IndieAna- In Search of the HolyGrail

Fine lines, not a fan, dark circles, ugh, but what I hate the most about my skin is the pigmentation. Of course, this skin problem is so difficult to reduce, let alone be rid of. When I was lucky enough to receive Elizabeth Arden Prevage Clarity Targeted Skintone Corrector in a prize pack, I was ecstatic. I've used and LOVE other products from the Prevage range, so couldn't wait to get this serum onto my skin.  Combined with Soy Ferulate-C, known for its skin brightening properties, this product contains the patented Idebenone, a powerful antioxidant. Results are expected to be seen in 14 days. The product is packaged in an airless bottle with pump-top lid. This makes the product hygienic and ensures that the ingredients remain active. What I find inconvenient about the packaging is not being able to see how much product remains in the bottle. The serum is of a light fluid consistency. Yellow in colour with an iridescent sheen. This sheen isn't visibl...

Well, after trying just a couple of perfume oils from Arcana Soaps, I am really loving this brand. I have enjoyed each one, and am already compiling a wishlist for future purchase. The one I am wearing today is Genteel. Described as "Aniseed, 2 vanillas, dry amber, sugar, and cashmere musk with wisps of fine sandalwood and cedarwood" Yes, it really sounds like a complex mix, but in reality, each note blends together beautifully. Upon application, the musk and amber are first to emerge on me. Not harsh, but kind of aftershave-like, not quite the scent that I was expecting. But, then the aniseed becomes more noticeable, but not in an overpowering way. The fragrance is smooth, creamy and sweet. The aniseed note is divine, then again, I do love the smell of this note. I really like how the slight smokiness of the woodsy notes give extra depth and richness. Mmmm, nice and warm, great for the cooler months. I am a little on the fence as to whether or not I need a full si...

I have been using a shampoo and conditioner that I am very happy with and had no intention of trying another (More on that brand in a future post). That was until I was offered to trial Schwarzkopf Ultime shampoo and conditioner from the Diamond Color range, I couldn't really say no.. :) The duo has been formulated to slow the fading process of coloured hair, whilst providing shine which can be lacking when hair is in need of colour maintenance. Product comes in a slim oblong shaped bottle. So easy to hold in the hand whilst in the shower. It isn't bulky, and is shaped for perfect storage on any shelf, because it doesn't take up too much room. The packaging has simple labeling, it is easy to differentiate between bottles, thanks to the block of red at the bottom of the shampoo bottle. A flip-top lid reveals a nice sized hole for delivery of product. The consistency of both products is typical of shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo having an iridescent fini...

I am really enjoying this palette series, it's like I've got new goodies to play with and I'm not spending a dime!  This time around, I used LA Colors "Wildflowers", a beautiful palette that the lovely Kat from Kats Colourings very kindly sent me. Sorry hun that it's taken me this long to use it, but I sure do love it! The palette delivers some bright colour, probably suited to the warmer months, but meh, I just generally wear whatever shades take my fancy, no matter the season. The shadows are so easy to work with, having a nice texture and easy blendability. Just as a side note, I did use shadows other than the palette to contour, however the main focus is on the palette, as you'll see. Look 1. I just love that orange colour! I wasn't sure that I would, but it wasn't as pigmented as it looked, which made it so wearable! Look 2. I couldn't wait to try the deep pink colour on my lids. I was going to the movi...

If you haven't been hiding under a rock, you would have at least heard of rosehip oil. It is well known as an oil that gives you antiageing benefits. Unfortunately, it took me a while to jump on the rosehip oil bandwagon. I have combination skin, and thought that it would be crazy to put an oil on break-out prone skin. FINALLY, I saw the light, and reaped the benefits of this lovely oil. Trilogy Roshehip Oil Antioxidant + not only gives you the benefit of rosehip oil, which are many, but also a plethora of other goodies. These come from red berries, acai berry, lycopene, cranberry seed extract. Wonderful for radiant skin, keeping ageing at bay and kind to your skin, with Trilogy's use of natural, organic ingredients.  The oil comes in a 30ml bottle, which has a nice dark tint to insure that the goodies are preserved. Having a dropper to dispense product is wonderful for an oil, no wastage or mess. You get to control how much you use, right down to the last drop! ...

