Posted 16 November 2016 | 4:07 pm

In: Skincare, Beauty Boxes

The Ten Worst Christmas Gifts EVER! …Are You Guilty?

My friends and I  were talking the other day about how when we were growing up we are taught that no matter what you were given you always had to say 'thank you', smile and act grateful. And sometimes, let's be honest, we have to act awful hard to be grateful, because some gifts truly were bad. Worse than bad. Terrible. Horrific even. Almost unspeakably bad. Almost. Because we then got reminiscing and came up with our top ten worst gifts…the gifts we think should never ever be given at Christmas time. Ever. 

#1 Dust buster.

Hey, Merry Christmas, I’ve noticed your car’s a tip and you clearly don’t believe in vacuuming, you dirty pig. That’s what a person hears when they unwrap a dust buster, or any cleaning implement for that matter, at Christmas.

#2 Ugly Christmas sweater.

There was debate among the beauty crew on this one. I personally have a fascination with ugly Christmas sweaters, but I was the odd one out. Apparently these are not good Christmas gifts. Because you only get to wear them once again, and usually it’s hot on Christmas day so you only end up ponging if you be polite and wear it for the day, or half an hour. (Christmas t-shirts are ok though right? ****Managerial note: No, they’re not. Let it go already.)

#3 Tea towels.

They could have the most beautiful design and be made from the finest cotton, but they’re still tea towels. Unless you can make 100% sure that the person you’re thinking of buying them for is some sort of tea towel fanatic, then just don’t.

#4 Toaster.

For one, it’s an appliance. Appliances should be bought outside of gifting times. For two, it’s something other people might get joy out of. Christmas presents should be for the joy of the giftee only. There shouldn’t be a situation where they’ll have to share it out of obligation rather than choice. This also applies to jugs, saucepans and microwaves. Ironically this does not apply to KitchenAid mixers or fancy coffee machines...do not debate why this is, just understand that it is so! 

#5 Deodorant.  

(Note the rictus. No one smiles while applying deo.)

It could cost a bomb, but it usually doesn't and all it says is ‘I think you stink, and I'm not spending more than $5.00 on you!'

#6 Egg timer.

Seriously. Who likes eggs that much? Especially do not gift to a person who does not eat eggs, and why in fact would the thought even cross your mind?

#7 Art.

Taste is a funny old thing. What you think is sublime others will think sucks. Unless you know someone’s artistic tastes through and through, do not buy them art. They’ll just have to store it somewhere and then go through the stress of remembering to put it up when you turn up for a visit.

#8 Souvenirs.

Yes, your trip to Egypt was a once in a lifetime unforgettable experience and you had to bring home a mini-pyramid paperweight. Yes Vegas was a blast and you bought the snow globe to prove it. Great for you. Not so great for others. Keep your tourist souvenirs at your house and out of Christmas gift boxes.

#9 Edible/drinkable gifts you didn’t want.

Imagine opening a box of chocolates to find they’d gone white with age? Or being given a bottle of wine that was so old you may as well been sucking back malt vinegar. Those gifts you were given a couple of years ago but not gotten round to eating and drinking? Those pickled 'Wazoo's from your bad staff Christmas Gift from last year!  Either consume them yourself or chuck them out.

#10 The gift where you get given nothing.

(Goat says, 'you what now?')

This one may be controversial… you know how it’s really nice to give to charity? How it warms your heart and makes you feel like a super good example of a human being. Well, it’s not always a good idea to give that gift of giving to someone else to another human being. Some of us want to unwrap a gift to discover a voucher to our favourite beauty store, not a voucher telling us we’ve just given a goat to a village. If we want to give goats we'll give goats of our own volition. Don't force goat giving on us.

Basically when gifting First and only rule!  – know thy recipient. Do your research. Heck, even ask them. Because a gift loved is a gift appreciated, a gift unloved is a gift unforgotten… and payback can be a you know what…

One gift we’re sure any beauty lover will adore? A Best Beauty Box Ever! Give one of our amazing boxes and you'll know that when they smile and say thank you they'll mean it. And as you generally get 2.3 x the value inside vs what you would have paid for each of the products individually when they add up the cost of what you've spent on them...well you will rocket to the top of the Christmas giving list!

Check out these amazing beauty boxes below and you'll soon see what we mean! 

