January 2019 Empties

January 2019 was a busy month of body and skincare usage! I am going to structure this post slightly differently this time, introducing the things I love and why and things I did not love and why. 

Lets start with things I love and why…

• Sukin Signature Cream Cleanser

I use this daily, mostly during my morning routine but also to remove my makeup at night.  It’s very gentle, your skin feels cleansed but does not feel tight or overly clean. It doesn’t irritate the skin either or break me out. I am onto my 3rd bottle already.

• Nivea Hand Cream Nourishing Care

I use hand cream all day long and I also incorporate the use during my night-time routine so I get through a lot of them! I love the packaging of this, it’s an easy squeeze tube. If you like a traditional Nivea scent then you will enjoy this one, it feels thicker than other hand creams but equally absorbs fantastically into the skin.

• Pantene Foam Conditioner

Yes, you read it correctly…foam conditioner. The conditioner has a mousse like texture and melts into the hair. It’s very light, lighter than your traditional conditioner but it provides just the right amount of conditioning to the hair.  The idea around this conditioner is that it’s not meant to weight hair down, so for weak or thinning hair this product would be a winner.

• Too Faced Sweet Peach lip oil gloss

I got a sample of this from a previous Mecca Cosmetica beauty loop box and boy was I in for a fabulous surprise. When you open this gloss you get a whiff of sweet peaches, I just love it so much. It provides the most perfect pink tint to your lips and a glossy finish. It is not sticky and wears perfectly.

Things I did not love and why…

• Grown Alchemist Hand Cream

This rating is purely based on the packing…and as you can see in the picture its had better days. I thought it would be a nice hand cream to have on my desk at work or my hand bag for those moments of needed rescuing but it seems carrying a metal foiled tube in a hand bag is not a great idea. Near the end of the product I found it unbearable to squeeze the product out. The cream however is nice and has the scent of a spicey rose, with oud notes. It absorbs perfectly into the skin and provides adequate hydration.

• John Frieda Volume Shampoo and Conditioner

I only had a sample of the shampoo and conditioner, so I did not give it a real go as such. However my experience from the start was not a success. The shampoo and conditioner had a medicated scent which I did not expect, and the conditioner threw me off as it was a gel texture. The conditioner did not provide enough hydration to my hair. Not a winner at all!

• Glow Lab Facial Serum

This serum didn’t do much…it felt slightly watery and grippy which I didn’t like. Not much else to say about this product other than I didn’t like it.

That wraps up the month of January!

Happy Shopping

Zorica X

 

Skincare Trends 2019

Let’s dive into my favourite  skincare trends for 2019! 

Dr Barbara STRUM Anti-Pollution Drops

Memobottle A5

BKR Spiked Prenup 500 ml bottle

Dr JART+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Correcting Treatment

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Ampoules

1. Skincare ampoules

Why ampoules you ask? They provide an individually packed home for the serum to remain airtight keeping the product fresher. The packaging is purposeful for ingredients such as vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, which is often in a highly concentrated form.

Check out some of the brands below for examples of ampoules skincare

• Dr Barbara STRUM hyaluronic ampoules $252 AUS Mecca Cosmetica
• Estee Lauder advanced night repair intensive recovery ampoules $168 AUS Myer
• Loreal Revitalift Hyaluronic acid ampoules (Coming soon February 2019)

2. Skin healing solutions

With the increasing rise in the use of retinol and chemical peels, skin  healing solutions have been in high demand. A skin healing solution aims to reduce redness, calm irritated skin and bring it back to a state of equilibrium. Skin healing solutions can also be used when breakouts are present, as it will reduce the redness of the blemishes.

Here are a couple of my personal faves

• Dr Jart+ Cicapair Calming Mask $33 AUD Sephora
• Dr Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment

3. Less is more

In 2019 we are moving away from complex skin care routines that have been adopted from our Korean counterparts. Instead we are heading towards skincare routines with minimal steps and simple processes that anyone could pick up and take on. It also means less clutter on your vanities ladies and gents (Marie Kondo would be proud).

Malin + Goetz is a brand that aims for simplicity and effectiveness, try the Malin + Goetz Skincare Essentials kit $146 AUD avaliable at Mecca Cosmetica.

