Max My Movies: December 2012

'Max My Movies' will be a series of blog posts summarising the movies I've seen each month, since I'm not getting around to individual movie reviews much anymore. I saw a few other film buffs do this type of post and thought it was a great idea for my lazy arse, as there's more chance I'll actually do it. I'm going to post a condensed version at the end of each month, with my thoughts on each film. Release dates are irrelevant, these are just movies I've seen during the month in question, whether it was on TV, DVD/Blu-Ray, my Quickflix discs or at the cinema. Here's what I saw during December.......

PITCH PERFECT
Fans of Glee will love this toe-tapping musical comedy, jam-packed with melodic A Cappella performances. Sometimes too cheesy, but saved by snappy dialogue, a sense of fun and a standout comedy performance by Australian actress Rebel Wilson. 

THE LOVED ONES
Aussie horror/thriller where Xavier Samuel finds himself being treated rather poorly by 'Princess'. Perfect if you like your School Prom flicks with a side of torture. Knives, drills, rock-climbing, a disco ball, an Angelina Jolie-esque goth chick and one very fucked up family. 

DAYBREAKERS
Filmed on the Gold Coast, this mediocre vampire flick stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Claudia Karvan with an unconvincing American accent. Be prepared for blood and gore as heads explode rather hysterically.

THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS
This Aardman Animations produced adventure film is great for kids and grown-ups alike. Consistently smart and funny, my five year old had a great time and was able to follow the straight-forward storyline. Great voice acting by Hugh Grant in the lead role of Pirate Captain.

THE CAMPAIGN
Starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as two very different Southerners fighting for a seat in Congress, this outrageous comedy is just what you'd expect from these two. Silly and hilariously funny.

I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
Beautifully touching romantic comedy/drama based on the real life story of conman Steven Jay Russell. Reminiscent of 'Catch Me If You Can', but with gay characters. Jim Carrey gives a powerhouse lead performance in this fast-moving, entertaining film that really exceeded my expectations.

WELCOME TO THE RILEYS
If you like your Kristen Stewart grungy, grubby and slutty, you'll love this. She plays a stripper who becomes friends with James Gandolfini's character Doug Riley. They are both damaged, and form an unlikely bond, that helps to save them both. Gritty, dramatic and sweary.

THIS MEANS WAR
This romantic comedy stars Tom Hardy and Chris Pine as two best friends and workmates, fighting after the same woman, played by Reese Witherspoon. It's not brilliant. At least Reese's hair looks fabulous.

JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME
What a quirky little film. It helps to be a Jason Segel fan, obviously, but this is quite a pleasing film about finding your destiny, some wood glue and a dude named Kevin. The ending moved me to tears.

What's the best movie you've seen lately?

Sky Blue Mani featuring Bourjois 1 Seconde Gel Polish!

This is so weird! I was just thinking how much I wanted a pretty sky blue nail polish, then the next day a package arrives. I'd won a set of Bourjois 1 Seconde Gel Texture nail polishes, including a gorgeous blue in pretty much the same shade I was after! Of course I immediately starting wishing for Robert Pattinson in the hope the same thing would happen. LOL. No such luck.

This polish is very easy and quick to apply because it contains a 'fan effect brush', which is wide and flat, so one swipe nearly does the whole nail. On the back of the bottle it says "one nail = one stroke = one sec". I wouldn't go that far, but it is a lot quicker than most other polishes I've used. The photos below depict two coats of this nail polish and no top coat.

Also, it's hard to find the English amongst all the French, there is an annoying 'e' on the end of 'second' (seconde) and near impossible to locate the shade names. Eventually I saw that this shade is called 'Bleu Water' (bleu, not blue). Sacre Bleu!

Check out the set of 12 colours I won below, followed by manicure pics ....

What colour are you wishing for right now?

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All the products shown were won by me. Aren't I a lucky duck?

Addicted 2 Lip Balm Half Price Haul!

