NOTD - Face of Australia Pastel Nail Polish "Would you like some orange sherbet?"

The Face of Australia Pastels collection was one that I was very interested in as soon as I saw it. Whilst my nail polish collection is of a fairly large nature, it is certainly lacking in pastels. The two shades that caught my eye instantly were "Would you like some orange sherbet?" and "After Dinner Mint."

"Would you like some orange sherbet?" is a light apricot shade, which I think would be better named "Peaches and cream" or something similar. It is quite a bit brighter in real life than it appears in the photo, and if I'm really honest with you, looks quite sickly on my nails. I'm not sure whether it just doesn't suit my skin tone or what, but I really haven't fallen in love with it like I had hoped.

It was concerningly thin and streaky upon the initial layer of application, by layer 2 it was looking a little more promising, and by layer three it evened out even further. It still looks streaky and uneven though after three layers, and I am not impressed with the formulation.

Considering that I usually love Face of Australia's products, this has come as quite a disappointment. I thought I was really going to love this, but I just haven't.

You can pick these up for $4.95.

 

 

 

 

 

"What do you think?" Wednesdays - How much is too much makeup?

With beauty blogging comes a bigger make-up drawer. With a bigger make-up drawer comes more make-up. With more make-up, comes an empty bank account. Whilst this is a very well known and accepted fact amongst beauty bloggers, does there become a point where you simply have too much make-up? Is there a line that you can cross to enter 'excessive and unnecessary' territory or can you literally never have enough makeup?

The size of one's makeup collection is relative - it cannot be labelled big or small unless there is something for it to be compared to. My make-up collection, for instance, is absolutely huge in comparison to my Mum's which consists of the absolute basics. However, when I compare it to most other beauty bloggers, I find myself muttering about how tiny it is and how lacking in shade selection it is. Is it a big or a small collection? To be honest I really do not know, but it doesn't stop me from feeling both hungry for more and guilty for 'wasting' money on products I will never use up.

"How does that even make sense?" you may be thinking. It puzzles me quite a bit too. On one hand I'm thinking about all the people who could really do with the money I am spending on yet another lipstick in a similar shade to the ten I already have, but on the other hand that lipstick (which is coincidentally on sale for $10) is really calling out my name.

I try to justify my purchases with any excuse that I can, but it doesn't really change the fact that I really do not need it. Some of the excuses I have come up with include "I don't have anything like this!" (lie), "It's only $5 so it's not like I'm wasting that much money," (true, except for the 5 other things priced at $5 too) and "It's my hobby, other people have obsessions with comic books or model aeroplanes, mine is make-up," (true, but I could always put it safely away in the bank).

When writing this post it really forced me to think about whether I had actually stepped over the line of having too much makeup, and if I'm honest with you, I think I probably have. Yes, I may only have two foundations whereas others have eight, and yes I may only own two highlighters and three bronzers when others dedicate a whole shelf to such products, but in the end one of each product would probably be sufficient. Not nearly as much fun, but sufficient.

Instead of feeling all guilty about it and vowing never to purchase anything ever again, I have decided to really think about my purchases beforehand in order to eliminate any silly purchases. I feel better about my collection when I think about how often I use all the products and how much fun I get from using them.I think this is what you need to think about when weighing up your make-up collection:
- Do you use the majority of the products?
- Can you actually afford your collection, or do your big purchases continually leave you in an awkward financial position?
- Have you got any other products like this?
- Is there anything that you actually need that you could spend this money more sensibly on?
- How much does it bother you when you think of other things you could have spent the money on?

Basically, with no real answers to give, I think the key point here is balance. Everyone's idea of balance will be different but as long as you feel comfortable about it all, that is the main thing. I also think judging other people about their choices when it comes to their make-up collection is also important to avoid. I, for example, spend my spare change on make-up so it would appear as I 'waste' a lot, however I spend almost nothing on my mobile phone bill and I consider it to be a waste when others spend $400 on theirs! Everyone has different choices which allow them to justify their purchases.

What do you think about all of this? Is there a clear cut line for you when it comes to having a make-up collection too big, or do you think there is no such thing as too much?!

Rimmel London Kate Moss Spring Lipstick collection - 16

 When the very first Kate Moss lipstick by Rimmel came out, I was drawn to the collection. The problem was, I really couldn't find a shade that I liked enough to purchase. Months later, the Spring Collection came out, and amongst that was a little beauty - number 16.

