Shoe addiction, confirmed.

I never really thought of myself as someone addicted to shoes. Sure, I buy my fair share and have more than I really need. But lately I have been finding it hard to find places to put away the new shoes that I keep buying. In the past 5 days, I have obtained 5 new pairs of shoes (all heels, all high and all unnecessary). What's going on? Why do I keep buying shoes that are impractical and don't serve any purpose for me other than to take up space in my room?

These are the shoes that prompted my questioning, ordered online on sale for $80 from Kookai. In fact, I should have been concerned on Saturday, where I was out by myself in the city, window shopping to kill time before meeting up with a friend for her birthday dinner. The window shopping turned into an actual shopping expedition, and I spent $160 on a pair of heels from Tony Bianco. They weren't on sale or anything, I just decided that they looked nice with my outfit and I wanted to wear it for the dinner. 

I also tried on a pair of brown, suede soled wedges that didn't particularly look good or anything, but they were really comfortable to walk in while giving me height. They were on sale for $80 and I wanted to buy them as well but didn't want to be lugging around two shoe boxes at the dinner. So I asked the sales assistant to put it on hold for me, and I went and purchased it the following Monday.

If you follow me on Snapchat (luvrin) you would have seen all these photos before. I'm quite prolific on Snapchat! I'm always alone so it's not like I have anything better to do. And therein lies the problem... I'm alone. If I were with someone, I would not be shopping for myself. I would be engaged in conversation, or assisting whoever I'm with with their shopping or whatever. Also, me being single plays a huge part in this ridiculous addiction I have. There is no one for me to focus on, so I focus on myself. Well, I have the kids, yes, but I buy them things all the time anyway and it doesn't count because they always need new things. But me? No, I don't need to be buying ten pairs of heels per month, yet here I am... *sigh*

I even returned a pair of heels today that I had ordered full price from Tony Bianco. I had ordered them a week before and had just received them on Monday (yes, that very Monday that I bought the wedges on hold for me)! I really liked them but they were far too high for me and I found them quite uncomfortable. Not to mention, I had already bought the pair from Tony Bianco on Saturday that were the exact same colour and very similar in style. I would have kept it if I hadn't felt so guilty about already owning a pair that was just as nice, but far more comfortable.

Today when I got home from work and saw the package from Kookai for me, I knew I had a problem. Who needs that many pair of heels? I don't ever go out, so it's not like I will get much use from them right now. I really need to stop buying shoes... maybe I should start dating again, haha!

A video posted by Rin (@makeupdownunder) on Jan 7, 2016 at 3:46am PST

Online shopping sleep disorder?

After a massive shopping expedition at Chadstone for some christmas gifts for family, what does one do? Go home and shop some more, of course. Thank you, world wide web, for being such an enabling c**t. 

I did only buy sale items, though... well, two were full priced but if I signed up to recieve newsletters I'd get 15% off those items - technically still a sale, right?

And who doesn't need shoes? We always need them! We cannot leave the house without them... *rakes brain for more excuses to try and justify the purchase* 

Isn't it ironic that I had to spend more on a 7 year old's shoe, than I did on my own?! How does that even work? Even my teenager's shoe cost more than my own. Hmmm!

It's nearly 2am and I'm half asleep. I've noticed that I tend to do a lot of online shopping at this time. In the morning I've forgotten about all these purchases until I  recieve the confirmation emails, PayPal receipts and tracking advice. Maybe this is a form of sleep disorder? In which case, it would probably end up costing me less to go see a specialist.

Can't wait for my purchases (that I've forgotten about) to arrive, though! It's always a pleasure signing for my parcels.

Jimmy Choo style on a budget

Feel like stepping out in some Jimmy Choo shoes, except you can't afford to?  Don't worry, you're not alone - I feel your pain.  Boy do I feel your pain!  And so does ZU.  Thankfully they've made some affordable "Jimmy Choos" of their own, so us paupers can step out in style as well.  Hooray!

