January's farewelled products

 

What do they say about the best laid schemes of mice and men? Yes, well… despite my plans to post at least twice a week what happens? My 13 year old son drains our monthly internet allowance and I’m stuck with dial-up speed which means I can’t do anything blogwise for over a week – and I’ve had to resort to drafting blog posts as Word documents in the meantime, waiting (im)patiently for the chance to be uploaded to the internet. Grrr! GRRRR!!! With that roaring whinge out of the way let me get on with my first empties for the New Year…

 

Skin care

1) Face of Australia Gentle Make-Up Remover (125ml/4.23 fl.oz) – I think this is the same formula as I’ve previously used, just repackaged in a pretty new blue bottle. This remover’s good stuff and I’ve recently discovered that besides taking care of waterproof eye makeup this formula makes removing long wear lip products a cinch too!

2) Garnier Dark Spot Corrector Daily Illuminating Moisturiser (50ml) – Oh you know I’ve got to keep on fighting the good fight against pigmentation and this works well as a daily moisturiser too. Admittedly nothing performs miracles but this is one product I’ve returned to. The only thing that annoyed me this time around was the metal tube split at the side and started oozing…

 

Hand and body care

3) Crabtree & Evelyn Iris Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy (25g/0.9 oz) – I loved the fragrance of this hand cream sooooo much and of course this fragrance has been discontinued! I used only the tiniest amount at a time to make the tube last and I begrudgingly let anyone else get near it. Yes, of course like all C & E hand creams the formula is ultra-moisturising too – I’m obsessed with getting some more of this one if only I could...

4) Natio Meditate Body Butter (Yoga Scent Blue Lotus Attar) – This was the last of a trio of body butter tubs I bought over a year ago and unfortunately this range has been discontinued too.

5) Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat – This is my latest favourite quick dry top coat because it doesn’t dissolve the colour underneath and it doesn’t shrink. I got more mileage out of the bottle with the use of lacquer thinner drops so this ended up lasting almost a whole year!

 

Cosmetics

 

6) SCOUT Cosmetics Mineral Lip Gloss (Heart)* - These are the lightest weight lip glosses I’ve tried and Heart was the perfect MLBB shade so I wore it almost daily over my summer break until I emptied the tube!

7) L’Oreal Miss Manga Voluminous Waterproof mascara (Black) – I bought my mascara in Hawaii late last year and these are just launching in Australia now. I’m a fan of the tapered flexi brush and actually started wearing mascara on my lower lashes for the first time in years!

8) Shiseido Maquillage Concealer Liquid (Natural) – Another overseas purchase from last year. I found this concealer lightweight and sheer but very brightening for the under eye area. I’ve noticed how much darker Western concealers are since moving on from this Japanese product and I miss that brightening effect.

9) Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara (01 Extreme Black) – This was my favourite high end mascara for 2014 and I used it way longer than I should have but the formula didn’t show any signs of quitting and I loved everything about it: smooth and creamy thickening formula, intensely black, smelt of chocolate (?) when I applied it, never even a hint of a clump and the brush was the perfect tapered length to grab almost all of my lashes in one sweep. I could go on and on about this mascara because I haven’t been obsessed like this with a mascara in so long…

 

 

 

10) Revlon Custom Eyes trio palette – I’m not sure if that’s what it was called but it’s old. Yes this trio was well loved in its day but when I found it buried in my drawer and remembered that I last wore it when 'Ally McBeal' was on TV I realised that it’s well and truly time to go! Remember that dancing baby? What a quirky old show…


Well that’s it folks for my first instalment. Fingers crossed all goes well for a timely February post because that bag of empties is bulging already!

 

 (Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

REVIEW: SCOUT Mineral Lip Gloss

During the week I'm a lipstick lover but on weekends I'm a lip gloss girl! I like the ease of a gloss because (unless I'm wearing a bright shade) I can just 'swipe and go' sans mirror and it just doesn't demand the same kind of attention to detail and maintenance as that statement power lip can!

 

Of course if you wear a gloss with high quality natural and moisturising ingredients it's makeup's alternative to wearing a balm. Colour with benefits right? So that's how I look at lip gloss - obviously how it feels, wears and looks but also does it hydrate my lips? Yes there are glosses which can weirdly enough dry out my lips.  If you've ever experienced that unfortunate combination of sticky, flaky lips you'll know what I mean.  Having said that, SCOUT mineral lip glosses are anything BUT drying on my lips... 

 

In keeping with their safe vegan cosmetics philosophy SCOUT mineral lip glosses are enriched with "...Vitamin E Organic citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) and Jojoba seed oil help to make this lip gloss shiny, creamy, long-lasting and moisturising..." and are free of parabens, lanolin, petroleum derived ingredients, beeswax or any other generic fillers.

