Mani Monday: Multi-Colour Autumn/Winter Nails!

Hi guys! I haven't done anything remotely interesting with my nails in such a long time, so when I saw the below photo in CityMag, I was inspired to put together an Autumn/Winter Mani! I thought this look was amazing and really wanted to re-create it. So I went through my nail polish collection looking for suitable shades, and this is what I came up with. It's slightly different but has the same vibe. I hope you enjoy!

Inspiration......

Photo Credit: Jessica Clark

I saw this photo in this CityMag article about the stylish looks found on Moonta Street in Adelaide. These gorgeous nails belong to Sia Tam, who is currently studying business. I am in love with this look!


My Re-Creation....

The Polishes I Used.....

~ The Body Shop Colour Crush in Red My Mind
~ Furless Lacquer in Freak*
~ Essie mini in Cocktail Bling
~ Sally Hansen Color Therapy in Unwine'd*
~ OPI Lacquer mini (shade not on bottle)
~ Essie mini in Good To Go (Top Coat)

I used Red My Mind from The Body Shop on my thumb nails. This polish is beautiful! To me this appears more orange than red. I'm crushing on the shade and the deliciously smooth and easy to apply formula. I even asked The Body Shop about it but they haven't made nail polishes in years! I remember I picked this up in a discount bin for around $2!

On my pointer fingers is Freak* by Furless. I love this shade. A few years ago I was kindly sent a bunch of polishes from their grunge-themed line. They're edgy and cool, and I'm yet to get sick of them! I don't think they sell nail polish anymore but you should check out the Furless Instagram page for make-up looks that are out of this world!

On my middle fingers is Cocktail Bling by Essie. This impressed me with its lovely formula. I'm so glad I picked this because I'm not usually into grey, so it forced me to try something different. I really like it!

~ I applied two coats of every polish, followed by the top coat, by the way! ~

I used one of my all-time favourite shades, Unwine'd* from the Sally Hansen Color Therapy range on my ring fingernails. Hooley Dooley, is this a gorgeous colour! Absolutely perfect for Winter, too. I was originally sent this as a press sample but I've bought at least one, if not two, bottles since. I wrote about it in my May/June Beauty Faves and you can read more about the Color Therapy range in my blog post here. Highly recommended!

I used the little yellow mini from OPI on my pinky fingers, and although there's no shade name on the bottle I feel like this was from a discontinued Shrek Forever After mini pack I won (released 2010, thanks Google). Ugh this is so bad and lets down the whole look in my opinion. The formula is thin, uneven and streaky AF. Maybe because it's 9 years old? Oh well, they can't all be winners!

As a top coat I used Essie Good To Go. It produced a super shiny finish, but has the tendency to 'pull off' the colour on the nail, so I had to be very careful when applying to just do the bare minimum amount of strokes to get it on there.

What do you think of this look? Are you a fan?

You may be interested in Mid-Week Mani: Rimmel Be Red-y!

Linking up with Life This Week and Mummy Mondays

Don't miss a post!

Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook

Follow me on beauty Instagram @shinyglitterbug

Follow me on foodie Instagram @imhungrymax

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.

Would you rock this look? Have you ever been inspired to recreate something?

Beauty Empties!

Hi guys! My empties (beauty products I've finished) have been building up and I want to throw them out, but obviously I can't until after I've blogged about them, so here goes!

Burt's Bees Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleansing Towelettes ~ or wipes as we call them in the real word! I quite enjoyed the pink grapefruit fragrance and would consider repurchasing these in the future.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin-Clearing Mattifying Toner ~ this was a tad harsh but I am addicted to tea tree products, especially toners (that smell!). The Lush one is gentler, I'd probably get that next.

Bobbi Brown EXTRA Lip Tint ~ this was nice, but the formula was a bit soft. As a result, I went through it quite quickly. I won it, so no plans to buy this in the future.

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel ~ one of my all time favourite shower gels, I will always re-purchase this when it's available. You can't beat that delicious rosy aroma! I've reviewed it before here.

