Skin care for people who love the outdoors

O. Nidiformis, glowing "Ghost Mushroom"

Most of you may not be aware of the reason I missed last week's blog post, and haven't done a pamper Wednesday either. It's pretty simple, really. I'm very much a lover of the outdoors, an avid photographer, who specializes in Australian Flora and Fauna.
 Ghost Mushroom season is upon us, so I'm spending a lot of time outside at night taking suuuuuper long exposures of mushrooms to capture their eerie green glow (pictured here, taken 28 April, 2019). There are also still Aussie native orchids out, which I love to capture often.The short story is that I'm busier than usual.

I was thinking about it, and I really should share with you guys, my skincare (and haircare) needs have changed a little bit with all the activity out in the cold evening air, and early morning briskness. It's a much harsher environment for the skin, purely in terms of weather, but when you add in the extra things I'm needing to apply, like mosquito repellant (this is what absolutely destroys my hair), it's a bit of an assault on my epidermis.

The rare and endangered Caleana Major "Flying duck orchid"

So... what steps am I taking to make sure my skin doesn't start flaking off and getting out of control.
I should start by adding that I have a chronic illness (end-stage Hashimoto's Disease - I essentially don't have a thyroid, but still have the autoimmune symptoms the disease caused when it was destroying it for me) which makes me very dry in some areas. I'm needing a lot more moisture in general when it comes to my skin.
I'm also quite uneven in my skintone these days, which is partly age and partly health. I've chosen the following product range based on those 2 factors.

Every day, in the shower, I'm using Olay's Regenerist Luminous Brightening Cream Cleanser. It was part of a gift pack that I bought with the other 2 Olay products that I'll mention here, and included a really cute toiletries bag.
It's a scrub without having a scrub. Very gentle exfoliation and cleansing designed to target dark spots and uneven skintone. It's been a bit of a lifesaver really, because I was finding other exfoliants were really upsetting my skin, which is now quite sensitive. It's not offensively perfumed, and it's in a tube, which is nice and easy to use. Part of my illness is pain in my arm joints and fingers, so jars can sometimes be difficult.

After the shower, while I'm plopping my hair, I apply the Tone Perfecting Treatment from the same range. It's essentially a serum, which also has those properties for evening up skintone, and starting to get a bit of moisture into your skin. I really like this packaging because it doses the dropper for you as you twist off the lid. You really don't need any more than the standard dose, as it goes a long way. I'm really enjoying this. Again, not offensively or excessively fragranced, and the packaging is mostly disability-friendly and easy to use.

Once the serum has had a minute to soak in, I go straight over it with Tone Perfecting Cream. It's doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to moisturising my skin, and it's doing a really good job. It's a fantastic day cream, which keeps me hydrated and comfortable all day long and I'm finding even on the chilly evenings, I'm not getting that dried-out skin feeling when I'm out and about.
Same deal as the others, it's not offensive to the nose, and the packaging, even though it's a jar that I need to screw the lid off, it's a soft-close packaging, which makes it easy to open and close.
 

Last, but not least, the big guns. I will admit that I don't use this every night, mostly because I forget, or I'm so tired that I just fall asleep before I get a chance to use it. Manuka Doctor Restoring Night Cream is expensive. It's worth every single cent. It's been a staple in my skin care routine for about 5 years now, and I won't be without it. You only need a tiny bit to get that "slathered in luxury night cream" feeling, and when you wake up in the morning after the first time you use it, your life will never be the same. This is my holy grail, absolutely must-have-it product of all time.

I'm going to just let the results speak for themselves. This photo doesn't have a filter on it, I'm wearing mascara but literally nothing else (as evidenced by my complete lack of eyebrows) and I'm an almost-40-year-old woman who is so, so happy with her skin. Yes, I'll admit that it's partly amazing genes, and partly that I carry extra weight, but there's a good part of it that's taking care of my skin. I absolutely encourage all of you to do the same. We only get one epidermis. Treat it nicely and it will reward you.

You can find Manuka Doctor at Chemist Warehouse and Priceline. I think it's around the $50 mark for a jar that will last you months and months.
Olay can be found at leading mass stores and pharmacy outlets (I know chemist warehouse for sure) and the pack I bought was around $40 for all 3 products and the bag.

This post is not sponsored, nor was I gifted the products for review. I believe in honesty and open disclosure and trust that my readers appreciate both of those things.

If you'd like to follow my photography adventures, they are over at Katy Lylak Photography

Clean your frickin' brushes!

