Travel Beauty | Part One | Skincare

Hello Beauties!

I hope you are well! I am battling the flu, and thought I would blog this morning to try and distract myself from how rotten I feel!

I am transporting myself back to the beautiful Toberua Island in Fiji today, and taking you through my travel skincare picks that came along with me on my week long holiday in August of this year.

This post will be part one of a little Travel Beauty series I have put together. I hope you enjoy them!

Typically, when travelling, the products I choose to take with me are tried, tested and loved, and form a regular part of my skincare routine at home. Though tempting to pack little sample sachets, I choose not to, simply because I have quite reactive skin, and the last thing I want to deal with when away on holidays is a skincare reaction. My advice, stick to what your skins knows and likes, and leave trying new products to when you are at home.

Some of these products you may have seen featured on my blog previously, and I will link to more in-depth reviews along the way.

If you are interested to see which products made the edit... then please read on!

Alpha-H Liquid Laser Cleansing Oil was my cleanser of choice to take with me, and I used this morning and night. It is a thick gel consistency, that melts into a soothing luxurious oil when massaged into the skin. I always use cleansing oils starting off with dry hands, and massage them into a dry face. This is a cleansing oil to take your time with... it is just beautiful, and ideal for facial massage. The Liquid Laser Cleansing Oil will emulsify into a milky liquid with a little warm water, and can then be rinsed off easily without leaving any residue. I still like to follow up with a warm flannel to finish off, but that is just my preference. This cleanser is a huge favourite of mine. It's primary scent is due to the inclusion of Lavender oil, which is calming, relaxing and nurturing. It is also said to brighten dull, lacklustre skins with the inclusion of White Mulberry and Hibiscus extracts, while Ferulic acid provides antioxidant protection. Put it on your list. Love.

I followed up my morning cleanse with Alpha-H Protection Plus Daily SPF50+ which not only provides excellent physical, broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, but is non-greasy, doesn't irritate my oily/combo/acne prone skin, is tinted to offset any white cast, and provides an excellent base for your makeup, should you wish to use any. I have read some reviews online, and noticed that some people found it to be greasy, I do not agree with this at all. It is quite thick, but certainly, in my opinion, not the slightest bit greasy. This is a small, trial size tube, which I had in my cupboard from an Alpha-H set that I had purchased from Adore Beauty last year. I have already finished a 50ml full size of the Protection Plus, which comes in a handy pump bottle. It is a well know fact that protecting your skin from the harmful rays of the sun is the most important anti-ageing step in your skincare routine. Take it from me... don't forget to use it every day!

Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner was packed in my bag, as I was experiencing a mild breakout before we left ( sodding hormones ). This is a 2% salicylic acid toner that I always have in my skincare cupboard. While I use a variety of acids on my skin ( not all at once! ) I find that Salicylic acid is the best for any issues with congestion that I might have. Salicylic acid is a fat soluble Beta-Hydroxy Acid, meaning that it is able to penetrate into, and exfoliate deep within the pore itself, as well as the surface of the skin. This is why it is often recommended for problem/acne prone skin. Salicylic acid also has an anti-inflammatory benefits, which will aide in soothing and calming the redness associated with breakouts. This toner also contains well known hydrating and anti-ageing ingredients, making it ideal for skins like mine that need both the exfoliating action as well as anti-ageing benefits.

If my skin ever feels bumpy, or rough, or I'm noticing more blackheads/whiteheads, this is what I reach for. A few drops of this liquid toner onto a cotton pad, and a quick sweep over the face, it can be used either in the morning or the evening. I'm not too prescriptive with it, I just pull in out and add it to routine as I feel I need it. I purchase my Paula's Choice from the Australian website.

Go-To Exfoliating Swipeys pretty much come with me wherever I go... well... not to shops, or the hairdressers, or the school drop off...but you get my point. I have reviewed these in more detail here, and have talked about them ad-nauseum, but to give you the short story, they are single use face pads soaked in a glorious concoction of lactic acid and nourishing oils that will have you waking up the next morning with glowing chops. I use these 2-3 times a week, after cleansing and prior to application of my chosen serum/oils/moisturiser. I have recommended these to many of my friends, who are now also equally obsessed with them as I am. I promise I won't tell Zoe if you haven't tried them yet... but I recommend a swift click onto the Go-To website here to purchase... just sayin...

