Tuesday, November 1, 2022

DOG By Dr Lisa - Starter Set Review

Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post. Products bought with my own money at full price. Thoughts and opinions are totally my own. Post contains an affiliate link and if you decide to purchase and use my code BIJOU15 I will get a credit and you will save money, thank you for your support! 

Hello! I'm back!

It might be a surprise that this blog is alive after a long hiatus. I've gone through some pretty major life changes. For instance, I got a dog.

Bijou says 'hi'!

I'm a first time puppy owner, so a lot of this process has been trial and error. And intense researching and nerding out. And the main thing I've discovered is that it's damn hard to find actual reviews of products. I've bought so many toys that get chewed through within days, or leashes that fall apart with some tugging from my 4kg puppy, or shampoos that result in a very yappy and itchy puppy. But it's just impossible to know what you're looking for if you have no frame of reference. 

Ferocious chewing!

Bathing a dog is already stressful enough. Let alone a puppy that can, intends to, and does let the whole neighbourhood know you are murdering her via water torture. When I first bought her shampoo, I just chose the cheapest one because I figured, what's the harm? It was just like how before my teenhood, I just used whatever grocery store shampoo my parents had because I didn't think it would make a difference. You would think as a skincare nerd, I should have known better...

Then, I bought the Pet Circle Puppy Pack which included a shampoo, and I thought:

"Great! Two big shampoo bottles. I'm set! I don't need to buy shampoo any time soon!"

Oh boy. I was so wrong.

Come Bijou's first bath time, just unlidding the cheapo shampoo alone sent my pup into a frenzy. The smell was reminiscent of medical shampoo, but also the fragrance added was an obvious layer on top of it. It didn't lather well. But the worst of it was that for days to come, Bijou would scratch and scratch herself, obviously irritated at her skin, and I felt so guilty every time she did it.

Help! I hate it here! mmm... peanut butter...

The other bottle... well, the pump decided it was sick of being around when I tried to open it (with reasonable force, I swear!) and to never get back onto the bottle no matter what I tried. It seemed a bit more bearable for during bathtime as the scent seemed more natural, but the same dreaded itching and scratching for days after her bath.

She didn't get this problem post groomer-bath, so I figured it had to be the products I was using.

That brings me to DOG by Dr Lisa.


Finding DOG by Dr Lisa

Bijou was going to puppy school at the time, and for the final week, her wonderful puppy school teacher brought in these wipes to wipe our dogs down with. (If you're in Sydney, check her out! She's great!)

At the time, I was using regular baby wipes that I'd use on my own bottom. If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for the dog, right? Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but dogs tend to lick their bottoms quite a lot more than humans do. So what goes into those wipes are very important!

"It's got to be these. Don't use anything else." Our puppy school instructor said with beaming confidence.

Bijou at puppy school!

So, being the diligent dog owner, I went home and looked them up. I went to the DOG By Dr Lisa website and had a look around. Honestly, I found their assortment a bit overwhelming at first. They have a LOT of products. 

I went to the 'wipes' because that's what I was there for. Oh boy, I'll admit, when I first looked at the price, I was like 'oooooft' (because I can't low whistle.)

"$16 a pack?!" I said out loud incredulously to Bijou's other human. (I picked the most expensive price for drama's sake, but more on this later.)

Alas, the seed of doubt was sown already. I looked up other pet wipes and other brands I could find didn't even list their ingredients on their websites. If you followed my pre-2017 blog, you'd know I'm a skincare junkie, so not being able to see an ingredient list is instantly sketchy to me. If you're into health and nutrition, you'd also know not being able to see an ingredient list is sketchy! 

"Let's just buy them once and see if it's worth it from there." Bijou's other human said sagely. He is very reasonable and practical.

But of course, the whole shampoo issue was niggling in my mind too - she was still scratching and itching every so often, and as new puppy owners we were still getting used to having dog scent everywhere, even rooms she wasn't allowed in!

