OPI Modern Family She's Lily Something

Here is the next swatch I have for you from the Nicole by OPI Modern Family Collection - She's Lily Something. This is described by OPI as a fantasy land filled with glittery pick, confetti and stars.

Ordinarily, I would say that OPI are the glitter pro's. Their formulations are usually flawless. However, I had issues with this one. All of my stars sunk to the bottom of the bottle and it took ages to shake them back into the formulation and, even then, it was very difficult to pick them up with the brush. I initially did one thin top coat on each nail and half of my nails did not end up with even a single star on them. I then went back and did a second coat and this time made an effort to keep dipping the brush back in the bottle until it pick up a star. I then had to dab the polish on kind of thickly to get the stars to stay.

The final look is quite effective and funky but I am not sure if it is worth the effort. I love the random stars and the glitter is awesome. It is very fine and a mixture of pink and hologram. There is plenty of it and it gives the nail a reflective sheen.

 I did have one other issue with the stars. The corners of the stars lifted up easily which made the nails kind of sharp and scratchy. Maybe I should have applied another top coat over them to really seal them in. As cool as the stars look once applied, I don't think that they were worth all the effort.

The below swatches of She's Lily Something have been applied over butter LONDON Molly-coddled (swatched here).

If you missed my swatch of Luke of the Draw from the same collection here it is.

What are your thoughts on the stars - worth the effort or give it a miss?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. She's Lily Something was provided for consideration.

Nicole by OPI Modern Family: Luke of the Draw

The other day I brought you the news that Nicole By OPI had released a Modern Family Collection. Here is my first swatch from the range - Luke of the Draw. OPI describes it as an adventurous gunmetal grey; however, I would not describe it that way at all. It is a black jelly base jam packed with tonnes of various shaped silver glitter pieces. The effect, once applied, is striking. The different shaped glitter gives the final finish a real depth - a bit like staring into a star packed milky way. The glitter applies very thickly so there is only slight gaps between the particles. The glitter is easy to apply and two thin coats is all it takes for totally opaque coverage. After the first coat it looks patchy and streaky but this completely clears up after the second coat.

I absolutely love this polish.. I have not seen a glitter polish like it before. Most glitters seem to be sparse topcoats but this is a glitter packed lacquer. It is super sparkly when on and quite striking.

The swatches below are all two coats, with one top coat shot in various lights.

Luke of the Draw and the rest of the Nicole by OPI Modern Family range will be available from 14th March at selected pharmacies Hairhouse Warehouse, Petra Haircare and on-line at www.nicolebyopi.com.au, $14.95 RRP incl. GST.   For stockists contact 1800 358 999 or visit www.nicolebyopi.com

Have you discovered any other glitter polishes that are jam packed with glitter - I'd love suggestions!

All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. Luke of the Draw was provided for consideration.

OPI Oz The Great and Powerful: When Monkeys Fly! swatch

There is a new Oz movie coming out - Oz the Great and Powerful. It is the prequel to The Wizard of Oz and tells the story of how many of the characters ended up in the land of Oz.

To celebrate the release of the movie, OPI have created a new range of lacquers inspired by the movie - the Oz the Great and Powerful range. As soon as I heard that there was a range based on The Wizard of Oz, I straight away imagined sparkly ruby red and emerald green - but, of course, they are colours from the original movie and not the latest installment. Instead, the Oz the Great and Powerful range is all soft shades and glitters, described by OPI as:

The soft shade limited edition range by OPI - Oz the Great and Powerful - is bursting with magic and excitement designed to capture the magic and whimsy portrayed in the film. The collection features soft neutrals in white, beige and pink combined with glittery shades of white, gold and silver.

There are seven shades in this range:

Which is Witch, a silver glitter lacquer with a magical iridescent sparkle.

Glints of Glinda, only a good witch could turn beige from bland to chic.

When Monkeys Fly! you will go bananas for this gold confetti (swatches below).

