My 4 Winter Beauty Essentials

Winter is meant to be one of the most fashionable seasons, of endless amount clothes, over sized jumpers, scarfs, knee high boots and even funky prints. but there's nothing worse then getting sick in the first couple of weeks of Winter. I just happen to get caught up in a nasty sickness, of a cold, flu and a sore throat to add to the icing. Ive came up with my own little winter beauty essentials that will get me through this awful weather and also maintain my skin and hair.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub (Exfoliate Your Skin):

$5.95 From Target.

Exfoliate at least three times a week to remove dead skin cells and allow the skin to absorb moisture more effectively. Avoid exfoliates and toners that are high in alcohol, it may feel refreshing, but as alcohol evaporates it strips away moisture. So look for alcohol-free products. Ive been using: St. Ives Apricot Scrub I have been using this product for awhile now, and i can already tell a difference! My face is clear and feels great! I love the smell of it and the texture is great. My face feels smooth, clean and lovely. I also love how it is all natural.

Beeswax Lip Balm Tin (Smooth Lips) :

$7.95 From Priceline

Cracked, peeling lips can be a painful problem in winter, not to mention how un-kissable they look! Use a rich, moisturizing lip balm with vitamin E or coconut oil and apply regularly. Some lip balms also contain tea tree oil, which helps to heal painful cracks. Besides loving my truly Lucas Paw-Paw, ive found my new obsession. Beeswax Lip Balm Tin: This one doesn't feel sticky and I never get sick of the scent - which is a natural pepperminty smell. I also don't feel like I need to reapply it every 5 seconds as with some others as well. I think it's because all the ingredients in it are natural. 

 

Toni & Guy Reconstruction Mask (Harsh Hair):

 

$14.99 From Priceline

colder seasons can be harsh on our hair, If you’re battling with dry, frizzy hair, resist the urge to reach for the hair dryer and GHD as heat treatment will only make things worse. Try to dry and style your hair with a towel, and if you must use a dryer, time yourself and try to use it a little less. For an extra boost treat yourself to a conditioning hair mask at least twice a week. Lately i have been using: Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask: This product is by far the best re-constructor there is out there, it has done a fabulous job of my hair and its never felt/looked so good! It gives my hair the boost that it needs, not only does it feel smooth but it looks a lot healthier and stronger. 

Olay Plus Ribbons Moisturizing Body Wash

$8.99 From Priceline

 A great body lotion in the shower every morning or night to help lock in some extra moisture. Look for lotions with wheat bran, olive extract or avocado oil to boost the skin’s moisture barrier. Avoid showering with soap-based cleansers as these can increase itchiness and dry out skin further.The product that gives me results is Olay Plus Ribbons Moisturizing Body Wash: helps skin-nourishing formula provides long-lasting moisture and deeply moisturizing formula nourishes skin with a mouth-watering fragrance.

5 Beauty Products I've Finished - May 2013

5 Beauty Products, I've Finished. - May 2013

 Vera Wang; Preppy Princess:
I was given this as a Christmas present last year. I've always loved Vera Wang, and trying Preppy Princess for the first time, was exciting. This smells exactly how you'd imagine a preppy girl smelling- one of those girls who shops at the high end store, maybe upper-middle class, gets good grades in school, hold hands with her boyfriend at the park. It's a fresh scent, not obnoxiously flowery or sweet- it's young and innocent but suitable for a woman of all ages.

Swisspers; Facial Cleaning Wipes.
I've tried the other Swisspers wipes before (green tea and cucumber) but this one is the best in terms of the smell. I really like the fresh scent. Unlike many other wipes I've tried, Swisspers is perfect for me, coz the wipes are not too soggy - they just have the right amount of the cleansing stuff on it. And it does remove make up pretty well too! This is a great thing to use when you're just lazy to remove your make up at night. Plus, I never find a need to apply moisturiser after using this. 

Maybelline New York: Fit Me Pressed Powder (Sand Beige)
The package is very inviting, it's small but cute. The only thing I hated about the package, was that you had to keep flipping the powder up, just to use the mirror. Which would leave me covered in powder, if I didn't clean it up. Besides that, the formula was very lightweight, didnt make my face, look cakey or patchy. Blends very well with my foundation and other beauty products I use. 

Australis : Eyeshadow Primer.
FINALLY!!! I have been looking high and low for something to stop my oily lids from gathering eyeshadow in the creases and ruining my hard work! I decided to give this a go, despite it being considered a budget brand and I was excited to find that it does its job to perfection. I have worn this almost everyday for 8 hours with no fading whatsoever, just a dab on each lid, gently massage it in. Eyeshadow will not budge. I also have sensitive eyes and this is gentle as can be! Packaging is super cute, I love how Australis make all their products look alike (MAC inspiration?) Hot pink bottle with a black lid and doe foot applicator. 

Maybelline New York: Dream LUMI Touch. Highlighting Concealer.
this product is amazing. I used it every single day. It was easy to apply and looked amazing blended in. I used it under my eyes, brow bone, down my nose and a little on my chin. Even though it says "concealer" it looked more like a bright highlighter. To be honest, I truly felt like I could pull off Kim Kardashian's  hight light / contour look. The texture was very creamy and was quick to dry, so you have to be super quick to blend into the skin. It didn't look cakey or to light for my skin. It was perfect shade to lighten dark areas and make my features stand out.

PriceLine Beauty Bag 2013

I love when Priceline does amazing offers, that include receiving discounts / free products, or shall I say a bag full of cosmetics valued over $220!! When I heard about the beauty bag 2013, I was so excited. The products that were in the bag where a few things I have been dying to try, so this was an offer I wasn't going to let slip past me.

To get the beauty bag, you have to spend $60 on cosmetics or accessories from included brands: Rimmel London, Revlon, Models Prefer, Nude by Nature, Manicare, Bourjois, Kiss, Press & Go, Natio, Australis, Ecotools, Sally Hansen and Savvy.

Before I show you what products were inside, here's what I brought to receive the beauty bag:

I picked up:

• Australis: Intensif Eye Wet / Dry Eye Shadow In Choc-A-Block
• Australis: LASH TLC Mascara In Blackest Black
• Australis: Fresh & Flawless Pressed Power In Darkest Brown
• Australis: Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Foundation In Natural Fawn
• Australis: Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Brightener 
• Savvy: Liquid Eye Liner In Black 
• Models Prefer: Infinite Colour Foundation In Natural Beige
• Models Prefer: Bronzer - Sun Kissed
• Models Prefer: High Definition Soft Touch Pressed Power In Medium To Dark.

 NOW FOR WHAT'S IN THE BAG?

Included in the bag was:

• Eco Tools: Recycled Plastic Bath Sponge
• Sally Hanson: Complete Salon Finish Nail Polish in Midnight ( black with small gold shimmer)
• Revlon: Lip Butter in Brown Sugar
• Australis: Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Concealer 
• Nude by Nature: Undercover Airbrush Mineral Primer
• Kiss: Everlasting French Nails
• Savvy by DB: Makeup Remover Wipes
• Rimmel: Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in 004 Shimmering Sand
• Manicare: Cutical Therapy Oil
• Natio: Lip Colour in Flutter (a neutral brown)
• Bourjois: Volume Glamour Max Mascara in Noir Max
• Press & Go Nails
• Revlon: Photo Ready BB Cream $5 off voucher