Lust Have It Review - November 2014

I was really looking forward to receiving this month's Lust Have It as the product we got to choose was really exciting! This arrived in my postbox on Friday 28th, so yes still later in the month but at least it still is in November!

Visit www.lusthaveit.com for more information and to sign up to this great monthly beauty subsciption box!

 Let's have a look shall we?

Operation Use My Makeup: Kit #1

Each time I sit down to do my makeup I more often than not reach for the same few items and end up ignoring some of my stash. I am also a little guilty of 'saving' some of my more expensive/pretty products, in favour of trying to use up other cheaper (or not so good) products. With this all in mind I am starting an "Operation Use My Makeup". I no longer want to be pushing items to the back of my drawers, or forgetting about them only to find they are no longer at their best. Basically I want to make the most out of my stash and evenly use everything!

Each fortnight I will be choosing a makeup kit and sticking with it. This doesn't mean these are the only makeup items I'll be using this fortnight, it's just my base, mostly everyday, products. I'll reach into my stash for any other items I may need each day (depending on what makeup I'm wearing each day!)

Even just in this first kit I've re-discovered a few items which I'd either forgotten I had, or hadn't used in a long while.

So what is in my first kit?

• NP Set Pre-Foundation Bronzing Primer
• Clinique Even Better Makeup in 03 Ivory
• Loreal Glam Bronze Eau De Soleil
• Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 02 Light Medium
• By Terry Hyaluronic Eye Primer Brightener
• Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter
• Bodyography Loose Complexion Powder in Wheat
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette
• Mirenesse Sexy Secret Weapon Mascara
• Benefit Smokin Eyes Kit
• Teez Paradise Perfect Lipgloss in Sheer Gold
• Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely fragrance

What do you think? Do you ever neglect some of your makeup items?

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 8 Update and Program Wrap-up

So there we have it, 8 weeks of no sugar! Yep that's right, the I Quit Sugar 8 Week Program has finished today. Whoa. It's been almost 60 days of repeatedly saying no to sugar (well apart from my fall offs). I'm so beyond proud of myself for sticking with this - my life has changed so much in the last 8 weeks and it's amazing.

Week 8 consisted of:

• Meal plans/shopping list/sunday cook up - I was a bit disappointed to see that this weeks meals where repeats from recipes in previous weeks. I would have much preferred some new ones!
• Weekend read - going over exactly how far we've come in 7 weeks (and it's amazing!)
• Movement plan - this was an 80's inspired workout (LOL) but as I've said previously I've been doing the Kayla Itsines bikini body workout
• Try this - loads of tips to keep going sugar-free after this week ends
• Tuesday eats - loads of sustainable hacks (such as how to regrow shallots)
• Expert tips - how to keep going sugar free as the program closes and you're forced into the 'real world'

Overall this has been a fantastic program and for me, 100% worth the $150 investment. I've learnt so much and I'm in a headspace now with food that I never thought I'd ever be. I am more me than I've ever been - no more stupid emotional rollercoaster, rewarding myself and punishing myself with food. Food is no longer my enemy and that is absolutely priceless. Don't get me wrong this program was HARD especially at the beginning - detox is a bitch - but it's great to sit here now, full of energy, knowing that every shitty day has resulted in this :)

So now what?

I'm going to keep going. I'm going to keep sugar out of my pantry and off my plate. I feel healthier than I ever have. My skin is clearer than it's ever been. My depression and anxiety, although still something I struggle with, are more under control than they've ever been. I am less bloated. I have less PMS at that time of the month. I am less tired. I sleep better. It's easier to get out of bed in the morning. I lost weight. I'm no longer hungry. I no longer think about food constantly. I only eat till i'm full. With all these positives how could I ever go back to before?

I'm not going to be super crazy about the whole thing and get obsessive, I'm just going to carry on eating like I have done for the past 8 weeks. Basically I'm just going to eat real food. The main fact is I don't crave sugar anymore - so if I realise I've just eaten something that's been sweetened with honey it's not going to kill me and it's not going to send me on a sugar binge. I have control over sugar now, it doesn't control me and that's the best thing!

I'm excited for my new sugar free life!

If you have any questions about the 8 week program, please comment below or email me at pinklipgloss85@gmail.com as I am more than happy to share my tips or recipes or anything!

Bellabox Review - November 2014

So look what turned up, my last ever Bellabox - November. I was quite suprised to see it sitting there! It's nice to see this turn up when it is meant to. That is one thing on Bellabox's side actually, that they are more often than not on time with their box. The products they send out are usually a bit of a miss though.

A little disclaimer before you read on: I'm not a fan of Bellabox and haven't been for a while so this is likely to be a negative post. Please skip if you're not into that!!

This month's was missing the standard blue box and there was a card explaining why - the samples wer to big to fit. I don't mind as I have had a million boxes and they all get chucked. Besides, packaging is not what we pay for!

What's In My Bag - Wedding Edition

The title really should be "What Was In My Bag" as my wedding was the 1st November, however I thought it would still be interesting to share what I decided to tote with me on my day.

I tried not to pack to much makeup (I always seem to carry around far to much 'just in case') and just stuck with the essentials, along with some hair items and other random bits and bobs. The only thing I wish I packed but didn't was super glue - my shoe broke early on at the reception and had to hobble around for the rest of the evening - not cool!

So what was in my bag?