Don’t Burst My Bubble, an irresistible white like puffs of clouds

Lights of Emerald City, like a white confetti spray bursting with excitement

I Theodora You, an adorable sheer pink that is bewitching.

What Wizardry is This? – designed specifically for The Great Wizard - a rich taupe hue with reflective sparkle in OPI’s new Liquid Sand formula

I managed to get my hands on When Monkeys Fly! and have swatched it below. When Monkeys Fly! is a glittery top coat with a mixture of 3 different types of glitter - super chunky gold circles, tiny hologram specks and slightly larger hexagonal (or perhaps octagonal!) hologram disks. In the swatches below I have just applied one coat. The large round gold glitter randomly scatters over the nails, so some nails end up with only a couple of dots whilst others have heaps. The gold glitter is really striking - it looks a little bit like diamontes on the nails. I have swatched this over two different colours and it looks fantastic over both. I honestly think that it would look amazing over just about any colour (probably not gold - would get lost on that one, but any other colour!).

When Monkeys Fly! swatched over Suzi's Hungary AGAIN (from the Euro Centrale range)

When Monkeys Fly! swatched over You're Such a BudaPest (from the Euro Centrale range)

OPI’s Oz the Great and Powerful will be available from mid February at selected salons, David Jones and Myers, $19.95. For more information on stockists contact 1800 358 999 or www.opi.net.au.

What are your thoughts on When Monkeys Fly? Do you love the chunky gold glitter? What colours are you hoping to get your hands on from the Oz the Great and Powerful range?

All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. When Monkeys Fly! was provided for consideration.

The Acne Series: Guest Review 2 of Aphelia Cosmetology

The other day I brought you a guest review of the Oasis Acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology. I have mentioned before, but the journey to perfect skin for acne sufferers is often not clear cut and what works for one person many not work for another. Therefore, for the Aphelia Cosmetology acne range I have recruited three different acne sufferers to trial it.

The second reviewer I have is Jenny. Jenny is 20 and has bad acne on her forehead. Here is her review:

I spent the majority of my teenage years not appreciating that I had nice clear skin and I never felt the need to wear makeup since I had nothing to cover up anyway. I only ever got the odd spot or two and that was pretty rare as I can’t remember even one time when I might’ve freaked out over a breakout.

When I reached year 12 in high school, I started to get lots and lots of break outs and it was all concentrated on my forehead. I can even tell you how it started as it literally started overnight with little pimples on my forehead which grew and grew and I soon had a breakout on my forehead which has never cleared in the last 3 years.

My breakouts are consistent and never go away. I always have a small amount of pimples on my forehead and I get some pretty nasty big ones during that time of the month. They tend to stay around for about a week but the little ones pop up as the old ones go away. My acne has also spread to both my cheeks (although the left cheek is significantly clearer than the right) and occasionally I also get pimples under my bottom lip and above my top lip near my nose.

You’ll see in my photos later, that I scar very easily. Some of the pimples that I got during the trial turned into red dots that stay red for weeks. I still have the scars today! It had nothing to do with the products and everything to do with the way my skin is as it happens regardless of the products that I use.

I’ve tried everything at least once from not using cleanser at all (just water), not wearing makeup, using natural products and using different brands like Nivea, Garnier, Biotherm, Khiels, Estée Lauder and Clinique. Nothing has even come close to clearing up my skin, let alone reducing the amount of pimples. I put my hand up for trying out these products when Sarah gave out a call for people to trial the products as I thought that it couldn’t hurt to change up my skincare regime again, especially since it wasn’t working anyway.

I admit that I didn’t really look too much into the brand that was offering the products for trial so when I first opened the package that Sarah sent me, I noticed that there was Chinese writing on the side of the boxes. Immediately, my boyfriend and I got a bit freaked out as we know that Chinese products can often smell quite bad. As children, our parents forced us to eat really smelly black medicine and we’re both familiar with Chinese traditional medicines and the awful smell that some of them can have. Luckily, the smell of the Aphelia products wasn’t too bad.

