The Monthly Roundup || March

So this month my saving plan went through the window. Priceline had 40% off, so duh I brought stuff. We also are in the middle of a small skincare change up, so I 'needed' a few purchases. I haven't tested them out for long enough for them to be incorporated in the favourites list, but can usually tell straight away if I love or hate a makeup product. Here's what found their way into my heart this month:

March Favourites:

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Eye Cream steals the show this month. Never have I encountered an under eye concealer which is so perfect. It does an awesome job at ridding my eyes of shadows whilst remaining crease free all day. You need it in your life now.

Another new favourite product is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Barely Branded. It's been a daily addition to my everyday makeup look, departing a wash of shimmery colour. It's subtle enough for daily wear, but I expect it would look great with a bold lip at night. 

I ran out of hydrating toner earlier in the month, and I'm not loyal to one so I thought I would try the Calendula Redness Rescue Toning Mist, a new release from Jurlique. It smells divine, think cucumbers, and leaves the skin feeling hydrated and calm. It's cool and quite refreshing, I think I will be going through this at an alarming rate, considering its $55 per bottle. Ouch.

I've really started to enjoy watching Reign this month. Reign is all about Queen Mary of Scott's' early life at the French Court. It's my ideal TV show with a blend of romance and historical fiction.

This month in blog posts:

I started off with a bit of a slow start to the month, I think there was about two weeks’ worth of posts missing. Uni has been crazy recently, with assignments coming out of my ears. I've got three due this week!! 

I started off by showing you my evening beauty bits and my other skin care post this month was looking after the décolletage. 

As mentioned above, Priceline had a sale, here's what I brought. 

I took a moment to review my New Years Resolutions, I'm pleased to report that most of my goals are on track. 

The beautiful Love Birds Collection from Napoleon Perdis made its way into my hands, here's a full review.

What products have you been enjoying lately? 

X Suzy

The Skincare || Looking After the Décolletage

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to take more care of my body skin, particularly my décolletage area. Whilst I am religious about applying sunscreen to my face, my neck and chest are often forgotten which leaves me with quite a red, sensitive and damaged neck area. I've been trying to repair this damage by firstly applying sunscreen every morning. I'm trying to use up the Olay Daily Face SPF30+ on my neck because I don't like the feel of this sunscreen on my face and I suspect it breaks me out a bit. Yet as I type this I forgot to apply it this morning. Oops.

In the evenings, I'm taking a number of steps to undo the damage done. Firstly I'm cleansing the area with the Jurlique Purifying Foaming Cleanser (please don't shoot me for using this, I'm trying to use it all up). I've been using a sample of the Trilogy Nutrient Plus Firming Serum, which is ok. I have to say I won't be repurchasing this, I find it doesn't mix well with certain moisturisers. It works perfectly with the Trilogy Line Smoothing Day Cream however, which I've been applying day and night. A fairly simple routine, but so far I'm happy with the results. My neck seems to be less sensitive, red, and the fine wrinkles which were appearing have seemed to lessen.

Do you take much care of your décolletage?

X Suzy 

The Weekend Pamper || Bed Time Beauty Bits

I'm sure many of you have your own unique ritual to get yourself ready for a good night sleep. Mine involves a number of products slathered on after the nightly skincare routine (yes there's more skincare), comfy pjs and a good book.

Usually I apply some of the Sukin Rose-Hip oil just before I go to bed, I don't like feeling greasy while I'm awake. Plus I wake up with the most amazing glow the next morning. I also top up the spot creams, hoping to kill them over night. Finally there's the Jurlique Love Balm for lips to prevent any chaps and dryness. That's usually all for the facial skin. I give my hands a bit of nourishment next, applying the Jurlique Love Balm to my cuticles and the Jurlique Jasmine handcream all over. Lastly my feet need a little bit of love, I use some of Lucas'Paw Paw Ointment on my heels and any other dry patches. To finish off, I smother my feet in some sorbolene cream, which means I wake up with such soft feet! 

In order to properly wind down, I charge all my electronics over on my desk, where I can't reach them whilst asleep. I take fifteen minutes to write in my journal and write a to-do list for the next day and then I spend the rest of evening reading a book. At the moment I'm reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

How do wind down for the night?

X Suzy  

The Weekend Pamper || What's in my bag?