Jimmy Choo "Kani"

ZU "Ornate"

Jimmy Choo "Vamp"

ZU "Violeta Evening"

Jimmy Choo "Kiki"

ZU "Bahraini"

While the Jimmy Choo heels range in price from $700 - $2,200 AUD, the ZU heels are very reasonably priced at under $140 AUD.  And when they have their sales, you can save even more! Just so you know, the Bahraini and Violeta Evening are currently on sale... yippee!  Check out their website and grab yourself a bargain.

By the way, I'm not affiliated with ZU in any way.  I just love Jimmy Choo shoes but can't afford them and happened to stumble upon ZU's knockoffs and got all excited :)  Now we can all step out in Jimmy Choo style!

*Jimmy Choo shoe images are from www.jimmychoo.com and ZU shoe images are from www.zushoe.com.au

If I Owned These Things I'd Be Happy, But Only For 5 Minutes...

I have my foot care tutorial ready to be published, but I needed to get something off my chest and tonight I've decided to write a little heart to heart post.  So the foot post can wait.  Seeing as I'm only posting once a week, it'll come next week.

This week something happened that kind of threw me off.  Every since I got wind of something a couple of days ago, I haven't been as "happy" as I usually am.  I'm stressed and my skin is breaking out in eczema patches again.  I'm not going to divulge, but this "news" has affected me in a major way, and also means a different way of life.

I'm pretty sure that when I stress over something, I don't deal with it as most people do.  Unless it's normal to overeat, or not eat at all.  Or stay in bed all day, staring at the ceiling.  Or even skip showering because I just can't muster the energy.  For anyone who's ever been depressed, all those things will sound familiar. This "news" has thrown me back into the depths of depression, just when I had one foot out the door.

Meh.  Such is life.

Anyway, this is how I deal with my depression: compile a wish list!  Here is what I've spent much of my waking hours obsessing over.  Why deal with the real world when I can forget all my troubles by thinking up ways on procuring unnecessary, expensive things?  Here's my "If I owned these things I'd be happy, but only for 5 minutes" wish list.

Image: www.burberry.com

I saw this modeled on a dummy in the Chadstone Burberry store.  WANT.  It looks hot, and it's a timeless piece.  Sure, I already own one (it was an amazing birthday gift a few years ago), but it's long and dark.  I want a shorter, lighter one!

Image: www.ferragamo.com

Have you ever slipped your foot into a Salvatore Ferragamo shoe?  If you want to remain oblivious to how amazingly comfy they are, then DON'T try it!  Once you pop (your foot in one), you can't stop (thinking about adding it to your personal shoe collection).

Image: www.jimmychoo.com

Again here's another classic, timeless piece.  Jimmy Choo's Rosalie handbags come in an assortment of colours and materials, but my favourite is the smaller sized Rosalie in "mock croc".  Pictured is the nude, but it also comes in black and fuchsia.  And boy, is the fuchsia HOT!  Perfect way to add a pop of colour to an otherwise drab winter outfit.

A few other things I am adding to this wish list but won't be pictured (because I'm lazy): Chanel lipsticks and foundations, YSL lipsticks, a flip top glamour makeup box, a boob job (in cup size D, preferably!) and my own luxury car (public transport on rainy days are totally not fun)!

So, are you rich?  Do you have a few thousand dollars just lying around, waiting to be spent on frivolous, materialistic crap?  If so, well I wish I were you!  I know money can't buy you happiness, but it can bring you a few moments of joy.  That may be all one needs to keep on truckin'... 

Kiss and Makeup Haul (NARS)

NARS is one of my favourite makeup brands, but buying here in Australia is very painful as the prices are ridiculous.  A single eye shadow will set you back just $23 in the US, but here in rip-off land, you'll be forking over $45.  Why?  WHY?! It's so unfair!

It makes sense to source NARS from a cheaper source, such as ebay. However, I don't want to risk paying money for a fake or never receiving my product, so I've found a great US website to buy from that offers international shipping at just a flat rate fee of $9.95.

