July purchases

July was a great month for bargains with all the mid-year sales around. Yes, I kept my eyes open to all that was out there on offer and this post is a collective of pretty much all my shopping throughout the month.

After all of the shopping since finishing my Project 10 Pan in April I admit that at the moment I'm feeling a bit jaded and just damn well shopped out!  A good indication is all the online stalking I've been doing lately but not adding anything to cart.  Apart from one lipstick I've got my eye on (YSL's Forbidden Burgundy) as reward for completing my lipstick ban, I feel like taking it easy with the beauty accumulation for a little while again - until I get that sudden urge for that special something.  There's nothing worse and more wasteful than joyless consumption. Alright, enough of my philosophizing and guilt, here's a rundown of what I bought...

Essie polish minis

At $5AUD each these were too good a deal to pass up...

The Resort Collection - Aka the Fair Game Collection released in 2011. Shades are Fair Game (blue/grey shimmer), Your Hut or Mine (coral pink shimmer), Lion Around (candy pink shimmer) and, haha seriously, Da Bush (green/grey creme).

Brazilliant Summer Collection - Also released in 2011.  I bought this just for Brazilliant itself which is a hot orange with a subtle shimmer. Also in the cube are Smooth Sailing (icy periwinkle blue), Super Bossa Nova (fuschia shimmer) and Meet Me at Sunset (hot orange creme).

Crabtree & Evelyn

 I bought the Crabtree & Evelyn hand care products in two separate trips to the store - both times during a 40% off deal.  I usually stop by there for gifts but ended up gifting myself this time.

Pomegranate Deep Cleansing Hand Wash - One of my little indulgences is using something a little more luxurious than a drugstore hand wash in my bathroom. I'd seen this in my first trip to Crabtree & Evelyn but didn't buy it, then kicked myself, then went back for it!

Pomegranate Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy - Pardon the pun in advance but I bought this hand cream not only because it's soothing and smells lovely but because it goes "hand in hand" with the pomegranate hand wash, hehe!

Lavender Age Defying Hand Remedy - This was the original buy. A no brainer for me because it promises "younger-looking hands".

Real Techniques makeup brushes

 These brushes weren't on sale but I bought them out of curiousity (aka under the influence of beauty bloggers!) and because they are so ridiculously soft. I'm no makeup brush guru but I'll let you know how I go with these...

 SJP Lovely & Lanolips

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker - I'm not a fan of celebrity fragrances generally but this fragrance is the exception and it was on sale!  It's soft and powdery and reminds me of spring so I'm getting in early.

Lanolips Lip Ointment (Rose) - A spontaneous buy just because I love the natural pink colour of this rich balm.

 That is all.

Vita :)

 

REVIEW: My lipbalm(y) army

I pull out all the stops to protect my lips from drying out and chapping in winter and because I love lip products I've got enough lip balms and ointments to cater for every different need.  Here's a quick rundown of what's in my current stash - plus one I've grabbed from my lovely husband!

TUBES

essence glossy lipbalm

This one is not strictly a lipbalm but a fun fruity scented gloss, with a high shine and a slight tint.  More suited for the warmer months but I use these occasionally when I want a bit of shine.  For a full review and swatches see here.

Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour

I've been loving this ointment so far this winter because it's so rich and emollient, and it looks and feels like an expensive gloss when I'm wearing it.  It gives a good hit of shiny rosy colour and deeply moisturizes my lips.  For my previous review see here.

Lucas' Papaw Ointment

This lives on my bedside table and I apply it to moisturise my lips every night.  Papaw Ointment is derived from fermented Carica Papaya and has a faint fruity scent.  It's colourless but gives a good shine to the lips so it can also be used as a lipgloss.  This is one of my HG products because it has 101 uses including soothing insect bites and broken skin so it's more than just a beauty product (see here for my original review.)

STICKS

 

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Lip Balm

This is the balm I wear on my lips when I don't want to look like I'm wearing anything - I've been wearing this one a lot too, particularly on the weekends.  This balm swipes onto the lips and leaves them feeling super soft and moisturized but is quite waxy and matte, with no added tint so guys can also wear it.  The main ingredients here are beeswax and shea butter which account for the texture and rich moisturizing feel on the lips.  Because it's not shiny I can use this under lipstick if I need to.  It also has a very subtle slightly sweet scent.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

This has been getting a good run this winter too!  Opposite to the L'Occitane lip balm, Burt's Bees is what I wear when I want to dress up my lips and this has enough pigment and coverage so I can wear it as a moisturizing alternative to lipstick.  This contains peppermint oil and cocoa butter and the peppermint initially gives off a very strong cooling sensation on the lips which fortunately fades away after a while.   For my original review click here.

TINS & POTS

[A'kin] Sweet Blossom & Jojoba Pure Essential Lip Balm

I've had this hiding in my stash for some time but have only recently been using it. Waxy in the tin, it melts onto my lips and provides a lovely shine and smoothness.  A'kin is an Australian brand, specializing in natural vegan products so this lip balm is free from animal products and is 100% botanical.  The main ingredients are jojoba seed oil, macadamia oil and shea butter.  It also contains rosehip oil so it has a faint rose scent and taste which is a bit strange but not unpleasant.

Blistex Lip Conditioner

Yep, this one is Hubby's <3.  I occasionally borrow it when we're outdoors together.  I love the butterscotch smell and taste.  I asked my husband for a review and he wasn't too forthcoming other than saying he uses this as a treatment when he has dry lips and he finds it effective.  I say it has a very strong cooling effect on my lips which can be a bit overpowering in the first few minutes but the product does a good job of softening my lips.  This also has the added protection of SPF 20 which makes it a preferred lip treatment if we're at the beach or in the snow.

What's your favourite lip treatment product?

Until my next post.

Vita :)

REVIEW: Lanolips Lip Ointment

Hi!


Here's a quick post about what my lips are loving in this cold weather.

I've been using Lanolips lip ointment as it's rich enough to keep my lips from drying out and chapping, plus it contains SPF15 for added protection.  According to Lanolips, this is "...The purest of pure wonder ointment, with over 60% Ultra Pure Medical Grade Lanolin, colour, vitamin E & SPF 15."

I find this different from other lip balms or glosses in that it is a richly emollient ointment that is quite thick in its formula but provides a gorgeous shine plus a hint of colour on the lips.  As you can see in these pictures little product goes a long way:

Lanolips has a faint lanolin smell but not enough to be unpleasant.  The texture is rich yet not sticky on my lips, rather it feels smooth and velvety and my lips feel softer immediately after I put it on.  There are five colours to choose from and this product is cruelty-free.

Lanolips lip ointments retail for $13.95AUD for a 12.5g/0.42oz tube and are available at Myer, David Jones, Priceline and a range of other stores or can be purchased online from the Lanolips website here.

Until my next post.

Vita :)