"What's in my bag?" videos are my favourite to watch. There's something about having a good old snoop inside someone else's handbag which intrigues me. A woman's handbag is kind of a life line, and I feel as though you can make a pretty accurate judgement based on her handbag. A big oversized bag filled with everything makes me think that this girl is prepared for every situation. Tiny bags conjure thoughts such as "low key" and "streamlined". I fall into the first stereotype, I'm into the big bags. I envy those who carry so little on a daily basis, but I think of to many questions like  "what if I get a sudden blood nose? I'll need those tissues then" and "what if I get caught in the middle or a tornado? I'll need a hairbrush and some lip balm then".

On to the contents of my bag. I don't tend to carry around that much makeup, I'm not a fan of re-applying makeup during the day in public. The only product I regularly reapply is the Lanolips Lip Colourin Rhubarb (has anyone else noticed these have disappeared off the shelves? I'm praying there only reformulating it...). Some days I find my lips to be super dry so I need the Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Ointment on hand because the Lip Colour just won't cut it. If it's going to be a long, hot day I'll pop the JurliqueCitrus Silk Finishing Powder into my bag for some touch ups. Generally I don't bother however. I also keep the Jurlique Jasmine Body Cream in my bag purely because it's tiny, it works great as a hand cream and as a body cream. Hand sanitiser is another must, currently I'm using the Jurlique one. Just in case I do encounter that tornado I do keep a mini hairbrush, some hair ties and bobby pins in my bag.

Beauty bits aside, you'll also find tissues, Band-Aids, my dairy, iPhone, iPad, wallet, glasses and a water bottle lurking in there. If it's a uni day then a document wallet and a couple of note books join the party. I go between three bags, a brightly coloured embroidered bag from Bali which could fit the entire kitchen sink in, a large black leather bag also from Bali and a medium light blue leather bag which I brought from the leather markets in Italy. I'm looking for a cute backpack and a smaller bag. I aspire to be able to carry around less junk.

What are your handbag essentials?

X Suzy 

The Makeup || The Summer Face #1

Summer is my favourite season of the year. I love the sun, the beach and swimming.  It's also the time of year which my skin is looking the best; I think it's something to do with the salty water from swimming so much leading to less foundation applied.

Following my morning skincare routine, I apply a good dollop of the Clinique Super CityBlock SPF30. This acts as both a primer and a sunscreen. Next I use the BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF15 in Fairly Light (yes, I'm talking about it again) with the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush. Recently I've been leaving my forehead bare, I don't have any blemishes there at the moment. Under the eyes and around my nose I take some more foundation on the Real Techniques Setting Brush to build up the coverage a little more. On blemishes I use the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 for a tad more coverage. Final step in the base is to powder with the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. Amazingly this doesn't make my face too dry, as you would expect from using two powders.

Colour wise I use MAC's Sheertone Blush in Sincere, standard. Also standard is a crimp from the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers followed by the Maybelline Full N'Soft mascara. Eyebrows are filled in with the lovely Eye Brows in Lingering from MAC and finally my lips are usually sporting the Lanolips Lip Colour in Apples.   

And that's what I usually slap on in fifteen minuets before running out the door. What has your go to make up been recently?

X Suzy 

The Skincare || Body Skincare Bits

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone when it comes to the lack of care I give my body skin. I'm extremely lazy, and one of my New Year's resolutions was to take better care of it.

To kick start my body care routine, I dry brush all my limbs with the Body Shop Body Brush (say that three times fast) whilst the shower water warms up. Once I hop into the shower, I run some of the Jurlique Citrus Shower Gel all over. I switch it up from the Jasmine scent to the Citrus sent because I get a bit bored of the scents after a while. Once a week I exfoliate my skin with the Jurlique Body Exfoliating Gel, something that I probably wont repurchase. It's just a little pricey for what it is and I want to try a Body Shop offering. My favourite razors are the Venus Embraces (in pink duh). They make shaving less of a chore and quick thanks to the wide blades and comfortable handle.

Once I've stepped out of the shower, I slather my body in the Jurlique Citrus Body Care Lotion. A lovely lightweight moisturiser is just what my limbs are crying out for after a wash. If I need a little more hydration, coconut oil is a good option, as is any sort of sorbolene cream. My favourite fake tan is the Sukin Sunless Bronzing Gel because its so subtle. If you want a fake tan to turn your skin into a deep golden bronze, this isn't for you. It's perfect for me however, because it gives such a lovely colour that looks like I have just got back from a holiday.