I don't generally wear green, especially the bright green of Layla Ceramic Effect in shade 61. I really like the shimmer in this polish, a touch of glimmer makes any shade lovely, lol. This is a springtime green, makes me wish for the end of winter, my least favourite time of year. i did find the formula to be a little thin, this is 2 coats, but my nails could have really used another coat of polish. The only one so far that I haven't been completely satisfied with. Needing to use 3 coats isn't that big of a deal when it means a result like this, well if you like green :)

A sample I had somehow gotten contained a fragrance that really appealed to me, the only problem was that all I had to go by was the brand FCUK. Four perfumes later, and I finally had the one I had lusted over. Thankfully these perfumes are inexpensive and I like them all. I reviewed FCUK Summer here. Friction is described as "Pink honeysuckle, apple blossom, red berries, creamy coconut, spun sugar, vanilla absolute, pink jasmine, white vetiver, blonde woods, sandalwood, amber and magnetic musk." It is fruity, sweet, creamy, juicy, these I like, but I need more, and this perfume delivers. Thanks to the deeper notes, such as musk and sandalwood, the fragrance has more of a deeper and grounded grown-up side to it. It makes me imagine sipping pina coladas on the beach, now wouldn't that be nice?? The perfume dries down to a soft scent that is close to the skin and quite delicate, warm and comforting. Probably best suited for the warmer months, but I don't car...

Endevouring to play with my Sally Hansen Matte Top Coat again, I went with an idea that I had found on Pinterest (boy, can I get lost in the world of Pinterest!) I started with a dark base coat, using Avon Nailwear Pro "Night Violet". I then added Max Factor "Fire Within" (LOVE this!) Then I applied Sally Hansen Matte Top coat only onto diagonal sections of my nails. I finished with dots of Seche Vite, using a toothpick. I really like these 2 finishes together. The shimmer of the Max Factor "Fire Within" is interesting when muted with Matte top coat, I prefer it glossy, but like the contrast of the matte and gloss.

Reading a rave review of Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for combination to oily skin lead me to buy the budget priced product. What Garnier claims that this product will do is, control shine, minimise pores, correct blemishes, even complexion, hydrate skin. Colour is provided thanks to the use of mineral pigments in the formula. The cream also has the added bonus of SPF 15. The product comes in a decent 40ml sized tube. By gently squeezing, product is released via a small opening. This allows for control of product. The consistency is a little more fluid compared to most eastern BB creams, yet it is not too runny. The scent is typical of a product containing sunscreen. I only really noticed when actually consciously sniffing it, rather than during application. Would I repurchase? Yes, I already have a back-up! I absolutely adore this BB cream.  It is definitely not a glorified tinted moisturiser. I get medium coverage and am happy to wear on its ow...

The lovely  Monique was kind enough to choose the next theme for the Come Play With Me series. She called it How Low Can You Go? Do a makeup look with minimal products, pretty easy, right? Certainly a challenge, but doable... just. Monique was clever enough to only use 5 products, you can see that here , check out how amazing her winged eye is, using a mascara, WOW! Hailey shows us how you can create a polished look with 4 products, yes 4!! Kat  reveals that all you need is 5 products for an amazing "face".  I managed to create a look with 8 products, not impressive, but for me, it's a major cull in products! Face Garnier BB cream for combination/oily skin in medium Inouvi "Pink" blush. Eyes Performance Colors Double Duty Matte Cream Eyeshadow in "Earth Taupe". MAC "Blue Brown" shadow to line. UD 24/7 Liner "Midnight Cowboy" applied to my lower waterline.  L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara. Lips Gorgeous Co...

I am wearing Pretty Serious "CGA" on my nails. A gorgeous pinky-mauve, or is it a mauvey/pink? Either way, it's such a soft, pretty colour :)

Among the Arcana Soaps samples that Dee had sent me, was one called " Vulgar ". I must say that with a name like that, I had no idea what to expect.  I just love the description "Vulgar is the tatted up housewife who swears like a sailor and plays punk rock at all times so the kids will be smart. Dirty cherry with dark chocolate, vanilla infused marshmallow, honey, pepper, patchouli, and a hint of smoky bacon" What a combination! But, it totally works. At first application, I got the bitter dark chocolate, that was also sweet and syrupy. Just when I thought that it was going to be too much, the scent began to soften, revealing the spices and smoky quality. After wear, the dirtiness of the patchouli is detectable. I find that this fragrance could be unisex. Yes, it's sweet, but there's some masculine notes in there, too.  I loved sniffing this perfume, although it's not something I'd wear, I'd certainly like to smell it on my man. Let's jus...

