Synergie LipGlo Review with Swatches

A while back I attended an event held by Synergie, it's a brand that's been under my radar since. I am somewhat conscious of the products that I use on my face, some days I prefer green beauty and others times I feel that life is too short so I will just use it all. Synergie promotes "clean science", it really does make sense, doesn't matter how green, natural and chemical free a brand claims to be, it will always contain chemicals. As someone who is fairly clueless about chemistry, Synergie explained their motto and brand message clearly and it was right up my alley. 

ABOUT SYNERGIE LIPGLO

Synergie developed their very own range of Lip Glos, a cosmeceutical gloss range with cutting edge ingredients and antioxidant benefits from sheer to opaque coverage. 

• No artificial colours or fragrances
• Contains precious oils and anti-ageing stevia
• Vegan and cruelty free
• Available in 8 shades 

Key Ingredients:

• Stevia - minimises the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on skin's surface. Associated with increasing collagen production.
• Alpha Bisabolol - A powerful anti-inflammatory derived from chamomile to help soothe and calm irritated skin. 
• Blackcurrant Seed Oil - Reduces inflammation, regenerates damaged ageing skin and protect the skin barrier from environmental aggression. 
• Argan Oil - Soothes, softens and protects skin. 
• Castor Oil - Antimicrobial that boosts the immune system and assists wound healing.
• Macadamia Oil - A stable and hydrating oil, high essential fatty acids and antioxidants to promote skin's ability to repair and heal. 

Price: $39 per gloss

For Stockists: 
https://synergieskin.com/stockist-locator/

MY VERDICT

• My first impression when I opened the box was  - "Wow, what a beautiful range of wearable colours!!" I often receive a lot of colours I would never ever wear, so it was a lovely surprise to see a range of carefully curated colours that I would not hesitate to put on my lips.
  
• The shades are as claimed from sheer to opaque as you can see from the swatches, some shades are more pigmented than others, there are 2 topper shades: Sheer and Georgie; that can also be used without a base colour. Georgie possess a pearlescent finish while sheer is similar to a colourless lip gloss.
  
• The consistency of these LipGlo is smooth, velvety and non-sticky. Whilst the colour may not last as long as a liquid lipstick, but moisturisation is truly on point. I wear Sheer on more days that you would imagine. However, my all time favourites are Tea Rose and Blossom Dust.
  
• All 8 shades possess a strong Peppermint scent, I think this may be a "be all or end all" for some people, especially those with a particular aversion to Peppermint. I am on the fence with Peppermint scents. It's great for mornings and times where you want to ensure your breath smells good without mints, however I am a lover of subtle or scent-less products, I would have preferred a different scent and whilst Peppermint is not my preferred scent - I don't mind it. The glosses itself are so good that I would continue to use it - Peppermint or not.
  
• The finish is glossy, the only shimmery shade is Gossamer and the wands are standard doe-foot applicators. 

*Featured products provided for editorial purpose

USPA Christmas Pack - Deep Cleansing Spa Ritual Kit

Merry Christmas!

My final Christmas blog feature for the year goes out to USPA, a skincare brand that I discovered with this along with a few other outstanding brands this year. 

I have become more and more skincare focused, more concerned about ensuring my face is properly washed with my makeup properly removed. I found the importance of using quality cleansing products this year, if my face is not cleaned, my pores are clogged ---> break out!

Within USPA's Deep Cleansing Spa Ritual Kit, you will find a Nourishing Cream Cleanser with Camellia and Citrus. I love cream cleansers as I generally have sensitive skin and prone to bumps and irritations. I find cream cleansers to be very gentle on my skin and you can never go wrong with Camellia and Citrus! This is a generous full size bottle. 

90ml of pure goodness, this mud mask is designed to remove excess oils and impurities from congested skin types. Bentonite is one of the hero ingredients, it carries a strong negative charge that will bond with the positive charge in many toxins. The clay will absorb the toxin and release its minerals for the body to use.  These minerals includes silica, magnesium and calcium.

Leaving your skin feeling clean, refined and supple.

You will also receive a piece of muslin cloth in the gift box.

*Products featured were provided for editorial purpose

Natural Holiday Look Using Eles Cosmetics + Swatches

I can't believe tomorrow is my last day of work for the year!!!

I get a week off and I will be going to my parent's place to spend a week with them before coming back to work on the following week. YAY! I can't wait :)

I recently received some beautiful Eles Cosmetics products, I have been testing them out and my verdict is below! If you want to know more, keep reading cos there's a HG product in there!!