This quick and simple body care routine leaves ample time for me to fluff around with my facial skincare in the evenings. I tend to neglect my body in the mornings, favouring a few more minuets of sleep.

How do you look after your body skin?

X Suzy  

The Weekend Pamper || The Game Changers

This weekend's post is all about those products which I just love. Each of these have changed the beauty game for me. A number of skincare bits, tools and some makeup all make the cut.

Something I've been using since I had hair is the Mason & Pearson 100% Bristle Hairbrush. Incredibly pricey for a hairbrush, but worth every penny. I've only had to replace it once, after about 10 years of everyday use. This hairbrush leaves my hair tangle free, static free and shiny without pulling of tugging. Provided you’re not someone who loses hairbrushes often, the Mason & Pearson is a fantastic investment to make.

Quite a few skincare products make the list. There's no surprises here, you've heard me ramble on about these products a number of times no doubt. Bioderma is the most recent addition, but I've already used one whole bottle. The Jurlique Purifying Mask and the Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum are also on my game changers list because each of them make such a difference to my skin. Finally, the Grown Organic Alchemist's Matte Moisturiser deserves a mention for being the only moisturiser to actually moisturise and to keep my skin matte thought the day.

A few makeup loves include the first "high end" makeup product I brought, the MAC Studio Finish Concealer. This concealer is the answer to all skin problems, masking all imperfections. Two other complexion enhancers include the BareMinerals Original Foundation and the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard me mention these, together they create the most perfect base, without being too perfect. My favourite mascara in the form of Maybelline's Full N'Soft has earns its self a place on this list but my eyes wouldn't be complete without a squeeze from the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers.

What are products make your game changers list?

X Suzy   

The Weekend Pamper || Empties #1

Empties, while not the most unique post idea, are one of my favourite blog posts to read. I love to hear what products my favourite bloggers have used up, I feel like it’s a good indication of a good product. I've kept all these products for a number of reasons, firstly I'm a bit of a recycler. DIY toners and pillow sprays all require a little sprayer bottle. Secondly, Jurlique do an awesome return program where if you return your empty tubes or bottles, they give you 10% off the same product. Finally, I've kept all these products in hope of writing one of these posts. I've got some body bits and some skincare, but no makeup. Does anyone else find makeup impossible to use up?

Starting off with the body bits, I've finished up the Jurlique Jasmine Shower Gel and Body Care Lotion. A lovely sent and a lovely product. Both of these lasted me a whole year before I needed to replace them. I'll eventually repurchase these but I'm currently working my way through the Citrus versions.

A couple of toners were next to go, the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Mist and the Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner. Both of these were OK, I am holding off a repurchase of both of these, I'm looking into trying the new Jurlique Calendula Redness Rescue Calming Mist next.

Bioderma reigns as the favourite makeup remover and a repurchase is about to happen. Makeup and sunscreen glides off like no other with a cotton wipe drenched in this cleansing water. Although Priceline now stocks Bioderma, it’s near impossible to get a bottle because it’s always out of stock. If I'm out of luck I'll have to resort to ordering it online.

I've also used up the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Cream and repurchased another in a Christmas box set. A lovely product which keeps dryness at bay whilst also preventing fine lines from developing.

Two spot treatments have also been used up, the Aesop Control Gel and the Origins Super Spot Remover. The Aesop worked fantastically with my skin, quickly removing all spots. I suspect that it’s the Niacinamide because I had such good results with the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum which also uses Niacinamide. The Origins however I found a bit useless. I'll repurchase the Aesop soon, but not the Origins.

Finally, some moisturising bits. The first to go was the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum, which I've sung praises to here. I've since repurchased in the 100ml bottle, it’s that good. My favourite daily moisturiser, the GrownOrganics Matte Moisturiser was also finished off recently. The perfect product for me, moisturising yet mattifying and smoothing to provide a perfect canvas for makeup.

What products have you finished off recently?

X Suzy  

The Makeup || How Much is my face worth in makeup?