Clinique is a brand that is in the high end spectrum when it comes to price, yet is a favourite among many skincare devotees. Why? Because their products deliver. When I recieved Clinique Even Better Eyes as part of a prize, I was ever so grateful. Being a product for dark eye circles fits one of my skin problems perfectly.  Designed to hydrate and brighten eye area, therefore counteracting dark circles. Yes, this eye cream was meant for me! The eye cream comes in a small tube. The packaging is simple, yet effective. The point of difference with this tube, is the delivery system. A metal tip with small hole to not only dispense product, but apply it. I've used roller ball types before, but found this to be more effective and gentle to the eye area. I also appreciated the cooling effect it provided during application. The consistency is not of a thick eye cream. It has an added tint to the formula. As with most eye creams, a little goes a long way.  Would I rep...

Having combination skin that still regularly breaks out, it's important for me to have a clay mask in my skincare collection. A good one will clean out my congested pores and there's often ingredients added to benefit my skin. My recently finished clay mask was Innisfree Super JeJu Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. As a skincare ingredient, JeJu volcanic clay is known for its ability to absorb impurities, such as excess sebum. The mask also gently exfoliates the skin. Pores are cleaned and tightened with the cooling effect the clay provides. The clay mask comes in a simple screw top 100 ml jar. After scooping out the clay product and feeling the very thick consistency, I was concerned at the possible difficulty of application. This would have to be the thickest mask that I have used. As I tentatively applied to my face, I was surprised at the ease of smoothing the mask over my skin.  Would I repurchase? Yes! I loved that even after leaving this mask on for 30 minutes, it ti...

An eye look featuring purple and lime green isn't a colour combination that would normally spring to mind, but when I reached for these mineral loose shadow samples, 2 of many that I'm trying to get through, I thought that they would make for an interesting look on my lids. I primed my lids with the Coastal Scents Camo Quad using the neutral shade you can see has the most visible use. Again using the same quad, I applied the white shade to highlight under my brows. With the help of the MAC palette and 88 Warm palette for contouring, the purple was used all over my lid with the lime green lining my lashline. I wish I could tell you the name of the shades, however they were ordered from an online store that unfortunately have since closed down. I depotted from sample bags into jars and neglected to label them because they were no longer available. I finished my look with MUA Contour Liner and L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes. What do you think? I found this co...

When I ordered Naughty from My Perfume Samples, it only seemed natural to buy Nice, also. Described as "Romantic and flirty version, is a sparkling fruity scent that blends signature kiwi accord with floral tones, such as jasmine, sweet cupcakes and creamy musk." Out of the two, I was expecting to like Naughty best, assuming it would be a deep, rich scent. Nice is actually more to my liking. Yes, it's sweet like the original Fantasy, but it is creamier, a little more floral and, slightly tangy, thanks to the kiwi accord. The musk gives a slight spiciness.  Although I do like this one, it's still too girly for my liking, another one for my teen daughter :)

Lacura is Aldi's beauty brand. I've only dabbled in the skincare, buying face wipes and cleansers. I've heard that their anti-ageing skincare is decent, especially for the budget price. Although, Aldi sells some beauty products on a regular basis, most of what they sell is released sporadically. One of these releases being a CC cream. At such a low price, I figured that I had nothing to lose by trying. It comes in a small 30 ml tube that only needs to be gently squeezed to release product. It is of a BB cream consistence, light pinky flesh tone in colour, no shade options are available. Having a different idea in mind of what a CC cream was, I thought it strange not to have more colour choices. I knew CC creams were for colour correcting, but I assumed that it would have the same coverage as a BB cream. This is the only one I have tried, other brands may offer more coverage? Anyway, back to the cream at hand, lol, I did find this cream to have a slight sunscreen t...