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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