My skin care total came to a rather shocking amount of $443. I'm hoping, praying, that my makeup comes to a lesser amount. I've decided to calculate what I'm currently applying makeup wise on a daily basis. Of course I have the option to change up my makeup as I please, just as I do with skin care. So here we go:

My current favourite base for daily wear is the MAC Prep and Prime BB Cream which comes In at $42. On any areas such as under eyes and blemishes the MAC Studio Finish Concealer ($32) is used. MAC's Sheertone blush in Sincere ($41) is used to sculpt and bronze up the cheek bones. The final step in the complexion stage is powder, and I favour the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder ($45). Eyes follow with a swipe of the Maybelline Full N'Soft Mascara ($15) for everyday wear and my brows are filled in with the MAC Eyebrows in Lingering ($30). The Lanolips lipgloss in Rhubarb is my favourite daily lip colour and is a total bargain at $15. 

The total cost of my daily makeup comes in at $220. I'm glad it's a smaller amount than my skincare, which is almost double. But still, when you add everything up together, it's a bit of a shock. Let's not count up all the tools as well! I hope you enjoyed reading this mini series here on my blog, it's been quite an eye opener for me. 

How much do you think your face is worth in makeup? 

X Suzy 

The Skincare || How Much is my Face Worth in Skincare?

Coming to you this week is a couple of posts featuring the "How much is my face worth?" tag. I've seen this post around on a couple of blogs and I've always been interested in writing a post myself. As skincare is such a love of mine, it's only appropriate for me to do two of these posts, one featuring my skincare, and another featuring my makeup. As you've probably guessed by the title, this post is focussed on my skincare. Without further delay, here is the total cost of my daily skincare, prepare you're self for a big shock. 

Firstly, in the morning I cleanse my face with the Jurlique Balancing Cleansing Lotion ($45), tone with the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Mist ($32), tap on the Herbal Recovery Eye Cream ($52) and follow with the Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum ($75). I'm not obsessed with the Herbal Recovery range at all. If there are any spots present, that means everyday, I dab on a bit of the Aesop Control Gel ($23). I finish of the morning with a pea sized amount of the Grown Alchemists Matte Moisturiser ($60). So mornings come to a grand total of $287. Ouch. 

In the evenings I start by taking a cotton pad loaded in Bioderma ($30) all over my face. The Jurlique Balancing Cleansing Lotion ($45) from the morning is used again. It's followed up by the REN Clarifying Toning Lotion ($40) and the Herbal Recovery Mist ($32) from the morning. The eye cream ($52) and the serum ($75) used in the morning are also used again followed with the Jurlique Calendula Cream ($85) and the Aesop Control Gel ($23). This brings my evening total to: $383. Ok, so that's a lot more than what I thought it would be. And so the grand total of my daily skincare routine comes too $443 (I subtracted the products which I use twice). Mega ouch. Let's not calculate the added costs of my bi-weekly at home facials. I'm hoping to redeem myself with a relatively small daily makeup cost, check in on Friday for that.  

How much do you think your skincare costs you?

X Suzy 

The Weekend Pamper || Nail Care Routine

My nails are often envied by my friends and so I thought I'd share my routine this weekend. It's a fairly simple routine, something I enjoy doing every second weekend. I prefer a short square nail, similar to the shape of my cuticle. One tip I've picked up along the way is to replicate the shape of your cuticle when shaping your nail. Rounded cuticles equal rounded nails, square cuticles equal square nails. 

First up, I remove all previous nail polish with some tea tree oil. This works a treat at removing all my nail polish, a tad more elbow grease is required than ordinary nail polish remover, but the all natural nice ingredients overweighs the extra work. I start by trimming my nails with a pair of nail clippers straight across the top. Next I shape my nails using an ordinary emery board. A little bit curved a round the corners and straight along the top. Once that's completed on all ten digits, I lightly smooth, buff and polish my nails with the good old Woolworth's Home Brand Nail Buffer. I'm telling you, this does an amazing job and it's cheap as. I smother my nails in some of the Jurlique Love Balm. Finally I push my cuticles back with an ordinary orange stick and lather my hands in my current favourite hand cream. 

Once all the hand cream and cuticle cream is absorbed, I like to paint my nails. I will always apply OPI's Nail Envy Sensitive, this strengthens the nails and gives a lovely shine. Some weeks I'm happy to leave it at this and give my nails a bit of a break. Most of the time however I'll paint my nails with either Essie Ballet Slippers, OPI Princes's Rules or OPI Suzie and the Life Guard. Can anyone guess what my favourite nail polish colours are? 

