Review: L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge

L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge lipstick comes modern and stylish reflective packaging which looks very appealing and is pretty to look at. The lipstick claims bright and vibrant colours with shine that is delivers the lipstick RRP$AU24.95 for 2.5g.

L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge in 519 - Tender Berry

Below I have added some pictures which show the intensity of the colour 519 - Tender Berry to the left are my lips without any lips product and the image on the right is after application of L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge in Tender Berry.

My lips without lip colour

Whilst wearing L'Oreal Infallible in 519 - Tender Berry

 

Features:

• Elegant clear plastic and silver tube
• New long-wear technology for up to 10 hours of wear
• Vitamin E keeps lips moist and conditioned
• Made in  USA

Likes:

• Glides on easily
• Great colour intensity
• Non-drying
• Does not settle into lines
• Does not smudge or feather

Dislikes:

• This lipstick is not infallible because each time I take a drink there is a very strong lipstick stain left behind cannot last 10 hours as claimed.

Overall:

One of the main claims for this lipstick is that it provides the user with 10 hours of high-definition colour and shine which I found it falled short on. Though I found that the colour that this lipstick provided was rich and came with a pretty shine I was a little disappointed with the longevity of the product.
The lipstick was non-drying even after an hour or two of wear but it simply did not last 10 hours as claimed. It may last a couple of hours when the user does not eat or drink but who can go 10 hours without even drinking water?
As I mentioned before the packaging was elegant looking but because it is a clear plastic on the outside I have a feeling that it will look very battered before long if I decide to carry this lipstick around with me.
I enjoy wearing this lipstick by L'Oreal and I will be very happy to finish it by wearing it often, the lipstick feels great on my lips with great colour payoff and I could easily forget that I was wearing it apart from the stains on my cups but I don't think that I will remain loyal to this product though if I find another shade for the right price I would be happy to purchase another one.

Have you tried L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick?
Did you find that it lasted 10 hours or just a couple of hours?

Review: Yes to Tomatoes Totally Tranquil Facial Hydrating Lotion

About two weeks ago I went to my local Coles and I had a quick look at the reduced to clear isle and I found this moisturiser for just under $3. Though I didn't know the company nor did I know the RRP for this product I decided to give it a try anyway and for less than $3 if I didn't like it I could chuck it out.
After I brought it home and tried it I found it to be excellent and decided to do a search for it on the web and I found that this is not another cheap supermarket brand but is quite pricey for Coles with a price of RRP $US14.99 ~$AU24.00 for 50mL.

Front view Yes to Tomatoes Face Cream

Yes to Tomatoes Face Cream Ingredient List

Yes to Tomatoes Face Cream Side View

Yes to Tomatoes Pump

Features:

• 99.6% natural ingredients
• clear/semi-transparent plastic packaging
• sturdy pump
• Contains the hydrating power of 26 minerals from the Dead Sea
• Free of parabens, petroleum and SLS
• Manufactured by Yes To Ltd, Israel

Likes:

• Rich consistency that goes on smoothly
• Moisturizes well
• Absorbs quickly
• Softens skin
• Non greasy/sticky
• Soothing
• Pleasant soft fragrance
• Great quality pump which provides enough cream to thoroughly cover your face and neck though I often find that a half pump is enough for my skin

Dislikes:

• I've no dislikes so far but a SPF factor would be great for daytime wear.

Overall:

 

One of the reasons why I was willing to purchase this product was because it is for oily/combination skin. When I first applied it to my face I was a little dismayed as to how thick it was because I link thick formulas to a greasy finish but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not the case. The formula was quite thick but upon application it absorbed right into my skin and I was ready for my next beauty step in the morning within a couple of minutes.
The packaging and the product felt that it was made from high quality material which made the experience of using this product just a little bit better.
With use I have found that overall my skin feels softer and more hydrated than usual but without that grease factor and I hope to find it or another product from this range in shops again sometime soon!

Review: Maybelline New York Volum’ Express One by One Satin Black Mascara

Here I have got the limited edition Maybelline New York Volum’ Express One by One Satin Black Mascara. This mascara has been released to coincide with Maybelline’s partnership with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia 2012. And with a RRP $19.25 for 9.6mL, it is also quite affordable.

