Lust Have it - October 2013

So October has rolled around, which means the lovely discovery of my Lust Have It box by my front door. Now Lust have it is a subscription box that is $19.95, or special deals when you buy 3, 6 or 12 months all at once.

Back to this months box, which is the spring race carnival edition.

So what was in this months box?

Le Tan - Wash off in Bronze (Sample - 40g)
RRP - $14.99 for 100ml
So as I've said in previous posts, I'm not a huge fake-tanner. I think it's something about the commitment involved, the preparation etc. etc. and to be honest, sometimes I'm just a bit lazy about it all. However, this one by Le Tan promises to be streak free and dry in 60 seconds and washes off at the end of the day. Could be the answer the the "special event tan" without the fuss?

Paula's Choice - Oil Blotting papers (Unsure how many..?)
RRP - $10.50 for 100 sheets
Oil blotting papers are always a great hand-bag must. Whether you are fresh from the gym or suffering from an oily slick, blotting papers are great to remove the shine and oil from your face, without adding more product, like say a powder would. Interested to see how efficient these are.

Inika -  Vegan Lip Whip (Full Size)
RRP - $25.00 for 8ml
As a bit of a lip product fanatic, this will make a lovely addition to my collection. This is the promised full size Inika product and if I'm being honest, I was kind of hoping for a face bronzer/blusher. But alas, I'm still quite enjoying it all the same! It has a pleasant sort of raspberry scent, a light tint of colour and is not sticky in the least.

Klorane - Shampoo with Nettle (Sample - 25ml)
RRP - $25.00 for 11ml
I've used one of these samples before, which I received on an online order from Echemist (always make sure you stock up on their samples!). It's pleasant and has a nice herbal scent, but so far it hasn't wowed me. I have oily fine hair and this is supposed to be the product for me, so perhaps a few more uses will prove to yield some real results?

Femme Fatale - Mineral Based Eye Shadow in Masquerade (Sample)
RRP - $3.10 for 10ml 
Make-up products are always a welcome surprise in these boxes and this was no different. Creamy, pigmented and duo-chrome in nature, I'm looking forward to experimenting with this shimmery silvery hue as perhaps an inner-eye-corner highlighter and perhaps a cheek bone illuminator. Might also see what other shades they have available...

Paula's Choice - Earth Sourced Perfectly Natural Cleansing Gel (Full Size)
RRP - $26.60 for 200ml      

I'm running out of my cleansers (Michael Todd Charcoal detox cleanser and Kiehls Ultra facial cleanser), so it will be interesting to see how this works on my acne prone combination skin. I'm usually very wary about gel cleansers as I can find them quite harsh and drying on my skin and was really looking into buying a cleansing balm. However, looking on the back of the bottle it says it can be used on babies and on the eye area, so it must be gentle? Or is that a wrong assumption?



Overall I am quite impressed with this box for the variety and also inclusion of products that haven't been seen before in Lust Have it boxes. So this makes me look forward to finding out what is in next months box!


What did you receive in your box? Impressed?


Ellen Rozalia xx

**Disclaimer - As always my opinions remain entirely honest and everything mentioned in this post was purchased by my own money.

Rimmel London - Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Paint - Swatches and Review

I have a thing for cream products. Whether they are blushes, lipsticks, eyeshadows - I love them all. For me that creamy texture adds a level of luxury, I'm not sure if that's just me, or I have some odd obsession. So when I saw that Rimmel had released the Scandaleyes Eyeshadow paints, I knew I had to try them out. Unfortunately they weren't quite as excellent as I was hoping they would be and keep reading to find out why.

Claims:

From the Rimmel UK Website:

"Long wearing eyeshadow for an intense bold look Scandalous colour impact!