"There's a value set! But all the value sets contain wipes, which one?" 

Honestly, when I shop I get a little crazy. This one has a training pouch which looks much nicer than the one I got off amazon, this one has a bath robe which looks a lot better than the one I got off pet circle, this one has a really nice looking tin and I'm currently using zip lock bags everywhere around the house... You get the picture.

I eventually did choose a set. Let's get to it!


Unboxing

Just kidding, the unboxing process is so nice I have to mention it. Wow, these products are very giftable.

For me? - Curious Bijou

Bijou slobbered on it before I managed to take a photo, but imagine it without her drool on it!


You know when you feel a box, and you go "Damn. That's a good box."

"It has a magnetic closure, no way am I throwing it away!"

Mum, I can't read this! - Surprisingly Patient Bijou

The little gift note is a nice touch. You can customise the message to your liking. It was quite a splurge, so we felt it warranted the gift note, even though she couldn't read. Anyone else do this?

Found the lickimat! - Excited Bijou
Everything packed very securely. Tissue paper, cardboard wrap, everything fits snug in the box so no wasted space. I hate it when companies have their boxes too big for the product!


The Products

"I'm a model!" - Bijou, thinking about her bribes to do this modelling.

The Starter Set contains:

Wipes (80 pack)

Leave in Conditioner (500mL bottle)

Cologne of your choice (125mL bottle)

Wash (500mL bottle)


Wipes

Ah yes, the reason I did an order in the first place. These wipes smell very earthy. I was pretty surprised at how strongly they smelt, but it wasn't unpleasant. The lavender scent is probably what comes through the most as it's unexpected in a wipe. 

Upon first impression, I was very impressed at how thick, strong and moist the wipe was.

With the cheapo wipes I used before, I would need one wipe for her butt, then another wipe for her front paws, then another wipe for her back paws, then another wipe to go on her muzzle and the rest of her body. Having to go in and out of the pack was a process. But she enjoys playing outside, my home is mostly carpet, and I would rather do this than bathe her again.

The DOG wipe can be used everywhere and still be moist and intact. I start with her mouth, then do her body, then paws, then her butt. I've actually spied Bijou's other human leaving them on the table to be reused again because they stay so moist. (Ew! I would not recommend this, but that's just testament to how use moist they are.)

Left: The brand I use on my human butt.     Right: DOG by Dr Lisa Wipe



Here is the breakdown of the rest of the ingredients!

Ingredients List:

🐕Aqua (water’s fancy name)
🐕Coco Glucoside (coconut & glucose derived cleansing/dissolving agent)
🐕Decyl Glucoside (glucose derived cleansing agent)
🐕Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Oil
🐕Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice
🐕Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract (Cucumber Extract)
🐕Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
🐕Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil 
🐕Benzyl Alcohol/Dehydroacetic Acid/Parfum (tiny amounts of organic-approved preservatives to stop germ growth)


Honestly, they've demystified their ingredient list so much that I don't even need to break this down. It's a great list of natural ingredients that all have either cleansing or moisturising properties. Looking at the list, it's straightforward what each ingredient contributes to the product. Nice!

A 6 pack of wipes will bring down the pack of a wipe to $11.16 each. Use code BIJOU15 for 15% off and it goes down to $9.48 a pack.

If you're still not convinced it's worth it... think about the times you've wiped your pet's butt only to see faeces on your finger. (Hopefully, not just something that's happened to me.) I'd say peace of mind for that to not happen is invaluable.

I have these wipes everywhere - on the balcony, in my purse, in the car, at my desk, at my partner's desk, and at the doorway entrance table. It means I always have a wipe there to do a quick cleanup of my pup or her messes. (Anyone else's pup get very motion sick?)



Leave In Conditioner


The next item I was really impressed with was the conditioner.

The texture was pretty much like human moisturiser. I spread it in my hands before giving Bijou a pat all over, working the product into her fur. It smells great and her fur is noticeably softer after.

