Friday 27 December 2013

Happy Holidays xoxo Beauté Gazette

Image by Thea Proctor 'The Rose' 1927


Whether you are indoors by the fire watching the snow fall with family and friends or enjoying tropical sunset swims and sippin' on pina coladas I hope you are having a safe and happy holidays.

xxx Nella

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Tuesday 10 December 2013

Amele Essential Intimate Wash Review. Is vagina soap really necessary?

Amele Essentials Intimate Wash Review $6.99 available from www.priceline.com.au

Admittedly I am a pretty product obsessed lady, living by the philosophy of 'More is More', knowing there is product out there for any need or want I may have. Browsing my local pharmacy the other day needing to pick up some tampons I stumbled upon the Amele range of feminine hygiene products. Immediately drawn to the sweet pretty nonchalant packaging because it didn't have the words or phrasing 'FEM', 'Clinical grade hygiene' and 'Vagina' blazed all over the packaging like most of the other brands of feminine products on the shelves. 

So do women really need a product to exclusively wash their vaginal region? 
It is definitely a personal preference, I feel that highly fragranced soaps are stripping and leave my... I am going to say it, don't freak out....VAGINA irritated after showering especially after doing any kind of sweaty exercise where I am wearing tight lycra leggings. Amele's intimate wash contains lactic acid which it claims to help your vagina keep a healthy natural pH balance of 3.4 -3.8 level. I am not sure about this, but I have found using it is far less irritating than soaps or regular body wash. Also after doing some research I noticed that Amele is owned by Ansell which is a company known for making very sexually intimate products so I am guessing they know a thing or too about vaginas.

Is this just another bloody product? Maybe, but I have noticed a difference in my comfort and isn't that what we are all looking for when browsing the isles of the local pharmacy. One thing I would change about the product is that is is in a flip cap tube and it would be far more easy to use in the shower if it was in a bottle with a push down pump dispenser.


xxx Nella

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Christmas Gift Guide : Best gifts for Mothers who deserve to be spoilt.

Every year since I was little my Mother has said all she wants for Christmas is 'a home made card and a cup of tea in bed' which is painfully sweet and humbling but we all know that every Mum deserves to be spoilt on Christmas day. And as advent calenders get eaten and the countdown to Christmas is getting nearer it is totally handy that all the gifts featured below are available online (click the link below the image) and are under $100!!!

Jurlique Sugar Spiced Eco Candle $35.00 available from www.jurlique.com.au and from Jurlique Stores
This candle is of a more sophisticated festive ilk, housed in a very decor friendly chocolate frosted glass jar. The scent is powerful enough to fill a room with it's beautiful spiced cinnamon and brown sugar smell, Jurlique sure knows how to make a delicious smelling candle.

ASOS Leather iPad Case in Metallic Crackle $47.61 available from www.asos.com
One of the best things my Mum ever did was buy an iPad, she is obsessed with it and is on it constantly cheeking Twitter, reading the news and sending me cute animal stories from smh.com. iPad accessories can be drab, boring and way too over priced, this gold leather case ticks all the practical and glamours boxes a tech savvy Mother needs.
Korres Nourishing Almond and Linseed Hair Mask $19.05 available from www.asos.com
Some Mother's are not into the glitz of perfume and cosmetics as gifts but still love a little indulgence from time to time a face or hair mask is perfect gift for the au'naturale Mother. Korres is a Greek brand made of naturally derived ingredients which smell divine, this hair mask is really nourishing and great for dry or damaged hair and the packaging is a cool as a cucumber.



Mason Pearson Handy Bristle and Nylon Hair Brush $99.00 available from www.victoriasbasement.com.au
This hair brush is very nostalgic for me, it was the brush my mother used to comb the knots out of my hair before school everyday. Mason and Pearson brushes are a complete luxury and I know there are much more affordable brushes on the planet but these last for years and years and the bristles keep your hair really shiny and healthy. If you search around online there are lots of sites which offer them at dramatically cheaper prices,so my advice would be to buy online.
Farmer Jo Muesli from $14.95 available from www.farmerjo.com.au
Farmer Jo Muesli is soooooo tasty, it is like a muesli party in your mouth. If your Mum likes indulgent organic foods or you are just looking for a delicious stocking stuffer then look no further. I love the Burnt Fig and Cinnamon flavor and am looking forward to munching on a bowl of it on Christmas morning whilst we open our pressies together.
This Works. Sleep Balm Beauty Bauble $22.85 available from www.asos.com
The ultimate present would be to give my Mother back all the sleepless nights I have given her growing up, this being impossible an extremely amazing nights sleep to make up for it is my only option. This Works. Sleep Balm has the most soothing and calming scent, and when rubbed on your pulse points makes you drift off within minutes, perfect for over tired and over worked Mums.



xxx Nella

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Thursday 5 December 2013

The One Perfecting Brush by Becca : Are you THE one?