Sadly, Addicted 2 Lip Balm closed shop on November 30, but not before offering daily progressive discounts off all stock. I scored 50% off the following products.....

HAULAGE:
Lanolips Lip Ointment in Dark Honey
Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Black Tea & Blackberry
DuWop Lip Venom Lip Plumper

Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm is an old favourite (reviewed here), but I was yet to try the Jack Black, Lanolips and DuWop brands. Well, it's a week after receiving these lip goodies and this lazy-arsed blogger still hasn't tried Lanolips or Jack Black, but I HAVE applied the DuWop Lip Venom, and I can say this plumper does give me impressive results, along with a moderate stinging feeling, that still doesn't surpass the living hell that is the intense hurty-sting of Too Faced Lip Injection.

Disclaimer: All products were purchased by me at half price. Not a sponsored post. I just love to shop.

Are you serious, Jessica Biel?

Welcome to another round of dodgy celebrity fashion, peppered with a few lovely outfits, just to keep you on your toes (and ease the eye bleed). Let me know your favourite in the comments below, or the one that had you laughing the hardest.

Diane Kruger
She's wearing Jason Wu at the opening of Jaeger-LeCoultre's new Paris boutique.
I love this. Diane rarely screws up fashion-wise. She's also mega-thin, so she can wear anything. The strappy shoes look kind of odd because the heels disappear into the black background, but I'm sure they were super-sexy just like her outfit. Plus she gets bonus points for dating Joshua Jackson (Pacey from Dawson's Creek!).

Lindsay Lohan
She's wearing Donna Dashini at the Liz & Dick Los Angeles premiere.
Where to start? The positive - the red hair is a major improvement over her usual fake bleached blonde look. The negative - everything else. This dress is cheap-looking and McWhore-ish. Although the cut-out diamond-shaped windows with the red beads hanging down would scream class on the set of a porn flick, bitch needs to step it up a notch for an LA premiere.

Rihanna
She's wearing Damir Doma at her Unapologetic album launch in New York.
This is a black oversized leather shorts and top combo. If you had Rihanna's bangin' body would you wear something as unflattering as this? I mean, she still manages to make it look kind of OK if you tilt your head to the right, close your left eye and zoom your face past real quick. But otherwise, Unapologetic girl needs to start apologising for this fashion faux pas.

Jennifer Lawrence
She's wearing Dior at the Silver Linings Playbook Los Angeles premiere.
Loving this little black dress, it's sexy, simple and stunning, with the belt adding a touch of glamour. Jennifer has such an amazing body, it's hard to believe she has actually been called fat. This dress shows off her killer legs perfectly.

Jessica Biel
She's wearing Oscar de la Renta at the Hitchcock premiere in New York.
What. The. Fuck!? I'm pretty sure she's taking the piss. She has to be, right? This is 17 kinds of octogenarian hideousness, and I can only hope they are making a Golden Girls movie, she's snagged a part as Blanche and is trying to get into character.

Scarlett Johansson
She's wearing Rodarte at the Hitchcock premiere in New York.
This is an odd, mismatched kind of dress, but it comes off as funky and unusual and doesn't look too bad. Anything was going to look good after the silver Biel thing.

Photo credit: Diane, Jessica & Scarlett from Fame/Flynet; Lindsay from FayesVision/WENN.com; Rihanna from Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com; Jennifer from WENN. Sourced from the Celebitchy site.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

As many of you know, I'm a comper (a person who enters competitions, for the uninitiated). I love my comping hobby, and the wins that come along with it. I get to try/drink/eat/read/watch/experience a lot of things that I normally wouldn't be able to, and give family and friends lovely gifts without putting a dent in my bank account. Comping is great fun, but also time-consuming, hard work and often stressful (depending on the type of competition). So for those who are interested, here are a few wins I've had recently .....

