February Loves!

So this month has been crazy! I've had an operation, moved house, started uni and about to start a new job. Phew, I'm puffed. Although it's been busy I've had so much fun and can honestly say I'm in the happiest place that I've been in a very long time. 

Anyway enough of my rambles, as I said I've just started university and I've been going out alot because of o-week events! These favourites do reflect that :) 

GKMBJ Hair Products (Lactic Hydrating Shampoo & Fortifying Honey Cream) 

I recieved these in my last LHI box and wow! I've never heard of the brand but these products work amazing. These left my hair feeling super soft and not just for the first day but for the second too. I have finished these up and I'm really sad :( I will be repurchasing them! 

Available direct from the GKMBJ website here prices start at $19.95

UD Naked 2 Palette 

I have had this for a good 6 months but because of the environment I worked in in my past job I've never had the chance to give this bad boy a huge work out. But this past 2 weeks I've been only using this really in particular I've been loving YDK and Busted :)

Available here for $53.03

Revlon Colorstay for Oily/Combo Skin 200 Nude

This colour is slightly too dark for me but I can get away with it at night time so I've been using this so much! I haven't used this in about a year I think and I don't know why I stopped using it, especially for events like going out, weddings or birthdays where I want a heavier coverage. The finish of this foundation finishes amazing on my skin and I've been rekindling my love for this as a base :) 

Available here for under $20 

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 20 

These are one of my favourite lipsticks ever! They are so pigmented, smooth and I love the colour range. This is my latest edition and I've worn this so much this month as a real statement lip. It's blue based so your lips look sooo white when you wear it too. 

Available here for $9.33

Essence Lipliner 'In the Nude' and Mac lipstick in 'Please Me'

This combination I've been wearing so much. I love the colours together and I feel as though it's still a nice flush of colour without being a bold lip. I'm a big bold lip person so for these to be in my favourites is a big deal! 

Essence available here for $2.95 

Mac lipstick here for $36 

The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator 

So with late nights and heavy make up let's just say my skin routine has been well and truly messed up! This product I've always loved but this month I've had a true appreciation for it. It lathers up so well and removes all the dirt and make up leaving your face squeaky clean. I cannot recommend this exfoliator enough - it's truly my holy grail. 

Available here for $21.95 

So that's it for the products I've been loving! 

Do let me know if you love/hate any of these products and if you want any extra info or anything just leave a comment below :) 

Collective Haul

Apologises for being MIA lately, I've just moved house and started university so things have been hectic. This week is O week and let's just say my body has been telling me to sleep at every chance I have so blogging has been pushed to the back of my things to do. 

Over the past few weeks I've accumulated a few goodies although I've been trying to contain my spending habits due to being a uni student now and all. 

First off I placed an order on Furless Cosmetics last week (prior to the weekend offer of free shipping of course!) I have a few brushes already and a friend has this brush set so I had to get it because the brush quality is incredible. I highly recommend these brushes as they're cruelty free and excellent quality. Also they sent me a free brush which is  one of the single eye brushes :D love freebies! I'm going to do a more in depth review once I've tried every brush for a while :) 

Must Have Pro Blending Brush (far top) $11.95 available here 

Purple Power Makeup Brush Set $49.95 available here

So, as you're about to see I went Essence crazy! These two particular items I've been wanting to pick up for ages and when I seen them in stock I snatched them up. The eyeshadow is in Cappuccino Please which another blogger MissTango2 raves about! The lip pencil is in Soft Berry and I wanted this because its the only colour in the range I don't own. These are my holy grail lip liners and if you haven't tried these you must!

Essence Lipliner $1.95 available here

Essence Mono Eyeshadow $3.25 available here

So, don't judge me. I first tried these Essence nail polishes this month and holy lord they are amazing. So opaque! I love the brush too it's really wide but not too wide. Overall so worth it and they're really affordable. Colours above are L-R: 

113 do you speak love?

112 time for romance 

126 date in the moonlight 

....and then I got more because I loved them sooo much! 

Names are L-R

03 cotton candy (from the nude glam line)

109 off to miamii (NOTD post here) 

127 i love bad boys

Essence Colour and Go Nail Polish $2.75 available here

Essence Nude Glam Nail Polish $2.75 available here

I forgot to take a photo of these when I was taking pictures so this is poor quality but I really wanted to mention these amazing products. The Natural Look Movie Ton Hues Blonde set is incredible. 

