Do pores really open? And all about thermal cleansers

I’ve recently started trying out thermal cleansers. These are special cleansers that heat up when you rub them on your skin and add water. What’s the point of them and how do they work? I’m glad you asked, hypothetical reader! Do pores open with heat? Heat makes muscles relax, while cold makes muscles contract (you may know this from treating …

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Winter lip care regimen

Winter is coming to Australia, and even though it’s still unseasonably warm in Sydney (thanks, El Nino) it’s starting to get a bit dry. My lips are dehydrated and flaky at the best of times, and need extra nourishment, so I’m a little obsessed with finding the perfect lip balm combo. Here’s what I’ve been trying: Burt’s Bees Coconut and …

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ulta3 Autumn lip and nail collection: review and swatches

Have you been to an ulta3 stockist lately? The cold weather hasn’t hit Sydney yet, but ulta3 have a new vampy autumnal collection out… First up, the polishes! Red Velvet – Red jelly polish. It’s a really nice classic with a twist – the jelly finish makes it look extra shiny!Blackberry Tart – Another classic colour with a jelly finish. …

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How to read an ingredients list: Face moisturisers

Earlier this week I posted about the different types of base ingredients in moisturisers: occlusives, emollients and humectants. I’ve dug up a few facial moisturisers I have lying around to deconstruct. When looking at most product ingredients lists, the ingredients will be in order from the highest concentration to the lowest. Typically, when deciding if a moisturiser will suit your …

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Face of Australia Lasting Looks Lip Creme swatches and review

I’ve had these beauties banging about in my handbag for a while, but haven’t gotten around to showing them off until now! Cult Aussie drugstore brand Face of Australia released these excellent lipsticks near the end of last year. The Lasting Looks Lip Cremes are vividly coloured, smooth as butter lip products with hardcore moisturising power, thanks to vitamin E …

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Blue rose nail art inspired by Leroy Nguyen

I haven’t done nail art in a while, but I was inspired by my friend Leroy Nguyen’s latest collection, inspired by the blue rose from the film Pan’s Labyrinth. A while back I did another manicure inspired by his prints – strangely enough, this new collection lends itself to drag marbling as well! I think I’ll have to incorporate the …

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Anatomicals Australian range – review

Funky British brand Anatomicals recently launched properly in Australia. The brand has been a bestseller on ASOS for a while already, but you can bag them now  in store at Target, Priceline and Chemist Warehouse. I have to admit – I’m a massive sucker for nice smells, cheerful packaging and cheeky marketing. Luckily for me, Anatomicals is reasonably budget-friendly (body …

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Fact-check Feature: Is there actually formaldehyde in my nail polish / hair treatment?

Formaldehyde is listed as an ingredient in a number of beauty products (in particular, nail strengtheners and Brazilian Blowout-style hair treatments), and there’s been some controversy about whether or not it’s really in these products. In particular, cosmetic chemist Doug Schoon has stated that formaldehyde in water readily reacts to form another chemical, methylene glycol. Most of the top search …

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