Lollypotz Christmas Delights Chocolate Bouquet

Ferrero Rocher Anniversary Edition Chocolate Hamper

Bundaberg Select Vat Rum

The Fifty Shades trilogy
Charles Dickens Collection

Various gift cards/vouchers

Beauty Rules book by Bobbi Brown

New Girl - The Complete First Season DVD set
Portlandia Series One DVD set
The Vampire Diaries - Season 1 and Season 2 DVD sets

A'kin products

Kiehl's Creme de Corps products

Some of these prizes were won by luck (random draw) and some by skill (based on my answer to the question asked). Comping: A fun and productive hobby!

Disclaimer: all these products were won by me. D'uh!

VS Sassoon Wave Envy: Review and Photos!

From VS Sassoon: "Creates gorgeous, long lasting waves by simply pressing the hair between the ceramic plate and barrels.  Features ceramic technology providing even heat distribution for a silky, smooth finish."

WAVE ENVY Features:
Easy action, simply press the hair between the plates and barrels
Ceramic Technology
30 second instant heat
3 heat settings 160°, 180° and 200°C suitable for different hair types
Cool touch ends
Automatic safety cut off system
Swivel power cord
LED indicator light

Aus RRP: $52.95

I'm loving my Wave Envy! I have fine hair that lacks body, so I appreciate the fuller look I get from it. It's quick and easy to use, and you can create defined waves or loose, softer waves by varying how tight you press the tongs. It's really fun to play around and experiment with it :) The appliance heats up quickly and it only takes 5-10 seconds to wave each section.

I've used the Wave Envy twice, and both times my hair was still wavy the next day (although not as pronounced). My only qualm is that sometimes I wish I could create larger waves, but the tongs are a set size, and there's no interchangeable larger tong attachment, so that's impossible with this. Overall, I'm impressed with this appliance from VS Sassoon and the results it gives me.

Here are a few photos of my Wave Envy results. I've 'waved' each section fairly tightly, then used my fingers to break up the curls and massage it out a bit, to get more volume.

Stockists: Myer, David Jones, Priceline, Target, Retravision, Harvey Norman, Good Guys, Bing Lee

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I paid for the product myself. All opinions are my own.

Empties With Reviews: A'kin, Benefit, Trilogy, L'Occitane and more!

Break it doooooooooooown ......

L'Occitane Gentle Body Scrub
This is a Certified Organic foaming body scrub containing powdered olive stones and moisturising olive tree extracts. This scrub has the most satisfying scratchy particles for effective exfoliation and I love how it lathers, making it easier to spread over your body. The only downfall is that even when I shook the product, it remained separated in the bottle. This resulted in lots of gel shooting out quickly, until I'd used half of the scrub. Then I had to squeeze the hell out of the tube to get some product out, which, you guessed it, was 90% scrub particles. Then I'd be squeezing really hard and suddenly a crapload of gel with no particles would squirt out! Fun fun fun!

A'Kin Orange Blossom Body Wash
High lather alert! This satisfying body wash imparts a heady, earthy orange aroma more so than a sweet one. A thick gel that left my skin feeling soft and clean, this product is parafen and sulphate free and not tested on animals. But mostly, it made me feel happy. Must be the 'aromatherapy benefits' of citrus!

Trilogy Clean + Balance Shampoo
I quite liked this shampoo that's formulated for fine, oily and combination hair types to combat product build up. It contains wheat amino acids and certified organic rosehip oil. A lovely gentle shampoo with a subtle pleasant fragrance. I felt like my scalp was thanking me for putting something non-chemically on it.

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel
Hauled here and given Top 5 Product status by me here. Impressive lather with an addictive lemon meringue pie aroma!

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub
Again, hauled here. This scrub has a strange, thick consistency and leaves a film on the skin, which some people will find annoying. Not as good as the gel, I still enjoyed the lemony goodness.

Benefit Sugarbomb Blush
Reviewed like a noob here, this blush has grown on me with time. I also use my own photos now. LOL!

ASAP Daily Exfoliating Facial Scrub
Reviewed here, this scrub is as harsh as Judge Judy. Yet, not as endearing. Proceed with caution. I used it as a body scrub, because I'm quite fond of my facial skin.

