Covergirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara

Covergirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara

I was so excited to try this mascara (and it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Taylor Swift was the poster girl for this particular range…) because I’d watched a review comparing it to Benefit’s They’re Real! Mascara, which has developed something like a cult following this year. 

I guess part of my eagerness to try this out was because the current mascara I’d been using at the time (Rimmel’s Max Bold Curve Mascara, if you’re interested,) had been given me inconsistent results (nice lashes on Mondays and Tuesdays, and clumps every other day. Just kidding.)

Unfortunately, this particular Covergirl mascara really doesn’t do it for me - again, I get very inconsistent results with it. The first thing you’ll probably notice is that the formula is very wet, which goes on like a nightmare for my lashes at the worst of times. I don’t have many lashes to begin with, and if I’m not careful with my application, I end up looking like I have six spider legs for eyelashes. On days where I have the patience and time to work with the mascara a little more, I do end up with some really nice, natural looking lashes, but those days have been few and far between.

The only reason I haven’t chucked it out and ripped into the Almay One Coat Mascara that I got in my July BellaBox yet is because since I’ve been using it with my new Shiseido Eyelash Curler, I’ve been getting better results on a more daily basis BUT in my humble opinion, a good mascara can hold its own without the help of a stellar eyelash curler. 

In short - definitely not the best mascara I’ve used, but also not the worst. Wet formula is a little hard to work with and gives some natural darkening and lengthening of lashes but not much volume. Might work better on someone with fuller lashes.

Covergirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara is available in both normal and waterproof forumulations from Priceline, Target and selected pharmaciesand retails for about $20 AUD depending on where you get it from. 

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub  - Initial Thoughts

I got a deluxe sized sample of this in my BellaBox and tried it immediately this afternoon because I’ve been fairly lazy lately (I say lazy and not busy because in actual fact, even though I’ve had a tonne of stuff to get done these past few days, I’ve still been stuck in my post-semester-break holiday mode) and hadn’t done my weekly clay mask yesterday. 

The Deep Clean Scrub has a similar appearance and consistency to theNeutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Scrub, but smells gross. I know fragrance shouldn’t be such a huge deal, but this particular scrub smells of chemical nastiness. 

I obviously can’t make any comments on its long term benefits considering I’ve only tried it once, but the reason I wanted to hop on here and comment on it straight away was because not long after using the product, I started noticing the skin around the top of my forehead becoming a little itchy, and the area around my nose also getting dry and itchy. The last time this happened, it was with the Clinique cleanser for combination/oily skin and when I persisted with the product because I’d pretty much never had a bad reaction to any form of skin care product before, I ended up with itchy, flaky, red skin around my nose and mouth. 

I’m obviously going to give the scrub a proper chance before I make any conclusions, but I’m definitely not going to be using this more than twice a week. I don’t have sensitive skin by a long shot so anything that’s harsh on my skin will probably kill properly sensitive skin. In any case, keep your eyes out for my final review!

[EDIT]: I just tried the scrub a 2nd time today (so around about 2 weeks after I first used it) and still developed the same dryness as well, especially around the corners of my mouth. It wasn't as bad as last time, but I think I'll be staying away from this scrub from now on :(

Bella Box July - First Impressions for my First Box

Bellabox July - First Impressions of my first Bellabox

I was actually a naughty little curious cat and looked at my box preview way before I even got the email to say that it had been posted - in my defence, though, I thought the preview was going to be along the lines of the instagram previews for glambag.com, not an actual full list of the products I’d be receiving.

So needless to say, I’ve been hyping this box for quite awhile. What I was really impressed with, though, was the number of full-size products - the Almay One Coat Mascara, Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream, Carmex Lip Balm and YouMe&Everybody Face Milk. Not sure if the Innoxa nail polish andLe Tan leg bronzer were full size, but they’re a pretty decent size regardless. 

I’ll probably review each of these products extensively and individually once I get the chance because I’m definitely interested in trying everything (except the leg bronzer - I’m already pretty tan and I’m not a huge fan of tanning products anyway so I’ll probably end up giving that to someone else.)

So, is the box worth the $15 I paid? The mascara alone more than covers the $15, and considering the size and amount of products I got, I’m more than impressed with my first box. Something else I have to mention is the communication as well - I got an email once my box was posted, was able to track its progress, and still get regular (but not to the point of being annoying) updates on new/hyped products. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to subscribe, I’d say go for it!

For more info, visit www.bellabox.com.au 

'Winter Hand' Heroes

‘Winter Hand’ Heroes - Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream and Planet Eve Luxe Hand Cream

In the past few years, winter has been my least favourite season for many reasons:

1. I have to dress like a snowman. And it gets so cold that I don’t even want to take my PJs off so that I can dress like a snowman.

2. My metabolism kicks up a notch (in order to keep me warm - its science, ladies!) so I burn more energy, hence am always hungry, leading to more food consumption. We are back to looking like a snowman.

3. My hands get so dry that they start to crack and bleed. 

Now, I have a particular fondness for my hands, so I’ve been trying to take extra-special good care of them lately. So to make a habit out of good hand care, I bought the Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream and left it in my room so I remember to moisturise before I go to sleep. The Planet Eve cream you see in the photo is actually a sample I got from my pharmacy - and due to its convenient size, I leave it in my handbag so that I keep moisturising throughout the day. Genius, right?

The Lowdown

• The Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream contains protective colloidal oatmeal and claims to last through hand washes, which is something I can definitely use since I’m OCD with my hand sanitiser. It has a thin consistency, is non greasy and absorbs quite quickly.
• The Planet Eve Luxe Hand Cream (with antioxidants) SMELLS FANTASTIC, is of a slightly thicker consistency to the Aveeno cream and also absorbs very quickly. 

Since I’ve been using both products simultaneously, I don’t know to which I owe the now semi-presentability of my hands, but I do find I prefer the Planet Evecream because it instantly and very noticeably hydrates my skin (goodbye, skin flakes!) 

Where to buy:

• Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream is available from most pharmacies and retails for about $6 AUD for 100g, whereas the Planet Eve Luxe Hand cream is a little bit pricier at $29 AUD for 50mL. 

Benefit b.right! Total Moisture Facial Cream

So I got this tiny little sample together with my Benefit order in the mail last week and decided to give it a shot. 

Initial thoughts: IT.SMELLS.AMAZING. As in, the best smelling facial product I’ve ever come across! The texture is also quite nice - rather thick, but still very spreadable (not sure if ‘spreadable’ is really the right word to use. Makes me think of cream cheese.)

Unfortunately, the sample isn’t enough for me to tell whether it’s going to make a difference to my skin or not - the first day I used it, it didn’t feel moisturising enough despite being thicker than my normal face cream but having tried it again today, I found it made my skin noticeably soft and smooth. I think I’ll save my gratitude for my normal skin care routine though, because 2 uses is hardly enough for Benefit to claim sole rights to my ultra moisturised skin. 

It is, however, enough for me to notice that it didn’t dry out my skin, didn’t break me out and didn’t give me an allergic reaction. I would probably give it a proper shot if it wasn’t so overpriced - considering my normal Nivea moisturiser costs about $10 and I can get it pretty much anywhere, I don’t think I’ll be purchasing a full size of this one any time soon! 

Where to buy? Benefit b.right Total Moisture Facial Cream is available from Myers, or you can get it direct from www.benefitcosmetics.com for $38 USD.