Kiss and Makeup offer a good range of high end products and cheap international shipping.  Delivery takes no more than 2 weeks (in my experience) and any queries are promptly answered.  I found out about this website from a beauty blogger on twitter, and have since made two orders.

All the products that I have ordered so far have been by NARS.  There are other brands to chose from but I'm pretty loyal to my brand and haven't bothered to check out anything else.  Here's what I ordered the first time around: NARS Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner - Abbey Road (blue), Via Appia (brown), Rue Bonaparte (flesh).  This was my "test" order - I made sure to pay extra for insurance, just in case!

First order - eyeliners (made last year!)

And here is my second order that I recently placed.  I really like the Larger Than Life Long Wear eyeliners, so ordered more: Rue de Rivoli (green), Bourbon Street (purple), Via Veneto (black), Rue Saint-Honore (navy).  I also ordered a foundation pump for my Sheer Glow foundation, as well as a single eyeshadow: Ashes to Ashes.

Second order - eyeliners

Second order - foundation pump & single eye shadow

If I were to purchase one of the eyeliners here in Australia, it would set me back $45, but I paid just $23 per eyeliner.  I also only paid $23 for the eye shadow (versus the $45 I would have had to fork out here) and a mere $6 for the foundation pump.  I saved myself a huge amount of money! 

Overall, I am very pleased with my purchases, as well as the excellent service from Kiss and Makeup.  If you're thinking of buying NARS (or other brands such as Laura Mercier, Smashbox etc) but don't want to be ripped off, why not check out their website: www.kissandmakeupny.com.  I give them a 10/10 for products and service!

Current Beauty Obsessions - Chantecaille & Chanel

Sometimes, I come across a beauty product that I cannot wait to own.  I google countless reviews on it.  I ascertain what colour/s would match my skin or suit my skin tone.  I dream up looks that I can do with the product... not just makeup looks, but entire outfits to go with it.  I call up stores to see which one convenient for me to get to will have it in stock.  I start saving up.

Is this normal?  Surely I'm not the only girl to feel this way about certain makeup products?

I am currently obsessing over two brands: Chanel and Chantecaille.  It's kind of funny how they both start with "cha"... as in, cha-ching!  I'm not sure why I'm obsessing over Chanel... I'm guessing it's because of their pretty nail polish colours.  Plus I watched a review on a compact foundation and decided I needed to have it in my life.  As for Chantecaille, I know exactly what got me obsessed with it: a short while ago, Mecca Cosmetica sent out an email showing us how to achieve 6 different looks using just four products.  One of the products was the Chantecaille gel liner pencil.  I'm hopeless with gel liner, so a gel liner in pencil form sounded ideal to me.

The other reason why I think I'm obsessing over their products is because I'm a sucker for portability.  I love products that you can just throw in your bag and not need anything else in order to use it (such as a brush).  Chantecaille's gorgeous little powder products that come in a brush are so convenient! Expensive, yes, but freaking convenient!  I'm just going to get straight into the products I'm obsessing over right now, so maybe you can start obsessing over them too.  Hehe!

$85 / $38 refills AUD

Chantecaille Poudre de Perle - Mineral Blush.  These powder blushes are teeny tiny and housed in such a cute yet glamorous and convenient refillable brush.  While the shade range is not huge (as with much of the Chantecaille range), the Biwa shade promises to be universally flattering (much like the NARS Orgasm blush).  I want this because it's definitely something that you can just throw in your bag and touch up throughout the day, without the need to carry a blush brush with you.  I find that I need to reapply blush after a few hours but because I hate the thought of carrying a brush in my handbag, I just go without and tend to look washed out by the end of the day or night.  This would solve my blush dilemma!  Plus it's paraben and talc free.

