BEAUTY YEAR BOOK : Best Beauty Products of 2013 : Skin Care, Body & Bath Round Up!

Face Wash:
Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser and Makeup Remover $14.99
If you like a face wash which takes off all you makeup, makes your face feel clean but without feeling tight and dry, then you will love these cleansers from Neutrogena. Also Paraben, Sulfate, Petrolatum free and housed in recycled packing these were a bathroom constant all year.
Available from www.priceline.com.au

Day Moisturizer:
Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream $71.99
This non irritating face moisturiser has kept my skin at hydrated without stinging or breaking me out. When applying this moisturiser my skin doesn't change at all, it doesn't go red and blotchy because of fragrance, like most moisturisers I tried this year. I LOVE IT! The size is also great, it has lasted for over 3 months and  I am only just half way through the tube, which makes the $71.99 price tag completely worth it.
Available from www.dermalogica.com.au

Night Cream:
Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum $75.00/30ml $165.00/100ml
The reason I haven't included this serum in the photo is because I have very very sadly finished my bottle. Holy Moly applying this serum is the most heavenly cooling and comforting night time ritual I have had all year. My skin was noticeably brighter and more radiant when using this serum and I am saving my pretty penny's to buy another bottle ASAP!
Available from www.jurlique.com.au

Eye Treatment:
The Body Shop Elderflower Cooling Eye Gel $17.95
Thick eye creams are not my thing, often they sting my eyes because of the potent ingredients. The Body Shop Elderflower Cooling Eye Gel tightens the eye area without stinging and is fragrance free, for the amazing price this is my all time favourite eye gel and has been for the past year and a half.
Available from www.thebodyshop.com.au

Serum and Oil:
Kosema Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil $24.95
Rose Hip Oils have been quite buzzy this year, Miranda Kerr claimed it gave her skin its signature glow. Rose Hip Oils have been popping up on the market by brands this year it is hard to pick one from another. My pick is Kosema it is certified organic, made in Australia with all the ingredients being ethically sourced - setting it apart from its competitors on the shelves.
Available from www.kosmea.com.au

Face Mask:
Alpha H Liquid Gold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask $56.70
Once a week I like to relax with a face mask whilst watching The Real Housewives of whatever city, it is a very guilty pleasure. Alpha H's liquid gold line is ah-maze-zing! The smoothing and perfecting mask draws out blemishes and leaved skin feeling super smooth when rinsed off. Available from www.ry.com.au

Exfoliator:
John Plunkett Glyco Peel $28.95
Not a traditional exfoilator but 2013 was all about the chemical exfoliator. John Plunketts Glyco Peel contains 25% Glycolic Acid which when applied tingles the skin gently removing any dead skin cells lingering around the surface. Chemical exfoliants are much more gentle on your skin rather  than granulated scrubs which can burst capillaries and drag skin loosening collagen stores underneath.
Available from www.plunketts.com.au

Toner:
Uriage Tolederm Soothing Cleansing Water $29.99
Traditional toners were tossed away this year, favouring cleansing waters which purify skin and remove any last traces of makeup. Uriage Tolederm Soothing Cleansing water is my french magic water of choice.
Available from www.priceline.com.au

BODY:

Body Moisturiser:
Molton Brown Ylang Ylang Body Lotion $45.00
Molton Brown is a very posh-totty British brand which I am in totally in lust with. The fragrances are too die for and the body lotions are heavenly, non sticky and super hydrating. The price tag is a little indulgent but I justified it by making a pact to myself that if I bought a $45.00 moisturiser that I couldn't be lazy and I had to use it everyday.
Available from www.moltonbrown.com.au

Body Oil:
Jurlique Rose Oil $50.00/100ml
Ohhhhhh baby! This multi tasker oil is so beautiful to use, as a massage oil (sexy!), a glowing body oil or a couple of drops in a bath it leaves skin so soft and smooth.
Available from www.jurlique.com.au

Self Tanner:
St Tropez Gradual Tan $20.50
After a skin cancer scare in December I have been all about a fake bake. St Tropez Gradual Tan is the best I have trialed, non ompa-lompa orange and leaves you without that signature biscuit scent. Applied on alternate days it will give you a natural - well as natural as you can from a bottle - tan.
Available from www.beautybay.com

Sunscreen:
Milk Dry Touch Sunscreen 30+ with Tea Tree and Aloe $12.95
I love this sunscreen, it is not greasy and smells of tea tree which is a lovely change from stinky spf's. You need to reapply before and after swimming and every couple of hours if you are out in the sun. It also doesn't clog the pores or break me out which most lower price point sunscreens do.
Available from www.milkandco.com.au