Features:

• Bright Pink tube with a very raunchy corset pattern
• Thick sturdy handle 
• 300 bristles to catch each and every lash
• One coat creates great length but is suitable for daytime use
• Two or more coats create a false lash effect
• Made in Italy

Likes:

• Does not clump
• Defines my lashes
• It is so easy to coat my bottom lashes with this (I usually get mascara on my skin when I attempt to coat my bottom lashes)
• Effortless, takes no time at all to apply

Dislikes:

• If my eyes start to water I have noticed that this mascara stings my eyes a little
• Does not stay put all day, I have noticed a bit of smudging under my eyes by 5pm on a number of occasions since my first use

As with all mascara's one need to use this product a couple of times to get used to the brush and to accomplish the look they are wanting. Below is a image of my eye without any eye makeup on and the next image is the same eye with the application of the Maybelline New York Volum’ Express One by One Satin Black Mascara.

My eye lashes without mascara

First time application, one coat applied

Image of both of my eyes after application of Maybelline New York Volum’ Express One by One Satin Black Mascara.

View of both eyes first time application of Volum' Express One by One Satin Black Mascara, one coat applied

Though I have always been a huge fan of Maybelline Mascara's I would have to say that this is a mascara that I would not purchase again. The main reason is because I didn't like the stinging feeling the mascara gave me when my eyes watered, which is something that I have never experienced before and which I find a little concerning. Second because I am not a fan of experiencing panda eyes in the middle of the day, I have other non-waterproof mascaras that do not smudge like this one.
The lash effect created with the mascara was good since it lengthened my lashes and was easy to use but it does not compensate for the two reasons why I would not purchase this one again.

Are you a fan of the Maybelline Mascara range?
Which is your favourite?

Review: Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara in Black

Since I am always ready to receive a freebie I was very happy to apply to get a sample of the Estee Lauder Double Wear, Zero Smudge Lengthening Mascara in the mail. The full sized product retails for $48 for 6mL.

Add caption

Features:

• Gold coloured metal lid and dark blue plastic tube makes this mascara feel luxurious
• Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara
• 15 hours staying power
• Temperature, humidity and perspiration resistant formula
• Large wand which reaches all of your lashes
• 6 month shelf life 
• Available in Black or Brown
• Made in Canada

Estee Lauder Double Wear, Zero Smudge Lengthening Mascara in Black. I am wearing one coat on top lashes only

Likes:

• Looks natural
• Not too heavy
• Does not Clump, if used sparingly
• Does not smudge or flake
• Highly Pigmented
• Stayed in place all day
• Comes off easily at the end of the day

Dislikes:

• If you use more than one coat the mascara starts to clump.
• Mascara starts to come away as soon as it comes in contact with water ie drizzling rain can leave your face with mascara dripping all over it

Though I wasn't sold on this product when I first started to use it, I must say that it has grown on me over the few months that I have been using it. The mascara leaves my lashes with a very natural finish which is pretty hard to beat. The mascara lasts all day but only if there hasn't been any rain and/or if I haven't been crying then I am sure that I can walk around all day without needing to check up on my mascara to see if it has flaked or smudged because I know that it will not.
Though this product has grown on me I still will not be purchasing it myself, the main reason is the price. This product is $48 for 6mL which is way out of my usual make up budget especially since I can get a similar result from using Maybelline's Full N' Soft mascara which retails for a much cheaper $18.45 and is often on sale of $15 or less if you are lucky enough to find it on sale.

Do you splurge on your makeup?
Do you find that the more expensive products are worth the extra$$$?

Review: 1Skin Solution Tinted Lip Butter - Almond Biscotti

A couple of months ago Raylene from 1Skin Solution conducted a survey on her Facebook page and as an reward the first 200 who completed the survey were sent out a sample of her new 1Skin Solution Tinted Lip Butter (RRP$AU14.50) and I was one of the lucky ones who was sent one!

1Skin Solution Lip Butter in Almond Biscotti

The colour/flavour which I picked was originally Guava Lemonade but that one went missing in the mail and when I sent Raylene an email she was more than happy to send me out another one (by then I had changed my mind and went with Almond Biscotti), to see the full range of colours and the other products made by 1Skin Solutions please visit their website.

