Her Fashion Box January 2014

Her Fashion Box has started the year off with a January box full of lovely goodies! I have another 'Feminine' style box to share with you today.

I heard recently that Her Fashion Box will become available internationally in early 2014, which is very exciting!

Also launching early 2014 will be the new 'Her Fitness Box', a monthly subscription box based on good health, nutrition and fitness. Check their website for more details here

Hope you are all having a lovely day wherever you may be!!

Her Fashion Box January Spread

Urban Rituelle Lip Balm - Passionfruit   ( RRP $9.95 ) 
Her Fashion Box Pearl Purse  ( RRP $7.95 )

Her Fashion Box Blush Necklace  ( RRP $24.95 )
Her Fashion Box Flashback Scarf  ( RRP $24.94 )

Her Fashion Box Pocket Manicure Kit $7.95

Jbronze Face Flawless Tan ( RRP 30ml $24.95 )
Jbronze Shimmer Instant Illuminiser ( RRP 100ml $24.95 )

Both samples are 5ml each.

Babe No3. Pink Salt Body Scrub 30gm sample ( RRP 200gm $21.95 )

Muesli For Me 'Her Fashion Box' Mix 45gm sample
Green Smoothie Co. 2 x 10gm sachets ( RRP 5 x 10gm sachets $15.00 )

Cantik Palms Notebook ( RRP $19.95 )

Muesli For Me voucher, Adore Tanning voucher.



I was really pleased when I opened my January box! So many great things to try, and lots of variety! I really like how they have mixed up the beauty bits too...I don't mind a few boxes with less makeup and more body products for a change. I also really appreciated that the vouchers included are directly related to the products in the box...something I had a gripe with (a very small one) in a previous box.
I love the scarf and necklace, the little coin purse is very sweet and always handy for your handbag.
This month, and the November 2013 box are thus far my favourites!!




So here's what I'm imagining....

 1.Wiz up my green smoothie, whilst munching on my muesli, followed by a good old scrub in the shower with my pink salt scrub.

2...get the Jennifer Hawkins bronze glow shimmer lotion on the bod....( it doesn't hurt to dream folks.. )

3.Get dressed, accessorising with my gorgeous statement necklace and enormously beautiful soft scarf...

4...apply the 'good enough to eat' Passionfruit lip balm to my kisser and pause briefly to write a witty and humorous diary entry in my fab new notebook..... *phew*



As always, looking forward to sharing my February box!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser | Review

My skincare journey has been fraught with angst, disappointment and despair. I have had combo/oily acne prone skin since I was 13 years old. Those teenage hormonal breakouts never went away, and acne has followed me well into my adult years.

My skin type has not changed over the years. I have a had brief periods of clear skin ( during pregnancies) and now that I am getting older I am noticing that dehydration and fine lines are creeping in to join the party!

I don't want this post to be all about my long history of skin concerns, but as I share my personal reviews of products, it is helpful for you to know a little of my story so far.

I have received no formal training in skincare, skin diagnosis or beauty therapy. Products that work for me, may not work for you. Likewise, one that works for you, may not for me.

What I do have to share is close to 25 years of my own personal experience. I would like to share what has helped me, and also what has hindered.

 In the last 2 years I have found two websites that have really changed the way I look at skincare and makeup. If you have not already checked them out, I highly recommend you put an evening or two aside to do just that....and then bookmark them for future reference. 

I will do a separate post about these next. Stay tuned!

 One very important piece of advice I have recently followed, is to stop using foaming cleansers on my skin. Now this can be tricky, because if you walk into any pharmacy/drugstore looking for a cleanser for oily/acne prone skin, they will almost always be a foaming cleanser. 

Foaming cleansers can have the tendency to strip the skin of all its natural oils, disturbing the pH balance, and can lead to the skin over-producing oils to compensate.

Since I have made the switch, my skin has responded by actually producing less oil throughout the day, and generally feels calm and balanced. Brilliant.

Today I would love to share with you one of the cleansers I have been loving for the last six months. 

The Triple Action Cleanser from Alpha-H is a beautiful gel cleanser that I use every morning. I have just finished my first 200ml bottle, and the pictures below are of the larger 500ml pump bottle which I have just repurchased. 