These two hydrating powerhouses are must-haves in my humble opinion. Both Go-To Face Hero and Dr LeWinn's Miracle Radiance Renewal Serum were safely packed in my skincare bag. Again, Go-To Face Hero has featured on my blog previously here, and I adore it. This is the second bottle I have purchased, and it contains the most beautiful blend of skin-loving oils which hydrate, plump and calm irritation unlike any other oil blend I have tried. Yep. It's that good.

Dr LeWinn's Miracle Radiance serum is a more like a serum/oil blend. It contains Sea Buckthorn, Tamanu and Rosehip Oils, which incidentally are also present in the Dr LeWinn's Four Fusion Cleansing Oil, that I also love and adore. It is very lightweight, whilst still giving a good kick of hydration. I would alternate this with the Go-To Face hero as my evening moisturiser, and on occasion reached for this in the mornings when I felt my skin was looking a little lacklustre ( perhaps due to consumption of cocktails, but I can't be certain... ) I believe this has been the recipient of a number of Beauty Heaven awards in the past as well. Look out for the Dr LeWinn's gift with purchase packs that they will offer at various times throughout the year from either Priceline Pharmacy or online at Adore Beauty Official. I first tried this serum in one of those gift packs, and I was so impressed I went on to purchase the full size. Love.

A holiday just isn't a holiday without a tube of Lanolips. I rather grand statement yes, but I have a rather ridiculous collection of these luscious lip balms... it's a little embarrassing. I love them. Needless to say, Banana Balm enjoyed her time in Fiji immensely! Slathered on every evening, her light fluffy texture soothed and plumped my lips whilst happening to smell delicious to boot. One of the tinted Lanolips with SPF was my pick for the mornings, and she will feature in the next post! I am waiting anxiously for the new Pear one to appear in my local Priceline... I also use these all natural lip balms on my children, and you will find them randomly dotted around my house on any given day! Love!

I have been incredibly impressed with the Eternal Youth Day & Night Eye Cream from Dr LeWinn's. I have been using this for the last couple of months, and if you are like me and suffer from the dreaded puffy-morning-eyes-syndrome, then you absolutely need to try this! One of the most effective eye treatments I have tried to date, it has a neat, metal tip applicator through which you squeeze out a little of the serum, and proceed to smooth it all around the eye area with the cooling applicator. It firms the skin, de-puffs like a boss, and smooths fine lines whilst providing refreshingly light hydration. It also makes for an excellent base for concealer. Safe to say I cannot stop reaching for it, so naturally it had to come to Fiji with me! Put it on your list!

Well that's a wrap loves... I hope you enjoyed seeing what was in my travel skincare bag! Even if it was a rather large amount! A girl has to have choices you know!

Have you tried any of these products? Do you see any of your favourites here?

Do leave a comment or question below if you would like to!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: All products were purchased with my own money, except for the Dr LeWinn's Eternal Youth Eye Cream, which was a PR sample. All opinions shared are my own regardless. This post is not sponsored. There are no affiliate links present. Cheers xo

Read More »

Easy, Everyday Beauty | The Lip Gloss Edit

Hello Lovelies!

I have been reaching for these lip glosses constantly over the last few months, and thought I would share them with you today. They are all fairly neutral in tone, some a little more mauve, and one a little more pink, but they are all formulas that I love. All of the shades are perfect to grab of a morning, when typically I don't have a great deal of time, and I just want a nice natural, glossy lip. There is almost always at least one of these in my handbag, they are all perfect to rotate through your makeup bag. I find all of them to impart a good amount of pigment, without the upkeep of a solid lipstick shade.

They are all affordable, and easily accessible both in store and online. If you would like to see some swatches, and hear my thoughts, then please keep reading!

The Beauty Vine's Everyday Lip Gloss Edit

From Left to Right
Maybelline Caramel Infused, L'Oreal Paris Molto Mauve, Lanolips Rhubarb,
NYX Tiramisu, NYX Natural, Rimmel London Snog

Maybelline Color Elixer Creamy Lip Gloss - Caramel Infused    RRP $17.95 AUD.

Coming up slightly more pink in the photograph above, Caramel Infused is a gorgeous shade. This formula has a little bit of tack to it, but it is not overly sticky on the lips. Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup inspired this purchase... and that girl knows her stuff! There is currently 50% off Maybelline at Priceline Pharmacy.... you're welcome!

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Extraordinaire Lip Gloss - Molto Mauve  RRP $21.95 AUD.