$49 AUD

Chantecaille Gel Liner Pencil.  This product comes in two shades, black and grey.  It's a shame those are the only colours it has, but as long as black is in the picture, I'm happy.  As mentioned earlier, I'm hopeless with applying gel liner with a brush, so I stick with pencil liners simply because I can apply it better.  This gel liner pencil is exactly what it sounds like: a gel liner in pencil form.  It claims to be long wearing, too.  I imagine that applying this would be a breeze.  If you wanted to smudge it out, the angled brush at the end would come in handy.

$110 / $50 refills AUD

Chantecaille Protection Naturelle Powder. About a week ago, I would never have considered this.  Simply because the only shades they have are light and bronze.  I fell somewhere in between.  However, after my frolic in the sun during the long weekend, I have now become a few shades darker which means that bronze would suit me beautifully.  This is "sun protection on the go", but would work beautifully as a mineral powder foundation.  I have actually swatched both shades on my hands and my skin looked really luminous and perfect (besides the colour mis-match).  The refillable flow-through brush applicator is so dainty and elegant, even if the shade didn't match me I would buy it anyway and use it up, then just refill with my own mineral powder! Perfect travel companion.

$105 AUD

Chantecaille Future Skin oil free foundation. Ok, so I don't quite agree with foundation in a pot.  But the reviews are mostly rave and it sounds like my dream foundation: natural looking and not heavy on the skin, with reasonable coverage.  I dislike foundations that you can constantly feel (I'm looking at you, M.A.C.)!  In fact, I dislike foundation in general and often go without or wear it very sheer because I prefer the real skin look.  If this foundation is as wonderful as it sounds, my NARS Sheer Glow may soon become my ex :)

$42 AUD

Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss. I hate lip gloss and lipsticks.  I don't own many, because I just don't use them.  (Lip balms, however, are my BFF and will remain so for the rest of my life!)  Apparently, these glosses are very sheer (just the way I like them!) and feel really good on the lips.  I have my eyes on two shades, Glee and Patina.  The other shades look boring to me, and probably would not suit my skin tone.  I cannot wait to get my hot little hands on these and try them out for myself!  Even though I haven't tried it yet, I'm already in love with the colour and the packaging!

$39 AUD

Chanel Le Vernis nail colour in #519 Rose Exuberant.  I love pink nail polish.  This shade looks like the ideal pink for me: dark, shocking and shiny. Toes or fingers, it wouldn't really matter, I have seen swatches of this and I have drooled each time.

$39 AUD

Chanel Le Vernis nail colour in #489 Rose Insolent. Again, a lovely pink shade that I find myself drooling over.  I am a fan of Chanel polishes and I love pinks, so this needs to be in my beauty cabinet already!  It is similar to one of my favourite pink shades by O.P.I (Shorts Story).  However, it's Chanel so that makes it a little bit more fancy :)

$98 AUD

Chanel Teint Innocence naturally luminous compact makeup SPF 15. I don't wear foundation much during the day, but I probably would if I owned this product.  It sounds like a dream to apply and would give me the look that I prefer when it comes to foundation: natural and luminous.  This is something you could throw in your bag and touch up throughout the day without the need for a brush.  According to most reviews, it also feels like nothing on the skin so it sounds like a winner to me! 

These products are all currently on my wish list and I plan to own each of them by the end of my birthday month (March) this year.  All the photos are from the Mecca Cosmetica or Chanel website.  You can find these products in stores now (Chanel at Chanel counters and makeup stores, or Chantecaille at Mecca Cosmetica)... but not for long because I'm about to go hoard them all! *evil laugh*

Trials and Tribulations of a Wedding Guest + Possible Outfits

Exactly one month from now, I will be attending an asian wedding reception. This is a big deal to me, as I rarely get invited to anything (be it family BBQs, weddings, hen's night etc).  I suppose that has something to do with me being the black sheep of the family, which really deserves its own post.  But anyway, back to this wedding... 

If I were a celebrity, this family friend's wedding would be the equivalent of being invited to attend a major award show, such as the Golden Globe Awards or the Grammys (Grammies?).  Weeks in advance I would work on my body, losing weight so I can look hot in the outfit that I planned and picked out well before the event. My nails would be trimmed ahead of time, so that they'll have enough time to grow to the perfect length on the night.  Manicure and pedicure would follow.  My skin would be buffed and polished to as near perfection as possible.  Peach fuzz will be tackled, hair coiffed meticulously.