Oh Deer Sugar (Oh) Mango Sorbet Soda Pop Body Scrub ~ this was so enjoyable, from the fruity fragrance to the soft, creamy yet scrubby formula. My type of scrub, I'll definitely repurchase.

Korres Mango Lip Butter ~ another mango product! These Korres lip butters are delightful and I want to get more in the future, but I have way too many lip balms to get through right now.

Olay Total Effects 7 In 1 Day Cream ~ I used to purchase this over and over as I do love the results, but I've been using up moisturisers from my beauty cupboard lately. I'd love to get back to using this however!

Revlon Colorstay Makeup for Combination/Oily Skin in Ivory ~ A Holy Grail foundation for me, but then the formula seemed to change and I started using Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Liquid foundation instead and fell in love with it! I still  use Colorstay when I need a long-lasting face.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Porcelain Bisque ~ another Holy Grail product, see my review here. The absolute best thing I've found for concealing dark under eye circles, I will repurchase again and again.

Lush FUN in Pink ~ this came in the Lush Think Pink Gift hubby bought me. It was extremely soft and creamy and smelled great, but I went through it way too quickly. Will give it a miss.

Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm ~ the best solution to dry, chapped lips, I talked about this in my April Beauty Faves last month. I was kindly sent the Limited Edition Sugar Plum flavour* which comes in Unicorn packaging, check that out here.

GUESS 1981 Fragrance* ~ this perfume has such a feminine, sexy scent that I adore and I'm really bummed I've finished it! I've got a lot of other fragrances to use up however, so I won't be getting a new bottle. I reviewed it here.

Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Sunscreen Spray ~ My son and I loved this! The spray application meant it was so quick and easy to apply and it soaked in really quickly. No plans to repurchase currently though as we have a few other sunscreens to get through.

Antipodes Hosanna H2O Skin-Plumping Serum ~ I love this so much I featured it in my April Beauty Favourites. I'm currently using my second bottle and will repurchase when it's on sale!

Redken Beach Envy Volume Texturising Conditioner* ~ conditioner take me so long to get through as I can only uses a tiny amount or my hair will go flat (yes, even with a volume conditioner, lol). This was nice, but I've got others in the cupboard to use now.

Rimmel #Insta Fix & Matte Translucent Powder* ~ I love this stuff and have already bought another. I'm a recent convert to translucent powder and now I'm wondering why I didn't try it sooner. I've reviewed it here.

I also threw out a disposable razor (not pictured) but I'm seriously considering purchasing a women's electric shaver in the future. I deserve it!

You may be interested in Recent Empties!!

Don't miss a post!

Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook

Follow my Beauty Instagram @shinyglitterbug

Follow my Foodie Instagram @imhungrymax

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.

Do you see any favourites here? What have you finished up lately?

Recent Empties!

I haven't blogged my Empties in a really long time, so here are the finished products that I could find, and if I come across any more I'll either throw them out or put them in next month's lot if they are worth talking about. I'm trying to de-clutter the house, so it will be great to actually throw this lot out once I've blogged them! On another note, I have a Giveaway coming soon so keep an eye out for that!

Alpha-H Liquid Gold
Love love love this stuff and I already have another bottle on the go! I use it the night before a special occasion, because it really gives me a brighter, better-looking complexion. I will always re-purchase this, but I wait for various discounts or offers!
Re-purchase? Yes

TN Dickinson's Witch Hazel
This is another staple in my skincare routine and I love that it's so cheap, because I can always stock up, guilt-free! Having said that, I've just bought a Tea Tree Toner from The Body Shop on sale, so I'll be using that instead for a while. But then I will.....
Re-purchase? Yes

Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder
This got low then broke up, but luckily I had already bought a new one in the Priceline 40% Off Cosmetics sale. This time I went for Light Beige instead of Natural though, which matches my skin colour more. Love this powder!
Re-purchase? Already have!