It makes her fur easier to brush with the slicker brush too. Winning!

I use it the same way I use moisturiser on myself AKA when I notice the texture of her fur not being so soft anymore. Yes, that's seriously how I decide when to use my moisturiser, haha. Oh, or after I cleanse my face / bathe my dog. 

It comes in a 500ml bottle and I use one pump on her whole body. It spreads very easily and a little really does go a long way - I think I use too much actually because my hands still feel like there's product on them after I've given her all the patting over I can.

Ingredients List:

🐕Aqua (water's fancy name)

🐕Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil

🐕Cetearyl Alcohol (natural fatty alcohol that moisturises and emulsifies)

🐕Behentrimonium Chloride (natural conditioning agent)

🐕Glyceryl Stearate (natural emulsifier)

🐕Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil

🐕Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil

🐕Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil

🐕Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Water

🐕Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Water

🐕Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Oil

🐕Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil

🐕Boswellia Carteri (Frankincense) Oil

🐕Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil

🐕Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil

🐕Cetyl Alcohol (natural fatty alcohol that moisturises and emulsifies)

🐕Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum (legume based thickener)

🐕Panthenol (natural moisturising agent)

🐕Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

🐕Benzyl Alcohol/Dehydroacetic Acid (tiny amounts of organic-approved preservatives to stop germ growth).

Looking at the ingredient list, it's easy to see why it smells so good! The rose and sweet almond oil really come through. I love Vitamin E as a moisturising ingredient - so gentle and so effective. 

I really didn't think I needed this product until I tried it. Now I can't imagine not having it. 

Wash

"How often are we supposed to bathe our dog? Daily?" - My boyfriend, who has also never had a dog before.
"Google says once a month. MAXIMUM."
"What?! But she STINKS." Visible repulsion from him.

I mean, honestly, the conditioner and wipes alone have helped this so much. After most walks and events, I just give her a wipe all over, some conditioner all over, and a spritz of the cologne, and she's as good as new!

But Sydney weather is erratic. One day it'll be 40 degrees Celcius, and the next day it'll be raining and totally muddy. 

Sometimes, life happens, and this happens.

I love rolling around in mud! - Bijou, dreading her bath coming up

Honestly, it was avoidable, but she was having so much fun that I didn't want to stop her.

The wipes are good, but not that good. 

We have her booked in to get groomed once a month, so if I'm giving her a bath, it means it's more than recommended and could strip her natural oils. 

The wash lathers easily, the scent doesn't irritate Bijou, and it contains lots of ingredients to restore the natural moisture and oils in her coat.

🐕Aqua (water’s fancy name)
🐕Coco Glucoside (coconut & glucose derived cleansing agent)
🐕Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum (legume based thickener)
🐕Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil
🐕Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil
🐕Boswellia Carteri (Frankincense) Oil
🐕Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Water
🐕Chamomilla Recutita [Matricaria] Flower (Chamomile) Extract
🐕Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice
🐕Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
🐕Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
🐕Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
🐕Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Oil
🐕Benzyl Alcohol/Dehydroacetic Acid (tiny amounts of organic-approved preservatives to stop germ growth).


You might notice a lot of the ingredients are similar to the conditioner and the wipes. That's a good thing! 
It got her really clean without overly stripping her. No itchy dog after using this.


Spring Cologne

Last but not least, the spring cologne. Admittedly, I've used this less than the other products, but it does the job. The subheader is 'rose, geranium, and orange" but honestly it smells more like rose than the other ingredients.

It's a pleasant scent, but it's fairly subtle. Dog's noses are a lot stronger than ours, so I believe this factors in the brand's decision to make it fairly light.
 
I've sprayed Bijou with a cologne I bought from her groomer, and she runs away and looks at me all miffed when I do it. Next thing I know, if I'm walking her she'll find a particularly stinky spot to roll around in to get the scent off her.
"Stinky moss! Save me!" - Bijou, wanting to smell like nature.

