L’Oreal Color Infallible All Night Blue: Review, Swatches, FOTD
Hi everyone,
I want to share a drugstore gem I’ve come across recently- the L’Oreal Color Infallible eyeshadow in All Night Blue. I wore it to a friend’s birthday drinks on the weekend (FOTD below) and was reminded of how much I like it.
All Night Blue is a highly pigmented metallic navy with a matte black base. Gorgeous party colour that looks particularly striking on warm coloured eyes.
L’Oreal Color Infallible eyeshadow are similar in texture to the Armani Eyes To Kill shadows- mid way between a pressed pigment and a cream shadow. I haven’t tried any of the others but the buttery smoothness and ease of blending of All Night Blue is impressive. In many ways I prefer this texture to the traditional cream eyeshadow because you get the creamy application but with less tendency to dry up and harden in the pot over time.
I find that the best way to apply this without losing any intensity of colour is to apply with a brush first, blending it to the desired placement, then applying another layer with a clean fingertip.
This colour wears quite well with almost no creasing or smudging by the end of the night. I do find that it fades a little on my eyes, even with primer (most reviewers experience very little fading so this is probably just my oily lids).
Price: RRP $19.95
Availability: Selected pharmacies and department stores
Keep reading after the jump!
Posted by myfunnyvalentine on Jun 14th, 2013 in Bobbi Brown, Drugstore, Eye shadow, FOTD, Illamasqua, Inglot, Reviews, Swatches, Uncategorized | 0 comments.Tags: Blue/Green/Teal Eye Makeup, Nars Dolce Vita Lipstick, Smoky Eye
Kerstin Florian Facial at Aurora Spa Retreat: Review
A few weekends ago I was given the opportunity to experience a facial at Aurora Spa Retreat. Aurora Spa is a high end urban spa in St. Kilda, Melbourne that offers ‘luxurious, restorative, results-driven treatments’ based on botanically active ingredients.
My experience at Aurora was brilliant from start to finish. After having a chat with Aurora founder Lyndall Mitchell, I was taken to the beautifully designed chill-out area to relax with some herbal tea prior to my treatment. I thought it was a nice touch having Aurora Spa face mist and hand cream on the table for each client. The service here is exceptional- the staff seriously make you feel like a queen.
I chose the Advanced Renewal Facial, which is a superficial chemical peel designed to improve skin surface quality with no down time. Depending on your skin, the therapist will either use a 30% glycolic acid peel or an enzyme peel- we went with the glycolic because I’ve always had great results with AHA.
The 1hr Advanced Renewal Facial started with a double cleanse and tone followed by an application of 30% AHA/Glycolic peel. The peel was left on for a few minutes, then removed and neutralized. A treatment mask and various other beautiful smelling hydrosols and treats for the skin were applied- accompanied by a blissful head and foot massage (tailored to my preferences). My therapist was very good- I came out of the treatment room with glowing skin and felt like a million bucks.
Judging from the fact that my skin did not show any ‘frosting’, redness, and the fact that there was very little stinging during the peel, I assume that this treatment used a buffered glycolic acid mixture rather than full strength 30%. What this means is that it’s not as harsh as you might think, and sensitive skin types don’t necessary have to steer away from this treatment (unless you’ve never used an AHA before).
Keep reading after the jump!
Posted by myfunnyvalentine on Jun 12th, 2013 in Reviews, Skincare | 0 comments.Tags: Spa
1920s flapper makeup: Gatsby inspired FOTD
Gatsby fever has well and truly hit our shores, making it the perfect time to dabble with some 1920s flapper style makeup a la Louise Brooks, Clara Bow, and Josephine Baker.
I still haven’t seen Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Gatsby’ yet, but I’m looking forward to watching it for the makeup and costume. As a film, I hear that it is not really a faithful adaptation of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (the harsher critics even go as far as to doubt that Baz Luhrmann read the book all the way to the end), and that Baz Luhrmann has missed the point somewhat- celebrating rather than satirizing the excesses of the jazz age.
I don’t mind. I’ll be going to see ‘Gatsby’ to enjoy the film as something completely separate from the book. As long Carey Mulligan doesn’t play Daisy like Mia Farrow did in the 1974 adaptation – I’m happy.
1920s makeup has a very distinct look, and is characterised by smouldering grey brown eye makeup with the depth of the colour concentrated on the inner part of the eye; a thin, archless brow; and lips that look like they are pouting even when relaxed. They say that the unusual eye makeup placement is designed to give a ‘damsel in distress’ look- which explains why I look a little upset in all my photos.
The best 1920s makeup tutorial I’ve seen is the one by Sam from Pixiwoo- really worthwhile watching if you are going to a fancy dress party.
Keep reading after the jump!
Posted by myfunnyvalentine on Jun 6th, 2013 in Eye shadow, FOTD, Inglot | 0 comments.
Tags: Halloween/Fancy Dress, Red Lipstick, Smoky Eye, Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color
Sulphate Free Skincare Review: A’kin Rose & Geranium Pure Creamy Cleanser & Toner in One
This is the first post of my sulphate free skin care series- exciting stuff! In my last post I wrote about what sulphates are and why I avoid them. Over the coming months I’ll be reviewing different sulphate free cleansers, concentrating on the formulations and also reporting back on how my skin has gotten on with them (I have normal to dry, sensitive skin)
A’kin says…
Remove makeup and impurities naturally with A’kin’s Rose & Geranium Pure Creamy Cleanser & Toner in One. Enriched with certified organic Australian avocado oil, shea butter, and olive squalane, A’kin’s creamy facial cleanser gently and effectly cleanses- removing both face and eye makeup. A’kin’s natural facial cleanser also tones skin with the help if witch hazel. A best seller in the A’kin natural facial skincare range, A’kin Rose & Geranium Pure Creamy Cleanser & Toner in One in an essential part of your natural skincare regime.
star ingredients: panthenol (vitamin B5) for calming and soothing; olive squalane; shea butter; natural panama bark for cleansing; and witch hazel to refine pores.