Darphin Exquisage Beauty Revealing Cream
I got this as a sample with an order or possibly in a Mecca Beauty Loop Box (thanks for playing along, memory!) and I really love it! Great results, felt good, no reaction, just an all-round great product. However I have too many other creams like this to use up, so....
Re-purchase? No

Uriage Aqua PRECIS Eye Contour Care
I really love this eye gel and found it to quite effective. My routine was to use this before bed, and my holy grail La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Lift Cream in the morning. I won this tube and by a strange coincidence simultaneously redeemed my BeautyHeaven points on the same thing in a Beautorium, so I.....
Re-purchase? Already have a back-up!

Wotnot Facial Wipes for Normal/Sensitive Skin*
If you read my What's In The March Good Green Box? post, you'll know that these were in the Good Green Box! It only contained five wipes, so they are gone, baby, gone. I loved the smell of these and how gentle they were. I'm pretty interchangeable with my wipes though, so I will probably grab something else next time.
Re-purchase? No

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum
This is a tiny little sample tube that weirdly took forever to use! It had a surprising firm jelly like consistency that sort of was squishy but held together. It soaked in easily enough though and I enjoyed using it. But again I have too many other similar products in my stash to use, so....
Re-purchase? No

Lush Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Or shower SCREAM if you go by the most amazing product typo I've ever seen! OMG, this was 50% off in the Boxing Day sale and I have taken forever and a day to use this up. It actually expired in January this year and there were little grainy bits in it. Despite transforming me into the Incredible Hulk's shower double, I will give this bright green cream a miss and concentrate on using up my shower gels instead.
Re-purchase? No

The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub-Gelee
I loved this scrub! The fragrance was amazing and the formula was spot on! I found it refreshing and fun to use and would look at getting it again in the future, but I have enough other scrubs in my stash to work my way through first.
Re-purchase? No

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.

Have you tried any of these products?

GIVEAWAY: Valentine's Day Prize!

Hello and Happy Valentine's Day! If you don't already know, I'm running a Giveaway on my Facebook page where you can enter to WIN a beautiful, romantic prize! I thought I'd celebrate Valentine's Day by giving back to you, my readers and followers, to say thanks for your ongoing support!

It's an easy entry Giveaway and I'd love you to enter! Here's what you could win....

THE PRIZE

~ Cristina Re Jardin De White Lillies Candle
~ Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen
~ The Forgotten Garden book by Kate Morton
~ Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Activated Hair Treatment
~ The Body Shop British Rose Hand Cream
~ The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain in Pink Guava
~ Kosmea Rescue Skin Collection


Click here to be taken to the entry post!


Don't forget to LIKE the Max The Unicorn Facebook page so your entry is valid!

Terms & Conditions
Ends February 22 at 11:59pm. Winner drawn 24 February.
Winner picked randomly.
Must have completed steps 1, 2 & 3 for valid entry.
Australian residents only please due to weight of prize (postage is included)
One entry per person.
Winner announced on the Max The Unicorn Facebook page and messaged or tagged if their settings allow.

GOOD LUCK!

Linking up with Monday Makeup Madness at Fabulous And Fun Life and Life This Week at Denyse Whelan Blogs!

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)

Project 10 Pan

I've decided to start my very first Project Pan, consisting of a hodgepodge of products I want to have finished by the end of the year. Some of these products just seem to sit around, nearly finished, but for an annoying 10 or so percent, so that I can't throw them out. Some are past their expiry date (oops!) and others I just want to use up so I can start other things. Let's have a look at the products.....

1 The Body Shop Watermelon Lip Balm
I bought this back in May at the Pre-Mother's Day Pamper Night and I seriously love it. It's nearly finished and I know I can use it up pretty soon. I won't re-purchase because I have a lot of other lip balms to get through!

2 Chi Chi Coconut & Lime Perfume
This is part of a gift set of colourful perfumes I won in a Giveaway on Kats Colourings blog a while back, and it's just the most delicious, Summery, tropical fragrance. But instead of spritzing Blueberry one day, Tutti Frutti the next, then Coconut & Lime every Sunday, I'm going to concentrate on getting this one finished! I don't think it will be too difficult.