The Usual Suspects - the following products are regular empties, so expect maximum linkage to previous posts on them!

TN Dickinson's Witch Hazel
A toner for clear, smooth skin, reviewed here.

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume
One of my Top 5 Products, lookie here.

Maybelline MasterLiner Eyeliner
Love it! Reviewed here in October Favourites and here.

Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 Anti-Ageing Cream
My favourite moisturiser ever, reviewed here.

Garnier Pure Active Blackhead Clearing Scrub
I love the medicinal (unpleasant to many, I'm sure) stench of this scrub, and have returned to it, after trialling a few others. Reviewed here.


Disclaimer: Products I bought: The Body Shop Gel & Scrub, Batiste, TN Dickinsons, L'Occitane, Maybelline, Olay, Garnier. Products I won: Trilogy, Benefit. A'Kin was free as a thankyou for completing a trial and ASAP was a Gift With Purchase. All opinions are my own.

What products have you finished lately?

Unicorn Tea Party!

I haven't posted a Unicorn in yonks, so here is Unicorn Tea Party. It's by the talented Eli Wolff of Eli Wolff Art.  Here we have a ginger unicorn about to devour what can only be described as a terrified cupcake.  I sure do like his sneakers.

Teeny Weeny Colourful Haul!

OK, so I indulged in a teeny, weeny colourful haul the other day. I went to the mall for the first time in months (sad, I know!) and I had a list as long as my arm of things to get done. None of them were beauty-related. I got all my shit done post haste and it was straight to Priceline for me! Although, I think I picked up the Ulta3's at KMart or Big W while I was there for something else. Someone needs to invent Beauty Blinkers so I can walk past and ignore a store's makeup section. Until then ..........

(back row) 
2 x Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume
(front row, left - right)
Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 20
Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 19
Rimmel Fruities Nail Polish in Strawberry Fizz
Ulta3 Nail Colour in Tahitian Lime
Ulta3 Nail Colour in Honolulu

So bright and pretty!

What have you hauled lately?

Max The Unicorn is on Facebook!

OK, so le blog has been on Facebook for a little while, but now I've finally installed the social plug-in, (it's on the sidebar to the right, scroll down a bit) so you can just click 'Like' without even leaving the site! How excitement! It's taken me about a month to get around to installing it, so please let me know if there are problems.

Of course, if you want to go and have a gander, here's the link. I'm posting every blog post, plus extra goodies, such as celebrity news, competitions you can enter, pop-culture articles and other beautiful things that take my eye. 

Come forth, like, and join in the fun!

*Image credit - http://roflrazzi.cheezburger.com/

Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Pink Lip Balm Review

I trialled this as part of a Beauty And Lace review group and loved it, so wanted to share my thoughts on this lovely product with you guys.

Features
* contains Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Aloe
* SPF 15
* slant tip
* sheer pink tint

Price
$8.99 (AUD)

Another great lip balm from Carmex! (See my review of the Original Flavour Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm here). I love the slanted tip, which makes application effortless. This baby glides on perfectly and feels fantastic on. There is a slight tingly sensation on the lips when you first apply it, much like you get with the Carmex Original pot of balm, but it's not unpleasant. This feeling fades away after a few minutes. My lips feel soft, hydrated and very moisturised after application, and I’ve found that this formula is quite long-wearing. I love that I’m not having to re-apply it every 10 minutes like some other lip balms.

The packaging is a small tube that can easily be thrown in my gym bag, makeup bag or in a side pocket of my handbag. The product is easily accessed by simply winding up from the base. I like that the lid shuts with a satisfying 'click' sound, so you know it’s secure and isn’t going to fall off and create an unholy mess in your handbag.

The shade looks quite dramatic in the tube, but wears as a subtle baby/soft pink that builds up slowly with more applications. The hand swatch below is after quite a few swipes; rest assured with only one swipe you get a very sheer pink hue. It’s very flattering; this is definitely something you could wear out. It’s not sticky or tacky like some lip glosses, instead providing a wearable, comfortable finish.