Features:

• Simple, cute design 
• Simple and short ingredient list, which can be found on their website
• Almond Biscotti is a sheer Beige colour
• Glossy finish
• Australian Made

1Skin Solution Lip Butter in Almond Biscotti

Likes:

• Great flavour, really does taste like almonds with a subtle fragrance
• Feels like a lip balm and leaves lips feeling soft and hydrated
• Does not feel heavy or waxy
• Creamy texture that just glides onto the lips without any pressure
• Pretty good pigmentation
• Great customer service, Raylene is very quick to reply to emails and was more than happy to send me another tube after I notified her about the fact that I never received my first tube

Dislikes:

• Packaging is a little dodgy, I found that I could wind the product up from the tube but I couldn't wind it down (edit: Raylene suggested the problem with the winding mechanism may be because the lip butter is too creamy and she thinking about altering the formula of the product to remove this issue)
• Due to the softness/oiliness of the product it does start to smear all over the top of the tube it comes in after a few weeks making it a little messy looking
• Sometimes, depending on the hydration levels of my lips the lip butter will go on blotchy and/or will move around on my lips and will settle into the lines on my lips

1Skin Solution Lip Butter in Almond Biscotti, note that the colour is a little blotchy with this application

Have you tried anything by 1Skin Solution?
What do you like in a lip product?

Review: Loreal Youth Code Luminosity Serum

A couple of months ago I was lucky enough to get my hands on the L'Oreal Youth Code Luminosity Serum thanks to L'Oreal and BeautyHeaven. This 30mL serum retails for $AU35.

L'Oreal Youth Code Luminosity Day Serum, with the silver coloured shrink wrap coating on the glass bottle removed.

Features:

• Glass bottle with silver shrink wrap coating and silver coloured plastic pump
• Faint fragrance which it quite pleasant
• The serum has a pretty pearly and luminous appearance
• The pump dispenses the right amount of product to cover your face when it is hydrated but if your skin is a little dry two pumps may be needed
• Made in Germany

Likes:

• Though the advertising claims that this serum is super-hydrating I found that it wasn't too heavy in its formula. This was good for me because I could still use this serum daily, some days I used it by itself when my skin was oily and some days I used it under my usual creme when my skin was a little dry
• Absorbs well into the skin
• After a week I noticed an overall improvement to my skin tone, it did not remove or reduce any of my spots but my skin looked healthier and more even in appearance
• Excellent quality pump that pumps the same amount each time
• Can use under makeup without any issues

Dislikes:

•  The shrink wrap coving over the glass bottle which was promptly removed (it made the product look cheap!)
• A little exy for the supermarket isle, this product is aimed at the 25-35 year olds and teens would also be attracted to this product, therefore the price should reflect that

Overall L'Oreal's Youth Code Luminosity Serum is a very nice product which lives up to its claims of 'corrects dark spots & illuminates'. Though I wouldn't use the word 'correct' since it doesn't get rid of the spots, it hydrates your skin and gives it a glow therefore making the spots less noticeable. This serum comes in a great pump bottle, it absorbs into my skin in seconds and leaves my feels light yet plump and could easily be used under makeup, which therefore means that I found it to be really user friendly and I was happy to continue using it after the trial was completed.


Have you used this product?
Have you noticed a more luminous complexion?

Review: Lux Body Wash and Shower Gel

If you are looking for a body wash that leaves your skin feeling refreshed and smelling delicious I would have to recommend the Lux body wash range. I have already finished two bottles of Lux Secret Bliss Body wash and I have decidede to try the rest of the range starting with Lux Indulge and with a RRP$AU5.49 I am sure to continue buying these (especially since it is often on a half price sale at Woolworths).

From left to right: Lux Shea Exfoliating Scrub Body Wash, Lux Magical Spell Body Wash, Lux Indulge Body Wash and Lux Tropical Sunset Body Wash

Features:

• Made in Australia
• 100% soap free
• pH balanced skin cleansing lather
• Easy to hold bottle with easy flip lid  

Likes:

• Need only a small amount, therefore lasts ages
• Lathers well
• Great smell
• Great range of scents
• Great cleanser
• Easy to hold bottle with easy flip lid
• Looks pretty in the bathroom

Dislikes:

• The opening at the top of the bottle is too big therefore you can often squeeze out more body wash than you need therefore leading to wastage. I sqeeze the contents of these soaps  into an old pump bottle so I can pump out the right amount in the shower.

