Travel Sized Beauty

I may not be the worlds biggest jetsetter, but I do love squirreling away samples and travel sized products for short trips and even weekends away at the beach house. I was pleased with the itsy bitsy products I toted up to Queensland with me recently for a one week stay, so here is a round up of what they were!

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel - I've used up a full-size bottle of this in the past and have since repurchased, so before I went away I squeezed away to refill this sample tube that I got from Mecca Maxima. I love being able to use a good cleanser without having to bring the whole bottle with me!

Uriage Creme Lavante Nourishing and Cleansing Cream - A nice, simple fluid cream cleanser that was the perfect size to take away with me.

Bioderma Crealine H2O - The original micellar water, I love the different sizes these come in and for this trip I brought up the classic variety with the red lid. I used this to remove all of my makeup, and it does take a few swipes for the eye looks I prefer but worked a treat nevertheless.

Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer - Love this stuff, a silicone primer that I use on the face where my pores stand out the most to smooth over them before I apply my foundation or BB cream.

Palmer's Massage Cream for Stretch Marks - I always try to take a small moisturiser away with me just in case, and even though I knew I was going to hit up Bath & Body Works I wanted this for the start of my trip so my skin stayed hydrated.

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation (sample pot) - This little jar was originally a Mario Badescu skincare sample from Mecca Maxima but I cleaned it out and pumped a few days worth of my Too Faced foundation for the days I wanted higher coverage than my everyday BB cream and for nights out to dinner with everyone.

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How many products do you travel with? Do you bother with miniature things or just lug your regular routine with you?

-Emma x

Bali Holiday Essentials

I was known as the go-to villa for all of our friends needs during our recent trip to Bali, and it felt great to have all the products on hand that we needed during our two week stay. The amount of insect repellent and sunscreen we went through was phenomenal, but I think it's the random travel essentials that really get overlooked in the beauty department so here mine are.

Sadly there has been many a time while travelling across Asia when toilet paper was scarce, and even here in Melbourne my Mumma always taught me to have a small pack of tissues in my handbag in case of an emergency. I also highly recommend scented hand sanitiser which is a great thing to use before eating, drinking, after you wash your hands and in a pinch the Palmolive Fig & Coconut  scent worked a treat for me in a stinky Balinese taxi as a personal perfume!

Another great little product to throw into your travel bag is the Manicare Nail Polish Remover Pads, which is a whole lot easier to cart across oceans than a bottle of remover and makes it so easy to switch up your nail colour during the trip. I brought along a particular polish to wear to the wedding we were in Bali to attend and these wipes were terrific for whipping off my bright holiday colour to reapply something more wedding-appropriate!

My current  favourite foundation is sadly housed in a hefty glass jar (thanks Revlon!) so I knew I needed some of these little Manicare travel pots to scoop some out into. It meant that I could still rely on my favourite base product without having to worry about smashing a glass full of foundation during my trip, and it also worked well for my Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask and my Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner which I brought in my skincare bag.

As always, I had to bring some bits from my stash of French wonder products - a travel sized La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Body Balm which came in handy for keeping my arms moisturised in the air conditioned villa, and the Uriage Bariederm Reconstructive Barrier Cream which was used as a chafing cream and to prevent sweat rash in the heat.

Do you bring products like this when you travel to a tropical climate?
I'd love to hear what your travel essentials are?
-Emma x

Empties + Chuckers // July + August // The Moving House Edition

So as it turns out, there is no better motivation to clear out some beauty loot than having to pack up all of your worldly possessions to move for the very first time. I have chucked out some things and used up others, and waited until I was about to move before snapping a picture of what had accumulated.

Innoxa Body Wash* – a nice lather and inoffensive smell made this easy to use, but not exciting enough to repurchase

Bodycology Sweet Petals – absolutely loved this, the scent was amazing and I am frustrated because I think it is a discontinued product (I bought it for $1 from Priceline…)

Kit Cosmetics Tan Prep Body Scrub* – a truly great body scrub, doesn’t leave any residue and the scent reminds me of hot summer days and coconuts

Deodorants – The best from this bunch is the travel Rexona + the Clinical Protection cream deodorant. The Dove wasn’t that impressive and the pink Musk Rexona at the back of this photo burned my underarms!

