Pret a Party

I'm at that wonderful stage of the festive season when my shopping is complete and I have the freedom to peruse the craziness of the shops without stress - and sneak an extra present or two under the tree for myself, I'm not going to lie! For those who are also being cheeky or the others who are still gathering gifts for their loved ones, I thought this was a ripper of a gift set that might lead you into Myer for a quick gift purchase. Benefit Cosmetics are known for being fun and cheeky and the holiday release of gift sets definitely embodies that - bright and interactive metal tins filled with their staple products! This Pret a Party* tin contains four little goodies that the brand are well known for which I thought was a good idea.

In theory this tin is an entire makeup look in one, albeit a very natural one (safe to say I pack more on than this each day as a blogger!) The 7.5ml POREfessional to smooth the skin and prime, Fakeup Concealer mini in Medium to cover any redness in the skin, full size They're Real Mascara and full size Benetint for your cheeks and lips! Since I've tried a few of these products and the concealer wouldn't match my pale skin tone I gave this to my best friend Candice to enjoy and trial for me, and she was impressed by the tin and said she'd be storing her makeup brushes in it as a way of recycling which I thought was a great idea. They're Real Mascara isn't one that works well with my lashes so I thought it would be interesting to see how it fared on her lovely eyes, since it seems to be a favourite of almost everyone I speak to online! So far she has used the Fakeup and it was a great match so I want to get my hands on the lighter colour for myself one day, along with Porefessional when I finish my current silicone primer.

The Pret a Party tin retails for $69 and is available from Myer. If these products don't float your boat they have a stack of other cute tins like the Party Hopping Kit with High Beam Highlighter, or the Frisky Six Starter Pack which is my personal favourite.

-Emma x

 

*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Wasted Beauty

We all do it, so just admit it.


There are certain things you ‘save’ for a special occasion, one such occasion that takes a damn long time to come. Whether it be a beautifully embossed eyeshadow palette or an expensive perfume that was a gift from that someone special, these beauties sit alongside the staples waiting for their turn to shine and be wholly loved. If they do manage to get a look in, they are quickly popped back on the shelf for fear of running out (the dilemma of the limited edition item, you see) Whilst I have a long list of things I’m sort of hoarding (Thierry Mugler Angel EDT, travel bottle of Bioderma, Rimmel Match Perfection Crème Gel foundation…the list goes on!) this beautiful perfume set is the one that has made me rethink my ways.

I can’t seem to put my finger on the occasion that this marked (it was a few years ago now, this was released early 2010) but I remember Chris handing it over, impeccably wrapped with a big ol’ grin on his face. I was elated as I always spritzed myself with Tresor in Love whenever I passed a Lancome counter, and now I was free to wallow in the stuff. Fast forward to last Christmas, I mentioned a perfume I had my eye on to the boy… his response was a firm no, followed by a stern word about the wasted gift set that still sat upon my shelf, unopened and pristine.

“Saving things for a special occasion is stupid. Put it on and let’s order Dominos.”

With that, I took it down and since then have been enjoying the fruity sweet rose scent and the love that it was given with. I want to enjoy the things in life that make me smile, the taupe shadows and the discontinued highlighters, the limited edition blushes and the hard to find lipsticks. Life is short, and I am going to enjoy the beautiful things (material or otherwise) while I can.

What are you saving for a special occasion?

Spotlight on Kiehl's // Gifting, Ethics and Star Products

There are some brands that have a space in my heart, and Kiehl’s is definitely one of them. I’m not saying that I’ve loved every product I’ve tried from them (some just don’t sit well with my skin) but the majority of their products impress me. Their staff are always approachable and know what they are talking about, and don’t hesitate to hand out samples if you want some. Most companies don’t seem to understand that samples make browsers turn into repeat customers, but Kiehl’s are smarter than the average and get their good rep from word of mouth, and their great relationship with bloggers. I’ve compiled a list of some Kiehl’s products that would make great gifts, some I have tried myself and others I would like to. Hope you enjoy perusing my selection!

 

Midnight Recovery Eye Cream ($44 AUD for 15ml)

This is my favourite eye cream to date, it smells faintly of lavender and hydrates without causing me milia. I love the squeezy tube and thin applicator, I recommend this to anyone who asks me for an eye cream, from family to twitter friends.

Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque ($48 AUD for 125ml jar)

This isn’t something I’ve personally tried, but I love the idea of it and have heard so much about the Ultra Facial range. I love hydrating masks all year round, and this would be the first one I’d pick up if I was to do a Kiehl’s haul.

Superbly Smoothing Argan Hair Mask ($38 AUD for 250ml jar)

I haven’t tried any hair products from the Kiehl’s range but this one stood out to me the most. It says it is lightweight and tames flyaways, which is something I definitely need in my haircare routine. I am getting into hair masks and will hopefully enjoy a less frizzy summer this year!

Clearly Corrective White Clarity-Activating Toner ($38 for 250ml)

I’ve only tried a sample sachet of this toner, but having used a few of the other varieties Kiehl’s offers this one is the most tempting for me. Claiming to be hydrating while helping get rid of skin discolouration, I really liked how this felt on my face and want a big bottle of this as my next toner.

 

Aromatics Range Orange Flower & Lychee Body Lotion ($38 AUD for 250ml)

When a set of the new Aromatics range hit my desk, the Orange Flower & Lychee scent really knocked me for a six. Light, floral and in an easily absorbed lotion, the travel sized bottle now has a permanent place in my handbag. All 4 scents in the range (especially Vanilla & Cedarwood) are just beautiful, and it is obvious that Kiehl’s put a lot of time and thought into the creation of this collection.

Midnight Recovery Concentrate ($59 for 30ml)

I’ve been using this for quite a while now, and the tiny sample bottle has lasted and still has quite a large amount left to go. I find it hard to see the benefits of serums sometimes, but when I use this my skin is happy and more plump than usual. I suffer no adverse reactions and find that while this hydrates, it does not exacerbate oil on my skin. As you would imagine, it goes well as a nightly treatment with the matching eye cream, mentioned above.

Ultra Facial Cream ($34 for 50ml, $64 for 125ml)

This is something I haven’t tried before, but have seen some good reviews and it seems to be a popular line for Kiehl’s. Even though it is summer here in Australia my skin has been quite thirsty, and a nice facial moisturiser like this is something I really like the sound of.

Have you tried any of the Kiehl’s products that I’ve mentioned? What do you recommend from the brand?

*Samples of some of these products were given me by PR over the last year, but the post is not sponsored and everything I have written is honest. Honesty, always.