It’s the end of dull, subtle colour with this multi-dimensional cream shadow formula
Spatula applicator delivers high intensity coverage in one simple stroke
Waterproof & crease-proof with 8-hour wear"

Shades: 
Mercury Silver - Metallic Silver
Slate Grey - Metallic dark grey
Golden Bronze - Metallic browny gold
Rich Russet - Metallic Brown
Manganese Purple - Metallic Purple


Swatches:

In Natural Sunlight L-R with heavy swatch first and then blended out: Golden Bronze, Slate Grey, Rich Russet

So here's the run down:

Price: I purchased mine on ASOS for $9.22
Weight: 7ml
Packaging: Glass tube with doe foot applicator
Consistency: Quite a thin creamy formula
Fragrance: No notable smell
Application: Doe foot applicator applied directly to the eye and either blended with my finger or a brush
Longevity: I don't know if I have particularly oily eyelids, but these creased on me in a few hours.
Colour Range: Mediocre colour range, but in saying that they are all very wearable shades.
Finish: All metallic in finish and very smooth and easy to blend.

Overall impressions: To be honest I was a little disappointed. I know a lot of bloggers and reviews have raved about how long lasting they are, but on me I found they did crease. I was hoping they would be the Rimmel equivalent to the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's, but unfortunately for me the longevity just wasn't there, even when I did set with a powder. The only way I could get the lasting power I wanted, was with a primer. Another thing I will mention is that they aren't as opaque as I was hoping. When you initially swatch them on your hand, you get that giddy excitement of finding a pigmented product, but sadly when you blend it, so does the intensity. I found you needed around 2-3 coats to get the full impact. So while I will still use and enjoy these, they aren't quite as fantastic as I thought they would be.

Have you tried them? Did you have the same issue with longevity?



Ellen Rozalia xx


*Disclaimer: All products mentioned were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own

My latest Candle infatuation - Zen Aromas

Despite the time of year, I always enjoy a candle or two lit around the house. My favourite for the past month or so have been candles by a company "Zen Aromas". They are all hand crafted soy candles and are always bringing out new scents to tempt.

What I particularly love about these candles is how true in scent they are, how clean and pure the fragrance is. The ones I am currently loving (Left to right in opening picture) Rose, Vanilla & Cinnamon and the latest which features two separate scented layers of Vanilla & Cinnamon and then Lemongrass and Ginger.  Each candle has around 50-60 hours burn time, although I find you can just take the lid off and the scent travels around the room... They were each $15 from my stockist and you can contact them via email for inquiries - zenaromas@hotmail.com

What's your current candle love?


Ellen Rozalia xx

My Inexpensive Love : DermaVeen Shower and Bath Oil

This is a new type of blog post for me, where I thought I could showcase a particular love of mine. One that's inexpensive and exceeds my expectations, or where I think it's comparable to a higher end product. Today I'm focusing on DermaVeen Shower and Bath Oil.

Transitioning from winter to summer here in the southern hemisphere has wreaked havoc on my skin. So after a sulphate free, nourishing body wash I came across this bath and shower oil and as far as I can tell the only ingredient is Natural Colloidal Oatmeal 5% w/w.

It's a oil with small bits of oatmeal throughout that cleanses and moisturises my skin at the same time and once added to water becomes creamy, like a lot of high-end cleansing oils. Now I use this on a  shower sponge and I find the oatmeal to give that ideal amount of exfoliation without being too much. I've also found its great on the face and dissolves make-up like a dream. It has a sort of almondy smell to it and I've even created my own individual concoction by adding tea tree and lavender oil to a decantered amount of it. This was particularly luxe in a recent bath soak!

After showering your left feeling moisturised and your skin doesn't feel tight or striped like it can with many other cleansers. A huge factor for me was  I didn't want that oily feeling after, which is particularly horrible in an Australian summer, and this product doesn't do that at all.

As far as I can tell this is a new shower must have and will be on a repurchase list for as far as I can see! I purchased this from Chemist Warehouse for a bargain price of $21.39 for an entire 1L of this liquid gold.


So what's your go to shower/bath product at the moment?


