Lust Have It January Unboxing

It's been a hot minute since I've been able to share a Lust Have It review. Returning from my extended holiday and getting back into the swing of a full time university schedule has made life pretty hectic. This review is a teensy (read: waaaay!) bit overdue, but I've been loving getting to try the products out, so I thought I'd share some thoughts with you.

These skin care samples from Skin Yoga really caught my attention. I thought the packaging was extremely well thought out, especially since they weren't full size products. They come in little plastic vials with cork stoppers, which may not be the most practical choice, but they do look lovely set out on the counter.

As a huge believer in the use of micellar water, I was keen to try the UNANI version. The concept is pretty straight forward and I couldn't really identify anything about this particular formula to make it stand out. That said, it does have quite a strong fragrance. It is definitely pleasant, but something to be aware of if you're sensitive.

Trying new makeup is one of my favourite things about subscription boxes, and this month's Hikari offerings were no exception. The blush in Bikini is a gorgeous, bright coral perfect for the summer. I also received the lip crayon in the shade Macchiato which is a pretty, neutral brown.

This is probably shaping up to be one of my favourite offerings from Lust Have It so far. I love the fact that I'm consistently getting to try brands I never would have picked myself or that I haven't heard of. What do you guys think?

Disclosure: the products in this post were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own. 

Lust Have It October Unboxing

I cannot believe we're already well into November- needless to say, my Christmas countdown has begun. I know there were a few hiccups with October's edition of the Lust Have It box, but I have to give them props for the way they handled it with email updates. I appreciate being kept well informed, and I think they've done a great job.

I am a huge fan of Bioderma and while their products are on the pricier side, I'm happy that they've become much more accessible here in Australia. Since the pricetag can get a little hefty, being able to try the Bioderma Sensibio Light before committing to the full size is awesome. This is meant to have a soothing effect on the skin and reduce sensitivity over time which is quite an interesting concept. I imagine it will be quite useful while traveling overseas, so it's got a spot in my carry on.

Next up is the Flormar Nail Polish or nail care product. I received a lovely plummy shade with a silver sheen. I've never heard of this brand before, but I've got high expectations as it claims to help nails grow healthy.  From the same brand is the Waterproof Eyeliner in a metallic silver. I'm keen to see how this performs in the water line, as I can totally see this popping up for new year celebrations.

Raise your hand if you need copious amounts of hair treatments in the summer. Yup, me too. I'm super stoked about getting a full size Hair Rejuvenation Treatment from Hair & Me, another brand I'm unfamiliar with. Bonus points for being 100% organic.

Onto what I was probably most excited about, the exclusive Lust Have It Highlighter Compact. It has a lovely, soft texture which means it is a bit prone to kicking up excess powder, but it's nothing a firm tap wouldn't fix. I would say it leans more towards the peachy side of things as opposed to gold. It gives a decidedly more natural finish than some of the other highlighters I've seen, so I would definitely recommend it if you're not a fan of an intense, strobe glow.

As a bonus, Atkins Chocolate Candies and Skin Magic Tea were also included this month. I do think the addition of candy was a cute touch, because who doesn't love chocolate. As far as the tea is concerned, I'm still a little bit sceptical.

If you're not already a Lust Have It subscriber, you can sign up for $19.95/month to receive 5-6 deluxe/full size beauty products. Don't forget if you use the code 'LOVE1' you can save $5 off your first month. And if you are a Lust Have It subscriber, be sure to let me know what you thought of October's offering!

Disclosure: the products in this post were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own. 

Lust Have It September Unboxing

The September edition of the Lust Have It box arrived at my door a few weeks ago, and while I have been happily testing away, the tail end of the university semester has meant my unboxing/review is a little late! The theme for this edition was 'On the Go' which suits me just fine as I gear up for vacation time.

After all the hype the brand has received online, I was super excited to try the OFRA lipliner in 'Wine.' I've become somewhat of a lipliner junkie lately, and this one's already seen some serious love. The texture was a bit drier than I'm used to, so I did find it tugged a little bit, but I am a fan of the neutral colour.

I've been super indecisive about beginning a teeth whitening regime, so having the White Glo Professional Choice Whitening Toothpaste to try out was a definite bonus. The smaller size makes it convenient to take away on holiday too.

I'm a creature of habit when it comes to my shampoo and conditioner choices. It takes quite a bit to get me to change my ways, but my friends rave about Kerastase. Getting to try out their shampoo and masque in cute travel sizes is a win in my book.

UB Cosmetics is not a brand I'm familiar with at all, but their Tint Stick in 'V' sounded very promising. I'm not the biggest fan of lip tints as they tend to feather on me, but I'm in love with the bright red shade.