I suppose for the average person, a wedding reception is just like a night out: you decide on an outfit a few days beforehand and you do your hair and makeup on the night.  For the average Jolene, it's a great night to eat, socialise and look pretty.  For me?  It's a big fucking deal. Attending an asian wedding reception further compounds this as in my experience I find that asians tend to be very judgemental.  High regard is given to those with the most expensive car, the more exclusive brands of attire, whichever high end logo your clutch embodies.  Failing that, they judge you for your looks.

In the next coming weeks you will see many "getting ready for the wedding" related posts.  This is just the first of many.  Before what I deem a "major event", I like to plan it all out.  Since I won't be rocking up in a Porche or wearing high end couture, I will have to work on ME.  I know that in order to feel good about myself at this wedding, I need other people to look at me and be impressed with what they see.

Yes, I'm superficial.

Let's be real.  If I don't feel good about myself on the night, I will have a shit time.  I'll avoid talking to people. I'll try to sit in the dark, far off corner so no one can see me.  Is that how I want to remembered?  Something akin to a shadow?  Hell no!  I want to have a good time like everyone else!  And in order to achieve that, I need to look great.

Possible outfits that will make me feel great
Before I can decide on how to fix myself up for the night, I need to know what I'm going to wear.  Here are a few possible outfits I'm thinking of.  All the styles are similar.  That is because I already own one of the dresses featured (just in a different colour) and I like how it looks on me.  All the dresses are from Pilgrim and all the shoes are from ZU.  I prefer ZU shoes because most of their styles are more comfy than others that are of similar style but from a different store.

Outfit #1

Pilgrim dress: direct link
Zu shoes: direct link

Outfit #2

Pilgrim dress: direct link
Zu shoes: direct link

Outfit #3

Pilgrim dress: direct link
Zu shoes: direct link

Outfit #4

Pilgrim dress: direct link
Zu shoes: direct link

What do you think?  Do you like the look that I'm going for?  Is there a standout dress/shoe combo that you particularly admire?  Let me know so I can make a decision!

Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo & Conditioner

Looking for a natural shampoo that actually cleanses?  What about a natural conditioner that will work hard at conditioning your hair?  Or are you just after a sweet smelling shampoo & conditioner that will leave your mane attracting honey bees for days?

Look no further. I have found it for you!  This is my review of the Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose shampoo and conditioner.  I've been using it for several months now, since the start of this year.  I discovered this product browsing the Aubrey Organics Australian website and was planning on ordering just soap, but succumbed to the free shipping offer if $75 or more was spent.  So I hastily added the Honey Suckle Rose conditioner (as I had plenty of shampoo at home) along with a few other items and patiently awaited my order.

One sniff basically sold me.  I didn't even try it on my hair before I decided that I was in love with it, the conditioner just smelt so wonderful!  So soft, sweet and feminine.  Once my regular shampoo ran out, I went back online to order the Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo but the website was undergoing maintenance.  I waited.  And waited.  I managed to snag free samples of shampoo during my wait, but several weeks later the website was still apparently getting maintenance done.  So, frustrated, I finally found another website that stocks this product, along with basically the whole Aubrey Organics range.  This is where I found it: www.innerglow.com.au.

Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo

Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo

If you're not familiar with natural shampoos, then you'll probably really hate them until you get used to them.  Because they don't contain any chemical foaming agents, they are quite runny in consistency and don't produce much lather at all.  It's no different for this shampoo.  However, I like to double wash because the second time I use it, it produces quite a nice lather!  I feel that it cleanses better when it foams up and because the first wash barely produces anything, the second wash more than makes up for it.  I'm not sure why a lather is formed the second time around, but I'm glad it does as it makes my hair feel like it's cleaner.  It does not dry out my hair at all, in fact, I believe that this has helped my hair become more softer and moisturised.  The scent is very soft and floral, but not grandma floral.  It's very delicate and sweet.  Smells very much like herbs mixed with honey suckle!

Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

My favourite hair conditioner OF ALL TIME.  This stuff has stolen my heart and become a holy grail!  Not only does it smell absolutely amazing (very similar to the shampoo, but much more sweeter), it actually does a fantastic job and keeping my tresses moisturised and manageable.  Some reviews have said that it is way too "oily" and makes the hair really slippery, and to some extent that is true.  But if you have extremely dry, frizzy hair like myself, it's actually a good thing.  Once you've rinsed it out thoroughly, it feels so wonderfully soft and light.  My hair just drinks it up.  The honey suckle rose range IS designed for very dry, brittle hair so if you have normal or oily hair, it may not work for you.  

Let me tell you a little secret: I used this range on both my boys and they have normal hair.  It does not leave their hair oily at all.  They both have gorgeous, easily maintained hair.  So will it work for everybody?  Maybe, if you can get used to how it feels the first few times.  But I'll leave that up to you to decide.  Most conditioners say to only apply to the lengths of the hair, but with this conditioner, I have no problems rubbing it all over, even letting it sit on my scalp.  As "slippery" as it feels, it really does not leave my hair oily whatsoever.  Just light, soft and moisturised.  For me, it is not greasy... I cannot stress that enough!

For myself and my family, it works wonders.  Both the shampoo and conditioner last a long time (a little goes a long way) and at roughly $20 AUD per bottle (for 325ml), it works out to be a reasonably priced natural product.  As long as they keep making these, I'll keep buying them and using them religiously because it is a fantastic range!

My Christmas Wishlist

Christmas is only a few short weeks away. It has come by so quickly this year! Wow... Why is it that the older you get, the faster time seems to go?  Hmm!  A cruel joke, no doubt.  I have compiled just three things that I would absolutely love to receive for christmas.  I don't ask for a lot, do I?  Only three things this year!  LOL.  I know these things I will never in a million years get, hence why it's called a wish list.  *sigh*  A girl can dream!

Miu Miu top handle bag in light pink - $995 US (Item code: RN0686 X72 F010F)
http://www.miumiu.com/en/US/e-store/dep/handbags/cat/top-handle-bags/mat/all/col/all/RN0686_X72_F010F

It's a pretty shade of pink, it's a cute bag and it's by Miu Miu.  Do I really need to say more?  Photo source: www.miumiu.com.

Burberry tonal check kilt - $595 AUD
http://au.burberry.com/store/womenswear/skirts/brit/prod-37936641-tonal-check-kilt/

I don't know why I like this skirt, I just do, ok?!  It reminds me of high school.  I have always had a thing for pleated skirts.  The colour is going to be fitting for the cooler months and the material will make you feel warmer, especially if paired with some opaque tights underneath.  I think this is cute and classy.  I'm usually not into clothing or accessories that scream "I'M A BIG BRAND, LOOK AT MEEEE" but this is not obnoxious at all.  It would perk up an otherwise plain or boring outfit.  It's totally screaming my name!  They also have a few other really cute skirts but if I could only pick one, this would be it.  Photo source: au.burberry.com 

.

Christian Louboutin "Toutenkaboucle" - $1295 AUD
http://www2.davidjones.com.au/shop-online/product-details.jsp?trackID=23954&category=2800397

This pair of sexy heels is making my heart ache.  It's so pretty and quite a statement piece on its own.  I think it would look really nice with a mini skirt or even the skirt featured above.  The colours are neutral so it would suit a casual look or a dressed up look.  It looks solid and fairly easy to walk in compared to other styles of shoes (like those damn platform-less pumps).  I want it I want it I WANT IT!  Photo source: davidjones.com.au.

