Bellabox May 2013

BEAUTY SOS!

In case of emergency, put mascara on yourself before helping others.

I received a SUPER-SIZED bellabox this month, I could tell before I even opened the box it was going to be great, it was so darn heavy!

I loved just about everything this month, 7 fantastic products for the low price of $15 + free shipping.  If you are wondering which beauty box you should subscribe too, my recommendation would be this one.  Great value for money, they are the cheapest, offer fantastic customer service, free-shipping with orders from their shop with lots of extra samples thrown in, you can find out more about them here

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Ok now on to the exciting bit what I received this month.

griffin + row ~ Hydrate ~ LUXE ~ full-size 100ml RRP$27.50 ~ this is a hydrating refreshing spray that you can use as toner, to set your makeup or just refresh and hydrate your skin during the day.  Has a lovely botanical scent and I am really excited to receive this product as I love facial sprays.

BLOOM Lip Stain ~ Peach ~ COLOUR ~ full-size RRP$18.00.  This is a buildable lip stain that you can wear on its own for long lasting colour or layer with lipstick or lip gloss.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo ~ CULT ~ sample size 3ml ~ RRP$29.95, 40ml.  I am a little confused as to why I would have received this and the next sample for oily clogged skin as I have dry mature skin and have NEVER suffered oily skin in my life.  

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel ~ CULT ~ sample size 15ml ~ RRP$19.95, 200ml.  Again I have very dry skin and this is specifically for oily skin, it even says "Goodbye Oil!" on the card, I NEED every drop I can get.  I don't think they have matched these products very well to my profile at all.  UPDATE: I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS GEL TO ANYONE WITH VERY DRY SKIN, I JUST USED THIS TO WASH MY FACE AND I HAVE THE WORST CASE OF SKIN BURN, I HAVE BLISTERS APPEARING, STINGS SOMETHING AWFUL AND MY FACE HAS GONE ALL PUFFY.  THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT FOR DRY MATURE SKIN.  My poor husband is freaking and wants to take me up the hospital, YES it's that bad!

MANICARE DUO Mascara brushes ~ ON TREND TOOL ~  full-size RRP$4.99 pack of 10.  Two different types of disposable mascara brushes, 5 for volume and 5 for curl.

SUKIN Facial Moisturiser ~ Essential ~ full-size 125ml RRP$9.95.  Face moisturiser for all skin types, full of botanical goodies to quickly hydrate your skin.  I have often seen SUKIN in Priceline and never picked any up, I am really happy to be able to try this brand.

NANOBLUR  ~ sample 3ml ~ BONUS ~ RRP$29.99 30ml.  I have seen this product in Priceline too but haven't read very good reviews.  It is suppose to make you look 10 years younger in seconds.  Refracts the light and I guess make everything look fuzzy!  Yep huh huh, I'll let you know when I try it.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

OK that's it from BB this month, a really good box, not everything matched my profile and I will ask why they sent me products for oily skin, but overall a really good selection of products.

What did you get this month were you as happy as I was?  Let me know.

TAG ~ The 7 Deadly Beauty Sins

I saw this on the lovely Louise from Dream Dust blog this morning and I just thought the pictures were so gorgeous.  I can't even pick a favourite they are all so beautiful.

Greed ~ What is your most expensive beauty item?  I splurged out one year and purchased a SmashBox Be Discovered Holiday Palette.

Wrath ~ Which beauty item do you have a love/hate relationship with?  That would have to be Foundation, some days it just doesn't work and others perfect!!

Gluttony ~ Which brand makes up the biggest chunk of your makeup collection?  That would have to be OPI, I have a ton of their nail polishes.  I love to collect and their collections are always so tempting.

Sloth ~ Which product do you neglect to use due to laziness?  Body Moisturiser, I don't moisturise my whole body as much as I really should because I have very dry skin.

Pride ~ Which product gives you the most confidence?  Mascara, I have very long lashes and large green eyes, I always get compliments about my eyes.

Lust ~ Which item is at the top of your beauty wishlist?  Being such a lustful creature I can't narrow it down to one so I would say New Season Collections, I want them ALL!

