Review: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Cetaphil is a brand I have seen around for as long as I can remember (their website says they have been in Australia for 30 years) but have never been tempted to try. For the longest time I thought of Cetaphil as products suitable for people with problematic skin like eczema for example and as I was lucky enough not to have issues like that I just used "normal" cleansers.

However a couple of months ago I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of the Oily Skin Cleanser from PR which I promptly farmed off to Noodle Arms (as I have no business using oily skin products) and decided to finally try their dry skin friendly version instead. I've now had a chance to use this for about a month and thought I'd share my thoughts -

Packaging: well there is nothing sexy here now is there lol? But it's functional and I am able to easily control the amount I get out so it really doesn't bother me. On the plus side they do offer pump bottle packaging too (as you can see from the image I sourced from Cetaphil's website above) - just not in the 250ml size I got.

Smell: I can smell a slight something - but is that the absence of smell (you know like you can hear the silence)? Either way, it is a hands down winner for me here. Ok I just rubbed some of my hand and there is a definite mild fragrance - but I would be seriously surprised if that bothered anyone and I have to sniff pretty hard to smell anything at all ie unless it's under your noise, you will never know.

Texture: It's almost like the cross between a gel and a liquid. It spreads really easily and one of the things I LOVE about this cleanser is that it can be used wet or dry. I have used it wet because I like to wipe my face with a face washer day and night as I don't use any cleansing tools at the moment. This is not a creamy product in any way but there is also no dry face afterwards. It just makes my face feel clean.

It does not remove my eye makeup completely but at the same time I am happy to use this around my eyes as it does not cause any irritation. I just do a second wipe with a gentle eye makeup remover and it removes whatever is left without any need to rub or wipe multiple times.


Performance against its claims:
They say:

• removes light makeup
• non-comedogenic (won't block pores)
• wont sting eyes
• for face and body.

I say:

• it certainly does in my experience
• I've had no issues with breakouts
• definitely eye friendly
• have only used on my face so can't say either way but would seem to be suitable.

Value for money: The 250ml cleanser retails for between $10-12 AUD and this thing will last me me for ages. If you just care about getting your cleansing done, you don't want your skin or eyes to be irritated and you aren't looking for a creamy style cleanser I think this is pretty unbeatable. After having tried a tonne of cleansers this year (a random journey that has been) I would say this one is my pick for summer as it is not creamy and is on par with the Aveeno Ultra-Calming foaming cleanser I reviewed before (although I will say I never used the foaming cleanser to remove my makeup).

As a side note I am thinking of doing a roundup post of the cleansers I have reviewed this year and what I think might suit who best - would that be of any interest or help? Let me know your thoughts below.

Have a great week

Jac x

Disclaimer: As stated above I purchased this cleanser with my own money.

A Review of Banana Boat's Ultra and Mineral Protect Sunscreens

Look I never want to make people feel like I am telling them to suck eggs so when I talk about stuff it is from my experience only. I can't necessarily tell you if there is a really bad ingredient in there etc... but I will always tell you what works and what doesn't on me.

Sunscreen is an area I feel like I am an educated light-weight in. There are a lot of blogs out there that talk about all kinds of sunscreens (including a hero of mine who even made her own) and the scientific reasons why they work. The only reason I am dipping my toe in here is because I have a product I have used for as long as I can remember that I trust pretty much like nothing else and I think you might like to try it if you are in the sunscreen market.

My experience of sunscreens generally has been disappointing or in other words I still get burnt when I put sunscreen on. The next product is the only sunscreen I have ever used and NEVER been burnt, not even feels like my skin is burning - NOTHING is getting through this product if you reapply.

Banana Boat Ultra SPF30 4 Hour Water Resistant Lotion. (UVA/UVB Protection)
OK I am going to rave - I freaking love this stuff. If I could buy shares in BB just to support this product being made I would. If no one else in Australia bought this sunscreen I would. I have used this particular sunscreen during outdoor Christmases, days at the cricket, honeymoons to Queensland, all over this nation, year after year and NEVER EVER have I been burnt. I don't even tan with this product. It is without a doubt my holy grail sunscreen. I reapply every 2 hours whether I am in water or not because seriously I should never be in the sun -ever.