It was quite funny the first time I saw her do it.

Anyway, it's lovely and if you enjoy a rose scent, you'll enjoy this. I was personally hoping it'd smell more like orange. I probably would have liked one of the other scents more, but when I was carting a 6-pack of the wipes by itself, an offer came up to upgrade to the set for a little less. The caveat was that it chose the scent of the cologne for me. (A little hack for those of you thinking of getting the set - cart the wipes first and see if an offer comes up!)

I'd love to try one of the other scents next time I get the set. Calm sounds like a lovely soothing scent - the key ingredients are what I personally use in my pillow spray to help me calm down and sleep at night. Sweet sounds delicious - orange and vanilla! 

I think Bijou smells good enough after using the other products, so a cologne is fairly extracurricular. Scent is just such a personal choice! 


Bonus: Lickimat




Ahh, Bijou's favourite. As I was unboxing this, she stole the lick mat and ran away with it to play with. There wasn't even any food on it! She just loves the texture of this and can chew at it like it's a toy with nothing on it. It's very soft compared to the lick mat I already have. It's also such a cute colour!

If you're reading this post, I probably don't need to tell you the benefits of a lick mat. But the brief summary - anti-anxiety, enrichment, and slowing down eating. I spread peanut butter on it and stick it to the tub as I'm washing her. It helps her stay calm for maybe the first half of the bath. Which is better than neither half of the bath.
It doesn't have to be used in the bath - use it for a treat or for calming an anxious dog.

This was free with a minimum spend of $100 at time of purchase. This promo might not be on still, sorry!


Final words

And that brings me to the end of my honest review of DOG By Dr Lisa Starter Set!

In summary, I'd highly recommend the wipes, conditioner, wash and lick mat. The brand on the whole aligns with my values so it feels good to shop here:
✔️ Dr Lisa is a practicising veterinarian 
✔️ Based in Sydney, Australia

Products:
✔️  Not tested on animals
✔️  Vegan and eco-friendly
✔️  Recyclable
✔️ % donated to the RSPCA

If you've made it this far, you deserve a prize!


Wow, this post was way longer than I thought it would be. Is long-form content dead? Am I yelling into the abyss? Let me know in the comments if you made it!

With love, 🐾
Bijou and Bijou's Human 


Monday, January 16, 2017

Lust have It January 2017 Unboxing and Review

Hi everyone!

Here's my January Lust Have It unboxing for 2017.







Information card 



(Last video I mentioned my lack of working camera other than my webcam - so sorry for quality of these images, lol.)





The Items

Your Tea Her Tea + Marsk Eyeliner in Snowflake || Burt's Bees Lipstick + OPI in Shattered Super Bass

OFRA Eyeshadow/Highlighting Powder in Bohemian + Unani Dermo Defense Face Mask || The Bag


I appreciate the ease of flatlays a lot more after this post.

I assume that most people come to my blog to avoid my face, but this time was impossible. Sorry. :P




Swatches

Those nice swatches I did during the video smudged not 5 minutes later while I was taking these photos.



I'm not sure what they smudged on, but surprisingly this hasn't happened before. Not looking too good for either of these products.



Fresh swatches. It is really hard to capture the true colour of the Burt's Bees Lipstick, so I spent some time on the MS paint colour picker, and here is the colour I think it's closest to when swatched.



Overall
A very meh box.
Sure, the items "exceeded" the amount I paid for it in value ($22 vs $90.50.)
And I'm also really happy to see LustHaveIt fixing that mistake from last month where they forgot the Her Tea. That was great of them to include, (although I'm wondering if I would have gotten the extra Tea if I didn't remain subbed?)

But... They keep repeating the same brands over and over. Unani, Marsk, Ofra, Your Tea - we're all sick of seeing the same brands over and over again. At least, I am. These brands are grossly overvalued for what I believe is drugstore/pharmacy quality cosmetics. 

