Beauty Quickie - Feel Unique Beauty Sale + Coupon Code

A super duper quick post to give you the insider goss on a fab beauty sale you need to get involved in! 

Feelunique.com is having 15% off your favourite beauty brands until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT Wednesday 31/07/13. 

Simply use the coupon 3DAYS15 at the checkout for your discount to be validated. 

Haven't heard of Feel Unique? A safe and reliable webstore founded in 2005, Feel Unique is the ultimate go-to hub for all things beauty, stocking over 500 brands from all different price points. Oh and did I mention it's free shipping, worldwide!? 

Head over to Feelunique.com and go crazy. Feel free to blame the damage you get up to on me - I'll take one for the team

I'm off to add a few things to my shopping cart.

Until next time,

ajarose xo

In sickness and in health - my flu recovery essentials

So it turns out I have the flu. The achy and painful type that has left me bed ridden for the past two days. And while I'm snuggling in bed with a fever that's out of this world, I thought I might as well muster up the energy to share with you my I'm-so-sick-I-could-die essentials. 

1) Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - My nose and lips always seem to get chapped when I'm sick and slathering this multipurpose balm on always does the trick. Check out my review here. 

2) Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream - The latest edition to my skincare routine, this light, yet extremely hydrating moisturiser is keeping my skin balanced and nourished. An indepth review is to come on this cream, so keep your eyes out for that. 

3) Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I've previously spoken about this hydrating facial mist in my Cult Beauty series, but it never gets old saying it - this is a holy grail product for me. Spritiz this directly onto your face or into your palms and pat it on, packed with essential oils, this mist is the perfect pick me up for when you're feeling under the weather. Check out my review here. 

4) Lemsip - I think you either love it or you hate it and for some wack reason this is always my go-to drink when I'm sick. 

5) Panadol - For pretty obvious reasons this is my fever controlling must have. 

6) Tissues, tissues and more tissues - I swear I almost drowned in a sea of tissues on Sunday night, *yuck.* My red nose has them to blame, but when you're sick you gotta do what you gotta do. 

Sorry for the depressing post, but as they say in sickness and in health, right?

Until next time, 

ajarose xo

Makeup Brush Cleaning 101

Back in April I uploaded a post dedicated to brushes and shared my top three picks from Real Techniques.

The post had such a good response, I wanted to follow on from that and let you inside my brush cleaning routine.

Cleaning your brushes is so important. I honestly cannot stress that enough. Not only is product building up in those bristles but so is bacteria. Gross, but true. And if you are a regular brush user and not cleaning them frequently, then guess where that bacteria is going? Straight on your face.

Are you a culprit? Don’t feel too ashamed. I was the worst when it came to brush cleaning, but it’s only when you start to read about how dirty they get that it’s almost impossible not to wash them.

So how do I keep my brushes clean?

There are two types of brush cleaning – spot cleaning and deep cleaning.

1) Spot cleaning - required if you needed to use a brush you’d just applied product with, to apply something else. It’s an immediate clean and doesn’t involve using water. Instead, you’d use a brush cleaner (so many brands do this, but M.A.C’s is probably the most well known) so your brushes are immediately ready for use.

2) Deep cleaning - what gets all that yucky product and bacteria build up gone and should be done once a week. This involves giving your brushes a little TLC. I have recently picked up Dr Bronner’s Magic Unscented 18-1 Soap for deep cleaning, $7.95 from David Jones. I have also used Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, which does the trick just fine. Mixing soap and water together, along with paper towel to swirl your brushes on to remove all the excess, then leaving them to dry overnight is my preferred technique.

RR TIP: Cleaning your brushes is not only important for stopping bacteria build up, but it will also ensure the longevity of your brushes. Clean brushes wont require as much product for application either, so it’s win win all round.

Whether you use your brushes everyday or sparingly, both spot and deep cleaning is essential for hygienic reasons, not to mention helping your makeup apply better. So stop putting it off and give those brushes of yours some lovin.

Until next time,

ajarose xo

Want more Rosie Recommends? Check out -

Lancome Show by Alber Elbaz Review
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Don't forget to follow Rosie Recommends on Bloglovin or subscribe by entering your email address on the top righthand side of this page!