Sleek, simple, sturdy packaging reminiscent of all Alpha-H Products.
And a pump. Nice.

"A light non-foaming gel cleanser which removes all traces of face and eye makeup while balancing the skin. Formulated with thyme, a powerful natural extract which helps to minimise excess oil and cucumber to cool and invigorate the skin"

As you can see above, the cleanser is a thick, gel consistency. Strangely, it almost feels creamy on the skin. In the mornings, I massage it all over my face for about 30 seconds, rinse well with warm water and then follow with a clean warm flannel to finish.

It has a very subtle, clean fresh fragrance, and leaves my skin feeling soft, clean and balanced. I have not experienced any irritation since using this cleanser.

In the evenings I use a balm or oil cleanser as my first cleanse, and use the Triple Action Cleanser ( 0r Alpha-H's Balancing cleanser) for my second cleanse, again using a warm flannel to finish.

My initial purchase of Alpha-H products was from TVSN here in Australia. You can find them here
I purchased a value pack at a fabulous discount, they are well worth checking out for you Aussies.

Recently, I have used AdoreBeauty an online store based in Melbourne. A wonderful site, one of my favourite online shopping destinations. Sign up for their member rewards program for news of special offers and gift with purchases. They stock hundreds of skincare, makeup and bodycare brands.

BeautyBay and FeelUnique also stock Alpha-H and both ship worldwide.

Alpha-H's website is here
You can read all about their Australian (yay!) owner and director Michelle Doherty and her story, and of course read all about their range of products, including the much loved "Liquid Gold" glycolic acid treatment lotion ( have it...love it).

Thank you so much if you made it to the end of this post! I really love talking about skincare, so please leave a comment...I would love to hear from you!

Blessings,

Lou xo

P.S I have no affliliation with any of the companies or brands mentioned, or to the links I have placed in this post. I paid for my cleanser with my own hard earned money!

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New On The Vine - SAVVY by DB - New Products!

I have some new lovelies from SAVVY by DB to share with you today! Two new shades of blush, both matte, two new mineral baked bronzers, and a new shade of the Long Lasting Matte lipstick.

I had professed my love for one of the new bronzers in the shade "Radiance"( I use as a blush ) on Instagram a couple of weeks ago. I LOVE to chat and share on Instagram! Find me @the_beauty_vine and come and say hi!

First up, the two new blush shades in 'Petal' and 'Plum'. Highly pigmented, smooth and easy to blend, and unlike the other shades I have posted about previously, these are both matte formulas. Not at all dry or chalky, they give a lovely flush of colour to your cheeks. These will set you back a cool $4.99 each.

SAVVY by DB Classic Blush "Petal"

SAVVY by DB Classic Blush "Plum"

SAVVY by DB Mineral Baked Bronzer $9.99
Left "Radiance"     Right "Golden Glow"

"Radiance"

"Golden Glow"

Left 'Radiance'  Right 'Golden Glow'
Swatched in natural light.

L-R   SAVVY by DB Classic Blush 'Petal' and 'Plum.'   Mineral Baked Bronzer 'Golden Glow' and 'Radiance'

SAVVY by DB Long Lasting Lipstick "Gerbera"

I believe there are 4 new limited edition shades in this line, this one is a beautiful deep, rich, bright pink. Aptly named, imagine a beautiful pink Gerbera and your there! Lovely and creamy, intensely pigmented and comfortable to wear. I highly recommend using a lip liner with this shade because she does tend to wander a little. Unlike the other shades I have, this one doesn't ever seem to 'set', so avoid touching your lips when you are rocking this one. It will certainly draw attention, and as my lovely children informed me when I picked them up from school "You are wearing VERY bright pink lipstick Mummy!" Indeed.

I think this shade would complement a variety skin tones beautifully.

My Instagram post wearing 'Radiance', and feeling particularly radiant! As I said in my post, this shade will give you that "LisaLisaD1" glow! I love it, and would recommend this shade over 'Golden Glow'. It has a smoother texture, and although it does have shimmer/glitter, it has much better colour pay off on the skin. Lovely peachy bronzy healthy glow!

Here is 'Gerbera' on my lips...in all her glory.

You can find these at Priceline

I would love to know if you have tried any of these newbies?! Are you a bright pink lippy lover?