There were 3 products that I was sent to try.

Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid:

This was the cleanser that I used in the morning and at night. It looks like liquid soap and it also smells like it. To use the cleanser, I put a small amount (literally one or two small pumps) in my hand and then added water to it. When you rub the cleanser and the water together, it foams up and turns white. While I felt like it cleaned my face, I also felt like I was just using plain soap on my face as it really stripped it of the oils. My hands would also feel really dry afterwards. I think that the cleanser would be better suited for people with really oily skin unlike mine which is mostly dry.

Acne treatment 12+5 essence:

This was an essence that I had to use twice a day (morning and night). It’s a clear runny liquid with a strong herbal smell that I put on my face after I washed it. The instructions told me to focus on the blemishes but that the essence needed to be put on the whole face. I wasn’t a fan of it as the smell lingers even when the essence has been absorbed. I found it hard to spread it on my face as it’s so runny that it kind of dripped off my face unless I worked fast. However, I felt that this step was important as the cleanser dried my face out so much.

Classic skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil:

The instructions said that it was good at removing makeup so I used it as a makeup remover each night. It didn’t make sense to use it as a cleanser since I already used the Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid as my cleanser.

This didn’t have a strong smell but it smelled faintly like the cleanser. It had a light oil consistency to it and I used it by putting it onto cotton wool pads and wiping it over my face. Interestingly, the instructions said that you didn’t have to wash your face afterwards but you could if you felt like it was “merited”. Because I did this step before cleansing, I obviously washed it off each night.

It was good as a makeup remover and I definitely rate it higher than some of the makeup remover wipes that I’ve been using. It did a good job removing everything but I should probably point out that I normally only wear some concealer and eyeliner so I don’t wear heavy makeup.

Overall, I didn’t see a huge change in my breakouts. It did reduce the large ones as I only saw 2-3 in a month. I think that no products will clear my skin and that my acne may be due to my diet or hormones. I think that people who get breakouts because they have oily or congested skin will benefit from this range. I’ve seen other reviews where people have noticed a huge difference and I’m so jealous!

I think that the Classic Skin Purifier Beauty Oil is the stand out product and will suit any one. The cleanser is a bit harsh but good if you’re targeting really oily or congested areas on your face. I think that the smell of the essence really lets it down as I got pretty sick of the unpleasant smell. I’m sure that some people wouldn’t mind as “no pain, no gain” but I personally wouldn’t buy it for myself.

Before forehead photo

After forehead photo

Before (left) and after (right) pictures of the cheek

What are your thoughts on the scent of a product? Does the way a product smells ever stop you from using it?

Just a heads up, after I post the third review of these products I will be giving away a set so keep your eyes out!

All opinions are mine or Jenny's own and we received no remuneration for this post. These products were provided to Jenny for consideration.

The Clarisonic Mia: A review

How to use it: I used it once a day in the shower in the morning. I would apply cleanser to my face first, wet the Clarisonic under the shower then turn it on. It would immediately start buzzing and vibrating. I then gently massaged it over my face. The Clarisonic Mia has an automatic timer that switches it off after one minute. I would start cleansing my chin by massaging it in small circles. I usually spend around 10 seconds on the chin. I then do each cheek and jawline, this time massaging large circles with the brush. Again I would spend 10 seconds on each cheek/jawline and another 10 seconds on the nose. For the nose I just hold the brush over it, trying hard to get into the corner of my nose as this is a problem area for me. I then finish off by spending about 20 seconds on my forehead as I am getting a fair amount of congestion there at the moment.

The bristle on the Clarisonic Mia are quite soft but you don't want to press too hard. The Clarisonic isn't actually meant for use as an abrasive exfoliant - it uses ultrasonic vibration to shake loose cell debris and dirt then the brush sweeps them away. I found that if I ever did press a little bit too hard it would leave my skin feeling a little raw. However, this feeling didn't linger and within minutes the raw feeling had subsided.