The Designer Brands Instant Polish Remover contains royal jelly, aloe vera and green tea to maintain nail health. I was a bit sceptical and my first try was a little messy, but I found it did the job quite well. Seeing how this holds up with glitter nail polish is definitely on my list now.

This month's bonus item was the Your Tea Skin Magic Tea. I'm a tea drinker through and through, but I'm a tad sceptical about how much it will actually benefit my skin.

Overall, I think there was a great range of products that could fit into any girl's routine or travel bag (I know a couple will probably find themselves in mine!). This was more of a necessities than a 'wow' edition, but personally, I'm a fan. If you're keen to give Lust Have It! a try, use the code LOVE1 to save $5 on your first box!

Disclosure: the products in this post were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own. 

The Birthday Box | lusthaveit August Unboxing

Birthday boxes are always a ton of fun, and August's lusthaveit offering has been no exception. I always find that subscriptions are an awesome way to discover products you might not have picked up for yourself, and fall in love with them.

Mellow Cosmetics Baked Eyeshadow in 'Olive' is a gorgeous, rich green. While mine arrived looking a little worse for wear, it swatched like butter. I haven't used baked eyeshadows in a while and this isn't a colour I'd reach for on my own, but I was pleasantly surprised. As someone who uses neutral eye palettes religiously, I love this shade as a subtle pop of colour on the lower lash line. There are 12 colours in this formulation, and I'm still trying to talk myself out of buying a few more!

Mellow Cosmetics Mineral Auto Twist Liner in 'Navy' is a 100% mineral based liner, free of parabens and chemicals. I cannot tell you how much I love twist up liners- less product wastage is always a major win. This is quite an unusual shade of blue, as it's a fair bit lighter than the navy I'm used to finding. It doesn't tug on the lid and is opaque in a single pass. I will say this only lasted a few hours on me before smudging, but I have a feeling that's more to do with my oily lid area than anything else.

Ulta3 Volume & Length mascara claims to dramatically thicken, lengthen and magnify lashes. This mascara has quite a peculiar, curved wand which makes it a bit easier to get into the inner corner. I usually prefer waterproof formulas because I find that they hold a curl better, which is an issue I had with this formula. I didn't have any issues with clumping, though I did find I did get a fair amount of smudging (which is again, more likely the fault of my oily eye area!).

Red Carpet Kolour Body Glow is an illuminating body lotion. This contains a light, coloured pigment that covers any evens tone, diminishes wrinkles and covers any blemishes. This applies like a standard body lotion, it's a bit thinner in consistency which makes it super easy to blend. I was a bit concerned I'd look like a disco ball, but the glitter is finely milled and almost feels like it melts into the skin rather than creating a film on the surface. Bonus points for being fragrance free, so it won't interfere with any perfume you wear. I'll definitely be getting a lot of use out of this in the summer!

Reed Orange and Poppy Seed Scrub is a natural exfoliating scrub. I go a bit gaga for exfoliation, especially during the warmer months. The formula on this is abrasive enough to get the job done, but not to the point of being too rough. It also smells of oranges, and considering how much I love much I love my citrus scents, you can already assume I'm a huge fan.

You guys will have to let me know what you thought of your goodies if you're subscribed. And if you're interested, don't forget you can use the code 'LOVE1' to save $5 off your first month!

Disclosure: the products in this review were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own. 

The Best Box Yet | lusthaveit! July 2015 Unboxing

I've had my fair share of subscription boxes, but I honestly feel like the lusthaveit! team have really managed to nail it for their July offering. I was so excited to find that majority of the products were makeup, and it's only gotten better in the few weeks that I've been putting them to the test.

Hikari Eyeshadow Quad in 'Halle' is described as having high pigment, easy to blend, long lasting shadows. This quad consists of a matte almond, olive green, dark brown and peach. My first thought was that this was an odd combination of colours, but combining the neutral shades with subtle pops of colour ended up being one of my favourite ways to wear these shadows. The matte shadow makes a great transition/blending colour, so I definitely think you could get away with doing a simple look with just this one quad. The texture of the eyeshadows is lovely and soft, but I will say they did kick up a lot of excess pigment when I popped my brush into them. I also found they had a tendency to blend into almost nothing, so a good primer and packing on the colour were definite musts.

Be A Bombshell The One Stick in 'Southern Belle' is a gorgeous, rich coral. The pigmentation on this product really blew me away- a little goes a long way, so proceed with caution! My favourite way to wear this is definitely on the cheeks. Applied with a beauty blender sponge and sheered out, it gives a beautiful flush to the skin. I found it to be a little drying on the lips, but it was opaque in a few passes without uncomfortable tugging. I will say I didn't like this product on the eyes. I can't really see myself having the use for this on my eye area on a day to day basis as it creased quickly, even when I applied a shadow on top.