I'm so ashamed of the state that my makeup brushes get into. I'm such a filthy urchin when it comes to washing makeup brushes, which makes NO sense, because I like to think I take really good care of my skin. Here's a newsflash for (me and) you! If you're rubbing dirty sponges and brushes all over your face, you're depositing so much more than just makeup into your pores.
If you're randomly breaking out and blaming your foundation, or that you've been "wearing too much makeup", maybe it's just that your trusty tools need a bit of attention. This is certainly almost always the case for me. I'm not showing you, it's too gross.

It's not even hard or time consuming to do (though you do need to give them some time to really dry out properly).

Here's how I do it:

Products: I absolutely swear by Daiso's puff and sponge cleaner. It's AMAZING, and its cheap (because Daiso!) and I've never used anything that leaned brushes and sponges quite as effectively and efficiently as this does.They also have a brush cleaner product, but I have't tried that yet. I'm almost out of the 5 bottles I bought the last time I went to Daiso, so I'll see if I can get both this time and do a bit of a review for you.

Then it's simple, warm running water (don't leave your brushes soaking in water, it's not going to do anything extra except make the hairs fall out of them), a squirt of cleaners into the palm of your hand and off you go! Run the brush under the tap until it's wet through, then swirl it into the cleanser in your hand, really working the product into the brush hairs. Repeat as necessary until the water runs clear, then give the brush a gentle squeeze and set aside on a towel of in a drying rack. Don't pull at the hairs as you're squeezing out the water. Leave them to dry, give them a swirl on the towel when they're half dry to fluff the hairs up, and then once you've got them completely dry again, they're ready to use!

I don't know if it's my cleaning method, or the fact that they're just amazing brushes, but my set is mostly comprised of Real Techniques brushes (both old school and the gorgeous metal ones) and they come back to near-new when I clean them. I say near-new because 2 of my eyeshadow brushes are stained from intense pigment shades, and I'm ok with that.
The handles are looking 5 years old, let's be honest. They're worn and a bit discoloured at the ends, but the bristles/hairs are still beautiful and soft, and they bounce back to their original shape every single time. I'm thoroughly impressed, both with my brushes and the cleaning process.

Go grab your brushes and sponges now, have a look, if they're gross or you just haven't cleaned them in a while, get to it! Your skin will thank you!

Pamper Wednesday: An overview and basic face mask evening (with wine!)

Oh Pamper Wednesday, how I've missed you! It's nice to have an "obligation" to take a tiny bit of time to take care of myself. It's been a long time, so I'll break down how pamper Wednesday works for you again, and then we'll get into my Wednesday pamper for this week.

Pamper Wednesday is all about taking a little bit of time to focus on your own wellbeing. It doesn't have to be beauty related, it could just be sitting down to read a book, or watch a show that only you love to watch in your house, it could be a glass of wine, or a piece of chocolate. Anything that makes you feel calm and relaxed.

Today, for me, it'll be a face mask and a glass of red wine, watching my guilty pleasure show (KUWTK - I swear I started watching it just because the little one was so mean and it was funny, but now she's not mean any more and cries a lot, but I'm still over here watching)
I have quite a collection of face masks, and I have to admit, I'm playing favourites with my brands over the last couple of years, because I really love Sukin's collection of face mask products. They don't break me out or make my skin go crazy, and in particular, the pink clay mask is beautiful and leaves my skin feeling so soft and clean.

After the show is over and I wash off my mask, I might head to bed with my new book, The man in the High Castle (Philip K. Dick.) I've watched the first season of the TV show based on this book, and it's absolutely fascinating. It's a fantasy alternate history, in which the Allies lost WW2. Kind of a heavy subject matter, but really brilliant, and I can't speak to the plot without giving things away, but I will say that it sits well with me as a fantasy book, and I'm not in any way offended nor do I feel that it is presented in a way that would be disrespectful to those sensitive to this subject matter.

My wine for this evening is Stumpy Gully 2017 Pinot Noir. We love a local wine here on the Mornington Peninsula. This wine is smooth and subtle, just exactly the kind of thing that's perfect for me. I'm not about those bold shiraz-y wines and like something a bit more subdued. This wine is lovely, but it's unfortunately sold out, so you'll just have to join me in trying their 2018 pinot, or their other wines. Their Peninsula Panorama Pinot Noir is a great introduction to Pinot Noir from the Peninsula. It's made in a fresh style for early drinking.
Responsible drinking, etc. I don't think I have to tell you not to guzzle 42 litres of wine (though sometimes the kids might make you feel like you need to!) I plan to just have one good glass with my face mask and chill out.

