Shiseido Rouge Lip Lacquer Review

Shiseido Rouge Lip Lacquer in Drama

To be honest, all the lip lacquers I've tried are usually thick, sticky, a pain to apply, wear and remove. However the new Shiseido Rouge's are nothing of the sort.

This is a very moisturising lip lacquer with a light and creamy texture. It gives a very vibrant colour that constantly looks glossy but without the gloss (if that makes any kind of sense). In other words it's not as thick and sticky. What surprised me even more was how easy it was to remove. I would just use a plain old tissue and gently blot the product away, and as you can see in the photo above, it doesn't leave a stain on your lips. The only negative thing I have to say is how mad I am at myself for not buying more colours.

Freemans Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask Review

Freeman's Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask

I've been really lazy on the clay mask front these past few weeks. With oily, blemished skin like mine, I should really be using clay twice a week at least; no wonder my skin is so bad! This realisation hit me while I was casually strolling down the beauty aisle at my local supermarket. I had gone there for the sole purpose of restocking my depressingly bare fridge, determined not to let the products sway my attention. Alas, somehow, this caught my eye. I have no idea how because there was literally one row of these guys on the bottom shelf, half hidden behind a misplaced pile of nappies.

The main thing that caught my eye was the fact that it contains avocado and oatmeal, both are beneficial when it comes to skincare; avocado and oatmeal being very moisturising, great for dry skin, and also for treating acne. What surprised me about this mask is how little it stings when I apply it. But what I really love is how the skin tightens as the clay dries, it makes me feel like its really trying to draw out all those impurities. Surprisingly, skin feels smooth and moisturised afterwards, not dry and tight like other masks I've tried. It may not make my blackheads or the congestion around my cheeks disappear, (what product can?) but it minimises them, meaning on top of my much loved Super Spot Remover those pesky pimples have no chance.

Definitely worth the $4 I paid for it, if not more.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Review

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Liquid Foundation

Summer is not the time to wear thick foundation. So I've put aside my beloved Bourjois healthy mix foundation and started using the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua for the first time.

This foundation gives a very light and luminous coverage. It wont cover acne spots particularly well, but it really brightens the skin and diminishes most discolourisation. The consistency looks quite thick when you first squeeze it onto your fingers but melts into your skin like water.  Longetivity wise, for me it lasts around 5 hours, more if I set it with some powder. It also has a sun protection factor of 15 which is always a nice bonus.

If you have quite problematic skin I probably wouldn't recommend this one. I only ever use this on 'good skin' days because I find it tends to accentuate the spots on my face, and unfortunately because of the high alcohol content, it can feel quite drying on cooler days.

It's pretty pricey for the amount of product (come on, this is Chanel we're talking about here), but has a very slim and sleek package design great for carrying around in your purse. I purchased mine from OzCosmetics for $57 AUD.

What do you guys think about this foundation? Do you think it's worth the high price tag?

Origins Zero Oil Moisturising Lotion Review

Origins Zero Oil moisture lotion, 50mls

I was in the market for a new mattifying moisturiser for summer and came across this little guy. Origins Zero Oil moisturising lotion, an oil free moisturiser containing saw palmetto and mint. It smells lovely, light and fresh. The texture is lightweight, absorbs quickly into the skin and reduces sebum production throughout the day. It makes my skin feel smooth and look less shiny. It's great for putting on underneath make-up because it just makes it last that much longer.

It would be great if it came in a larger tube, because I don't feel 50ml is much. Even though I only use this in the morning before make up, its been less than three months and it's practically empty :(

Overall, really, really impressed. I think I'm now officially an Origins lover.

Origins Super Spot Remover Review

I had a very large, incredibly sore cystic pimple at the top of my cheekbone that has been causing me some pain over the last few days. Last night I applied a smidgen of this baby on it and when I woke up in the morning, my pimple had reduced from an active volcano to a significantly smaller red dot; and it's not painful any more!

It's quite expensive for a tiny bottle ($19 for 10ml) but you don't need to use much. Plus you wouldn't want to use much at all anyway, it can be incredibly drying. Regardless, this would have to be the best pimple treatment I've ever tried.

Considering that this is my first time trying out an Origins product I was really impressed. I've heard great things about their products and I'm really excited to try something new for a change.

OPI Skyfall Mini Lacquers Set

Swatches from the limited edition Skyfall collection from OPI. I somehow managed to snag this from a dump table in the cosmetics section at DJs during the Boxing Day sales. Got it for $12!

GoldenEye

The Spy Who Loved Me

The World Is Not Enough

Live & Let Die

Missha Cell Renew Snail Cream Review

Straight off the craze train from South Korea is the Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream; yes, it's a mouthful, and yes, it's made up of 70% snail mucus. 

What this snail cream offers:

• anti aging and whitening properties
• Heals blemishes,
• treats existing fine lines and wrinkles
• Soothes irritated, dry skin
• Evens out skin tone and pigmentation
• Restores skins elasticity

• It's also colour, paraben and mineral oil free!

The snail secretion itself contains a whole lot of natural ingredients such as allantoin: which helps moisturise, soothe and heal damaged skin; collagen and elastin to helps keep the skin cells tight but flexible and in the long run help prevent and treat fine lines and wrinkles; and lastly: glycolic acid, an exfoliating agent that smoothes the skin by removing dead skin cells. Sounds too good to be true, right?

The cream itself is a very light, gel like texture which is great for those with combination to oily skin because it absorbs quickly without greasing us up. It's surprisingly hydrating as well. Although this product is supposed to be used before moisturiser in summer I find I can just wear this on its own. 

There's a lot of talk out there about whether or not snail mucus is legitimately beneficial for the skin or whether it's just a passing fad. I too was a little sceptical because Missha isn't exactly considered a high end brand over in Korea but I have to say that this cream has really helped clear up my acne quickly, especially during periods when it's constantly breaking out. The morning after I first used this my face felt plump, soft,  bright, and irritated spots from the day before were greatly reduced. Instead of taking a week to heal it will only take a couple of days now. After a week of use I even noticed that the eczema around my noise was almost gone! Hmm. Seems legit to me.

I could go on, but the bottom line is that I love this product, and I'm seriously considering branching out and looking for more snail mucus based creams.

Have you tried snail creams before? How do you feel about them?