Sunday, February 25, 2018

LUSH Think Pink Gift!




Hi guys! I've been so excited about my Lush Think Pink Gift ever since hubby bought it as my Valentine's Day present, I just had to tell you about it! This isn't a limited edition Valentine's Day gift, so it's available all year round, despite it not being listed on the Lush website. Let's get into it!

First of all, Think Pink is huge! The octagonal box is honestly so feminine and pretty; it's covered in a pink and red floral design that's super cheerful to look at. I'll definitely be keeping the box to re-use, I only wish the cardboard was sturdier so I didn't have to worry about it breaking or losing its unique shape.

Inside is a whopping ten pink-themed products and a information booklet that details product info along with photos (which is just as well, because the individually wrapped bath products are not labelled). As it's a Gift, there's a gift tag with To and From areas to fill out for your intended recipient, and a quick guide to the products, as well as the quote 'banish the black, burn the blue and bury the beige'. Indeed! And now on to the pretty in pink Lushness!




CONTENTS
~ Think Pink Bath Bomb (200g)
~ Twilight Bath Bomb (200g)
~ Sakura Bath Bomb (200g)
~ Rose Jam Shower Gel (100g)
~ The Comforter Shower Cream (100g)
~ The Comforter Bubble Bar (100g)
~ Creamy Candy Bubble Bar (100g)
~ Pink Fun (100g)
~ Rock Star Soap (100g)
~ Bubblegum Lip Scrub (25g)


Left-Right: Twilight, Think Pink & Sakura Bath Bomb

Twilight Bath Bomb
Twilight is a light pink hue with white specks and features a star and moon design. With its comforting tonka and soothing lavender scent, I can totally see myself watching my bf Robert Pattinson in Twilight on a Friday night then dipping into a relaxing Twilight bath before bed!

Think Pink Bath Bomb
This reformulated bomb promises fabulous fuchsia foam, streams of sparkle and super soft skin. The ultimate in girly fun, it would be perfect for a Sunday afternoon pamper session!

Sakura Bath Bomb
This is a white bomb speckled with colour that was inspired by Japanese cherry blossom, jasmine and mimosa. With hints of citrus from lemon oil and orange flower, Sakura is a predominantly floral scented beauty.

The Comforter Bubble Bar, Rose Jam Shower Gel & The Comforter Shower Cream

Rose Jam Shower Gel
Aahh, one of my all-time favourite shower gels! I adore the rosy Turkish Delight scent of this gorgeous dark pink cleanser. I try to stock up every year in the Lush Boxing Day Sale (because half price is everything). You can read my review here.

The Comforter Shower Cream
'Cassis absolute knits together with sweet vanilla, wrapping you in homely blackcurrant comfort.' Although I prefer the Lush shower gels to their shower creams, I am drawn to the rich pink colour of this, and it smells ah-mazing!

The Comforter Bubble Bar
Hot damn, this fuchsia and white hued swirly bubble bar smells delicious! It's obviously in the same scent family as The Comforter shower cream, and the strong blackcurrant fruity fragrance is definitely my cup of tea!

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar, Pink FUN

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar
The Creamy Candy bubble bar has an orange flower set into its top and smells super sweet, like fairy floss! It's filled with Fair Trade cocoa butter and comforting vanilla absolute and is said to provide a higher level of moisturisation thanks to the addition of an almond and cocoa butter blend that melts onto the surface of the water!

Pink FUN
Because why should kids have all the Fun? My son always has a Lush FUN on the go (think Speedboat, Sea Monster and Rainbow) but this fruity, candy fragranced soft pink playdough-like soap is all mine! I'm going to feel like a kid again as I make shapes with my Fun before cleansing in its pink goodness!

Rock Star Soap, Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Rock Star Soap
This chunky baby pink star is a super sweet soap that I last tried back in 2013, when my blog text was as pink as this soap! (see here). Incidentally it also used to be a rectangle shape, but now the shape matches the name, although they could alternate as it's rectangular on the website! Rock Star contains coconut oil and vanilla absolute, and gives a lovely creamy lather.

Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Polishing your pucker is one of the funnest things you can do with your mouth (ooh-err!) and I'm super excited to now have this Bubblegum scrub in my collection! I'm a big fan of lip scrubs, and even though they are more fun than necessary, the sweet candy flavour of this will definitely have me reaching for it on the reg!