Ellen Rozalia xx

NOTD

My first Nails of the Day and I'm starting off with a bold summery one. I'm wearing Sally Hansen Triple Strong as a base, Revlon Nail Enamel in 440 Siren and used the cult favourite Seche Vite as my top coat.

I was channeling Lisa Eldrige when I bought the rings I am wearing and anyone who watches her video's will understand what I mean. She's kind of a bit of a make-up artist girl crush if you know what I mean... Anyway back to the rings. The ones I have are from Julie Vos and are the Charing Cross ring in moonstone and topaz.


What are you loving on your nails today?

Ellen Rozalia xxx

Beauty blunders I've made and will never make again.

So this is the older and wiser version of myself who will never make these skincare/makeup mistakes (hopefully!) ever again.Mostly made in my teenage years when you thinking throwing things on your face will hide and eliminate all your problems.

These are the things I wish I'd told my past self (and the list probably forever grow):

1. Slapping on a clay mask on your acne prone skin everynight is too much. You are making it worse. Let your skin heal!
2.  Don't pick that spot. Squeezing the life and pus out of it doesn't make it go away any quicker. It actually spreads the bacteria further. Just don't. do. it. 
3. Oil is not your enemy.Not only are they great as cleansers, but can be very moisturising for your oily skin. It will not make your skin more oily, but actually make it less.
4. Once you start feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated.Your skin needs the moisture from inside and outside your body. 
5. You have pale skin. Don't buy that foundation in the lightest shade, even though it is still too dark and don't let the sales assistant try to tell you it adds a "healthy glow" to your skin.
6. Adding more and more bronzer to your cheeks will not make your cheeks look chiseled or your face thinner. You will have unsigntly orange stripes on the side of your face.
7. Again you're pale. The sun will only damage your skin. The best tan is a fake tan and no matter how long you spend in the sun, you will only burn, turn red and peel. There is nothing healthy about a tan.
8. Putting more and more powder on your face will not take away the shine. It will only cake and clog your pores. Learn about blotting paper and primers.
9. Laying thick foundation on your face is not the way to get flawless looking skin. Learn to pinpoint conceal and let the clear skin you have look radiant.
10. Don't let anyone try and tell you that your pale skin is weird that you'd look better with a tan. You will only end up looking like an oompa loompa (until you find one that works and is subtle)
11. Adding more and more layers to your thin hair does not give it body or make it look thicker. It looks like a mullet.
12. Don't be afraid to play with and explore makeup. Yes you will make mistakes, but there is only one way to learn what does and doesn't suit you.

Of course this is only a short list of many things I could put on there. I guess I want to know what your beauty blunders are and what you wish you'd known in your earlier years?


Ellen Rozalia xx

New YSL Forver Youth Liberator Foundation

YSL have introduced their recent foundation offering utilizing their Forever Youth Liberator Serum. So far it has had rave reviews all over YouTube and I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on it when it reaches the Australian shores. It is retailing for £34 in the UK, so based on the price difference with the Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation, UK = £29, Australia =  $78.00, it's probably going to be around the $100 mark.

On the US YSL website, it's described as being:

"Yves Saint Laurent presents a revolution in foundation: Youth Liberator Serum Foundation offers medium-to-full coverage, skin-firming benefits, as well as 24-hour hydration and SPF 20 coverage.

The anti-aging foundation is infused with Yves Saint Laurent's award-winning Forever Youth Liberator Serum. Youth Liberator Serum Foundation combines all-day, non-stop hydrating properties to smooth and nourish the skin with the patented Color Tune-Up Complex to correct dullness, giving you a newer, brighter complexion.

From fair to dark complexions, Youth Liberator Serum Foundation corrects, unifies and evens all skin tones for an instantly younger appearance."

After seeing this review by FleurDeForce, I know already I'm going to want to invest in this foundation.....

Will you be investing in this foundation? Any new products you are looking forward to?


Ellen Rozalia xx