X Suzy 

The Makeup || Casual Summer Evening Makeup

On these hot nights my standard evening makeup look which consists of winged eyeliner and a bright lip can look a bit too overdone. A much more appropriate look is a natural looking lip and a bit of smudgy eyeliner. I've constantly been wearing this look for all low key events, and I even wore it on New Years Eve and on my birthday. 

I start of by priming my face with the Nude By Nature Mineral Airbrush Primer and I contour using the MAC Select Coverup Concealer in NW40 with the Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Contour brush. The Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in shade 51 is stippled across my face using the Real Techniques Stippling brush. The MAC Studio Finish Concealer is then used for concealing. A hint of blush and shimmery highlighter, MAC Pink Swoon and MAC Soft and Gentle respectfully, is then applied to my cheeks. A dusting of the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder finishes everything of nicely. 

Eyes are next, and I start by filling in my brows with the MAC Eyebrows in Lingering. I take the Real Techniques Duo Fibre eyeshadow brush and swirl it around in the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I build this up quite heavily to make quite a smokey effect. Once all the edges are blended out I take an eyeliner pencil, namely the MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack and smudge it across the upper lash line. Next I take the same eyeliner and line both my water line and my tight line. I smudge a little into my lower lash line to get a super smokey look. I finish up with by curling my eyelashes with the Shu Uemura eyelash curlers and lashings of the Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara.
Finally lips, because I have gone for such a strong eye look, I need a subtle lip to balance everything out. My choice of late is the YSL Glossy Stain in 107, Naughty Mauve. This is the most amazing lip colour, it's nude based but it has a purple shimmer through it. It's impossible to describe with out it sounding gross. Simply put, it's the perfect nude for my lips, with out looking too brown and boring. 

X Suzy

The Weekend Pamper || Christmas Wishlist

I'm not one for asking for cosmetics for Christmas. Usually, I get a bit of cash to buy all the things I want. First up, is this set from Jurlique. I use all the products in it, and it's currently on sale for $160. Can we say bargain? Its got the beloved Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum in its large size, which retails for $160. Sorry what? So essentially, you get both the Herbal Recovery Night Cream and the Herbal Recovery Eye cream for free. Take a moment for that to all sink in.

The YSL Glossy Stains are a love of mine and I plan on picking up number 107, Naughty Mauve from the Rebel Nudes collection. A neutral lip product is severely lacking in my collection, this looks divine. A neutral lip with purple shimmer running through it does sound a little on the scary side however but I'm keen to give it a try! 

Finally my brush collection is a bit dismal. I would really love to pick up some more brushes from Real Techniques, I haven't tried any yet, can you believe it? If the Duo-Fibre Limited Edition is still around in my local Priceline, it's going straight into my basket. If it is out of stock however, I will grab the Expert Face Brush and the Powder Brush. I'm also lusting after the Stippling Brush, the one I am currently using is HUGE. As in too big for my face huge. 

Finally on my wish list is a pair of the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers. I am an everyday eyelash curler kind of gal, and so this is a necessity (not really) for me to pick up. However, I'm having difficulty deciding whether I should go for the new S-Curlers or the original version...

The Skincare || Super Spot Fighters

Over eating, sweet foods, drinking and laziness are all synonyms of the silly season. Unfortunately  for me, this leaves me with a number of huge spots and congested skin. Luckily, I have a pretty good spot fighting combination that dramatically reduces the size of the zit. 

First up is cleansing, the corner stone of a good skincare routine. I'm trying not to over dry my skin at the moment, and I've made the switch from the Jurlique Foaming Purifying Cleanser to the Jurlique Balancing Cleansing lotion when I'm not wearing makeup or sunscreen. The foaming cleanser still comes in handy when I need to remove makeup and SPF, however I know I should ditch it. The fact that I have two mostly full bottles of it means that it will be with me for quite some time still. 

Another step which I have found essential to combat zits is by using an exfoliating toner. The one I am currently using is the REN Clarifying Toning Lotion. This is subtle enough to use on a daily basis, and really helps to deep clean my pores, leading to clearer skin. 

Layering the spot treatments is my real secret however. After cleansing and toning, the Aesop Control Gel is applied to all my spots. Serum and moisturiser follows as per usual. Over the moisturiser I will apply more control gel and an enormous amount of the Jurlique Blemish Cream. The good thing about these two products is they will not over dry your skin so you can layer up as much as possible. On really bad spots, a tiny bit of the Jurlique Purifying Mask is applied over night, leaving me with clear(er) skin in the morning.  

