Review: Avene Cleanance Range

Hello Beauties!

If you have been following along my YouTube channel as of late you probably would of noticed my skin hasn't been looking its best. Since being diagnosed with PCOS over a year ago I have spent the last 12 months in the search of products to help get my adult acne under control.

I am glad to report that the Avene Cleanance range is on my adult acne approved list! I am currently using the Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel, Avene TriAcneal EXPERT and Cleanance EXPERT creams as part of my daily skincare routine and now I have the confidence to return to snapchat featuring my bare face. After the first few days of my new routine I noticed that no new breakouts were forming, I am in a few weeks in now and still no new breakouts! All that is left is 4-5 bumps under my skin slowly working their way out that had been there since before my new routine.

Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel:
This light blue gel comes in a 200mL bottle and right off the bat I loved the packaging of this. The lid is a twist top which opens a small hole to squeeze the product out. This means no more dried up product around the opening and no more wasted product! I use this cleanser every morning and night, and it does a fantastic job at removing any dirt or excess oil without leaving my skin feeling tight.

Avene Cleanance EXPERT:
This is a great lightweight moisturiser perfect for oily and blemish prone skin. I use this everyday after I cleanse my face and I have seen a huge difference in the oiliness of my skin, especially around my T zone. This moisturiser is great under makeup as it absorbed quickly and didn't leave behind any residue.

Avene TriAcneal EXPERT:
This cream comes in a 30mL pump bottle and is a little yellow in colour (which does show up on my skin) so I would recommend using this at night unless you plan on wearing makeup over the top. It claims to help reduce the appearance of blemishes, scarring and the signs of ageing. Like I said, I apply this only at night everyday onto any blemishes and scarring. I noticed a huge difference with it clearing up any pesky pimples however I don't think I have been using it long enough to comment on any effects it has on my scarring.

Overall I am so happy with the results of this line. I did find the Avene TriAcneal EXPERT could leave my skin a little dry around my nose but this was easily fixed by using a moisturising face mask or facial oil on the area whenever I noticed it getting a little flakey.

I would highly recommend giving this line a go if you are struggling to find something to keep blemishes or oily skin under control. #AveneNowICan

Avene are currently holding a competition for the chance to win a $1000 Red Balloon voucher! Enter here: http://www.avenecompetition.com.au/

- Kat xxx

Current Obsession: Nudestix Review + Swatches

Sephora has recently hit our Australian shores and with their new online Australian store going live Sephora.com.au - I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about my latest brand obsession: Nudestix.

Nudestix is an easy to use crayon makeup line that is perfect for simple and quick makeup. Their products are enriched with vitamins, antioxidants and moisturisers whilst still having amazing pigmentation and staying power!

Products top to bottom: Magnetic Eye Color Glit, Magnetic Eye Color Immortal, Eyebrow Stylus Brown Black, Lip and Cheek Dual Pencil Mystic/Whisper

Magnetic Eye Color Pencils $31AUD
These pencils are great for priming your eyes or wearing on their own. The pigmentation of these sticks is absolutely amazing and they glide on so seamlessly. Once the pencil is applied you will have about 30 seconds to blend it out (if you want to do so) before it dries; once it dries it does not budge!

There was so sign of eyelid creasing when I wore these pencils so they are great underneath eyeshadow as well.

Eyebrow Stylus $34AUD
The Eyebrow Stylus has a brow pencil on one end and a handy eyebrow gel on the other! The pencil has a triangle shaped tip for easy and precise application whilst having a waxy waterproof formula to create natural looking brows.

This gel feels like cement for your brows, you will not have a hair out of place with this stuff! Honestly I wish they sold the gel separately too because I can see myself going through this so quickly, it's one of the best brow gels I have ever used!

Lip and Cheek Dual Pencil $31AUD

When I first saw these lip pencils I was expecting them to be like their name; a lip pencil. However the formula of these is just like a lipstick! They are so smooth and creamy whilst still having amazing colour pay off and don't bleed. Each pencil contains shea butter, vitamin E and peptides whilst doubling as a cream blush. 