You may be interested in LUSH Valentine's Day Range

Linking up with Open SlatherLife This Week and Mummy Mondays.

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: Reviews are my honest opinion. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Would you buy a Lush gift for friends, family or yourself?

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Wordless Wednesday: Pretty In Pink Manicure!


Featuring Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in the shade 530 Back to the Fuchsia*







You may be interested in Sally Hansen Pampered In Pink!

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: *Product was provided for editorial consideration. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

What's your go-to nail polish shade?

Monday, February 19, 2018

Mecca Maxima Haul!




Hi guys! Today I have a Mecca Maxima Haul for you. A bit of background; up until October last year, Adelaide didn't have a Mecca Maxima (and we still don't have a Sephora!). In the past I've bought some bits and pieces from Mecca Cosmetica in the city, but their range is very limited. I've also made a point of hauling on every Sydney or Melbourne trip I make. So I was very excited when Adelaide got its very first Mecca Maxima, located right near me at Westfield Marion, no less! But then something very strange started happening and I just had no desire to visit the store or purchase anything beauty-related. I got totally overwhelmed with the amount of makeup and skincare I owned and became focussed on using up my beauty stash. I did a Project Pan at the end of last year and have another one planned starting next month, and put together a Sample Challenge, which I'm currently doing.

On the weekend, however, I finally got excited enough to visit, four months after the store opened! Hubby had taken Mr 10 to see a movie in Gold Class at EVENT Cinemas, and I had no time constraints or pressure to hurry, so it really was the perfect time to check out the Mecca goodness. Here's what I hauled!




Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette
Here's how out of the (Beauty) Loop (haha, sweet pun) I am; I went into Mecca Maxima hoping to get the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette, not realising that brand is stocked at Sephora. So then I was all like 'I'm getting a palette today, damn it!'. I was eyeing off the new metallic Too Faced Chocolate Gold palette, which did swatch beautifully, but I started questioning how much wear I'd get out of it on a day to day basis. Which drew me to the pretty Sweet Peach palette. I gave into temptation and bought it! Guys, tell me what you think of this palette below, I know it's been out for a while and I'm keen to get your thoughts!



Mecca Max Pout Pop Lipstick in Mean Girl
I'm such a huge fan of nude lipsticks and after swatching a few different ones, including a similar shade with a sheer finish from the Mecca Max range, I settled on this gorgeous Mean Girl shade with a high-def finish. This is right up my alley and was only $20, so even though it's not a trendy brand, I'm hoping the quality is good and I'll get a lot of use  out of it.




Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea
I've been wanting to try this facial spray for quite a while, because I love my Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater. So now I have the pink one and the green one! I love that these little sprays are only $9 each, and in fact my Rosewater one has lasted me forever. Hopefully I like this calming scent just as much!



Kitsch Hair Ties
I'd been wanting to get hair ties like this for ages, so when I saw them for $12 at the Check-Out Aisle Of Doom (lol) I of course picked them up. I wear my hair up a lot, so as long as these pretty, sparkly ties actually work and are comfortable to wear, I should be good to go.




Reminder to enter my RosehipPLUS Instagram Giveaway if you haven't already!

You may be interested in LUSH 50% Off Haul



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)

Have you hauled lately? Link it up in the comments below so I can check it out!

Monday, February 12, 2018

GIVEAWAY: Win 3 x RosehipPLUS Packs!




Hi guys! Today I'm excited to tell you about a Giveaway I'm running on Instagram, in conjunction with RosehipPLUS. This Aussie skincare company has kindly offered to give away 3 sets of skincare goodies to you, my lovely readers! If you aren't following me on Instagram, now is the time to do so, because this Giveaway will run on my beauty Instagram, @shinyglitterbug.

RosehipPLUS are proudly family owned and made in Australia, and their products are Australian Certified Organic. The entire range has been approved by PETA as being Cruelty Free and Vegan. Every product contains their organic rosehip oil and is free of parabens, sulphates, artificial colours, petro chemicals, synthetic preservatives and fragrances. I love that RosehipPLUS is an affordable skincare range that's easily available here in Australia and suitable for everyone!


THE PRIZE!

