Review: Etude House I Need You, Dandelion! Face Mask

As the days get shorter, the nights longer and the weather increasingly gloomier, I thought I'd whip on a bright and happy little mask to give my skin that bit of a boost, and what could be brighter and happier than dandelions? 

Meant to revitalise the skin, this mask, D in the series of alphabet masks by Etude House, contains dandelion extract, as well as a number of other ingredients, as stated below.

I had a magnificent soak in the tub, complete with bath bomb, music and candles, prior to do this, so my skin had a good long while to relax, and for the pores to open up. Then, after my bath, I popped this little baby on my skin and waited for the requisite amount of time.

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I found the serum for this one to be quite watery, and when I got it out of the packet, I was glad I had the presence of mind to do it over the basin, because it dripped everywhere! The good thing about this at least was that once it was on my face, it didn't run down my neck. 

A small fit, as usual, as per most other Etude House masks. I left it on for 15 minutes, before I patted it into my skin, then added everything else (eye cream, serum and moisturiser) on top of it. My skin certainly looked brighter and happier for it!

I do wonder if having the bath beforehand helped with it as well! Overall, a very enjoyable mask with great results.

What do you think of this mask? Do you have any particular mask from the Etude House range that you prefer?

Review: Hydraluron Moisture Booster and Moisture Boosting Mask *

I was asked if I wanted to try some Indeed Labs products recently, and seeing as I was eyeing Hydraluron in Priceline every time I stepped in there, I was very glad to be asked!

For those unfamiliar with Indeed Laboratories, they make the famous Nanoblur, which, I'm sure, is the one product from them that everyone has heard of. Additionally, they do not condone animal testing and they have come out with a few very interesting products, with Hydraluron being one of them.

Hydraluron contains hydraluronic acid, and while we all have it naturally, this decreases with age, and is also affected by certain other factors. What Hydraluron aims to do is plump and refine skin, while increasing it's normal elasticity. In short, this is meant to keep your skin hydrated, and is meant to also have a bit of a knock on effect in that you may find that you need less moisturiser as time goes by.

Note, however, that this is not meant to replace your normal moisturiser! To use it, simply squeeze a small amount out of it after your morning/evening cleanse or wash, then apply moisturiser/eye cream/serum over it. Ta dah! It's just that simple to incorporate.

Is it worth the hype? Yes! While I really wanted to pick this up from Priceline prior to this, I will admit to being sceptical about it. Thank goodness I was given the chance to trial it, which I have for 3 weeks, because, let me tell you, this is definitely going to be a staple, particularly during the harsher, drier Winter months. This retails for $34.99 for 30ml.

This must be successful, because Indeed Labs came out with another type of Hydraluron related product, and that is the Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask! These go for $29.99 and they come in a pack of 4.

You're meant to place this on clean skin, like with every other mask sheet, and let it sit for 15 minutes prior to removing it. Then, as with most other mask sheets, you pat/gently smooth the residue into your skin before applying moisturiser over it, as you would with using Hydraluron.

This sheet isn't like most others, in that the mask isn't dripping in serum. It feels a little sticky, but not uncomfortably so, which is similar in texture to the Hydraluron. The serum is also clear.

Isn't it pretty? Meant to be used weekly, or twice a week to help hydrate the skin, it can get a little pricey, but Priceline does often have specials on, so keep your eyes peeled! It's quite a big mask, which means that it will also fit most faces.

Additionally, this mask also has patches that gives you the option to place it over the eyes. However, as I wanted to be able to function while still wearing this mask, I folded those bits down.

The result? My skin didn't not immediately appear to be plumper or brighter, but the difference came when I put makeup on the following day - things just seem to settle a little better, and there were no odd dry patches.

The verdict? Hydraluron and it's new mask companion are excellent additions to my skincare routine. 

Have you tried this yet? What are your thoughts on them?

* These products were kindly provided for my consideration.

Review: Shanghai Suzy Lipsticks and Swatches!

Happy Tuesday! Today, I want to highlight a new brand that I'm loving (and trying very hard NOT to buy more of). Shanghai Suzy is a Melbourne based cruelty free (yay!) lippie brand, and it's been popping up on Instagram a lot recently.