I have used this on my face and body and it doesn't even make me break out. I think now I have discovered BB creams I would use this sunscreen on my neck and below but it does well on my face and doesn't make my eyes sting.

Contains:
Active Ingredients: Octyl Methoxycinnamate 7.00% w/w, 4-Mthylbenzlidene Camphor 1.00% w/w, Zinc Oxide (Micronised) 6.00% w/w. Preservatives: Phenoxyethanol, Diazolidinylurea, Hydroxbenzoates

Then I heard about mineral or natural sunscreens and BB have released their mineral protect versions too:

 Banana Boat Mineral Protect Sensitive 4 Hour Water Resistant Lotion. (UVA/UVB Protection)
I'm just going to say up front that the kids and sensitive tubes have exactly the same ingredients but I don't see that as pulling a swifty in any way. I think if your skin is sensitive you want to see a product that is suitable for you, the same goes for a parent trying to find a kid-friendly sunscreen option as well. Good on BB for making flexible packaging IMO, although you may feel differently.

Well I had a chance to try this sunscreen just recently when Adelaide decided to do a 35 degree day when my step-daughter was due to be in a local Christmas pageant. There was no shade and the hot burning Adelaide sun was beating down, so I decided it was Mineral Protect Sensitive formula's time to shine. And shine it did. I was in direct sun for about 2 hours between 10-12pm - which would have been heaps of time for me to burn if I was going to. So all I can say is that it did the job perfectly for my husband, step-son and I because all of us remained sunburn free.

I did notice that I still felt that uncomfortable "burning" feeling of the sun which I don't get with the Ultra and that made me panic that this formula it wasn't working so I applied another layer on my neck. However as I noted afterwards none of us had any issues with burning and my skin felt really nice although I could still feel it was 'there' on my skin. It rubbed in beautifully and I definitely could not see any 'whiteness' on my skin afterwards but I am pale. We didn't take any pictures using flash to really test it but in normal pics everyone looked perfect.

Contains: Active ingredients: Zinc Oxide 22% w/w. Preservatives: Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbic Acid and Phenoxyethanol.

To compare the two I rubbed half of the Mineral Protect sensitive of the left side and half Ultra on the right side.

You can see by the results that both will look shiny if sunlight catches you at the right angle. I would say that the Mineral Protect looked slightly more shimmery but again I didn't see any white patches (remember these pictures are really close up and taken immediately after application).

So are you thinking I need to pick a lane?  Well here it is - Ultra works like a bomb if you don't mind the ingredients but if you want to go natural, then the Mineral Protect version seems to work equally well but I'll be testing the Mineral Protect more and more this summer of course.

My only real point of difference I can tell at this point is the texture. Ultra is quite easy to rub in while the Mineral Protect was a little drier but still able to rubbed in without too much effort. Apart from that, it's the toss of a coin for me as they both throw a shine in the sun so I'm not picking a lane - I choose them all lol.

You can find out more about their range (it's huge) and where to buy Banana Boat from here

Disclaimer: These sunscreens were provided for review however as stated in my post I have used the Ultra sunscreen consistently for years.

Five to Try: BYS

 

As an obsessed beauty blogger I have tried many products from many brands. I figured I might share my picks if you are looking to try a new brand because whether a brand is at the high or low end, they all have hits and misses in my experience. So my first Five to Try post is for BYS which is a cheaper makeup brand available here in Australia. My picks are in no particular order by the way.

1. Slimline Lipgloss (RRP $4.95) in Pinch of Peach - This is a great shiny lipgloss that has great colour pay off. It's not sticky and has no smell or taste. It comes in a few different colours but I of course loved the peach.