The Essentials

Cedel Coconut Bay Hairspray, Compact mirror, Tissues for obvious reasons, Hollywood tape, A comb which I actually broke the handle off so it's easier to tuck into my bag, cotton buds for touching up my eye makeup, bobby pins, The Body Shop Coconut Hand Cream to avoid ugly dry hands in photos and especially as people want to look at my ring all day, I kept applying this. Smells amazing and hydrates well, e.l.f Shine Eraser Oil Blotting Sheets as it rained on my wedding day (isn't that meant to be good luck?) I didn't have to use these too much as shine mostly stayed away as it wasn't too hot.

Makeup

NARS Contour Blush in Olympia, NARS Lipstick in Cruising one my my all time favourite lipsticks, it hydrates well and gives a subtle pink/nude colour to my lips with a little shine and is super easy to apply, Philosophy Lipgloss in Vanilla Birthday Cake which I didn't use much of as my lipstick was shine enough, Lucas Paw Paw Ointment, Models Prefer Eyeliner in Black, NYX Doll Eye Waterproof Mascara I didn't have to use this, as the mascara my makeup artist used stayed beautifully all day (even through my bouts of happy tears!), MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Powder in Medium Perfect for touch ups and keeping my skin looking flawless all day, Real Techniques Kabuki Brush I chose this brush as it is small, good for powder and also opens up into a fan shape, which is good for use with the NARS contour blush, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Brush I ended up not using this, as it doesn't have a lid so it annoyed me a little on the day - I didn't want lipstick all through my bag.

My makeup was all tucked into my Dior makeup bag, and this along with the rest was packed into my Mimco bag. Easy to tote and small enough for me to hide in the corner at the reception :)

Even though I didn't use everything I packed, I am glad I had it all with me for those 'just in case' occurances! It was a beautiful day, and I'm very lucky to have married the love of my life in such a perfect way (mushy mushy!).



The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 7 Update

My no sugar adventure is drawing to a close, only 1 more week to go! It is a strange feeling, and to be honest a bit nerve wracking - once this ends there is no more meal plans, no more try this, no more expert tips, no more comfort zone! Scary feeling but I really do feel like I have learnt enough to continue it on myself (not to mention our house contains almost zero sugar so if that is kept up it will be almost impossible to fall off haha).

If you read my week 6 update (here) you would know that I fell off the bandwagon in an epic way last week! I'm happy to report though, this week I stuck to the meal plan perfectly with no straying and I'm really proud of myself! I am actually quite glad I fell off last week, as it gave me a little kick in the rear and really spurred me on this week.

Week 7 was all about encouraging food freedom - so cutting out snacks, basically listening to our body and realise that often we're not even hungry it's more about habit, or that everyone else is eating. I'm gonna say it now, I'm a big snacker so this sounded really hard, but I was intrigued.

The week looked like this:

• Shopping list/meal plan/sunday cook up
• Weekend read - exploring the concept of 'Big Food' and how it influences our most trusted Government bodies. Basically, this went over how big food manufacturers sneak sugar into almost everything because it keeps it cheap and it keeps us addicted. They want us to keep eating sugar. Some big food companies even sponsor national nutrition bodies. For example, the Dieticians Association of Australia National Conference held in May 2014 was sponsored by Nestle, Arnott's, Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. Alarm bells start ringing. This read was definately one of the most eye opening!
• Movement plan - Upping momentum a little (although again, I'm not following this as I'm doing a different exercise program by Kayla Itsines)
• Try this - we are encouraged to limit our snacking this week. We got some tips on how to stay full for longer and keep us from being hungry in between meals
• Tuesday eats - ways to pump up the flavour in food! Yum!
• Expert tips - Some food swaps for limiting sugary food for children. This was a great addition to this week as I often babysit, and my husband and I are trying for kids, so I'd love to be able to continue this on with our children in the future.

The Only Bronzers I'll Need This Summer

I'm a pale lass and my skin is the type that just doesn't tan in the sun no matter what I do. I spent pretty much my whole teens wracked with insecurities about my lily white skin, trying to be in the sun as much as possible but all I would do is get burnt, then go straight back to white. Now days I embrace my skin - it's who I am and I've accepted that I'll always look  pretty much like a ghost!!

When the warmer weather hits though, I do enjoy getting out the fake tan and bronzer - I just don't let it bother me too much if I forget (my teen self would never have left the house without being slathered in fake tan note - orange was never a good look). To compliment my fake tan, or just to give myself an instant warm up when I've forgotten, I've found some cracking bronzers - pretty much the only ones I'll be reaching for this summer.

First up, the Loreal Glam Bronze Eau De Soleil RRP $19.95 from Priceline is actually the first liquid bronzer I've tried and boy am I glad I did. I have mostly been using this mixed with foundation (perfect to mix with my foundations that are a too light for when I'm tanned). It doesn't look orange and doesn't make me too shimmery. I always find that shimmery bronzers enlarge my pores so thankfully this one doesn't. It also blends like a dream - no weird 'dirty' patches for me! It is very light, so it's easy to wear without foundation as well. It's just so damn natural.

When I'm in a powder bronzing mood I reach for my newly acquired NYX Matte Bronzer  RRP $17.95  from Target in shade light. This is a purely matte bronzer and is perfect for touching up my fading fake tan, or just to give my face and body a bit of bronzey pep. It is very easy to blend (again no 'dirty' patches) and lasts the whole day. There is zero shimmer in this one (obviously) and gives me a perfectly natural bronzed goddess look.

So there you have it, my two favourite bronzers! Do you wear bronzer? What are your favourites?

What I Loved In October

Geez louise. Where is the year melting away to? October was a crazy busy month for me so perhaps that's why I feel like I blinked and missed the whole month! It's already nearly mid November (yes, i'm late at posting my favourites!) and I've already starting my Xmas shopping! Eeek! At least I'm getting on the Xmas bandwagon early so I'm not that stupid person trying to shop on Xmas Eve like last year (and the year before, and the year before that!)