First up, let's address the naming situation, or rather lack of. Honestly, a lipstick without a name?! That's horrible. Every lipstick needs a name, especially if it is a gorgeous shade like this one. Half the fun of buying a lipstick is the name!

The packing of this is fairly average, not amazing but not awful either. I do like the pink signature on the black casing, as well as the crown imprint on the lid.

As you can probably see, the shade is a gorgeous pinky/coral colour. It's like a vibrant but still wearable watermelon type shade. It screams summer and spring and I plan on wearing this regularly.

This lipstick smells ridiculously fruity. Being the scent loving person that I am, this suited me very much but I expect others would find it off putting. I also find that it lingers for a little while once having been applied, which is quite unusual in a lip product.

I don't find this to be a particularly moisturising product, and it really highlights any dry or flaky areas on the lips. It leaves quite a nice finish - not too glossy, not too matte - and lasts for a decent amount of time, leaving a slight stain behind after having worn off. It does sink into lines on the lips leaving highly pigmented deposits of color in strange patterns...not the most appealing look. This can easily be fixed with the application of a lip balm prior to wearing it.

I really, really love the shade of this lipstick and find it to brighten my day when I wear it. The beautiful vibrancy of it really adds to whatever you are wearing, but isn't too crazy for regular wear. For those who are perhaps scared of colour, this would be a good shade to experiment with.

I really love this lipstick, and if I was to find more shades within this range that I liked, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase them. I give it 8 out of 10.

"What do you think?" Wednesdays - Make-up snobbery

Cheap make-up was something that I always, always fell for. By fell for, I mean as soon as I saw the $3-$6 dollar price tag, you could literally be guaranteed that it was in my hands ready for purchase. Over time I found a common relationship between the price and the quality of the product - the lower the price, the lower the quality.

There are of course, exceptions to this rule, with particular products from brands like Essence, (and even BYS to a point) that are products I use on a daily basis, love, and only have to fork out $5 or so to get hold of it, but in general, most of the time I have found that you get what you pay for and that is that.

When I woke up and realised my mistake, I did a turn in the opposite direction and found myself overlooking anything that was suspiciously low, dismissing it as complete rubbish that I didn't need. The didn't need part was certainly true, but as for it being complete rubbish, sometimes I was wrong.

There are gems out there that you can pick up for next to nothing, but they are difficult to find and don't happen all that often.

I know many people who only consider purchasing makeup with a somewhat impressive price tag, and I can kind of understand that - you feel like you can be guaranteed quality and that you can trust the product itself - what is in it, where it has been made etc. I do feel a little sorry for people like this though, because they miss out on all the cool 'drugstore' brands like Face of Australia, Australis and Rimmel, preferring to go for the significantly more expensive and understandably better quality brands like Clinique and Estee Lauder. What they don't realise is that whilst they may have a makeup collection full of products I am ridiculously jealous over (Nars and MAC are products I only dream about!), I am having all the fun with FOA lip crayons and Rimmel Nail polishes that are still lovely products that only cost me a fraction of the price.

So when it comes down to it, I can understand why some only trust the really high end brands, and whilst I personally think that they are missing out, I kind of get it, but here is the part I don't get:

 I know some people who openly, and proudly admit that they never purchase anything on sale. What?!

Sales are my life! I can go a whole year desperately wanting a product but vowing to only purchase it when it goes on sale. I struggle to buy things when I know that within one or two months I could get it cheaper. The way I see it, picking up things on sale means that you still get good quality products, but you can buy more things with the same amount of money! Who wouldn't like that? I pride myself on being a wonderful bargain spotter.

But some people are different to me and think it is almost, dare I say it...shameful. It's almost as if they have to prove to both themselves and everyone else that they can afford it full priced, or that they only ever purchase the best things. I will never understand how a sale can be frowned upon because for me they are about the greatest things that exist and I will forever hunt through grotty bargain bins to find that perfect lipstick half price.

What do you think about all of this? Are you suspicious of cheap makeup in general? Do you look down on sales or are you like me and think they are heaven? Be sure to vote in the poll on the right hand side and leave comments regarding the matter!

Toni and Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray - The quest for curly hair

It is no secret that we all want what we do not have, especially when it comes to hair. It is practically a law that those blessed with curly hair want it straight, and those with long straight locks (like myself) make it their mission to get it curly at all costs. Before you all ask, I have tried curling wands before (every friend and their dog has begged for a shot at curling my hair!) but the curls last approximately half and hour to one hour and they are limp and hideous. I wish I was exaggerating.

