professional  ~

Makeup Basic Essential Recommendations!

http://www.boeprofessional.com.au

Jumbo Eyeliner & Sharpener in 'Chocolate'
Over the past few years since I mastered the technique of applying liquid eyeliner to look half decent 
on my eyes I have rarely gone back into my drawer to reach for my neglected pencil liners as I don't 
find them as easy to apply. Most are either barely pigmented or you have to press much harder than I
care to do around my delicate eye area to even get any kind of effect and even then unless you try to 
smoke it out, it doesn't seem to look right. However this jumbo eyeliner has me going back and 
forward between the liquid and the pencil again because this one actually does what I want it to.

The formulation is soft enough to work with so I am not digging at my eye with a dark point. It is
still firm enough not to be messy and it smudges out like a dream. I have been wearing this as my
everyday liner for the day time and leaving the bold black liquid just for nights out or special 
occasions or events where a more dressy look is required.

Also available in 'Black'.

Big Kiss Lip Gloss in 'Glimmer'
I was a little surprised by the giant size of this gloss want initially. However I have found it to be a 
great applicator as it gives the perfect amount of product with just one swipe without having to go in
and out of the bottle several times to achieve ample quantity. 

The shade of this gloss is also a definite must have of mine as I just love having pink glossy lips!
My lips tend to look pretty lifeless nude so I am loving the vibrant tint this gloss has which I am
finding companies are doing more and more these days. The time of the barely there, clear glosses
are pretty much history! Bring on the bold and bright colours I say!

Other shades available include - Majestic, Crystelle & Manhattan.

3D Diamond Finish Lipstick in 'Princess'
This shade of perfect pink is probably my go-to shade no matter what the brand happens to be. I 
always reach for and am drawn to 'Barbie' pinks just like this one and you'll almost always find this
one in my handbag or makeup bag! 

The formula of this lippie is up there with the best! It's smooth and creamy and applies effortlessly.
The pigmentation as you can see by my swatch below also speaks of it's beautiful quality. There is a
pink of shimmer throughout which isn't hugely apparent when you're wearing it on your lips. For the
bargain price, I recommend check out Boe Professional's range of these 3D Diamond Lipsticks as 
their colour range consists of a brilliant array of must have basic shades including - Allure, Venus,
Mystique, Passion & Shiraz.

To make this lippie last all day it is recommended to apply a touch of Boe Professional's High
Definition Finishing Powder before applying which works a treat! You can catch my review on
this must have for your makeup bag here! :) 

Colour Pro Nail Enamel in 'Femme'
This dark berry shade screams Autumn/Winter teamed with jeans or leggings and over sized jumpers
and your favourite worn in boots. Even though I have rarely been seen without this shade on my
nails this past season, coming into Spring and Summer I can still see myself reaching for this as I
love wearing deep berry shades whenever I am wearing lighter clothing especially white which I have
been obsessed with lately and the contrast the two give is so chic, classy and to me just looks super
put together, even if I am so definitely not!

Other shades available include - Angelic, Belle, Lola, Jordy, Tuscany, Capella & Asteria.

You can find Boe Professional products including these and many more available to purchase
exclusively in Australia from Big W. Check out the whole range here!

Let's follow each other! 

*These products were kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

Sunday, October 4, 2015

ABFE


~ Australian Bush Flower Essences  ~

Love System

Purifying Cream Cleanser


Forever a beauty blogger, forever trying new cleansers and I have to say since delving into this
Aussie brand and trying out a variety of their different products throughout this year I was very
excited to try this particular facial cleanser since I have tried their Face Wash Serum which was 
pretty impressive I have to say! You can read all about my experience with that one here. :)

In the meantime here is my review on the Purifying Cream Cleanser!

Containing a very unique blend of 87% certified organic ingredients all from native Australian
bush flowers including - Angelsword, Billy Goat Plum, Bottlebrush, Bush Iris, Five Corners, Flannel
Flower & Fringed Violet this refreshing blend smells almost citrus and feels more like a serum as it
does not lather or bubble up when I used it with water to cleanse my face. However the light white
formula is very gentle and feels very uplifting and energising to use and it seems to do a great job at
removing excess dirt and oil after a long day, especially when I have been out in the garden a lot with
my kids lately getting into the dirt and sandpit. When you're playing with kids, that stuff gets all over
the place! Am I right fellow Mummies?


My skin appears much clearer and renewed directly after cleansing and you really only need to use 
one pump from the 50ml bottle to get the job done. Well worth the $22.95 as I am sure this is going to
last me many more months. 50ml is a really great travel size too. I am so happy to add this ABFE 
product to me collection. Using this in conjunction with my Intensive Eye Serum and Uplifting Body
Lotion is a triple treat and it feels awesome using all Australian products.


Do you have a favourite Aussie flower or bush flower/plant?