2. Nail Polish* in Love Boat (RRP $4.95)- NOTD pics here. It's just a great blue polish.

3. Brow Liner ( sorry I couldn't find the RRP on this one but it was not more than $4.95) in Blonde - This is a great brow pencil - it works well for colouring in my bows and the brush at the other end makes it easy to shape naturally. This is pretty much a HG brow product for me after Revlon stopped making my previous HG brow product and so much cheaper!

4. Blush in Peach Sundae (RRP $3.95)- it's a gorgeous shimmery true peach. A perfect summer colour. A HG peach shade for me - I am sick of those dark peach shades people. Check this pretty out close up -

5. Bronzing Powder in light shine (RRP $6.95) - if you like shimmer in your bronzer you have to try this. It has 3 shades so you can get the colour or colours you want. Love this product and the packaging is gorgeous -

Bonus Product: I could not end before mentioning the following product but as I am still yet to use it I can't say if it will work for me but on packaging alone I'd be stuffing them in as stocking fillers. Below are 2 of the Animal Instincts Eye shadows* (RRP $4.95) - can you even get over how gorgeous they look?  The only reason I haven't used them is because they are too pretty - a common problem I have (*cough Naked Palette cough*).

 Animal Instincts Eyeshadow in Naturals

  Animal Instincts Eyeshadow in Purples*

Anything else that is a must try from BYS to add to this list guys? You know I can think of another couple already but I wanted to keep these lists to 5 products per brand where possible lol.

Jac x

Disclaimer: Products with an * were provided by PR but my opinions are always my own.

Review: American Crew Trichology Shampoo and concentrate

Ok...big deep breath here... I have a confession to make... I am losing my hair. And I have been losing it pretty steadily since my early-mid twenties. For those who know PCOS, there are usually a few different side effects - I was lucky enough to miss the acne and moustache but instead I have had a battle with increased levels of androgens and the loss of I would say by this point is around 50 % of the hair I had in my 'glory days'. I am not yet bald but as my hair is extremely fine, I ain't fooling anyone about what is going on either (well close up anyway).

Liquid Hair were kind enough to allow me the opportunity to try American Crew's Trichology range including their hair recovery shampoo and concentrate. It's taken me some time to give these a fair try (hair doesn't grow overnight people) and I'm ready (another big deep breath) to let you know more of my experience now.

The Technology: Alright I'm not a scientist but essentially DHT is a natural product which is created by "the metabolism of androgen involves an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase which combines with testosterone to form DHT".  The DHT sits around the bottom of the hair roots and stops nutrients which then causes other complications which ultimately leads to shorter, finer and fewer hair strands. According to the American Crew information I had provided to me, 95% of hair loss is caused by DHT (bastard!!!).

At this point I guess you are thinking - yeah but I am a woman - well we also have androgen and testosterone in our bodies too - and in PCOS (in my case especially) those levels were way out of whack. And even if you are penning a "this research is crap" response, please save it, as I don't really care what the technology says - if it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't. I should also say straight up in this review - just because it worked like this for me, doesn't mean it will do the same for you FULLSTOP.

The regime: This product range includes a shampoo, patches and the concentrate. I feel it is worth noting that I did not use the patches during my trial time. So how about I give a summary of the two products I did use:

• Hair recovery shampoo - this has a great fresh scent (clearly masculine but still pleasing to me) and made my hair feel really clean. My 250ml bottle pretty much lasted 2 months with me washing my hair every 2 days.
• Hair recovery concentrate ampoules - these have a similar scent and I used them on my scalp after shampoo (and conditioner of my choice). I found I only needed about half of the ampoule so one of those lasted me 4 days.
• My conditioner - during this time I used 2 conditioners Amplify (which is rubbish and expensive) and then Organics balance conditioner (a supermarket brand that I quite like).

It should be noted that I could not smell the "man" smell from these products so if you are afraid people will know, rest easy your secret will be safe.

The results: I know I should have taken a picture of my head before starting so I could show you one now and it would be all crystal clear if I have more hair or not but I didn't. I didn't because I didn't want to see the before shot - because while I'm not looking at it, it's not something that I have to be worried about for every minute of every day. So for that I get a fail but I hope you understand why I didn't.