3 MAC Amplified Lipstick in Craving
I don't know why I can't get into MAC lippies like a lot of other beauty lovers? I think I just haven't bought one I love yet. Anyway, this has maybe a quarter left in the bullet and I'm probably going to have to use it every day, but I'd love to finish this by the end of December.

4 NIP + FAB Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme
I quite like these night pads, but I think it's because I'm lazy and often use them to remove my makeup instead of doing a proper cleanse. I like the smell of them and I'd probably re-purchase if they were on sale. I have about 20 pads left, and even though I don't use these every night, I think I can finish the container.

5 Skin B5 Acne Control Moisturiser*
I was gifted this to review back in March (you can read my Review of the Skin B5 range here) and I use it predominantly around my jawline where I'm susceptible to hormonal breakouts. I've been trialling the ASAP skincare range during the day, but using this one at night so it can work while I sleep. I feel like it's nearly finished, so I'd love to have another item to declutter. It is really effective though!

6 Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel*
This is a big bottle from last year, and the expiry date was September this year! It's still fine though, and you may have seen me use a lot of it to make a Snow Fairy bubblebath recently (on Instagram - not in person, that would be weird and disturbing). A few more bubblebaths and I reckon this will be done!

7 Lush Santa's Belly Shower Jelly*
I was sent this as part of last year's Lush Christmas range and I think I used half of it then it got lost during my bathroom renovation. It expired on the 7th of November (so a couple of weeks ago), but it's still good. I have about half to three quarters left to go, and have been using it in every shower. These Lush jellies take ages to use up, but I'll give it a red hot go!

8 Lush Happy Hippy Shower Gel
I bought this in a gift pack, stored it in the cupboard and when I went to get it, it had leaked! Anyway Happy Hippy is my equal fave shower gel with Lush Rose Jam, and I reckon there's only one or two uses left in the bottle, so this should be no problem.

9 Oh Deer Sugar Rose & Passionfruit Shower Moose
I've been putting off using the last bit of this because I love it so much and don't want to see it go! It smells amazing and the formula is beautiful. It made my September Favourites and I think I can use this up in one generous go. I love it to death but won't re-purchase right now, as I have a lot of shower gels to get through!

10 Oh Deer Sugar Fruit Tingle Body Scrub
To be honest I just want this gone. I don't really like the harsh formula, and much prefer the Oh Deer Sugar Mango Sorbet Soda Pop Body Scrub that foams up and is gentler, but I'm not allowing myself to use any more of it until I've finished this scrub. I like the sweet fragrance, it's just a bit too 'scrubby' for me, and that's saying something!

Linking up with Monday Makeup Madness at Fabulous And Fun Life and Life This Week at Denyse Whelan Blogs!

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.

Have you done a Project Pan? Link it up below, I'd love to have a read!

The Body Shop VIP Pre-Mother's Day Pamper Night!

Last Tuesday, I attended The Body Shop's Pre-Mother's Day Pamper Night. This was a paid ticket event; tickets were $25 each, but there were only ten spots available for each location across Australia, so you had to be super quick to get one! I thought the price tag was quite reasonable given the fact that each guest was to receive a Goodie Bag valued at just over $100. I jumped at the chance, snapping up a ticket toot sweet!

The hour-long event was informative, fun and a lovely way to spend an evening. I went by myself and was happy to see a couple of other ladies arrive alone, as I thought everyone else would buy two tickets and come with a friend. Having only ten guests meant it was quite an intimate evening, and we were easily able to speak one-on-one with staff throughout the night. We were treated to a glass of champagne on arrival, as The Body Shop staff welcomed us and explained the evening, which was the launch of their new British Rose Body Care Collection. There was also a plate of colourful macarons near the bubbly, but we weren't offered one and from what I could see nobody took one! I'm still trying to work out if they were real or fake ones for decoration. Haha!