Enjoy your Pamper Wednesday! Head on over to facebook and let me know how you chose to relax today!

Keep an eye out for stumpy gully wines at your local bottle-o, or make a trip down to our beautiful mornington peninsula! Their cellar door is open 7 days from 10am – 5pm, and online shop is open 24 hours a day with free postage! (minimum order 6 or 12 bottles). They have very reasonably priced wines starting from $22 in their cellar door and online up to the premium range at $50.  

Sukin products are available Nationally at major pharmacies including Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, My Chemist and health food stores. 

This post is not sponsored, nor were the products mentioned above gifted to me for blog purposes. I value honesty above all, and assume that my readers do too. All opinions stated are my own.

ANOTHER CHEEKY LUSH HAUL!

 Another kid-free weekend means another chance to sneak off and do cheeky things... and in my case, that just means going to Lush and checking out what awesome things they have for me this week!

The kids love bath fizzies and so do I, so it makes sense to spend a few bucks every couple of weeks on some things that make us all feel special.

This week, I got a few different things; the Ickle Baby Bot bath fizzer, Dorothy Bubble Bar, Father Christmas Bath Ballistic, Bombardino, The Honeymooner massage bar, and Cupcake face mask.

 I'm loving all of their holiday-themed products, and tonight I took a bath with Bombardino, a gorgeous Lemon-Cheesecake-scented bath bomb which left my skin feeling really soft and hydrated!

The other thing I really want to comment on is the customer service at my local Lush Store. I go to Fountain Gate, which is the closest one to me, and there is a girl there (I'm really kicking myself that I didn't catch her name!!! But I know she'll read this and tell me in the comments section below!), she's absolutely gorgeous, with blonde hair and several facial piercings. She is the kindest, most friendly retail salesperson I've encountered, and I feel like she deserves to be recognized for that...so well done and keep up the awesome work. She always helps me find things that I'm looking for and recommends products without being pushy or hanging around too much. That, to me, makes a great sales person.

I'll add the video of my unwrapping these things as soon as it's finished and uploaded. It also contains details about the very first giveaway in my 12 days of Giftmas series, so stay tuned for that on December 1!

HUMP DAY PAMPER SESSION/BRAND SPOTLIGHT - LONVITALITE

This week's pamper session is brought to you by Lonvitalite, whose story I tell you in the video below, as well as a quick show and tell on their products!

Dermaroller: First Impressions

I stumbled across this amazing "skin care secret" that's been really popular in Europe for many years and decided to give it a go.
Whilst it does look scary, and I am, as always, skeptical about the results I might achieve with it, I figured I'd give it a good go.

Since filming the video, I have used it on my stretchmarks, and on my head to promote hair growth. It feels strange, but isn't painful, and it made my skin very itchy, which can be a very good sign when we're wanting to promote bloodflow to the scalp, etc.

Check out my first impressions of the Dermaroller in the video below, and stay tuned for a full review in a few weeks.

How to: Minimize large pores.

First, a disclaimer: I suffer from mild Trypophobia. During my research for this article, I experienced some of my common symptoms, so if you have Trypo, I might advise reading this without looking at the pictures...or thinking too much about it.

I had a question from a reader during the week, about how to minimize the size of her pores. it really got me to thinking, because there are many causes of large pores, and many ways to assist in shrinking them away. For this post, I want to concentrate on non-hereditary causes, and non-cosmetic treatments.

The most common cause of large pores is clogged pores. Naturally the pore is open to allow toxins to travel away from the dermal layer and out of your body. This is where a daily hygiene and skin care routine comes in. Our bodies aren't all that good at really getting rid of everything that's inside the pore, especially when our hormones are fluctutaing (such as during puberty, or in the later stages of life, the use of contraceptive pills, pregnancy, and eventually menopause). This is how we form blackheads, whiteheads, acne, all of those beautiful, lovely, awesome skin conditions. A buildup of sebum, toxins, skin cells and other pollutants become trapped inside the pore.

I'll stop my skin story right there at what happens before that buildup becomes infected (and becomes a pimple). The pore expands in an attempt to release its contents, causing the appearance over over-large pores externally.

Here's how to fix the problem before it gets worse. Stick to a weekly routine of cleansing away the toxins and buildup of oils and dead skin cells from your face (and your body!!!) This should include using a gentle cleanser every day, and exfoliating at least once a week with a product specifically designed for the purpose. OR you can exfoliate your skin very nicely using baking soda. Pour a little into your hand, mix with warm water to form a paste, and use in a circular motion over your face, paying special attention to the sides of your nose, your chin and your forehead. Please be very gentle near your eyes, as the skin there is very delicate.