Left Side: Magnetic Eye Color in Immortal + Lip and Cheek Dual Pencil in Mystic
Right Side: Magnetic Eye Color in Gilted + Lip and Cheek Dual Pencil in Whisper

Overall I am extremely happy with the quality and application of these products. Their simple designs are great for beginners or people on the go who don't want to fuss about with 5 different eyeshadows. Next time you happen to walk past Sephora I highly suggest popping in and giving these a go.

-Kat xxx

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Facial Rejuvenation - Fractional Radio Frequency & Dermal Stamping Experience

I have been in denial over the past few months about the fact I am now a “grown up”. Along with the mountain on responsibilities I have to accept (being in charge of my own bed time with Netflix and YouTube existing is a terrible idea) I now have to face facts and accept my skin isn't what it used to be.  Fine lines are large pores are have somehow snuck up on me so when I had the opportunity to receive a complimentary Facial Rejuvenation treatment at the Laser Clinic Australia upon my recent visit to the Sunshine Coast I jumped on it.

The treatment combines fractional radio frequency to stimulate the production of new collagen fibres and elastin, with dermal stamping to encourage the skin to repair itself resulting in healthier looking skin!

My main concern before this treatment was the whole idea sounded painful to me, so the first thing I want to inform you all on my experience is that it wasn't! There were some slight prick feelings on my forehead and cheekbones but other than that it felt like someone was repeatedly poking me in the face with the fine tip pen. Now on to the treatment.

First off a numbing cream is applied all over your face, which took about half an hour to work. Also something to note, it took about 2 hours for the numbing cream to wear off. This can make eating and a little strange! Once the numbing cream has set in the Fractional RF and dermal stamping takes place using a little handheld device moved over the skin.

There is no bleeding with this treatment and only signs I had anything done are little imprints from the device and some redness, both of which go away after an hour or two. Once the redness was gone, my skin looked pretty much the same. It was the next day when the magic really happened.

Once I woke up and cleansed my face I noticed a huge difference in the texture of my skin. Before the treatment my skin had been quite dull and kind of rough in texture, but now it felt so incredibly soft and gained a healthy colour to it. My pores and fine lines looked less obvious as well but it was the texture and colour that really blew me away. 

It’s recommended you receive 4-6 treatments to see maximum results; I only had the one but am sure I would have seen great results with my pores and fine lines if I had continued! Even though I only had the one treatment I am very happy with the results. 

SPECIAL OFFERS:

Anti-aging Sale

Ageless Peel AND Full Face MAX RF $200 (NB: CLIENT MUST USE RETINOL FOR 2 WEEKS THEN COME BACK FOR THE PEEL, THEN 2 TO 4 WEEKS FOR MAX RF) (+ Retinol $30) - Sale ends 2nd of September.

The combination of cosmedical peels and fractional radio frequency treatments can help reduce the appearance of the visible signs of ageing which results in a smoother and rejuvenated complexion. After treatment, circulation is greatly boosted by increasing blood-vessel formation, so skin looks and feels healthier.

More information can be found at: http://www.laserclinics.com.au/services/facial-rejuvenation/

5 Amazing Cleansers for Sensitive Skin

After struggling with the curse of sensitive skin for the majority of my skincare-trying life, I have recently discovered a few cleansers that finally agree with my skin! No longer do I have itchy, red spots or that slightly painful "tingling" sensation when cleansing my skin, and therefore I thought it was my duty to share my discoveries with the rest of the sensitive-skin world. 

QV Face Gentle Cleanser
I am now on to my second bottle of this throughout my skincare journey, I like to stray away from regular products to try new things all the time but every so often I will come back to a product I know just works, that is this baby! This cream cleanser is extremely gentle, so keep in mind it will not do a good job at removing your makeup so you'll have to do that step before cleansing! But this cleanser is fantastic for dry, sensitive skin as it is gentle enough to clean away any excess oil without completely stripping your skin and leaving you with that tight feeling.