1. You won't believe it's Hair Box - Know someone that loves their locks? Then they'll love this box. It contains 9 full size hair care products from top brands, with a combined retail value of $134.00 and yet..it will only cost you $58.95! And it can be customised depending on whether they're a Blonde, Brunette or Redhead!
2.  It's All About You Box - We'll the name says it all really doesn't it.  This box is a pampering treat box designed to make her smile. This beauty box is crammed with gorgeous beauty products designed to treat and pamper your mum, sister, aunt, nana, teacher, friend who's just had a baby. In fact anyone that deserves a little time to themselves. At only $56.95 this box contains over $160.00 of amazing pampering beauty products.
3. NZ Brands Beauty Box - NOT to be confused with tacky gift souvenirs the NZ Brands Beauty Box is highly coveted and desirable! Containing only gorgeous full size NZ made products this is the ultimate beauty gift. The NZ Brands Box contains over $202.00 worth of gorgeousness and yet will only cost you $84.95! 

Posted 15 November 2016 | 12:30 pm

In: Skincare, Beauty Boxes

The Most INSANELY Expensive Beauty Gifts Ever! A candle costs what!!!

What did you ask Santa for this year?  Hopefully things off of your want list, rather than your need list.  But still, you probably opted for the the more practical things off of your lust list right?  Hair care products, your favourite skin care. 

But for some, Christmas is the time to go all out - here we give the ultimate wish list.  The 'I don't need it, but now I want it' list.  

So grab a mug of mulled wine and lose yourself in Ultimate Christmas Beauty Envy List.

Luxury Perfume Minis.

These 5ml perfume samples from Bond No.9 Magic In a Jewel Box will set you back a cool $3700.  Well, you wouldn't want to buy the full-size unless you knew you liked them right?!

 Platinum for your face

For just over $2000 you can treat your skin to some platinum loving with La Prarie's Ultimate Platinum Indulgences. Hey, it's cheaper than a ring though so.....! 

 A grown up advent calendar

Like with the colouring books for adults, why should kids get all the fun?  For a cool $500 Estee Lauder's Holiday Countdown Advent Calendar can be yours, and you can have a new mini sample product every day!

With the Diptyque Scented Candle, you'll literally be burning away $450.  But you'll also be high from the smell of silly season, and left with a cool little jar, so totally worth it right? Might take your mind off your sister in law making puppy dog eyes at your mother's new boyfriend!

Enough products to be Naked forever

For a cool $420 you can nab the Urban Decay Naked Vault Vol III and  have everything you need to be completely naked.  And boy oh boy, does it take a lot to be naked these days!

So it's been fun looking at insanely expensive beauty products, but if you're feeling ready to come back to earth, why not check out these even more awesome present ideas.  More awesome why?  Well - you get much, much more than what you pay for to start! So wanna look good in the eyes of the person you love? Well..start here!

1. NZ Brands 2 - 8 amazing full size NZ Made cruelty free beauty products in this beauty. Even better, it only costs $84.95 and yet contains over $202.00 of amazing products. 
2. Best of Summer - Our newest box, but guaranteed not to be around for long. This box contains as the name suggests everything you need to start prepping for the hot summer months. Only $98.95  it contains over $230.00 worth of full size beauty products, including a $99.00 in home tooth whitening kit from NZ's leading tooth whitening brand.
3. Skin to Skin - Our skin is our largest living organ and yet so often we forget what an amazing job it does and we neglect it. This box contains 8 products to ensure your skin gets the attention and TLC it deserves. Costing only $74.95 it contains over $173.00 worth of full size products to pamper yourself with!

 So what are you waiting for? Pick one of these boxes below to give to someone you love this Christmas! 

Posted 12 September 2016 | 8:55 am

In: Skincare, Cosmetics, Hair Care

7 Things Most Women Don't Do As Often As They Should - When Did You Last?

 Life is busy right?  So it stands to reason there are lots of things we need or want to do that we just don't get round to doing.  We got chatting about these types of things the other day at BRHQ when one of the crew mentioned she'd had her 'lady-W.O.F' and had been told off by her doctor for putting it off for so long. 

"It's just one of those things isn't it?" said Beauty Crew member exclaimed.  "You know, you keep meaning to do it but never get round to it. Like buying knickers."  And thus out of this statement, a pondering blog post was born.

