Tuesday, August 29, 2017

WINNERS ANNOUNCED: Havana Home Giveaway!




Thanks so much to everyone who entered my Havana Home Candles/Reed Diffusers Giveaway! I love collaborating with companies to bring you amazing Giveaways, and I'm so happy with the overwhelming response this promotion received! These Havana Home candles and reed diffusers really are beautiful and I'm grateful that Havana Home could provide three products for some lucky readers to win!

The Prize:

3 x Havana Home Candles or Reed Diffusers (winners choice of fragrance) valued at $60 each!
(each winner will receive their choice of fragranced  candle or diffuser)



And our 3 lucky WINNERS are.....

Hayley Moore

Jane Gardam

Anna M


CONGRATS Hayley, Jane and Anna!! I'll email you shortly! Don't worry if you didn't win, because I'll be holding more Giveaways on Max The Unicorn in the future!







Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Monday, August 28, 2017

Barry M Molten Metal Mani + New Releases*!


Hi guys! Today I want to show you a few new releases from Barry M Cosmetics and feature my latest manicure, the stunning Barry M Molten Metal Nail Paint in Blue Glacier*. This will be a super-quick post because I've been really busy for the last three days, and time is not my friend right now! Let's have a look at the mani!






This is two sparkly coats of shiny goodness, and although I would have liked more of a blue tinge from this 'Blue Glacier' shade, it's still really pretty. It's predominantly silver-hued with lots of tiny silver glittery particles, and applied easily and smoothly, becoming completely opaque in two coats. Thank God, because I don't think I ever have the time and/or inclination for three coats of anything! If you like the look of this Nail Paint, definitely check out the website for the rest of the Barry M Molten Metal range, they have some gorgeous colours such as Copper Mine, Gold Rush and Bronze Bae. These new shades of Molten colour are available at BeautyNext now and are launching in Big W soon. Yassss!!





There are more exciting new releases from Barry M including new shades of the Illuminating Strobe Cream* (mine is in the new shade Galactic, but you can also choose from new release Baked, and existing shades Iced Bronze and Frosty Pink) and the Flawless Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit*. If you're new to contouring you needn't worry, because there are step by step instructions on the inside lid, outlining how to highlight, bronze and sculpt using the palette.

Lastly is the exciting Barry M Cosmic Lights Highlighting Palette*. The packaging on this is super-pretty and 'out of this world'! I've yet to delve into the highlighting shades and give this a go, but I seriously can't wait! Here's a closer look inside the palette.





You may be interested in Sally Hansen Color Therapy Mani!




Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Disclaimer: All products marked* were provided for editorial consideration. Reviews are my honest opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What's your favourite type of nail shade? Would you wear a metallic shade?

Thursday, August 24, 2017

LUSH Limited Edition Father's Day Range!*




Father's Day is fast approaching (Sunday September 3 to be exact!) and I haven't even discussed with Mr. 9 what we might get hubby yet! I'm also up for a gift for my Dad, which is very unfair because I've only just bought him a Birthday present. How dare he! Also, my Wedding Anniversary is the day before Father's Day, so I am just going to be in present-buying mode for the next forever if you ask me! Luckily for everyone involved (including you!) the 2017 Limited Edition LUSH Father's Day range has dropped! This collection is available in-store and online right now, and up until September 3. I was kindly sent a selection of goodies from the range, so let's have a look at these now!




Smuggler's Soul Multipurpose Cream*

'Go under cover of evocative, soothing sandalwood.'

This masculine-smelling multipurpose cream can be used on the face, body, hands, hair or even as a shaving cream! It's so good that it can do all these things, because some boys can be lazy when it comes to a 'beauty' routine, am I right? So the easier it is for them, the better! I wrote my hubby out a magnificent skincare routine and he stuck to it for a grand total of a week. *cries*. I've all but given up on him moisturising his face, but I've been using this as a hand cream, and I'm actually digging the earthy aroma and how fast it absorbs. I'm going to suggest hubby use it as a shaving cream, and if he doesn't, I will. I think this will work though, as he loved using the Lush D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap a while back. This contains sandalwood, argan oil to soften the skin and fresh cucumber for its cooling properties.




Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub*

'Sandalwood takes the senses a long way from home as you buff and brighten the skin.'