It seems like I have always been on a quest to get curly hair, though after trying one too many ineffective sprays/gels/insert other fancy word here, I couldn't see the point in spending money on such things any longer. I went a while, accepting that straight hair was all that I could wish for, until I spotted this little beauty.

I literally could not resist it. I went home and googled several million reviews on the product, and they were actually quite varied. Some claimed it was the most amazing spray they had ever come across - others not so much. I saw it for about $12 in Coles so I went for it. Curly hair, here I come!

Unfortunately, as is to be expected, I didn't get my dream hair. No, there was no magical transformation where I woke up sporting gorgeous voluminous curls, instead I found myself with straight hair, a little more limp and certainly stickier than before.

Despite this little disappointing episode, I decided to continue pursuing my dream hair, giving the product a little assistance. I left my hair in a damp braid overnight and in the morning applied the spray, scrunching and twirling my hair accordingly. It looked awesome...

For about two hours. This is better than past experiences I have had, I will say that, but two hours really doesn't fulfill my perfect-hair desire.

Moving on...I love the packaging of this product. The bottle is this strange texture with glossy print, very much my taste. The spray smells awesome but does leave my hair feeling sticky.

The pump isn't the greatest I have ever come across - it gets jammed and the spray comes out in a gloopy sort of fashion as opposed to an even, fine spray.

All up, this spray really didn't do much for me, even though I desperately wanted it to. I give it 4 out of 10.

 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Smitten

The Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains were something that I had seen being blogged about, but if I'm really honest with you, I never even considered purchasing one. When you think about it, that is actually quite ridiculous because I adore lip products, I am totally, 100% in love with my Face of Australia lip crayons and I have always, always, always wanted a Clinique chubby stick - so why the heck did I not fall in love with these when I first locked eyes with them? I have no idea.

Anyhow, when I was in Target they were having a 40% off sale on Revlon lip, nail and eye products. It was there that I realised a) they had arrived in Australia, b) I needed one desperately and c) they would never be this cheap again ($10.77!). So what did I do? I went swatch crazy. My hand was covered in swatches (that I soon found out wouldn't come off). After much deliberation and responsible self talk, I chose to go for the shade smitten as I had a billion light pink shades and no raspberry/darker wintery shades. Was it a good decision in the end? I think so. I'm not all that sure how much use it will get out of this as it is so not what I would wear on a daily basis due to its bright and blue based nature, but it's gorgeous all the same.

Let's talk about the packaging - I don't know what it is about chunky balms/sticks/crayons (whatever you wish to call them!) but I think they are magical. They are so childlike and crayon-like that I doubt anyone wouldn't fall in love with their 'style.' The shiny pink plastic, silver twisty end and silver print has a classy feel to it as well - basically it couldn't be any more perfect.

The product itself does resemble a crayon, with a thick tapered end. What struck me the most was that it has the strongest minty scent I have ever experienced with a beauty product. For me personally, this is a quality that I can't say I actually do like, but as far as I am aware others find it wonderful. Once having applied it on the lips the scent does fade away relatively quickly but it is terribly overpowering during application.

The stain is remarkably pigmented, so much more than the FOA lip crayons. It is one of those lip products that when you put it on you really have to be committed to that shade for the remainder of the day because it certainly does not come off. I was able to go five hours, eating and drinking, and there was still a slight tint at the end of it.

I find it to be a little drying, but I just apply a balm or gloss over the top to freshen it up as the tint remains quite strong once the initial gloss has worn off.

A little trick that I do when I don't want the tint to last all day is simply putting a generous lathering of a lip balm on first so that it acts like a barrier between the tint and my lips. This way I still get the colour but it doesn't stain nearly as much

I really do like this shade but as I mentioned, it isn't something I would normally go for. Paired with my already pigmented lips, it results in a bright hot pink shade combined with deeper, blue based raspberry tones. I do like the colour but I wouldn't wear it on a daily basis.

Because of it's pigmented nature, I have to be a little more careful with the application in comparison to my FOA crayons. I find that if I am too careless and it goes out of the lip line, it stains really quickly and I am left with a wobbly lip line and hot pink all over my face (not a pretty sight). 

I am really glad that I picked this up so cheaply. I think I might have been better off with a different shade (despite owning thousands of other lip products in the same shade) because I would feel more comfortable wearing it, but the shade 'Smitten' is lovely and I am happy with it.