We got to spend about 20 minutes at each of the manned stations, and interact and play with the products, which was fun! My first stop was the makeup application station. I wore a full face of makeup on the night (and don't like people doing my makeup anyway!) so I used the opportunity to ask questions about their makeup line and swatch like a mofo. I loved their new Lip & Cheek Stains and the palette was super-pretty. I thought I didn't own much The Body Shop makeup but was shocked to learn I own both of their eyeshadow quads!

Next stop was a personal skincare consultation. I was asked the standard questions about my skincare concerns and instructed to place two little tabs on my forehead and cheek to determine my skin type (normal/combination - interesting, because I used to be oily, then oily/combination, so clearly my skin is getting drier with age). Then the Consultant collected some products from their ranges that would address my skincare concerns (fine lines and breakouts) and ran through them with me whilst trying them out on my hand. Afterwards, my 'treated' hand was so soft and pampered; I could really feel the difference between my two hands. I was given a skincare consultation leaflet with my personalised regime inside, which showed which products would be most suitable for my skin.

Last stop was the pampering station, where the origins of the British Rose Body Care line was explained and we were given a chance to try out all the products from this brand new range. I went to town, spritzing this, dabbing that and rubbing in the other. The fragrance is floral, feminine and lovely; I'm a huge Lush RoseJam fan, so British Rose is right up my alley!

We also received an exclusive shopping offer of 20% off if we bought two or more products. I felt rushed as the night came to a close, and completely forgot to buy my Tea Tree Toner (which I had planned to get, as mine is practically finished)! Instead I bought a Watermelon Lip Balm (love it!) and some bath gloves which I have yet to try. On the plus side, with the discount this only set me back $11 give or take a few cents! I collected my Goodie Bag and off I went. My prediction was that it would contain small versions of the entire British Rose collection, but I was wrong! Check out the contents of the Gift Bag; it's a nice mix of products that I can't wait to try out!

~ British Rose Instant Glow Body Essence (250 ml)

~ British Rose Petal-Soft Hand Cream (30 ml)

~ Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser (60 ml)

~ Aloe Calming Toner (60 ml)

~ Aloe Soothing Day Cream (15 ml)

~ Aloe Soothing Night Cream (15 ml)

~ Lip & Cheek Stain in Pink Guava

~ Oils Of Life Sleeping Cream (5 ml)

~ Oils Of Life Facial Oil (7 ml)

~ The Body Shop Facial Massager

I'm linking up to the Midweek BeYOUty Bonanza Linky!

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 purchased my own ticket to this Event. This is not a sponsored post. Link is for information purposes and is not an affiliate link. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Are you interested in trying the new British Rose collection?

A Beauty-Full Haul!

I'll preface this by saying I don't go into the city much. So when I take the hour long bus ride into town (on a school day, no less!), I make the most of it. This includes writing a huge list of everything I want to buy, where to get it and even the order in which to shop! Yes, I maximize my shopping time by prioritizing and putting everything in the most efficient order, so I'm not doubling back. I only had two hours to get all this plus buy my husband a Valentine's Day gift, as I was meeting him for lunch, then needed to be on the return bus so I could pick up my son from school. I'm happy with everything I got, although I would have liked to get a new perfume in the Priceline 'up to 60% off fragrances' sale, but I didn't like anything I sniffed!

I'd been wanting to try something from Natura Siberica ever since reading about the brand on beauty blogs and I'm fresh out of body scrub, so the Natura Siberica Oblepikha And Honey Body Scrub was a no-brainer. Look at that pretty packaging! I've had a sniff and it smells amazing, too! Plus I wanted a new mascara, and Maybelline Masterliner is my everyday eyeliner, so I was pretty thrilled to find this Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme Leather Black Mascara with bonus Masterliner Cream Pencil pack! This little haul was from Chemist Warehouse.

I had two Priceline Sister Club discount vouchers to use (yay!) so bought a pack of Schwarzkopf Blonde Ultime in Xtra Light Cool Blonde (marked down to $8.00) and Schwarzkopf Nordic Blonde Toner. I still hadn't reached my voucher value so added a couple of lippies, Essence lipstick in 01 Coral Calling and Savvy by DB lipstick in Guava. With my two vouchers, everything came to $4.70 YES!

