Hello and welcome to the monthly beauty post where I feature five of my favourite beauty products I’ve been trialling for the past month.
Not everything I feature will suit you but I’ll feature it here if it has suited me and has had some point of difference that I think you’d be interested in hearing about.
From the five beauty favourites featured here each month until November plus any products I feature in other beauty posts in 2015, I’ll curate my top 20 for the year and publish in December.
As always, I want to hear from you too. Sharing what you’ve discovered and why it’s been great for your skin, hair or makeup look is fantastic for others to hear about too.
1. bhave Gun Powder Matt Styling Dust $29.95: My hair is kept under regular control thanks to bhave Smoothe treatments. To maintain the treatment it’s essential to use hair care products free of sulphates and sodium chloride. Now bhave has released a range of styling products to complement its hair shampoo, conditioner and treatments range, I’ve got all bases covered. This is my fave of the new releases as I like to create a bit of lift in my hair towards the back of my part. Teasing and back-combing helps achieve that and styling dust keeps it in place. Love the wand design of this product for control of delivery. Available from selected hair salons. Use the salon locater to find one near you.
2. Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Cleansing Water $7.95: This is the new mini version of my bathroom favourite. As I was packing my beauty bits and pieces for our recent overseas trip, I was not coping that my Garnier Micellar Water could not come with me. The bottle was too big. I tried decanting it into travel container but you need the dispenser at the end to stop it from flowing out everywhere. And then I get home and REJOICE. There is now a mini version available and perfect for travelling – not on board the flight because it’s 125ml – but in your packed luggage. Winning. I talk about the virtues of this product here.
3. CND Vinylux Weekly Polish in Naked Naivete $19.95: I’m not normally one for a pedi in winter because my toes are normally safely ensconced in closed-toe shoes but a recent “spring” photoshoot called for a spring look and open toes, so pedi I did. This new Vinylux colour is almost white on but with a hint of pink, which is more complementary to my skin tone than full white. White or near-white nails is a hot trend for spring and this formula is such a good one for staying on. Normal nail colour seems to chip off my toes in winter as I’m in and out of proper shoes.
4. MAC Cosmetics Dazzleshadow eye colour $40 each: I’m a sucker for shimmer and do not believe that you have to avoid shimmering after a certain age. What rubbish. Wear what makes you feel fabulous, I say. These new eye colours from MAC Cosmetics work brilliantly near the eye socket and the She Sparkles colour (above left) makes for a great brow highlighter as well. Anyone who’s ever bought and used MAC eye colour knows that the pigmentation is fantastic and that these little pots last forever. So yes the initial outlay is more but the value is in the distance they go.
5. Wrinkles Schminkles Chest and Decolletage Smoothing Kit $39.95 (you get about 20-30 uses): I’m a side sleeper and I’m not getting any younger. This combination makes me a prime candidate for chest wrinkles and yes, I very much have them. I first trialled Wrinkles Schminkles when it was first released. It certainly did smooth over my chest wrinkles but it also left me with red marks as my skin was sensitive to the silicone and formula. The owner of the company has listened to me – and others – and has redeveloped the formula and is using a higher grade of medical grade silicon. I’m stoked to say that my skin doesn’t react at all to it. My husband’s reaction is still the same … romance killer whenever I wear it to bed … but hey, it’s all in the name of beauty, yes? Want to win a kit? Head on over to Redcliffe Style.
Over to you … what beauty products have you tried this month and loved? Share the details in the comments below.
* These products were sent to me for editorial consideration. Full disclosure policy here.
Comments 22
Done it! Just bought the Wrinkles Schminkles neck pack. I read your review on the chest pads a while ago and been having a think. I’ve got sensitive skin as well so a good time to buy if they’ve improved the silicon. I’m starting to see neck ‘crepe-iness’ and it’s freaking me out!! Thanks for another great list, Nikki. 🙂
I tried the Micellar Water after you wrote about it & absolutely love it. Good to it now comes travel sized as well xE
Cant wait to try that CND weekly nail polish. Is it set with a light or is it just the polish? Bron x
Love Micellar water, thanks for the tip some months ago Nikki. I have some ancient travel size bottles with a dispenser and I am going to use one of them with some micellar water in flight. I am constantly amazed at how much comes off my face when I use this product compared to anything else!
Oh I am in desperate need of a pedi I love a nice simple classic colour sometimes.
Thanks for the intel Nikki. I’m a big fan of the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water too and am stoked to see a smaller version for weekends away. I’m always on the look out for new nail colours too although I find it hard to go past my fave, pink bikini! x
Hey Nikki, love your stuff!
I wanted to ask (as a mum of three girls) how do keep the balance between ‘these products are enhancing my beauty’ and knowing beauty products shouldn’t stoke our insecurities in order to get us to buy more stuff? Is this about the fun in playing with the aesthetics of our physical bodies? Or is this someone trying to get me to buy a thing by convincing me that something is wrong with my body?
This was sparked by the chest wrinkles, I thought holy crap I didn’t even know about that! Haha! I am all for beauty and fashion products! I would love your thoughts on a Mum of a daughter how you find that balance of all that!
Leonie 🙂
That’s such a good question Leonie. My daughter has actually grown up with less of an obsession with beauty products than myself. Maybe because they’ve always been around, she doesn’t feel like she’s ever missed out? I may have done something right inadvertently!! She also sees me just as me – not makeup – hair not perfect and knows that I just enjoy putting the face on for confidence. She’s also got me as a role model on many other fronts and I’m lucky that she’s the kind of young woman who values those things too. Always a fine line and as a teen and young adult, I’d say she’s more influenced by her peers, not me, in the beauty and grooming department.
Would love to see a post on this 🙂
That’s great to hear. Sounds like your confidence in who you are, not just your appearance has set a really good example. Thanks! I hope I can do the same with my little ladies x
I already have the small bottle of the Garnier micellar water in my wash bag ready to go for my trip, as I try to stick to what’s familiar as much as possible. I’m thinking that like you I’ll be going for some wipes for my carry-on kit.
You are super prepared – I LOVE that!
Thank you Nikki for reviewing your beauty favourites,I’m a side sleeper too and I also have those lovely lines on my chest and décollage.Great news about the smaller bottle of Micellar water and other brands have also got on the bandwagon I bought the Simple one to try and I think it’s the same but it’s a smaller bottle so I fo believe the Garnier one is better value I even noticed Aldi has one too,I love this product as you know I have very sensitive skin and also have outbreaks of eczema on my face,I also saw on Ig someone had shown some Garnier micella water wipes have you tried those? I will have to check the ingredients to see if that’s all they contain,
The only new thing I’ve tried is an Aldi product and it’s awesome it is a primer called Blur perfectly.Have a great day and I’m wishing you good luck for tonight Xx
Yes, I’ve tried the wipes Lisa … not as effective as the water itself but good as a backup. The Aldi product sounds great!!
I am developing many more wrinkles at the top of my cheek on my most favoured sleeping side – I must sleep with my cheek all mushed up under my eye. Pity wrinkles schminkles doesn’t do a whole face smoothing kit:) x
There is a face version too!
There is a face version too!
Yay – will check it out. PS Good luck tonight! x
I’m so pleased about the smaller bottle by Garnier as I couldn’t work out how I was going to cope without mine for three weeks in China. Thanks for sharing x
Go grab some Anna! Wish I’d had for my trip!!
Lovely picks Nikki. I was surprised Garnier didn’t make the bottle 100ml, would have made them a winner for travel, and an instant big seller. Love the nail polish colour, would be lovely on tanned (fake of course) feet 🙂
I know it seems crazy Kathryn!