Zu Shoes... *Drools*

I have been obsessing over nude or tan heels for the past few months, yet I have not actually had the pleasure of buying any new shoes... *yet*.  I thought I would show you a few relatively inexpensive shoes that I'm lusting after from Zu.  You can buy these in store across Australia or you can visit their online store to place an order (free shipping, no minimum spend!).  There is a current sale on right now, 50% off selected spring styles.  Some of the shoes I want are on sale, so you better leave me a pair of those in my size!  (FYI, I wear an 8).  Got a tissue ready to wipe up your drool?!

IRIS in tan - (50% OFF SALE) $80 AUD
Gorgeous, interesting design.  Very comfortable and easy to walk in, looks good with a short skirt for day or night!

TIPPLE in cognac - (50% OFF SALE) $75 AUD
Solid, great looking shoe.  Good for corporate wear, but would also look good with a pair of jeans for casual or class.

TYRA in nude/patent - (50% OFF SALE) $65 AUD
Nude wedges...  Comfy enough for walking around during the day yet chic enough for night and classy enough for corporate.

RORIZ in taupe - (50% OFF SALE) $90 AUD
I love this design!  Perfect with jeans or a mini skirt, for day or night events.

SOUSAO in tan - $150 AUD
This shoe is a little on the large size, the leather stretches a lot so get one size down.  It looks great with jeans for a casual or dressy look, and looks super sexy with a mini!

MONET in tan - $100 AUD
Want to look cute, add height and be able to walk all day long (even on sand)?  This sandal heel will dress up your casual outfit, or take you from day to night.  Cute and practical!

ISABELLA in silver sparkle - $120 AUD
Perfect shoes to stand out in amongst the night life crowd!  Comfy, too.  Suprised?

*All photos are sourced from zushoe.com.au.

A2LB Haul & Review

A couple of weeks ago I placed my first ever order on the website Addicted 2 Lip Balm.  You can see a list of everything that I ordered right here.  I have had a few weeks to trial some of the products, so I'll be reviewing them today, as well as the A2LB web store.

The website itself is a breeze to browse and find what you're looking for.  Everything is categorised according to type (lip scrubs, organic, lip tints etc) and the main colour theme is pink, my favourite colour!  That in itself isn't a big deal, but I like it.  They offer a loyalty program as well as 10% your first order.  And free shipping for orders over $50!  Shipping was super fast - I made an order at 10pm on a Thursday night and by midday Monday, my package arrived.  This was with standard shipping!

Everything came packaged nicely in pink paper, and groups of products were bubble wrapped to protect it.  A little gift was individually wrapped and included with my pack - Thanks Leah! 

Now onto the products that I have used regularly for the past few weeks... The first one is The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ ($30.95).  It's not an organic product, but it is limited edition so of course I had to have it!  It smells fresh and fruity, and works as a lip scrub should.  However, I find it to be really greasy and rich, when you wash it off you can still feel a film of gunk on your lips.  Ok, it's not gunk, it's supposed to be moisturising but I'm not a fan of petrolatum so I don't like it.  I try to wash it off as best as I can and I will use the product sparingly to avoid that leftover film on my lips.  But like I said, it scrubs well.  It's quite gentle and tastes pleasant.  My lips afterwards are smooth and look red and plump, like I'm wearing a lip stain.  I smoother it with the Kora Organics lip balm afterwards.

This yellow blob is the EOS Smooth Sphere lip balm in Lemon Drop ($6.35).  It smells delicious, it tastes delicious, but it does not feel delicious.  As in, it's not moisturising enough for me.  I kinda feel like I have to rub this on my lips for half an hour to feel like I have something coating my lips.  BUT it does contain SPF and does not make your lips look super shiny, so it's good for the whole family, men included.  Perfect for those who hate feeling like they have something on their lips.  It's a funny little round ball shape, but applies easily just like a regular stick balm.  I will continue to use this, especially as summer is right around the corner, but it sucks that I find myself re-applying this every half an hour just because I can't feel it moisturising my lips.


