Lately...

Clear Conscience Geranium Pet Shampoo

Last month I was fortunate enough to receive the Geranium Pet Shampoo from the Clear Conscience Soap Company. Now, this was sitting in my cupboard for almost two weeks before I got a chance to use it on Genji and everytime I opened the cupboard this amazing smell wafted out. Not a flowery, girly scent, just a nice clean natural fragrance. 

Bath time in our household is never fun and this is usually the result of running water in the tub.

I'm not moving from under this chair.

My first impression was that the soap may be a bit difficult to use on Genji as we have to work quite quickly with him. However, once he was in and rinsed all it took was a couple of rubs over his coat to soap up nicely.  I don't think Genji liked the smell of the soap very much, he kinda just looked at it with a scared look on his face but I'm sure that was just because he didn't know what it was. 

Once he's in it's always a bit of a struggle hence no photos of him in the tub. But here are a couple of after photos.

This pet shampoo worked wonders. Once all dry, Genji smelled amazing and his coat was so shiny and soft for over a week. Usually we're struggling to make it through a fortnight before he needs another bath (It's bad for their skin to bath every week) but with this soap he doesn't seem to smell as bad come bath day. 

The geranium in this soap helps protect against fleas and assists with healing small cuts and abrasions. Genji hadn't had fleas for a few months prior to using this shampoo, but he hasn't started scratching either which is a good sign. 

I forgot to take a photo of the soap prior to using, but here's a shot after two washes (hair and all). 

This soap has probably lost about 2 cm from two washes, so it won't last a year but for a small to medium dog it suits just fine. I'm estimating we'll get another four to five washes out of this bar. 

I've tried many of the brand name dog shampoos in the past and most of them fail to either condition or prevent fleas. This product gets a big tick for both. I give the Geranium Pet Shampoo a 9/10. I give it a 9 because at the moment the soap is just sitting on the tub ledge being all slimy but buying a soap container would easily fix the storage issue. It'd be great to see a similar product in a pump bottle though. This is definitely a product that we'll be using again and again. Our pup hates bath time so, any product that keeps him cleaner for longer tops my list.

The Clear Conscience Geranium Pet Shampoo retails for $5.60 for a 80g block and can be purchased from their website. Go check it out!

 M.

A day for baking treats

Last Monday was a public holiday here in QLD, which meant resting my tired feet and baking treats.

I got this great recipe for these delicious Cinnamon Pinwheel Buns from Here Comes the Sun. I've only just started following Amanda and her guest bloggers but I already love it. It's also a plus that it's a NZ blog, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. 

M.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Review

I've been a bit slow to jump on the BB cream bandwagon. However with the change of season, my skin has freaked out a little bit and all of my current foundations and moisturisers that I loved back in Summer are reacting differently. I always have to use a different foundation in winter but this year my whole regime doesn't seem to be working and my skin is the driest it's ever been. I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older or the added recent stress but having to fork out money for different cleansers, moisturisers and foundations is just not an option that's available to me at the moment. I decided to minimise my makeup use and focus on hydration before I'm mistaken for a scaly reptile. 

After speaking with a rep at the local priceline who claimed it would hydrate and even out my skin tone, I purchased the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream. I'm always hesitant to purchase anything with the word "miracle" for obvious reasons but after so much hype for a reasonably priced product I thought it was worth a try. 

It has a great creamy texture that doesn't leave your skin feeling oily like other tinted moisturisers. It evens out skin tone really well but it won't cover up any blemishes. I used a dab of concealer just to hide a couple of red nasties.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream with no powder:

Garnier claims that this product has 24hr hydration. I still had to use my moisturiser in the evening after cleansing but my skin didn't feel dry throughout the day. This product lasted for about four to five hours before I had to reapply. On the second application I used powder over the top for a bit more coverage. 

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream with MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder:

This isn't a product I'll use everyday as it doesn't provide enough coverage for work in a corporate environment however it probably will turn into my go to product for weekends and lazy days at home. I had heard reports of people applying cheaper BB creams under their foundation however the two products reacted and I ended up with a slight burning sensation on my skin- not recommended.

Differing from tinted moisturisers, traditional BB creams are supposed to be an all-in-one product that works as your sunscreen, primer, anti-aging cream and foundation. They're supposed to contain anti-aging properties where as tinted moisturisers will only provide hydration and sheer coverage.

I love this product however after doing a bit of research on BB creams this seems to be more like a tinted moisturiser to me. Sure I don't have to use sunscreen, primer and foundation but I still have to use my serum and the Garnier BB cream doesn't seem to contain any anti-aging properties. However for such an affordable price I really can't complain.

The Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB cream is available in original, oil-free or sensitive. I bought the Original from Priceline for $13.99.

*This is not a sponsored post.

M.

Illuminare tenebras

Light up the darkness collection

M.

My Sukin "must haves"

No, you're not going crazy there are two Elegant Impressions blog posts in one day! I was just going to do a post about my "must have" winter skincare product but thought I would also touch on my summer "must have" for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere. 

As soon as the season changes into Winter or Summer I find myself making a trip to Priceline and heading straight for the Sukin range. Sukin is an Australian skin care range. All of their products are organic and they do not test on animals. I've used a few of the Sukin products in the past but these two products are definitely my favourites. 

For winter I always buy the Sukin Rose Hip Oil. I love this product and find that it works wonders to help re-hydrate my skin. I massage three drops onto my face just before bed each night. Rose Hip oil contains 80% of essential fatty acids which is vital for regenerating and repairing the skin. If you have dry skin, acne scarring or uneven skin tone, this is a great product for you. Rose Hip oil is suitable for all skin types however I have found that I have regular breakouts if I use this product during summer when my skin is much more oily. The Sukin Rose Hip Oil retails at Priceline for $19.99 for 25ml and the bottle also comes with a handy dropper. 

My favourite summer Sukin product is the Hydrating Mist Toner. I'll usually use this product first thing in the morning as the refreshing spray is a great way to wake yourself up. It's also great to freshen up on a hot day and would be great for a long haul international flight, if only there was a travel size! The Hydrating Mist Toner contains rose water and chamomile extract and one spray of the bottle is all that is needed. I only use this product once in the morning before moisturising as it tends to dry out my skin. If you don't go crazy with it, this bottle will last you all summer. The 125ml bottle is very affordable retailing at just $9.95.

If you would like to know more about this great range check out the Sukin website. 

Please note: this is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

M.

Winter Fashion Wants

I've just compiled my list of fashion wants this winter. I've got quite a good collection of jackets, jeans and tees but these items would just add a bit more "oomph" to my winter wardrobe. I'm particularly in love with the Witchery Puff Vest. 

Winter Wants by amelmire featuring aviator sunglasses

Witchery puff vest, $150 / Suede booties, $59 / Polo Ralph Lauren , $99 / Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses / Black 'N White Knit Tube | Dotti, $49


What are your fashion wants this winter?

M.