GIVEAWAY: Oz Comic-Con Family Weekend Pass!

Get ready to unleash your inner geek, because Oz Comic-Con is once again touring Australia! Yes, Oz Comic-Con will be visiting Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney starting later this month and I, for one, am excited! If you're into Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek, cosplaying and meeting celebrities, get out your lightsaber, because I have an Oz Comic-Con Family Weekend Pass to give away! That's right, thanks to Oz Comic-Con, you can WIN a Family Weekend Pass, valued at $150 and valid for any city (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney)! Keep reading for how to enter.

The line-up of celebrity guests this year is impressive and even better, new guests continue to be added! Arthur Darvill (Rory from Doctor Who) has just been confirmed and Star Trek: The Next Generation's resident android, Data (aka Brent Spiner!) will also be there! Sabrina the Teenage Witch lovers will be pleased that Melissa Joan Hart is on the guest list, and being a huge Kevin Smith fan, I'm geeking out over Brian O'Halloran (Dante from cult film Clerks). Jason Momoa (Stargate Atlantis, Game of Thrones) is also a guest, but I believe he will no longer be able to attend the Perth event. You can also meet your favourite artist, writer and cosplayer as they have guests from those genres, too. Some of those include fantasy author Isobelle Carmody and comic book illustrator Stewart McKenny.

EVENT DETAILS
PERTH: March 25-26 (Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre)
ADELAIDE: April 1-2 (Adelaide Showgrounds)
MELBOURNE: July 1-2 (Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre)
BRISBANE: September 23-24 (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre)
SYDNEY: September 30/October 1 (International Convention Centre Sydney)

Guys, if you've never experienced Oz Comic-Con before, I can tell you, it's such a fun, colourful and exciting convention! We've taken our son a few times and he loved trying to guess which characters the cosplayers were dressed up as! We are Trekkies and massive sci-fi fans, and hubby is a hardcore Whovian (aka Doctor Who freak, lol), but even if that's not your cup of tea, there are so many other movies and TV shows you'll find there to explore. There are celebrity talks to attend, meets and greets and autograph packages you can buy and merchandise stalls to peruse. There will be an Anime Station featuring a Manga Library, a Gaming Zone and a Family Activity Room to keep the kids busy! It really is a hugely entertaining event, so if you'd like to enter for a Family Weekend Pass in your city, here's how!

WIN a FAMILY WEEKEND PASS to OZ COMIC-CON!

(Valid for Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney)

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 Oz Comic-Con 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! Although not required, I'd love it if you could like the Max The Unicorn and Oz Comic-Con Facebook pages!

Terms & Conditions
~ This giveaway is open to Australian residents only, and will close at midnight (Adelaide time) on Wednesday 15/03/2017
~ Please only enter if you can attend one of the shows outlined above
~ The winner will be picked randomly by the Rafflecopter widget
~ The winner will be notified via email and given 48 hours to reply otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

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Disclaimer: I was kindly gifted an Oz Comic-Con Family Weekend Pass for running this Giveaway on my blog. Photos courtesy of Oz Comic-Con. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What's your favourite cult TV or movie character?




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight On: Ariel's World

Recently I was contacted by Raylene from Ariel's World, asking if I'd like to try some of her candles and lip balm. After hitting up her website and reading some background on the company, I was excited to get involved. Raylene is a single Mum to gorgeous Ariel, a little girl with Down Syndrome. I loved reading her heartwarming story and was even more impressed when I saw that she donates part proceeds from sales of Ariel's World products to Down Syndrome NSW.

In the online shop, you'll find lip balms, candles and diffusers. There are two varieties of lip balm, three different diffuser fragrances and five different candles to choose from, as well as a set containing a Xmas Candle and Lip Balm! I was sent an Ariel Candle*, Ariel Candle Mojito*, Ariel's World Lip Treatment Balm* and a Candy Cane Lip Balm*. Keep reading for my thoughts!

Ariel Candle and Ariel Candle Mojito

I'm not the biggest user of candles; don't get me wrong, I don't dislike candles. In fact, quite the opposite! I enjoy having a candle burning and find it really relaxing, I just never seem to get around to lighting my candles! Well, that has to change. If trialling these candles has taught me anything, it's that I need to slow down, chill out, stop stressing and take the time to relax and enjoy life.