Here are a few of my favourites from October:

Empties - October

Well it's that time again, time for my empties! I really like writing these posts as I get to go through everything I've used in more detail and decide if I want it again. Plus it makes me feel better about my frequent hauls ;)
So what did I use up in October?

 

I am fairly impressed (again, I say that every month!) with what I got through this month, even though a lot of it was shampoo and conditioner. There are a few full sized makeup items which I'm happy I stuck with and used up!

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 6 Update

Well oh dear, things really took a turn for the worse this week... If you have read my previous posts you will know that I'm doing the I Quit Sugar 8 Week Program online (see their website here). Last week I fell a little off the bandwagon but luckily stepped right back on - mostly because I could control what sort of food was at my wedding so could ensure there were safe choices for me. I was going well until I hit my honeymoon....

First up, week 6 looked like this:

• Meal Plan/Shopping List/Sunday Cook up
• Weekend Read - all about different types of sweeteners in order to help us choose what is the best moving forward
• Movement Plan - strength exercises (however I'm doing Kayla Itsines 12 week bikini body plan)
• Try This - we introduce a little bit of sweetener this week! We also learnt which fruits are best to eat moving forward
• Tuesday Eats - low fructose fruits are back in our diet. We were given a little trick to lesson the impact of blood sugar levels (very handy after being off it for so long)
• Expert Tips - the IQS experts give their advice on how to be more mindful and how to listen to your body when adding sweetness back in to our diet (i.e how to not go crazy!)

Lust Have It Review - October 2014

First of all my apologies for the lack of good and timely posts recently. I got married on Saturday and we had our whirlwind honeymoon in Mollymook which we've just got back from last night! I was supposed to have some drafts together ready for posting but I didn't really realise what a mind-blowingly busy couple weeks I would have before my wedding. Crazy.

Anyway, I was pleasantly suprised to walk through the door yesterday and find 2 parcels - my October boxes for Lust Have It and Bellabox. Hooray! First up, I'll review the Lust Have It October package.

Bellabox Review - October 2014

This is Bellabox's 3rd birthday box so I was expecting big things. I had seen one sneak peek (they really spammed my email this month!) so I did know I was receiving the nail polish, but other than that I didn't really know what else to expect... All I knew was that they really bigged this box up. Like massively. Going and on and on about how good this box was. Was it worth it? Hmmm.

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 5 Update

We are officially have way through the program! (queue round of applause). This is a great feeling - at the start I didn't think I'd make it this far to be honest! Anyway, this week was slightly different to others and not quite as smooth. I actually got married on the weekend, so trying to manage my diet along with all the stresses that come with the week before a wedding was very very difficult.. BUT this came at the perfect time as this week we learnt about situations that will test us, and we had an eating out challenge. Perfect! In saying that, I have had a few slip ups, some unintentional and some not so, but overall I think I did pretty well, and I think that shows how much I've learnt so far on the program.

Week 5 looked like this:

• Meal plan/shopping list/sunday cook up
• Weekend Read - how to deal with those people who are doubting what you are doing and some tips on eating out
• Movement Plan (again, I'm doing the Kayla Itsines 12 week bikini challenge, but there have been some great tips and plans as part of these movement plans)
• Try This - Techniques for getting around the emotional attachment to sugar
• Tuesday Eats - eating out challenge! We got a little pocket guide to eating out which can be easily taken with you - fantastic!
• Expert Tips - the IQS experts shared what they eat when in restaurants and cafes

Vogue Online Shopping Night - The Bargains I'm Checking Out

I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for a good deal. Gift with purchase? Yes please. Free shipping? Uh-huh. % off? Definately! So I'm pretty excited to get my shop on with the Vogue Australia Online Shopping Night.

(all images from vogue website)

The VOSN is only available for one 'night' - Wednesday 29 October 2014 12pm - 12am. (shouldn't that be day/night?). To check out a list of all the offers and retailers visit http://www.vogue.com.au/vogue+online+shopping+night  

I've just been checking out the website for all their offers and wanted to share a few of my picks, and some of the deals that I may (will) be checking out.

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 4 Update

Agh week 4 of the I Quit Sugar program is over! Time has absolutely flown by with this program and I'm really starting to get the gist of life without sugar and I'm finally starting to feel better too. For an overview of the program and why I decided to quit fructose click here.

Week 4 of the I Quit Sugar program was 'clean week' and saw me intake the most amount of greens in a week then I ever have before. I drank smoothies loaded with spinach (and greens powder) plus ate what felt like a zillion green vegetables and all in all it made me feel A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I have had a real pep in my step this week - I feel great. I am sleeping well, my moods have improved and the best part? I'm hardly craving sugar. Yes, a few pangs of cravings have hit but I know what to do now, it's the art of distraction - be it drinking tea, exercising or shopping (oops) I get over those cravings fairly quickly.