This thick, creamy scrub is an absolute pleasure to use! The tiny abrasive bamboo stem particles provide a particularly satisfying scrub, and my skin afterwards is left so smooth and soft! This would be the perfect scrub for the man in your life (Dad, hubby, you know who they are!) because it's basic, yet fun to use, with a smoky sandalwood scent, and many beneficial ingredients. Organic shea butter moisturises, papaya juice brightens and refreshes the complexion and a delicious mix of oils (rosehip, argan, sandalwood and rosewood to name a few) work to repair, uplift, soothe, rejuvenate and hydrate the skin.




The Modfather Bubble Bar*

'This bubble bar is for the snappiest dressers and most discerning of bathers. Crumble under running water for luxuriously fragrant citrus bubbles.'

This refreshing and rejuvenating bubble bar is packed full of Brazilian Orange Oil, making for the freshest, most zingy, uplifting citrus scent! Designed to be crumbled under running water, this red, white and blue beauty hits the target if you're a citrus fragrance lover like me! So happy my Dad doesn't have a bath! Bwahahahahaha!





SuperDad Bath Bomb*

'Seek out those true heroes who have lifted you up and deserve a thank you. This super fizzing bomb is made for them.'

I love the hefty size and the DAD design of this Lush bath bomb. The smell is more masculine than that of The Modfather, which makes sense given the addition of guaiac wood and sandalwood as they create a sweet, woody and smoky scent. Sandalwood is uplifting and soothing, and SuperDad also contains Olibanum Oil for a soothing and toning effect. As always, Lush are against animal testing, but you knew that already, right?!




Dirty Styling Cream*

'A styling cream to spike it up or slick it flat, whatever mood takes you.'

I have fine, long hair that I'm forever trying to build volume in, so you'll understand when I say a spiked up or slicked flat look is not really for me. Perfectly understandable given this is part of the Father's Day range, so it's really designed for men, especially those with thick, unruly hair (although thinner-haired humans can use it, just in a lesser quantity). Luckily, my husband does enjoy using styling creams, so this will make a great addition to his gift. This is a medium hold cream with a matte finish and it's from the Dirty Gorilla Perfume family, so if you enjoy that pine and sandalwood scent, this may be for you! I really like the enticing scent, which also contains oakmoss absolute. Dirty Styling Cream contains organic illipe butter to condition and give shine and linseed mucilage to protect and nourish sensitive scalps.



You can purchase the Father's Day range in-store or online at LUSH.

Don't forget to enter my Havana Home Candles/Reed Diffuser GIVEAWAY!



Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Disclaimer: Products marked * were provided for editorial consideration. Reviews are my honest opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Does anything from this range appeal to you?

Sunday, August 20, 2017

GIVEAWAY: WIN 3 x Havana Home Candles/Reed Diffusers!




Hi guys! Are you ready to WIN? I'm so excited to collaborate with Aussie-owned company Havana Home to offer you the opportunity to be 1 of 3 winners in this amazing Giveaway! Yes, that's right, THREE winners will each win a delightful Havana Home candle or reed diffuser in the fragrance of their choice! Havana Home products are made in Australia from the highest quality ingredients, to ensure a luxurious and non-toxic fragranced product. Every scented candle or diffuser is presented in beautiful packaging designed by a Newcastle based artist with stunning botanical illustration of the fragrance inside. I was kindly gifted both a candle and a reed diffuser to review, read on for my thoughts and to find out how you can win!





I was lucky enough to receive a Havana Home Candle in Citrus Basil* and a Havana Home White Tea Reed Diffuser*. The soy candle is quite large and is housed in a heavy glass surround with a thick clear bottom and frosted sides and top. I love the look of this candle, the packaging is sleek and stylish, classic and beautiful. I'd go so far as to say this is one of the best looking candles I've ever owned! It has two wicks and the burn time is said to be approximately 40 hours. The Citrus Basil scent is clean, crisp and fruity. It's strong yet not overpowering, and ideal for someone like myself who is susceptible to headaches triggered from floral fragrances. The only drawback was that my candle burned a bit unevenly, so that one of the wicks went out. The wicks, though, are lead free and the soy wax is clean burning.