These gorgeous candles weigh 320g and have 60 hours of burn time. I'm still going with mine, so I can't verify that claim. I'd rather make them last and enjoy them over time than burn through them (literally!) too quickly. They are double wick candles and are individually handcrafted in Australia using soy wax. The wick is also eco-friendly as its made out of all natural fibres and doesn't contain any harmful metals such as lead.

The black one is the Ariel Candle, featuring the signature scent. It smells beautiful, and despite being concerned it may give me a headache, it doesn't. Here's the description of the fragrance:

"Our signature scent is in a soothing woody musky base of Patchouli, with notes of exquisite sweet floral Jasmine and sun ripened nectarines infused with the crisp tangyness of blackcurrant berries."

The name Ariel means Lioness Of God. The Archangel Ariel is all about protecting animals and the natural world. This candle honours Ariel, who was born into our natural world with Down Syndrome. The fragrance encompasses embracing the natural scents that empower your senses while protecting the environment. Generously, $5 from every candle sold is donated to the Down Syndrome Association and Lifestart Australia, which helps children living with disabilities.

The pretty silver one is the exciting Mojito Ariel candle! I can't pass up anything cocktail-themed, so I was thrilled to receive this zingy baby. For the innocent amongst you, a Mojito is a Cuban highball boozy delight drink that consists of white rum, lime juice, sugar, soda water and mint. Yum! Let's delve into the fragrance description of this candle....

"A fresh crisp scent with notes of herbaceous mint and lush, juicy lime. Rounded off with middle notes of herbal garden leaves, lavender and a deep floral base."

I love fresh, clean scents and I'm also a citrussy aroma kinda gal. I'm immediately drawn to anything that has the words lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, mandarin or tangerine on it. Despite the Mojito candle also having a strong floral base, I didn't find that it overpowered the lime. I really like burning this one to give my house a nice fresh fragrance, and as I mentioned earlier, the relaxing nature of candle-burning is something I appreciate and need to experience more often!

Ariel's World Lip Balms

"Ariel Lip Balm is nourishing and restorative thanks to bio active emollients. The sweet mixed berry and nectarine flavour makes lips even more kissable! $1 from every lip balm sold goes to Down Syndrome NSW."

Ariel's World lip balms come in lightweight plastic tubes with pull off/click on lids, and operate with a simple wind-up mechanism. You get 5g of product in each tube, and they are available in two varieties; the original Lip Treatment Balm and Candy Cane. The formula for both balms is nice and thin and really smooth to apply. The lip treatment appears white in the tube, with the Candy Cane balm appearing slightly yellow, but they both go on clear and leave my lips with a beautifully moisturised feel and glossy appearance.

Lip Treatment Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Shea Butter Liquid, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Fruit Olio Wax, Olive Squalene, Candelilla Wax, Vitamin E, Macadamia Wax, Flavour, Stevia.

Candy Cane Balm Ingredients: Coconut Oil. Cocoa Butter, Castor Seed Oil, Shea Butter Liquid, Candelilla Wax, Vitamin E, Flavour, Stevia.

I use the Candy Cane balm when I crave that minty/candy apple scent, and appreciate that it contains Stevia, a natural plant-based sweetener, instead of sugar. It's awesome for prepping lips before makeup, using straight after stepping out of the shower, and before going to bed at night. I love how soft and healthy it makes my lips feel. The original lip treatment is a fantastic, kid-friendly product that would be great for children, teens, men, women who aren't into fancy products and anyone wanting a basic, affordable, nice-feeling, effective lip balm. My nine year old son loves it and uses it before we leave for school and if we are going out on the weekends. His lips tend to get quite dry and it really nourishes and hydrates his lips quickly.

The lip balms are vegan and cruelty-free and handmade in Australia. They retail for only $8.50 a pop, with $1 being donated to the Down Syndrome charity.

I love that if you purchase an Ariel's World lip balm or candle it means you're supporting a great cause and helping make a difference for kids living with disabilities. If you're keen to read more about Ariel's journey, you can do that here.

Linking up once again to Monday Makeup Madness at Fabulous And Fun Life!

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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 (I don't make any money if you purchase via the links in this post). Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Do any of these products take your fancy? Are you a candle person?

Review: Rimmel The Only 1 Matte Lipstick Collection*

Hands up if you remember Rimmel's The Only 1 lipstick collection! The range was long-lasting, comfortable to wear and moisturising (here's my Review of that collection). Well now Rimmel have released The Only 1 Matte lipstick range* and I'm in heaven! For the most part these lippies are receiving rave reviews in the beauty blogging world and it's easy to see why. But before we delve into that, let's see what Rimmel claim about this new lipstick collection.