Have you indulged your senses with one of these body washes?

Review: La Prairie Cellular Time Release Moisturiser, Intensive

Recently I received this cute little 15mL sample pot of  La Prairie Cellular Time Release Moisturiser, Intensive in the mail. Which is thanks to La Prairie joining Twitter and handing out this gift to their first 200 followers.
And just so that you know if you wanted to purchase this cream this 15mL pot will set you back $115.

La Prairie Cellular Time Release Moisturiser, Intensive Cream with the pretty packaging and card in the background that it came with

According to La Prairie this cream which is for all skin types triples the skin’s moisture levels, delivering a steady dose of highly effective hydration while guarding against moisture loss for a 16 hour time period.

Close up of the La Prairie Cellular Time Release Moisturiser, Intensive jar and lid

Features:

• Glass white jar with solid built metal and plastic lid
• Classic non over-powering cream fragrance
• Made in Switzerland
• Protects against dryness and moisture loss
• Softens and smoothes the skin throughout the day
• Helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Improves the skin’s vitality with continued use
• Super-moisturising

Likes:

• This cream has a rich but non-sticky texture
• Not too rich that you cannot use it with a serum
• Smoother and softer feeling skin is instantaneous, no need to wait one week to see results
• Dry patches of skin just disappears
• Skin still feels intensively hydrated the next day, therefore no need to use it daily. You can use it in conjunction with your usual moisturiser

Dislikes:

• Nothing about this cream disappoints, only that I cannot afford it....

Did you get your hands on this little beauty?
Have you tried anything from La Prairie before?

Eye colour palettes, the good and the bad

I must admit that when I first entered the would of makeup I wasn't too sure what I was doing and my mum wasn't much help either with tips, looks or techniques. Therefore I basically I learned all of that from the web.

But what I didn't learn from the web was how to apply multiple different colors eyeshadows to help define and or brighten a look and I was stuck with just did the monotone look, wether it was a monotone taupe or pastel green.

All that changed when I got my hand on my first Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow in Mocha Motion.

Not only did the pack have contain four colours which complemented each other but it also came with instructions on how to apply these colours to your eyelid to create either a well defined, classical or subtle look and I have never looked back...

Maybelline Expert Wear Eye Shadow in Crown Jewels, Mocha Motion and Seashore Frosts
Maybelline Hyper Diamonds in Bronze Diamonds,Covergirl Eye Enhancers in Berries and Cream and Covergirl Exact Eyelights in Vivid Greens.

Here are a couple of things that I like and dislike about eye colour palettes:

Likes

• Great for the beginner 
• Colours in each palette fit together perfectly 
• Professionally finished look each time 

Dislikes

• Many packs have the same amount of each colour but if you need to use more of one colour than another, you will soon be left with a half finished pack 
• Some packs are not very pigmented

Have you ever bought any eye colour palettes which were made for specifically for a couple of looks?

Review: Lancome Rouge in Love

Last month I was one of the lucky ladies that got to trial the Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick in Coral in Love 322M which is a lovely pinky coral colour.
For $45 you get 3.40g of bliss.

Lancome Rouge in Love

When you remove this lipstick from the sliver box you are faced with a beautiful frosted silver tube with a rose impression upon the top of the lid, on the front is a picture frame with the words Rouge in Love written on it, and as you can see in the image below the back has a lovely stitching pattern that makes me think of the back of a ladies leg which is wearing old fashioned stockings which is a nice touch. The word Lancome is also embossed twice around the base of the tube.

Lancome Rouge in Love in the colour Corail in Love

Since I am not usually a lipstick user because of the feel and longevity of lipstick I was therefore pleasantly surprised at how long wearing and comfortable I found this lipstick to be, but you still need to give it a couple of minutes to set before you drink anything but the colour comes straight off when you eat.

Lancome claims that this lipstick last 6 hours but I am still looking for someone that I know that does not eat for 6 hours straight.