Price: $29.95 for 225mL
availability: David Jones, Priceline, www.echolife.com.au, selected pharmacies and health food stores. See www.purist.com for more stockists.
I first tried the A’kin Rose and Geranium Pure Cleanser and Toner in One almost two years ago as part of a Bellabox I reviewed earlier (in this post), and at the time I remember thinking that it was the best cream cleanser that I had come across. That hasn’t changed.
Unlike some of the creamy cleansers I’ve tried in the past which sometimes leaves the skin feeling not quite clean (*ahem* Kosmea Purifying Cream Cleanser), the A’kin Rose and Geranium Pure Cleanser and Toner in One makes my skin feel deeply cleansed and refreshed- I suspect the astringent properties of witch hazel helps to balance the rich moisturizing ingredients in the formula. My skin not only feels clean, but velvety soft- this combination has really won me over.
The surfactants in this product are glyceryl laurate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Lecithin – all these are gentle surfactants that also have skin conditioning and humectant properties. No sulphates in this formula, of course. The anti-inflammatory ingredients in this cleanser are great for those with sensitive skin- Panthenol (provitamin B5) and Jojoba oil are ingredients I love using in my own DIY formulations for calming the skin. This formula is going to work best for normal to dry skin- from some of the reviews on Makeupalley.com it sounds like oilier skinned individualsmay find this formula a bit too emollient.
A’kin products are cruelty free and uses eco friendly packaging.
Ingredients:
Fusanus Spicatus Wood (West Australian Sandalwood) Oil, Glycerin^, squalane (from olives), Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Sorbitol (from Gmo Free Maize), Glyceryl Laurate^, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Certified Organic), Glyceryl Stearate^, Cetearyl Alcohol^, Sodium Gluconate (from Gmo Free Corn), Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Aqua (Purified Australian Water Bp 2007 Standard), Soy Lecithin (Gmo Free), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil (Cold Pressed Australian Grown), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil (Cold Pressed Australian Grown), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (from Palm), Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Persia Gratissima (Avocado) Oil (Cold Pressed Australian Grown) (Certified Organic), Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Panthenol (Pro Vit B5), Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Flower Water, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate^, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate^, Lecithin (and) Tocopherol (and) Ascorbyl Palmitate (and) Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Stear
note: this product was provided to me by PR. See my editorial policy in the PR tab for more info.
Posted by myfunnyvalentine on Jun 4th, 2013 in Reviews, Skincare | 1 commentTags: A'kin, Sulphate Free Skincare
Sulphate Free Is The New Soap Free (And Other Thoughts)
It occurred to me recently that it was about time I did a review series on sulphate free products here on My Funny Valentine, and as I was getting ready to write my reviews I thought it would be a good idea to preface the series with a quick rundown on why I prefer my skin care without sulphates.
What are Sulphates?
Sulphates are a class of relatively harsh surfactant (surface active) cleaning agents commonly to emulsify oils, degrease surfaces, and create foam. They are cheap and very effective at cutting through grease, which is why they are commonly used in dishwashing detergents, hand wash, floor cleaners, as well as in skin/hair care. Within the sulphate family you have Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate (ALS), Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES). SLS and ALS are the harshest of the group and are well known to be highly irritating to the skin and eyes – in irritancy testing for research, SLS is usually used as the ‘model irritant’ [1,2,3] . Sodium Laureth Sulphate is not quite as rough on the skin as the other two- but still one of the most irritating surfactants used in skin care.
Ever since I’ve taken an interest in skin care ingredients I’ve stayed away from harsh surfactants in my cleansers. There’s a great deal of research in dermatology showing how harsh surfactants can cause damage to the skin barrier, disrupt skin lipids and proteins, dry out the skin, and cause irritation – without necessarily doing a better job cleansing the skin than gentler agents. [1] This applies to all skin types, but particularly effects dry and eczema prone skin (that’s me- always so lucky in life.).
Is ‘Sulphate Free’ the New ‘Soap Free’?
For many years, we’ve known about how soap strips the skin of natural oils and compromises the skin’s barrier [1,2,3] – when sulphates were introduced into the market we started to see a lot of cleansing products becoming ‘soap free’. These days we have more options and slowly we are seeing more and more cleansers that are formulated to be ‘sulphate free’ as a result of increased public awareness of skin care ingredients.
Lies, lies, and marketing.
On a side note: one of my pet peeves when it comes to marketing is when brands market a moisturiser or hair conditioner as ‘sulphate free’. Sulphates are a cleansing/surfactant agent that have no role in moisturisers, serums, or conditioners- and to tell us that a moisturiser is ‘sulphate free’ is like marketing cotton candy as ‘fat free’. It’s marketing that assumes ignorance, and usually turns me into the Incredible Hulk right in the middle of the personal care (and candy) aisles in Coles.
Keep reading after the jump!
Posted by myfunnyvalentine on May 30th, 2013 in Uncategorized | 0 comments.
Optometrist/beauty blogger/crazy cat lady. It's Jenny, NOT Jennifer. jenny@myfunnyvalentineblog.com