I visited The Body Shop with the purpose of smelling their Italian Summer Fig scent (quite nice!) and getting a Born Lippy in Strawberry. I used to wear this every day at school when I was a teenager. Major nostalgia hit! I still love it. I looked in their sale section (of course) and found the strange but alluring Colour Crush Lipstick in 301 Drive Me Nuts. It's a brown shimmer and will be hit or miss (can't wait to try it) but at only $4.95, down from $21.95, I had to take the chance! ~ Edit~ it looks great blotted down on the lips and I even like it blended on the outer edges of my lids as an eyeshadow!

I was so excited to finally check out Oh Deer Sugar in Regent Arcade! It's very similar to Lush, but all the products are vegan and handmade in my hometown, little ol' Adelaide. After sniffing nearly everything I couldn't pass up the Fruit Tingle Body Scrub. I got a little piece of gingerbread bubble bar as a free sample, too!

Being the stationery addict I am, I had to get another three Typo A5 Spinout Notebooks. I write pages of notes, lists, ideas, recipes, blog ideas etc every day and go through these notebooks so quickly. I love their three for $10 deal.

I'm joining in with the Fabulous And Fun Life Monday Makeup Madness Linky Party!

Don't miss a post!

Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook

Follow on BlogLovin'

Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug

Subscribe via email (right sidebar)

What's your favourite thing to buy?

Skincare Routine Update!

I haven't done a Skincare Update post in quite a while, so what better time than the present? Experiencing an extended period of shitty breakouts a few months ago really made me re-assess my skincare routine (or lack thereof!). After switching up a few products and sticking to a morning and nightly skincare routine, my skin is clear and looking pretty healthy on the whole. I'm not going to lie, I am using a lot of different products right now (partly because I'm trying to use up my samples). Most of them are geared towards either clearing and preventing breakouts or anti-aging, as those are my two main concerns. Here's what I'm slapping on every day....

I use Lush Ultrabland Cleanser (see my review here) when I don't have any spots. It leaves my skin feeling plumped out and super-soft. The thick, oily texture means I have to remove it with a washcloth, but it's totally worth the extra effort. When my skin's playing up, I cleanse with Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser (Blemish-Prone Skin) which is an amazing gel that clears my breakouts up fast. I would highly recommend this cleanser if you have problem skin.

Again, I alternate between two products when it comes to Toner. My old favourite is TN Dickinson's WitchHazel which I love for the super-cheap price (around $6) and its ability to minimise my pores and clear my skin. I also use, albeit less frequently, The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. Anyone else love the smell of tea tree, or is it just me? Confession time! When I can't be stuffed cleansing before bed, I actually use one of these toners to remove my makeup. Hey, it hasn't killed me yet!

I've pretty much switched from gritty to liquid exfoliants now. The two products I'm using are Alpha-H Liquid Gold and Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment (with 2% BHA) both of which are pretty potent, so I only use them every two to three days. I like keeping my skin on its toes by using Liquid Gold before bed, then in a few days I'll use the Paula's Choice exfoliant, and so on and so forth. Although Liquid Gold isn't classified as an exfoliant (it's marketed more as an acid toner), that's the way I see it. It's actually a treatment containing Glycolic Acid and licorice that firms, revitalises and boosts radiance. The Glycolic extract does exfoliate, but I really appreciate the multitude of skin concerns Liquid Gold addresses. When a product reduces fine lines, tightens my skin, makes it glow, reduces pigmentation, smooths, clears and makes me look younger, I will keep using it.