Body Exfoliator:
Lush Rub Rub Rub $12.95
To remove self tanners my favourite body scrub is Lush's Rub Rub Rub! It is filled with sea salt and feels extremely satisfying to use, scented with my favourite Lush soap 'Dirty' it ticks all the boxes.
Available from www.lush.com.au

Body Wash:
Dr Bronners liquid soap in Limited Edition Green Tea $8.95
I love this liquid soap, it isn't a traditional body wash but if you suffer from eczema or psoriasis like I do the you need to try the Dr Bronners range. Fun Fact: this also doubles as my favourite brush cleaner.
Available from www.lateralfood.com

Bath:
Lush Tisty Toasty Bath Ballistic $6.75
I rediscovered Lush's bath bombs this year after a 15 year hiatus I am addicted once again. Smelly, colourful baths have been so much fun this year. With the limited edition releases I have amassed quite the selection but Tisty Toasty is my fave.
Available from www.lush.com.au

Deoderant:
Nivea Pearl and Beauty Roll on $3.89
I am a loyal and faithful Capricorn and I do not stray from this deodorant! I cannot and will not use another deodorant. This is perfect.
Available from www.priceline.com.au

Fragrance:
Roses de Chloé EDT $140.00/75ml
If you haven't noticed already I have am having a lifelong love affair with roses and when Chloé released Roses de Chloé I went a little bit crazy! It was love at first smell and I have worn it everyday since.
Available from www.davidjones.com.au

xxx Nella

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ALPHA H : Triple Action Cleanser with Thyme & Liquid Gold Smoothing and Protecting Mask with Lavender

Alpha H Liquid Gold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask $47.25 & Triple Action Cleanser $31.50

available from www.ry.com.au 

Alpha H is an Australian skin care brand which has had a lot of buzz around it from the UK Beauty Bloggers and YouTubers more so than local Australian bloggers. I was super excited to be offered to try out 2 of Alpha H's key products, to give an un-biased review - the more products I try the easier it is to develop an even playing field for new products to be tested. Here are my thoughts:

Alpha H Liquid Gold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask with Lavender $47.25:

The first time I apply this mask I was suffering from an eruption of active acne on my chin, the mask tingles on the rest of my face but burns on the acne which is red sore and weeping (gross, sorry). So I wash it off my chin and leave the mask on the rest of my face for about an hour, when rinsed off the mask my skin feels super soft, it is calm and has no signs of redness. I would not advise this mask for skin with active acne or breakouts it is far too harsh and will only inflame your skin, if you have spots and apply any products which burn or sting remove them immediately. 

After my breakout healed I started using the mask on my entire face twice a week for 3 weeks, and I noticed a significant difference in the texture of my skin. With fewer dry patches this is due to the mask containing 15% Glycolic Acid a chemical exfoliator. My skin has become used to the mask and if I skip it, I notice that dry patches start to form and it feels like I need to exfoliate. After I finish the Soothing and Perfecting Mask I am going to try the original Liquid Gold Mask to compare the two....So if you are skin care obsessed be sure to keep reading in the coming months.

Ingredients: Aqua, Glycolic Acid,Kaolin, Glycerine, Cocoglycerdides, Talc, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl, Sterate/Peg-100 Sterate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Diazolidinyl Urea, Ceteth-20, Propylene Glycol, Lavendula Angustifolia Oil, Allantion, Xanthan Gum, Mel, Rose Flower Oil, Methylparaben, Proplyparaben, Linalool, D-Limonene

Alpha H Triple Action Cleanser $31.50:

This Cleanser really confused me the first couple of times I used it, it didn't remove my makeup at all and my face didn't feel clean after using it. So I did a bit of research on Beautypedia and found the best way to use this cleanser is by removing makeup first with an oil based makeup remover and then use the Triple Action Cleanser as a second cleanse. Really?!? Another step in my already way too long skin care routine at night....So I tried it and WOW! By removing my makeup with the oil cleanser it melts the makeup off instead of washing with a soapy cleanser rubbing it back into your pores, after you remove the makeup your skin feels oily and weird but once rinsing with warm water and double cleansing with the Triple Action Cleanser you skin feels soft, clean and still plump rather than the tight squeaky clean feel you get with soapy cleansers. After a week of this new cleansing routine my pores were smaller, my skin was producing less oil and I had barely had a single zit! 

Ingredients: aqua, PEG-7-glyceryl cocoate, aloe barbadensiss leaf, glycerin, polysorbate 20, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, cucumis savitus extract, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, potassium hydroxide, disodium EDTA, parfum.

Yesterday I took part in Go Naked Day which was in support of Look Good Feel Better a charity which helps raise the confidence and self-esteem of women affected by Cancer. Being bare faced without a scratch of makeup on, on the Internet is a very scary thing but I think my skin looks pretty good, a lot better than a month ago and I think its because of my new Alpha H steps in my skin care routine.

xxx Nella

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