Thursday 28 April 2016

Make-Up Be Gone Cleansing Balm by Trilogy

13:25 0
One of the very first things I do when I walk in the door from work is take off my makeup. Don't get me wrong, I love wearing makeup but having a clean, fresh face makes me feel so much better. I've used a fair few cleansers, creams, balms and cloths over the years but this balm by Trilogy has definitely earned a place in my bathroom.

What I like most about this balm is that it's easy to use, doesn't leave your skin feeling tight or greasy and gets rid of everything, even long-wearing lipstick and waterproof mascara. The balm contains rosehip, mango and coconut oil so as well as completely removing makeup, it also nourishes skin. It also comes with a really ice organic cotton cloth to help remove the residue.
 
To use the balm, you scoop about 1/4 of a teaspoon into your hands massage into dry skin. I like to spend a little extra time concentrating on my eyelashes and lips and you can actually feel your mascara dissolving. Then, after wetting the organic face cloth with warm water, you simply wipe away the residue. My skin always feels soft and clean afterwards and this has quickly become the quickest, easiest and most effective method of makeup removal I have, besides my beloved micellar waters.  

Is the Make-Up Be Gone Balm a favourite of yours?
 
Dani XO
 
Products in this post have been provided as PR samples but, as always, my opinion is my own. 
Read more...

Sunday 24 April 2016

CK2 by Calvin Klein

13:09 0
There was a huge amount of fuss earlier this year when Calvin Klein released a new, genderless fragrance, CK2. It's not their first unisex fragrance but it is my favourite one so far! Everything about it is so clean and classy!

Calvin Klein CK2 ($99.00 for 100ml)

The first thing you notice about this fragrance is the design of the bottle. It's clear, minimalist and designed to sit upside down in the lid. It's spicy enough to be masculine but fresh enough to be feminine and it's quickly become a favourite of mine.

According to Fragrantica, CK2 has top notes of "mandarin, wasabi and violet" with base notes of "sandalwood and incense". If you've been reading my blog for long, you'll know I'm fairly dismal at fragrance reviews. However, I can definitely detect the wasabi spice and the fresh citrus notes. CK2 lasts quite a long time, on me at least, and is versatile enough to be a day or a night perfume. 

Most of the ladies I know love this fragrance but most of the guys I've asked still think it's a little "girly". I personally don't think so but I guess fragrance is a very personal thing and each to their own!

Have you tried the new CK2 fragrance yet?

Dani XO

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

Thursday 21 April 2016

Maybelline Colour Blur

17:00 0
Maybelline is one of my favourite drugstore brands and they have been absolutely killing it with the new releases lately. They've been churning out everything from The Nudes eyeshadow palette to new mascaras to revamped lipstick shades. One of my favourite new releases though would have to be the Colour Blur pencils.

The product itself is a little unusual. On on end there is a creamy, matte wind up colour and on the other is a clear rubber "eraser". Colour Blur is based on the Korean trend of ombré lips so it's designed to be applied to the centre of the lips and blurred outwards to create the popular ombré effect. I love that a Western brand has come out with a product that is specifically designed to create a Korean beauty look! I personally love discovering what trends are popular in other countries and find it pretty kick ass that Maybelline have made it more mainstream.
The eraser end of the Maybelline Colour Blurs.
I'm not especially good at the ombré look just yet but I'm working on it! I do find that the creamy formula isn't drying and wears really nicely. It works even better if you do blur it out a little with the eraser end. There are eight shades in the collection and all are very bright, perhaps because they are designed to be blurred out? All up, I think these are a great addition to the Maybelline line up and can't wait to get my hands on some more colours. 
Maybelline Colour Blur in the shade 05 Pink Insanity.
What you think of the Colour Blurs?

Dani XO

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

Sunday 17 April 2016

Gorman Geology Collection

17:00 1
As a former geologist, the new Gorman collection launching in May for the AW16 season really caught my attention. Here are a few of my favourite pieces:
Rocky Wrap Dress $329 (left), Skirt $220 (middle), and What a Gem Bomber $279 (right).
Satellite Shift Dress $269 (left), Ain't No Mountain Raincoat $149 (middle), and Crystal Cluster Dress $199 (right).

Anything from the new collection catch your eye?

Dani XO


Read more...

Thursday 14 April 2016

Serozinc by La Roche-Posay

17:00 0
Serozinc ($23.99 for 150ml) has been around for a little while but has only just launched in Australia. Like all La Roche products, it has a thermal spring water base plus two active ingredients: zinc sulphate for oil control and and sodium chloride aka table salt which acts an as astringent.
This product is designed for oily, acne-prone or irritated skin. My skin is oily, and while it is prone to break-outs, I wouldn't say it's acne-prone or irritated. Serozinc is meant to "help mattify oily skin, prevent excess shine and tighten the appearance of pores". I did a little research on sodium chloride and found that while it can be used as an astringent, it can also cause breakouts which confused me a little. But I had no other choice than to put it to the test and see what happened.