Here's what I can tell you - I had great body and volume in my hair both on the day of washing and the next day (when it is usually as flat as a tack). I found my hair felt thicker - more substantial - like it wasn't going to snap if I brushed it too roughly. I felt like my hair grew more quickly than normal and that less hair fell out when I was brushing and combing it (especially after washing). All of these are really important for me and made me feel the product was doing a damn good job.

I was still able to use styling products such as Moroccan oil when drying my hair (I blow dry every 2 days) and I liked being able to match the conditioner I wanted to use with this regime. To be honest it wouldn't surprise me if there is more hair up there just because less was coming out from brushing and combing but I can't hand on my heart say OMG 50% of my hair came back either (SAD FACE for unrealistic expectations not being met).


The price: The shampoo retails for around $30 AUD for a bottle which I think is really reasonable. The ampoules come in a box of 42 for $150 AUD - now before you fall off your seat (cos you all know I did when I saw that too) if 1 ampule lasts me 4 days, then 42 lasts for 168 days which brings that back to about a $1 a day for the shampoo and ampoules together - and I don't care who you are, that is a rippa price for hair treatment products. BTW you can also get the ampoules in a box of 12 if $150 is too big a sum to come up with at any time which is good for me to know for the future too as I'm not rolling in it either.

So what does it all mean: Well I would like to continue using the shampoo and the ampoules along with the Terrax (?) conditioner that Dee has been raving about for ages as well.

I am truly grateful to Liquid Hair for giving me the opportunity to try this because I know I wouldn't have otherwise, (I mean come on it's a men's range and it appears pricey) and you know what, I would have been an idiot. If you are sitting there right now, scared about what hair you might not have in a few years time then really what are we losing by trying something that might help? Big deep breath, have courage, and if you are still scared - you can always say you are buying it for your husband.

Be gentle with the comments guys - I've done the emotional equivalent of showing you my underwear.

More reviews coming this week  including Banana Boat sunscreen and Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser.

Jac x

Disclaimer: I was given these products by Liquid Hair to try and review. My opinions are always my own.

3 great summer polishes for less than $10 and a NOTD in Purple Passion.

 Pictured from left to right: Silver Pink, Purple Passion and Hollywood.

Ulta 3 is a brand of nail polish that I see frequently around Adelaide for $2.50 a bottle. I've bought my step-daughter a bunch of their polishes for her nail polish collection. A few weeks ago I was home with a nasty virus and had to pick up a perscription from the Chemist who happens to stock Ulta 3. Now maybe it was the virus, maybe I was bored after being at home for a few days or maybe I am a nail polish addict (maybe???) but when I looked that the colours this time 3 jumped out to me and screamed "SUMMER IS COMING" and the idea for this post was born.

Pictured: Silver Pink, Hollywood and Purple Passion.

When I think summer I think bright, happy in your face colours and so when I saw Silver Pink, Hollywood and Purple Passion that's what they said to me. Now to be fair, I would totally wear Hollywood all year round but I consider it a great going out at night summer colour - and have had this on my toes for the last couple of weeks. 

Each polish was quite opaque and slightly thinner in formula (not quite watery though). I used 3 coats on the tip swatches shown (and sorry for the random hairs I didn't see until the pictures were taken). There is no top coat and all tip pictures were taken in natural sunlight.

So far I have only had the chance to a NOTD for Purple Passion which is shown below with 3 coats in natural sunlight:

 

Just goes to show that you don't need to spend big $$$$ to get something completely gorgeous!