If the cause of your large pores was indeed toxin buildup, you should see an improvement in pore size almost immediately.

Sometimes, it's due to other factors and can be hereditary, and in those cases, there are other products that we can look at for the temporary treatment of large pores. I'll leave that for another post.

What other treatments do you know of for large pores?

Pamper yourself with Renew You Intense Hydration Hydrogel Masque

 I'm a real fan of scary-looking cloth facial masks, so when I received a care package in the mail from Renew You, I was stoked. They had even sent me a lovely teabag from T2 and a ferrero rocher chocolate to enjoy as I relaxed!

The first mask that I tried out from the package was the awesome 2 piece Intense Hydration Hydrogel Masque, which is like a cloth mask, but it's made from slippery gel-like stuff that felt really amazing on my skin.

I positioned the bottom half first, then did the top half, and I found that it was easier to get a good fit that way than it usually is with the one piece cloth masks.

 The mask is infused with Co-Enzyme Q10 and Hyaluronic Acid, which is known to intensely hydrate skin, strengthening your skin's ability to remain supple and toned.

I certainly felt a lot smoother, more hydrated and my skin's elasticity seemed to have improved, and as I write this several days later, there is still a marked improvement in my skin overall.

I'd definitely recommend checking this one out, as well as the rest of their range at Priceline, Target, K Mart, Big W, Woolworths, Coles and selected pharmacies.

Full disclosure: The awesome people at Montagne Jeunesse sent me this product at no charge for my consideration. I was under no obligation to review it, and my opinions, as always, are entirely my own. I endeavour to bring you honest and accurate reviews of products that I have tried and genuinely enjoyed.

Katy's top five tips for: Amazing, clear skin.

You may have noticed that I have really nice skin. It's one of the things that I like the most about my appearance. Here are my top five for getting (and keeping) it that way.

Tip #1: Have really great genes.
I'm really, really sorry about this one to all of you who don't have such great skin naturally, but the number one reason that I have such lovely skin is because my mum and my nan do. To look at my nan now, at 70 years of age, you would swear she's much younger. My mum often gets the "but you don't look old enough to have children in their 30's!" too. This is another reason for my distinct lack of wrinkles, but that's a post for another time.

However, if you're not quite so genetically blessed, you can definitely do tips 2 through 5 and really get that skin glowing and looking clearer and smoother.

Tip #2: WATER!
Drink it, bathe in it. Do both of those things very regularly and you have a recipe for clear skin. Drinking water helps to keep toxins from building up in our system and ejecting themselves through our pores, causing breakouts. You should be aiming for 2 litres of water per day at a minimum. Other drinks don't count as "water" consumption, because they generally contain things like chemicals and sugar which cause more breakouts. If you don't like tap water, try bottled instead.

Tip #3: Know your breakouts.
If you break out massively all over your chin every month around the same time, it might be time to get those hormones in check. Breakouts on the lower half of the face are generally caused by hormonal changes and imbalances. Likewise, if you're breaking out all over your forehead, you need to watch your intake of sugary, fatty, oily foods which build up the toxins in your system and cause breakouts that way. The more you know about the cause of your breakouts, the more effective you can be at treating the cause, not just the symptoms.

Tip #4: Let it breathe!
Your skin needs to "breathe" in order for it to stay breakout-free and silky smooth. When I say "breathe", I mean that you really need to spend a day or two at least, per week, without makeup caking in your pores and preventing them from excreting sebum and releasing the naturally occurring dead skin cells and biological waste that is important to keep skin functioning correctly. On those days, you should apply your usual skin care products, as well as UV protection to protect your skin from outside pollution.

Tip #5: Great skin care products.
This isn't a post to spruik any particular skin care product. All I'm going to tell you about skin care products is that once you find a line that really works for you, and your skin is looking and feeling great, stick with it. You need, at the very least, a good cleanser and moisturiser. Toner is also a good thing to have, and additionally you may choose to use eye creams and night time moisturisers. Invest the time and effort into your skin while you're young, and the rewards will be amazing as you age, trust me. You should be using quality (but not necessarily expensive) products from puberty, and incorporating anti-ageing products into your routine as you hit your mid to late twenties. In your mid thirties, you can begin to really combat those age signs with targeted anti-wrinkle, vitamin A and collagen treatments and products.