I would recommend these balm stains, though only if you know what you are looking for. If you want pigment that lasts all day then these are for you, but if you want a carefree application and subtle tint then you might want to think about the FOA crayons. You can pick these up for $17.95 (I believe).

I give this 8 out of 10.



 





"What do you think?" Wednesdays - New Series!

As you might know, for a while there every Tuesday I was posting a 'Top 3 Tuesday' post whereby I would list my top 3 favourite products from a particular category. I found this series to be quite enjoyable to make, and from what I gathered, you enjoyed reading it too.

I really found that having a regular series meant that I was more likely to post and stick to the promised deadline, and I looked forward to adding to my ever growing collection of similar posts. When I finished up my Top 3 Tuesday posts I found myself looking for another series to replace it, and after a brainwave at 1:35am (yes, that was the time according to my computer when I leaped out of bed and wrote a whole heap of stuff down) I found what I was looking for.

My new series is labelled 'What do you think?" Wednesdays and will consist of me addressing a particular beauty related topic each week that perhaps might often be debated or that I think people will have differing opinions on. I will state my opinion on the matter then open it up to you for discussion. It is one of those things where reader participation is really important in determining whether it is a success or failure. I will also try to have corresponding polls on the right hand bar of my blog so that those who might be shy can simply click a button to share their views rather than writing a good old comment.

I want it to be a really respectful discussion, which I am not at all worried about because I am really lucky to have never had any negative or nasty comments on my blog. I think 99% of the beauty bloggers look out for one another and get on remarkably well, so I needn't worry about any attacks. I'm going to do my best to be open to all ideas and opinions and I hope that you can too.

I am looking to start the series this upcoming Wednesday, so keep your eyes peeled! I would love it if you guys could be a part of this series, whether you comment telling me how wrong you think I am, state your personal experiences in regards to the matter or if you are too shy, just voting on the polls!

I've decided to kick the first post off  next Wednesday with "Make-up snobbery - do you fail to give cheap make-up a chance simply because of its suspiciously low price tag?" I'll let you know my opinions and experiences with this next Wednesday, and I hope you do the same!

Haul - Revlon, Rimmel London, Australis, Face of Australia, Essence

I tend to be the kind of person who picks things up gradually over the month as opposed to going on crazing spending hauls, but the past month or so I didn't spend a cent on makeup/beauty products until this weekend where I bought $40 worth of stuff in one shot. Whoops!

I went out with the intention of purchasing two Face of Australia Nail polishes from the pastel collection, in 'After Diner Mint' and 'Would you like some orange sherbet?' These were $4.95 although I went to Kmart and they were having a $3 off FOA cosmetics deal, but when I got to the checkout and it didn't scan like that, I tried to notify the checkout lady and she was in a foul mood. I didn't have the energy to argue with her, but I know I could have saved $6. How frustrating!

From Kmart I also bought the Australis nail polish in Speck-tacular. I have been drooling over this since it first came out earlier this year. So many bloggers posted amazing pictures of this over a black polish and I fell in love. I did, however, decide to wait until it was on sale. It has taken all this time to go on sale, but it was $4 off so it came to $4.95! Bargain!

Rimmel London was having a sale in Kmart too and so I picked up one of their Lasting finish lipsticks by Kate from the Spring collection in shade 16. Once again I had seen countless posts about this beautiful lippie, so I decided to make it mine for the wonderful price of $7.75!


I then wandered over to Target with the aims of getting a powder highlight from the Essence Twilight saga Breaking Dawn part 2 collection (isn't that just the most disgusting name ever!). I believe there is only one shade, but if not - mine is in the shade 'Bella's secret.' I was worried that it was going to be too glittery but it is just perfect! It cost me $5.95.

I then spotted the Revlon stand, with 40% off lips, eyes and nail products. I found myself swatching all the Just Bitten Kissable balms, and took home one in the shade Smitten for $10.77. (The sale is unfortunately only two days long, from the 11th of November to the 12th).

So there is my haul, I am so excited about all the products because all of them except the Revlon balm are planned buys that I have been wanting for so long. I've tested a couple of them out and good reviews are to come!

Applause for the makeup illiterate!

This is a bit of a pointless post, but I found the following conversation amusing and thought you might too.

