I’ve heard glowing reviews about ELF’s makeup and cosmetics range via beauty bloggers and fellow makeup geeks. ELF (short for Eyes, Lips, Face) is a well known makeup brand from the USA with a cheap price point, e.g. Under US$5 (in the USA). Being a bit of a beauty cheapskate, it’s been a real frustration to me that, up until last week, ELF has only been available to Kiwis via online shopping.
A few months ago I heard an exciting rumor that ELF was coming to Kmart in New Zealand. That rumour turned out to be 100% true and, fast forward to now, ELF is established in most Kmart stores nationwide (albeit most stores have reportedly sold out already!).
To show my dedication to you, lovely readers, I decided to do some research. So, for the hefty sum of NZ$18 I purchased three items: An ‘Eyebrow Kit’, an eyelash curler and a tube of cream highlighter/shimmer. After all that hype, were these hit, or miss? (more…)
I rarely wake up feeling like I’ve had a cracking night’s sleep. My norm is staggering out of bed each morning, bitching about my unfortunate lack of willpower on social media/cleaning/tidying/reading/mindless internet surfing (the usual culprits that result in me hitting the sack far too late). This is why I’m a really big fan of ‘faking awake’ with makeup most mornings. I love applying a dab of light coloured shimmery eyeshadow to the inner corner of my eye and applying a matt nude eyeliner to my waterline (like this Rimmel one I waxed lyrical about in my 
About three years ago a wonderful friend (who shall remain nameless) and I were bitching and moaning about the perils of aging, including the overnight onset of wrinkles. Not to be outdone by her whinging about her wrinkles I pointed to the crease running across the center of my forehead. “Oooooh yes”, she said, peering closer. “You really should get that seen to!”. Ouch! Now I’ve got to be honest, I did contact Jarrod Little to see what options I had when it came to wrinkle removal cosmetic procedures, but I just don’t have the courage to fight the stigma attached to such things. I wish I did because I’m sure I’d look much better for it and wouldn’t have to keep dealing with rude comments like those, but I guess that serves me right for pointing it out in the first place! We will all age and there isn’t much that can be done about it. Saying that though, there are clinics like the victorian cosmetic institute that offer treatments that could help reduce the signs of aging and improve the appearance of deep-set wrinkles.
You know how I bang on about 
“Do I need to get good makeup brushes?”… “Aren’t they really expensive?” These questions are two of the most frequently asked makeup-related questions I get! Yes is the answer to the first question. No is the answer (and the good news) to the second question! Keep reading, I’m here to help. 
Health Basics Shower Gel: These are Kiwi made with lots of goodies: Soap free, paraben free, hypo-allergenic fragrances and if you are a neat freak, you’ll like that these can hang upside down in the shower and they have a drip free nozzle (I’m definitely getting old appreciating things like this!). I liked how this product cleansed yet is gentle on the skin. The great price point also gets the thumbs up. All up, a great family shower gel. NZ$5 from all supermarkets. 
Have you heard about Moreish? Nope, it’s not just when you eat something yummy and you must have to have more of it. Moreish is an all natural Kiwi skincare brand, made with argan oil and botanical extracts. The lovely ladies at Moreish made my day when they sent me a bunch of their products to review (and I was the envy of the office). I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my morning and evening beauty routine for the last month since these goodies arrived.