Review Thursday: A little treat from Montagne Jeunesse

When I received my very first  Valentines Day card for this year, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had come with a little treat inside, and it was from the awesome people at Montagne Jeunesse!

Inside I found a pink lollipop in the shape of a heart, which was yummy and just what I needed, but also right up there on the list of "things I need" for that day was the other surprise that i found inside - a sample of their "Peel off passion" face mask!

It's a clear gel mask, which you put on your skin and allow to dry until you're able to peel it off, which has always kind of grossed me out, but the results really make up for the gross "peeled-off-skin" you have to throw in the bin when you're done.

The scent of this product is divine. Fruity and not overpowering, it was definitely a product I was happy to put on my face.

I just sat down to relax for about 10 minutes, then I peeled the mask off carefully (it's always a good idea to avoid your eyebrows when you use this type of mask!) and I was done!

Here are the results, and what the mask looks like on the skin. I really liked it, and I'll be on the lookout for more Montagne Jeunesse products when I'm out and about. You can find them at Priceline, Target, Kmart, Big W, Coles, Woolworths and selected Pharmacies for $3.95 each.

Scrub-a-dub-dub with endota spa.

Earlier this week, I told you about the awesome Instagram competition that endota spa are running at the moment, with a fantastic prize valued at $500.

While I was talking to them about the competition, and my post about it, we got to talking about some of their amazing skin care products to take home, and today I received in the mail this gorgeous lemon and organic sugar scrub!

First of all, it smells absolutely heavenly. The sweet citrus classic bush scent is absolutely delicious, and I couldn't wait to try it out.



The sugar texture is quite refined. It's not chunky at all, which makes the scrub really easy to use, and a little goes a long way.

The liquid component has an oily, almost waxy feel to it, which lingers after you rinse it off, so if you don't like that feeling (I'm touching the skin on my shoulder now, 10 hours later, and it's still smooth and silky to feel), I'd suggest a body wash of some sort after you've scrubbed.

I definitely like how smooth and polished my skin looks and feels since I used this scrub, and there is definitely a hint of citrus scent left on my skin even after a long, hot day.

In keeping with the endot-adventure theme, I thought I'd get some photos of the product out in the wild (my lawn) for you, as an example of how easily you could create your own endot-adventure! Don't forget when you post your pics on Instagram to use @endotaspa and #endotadventure in the description to enter the contest.

Also stay tuned to my YouTube channel for a quick tutorial on how to use a body scrub, featuring endota lemon and organic sugar scrub!

You can pick one up for yourself at www.endotadayspa.com.au

Thursday review: Biore dream team!

It's been a little while since I've shown you guys a product from Biore, and I really want to share this trio of awesomeness with you.

I recently watched a video by my favourite YouTube makeup artist, and he mentioned that Salicylic acid is the very best way to flush out pores and prevent breakouts and blackheads, because it essentially exfoliates the pore from the inside out.

All three of these products from Biore contain Salicylic Acid and are geared towards preventing blackheads. If you have problem skin, or just want to avoid -having- problem skin, these are definitely worth a look.

First we have the fire-and-ice combo of warming anti-blackhead cleanser, which gets really hot when you rub it on your skin, perfect for opening up the pores and the blemish fighting ice cleanser, which cools down your skin and helps to clear up any redness that you have going on. Personally, I like to use them together, first the hot one, and then the cold one, to open, then contract my pores and clean them out while I do that.

Then there's the Triple Action Toner, which feels very cool on the skin, and brings your skin back to a balanced pH whilst clearing the pores also.

Definitely a winning team of products for anyone looking to prevent or clear blackheads. Check it out at Priceline, Target, Big W, Coles, Woolworths and Pharmacies.

These products were provided for my consideration and review by the awesome people at Biore. My opinions, of course, as always, are my own.

Trendsday: Tanning

To tan, or not to tan? That is the question. Leading into the summer months, it's the question on everyone's lips. When it comes to tanning naturally, the health-smart answer is NO! So that leaves us with artificial tanning products, or staying pasty-pale.

I've done both. I will admit that in my very early 20's, when I got married, I spent a great deal of time in a solarium baking myself, which I realize now has put me at an increased risk of skin cancer. All because I was getting married in Queensland and "you can't go to Queensland paler than a ghost!".

Faking it at my brother's wedding

For my brother's wedding, it was a different story. I went the spray tan route. Although it came out ok, and was very even and nicely done, it's really not quite a natural human-looking colour and so I generally now just opt for the pale look. These days, it's definitely not frowned upon to be pale in Australia, because everyone knows the harmful effect of the sun's rays, and it's almost a 50/50 split between people who fake it and people who don't want to.