Jac x

Monthly Empties - October 2011

I managed to say farewell to a few friends this month including:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in shade 51: Every time I thought this foundation was finished, I found more and by the end I just wanted it to be finished. As soon as I finished it I went and bought another one though lol. I've reviewed this one before so let's move on.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation in shade 110 Porcelain: I had such a stormy relationship with this foundation. Hated it, loved it, over it, loved it...by the end though I was definitely a fan. I'd buy it again (especially at US prices) but I find it hard to find the lightest shades of Maybelline in Adelaide - but in Melbourne they were everywhere. Gorgeous matte (but not cakey) finish perfect for weekends but I had trouble getting it to last for work days - but that's just me.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Micro Serum: I picked this up on Snet and just loved it. This was a guilt purchase after deciding that at 36 I definitely need to be using serums. It's a white cream that absorbs beautifully and has no scent. I went to Kiehl's website to buy another one and I couldn't find it. Devastated. :(

Aveeno Ultra- Calming Cream Cleanser: loved it, reviewed it. Enough said lol.

YSL Top Secrets Beauty Sleep Concentrate:  This came in a Beauty Box and I loved it. It smelled fruity (in the same way that Healthy Mix does) and it made my skin feel amasing. I was using this one at night. I went onto a second tube Dee gave me almost immediately but I think this is not a product to be used consistently - although I'm just guessing as there was very little detail on the sample tube on what to do with it. For $99 AUD for 30mls as nice as this was I wont be purchasing the full size. 

Matrix Amplify Conditioner: Meh. Snet purchase, I wouldn't bother. Definitely no to repurchasing.

Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara: I ruined this mascara by opening it a couple of times a month and then putting it away again. So when I actually used it, it was a dry crumbly mess. It's a full tube of killed mascara :( I would probably try this again when I work through my mascaras.

MAC Studio Fix Mascara: I hate the brush on this - it's so spikey it hurts your eyelides when it touches. If you want to try mastering your mascara application by torture give it a go. This is pretty much full - I couldn't stand being pricked by the brush. The formula was average at best. This is no Opulash. Repurchasing only as gifts for people who piss me off.

NYX Doll Eye Mascara Volume: I am a big fan of the lengthening version of this one but this is equally good. I think overall I prefer the effect of the lengthening formula but either way at $9 a pop this is a highly underrated mascara that no one seems to be talking about. The brush has the look of a honey wand (you know what I mean). It's so gentle for sensitive eyes and is almost mistake proof. This is truly a great dry formula mascara that is IMO showing more expensive brands how it's done well. I will definitely repurchase.

Happy Sunday everyone

Jac x

Monthly Favourites: October 2011

I haven't done one of these posts since June as I have been trialling different products for review purposes. While I am still doing that I have been making more of an effort to just use what I like on some days too. So here we go:

Foundation: This month I actually have 2 and here's why. Firstly I was using up my Maybelline Smooth Mousse foundation which I love, it just doesn't hold up to a full day at work for me. I find that my skin wants to absorb anything including makeup in an effort to be less dry. Once that was done and dusted I started using Face of Australia's Lasting Looks Natural Foundation with SPF15 and loved this one too. This foundation retails for $11.95 and seriously is freaking awesome - lasts wonderfully for work but if you are super super pale it may be a little dark (think your more tanned summer face - or should I say less scry white summer face?).

Blush: I was sent some BYS products for review and decided to pick up some more to test out myself. One of those that I picked up was BYS' blush in Peach Sundae (I think Lilit recommended this one it to me) and I have to say this blush is a gorgeous light summery, shimmery peach - just the way I like 'em.  At 4.95 AUD (from memory) this one is a total bargain. LOVE!

Powder: I have been using Face of Australia's face powder for a number of months now and I am not making any headway. A word of warning though for those with dry skin - less is more otherwise you can look dry. In fact I haven't needed a face powder when using the FOA foundation mentioned above so I assume this will last me forever. This baby retails for $11.95 AUD as well.

Eyeshadow: Just when I thought this was going to be an Aussie favourites post (lol) in slams NARS with their cream eyeshadow in Mykonos. It's neutral, sparkly, easily blendable, stays all day, doesn't crease and I love it all over my lid for that "I look like I made an effort but I really didn't" days. I get my NARS from kissandmakeupny

Mascara: Recently I mentioned that I had done a bit of an Australis haul and one of my items was the Lash TLC Conditioning Mascara. It took me a couple of goes before I was sure I liked this mascara but I do and I recommend it specifically for those who are looking for something suitable for sensitive eyes. Not only does this mascara not irritate during the day but it is also really easy to get off when you are ready for bed time. Retails for $14.95 AUD.