Check out the whole entire Love System range here

Let's follow each other! 

*This product was kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own

Saturday, October 3, 2015

NATURAL SOAP


~  HARVEST GARDEN  ~

Cold Pressed Soaps!



 Honey & Oatmeal 
Out of all of these four soaps I have been using from Harvest Garden I am beginning with this one
here because it just happens to be my fav. I have always been a massive fan of honey scented
products and I am particularly fond of using soaps which contain them for not only the gorgeous
smell but also all of the amazing benefits it provides to your skin including, moisturising, healing,
calming and even reducing pore size! (Yes please!). The added oatmeal in this soap gently exfoliates
the skin, together with the honey this simple, effective duo is so effective yet still so gentle it is even
suitable for use on both babies and older skin types. Can be used both as a body and/or facial cleanser.

Ingredients include - Sweet Almond Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Coconut Oil,
Beeswax, Lye, Ground Oatmeal & Honey. All 100% Natural and NO PALM OIL! 130gm - $7.00


Lavender with Washed Australian Blue Clay 
Even though Lavender has never been my first choice of fragrance, I cannot deny the absolute
beneficial gifts the scent of Lavender gives to my overall wellbeing and state of mind.
Not a topic I like to openly share and delve into being that I try really hard to keep on the positive
and optimistic side of life, I do however suffer like most from stress and anxiety every single day so
to indulge in a beautiful Aussie luxe cold pressed soap like this one containing the very ingredient
which helps to ease these feelings is one I have leaned to appreciate and embrace. FYI - Lavender is
also great for sufferers of depression, insomnia, headaches, digestive issues and skin problems such
as inflammation.

Ingredients include -Sweet Almond Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Coconut
Oil, Washed Australian Blue Clay & Lavender Essential Oils. 130gm - $7.00

Lemongrass Olive Leaf Extract & Ground Flaxseed with Turmeric 
This is a soap both the hubby and I have been sharing as it contains ingredients which benefit us both
in different ways. He loves the scent of Lemongrass, however I am more impressed by it's skin and
muscle toning abilities. I don't exactly have the time to take to go the the gym or exercise, so I am
more than happy to have a little helping hand to make my skin more toned by nature and by doing
it my way. i.e Taking a shower, rather than hitting the gym. :)

My husband suffers from quite a bit of muscular pain and the Lemongrass in this soap has been great
at easing a bit of the pain. That together with the Olive Leaf Extract, Ground Flaxseed & Turmeric
which also have a ton of great skin and body benefits including cellular regeneration, anti-inflamitary,
and healing properties. The aroma this soap also gives is absolutely divine and fills my whole bathroom with a magical relaxing scent. 130gm - $7.00 

Rose Geranium, Patchouli & Lavender with Australian Red Clay 
I can honestly not recommend checking out these Harvest Garden soaps enough. Really, there is
a soap (or several in my case) to suit everyone and their skin type, concerns and needs. I have found
great benefits in all four I have been using here and I love the thought of my soap not just cleansing
my body but also doing a number of other things which are helpful, nourishing and healthy for my
body. This particular blend of Rose Geranium Patchouli, Lavender, Australian Red Clay, Sweet
Almond Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Coconut Oil, Lye & Beeswax also smalls
so incredibly pretty, lathers up beautifully and has a calming, relaxing and uplifting effect from the
Rose Geranium and Lavender as well as aiding in skin renewal and healing bruises, burns, sunburnt
skin, varicose veins (god I hate those things, got loads of those), broken capillaries, stretch marks,
rosacea and even those who have had chemo-therapy, the Australian Red Clay is said to be rich in
iron and essential minerals which have been used for centuries to aid in regenerating new and healthy
skin! Amazing, I am so glad to have learnt and benefited so much from this simple, complex soap!

Highly recommended! Might be a good idea to check out the whole range and make a list for loved
ones for Christmas gifts since the season seems to be creeping up on us again so quickly! You're
sure to find something special and for the bargain price, these are definitely worth it! 130gm - $7.00


Other delicious Harvest Garden soaps available include -
Ground Coffee & Salt
Lavender & Patchouli with Zeolite Clay
Lavender with Kaolin White Clay
Peppermint, Green Clay & Pumice
Rose Geranium & Australian Pink Clay
Sweet Orange & Cinnamon with Saffron
Sweet Orange & Cinnamon with Yellow Clay & Calendula Petals
Sweet Orange & Lavender with Almond Meal & Pink Clay
Sweet Orange, Lemongrass & Lavender with Poppy Seeds

Which of these Harvest Garden Cold Pressed Soaps sound the most beneficial to you personally?

Check out Harvest Garden and their huge range of products available to purchase directly from
their website right here! :)

Let's follow each other! 

*These products were kindly sent to me for consideration/review. 
*All photographs & opinions are all 100% honest & all my own