Paula's Choice Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser*
Now this one is for anyone with oily/combination skin. It has a gel based formula that doesn't foam but is great for keeping any excess oil under control, especially in my t-zone area, without making my skin feel dry. Even though this is a gel formula, it still doesn't do a very good job at removing makeup so keep that in mind before cleansing.

Puretopia Rise Away Purifying Fresh Face Cleansing Gel*
Like it says in the name (which is a bit of a mouthful); this is a gel based formula which I would only recommend for oily skin types as it can be quite drying. It did leave my skin feeling a little tight after use however it was fine after I applied my moisturiser. This did do a better job at removing makeup that QV and Paula's choice but I still would recommend going in a makeup remover before hand.

People for Plants Cleanser & Makeup Remover*

This cleanser is excellent for dry skin! This cream based cleanser leaves my skin feeling so soft and moisturised, it does a decent job of removing my makeup too however I still need to use makeup remover for mascara or if i've used waterproof products. 

Whilst I love this cleanser for dry skin; if you have oily skin I would steer clear as I feel like it would leave your skin feeling "buttered up", like it did for me as my skin got oilier towards the summer months. Despite not doing anything to help my oiliness it didn't break me out at all, which I was surprised by.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser
This is another repurchase of mine (hence the near full bottle!) and I am yet to meet someone who has been disappointed by this little baby! It cleanses, tones, and hydrates all in the one little bottle and I have to say this is my favourite cleanser of the lot for my skin. It also does a great job at removing makeup (minus some tricky mascaras) yet is gentle enough to use on sensitive skin and your eye area. I would highly recommend this cleanser to anyone with normal, dry or combination skin as it does an amazing job at cleansing without highlighting any dry areas.

Well I hope at least one of you found this little post helpful and I would love to hear your recommendations/experiences with sensitive skin! Are there any products you would recommend?
-Kat xxx

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Elucent Whitening Skincare Review

Hello my beauties and welcome to the new year! One of my goals for 2015 is to be more active and informative on my blog this year. So I thought I would kick things off with some skincare! 

Now before I get in to the review I would like to just give a few tips to those of you know are new to skincare on the basics when looking for and trying new products.

Tip 1.

 Identify what you want in a product and choose a product that targets your skin type or problem. Got dry skin? Go for a rich moisturiser. Acne prone? A skin clearing cleanser. Fine lines? An anti-aging line. Uneven skintone? A whitening line. 

Tip 2.
Read the instructions and stick to a routine. All products should either come with an informative leaflet or have directions on the back to maximize the results of the product.  In most cases (and in the case of this line by Elucent) you cleanse morning and night, followed by either the day cream in the morning or night cream at night (just thought i'd clear that up for you), then eye cream, then serum/corrector. 

It is important to use these products in the right order (ie, clean your skin, then restore any moisture that was lost, not the other way round) and consistently to see results. Also, you should not expect results on problem areas overnight. Your skin usually takes about a month to regenerate itself so it is usually after this time frame you will start to notice a difference in your skin.  As your skin is constantly changing you need to stick to this routine in order to maximize the effectiveness of any active ingredients.

Tip 3.

Don't be afraid to ask for advice. Usually at drugstores and skincare/makeup counters there will be someone trained especially in figuring out your skin type and what products would work best with your skin. Another way to picking a product is reading reviews on blogs or websites like beautyheaven.com.au

Now on to the review!

Whitening Exfoliating Cleanser (RRP $29.99)*

The cleanser has little beads to exfoliate the skin however is gentle enough for every day use. It has a pleasant "clean" scent to it and leaves my skin feeling very soft and refreshed! My skin did feel kind of tingly the first few days of use, so if you have sensitive skin it's best to do a test patch before hand.

Whitening Day Moisturiser (RRP $49.99)*
I love that this has SPF30 which we need over here in Australia! The consistency of this moisturiser is a little on the thicker side, being somewhere between the texture of a sunscreen and a facial moisturiser to me. It is very hydrating and I personally wouldn't recommend this for oily skin types. 