So, come on, when did you last...

...buy knickers

I'm going to make a bit of a sweeping generalisation.  If you live with a partner, husband, wife, lover, whatever, you've probably gone a bit longer than the average single girl when it comes to buying knickers.  

Speaking as a married woman, I can honestly say the last time I bought knickers was when I when I was pregnant and my underwear was riding down and doing my head in.  So I bought some $50 a pair over the bump knickers.  The biggest knickers I've ever seen.   

Prior to my humongous pregnancy pants, the last time I bought knickers was...um, two years ago.

...have a smear test

If you're between 20 and 70 you should be having a cervical screen every three years.  Look, it's not very pleasant - it's very much a 'lay back and think of England' situation.  That being said, it's 5 minutes of flashing your lady area to a trained medical professional every 3 years and it could save your life. So book in.

I had my last smear test a few weeks ago.  While wearing Billy in a woven wrap.  Because sometimes you just got to get the job done.

...have a bra fitting

While we're on the subject of flashing, when did you last get fitted for a bra?  Over 90% of women when fitted find out they've been wearing the wrong size.

You should be getting measured during and after weight loss, throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period and at least once a year regardless.  Hey if you're in-store anyway, why not just get fitted and buy the right bra?

I'm 8 months post partum and still breastfeeding, but I'll get measured next time I'm shopping.  Promise.

...clean your makeup brushes

Ok not to mention the product build up on them, what about the bacteria and icky little bugs that are growing and contaminating your products and then being spread all over your face?

I was my brushes after each use.  But you should at least aim for once a week.

...have a spring-clean

We're talking spring cleaning your makeup, bathroom cabinet or wardrobe.  All three contain items that go out of date, probably sooner than you realise!

I actually went through every cupboard in every room about a month ago.  I'm not weird or anything, I just couldn't sleep!

...change your hairstyle

Anna Wintour may know about clothes, but that lady needs to know how to shake things up a little wither her hair!  I'm pretty good at this one, I know a few hairdressers and changing up my hair has never been something that bothered me.  I just go for it, and wear a hat if it's a fail.

Have you been rocking the same hairstyle for years?  Change it up!  Even something subtle like layering or a fringe can give you a bounce in your step and a new lease of life.

...treat yourself

I am bad at this, I have no issue treating the boys, or The Mummy, or The Husband on a whim, yet every purchase for myself needs justifying.  Items are added to carts and there they sit until they expire.  

Why do I find it easy to justify other people's happiness but my own I struggle with?  I dunno.  But I do know I'm about to hit checkout on the You Won't Believe It's HAIR box.  

Posted 30 August 2016 | 8:54 pm

In: Skincare

Gross Satisfaction - the ickiest beauty chores we secretly love!

Staying beautiful isn't always pretty - the human body has some areas of maintenance that are, well, a bit icky.  Ear wax.  Belly Button fluff.  Toe nail grime.

But you have to admit, sometimes there's a bit of satisfaction to be had from the more icky beauty chores.  I quizzed my friends and family and here's what the grossest of the bunch confessed to enjoying. 

A spot popping and hitting the mirror.

Digging out an ingrown hair that turns out to be realllllly long.

Filing your feet when they're dry and witnessing a cloud of foot dust.

Peeling off a nose strip and being greeted by a forest of long black heads.

 So 'fess up then - what beauty habits give you a gross satisfaction?

Posted 18 August 2016 | 11:14 pm

In: Skincare, Beauty Boxes

The two products you need to get rid of Cradle Cap!

In 3.5 years of motherhood I have become quite the expert in cradle cap.  My kids have really oily heads.  Even as a 3 year old, Milky gets the occasional patch.

And, as much as I love my babies, I'm not ashamed to say, I detest cradle cap.  It's not the aesthetics, it's just the same as when I'm faced with squeezing a spot.  It quite repulses me.  And the thought of picking, flaking or scraping off my baby's head crust gives me a serious case of the heebies. 

Probably not surprising then that I set about finding the easiest way to get rid of those orange-y crusts and I'm going to show you, using my 7 month old Billy-Bob as model/guinea pig.

A lesson in cradle cap...

Cradle cap is simply an excess of sebum (oil) that forms sticky crusts.  In really severe cases it can be very dry and flakey on the top layers, but it'll still be that sticky crust below. It's harmless, and if it doesn't bother you or bebe then you can just leave it be.  