4. Hydration comes from within

This point is not specifically about skincare but more along the lines of holistic beauty routines. Have you noticed your local beauty supply store selling things such as fashionable water bottles? If you haven’t you will now, 2019 will apply more focus on holistic beauty. It is good practice to stick to a skincare routine, but its become increasingly important to include a well balanced diet, lots of water and exercise. Beauty supply stores are following the tread and selling sexy water bottles to try and make drinking H20 fashionable.

• BKR Spiked Prenup Water bottle $66 AUD Mecca Cosmetica
• Memobottle A5 Water bottle clear $49 AUD RunFaster

4. Let’s combat effects of pollution & technology 

We all know that UV light exposure leads to an increased acceleration of wrinkles and skin damage, so we protect ourselves by applying SPF religiously and staying indoors during the hottest parts of the day. We live in a urbanised society, with that brings more frequent exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5). Some cities in the world are worse than others for example Shanghai monitors live PM2.5 readings which are consistently rated as ‘unhealthy’ and in the read zone.

Blue light aka high definition visable light (HEV) is present in the daylight but also sourced from computer screens, TVs, ipads and smart phones.  There are research outcomes that conclude that frequent exposure to blue light can lead to hyper pigmentation and premature ageing.

Below are some highly recommended products to combat pollution & technology:

• Dr Barabara STRUM anti pollution and digital drops $212 Mecca Cosmetica
• NIVEA urban skin defence day cream $12.99 Priceline
• Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi anti-pollution sunshine drops $52 Mecca Cosmetica

All prices listed are in Australian Dollars

I am excited to see what else there is in store for 2019.

Happy Shopping

Zorica X

December 2018 Empties

December 2018 Empties

December 2018 was an odd month, coupled with a super busy time at work leading up to Christmas and then having two weeks off where you forget what day it is and everything just becomes a blur of zero routine. With that being said it was a slow month of the ‘big ticket’ items in regards to empties.

Jurlique Purity Specialist treatment mask 100ml

This mask contains kaolin clay to draw out skin impurities, it has small micro beads in it after 10 minutes using warm water rub in the mask for extra exfoliation. It makes your skin feel fresh when you put it on as it contains peppermint oil, the scent is not over powering but I personally found it relaxing. The mask is a very gentle way to exfoliate your skin, but also remove impurities caused by clogged pores, dead skin cells and pollution. I liked this mask overall, the price is on the expensive size ($85.00 Aus) however I got multiple uses out of it. The tube style is perfect, reduces contamination and easy to use/less mess.

Etude House Manuka Honey Sheet face mask

I got a loads of these masks from Etude House in Thailand (Loved that store!!). This mask has a scent of warmed honey on a summers day, it was blissful. The mask provided hydration to the skin, but again it wasn’t anything spectacular apart from the original scent.

7th Heaven Dead Sea Mud mask

I’ve used this mask before, its a purifying mask that helps keep acne at bay. I tend to get hormonal breakouts and I find that this mask really helps a lot. It drys hard and after washing it off with warm water your skin feels clean and refreshed. I didn’t like the packaging as I found that after I opened it up and used it once you could not re-seal it which would leading to it eventually drying up prematurely.

Skin Physics 3D Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, Superlift

This mask is one of 4 in the pack, it has a larger sheet surface area so it comes right down to your neck. After using it for 10 minutes your skin feels more hydrated and smoother, but I also didn’t find anything too miraculous about it.

Skin Physics Dragon’s Blood Soothing Gel Mask

The sheet itself is made out a gel consistency, I actually didn’t love this mask there was nothing notable about it to mention and I felt like I had to keep pulling it up back on my face which was super annoying.

Glow Lab Facial Moisturiser

The consistency of the cream is slightly watery, like a gripy type consistency which I did not like. It doesn’t have a strong scent or strong moisturising properties. It didn’t break me out which was a plus, but other than that it was quite ordinary.

Skin Republic Collagen Hydrogel eye patch

I have spoken about this particular product in my October 2018 empties, still a fave!

Beauty Blender Solid soap sponge and brush cleaner

Perfect, perfect perfect. It is by far the most superior way to clean your beauty blender and restore it to its original state. I only use it for my beauty blenders. I love that it comes with a small plastic holder for the soap.

Anastasia Beverley Hills Eyebrow pomade (Medium Brown)

My every-day go to make up product, it revolutionised my entire makeup routine. It is extremely easy to use, and a little bit of product goes a long way.