Whitening Night Cream (RRP $49.99)*
Whilst thicker than the day cream in the tub, once rubbed in to the skin I think it feels a lot lighter. The night cream is also very hydrating but absorbs quickly in to the skin leaving your face feeling very smooth and soft.

Whitening Eye Cream ($49.99)*
The consistency of the eye cream is very light and absorbs quickly in to the skin. I found it to be very hydrating without leaving any oiliness or residue behind which also worked great under makeup.

Whitening Spot Corrector ( $49.99)*
This spot corrector has a really rather runny consistency and did tend to take a while to get absorbed in to my skin. Now I don't really have many dark spots to correct, I do have a few freckles and moles but I think it's pretty safe to say those are here to stay and no product is going to work miracles on them. However I had been using this product at night as more of a serum and overall I have noticed my complexion look a lot healthier and brighter. 

Whitening Hand Cream ($24.99)*
A little bit goes a long way with this stuff! Whilst it does have a rather thick consistency and takes a bit of work to work in to the skin, once it is absorbed it leaves your hands feeling soft and silky smooth.

Overall, I have been using this line for around 3 weeks now and feel like my skin is more hydrated and looking healthier. I think this range would benefit anyone looking for a new skincare routine to brighten their complexion with normal to dry skin.

Well I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years, and I will see you all again soon.

-Kat xxx

Brand Review | People for Plants

Hello beauties and welcome to another blog post! Today we are going to look at some of the skincare available from Australian brand "People for Plants". People for Plants focus' on using as many certified organic ingredients as they can and everything from their range is animal cruelty free!

Everything from People for Plants is free from:

• Parabens
• Sulphates of any kind
• Propylene glycol
• Synthetic fragrances
• Artificial colours
• Petrochemicals
• Silicones
• Phthalates
• Nature identical ingredients
• PEG’s, DEA, TEA, EDTA, MEA, carbomers, ethoxylates or 1, 4-dioxane
• Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s)

So it is great for all us sensitive skin guys and gals and people concious of what they are putting on to their skin!

Now on to the products...

Cleanser & Make Up Remover* 120ml $24.95
"People for Plants Cleanser & Make-Up Remover is a creamy facial cleanser and make-up remover that cleanses, purifies and revitalises the skin. The formula features 90 per cent organically certified ingredients including the antioxidants white tea and rosemary. It also features aloe, grapefruit, shea butter and soap nut to provide a gentle cleanse that doesn’t dry out the skin. The Cleanser & Make-Up Remover leaves skin deeply cleansed, soft and healthy and is suitable for normal and sensitive skin. 

Use in the morning and night, apply a small amount on fingers and gently massage face, neck and décolletage. Rinse with warm water or use a soft cloth, such as muslin for a more thorough clean."

- Beautyheaven.com.au

This cleanser is EXCELLENT for dry skin! Some cleansers can leave your skin feeling really "tight" and dry, but this cream based cleanser and leaves my skin feeling so soft and moisturised. It does a decent job of removing my makeup too however I still need to use makeup remover or cleanse it a few times to get rid of any stubborn makeup spots (ie. mascara)!

However if you have oily skin I would not recommend this as I feel like it would leave your skin feeling "buttered up", like it did for me as my skin got oilier towards the summer months. Dispite not doing anything to help my oiliness it didn't break me out at all, which I was surprised by.

Overall I would definitely recommend this cleanser for anyone with sensitive skin and dry to normal skin. 

Mist Toner* 125ml $19.95
"People for Plants Mist Toner is a facial mist and toner that hydrates, brightens and energises the skin. The formula features 97 per cent organically certified ingredients, and completes the cleansing process by removing any last traces of make-up and excess sebum by balancing the skin with its toning properties. Rose otto awakens the senses while a fusion of kakadu plum and antioxidant-rich burdock brightens and energises the skin. Witch hazel and aloe vera nourish and soothe, leaving the skin feeling fresh and hydrated." 
- Beautyheaven.com.au

This toner comes in a neat little spray bottle which comes in handy and usually 3 pumps does my whole face. The mist is very refreshing and has a lovely scent of roses and lavender and leaves my skin feeling cool and hydrated.