Garnier Fructis Sensitive Scalp Shampoo – my staple, I switch between this and the Classic version

Smackers Strawberry Body Spray – I used this as a room spray as it was too sweet for the body! Nice faux strawberry scent, but more suited to my niece’s age range than my own

Impulse Paris Body Spray – loved this, also used this as a room spray and it reminded me of Dior My Cherie which is always a good thing.

Clearasil Skin Perfecting Wash with microbeads – I think Mum bought me this when I had just begun high school, I found it so far back in my bathroom cabinet! A chucker, for sure.

Ten O Six Deep Pore Toner – Another chucker, I remember despising this alcohol filled toner than smelled scarily strong and hurt when I applied it. The beginning of my skincare regime was not a pretty one!

L’Oreal Powder Concealer – packaging is cracked and I never liked the formula to begin with. Another one to chuck in the bin!

L’Oreal Vita Lift 5 Facial Moisturiser* – Technically Mister Bovary’s, but I used this as a night cream every now and again and really enjoyed it. The scent is quite strong and masculine, but it did the job nicely and Mister said he would repurchase (or perhaps he has already, I’ve forgotten)

Uriage Thermal Spray* – A nice hit of thermal water for powdery makeup moments and when the heating at work is on full blast.

L’oreal Triple Active Day moisturiser – I have used up a few of these and really love the formula, I still have one in back up which I’m looking forward to using.

Burt’s Bees Anti-Blemish Solutions moisturiser* – Adored this moisturiser, kept my skin really happy but the damn packaging was a fail! Beautiful glass bottle with a pump (all good so far…) but the formula is too thick to come through when you get near the end of the bottle, so a whole lot of product is sitting there, unable to be reached.

Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser* – A true skincare love of mine, and I’ve already repurchased! Kept my acne away and my face is never better than when I’m using this.

Face of Australia Impact Curl Mascara – My whole family uses this, and I love how affordable it is to repurchase! Really holds a curl in my lashes, though it must be noted that my family are generally blessed with good lashes so results may vary.

Chanel travel mascara –woeful! This came in a Chanel pack Mister Bovary bought for me on our first holiday years ago (before I was interested in makeup!) and it did so little for my lashes that it made me hold off on buying from Chanel for quite some time…I certainly am over that fear now though!

Dermalogica Precleanse – Another skincare love that I will definitely repurchase! A great first cleanse product that smells citrusy and lovely.

 

FCUK For Her – A nice but bland scent, I can’t help but think of how cheap it is every time I apply this. Mister Bovary has the male version, and it is much the same in experience for him as well.

Vera Wang Princess – I had quite the obsession with this before I received it for a Christmas gift a few years ago, and after using it I discovered that it doesn’t sit very nicely on my skin at all. It’s lovely in the bottle, but the special quality disappears when I wear it.

Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean –Absolutely love this scent, and have decided that the next time I see it on sale I am going to grab myself a big bottle for my stash.

Paco Rabanne Black XS – A great sweet scent that reminds me of my cousin Claire, who wore it while living with my family for a few years. I love it, but I feel I have to leave it to her to rock! 

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Beauty News // Shop + Report

Though I’m just back from a weekend away with Chris for our 5^th anniversary, I kept true to my title of beauty blogger and had my eyes peeled for new beauty news in the area while we were away. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the exciting beauty news with you all, and if you would like to keep up to date with the news faster add me on Instagram (@emmabovary) or Twitter (@emmabovaryblog)

 We spent Friday wandering around Rosebud, and I was elated to see tickets on the shelf and space cleared for some of my most loved French skincare brands! Uriage, Bioderma and La Roche Posay make some products that really work for me, and I can’t wait for these brands to roll out across all Priceline stores so everyone can take advantage of some lovely French skincare. For those who are yet to try any of these brands, I would recommend these products:

Uriage

Eye cream

Day Cream

Facial Spray

Bioderma

Crealine H2O

Facial Scrub

La Roche Posay

Effaclar Duo

I’m planning on picking up another tube of LRP Effaclar Duo as mine has just run out, some Bioderma H2O and a new moisturiser or sunscreen from LRP as well.

Speaking of exciting Priceline developments, they have finally rolled out Hydraluron and Eysilix (which I was very happy to receive from Priceline!) and us Aussie’s now have regular access to some top notch skincare. For information about the famed Hydraluron (which will no doubt sell out fast so run!) see the amazing Caroline Hirons, who is always recommending it as a serum to use underneath moisturiser to lock in hydration. It retails for $35 AUD- if you have tried it, let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below!