There are 16 shades in the range and I chose the soft shimmery coral Enchant and pretty pink-nude Heart to review:

 

My impressions:
Everybody likes to know about gloss applicators right? The applicator is a standard doe-foot which makes it easy for precise application and to build up a few layers of coverage on the lips:

The gloss itself has the faintest natural botanical scent and it kind of feels like melted butter on the lips - I mean that in the best possible way because this gloss is not sticky at all on application but feels weightless and smoothing on the lips.  These are not gloopy, or watery glosses but have a lightweight, sheer formula which doesn't bleed out everywhere.  Wear time is average for a gloss and they do need reapplying every hour or so - I can't say these are particularly long-lasting - but the moisturising formula meant I didn't mind reapplying at all.

"SCOUT mineral lip gloss Colours are sexy fun and fresh..."
The shades I tried are quite sheer and have just enough of a hint of colour to wear alone for a fresh natural looking sheen or can be used as a subtle lipstick topper.  I slightly prefer the pinky nude Heart for the colour and also because the shimmer-free formula feels extra silky on the lips.

Swatched L to R:  Heart, Enchant

 

And on the lips.  These colours do look very natural and understated when worn alone:

 

Enchant

 

 Heart

 

The verdict?  I like the idea of a gloss that treats my lips to a dose of much needed moisture so I'd definitely recommend these as a treatment as much as for a subtle boost of shine.  As far as glosses themselves go I think these are rather chic because they don't go overboard with wet shine so are suitable for all ages and not just youthful lips. 

 

Ingredients:

Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil* Polymer Mica (CI 77019) Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil* Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) Peel Oil* Tocopherol may contain (+/-) Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate Tin Oxide (CI 778161) Silica Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499) Ultramarines (CI 77007) Pigment Violet (CI 77742)

 

SCOUT mineral lip glosses are available for purchase from their online store here.

 

 

(This product was provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

REVIEW: SCOUT Mineral lipstick

Do you remember my posts on SCOUT Cosmetics?  I was introduced to this Australian based natural cosmetics brand a couple of months ago and have featured posts on their 5 free nail polish (click here for a swatch post) and mineral eye makeup (click here for a detailed brand introduction and review of their mineral eye makeup products).

Now I'm continuing my journey into SCOUT Mineral Cosmetics with a road test of some of their lipsticks. If you're interested in lipsticks which are free from parabens, petroleum derived ingredients, lanolin, beeswax or other generic fillers and not tested on animals then read on...

 

 

SCOUT says "...Dress your lips with our 100% Vegan blend. A superior nourishing natural lipstick long lasting non- drying.  Organic emollients of Shea butter Jojoba Seed oil Vitamin E and Organic citrus aurantium dulcis (orange)."

The shades I've been provided to review are Destiny (deep warm red) and Courage (shimmery peach):

My impressions:
These lipsticks are encased in sturdy but quite chic matte black packaging (reminiscent of MAC's original lipstick packaging from years ago) so there's no fear of cracking the lid should you drop the lipstick. I don't always talk about packaging but I feel like I should when it's made from tough stuff!

I found the finish and pigmentation varied with the two shades I tried.  Destiny is very highly pigmented and appears as a creamy satin red with just one or two swipes.  Courage was a completely different prospect and took a few swipes to build up the pale peach colour which ends up quite sheer and shimmery. 

L to R: Courage, Destiny

While these lipsticks are not high in shine, because of their moisture enriched formula including Jojoba Seed Oil and Shea Butter they feel smooth and not drying at all on the lips. These do live up to SCOUT's long lasting claim as wear time is easily 4 hours with only a little fading in the middle of the lips, and with none of that dreaded lipstick bleeding occurring.   Finally there's no added fragrance for those who don't enjoy (or have a sensitivity to) artificially scented/flavoured lip products.

SCOUT Mineral Lipsticks are available in 16 shades ranging from neutral to vibrant to vampy.

Ingredients:
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil Mica (CI 77019) Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) Peel Oil Tocopherol may contain (+/-) Tin Oxide (CI 778161) Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499) Ultramarines (CI 77007) Pigment Violet (CI 77742)


Now for some lip swatches taken on a very gloomy day.  Yes, my hair colour's just a little darker than normal too.

Courage

Destiny

 SCOUT Mineral Lipsticks can be purchased from their online store here.


(This product was provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

REVIEW: SCOUT Mineral Eye Shadow and Mineral Eye Liner Pencil

I was introduced to Australian cosmetic brand SCOUT very recently when I was given the offer to review some of their mineral eye makeup products (with a nail polish thrown in for good measure swatched here). 

I literally, embarrassingly, had very little knowledge of this local brand so I did some research to see what SCOUT's point of difference is.  I'm starting this post with some background info to bring everyone else up to speed if you're like me and new to SCOUT Cosmetics too.