 I am going to do a Hair Care post soon but this is the best blonde shampoo and conditioner I've ever used and I really recommend this set and they are so affordable. I won't say too much more because they will feature in my haircare post :) 

Natural Look Silver Screen Movie Tone Hues Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner $55.95 available here

These products were sent to me by online store Savvy Saver for review so I thought I'd show them here anyhow. This is the Covergirl Clean Foundation and Powder for people with oily skin which I'm keen to see how it performs. So look out for a review on these. 

Covergirl Clean Oil Control Pack $12.00 available here 

So that's everything I've been buying lately! Don't forge if you haven't entered my giveaway I'm giving away a MAC lipstick of your choice HERE :) 

Have you tried any of these products? 

HerFashionBox Update + Discount code

Alot of you have expressed concerns about the cancellation terms and conditions as well as when the box will be sent out since my original post here. I've been in contact with someone from the company and these are the answers I got :) 

First off if you have already subscribed then boxes are going to be sent out at the beginning of March. I guess because they launched in February it makes sense to wait until the following month and allow people to sign up. 

Secondly about the cancellation terms and conditions:

You can cancel at any term HOWEVER there is a required 30 days of notice before your cancellation is made effective because the company need to be able to source all the products/accessories from the brands. 

Also if you haven't signed up for this new fashion/beauty box check out my orginial post here  and you can still use the discount code MORETHANADORED too get your first box for half price! 

If you have any other questions do let me know and I'll do my best to answer them :)

Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream Review

When I posted a recent haul off the Benefit website here a few people were interested to see what I had to say about this product. The Benefit skincare is something I've always been really curious about. I'm not going to lie the down right cute packaging makes me so much more drawn to the products however I have heard really great things about the products so when I was placing my order I decided to try at least one thing which I decided it had to be the eye cream. 

So my eye area is prone to discolouration in towards my inner corner. 

I also have smile lines under my eyes and minor bags.

What they say: 

'....fades dark circles and helps smooth fine lines for brighter, younger looking eyes. Contains a peptide complex known to help restore elasticity and firmness...' 

What I say: 

I applied this both morning and night and in the morning this helped my under eye concealer glide on. I found that it wasn't sinking into my smile lines and defining it but instead actually covering it up! At night time I applied a little more and found it really moisturising because I can get dry patches around my eye area. I don't think that it's drastically reduced my dark circles however I've only being using this product for a month - perhaps it will over say 6 months. My elasticity under my eyes has improved immensely, because of the way I smile my under eye area can look a bit 'baggy' but I feel this has helped reduce that. 

Do: 

-pat the product into the skin don't massage it in

-apply both morning and night as I feel it serves different purposes at both applications

-wait for it to sink in and dry before you start applying make up! 

Don't: 

-use excessive amounts! the amount on my finger (below) is literally enough for both eyes 

-expect over night results I only seen results after using consistently for a number of weeks 

-use any other finger but your ring finger to pat into the eye area - this has the softest touch and won't pull at your eye area 

What I like:

- the freaking super cute packaging! 

-the creamy consistency, it feels more moisturising then a gel 

-the thickness 

-the amount I need! seriously going to last me forever

- the I've seen results! Finally an eye cream that is doing some. 

What I didn't like:

-the jar is a little bulky but apart from that nothing! (and it's cute so I don't really mind that much!) 

Overall: 

This is a fantastic eye cream, it's moisturising, hydrating and has improved my under eye area immensely. It works a treat under make up and I will be repurchasing it after I finish this jar :) 

Thank you Benefit! 

Retails for $32 US direct off the Benefit site here or $58 from Myer in Aus here 

Have you tried this product? Did you like it? 

Have you tried any of Benefits other skincare?

'What's inside my makeup bag?'

Hi guys! Today's post is on the products I've bought with me to stay at my parents place this week. I'm only here for the week so I tried not to go over the top but when I unpacked everything I realised maybe I had gone a bit OTT with somethings and really well in others :) 

So this is my make up bag and I manage to fit all my makeup, skincare and haircare in this when I go away which is something I love. I used to take a bag for each! Sometimes I take this and a smaller bag for when I shower and don't want to carry this bag to the bathroom where I'm staying but most of the time I'm just using this one. 