There will be 3 WINNERS, who will each win the following products:

~ RosehipPLUS Hydrating Day Cream

~ RosehipPLUS Organic Daily Cream Cleanser
~ RosehipPLUS Rosehip Oil Skin Boost Roll On


CLICK HERE to be taken to the Giveaway post! Good Luck!





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: I was provided with a RosehipPLUS skincare pack for editorial consideration. There are no affiliate links in this post. Please see the Disclosure page for further information.

Have you tried RosehipPLUS skincare?

Friday, February 9, 2018

Cooking with Grampians Olive Co. Olive Oils*




Hi guys! Do you get slack with cooking meals during the school holidays? Or is that just me? We have been relying on takeaway and delivery a little too heavily lately, so I was excited to be sent a trio of Grampians Olive Co flavoured olive oils* recently, because if there's something that gets me motivated to cook, it's delicious olive oil. Whenever I see olive oils and gourmet dipping breads as a starter course I have to order it! Established in 1943, Grampians Olive Co. are celebrating 75 years of making Australia's Premium Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oils this year! They have an extensive range of organic extra virgin olive oils, infused oils, olives and vinegars. The flavours I chose for my Triple 100ml Gift Set* are Lemon Pressed, Garlic Infused and Blood Orange Infused. Can you tell I'm a citrus-loving gal? I thought I'd let you know a few ways I've been using these olive oils in my cooking. Let me know your ideas in the comments section below!




Olive Oil Dipping Platter with Crusty Bread
Simplicity is key with this pared back approach. Try getting to know your flavoured oils by simply dipping some crusty bread in and going to town! This allows your palate to really taste the flavours properly and you'll easily be able to identify your favourites. For me, these all taste great, but my preference is for citrus flavours, so my pick of the bunch is the Blood Orange followed by the Lemon Infused then the Garlic. Interestingly, hubby was the complete opposite! He preferred garlic, then lemon, then blood orange.




Tomato, Feta, Rocket and Garlic Olive Oil Bruschetta
What's good about this one is that it's quick and easy to make, yet beautifully fresh and delicious! If you're not familiar, Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. But most people add a few more ingredients, and in my version, I top the bread with tomato, feta cheese and rocket, for a peppery kick. I love to drizzle Grampians Olive Co. Garlic Infused olive oil over the top then finish with a sprinkling of sea salt and cracked black pepper. Perfect for your next dinner party or a lazy Sunday afternoon snack with a glass of wine. Yum!




Pasta with Ricotta, Pine Nuts & Lemon Pressed Olive Oil
I love pasta. It honestly may be one of my favourite foods ever. I love finding new pasta recipes and trying them out, it's the only thing I'm mostly confident experimenting with in the kitchen! I found this recipe on the Taste website and tweaked it a bit to suit me. Here's the recipe if you're interested. I basically omitted the olives, upped the amount of toasted pine nuts, changed the extra virgin olive oil to Grampians Olive Co Lemon Pressed olive oil, and also drizzled some extra oil over the finished dish. It was absolutely delicious, even if I do say so myself! Hubby loved it too, and even had seconds!


You can buy Grampians Olive Co. products online here.


You may be interested in Restaurant Review: Jamie's Italian


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: *All products 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.

How do you use flavoured olive oils in your cooking?

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

LUSH 2018 Valentine's Day Range*




Hi guys! I can't believe it's February already, where is this year going?! You may be shocked to learn that Valentine's Day (14th February) is creeping up, so it's time to start looking for gifts for your significant other. If your partner is a Lush fan or loves a bit of a pamper in the bathroom, keep reading, because the Limited Edition LUSH 2018 Valentine's Day range* is now available in-store and online. Hurry though, because these goodies are only selling until the 14th! I was kindly gifted a box containing some of this years collection, so let's take a look!




Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb
This gorgeous heart-shaped bath bomb in the prettiest of pinks contains seven rosebuds that burst forth as the rosy goodness fills the bathtub. The heart is finished with a thin white layer across the bottom. I read some reviews saying it left the water colourless, but this bomb has now been reformulated and it does turn the water pink. (In the below photo, I've used just a corner of the heart and the water is a lovely light pink hue - I haven't saturated the colour). This bomb contains woody orris root powder, rose absolute, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Geranium and sexy Jasmine for a mystical, floral, sensual fragrance. Perfect to use before a romantic date!





Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar
I've been a lover of Unicorns for years now (you've seen the name of my blog, right?), so I was super excited to receive a Unicorn Horn bubble bar in my box! This cone-shaped delight is every bit as colourful and sparkly as you'd imagine the mythical creatures horn to be. Mine is pink, yellow and purple and covered in a shimmery silver sheen. Magical! Lavender Oil gives a balancing and calming effect, Neroli Oil is included for its toning and uplifting properties and Ylang Ylang Oil gives off a sweet, heady fragrance. Neroli is also known to increase serotonin in the brain which makes us feel content, relaxed and happy. It's a win win!



Melt My Heart Massage Bar
I'm not the biggest fan of massage bars (maybe because it's usually me who's doing the massaging!) but I like the look of the Melt My Heart bar. It's a generous size and the 'Love' embossed across the top is cute, if a little hard to make out. I also like the soft, melty formula and the fact that when you pick this up it immediately warms in your hands and softens, leaving your skin moisturised and soft when you glide it over. However it also leaves little black bits behind on the skin, and I'm not really digging the fragrance, which is very earthy and almost masculine. This new product contains cypress oil, orange flower absolute, Fair Trade organic cocoa butter, dried roses petals and violet leaf absolute.



Heart of Enlightened Expectation Bubble Bar Melt
This pretty orange heart shaped beauty is covered with a melty white topping that reminds me of whipped cream and has sprinklings of gold glitter for an additional sparkle! I cannot wait to use this one, as I love that it combines a bubble bar with a melt. I love bubble baths and one that also softens my skin sounds brilliant to me! This one smells quite strong, with mood-lifter bergamot oil, skin-softening organic Cocoa Butter, ylang ylang,  geranium, jasmine and rose included to create a fun, floral experience.



Tender Is The Night Naked Shower Cream
This is my first foray into 'naked' Lush products, and what better time to do it than for Valentine's Day! This is a new product, and the idea is that it's like their other shower creams, but without the plastic bottle, hence the term 'naked'. This lathers up nicely giving a lovely pink creamy soapy consistency which I actually prefer to the bottled creams, but just using it a few times I did use up a bit of product. I have stored mine in a sealed Glad bag so that it doesn't break down in the bathroom when not in use from the water or steam. The fragrance is sexy and floral, with a jasmine flower infusion, ylang ylang, vanilla absolute, murumuru and Fair Trade shea butters.



Tunnel of Love Soap
My fave ever Lush products come from the soap and shower gel categories, so I was thrilled to see a brand new product, Tunnel of Love Soap in my package! This is a pink wedge of soap in the shape of a bricked tunnel, with the white interior representing a heart. I really enjoy the soft, creamy Lush soaps, but the drawback is that they don't last very long. With Tunnel of Love, the white part is soft and creamy, whilst the pink majority is harder, so you're getting the best of both worlds. The citrus aromas from zesty lime and sweet wild orange oils make this an instant winner for me, with soothing rose water and softening olibanum leaves just added bonuses.



The Kiss Lip Scrub
I love Lush lip scrubs, so I was keen to try The Kiss! When you remove the lid, you're met with the cutest little pot of joy! The baby pink coloured sugary scrub is covered in tiny edible red hearts, and honestly, it just melts my heart! The cuteness! This works like all Lush lip scrubs; you pick up a little product and rub it over damp lips to slough off dead skin and give yourself a smooth, refreshed pucker, ready for Valentine's Day smooches. The Kiss tastes sweet, salty and delicious, and contains caster sugar,  fine sea salt, Fair Trade Cocoa Butter, almond and mandarin oils. I love this scrub!

The LUSH Valentine's Day collection is in-store and online now until February 14.


You may be interested in LUSH 50% Off Haul



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: *All products 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 are your plans for Valentine's Day?

Sunday, February 4, 2018

My Ultraceuticals Skin Treatment at Lasertech Clinic*




Hi guys! Today I'll be telling you all about the Ultraceuticals Skin Treatment* I had at Lasertech Clinic two weeks ago. Lasertech is located in the Next Generation Gym on War Memorial Drive at North Adelaide. I was kindly invited to a VIP Day, where we could have a Consultation with Global Education Ambassador and skin expert Tracey Beeby, followed by a tailored skin treatment. We were also generously gifted a bag of Ultraceuticals skincare* to use after the treatment. It was a great day and I'm glad I went along!