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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On My Nails Today - New Sally Hansen Triple Shine

Another day....another trip to Priceline! I know...I have a problem...

So on this particular jaunt I happened to notice the new Sally Hansen Triple Shine display, and picked up these two shades to try. I don't have anything like these in my collection, and if you are like me and have too many nail polishes, than you are always intrigued by shades that are unique and a little bit different. Well, they are unique and new to me!

Left "Make Waves"     Right "Pearly Whites"

Make Waves is a sheer metallic blue/green/purple colour shifter. So pretty. I needed three coats on my nails to achieve the colour shown in the bottle. Be careful with this one, it does tend to show brush strokes, three thin coats work well.

Pearly whites is a holographic glitter, with small medium and large sized holographic flakes of glitter. My first flaky...and I am quite taken with her! I am looking forward to experimenting with it over different shades...I am thinking it would look rather nice over OPI's Russian Navy...

It was a little tricky to get an even amount of glitter on my nails, I ended up 'dabbing' it onto my nail to get a more even coverage.

I think these two shades layered make a very pretty pair. I have included quite a few pictures to show how the colour shifts in different lights. In these photos I have three coats of 'Make Waves' , one coat of 'Pearly Whites' on the accent nails, and top coat over all nails.

The top cap removes to reveal a smaller, user friendly brush handle.

The brush is wide and rounded, and looks to be the same brush as the one from the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure range, which I love. The rounded tip fits my nail beds perfectly, allowing for easier application and a neater look near the cuticle.

Have you tried any of the new Triple Shine formula's?

Check them out at Priceline 

I so appreciate you visiting my blog! If you do leave a comment thank you so much for taking the time to do so!

Blessings, 

Lou xo

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Her Fashion Box November 2013

I have the Her Fashion Box 'Feminine' edition to share with you today! I had decided to switch it up from the Classic box this month, and I am enjoying the change of style to something a little softer.

Although my box was a little late due to a few technical difficulties, I can assure you that my experience with their customer service team was excellent. Prompt, friendly communication which resulted in my box arriving a few days later complete with a few extra goodies. Nice.  

Her Fashion Box "Feminine" November 2013

Her Fashion Box "Laces At The Races" necklace  RRP $14.95

Her Fashion Box "Powder Puff" bracelet  RRP $19.95

Orly Nail Lacquers in "Peaceful Opposition" and "Lollipop" RRP $18.95 each

Two coats of "Lollipop" ...accent nails have one coat of "Peaceful Opposition"

Lollipop applied nicely, two coats to achieve a nice opaque finish, lovely formula which was easy to work with. Peaceful Opposition has a very sheer creamy base, and square and hex silver glitters. Perfect subtle glitter topper.

Model Co Gel Eyeliner in Black RRP $26.00

Her Fashion Box 'Ring Around the Rosie' bangle pack  RRP $14.95

The inbuilt brush worked quite nicely to apply the gel liner, however after first use you can see some of the brush hairs starting to splay a little. The gel liner itself was smooth, creamy and lovely to apply, however after several hours did start to transfer and smudge. I have quite oily eyelids though, and need to play around with this a little more and try some different eye primers.

Urban Rituelle Beachcomer Soothing Body Balm in 'Coconut and Honey', and 'Island Citrus'.

Coconut and Honey   "...A smooth and velvety fragrance of blissfully sweet coconut and flowery nectar, dipped in warm honey.."

Island Citrus  " ...A delightfully refreshing fragrance bursting with crisp citrus notes of orange,lime and grapefruit, layered with the soft scent of bergamot and rose..."

Oh yes...such a beautiful formula, very nourishing, not sticky or tacky, and smells Devine!

*immediately rubs all over poor tired body*

There is a promo code for 20% off your next purchase from Urban Rituelle inside the HFB magazine. 

Soothing Body Balms are also available in the blends "Mango Melt" and "Frangipani"

....I need to lie down...

Her Fashion Box hair donut RRP $6.95   

Her Fashion Box "The Twiggy" head scarf  RRP $9.95

Having blonde highlighted hair might be an issue for the black hair donut, so I will gift this to a friend! The head scarf, which is more of a headband really, is quite pretty, however I find headbands nice at first then they just annoy me! See the picture below for my take on a feminine look using the scarf in a different way. I added a braid to a side bun, and a matte bright pink lip!