The Skincare || Summer Skin Saviours

I am so sorry for neglecting this blog for so long. The last three weeks I had exams, and for the next week I'm on school Prac. So I won't be able to post as often as I like for the coming week!

Summer has arrived. We seemed to have missed spring altogether, which calls for a new wardrobe of lotions and potions (and clothes!) Here is my solution to all body and face skincare dramas from pale skin and dry patches.  

Firstly, the most essential lotion for summer, sunscreens. I won't go into too much detail because I've done a post on this before, and nothing's changed. HERE it is if you’re interested.

Fake tan. I have a love hate relationship with it. When done correctly, it looks amazing. But very easily, it can look like absolutely terrible. Streaky, orangey, patchy. You name it. I also hate the smell and the sticky feel of it. But never the less, I keep applying it every summer. I have found a good one though, from a favourite brand of mine, Sukin. The organic brand has a fantastic Sunless Bronzing Gel. It's not too pongy on the nose, and is not too sticky.   Also, it's not filled with chemicals like other fake tans can be. It's quite liquid-y, which makes it easy to apply and blend. Out of the tube, it looks horrifying but once massaged in, it gives the most beautiful natural looking tan.

Next up, hair removal. My preferred method is shaving. Boring right? I follow it up with a moisturiser, namely the Sukin Body Lotion. At the moment, I'm trialling a hair inhibitor serum called Inhibitif. It supposedly prevents hair regrowth in under 2 weeks. I've only been using this for about a week, so I'll keep you updated.

I've already touched on my preferred body lotion, the Sukin Body Lotion. I use this mostly on my legs, because they tend to be especially dry. On my arms and the rest of my body I like to use the Jurlique Jasmine Body Care Lotion. This is a really light yet hydrating moisturiser which is rapidly absorbed. I usually moisturise after I've given my body a good scrub with a body brush.

My face skincare is pretty much the same all year round, if I need any more moisturising, I'll slather on the Jurlique Calendula cream (I'm a bit obsessed with this product). Occasionally I might layer an oil over the top, either rose hip oil, or the one which I'm trialling at the moment: the Jurlique Balancing Oil.

By using all the lovely products above, I'm able to prep and protect my skin all summer long. What are your summer staples?

X Suzy

The Weekend Pamper || Weekend Facial

Following on from this morning’s skincare post, here is my last instalment in the skincare series, my weekend routine. Once a week, I'll take about an hour of my time and dedicate it to my skin. I apply a range of face masks and treatments to give my skin a much needed deep clean and detox. This is something I save for Sunday afternoons, so that I don't have to put makeup on afterwards.

I begin by washing may face with the Jurlique Purifying Foaming Cleanser. It's vital to wash your face beforehand, otherwise it's a bit like polishing a dirty floor.

Next up, I steam my face by putting some hot water in a bowl and putting tea towel around my face. If I am feeling fancy, I might put some water soluble tea tree oil or calendula lotion in the water, but most weekends I don't bother.

After steaming my face, I take the Jurlique Fruit EnzymeExfoliator and smother this all over my face. I use about four pumps, and I take this right up to my eyes. I wouldn't recommend taking it around the eyes if you have sensitive skin at all, or if you have just started using this. I leave it on for about 5 minutes as it's recommended, but sometimes I leave it on for longer. I wash it off using a warm flannel, which also helps with exfoliation.

After exfoliating, my face mask extravaganza begins. Firstly, I put a layer of rose hip oil - about three or four drops. This gives my skin a huge moisture boost. I use both the Jurlique Purifying Mask and the Intense Recovery Mask. I take a dollop of both masks, mix them together and apply it through my T-Zone. The Purifying mask is quite dry, and the Intense Recovery Mask makes it a little bit easier to spread over my face. On my cheeks, I apply the Intense Recovery Mask. Both masks are phenomenal, my skin is left so smooth and clean. I wash it off with a flannel and some warm water. Finally, I follow through with my evening skin care routine.

At the end of the week, I find myself looking forward to my at home facial so much. Nothing beats a deep clean and exfoliation, and the result the next morning is so satisfying. It’s worth pointing out that afterwards my skin does go a little on the pink side, but by the next morning it is all fine! 