There's no longer a real discovery aspect to these bags and thus my decision to not subscribe to Lust Have It anymore. For sheer value, Marie Claire The Parcel is a better choice for Australians.



Thanks for reading!

This is obviously not one of my best posts, but hey! I improvised. :P

Hope you guys enjoyed despite the shoddy camera xx

And to my fellow Aussies - hope you're remembering to wear sunscreen and a hat :) Stay hydrated!

With lots of love,

pynkbunny.


Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Swan Kiss Fukubukuro Lucky Bag 2017 (White) Reveal, Review and Try-on!


Hi everyone!

Long time no blog!

A convenient excuse would be to blame my phone dying (and hence my camera), but let's be real - I worked around it today. (Because I love you guys a lot :D)

So yes, this is my first time doing an actual try-on post from a fukubukuro. I had to take the pictures with my webcam, so very sorry about awkward positioning etc etc. Anyway, on with the post!


♥ What is a fukubukuro?
Every new year, brands will release lucky bags filled with old stock. Generally, they exceed the value you pay for them. This is a Japanese tradition. :) Not only gyaru brands do this - even convenience stores, the Japanese Apple store, and Japanese Krispy Kreme all release them!)


♥ How did you purchase it?
I pre-ordered it from Tokyo Otaku Mode on the 9th of December. It shipped out on the 28th December, and I received it in Australia today (3rd January).
It cost 220USD with free shipping.


It is still in-stock here: [x] (Pink version is even on sale for 190USD!)
Use my referral link for $5 off here: [x]
Thank you so much to Emiii-chan for letting me know they were back in-stock! The lovely Emiii-chan here: [x]



Without further ado...
♥ Here's my Swan Kiss Fukubukuro reveal! ♥



I almost finished writing this post up when I realised that my contents were exactly the same as shown in the Tokyo Otaku Mode website. I thought they would be different but they weren't! So I get to compare my items with the stock pictures too :D

1. The bag itself 


This bag is LARGE.

It comes in options white or pink, and I chose white since I liked the look of it more than pink.

The size and material of the bag make it very practical - I think it's perfect for trips away and just shoving everything in. Or safely carrying very large board games :)

I wasn't a big fan of the appearance, but I know the bag will be useful because of it's size.

Small nitpick - in the original picture, the handles look a lot better because of how it is positioned. The ribbon is also different from the original picture. I'm fine with this since I wasn't a big fan of the bag anyway.






2. The coat ♥



This coat comes with every bag.

It has the heart corset motif on each pocket. The pockets are very shallow, as shown through me trying to stick my hand into it in the pictures!

It is also very long. As you can see in the picture, it goes past the black dress that I also got in the pack.

The material is very thick and the colour is truly a statement colour - in the pictures it shows as a pale pink but the true colour is closer to the stock picture on the TOM website.



The only difference I can pick out between the stock picture and the coat itself is that the ribbon detail on my coat is white and sheer, as opposed to the pink in the picture. It is also a thicker ribbon.

Despite the pockets, I think this item is fairly easy to incorporate into an everyday winter wardrobe :) Not to work, but to lunch with friends or something.





3. The sweater 



Ohmygoshguys.

This sweater is everything. Just look at it!

At first I was very skeptical because I'm not a turtleneck person at all.

BUT JUST LOOK AT THE RIBBON DETAILING AND THE COLOUR AND AAAAAA IT'S ALL PERFECT.



The quality is very good - it's thick and warm.





4. The dress ♥




Hands down my favourite item in this lucky pack!

When I revealed it, I was quite underwhelmed because of the colour. It wasn't until I tried it on that the small details of the dress really popped out.

The straps tied on are very cute, and the frill details throughout the dress really make it very adorable.

It is also very comfortable and lightweight.

I know I'll wear it a lot already :)! It's very cute but also not a piece that stands out like a lot of other gyaru pieces.