This is the one I have used the most.  It's the Badger Cocoa Butter lip balm in Lime Rocket ($9.95).  This is not a flavour I tend to choose.  I kinda just picked it to try something different.  And I'm really glad I did, because Lime Rocket smells so zesty and fresh!  I love the scent.  And it tastes nice, too (not that I go around licking my lip balms just to see what they taste like!)  It is a much larger product than your regular stick balms.  It's about double the size, and you have to be a little careful when applying it because it can make you look like you've been making out with a greasy frying pan if you're careless!  I find the larger size a bit of an inconvenience, but I do enjoy this one a lot and use it the most.  Plus the larger size makes it easy to find in my handbag, which is probably why I use it the most, ha!

Cacao Powder Organic lip balm - Chocolate ($5.95).  This one is a little deceiving.  It calls itself chocolate, but to me it has more of a subtle roasted coffee scent and flavour.  I'm not a big fan of coffee.  But it's chocolately and pleasant enough, and it also leaves my lips feeling very moisturised without too much shine.  It's the perfect size too, not too big like the previous one.  It lasts for a while on your lips and the scent actually wafts up occassionally throughout the day, which is a good thing if you like the scent, but a bad thing if it makes you crave for a hot chocolate (like it does for me)!

These four products I have used the most, but I have have also used some others which I will review once I feel I have used it long enough.  If you love lip balms as much as I do, I know you'll be hanging for that post!  Watch out for it in the coming weeks.  As for Addicted 2 Lip Balm, I highly recommend them as they have a huge assortment of lip goodies, great service and fast shipping, plus rewards for customers.  What more could a lip balm junkie want? (Life time supply of lip balm... D'uh, Rin!)

Note: Photos of the individual lip balms are all from the A2LB website, used with permission.  All products mentioned were purchased by me.

Addicted 2 Lip Balm Order

In a previous post, I wrote about discovering a new website that I was extremely excited about: addicted2lipbalm.com.au.  I am the kind of person that cannot leave the house without lip balm.  I have them scattered everywhere all over the house and about two or three in my handbag at any given time.  If I find myself in a situation where I don't have any on me, I will make it a priority to get to the nearest store to buy myself one.

Yes.  I need  lip balm!  I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with them, because to me they're just a normal part of my life, such as breathing.  It's just a given that I'll use it.  I've been using them since I was a child, when my mum took me to a doctor for my excessively dry lips (I think I actually had some kind of viral infection that required medicated lip balm, but I can't remember).  I used to just apply Vaseline on my lips to keep it moist, but it wasn't until I started high school that I began to use flavoured lip balm.  Remember Bonne Bell?!  I had a tin full of them, my collection was quite impressive!

My experience with the addicted2lipbalm website has been positive so far.  It's very easy to navigate and has a huge assortment of glosses, balms, scrubs and all lip things.  They offer free shipping in Australia for orders over $50 and they also have a loyalty reward program.  If it's your first purchase, you're also entitled to 10% off!  I love free shipping, I love loyalty programs, I love saving and most importantly, I love lip balms!  So the moment I first laid eyes on their website, I knew I was going to order a bunch of products.

The most exciting thing about addicted2lipbalm is that they stock brands that you wouldn't be able to find at your local chemist or Woolies.  I have seen good reviews on the EOS smooth sphere lip balms and always wanted to try them, but didn't really know where I could find them.  Problem solved... I've found them!  In true lip balm fanatic style, I ordered the 6 pack containing all the flavours.  I cannot wait to try them out!

Here's a screenshot of part of my order receipt:

I had a really hard time picking only a few to try out.  I'm into anything fruity or coconutty, and it has to be natural and organic.  I don't like to use petroleum on my lips (it's basically the excess of crude oil, eww).  I did order one product that wasn't listed under the organic range, and that was the limited edition lip scrub by Sara Happ.  Hello!  It's pink and it's limited edition.  Therefore I have to have it!  I don't mind that it's not organic as it gets washed off in an instant anyway.

I am really looking forward  to receiving my order.  As soon as it arrives, I will post my haul and review some of the products.  Watch out for it!