I'm really loving the White Tea Reed Diffuser* as well. It's something you can just set up in your living area and forget about, except for gentle reminders when you notice the room smells amazing! I highly recommend the White Tea scent; it is just gorgeous. Again, I'm thankful this doesn't give me a headache. If you do get headaches from certain fragrances, it's just a matter of working out which ones are the culprits (for me it's floral scents) and avoiding those. So I gravitate towards clean, fresh scents and particularly enjoy fruity/citrus, sea breeze and tea smells. The Diffuser is another highly stylish product that will jazz up your home whilst beautifully scenting it too! It's perfect to set up before having guests over, or even as an every day addition to your lounge room.

Some of the lovely candle and reed diffuser fragrances you can choose from include Mimosa Mandarin, French Pear, Orange Bergamot and  White Lily Bamboo. You can treat yourself to a Havana Home Luxury Fragrance at Havana Home.


And now for the GIVEAWAY!




~~Enter to WIN  1 of 3 Havana Home Candles or Diffusers in your choice of fragrance (worth $60 each!) {Total prize value is $180)~~

To be clear, there will be 3 winners. Each winner can choose a Candle or Reed Diffuser in one of the fragrances on the Havana Home website.

How To Enter
Please enter via the Rafflecopter widget at the very bottom of this post. Note that being a Max The Unicorn email subscriber and visiting the Havana Home website is mandatory. The rest of the entry methods are optional, but will gain you more entries in the Giveaway. You can subscribe via email on the right hand sidebar; don't forget to click the link in your email to finish the subscription process, otherwise your entry won't be valid! If you're already a subscriber, just pop your email into the Rafflecopter so I can match it up! I'd love it if you could 'like' the Max The Unicorn and Havana Home Facebook pages to show your support! Good Luck!

Terms & Conditions
~ 3 winners will each win 1 x Havana Home Candle or Diffuser of their choice, valued at $60 each. Total prize value is $180.
~ Delivery is included and prizes will be shipped directly to the winners from Havana Home.
~ This giveaway is open to Australian residents only, and will close at midnight on 27/08/2017
~ The winners will be picked randomly by the Rafflecopter widget.
~ Winners must be email subscribers, this will be checked. If they aren't, new winners will be chosen.
~ The winners will be notified via email and given 48 hours to reply with their address details for prize delivery otherwise new winners will be chosen.
~ Winners will also be announced in a blog post on Max The Unicorn and in the Rafflecopter widget.

Linking up with Monday Makeup Madness, Open Slather, Mummy Mondays and Life This Week.



Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Disclaimer: Products marked * were provided for editorial consideration. Reviews are my honest opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post, links are for information purposes only. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What's your favourite Havana Home candle or diffuser fragrance?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

July Good Green Box!*




Oh hi! I was so excited to receive the July Good Green Box* recently, tear it open and see what was inside! This one was full to the brim and bursting with natural goodies, with some very interesting products thrown into the mix. The contents are worth over $78, which is such great value! This includes two generous full sized products plus five other samples. Let's take a look!


Contents
Akhal Organic Rose Hydrolat (100 ml)
Siberian Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil Extract (100 g)
Atlas Argan 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil (5 ml)
Natura Siberica Siberian Ginseng Eye Cream-Gel (6 ml sachet)
Natura Siberica Rhodiola Rosea Day Cream (6 ml sachet)
Vapour Organic Beauty Halo Illuminator (sample pot)
Cocobetty Coconut Wipes (1 wipe)



As always there's a handy What's In The Box? card that details the box inclusions on one side and the product's key ingredients on the other. First up is a generous 100ml bottle of Akhal Organic Rose Hydrolat. This product is a dry skin quencher and hydrator, which is perfect for Winter! The distillate is extracted from rose blooms picked by the indigenous women of Morocco and the product is 100% natural, organic and vegan. This Hydrolat is water-like and absorbs quickly, leaving my skin soft and toned. I absolutely love the gentle rosy floral scent and I'm really enjoying using this!



Honestly I'm slightly confused regarding the Siberian Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil Extract, as both my information card and the website list the product as Siberian Cedar Nut Oil with Cedar Soft Resin Extract. Apparently it's a natural antiseptic and an efficient immune modulator that restores the body's energy and you're supposed to inhale it. However the Berry Oil packaging implies ingesting it and basically I'm so glad there's a thick information guide in the box, because I'll be needing to do my research! I'm saving the Natura Siberica eye and day cream sample sachets for a later date because I'm concentrating on using my Project Pan skincare at the moment, but I'm still so excited to see Natura Siberica products in this box, as it's a brand I love!