It is becoming quite evident that I don’t mind a gander in a pharmacy, fair to say? I was in Rosebud Terry White when I spotted a new Bubblegum themed nail collection from Revlon, including the famous Whimsical nail polish that I have had in my saved searches on eBay forever! I also ended up getting Girly from the same collection, and I am mighty pleased with both shades.

The new range of Ulta3 nail polishes have also been spotted at a few pharmacies (including TW Rosebud) and I grabbed a few of the shimmer + glitter shades, one of which was the amazing black + white dotted topcoat called Stop the Press. For a mere $2 these polishes are great quality and some of the shades are really unique, so I highly recommend picking up a few if you can.

Do you have any beauty news to share?

What is the latest beauty item you’ve purchased?

 

On Rotation: March 2013

Saw this on Eat Paint Sniff Glue (one of my favourites!) and I knew I had to follow her lead!

Skin Care

Makeup Remover: Dermalogica Precleanse*

Cleanser: Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser*

Exfoliant: Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub*

Toner/Facial Spray: Uriage Thermal Spray*

Moisturiser: Cosmecology Hydra Skin*

Night Treatment: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

Spot Treatment: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion / Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Eye Cream: Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye

Mask: Queen Helene Mint Julip / The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Mask*

Lip Balm: La Roche Posay Ceralip / Lip Smackers Kool Aid in Strawberry & Kiwi

Body Care:

Hand Cream: The Jojoba Company Lemon & Coconut*  

Body Scrub: Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub*

Shower Gel/Cream/Lotion: Bodycology Sweet Petal / Soap & Glory Clean on Me

Soap: -

Body Lotion: Dove Body Milk* / Haus of Gloi Twice is Nice Pumpkin Butter

Perfume: Avon Bond Girl / Ralph Lauren Pony #2

Candle: Dusk Chocolate Caramel (Easter collection)

Hair Care

Shampoo: Kérastase Cristalliste Bain Cristal Epais*

Conditioner: Kérastase Cristalliste Lait Cristal*

Treatment: Kérastase Cristalliste Lumiere Liquide* / Organix Argan Oil*

Shine Spray: -

Hair Spray: L’Oreal Elnet Hair Spray*

Leave In Conditioner: -

Styling Product: Batiste Boho Dry Shampoo

Makeup

Base: Face of Australia Face Base / Illamasqua Skin Base / YSL Touche Eclat*

Eyes: MAC Painterly Paint Pot / Maybelline Bad to the Bronze Color Tattoo / MAC Coquette eyeshadow / Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara

Lips: Maybelline Juicy Bubblegum lipstick / Face of Australia Peaches & Cream / essence Me & My Icecream

Cheeks: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed / Chanel JC Pink Explosion / MAC Cream Soda

Nails: L'Oreal Color Riche Luxembourg Garden

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

French Skincare Saviour // Uriage Thermal Water

I am a huge advocate for facial sprays, and am partial to French brands as I find they work wonderfully on my skin. I often suffer from dry and dehydrated skin, and use thermal sprays to keep flaky skin at bay. I find they settle my skin and moisturise any flaky patches that I have, which are most often on my forehead and around the chin area.

Midway through the day I tend to blot and powder my t-zone with Maybelline Dream Matte powder, and finish off with a spritz of my Uriage Thermal Water* to leave a dewy look to my skin. I think this would work for all skin types, as it does not exacerbate oily complexions and provides a good shot of moisture without disturbing your makeup. It is said to be especially good for those with sensitive skin, or who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. My man is partial to a spritz of this from time to time, and I am a fan of the slightly salty taste when you lick your lips, it takes me on a beach vacation journey in my mind every time.

Uriage Thermal Water is rich in minerals and trace elements, and great for a pep up on hot days, and for a moisture boost on cold ones. It retails for $10.95/50ml (perfect lightweight handbag size that lasts for ages!) or $26.95/300ml (great for keeping on your desk!)

For Australian stockists, head to http://www.cosmetiquesdefrance.com.au/ and check the store locator. They also let you know about Nuxe and Bioderma ranges, it is a wonderful site to bookmark if you are a French skincare lover like me.

Have you tried thermal facial sprays, or do you use rose/lavender sprays? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the differences.

Emma x

*Product was provided for consideration, but I am honest in my loving review of it. Honesty, always.