Week 4 looked like this:

• Meal plans, shopping lists and sunday cook up
• Weekend read - discovering how to deal with detox symptoms and what to do if we lapse
• Movement plan (note I've taken up Kayla Itsines 12 week bikini body plan, so I'm not actually following the IQS movement plans anymore)
• Try this - Techniques that work when sugar cravings occur
• Tuesday eats - alternatives to coffee! (which was given up as part of this clean week
• Expert tips - As it's clean week we were given tips on how to deal with detoxing: emotionally, physically and psychologically
• Webinar with Sarah Wilson - she went throught questions received from participants of the program

As I said, week 4 was 'clean week' so we were giving up coffee, alcohol and gluten. This gives our bodies the chance to recalibrate, fully detox and get used to life without sugar. I am going to be honest I thought I would HATE this week. I saw the meal plan, with smoothies for breakfast, and didn't want to do it. But, I pushed through, bought a blender, a shit load of spinach and some greens powder and tackled those smoothies head on! I've never been a smoothie fan but the recipes that Sarah has given us are delicious - and it's something I'll be drinking a lot more of!!

I am proud to say that I've not yet lapsed and eaten anything with sugar. I'm sure that sounds proposterious to some, but I'm very stubborn and have iron will. I'm one of those people that find it fairly easy to say no to something once I've gotten my mind set. I've read so much about fructose and how lethal it is that to me, I'd rather miss out on a piece of (delicious looking) store bought chocolate cake and go home and tinker and make my own, sugar free, version (once I've finished this program of course). In saying all that though, I have had my doubts and last week was the worst in terms of almost caving to the horrible cravings. I'm so glad that is over though, and hopefully this great feeling will last!

Overall it's been a really good week (yes I've said that a couple of times now) and I've learnt a lot - how to distract myself from cravings, how I actually don't need a coffee in the morning and how good it feels to feel healthy!

As always if you have any questions or would like any further information on the I Quit Sugar program please comment below or email me at pinklipgloss85@gmail.com

Another Haul (Mecca, MAC & NYX)

Yep, more hauling. October seems to be the month of the spend!

I spent a couple of days last week in Canberra as I picked up my wedding dress, which I am absolutely in love with! I only wish that I could wear it more than once. It seems such a waste to have such a beautiful dress just sit in a cupboard forever! I also had to pick up some jewellery for my bridesmaids and a few other decorations and supplies for our wedding day. With all that done (and feeling the pain of some nasty sugar withdrawals) I decided on a bit of retail therapy....

Into Mecca I went, into Target I went, and into Myer I went, Down, down and down my bank account went... Oops! Yes I did spend a lot of money, but it was all on products that I've either been lusting after for a while or needed (erm yes, I did need more lip stick, really!!). Plus I see it as living out on the farm we spend nothing, and I mean nothing. Living in the middle of nowhere certainly has it's perks and one of those is not having the oppurtunity to spend money, even if you want to! (Except online shopping. Damn you online shopping!)

Onto what I picked up:

Mecca
Hourglass No.2 brush $76
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder $79
Nars Illumiator in Orgasm $39

 

I am in no means a beauty product whiz, or an expert. The more and more I get into the world of beauty the more I learn. One of the biggest thing I've learnt is to not skimp on brushes! I use to think they were all the same, but they are not and this Hourglass brush is to die for. It doesn't eat your makeup (all my other cheap brushes seem to have more makeup on them then on my face!), and it works for all types of makeup. Liquid/Cream foundation, powder, blush, illuminator. It.is.amazing. I was also after something to set my makeup without drying me out - my skin has been so dry lately - and the kind Mecca SA spent ages with me helping me decide on what was best and I landed the By Terry powder. Just for fun I got the Nars Illuminator, as it's also good for use under my eyes when mixed with concealer and gives an overall lovely dewy look.

Myer

MAC Prep + Prime Skin Brightening Serum $65
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural Powder (Medium) $49

I'm a MAC convert. I honestly hate myself for not getting into MAC before now. Last time I stopped by the MAC counter the SA gave me a sample of this serum and I instantly fell in love. It is the perfect base for my makeup and gives my skin a good dose of brightening which it needs! I needed a good quality powder too, so into the basket this one went. It gives me the most natural look whilst getting rid of shine, without any caking. Lush.

Target

NYX Matte Bronzer in MBB01 Light $12.64
NYX Rouge Cream Blush in CB02 Natural $8.36
NYX Stay Matte Liquid Foundation in SMF04 Creamy Natural $10.45
NYX Lipstick in LSS628 Tea Rose $6.26
NYX Lipstick in LSS513 Electra $6.26

I was in Target getting a new blender (I'm really on the smoothie wagon at the moment) and saw the whopping 30% off NYX, and I just couldn't say no. I reallllllly didn't need any of these products but at 30% off I thought it was good to stock up. I've heard some good things about this bronzer as it is matte, which works much better on me - I hate too much shimmer in my bronzer it just enlarges my pores and makes me look horrid and old. I also got this lovely cream blush and some foundation, but my favourite items are the two lipsticks. Wow does NYX make a good lipstick! Electra (red) is to.die.for. I've hated all reds I've tried but this. wow. I can't even put into words how much I love this!!

Have you hauled recently? What have you picked up?

E.l.f. Lip Exfoliator - Review

Budget buy alert!

I have horribly dry lips. Yep. And it sucks! I have to exfoliate my lips (whether it be with a soft towel, toothbrush or Lip Scrub (currently using Lush) all the time and wear copious amounts of balm. I love Lush's Lip Scrub however find it messy to use and often won't even bother unless I'm about to wear lipstick.

On a whim, I picked up the elf lip exfoliator from Kmart for a measley $8. I had no idea these existed but boy am I glad I know now.

According to the packaging, the exfoliator:

• Gently exfoliates lips to remove dry chapped skin
• Is infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oil
• Treats and smoothes lips for a conditioned and revitalised feel

The elf lip exfoliator comes in the shape of a lipstick, in black casing. Genius! Gone are the days of shoving my finger in a (unhygenic) little pot, more often than not wasting product in the process of pot to lips. This makes life so much easier.