This is a Rusty cosmetic bag and it cost me $39.95 which is alot but for the size, quality and design I was willing to pay that much. 

One side I generally keep make up in and skin/hair in the other. As you can see you can hang this from the back of the door but I've never used that feature. The small pocket is really handy, I keep tweezers, nail clippers, bandaids and tampons in there all the time. 

Skin Care

So these are the products I use everyday and every night. The Neutrogena Eye Make Up Remover I bought because I'm trying to use it up because I personally don't like it, obviously I only use this if I'm wearing make up. For cleanser I bought my Body Shop Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash which I usually only use at night time and use something different in the morning but I didn't want to bring 2 and this one is heavy duty. The Nivea Visage Pure and Natural Cleansing Toner is my current toner which I'm loving and the packaging is thin and easy to travel with. Lastly, my Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturiser I love and I'm almost finished! As I said these are products I've been using morning and night which I usually don't do but it has been working.

This past month my skin has been playing up so I had to bring along some other bits and bobs to help out. This Ocean Essence Nourishing Cherry Mask I have been trying out lately and it's really lovely and nourishing. I've been using it twice a week. Anumi Miracle Recovery I cannot believe how amazing this is, I use this every second night at the moment because my skin has been dry in areas because of medication I'm on. I mix 2 drops in with my moisturiser at night and the next day any dry packs are gone. Also this Awe Clearing Serum I'm trying to use up because I don't really like it.

My Nivea Pure Invisible Deodrant and Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion both are necessities! FOA Purifiying Cleansing Wipes I like to use these to take the bulk of my face make up off. My eye cream Benefit It's Potent! is amazing and couldn't imagine my skin care routine without it. Lastly, my Clean & Clear Advantage Fast Clearing Spot Gel is what I've been using on my blemishes. 

Hair Care 

Manicare Tweezers to keep my eyebrows on point. These sample of GKMBJ shampoo and conditioner I've been trying out and loving, I'd expect these in my montly favourites so I won't say too much. And of course, Tangle Teezer for keeping my hair nice and smooth and knot-free. 

Brushes/Tools

3 face brushes? What! I'm crazy. First off is my Real Techniques Powder brush that I set my foundation with. I apply my foundation with this Coastal Scents flat top brush, this is out of the set I purchased and it doesn't have a number. Last in the row is my beloved Real Techniques Blush Brush which I love for brush, it's perfect. 

These 2 Coastal Scents brushes are out of the set I purchased too so one is just a shader brush - pretty basic and the other is a crease brush. I don't really think I'm going to need these but I bought them just in case! And my Sally Hansen Eyelash Curler which I love! I can't get away with not curling my lashes.. 

Make Up 

I decided to bring these Maybelline Dream-Lumi Touch because I can use this under my eyes as well as on blemishes whereas the product I usually use (Benefit Erase Paste) I wouldn't be able to do this. I opted to bring my Garnier BB Cream because I'm trying to use this up and I don't think I'll be requiring any heavy make up this week so I bought this. For my eyebrows I bought my 2 Essence products the Brow Kit and the Lash and Brow Gel. I also bought 1 lip balm my Nivea Repair and Protect.  

I didn't bring any bronzer or highlighter which I'm pretty product of! Instead I bought a MUA blush which is a bright peach, I haven't used this yet and I'm trying to get out of my make up rut and shop my stash. I also bought my MAC blush in Tenderlig which I'm loving lately! And no surprise my Rimmel Stay Matte for setting my foundation.

For eyes I bought this NYX 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette because it has really pretty neutrals and some fun purples, this is really compact so that's why I opted for this over say my Stila or Naked palette. For eyeliner I bought my 2 Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude and Taupe which I wear on an everyday basis and this Covergirl Perfect Blend in brown (I think) I'm trying to use this one up. 

Finishing touches include my Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz which I never used to like but now I use it everyday after I've finished my make up and really love it. The scent I bought is Victoria Beckham which is beautiful and I've repurchased this one. 

