Monthly Favourites - July

July was an absolute joke of a month for makeup, because I didn't wear a scrap! I spent the first two weeks in Cambodia, bare faced and absolutely loving it, and in the second two weeks I still wore no makeup in order to clear my blocked pores from the abundance of sunscreen and insect repellent it had been subject to! Skincare, the aspect of beauty I had never really cared for, suddenly became my best friend. I have cheated a lot to fit all the categories for this month!

Face: I did a review on the magic of this scary looking cleanser, the Clean and Clear Morning burst skin brightening facial cleanser. It smells amazing, works like a charm and I used this religiously every day this month.

Lips: This product, Nivea's Fruity Shine Pink Guava lip balm, I used all the time. It went everywhere with me because I just love the smell, moisture it gives and slight pink tint. Perfect!

Eyes: This is so not an eyes product, but I did use the Lucas Papaw ointment once on my eyelid when I got an insect bite on it, does that count? An Australian cult product, I also took this everywhere I went in Cambodia and it is good stuff!

Nails: The Swisse hand cream with Vitamin F and Pomegranate isn't really a nails product either, but it goes on your hands so it is basically the same...right?! I haven't completed a review on this yet because I just haven't had the time, but I really like this! I know that many beauty bloggers get samples of this in their beauty box subscriptions, and honestly - use it! It smells like lemonade and does such a good job. I am a huge fan.

Other: My last favourite is the I Love...Mango and Papaya Body Butter. I am a little biased because my Mum gave this to me upon returning from Cambodia. I really didn't want to be home and was desperate to go back, and when I smelled this it was exactly like all the incredible fruit drinks that we had so this reminds me of Cambodia every time I use it! Even if there are no memories attached to this product, it smells absolutely wonderful and feels lovely on the skin.

As you can see, makeup just wasn't something I wore at all this month! I hadn't realised this until I wrote this post but 4/5 of this month's products have a really strong, fruity scent! Clearly I like my smelly products!

I think special mention also needs to go to the B.liv Off with those heads blackhead clearing gel, the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream, and the Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox Mask which have also saved my skin's life.

Are you a fan of any of these products? Know of any fruity smelling products I need to get my hands on?

Clean and Clear Morning Burst Skin Brightening Facial Cleanser

When I acquired this from a free Priceline beauty bag I was very keen on trying this out and proving that it would not be an effective cleanser. After all, surely a fluorescent yellow liquid full of green lumps couldn't be good for my skin.

Wrong.

I have been using this consistently for months now and it works wonders. I don't think my skin has ever been better, and though I wouldn't put it down solely to this product it is certainly contributing to it!

Clean and Clear is a brand that I am very, very familiar with. We have been good friends for years now. However the skin care that I was using just didn't seem to be working as effectively as it once was. I don't know if there is any science behind this, but I felt as though my skin had kind of become used to the products and therefore they didn't work any longer. Whatever it was, it was time for a change.

I had seen numerous advertisements for this cleanser but it didn't entice me enough to go and pick some up. When I received it as a freebie I couldn't see why I shouldn't try it out.

As I mentioned, I have been using this before bed (despite that it is called 'Morning burst') for months and I cannot rave about it enough. I love that it isn't a scrub yet it does have the little beads in it that do add a bit of texture. They certainly don't act as a scrub but do a little more than a common cleanser would. They dissolve as you rub them into your skin, it's rather strange!

I love the scent of this, a fresh citrus burst that I can imagine would be overpowering for some, but I personally love it.

I find that this takes off all my makeup with ease, however the only complaint is that when I am having a dry skin day this works a little too well and is a little harsh.

I have found that my skin has been in excellent condition after having used this for a while now. I don't think it is all down to this product - the B.liv blackhead serum and moisturiser from the brand Simple would also have something to do with it - but this certainly helps. When I get blemishes I only get a couple however they are really big and take weeks to fade away (and sometimes leave permanent marks) but with this I have found my blemishes to be of a smaller, shorter nature.

I really enjoy using this cleanser because it feels so nice, works so well and smells so good. I think to have a combination of all these things really makes this stand out from other cleansers that may work just as well but aren't as fun to use!

I give this 8/10.

Moisturiser obsession - the FIVE moisturisers I use!

Lately my skin has been painfully dry, I'm talking peeling off and flaking kind of dry. I tried to convince myself that I was just like a snake, and that shedding my skin was a natural and healthy process, but I was unsuccessful at fooling myself - it's just disgusting and something needs to be done about it immediately!

I have no idea as to what might be the cause of this sudden dryness, especially because it is skin all over my body, not just my face or hands. Anyhow, back to the point of this post, such dry skin has meant that I have really been getting into my moisturisers. These are the ones I apply day and night:

The Body Shop Strawberry body butter - I use this on my feet and elbows because that is the driest part of my body and this is the hardcore stuff (being a 'body butter and all). I love this product, the scent especially, but it is perfect for such dry skin.

Garnier Body Intensive 7 days hydrating lotion -  I use this on my arms and legs, and I love this stuff. It has a refreshing smell, soaks right into the skin leaving it moisturised and soft but not greasy, and is cheap (I'm talking $5 cheap!)

Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs Radiant body lotion - I only just started getting into this, and I use it on my hands. It feels so lovely and smells divine, this is the perfect hand cream for me.

Clean and Clear essentials moisturiser - I am a huge fan of this moisturiser because it suits my skin very well. It is non greasy but is packed full of moisture, which is important because my face can never decide whether it wants to be oily, dry, or a combination of the two.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream - I use this moisturiser on the dry parts of my face that really need that extra boost. I find that this is quite a greasy moisturiser and that it doesn't soak in all that well, which is why I only use it on the driest areas.

So this is what I use morning and night in my somewhat elaborate routine. I think that it is quite crazy that I use five different moisturisers, but I think most beauty fanatics would understand where I am coming from when I say that they all have different properties suitable for different needs!

What's in my shower?

Every now and again I happen to stumble across those youtube videos where a huge beauty guru reveals to the world their 'shower routine' - aka "The gazillion lotions/gels/creams/scrubs/insert other product here that are breeding in my shower." The videos are usually very long, often exceeding ten minutes, and contain literally 15-20 products. Honestly guys? Do you really use that many products?

I don't know about you, but when I am showering I would be lucky if I get around to washing my hair. I shower first thing in the morning, and to be honest, I'm not in the mood for an elaborate 25 step routine involving hundreds of products.

Right, now my rant is out of the way, I can get on to the post. These are the products that I use, and as you can see, it is a humble four products.

First is my Clean and Clear Blackhead clearing scrub. It is fairly rough so I only use it once or twice a week. I cleanse my face in the morning and night when I don't use this product.

Next is my I love...strawberries and milkshake body wash. This smells so darn good and lathers up really quite nicely. On the days that I am looking for more of a scrub, I use my Lux glamorazzi shower gel which contains small pieces of loofah  and has a gorgeous citrus fragrance.

Last is a gorgeous berry smelling soap that I got from a tiny little shop in the middle of nowhere. This soap is so lovely and gentle, and smells incredible.

Of course I have missed out on shampoo and conditioner, but at the moment I have been changing it up pretty regularly anyway.

So there it is, a terribly simple routine in comparison to other big beauty gurus I know, but for some people who use soap and water it is pretty complicated!

Clean and clear value pack

The old...

I have been using Clean and Clear for my skincare for a very long time. I find that the products really suit my skin and are very affective, and the best part is that it is so cheap, leaving money for more interesting things like makeup! I was running out of my foaming cleanser and moisturiser and I saw that this value pack was on special for only eight dollars. I picked it up without thought and am now waiting for when I actually run out of my other products.


I have already done a review on the moisturiser so I won't spend much time on that, but I will say that it is really good and feels lovely on the skin.

The cleanser is my favourite of the three products and I would have spent eight bucks just on that. I love the pump bottle especially, because in the past I have had other types and they have not been nearly as convenient. The fact that it is a foam cleanser really suits me, I love the foamy feel. It is so gentle on the skin, doesn't sting or irritate whatsoever. Sometimes I feel as though it is a little drying, but if you apply the moisturiser afterwards there is absolutely no problem.

...and the new!

I have heard of people having real problems with stinging and irritation. I personally cannot really understand this as I consider it to be the mildest cleanser I have ever used.

Of course, I still get pimples and breakouts every now and again but I feel as though they would be a lot more frequent if I didn't use this. In regards to blackheads I don't think this would be very effective, so I use a blackhead clearing scrub about twice a week with this cleanser. I also use a mask every now and again, and even though the mask and scrub is a different brand to this cleanser, it still works wonderfully well.

I really like this cleanser and I give it 9 out of 10.

As for the toner...it's not all that great. I never feel as though I require a toner, I just don't think it is necessary. I found that this one did sting, only a little bit though, but still enough to notice. As you can see in the photos, the toner I bought the first time did not get used up, so I won't be opening the second one.

There are slight differences between the new and old packaging, but nothing all that drastic.

I really like the skincare brand Clean and Clear and will continue to use them.

Clean and Clear - Oil Free Skin Balancing Moisturiser

My skin is not the best - it is oily one day, dry the next, prone to pimples and is just plain frustrating. This moisturiser fixes almost every one of my problems.

It does not matter whether my skin is oily or dry, because it magically fixes both of them. When I have dry skin it seems to absorb right into my skin, making it smooth and moisturised almost instantly. When I have oily skin it seems to take away the oil yet rather than dry my skin out, it keeps it perfectly balanced.

Some moisturisers don't seems to absorb into the skin, however this one is really good. At first it feels a bit heavy, but within a minute or two you can barely feel it, however you can definitely feel the difference that it has made to your skin.

It claims to prevent pimples, however because I use the cleanser and toner with the moisturiser, I'm not sure as to which of them are actually helping prevent my pimples. Let's just say that whichever one that is doing it is doing quite an impressive job.

This moisturiser is good for using whenever you need it, whether that is morning and night with your skin routine, or just any time throughout the day when your skin is feeling a bit dry. I give this product 8 out of 10.