Although the Clarisonic is an electric device, it is full water proof. The charger attaches to it magnetically so there is no entry point into the device for water to get in, hence why it can be used in the shower. This is absolutely brilliant as I do my cleansing in the shower so wouldn't want to have to incorporate an extra step when I got out. Since it is completely water proof I actually store the device in the shower. With two young kids I usually have to bolt into the shower when they are both happily occupied with something or when one of them is sleeping so this leaves me quite forgetful to bring products in with me. As soon as I get in the shower I see my Clarisonic in there waiting for me and it reminds me to use it.

I tested the Clarisonic with multiple different cleansers - the provided cream cleanser and a couple of my own foaming cleansers. I think I prefer a foaming cleanser with it as the cream cleanser tends to disappear in the bristles so at times it feels like I am using it without a cleanser which feels a tiny bit abrasive.

To clean the Clarisonic what I do is, once its 1 minute cycle has finished, I then turn it on again and massage it over the palm of my hand under running water until no hint of cleanser remains.

Once you have finished the one minute cycle with the Clarisonic your skin still needs to be rinsed under running water to remove any remaining cleanser. This is where you will first notice just how damn soft your skin is. After the first time I used it I kept rinsing and rinsing my face thinking it still had cleanser on it, it was so soft and slippery, until I realised that was how my skin now felt,

After exiting the shower I noticed my skin was looking shiny like it had been buffed. This faded once I applied serum or moisturiser. After the first time I used it I was quite surprised at how much more quickly my moisturiser absorbed in. I usually apply moisturiser then brush my teeth and afterwards my skin is usually still tacky and shiny. After using the Clarisonic, my moisturiser had fully absorbed by the time I had brushed my teeth.

In the first week after using it I noticed a few white heads appearing on my forehead. They were only tiny so I think it must have been all of the gunk in my pores rising to the surface. They cleared up and since then my forehead has been looking a lot smoother. This last year my cleansing routine has gone out the window. I had a baby 9 months ago and have been in a constant state of exhaustion and so lost interesting in maintaining my skin. This has left my forehead looking very bumpy. The Clarisonic has changed that . One minute of cleansing with it each day has made such a difference. And because it is making a difference I actually get a little bit excited about cleansing, my skin has been looking so much smooth and feeling incredibly soft in the two weeks that I have been using it.

This is one beauty device that is actually worthy of all of the hype around it. Such a simple addition to your cleansing routine makes such a difference therefore I cannot recommend this any more highly. It is definitely a worthwhile beauty investment.

Here is a little video review that I did for Beauty Heaven on the Clarisonic Mia:

The Clarisonic Mia retails at $139 and can be bought at Myer or online at The Facial Company (as can replacement brush heads).


What beauty device can you not live without?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. The Clarisonic Mia was provided to me for consideration as part of Beauty Heaven's Trial Team.

The Acne Series: Guest review of the Aphelia Cosmetology Oasis Acne Solution

The next guest review in my acne series that I am going to bring to you is from Andrea and is of the Aphelia Cosmetology skincare range. Andrea is 33 years of age but still suffers from bad acne especially on her forehead and cheeks.

The Aphelia Cosmetology herbal skincare range is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (a little aside - Traditional Chinese Medicine is actually the degree that I wanted to study at uni but I was worried it might limit my job prospects if I didn't like the field so I went for a more broad science degree - Biomedical Science, with the plans on specialising in Tradition Chinese Medicine once I finished. Instead, I fell in love with pathology and went on to do a PhD in wound healing but I still find the field absolutely fascinating). Rather than rely on one 'hero herb' in an otherwise basic formulation, Aphelia Cosmetology uses a precise prescription of herbs to create a formulation that heals and nurtures your skin.

The acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology is truly unique - it is the world’s only acne solution with no Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid that has been proven with independent in vitro (this means in a petri dish or in a test tube) tests to inhibit acne bacterium for 6 hours at 99.96% (I have a copy of these studies which I will go through in more detail in another post). This means that the acne range from Aphelia Cosmetology won't produce the side effects that Benzoyl Peroxide & Salicylic Acid may cause such as drying and irritating you skin.

Andrea was provided with the Acne Solution Set (RRP $49.95) which contains the Oasis Acne Solution and the Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil as well as the Master Cleanse.

Here is Andrea's review:

Aphelia Oasis Acne Solution

For the first time in months, more like years! I had just 1 pimple for the first month, so the product did work for sure in reducing pimples forming. However the one pimple I did get was pretty bad and did take ages to go away even with using it religiously twice a day. Have been using the cleanser and makeup remover in the range too. Don't mind the fragrance of the oil and cleanser but don't care for the fragrance of the acne treatment essence so much. It has a very strong herbal medicinal smell which I do not like much at all. The second month I used it I got a few more pimples. So pretty average at stopping pimples from forming which is good. Wish it actually treated the ones that did occur too. The product itself is like a pale yellow liquid which you apply all over the face. It dries quickly and is a bit drying on the skin. Does not leave it looking oily though and can apply makeup over it without any problems.

Aphelia Master Cleanse Deep Cleanse Fluid

Have been using this a face wash for up to 2 months now. My skin has much less breakouts than normal. Does not lather up too much. My face feels really fresh and clean. It removes all traces of makeup, even eye makeup completely. My skin feels soft, clean and fresh. Does not dry out my skin or leave me with a "tight" feeling. . It has a very faint almost no fragrance and a nice white shimmery colour. Like the white and gold lettering clean classic lines of the bottle. You only need one press of the pump for washing your face so it lasts for a long time too. For all 3 products found a sharp contrast in the very bright green and gold outer pack and the inner actual look of the bottles.

Aphelia Classic Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil

I used this for removing makeup with a cotton pad. Like the look of the bottle and the easy dispense pump pack. SO no wastage or mess. Has a delightful light oriental/floral fragrance. Its useful when I have worn heavy eye makeup to get the makeup off as gently as possible. I do use it for cleansing my skin too. It does not lather up, it emulsifies with a few drops of water to cleanse your face. Again left my skin feeling incredibly soft and clean. Perfect for dry skin types and for use in winter. I thought it would be hard to remove as it was an oil based product, but it washed off very easily after cleansing.

Thanks Andrea.

The Aphelia Cosmetology range can be bought online.

I actually have two more guest reviews coming up for this range so it will be great to hear how it works on a variety of skin types.


What have you found to be your solution to your acne woes? Does your current acne range dry out your skin?


I received no remuneration for this post and all opinions are my (or Andrea's) own. The Aphelia range was provided to Andrea for consideration. 

The acne series: a teen's perspective of the Teen Aspect Kit

As anyone who has suffered from acne knows, it can affect any age and not one treatment will cure everyone so I have been trying to get a range of reviewers to try a variety of solutions in the hope that you will find your solution. Today's guest reviewer is Brook. Brooke  is 12 1/2 years and has pimply skin on her forehead, chin and both cheeks.   She has very oily skin from hormonal changes and has been suffering regular bouts of lots of pimples for the last 6 months or so. I had Brook trial the Teen Aspect Kit for me. 

According to Aspect, Teen Aspect is:

A simple, uncomplicated skin care range designed with the busy teenager in mind. Teen Aspect is suitable for pre-teens and teenagers who want a quick and easy-to-use skin care regime. Free of the typical nasties, it will not irritate, dry out or clog the skin.

Teen Aspect Kit

The ideal way to try out the Teen Aspect range for only $59.95!  The Teen Aspect Starter Kit is the ideal start to clean, clear skin. The Teen Aspect Starter Kit contains:

• Teen Aspect Cleanser
• Teen Aspect Toner
• Teen Aspect Facial Lotion
• Teen Aspect Stop Spot Travel Stick

Here is Brook's review:

Teen Aspect Cleanser – “The smell is lemony and refreshing.  After I used it my face felt clean.  It was gentle on my skin.  The container is easy to pump out the cleanser and it goes all bubbly when I rubbed it on my face.  I only need to use one squirt for the whole of my face and it worked well.”