SKINCARE SUNDAY - The lowdown on skincare ingredients

I mentioned last week a few of my favourite skincare ingredients, so today’s last and final instalment in this series is all about just that - ingredients.

It takes a while to learn and figure out what works for your skin and what doesn't and I'm still learning myself. But here are a few I personally keep my eye out for.

Try... 

Alpha Hydroxy Acids - If your initial reaction to reading the word acid is to back right away, don’t freak out just yet. Though it sounds like the last thing you want to be putting on your face, AHAs are some of the most widely used and studied skincare ingredients on the market. Results have shown improved skin tone, skin hydration and anti-aging benefits.

1) Glycolic Acid - Though it's the smallest of the AHA molecules, glycolic acid comes from sugar cane and packs some serious skincare punch! When you apply a product with GA it essentially eats away at the dead skin cells bonded together. The result? Your skin will look brighter, healthier and more radiant and overtime the appearance of wrinkles and hyper-pigmentation will diminish. 

My favourite product? Ren's Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask - an exfoliating mask filled with bio extracts like glycolic, lactic and citric acids as well as extracts of passionfruit, grape, pineapple and lemon. The formulation will have your skin tingling (don't freak out, it's meant to happen!) and after application the result is glowing skin. 

2) Hyaluronic Acid – Naturally found in our bodies, hyaluronic acid is the reason behind a plump, youthful complexion. How? It locks the moisture in. As we get older our skin becomes a lot dryer and loses its elasticity. Hyaluronic acid is the ingredient you want to keep your eyes pealed for if you want to add that moisture back in, with the ingredient being able to hold 1000 times its weight in water.

My favourite product? Indeed Labs' Hydraluron – a moisture boosting treatment packed with hyaluronic acid to help aid in achieving hydrated, nourished and plumped up skin. 

Avoid...

1) Alcohol - There is a lot of research on whether alcohol used in skincare is even bad for you. Some people will say it's good because it can have a quick drying finish that doesn't leave your skin feeling weighed down. So why should you avoid it? Alcohol harms your skins protective barrier, dries your skin out and makes redness even worse. If you are one of those horrid wipes users (prime example of a product packed with alcohol), you will know what I'm talking about here. Bottom line is, I'd rather have my alcohol in a wine glass than in my skincare.

2) Mineral Oil - This is an ingredient that really wasn't on my radar until I started reading Caroline's blog (yes, I'm talking about her again). Basically she breaks it down to that mineral oil has no skincare benefits whatsoever, and yet companies are still filling their skincare products with it. Why? Because it's cheap. 

From what I have gathered from my research, mineral oil just sits on top of your skin and when it's included in a product that claims to have any skincare benefits it's basically pointless as the product can't absorb past the MO coating. Whether mineral oil is good or bad divides a lot of skincare junkies out there, but I'm with the latter. 

What works and doesn't work is all going to depend on your skin, so it's important to always do your research before you make up your mind about something. This post, as well as my entire blog, is hopefully a tool to use to kick start your own researching journey. 

I hope you have enjoyed this Skincare Sunday series as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Skincare is definitely a passion of mine so don't fret, there will be more skincare posts in the future.

Until next time,

ajarose xo

Want more Rosie Recommends? Check out -

Lancome Show by Alber Elbaz Review
Skincare Sunday - What goes on my face?
Skincare Sunday - How to master the art of a skincare routine
Skincare Tips and Tricks

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A collaboration dreams are made of - Lancome Show by Alber Elbaz Review

Photo: Lancome

They say never judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to beauty products I think we can bend the rules a little, right? I mean, c'mon, packaging is half the appeal. I know not everyone will be with me on this, but luxe packaging just adds that extra somethin' somethin' to the whole experience that can't be explained. 

Case in point, the Lancome Show by Alber Elbaz Collection. Over the past few years collaborations between cosmetic houses and artists, pop princesses and disney characters have been all the rage. Fashion designers have also been getting in on the action (we saw the Karl Lagerfeld and Shu Uemura collab last year), and the latest fashion icon to join the makeup bandwagon is Alber Elbaz, designer for Lanvin teaming up with cosmetics giant, Lancome. The collab hit Australian shores this week (it was released in the US in June) and has landed exclusively in Myer.

