Bvlgari Crystalline Sample!!

I received an absolutely gorgeous miniature bottle of this in the mail yesterday, all the way from Italy.  By the sounds of it the offer is still available, so i though i would share it!

http://bvlgariomnia.bulgari.com/en/try-the-fragrance

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Red Carpet Kolour UPDATE

 (i apologise for any spelling/grammar mistakes, i just got up and i'm working on my morning coffee)

Soooo, i managed to decant the RCK in to a pot last night (with my 10 month old helping, always fun), so i thought i'd update here with my thoughts.

Firstly, the medium is not a bronzer, it's a pretty gold.  it looks gorgeous in the pot, and i imagine from the colour of the medium the dark must be a darker gold and the light a lighter one (although this one is fairly light).

However, whilst the colour is lovely, the smell instantly put me off.  It smells like a pub!!!  A really yeasty, beer-y smell.  Even my husband (who, when i commented on the smell didn't believe me) agrees.  Once applied it takes on a wine-y, yeasty smell.  I only applied it to half my hand, and the smell from that alone was getting to me.  A whole body application-eww!

Finally, the colour once on.  I really don't know how this would hide the imperfections it claims to, it's a really sheer product (so sheer i'm not attempting a swatch shot, my camera wouldn't pick anything up).  It looks lovely on, a really nice sheer gold sheen (reminds me of a golden version of body gloss), but unless the imperfections were minor, i don't think that this would do any sort of job disguising them.  If it were to you would end up looking like an oscar from the layers needed.

So, in small amounts as a highlighter, i think this product would be amazing (if you could stand the smell), but as a whole body thing, it isn't for me.

Violet Box Feb 2014

My second box to arrive today, Woohoo!!  Although this one almost gave me a heart attack, an email this morning told me it was on board with driver, followed by an email early this afternoon telling me it had been delivered, with no visible appearance from our parcel lady.  She had been very sneaky and had left both box at our front door without knocking!  (i do wonder if it was our normal lady, though, she's normally very thorough and wouldn't leave them without letting someone know, especially when the front door was open).

It's here, though!  I have developed a real affection for Violet box, this is my 6th box from them, and there has been 1 disappointing one in the lot (plus the boxes are all the same, or at least close to it, which means everyone has the same sort of month, good or bad).  VB is more expensive than other Aussie boxes ($22.95), but on a whole they are the best box on the market.  VB seem to bring more overseas brands to their box, and they tend to have more makeup items. 

Be A Bombshell Lip Crayon in Some Beach - full sized - RRP $19

I love this colour.  It is a colour i don't own, and it is just so pretty, plus it's a lip crayon (i adore lip crayons).  This crayon has an  awesome amount of pigment and it went on so smoothly.  I'm heading out for the day tomorrow, and plan on wearing this out, so will see how it goes then.

Be A Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush - full size - RRP $21.00

Be a bombshell isn't a new brand to VB, but these products are!  The One stick gets great reviews from overseas, and now we have it here!  Girl crush is a very pretty pale pink (as you can see it blends in well to my skin colour, it does show up more IRL but is still nice and subtle), it's made to be worn on eyelids, cheeks or lips, and is beautiful to apply.  I'm interested to give this a proper glow, have a play around and see how it works best for me.

Wotnots Facial Wipes - sample size (5 wipes) - RRP $7.95 (25 wipes)

Wotnot is a great brand, lots of organic, natural wipes (including some for the little people in our lives).  These rock up every so often in Aussie sample boxes, but they are great and i'm always happy to receive more.

Red Carpet Kolour - sample size - RRP $49.95

OK, so what i can gather on this is it's a body illuminator/bronzer.  The card says it isn't self tan (although i tried self tan for the first time last night, so far i'm happy with the results), which suggests to me it's a bronzer, but they call it an Illuminator.  Supposedly covers up imperfections (stretch marks, cellulite, age spots etc).  Mines in medium, i plan on decanting the 2 sachets in to a pot for ease of use, and we'll see how it goes.

Nuxe Créme Nirvanesque - sample size (15ml) - RRP $49.95 (50ml)
 

A face cream, which claims to smooth, de-stress and relax first expression lines (i've noticed i'm getting 'frown' lines on my forehead due to not wearing sunnies, this might be the answer!).  Honestly i'm not seeing anything to write home about, but it is nice to get something that is aimed at a younger age set, as this is targeted at first lines.

Aphelia Oasis Acne Solution- sample size (2ml) - RRP $49.00 (50ml)

A herbal acne solution, sounds interesting.  This has none of the traditional acne fighters (eg salicylic acid) but helps deliver rapid action whilst still being gentle.  I still get breakouts at almost 28 (i had the worst skin as a teen, my saviour was roaccutane.  whilst it did a great job i still tend to break out at times), so this product is again great for me and my skin.