Sometimes I forget how little others know about makeup. "What do you mean you haven't heard of the Face of Australia Pastels collection?!" I think to myself, "Are you seriously telling me you don't own a blush?" Being a blogger I like to keep up with the latest news and expand my collection as much as my bank account allows me to, so sometimes I fail to remember those who aren't like that too.

Such was apparent in a conversation I had the other day with one of my guy friends. It went along these lines....

Him: You like nice today. Your skin looks kind of smoother than usual.
Me: That's because I'm wearing more makeup than usual.
Him: Are you?!
Me: *Yes! I love it when I can fool them!*
Him: Let me guess what you are wearing. Uh...I don't know what it is called. That skin stuff?
Me: Agh, I'll name a product and you tell me where it goes.
Him: Okay, okay. Go easy, I don't know anything about makeup.
Me: Okay...concealer.
Him: Does that go on your lips?
Me: Not really, no. It goes on your blemishes and any redness...What about bronzer? Do you know where that goes?
Him: Oh, that's fake tan. On your body! Yes!
Me: Close, I suppose. I'll give you an easy one - eyeshadow!
Him: I know this one, under your eyes!
Me: I don't think I can play this game with you anymore.
Him: Give me another one, please!
Me: Mascara.
Him: Your eyelids!
Me: You were telling the truth when you said you didn't know anything about makeup.

It is conversations like those where I realise how much I really do know about makeup! Have you had any of these type conversations? Imagine if I asked him what highlighter was!

Face of Australia Lip Quench - Pure Plum

Most Australian beauty bloggers are familiar with or have at least heard of the Face of Australia Lip Quench in Lychee Crush. The popular nude lipstick was all the rage there for a little while, and I myself purchased it and wore it on a regular basis.

I was sent a different lipstick from the range, this time in Pure Plum but as soon as I saw it I knew it wasn't going to suit me. I decided I would give it the best chance I could, but no amount of fiddling around with it could change my mind.

I think this lipstick could accurately be described as a wannabe plum red that needs to come to terms with the fact that it is actually a purple based brown. Yes, that does translate to a not overly nice colour. I personally found that it left me looking like a 100 year old corpse. Not the greatest of looks if you ask me.



Whilst it can be agreed that it isn't a flattering colour, there is no denying that the formula is just lovely, giving a glossy, juicy looking finish. It is highly pigmented and lasts for a respectable amount of time, leaving a stain behind once it has worn off. It feels nice on the lips, although slightly drying at times, and has that traditional 'lipstick smell.'

If I was to wear it seriously, I would be very conscious of it spreading across my face because it is so dark and obvious. Even just photographing it was challenging because I felt like it was smudging everywhere. Of course, if I had taken more care with my application, using a lip liner and blotting several layers, then it would have been less messy, but this is just one of those kinds of shades.

The packaging is just awesome, I really cannot find fault with it. The matte black and classy white print is just so perfect, as is the silver band and bullet. I also love the clear top which allows you to see the lipstick shade without having to open it. I cannot fault the packaging at all.

I really like the formula, packaging and of course price ($9.45) of this lipstick, but just cannot get along with the shade. Perhaps for a scary costume this might come in handy, but this dark purple is just so unflattering.

I did manage to mix it with a light pink lipstick of mine to make a semi-respectable purple type shade, but even then I really wasn't keen on it.

I would purchase more of these lipsticks from the range, but I would definitely give this shade a miss.

L-R: Light application (dabbing), general swatch



What it looks like on the lips

Mixing lipsticks together to create an acceptable shade

 

Dle cosmetics lipgloss - Jess Barely

 I won this lipgloss in a giveaway from Tegania's thoughts, quite a long time ago actually. When it arrived it looked very promising and I was quite excited to try it out.

I had never heard of the brand Dle and after some small research I found it to be a natural cosmetics company from the United States (as far as I believe).

The glosses themselves cost $8.95 or three for $19.95. There are other shades, from a lollipop pink to a bright red. The one I received is a nude pink shade.

First up is the packing. I love the squared shape of this tube, it gives it a classy and a little less girly feel. Don't get me wrong, I know we are talking about lip gloss here which is pretty girly, but I like the more 'masculine' feel of the tube. Am I sounding terribly strange? Okay, I'll stop there...

On the side of the tube is a small mirror which is just big enough for a decent view of your lips. I really like this feature and think it should be incorporated on more glosses.