The Atlas Argan 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil is a great multitasking product, as it can be used as a treatment to nourish and repair the hair, skin and nails due to the high fatty acid and Vitamin E content. It's ethically sourced from a women's co-operative in the foothills of Morocco's Atlas Mountains. I've been using it to soften my cuticles and can't wait to give it a go in my hair!



The Vapour Organic Beauty Halo Illuminator was a little difficult to use due to the nature of the sample, which appeared to be a thinly sliced cross section of the full stick version. I had to pick it up and lay it across my fingertip then slide that across my cheekbones to apply the product. However the formula was super creamy and easy to blend out, leaving me with a subtle sheen of moonlight-hued highlight. I'd definitely be interested to try the full version of this!

My 100% natural and cruelty-free Cocobetty Coconut Wipe smelled ah-mazing, kind of like a tropical holiday or a chocolate Bounty bar. So coconutty! The wipe felt deceptively dry until rubbed on the face, at which time the oils were released. This left my face very oily and I had to wipe the excess off with a tissue. I went in with some Micellar Water afterwards as a test and yes, the wipe had removed 95% of my makeup. This is a great option if you're after a less boring, unconventional and fun makeup wipe.

If you're interested in Good Green Box you can check out their website here.

You may be interested in my June Good Green Box post!


Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Disclaimer: * This box was provided for editorial consideration. Reviews are my honest opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Would you try any of these natural products?

Monday, August 14, 2017

How I Use My Social Media Accounts!


Stock image (credit Jeff Sheldon) and clearly not my desk lol

I don't know if this type of post will be of interest to anyone, but what the hey, I'm writing it anyway, because you never know! I've been thinking for a while now about the different ways I use each of my social media accounts. I read in a blogging tips post that you shouldn't replicate content across all your social media, because your followers don't want to see the same thing over and over. But not everyone follows you everywhere. I crossover my content, but I also post different things on Facebook than I do on Twitter or Instagram, for example. Let's start!

Instagram
Now we all know Instagram has gone to shit ever since they changed it, and that likes are not what they used to be. As such, I run hot and cold with this platform, and definitely don't use it as much as I used to. Previously I posted up to four photos every day, but now I try to post at least one photo every night, excluding weekends, when I allow myself time off! My Instagram is a mix of beauty photos, ads for my latest blog posts, manicures, makeup, food and personal photos featuring my son or my cats. I don't have the time nor energy to separate my beauty and personal photos by making two accounts; since Max The Unicorn is a Beauty & Lifestyle blog I'm happy to share photos of Mr 9 making cupcakes or my fur-kitties Nutmeg and Pumpkin. After trying various apps, I've settled on the Snapseed app to edit my photos. I know how to work it and it has everything I need to pretty up my pictures.

I experimented with Instagram Pods, but because I don't consider myself a hardcore user (of Instagram!), it was too full on for me. I reciprocated likes when I posted a photo, however the pressure and super-seriousness of some Pod members sucked the fun out of Insta for me and I had to leave. I don't get a lot of comments on my posts and I'm fine with that. I don't want to be spending hours on Instagram commenting on everyone's photos, so I don't expect comments on mine. When I post a photo, that's when I go through my feed and like a lot of photos. I also look in my notifications and try to 'like back' everyone who has liked one of my photos, lol. Do other people do this or is it just me?

Facebook
I really enjoy using my Max The Unicorn Facebook page! I tend to post a series of Alerts on there, and try to post at least once a day. These include GWP Alerts, where I share the latest beauty Gift With Purchase offers currently available and Sale Alerts, for example when Priceline are having a big discount sale, because who wants to miss out on those? Another thing I do is share a lot of competitions, with my Win Alerts and Giveaway Alerts. I used to be heavily into comping (entering competitions), so I love to share opportunities to win amazing beauty prizes. If this interests you too, be sure to check out my page. Obviously I link up all my new blog posts, so readers can click through and check them out. I also share some of my Instagram photos on Facebook and let you know what products I'm currently trialling!