For those who would like to find me on Instagram, hop over to it and you can reach me at temporaryprincess. 

But! Less about me, more about Shanghai Suzy! I did a big order recently, getting a few as presents for some of my nearest and dearest, because, let's face it, if you found something awesome, you'd like to spread the word, wouldn't you? And that's exactly what I'm doing here!

I now have a total of 5 lippies by Shanghai Suzy in my collection, and this was kickstarted by an innocent order on the BellaBox website, when I was looking to spend the points accumulated by my subscription recently, which then escalated to this! 

Miss Kitty Black Plum; Miss Georgina Pink Plum, Miss Hannah Blood Red; Miss Tegan Cherry; The Gossling Lippie

How gorgeous are these shades? Miss Kitty and Miss Tegan have a matte finish, while Miss Georgina, Miss Hannah and The Gossling, which is a limited edition lipstick, have a bit of a glossy finish, and the formula is written as 'Nourish' at the bottom of the case.

The Gossling is a bright, coral/orange shade. I had a bit of a start when I opened this, and I wasn't sure that this would be my thing, but wouldn't you know, it's actually really gorgeous on!

Miss Tegan is a bright cherry red that has an orange base. This is good for days when I want a bright red to cheer up an outfit.

Miss Hannah is my absolute favourite of the lot! This is a true blood red on my lips, and is blue based, which makes my teeth look whiter than they are, and this is just a delicious colour!

Ahh, Miss Georgina, the lippie who started the domino process. I was having a moment of box envy, having received something else instead of a Shanghai Suzy, and decided to get this one. I'm so glad I did! This is a purple-ish pink shade that has a bit of a glossy finish. I've been wearing this with green on the lids.

Miss Kitty is a dark brown/red, which reminds me a lot of my witchy/not so gothy phase back in the 90's (did anyone else go through that?), and this is a colour I've always loved, so it's great to see a beautiful revamped version of this shade.

Miss Kitty Black Plum; Miss Georgina Pink Plum, Miss Hannah Blood Red; Miss Tegan Cherry; The Gossling Lippie

These all have a bit of a grape scent, which reminds me of grape bubblegum, and I don't find that this lasts around for long. Additionally, this also doesn't tend to end up drying out my lips, making them uncomfortably patchy.

All the swatches above were done with only one swipe of the lippie. Highly pigmented and wears well on the lips, this line is definitely an excellent bargain.

For those looking for more information on Shanghai Suzy and stockists, have a look over here. They retail for $12.95 a pop, but there are ongoing deals online, where you can get 8 of them for $65, including shipping! 

Have you tried any Shanghai Suzy lippies before? What's your favourite shade?

March Binned Things 2014!

Yay! It's time to go through all the empties from March! Thank goodness it's the end of another month, not because I like the cold, which is slowly creeping in on us, but because I just don't think I can cram anything else into the empties basket!

Don't forget that the repurchase component of this points to the quality of the product, regardless of whether the company tests on animals or not.

1) Vaseline Total Moisture Aloe Fresh - great scent, very moisturising. I really liked this one - I do have another bottle to get through, but I won't be getting another bottle of it after this, because Vaseline isn't a cruelty free company.

Repurchase? Yes

2) John Frieda Volumising Dry Shampoo - really like the way this made my hair feel on those days in between washes! It certainly did also add volume to my hair!

Repurchase? Yes

3) Manicare Nail Polish Remover - like most other nail polish removers out there - works well, and I was happy with this.

Repurchase? Yes

4) Dove Clinical Protection Deodorant - staple, staple, staple! Enough said!

Repurchase? Yes and done!

5) Soap and Glory Flake Away - great fresh smell in the shower, and is great for scrub a dub dubbing in the shower! Great little bits in it to help exfoliate all the grossness of the day.

Repurchase? Yes!

6) Naisture Ginseng Mask Pack - see the full review here.

Repurchase? No

7) Etude House I Need You, Collagen! Face Mask - see the full review here.

Repurchase? Yes

8) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Gentle Daily Cleanser - this was ok, but I found it a little boring after a while. It was gentle, but I didn't think it did much for my skin.