ELES COSMETICS SUNSET HAZE PALETTE

This is a stunning multidimensional 3 in 1 face and eye palette, contains a mineral matte bronzer in Santa Fe, mineral blush in Rose Marble, Mineral Matte shadow in Taupe Tan and mineral matte shadow in Tourmaline.

I like to tap my brush in the bronzer to give myself an overall glow. Or use my finger to single out the highlighter shade within the palette to highlight my face.

The blush is a gorgeous pink that is suitable for most skin tone, it's not too pigmented and easy to blend. I love how there's a matte and shimmer shadow in this palette, I usually always go for shimmer shades and forget how good mattes look on the lids.

The only thing about this palette is that it is quite powdery - ok let me explain, it does not look powdery at all on your face, but when you use your brush to pick up the product it gathers a lot of powder so my tip is to tap your brush otherwise you may notice a bit of fall out.

ELES MOISTURE CREME LIPSTICK IN PLUM FROST

This shade was quite overwhelming when I first saw it but I couldn't help but to fall in love with this vibrant colour. During everyday wear, I have been dabbing it on my lips and blending it in with my finger for a more subtle look. One evening, I decided to just try it from the bullet and see what the full colour looks like on me. I must say I really can't make vibrant pinks work on me but the colour was so pretty I decided that I would have to find a way to make it work - I think the solution is just a simple winged eye look on a good skin day.

The lipstick is beautifully moisturising and did not dry out my lips throughout the day.

ELES BAKED BLUSH IN PETUNIA

This blush goes perfectly with the lipstick in Plum Frost, it's virtually the same shade but in blush form. I am a lover of all blushes and could not wait to dig my fingers into this. I found this blush to be very pigmented - which is something I am not use to. A tiny little dab is enough for your cheeks. While it is very pigmented, it is still quite blendable. I am thinking of trying it out with a different and fluffier brush. I usually use a dense brush for blush but I think I can't do that with this blusher.

However, wear time is excellent. It remains on my cheeks or at least  visible hints of it after a long day at work.

ELES SUPERWEAR GEL LINER IN BAROQUE

This is HANDS DOWN the favourite product of the lot. If you had to buy one and only one product from this blog post - I would recommend this liner.

It draws on ever so smoothly and the liner does not budge, smudge or move. With my hooded eye lids, I usually get transfers... or at least a small amount. But this stays on. I think this is going in my HG stash.

ELES LASH FORTIFYING WATERPROOF MASCARA - BLACK

Before we start, let me reiterate how my lashes are very very straight.

Unfortunately this mascara was unable to maintain the curl. Following application, it does not lengthen or volumnise my lashes as some other mascaras I have tried. It did well at separating my lashes and gave me a very natural look.

Whilst it is waterproof and did not smudge, it is removable with a general wipe, that was a plus. I'm not much of a mascara wearer nowadays, so I am not sure if I would reach for this mascara to be honest, whilst it did not do too well for my straight lashes, it may work well on someone with naturally curly lashes.

*Products featured were provided for editorial purpose

Inika Handbag Essentials

We are one week away from Christmas, this year I will be going home to spend time with my family during the week I have off, which I am really looking forward to after moving out for 6 month. I went from seeing them every day to seeing them once a month. It's crazy.

With Christmas just around the corner, I am sure everyone is busy with shopping and Christmas Parties. Today we are looking at Inika's Handbag Essentials, something that can come in handy for parties or as a gift.

Inika Certified Organic Cream Illuminisor - Rose

- A cream formula that blends easily across the high points of your face.
- An illuminsor that is buildable for a natural glow through to a more prominent highlight
- The shade "Rose" is excellent for those with medium to dark complexion
- Key ingredients includes coconut oil and argan oil


My Verdict

• This is an absolutely stunning cream formulated illuminator. The formula is smooth and blends with ease. 
• I personally like to rub my fingers in the pan and gently dab it on my cheek bones following foundation application. 
• As per product description, this product is best suited for those with medium to dark complexions, I find that it looks a bit pink on my cheekbones and the shimmer is really quite noticeable when I don't have a tan, but it looks fantastic when I tan or fake tan. 