I almost forgot about this photo! This is my mascara which is Lash TLC by Australis which is okay, not my favorite but I'm using it and my favourite lip colour Maybelline Vivid Rose which is super bright and stunning!!! 

So that's everything I bought with my home. I think it was a pretty decent effort to cut down! 

What do you go without when you travel? 

NOTD: Essence 109 Off To Miami

I'm back again with a quick nail polish rave!

I picked this up recently which you will see in an upcoming haul, I'm just waiting on a few things before I post it :) 

This is the first time I've tried the Essence Colour and Go nail polishes and I am soooo happy with them. They are very opaque and only need 2 coats but you could get away with 1. They do chip with 3 days on me but most nail polishes do on my nails.

This is a bright colour and the thing that's impressed me so much is the high gloss finish! Love this colour for the time of year! It is coming off more red but it's a bright coral :) 

Have you tried these polishes? Yay or Nay?

Also I've made a new Instagram which is: morethanadored 

Follow me and I'll follow back :) 

Toni and Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask Review

A few months before Christmas  I decided enough is enough and that I need to start taking better care of my hair. I have blonde hair that is pretty dry and damaged. 

So among other products this is one that I bought in my bid to banish dryness and improve the overall health of my hair. 

This mask comes in a box but obviously I have been using mine so keep that in mind if you're ever looking for it in the shops! 

So the Toni and Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask... 

What they say: 

 A deep nourishing mask that is meant to condition the hair from inside the hair fibre for advance repair. Hair is left with intense nourishment while feeling soft and looking shiny. 

This product was one of those impulse buys where I seen it and hadn't heard about it, hadn't read any reviews on it or even really heard much about the Toni and Guy brand. But I can say I don't regret buying this product - in fact I couldn't be happier.

How to use: 

This mask is fantastic because it's a 3-5 minute mask. You pop it on and leave it, I normally shampoo my hair then apply this straight after jumping in the shower, then rinse about about 5 minutes. With some masks the 5 minutes just isn't adequate, not with this one, 5 minutes is truly all you need and you have shiny, smooth and the softest hair ever.

Do:

-use twice a week, using it twice a week for a few months will make all the difference to your hair

-at least once every so often leave it on for half an hour for a really good deep condition

-follow with a hair oil, for super soft hair 

Don't: 

-use too much, the formula is really thick so you don't want to use too much because it can weigh down your hair. 

-put at your roots, some masks you can get away with putting it at your roots but this one I wouldn't 

As you can see the mask is thick in consistency and that's what I loveee! The consistency is kind of like a body butter, really thick. I prefer this over the thinner texture ones because it feels like it's doing more and you only need the smallest amount, what I've got on my finger would easily do my hair. 

Overall, this is a staple in my haircare routine and I will repurchase it over and over. My hair feels softer  and in better condition since I began using this last November. 

Have you tried this product? What did you think of it?

Valentine's Day Picks.

A tad corny but hey it's a bit fun. 

For those of you who are going on dates I thought I'd show you what products I'd use and why for the occasion. 

Personally for boyfriend and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, we've been together for 4 years now and our anniversary is on the 4th of Feb so right from the start we decided that we didn't want to make anything of it. 

But here are my staples for when we do go on dates :) 

My first tip is to wash your hair with nice smelling shampoo and use a hair oil for super soft hair. It shows that little bit of extra effort and I think it's more attractive. Dry shampoo and raggy hair on a date? Just no. I use the Macadamia Luxurious Oil Treatment and it's so amazing. I love the smell of this and lingers a little but not too much to overpower your perfume. 

I also prefer a light/medium coverage face which I use my Garnier BB Cream for oily skin. I think this provides amazing coverage yet isn't heavy or cakey. It's the perfect coverage for a date because it makes your skin look flawless yet doesn't make you look over done. 

For cheeks I like to have a bit of a natural flushed look rather then contouring and this MAC blush in Peachykeen is beautiful for a really lovely rosy look. It is shimmery but it's nothing to crazy and look stunning. 

For eyeshadow I keep it simple. I use the Maybelline Color Tattoos in Barely Branded and Bad to The Bronze to achieve a minimal eye. I use Barely Branded all over the lid and then Bad to The Bronze worked on the outer 1/3. I use my fingers to apply but then grab a crease brush and work a little extra of the bronze colour into the crease. This look is super easy and looks great. Nothing too over the top but still enough to say 'hey I went to a bit of effort for you'. 