The product itself is quite hard, which is actually not what I was expecting - I did think it would be a little softer. It has little 'beads' to help exfoliate. All you need to do it dampen your lips, apply in a circular motion then use a moist cotton pad to gently wipe away the scrub (I also follow with balm). I'm seriously in love.

Not only does this smell fantastic (like lollies) it actually does leave your lips smooth and soft. The softness comes from the scrub only, this doesn't moisturise your lips at all so you do need to make sure you do follow with a nice lip balm. This is a great, quick fix for dry chapped lips, however it is not the most sensitive thing going around. If you do have sensitive lips this might be a little to harsh for your lips as the 'beads' can get quite rough. A way to combat that could be to apply the product with your fingers, rather than the stick, so it's not as exfoliating but still doing the job (if that makes sense? Geez I'm good with words today!).

Overall this is a great, budget friendly lip product and I'd highly recommend it. It's hygenic (providing you don't apply with your fingers), smells great and gets the job done.

What do you use to exfoliate your lips?

The Parcel by Marie Claire - Spring Edit - Review (New Australian Beauty Subscription Box)

Hooray! Australia's newest Beauty Subscription Box, The Parcel by Marie Claire has launched this month with the Spring Edit. The box contains products hand picked by editors of Marie Claire magazine and is released quartely, and each box is matched to particular seasons.

I signed up monthly, so this box cost me $25. There is also options to sign up annually (4 boxes) for $90 and annually + subscription to Marie Claire (4 boxes, 12 issues) for $149.

To read more about The Parcel by Marie Claire go to www.theparcel.com.au.

The Parcel arrived in a black box printed with The Parcel logo, with an outside cardboard sleeve, as you can see below. My address was printed on the sleeve, which is a nice personal touch. (I've blurred out my address in the photo below for privacy reasons):

The box is very sturdy and arrived in good condition (no dents).

Opening the box, it had some black tissue paper covering the items, with a little information card which specifies all the products included. My name is actually printed on this card, which is another nice personal touch (this just makes it really feel like it's handpicked for you, even though you know it isn't!)

Onto the exciting part and what was actually in the box and my thoughts about each!

Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector (7ml sample)
RRP $97

I've never actually tried Lancome skincare. It's always been a little bit out of my price range, however recently I've been making the transition to mid-high end makeup and I am gradually doing the same with my skincare. This serum claims to visibly correct wrinkles, pores and skin texture in 6 weeks. I love a good serum so am happy to receive this and look forward to trying it out.

Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain (full size)
RRP $25.95

I actually was going to purchase some of these at Priceline the other day but they only had one shade left (they were on sale) which I didn't like. I received 035 Miami Fever, which isn't one I'd usually pick for myself however I love it! I love when you receive colours like this that push you out of your comfort zone. This is also a new release in Australia so it's great to see something so new in a box like this.

Gwen Stefani by O.P.I Nail Lacquer (full size)
RRP $19.95

Love a full size O.P.I included! Yeee haaa! I've not even seen any of the Gwen Stefani line but since then I've done a little research and want the rest! I received this in 'Sing in Color' which is a very very deep red, described as blackberry (and reminds me of red wine). It is a stunning colour, and is perfect for me. Adore this inclusion.

Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner (0.1g sample) RRP $35
Benefit They're Real Mascara (3g sample) RRP $38

So very happy to receive the push up liner. I've heard so many mixed reviews about this, so it's good to be able to try this for myself without investing almost $40. I love gel liner so this is right up my alley. The Mascara is obviously a cult product and I've used it before and loved it, so again this is perfect for me. Great additions by including Benefit (everyone loves Benefit!)

Loreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray (purse size) RRP $4.95

I've never used this hairspray before but I have actually heard a lot about it. It is apparently an undectable, ultra-fine mist that provideds long lasting hold but allows for movement. It can also be brushed out at the end of the day without leaving your hair crunchy. This sounds perfect for me so I'm excited to try this!

Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo & Conditioner (40ml samples)
RRP $4.99 each

I received these samples in Bellabox last month and I wasn't very impressed with them. This is my least favourite inclusion to the box.

 

Overall I am pretty happy with this box. Luckily I did receive the two 'lucky dip' products in colours that I want/will wear (the lip stain and nail polish), but I think that if they were miss colours I wouldn't be as happy. It does give a good mix of products - skincare, makeup and haircare which I think is fabulous and the mix of brands was good too.

I have actually unsubscribed from The Parcel but that is nothing to do with what I received. I'm still subscribed to Lust Have It and I have a zillion products and samples that I need to use up prior to getting more. Once LHI has finished I will think about going back to The Parcel. It will be interesting to see what their next boxes contain!

What are your thoughts on the newest Australian beauty box subscription? Are you subscribed?

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 3 Update

Today marks the end of the third week of the I Quit Sugar program. If you aren't familiar with the I Quit Sugar program, visit their website or see my first post about quitting fuctose here.

This week was a big education sort of week, which was a bit heavy, but thankfully as I've read Sarah's books prior to joining this online program, I was aware of some it previously. Trust me, trying to concentrate on learning about sugar when all you are craving is sugar is a bit tough!

We learnt a few things this week. Firstly, how much sugar we are actually eating. On average we consume around 60kg of sugar a year. That's 1kg a week. That's enough to make me want to spew! We were given examples of how much sugar was in certain kinds of food like Coke (10 teaspoons), apple juice (9 teaspoons), baked beans (4.5 teaspoons), Barbeque sauce (53 teaspoons in a 600ml bottle - seriously wtf!). All this is ADDED sugar. Yuck. It was a real eye opener.