Envy ~ Which makeup product or look, looks great on others but not on yourself?  Dark Smoky Eye, I am so pale I just come off looking like Morticia Addams and I can't wear Red Lipstick, I am so envious of girls who can.

That was so much fun, I really enjoyed doing this TAG today.

I TAG anyone who would like to do this and please leave a comment below so I can come and read your answers.

Jac x0x

World Lupus Day 10th May

Today is World Lupus Day.  May is Lupus Awareness Month.

Some of you may be aware that I have Lupus and I thought I would share with you all a little bit about this disease.

Systemic lupus erythematosus ~ Lupus is an auto-immune disease.

In a normal healthy body the immune system attacks foreign objects like bacteria and viruses.  With Lupus the immune system creates an excess of antibodies which attach themselves to healthy tissue causing inflammation, pain and damage.

There are varying degrees of Lupus and it is a life threatening disease.

Lupus can affect anyone but 90% of cases are women and most develop this condition in their reproductive years.

After many years of research they still don't know what causes Lupus but they believe some possible triggers are;

Hormones, some medications, diet, viruses, bacteria, stress, genetics, pregnancy and exposure to UV light.

Lupus can affect every part of the body, Brain and Nervous System, Heart, Lungs, Liver, Reproductive, Blood, Immune System, Kidneys, Joints, Muscles, Tendons etc....

Some of the symptoms of Lupus are:

Fatigue, pain, fever, skin rashes, joint swelling, Pleurisy (Lung inflammation), Depression, Nephritis (Kidney inflammation), visual disturbances, Anaemia, Pericarditis (Heart inflammation), Brain seizures, swollen Lymph nodes etc.......

Lupus is a difficult disease to diagnose because it mimics many other diseases and it can take years for a proper diagnosis to be made.


THERE IS NO CURE

Treatment depends on your symptoms and the severity of your Lupus.  Some treatments include:

Pain killers, Anti-depressants, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Steroids, Antimalarial drugs, Immune suppressants such as those used in Cancer treatment.

One of the best descriptions I have ever read about what it is like to live with Lupus is called
"The Spoon Theory" and you can read about it here.

I have had Lupus since I was 15 but it took many years for a proper diagnosis and it has been a long and often very painful journey.

What has hurt me the most is people's lack of understanding and compassion about my disease because,

"You look so well"

and the most hurtful comment I have ever received is;

"Well at least you don't have Cancer"

If you would like to learn more about Lupus please click on these links below.

http://www.lupusnsw.org.au/
http://www.lupus.com.au/
http://www.lupuswa.com.au/
http://www.lupusresearch.org/
http://www.lupusuk.org.uk/
http://www.lupus.org

Top Ten I am loving

I read a lot of blogs about monthly or weekly favourites and I can't say that I introduce that many new products into my routine to be able to blog about them on a regular basis.

So I thought every now and then I would do a blog about products that stand-out for me or have made their way into my routine without me really noticing but suddenly I realise I am reaching for them more and more.

So in no particular order skincare and makeup;

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

1.  NUXE Oil - I was introduced to this through bellabox a monthly beauty box I subscribe too, you can find out more about them here.  I love this oil, I use it to moisturise my face, body, hair, nails and occasionally as a very light perfume.  There is nothing this oil can't be used for, add a little salt or sugar for an exfoliate or as an all over body massage oil.  I use this as an oil cleanser on my son's face to help control his acne, I massage a little on his face and it helps loosen and clears his pores.  I prefer the spray bottle it's less messy and one spray in the palm of my hand does my face and neck or my hair, a little goes a long way.

2.  INDIO Salt Scrub - This is another amazing product introduced to me through bellabox I have been looking for a very fine scrub that doesn't strip my dry skin of what moisture it does have while gently exfoliating my face and NOT causing break outs.  This scrub is wonderful, does a fantastic job of exfoliating and leaves me with soft clean skin with no redness or irritations.  You only need a pea sized amount for your face and it moisturises as it exfoliates.  Contains Dead Sea Salt and Herbal extracts, leaves my skin looking soft and hydrated, I use it once a week.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

3.  NATIO BB cream, FAIR - Ok I am starting to see a pattern emerging here, this is another product which was introduced  via bellabox I swear I am not doing this on purpose but I guess when you subscribe to beauty boxes that's where you will find the majority of your new favourites. 