This is shown to be styled with the pink lace top on the bottom. It definitely gives it a much cutesier feel.

This actually makes so much more sense to me since I tried wearing the pink lace top by itself and it looked terrible xD As an under-shirt it makes a lot more sense!





5. The top ♥


I think in hindsight, this top was made for styling with that black dress.

The lace areas that peak out are so cute - the ribbon detail, the frills, EVERYTHING ABOUT IS ADORABLE.

But the pink slip area... goodness, it is shapeless and awful. I think the model had to pose in a way where it looked less shapeless in the stock pictures!

(it could also be that I'm too big :P Maybe it's fine if you're smaller!)








6. The pants ♥




I for the life of my could not rock these. Sorry. xD

Same as the top - the model obviously had to pose in a way which it looked nice. She managed to make it look like a maxi skirt, which would be quite nice.

Alas, these are pants. omg. xD



♥ Overall... 

Would I recommend? Probably not, last year's angel bag was way better.

The bag itself was better quality, and the contents were amazing.

I don't regret buying this bag, but also the quality definitely suffer compared to the contents of last year.

I don't own a lot of Swankiss items, so I'm happy now that I do. :)

$210USD is quite a steep price however. The fun of unboxing was there, but since the items were identical to the stock pictures, it is a little more disappointing for me.

♥ My first impressions video...



  What did you think of this bag?

Let me know!

xoxo

pynkbunny

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Dota2 Micro Plush Series 4 Unboxing/Reveal (10 boxes!)


Hi everyone!

It is no secret that I'm a huge Dota2 fan. Between managing, organising events, streaming and casting, pretty much everyone knows how much time I dedicate to the game.

So... Here is my unboxing of 10 micro plushies from the recent International 6 =) The biggest Dota 2 tournament with a prize pool of 20million USD!

They cost 15usd each and are still purchasable here if you are interested.

It randomly can be any of the following ten heroes or the set of couriers:
- Tuskarr
- Sand King
- Enchantress
- Dazzle
- Night Stalker
- Phoenix
- Winter Wyvern
- Rikimaru
- Patch, Stash and Hobb

Here is my video unboxing:
Here are pictures for those in a rush!



Some bonuses from the friend that helped me get them from Seattle for my birthday =): (Thank you Lei!)




Obviously I was very lucky to get two sets of the couriers ^^ I love them, they're so cute!

I have a post about the in-game couriers here.

Hope you guys enjoyed =)

xoxo pynkbunny

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Liz Lisa Summer Fukubukuro Lucky Bag 2016 Reveal (Two of them!)

Hello friends!

I recently got the Liz Lisa Summer Lucky Bag! (2016) =)


You can watch me unbox it on video here:




Here are some pictures for those on the run :P



Bag 1
Bag 2

I don't regret buying two at all.

They were released on July 22, and sold out within a few hours.

My package arrived at Tenso on July 28, and then was shipped out to me on July 29. Shipping cost $83AUD from Tenso warehouse to my house - very reasonable imo

Today is August 3 and it arrived! I used EMS because it was insured and was estimated to take around a week. I've had bad experiences in the past with getting items shipped internationally, so insurance was a must for me.

I'm overjoyed that it arrived so quickly, and at the great variety of items! The dresses are so exciting for me - I live for Liz Lisa dresses, hahaha.

This was a lot cheaper than the New Year's bags, but of course with the New Year's ones you don't get shopping totes, but a nicer quality bag or luggage case instead. The contents also seem a lot more random!

What did you get in your summer bag? Or what was your favourite item?

With love,

athy xx


Friday, May 20, 2016

Review: Missha Line Friends Edition Magic Cushion + April Skin Magic Snow Cushion White! + BBcosmetic.com 10% off discount code!


Hi everyone!

Two cushion reviews today.

Missha on the right || April Skin on the left (applied on my face in awful lighting :P)

Missha Line Friends Edition Magic Cushion 15G + 15g (Refill) [no.23 natural beige] [x]


Claims:
- Improve wrinkles (can't test this)
- Brightening effect (yup!)