So many eye creams (mainly samples)! I love trying lots of eye creams, even though I know my Holy Grail is La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Lift, a true miracle worker. I've not featured it here because I only use it for special occasions; I have a tiny amount left in a sample tube and the full version costs $380 for 20ml. I just can't bring myself to buy it yet. I've been using La Prairie Essence of Skin Caviar Eye Complex instead, which has a watery consistency and is still effective. I've also been enjoying Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging Eye Cream and Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar Eye, both of these do work well. FreezeFrame Revitaleyes (which I wrote about in Five Fabulous Faves) has also been improving my under-eye area, and once a week I use Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisture Cream (not pictured) under my eyes for an added moisture boost.

I am loving facial serums at the moment! I'm using a number of different products, basically just depending on how I'm feeling that day. And again, I'm working my way through the various samples I've accumulated. La Prairie is a favourite brand of mine (why do they have to be so expensive, though?!) and the La Prairie Anti-Aging Rapid Response Booster is great. Their products work so well. Since hubby bought me the Elizabeth Arden GWP a few months ago (blogged about here) I'm falling more in love with this brand. I'm really enjoying the Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging + Intensive Repair Daily Serum, with the Flawless Future Powered By Ceramide Caplet Serum a close runner-up.

Every morning I pop on Elizabeth Arden Skin Illuminating Firm and Reflect Moisturizer half an hour before applying my makeup, as it needs that amount of time to properly absorb. I love the way this makes my skin look as it really does give my face a firmer appearance. Nightly, I use Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered By Ceramide Night Cream, another winner in my book. About twice per week I'll use Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rejuvenating Cream before bed instead, but not on a night where I've used Liquid Gold itself, as it might be a bit much for my skin. This cream is pretty sticky and I wouldn't even attempt to use it under makeup!

My go-to for any spots is Paula's Choice Clear Daily Skin Clearing Treatment, which I bought as part of the Clear Extra Strength Kit. This range is amazing and completely cleared up my persistent breakouts. I rarely need to use this anymore, but I like knowing I have it on hand, just in case. If you're interested in purchasing from Paula's Choice, you can use my link to get $15 off your first order, and I'll get $15 credited to my account!

I'm not really using Face Masks at the moment, because I don't love any of the ones I have. However I have found a few sample sachets and once-off masks in my stash (hello SK-II Facial Treatment Mask) so I might bring back Pamper Sunday!

Don't miss a post!

Like Max The Unicorn on Facebook

Follow on BlogLovin'

Follow me on Twitter @ShinyGlitterBug

Disclaimer: All products were purchased by me, my husband or were free samples I got instore or with online orders. All opinions are my own. Using my Paula's Choice link means you get $15 off your first order and I get $15 credited to my account.

I'm linking up to Fabulous and Fun Life's Monday Makeup Madness Linky Party!

What's your favourite skincare brand or product?

SkinCare Shopping Spree!

I've bought so much skincare lately, it's actually getting ridiculous. I need an Intervention! I have two issues I'm trying to address; the fine lines and dark circles under my eyes and my annoying breakouts. 

I bit the bullet and forked out for an expensive eye cream, Thalgo Exception Ultimate Time Solution For Eyes And Lips. With a $79 qualifying spend, this came with a bonus six-piece Mystery Gift, which turned out to be 2ml sample tubes presented loose in a plastic zip lock bag! Tres disappointing, but you live and learn, right? I'm using Thalgo Exception Time Solution in conjunction with Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle Repair Retinol Serum (not pictured as that came in a beauty box I won a while back) and I'm seeing a vast improvement under my eyes in terms of puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. It's not Holy Grail level, though, so the search continues. I really want to try the Perricone MD Cold Plasma Eye next, but will try to refrain from purchasing it before I've finished the Thalgo cream!

I absolutely adore the Paula's Choice Resist Retinol Serum mentioned above, so jumped at the recent chance for $15 off my first Paula's Choice online order. I got the Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, bought a Retinol Serum sample as a back-up and got to choose three free samples, too. And to prove how much I need that intervention, I have since placed another PC order, this time purchasing the Clear Extra Strength Kit (it was 20% off with free shipping, plus I read the reviews and they were amazing, even clearing customer's cystic acne). I need a solution to my persistent breakouts and I'm hoping this is it. Again, not pictured, because it hasn't arrived yet!