Be A Bombshell Lip Gloss in 'Sugar Lips' is a medium, slightly cool pink. I'm not usually a fan of lipglosses, but the pigmentation on this one was awesome. Application was a dream, and I didn't have any issues with settling into lip lines. It was slightly sticky without being so tacky my lips were sticking together constantly. I got a solid 3 to 4 hours of wear with light eating and drinking. The gloss does have a slight plastic-ish scent to it, but it's nothing offensive and it becomes unnoticeable following application.

Marsk Certified Organic Eyeliner in 'Pitch Black' is a cruelty free eyeliner. I've received this product before, and I have to say it made me fall in love with eyeliner again. While it isn't the blackest black eyeliner I've ever tried, it's not uncomfortable to apply. The pencil is soft enough that you can get a good level of opacity on a pass or two without tugging on your lid. This eyeliner also does not budge from my lid or water line, which is especially hard to come by for me.

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum is an anti-ageing product that contains highly stabilised retinol, potent antioxidants and other skin repairing ingredients. This is one of two products I haven't tested from this box. I don't trust myself to test skin care products that aren't aimed at addressing my skin care concerns, but I will say that I'm a huge fan of Paula's Choice products in general.

Garnier Fructis Full and Luscious Shampoo & Conditioner are aimed at creating thicker, healthier and stronger hair. As with the skin care, I've never really had a concern with making my hair thicker. I do love the idea of getting the opportunity to try sample size hair products so I can decide if I like them before committing. And they definitely don't hurt for travelling!

July's box definitely knocked it out of the park, and I'm so excited to see what else the team at lusthaveit! have up their sleeves. Don't forget you can use the code LOVE1 for $5 off your first month!

Disclosure: the products in this post were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own. 

Head Over Heels For lusthaveit! | June 2015 Unboxing

I am the biggest fan of themed subscription, so I was a bit more excited than usual when I saw that lusthaveit's box for June had a bright pink 'Head Over Heels' sticker. This month, the box has you "covered from head to toe!"

Nak Thermal Shield weatherproofs hair and protects it from hot tools. I'm usually far too lazy to put any effort into using heat to style my hair, but I love the idea of weatherproofing it, especially during the summer when its prone to frizzing. I haven't been able to find a heat protectant that I'm crazy about, but I'm hoping this will also be helpful with all the rainy weather we've been having lately.

The Cosmetic Kitchen Wake Up Body Scrub is a mix of raw sugar, coffee and alkalising salts with organic clay and essential oils. I love a good body scrub, especially when the weather is cooler and my skin ends up being dry. I'm definitely a fan of this one in particular, because the product is milled enough that it's not overly abrasive while still being able to do the job. Also, coffee in body scrub? Yes. Please. Another thing to love about this brand is that all their products are vegan and animal cruelty free.

The Cosmetic Kitchen Peppermint Foot Mask is a new release from the brand. The powder is mixed with coconut oil and water to form a paste. I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but the concept really interests me. Usually I just slather a load of moisturiser on my feet and pull on some thick socks, so I'm keen to see how much of a difference this makes in the cooler months.

Teeez Trend Cosmetics Eve's Ready-to-Wear Lipstick in 'Classy Caramel' (okay, say that five times fast!) might just have the coolest packaging I've seen in quite some time. I would shamelessly buy more of these lipsticks just to display them on my desk. This formula has added wild mango to nourish, hydrate and repair cracked or dry lips. I can't attest to the repairing lips claim, but it does apply smoothly and with nice opacity. It's comfortable to wear and lasted about four hours on me. Also, everyone seems to be all about this 90s-esque colour at the moment so it's a win for me!

Chapstick Hydration Lock is a double ended lip balm, with one side soothing lips and the other locking in moisture for 8 hours. This idea kind of stumped me. The only thing I could think of to compare it to is those long wearing lipsticks with colour on one end and balm on the other. I still found myself applying the moisturising side more than once every 8 hours, but that could easily be due to force of habit. The idea seems a little gimmicky to me, but Chapstick has always been a must in my book.

If you're interested in receiving 5-6 deluxe beauty samples every month, you can head on over to the lusthaveit! website to subscribe for $19.95/month. Don't forget to use the code 'LOVE1' to save $5 off your first month!

Disclosure: the products in this post were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own. 

lusthaveit! February Unboxing & Review

Not having time to blog during the university semester means I've fallen behind (even more than usual!) on monthly subscriptions, new releases and the like. So while some of the next few posts may be slightly less useful than they otherwise might be, hopefully they're not completely irrelevant.

Natural Glamour Illuminating Foundation in 'Medium' is meant to deliver a glowing, flawless complexion. It's meant to have a matte finish, and is free from talc, paraben and bismuth oxychloride. This shade was way too dark for me, and I wasn't able to find any more information in terms of colour range on the company's website. When I tested it on my hand though, it was quite easy to move around. The consistency was a little thick, which would make sense since I'm assuming it provides full coverage.

