BeautyHeaven Rewards Room Haul!

Hi guys! I'm so excited for this! I finally redeemed over 500 points I had earned on the BeautyHeaven website for a few products in the Rewards Room, and today I'm featuring my little haul! I've managed to pick some brands I haven't tried before, which just adds to the excitement for me.

Not only have BeautyHeaven overhauled the website with a re-design, another change is that the Rewards Room is now open all year round. You basically swap your points over for the products you want, and only have to pay $9.95 for postage. But if, like me, you order at the start of the month, you have a long wait for delivery, as all orders are processed and dispatched at the very end of each month. It says on the site you are supposed to get a few mini samples with your order, but I just got a Freddo Frog, as have a number of other members, going by posts in the Forums. Still, better than nothing! And if you submit reviews of your Rewards Room products on BeautyHeaven, you receive double points. Yay!

I haven't tried any of these products yet, so this is just a Haul post, not a Review one!

Let's have a look at what I ordered...

Boost Lab 2D Hyaluronic Hydro Boost Serum

This claims to deeply penetrate (!!!) and moisturise for fast, effective relief, hydrate and plump skin. It contains two types of Bio-Hyaluronic Acid and Pro-Vitamin B5. "Our 2D-Hyaluronic Hydro Boost Serum drops provide two levels of moisturisation for instant, deep and lasting hydration to help supercharge your daily beauty regime." This Boost Lab serum claims to replenish moisture for smooth, soft and plump-looking skin, reinforce the skin barrier for long-lasting moisturisation and rescue dry, dull, irritated and sensitive skin. This is my very first foray into Boost Lab products, let's hope it lives up to the hype!

Grow Thicker Fuller Thickening Treatment

This is a Thickening Treatment for fine, limp hair that helps reduce the effect of hair loss and adds body. It's formulated to fortify very fine hair or thinning hair to improve hair density. It's enriched with Vitamin B3 to improve hair texture and volume. Amino Acids and key active ingredient Cressatine promote the growth of hair and prolong the hair growth phase. It's also formulated with glycerine, B3 an amino acids to promote scalp health. I'm always looking to inject more body and life into my fine hair, so I'll be anticipating volume and thicker hair from this. Fingers crossed!

Jergens Sweet Citrus Triple Butter Blend

This is a triple butter blend with Citrus Essential Oil to refresh and soften the skin. The fragrance is Sweet Citrus, and energizing formula from the Essential Oil Collection. The Jergens Essential Oil Collection is made with an ultra-hydrating blend of Shea, Cocoa and Mango butters as well as an aromatic infusion of essential oils to inspire wellness, deeply nourish both skin and mind. Honestly I just got this because I'm a sucker for anything with a citrussy, fruity scent. Yum!

Have you styled and flatlayed a Freddo Frog before? I have lol. Alas this bad boy is now in my tum tum. I can't wait to try these then review them on BeautyHeaven to get double points!

Royal Adelaide Show!

 

Hi guys! This year's Show was dubbed 'Royal Adelaide Show: The Reunion' after being missing in action for a few years due to Covid. And despite news reports stating numbers would be capped, it was clear to see the crowds were massive, at least when we went on the weekend. Thankfully it was lovely weather on the day we attended, 'cos there's nothing worse than walking around in the rain!

I didn't take as many photos as I usually do, and for the first time ever, we didn't stay for the fireworks. But we still packed a lot in and I'm happy with what we got done. Let's take a look at our day at the Royal Show....

I was so excited to find OMG Donuts in one of the pavilions! We got the 3 donuts for $10 deal for the second time in as many weeks (the first time was from their stall in the Adelaide Central Market). They are so light and fluffy! You absolutely must try them if you're in Adelaide.

We did the Yellow Brick Road trail again, which I love because it takes you all over the showgrounds and you get to see lots of different things. Plus you get to collect actual healthy items like bananas, apples, oranges and mandarins along the way. Which is good as normally I eat all the bad things at the Show - but this year I just didn't feel like it. Yes, donuts and ice cream went in the pie-hole, but normally it's a lot worse lol #dontjudge

I always love checking out the flowers, cactus and bonsai displays, along with the decorated cakes and cookery entries.

We tried to see the dogs but it was too packed to get a seat when we went because they were doing the judging trials. I wanted to see the dogs in crates bit but it wasn't where it normally is and I found out later on Reddit that it was through the northern section. 

You couldn't see the cats up close this year, which was disappointing. However, I made a new best friend (see the photo above). We walked through the large animals bits and saw lots of massive pigs and cows. Look how many boobies this pig has!

We got some food from Carnivore and although hubby's buffalo wings were massive, my pulled pork loaded fries were disappointing. $15 for a totally cold dish which I basically just ate the pork off because the fries were cold and not nice. We watched the woodchopping and my bum got wet from the bench lol.

The dairy pavilion was good because of the free brie and camembert samples and the ice cream. I had an idea to get Royal Copenhagen but noticed it had been replaced by St Louis, which was just as good! We both got lemon sorbet and chocolate noir and ate it out in the sun.

The Tasting SA pavilion was super packed and it was ridiculous trying to sample the products so I gave up. We went through the Golden Grains (or possibly the Ram Shed?) part and looked at some sheep that I thought were goats (lol). They didn't have their wool on, so you know, it was confusing.

We got a few showbags right before leaving so we didn't have to carry them around all day. We treated this like a military operation. We basically split up and had individual missions to locate and purchase certain bags. We had had enough and were not fucking around at this point lol.