Twitter
Along with Instagram, I have a very hot and cold relationship with Twitter! Sometimes I love to use it, and will be on there tweeting weird things that have happened in my day, cracking bad jokes and RTing cute dog pics, then I'll neglect my account and not tweet for days on end! I love that I'm connected to my local Adelaide community on there and enjoy replying to them even though I've never met any of them in real life! I'm at my most unguarded on Twitter so that's where you'll find me dropping F-bombs, advising against oral sex after eating KFC Hot n' Spicy and generally oversharing. So it's really great that I also use this account professionally ROFL! Of course I use Twitter to advertise my blog posts, and always add at least one photo to those tweets. I like to add a RTing account handle into my blog post tweets, because having them RTed greatly increases my exposure and widens the audience that see my blog. Some of the ones I like to use are @BBloggersAU @FemaleBloggerRT @BblogRT and @Blogginggals .

Another thing I'll do from time to time is set up Buffer to automatically tweet out links to ten of my posts. You can write these tweets yourself and include photos and RT accounts in there, and specify when you want them to publish. I'm very aware of the possibility of this annoying my followers though, and have big breaks in between using Buffer for Twitter.

Pinterest
Pinterest is my least used social media. I honestly don't understand it, nor do I even try to. For some reason, I kinda dislike Pinterest. It's installed on my iPhone, but I never open the app and have a look. I find it overwhelming and don't bother learning to use it, as I'm already too busy with the rest of my social media, Instagram and Facebook in particular. I originally used it only for competitions, where you could  gain an entry from following a company on Pinterest. But these days I push the button on my blog posts that shares them to Pinterest and I also share to the Fabulous And Fun Life Monday Makeup Madness Pinterest page (group? board?) on Mondays because I link up to Ingrid's beauty link up. So please don't be offended if I don't follow you back on this platform, I simply don't really use it.


Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on BlogLovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

What's your favourite social media platform?

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Haul: Drew Barrymore's Flower Beauty!




I'm so excited for today's post, because it's all about my recent Flower Beauty Haul! This is Drew Barrymore's beauty line, which I've been wanting to get my hands on ever since it was released. I'm a huge Drew Barrymore fan, as you probably know by now. So I've been eyeing off various Flower Chubby Sticks, Kiss Sticks and blushes on Facebook and Instagram without actually being able to get any because they're only available at Walmart in America and the Flower Beauty website, both of which don't ship to Australia. I was thrilled to be contacted by Big Apple Buddy recently, and jumped at the chance to collaborate with them on this U.S. haul. More on Big Apple Buddy and how you can use their services to shop from the United States later in this post, but first, let's check out the Flower Beauty makeup I bought!

Flower Beauty Haul!
~ In Bloom Cosmetic Zip Pouch
~ Framed Cosmetics Case
~ Limited Edition Travel Makeup Set containing
   > Ultimate Travel Brush Set & Travel Clutch
   > Flower Pots Powder Blush in Wild Rose
   > Zoom In Ultimate Mascara in Black
   > Shadow Play Eyeshadow Quad in Foxy Brown
   > Color Proof Longwear Lip Cream in I'm Blushing
~ Shimmer and Shade Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Natural
~ Eyes On The Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Olive My Love
~ Lip Suede Velvet Lip Chubby in Berry-More
~ HydraSilk Lip Butter in Poppy Petal
~ Kiss Stick High Shine Lip Color in Rose Bud
~ Kiss Stick Velvet Lip Color in So Gladiola
~ Lip Service Lip Butter in Sheer Snapdragon*



One thing I love about this range is how affordable it is. As I mentioned, it's sold in Walmart in America, so it's essentially a budget line. I wanted to pick up a couple of cosmetics bags because being a Drew fan, they are something I can keep as a collector's item, that I won't use up like makeup. I am, however, going to use them, but I kind of want to keep them in top condition at the same time. LOL. Good luck with that! The In Bloom Zip Pouch is bigger than I expected, but will be great for travelling, and the Framed Cosmetics Case will be perfect for carrying around touch-up makeup in my handbag. These were only US$11 and US$8 respectively, which is beyond reasonable.





I couldn't go past the Travel Makeup Set, an online exclusive, which contained a wide variety of different products from the range for only US$40, valued at US$57. For starters it contained another little bag, this time a pretty shiny flat-style bag that would be ideal for holding a few smaller cosmetics in. I am lacking in makeup brushes, and the eyeshadow quad shades are right up my alley, so this Set looked the best for me out of all the great value Sets available.