All in all i love my box.  I'm perplexed by the Kolour (but am interested to try it), and love the fact the skin care products are aimed at that 'hard to treat' age group (i'm not read for full on anti aging yet, but i want slightly more specialised products than what i used in my teens and early 20's).  This box is the reason i buy boxes, different products, new brands, and interesting discoveries!

Lust Have It Feb 2014

 It never rains, it pours!  Today my LHI box rocked up along with my Violet box, and a couple of nail goodies i bought off Ebay!  What a way to liven up a boring Monday (expecially after the night i had, my youngest decided to scream blue murder for an hour overnight, and nothing i did would settle him).

LHI have picked up their game a bit this month (after last month's shocker), 3 new brands, 1 repeat brand (which i think are new products from them), and 1 brand i'm not 100% positive about (vaseline?  but it's neither here nor there).  There was also a Beauty Dip, where 1000 members received a deluxe sample of a So...? perfume (i'm not quite sure what to think of this, on one hand i don't mind So...? perfumes, on the other they were what i wore as a teen, and they seem a very young brand.  Plus i prefer everyone gets the same, make it a giveaway if you have these products so the boxes stay the same).

There was no 'box' this month (which i know some people had last month).  It seems we're going to be getting another change in packaging (again!  4 different ones in just under 2 years) so something 'useful', so the items came in a black mailer with paper to protect the products.  Again, neither here nor there, however with all the changes it makes me wonder why the money spent on different packaging isn't going in to the products within the box, i don't know about anyone else but i really couldn't give 2 hoots on the packaging.

Anyway, on to the box itself.

Please excuse this, i forgot to put one product in the 'group' shot

Hand Spa Bijoux - hand wipe - sample size? - 1 wipe - RRP $1.50 (per wipe)
 

This looks like a moisturising hand wipe?  An anti-aging hand wipe!  and it's japanese (i love Asian cosmetics).  I'm excited LHI are exploring different avenues for the products they send out, as there are just so many more then those sold on aussie shelves, however it's an anti-aging hand wipe (a-i'm 28, i might dabble in anti-aging skincare,but my hand really aren't showing any 'aging', and b-i have one hand that is eczema prone, and i tend to be careful what goes on it).  I'll probably end up sending it up to my mum.


The Cosmetic Kitchen Brush - RRP $22.50

I'm always excited to get brushes in my boxes, and this one feels gorgeous, however it came out of it's packaging in 2 pieces.  LHI are usually really good at replacing anything broken, so i've let them know about the problem and i'm waiting on a response.  My first impressions are good ones, though,  it looks and feels wonderful.

(UPDATE : as i was writing this i had a reply to my picture on facebook, asking me to email them a photo so a replacement can be arranged)

(UPDATE #2 : email sent and has been replied to!  a replacement is being sent- YAY!!  one thing i've found with LHI is their customer service is almost always on the ball, and they do what they can to help their customers)

The Cosmetic Kitchen Eyeshadow - Full Sized - RRP $22.50

Pretty, pretty, pretty!!!  I got the colour Cherry, which is an absolutely gorgeous shimmery red (the photos really don't do it justice).  It isn't a colour i'd normally buy, but i subscribe to these type of boxes to try new products and, in some ways, to have my comfort zone challenged, and this is just so lovely that i can't wait to try it (i've also just spent hours looking at photos of Maiko and Geiko, and red is a prodominant colour in their makeup).

This is a mineral colour, and is talc free.


Clairol Professional Color Radiance Shampoo - sample size (50ml) - RRP $13.95 (250ml)

 Clairol is this months main return brand, there was a mask in a box from a couple of months ago (and there may have been a shampoo/conditioner too.  This may be a repeat product, but it is new to me).  My hair is dyed, in a 'cherry chocolate' (i have naturally brown hair, and whilst i love red hair i hate the regrowth.  this colour means i can get away with the regrowth, as the red isn't an 'in your face' red, and it allows the brown to show through), and this is supposed to help with colour fade.  I'm happy to receive this, my hair seems to hate all shampoos atm (i can barely get away with 2 days between washes,  which normally is fine).  It's also a big enough sample that you can get several washes from it (unlike sachet samples).


Clairol Professional Expand Volume Mousse - sample size (42g) - RRP $19.50 (250ml)

 As above, clairol is a return brand, but i think this is a new product for us.  Neither my daughter nor i need any volume, my hair has a definite wave, and hers makes her look like cousin it (although cousin it's hair has more definition, my poor daughter looks like she has a birdsnest on her head most days).  I've found mousse invaluable on school photo days, though, to get her hair to stay in one place (she normally walks out with a halo around her face), and also for my eldest son on school 'crazy hair' days (last years was spiked with mousse and wax, and covered in glitter), so this will eventually get some use.