I had a good time but next year will go on a weekday, as it was just so packed full of people on the weekend!

Quick Review: Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant

 

Hi guys! I hope you're enjoying my weekly blog posts. I'm trying to push myself to get something published each Monday, and it's actually forcing me to be more organised, which is definitely a good thing! Recently I was sent Dermalogica's Daily Milkfoliant to trial and review on two other websites (with no obligation to post about here on the blog), so I thought I'd tell you my thoughts in case this is a product you're keen to try!

'Calming vegan exfoliating powder polishes skin while supporting the skin's moisture barrier. Vegan milky powder exfoliant with Oat and Coconut activates upon contact with water, releasing botanical extracts to help polish away dead skin cells. This gentle exfoliating powder and a blend with fruit-based Grape Extract and Arginine rich in Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) work together with Coconut Milk for smoother, softer skin. Harvested from Papaya, Papain Extract provides exfoliating properties, helping to resurface skin.'

I'm really enjoying the new Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant. First of all the pretty blue packaging looks great on my bathroom shelf. The bottle design is highly functional and the small dispensing hole means it's quite difficult to accidentally let water into the bottle. The product itself is a powder that you add a few drops of water to, making a paste, which you then use to exfoliate your face. I love how gentle this is. It's non-abrasive and doesn't feel like a normal exfoliant. Afterwards my skin feels refreshed, clean, smooth and polished. I've noticed my skin tone is really even lately. I do have an extensive skincare routine but I feel like the Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant is definitely contributing to how fresh, smooth and even my complexion is looking. I love this product and would highly recommend it.

Retailing for $99 (74g) it is not cheap. You can get a smaller size for $24 (13ml)

My tips:

~ I'd recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin as it's super gentle, non-abrasive and calming, so is unlikely to irritate those with sensitive skin
~ Make sure you tightly seal the bottle after use especially if keeping it on the shower shelf, as you don't want any water getting in. The powder needs to be kept dry.
~ Even though it says 'daily' milkfoliant I recommend starting off using every other day. It's gentle af, but as with anything, best not to launch right in. I learned this recently with a new retinol serum. RIP my skin lol.

I got a nostalgia hit trialling this, as I used to love using Dermalogica's original Daily Microfoliant back in the day. In checking out the Dermalogica website, I've just noticed there is a special 2021 Limited Edition Daily Microfoliant going for $89 (74g) so that's slightly cheaper, if you were wanting to try the Microfoliant instead of the Daily Milkfoliant. OK, have a good day! 

5 Tips To Help You Fall Asleep

 

Hi guys! Today I wanted to address getting to sleep, because not all of us nod off within two minutes of our head hitting the pillow. Sometimes it takes me hours to fall asleep, and nights when it's really bad, I can't sleep until about 4am, meaning I've only caught 2-3 hours, which is obviously way below the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night. Then I'm basically screwed up for the whole next day. Lack of sleep can make you tired, cranky, unproductive and unhappy. So I'm here to share the methods I use if I'm having trouble sleeping at night.

1. Take a warm shower

Before bed is my most favourite time of day to shower. We've been suffering through a cold Winter this year, so not only will a shower warm you up before bed, it also helps to relax your body and mind. Instead of using your 'invigorating' shower products, try using ones that have a soothing, calming scent. Wash the day's worries right off, take some deep breaths, use your favourite body mousse/shower gel/body scrub, then hop into bed feeling clean, refreshed and hopefully warm and sleepy.

2. Practice a pampering skincare routine

Much like a warm shower, sitting down to a pampering skincare routine is a great way to wind down before bed (and it's great for your skin too!). Taking off your makeup and layering on a nice serum, eye cream and moisturiser is a good opportunity to give yourself a face massage whilst you apply all your potions and lotions. If you want to go the extra mile, invest in a body moisturiser (I've got some body butters and yogurts from The Body Shop I'm currently loving) that smells divine. There's nothing better than getting into bed when you smell delightful lol. This is a great way to slow down and relax, with added skincare benefits.

3. Use lavender scented products

Building on from the last tip, lavender is often used to help induce sleep, although it also has many other health benefits. You could try a lavender room spray, lavender body mist, lavender room diffuser or lavender essential oils. There are even lavender scented soaps and lavender hand lotions. Probably don't use all of these at once, that might be overkill lol. Also, check you're okay with the fragrance before spraying your whole pillow, as it does give some people headaches.

4. Write out your To Do List the night before

I only thought of this brilliant idea recently. I used to lay in bed and worry about all the things I had to do the next day. And then I'd worry that I wouldn't remember all of them when I woke up the next morning. Then it finally clicked. Write out my damn To Do List the night before. I then leave it on my desk and it's all there for me to complete and cross off the next day. Genius! I'm a big worrier, so this is just a small change that has actually made a big difference for me.

5. More exercise, less caffeine

This tip is pretty obvious. The more exercise you do during the day, the more worn out you'll be at night, meaning you're likely to fall asleep faster. I'm not saying do 4 hours of cardio (please don't do 4 hours of cardio), but if you're usually pretty idle, any exercise is better than none. Get out, be active, walk, dance, play Wii Fit, whatever you like, but just try to wear yourself out a bit. And try to really cut down on caffeine at night, whether it be coffee, Coke, Pepsi Max, energy drinks or chocolate. Caffeine is a stimulant to your brain and nervous system and you're trying to do the exact opposite, calm your body down before bed, not stimulate it.

I hope these tips have helped if you, too, struggle to fall asleep. Let me know how you go!