Just so that you can see how this lipstick looks over a 5 hour period without eating I have made some pictures for you, you can click on each to see the larger image:
My lips without colour:

My lips without colour

Just applied Coral in Love:

Just applied Corail in Love

After 1 hour:

After 1 hour of wear of Corail in Love

After 2 hours:

After 2 hours of wear of Corail in Love

After 5 hours:

After 5 hours of wear of Corail in Love

Likes/Features:

• Colour looks different yet natural
• Lasted 5 hours without touch ups or reapplication
• Feels creamy and glides onto my lips almost like a lip balm
• Feels moisturising when you first apply
• Dries to a satin finish
• Does not dry out my lips once set
• Does not fade or bleed
• Medium Coverage which is buildable
• You can change the colour by using different coloured lip liners underneath
• Lovely old world Rose scent to the lipstick
• Great looking packaging 
• The sturdy metal packaging did not get damaged in my bag even after a month of carrying it around
• Lid clicks into place, I don't think I would ever have issues with it coming off in my bag
• Made in France

Dislikes:

• Price, but what can I say, these companies price their products depending on what people are willing to pay for their products and there are enough people who are willing to purchase at this price for this product and company to stay on the shelf... that must mean something

Would I purchase this myself?
If this product was ever on a good sale then most definitely yes, but for someone on my budget, sadly this is a product that will only be admired from afar when I have finished my tube of Coral in Love.

Have you tried the Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick Range?

Review: Bourjois Loose Face Powder

Packed in a pretty Black container with pink detailing this sweet looking packaging holds 30grams of mineral enriched loose powder which is produced by Bourjois Paris and has affordable price tag RRP of $AU29. It comes in who shades the medium shade is 01. Sable Elégant, and the medium shade in 02. Rosé chic which can provides you with a light coverage of powder which is build-able.

Outside look of the Bourjois Paris Loose Face Powder

Bourjois Power with half of the broken lid removed and the powder puff resting on the removed lid.

Likes:

• Cute design
• Super mattifying, keeping oiliness at bay, sets makeup
• Easy to pick up powder though the sieve with a brush
• The subtle Rose scent of the powder, which you can smell from the pot but not on your face, I didn't care for it at first but it grew on me, but you could say the smell is not needed.
• The fine texture of the powder just 'melts' into your skin leaving you with an airy finish
• Great staying power
• Leaves you with natural looking, radiant and velvety skin 
• Easy to forget that you are wearing makeup
• Made in France (it's not every day you buy makeup that is made in France)

Dislikes

• Packaging is bulky and not too user friendly
• Can only use in summer due to the fact that the lightest colour is still too deep for me in winter
• Lid broke after a couple of months, and it only ever saw the inside of my draw
• Once you wash the puff, though it feels fine it doesn't pick up powder like it used to and I converted to using a brush

Do you prefer your face powder to be in a loose or compact format?

30 things that makes me smile

I have not been in the best spirits over the last couple of weeks and whilst I have been sitting here I have decided that I will list 30 things that make me smile no matter what mood I am in. Let’s see how I go:

1. Cute forwards that are sent via email, you know what I mean the ones that may contain photos of animal young....aaaaaawwwww
2. Packages, the ones that you receive that are unexpected such as prize packs or freebies
3. Great scented beauty products such as soaps, creams etc.
4. Lame jokes, the lamer they are the more they make me smile
5. Chocolate :)
6. Seeing dogs play at the beach
7. Sunset at the beach and there is no one else around
8. My dog Bonnie, she is an 18year old Chihuahua and I love her to bits!
9. Very old sandstone buildings
10. Classical music such as J Strass Jnr works
11. Daggy  music that you just want to sing along to without a care in the world
12. Hand made objects
13. Disney movies
14. Thunder and Lightening
15. A good book
16. Lying down in fresh bed sheets (100% cotton)
17. MASH reruns on TV
18. New makeup products
19. Successfully completing something
20. Hot showers
21. Hearing the words: thank you
22. Learning something or teaching someone how to do something
23. Jewellery
24. Looking down into a stream from a walk bridge and seeing fish swim about
25. Climbing a mountain or going on a trek
26. Seeing amazing new places
27. Finding things in draws at home which I have forgotten about that have their own special meanings to me
28. Starry skies
29. Cheesecake
30. Sitting in the shade of a nice big tree on a sunny day

What makes you smile?

I've just bought a pair of Skechers Shape-Up's

Yesterday I went to the shoe department in Myer with a $50 voucher which needed to be spent (expiry date is the end on June 2012) and in need for a new pair of sneakers and just by co-incedince the Skechers range of Shape-Up foot wear was on sale so I decided to try them on and I took them home since I was happy with the price (RRP AU$149.95 on sale to $70), the softness and the general feel of these shoes.

Included in the shoebox you get a extra set of shoe laces if the original white ones are not your thing, a Shape-Ups book and DVD with a Shape-Ups workout, I don't think I would ever watch the DVD though :P.

Skechers Shape-Ups, Jump Start's in the colour white, silver, blue

As I was purchasing the shoes the sales woman advised me to only use it for a couple of hours the first time I wore them until I got used to them since they apparently they give you a real work out. Well I didn't heed that advise and put these shoes on as soon as I got home and went for a two hour walk that very same day and went for another 2 hour walk early the next morning and and I wore them for the rest of the day and I must say that I don't feel a thing apart from the soft and cushy comfort of these shoes (not that I was expecting to be sore, I just thought that I would do a search).

Therefore I decided to do a google search for these shoes and I unearthed a whole lot of bad press. Apparently the brands claims about the shoes does wonders to tone and shape your whole body is a whole load of rubbish.
There are also claims and that for the elderly and people with joint problems these shoes can cause a lot more pain and there are also issues with instability and falling.

These issues are so big that Skechers were to taken to court about claims of false advertising and they are in court again for safety issues, wow, I had never heard of that. With these court cases happening Skechers has been told that consumers are eligible for a partial refund for being mislead...Jikes! That is quite a loss in profits!

Even though I have now heard the bad press about these shoes, it has not changed the fact that I love the comfort of these shoes. I have bought quite a few sport shoes over the years and recently I have been having trouble finding comfortable shoes that protect and does not damage the skin on my wide feet nor leaves blisters in their wake.


As for the claims for helping you tone your body just remember though these shoes may 'help' you, but you still need to put in the hard-yard with exercising regularly whilst wearing these shoes ie don't get sucked in by any brands claims about getting toned just by wearing their shoes! If it sounds too good to be true then it usually is!

Do you own a pair of Skechers Shape Up? Don't they just feel great to wear?
Do you think they help tone your muscles?

Foundation Swatches for Light Skin Shades

Hi ladies!

There are so many different shades and tones when it comes to choosing foundations and we all know how hard it is to find the right shade.
Here I have swatched some of the open bottles of foundations and concealers which I have right now so that those ladies who may have one of the following foundations may compare what they have to some other products if they are looking to move on or who are just curious about what the tone of .
Here is the list of products I have swatched and their corresponding places in the images below:

Foundations:

1. Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector in Light
2. Covergirl Clean Makeup in 105 Ivory
3. Bourjois Collagen Foundation in 61 Abricote Clair
4. Max Factor Xperience Weightless Foundation in 40 Light Ivory

Concealers:

5. Bourjois Imperfection Concealer in 11 Beige Ivoire
6. Maybelline Age Rewind Double Face Perfector in Light
7. Bourjois Brush Concealer in 61 Beige Clair

In normal everyday light indoors

In natural light

In artificial light

The Products used above, names and shades listed from 1-7

P.S. Swatches do not always give a total accurate comparison between the colors ie I find that the Max Factor product no. 4 to be much lighter than the Covergirl product no.2 but in the images above the colour difference is not so great and I also find that the Covergirl foundation is darker than Bourjois when applied and blended into my face.

Quick Guide to Healthy Eating

How many Serves you should be eating daily and Serving Sizes

We are constantly hearing about the fact that we are a nation with an expanding waistline and that we need to be more careful about what we eat.

But when we are constantly being told what not to eat, it is sometimes hard to know what or how much we need to consume to make sure that we have enough energy for the day and to get the nutrients we need.

The table below from an Australian Government Health eating pamphlet and it specifies how many serves you should be consuming daily based on your sex and age. If you are smaller or live a less active lifestyle you should aim for the smaller number in each boxes which relates to you, if you are larger or more active you should be aiming for the larger figures.

How many serves of each food type we should be aiming for daily. Source: pg 10 Food for Health, Dietry Guidelines for Australians, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. ISBN 1864961171 (print) 1864962240 (online)

From the table above it does seem like we need to eat heaps, therefore are you confused about what a serve is?

Well so am I so I had a look at what they meant by one serve and here are some examples of what one serve is from each of the categories in the above table:

Cereals

• 2 slices of bread or 1 medium bread roll
• 1 cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles
• 1 cup porridge
• or 1/2 cup muesli.