 Teen Aspect Toner – “The toner was my favourite because when I wiped my skin with it felt fresh, although after it my skin felt dry and that’s why I used the Teen Aspect Facial Lotion after it.  It smells very strong and lemony.”

 Teen Aspect Facial Lotion – “The Facial Lotion made my face feel moisturised and took away the ‘dryness’ of the toner.  It smells like the cleanser – the lemony smell.  This also came in a pump pack like the cleanser and toner. “

 Teen Aspect Stop Spot – “The Stop Spot was good to put on pimples that needed to be treated and it helped get rid of them.  It smells lemony too – which is nice because it was very refreshing in the morning and before I went to bed.  The Stop Spot is a liquid and I squirted a tiny bit onto my finger and put it onto my pimples.  My older sister tried to use it (without asking!) and applied Stop Spot straight to her face which doesn’t work because it ran down her cheek.”

 “All the products have the black , white and silver design which I liked and I like how it came in a set and looks really good together.  I did find my skin cleared up a bit when I used it all the time – both day and night.  When I stopped using it (because I got a bit forgetful) I noticed my pimples tried to come back.  I want to keep using this Teen Aspect range.”

Before using the Teen Aspect Kit 

After using the Teen Aspect Kit

Sigh...doesn't Brook have gorgeous skin!

The photo's speak for themselves. Brook's skin seems to have really settled down. As she is just entering her teenage years I wouldn't expect her to be completely pimple free but this kit is really keeping the majority of them at bay.

The Teen Aspect Kit can be bought from selected clinics for $59.95. For your nearest stockist call 1800 648 851.

Have you found the solution to your acne woes yet?

See here for other posts in The Acne Series.

All opinions are Brook's own and neither Brook nor myself received any remuneration for this post. Brook was provided with the Teen Aspect Kit for consideration.

Gelicious Hybrid Gel Nail Colour swatch: Fake Tan

I don't like brown. I really don't like brown. I think my issues with this colour stem from the fact that poos are brown. Fake Tan was described as a brown by Gelicious. A glittery brown. Usually I'd steer clear of anything that remotely resembled brown but their description had me intrigued:

Oh glory me. If only we were all as gelicious as Beyonce. For those of us mere mortals prone to sunburn, a Fake Tan is a God send. This shimmery, multi talented chocolate shines above all others 

 This didn't sound ugly or poo like at all. I had to find out what it was like. And I am glad I did. I wouldn't call this brown at all - its more purpley to me. It is shimmery and lovely and definitely a very wearable colour.

If you missed my previous Gelicious mani's, here is Watermelon Gelato, Afterglow and Yacht Race. For swatches of the other colours, check out the swatch guide here.

The Gelicious lamp and polishes can be purchased here.


What do you think of Fake Tan? Do you have brown issues?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. The UV lamp and ultra gloss top coat were provided for consideration; however, I purchased Fake Tan with my own money.

Limited Edition Christmas products from The Body Shop

The Body Shop have a gorgeous range of limited edition scents this Christmas: Cranberry Joy, Vanilla Bliss and Ginger Sparkle.