StarSkin Plumping and Hydrating gel lip mask

This was terrible!!! I found it did absolutely nothing for my lips, it did not hydrate them or plump them!

Philosophy Microdelivery Peel Kit

This is a two step process that contains salcylic acid activator and a Vitamin C/Peptide resurfacing crystal. You mix both together and it foams up into a paste that you apply on your face and  wait 3 minutes before you wash it off. You get a warming sensation to your face when its on and once you wash it off its like a light bulb turns on, on your face. I couldn’t believe how much it brightened my complexion.

Moroccan oil volumising hair shampoo and conditioner

As these were small samples, I couldn’t say for sure that I noticed a dramatic difference to the volume of my hair. What I did notice was that I had far less fly aways, and my hair was so much more shiner.

Final Verdict: Which empties I would re-purchase and why?

• Philosphy microdelivery peel kit-perfect for that party part y face routine as you get instant results!
• Beautyblender sponge and brush cleaner-I haven’t found any other product more superior in cleaning my beauty blender so this re-purchase is a must.
• Anastasia Beverley Hills dip brow pomade-I literally already have a back up in my kit 🙂

Happy shopping

Zorica X

ASOS 2018 Face & Body Advent Calendar

2018 was my second year purchasing the ASOS beauty advent calendar. I was so impressed with the selection of products in 2017, and for the price I decided to re-purchase the 2018 edition.

In 2018 there was a slightly different spin to the products, it was re-marketed to include both face and body products. There was a mix of facial products and body products, this year I noticed a lot more illuminating body lotions included.

The picture above contains everything but a small little sample of the Clinque moisture surge, even though I counted twice I forgot the little guy!

A full product listing is below:

• Sand & Sky Pink Clay Mask
• J.ONE Jelly Pack 5ml
• GLAMGLOW Glowstarter Nude Glow 7ml
• 111Skin Rose Gold Mask
• Spectrum Collections makeup Sponge
• Benefit Hoola Lite 2.5g
• Clinique Moisture Surge 7ml
• Bobbi Brown Mascara
• Rodial Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel 15ml
• Coco & Eve Like A Virgin Hair Mask 15ml
• Ameliorate Transforming Body Lotion 50ml
• Skyn Iceland Hydrogel Cooling Eye Gels (1 pair)
• Alpha H Clear Skin Daily Face Wash 30ml
• Carmex Lip Balm
• INCredible You Glow Girl Highlighter
• Dr Jart Cicapair
• First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser 23.8g
• MAC Strobe Cream 5ml
• BOD Mermaid Shimmer Sorbet
• ASOS Design Lipstick (Sturdy)
• Caudalie Micellar Water 50ml
• Luxie Small Contouring Makeup Brush 512
• Aloe 99 Soothing Gel
• Iconic London Illuminator (Blush)

Overall I enjoyed the selection of products in 2018, I haven’t had a chance to sample everything but my favourites so far include:

1. ASOS design lipstick (Pigment, and very comfortable to wear)
2. DR Jart Cicpair (A green tinged cream to assist with redness colour correction)
3. BOD Mermaid shimmer sorbet (A beautifully scented body cream with a  pearlescent sheen)
4. Carmex lipcalm (My OG fave)
5. Glamglow nudeglow glow starter (Beautiful luminescent cream used as a make up primer)

The total price of the calendar was $110.00 (Australian Dollars) and it was totally worth it.

Looking forward to 2019!

Happy Shopping

Zorica X

November Empties

November 2018 Empties

 

I am on a mission to #shopmystash and get through my skincare. I have numerous sample and full sized products that I have catalogued in my beauty room and I progressively go through my storage area and see what I can grab and use for a few weeks.

Nip&Fab Daily Glycolic Fix Cleansing pads

I love these so much they have been a part of my beauty routine for years. After cleansing you wipe a pad all over your face followed by applying moisturiser. They work by gently resurfacing  and re-texturing your skin (Contain 2.8% glycolic acid concentration) while locking in moisture with the hylauronic acid.

Nip&Fab Extreme Night Fix Cleansing pads 

The night fix Extreme pads work in a similar the same way, but contain a higher concentration of glycolic acid (5%) and contain salicylic acid and lactic acid which help in combating breakouts which I tend to suffer from sometimes. The only difference between the two is that you can’t use the night fix pads everyday, you can use it up to 3 days in a row and then need to give the skin a break.