Hallmark Signature Collection Cards RRP $6.99 - $12.99

A nice box filler. Everyone can use a nice card, and you could decide to gift something from your box to someone and you have a lovely card to go with it!

I am enjoying my change to the Feminine box. I think this month's box is very good value, in particular having two full sized Orly nail polishes! Loving the statement necklace and the cuff, the bangles are not really my bag, you can see from the picture above I just took out the neon pink ones and kept the gold.

LOVING the Urban Rituelle goodies and will definitely be heading to their website to check out their others products ( candles, lip balms...*swoon* )

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings, 

Lou xo

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Christmas Beauty Buys - Bare Minerals "All the Faves"

After seeing Emily Eddington's video reviewing this gift set on her You Tube channel I knew that it would be a great one to purchase. Emily does such amazing reviews and tutorials, and is one of my favourite beauty guru's to watch. Click on her name above, this will take you to her blog and you can navigate to her You Tube channel from there ( if there is anyone out there who isn't already a subscriber of hers!!) 

I purchased this gift set online from Mecca Cosmetica here in Australia for $54.95. Mecca have some great gift sets for beauty lovers, and offer great customer service and prompt delivery.

I am new to the Bare Minerals brand, and thought that this set would be a great introduction to some of their products. Although this gift set itself is limited edition, all of the products are part of their permanent line, allowing you the option of purchasing any of the products in their full size if you desire.

Nothing worse than falling in love with a limited edition product!

All products are quite good sized mini's, and I feel really good value for money. Apart from your base you can create a complete look with this kit, and I feel it lends itself towards a nice everyday, natural work appropriate look.

Mineral Veil Finishing Powder   ( 0.75gms )

This is a beautifully finely-milled setting powder which I am really enjoying!! It does a brilliant job of blurring my fine lines and pores, and seems to brighten my complexion...highly recommend!

Left - Prime Time Eyelid Primer (1.5ml)     Right - Prime Time Foundation Primer  (4.5 ml)

I find the eye primer to do a good job as a base for my eyeshadow, it has a slight tint to help lightly conceal any imperfections, and is a very smooth silicone based texture which blends nicely.

I have not tried the foundation primer as yet!

Lash Domination Volumising Mascara in Intense Black  (5.5ml)

I have a couple of Mascara's opened at the moment so waiting to use them up before I try this one!

Left - Marvellous Moxie Lipgloss in 'Sparkplug' (2.25ml)
Right - Marvellous Moxie Lipstick in 'Get Ready' (1.5gm)

Top 'Sparkplug' gloss   Bottom 'Get Ready' Lipstick

Loving both of these!! The gloss gives your lips a minty tingling feeling for about an hour which I don't find uncomfortable, I am just aware of it . It is a little sticky, which I don't mind in a gloss formula. The shade is quite pigmented as you can see from the swatch, and could definitely be used on its own for a lovely natural look with a little bit of shine.

The lipstick is very creamy and smooth to apply, and this deep rose shade is very flattering and brightening to the whole face! Beautifully pigmented and long lasting without drying my lips.

Ready Eyeshadow 2.0 ' The Epiphany'   (shades are  L- A-ha   R- Foreshadow)

A fabulous duo of everyday shades, I am currently loving 'A-ha' all over the lid and using 'Forshadow' as a liner on the upper lash line. I have heard many wonderful reviews of the Ready Eyeshadow duo's and quads, these shades are beautifully soft and creamy, and so easy to work with. I would definitely love to try some other shades!

Ready Blush in 'The One'

A lovely natural blush in a shade that would compliment many different makeup looks. Very easy to build up to a lovely flush of colour on your cheeks. I believe this is one of Emily's favourites!!

Swatches in natural light of top 'The Epiphany' eyeshadow duo ( gorgeous!)
 Bottom - Ready Blush in 'The One' ( gorgeous!)


I am really enjoying this kit!! I believe it is available in the US at Sephora and Ulta for around $35(US)
In view of the prices of cosmetics in Australia, I still feel that this is good value. It would make a lovely gift for both the makeup lover or someone just starting to experiment with makeup.

Do you have any Bare Minerals favourites??

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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