Upon unscrewing the lid, a very, very bright light shines from the underside of the lid. This is one feature I would certainly get rid of. I am not exaggerating when I say it is literally blinding - you do not want to look at this one! This makes it really quite difficult to apply the gloss, as you face the underside of the lid right at your eyes as you apply the gloss. Yes, it may come in handy for when you need to apply gloss in the pitch black, but seriously, how often does that occur? If it's pitch black, no one is going to see your gloss anyway so I wouldn't bother worrying about it.

The gloss itself has a very silky feel to it and it really does feel lovely on the lips. The formula is relatively long lasting, but when it wears off it leaves behind a thin layer of silver shimmer.

Yes, this is a very shimmery gloss. So shimmery in fact that it was able to be included in this post here. I can handle a small touch of shimmer in a gloss, but this is a little too much for my liking, especially after the colour has worn off leaving the shimmer all by itself.

Would I purchase this gloss myself? No, probably not. The light really bothers me, as does the excess shimmer, but the gloss itself is pretty good. I give this 5 out of 10.

Beauty blogger lingo - what we really mean when we say...

I'm really running low on Ulta Nail polish...

When reading one of Michaela's posts from Lather Rinse Repeat the other day, I was inspired to write this post when I read this: "Of course, for a beauty blogger, "running low on facial cleanser" actually translates to "I have one and a half tubes of cleanser left, but I am already starting to panic that I need MOAR PRODUCTS!"

For me, this is so true. Since starting my blog and really getting into makeup and the likes, some common phrases that I use regularly have changed in meaning quite significantly. I expect many of you have found the same, and I imagine for most of you there is a friend/boyfriend/parent/sibling who sometimes misinterprets your lingo. Here are some phrases that have changed in meaning for me...

(What I say - What I really mean)

I'm going for a natural look today - I'm only wearing concealer, mascara, lip gloss, blush and a nude shadow
I'm going grocery shopping - I'm going to go buy the new lipstick from Australis...oh, I might pick up some carrots on the way home.
I'll be ten minutes in Priceline and then I'll meet you in the food court - I have no idea how long I'll be but I know it won't be less than half an hour.
I've been on a spending ban - I've only bought 10 makeup products this month, how disciplined am I?!
I'll pack lightly for this trip - I'm only bringing three lipsticks for the two day trip and six eyeshadows instead of twenty.
I only carry bare essentials in my handbag - I have a nail file, two lipsticks, five lip balms and concealer in my bag
Oooh nice lipstick -did you order that online from overseas? - Oh my God, how do I not know about that! I need that now! Nearest Priceline here I come!

Nice nails, what polish did you use? - Is that "insert polish name here" that you are wearing?!
I only bought a couple of things - I only bought half of what was on my ten page list of makeup to buy.
I would repurchase this lipstick - I totally would get this lipstick once it runs out... if I ever got to the end of it (and all the other lipsticks I have in the same shade)
I don't have any blush like this! - I only have five other blushes like this!
Who did your makeup? - It looks so good, how on Earth did you get your eyes like that?
Did you do your own makeup?- It's hideous, what were you thinking?
Do you have any face wipes? - I totally need to get these swatches off my hand before I walk out of Priceline
I picked up the Priceline catalogue yesterday, looks like there are some good sales - I looked at the Priceline catalogue online the moment it came out, the sales are incredible, I've already made the most of them.
Are you wearing fake lashes? - You seriously need to get to a mirror right now, your fake lashes are falling off and look like hairy caterpillars have set up camp on your eyelid.

Hopefully you found this post a bit of a laugh! I would love to know phrases that have changed in meaning for you, and whether others get frustrated by it!

Monthly Favourites - October

 October, as is every month, was a crazy one. Time just flew by and things were happening all over the place, it was remarkably difficult to keep up. Anyhow, here are my October favourites, and I'll tell you in advance that I did cheat a bit.

First up is the face category, and my Wotnot facial wipes win without a doubt. I didn't wear much foundation and concealer this month because I was camping and crazy busy, and I also found myself getting lazy and reaching for these more often than not. Whilst they are great and I loved using them, I really must get back into my old skincare routine...

You can actually try a full packet of these out for free, information about it is on this post of mine.

Next up is lips, and throughout October I found myself going to my Baby lips balm in Mango pie over and over again. I don't know what it is about this particular flavour, but I've been using it to death. I also love the packaging, it's so eye-catching.

