Sunday 24 January 2016

French Favourites

17:00 0
In the last two or three years, European-branded skincare, French brands especially, have been becoming more and more popular. Brands like La Roche-Posay, Bioderma, Uriage, Avene and Nuxe have been seeing more coverage and with good reason too! These brands are the perfect mix of science and nature and most are also based on thermal water. I find that this combination usually results in fresh, clean skincare that actually works. I thought I would share three of my favourite French skincare goodies of the moment.


Everyone and their mum knows about the Bioderma micellar water range, and with good reason too, because it's amazing! The Sebium range is not quite as well known yet but is designed for oily skin. The AKN fluid is a moisturiser designed to combat mild to moderate blemish and help smooth the skin and control sebium production. This has been an absolute wonder product for me. I do suffer from occasional breakouts, like everyone, but using this at night has really helped keep my breakouts (mostly) under control. I also love the smell, it's clean, fresh and almost clinical. It smells like something you would find at a spa or skin clinic which is always a selling point for me. 


What I love most about this is that you can use it in tandem with your regular skincare as a booster. It contains hyaluronic acid and passion flower to help plump out the skin and promote cell turnover. Not only does it help skin look fresh and glowy, but it also boosts the power of other anti-ageing and hydrating products. I use this as a morning serum in tandem with my Neutrogena Hydro Boost and my skin has never looked better. 


It seems like every brand has a micellar water on the market these days but they aren't all the same. Certain cheaper brands use foaming ingredients that do help remove makeup, but can leave a greasy residue on the face. The Uriage version has a thermal water base and effectively removes even the toughest waterproof makeup but leaves your skin feeling hydrated and cleansed. This micellar water also contains cranberry extract for a little bit of a moisturising boost. You can also buy the very convenient Uriage Thermal Water Wipes which are perfect for even the laziest among us. One quick wipe over is all you need to cleanse and moisturise. 

What are your French skincare favourites?

Dani XO

Products in this post were provided as PR samples but, as always, my opinion is my own.
Read more...

Sunday 17 January 2016

Summer Favourites

17:00 0
Summer is my favourite season, even though it gets absolutely stinking hot in Brisbane. I absolutely love the sun, the beach and all the amazing products that get released for summer. Here's my round up of the products you need this summer.


This fabulous new tanning product took the world by storm and I am definitely a convert. Liquid Gold is a dry tanning oil meaning that it's non-greasy and also acts as a moisturiser. I would call it a half-way point between a gradual tanner and a fake tan in terms of results and application. Unlike most fake tans, you can apply and leave to develop without washing off. There is definitely still a fake tan smell, but it's not as obvious as the mousse or lotion formulas. You apply this straight to (exfoliated) skin with a tanning mitt and that's it! There's no need to wait for it to develop, you just dress and go. The only downside I've found is that because there's no colour guard, it can be a little tricky to see where you've missed spots.


Since I finished my Invisalign treatment, I've been madly trying to get my teeth to shiny, movie star whiteness. I've been trying a tonne of different toothpastes, toothbrushes and whiteners but the thing that's helped the most has been the GO Teeth Whitening Kit. This has a set of minty flavoured tray that you insert and leave for between 60 and 90 minutes. The consistency of the whitening gel is really gross a little weird but the results are amazing! I wish I'd taken before and after shots to compare. Between Invisalign and this kit, I've never felt more confident about my smile and I'm ready to pose for all those #summerselfies.

3. Palmer's Natural Bronze Spray ($12.99)

I've been using this for the past 3 or 4 weeks and everyone keeps asking what fake tan I'm using, that's how good it is! There's no fake tan smell at all, it just smells like coconut oil and cocoa butter. The spray means it's easy to apply and hard to miss any spots. It's perfect to pack for weekends away or trips to the beach.

4. Schick Hydro Silk TrimStyle ($19.99)

Bikini season means that the areas we have left to grow wild over winter need a fair bit of maintenance. I love the TrimStyle because it takes less than 5 minutes to tidy up your bikini line and be beach ready. The trimmer can be set to different lengths and the razor has a moisture bar for shaving on-the-go. This is definitely a HG product for me this summer. 


This is the only sunscreen you will ever need. I discovered this when I was working out in the bush and needing to apply copious amounts of sunscreen but not wanting to look like a greaseball. This feels just like a moisturiser, it's not even a little bit greasy. It also works amazingly well as a primer, allowing your makeup to just glide on. It's definitely worth the $38 price tag, it's absolutely perfect for summer.


Sugar Baby have been around for years but their new skin care range has just hit the shelves at Priceline. The Coconut and Sugar Scrub is my top pick from their new line. It smells like freshly baked coconut biscuits and does an amazing job at exfoliating pre-tan, getting of patchy old fake tan or just scrubbing up for glowy, fresh skin. A little goes a long way with this stuff! 

What are your summer must-haves?
Dani XO

Products in this post were provided as PR samples but, as always, my opinion is my own. 
Read more...

Follow Us @soratemplates