Haul: Priceline's 40% off Skincare Sale

I love a good 40% off sale, and Priceline have a couple throughout the year. I headed into my local store to take advantage of their latest 40% off sale on skincare. 

I'm proud to say that I really restrained myself, and bought mostly practical items. I'm really happy with my current skincare routine, so admittedly restraining myself wasn't that difficult. 

Banana Boat Faces SPF 50+

I have used Nivea's face sunscreen for a while, but decided to branch out and trial Banana Boat's version. This has a much higher SPF, is broad spectrum and is non-oily. It sinks into the skin quite quickly, making it easier to go ahead and apply my normal make-up over the top. This is also water resistant, with no added fragrances. 

Banana Boat Everyday SPF 30+

I almost always apply sunscreen before going out, and I really wanted a lightweight sunscreen that I could wear every day. I decided to go with an SPF of 30+, rather than any higher - this is still broad spectrum and if I was going to be actually spending my day in the sun (like at the beach for example), I would probably apply a different, higher coverage. SPF 30+ is more than enough for every-day sunscreen. 

Cancer Council Everyday Sunscreen SPF 30+

So I'm starting to look a little sun-phobic right about now... 

I only picked this one up because it's a teeny tiny version. A few times this Summer I've caught myself out and about and haven't had sunscreen or put it on that morning. So I thought this would be a good size to carry around with me in Summer. 

Bioderma Sensibo H20

I already have some of this at home, but picked up another bottle to take advantage of the 40% off. 

Milk&Co Rejuvinating Masque

I really like the milk&co facial cleanser (reviewed here), so when I saw that Priceline stock the brand I impulse bought this face mask. This is an exfoliating, hydrating mask for dry skin and contains fruit extracts, vitamin e and green tea. 

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid

I love, love, love the lanolips 101 ointment in Peach flavour, so impulse-bought the "lemonaid" flavour. This contains organic lemon oil, so exfoliates your lips as well as treats them for dryness. It leaves a high gloss on your lips, and the scent of lemon is high. I absolutely love this product - although I wonder about whether the citrus would make your lips more susceptible to sunburn. To stay on the safe side, I would only use this indoors. 

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Great Australian Brands

Happy Australia Day!

Aussie Day has become a bit controversial in recent years - Apart from enjoying the mandated day off, and listening to Triple J's hottest 100, I don't actually celebrate the day. Supporting local brands and products is pretty important to me, so  I thought it would be a good opportunity to call out and mention those great Aussie beauty brands, and give some of my favourites a little love. So many Aussie brands have great stories behind them, starting from humble beginnings. They're also environmentally conscious, and many of them give back to the community! 

Australis - 

Australis have been around for 25 years, with all their products priced at under $20. Affordable, great quality and they are 100% cruelty free yay! Favourite products: Oh hai brow kit, fresh and flawless pressed powder, AC On Tour contouring kit

The Purist Company - 

With skincare brand A'kin, and haircare brand Al'chemy, the Purist Company are a 15 year old Australian company with natural products at the heart of their philosophy. They don't test on animals and are passionate about the environment, so practice a business based on sustainability. 

  

Face of Australia - 

Australian owned, Australian made and 100% cruelty free! Another brand with great quality products at affordable prices.

Sukin - 

One of my favourite skincare brands, Sukin are environmentally conscious (100% certified carbon neutral) and offer products that feature active botanicals and essential oils. They're also cruelty free, and are luxurious without being overly expensive. 

Lanolips - 

Lanolips began in a farm on Lucindale, South Australia. The lanolips lip balm range features lanolin, a product taken from freshly-shorn sheep's wool. Lanolips lip ointments are intensly moisturising, and give your lips a great shine. My favourite is the Peach flavour. 

Banana Boat - 

Banana Boat are one of Australia's most trusted brands in suncare. They have a huge range of sunscreens that work well, but probably my favourite thing about the brand is that they are committed to educating sun safety, through their 'Sun Safe Schools Program'.

Jurlique - 

Jurlique was founded in 1985, by a German couple ('the Kleins') who migrated to Australia. Their specialties were biochemistry and botany. They created a natural skincare line, that started out with Jurgen and Ulrike growing and manufacturing their own products on a farm in South Australia. All of their farming practices are strictly organic and biodynamic. 

Bloom - 

Bloom began in Melbourne in 1993. This multi-award-winning brand has an impressive range with over 350 products. The company uses high-quality botanical ingredients, and is a proud supporter of the Children's Hospital Foundation Australia.

Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment - 

Dr Lucas originally practiced medicine in London, but migrated to Melbourne, Australia in 1876. He came seeking out a warm climate...so maybe it's no surprise that he soon moved to Queensland. Dr Lucas studied botanical research, and came across the pawpaw tree; he described the pawpaw as 'the world's greatest healing agent'. Today, the business is still family owned, and everyone can share the healing effects of the pawpaw ointment; used by almost every Australian as a lip balm, it can also be used to treat small cuts, minor grazes and nappy rash! 

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What are your favourite Aussie brands and products?

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New In: Sunscreen

I'm very much an advocate for sun safety and health, and have spoken before about how important it is for me to apply sunscreen daily.
Not only does increased sun exposure cause your skin to age faster, but it also puts you at risk of melanoma, and in Australia particularly, we have the worst rates for skin cancer in the world.

So when I was contacted about a new sunscreen by Banana Boat, I didn't hesitate to try it out.

The Sport Cool Zone - 50+SPF is a spray on sunscreen that is designed to cool and refresh, as well as providing a ridiculous amount of sun protection.

If you're one of those people who don't like wearing sunscreen - why is that?
Banana Boat did global research into this and found that a recurring answer was people didn't like the way that sunscreen left them feeling hotter and stickier after applying it - this was amplified when playing sports outside.
So this sunscreen is designed specifically to reduce that discomfort.

I love this product, for so many different reasons.

• It's a spray application, which makes it really quick and easy to apply. It sprays on clear, so there's no chance you'll get any colour transfer onto your clothes. 
• When sprayed, it cools on contact and dries fast, so there really is no mess and sticky-ness after applying it. 
• It's infused with aloe which is soothing, and it actually does feel refreshing to use it.
• It's water and sweat resistant, so you don't have to worry about it rubbing off earlier than it should (although you should still apply sunscreen frequently if you're sweating lots or playing in water)
• It's got broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, and is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation International. 
• I've worn this almost every day for a month and haven't got burnt once (and we've had some crazy hot days recently). I've also given it to J to use when he does gardening outside in the sun, and he also hasn't got burnt when using it, so I guess that means its working! 
• The cap has a lock, which is good if you're going to carry it in your bag when out at the beach or out playing sports. 
• It's relatively cheap, with a RRP of $16.99

The only thing I don't like about this product is the scent.
It doesn't really smell like sunscreen, but it has a kind of alcohol-y bug-repellent scent to it. It's not really enough to bother me to not use it though.
You also need to be a little careful when spraying because if it's windy it can end up in your mouth, and it doesn't taste that great.

The active sunscreen ingredients are chemical, rather than physical: Octocrylene (7% w/w), Oxybenzone (3.50% w/w), and Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (2.10% w/w). 

This means it offers more broad sun protection than some physical sunscreens, however you MUST apply 20 minutes before going into the sun to get proper protection. 

Are you crazy about applying sunscreen, like me?

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