I then use a mascara, after curling for lashes of course, and this Australis TLC mascara I've been loving for defined eyelashes. 

To finish off the eyes I pop Rimmel Scanadaleyes in Nude on my waterline to make my eyes appear brighter. This eyeliner is super creamy and will stay on your waterline for the whole freakin night! It's amazing. It also just finishes off the eye look. 

For lips I like to keep it pretty basic and simple and the products I use depend on whether we are going to be eating or not. If we are, I'll use a lip stain like this Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovesick. This are great for when you're going out and eating because they stain, although they do lose the gloss you're still left with colour. If we aren't eating, I'll pop on a tinted lip balm like this Burts' Bees  in Rose this provides a nice colour and is easy to maintain. 

Now to finish off my look I pop on this luminator which is my beloved Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance Glow in Rose Gold. I loveeee this highlighter! It's beautiful and makes your face look glowy and healthy.  

So as you can see my 'date face' is pretty simple. I like things that are easy! 

I hope everybody has a lovely day regardless of relationship status, treasure what you do have :) 

Do you love any of these products? What are your staples for a date?

Love 

Sarah 

x

Trash Talk #1

I'm changing the title of this post too 'Trash Talk' just because I don't think I have enough to be doing a post each month, so they will just occur when I have a decent amount to do a post. 

Rexona Confidence Deodorant: this is just one I had laying around, does the job but I prefer my Clinical Protection one. 

Would I repurchase? No.

Swisspers Cotton Rounds: These are my favourite but are also pretty expensive in terms of cotton rounds. I got these on sale. 

Would I repurchase? If on sale.

Daisy by Marc Jacobs: This is one of those scents that everybody knows and I'd never really thought to buy it or thought I'd enjoy it that much. I got this in a sample box and fell in love and received so many compliments when I wore it. My boyfriend even surprised me with it for Christmas :) 

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Nivea Pure & Natural Face Wipes: I received these for a trial team through beautyheaven.com.au. I think these did the job but I found myself using 2 wipes to remove a full face of make up.

Would I repurchase? If on sale.

Simple Kind to Eyes Eye Make Up Remover Pen: This is so so so bad. Complete waste of money. It's so scratchy and doesn't remove eyeliner well at all, instead of being a clean line it smudges it everywhere. 

Would I repurchase? No! 

Cutex Strengthening Nail Polish Remover: This is my favourite but it is really expensive when it's not on sale. I do still buy it though because I find it the most effective. 

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Witch Blemish Stick: This is fantastic for spots. I don't think that I love the packaging though. It is just a stick it says it apply directly to spots but I use a cotton tip. I know there is a gel in this brand which I'd like to try. But this product was super good at reducing redness and soreness in spots.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

L'oreal Professional Shine Blonde Conditioner: This is a fantastic conditioner for blondes. It eliminates brassy tones but still cleans your hair really well. It is pretty expensive in Australia and it doesn't top the Natural Look products.

Would I repurchase? Yes on sale.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: This is my favourite powder for setting my foundation. I mention this all the time so you all I know I love this.

Would I repurchase? Already have.

Loreal Elvive Colour-Protect Deep Conditioner: This was one of the best conditioners I've ever used. I could feel a big difference in my hair and felt like it did a deep condition with only leaving it on my hair for the same duration as any regular conditioner. 

Would I repurchase? Yes, great affordable product. 

Yes To Carrots Mint Lip Balm: This was a bad mint taste - like fake tasting so I didn't really enjoy using it because of the taste/smell but it was conditioning. Nothing really special though.

Would I repurchase? No.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Hydrating Shampoo: I was using this in conjunction with the Loreal Elvive and really really liked this as well. To start with I didn't think too much about this shampoo but the more I used it the more I enjoyed it. The formula is really thin and a bit runny, I think because it has natural olive oil, and I found I had to use more than a regular shampoo but it still lasted a long time. I found it did hydrate my hair but didn't make my hair feel heavy. 

Would I repurchase? Yes.

So that's all the products I've finished lately. 

What have you been finishing up?