Becca's The One Perfecting Brush $65.00 available from www.beccacosmetics.com and Becca counters located in David Jones Australia wide.

If you are reading this blog it probably means you are slightly obsessed with beauty products and you will understand when I explain that I am constantly searching for 'The One'. 'The One' foundation that  evens skin tone, doesn't make my skin oily and is the perfect colour match. 'The One' red lipstick that will stay on all night through dinner and drinks, makes your teeth look whiter and doesn't dry your lips out. 'The One' mascara which will lengthen, thicken and not smudge or flake around your eyes. 'The One' brush which can buff in liquid and powder foundation, blend in blush and bronzer to a natural glow and slightly highlight high points like a dream.

Becca's new 'The One Perfecting Brush' which claims to be 10 brushes in 1! This made me very excited to try it, anything to avoid more brush laundry. So how did it perform? Was it 'The One'?


Application: It took me about 10 minutes to master how to buff in my liquid foundation with such a long flat brush, I figured out it is best to dot the foundation on my face first and blend doing small upward circular motions and then once the foundation is all blended in finish with large sweeping motions to give perfect the finish. I loved the finish it gave my skin, sheering out foundation to gave a flawless look. Using the ends of the brush I then applied blush and bronzer, I loved the effect it gave blending the edges to avoid the dreaded striped cheek bronzer/blush look. Highlighter was a little difficult because I use a very small highlight brush, it was ok for my cheekbones and nose but I did struggle with my brow bone and cupids bow because of the size of the brush.
Quality:The brush did shed slightly on its first couple of uses, but this happens with all natural hair brushes for me (The One Perfecting Brush is made of goat hair) and usually stops after one or 2 washes. 
Brush Care: Becca recommends the brush be washed once every two weeks because the brush can be used over and over without absorbing products, all this true product doesn't transfer if you have active breakouts or break out prone skin I would advise to wash it much more frequently.
Overall: I am really impressed with this brush, especially how you can use different products one after the other and the don't transfer off the brush when you apply a new product. Its bazaar and very cool. The brush does make foundation, bronzer, blush application very quick and gives a precise and flawless finish to the face. It retails for $65.00 in Australia which is quite a hefty price tag, but if you are time poor and like a multitasking product this is going to change your life. But if you are a beauty nerd and love a different brush for everything you are going to take a little time adjusting. After 2 weeks of using 'The One' Perfecting brush I have been reaching for it to do my foundation and bronzing/contouring loving the smooth and blended effect it gives to my face, but I have to admit I do love applying cream blush to the apples of my cheeks with the cheapest brush in town : my fingers. 

Check out The One Perfecting Brush in Action:

xxx Nella

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Tuesday 3 December 2013

10 free ways to improve your skin! No fancy creams needed, promise.


Photo credit: Vogue Paris, 2012 
Does this photo make you feel better about your skin? Even though Giselle is an extremely beautiful supermodel with amazing skin look at this ridiculous pose she is doing! She looks like a total fool!


1. Take your makeup up off, not 2 hours after you get home but straight away. The more time you give your face to breath without makeup on the better. Also do a double cleanse, once to remove makeup and a second time to work the cleanser into your skin letting the cleanser wash off any bacteria that is lingering around.

2. Wash your pillowcases in a hot machine wash with an anti-bacterial laundry liquid regularly, like once a week not once a month. There are so many germs that fester in pillow cases, which competely grosses me out.

3. Wash your makeup brushes, if you have active acne or spots using make up brushes can just push bacteria around your face and give you even more spots!

4. Go for a swim in the ocean! Salt water is your skins natural BFF it will help clear your skin up of any irritations and healing blemishes.

5. Change your toothpaste. If you get regular break outs around your chin, it might be because of your toothpaste. Toothpastes containing the ingredient Hydrogen Peroxide can cause skin irritations and break outs.

6. Sweat! Whether you do a dance class, a full on cardio workout or go the steam room at a posh spa just make sure you sweat. Sweating opens the pores and pushes out any dirt or congestion that is clogging them. Make sure you have a clean face before you sweat, and wash your skin with an antibacterial cleanser post sweat avoid creating any more blocked pores.