The Skincare || Skin Treatments

As mentioned in my Evening Skincare Routine #1 post last week, my treatments section of my routine has so many bits and bobs that it requires its own post. Depending on what my skin needs (usually pimple busting) various treatments are taped on the localised area.

Most of my spot treatments are related to blemish solving, and there is a treatment for each sort of pimple. The Jurlique Blemish Cream comes in handy on those inflamed and swollen pimples. This is by far the favourite of the bunch, smells like tea tree oil and is so effective. It is also very useful for those under the skin blemishes. The Jurlique Purifying Mask works even better on these types of pimples but I like to leave this on overnight.  The Origins Super Spot Remover is perfect for tiny whiteheads and blocked pores thanks to the 1.5% salicylic acid. I am quite prone to popping pimples *slaps self on the back of the hand* and the Calendula Cream form Jurlique is the perfect cream to help the skin repair its self.

Pimple busting aside, I am left with two more problems: scaring and sometimes a random patch of dryness. I've recently been using the Sukin Rose Hip oil to combat the scaring, which has been quite effective. As for those random patches of dry skin, the Calendula Cream is their best friend. 

All these creams and lotions are put on after toning and before my serum to ensure that they are as effective as possible. Before I go to bed, another dose is applied.

X Suzy

The Skincare || Evening Skincare Routine #1

Naming this post proved to be a difficult one. I always do my skin for the evening as soon as I get home from whatever I've been doing that day. So it’s not necessarily in the evening. But a “Midday skincare routine” wouldn't be quite the same, right? It’s taken me a while to sit down and write this post, the reason being is that I wasn't quite happy with my routine. Actually, my routine is still missing one element: an exfoliating toner. Hello REN ClarifyingToning Lotion (its number one on my wish list). So without further delay, here is my (almost complete) evening skincare routine.

First point of call is to remove all my makeup. Starting off with on cotton wipe soaked in Bioderma, I sweep it all over my eyes. I take another Bioderma-soaked-cotton-wipe and wipe it all over my face. Next up is cleansing, where the Jurlique Purifying Foaming Cleanser comes into play. I take half a pump and slosh it all over my face. A wet flannel is then taken and rubbed all over my face for a bit of subtle exfoliation. I repeat this step again with a smaller amount of cleanser. Every third night or so I will give my skin some more thorough exfoliation. This comes in the form of the Aesop TeaTree Leaf Exfoliator. This one is quite an unusual exfoliator, it comes as a powder which you add to a gel or cream cleanser. This works fabulously to get rid of all the grime which is blocking my pores. You can also alter the amount of exfoliation you want but altering how much you use.

Post cleansing and exfoliating is my 'treatment' section. Here I apply a range of blemish creams to my various skin conditions. I'm planning to put a separate post up about my treatments, (there are so many) so look out for that!

Moving on to toning, I have two options here, including the Jurlique Calendula Lotion and the Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner. I'm going off then Calendula Lotion, as it has a lot of alcohol in it. I'm not using it as regularly as before, and I haven't noticed a big difference in my skin. Once I finish this bottle, I won't be repurchasing. The Trilogy however, is a nice alcohol free alternative - but nothing special.

The final step in my routine is to moisturise my skin. Firstly I use a pea sized amount of the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Cream around my eye area. Next up is one pump of the Jurlique Herbal RecoveryAdvanced Serum (as raved about here)which is followed by a dollop of the Calendula Cream from Jurlique. When applying my Calendula cream I do a bit of a Caroline Hirons inspired facial massage, with a few moves of my own thrown in there. Finally, I use 2-3 drops of the Sukin Rose Hip Oil just before I go to bed.

All up this takes me about 10-15 mins to do. And I love it, my skin is looking so amazing at the moment. My routine is at a point where I'm really happy with it and I'm looking forward to adding an exfoliating toner to my routine. I hope you found this useful I'm some way!

X Suzy

The Review || Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum

As promised, here is my review for the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum. Prepare to board the rave train. I am obsessed with this product. Actually, that's an understatement, but I can't fathom a more appropriate word to use. It has recently been reformulated, and its predecessor, the Herbal Recovery Gel has been discontinued. What am I doing with an anti-aging serum I here you ask? Well, I think Jurlique have marketed this completely wrong, instead it should be called overall skin miracle serum rather than a youth defence serum!