Inika Certified Organic Lip Serum

- Nutrient rich lip care for deep hydration and nourished lips.
- Organic Sea buckthorn to enrich the healing formula with a rejuvenating mix of essential fatty acids and antioxidant.
- Made with 91% certified organic ingredients, hydrating certified organic jojoba, sunflower, rosehip oils to help condition the lips.
- Vitamin C from certified organic mandarin orange extract and orange essential oil to detoxify and hydrate.
-No added colour however provides shine and can be applied on top of your lip colour.
- Can be used as a remedy for sore chapped lips, morning and night.

My Verdict

• I absolutely love this lip serum, it posses a slight citrus scent and looks yellow in the tube but it is indeed colourless. 
• The applicator is a standard doe foot applicator, I personally don't feel like it the surface area of the foot is big enough to pick up enough serum to allow a once swipe application for my entire lips - I'm being picky. 
• After application my lips are so ridiculously nourished and continues to remain hydrated even after the product is no longer on my lips. I keep this lip serum in my bag at all times I think it's a HG. 

As for the cute clutch, I actually took it to a wedding I went to recently (and dressed up too)!!! And guess what, all I had in my clutch were my phone, highlighter, keys and lip serum!

*Products featured were provided for editorial purpose.

Review: Elucent Anti-Ageing Skincare

Oh my goodness where did the year go? I can't believe we are only weeks away from Christmas, this year has been absolutely CRAZY and cannot wait to have a week off to relax, catch up on Instagram and blogging.

I have been using the Elucent Anti-Ageng Skincare range for approximately a month and wanted to share my first impression with you guys. I have used a lot of Elucent's Whitening skincare range in the past and I much prefer the Anti-Ageing range, keep reading to find out why.

Elucent Anti Ageing Gentle Cleanser with 2% AHAS

- Contains Vitamin B3 and E to gently exfoliate and revitalise the skin

- Gentle facial cleanser that will not cause dryness

- Designed for youthful looking skin 

- $29.99 from Chemist Warehouse

My Verdict

• The cleanser in Elucent's whitening range had tiny granules whilst the anti ageing cleanser is a pure gel cleanser.
• The gel cleanser lathers up into a foam quite nicely and quickly.
• I used this all over my face after removing my makeup or as a second cleanse, I did however, avoided using it on or around the eye area.
• Following the cleanse my skin did not feel dry, however I would still spritz my face with an alcohol free toner. 
• The cleanser comes in a convenient pump bottle allowing the product to be dispensed easily. I prefer pump bottles to squeeze tubes when it comes to gel cleansers.
• Scent wise, a light floral aroma that is not overpowering. 

Elucent Anti Ageing Day Moisturiser SPF 50+

- Triple action moisturiser that will visibly reduce wrinkles with 4% AHAs

- Maintain skin hydration and improving texture and tone with Vitamin B3 and E

- Broad Spectrum SPF50+

- $49.99 from Chemist Warehouse

My Verdict

• Whenever I see SPF 50+ written on a day cream I become a little hesitant, I often find day creams with high SPF to be slightly more oily than day creams with lower SPF content. To my surprise this particular day cream applied and blended like a dream. 
• It was not oily nor drying, I also did not notice any white cast once blended. It also sat nicely under my foundation. I think this is my favourite product out of the trio. 
• This day cream comes in a pump bottle and it's easy to dispense. 

Elucent Anti Ageing Night Moisturiser with 8% AHAs

- Skin refining with 8% AHAs combined with Vitamin B3, C and E to reduce signs of ageing and improve skin tone whilst firming the skin. 

- A luxurious night time moisturiser to replenish the skin. 

- Apply to face and neck 

- $49.99 from Chemist Warehouse

My Verdict

• This is quite a rich night cream that may take a bit longer to absorb into your skin. Prior to trialling the Elucent range, I have been using an oil so it took a bit of getting use to.
• My biggest tip and recommendation is to use the night cream in small doses and gradually increase as required. Oh and read the ingredient list to ensure nothing you are using will react to AHAs. My forehead possess small amounts of fine lines so it's an area I concentrate on.
• Following application, I noticed a very minor tingling sensation, my skin is normally sensitive however I didn't really react to this night cream which is a good sign! I feel that this night cream works quite well on my forehead, plumps the area and hydrates it well.
• Once applied and absorbed, the cream did not roll off my face, another plus.
• This night cream comes in a tub which I don't mind. 