I am a real BB cream snob and prefer the Asian BB creams over the western formulations BUT... out of ALL the western BB creams I have tried NATIO make THE best BB cream for me and I am already on my second tube.  This BB cream hydrates, offers good coverage, SPF15 protection, the Green Tea and Chamomile soothes redness while the Vitamin E repairs and the Shea butter and Jojoba oil moisturise.  Has that great natural NATIO aroma and I just love the way it feels on my skin and the natural skin coverage I achieve for my every day look.  I also notice as I am outdoors a lot that the SPF in this cream offers very real protection and my face is not red by the end of the day.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

4.  MUA Pro's Every Lash Volume and Lengthening Mascara - Black - this is one of those little gems that you don't expect much from because of the price and it becomes your HG of mascaras.  This is the only mascara I have been using for weeks now, it sat at the bottom of my trial box ignored for the longest time and now it's the mascara I reach for when I want perfect lashes EVERY time.  The brush on this is amazing, it separates and coats every single lash even the little ones, no clumping, no fall out and NO panda eyes.  If you haven't tried this mascara yet I urge you to get a tube, it is one of THE best mascaras I have EVER used.  You can find it here.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

5.  Rimmel Glam Eyes -  Smokey Quartz - This is the newest eye shadow I have purchased recently, it was half price at BigW and I have been using it pretty consistantly ever since.  Gorgeous, silky formula with just the right amount of sheen, multi-dimensional shade means you can wear it on its own and the depth of colour appears different depending on the lighting.  

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

6.  MUA Bronzed Perfection, I would have to say this is THE best bronzer I have ever come across and even though I try others I ALWAYS come back to this one.  Perfect for contouring my face, adds just the right amount of colour and shadow, the shade is buildable.  NO glitter, that is very important to me, you can find it here.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

7.  Rimmel - Match Perfection Blush - Fair.  Creates a natural flush on the cheeks, the separate shades can be used for deeper colour and contouring or you can sweep you brush over the entire palette.  This is THE perfect blush for my fair skin and I have never found one better.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

8.  Yes to Carrots C Me Blush Lip Tint - Coral Sunshine ~ Natural Smile ~ Cotton Candy.  Sorry no swatches, these tints are so sheer they don't show up on my camera.  Super moisturising, with a hint of colour, great to just throw in you handbag.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

9.  AUSTRALIS Ready Set Go Finishing Powder - superfine, translucent silica powder.  This is the best powder for setting your foundation without drying your skin out and leaving it looking powdery.  Since I discovered this powder I haven't used anything else. Perfect!

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

10.  Urban Rituelle Turkish Rose & Vanilla Perfume Oil - this is the perfect  mix of Rose, Musk and Vanilla in a oil base roll-on bottle.  Apply a little to your pulse points and the perfume lasts all day, this is one of my favourite perfumes and I carry it with me always.  This perfume is part of Urban Rituelle,s Tea Ceremony range and you can find them here.

Ok, that's my Top Ten for now, there are other products I use consistantly so this is just a snapshot of a few favourites and I am sure it will change when I find new products or rediscover some old favourites.

Love to hear what some of your favourite products are, please comment below.

NATIO Haul

David Jones have two NATIO gwp offers this week and it is available online.  If you purchase $38 worth of Natio products you will receive a cosmetic bag filled with Natio goodies valued at $70.59 absolutely free.  Their second offer is, if you spend a further $11 on Natio products you will receive a second cosmetics bag filled with Natio goodies to the value of $14 for free.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Advanced Lifting and Firming Serum ~ Face Mask Purifier ~ Illuminating Primer

I decided to take advantage of these offers, I purchased the three products above and received the following GWP's.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Included in the first bag was;

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Rich Colour Creme Gloss - Serene
Lash Definition Mascara - Black
Mechanical Long Lasting Eye Liner - Black
Wellness Intensive Hand Cream - 30ml
Ageless Lifting Day Cream - 20ml
Ageless Firming Night Cream - 20ml
Ageless Dual Action Cleanser and Exfoliator - 20ml


Included in the second bag was;

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Spa Gently Cleansing Bar - 100g
Clay and Plant Face Mask Purifier - 20ml
Moisturising Lip Balm - SPF30

What great value, purchase over $49 worth of Natio and receive two cosmetics bags full of goodies valued at $84.59 absolutely free.