Natural Glamour 2Glo Line Treatment & Concealer in 'Medium' might be one of the niftiest things I've seen in a while. One side is a line treatment to moisturise and smooth the under eye area, while the other side has a light reflecting concealer to hide dark circles. This is something I'll be taking traveling with me to save room in my makeup bag. The line treatment is fine for me in the mornings, but of course, it doesn't replace the heavy duty stuff in my night time routine. The concealer is a lovely consistency and blends easily while still covering my dark circles. It does have a little slip to it, so I would recommend still setting your under eye area with powder.

Designer Brands Liquid Eyeliner in 'Black' is your standard black liquid liner. The top has a fine brush tip that allows for precision as well as a thicker line depending on what takes your fancy. Eyeliner has never been my thing, so I'm probably not the best judge of this one. It didn't tug on the lid, but it did skip/become a tad patchy every once in a while so I did have to go over my line a couple of times. I will say it did have good staying power for me, and the swatch I had on my hand lasted until I scrubbed at it with soap and warm water!

Ulta3 Lip Liner in 'Plum' is the perfect colour for winter. I've had amazing experiences with Ulta3 products before and this one was no exception. The pencil was extremely soft and gave opaque colour in just one pass without tugging uncomfortably on my lips. I always tend to wear lipstick over it, so I can't vouch for how drying it is when worn on its own. Given the price tag (a whole $2.95), I think I'll quite happily go buy this product in every colour it comes in.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting Liquid Exfoliant exfoliates the skin's surface and inside the pore. I've been keen to try products from this company for quite some time, so I'm excited to finally give this one a go. The product claims to create even skin tone, reduce redness and unclog enlarged pores. That's ticking pretty much every skin care concern I've ever had, so I've got everything crossed that my skin agrees with it.

Disclosure: the products in this post were kindly sent for review. All opinions are my own.

lusthaveit! January Unboxing & Review

I may or may not have spent the last few weeks in a mad panic over starting the last year of my undergraduate degree, but if there's one thing that helps stress, it's getting new stuff to try out right? I was excited to find on opening this lusthaveit that some of my favourite brands made another appearance. I've been having a play with some of these over the last week or so and I've got some initial thoughts to share with you.

lusthaveit! December Unboxing & Review

lusthaveit! November Unboxing & Review

lusthaveit! October 2014

lusthaveit! September 2014

Happy birthday lusthaveit! | August Unboxing

As far as I'm concerned, birthdays are a great thing. They're even greater when you get a bunch of amazing products to try, and end up falling head over heels in love. I was super excited to find out that August would be lusthaveit!'s birthday box, and I have to say even though my expectations were pretty high, they were more than exceeded with this month's goodies.

lusthaveit! July Unboxing and Review

There's nothing quite like the feeling of getting home after a particularly rough day and finding a package waiting for you. Add to that being able to instantly dig into everything, and you've got yourself the recipe for a perfect cheer up.

lusthaveit! June Unboxing & Review

Let's just appreciate the beauty of instant photo editing that doesn't want my brain want to shrivel up and die. While I do feel slightly ashamed of myself for using an iPhone photo on a blog post, I feel like it's a pretty nifty segue into letting you know that you can follow me on there to see what I'm getting up to (if you're interested- and I wouldn't blame if you weren't!). 

I know this post is a little late, but given the contents of this month's lusthaveit, I decided I really wanted to try the products before I got back to you so I could provide a little more info than I usually do. Also, take note that the clear reusable bag I fell in love with has made its return- bonus points already!

lust have it! May Unboxing & Review

First off I need to say that I absolutely adored the makeup that was done on the model on the reverse side of this month's info card- it looks absolutely stunning and I want whatever that is to be all over my face. The theme of May's box was 'face focus,' which I got excited about, because I'm obsessing over face products at the moment so it came at the perfect time.

Just a quick note that they've forgone the cute reusable bag that was sent out next week as delivery was delayed. As far as I'm aware, once that issue is resolved, it will return. To make up for that, this month's box also included a $20 gift card.

lust have it! April Review & Coupon Code

I feel like I'm inadvertently making a habit of starting off every post I write with an apology for my prolonged absences- I promise I'm trying to get back into my blogging schedule! Anyway, my crazy university life aside, I came home today to find a package from lust have it! waiting for me at my doorstep. 

lust have it! is another beauty subscription service which retails for $19.95 a month. I believe they have 3 boxes to choose from, but the one I've got to share with you is the women's beauty box which comes with 5-6 deluxe beauty products. As well as kindly providing me with April'x box to review for you, lust have it! has also provided me with a coupon code to share with you guys to save a little bit of money off your first box, so stay tuned for that if you think this is something you'd be interested in!