*This is a sponsored post

Sun-kissed Summer Look using Scout Cosmetics

I have had a crazy month and a half house sitting my parent's place, hence a lack of blog posts and content. We don't get roaches in our apartment so it was a whirlwind of chasing after roaches at my parent's house and trying to bond with my dad's love bird. Through thick and thin, lil birdy finally bonded with me after 2 blow drying sessions (he likes to be pampered). Now, I can't wait to get some sun and smack on my bronzer. I was sent some beautiful Scout Cosmetics products in order to re-create my own sunkissed look. It took about 5 minutes, super easy!

Scout Cosmetics is a beautiful Australian mineral makeup and organic skincare brand. I would classify Scout Cosmetics under my "Green Beauty" category. 

BRONZER

For an all round sun-kissed glow I used Scout Cosmetics Bronzer "Summer"- $39.95.

This particular bronzer is smooth to apply and comes in a standard mineral container. I used Scout Cosmetics Vegan Blush Brush - $24.95 to sweep the bronzer across my cheeks, nose and sides of my forehead. With my fingers, I also used the bronzer as an eye shadow, it worked surprisingly well mainly because there is a fair amount of sheen in the bronzer. When applied onto the cheeks it will give you colour and glow! My only suggestion is to use a primer under your foundation before applying the bronzer, especially if you have enlarged pores like me where mineral products tend to get caught in the pores and end up accentuating your pores. 

LIPS

I was sent Scout Cosmetics Organic Lipstick - $26.95; the shade is "Captivate" when I first saw the colour in the bullet I was extremely hesitant to even swatch it because the shade appeared very bright and vibrant, not a shade I usually wear or can even pull off. But I took a leap of fate and decided to give it a go, I was pleasantly surprised by this gorgeous metallic shade. The colour is no where near as intimidating as I expected. The lipstick was actually quite sheer and extremely nourishing. 

NAILS

The finishing touch is nails, a glittery coat of gold on my nails, I am using Scout Cosmetics Eco Luxe Nail Polish in Truly Madly Deeply - $19.95. There are 35 shades. This is a special nail polish because it's free from potential allergens, carcinogens and irritants that is often found in traditional nail polish:

 - Toluene

 - Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

 - Camphor

 - Formaldehyde

 - Formaldehyde Resin

Below, I have swatches (an unedited photo) of the lipstick and bronzer to give you an idea of what the actual colour looks like. 

*Products featured were provided for editorial purpose

TRAVEL REVIEW: Royal Caribbean 8 day Cruise New Caledonia and Vanuatu (MUST READ BEFORE YOU BOOK!)

This travel post is long over due, in November 2016, we aboard the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas to New Caledonia and Vanuatu. I have only previously been on P&O cruises and the experience wasn't pleasant  - a combination of drunks and being sea sick. The Royal Caribbean and a luxury feel as soon as we boarded the ship.

THE CRUISE - ROYAL CARIBBEAN

I loved every moment we were on board. Photo above is a picture of the dining room, you had the option of eating at a dinning room or buffet - both are included in the cost of your fare. I personally thought the food was great.

We were extremely busy on board with breakfast, lunch, dinner, movies, games, shows and the occasional gym.

TIPS:

- Costings on board are in USD

- Alcohol costs.... a lot

- Remember to return your towels or you might be charged

- Examine your statements thoroughly, you might find obscure charges here and there. We were charged several hundred dollars after we got home, apparently this is a normal occurrence, after a week or so the charges were dropped with no money taken out of the card.  

- Ensure to line up for your dinner at least 10 minutes beforehand, it gets very crowded 

- Get a room with a balcony, it's worth the extra cost.

- A stateroom can sleep 3 people, it can get a little bit crowded especially if everyone wants to use the bathroom!
- We paid approximately $1200 give or take pp. for 8 nights.
- There was a 24/7 café that is covered under your cruise fare, the buffet and main dining hall is open at certain times. There are also several restaurants you need to pay for on the cruise... but what's the point? The buffet is HUGE.
- There are heaps of activities to do on the cruise, you will receive a daily schedule the evening before. We saw performances each night (from cabaret to magic shows), movie screenings in the evening, there's a bar with late night disco, physical activities such as rock climbing, archery and tossing bean bags, trivia + karaoke, there's a gym or you can chill with paper craft session. It wasn't until the last couple of days where we got a bit bored, otherwise lots of activities. 

MARE, NEW CALEDONIA

Mare was our first port.. and dare I say my favourite.

TIPS:

- You will need to take a tender from the cruise to the port, this is free of charge

- You will need to pay approximately 20USD per person to take a shuttle from the port to the beach. It is not within a walkable distance. There are no alternative transport to the beach so, I highly recommend buying tickets on board because it's one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been too... even with an overcast. 