When babies come out of the womb their skin is all a tither.  They've spent 9 months floating around in fluid, and suddenly they find themselves in air.  Their skin literally dries out.  Add to that the crazy influx of hormones they receive from us during the last leg of pregnancy and the birth, and well, essentially, they're like little greasy teenagers. 

Don't go old school...

No matter what anyone says - do not sit there and flake or pick the cradle cap off.  Your baby's scalp is super sensitive, and you can risk infection.  I've been told awful stories of mums slathering their kids heads in olive oil and scraping the cradle cap off with a credit card.  (A thought that makes me quite literally heave.)

Olive oil seems to be the go-to oil for loosening flakes, but it's really quite a heavy oil, and if you don't manage to wash it all out, it blocks the pores and causes the flakes to stick even more.  

The secret to getting rid...

I've been through many an oil, and the one that consistently removes 99% of cradle cap in one go is...

Rosehip Oil.  YES!  I use Skinfood's Renew Organic Rosehip Oil*.  It's a gorgeous product, the rosehip oil is blended with Sweet Orange Oil.  

I have this kit that I picked up in the half price nursery sale at Farmers for about $7.50.  I use the textured mitt to massage the rosehip oil into Billy-Bob's scalp and leave it for 20 minutes.  When he's in the bath I use the weird orange silicone brush to gently loosen the flakes, before combing the flakes out with the bit that looks like a nit comb.

You don't need the mitt and brush combo though, you can just use a really soft brush, like a soft (new) toothbrush.  And maybe a nit comb to get the flakes out of the hair. (Only comb the hair though - not the scalp!)

As you can see - in under 25 minutes, with no effort, picking or credit cards - cradle cap be gone!  

I've tried many oils over the years, and nothing lifts cradle cap with as much ease as rosehip oil, and the Skinfood blend is the best I've tried yet!

*This is not a sponsored post.  We can only talk about products we have spent our own money on!

Posted 15 August 2016 | 9:50 am

In: Skincare, Cosmetics, Hair Care, Personal Care, Beauty Boxes

Use up your leftover products with these amazing tips and tricks!

Do you know what we love? Quick and easy tips that we can actually use in real life.

Check these fabulous ideas for using up that little bit of product left in the bottle...

• Fill your 'empty' conditioner bottle with clean, warm water and shake.  Pour it into a spray bottle and voila, homemade detangling spray!
• Don't throw away 'almost' empty shampoos, conditioners, body washes.  Decant in to travel containers for trips away from home.
• If you've got a shampoo that doesn't work for your hair, use it to wash your delicates, woolens and handwash items.
• If you've got a conditioner that doesn't work for your hair, use it in place of shaving cream, for a smooth shave and even smoother legs.
• Mix the last little bit of your lipstick with a little 8 Hour Cream or a clear lip balm for the perfect lip tint.
• Use the last of your favourite fragrance to make a solid perfume.  Melt some coconut oil and add the fragrance. Stir and pour in to an old lip balm pot.  Pop in the fridge to solidify. 

Voila!

Check out these amazing beauty boxes available from the Best Beauty Box Ever!

Posted 20 July 2016 | 11:44 pm

In: Skincare, Cosmetics, Nails, Hair Care

Amazing (and simple) ideas to reuse, repurpose or upcycle your beauty stash!

 

Reusing the It's All About You box to hide a bad hair day

I remember Nanna Babs telling me about the war and post-war years, when the economy was stunted and people simply had to make do.  From unraveling too-small sweaters and using the yarn to knit hats or gloves, to reusing the bath water to water the veggie patch, war time households learned the hidden value of many a used-up thing.

Then came years of excess, of wants that became needs.  Houses became full, then over full, and before we knew it, we were running out of room in our landfills.

And as with many things in life, we seem to have come full circle, with more and more people trying to reuse, repurpose or upcycle

Here's some ideas for your beauty stash.

Posted 18 July 2016 | 8:45 pm

In: Skincare, Cosmetics, Beauty Boxes

I Tried The Five Minute Makeup Challenge – You Won’t Believe The Result!

