IndieAna- In Search of the HolyGrail

Some time ago,  I was given the Elucent Skincare range to trial. I am pleased that I had been given this opportunity, as I previously had not heard of this brand.  I was happy to see that the Elucent range comes under the "umbrella" of well known and trusted Australian company Ego, so immediately I was expecting a lot from this range.  Elucent Day Moisturiser contains vitamins B3 and E, both known for their anti ageing qualities. Also within this day moisturiser is the active component of AHAs, which have been proven to be effective at chemical exfoliation. There is a concentration of 4% AHA. Using AHAs omits the need for a manual exfoliator, which I find is too harsh on my skin, and if is massaged into the skin too firmly, can cause damage, especially so with thinner ageing skin. The moisturiser is designed for all skin types, however, it should be kept in mind that AHAs may cause sensitivity, tingling after use is a common reaction. Using AHAs causes the skin to be m...

After hearing many good things about indie mineral makeup brand,  Lumiere Cosmetics , I thought it was about time that I tried for myself. A sale certainly sweetened the deal :) Along with the classy name, the site and products have a classy look. There are many products on offer, covering most makeup and skincare needs. The website is easy to navigate, and in no time I had a couple of things on their way to me. My order came in a reasonable amount of time, packed well. As you can see, I didn't place a huge order, I just wanted to try a couple of things. I love that you can order mini tubes of lip gloss. I have so many lip colours that I've bought full sizes of that I won't use, so it's great to try something a bit smaller before committing to a bigger size. As for the eye shadows, I bought minis, which is the average size of most full sized mineral makeup eye shadow jars. There is a larger option available. FOLIAGE - Tarnished green/gold. PEPPERMINT PATT...

Finally, I have used up my first ever blush!! I know it may seem weird to get excited about a finished product, but I have so many blushes, that I've decided not to buy more until I start using some up..actually I apply this to all makeup...the only problem is, I rarely stick to my own rules!! I bought some Inuovi products from website Ozsale. I had not heard of this brand before, however, seeing that everything listed was so cheap, I decided to take a chance. I must say that I am so glad that I did!! The blush is packaged in a plastic domed shaped compact. If I had to pick something that I didn't like it would only be the packaging. I found that my compact became very shabby looking due to the dome shape, meaning that it was easily scratched in storage. The above pic is not of the blush featured in this post. The one I finished is Hyperbolic, a coral/peach colour, unfortunately I didn't take a pic of it new. The blush itself I adore. It is so simple to work with. ...

Online indie perfume seller Solstice Scents , offer a wide variety of bath and body products. Some background info can be found here . It is a popular company in the indie perfume world, I have no idea why it took me so long to place an order, but I'm so glad that I did. I love that the labels appear to resist the oil and have stayed put on the vials. I hate when labels peel off, so you can no longer read what the perfume is. The logo is pretty cool, with the theme having a haunting look to it. I tried uite a few perfumes, here's my thoughts: LINEN & IVY: * Fresh sun-washed linens hanging on the clothesline in the spring breeze meets crisp green top notes of English ivy and a touch of new green spring leaves.  A perfect choice for those looking for a very fresh and clean scent that is not your typical "clean cotton" fragrance.  On cold sniff and initial application, a beautiful green top note emerges.  The dry down is crisp, cool-toned and very fresh.  Wo...

I was lucky enough to be given Dr LeWinn's primer and foundation to trial thanks to health and beauty website Beauty Heaven . I'm not much of a liquid foundation wearer, but I was more than happy to try, especially being well known and loved brand, Dr LeWinn's.  Dr. LeWinns Skin Perfect Anti-ageing Primer is designed to prepare skin for foundation. Marketed as an anti-ageing product, this primer promises to allow makeup to glide over skin, making the face a perfect canvass, no matter what the skin concern. The formula contains Dr LeWinns patented ingredient, Evermat™. This technology's purpose is to visibly reduce the appearance of pores and absorb excess oils, without over-drying. Skin can be expected to have a youthful glow.  This primer is packaged in a 30 ml glass cylinder shaped bottle. It contains a pump dispenser, with a small nozzle, making for accurate delivery of product.  A little of this light weight product goes a long way. It just glides evenly over ...

Wow, I cannot believe I have not done a review post on BPAL (Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab). I have quite a few of their amazing perfumes, and have sampled many, but have only barely scratched the surface of this online store, that is an indie perfume lover's heaven. At first, the choices were daunting to me, I didn't know how I was going place an order without going bankrupt, or crazy trying to choose just a few, lol. Thank goodness I stumbled across the Forum (which is actually listed on the online store). There are reviews of every perfume, and although time consuming, it is truly a handy tool! Amongst the many many many general catalog items, there are also limited editions. These are only available in full sizes. However, there are decant circles on the forum, I've never participated, but it's a great idea! Some time ago, I decided to purchase 2 almost iconic perfumes from the Lupercalia collection. I am embarrassed to admit that this collection was available in F...

Catrianna of Etsy online store, Deep Midnight Perfumes describes her scents as: "Bringing History, Fantasy, Legends and Lore alive to tantalize your senses! "  OVER 90 unique, magical, dreamy, decadent, dark, delicious, artisan crafted perfume oils to choose from.  In here you will find:.. mystery, magic, myths, legends, and romance topped off with the darkly gothic, the sweet and enchanting, and the stuff of our dreamings... Sample my scents and get swept away into Deep Midnight."  This description was way too tempting to pass up at least some perfume samples. With so many perfumes to choose from, it was a good thing that there are a range of sample packs on offer, as the perfumes are listed in themes. Such as Gothic/ Victorian, Fantasy/Magic, Holiday, etc. Included in the order was a eye shadow and business card from another store, a great idea to join forces and work together. There was also a 15% off discount code. if only I had not forgotten about that one!!...