My experience at Lastertech began with a tour of the clinic, and honestly, I was blown away with how beautiful it was! The rooms are designed to calm you and provide a space where you can fully relax and be pampered, so the lights are dim and the decor is glamorous and stylish. The bathroom includes lockers so you're not worrying about your bags, huge mirrors for re-applying makeup and robes. There's a relaxation room where you can lounge back, and a waiting area, where you're given a cup of tea and a Tim Tam to sweeten the deal!

My Consultation with Tracey involved one of the more confronting elements of the treatment, the in-depth skin analysis. This is where you rest your chin on a machine that takes a super-unflattering close-up image of your face, so that all the damage under the skin can be analysed. I'm not going to lie, this was not fun. Whilst sipping on my tea in the waiting room (and stashing my Tim Tam for laters) I also filled out a questionaire about my skin, which my Therapist went through with me later.




I was taken into the treatment room and introduced to Adriana, my Therapist, who was lovely. I was asked to take off my top (what now?), lay on the treatment table/bed between the layers (towels, sheets etc) and pull down my bra straps. This was probably my second confronting/uncomfortable moment, but it's so they can massage your neck (yay!) and don't worry, it does get better from here. She left while I lost the top and got in. I was really hot with a lot of layers on top of me after walking to the Clinic on a hot Summer day. I know most people would have driven there, but I caught the bus and accidentally got off too early, so had been walking a lot. I mentioned I was hot and she said she'd turn off the heated bed. Thank God.

It was decided that I'd be having a Microdermabrasion and a Chemical Peel, which I was happy with as I'd had a Microdermabrasion before, so I knew what to expect. On the whole, this was a relaxing, lovely experience. All the different processes were explained to me and Adriana was gentle and friendly. She started off cleansing my face and neck, which felt amazing. One thing I noticed throughout the treatment was that the Ultraceuticals products being used smelled wonderful.

What's Microdermabrasion?

"Microdermabrasion treatment uses DiamondTome Wands micro-crystals to erase epidermal layers at varying depths in a controlled manner to regenerate and revitalise the skin. By mechanically altering the epidermis and sloughing off the surface layer of dead keritinase skin cells, Microdermabrasion invigorates cell renewal and promotes collagen growth - essential for healthy skin."

It can be used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage, pigmentation, tone, texture and acne. You get immediate results, there's no discomfort and it only takes an hour. There are no side effects and no down time needed, so you can pretty much have your treatment then you're good to go!

I also had a Chemical Peel, but because I'd never had one before it was only left on for a few minutes. This was just applied like a wet mask on my neck and face, then removed by washing it off. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't 'peeled' off! I found the experience relaxing and pampering, especially the wonderful face and neck massage. The Chemical Peel sounded way more intimidating than it was, thank goodness, and there was really nothing to be concerned about.




RESULTS

Immediate: Immediately following treatment, my skin felt noticeably softer and smoother.

Day 1: The next day I noticed my skin looked more refined and my pores were definitely smaller.

Day 3: In general, my complexion was brighter. I was told of the importance of skipping any skincare with active ingredients following the treatment, and to hydrate like nobody's business, so I tried to follow this advice.

Day 6: I was told there may be peeling a few days after the treatment; I had slight peeling around my nostrils (but I actually think this resulted from a few nosebleeds I had in the days before treatment which made my nose sensitive as I was always wiping it with tissues) and some mild peeling on my chin.

Week 1: In the week following, my makeup went on much easier than normal; it blended really well and my complexion wearing makeup looked really even. I think this was a direct result of the increased smoothness of my skin.

Week 2: My skin is generally brighter, with refined texture and noticeably smaller pores. My skin tone looks quite even and I've noticed the area under my eyes looks smoother and the fine lines underneath are really reduced.

I'm so happy with my results and would definitely recommend an Ultraceuticals Microdermabrasion at Lasertech, or at a Clinic near you. After my February Sample Challenge is over, I'll be putting the Ultraceuticals skincare I received to the test, so look out for a Review post in the future!

Many thanks to Adrian from Ultraceuticals, and the team at Lasertech for having me!





You may be interested in What's In My Good Green Box?


Linking up with Open Slather, Life This Week and Mummy Mondays!

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 and skincare treatments 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 skin treatment? Have you had a Microdermabrasion?