Lipstick/product: Again this is a bit of a tie, first we have Australis' Mint Condition Lip Gloss SPF30 in Meow With Your Mind. My god I love this gloss - the colour, finish, SPF, name - just everything. It's also only $8.95AUD as well. Secondly we have Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef. I've heard people rave about this colour and you know what IT'S ALL TRUE. Just get it - even at Australian prices (I think about $20 AUD) it is worth it (I'm sorry I missed it from the photo above but I'll do a swatch post separately).

Skincare: I have been totally in love with L'oreal's Youth Code Super-Concentrated Serum which I have been using every morning and some nights as well. I just love the way this makes my skin feel and it is absorbed so quickly too. I picked mine up a few months ago when Priceline had the whole Youth Code skincare line on sale for $22 AUD.

Nail: Orly's Night Owl made it twice in a row on my nails. It seriously looks like nothing in the bottle but I just love it one. A NOTD is coming. Preeeeettttty!

Perfume: Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gioia is a gorgeous perfume that I love wearing as the weather gets warmer. I have received so many compliments from people when I wear this fragrance and can often be found smelling myself when I wear it as well lol.

Other: Now that the weather is heating up again SPF is becoming a real concern as I realise I have done bugger all to get something sorted out since last summer. However there is one product that I have been relying on for years to keep me white and sunburn free and that is Banana Boat's Ultra Sunscreen in SPF30. I freaking love this stuff.
I was also lucky enough to be sent one of the new sunscreens in the BB range -Mineral Protect- kids with SPF30. This is a naturally based sunscreen with clear zinc. I used it on the weekend in a ridiculously hot day (35) in Adelaide and again it was a winner. A more in depth review of the BB sunscreens I have used and loved is coming.

Whew and we are done!

Have a great week everyone and thanks so much for still reading and commenting despite my irregular posts at the moment - that work/life balance is certainly a challenge at the moment for me.

Jac x

Disclaimer: I received the Banana Boat sunscreen from PR as mentioned above - everything else I bought myself, either way my opinions are always my own.

NOTD: Orly's Gilded Coral

I have quite the fatal attraction for peach/coral nail polishes for summer  in particular and when I saw this one in a recent collection from Orly I knew I had to make it mine (along with Ancient Jade - which I am dying to try).

This polish is gorgeous but it is like a stretchy dress and it is not forgiving to your flaws - I really should have buffed out my ridges before wearing this one but I guess a swatch like this is helpful when you are making up your mind too. All pictures are shown with 2 coats in natural sunlight.

Me likey and I'll be wearing this one again for sure. Orly is quite a new brand for me but so far I have to say I am loving the shades I have tried - with Night Owl featuring in my October favourites (another NOTD on the way).


Hope you have an awesome week

Jac x

NOTD: Butter London's Yummy Mummy

I recently picked up 3 Butter London nail polishes from Oz Sale for $14 AUD per bottle (gasp!). This was my first experience with this brand that seems to be a bit "trendy" at the moment.

I have to say the formula on each one (I'll be posting swatches of the other 2 in due course) was fine but there was nothing 'special' for me to justify their price. The packaging was nice, formula decent and each shade was opaque with 3 coats. Good solid performers but then so is Rimmel, if you get my drift. However if you see a colour that you think is special though, and this really goes for any range, pay for it every time :)

 While this shade did have shimmer in it (as you can see from the picture above), it was not visible once the polish was applied. I'm still not sure if I am disappointed with that though - do we do sparkle grey-beige-stone colours? All pictures here are with 3 coats in natural sunlight and without a top coat.

This colour reminds me of FOA's Foxy Roxy and if I am completely blunt, I preferred that over this one although this is a perfectly nice, work appropriate colour. Wow even as I am writing this I realise I am just underwhelmed by my Butter London experience.

Surely they must have some killer shades - anyone?