To aid in helping us to work out ourselves how much sugar is in food, and help us make healthier choices, we learnt how to read food labels. This is where it gets tricky. When a food label says sugar they are referring to all sugar - glucose, maltose, fructose and lactose. Different sugars contain different amounts of fructose. For example, table sugar (sucrose) is 50% glucose, 50% fructose, which the sugar in milk is 100% lactose (so therefore contains no fructose). Yep. Confusing. Luckily we were provided with many examples of exactly how to read and understand labels, and were given a few 'rules':

• Eat products with less than 3 - 6g of sugar per 100g/100ml (noting that the first 4.7g of sugar in dairy is lactose)
• Liquids should contain no sugar
• 4g of sugar = 1 teaspoon of sugar

Week 3 looked like this:

• Meal Plan/Shopping List/Sunday Cook Up (Love this - we can prepare some ingredients for the week ahead earlier)
• Weekend read - How to read food labels
• Movement plan - A circuit inspired workout
• Try This - We were given a little 'tester' and had to work out how to read some example food lables and work out if was okay to eat or not. A great little lesson.
• Tuesday Eats - Some easy DIY food (swapping spaghetti for zucchini noodles, making your own dips and crackers)
• Expert Tips - the experts go though what their biggest food blunders have been and why this has inspired them to just eat real food.

Overall, this week has been a good one. Yes I'm still craving sugar, but learning all we have this week has made it easier to really understand WHY i'm craving so bad. I never realised how much sugar I was actually eating! The recipes this week were amazing - I really enjoyed everything and there was actually a fair bit of variety with Quinoa, Fish, Chicken and Sausages making an appearance! The downside - I've had headaches, I've been constipated, I've had diarrea. I'm seriously all over the place but I know that will soon get better and it's just my body withdrawing from sugar. I"m slowly forming different and positive habits around food. I've also learnt the art of distraction, and tea is my biggest! I now have a collection of tea that will rival that of Woolies... but it's helping me get through it!

Thats my wrap of week 3. As always if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Clinique Sonic System - Purifying Cleansing Brush Review

This cleansing brush is a relatively new release, the lovely Clinique sales assistant in Myer said it had only been out for a month or so. I'm pretty new to the world of cleansing brushes and the only one I've used is the Olay Regenerist, which was a good brush at first but after about a month's use it really started to upset my skin and made it more sensitive than normal. It was on a whim that I even discovered this one - I'd only gone to Clinique to talk about a hydrating eye cream when the SA told me about the Sonic System.

According to Clinique, the Sonic System is dermatologist developed to clean better where you need it most. It removes impurities for clear, healthy looking skin and clearer looking pores. The gentle sonic action cleans more effectively than hand washing alone, and

• Swiss-engineered brush is shaped for targeted cleansing
• Unique tilted head and sonic technology reaches deep into problem areas - forehead, chin and nose
• Ergonomic handle
• Waterproof - can be used in the shower

Lust Have It Review - September 2014

Yep, I know that it is mid October but September's Lust Have It only arrived in the post yesterday. I'm not 100% sure as to why, as there hasn't been an explanation, and I didn't even get a dispatch notice this month. Obviously something is going on with LHI as the past couple of months have been getting later and later. I hadn't heard a thing from LHI, however last night I did receive an email saying sorry for the lateness and a link to the "what's in the box" card (as a card was not included in the package). They have said that they don't foresee any delay in October packs so hopefully they get back on track.

September's pack was received in another pink bag, which I'm kind of getting sick of - there are only so many you need! I have some good ideas to use these as gifts though and they are of good enough quality that I am willing to give them away! Anyway, onto what we received:

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 2 Update

Week 2 of the I Quit Sugar program is now over. I have now successfully gone 1 week without sugar! It is a pretty good feeling!

Week 2 of the program saw us quit sugar. Everything was out. This made me extremely anxious. I use to think I didn't actually eat that much sugar, until I found out it is added to so many things you wouldn't think... and the thought of going cold turkey was a little scary! Luckily the forums and experts on the site gave us plenty of information and tips to get through the withdrawal. I love how much information we are given, it really does make the whole quitting process so much easier.

So anyway, this week sugar was out. So that meant no fruit, fruit juice, dried fruit, jam, honey, chocolate, lollies, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste and more. We were also told to get rid of any low-fat foods - we were kicking out sugar and upping our fat intake. Whhaaaattt? We've always been told that fat is what is making us fat, especially saturated - i.e eat margarine not butter, drink low fat milk and cook with canola, soy, corn and sunflower oils. Turns out, that is a load of shit. I won't go into to much detail here but I would strongly urge you to read David Gillespie's book, Sweet Poison. This goes into far greater detail than I can here. If you don't want to purchase the book you can also read more here.

Basically, experts have only just realised the basis of modern dietary thinking is wrong and are starting to reassess the science and our guidelines. The science now shows that sugar, not fat, has been the culprit all along.

This week, we again had access to meal plans and a shopping list. It seems as though the whole last night's dinner is today's lunch is going to happen all the way through the program - this annoys me. It just feels a bit like lazy planning by the organisers - we did pay $150 for this privilige! I would like to see more lunch ideas from the team but really that is my only complaint so far. We also received access to:

• Weekend read - all about the flawed science of eating fat = bad.
• Movement plan - this week the exercise was upped. We were told to allocate a session to each day of the week, so yoga for 1-2 days, gentle cardio 2-3 days and strength training 2-3 days. We were given a little strength circuit to perform which was good.
• Try this - tips on exactly what to cut out and get rid of from our cupboards
• Tuesday eats - ideas on how to manage sugar cravings
• Expert tips - some information on the addictive nature of sugar. The I Quit Sugar experts told us about the psychological nature of addiction and how we can beat it.