Sukin oil balancing purifying facial moisturiser

It was lovely, the texture wasn’t too heavy and it absorbed into the skin perfectly. In regards to the claims about oil balancing, I personally did not see a difference in this aspect. What it did do however is not break me out which is a plus.

Glow Lab Night Cream

I had a small sample of this cream, it had a souffle texture which was nice and lightly scented. It provided a heavier hydration which is something I would only appreciate and at night. It wasn’t anything spectacular so I wouldn’t repurchase.

Glow Lab Cream Cleanser

I loved this cleanser so much its such a shame they discontinued it. It smelled so heavenly, it has jojoba oil in it and other essential oils. It cleansed my face perfectly each time and it felt like a luxury using it every morning.

Olay Total Effects Foaming Cleanser

I received this product in a gift with purchase. I am not normally a go to Olay gal. I used it mostly in the shower when I was too lazy to take my make up off with other means. It has a soapy scent, it was a nice cleanser but sometimes I felt that my skin felt tight and drier after I used it.

Crab Tree & Evelyn Evelyn Rose Hand cream

What a beautiful hand-cream!! It was so hydrating and the scent was so fresh and lovely. I enjoyed this small version that I could pop in my hand bag on the go.

Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots

I suffer from blemishes from time to time, so often my beauty regime needs to cater for this. The concept is that the clear dot is applied directly on a blemish forming and you go to sleep and wake up to less of a blemish. I finished them all but I can’t say I saw a huge difference each time…maybe my expectations were too high? Regarding blemishes that were not yet erupted it worked well to keep them from getting worse but those that were already on the surface, I found it did not do much for me.

Mecca Cosmetica Clean Slate Make up Remover

I got this full sized product for my birthday with the beauty loop entitlements and boy was I pleased! It had a light and fresh rose scent which was divine, and I can defiantly agree that it provided me with a clean slate after removing the days makeup. My skin did not feel tacky or sticky afterwards, it did not dry my skin out either which I loved.

Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face 50+ SunScreen and Face perfecter

I love love love this! I use it everyday before I put my make up on in the mornings. Not only is it a perfect amount of sun protection, it is also a divine cream. Its very hydrating and sits perfectly under your makeup and doesn’t interact with it during the day.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Serum

Fresh products are amazing, I enjoy them a lot. This serum was beautiful but I did not use it long enough to see the effects over time.

Jurlique Signature Eye Cream 

Jurlique have released a new signature face range, so I grabbed a few samples of the range to try, The eye cream is lovely and different from the others, it was textured more as a cream rather than a gel which I actually liked better. It absorbed into my skin really well and my make up would go on perfectly when I used it.

Skin Republic Hylauronic Acid and Collagen Face Sheet Mask

I love love love this mask. I tend to pick up a few during sales at Priceline or Woolworths and have a on-going stock at home.  It provides me with perfectly hydrated skin after use, very supple and my make up applies so evenly afterwards.

Skin Republic Collagen Hydrogel under eye patch

These patches are interesting, they feel like a gel and you pop them under your eye for 30 minutes. What I love about them is that they do not slide off, which I hate the most when other eye masks do so. They reduce puffiness under my eye and I get a sense of cooling to my under eye after use.

Final Verdict: Which empties would I re-purchase and why?

• Nip&Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads-these have served me well over the years I even used them religiously up to my wedding day…enough said.
• Crab Tree and Evelyn hand cream-beautiful hand cream I really enjoy the hydration I get.
• Mecca Cosmetica to Save Face 50+ sunscreen-a girls always got to have her sun protector especially in Australia and this one is hands down my all time favourite.
• Skin Republic hylauronic acid and collagen face sheet mask-for those days after meetings in the city and your skin just needs some TLC.

Happy shopping

Zorica X

Foreo LUNA Play Review

Foreo LUNA Play-Sunflower Yellow

Back in December 2017, I opened one of the compartments to my ASOS beauty advent calendar and to my delight I found the Foreo LUNA play device. I had heard so much hype about this device so I was very excited to be able to try it out for myself.

I was surprised at how small the device was when I opened the clear packaging, the device its self is very light weight and fit neatly in the palm of my hand. The outer surface is made entirely out of silicone, with an extremely smooth texture. The front of the device (pictured above) displays two different types of raised bristles (touch points), which are used to cleanse with. The back of the device has a push style on and off button. It is also conveniently made to be able to stand freely on your bathroom vanity.