I pride myself on being able to get ready super quickly. Up and out the door in twenty minutes, including a shower, is what I tell myself I’m capable of. The Husband takes longer to get ready than I do, I’m sure of it! Well… I’m not so sure anymore, because I’ve noticed something recently. After putting some toast and milk in front of the blessed child, I head downstairs to put my makeup on before whizzing us out the door, and next thing you know, we’re running late. Because of me. And my makeup routine.

Yep, it turns out my makeup routine, which I don’t think is excessive, is taking far too long. Here’s a breakdown of what I do:

Prime.

Pop on green concealer to deal to my reddened areas, scars and the odd angry pimple.

Apply foundation or CC cream.

Bronze.

Blush.

Highlight cheeks (sometimes).

Eyeshadow.

Mascara.

Quick brow swipe.

Lipstick or gloss.

And that’s it. That’s an average day. There’s no major contouring, no eyeliner, no under-eye concealer. And yet it takes me this side of forever to do – and I’m not even a perfectionist. Clearly, after yelping at my darling human that we have to hurry up or we’d be really late for the millionth time in the past few months something had to change. Someone had to change. And that person was me.

 So I looked up the Five Minute Makeup Challenge on YouTube. Watching those makeup maven’s videos left me amazed. Some contoured, did their brows, lined their eyes, and powdered their face on top of all the stuff I was doing – in four minutes. So if they could do it, then surely I could, right? Yeah….

Here’s my before face. Cleansed, toned, serumed, moisturised. Not a scrap of makeup on it.

Now for the record, I didn’t have everything laid out in front of me, because I feel like that would be cheating. This is real life and I’m not the kind of person who prepares things the night before (although perhaps I should be). So for the purpose of doing this challenge for real, I had to dive through my stash as I usually would. But, I did put aside the products I used, and this is what they were:

So with confidence and a dash of nervousness I set the alarm and off I went. Who knew it took to long to buff in foundation after priming and concealing? Maybe it’s because my skin’s not so youthful, maybe my brush needs a clean, but giddy aunt, it took up a good two minutes. Then came a quick wash of bronze and blusher, and I was up to the eyeshadow… with less than a minute on the clock.

I can do this, I told myself as I patted on shadow and buffed out the crease. And then the alarm was going off. Seriously? Is that alarm for real? It was. Here’s the fail photo:No mascara, no lipstick, no brows. What a mess. There was no way I was heading out the door looking like this. So I checked the time and went at it again to see how long my full face took me. I finished the eyeshadow, added a tiny bit of eyeliner, because I was running late anyway, so pffft, why not? Added one coat of mascara, brushed a bit of colour through my brows, then slicked on some lip stain because I was beginning to get embarrassed as to how long this whole situation was taking.

All up the process took ten minutes. That was me being quick. No wonder I’m always running and hollering out the door in the mornings. 

So what did I learn? Those beauty folk who can whack their makeup on in five minutes are legends. I am not a legend. And I’m just going to have to get up fifteen minutes earlier, because there’s no way I’m walking out the house with half an eyelid made up and no mascara on.

Think you could do a five minute makeup challenge? Our beauty boxes have everything you need to give it a go…

Posted 14 July 2016 | 9:25 pm

In: Skincare, Cosmetics

Get more out of your cushion foundation with this simple tip!

Have you jumped on the cushion bandwagon yet?  If you haven't you so should - it's fun!

In a nutshell, a cushion foundation (or blush, or concealer, or whatever) is a compact containing a sponge soaked in a watered down formula.

• Sponge?  Yeap, you just push down and voila, a light even amount of product is dispensed.
• Watered down? Yeap, but these products are designed to build, which means you use less, while achieving the desired coverage.

I adore my L'Oreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation and so do loads of other Kiwi women, check out loads of independant reviews here.  But one common grumble seems to be that the product runs out quickly.  

Enter my top tip.

Flip the sponge.  

More product lies on t'other side and underneath. How much?  Well it depends how much you use of course, but I got another fortnight out of mine!

Waste not want not.

Posted 5 July 2016 | 11:15 pm

In: Skincare, Beauty Boxes

Brow Game Through The Years

When it comes to eyebrows we probably lean more to getting the best out of them than trying to follow the latest eyebrow trend. Heck for most of us are happy if our eyebrows sort-of match and don't make us look permanently surprised or intrigued. 

But for the brave, eyebrows can be a fashion statement - and as with most things, there's an interesting back catalogue of eyebrow looks through history.