Do I need another natural/nude palette when I already have more than enough? Obviously no, but look at it! Sorry not sorry! Now in case you are starting to fantasize about your own U.S haul, let me tell you a bit about Big Apple Buddy. It's a shopping concierge service that lets you buy the latest tech, fashion, beauty and outdoor products from America, that aren't available here. It's super-easy and I experienced outstanding and friendly customer service. There were two delivery options to choose from; I chose the cheaper economy one and I have to say, my parcel still arrived quicker than I expected! Everything was packed really well and arrived safe and sound. Be sure to check them out if there's something you want from America! OK, let's get back to the makeup, LOL.





I picked the Eyeshadow Chubby in Olive My Love because I don't have many green eye products and I loved that Drew named this one after her daughter, Olive. How cute! I'm not gonna lie; I also chose the Lip Chubby based on the punny name Berry-More! It was either that or Red-dy To Bloom and the berry shade won out. I did go a bit heavy on the lip products, and I wanted most of them to be bold reddish shades, because Drew wears a lot of red lippie, so I wanted to follow this trend with my Flower beauty purchases. Many thanks to Phillis from Big Apple Buddy for popping in a freebie, the Sheer Snapdragon Lip Butter*. It's greatly appreciated!




Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Disclaimer: I paid for all Flower Beauty products and delivery (excluding Lip Service Lip Butter in Sheer SnapDragon* which was a freebie), but Big Apple Buddy waived my service fee in exchange for this post. Reviews are my honest opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post, links are for information purposes only. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Who's your favourite celebrity?  Do you like anything from Drew's Flower Beauty range?

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Max My Movies: July Round-Up!


Oh boy, July was a huge movie month for me! My husband went away for work, the school holidays were on and my Dad took Mr 9 for a few days, so I spent a lot of time drinking wine and watching films! Since I saw twenty (yes 20!) films, I'll go through them pretty quickly, because that many in-depth reviews is not fun for you or me! This will be Spoiler-Free, just in case you haven't seen them. Here's everything I saw, in the order I saw them!




1. CARS 3
To be honest, I thought the third installment in the 'Cars' franchise was a bit boring. We saw this in a double with 'Despicable Me 3', and even Mr 9 preferred the latter. The saving grace is the amped up racing action, as Lightning McQueen tries to get back into the game. But for me it was all a bit 'meh'.

2. DESPICABLE ME 3
This was the perfect school holiday movie and a film I think both kids and adults would enjoy. South Park's Trey Parker was perfect as the former 80's child star Balthazar Bratt, bringing nostalgic 80's hits with his scenes. I loved this movie! It was entertaining from start to finish, funny, and did I mention the brilliant 80's soundtrack?

3. HOW TO BE SINGLE
I cried during a movie that featured cock lollipops (lollicocks?), Rebel Wilson in a light-up dress and the phrase 'dicksand'. And it wasn't due to Dakota Johnson's shit acting. I'm being super-critical, this was actually better than I expected and I did laugh. Rebel Wilson fans should check it out for sure.

4. WHAT IF
What if your best friend is also the love of your life? I can't stress how much I adore movies where best friends fall in love! It's just so satisfying and romantic to watch. This rom-com is based on Toothpaste And Cigars  (remind you of Coffee And Cigarettes?) and stars the growing-on-me Daniel Radcliffe and quirky Zoe Kazan. Recommended if you, too, enjoy this genre!



5. OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL
This has a magnificent cast including James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Zach Braff, and was captivating from start to finish. My nine year old also enjoyed it, and it's always good when you find something suitable for family viewing. My main memory of this movie is how beautiful it looked; the colours popped and nearly every scene was a stunning sight to behold.

6. FOCUS
I really enjoyed this con artist movie starring Will Smith and Australia's own Margot Robbie. It was exciting to watch, there was plenty happening and to be honest, it was amazing just to be able to watch a more adult movie (this isn't porn! I just mean it's not kid-friendly!) without the constant interruptions a nine year old son brings. Parents, you know what I mean.

7. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE  OF MEATBALLS
I loaded this up on Netflix for my son and was only half watching whilst scrolling Instagram, so I can't give my full opinion. It was pretty standard and didn't blow my socks off, but Mr 9 liked it well enough.

8. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2
Much the same as Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, I was only watching this sequel in a half-arsed fashion, and had mainly put it on for my son. The main thing I was thinking throughout was 'I really need to think of some non-animated family-friendly films I can watch with Mr 9, as animated crap often gets on my tits lol.



9. WALK OF SHAME
I saw the trailer for this a while ago and all I can remember is it's the movie with the girl in the yellow dress. Now I was drunk for a lot of these movies, but for some reason I thought I was watching 'Obvious Child' (which is still on my Watch List) instead of the yellow dress film. Oops. This was mildly funny, although a bit of a one-trick pony. It didn't take me long to get sick of the 'worst day ever' scenario but thankfully Elizabeth Banks was nice to look at haha.

10. THE SKELETON TWINS
I'm a big fan of both Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader and am always drawn to dramatic character pieces, so this film had been on my radar for quite some time. 'The Skeleton Twins' is definitely heavy and hard to watch in parts; a big part of it is about suicide and it can get depressing, but interspersed throughout are touching and funny moments. This film is about mending a broken brother-sister relationship, and it's just beautiful. Bring tissues!



11. HORNS
So I watched another Daniel Radcliffe film! This film is really hard to describe. It's certainly strange and I had to look up what genre it is, because I couldn't even work it out. It's 'dark fantasy horror' apparently. Umm, I liked it, it's different, it definitely kept me enthralled and I appreciated the mystery 'whodunnit'  aspect.

12. WE'RE THE MILLERS
I actually enjoyed this more than I expected, especially given the presence of Jennifer Aniston. It's a ridiculous comedy, but it has heart at the same time, in its own warped, crude way. If you want to escape with a mindless offensive comedy, this could be the one.

13. ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL
Because this is a spoiler-free post, I can't say why I didn't like this movie, and it actually really annoyed me. If you're easily depressed, probably don't watch this alone, with a bottle of wine, while your partner is out of the country like I did. Unless you have a good comedy on hand for afterwards.



14. THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
I can't believe it has taken me this long to see my lover Leo DiCaprio in the impossible-to-miss-yet-I-still-did 'The Wolf Of Wall Street'. It's a three hour epic about real-life Stockbroker Jordan Belfort, brilliantly portrayed by DiCaprio, and his rise and fall amidst a shitload of drugs and sex. It's excessive, ridiculous, funny, captivating and above-all, entertaining as fuck. Recommended!

15. WISHFUL THINKING
I only watched this because I'm a huge Drew Barrymore fan, and I didn't have high hopes. But still. Even with vintage Drew, this film is awful. I really dislike James Le Gros. Jennifer Beals haircut in this is the stuff of nightmares. And I'm pretty sure Drew Barrymore is just playing herself. Down to the daisy accessories and smoking Marlboro Reds, which she did at the time. Ugh.

16. BEE MOVIE
Both my son and I had seen this before, but he wanted to watch it again. And who can blame him! Jerry Seinfeld voices the main character, Barry the Bee, and part-wrote the screenplay, so it at least brings the laughs. Animated kids movies are one of my least favourite movie genres, but Bee Movie is great and I'd recommend it. It reminds me of 'Antz' and 'A Bug's Life', a couple of other kid-friendly hilarious animated films about the insect world.



17. THE OTHER GUYS
How do I say this without seeming like a bad parent? My son loves this movie. We've watched it together a few times, along with 'Dodgeball' (I make him look away at the bad bits). Yes, I've bred me a little Will Ferrell fan! This film is hilarious, and Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell together are gold. Their other film, 'Daddy's Home' is also great, but not as cool as 'The Other Guys'.

18. BEWITCHED
Obviously I love me some Will Ferrell, but not even his comedic genius (shut up, I'm a fan) can save this stinker. I watched the original Bewitched TV series when I was a kid, so I was interested in this despite knowing about the bad reviews. Really, the only good thing about it was that it was mild AF, so it was something non-animated that Mr 9 and I could watch together. Oh and Steve Carell as Uncle Arthur. Nailed it! I wish I could wriggle my nose like Samantha and make this hot mess disappear.