- There will be small stalls selling various local foods on the beach, highly recommend you to try them!

- There are a lot of wild dogs at the port.

- There will be people selling souvenirs at the port, be aware that these are not hand made and mainly imported. The sarongs are probably the only pieces that may be worth while.

- The water at the beach is SO clear you can see the fish without goggles.

- There are no pre-booked activities at Mare

MYSTERY ISLAND, VANUATU

• I got my hair corn braided here, it was inexpensive... approximately 15-20 dollars based on your hair length. There are fresh coconuts on the island, food... not so much
• We went on the Turtle watching tour with the locals and boy they found a sea turtle and put it on our laps.
• You can pre-book activities at for Mystery Island, but locals will have activity stalls such as snorkelling and turtle watching. However you must be aware that locals santise their snorkelling gears their own way via sea water.
• Mystery Island is uninhabited, apparently the island is haunted so people only visit the island during day time for tourism purposes.
• Stalls available on the island - lots of them. 
• Beware of footwear. The sand on the beach is mainly comprise of sea-shells, I wore thongs to begin with and my feet were so sore so I just took them off. 

NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA

• Once you dock, there will be a stall section where locals sell either imported or hand-made items. I purchased a hand make clay necklace of turtles. The prices are not cheap and often in USD and AUD.
• Some of the shops will take AUD - however if you venture into the town the shops will only take FRANCs and speak French. However, there are locals who are fluent in English.
• You can go on the infamous Choo-Choo however, it is expensive!!! We just took a 3hr coach tour for a fraction of the price, this was purchased at the stalls where local tours groups compete with. We went to a couple of cultural sites, a church and a look out point. Following the tour our fare included the hop on hop off coach.
• Duck Island is recommended, we didn't go there but there are some strange statues on the island.
• Snorkelling is available, however I find the water in Mare to be MUCH clearer.
• I believe Noumea contains 75% of community housing, Noumea is tiny, you can probably explore the everything in a couple of days. 
• There are nice restaurants along the coast, we didn't have time to go to the mall. The buildings along the coast looks nice but things look more run down further away from the coast.
• I find people to be warmer in Vanuatu - but that was my personal experience.

Overall, I had a really good time. I didn't get sea sick or experience an upset stomach on the cruise or when I ate home made local foods I purchased from the stalls on the islands.

Would I cruise again? Hell yes.

Bobbi Brown Instant Full Coverage Concealer Review + Swatched

ABOUT BOBBI BROWN INSTANT FULL COVERAGE CONCEALER

• A highly concentrated, high pigment concealer designed to brighten under eye darkness.
• Softens hollows and tired lines in an instant
• Banish signs of tiredness 
• Non-drying, water/sweat/humidity resistant formula
• Crease free finish
• Available in 15 shades
• $52 AUD

MY VERDICT

• PACKAGING: The concealer is in a standard plastic tube with a wand applicator to make application swift and simple. The applicator is long with a rounded tip.  
• FORMULA: I found the formula to be fairly dry and the wand is a bit stiff, not really what I had expected for a concealer. After a 3 swipes you may need to go back to the tube for more product. However once applied, the concealer is very easy to blend and surprisingly hydrating. Although having said that I would have preferred for the concealer to be a little bit more runny.
• SHADE: The shade I have been trialling is in Beige, I personally found this shade to be a little bit too dark for my under eyes but perfect to use as a facial concealer.
• FINISH: I have never experienced any creasing using this concealer, nor would it latch onto dry areas. 
• UNDER EYES: Because the shade is slightly darker than what I needed to create a luminous finish for my under eyes, I wasn't able to experience the full effect of this concealer. I don't have any lines under or around my eyes so I can't comment on whether it would make lines disappear. But I the formula is pigmented and creamy once applied, which are ultimate pluses for an under eye concealer. 
• AS A FACIAL CONCEALER: To be honest, I have been using this concealer as a facial concealer more so and I really like it. The shade is perfect, on good skin days, I would even draw lines all over my face and use it for my full face. It provides a flawless luminous coverage and finish. 
• BRUSH VS FINGERS: The concealer works well with both a dense brush or fingers. I prefer to use my fingers for under eyes and a dense foundation brush for face.
• WEAR TIME: This concealer will definitely last a standard 8hr work day and up to 12 hrs but you may need a touch up. 

No Makeup ----> Bobbi Brown Instant Full Coverage Concealer only

The product featured was provided for editorial purpose