What's In My Makeup Bag - Weekend Edition

Heading away for a top notch weekend with family and friends, and decided to share what I’m taking along with me! Bioderma Crealine H2O* is a no brainer, and this travel sized bottle is perfect for packing away for times like this. I’ll be ‘freshening up’ before the evening events kick off on Friday and Saturday, so having this to give myself a clean canvas to work with is a must. Maybelline’s Dream Matte powder (not pictured, is in my handbag) will be on me at all times, to keep shine at bay and ensure any photos don’t see me appearing as shiny as a new dollar. The new Kiehls Aromatics range in Orange Flower & Lychee is coming with me (lotion & body cleanser*) as I love trying out new scents while staying somewhere new. I have a thing for sheer reds and lip crayons, so naturally a few from each category snuck their way into the makeup bag as well.

 

The usual skincare suspects are coming along for the weekend, as well as some Laura Mercier loves that I can’t stop using. My Clinique Superbalanced bronzer* is a definite favourite to make me look awake when I’m feeling less than perky (planning on some ciders over the weekend, obviously!) and so will my YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat*. I’ve planned my outfits pretty thoroughly and know what lipsticks will suit the looks, so bright pinks and oranges are a must! I didn’t have enough time to really try on all the shades with the looks, so threw a heap from each category in there to choose from on the day. Serial overpacker, but we’re going up on a big bus with lots of room for luggage so I don’t mind!

 

 

 

If you spot any products you’d like a review of or have any makeup look ideas you want me to try, please drop a comment below and let me know!

Do you have any tips on packing? Do you overpack, underpack, or hit it out of the park every time?

 

 

*Marked items were provided for consideration, which wasn’t a factor in them being thrown into my makeup bag. Honesty, always.

My Skincare Routine

I've really gotten into skincare lately, and I've found that keeping all of my products in a dedicated container makes it so much easier to maintain my routine.

I keep my face masks and spot treatments in there as well, as it saves me scrambling to find it when the time comes. Keep in mind that this post is a stack of mini skincare reviews, so is quite word heavy. Feel free to dip into the ones that interest you most if it is too wordy!

 

Garnier Clean Sensitive Eye Make-Up Remover

I must admit I'm not loving this as much as I've enjoyed other eye makeup removers. It doesn't sting my eyes, but it takes a lot of rubbing to remove my eye makeup. It leaves my eyes feeling a bit tight, so once I finish this bottle I'll be moving onto a different eye makeup remover.

 

Bioderma Crealine H2O

I've raved about this before here, but suffice to say this is a permanent fixture in my skincare routine. This is my second bottle (the first was PR provided) and I also have a mini for when I travel. This sweeps away my face makeup before cleansing so well, and is perfect for sensitive skin. I use this after I've removed my eye makeup to prep my skin for cleansing.

 

Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser*

I keep this cleanser in the shower, and use it after the previous two products to deeply cleanse my skin. I like gel cleansers as they're thick and seem to clean my face really well. I slather a squeeze of this on and cleanse, before adding a bit of water which emulsifies it. It's easy to wash away, and though it leaves my skin a little papery (it is meant for skin oilier than mine, but works wonders on breakouts) it keeps my skin in a clear, happy condition.

 

 Kiehls Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner*
This toner sample works well at soothing my skin, but as with many toners it is hard to see proper 'results' from this step of cleansing. I use this after hopping out of the shower, to prep my skin for serums/moisturiser. I've since moved onto a different Kiehls toner, but I think I prefer this bright green bottle of goodness.

Uriage AquaPRECIS Eye Contour Care*
This eye cream sinks in super fast, and while it is moisturising I don't find that it is too heavy and it doesn't cause milia under my eyes. I love tube style eye creams, and this one is lovely.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate*
This is something I use every second night to nourish my skin. I find it keeps my skin hydrated without adding any oiliness to the surface, and though it takes a little while to sink in, waking up in the morning with soft skin is worth it. I recently had a twitter chat with others who have used this as I was wondering if my results were truly from this concentrate, and all signs point to yes as they love this stuff!

Avene Cleanance Anti-Shine Regulating Lotion*
I find that this really does help keep shine at bay, but because I also have dry patches on my face I need to use more nourishing creams at night to maintain moisture levels. It sinks in very fast and is a gel-like lotion, which smells pleasant and is nice, affordable and French!