Repurchase? No

9) Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser - pretty good medium coverage, surprising for a tinted moisturiser. I really enjoyed using this one, but as I currently have a ton of base products to get through, I don't think I'll need to buy one of these for a while!

Repurchase? Yes

10) Wotnot Facial Wipes - another staple, staple, staple. I don't want to tell you how many I have under my bed, which is the spillover storage space that Mr Prince doesn't think to look at (haha...), but I have a ton of them!

Repurchase? Not for a while, but definitely!

11) Colgate Savacol Mouthwash - yuck. That about sums it up! I had to use this after my wisdom teeth got removed, and while it helped, it was gross.

Repurchase? I hope not!

12) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Facial Wipes - pretty good wipes! Similar to the Wotnot ones in that it leaves your face feeling moisturised, these also have a bit of a lily scent, and is a little more abrasive. They are also a little more accessible than Wotnot wipes, but I don't like them as much.

Repurchase? No.

13) Etude House I Need You, Hydraluronic Acid! Face Mask - I won't ruin the alphabet mask series with a spoiler (I had a spare), so I'm not going to say much about it!

Repurchase? You're going to have to find out!

14) Sephora Liquid Liner in Black - I can't believe I finally finished this! One of my first liquid liners, I really liked this. It's not terribly pigmented, compared to certain others, but it's not bad.

Repurchase? Yes

15) Rimmel Volume Flash Mascara - are these discontinued? I can't seem to find them online at BeautyHeaven. 

Repurchase? Yes

16) KMS Free Shape Hot Flex Spray - sad to see this go! I believe that these guys are cruelty free, though, so yay! Love, love, love this for bangs!

Repurchase? Yes!!!!!

17) Covergirl Concealer - old and now gunky. Not my favourite concealer on the market.

Repurchase? No

18) ELF Waterproof Eyeliner - these babies dry out quite easily! I like the tip and pigmentation, but it doesn't last for long. Good thing it's not very expensive!

Repurchase? Maybe.

19) Wet 'n Wild Illuminator Stick - this is REALLY old. I have sentimental feelings for some makeup, and can't seem to let things go. Had to let this one go - way too many items cluttering up my dresser!

Repurchase? Cheap and easy to use? Yeah, probably!

20) Woolworth's Makeup Remover Pads (pictured below) - cheap, works well, and they're thick enough. That's all I need!

Repurchase? Yes

Stand out products for the month of March include the Bare Minerals concealer, Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel mask, Benefit's they're Real! mascara, PureTan Coconut Body Creme and Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl.

That's my exhaustive list this month! What did you finish? Any new items on your favourites list?

March Her Fashion Box Review 2014!

Yay, yay, yay, yay! No beauty box quite gets me this excited, and while the MARCH Her Fashion Box turned up about 2 weeks after the end of the month, it's certainly not a disappointing box! I don't know if any box is really worth that much of a wait, but at least it's here now, and I get to show you all of the goodies inside!

First of all, I'd like to point out to everyone that while it turned up in a postal baggie and the smaller version of the box, it could have all fit into their larger Her Fashion Box box, so I'm not sure why they chose to do it this way instead, leaving some of the items out of the box, but they all arrived in one piece, so I can't really complain. I would like for the original boxes to come back, though, because this makes it 2 small boxes in a row. The big ones are great for shipping things overseas to friends and siblings!

As always, I flipped to the back of magazine first, and located two pictures that I had on Instagram over the last few weeks. It's always nice to be featured there, so thanks, HFB!

Enough chit chat, here's what I got for the month of March!

In the Feminine box, I got the Solar scarf, and can I just say, I LOVE HFB scarves, because they tend to be really soft and easy to wear. The one big downside, however, is that they can snag quite easily, so be very careful when you pop them into your bag!

This is a beautiful blue scarf in different shades of blue with a galaxy print. Definitely a winning product!

I also got the Spell It Out ring, which I am a little disappointed about. This is meant to be adjustable, but it's still a little too big for my fingers and already has a bit of a chip in the jewel portion of it. Nevertheless, when placed in a cluster with a bunch of other blingy rings, it can hold it's own and has quite a bit of sparkle to it.