3500BC - 2500BC

Our favourite trendsetters in history the Egyptians made their eyebrows darker, longer and bolder in homage to the God Horus.  (And yes we know, Elizabeth Taylor wasn't actually Cleopatra, but she's fabulous.  End of.)

800BC - 470AD

Whether you were a Greek or a Roman, back when democracies began ladies were considered beautiful by...their unibrow.  Failing that, the bushier the better.

1920s - 1930s

Pluck 'em and shape 'em within an inch of existence seems to have been the motto back then.  Check out Jean Harlow's arches!

1940s - 1950s

Brows during the forties and fifties were natural and less severe, pencilled in lightly for an immaculate look or pencilled in darker for glamour.  The ever beautiful Elizabeth Taylor sported perfection in her brows.

1960s

Wax them off and draw them on screamed beauty magazines in the 60s.  Sophia Loren became the grandmaster of natural looking, drawn-on brows, using short, soft strokes.

1970s

Like most body hair in the seventies, eyebrows were left au naturale, reflecting both the hippy and feminist movements.

1980s

Big and bushy brows were seen on all of the 80s starlets from Brooke Shields to Kelly Mcgillis

1990s

Thin and pointy brows were so totally 90s man.  Courtney Cox circa 1995 demonstrates the style well.

Now

Brow Game has never been stronger than it is right now.  For your brows to be in style think bold and thick. 

Perfect your brow game with the L'Oreal Brow Plumper - just one of the amazing and top rated products in the Incredible Eyes beauty box.

images: Warner Bros, Pinterest, Wikimedia, Wikimedia, Wikimedia, Warner Bros, Stylecon,

Posted 3 July 2016 | 8:20 pm

In: Skincare

A trip to LA. Lipbalm Anonymous

Something happened last night, that never, ever happens.  My husband asked me for something.  Something girly.

"Do you have any cream for these flakey bits?" he queried, pointing to his cheeks. 

"My moisturiser is in the bathroom.  Trilogy."

"I tried that last night, it smells like nannas."  [1.  I knew it! It was not in its usual spot.  2.  It does not smell like nannas.  It smells lovely.]

"There's loads of stuff in the skincare drawer.  Pick one."

"The - "

"The top drawer of the big plastic set."

...

"Nat...why do you have so many lip creams?"

"What?"

"You know that gunky stuff that makes your lips soft."

And there, from nowhere, I was confronted with my secret addiction.

I can't stop buying lip balms.  I see them, think 'Oh that's a good price, I better pick one up' and well.

In my defense, the Baby Lips were 86c.  EIGHTY SIX CENTS.  Not even a dollar.  So I picked up a couple.  I did this each time I went in Countdown.  I've given away 8.  Who doesn't love Mango Pie?!

It's not like I don't use lipbalm.  I have 13 on the go.  

Ok. Fine.  My name is Natalie and I'm a lip balm addict.

But seriously, who doesn't love lip balm? From a simple "does what it says on the tin" product, to tinted, scented, even flavoured.  Let's not even go there with novelty ones.  Who doesn't need a Kellogg's flavoured retro-styled lipbalm?  WHO?! 

I think, the thing with lipbalms is, it's just so easy to pick them up.  They're cheap.  It's an easy way to try a new brand.  How wrong can you go with one?  They're rarely a bad buy.

So - any one going to join me in LA?  Or am I on my own? 

Posted 30 June 2016 | 10:40 pm

In: Skincare

You Won't Believe This Tip for Cleaning Your Tangle Teezer - it's as easy as...

...tossing it in the dishwasher.

For real.

So if you're a regular tangle teezer, you'll know it gets filled with hair.  And whilst leaving the hair on your head tangle free, the hair left behind is a tangled mess.  It's matted, it's knotted, it's not going away easily.

We have four teezers in our house. Yes, I have one, Milky has one, The Husband has one for his beard and Mavis cat has one.  I would sit with a toothpick and lift the hair out, at least once every month.  It would do my head in.

Then one day Milky Chops hid his in the dishwasher when we were washing his bath toys.  And this is what happened.

The hair just lifts out as one (slightly gross) piece.

Not only that, it's had a jolly good clean too! (I just use white vinegar when I'm washing toys in the dishwasher, it's a natural disinfectant)