Vaseline Ultimate 10 Anti-Aging Body Lotion - Sample size (25ml) - RRP $16.29 (750ml)

 Holy Cr*p!!  just over $16 for a vaseline product?  does it contain gold leaf?  (oh, the card says it's available at chemist warehouse, that normally means it can be picked up a lot cheaper.  have i ever said how much i love chemist warehouse!).  Still, it's a body lotion!  The majority of the results stated would come from the regular use of any old moisturiser and drinking water, so Meh!!  This will probably end up in my car, for those times when i desperately need moisturiser and don't have any in my bag.

And finally, i was a beauty dip 'winner', so i also have a very cute little bottle of So...?  Kiss Me in my box. 

I used to wear this when my husband and i met (almost 11 years ago).  I had a few of the So...?  perfumes, they were favourites amongest my friends when we were teenagers.  As i said at the start, i'm not quite sure i know what to think of this beauty dip idea, i'd prefer a more even distribution of goodies (i'm not unhappy to have this, i still think it smells lovely, i'm just saying i'm not sure of the fairness surrounding them).



So, after my massive rant on the LHI wall after last month's box (still not sure i'm 100% happy with their answer, but actions speak louder than words), this box is certainly an improvement, with new brands and different products.  It's a win in my books, and hopefully continues in the coming months.

David Jones Beauty Bag - Feb 2014

  

David Jones has their new beauty book out, and of course that means there is a new beauty bag!!!!  For those who don't know, the beauty bag is available for $19.95 with any beauty purchase, and is usually worth around the $100 mark. 

 I ended up buying myself 2 Dr Bronners Pure-Castile Liquid soaps, one in peppermint and one in rose.  I've heard about these from several different sources, my favourite body mod forum swears buy them (especially the peppermint) for cleaning healed piercings (seeing as i have a few of those i want to give it a go), and Gooroobeauty over on youtube has had them in her empties recently, and said they're great for cleaning brushes.  At $3.75, they're great value, and i'm excited to try them.

Then there's my bag.  i got bag #1 (there were no bag #2 at my local DJ's).  It's a gorgeous black bag with a gold DJ's store on the front, and a smaller clear bag full of goodies, valued at over $109!  What i can't get across here is just how amazing this bag smells, the products within are all wonderfully scented.

On to the products.......

 Green People Organic Lifestyle- an orange scented shower gel.  smells beautiful, and is 84% certified organic (30ml sample bottle)

David Jones Milk and Honey body wash - enriched with manuka honey.  DJ's products are always great quality, without paying through the nose (60ml)

Dr Bronners Lavender Soap bar - more of this to try!  This is a soap bar compared to the ones i bought (which are liquid), but it smells like a field of lavender.  So happy to have another one to try out (34g)

David Jones Milk and Honey Cream -  same as the body wash, smells great and is the same great quality as the body wash (60ml).

Natio Aromatherapy Body Creme -  Body creme with shea and cocoa butter, and orange, lavender and ylang ylang oil.  Perfect for winter, and another item that just smells divine (150g-full size)

The Scottish Fine Soaps Company Au Lait Body Milk - smells slightly like sunscreen.  will have to give it a go and see what it's like :) (50ml)

Kosmea  Rosehip Oil - I love rosehip oil (or at least my skin does).  This one is certified organic (3ml)

Kiehl's Powerful Wrinkle and Pore Reducing Cream -  I'm excited about this one.  Not sure much about the wrinkle reducing (at 27 i don't think i'm too wrinkly), but the pore reducing, if it works, would be a major blessing.  relatively unscented and in the cutest little tub (7ml)

Philosophy Hope In A Jar Night cream - I've heard so many great things about Hope In A Jar, so this is another sample that i can't wait to try (7ml)

LDN:SKINS fake tan - i don't normally fake tan (even though i own that many tanning products it's not funny), but i'm interested to try this one.  It has organic ingredients and it doesn't stink (it actually smells of lavender).  This is in Tone 2, medium (60ml)

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo - Bah!  another of these.  It's an OK dry shampoo, this little bottles are great for travelling, but i can buy the same quality for $2 at Target.  (50ml)

OPI Nail Polish - Nice, neutral shade of OPI.  I know a lot of people would love this, i'm actually not a fan of OPI (it really doesn't last on my nails).  It's a colour that shouldn't show chips too easily and will be great for those times a subdued nail is called for (3.75ml)

InEssence Tahitian Escape aromatic oil - blend of frangipani, jasmine, patchouli and orange.  Smells gorgeous, perfect for those freezing days where winter feels like it's never coming back (9ml)


I think bags like this are a perfect way to discover new products.  This one is full of beautifully scented products, plenty of fair trade and organic, with a few cult ones thrown in for good measure.  Definitely worth while grabbing one whilst they're still available.