Kosmea Rose Hip Oil Review*

Kosmea Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil, 10mls

Before I had extracted the final drops from my old Trilogy Rose Hip Oil, I was very fortunate to be sent the Kosmea Rose Hip Oil to trial. I've been curious about Kosmea's products for a while now, being certified organic, and an Australian owned brand, I thought it would be interesting to compare the differences of this oil to other foreign brand's that I've tried.

Ingredients: Rose Eglanteria Seed Oil

What I love about this product is that it's pure rosehip oil, free from harmful chemicals, colourants, fragrances, mineral oils and animal products.  Many Rosehip Oils out there on the market have a lot of extra ingredients packed into their product, which can be a bit of a hit and miss for some. This one is the purest I've come across on the market. Kosmea claim to extract the rose hip oil without heat or solvents like other brands, retaining all the anti-aging vitamins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants that are naturally found in the plant. It's 100% USDA certified organic, and protects, repairs and adds radiance to your skin.

Comparison between the Kosmea & Trilogy Oils

This has to be the thickest rose-hip oil I've come across so far. A little goes a long way, and even though I only have a 10ml bottle it has lasted me three months. It has a very strong scent, and in the comparison photo above, you can see how much thicker and purer the oil is compared to Trilogy's which is very light in colour and texture. I've found that this is definitely a night-time only product for me. Because it is quite thick and has a very distinct orange tone it can make my skin look dark and oily. The oily texture has had no adverse effects on my acne or blackheads though. And obviously because it is a lot thicker, it does take a little longer for the product to absorb, but when it does it's barely noticeable.

There's been a huge change in the texture of my skin when I use this oil, it makes the skin feel incredibly smooth and silky, more so than any other brand I've tried so far.  I've also been using it on my legs and it really helps to heal my scars and sooth irritation from ingrown hairs and regrowth.

I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in trying out rose hip, and for anyone who is after a 'pure' oil that will help with scarring, texture, and anti-aging. It's pretty reasonably priced as well, about on par with Trilogy's oils (the 24mls is around $25). It's an Australian owned brand, and are currently stocked at David Jones stores around Australia.

(*This product was sent to me for reviewing purposes. Check my disclaimer for more information.)

| Live Bright | A Kikki K Stationery Haul

The Kikki-K Leather Personal Planner in Lilac (also available in black and limited edition gold)

Hello, my name is Tegan, and I am a stationery addict. Initially, I was just after a new diary for 2015 until I came across this video. I immediately fell in love with the lilac personal planner, and soon ordered my very own. The cover is real leather, but my favourite part is the black lining on the inside, I don't know why, but I just love the contrast of the two colours together.

Inside the personal planner. As you can see I've already started decorating and reworking the interior.

The time planner may not be the most convenient diary to carry around with you all day, it's 243mm height x 205mm length x 40mm depth. However, it comes with heaps of room and features inside:

• gorgeous, gold binder with magnetic closure
• elastic pen loop (Kate Spade pen not included, obviously!)
• 4 card holder slots, 2 large pockets, and 1 inner zip case
• today notepad at the front with an A5 sized notepad at the back
• a calander section including 18 blank monthly inserts
• a to do list section
• a section for meeting notes
• 4 blank tabs with note pages
• and three sticker sheets to help you oraganise and rework the tabs to your heart's content.

The Live Bright quote card pack.

I also bought the quote cards from the Live Bright series. It contains 12 beautiful quotes and designs, and comes with a wooden stand for you to prop up on your desk. They're also great for decorating the planner (as you can see by the front page already). To match, I also purchased the sticker book, mini sticker pack, and the diamond sticky notes.

At this point, I might have gone a little overboard with the decorating, but I did get a couple of other things: two little dishes for storing jewelry and other little bits and bobs, and last but not least, the scented candle which just happens to have a lovely inspirational quote printed on it.

I'm incredibly happy with my new time planner, although it's not the most convenient to carry around, I now have a place where I can have my calendar, to do lists, blog stuff, expenses, and fitness documents all in one place instead of everywhere else. Yup, I definitely went overboard this time, but I can't say I regret it. I also may have received 20% off (hohoho).

Have you guys spoiled  yourselves with anything this Christmas?

Tegan

xo

A Little Essie Nail Haul

During Priceline's last 40% off cosmetics sale I decided to pick up a few more Essie polishes. I may be going against the summer grain here, but these shades have been on my wishlist for a long time now, and looked too good to be ignored. 

Merino Cool is a gorgeous shade of grey with a tinge of purple, Sole Mate a deep plum, and Wicked, the vampiest of them all, is a very dark (almost black) red. It’s hard to pick a favourite because I honestly love them all. I will definitely be wearing Merino Cool a lot this summer. Sole Mate is probably the closest to my heart, it’s very similar to my much beloved Mrs O’Leary’s BBQ from OPI and it’s a kind of shade I like wearing all year round, no matter what the season.

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof Mascara

I had quite a shock at work the other day when, on a bathroom break, caught site of myself in the mirror. After only five hours I had already developed some serious panda eyes! With my top notch researching skills, I then proceeded to waste the rest of my break researching the best waterproof mascaras (and by top-notch skills I mean typing 'best waterproof mascara' into google). On every list I came across, Lancome's Hypnose range was always at the top. Even the lovely lady I spoke to at the Lancome counter claimed they had the best mascara's in the world (and the best selling). Those were some impressive claims, so I couldn't resist putting it to the test. 

Firstly, the packaging is lovely. Although it's plastic, the unique shapes gives it a very sleek, luxurious feel, and the exterior, adorned with the brand's iconic roses, is a nice touch. The mascara itself defines and lengthens the lashes, and leaves them with little to no clumps. The wand is the perfect vehicle for defining and lengthening the lashes. While the tip of the wand focuses on those pesky little lashes in the corners, the thicker part defines and extends the outer corners. Check out the photo's below:

This is by far the best waterproof mascara I have ever used (and also the most expensive, but definitely worth it). It lasts all day long without any flaking or smudging, which is all you can really ask for. I usually prefer a little bit more volume, but I honestly don't mind with this one. If you are after something more volumising, Lancome's Hypnose Star & Drama sound like great options (it was very hard for me to decide between the three at the time), and they both also comes in a waterproof formula.