I like that Serozinc comes in an aerosol, it makes it really easy to add into your routine. I've been using it in the morning as a toner step before moisturising. It's really refreshing and immediately makes your skin feel cool and hydrated, which would be the thermal water at work. After using it for a few weeks, I have noticed that although my breakouts haven't decreased, and  my pore size hasn't been reduced at all, my skin is definitely a lot less oily.


I'm on the fence a little about this product. I am impressed with how much less oily my skin is. However, if it doesn't have any effect on my not very acne-prone skin and my average sized pores, I do wonder how much it would do for someone who actually does have problem skin.

Dani the Girl XO gives La Roche-Posay Serozinc:
What are your thoughts on Serozinc?


Dani XO


This product was provided as a PR sample but, as always, my opinion was my own.
Read more...

Sunday 10 April 2016

MAC Lipstick in Stone

17:00 0
So you know when you have a massive clean out of makeup or clothes or whatever and then you realise that it looks way too empty and you have to go out and buy new things to fill up the space? Well that was me a few weeks ago. I had a huge makeup clean out and gave away or threw out a huge amount of unwanted/unused makeup. Then I decided that I needed a new MAC lipstick as a treat.
The search for the latest addition began. I've been in love with nudes lately so I knew I wanted to stay away from the reds/oranges/pink. I also wanted something a little different. When I came across Stone, I knew it was a sure thing. Unfortunately, the Myer Chermside counter was sold out, (I nearly cried) but the very next day I managed to track it down at Myer Brisbane City.

Stone is from the Matte collection but doesn't feel too drying. It does drag a little on application but it's nothing awful. The colour is what really sold me though. It's a muted grey/mauve/brown shade that looks a bit meh in the tube but looks AH-MAY-ZING on the lips. If you're after a lippie that's a little different but still very easy and comfortable to wear, Stone is for you! 

What's your newest purchase, lipstick or otherwise?

Dani XO


Read more...

Thursday 7 April 2016

My Journey to Hollywood Teeth with PureSmile

17:00 0
If you've read my post on Invisalign, you'll know that my teeth have always been a bit of an issue. When I finally finished my Invisalign treatment (hallelujah!), I was so happy with how straight my teeth were but they still had a bit of a yellow tone. It didn't bother me too much, but when PureSmile offered me a chance to experience their Signature Treatment, I was all too happy to accept.

 PureSmile Brisbane is located at Westfield Garden City, right near H&M. Although it's in the middle of the shopping centre, the little pods ensure that you have an extremely private experience. This is definitely a good thing as you don't look pretty during the experience!
The PureSmile teeth whitening treatment pods.
The Signature Treatment involves three 20-minute rounds of peroxide treatment under and LED light followed by one non-peroxide round. You also have to wear a fabulously fun cheek stretcher to keep your mouth open. Despite all that, the actual treatment was surprisingly relaxing. The staff were friendly and very knowledgeable and made the whole experience really easy.

My teeth weren't horribly yellow but the treatment managed to pick my teeth up about 5-6 shades and completely get rid of the yellow tone that I hated.I had a really relaxing time in my little pod, listening to tunes on the kick ass Sony headphones that PureSmile provides AND I even had a little privacy curtain to stop Nosey Nigels from oggling me.
Before treatment (left) and during treatment (right).
If you're unhappy with the colour of your teeth, I would definitely encourage you to check out PureSmile.

Dani XO

The Signature Treatment was provided for me, free of charge, by PureSmile but as always, my opinion is my own. 

Read more...

Friday 1 April 2016

Budget Brows - Essence Make Me Brow

17:00 0
If you've been a long-time reader of Dani the Girl XO, you'll know how much I treasure my eyebrows. I used to hate how bushy and thick they were and after years of overplucking, I've managed to grow them back to their full, bold glory days. I'm always on the lookout for products to give my brows a boost and make sure they're on fleek.... whatever that means! It's a little tricky to find budget brow products that actually make the grade but this new find is a winner.
I would liken Make Me Brow to Benefit's Gimme Brow or L'Oreal's Brow Plumper (two favourites of mine) but at a fraction of the price. It comes in two shades, 01 Blondey and 02 Browney. They are both cool, ashy-toned shades (halle-fricken-lujah!) and also have little micro fibres to help full out your brows. I love the gel texture but I do find that you get a lot of product on the brush. I find I have to wipe off a lot of excess before using. That's really the only downside for me though. The brush is small enough to get the very ends of your brows without making a mess and they fill gaps perfectly.
Have you tried the new Essence Make Me Brow yet?

Dani XO
Read more...

Follow Us @soratemplates