This week I've noticed, especially towards the end of the week, some major sugar cravings which happened mostly towards the end of the day. To combat the afternoon cravings I would drink tea - licorice tea. This has really been my saviour this week. I'd also try and go for a walk, or get on my ipad and look at beauty products and blogs to try and distract myself! (quitting sugar = hauling beauty products, oops!). I am still sleeping better as well, I have even made it through a couple of nights without waking up! Oh and another interesting thing - I have started to find that i'm getting full quicker. They do say that because we are upping our protein and fat intake, and lowering sugar, we will get full quicker but I didn't think this would start to happen soon.

Even though I have had big cravings I've stayed strong and not lapsed. This makes me feel incredible, and even though I'm probably going to feel worse over the next few weeks I'm looking forward to it as it just means one step closer to breaking the sugar addiction.

What do you think? Do you have any questions at all? Feel free to comment or email me at pinklipgloss85@gmail.com

Tanning at Home

The weather is finally starting to warm up and the other day I got gutsy and wore shorts into the garden (considering I live in the middle of no where I don't know how I've just called myself gutsy, but anyway!). My lovely fiance decided to tell me my legs look like white jellybeans - transparent. Hmmm.

I've got annoyingly pale skin that can handle the sun but just doesn't tan. Especially my legs. I could sit in the sun for weeks, months even and all I'll go is pink, not brown. Agh! But anyway, because of my white jellybean coloured skin I've become quite a fake tan addict. Not always can I get to a salon for a tan, and majority of the time I don't want to pay $30 just to feel a little less transparent, so I more often than not tan at home. Over the years I have had some shockers. Orange? Check. Streaky? Check. Blotchy? Check. Orange hands? Check. Practice makes perfect though and I've now got quite a good fake tan routine that I perform at home and thought I would share!

Empties - September

I'm probably sounding like a broken record, as I likely start these kind of posts in the same way but i'll say it again, where has this year gone and how is it already October? Gah! It's now officially less than one month to my wedding... shit is about to get real...

As September ends it's time for another round of talking about my trash, yep my empties. Looking through these products I have managed to use up some great items, and ones that I have already gone and re-purchased.. but at the same time I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get through more, especially haircare - my bathroom vanity is practically bursting with products begging to be used! Anyway, let's have a closer look at what I used up:

The I Quit Sugar Program - Week 1 update

So week 1 of the 8 week I Quit Sugar program is almost over, so this is my first update of how the program is tracking. I thought I'd also provide a little more information about what exactly the program entails. Remember when I talk about quitting sugar, i'm talking about quitting fructose (in my honest opinion I do think Sarah Wilson should label it just that - A LOT of people mis-interpret this.

In case you missed my first post about why i'm quitting the white stuff, you can read that here.

Week one of the program was all about cutting back sugar, and making simple food swaps, sort of a way to ease into the whole process. I really like this approach as it does feel like it will be easier when sugar is completely cut. In the starter kit (available the week before this one) she did also mention cutting back refined carbs and sugar then as well.

This week we received access to the following:

• Meal plan
• Shopping list
• Sunday cook up - a few things you can get ready for the week ahead (love this!)
• Weekend read - some details about exactly WHY we are quitting sugar
• Movement plan - a few ideas to help get moving and what exercise we should be doing
• Try this - Some tips about what items you can swap for those high sugar foods
• Tuesday eats - some great little tips on how to create sugar free versions of favourites. This week was lemonade, veggie chips and raw chocolate!
• Expert tips - We were given some tips on motivation and setting ourselves up for success
• Webinar - with Sarah Wilson. You can access this live or watch the recorded version at a later date

Each week will look the same as above, but obviously with different info :)

For me, this week was a fairly easy one. The food was delicious and very nutrient dense. I am a fairly clean eating kind of girl anyway (I live on a farm so we are all about fresh produce) but I am becoming more conscious of exactly what I am eating - reading labels for sugar content, wrapping my head around all the different kind of sugars there are and how they effect my body. I also haven't had too many cravings - I know a lot of people have though. Perhaps these will come later....

So how am I feeling? Well to be honest, I haven't noticed any sort of improvement except that I'm sleeping better - I used to wake up 2 or 3 times a night but this week I've only been waking once! Not sure if this is a coincidence (work has upped this week!) but this could be attributed to the sugar dropping.

Overall I think the setup of this program is wonderful. We get a lot of support, with loads of tips, snack ideas and easy to read information about sugar. We also get access to forums, so we can interact with other people that are doing the program which is fantastic. I haven't posted yet, but have lurked and there is a lot of good conversations in there! The only negative I have is that the meal plan seems a bit 'lazy'. Lunches all week are leftovers from the night before. Don't get me wrong this does make it easier for cooking but I would have liked to see a bit more variation, and better lunch ideas. I am often in a paddock somewhere for lunch so beef stroganoff for lunch is not always ideal ;). We have got access to next week's meal plans and it is the same so it will obviously be this way for the whole 8 weeks. Hmmm.

So that is the wrap of week one! What do you think? Obviously if you have any questions, or would like me to cover anything in particular please comment below or email me at pinklipgloss85@gmail.com

Lastly, I did want to share this article, which was featured in Women's Health magazine (Sep 14 UK Version) which I think is a lovely snap shot of what food looks like after qutting sugar :)

Image credit www.iquitsugar.com

What I Loved in September

I literally can't even put into words how quickly this year is going! Where on earth did September even go?? It only feels like yesterday I was writing about what I loved in August, and here I am, about to share what I loved in September! C-R-A-Z-Y.