The main difference in this re-formulation is the addition of what Jurlique calls “Naturadiance PB18+” this is a combination of 15 botanical extracts + three breakthrough ingredients. The ingredient which gets me interested is the Niacinamide (not natural at all), which is an essential ingredient for anti-aging and clearing acne. Jurlique ran some trials, and the result was 100% of women saw a difference in their skin. At first I was sceptical but…

Ermigawd this works. I have noticed such a difference in my skin with this serum. I had one line across my forehead that was worrying me just the tiniest bit, and it's gone now. You know those small pimples that just sit under the skin without a head? Almost gone. I brought this about 5 weeks ago and my skin has never looked better! I still get the odd pimple, but they are about half the size and are popping up not as often. I need less makeup, some days I can get away with just a mineral powder. My skin is so moisturised and clear, this is an absolute staple in both my morning and evening skincare routines. A HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT. 

The HRAS retails for $75 in Australia for 30mls, there is also a larger size of your interested. I had a store credit of $30 so I used that to buy it, I probably wouldn't have brought it at the full price to start with, but I know I will be repurchasing this for many years to come. It can be found at Myers, David Jones and the Jurlique Stores (duhhh) and selected pharmacies nationwide. Visit a Jurlique store for a sample, they are more than happy to give them out - you'll thank me later!

X Suzy

The Monthly Roundup || September

Welcome to a new series here on my blog, called the Monthly Roundup. It's basically a monthly favourites post, a summary of all my posts this month with a few other bits thrown in the mix.

Firstly, I apologise for the lateness of this post. I didn't get organised before I went away this week!

This Month's Favourites:

The most-loved-product-of-the-month award goes to the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum. This has recently been reformulated and it is phenomenal - the difference in my skin is amazing, it has totally cleared up my skin! Look out for a review coming soon.

Quite a strange favourite of this month is the Coles Makeup Pads (Coles is a supermarket here in Aus.). I never thought there would be much difference in cotton makeup wipes, but there definitely is! These Coles ones are much stronger than the Swisspers which I have used before. I like to wipe away my makeup, then rinse the cotton wipe out and run it over my face again. This is something that the Swisspers had issues with - they would just fall apart at the second rinse. Another bonus is the price!

I have also been loving the Organic Care Dry Nourish Conditioner. I've been trying to use more natural conditioners, however I've struggled to find one that actually works. With my thick and slightly frizzy hair, I need some silicones. Don't be fooled by the brand saying they are 'natural' - there are quite a few silicones on the ingredient list. But this strikes the perfect balance, yummy natural oils and some silicones to smooth the hair down.

I have re-discovered the MAC Prep and Prime BB Cream this month and I love it. Previously, I found this to be so thick on my skin and applied horribly. But I've ditched using a primer under this (why was I using one anyway??) and stated to apply it with a dual fibre stippling brush - the result is louverly! For me it gives the best coverage, sheer enough for my freckles to shine through but covers the worst of my blemishes.

A little DIY product that I have been loving is a pillow spray. It's basically lavender oil, tea tree oil and water in an old sprayer bottle. I spray it on my pillows in the morning so that I don't have a wet pillow at night. I will do a post on this soon as well.

The nail polish which has been gracing my fingers is OPI's Suzie and the Life Guard. This is a beautiful pale pink with a touch of shimmer, a really lovely nude for my skin tone. I felt that I had to buy this purely because of the name...

My non-beauty favourite of this month is Green Rose tea from T2. It's delicious! It's a green tea with mango, currants, papaya and rose. When brewed, it tastes beautiful and fruity. Another bonus is it smells like lollies!

September in Blog Posts:

Going on a trip any time soon? Check out my Travel Essentials for some tips on what to pack!

My Winter Face #1 shows you what my makeup has looked like all through the winter.

Struggling to get excited about skincare? Check out my Morning Skincare Routine #1 for some inspiration.

Added to the Wish List this Month:

Firstly, the YSL Glossy Stains in the Rebel Nudes look so lovely. I need to get down to my YSL counter and do some swatching. Perhaps a Christmas present? *hint hint*

I'm also on the hunt for a pink/peach blush. I like using brown blushes for day to day, but I haven't found a single pink based blush that looks good with my pinkish skin tone and red hair. Anyone got a suggestion?