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion
I shake this up really well before applying every second night, mainly to my forehead and anywhere I'm suffering from bumpy skin and cystic acne. The alcohol scent of this knocks me for a six, but it works oh lord does it work! It takes a lot to impress me, but my smooth forehead high fives Mario B. for his hard work!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
I use this as a spot lotion to stop pimples erupting, but since I've switched medications and begun using the Avene cleanser, this has pretty much been left untouched! Never thought I would see the day, I was burning through this stuff quite fast but am still happy to have it on hand for 'that time' of the month. I use this with a q-tip, without shaking, and dip the tip into the bottle so that it is soaked in the liquid and some of the calamine lotion. You end up getting into bed with pale pink spots on your face, but it is worth it the next day.

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub

 Most of this just gets eaten, but I use this lip scrub every now and again to slough off dead skin and keep my smackers smooth. Chris always asks why I can't just use my toothbrush like he does, but I think he is just jealous of my sugar hit.

 

 The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Face Mask*
This gives my skin a tremendous hydration hit (without making it shiny!) and I love the way it dries on my skin. It feels a bit tingly, which I attribute to the re-renergising aspect of it, and I love how soft my skin feels the next day. I am going to repurchase this when this tube is finito.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
This famous masque is great at calming breakouts, so I tend to use this when my skin is acting up. It sort of brings out the blemishes, which in turn allows them to heal quickly and get off my mug sooner- a definite win! This is super minty and cooling, and I purchased it in this haul.

Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant*
Best exfoliator I have used, hands down. Gentle but sloughs off the rough skin, is fruit derived which I like in my exfoliators. I can use this often without a problem, and tend to use it once or twice a week depending on how my skin is acting.

 

I also keep mask samples in my skincare box, as well as cotton rounds (for toner and Bioderma) and cotton tips (for spot lotion) in a reuseable cotton tip box from Priceline. I like being able to lazily clean my face each night and know what to use, it stops me from switching up my skincare too often, and allows me to see the benefits of what I'm using right now. These photos were taken some time ago, so I have made quite a dent in all of these since! I haven't begun using that Ponds cold cream just yet, but I like to keep it in there anyway.

How do you store your current skincare?
Have you tried any of these products?
What do you think of my 'skincare box'?

*Marked items were sent for review. Honesty, always.

Favourites for July

Skipped last month because the passion just wasn't there, but I've more than made up for it with my love for these products during July! These kept me content and looking awake this month.

Samantha Chapman, you are a deadset legend! The stippling brush is the one I've used most from this haul, rather than using it as a finishing brush I've used it to apply all of my Bourjois liquid foundations and I've been loving the airbrushed finish! Speaking of Bourjois foundations, 123 Perfect is the latest offering and with each foundation I fall more in love with the brand! I'll devote a whole post to this soon.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye Cream* smells like the best sort of lavender, is hydrating without being greasy and the packaging is uber pretty. I feel like I've done a good deed when I treat my eyes to this! The Environ AVST cleansing lotion* is so gentle but gets my face so darn clean, and it washes off quick as lightening as well. Massive bottle as well, big love from me.

This Prestige Brow Mascara was on sale at Priceline for something ridiculous like a dollar, and I think it may hold my brows in shape better than my Ardell brow gel. Guerlain's Champs Elysees is a staple perfume for me, I've gone through countless bottles of it and can see myself wearing it until my dying day. It makes me feel like an adult, I wear it to read good books and have brunch with friends and all those lovely things.

I don't normally reach for bronzer but I bit the bullet recently and bought this, as I'd had my eye on it for months. The Body Shop Honeycomb bronzer is matte and pretty, and I think it gives me a healthy look without being dark and scary.

One colour eye looks were rife this month, I've been working earlier mornings more often and it's all I can manage when I'm half asleep.MAC's Hazy Day was a Estee Lauder staff store purchase that I adore, or if I want something lighter I reach for MAC Jaunty. A massive favourite this month was my essence duo from the 50's Girls Reloaded collection in Come on Board Captain, particularly the golden beige shade which is so soft and pigmented.

While rounding up my favourites for the month I totally forgot to check the handbag, which contained my Uriage Thermal Water* spray, my L'Oreal Blue Reef polish* and Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine in Boy. Consider them added!

These are my standouts for last month- what are yours?

*Marked products were provided for review, which is not why they are in my favourites- they are here because they rock! Honesty, always.