Vanilla Bliss

I have reviewed Vanilla Bliss in a huge amount of detail, here. I just have to say, again, how friggin' amazing it is. It is the most delicious, gorgeous, drool worthy vanilla fragrance that I have ever tried. I am not a huge vanilla fan yet I am beyond obsessed with this. It is such a shame that this is a limited edition fragrance as it is is WAY better than The Body Shop's regular vanilla fragrance. I tried it in their famous body butter ($27.95) and that was a perfect combination. However, the Vanilla Bliss fragrance is also available in:

Shower gel - $20.95

Shimering Body Lotion - $22.95

Body Polish - $20.95

Hand Cream - $9.95

Home Fragrance Oil - $10.95

Heart Soap - $7.95

Cranberry Joy

Next up is Cranberry Joy. This scent is so deliciously fruity. It really is mouth watering. It is very juicy - smells just like real cranberry juice. I tried it in the body polish. You can see above that the polish is packed with tiny particles and a few large kiwi seeds. This provides a gentle, yet effective scrub. It is gentle enough to use every day. The Cranberry Joy scent is available in the following products:

Shower gel - $20.95

Shimmering Body Lotion - $22.95

Body Polish - $20.95

Hand Cream - $9.95

Home Fragrance Oil - $10.95

Heart Soap - $7.95

Room and Linen Spray - $23.95

Ginger Sparkle

The final limited edition scent in The Body Shop's Christmas range is Ginger Sparkle. This is a very true ginger scent - not sweet but instead warm and spicy. The range has pictures of ginger bread men on it. I didn't find that it smelt like ginger bread - definitely more like real ginger. However, if you layer it with the Vanilla Bliss that brings out a ginger bread like fragrance. I tried it in the Body Polish and, like the Cranberry Joy Body Polish, it was a gentle yet effective body scrub.

Of the three scents, Ginger Sparkle is the one that would be most unisex. I found Vanilla Bliss and Cranberry Joy to be more feminine, due to their sweetness but Ginger Sparkle is more dry and spicy so would work well for both males and females. Ginger Sparkle is available in:

 Shower gel - $20.95

Shimmering Body Lotion - $22.95

Body Polish - $20.95

Hand Cream - $9.95

Home Fragrance Oil - $10.95

Heart Soap - $7.95

The limited edition Christmas products are on sale online or at The Body Shop from 7th November until sold out.


Do you go a bit crazy for limited edition Christmas products or do you just stick to ones available year round?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. These products were provided for consideration.

Don't forget Baby when you do your Christmas shopping

I first encountered Milk Baby at my baby shower when pregnant with The Crazy Kid. I received the Snotty Grotty Room Spray. It came from a childless friend who, I am almost certain, only bought it because she thought the name was funny! Little did either of us realise that this would go on to become one of my most used baby products.

Christmas Gift packs

The Milk Baby range would make an excellent Christmas gift for any new parent, baby or expectant mother. I know from experience that receiving beautiful products to use on the baby is a gift that is always appreciated. The Milk Baby Gifts are especially good value.

My Favourites RRP$34.95 (valued at $47.90)

Contains:

• Snotty Grotty Room Spray 150ml
• Bath Time Wash 375ml

Snotty Grotty Room Spray: 84% certified organic. Contains certified organic chamomile extract, certified organic rose hip oil, certified organic lavender oil, certified organic ylang ylang oil. This smells divine. Each time the Crazy Kid or Kiki get sick I spray their room with it - I spray it all over their cot/bed, it the air, and on their sleeping bags. I have found that it really helps them sleep when they are all blocked up, and the more sleep they can get the faster they feel better. A bottle lasts forever as well. The Crazy Kid is just about to turn 3 and I am still on my first bottle. I will even bust it out to freshen their room after potent nappy changes!

Bath Time Wash: Bath Time Wash is 82% certified organic. Contains certified organic lavender oil, certified organic chamomile extract, certified organic neroli 3% in jojoba oil, certified organic calendula. This is another amazingly scented product. I have been using it on Crazy and Kiki as a bubble bath, body wash and shampoo and it has done wonders for their skin - especially Kiki's. When The Crazy Kid was a fresh new thing I only used natural products on him but as time went on, and his skin proved to be non sensitive, I got lazy and just used the body washes I didn't want anymore for his bubble bath. Now Crazy and Kiki have a bath together. The problem is, Kiki has sensitive skin with a bit of eczema. I was in the habit of using any old products in the bath and it really caused her skin to flair up. Since I have switched to this (along with the Spotty Tots miracle cream which I will review in a separate post), Kiki's skin has really settled down and cleared up. 