Add caption

So...for those of you who want to fake it, the best way to do it is to fork over the money and have a professional spray you. You need to do an all over exfoliation before your tan and moisturize well in the couple of days before you have it done. Invest in a really nice body scrub, like Puretopia glowingly smooth body polish (I LOVE this product, and I don't even tan), available at Priceline, Big W and a whole bunch of different pharmacies to keep your tan  even as it wears off.

Pale and natural, enjoying a...
lemonade in the pool

And for those of us who prefer to stay on the pale side, all you need to invest in is some great sunscreen!

Either way, it's important to keep your skin well hydrated and nourished during the summer months to keep your skin healthy and looking its best. I got an awesome product in the September bellabox from You, me and every body, which was a body mousse, kind of a foamy, light moisturiser that goes a long way and soaks into the skin so easily. It's really lovely and really affordable. Definitely one to try out.


So... tell me, do you tan or stay pale?

Thursday Review: Bioderma Sebium range

In my September bellabox, I was lucky enough to receive a couple of awesome products from french brand Bioderma.

Both samples were reasonably small, but looks can be deceiving, and I've found enough product in the 2 little samples to keep me going for several days.

Monday How-to: Help your skin recover from a huge night out

All dolled up and ready to go out, I've applied a double layer of foundation and half the eyeliner in the free world, and I'm ready to go.

Skip forward to 3am, I'm exhausted from dancing and socializing, my skin is dehydrated from drinking alcohol and staying in the air conditioned environment. I even skipped out to the smokers' area to talk to friends a couple of times. I fall into bed, don't even remember to take all of that makeup off or take a drink of water and wake up several hours later feeling.... not my best.

Worse that that, my skin is not feeling it's best, either, and it won't until I've taken care of it for a few days.

So how do I undo the damage that I've done? We've all done it on occasion, and TLC is required to bring your skin back under control and have it loving you again.

First, you need to go and drink a big glass of water...and do that again about 10 times during the day for a couple of days. That will help the queasy, not-quite-well feelings too. Also, you should cut back on greasy, sugary foods and keep your intake to really "clean" foods. Lean meats, vegetables, fruits. A bit of a detox, if you like.

Then, you need to go get rid of that nasty makeup that's smeared across your face (you may also want to change your pillow case...). Get rid of the majority with makeup wipes, then get into the shower and give it a really good scrub and cleanse. Biore have an awesome range of products for this, and I'm currently using their daily detoxifying scrub and 4 in one foam cleanser in the shower.
Make sure your face is sparkling clean, then hop out and do a little more work. You can use a face mask if you want to. I like BYS' tea tree mask.

After that's all washed off, you need to tone and moisturise. and an hour later, moisturise again.

Use a night cream, if you don't already.

Rinse and repeat until your skin recovers completely.

Lots of lip balm is important, too.

So, that's how to help your skin recover from a big night out! When was your last big night? Did you have fun?

Reinvention: Biore's sleek, clean new look!

You all know through the blog that I'm a massive fan of Biore products. I use their stuff every single day and it's a really good match for my skin type. I'm totally excited to show you their new packaging, a cleaner, sleeker blue and white look!

I really like it, it's a much more modern look for them. The products, of course, are the same as they've always been. It's just the outside that's changed. I have lots of new products to show you guys, and will cover them one at a time in a review post coming soon! 

Right now I'm using the daily scrub and the foam wash cleanser in the shower every morning, and the triple action toner and nourish moisture lotion, and that's my daily routine, morning and night, with makeup remover wipes for taking off my makeup. My skin is really soft and smooth, with not a blemish in sight! Keep an eye out for Biore at Priceline, Target, Big W, Coles, Woolworths and Pharmacies in their new blue and white packaging!

Disclaimer: Products were sent to me for review by the amazing people at Biore. My opinions, of course, are my own.

GIVEAWAY! Help my blog grow and you could win!

I'm SO excited! I just finished packing up this box of goodies that I have to give away to one lucky reader! There are so many things inside the box that I couldn't get the lid on properly! As you can see, there are all different kinds of products, from nail polish and art to skin care, to brushes and sponges and even sunscreen, because that is THE most important skin care product that you can own. All of the products are brand new and unopened, purchased specifically for this purpose, except for a few little treats (not pictured) that I've included as a special surprise from the amazing people at Biore!