Rimmel: "The lipstick revolution continues… Rimmel London’s The Only 1 Lipstick goes MATTE. Long-lasting, non-drying colour, with a stylish velvety matte finish, The Only 1 Matte Lipstick has it ALL. No more compromise."

I'm usually not a huge lover of matte lipsticks, because most of the ones I've tried have left my lips feeling dry and uncomfortable. As soon as I slicked on High Flyer, I knew I was in love. The formula is silky smooth, there's no dragging and the velvet-like (yet matte!) finish is ultra-comfortable. Seriously, if you avoid matte lippies because you hate that 'dry lip' feel, you must check these out! When you rub your lips together, the product feels creamy and moisturising, yet you get the benefit of a long-lasting lipstick. One thing I suck at is keeping my lipstick in place because I'm always smacking my lips together, but I find with these, despite excessive lip-smacking, the product stays clean-looking and in place. I usually get bleeding at the corners, but that is minimal with The Only 1 Matte lipsticks. Now even though these are long-lasting, I did have to re-apply them after eating a proper meal (but not after just eating a snack or drinking). So they didn't last all day, but probably around four or so hours for me.

I find these easy to apply without needing the definition of a lip liner, but some may prefer pointed tip lipsticks (I used to!). I like the rounded circle 'flat edge' shape and find I can define my cupids bow easily with it. With the darker shades I'll outline with liner first, time permitting, just because it's a bolder look so I want to ensure I've got a clean line!

I must say I'm not the biggest fan of the scent of these lipsticks. I must be getting more sensitive because it didn't bother me with the Rimmel The Only 1 collection! It's quite a strong sweet fruity scent, and I usually love fruity smells (lol), but it's just strange to have it on your lips. Luckily, that's the only drawback for me, and the colours, performance, look and feel of this range far outweighs the scent issue.

The colour pay-off is impressive and the nine shades in the collection are wearable, flattering and fun.  There's something for everyone I believe, even for the wild child out there (that purple!). I do have my favourites, so let's have a look at the swatches...

Photo taken in artificial light. Top to bottom: 110 - 810 in numerical order

Photo taken in natural light. Top to bottom: 110 - 810 in numerical order

Swatches (from top to bottom):

110 Leader Of The Pink

120 Call The Shots

200 Salute

500 Take The Stage

610 High Flyer

700 Trendsetter

750 Look Who's Talking

800 Run The Show

810 The Matte Factor

High Flyer is my all-time favourite shade and the first one I reached for when I received these in the mail. This is a dusty pink/mauve that I'm 100% comfortable wearing during the day as it looks so flattering on my pale skintone.

Salute is a pale nude pink, a my-lips-but-better shade for me. This one is a subtle look and is great for pairing with a smokey, emphasised eye. Perfect for daywear and popping down to the shops, as it's a no-hassle shade you can apply and forget about.

Trendsetter is a light brown nude, that much like Salute, I enjoy wearing during the day as an apply-and-forget about shade. This one tends to wear off me quicker than the darker shades.

Leader Of The Pink is probably my least favourite shade, as it's a candy, Barbie-like pink that I feel doesn't really suit me. It's quite feminine looking if that's your thing!

I love Call The Shots! It's a bright fuchsia that's bold, fun and super-flattering. I know I'll get a lot of use out of this shade. It's right up my alley!

Run The Show is an out-there purple that some people will love and some people would prefer to avoid I'm guessing! It's fun and I love that Rimmel have included such a unique colour. I don't know how much use I'll get out of it as I'll have to be in a certain type of mood to think I can pull it off! It's definitely fun and pretty though!

Take The Stage is a show-stopping bold sexy deep red. It's beautiful and would be perfect for an event or a night out on the town! Adore it!

The Matte Factor is a really dark, deep plummy red that looks super-dark on me because I'm so pale! This is a shade I'd have to be feeling quite bold to wear out!

And finally Look Who's Talking is a chocolate brown shade that would be great for the colder months. I think it would be a lot of people's cup of tea!

So to sum up, my picks would be High Flyer, Call The Shots and Take The Stage. I love that they've included such an interesting range of colours, and on the whole this range is a winner for me!

These babies are on sale now at Chemist Warehouse! I don't make any money if you click through and buy, just letting you know. LOL!

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Disclaimer: Products marked * were provided for editorial consideration. Reviews are my honest opinion. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What's your favourite colour in this range? Would you try these lipsticks?