7. Take your vitamins! Especially Krill and Fish Oil Tablets have helped my skin dramatically giving my body the good oils to help your skin naturally repair itself.

8. Stop touching your face, this may sound simple, but if you are a face toucher or nervous face picker, this is going to be very difficult. You nails and unwashed hands contain so much pimple making bacteria, not to mention the scaring effects of picking pimples and zits. Don't even get me started.

9. Wipe your phone/s with an anti-bacterial wipes regularly, OMG I drop my phone at least a dozen times a day and then I put it on my cheek touching my skin...That is basically like laying on the ground and rubbing my cheek on the dirty ground.

10. What goes in does come out, having a diet high in sugars, saturated fats, alcohol or (the worst) ciggies will not help break out prone skin it will only make it a million times worse. Someone very wise once said to me 'If all you eat is pizza your face is going to turn into a greasy pizza face' wise words that I will take with me through life. Maybe I should put it into a curly font using an app and put it on pinterest hashtagged #motivation.


xxx Nella

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Monday 2 December 2013

Christmas Gift Guide : The girlfriend who has it all....

Are you in a relationship with the girlfriend that 'has it all? Oh limited edition this and special release that are her pride and joys sitting the closet like little trophies. Everyone knows the type, and it can be daunting to say the least when it comes to trying to buy these type of girlfriends a Christmas pressie. So here is my guide to buying a gift for the Girl who has it all, did I mention all the items are available online and are under $100! Say What?!

Mary Katranzou for Rodial Candle $66.66 available from www.asos.com
Does your girlfriend burn Dipyque candles around the house making the lounge room look like a catholic church? Sounds like she is a candle snob, sorry but you are going to have to dabble in the candle stakes a little with this pressie. Mary Katranzou is a very on trend British designer who is known for her hypnotising bright mirrored prints teaming up with Rodial she has designed this very coveted candle. I have no idea what this smells like, but I want it! If she is like me this will be on her candle Christmas lust list because who can say no to an ultra cool fashion-beauty colab, not me!
Stella McCartney Marguerite Riding Set Soft Cup Bra $85.70 and Knickers $47.61 available from www.asos.com
Underwear is a tricky present to buy for a girlfriend, even if you have snooped in her underwear draw  checking what size she is, a 32C can change between brands so it's just best not to go there. My advice would be to buy a soft-cup bra which will allow for a margin of error in sizing. *WARNING* do not buy your girlfriend anything too sexy if she is a basic t-shirt bra and cotton undies type girl, she will be mortified and embarrassed. This Stella McCartney pink leopard print set is the perfect cute and slightly sexy set to give a girl who likes fashion or is crazy about leopard anything.
The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Hat Box $49.95 available from www.thebodyshop.com.au
In relationships past I have set a $50.00 present limit with my boyfriend so that it didn't get uncomfortable, especially if you are young or studying and on a tight budget. Gift sets are perfect in situations like these, fuss free and easy to find at any mall. My favourite this year is The Body Shop's Japanese Cherry Blossom Hat Box Set it is filled with a selection of products from the line and a handy exfoliating face towel, the box is oh so sweet and can be reused as a cute memento storage box.
Roses De Chloé EDT 30ml $80.00 available from www.davidjones.com.au
If you are going down the fragrance path of gift buying this Christmas my suggestion would be to smell your girlfriends other perfumes and pick something similar. If she is into light floral scents then Roses De Chloé is my pick, it's totally brand new so there is no way she could already have it in her collection. It comes in a classically beautiful bottle with a pretty pink bow, perfect for the girliest of girlfriends.
ASOS 3D Greeting Card  'I love you' $5.71 available from www.asos.com
Sometimes all you need to give is a card at Christmas but like every other woman on the planet I cannot stand stupid joke cards with lame and annoying jokes and cartoons on the front. If you want to give someone you love a card it doesn't have to be cheesy but it can be super cool like like 3D card from ASOS which will make any hard to buy for girlfriend's heart melt.
Jurlique Limited Edition Rose Body Oil 200ml $78.99 available from www.jurlique.com.au
Ohhhh la la! If your girl is into body products and you want to give her a slightly sexy gift that keeps on giving - if you know what I mean.... Jurlique's Limited Edition Rose Body Oil is a super sexy luxurious gift which will give you a million brownie points guaranteed. It can be used as a massage oil or as an ultra hydrating daily moisturiser, sinking into the skin leaving you with amazing soft dewy skin.


xxx Nella

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