Then comes eyes, and whilst I technically use this on my eyebrows, since it has the word 'eye' in it, it totally counts. I have been using my Essence lash and brow gel\ so often. It is half used up, grotty as anything and has horrible packaging but it does the job and was terribly cheap - my kind of product!

Here is where I cheated - normally would be something from the nails category, and then from the 'other' category, but since I didn't do anything with my nails in October and had two 'others' I figured I would do that instead.

For the first "other" product, we have a new bracelet of mine that I literally haven't taken off. I love this so much and am so pleased that I purchased it in a 3 for $10 deal with two other similar ones. Perfect!

For the second "other" product is a candle. Many YouTube beauty gurus rave about candles all the time, and I finally know why. The particular candle I have been burning is from Glasshouse Fragrances in Kakadu Waterlily and it is so lovely. I love the little glass jar with its adorable lid too, perhaps even more than the candle itself. According to the website, this candle is an "exotic blend of water lily, spring orange blossom, precious woods and amber" - in other words not at all what I would usually go for, but nice all the same.

Wotnot facial wipes & chance to try them for free

Facial wipes are one of those things that are a bit of a necessity but are quite boring to buy so I get lazy and never get around to picking any up. I was quickly running out of my old ones from Smart Skin that were actually pretty good, when Wotnot offered to send me some to try out. What good timing!

I was sent two lots of wipes, each in different packaging. The first was in the typical flimsy plastic packaging, and the other a hard case box with a small mirror underneath. I must mention that I love the colour scheme with the brown and pink...I mean I really love it, love it, love it, love it!

Upon first glance they seemed pretty great to me - natural/organic, eco friendly, Australian, free of harsh chemicals, packed with aloe vera/rosehip/sweet almond oils that are meant to be wonderful, not tested on animals and able to get waterproof makeup off. Even the packaging of the hard case is made from recycled materials! Sound magical? I thought so.

I began using them right away for both makeup removal in addition to simply just cleaning my face. I noticed that they were larger than normal, (20cm by 18cm) not much, but enough to make them just that bit better. There were 25 wipes per pack, the average number I believe, and the plastic packaging on the outside was nice and sturdy with a resealable sticker that certainly stuck.

When I went camping I took the hardcase box with me. I knew that I would be getting terribly filthy and that facial wipes would probably save my life, so along with me came that little brown box, and it never left my side. Having the mirror was actually so convenient too, that is one feature that I really love about it. I also love the fact that once having used up all the wipes, you can keep the container and refill it with more from the flimsy packet (which are cheaper). It is nice to see a brand not ripping people off.

The wipes, as they claim, are gentle and very effective. The cloth is very wet, which I like a lot, and it is remarkably strong and hardy. According to the packaging, the wipes are made of 100% natural materials, so I am surprised it was so strong. I had no trouble with it getting off all my makeup (or in camping's case, all the dirt and filth on my face - trust me, there was a lot). Even waterproof mascara came off after a little bit of fiddling about. Like a cleanser, I did need to moisturise afterwards which I was completely fine with, after all their job is to clean and get all the gunk off my face, not make it smooth and supple.

I wouldn't replace my cleanser and skin routine with these wipes, but on those days where I am too lazy or travelling around a bit, these wipes, especially the ones in the hard case, will be by my side.

As is to be expected,these wipes are perhaps the more expensive ones on the market, but they do work really well and have several qualities that make them stand out against other brands. Natural products tend to be more expensive in all cases, so I don't think it is anything unusual. The hard case pack costs $10.95, and the soft pack $7.95. I guess it just depends on how much you care about your face and the environment which will determine whether you think the extra couple of dollars are worth it.

I would definitely recommend these wipes from Wotnot. I have developed a fondness for the brand - it's eco friendly, natural, loving claims have really won me over and I don't normally worry too much about that sort of thing!

If you are interested in picking some up, you can purchase them from the Eco Direct website, or if you go to this link on their website you will find a list of stockists in your state in Australia. These facial wipes are sold at many pharmacies and health stores throughout Australia so you can skip any postage costs and get them in your local area.

And last but not least is the greatest part of all, on the 1st of November Wotnot started a campaign called AboutFace whereby you can swap an empty packet of old facial wipes for a full sized packet of Wotnot wipes. Yes, this means you can all run out to a participating retail outlet and get a whole packet to try out for free! (Oh gosh, that sounds terribly like an advert, I just think it is the perfect way to give these all a shot!) If you can't make it to a store that sells them, you can register and send your packet in and get them sent to you. All the information is here.