SPF:
- SPF 50/PA+++ coverage

Application:
- On the dewy side, but moreso glowing effect than a dewy effect.

Scent:
- Smells great, not noticeable but if someone was leaning in to your face it'd smell nice ;)


Coverage



Look at the red area around my nose! And compare my dark circle with the other eye! (From a video of me applying it... Which I decided was not worth uploading, but this picture does not do the finish justice)

Feel:
Didn't feel irritating - with ingredients like witch hazel, you'd suspect this was a skincare item and not a makeup item! That's the magic of BB though :) It's supposed to double as skincare. It doesn't weigh down or feel greasy on my face at all. 

Overall: 5/5
The Missha Magic Cushion is a classic that works well and really gives you that korean celebrity finish/glow. Come on guys, if you watch kdramas or have seen any kpop in your life, you know what I mean!

The packaging is absolutely irresistible and this will definitely be in my purse. I can't fault it =)


April Skin Magic Snow Cushion White SPF 50 PA+++ 15G (no.23 natural beige) [x]


Claims:
- Freckle coverage - yup! although my freckles are quite light
- Long-lasting - This was a nightmare to remove even with my Banila Co, and my face gets pretty oily!
- Moisturising - Probably? Not what the BB is for, I don't know/mind
- Whitening - For the duration, yes. I don't think this BB would have long-term effects, but can't say.

SPF:
- SPF 50/PA+++ coverage

Application:
- Medium coverage (although depicted as full in ads?)
- On the dewy side, but less dewy than the Missha
- You have to really blend this baby in! Easy to look chalky, gets kind of "clumped" for lack of better word as the day proceeds
- Made my skin look 1-2 tones lighter
I will take better pictures when I have daylight x:

Scent:
- Pretty much none

Feel:
It seemed to irritate a dry patch on my face. Other than that, it felt like how foundation would feel on my face. Since I applied it half half with the Missha, it emphasised how weightless the Missha was and how "normal" the application of the April Skin felt. 

Overall: 3/5
This product is currently HUGELY hyped in Korea. Like, winning a gazillion awards for achieving a flawless kbeauty whiter magical finish. I was actually really excited for this product. It's making me wonder if I'm doing something wrong with my cushion, haha.
But actually seeing how the product looks and feels on my face resulted in me deciding that this just wasn't the product for me. I'm no cushion expert, and I would still use this product over no coverage - it was just a little lacklustre. 
After some research, I realise the white cushion is meant for dry skin whilst the black is meant for oilier skin. This might be why my results weren't very good! Take this review with a grain of salt :P And don't make the same mistake as me!


I received (and handpicked personally!) these two cushions courtesy of bbcosmetic.com. (Cosmetic, not Cosmetics!)
They're a new website that offers free worldwide shipping, and have a decent range of products - I was personally most impressed that they had Missha Line products in stock (so much hype around these! So many people crazily searching for where to buy!) They're Korean, but also have a Warehouse in LA for those lucky-ducks in the US who will get faster shipping. I received my package in three days via DHL with no dramas. They offer Paypal for peace of mind. And they included sachet samples, which makes me happy!

So check them out and use my special exclusive code for my readers (you guys!) for 10% off if you'd like =)

10% off Code: NVHYL0366K26

With love,

pynkbunny.

(PS, check out my giveaway in the post before this! It closes in 24 hours!)

Disclaimer:
These products were gifted generously to me, but still handpicked by me. I was not sponsored for this post. All opinions are my own~

Friday, May 13, 2016

BotanicES - Australian Skincare Brand Spotlight + Giveaway!


Hi lovely people! <3

Have you heard of the brand BotanicES?