Pursuing her lifelong interest in natural therapies Sylvie Hutchings started the SCOUT Cosmetics brand in 2008 to create a natural cosmetics line which did not sacrifice performance or style to offer "...colour, style, luxury and effectiveness of great cosmetics and skincare without being exposed to potentially harmful or unnecessary ingredient compounds of which the long term effects are unclear."  Therefore SCOUT mineral cosmetics are:

• Formulated, tested and manufactured to meet all Australian and international standards
• A proud signatory to the campaign for safe cosmetics
• 100% Australian made
• Not tested on animals
• Certified vegan
• Water resistant and can be worn while playing sport
• Made from only pharmaceutical grade, naturally derived Australian minerals or organic botanicals
• Rated SPF 15 as a natural sunscreen
• Lightweight, non-comedogenic - allowing your skin to breathe
• Free of bismuth oxychloride
• Free of parabens, synthetic FD & C classified dyes, clays, mineral oil or petroleum derived ingredients
• Free of lanolin, beeswax or any other generic fillers



Got all that? Okay, so let's talk about some products!

 

Mineral Eye Shadow

 Clockwise from Left to Right:
Run Baby Run (matte mineral eye shadow), Sunday Girl (shimmery mineral eye shadow), Vegan shadow and brow brush

"Modern - Elegant - Colours have been created to give you a versatile palette for day or evening..."

My impressions:
The 22 mineral eye shadows are available in matte or shimmery finishes so I chose one of each finish in complementary shades.  Run Baby Run is a matte medium brown and my idea of an everyday crease shade.  I've worn Run Baby Run a few times now and I really love the colour on me so it's likely to creep into my Monday to Friday routine.  More importantly I really enjoy the ease of working with it - considering this is a loose powder shadow (and I'm a klutz!) fallout is minimal, it applies smoothly, blends out beautifully, and it lasts all day without fading or creasing.   My other choice, Sunday Girl is not as high a shimmer as I'm used to when I think of shimmers but this soft peachy gold works well as a subtle lid shade or highlight and apart from a little more fallout overall performs as well as the matte shadow.  These shadows can be worn dry as I've worn so far (and swatched later in this post) or wet for more drama.

The double ended vegan shadow and brow brush (my bad for only showing half the brush above!) does a great job of picking up and packing the shadow on the lid and placing colour into the crease although I did find I needed a crease brush (say MAC 217) to really blend out the crease and soften it the way I prefer.

Mineral Eye Shadow Ingredients:
Mica (CI 77019) may contain (+/-) Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499) Chromium Oxide Green (CI 77288) Ultramarines (CI 77007) Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289) Pigment Violet (77742)

Mineral Eye Liner Pencil

Mineral Eye Liner Pencil (Grey)

"Glides on effortlessly to outline and define your eyes.  Soft and creamy formula will not drag the skin as you apply."

My impressions:
I always think of eye liner pencils as sleek skinny pencils, so these pencils are more like jumbo crayons to me and confused me at first.  Obviously they're not going to be your thing if you're into precision lining! I've tried Grey on my upper lash line and it gives a nice soft-focus definition along the lashes which is something a little different for me but different in a flattering way - no smudging required.  The pencil doesn't drag at all because of the oils and waxes in the formula - even over powder shadow - although because it is so soft I'd suggest setting it with matching shadow if using it on the lower lash line to keep it in place.  Sharpening keeps the tip tapered for lining. 

SCOUT Mineral Eye Liner Pencils are available in 6 shades (black, brown, grey, violet, green, and white).

Ingredients:
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil* Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax Tocopherol Mica (CI 77019) Zinc Oxide Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract may contain (+/-) Tin Oxide (CI 778161) Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Iron Oxides (CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499) Chromium Dioxide Green (CI 77288) Ultramarines (CI 77007) Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289) Pigment Violet (77742)

 

 Swatched dry on the back of my hand. Left to Right:
Mineral Eye Shadows (Sunday Girl, Run Baby Run), Mineral Eye Liner Pencil (Grey)

 

And in action for a daytime look: 

Overall I think this range is a good quality choice for women who have sensitive skin, or want to stick with a natural mineral product and still want to play with colour on their eyes. 

 SCOUT Mineral Eye products can be purchased from their online store here.


(Products were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

Scout 5 Free Nail Lacquer: Never Tear Us Apart

Let's just turn the colour dial all the way around from pastel nails shall we?

 

I received Never Tear Us Apart as part of a review package from cruelty free Australian brand Scout Cosmetics and I was drawn to it as a great autumn-winter manicure shade.  For those not familiar with Scout their nail lacquers are 5 free so they don't contain the following nasties:  Formaldehyde, DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor or Parabens.  Further they're 100% Vegan and, obviously, cruelty free. 

The formula of this polish was a little thicker than some, but very smooth and I found it easy to control the placement of colour on my nails without any risk of flooding.  The colour was super pigmented so two coats easily provided totally opaque coverage.  And the colour itself...I love oxblood at this time of year and Never Tear Us Apart is that classic warm oxblood I'm craving in all forms at the moment.  As per usual I finished my mani off with a quick dry topcoat to give it the high gloss lacquer finish. 

Sun:

 Shade:

Scout 5 Free Nail Lacquer is available in 21 shades.  Click here to view the range and purchase from the Scout Cosmetics online store.



(This product was provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)