Small Gift Pack RRP $39.95 (valued at $47.90)

Contains:

• Nighty Night Room Spray  150ml
• Bath Time Wash 375ml

I haven't tried the Nighty Night Room spray but if it works as well as the Snotty Grotty Room Spray then it is likely to be a real winner. The Crazy Kid was always an awesome sleeper - he spoilt us! Whereas, Kiki is a shocker. She is 7 months and is still waking every 2 hours. It's mostly our fault as we have been so worried about her waking Crazy that we rush to her side the second she makes a peep so she hasn't developed self settling skills. We have just about reached rock bottom in the tired stakes so I am now thinking that this might be just what we need to help her on her sleepy journey. I'll keep you posted on how we go. In the meantime, here is a little more info:

MILK Nighty Night Room Spray relaxes and calms your baby, preparing them for a snug and happy sleep. Nighty Night Room spray can be used around the room, including the sleeping area. 

Nighty Night room spray is 78% certified organic. Contains certified organic lavender oil, certified organic neroli 3% in jojoba oil, certified organic chamomile extract, certified organic ylang ylang oil.

Large Gift Pack RRP $89.95 (values at $101.80)

 Contains: 

• Bath Time Wash 375mL, 
• Nighty Night Room Spray 150mL, 
• Sleepy Bubs Massage Oil 150mL 
• Snotty Grotty Room Spray 150mL.

Sleepy Bubs Massage Oil: Massage is fantastic for bonding with your baby. They absolutely love it and it is the perfect calming technique before bed. This one has the added bonus of lots of sleepy ingredients to send your little one to the land of the nods (I think I also need this in my sleep arsenal for Kiki!). Here is a little more on the product: Sleepy Bubs massage oil helps you take your baby away in moments to dream of hugs, milk and teddy bears. Certified organic lavender oil, certified organic chamomile 3% in jojoba oil, certified organic sunflower oil, certified organic calendula oil.


One last gift that you need to get your little one is a tube of the Milk Toothy Pegs tooth paste. At $5.99 it makes the perfect stocking stuffer and your little one will feel all grown up having their very own toothpaste just like Mummy and Daddy. And, if yours are anything like The Crazy Kid then they will need that toothpaste on Christmas Day. Last year, thanks to the bloody lovely grandparents, Crazy ate his body weight in M&Ms (and I anticipate this year will be worse!) so the Milk Toothy Pegs would serve well to counterbalance the sugar overload! Crazy flips out if he sees me putting this (or any toothpaste) on his toothbrush; however, if I can sneakily get it on before he notices it then he loves the flavour. I tried it and it is not minty like normal toothpaste (which can be a bit burny for little kids) but has more of an orangey flavour, which they should love. My trick is to put a little on then rub it onto the brush so Crazy can't see it!

According to Lindy Klim, the Milk Toothy Pegs tooth paste contains:

• Aloe Vera juice which is shown to kill more bacteria than at least two leading toothpastes;
• Coconut oil which is a powerful, natural antibacterial and antifungal. It is proven to be excellent for your gums, the oil kills the bacteria that are responsible for gingivitis;
• Organic olive oil which is shown to limit plaque formation and strengthen teeth
• Organic stevia is known as a natural plaque inhibitor.

Since becoming a mum I spend far less time on my beauty routine than I used to. However, every day I am bathing my kids, putting ointment on the skin, de-stinking their room so I love to be able to use high quality, gorgeously fragranced products on them. I can absolutely guarantee that if you know someone who is a beauty nut who also has little ones they would adore receiving one of these gift packs for Christmas.


What beautiful baby products do you like to use on your little ones?


All opinions are my own and I received no remuneration for this post. The Bath Time Wash and the Spotty Tots Miracle Cream were provided for consideration. All other products reviewed were purchased by myself or given to me as gifts.