September has been a good month for me. Our farm finished lambing (had been going since June... phew!), my partner and I made some great decisions about our wedding, my skin has been getting better since returning to my loved skincare routine and I've fallen back in love with a nude lip. Not to mention it's spring so the weather is beautiful! Anyway, onto the products I simply loved during September:

Mini haul - MAC and Benefit

Every time I set myself a spending ban I seem to break it the very next day. Self control when it comes to beauty products? Nil.

I recently had my makeup trial for my upcoming wedding, and my makeup artist was using MAC. I have to say, I've never really ventured to far into MAC products, apart from their lipsticks and one bronzer. I was so impressed that I immediately went into Myer and picked up some goodies. Have to give a big shout out to the girls in the Myer store in Civic - they were so lovely and accommodating and spent a while with me helping me choose out some stellar products.

What my nails are wearing #2

I've been loving reds on my nails lately, and am lucky to have found what I think is the perfect one for me! I received this Strange Beautiful nail polish duo in one of my Violet Box's and to be honest I just chucked it in my drawer and never really opened it or thought twice about it. In my most recent makeup clean up I dug it out, put it on and fell in love!

 

This colour duo is Bandaid (a rosey nude) and Knoll (a red). This is really smart packaging, you just pop either one out of the cap! You can pick up Strange Beautiful duos at Violet Box, for $20, for 2 x 4ml of product.

I'm currently wearing Knoll, it's a beautiful pigmented tomato red which I just adore. This polish is great as you can get away with wearing one coat, it's super shiny and it dries fairly quickly (about 5 minutes). The only down side is it does chip rather easily so you really need a good quality top coat to help it last.

What polish are your nails wearing at the moment?

I'm Quitting Sugar

So I've decided to quit sugar. And when I say sugar, I mean fructose. You just have to watch the news to constantly hear this makes you fat, that makes you fat, this is unhealthy this is killing you and I always thought meh whatever, I'm healthy enough. Yeah I get a bit tired or reach for a coffee in the morning to get me through the day but that's normal isn't it?? Perhaps not.

I recently stumbled upon Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar For Life in Costco (I may or may not have had sweets in my trolley....) and had a bit of a flick through. At first I thought why would I need to quit something that I don't eat much of? I'm not a big fan of chocolate, don't add sugar to my tea or coffee and prefer savoury to sweet. Once I figured she meant fructose, what that actually was it started making sense. I bought the book (put the sweets back on the shelf) and did some more research on the internet. I stumbled upon David Gillespie's Sweet Poison (which Sarah's books are based around) which I must say is an amazing read. It flicked so many switches in my head and made me realise just how much fructose is a problem and what it's doing to me. I'm what is considered normal weight, but carry a little weight around my ribs (which is bad news), I'm constantly tired and lethargic, I'm anxious, suffer depression and anxiety, have puffy eyes, am prone to breakouts, can be moody (yep I'll admit it!) and often just feel 'meh'. I always just though this is me and couldn't be my diet - I eat low fat foods, I watch my calories and exercise as much as I can. I was pretty wrong!

(image from www.iquitsugar.com)

 

So I have decided to quit! I have signed up to Sarah Wilson's online 8 week quit program (available at www.iquitsugar.com) Yes this did cost $150, but in return you get shopping lists, meal plans, movement plans, access to forums as well as expert tips, sugar faq's and webinars. It took me a while to mull over whether the $150 was worth it and it came down to ease of use as well as helping equip myself with the necessary knowledge to be able to continue it on after the 8 weeks has finished. I can easily blow $150 on beauty products or clothes but this seemed worth it as an investment in my health (erm cliche or what!?).

As a little exert from Sarah's book, consider this:

• We're eating more low-fat food than ever before.
• We're joining more gyms.
• Yet we're putting on more weight.
• Today we eat more than a kilo of sugar a week. 150 years ago, we ate none.
• Low-fat food often contains more sugar than the whole version (sugar is added to make a food taste like the original).
• The low-fat industry is big business.

Sarah also asks should you be quitting?

• Do you get an energy slump in the afternoon?
• Do you need something sweet after meals?
• Does your stomach get bloated after eating?
• Are you unable to eat just one piece of cake and walk away?
• Are you 'podgy' around the middle, perhaps even slim everywhere else?
• Do you often feel unclear? That you're not always sharp and on-form?

I ticked yes to almost all of these. I've worked out that on my previous 'healthy' low fat diet I was consuiming 20+ teaspoons of sugar a day. Sugar was hidden in everything. In a typical day I was eating 2-3 pieces of fruit, yoghurt, honey in my tea, muesli, dried fruit. All this, I've now learnt, is a mine field of fructose. I'm not going to sit here and preach and tell you all to quit, I just want to detail my journey.

I am going to keep a weekly 'diary' on this blog of my journey through quitting sugar. The program officially begins on Monday 29th September, and today we were given access to the meal plans and shopping lists so we can shop and prepare for the week ahead! She gives tips on how to prepare your kitchen, create a freezer stash, and what exactly the 8 weeks hold. As a little example, this is what the 8 weeks will look like:



I'm very much looking forward to starting (I have actually started to cut down my sugar intake over the last couple of weeks anyway) and I look forward to 'reviewing' the program here as I go.

If you have any questions aout qutting sugar, or what the program entails please feel free to comment or send me an email :)