I love NATIO products and this is certainly a great way to try more of their fantastic range.

This offer is still available online until stocks run out, GWP's will be automatically added at checkout or just walk into David Jones and ask.

Lust Have It April 2013 Box 2

I recently purchased an Annual VIP Subscription from Lust Have It for my Mum as a house warming WELCOME gift as she has recently move into a cottage on our property. April was the first month that she received her box and I asked her if I could review it for you all as it was comparatively different to the one I received, you can read that review here.  I must say I am very pleased that Mum received such a good selection for her first time, though I must admit I am a little envious with what she received compared to mine.

www.matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

MOLTON BROWN ~ Patchouli & Saffron Body Wash ~ Sample

AVEDA INVATI ~ Exfoliating Shampoo & Thickening Conditioner ~ 10ml samples

RACHEL K ~ Mineral Colour Control CC Cream ~ sachet samples.  These were actually missing so I have emailed LHI and I hope that they will replace them.

GOSH COSMETICS ~ Mono Eye Shadow ~ full -size ~ Dark Green.  This was broken, so I have emailed LHI about that too.  I gave Mum the Aubergine I received as I had already received the same shade the previous month.

NUDE BY NATURE ~ Nude Papaw Ointment ~ full-size 75g jar.  I love this ointment, all natural, smells great, wonderful for dry skin.  Whacking great big jar of it, Mum is so lucky.

AWE COSMECEUTICALS ~ Nirvaata Calming Serum ~ sample.  Anti-inflammatory which nurtures the skin's barrier to alleviate skin sensitivity.

PINK TIGER ~ Duri Cosmetics Nail Tools; Pedi Paddle ~ full-size, RRP$20.  Mum was really excited to see this as she has dry feet and the paddle makes it easier for her to bend down and smooth her rough heels.

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Mum's box was much better value than the one I received, I really don't think this is fair of LHI considering I paid the same amount for both boxes.  She received 7 items compared to my 5, her products samples were LUXE while my only LUXE item was the Molton Brown.  I received a $1 nail file and cotton swabs she received a really cool Pedi Paddle $20, my face product was cheap John Plunkett while she received samples of AWE, RACHEL K and AVEDA and a generous sized tub of NUDE BY NATURE.  Side by side the boxes really don't compare and even my Mum commented on the difference though I couldn't convince her to swap lol....

This is NOT a VIP exclusive box as I have spoken to another VIP member who received the same box I received here.  There were no VIP boxes this month.

I don't think I will compare the boxes again, it might get very depressing.  Mum when you read this, I am so pleased you loved your LHI Box and WELCOME to our family we are so happy you are living with us now!

E.L.F. Nail Polish @ iHerb

Today I want to share with you the E.L.F Nail Polishes I recently ordered from iHerb.  You can find the E.L.F. range here and if you are a first time customer please use this discount code TUW872 for up to $10 off your first order and iHerb DO ship internationally at great discount rates.

matillysthisnthat@blogspot.com.au

Beautiful, vibrant,  very wearable shades, there is not one colour I don't like.

Beach Party Nail Polish Set

Coral Dream ~ Flirty Fuchsia ~ Smokin Hot

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Beautifully Bright Nail Polish Set

Party Peach ~ Yellow ~ Teal Blue

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Nice & Natural Nail Polish Set

Innocent ~ Nude ~ Smoky Brown

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

Vacation Trio Nail Polish Set

Mint Cream ~ Lilac~ Punk Purple

matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

The shade I am wearing today.  CORAL DREAM ~ 2 coats.

Coral Dream
matillysthisnthat.blogspot.com.au

All these sets are $2.99 each for three 6ml bottles of nail polish.  They apply very easily, quick drying formula and most shades only need one coat.  Polish contains 'active vitamin E' for stronger healthier nails.

iHerb stock a range of E.L.F products and there seems to be more every time I go back.  They sell out pretty quickly but there is information provided for when they will be back in stock.

Have you visitied iHerb recently, what do you think?