The Foreo LUNA play is marketed as a travelling cleansing device, small and compact so you can pack it everywhere you go. It measures 45 mm x 50 mm and fully waterproof, you could pack this little guy in your touch up bag in flight with very little room taken up. The device is not rechargeable and has around 100 uses before the battery ceases.

What does the Foreo LUNA Play do?

Foreo claims that the device gently unclogs pores to remove up to 99.5% of dirt and oil, dead skin cells and make up residue. When the device is turned on, it sends T-sonic pulsations through the non-abrasive silicone surface with raised touch points to remove stubborn bacteria lurking on your skin and massage the surface to reveal a clean and glowing canvas.

The website recommends using the finer touch points on the front of the device for larger areas like the cheeks and forehead, while using the thicker touch points for areas like the T-zone.

How does the FOREO LUNA Play perform?

I prepped my skin by wetting and applying my normal cleanser to my face, I then used the device to massage the product onto my face. I focused on massaging my T-zone area in circular motions and the vibrations provided a gentle massage to my face. When I washed the cleanser off my face, I rinsed the device under hot water and dried it immediately.

The verdict was that I found my skin felt extremely clean, it didn’t feel tight or dry.

I suffer from breakouts (mostly due to clogged pores w. make up residue/oil/environmental elements). I used this device daily for a week and to my surprise my skin completely cleared up! The device did what my hands could not do, which was give my skin a deep clean.

I did find the device awkward to hold at the beginning, even though I have small hands it can get some getting used to trying to navigate it across your face while the device is wet and covered in product. I didn’t count the amount of times I used the device, but it did last me 2 months with regular use.

PROs

• Completely hygienic, washes very easily with every use
• Does not require additional brush heads to be purchased to add to the device
• Small, compact, cute! Great for travellers or those who prefer a minimal beauty vanity
• Deeply cleansing, but gentle at the same time

CONs

• Cannot be recharged, once the 100 times use is up that’s it for the device
• Moderately priced for a device that is only 100 times use
• You need to use it daily to enjoy the full benefits from regular use

In short, I loved this device it did amazing things on my skin (I have oily/combination skin type). I don’t think I could justify a re-purchase purely on the basis that it is not re-chargeable.

Where to buy the Foreo LUNA Play and how much does it cost?

• ASOS AU-$58.00 http://www.asos.com.au
• Sephora AU-$65.00 http://www.sephora.com.au
• FOREO -$65.00 (Sign up to the newsletter and get a sneaky 11% off your purchase) http://www.foreo.com

Happy Shopping

Zorica X

 

Kester Black Nail Polish Review

Arm Candy

I used to be a serial nail biter when I was in my teens, and I would often get acrylic nail extensions to hide my hideous obsession. After a few years of wearing acrylic nails I started to notice I developed a sensitivity to the acrylic. I stopped applying acrylic and trialled other options like gel and shellac, with no avail.

I was desperate as I loved the look of a polished nail. Over time I kicked my nail biting habit and grew healthy and strong nails. I started applying my own manicures weekly, and considering my sensitivities in the past I searched for a nail polish that would be free of chemicals.

I discovered a brand, called Kester Black and boy was I in for a treat! Kester black is a proud Aussie brand with the highest ethical and moral stand points I have seen to date.

Kester Black was founded in 2014 by Anna Ross, and she boasts an extensive colour palette to choose from. All her polishes are cruelty free, palm oil free and certified vegan. They are also 10-Free Formula which means they do not contain: formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate or animal derived or animal tested ingredients.

I made a purchase online and picked up the colours arm candy (hot pink), sky (pale pastle blue) and aquarius (periwinkle). I also purchased the clear top coat and the water based nail polish remover.

Arm Candy swatch

Pictured above is a nail swatch of arm candy, I applied 2 coats and 1 coat of the top coat. They wear extremely well and a no chip formula that is tested with my regular house work duties. It doesn’t loose its lustre over time which is also fabulous. The polish applies evenly including the lighter colours. In other nail polish brands with my experience lighter colours can be patchy, however with Kester Black its the complete opposite. Every application is always streak free and perfect.

You can purchase the nail polishes and accessories from http://www.kesterblack.com, and if you sign up to the newsletter you can receive a code for 10% off. All orders over $65 include free delivery.

Happy shopping

Zorica X