BotanicES is an Australian-made, environmentally sustainable brand of skincare that is also contains:
- no synthetic fragrances
- no Parabens
- no harsh detergents
- no phthalates
- no Petrochemicals
- no Ethanolamines
- no SLS/SLES
- no animal testing
- no Nanomaterials
- no EDTA
- no mineral oils
- no artificial colours

I was lucky enough to give their three star products a try lately! Here are my impressions =)

♥ On The Range Overall



The three products (face creme, eye creme and body creme) all smell amazing! (And the same.)
I'm impressed that there is no added synthetic fragrance - maybe they add a natural fragrance? It smells very gently of coffee - almost like if it was a hint of the scent thrown in. Maybe like a cafe passing by? Or an Asian bakery? The scent is delicious but also not very noticeable, if that makes sense!

Each creme also boasts the same primary ingredients; the natural benefits of coconut and olive oils, Kakadu plum extract, Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Licorice Root extract. All of these ingredients are pretty great =)
Shea Butter is excellent for dry skin, and Vitamin E is a natural healer of the skin. These two ingredients are the ones I'm most excited for my skin when using these products!

Face Creme [x]

BotanicES_Face_Creme_1200x1200
This is probably my favourite product from BotanicES that I tried. It is a light moisturiser that absorbs easily into the skin and feels weightless/not even there after application.

I've been incorporating it into my skincare regime, (which you can see here if you haven't already) as a light moisturiser before my heavier moisturiser. Or simply just as a final moisturiser for days my skin isn't in need of great moisture. My skin gets rather oily, so some days I just want something lighter, and this is perfect for that.

Some moisturisers leave your face feeling heavy - this one doesn't at all. Some moisturisers also leave it feeling super hydrated - this moisturiser doesn't do that either. That doesn't necessarily mean it's not moisturising - my skin still looks radiant after application!


Eye Cream [x]



The eye cream feels and smells quite similarly to the face creme. If I had to make a comparison, I would say the eye cream is lighter and runnier in consistency, yet it also is "stickier".

The eye cream promises to address puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles, as well as to brighten the eye area.

I think the main difference between the eye creme and the face creme is that the eye creme has a slight sheen to it that is meant for brightening the eye area. It is so subtle it won't photograph, but when you have dark circles as bad as mine, any little difference counts, huh? :P

Body Creme [x]

Once upon a time, I used to use Sorbolene as a body moisturiser.

Now don't get me wrong - Sorbolene is fine. But it's kind of the bare minimum of caring for your body's skin.

Lately, I've been going so crazy with the oil EVERYTHING trend that I don't have enough surface area for this oil. Coconut oil, Rosehip oil, Jojoba oil, Macademia oil.... I've been trying all of that to nourish my skin.

What does that have to do with this body creme?

THIS STUFF DOES A WONDERFUL JOB of applying on top of it and making it so you don't look like you climbed out of an oil well.

Lately I've been using body creams and body moistiurisers to "seal in" coconut oil and this really does a good job!

By itself, it also works well to moisturiser without feeling like you applied anything. (Despite it being similar to the face creme and eye creme, it's almost eerie how you can't really feel it - shouldn't there be some sort of sensation of it sitting on top of the skin? How does it feel like nothing? Is it voodoo magic?)



♥ Giveaway

So now that you know more about the products, I bet you're eager to give it a try yourself!

Lucky for you guys, I'm partnering up with BotanicES to give away TEN (10!) sample packs which contain each of these products! That's a lot of sample packs - and a lot of winners!

Joining is very easy, just use the Rafflecopter below =)

The only requirement is that you are subscribed to my YouTube channel. (This is a sneaky celebration for my channel hitting 500 subscribers ;D)
The rest is optional, but will get you more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway closes on Saturday 21 May, Midnight AEDT (Sydney Time)

Most of these are free entries since my loyal readers follow me on everything ;D But if you're new here feel free to participate too!

Best of luck to everyone and hope you're having a lovely day!

And a big thanks to our lovely friends at BotanicES for making this possible xx

-- athy