19. DRIVE
I love an intense Ryan Gosling action-drama, and this film really revved my engine (sorry). It's a bit of a slow burner, but it kept me interested the whole time and was suitably serious and moody, just like Ryan Gosling. Be warned though, the violence in this is brutal, so if you cringe at blood and gore, this may not be your cup of tea.

20. THE BOSS
I will always give Melissa McCarthy the benefit of the doubt, but let's face it, this is not her finest work. The Boss is just not very funny. Such a shame because I'm a huge fan and I love Kristen Bell, too. I don't think this has much going for it, so I'll just say I like how Director and McCarthy's real-life husband Ben Falcone has little cameos in her films, and I always look out for them.




You may be interested in Max My Movies: January Round-Up!!



Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)


What movies have you seen lately?

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Project 30 Pan



Oh hi! My plan was to bring you my July Favourites today, but since I have the flu, along with my son and husband, I just didn't have the energy to write a long review-style post. So instead, I had the bright idea to go through my beauty cupboard and check the expiry dates on everything and I'm so glad I did! A number of things had expired and a lot were close to expiring. And so this is a Project Pan, but mostly on skincare products. My goal is to use up as many of these babies as I can between now and the end of 2017. I'm a bit mortified that some things have already expired, but I've never been one to play it safe, so I will proceed with caution in using these products; if they cause a reaction I'll bin them. I do not suggest doing this yourself, you should always throw out your expired products, repeat, do not follow my reckless example. I may even give a couple of these Project Pan items away to family (not the expired ones, lol) if I feel like I won't use it.

I actually feel good that I know which products I should be concentrating on finishing, and that there is some type of plan in effect now. I'm listing these in order from the most expired to the least, and you'll see that the list includes a lot of stuff there was no expiry date on (these are marked unknown); if I feel that the 'unknowns' have been in the cupboard a fair time or it's something I really don't want to risk going bad before I use it, I've included it in my Project Pan.


PROJECT 30 PAN
1        Skin Vitals T-Purify Anti-Spot Mask               (19/2/2017) EXPIRED
2        Lush Yummy Mummy Shower Gel                 (3/5/2017) EXPIRED
3        Alpha-H Pore Refining Mask                          (30/5/2017) EXPIRED
4        Uriage Thermal Water                                  (?/6/2017) EXPIRED
5        Emma Organics Hand & Nail Revive Cream    (10/7/2017) EXPIRED
6        Skin Doctors Beetox                                    (?/8/2017)
7        Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel                          (7/11/2017)
8        Lush Happy Hippy Shower Gel                     (8/11/2017)
9        Dr Jart Soothing Hydra Solution Sheet Mask (21/12/2017)
10      La Prairie Cellular Swiss Eye Cream              (unknown)
11      La Prairie Skin Caviar Firming Complex         (unknown)
12      La Prairie Cellular Moisturiser                       (unknown)
13      Alpha-H Daily Exfoliant                                (unknown)
14      Clinique Cooling Eye Gel                              (unknown)
15      Skinstitut Moisture Defence Ultra Dry            (unknown)
16      Prevage Anti-Aging Cleanser                        (unknown)
17      Prevage Anti-Aging Cleanser                        (unknown) {x 2 of these}
18      The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Enhancer      (unknown)
19      The Body Shop Facial Oil                              (unknown)
20      The Body Shop Facial Oil                              (unknown) {x 2 of these}
21      The Body Shop Sleeping Cream                    (unknown)
22      SK-II Facial Treatment Mask                         (unknown)
23      Clinique RepairWear Cream                          (unknown)
24      Nip + Fab Extreme Night Fix                         (unknown)
25      Montagne Jeunesse Clay Mask                      (unknown)
26      Dr Jart Vital Hydra Solution Sheet Mask         (23/1/2018)
27      ASAP Moisture Daily Defence                        (?/2/2018)
28      Goodness Chia Seed Oil                               (?/3/2018)
29      Tonic Microexfoliant                                     (?/3/2018)
30      Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Cream                  (?/4/2018)


Linking up with Monday Makeup Madness and Life This Week and Open Slather. 

Don't miss a post!
Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram @shinyglitterbug
Follow me on Bloglovin'
Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug
Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

Disclaimer: Please don't use your expired products (and know that I am proceeding with a lot of caution!). Some of these products may be PR samples, some I've bought, some I've won, some were probably free samples. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Is your beauty cupboard an overflowing disaster area like mine, or are you organised?