Vegetables and Legumes

• 75 g or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, cooked dried beans, peas or lentils
• 1 cup salad vegetables

Fruit

• 1 medium piece, eg apple, banana, orange, pear
• 2 small pieces, eg apricots, kiwi fruit, plums
• 1 cup diced pieces or canned fruit
• dried fruit, eg 4 dried apricot halves,
• 1 1/2tablespoons sultanas.

Dairy

• 250 mL (one cup) fresh, long-life or reconstituted dried milk
• 40 g (2 slices) cheese
• 200g yoghurt

Meat, Fish, Poultry, Nuts and Legumes

• 1 serve meat is a portion which is equal to the palm of your hand
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cooked (dried) beans, lentils, chick peas, split peas or canned beans
• 80–120 g cooked fish fillet

Treat's or 'Extra's'

• 1 (40 g) doughnut
• 4 (35 g) plain sweet biscuits
• 1 slice (40 g) plain cake
• 25 g chocolate
• 200 mL wine (2 standard drinks)
• 375 mL soft drink
• 50g icecream.

Source: The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, 1998, ISBN 0 642 272573

Are you worried about your weight level?
Are you getting the nutrition and energy from food that you should be getting daily?

Review Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

The first thing I want to get off my chest is the price of this product. It costs $83.50 for 75mL which is a little pricey but the microfolant does last for months and leaves you with a nicely cleansed face after use.

From left to right: the packsging; the microfoliant vessel with the lid off showing the holes from which you can pore the microfoliant powder from.

Considering the cost I think that Dermalogica wants you to know that you have got the real thing which has not been tampered with therefore there is a holographic safety seal sealing the top of the box as can been seen in the image to the left below, but funnily enough the bottom of the box is not sealed at all... :)

The top of the packaging showing the guenine safety seal.

But there is nothing stopping you from opening the box from the bottom...

As for the product itself, the microfoliant is a fine rice powder that you need to mix with a small amount of water to create a paste before you massage it into your face for about one minute before rinsing your face throughly. The cleansing activity is based more upon enzyme action than a manual/abrasive exfoliation.

About half a teaspoon of microfoliant

Microfoliant with the addition of a small amount of water ready to be massaged onto your face for 1-2minutes.

Likes:

• Kind a gentle to the skin yet gives a through clean.
• Leaves skin glowing and smooth.
• Gentle enough to use daily
• Deep cleaning enough to used once every couple of days (contradictory, I know but true)
• Easy to rinse off, I am never left with any residue on my face
• Very soft powder scent which is almost non-existent

Dislikes:

• Price is a little high for some girls who would benefit greatly from such a gentle yet effective product.
• Takes a couple of weeks to get used to making the paste.
• A little time consuming to use compared to other cleaners that you just squirt and massage into your face, not a product you would use when you are in a rush.

Have you used this microfolant before? Do you like it?
What is your favourite exfoliator?

Getting Creative - I've made some pendants for my Earring!

Not that long ago I got my hands on a second hand wig jig and I wanted to try it out so I got out my tools, some silver wire and some old crystals and had a go!

Tools of the trade from left to right; metal file, wig jig, side cutters, round nose pliers and nylon jaw wire pliers.

 Here is the steps that I took to make the pendants for my earrings today:

Step 1: Start to wrap the silver wire around the end of the round nose pliers.

Step 2: Take that hoop that you have just made and place it around one of the pegs of the wig jig. Arrange the pegs of the wig jig to make a pattern and wrap the silver wire around the pegs to create any pattern that you desire.

Step 3: Cut the end of the silver wire when you have finished making your pattern and lift the pattern from the pegs.
You will see that your creation is not flat  when you lift it from the wig jig especially if you look at it from an angle like you can see below.

Step 4: Take the Nylon Jaw Wire Pliers and clamp the creation in the pliers to straighten out the creation.

Step 5: Once your wire design has been flattened out you can add some decoration, I am using the crystal pieces from a necklace that I had as a child that broke. I just opened the gold loop you can see in the image below and linked the crsytal to the creation before closing the loop again.

 The finished pendant.

Here I am wearing them:

Do you like?
Have you recycled any broken pieces of jewellery?