This one was difficult to photograph, and that's just because it's so sparkly! Another winner in the box, this lovely, heavy necklace, Shoot For The Stars, is quite easy to wear to brighten up an outfit. I have already taken this for a spin, and really liked the way it went with my top. One of my favourite necklaces from HFB so far.

Le Tan Fast Tan 45g in Bronze, this is a spray tan in an aerosol can. I might have to look into using this over the next few weeks - it's getting depressingly dark and rainy all the time!

We're all meant to received one of 20 different colours of this Colour by TBN moisturising lipstick, and I got #881 Kiss & Make Up, which is a bright coral orange colour, which I normally would be quite hesitant to wear, but I have found myself reaching for some brighter colours in recent days, so this does fit in quite well. Review to follow!

Argania hair oil 5ml, perfect for travel. This little bottle smells like nuts, which makes sense. I've now used a number of different hair oils, and I'm interested in seeing how this compares to them.

Lollies! Just as a way of celebrating their first birthday with us. I know what I'm taking to work with me tomorrow!

I also received a Designer Brands Outrageous Volume mascara. A girl could always use more mascaras! I don't think I've actually bought one for a while, thanks to beauty boxes and siblings.

For their first birthday, they sent out a pumice stone as their present to us! And it's pink! How cute is that? I haven't used a pumice stone for ages, so this might be a good time to get started again.

For filling out the survey last month, I got a hairband, similar in design to one I got before, but in different colours. I get quite a bit of use out of the other one, so it's really great to have another one.

What a fantastic box for March! Shame about running late, which means that the April box will also be later in the month, to break things up a little, but it's definitely a brilliant box. 

10 items, made up of 4 accessories, 3 full sized makeup/toiletry products, 2 deluxe sized makeup items and 1 bag of lollies - definitely birthday box worthy!

Have you received your box yet? What's your favourite item from the lot?

High Tea at Gardener's Lodge Cafe, Sydney

 

Over the weekend, we headed over to the Gardener's Lodge over in Victoria Park for a spot of high tea. Having studied at the University of Sydney, that part of town was very familiar to me, but this was my first visit to the Gardener's Lodge, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it.

We decided on an outdoor table, so we could see the pond and keep an eye out for cute dogs going by. It was a mix of a hot sun and cool breeze, resulting in a warmish kind of day, perfect for relaxing with some tea and munchies!

Cute little flower cans at every table, each holding some cutlery and paper napkins, as well as a menu for those interested in ordering breakfast or lunch.

When we got there, they looked a little swamped and we were asked what kind of hot drink we wanted without being given a menu. I got my usual, chamomile with a side of honey, and Mr Prince got a flat white. We did get this on one of those daily deal sites, and as such, we were actually entitled to two drinks a piece, and Mr Prince did get another flat white after our meal.

Things kicked off with buttermilk pancakes, drowned in syrup and berries! A very yummy beginning and a nice way to start things. 

Heavily glazed pecan and caramel tarts for dessert, the crust was absolutely divine! I will admit that after about 2 bites of this, my teeth started to ache a little, but I really wanted to eat it all!

We had some feta and spinach tarts (again, great buttery crust!) and some smoked salmon rolls as the savouries, something different for high tea.

We did start with these tasty lamb kebabs, not generally what you'd see with high tea, but definitely very yummy!

It was overall a very nice experience, given that it's located in a park, and therefore, great for people watching. We also managed to pick a nice day for things, and while the waitress was lovely, the service was a little mixed in that there were no plates brought over when the tier arrived, and I had to ask them twice (although the lovely waitress did apologise for this) and that we were asked for our drink order when we arrived without being shown a menu was a little... odd.

I got the impression that they were starting to trot out some high teas to gather some interest, but they tend to be a bit more of a general breakfast and lunch cafe? Lacking scones and ribbon sandwiches, it's not your usual high tea, but whatever the case may be, I thought it was tasty anyway!

We had a lovely time out there, and for people in the area, this is certainly a nice spot for lunch or a spot of alternative high tea. 

Overall, I would rate this:

7.5/10