From memory, these were released last year, and Molto Mauve was the first shade that I purchased. A perfect, mauve toned, everyday shade, in a smooth gel-like formula that has quite good staying power for a gloss. It has a very subtle shimmer, not at all frosty, and is also enriched with oils to prevent moisture loss. Love.

Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour SPF 15 - Rhubarb  RRP $13.95 AUD.

I have an embarrassingly large collection of Lanolips, and Rhubarb is the most recent addition to my little family. I adore the formula of these... intensely nourishing thanks to the lanolin, sweet almond oil, shea butter and coconut butter, and also protective with the added SPF 15. Rhubarb is a lovely warm, rosey pink that treats and soothes your lips like a boss. This has definitely been a favourite over the winter months for me!

NYX Butter Gloss - Tiramisu  RRP $9.95 AUD.

Quite literally the perfect shade of nude for me. I just cannot pull off very pale nude lip shades. I feel like it ages me even more, and is just not flattering. It was not until I swatched these that I realised that it is almost identical to the Mega Shine Gloss in Natural ( to the right in the photograph above ). The butter glosses smell delicious, and feel really lovely on the lips. You will need to reapply frequently, however I find this to be a pleasure, and not a bother at all. Love.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss - Natural RRP $11.95 AUD.

This one is a rediscovery. I found her floating around aimlessly in the bottom of a makeup bag, and have brought her back into rotation. As I mentioned, Natural is almost identical to Tiramisu, but this formula is thicker, has a little bit of tack, and as a result does hang around a little longer. Some people find the scent of the Mega Shine glosses to be a little strong ( I always think of Cherry flavoured cough mixture ) but it does not bother me at all. Natural has no shimmer present, and a high gloss finish on the lips. Definitely one to add to your collection if you do not already own it!

Rimmel London Oh My Gloss! - Snog   RRP $13.95 AUD.

The Oh My Gloss! lipgloss range from Rimmel London was released in June of this year. The formula of these remind me of the now discontinued "Stay Glossy" lip glosses, which were a lovely cushiony, gel like formula. I used to love those! Anyone else? Snog is a gorgeous mauve/neutral that has a very fine shimmer running through it. Rimmel boasts 6 hours of wear with these babies, however I will need to reapply around the 3 hour mark, and sooner if I have been eating or drinking. They have a lovely, flat doe foot applicator, and smell good too!

I purchase my NYX products from Target Australia, and I believe both of these glosses are currently 30% off. Nice.

I take a trip to Priceline for my Rimmel London, L'Oreal, Maybelline and Lanolips products.

Do you have any favourite everyday lip gloss shades? Are you a gloss girl or a die hard lipstick only lass? Do leave a comment below!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: All products purchased by me. All opinions are my own. No affiliate links or sponsorship attached to this post. Cheers xo

Read More »

The Top Shelf | August Beauty Favourites

It would appear that since this blog's conception I have been remiss in sharing a favourites post. The months just fly by, and my new month resolutions do as well, and I seem to see no light at the end of the procrastination tunnel.

Righto then, enough self deprecation, on with some things that I have been loving, monthly favourites, current favourites, duck's nuts...or as I like to call mine, The Top Shelf.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Creme - one of the many times that Caroline Hirons spoke, and I listened. Goat Milk Creme is my go-to night cream. It is hydrating and nourishing without being heavy or greasy. On application you will noticed quite a glow...it does take a good five minutes to absorb properly. With the added benefit of a dash of lactic acid, this white pillowy goodness gets the job done. This is my second jar...thanks Kate...love your work.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye - I can't actually remember where I got this deluxe sample size from, but it has lasted me for ages! It has a velvety, silicone texture and feels very lightweight. Rich emollient eye creams tend to cause me to wake up with extremely puffy eyes, so this one fits the bill nicely. I use it both morning and night, and it has the added bonus of smoothing those pesky fine lines around my eyes. I haven't dared look to see how much the full size is...

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder and his handy companion the elf Kabuki brush have been my daily duo for setting my makeup. The kabuki's bristles are not too densely packed, and very soft. It picks up and deposits this gorgeous powder perfectly. I tap it in the pan and press it gently over my face. It sets my foundation beautifully, and I love the subtle blurring, and illuminating effect it gives my tired old face. Big thanks to Jodi from Goo Roo Beauty who warmly recommended this lovely powder. I would certainly repurchase.