Next up are some tea tree products which have helped a lot, but not completely solved my problem. I purchased The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner after my Lush Tea Tree Water Toner ran out, and the Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Face Wash For Acne (yay!) out of sheer desperation, a few weeks ago. Tea Tree is amazing for clearing blemishes and my skin has started to clear up since using it. Tea Tree Oil has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, acts as an antiseptic and is a great skin healer. My lumps and bumps have all but gone, but I'm left with red marks here and there that are stubbornly sticking around.

Okay, so I think I've got enough skincare in my arsenal now. I pledge to not buy anything else until Leo DiCaprio wins that elusive Oscar! Now you'll have to excuse me while I shed a tear for poor Oscar-deficient, millionaire Leo who is probably having a Cristal champagne-fuelled threesome with stunning, blonde supermodels on his luxury yacht in the South of France as we speak.

Disclaimer: All products bought with my own money, with the exception of the Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle Repair Retinol which was in a beauty box I won. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure section for further information.

September Favourites!

I'm loving so many products at the moment! Here are five of them .....

The Body Shop Eye Palette in Smoky Copper
This is a sturdy, well-designed flip-lid palette with a large mirror and four gorgeous shades that deliver. I'm a sucker for shimmery bronze hues, and this palette houses four highly wearable colours. The lightest can be used for highlighting, the next one for all over the lid, then the coppery shimmer for the socket and the darkest brown for the outer edges. I'm getting so much use out of this, it's really become my go-to palette. Ultra-flattering, great-wearing and gorgeous coppery bronzes and browns. LOVE!

Clinique Powder Blush in Iced Lotus
I used this every day for a long time until recently, when I graduated to a coral blush from BYS (which I'm loving). It's a highly pigmented very light pretty pink with a shimmer that I'm almost certain came in a Gift With Purchase (GWP), because I never buy individual blushes from Clinique. I think I'll start using this as an eyeshadow, just so that I don't use The Body Shop palette every single day.

Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer
This is a sample size I received from Ry as part of a bunch of review products, and you can read my initial thoughts here. The more I use this product, the more I fall in love with it. It really is one of the best Dermalogica products I've ever used (right up there with the Daily Microfoliant). It smooths the surface of my skin and provides a great base for makeup as well as mattifying and extending the wear of my foundation and/or concealer.

Innoxa Antioxidant Lip Glaze in Tangerine
This was given to me by a friend, and it has become a firm favourite of mine. This is saying a lot, because I will always prefer lipstick over lip gloss, and generally dislike the way gloss, or glaze in this case, makes my lips feel. However, the Innoxa glaze is light on the lips, non-sticky and a beautiful consistency. The tangerine colour is subtle and pretty and the fragrance reminds me of vanilla cupcakes! Also, I've been putting some on during my makeup application and by the time I'm ready for lipstick, it actually seems to have plumped my pout, leaving my lips luscious and healthy looking. Sometimes I even leave it on and forego the lippy, although this is really hard given my fondness for lipstick!

NAT Agebloc Eye Cream
I received this product to trial from Facial Co. and was expecting big things when I read that it's to be used as an alternative to Botox injections! (No, I've never tried Botox, but we all know the effects that has!). Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised when I massaged this white cream in and saw how smooth and tightened my under-eye area was. I have a few fine lines in this area, but NAT Agebloc reduces them significantly, pretty much to the point where I can barely notice them. I haven't had this kind of success with any other wrinkle treatment cream, so will definitely be buying a tube of this once I've finished my current one. Another plus is that it absorbs quickly and can be worn under makeup. Nothing worse than finding an awesome eye cream that makes you look younger but rubs off as soon as you dab your concealer on!

Disclaimer: The Body Shop I bought; Clinique part of a GWP; Innoxa gifted by a friend; Dermalogica provided for trial/review purposes; NAT provided for trial purposes. This is not a sponsored post (no money was offered or received). All opinions are my own.