I love using this product in the morning to "wake up" my skin and throughout the day when I feel like my skin is looking tired.

Day Cream* 50ml $29.95
"People for Plants Day Cream is a moisturising face cream that nourishes, energises and protects the skin. The formula features 91 per cent organically certified ingredients. The cream features precious bio-available ingredients to give skin superior hydration on top of anti-ageing and calming benefits. The cream is formulated with rosehip oil and omega 3, which helps strengthen and promote skin elasticity and plumpness while shea, jojoba and macadamia oils protect the skin. The moisturiser also features ginkgo, a detoxifying ingredient that contains powerful antioxidants to protect the skin from environmental aggressors. The cream leaves the skin feeling soft and nourished, looking visibly brighter and energised. 

To use, in the morning apply several pumps to hands, warm in palms and gently press into the skin of face, neck and décolletage." 

- Beautyheaven.com.au

This day cream comes in a nice pump packaging (yay for hygiene!) and is VERY moisturising. I honestly would not recommend this to anyone who has even slightly oily skin because it will just make you an oily mess! However if you're a dry skin gal I feel like this one is for you! This was also great on my sensitive skin and has a very "natural product" smell to it. 

Organic Lip Balm* 4.5g $9.95

"People for Plants Vanilla Bean and Cocoa Butter Lip Balm has been made with 96 per cent organically certified ingredients. The lip balm features bourbon vanilla and is combined with cocoa butter to soften skin. People for Plants Lip Balms 100 per cent natural, and are formulated with Australian certified organic beeswax to protect, coconut oil to moisturise, cocoa butter to soften and rosemary for its powerful antioxidant properties."
- Beautyheaven.com.au

Overall this is a fantastic lip balm, it is very hydrating and I love that it isn't a petroleum based product like most lip balms seem to be! This particular one does smell and taste strongly of Cocoa but honestly I wasn't too fussed on the smell! Everyone else I've asked who has tried this said they loved it though so I guess I'm the only girl who doesn't like that "cocoa" taste!

Overall I really love the People for Plants brand, if you are after a more natural skincare routine, have sensitive or dry skin I would completely recommend giving this brand a go.

Have you tried the People for Plants range at all? If so, what did you think?

-Katerina xxx

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Must-Have MAC Lipsticks for Fall

Hello beauties!
Now fall has ended here in Australia but it's just starting for our American friends. So because of this I thought I would share with you my five all time FAVOURITE MAC lipsticks for fall as these are what I found myself wearing the most!

Left to Right: Diva, Ruby Woo, Rebel, Heroine, Hang Up

Diva

This is an intense reddish-burgundy colour with a matte finish and suits all skintones. It is also perfect for that "vampy" look.

Ruby Woo

A staple in any MAC girls collection, Ruby Woo is a vivid coral based red colour with a matte finish. Again, this is a shade that would suit any skintone.

Rebel

Rebel is another popular colour for fall, also perfect for that "vampy" look. It is a vivd pinkish-purple colour with a satin finish. I find this colour works really well on olive skintones but there are no rules in makeup, only suggestions.

Herione

This is a deep blue-based purple colour with a matte finish. I think it is definitely a statement lipstick and works best with dark or olive skintones (but again, there are no rules!).

Hang Up

I feel like this is simply just a glossier version of Diva, great for when you still want that "vampy" look without the matte lips.

Left to Right: Diva, Ruby Woo, Rebel, Heroine, Hang Up

All these lipsticks are amazing quality however I do find the matte shades to be longer lasting than the rest. I hope this helped you all with your fall lipstick endeavors and i'll see you guys again soon!

I'd love to know your favourite lipsticks for fall in the comments below :)

-Katerina xxx 

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