A recent newcomer to the Australian hair care market is the brand Fuente, Glamourous By Nature. Well known and loved internationally, the brand uses natural and organic ingredients in both its Salon colouring, and hair care products, fusing luxury with sustainability. I was recently gifted these three products for consideration, at a time when my hair was driving me nuts. It was frizzy, unmanageable and I had a very dry, irritated scalp. The Moisture Wellness Shampoo, and the Moisture Wellness Care ( conditioner ) are very nourishing, and have made a huge difference to the condition of both my hair and scalp. Designed to restore 'bounce and shine', I noticed a big improvement after 2-3 uses. If your hair and scalp need a hydrating kick, these two will do the job nicely. My hair feels so nice after I use the shampoo, I almost think I could get away without using the conditioner. They both have a pleasant, clean subtle scent, not at all overpowering.

Soft Ice is certainly not your 90's style sticky hair mousse. Far from it. This is your leave-in conditioner and volumiser in one. A multi-tasking mousse!! I work it through my hair evenly prior to blow drying, and crikey it gives you some volume! If I choose to let my hair dry naturally, I am never left with crunchy sticky hair, it just feels soft and conditioned. The only beef I have with this product is the dispenser. a light squeeze will deliver a rather large amount, and too much product just weighs my hair down, so to avoid wastage, I recommend a light hand on the nozzle! Oh, and by the way, it smells really good...like really really good. A little bit sweet, a little bit coconutty...need I say more?

I though I would include a favourite nail combo from a manicure I posted on instagram recently. I used OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around for my base and L'Oreal Sequin Explosion for my glitter gradient. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it grew on me, and I got so many compliments! Here it is below.

Oh the curse of dry, itchy winter skin! These two body oils have absolutely been my skin saviours this winter.  The Monoi Tiki Tahiti Vanilla Coconut oil...ugh... words cannot describe how good this smells!! As you can see it is solidified in the bottle at present due to our cold temperatures, but doesn't take much to soften up enough to squeeze out a blob. I typically use this in the shower, after cleansing, just before I hop out. Any body product with a high oil content will serve this purpose nicely, even plain coconut oil. You don't need a specific in-shower moisturiser. I can safely say that I will always have a bottle of this vanilla/coconut loveliness in my stash. Highly recommend.

Antipodes Heavenly Body Oil is absolutely heavenly in every sense of the word. A base of avocado and macadamia oil with Jasmine, Lavender and Ylang Ylang, this oil's fragrance is stunning. If you love lavender, and I mean really love lavender, then you will adore this body oil as much as I do. As nourishing and nutrient rich as the oils are, it is suprisingly lightweight and absorbs quickly and easily. I was gifted this body oil by Antipodes a few months ago, and when it runs out I will be purchasing another. If you suffer from stress, have trouble sleeping or difficulty quietening a busy mind, this indulgent oil will do wonders. Gorgeously glowing, fragrant skin on your list? It's on mine.

I discovered Benefit's fakeup under eye concealer in January of this year, and have used it almost daily since then. You can read my full review of it here to find out more. The elf High Definition Undereye Setting Powder is a fairly recent purchase, but I had to include it in this post, because I love it so much! It manages to set my concealer without looking powdery or dry, whilst cleverly brightening the undereye area beautifully. The Real Techniques setting brush applies it perfectly. I have found these two products to work really well together, and I would not hesitate to warmly recommend both.

NYX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie, and CHI CHI Dramatic Lip Laquer in the shade Bombshell have been my choice for a quick, easy wash of neutral pink. They look a little intense in this picture, but are definitely more muted and subtle in real life. Both offer a nice bit of colour and shine, and feel comfortable on the lips. 

Lanolips Banana Balm is my evening, and sometimes daytime, sometimes anytime lip treatment. It has an almost moussy fluffy texture, a tiny bit of shimmer, smells like a banana and feels amazing on your lips. The perfect antidote for a dry, chapped winter kisser. I am quietly obsessed with it, and was very excited to hear the news that there are three new flavours launching next month. Peach, Apple and Strawberry will be released in late September at Mecca Maxima for all you Aussie girls. I'm smacking my lips in anticipation...

Do leave a comment below if you have tried any of these products! What are the current beauty bits that have made it to your Top Shelf? I would love to hear from you as always!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: I have purposefully mentioned the products that have been gifted to me in the body of this post. As always, my opinions are my own, and always honest. I am not aware if anyone else uses the term The Top Shelf for their favourites...if you do, then be completely flattered that I unknowingly borrowed the phrase! Cheers! xo

Read More »