The ‘Ultra hydrating’ claim on the packaging is easily met. I’m really impressed by this pretty lip balm and would definitely purchase it in the future. Don't laugh but I spent ages trying to photograph my lips with this product on, and the below shot is the best of a bad lot. I just can't get the camera to focus in right when I'm taking a selfie. Sorry, guys!

**Disclaimer: This product was provided for review on Beauty And Lace. This review is my honest opinion.

Frog Pond Manicure!

This is a green mani with a shot of purple for good measure! Or because I didn't have five greens. I call it my Frog Pond Manicure! Behold the magnificence......


Products Used:
BYS in Hocus Pocus
Ulta3 in Mermaid Green
Ulta3 in Mojito
Revlon in Rock Star
Ulta3 in Lagoon
Max Factor Nailfinity Glossy Top Coat

Above photo:
Left to right - Ulta3 Lagoon on pinky, Revlon Rock Star on ring, Ulta3 Mojito on bird, Ulta3 Mermaid Green on pointer, BYS Hocus Pocus on thumb.

Get Clean, Naked and Balmy with My Top 5!

Nude up, beauties! I'm bringing Naked back! Take a walk down memory lane as I dust off Urban Decay's Naked Palette and rediscover its magnificence. The ORIGINAL release, not Take 2, either! And I guess I didn't really dust it off because the front is a tad crappy. Luckily the precious shadows housed within are well-preserved. Without further ado, I present My Current Top 5 Beauty Products! (in no particular order) ....

1. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel
I've finished the small one, so I've whipped out the 250ml so you can see how it looks. This gel is delightful! I love washing myself in lemony goodness; the fragrance is strong and invigorating and the formula works up to quite the impressive lather. I've been using Sweet Lemon Body Scrub then following up with this gel, and I tell ya, I smell like a Lemon Meringue Pie afterwards. WIN!

2. Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume
To say I was excited when I spotted this new product would be an understatement. You know I'm a dry shampoo junkie, right? And that I'm always looking for products to create volume in my fine locks? THIS COMBINES THE TWO. And I know dry shampoos by their very nature add volume, but THIS SAYS IT ON THE CAN! And it totally lives up to my high expectations. I would have to say this dry shampoo, out of the millions I've tried (slight exagerration), gives me the most volume. And yes, it also works in the 'soaking up oils and refreshing/cleaning my hair' department. It's really good. Go get it now.

3. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
This 'Synchronized Recovery Complex' (what the hell are they purporting to synchronize?) is pretty damn good. You only need a couple of drops from the little, err, dropper thing, on each cheek for the serum to cover your whole face. This leaves my skin soft and smooth and I've noticed my skin is generally clearer since I've been using it. Besides, I love products that work overnight. Sneaky side; I've worn it a few times during the day under moisturiser and it provides a decent base for makeup. Don't skip the moisturiser though, or you may have problems. As a general rule, night products should just be used at night, though. I was just rebelling :)

4. The Body Shop Candied Ginger Lip Balm
First of all, I bought this from a Body Shop store in Singapore half price, so I'm not sure that it's available in Australia. I probably shouldn't rub your face in it too much, then. But the texture of this balm is amazeballs. It's creamy and nourishing, with a lovely ginger fragrance that's subtle and comforting. I use this before bed to keep my lips from drying out overnight.

5. Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette
You know when you find something you stopped using months ago, give it a whirl and then think 'why did I ever stop using this?'. Yeah, that. These earthy natural, bronze, brown, grey and black shades are gorgeous. Highly pigmented, with great staying power, these eyeshadows look great, blend well and compliment each other perfectly. Like just about every beauty freak, I Had To Have this when it first came out, and certainly paid a pretty (fucking enormous) penny for it. Funnily enough, I didn't end up getting the second Naked Palette. My favourite shades here are Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Smog and Toasted.

Disclaimer: I bought The Body Shop lip balm and shower gels, Batiste Dry Shampoo and the Urban Decay Naked Palette and won the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair.