Nice melons

Scrub a dub dub.

I’m not a great reviewer of products (I run out of adjectives too quickly) so consequently I end up failing to share some really good things. Often it won’t be until I’m writing one or two sentences about them in my empties that I think “gee, I really should have recommended that earlier.”

Case in point is this Korres Watermelon Body Scrub. I’m a big fan of scrubs in general – both face and body – and am always on the look out for good new ones. I also adore Korres and they make some brilliant shower gels and body lotions in amazing scents. This is a creamier scrub that doesn’t foam and it has black gritty particles like really tough poppy seeds. Because it doesn’t use sugar or salt, the exfoliant doesn’t melt away before you’ve had a chance to scrub properly. Best of all it really does smell like watermelon, albeit fake candy watermelon, but since I love fake fruit scents that works for me. Overall it’s a good, non-drying scrubber.

I bought this 150ml tube from ASOS for $20 but if you prefer to buy in store it’s probably a fair bit more expensive at somewhere like Kit. (And yes, I too am developing an obsession with the Beautiful Mess iPhone app just like everyone else.)

Thoughts of the week – 19/5

Brilliant disguise.

1. I got my hair cut yesterday for the first time in around seven months (I look after my hair very well so it doesn’t need more regular trims) and even though I only got about 10cm chopped off, it feels so light and bouncy. Very happy with it.

2. I have seen the ads for the new Hungry Jacks/Burger King meals with ‘traditional lemonade’ and I got super excited. I loves me some old fashioned lemonade. When I was in the US I drank it almost exclusively. Sad to say, the HJ’s version is nothing but Solo. FAIL.

3. The new Natio orange blossom range is lovely. I bought the body scrub but I wanted the shower gel too.

4. I’m really into statement earrings at the moment.

5. I’ve been annoyed at my work BFF for the past fortnight over some really trivial things and letting it get the better of me. Time to stop.

6. This story about a Paris apartment which had been unopened since WWII is amazing (it had a $3m painting in it!).

7. Watched the Hart of Dixie season finale and loved it. So many good moments, especially the final one at the wedding (I won’t give more away).

8. I also loved the Gloriana song playing at the end of HoD called ‘Can’t Shake You‘ so much that I bought their album. It’s good, but not as good as that song was promising.

9. Chemist Warehouse has Revlon all at half price at the moment. Of course I bought some stuff, like another Skinlights illuminator and Cherry Blossom lipstick, which is part of the new Shanghai collection.

10. Speaking of discounts, Freedom Furniture has 20 per cent off everything this weekend and OF COURSE all the things I wanted are sold out.

Precious blossoms

I am absolutely in love with the Cartier orchid jewellery. It’s just so stunning and luxe with the right touch of the exotic. The rose gold earrings are my favourite (a mere $3500) but I’ll take that stunning necklace just as easily instead.

Coming up next

The two quotes above have really struck me in the past week, especially the first which I know to be undeniably true. There’s something that travel does to you, how it opens your mind to all the wonderful possibilities of the world, the adventures that have gone before you and the understanding that we truly are all in this together. My life would be nothing without travel.

My next adventure is booked for October and my travel guide arrived in the mail last week. I might just keep you in suspense for a little bit longer…

Ready ready ready

Photoready goodness (mostly).

Priceline is a cruel mistress. She lures us in with a 40 per cent off all make up sale then as soon as that’s over throws these new Revlon goodies out on her counters. Bitch. Despite the fact that I don’t need a new BB cream, illuminator or eye shadow palette, these made their way into my life via a 3 for 2 deal and the timely arrival of my quarterly Club card voucher. All three are part of the Photoready range, which seems to be expanding by the minute.

I got the Skinlights Illuminator in Bronze Light and it also comes in a pink or gold version. I really love using illuminators, particularly bronze hued ones, mixed in with foundation to give an all over glow rather than just focusing on a particular area. My favourite of all time is NARS’ Laguna and Orgasm illuminators which have a sheer, glowy, gel-like texture. I really liked this Revlon one and it’s probably my favourite of the three products I bought. It is reasonably dark and quite pigmented, so paler skinned peeps may not love it as much. It mixes well with foundation and isn’t sparkly at all so I don’t look like a glitter bomb (phew).

I bought the Light Medium shade in the BB cream as this tends to work best on my skin in Revlon products. It’s nice and more like a tinted moisturiser than an Asian BB but that’s not really a concern for me. I’ve been using it on weekends and I like it, it feels really light, blends well and has a decent lasting time. It does have that sunscreeny smell though so watch out if this is an issue for you. Of all the Western branded ‘BB creams’ I’ve tried, this is definitely one of my favourites.

I was really excited to try this eyeshadow palette in Metropolitan as the colours in this one and others in the range looked so pretty. These Photoready palettes not only contain the standard three shadows but also a primer and glitter top coat. The finger swatches from Metropolitan were amazing with a shimmery rose gold primer, dark matte brown, grey/brown shimmer, peach/gold shimmer and a glittery bronze top coat. However the primer is super powdery and flakes when you use a brush, the shimmer shades have tons of fall out and don’t get me started on the glitter. That pretty much ended up on my cheeks. Plus they barely made it six hours on my lids before almost disappearing, and that was using the supplied ‘primer’. I haven’t yet tried them with my own ArtDeco primer so I’ll give them another go however you have been warned.

All three items are popping up at Pricelines and department stores everywhere (Myer has an especially good GWP deal for Revlon at the moment) and the three items are priced between $24-30.

Japanese love affair

My new favourite.

I have a fondness for picking up items named after places I’ve travelled to. I own plenty of the wonderful Mavala city polishes (Paris, Tokyo, New York) but up until now Manhattan was the only destination on the Glasshouse candle list that I’d checked off. I was extremely excited when I saw their new limited edition Kyoto candle and crossed my fingers it would be a good one.

Luckily it’s not just good, it might even be my favourite of all time. Its official scent is Lotus and Camellia and it’s an ambery floral that I absolutely love. Perfect for autumn. Plus it comes in the most amazing gold packaging with a cherry blossom motif that’s almost too pretty to throw away.  The packaging notes that it is inspired by Kyoto’s Golden Pavillion (Kinkaku-ji) and having been there last year I would have to say it’s one of the loveliest buildings in the world. I’d love to see it again in the snow.

You can pick up the Glasshouse candles at David Jones or Minimax for around $40 and they are worth every scent cent.

Beautiful Kyoto.

Thoughts of the week – 12/5

Perfect liner.

1. I am so over the doughnut bun. They’re passé ladies! Too 2012. If I see another one I’ll vomit.

2. I watched Wreck It Ralph last weekend and loved it – so cute. I am a Sega Master System II girl from waaaaay back AND I can finish Wonderboy on both the Sega and arcade versions.

3. I really want Gwyneth’s new cookbook even though I don’t cook. It’s so beautifully designed and the photographs are gorgeous.

4. Sometimes you need to fight for things to be right and never give up.

5. I have a boss/supervisor that I not only admire and respect, but really like. We were working together last night and it struck me that after nearly seven years together we have such a great relationship. She’s a good egg.

6. Oh Port Adelaide. You’re starting to let me down.

7. I bought the first series of Happy Endings on DVD for $20 and absolutely loved it. The cast look like they’re having a great time and it’s a really funny, easy show to watch.

8. This new home/style site called Domaine is fantastic. A new obsession.

9. Our search for a new house mate continues, not helped by the full blown panic our current and leaving household member bestows upon us every time we walk in the door. And she’s still not leaving for a month!

10. These ASOS animal print shifts are my new obsession. I may or may not own one and have ordered a second. They come in maternity and plus size versions too.

11. This John Krasinski/Jimmy Fallon lip sync-off kills me (thanks Julia!)

12. I know I’ve raved about the Mix by Coles clothes before but they have amazing soft jersey pyjamas and nighties at the moment. Get on it.