The result? Probably the most impressive and enticing collaboration I've seen. 

I know, big call to make. But seriously, the packaging, the product and the on-point marketing campaign of this collection ticks every box in my eyes. I mean, look at this...

The range is made up of four stars of the show - Definicils, Drama, Doll Eyes and well, Star of course. Each leading lady has a mascara and eyeshadow palette to choose from, as well as one set of false eyelashes for the collection.

Photo: Lancome

Let's jump into what I picked up, and let me make this real clear - if my wallet didn't restrict me I would have easily walked away with the entire range. Easily.

Not that shocked, are you?

Photo: Lancome 

Unintentionally, I picked both pieces from the Doll Eyes range which is covered in red and black love hearts (making the purchase even more sweeter).

I went with the Doll Eyes Mascara as the brush appealed to me the most. I thought the cone like tapered point would be perfect for applying product to the lower lashes without making a mess, like a lot of other mascaras tend to do.

The palette pick was an immediate decision as I am always drawn to more warmer shades for my eyes.  

Like I needed any more of an excuse to buy these beauties, if you purchase two products or more you receive a complimentary, limited edition makeup mirror designed by Mr Elbaz, that is equally as beautiful as the rest of the collection (this was until stocks lasts, so be quick).

As you can probably tell, I'm totally in love and could go on and on about how dreamy each and every piece of the collection is. If you pop into Myer any time soon, do yourself a favour and have a look at the display in store before it all disappears. But be warned, if you want to get your hands on any of this collection, run - don't walk.

Until next time,

ajarose xo

All photos accredited to Lancome apart from the two photos taken by Rosie Recommends

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Review: Revlon's Nail Art Moon Candy Duo Pen
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Real Techniques Brushes by Samantha Chapman

Don't forget to follow Rosie Recommends on Bloglovin or subscribe by entering your email address on the top righthand side of this page!

SKINCARE SUNDAY - What goes on my face?

The next installment in this skincare series is all about products - what I use and recommend and I’m also going to share what is on my wish list.

There are a few steps in my skincare routine that I am finally happy with, but it's nowhere near complete and I'm constantly reading about new bits to bolt on.

If you haven't checked out last Sunday's post, go and have a read of that here as I broke down each step in a somewhat masterclass of skincare routines – that will help make sense of what is to follow.

So, now the juicy part - what skincare products am I using…

1) Bioderma H20 Crealine Micelle Water - This stuff looks like water, smells like water and sometimes it’s hard to believe it isn’t just good ol’ H20. So what is it? It’s a Micellar solution. Huh? A micelle is a tiny oil molecule that is suspended in soft water, which basically allows the solution to somewhat ‘eat up’ your makeup and daily grime. Micellar waters have skyrocketed onto the radar of every beauty lover out there and this bad boy would be the most popular on the market. But, unless you live in France, this stuff is damn hard to get your hands on.

2) Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser - I've been using this since my boyfriend bought me the beautiful Eve Lom pack for Christmas, and it really is divine (check out my review here). The smell, the balm texture and the fact that it does what it says it does makes this a winner in my eyes. I use this after removing my makeup with Bioderma, but if I’m feeling lazy and skip cleanse number one, this balm cleanser still removes all my makeup from the day.

3) Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner - This is a fairly new product in my routine, and I am so glad I have discovered the importance of the whole liquid exfolient step. As I am quite fair, my skin unfortunately shows up my veins easily, and I found bead exfoliants too abrasive and were only causing broken capillaries. Not a cute look. Even if you aren’t as fair, exfoliating in a liquid form still gets your skin clean and prepped like a bead would, but will save you scrubbing away like there’s no tomorrow.

4) Hadanomy Collagen Mist - The second tone is to add moisture back into your skin, and this would be one of my favourite steps. I was using Caudalie's Beauty Elixir, which I am still in love with. But sadly, I finished it up - *tear.* This mist still does the trick and with moisture retention ingredients like 1000mg of micro collagen, hyaluronic acid (my favourite skincare ingredient), honey and acerola extract, it makes it a great refreshing option.

5) Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream - I was never sure when to start using eye cream, and have done a lot of reading on the topic. From skincare experts and women who have skin I admire, turns out early twenties is the time. This Bobbi Brown eye cream is the perfect way to kick off your eye cream journey. It’s a hydrating formulation, which makes it ideal for younger skin that doesn't really need all those anti-aging ingredients. I am verging my mid-twenties now so even though I love this cream, I am on the market for a new option that has a little more punch in it for preventative measures. 

6) Indeed Labs Hydraluron - Packed with hyaluronic acid, there is my favourite ingredient again, this serum should be applied last before moisturiser as it helps your cream work to it’s full potential and not just sit on top of your skin. This product wasn’t available in Australia until recently, and now you can pick this up from Priceline.

7) Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre - A beautifully rich cream, this was a must have item I begged my Dad to bring me back from Paris. I have found this works a treat now we are experiencing colder weather, but during spring and summer it seemed to slide around a little too much for my liking. Moisturiser is definitely one step in my routine I'm on the hunt for the perfect product. 

RR TIP: Obviously everyone's skin is different, so what might work for me, might not work for you. I do a lot of research before I buy products and I suggest you do the same!

So that is what I’m using, but now what do I want to buy?

A lot of this I can blame on a couple of ladies (Caroline Hirons from Beauty Mouth and Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup I'm looking at you!) and (unfortunately for my wallet) this list is forever growing. But for now, this is what my pennies are saving for.

Information overload anyone? Sorry, I really could go on forever. But for the sake of this post, I'll stop. I hope this gave you something to think about and maybe some new products to look into trying. 

Next week will be the last post in this Skincare Sunday series so don't forget to pop back. But don't fret, there will be plenty more Rosie Recommends coming your way!

Until next time,

ajarose xo



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Lush - Bits of bliss for your bath

This time last week I was relaxing in the country, a glass of wine in hand and thinking, ‘this is the life.’ Unfortunately, I’m back to reality now, but for a brief moment I’m going to transport back as I write this post.

It was the one feature I wasn’t willing to negotiate on, our room had to have a spa bath. Okay, a bath would have sufficed but when I saw this beautiful lodge overlooking a vineyard online and read that the rooms had a spa, I was sold.

So before we packed up and headed to Wine Country, I did what any beauty obsessed

normal girl would have done. I ran to Lush, derr. 

Entering the store immediately took me back to the days where our apartment had a bath, and made me instantly miss it. I love that scents can have that power over your memory.

As it had sadly been a while since I’ve had access to a bathtub, I was eager to find out what newbies Lush had in stock.

After some testing, a lot of smelling and a little sneezing, I walked out with three goodies for the trip.

1)   Yuzu and Cocoa Bubbleroon Bubble Bar (front) – A macaroon for your bath? Say whhaaatt!? I was told the bubble bars are great to crumble into running water before you add your bath bomb, so I went with this as the scent was a great match with the two bombs that took my fancy.

2)   Butterball (back right) – Pretty much a ball of coco butter, this bomb transforms your bath into a vanilla and ylang-ylang heaven. The water was turned into milk and was so silky smooth, if my skin hadn’t eventually pruned into a 90 year old lady I wouldn’t have got out.

3)   Dragon’s Egg Bath Ballistic (back left) – I was told this released glitter, confetti and changed your bath water multicoloured. I was so excited to use this bomb, I saved it for the last night. I was all ready to plop it in, expecting an instant party to erupt in my bath, but when the ball hit water nothing but an orange froth happened. Thinking it was a total flop, I jumped in the bath to soon discover gold glitter swirling around in the water, then the confetti came and hell, the party had started. The smell of this bomb was truly amazing and mixed with the bubble bar, my skin was left feeling like a baby’s bum.

There really is nothing like Lush, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. If you are lucky enough to have a bath in your house or apartment, one – damn you woman and two – get to lush, stat.

Some fool once said all good things have to come to an end, and yes I'm not soaking in a warm tub of lush goodness, but who says I can't pour a wine, light some candles and pretend a little bit longer?

Until next time lush lovers,

ajarose xo



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SKINCARE SUNDAY - How to master the art of a skincare routine

The first Sunday of July is finally here and that can only mean one thing - getting our skin into gear, of course!

Winter is well and truly upon us here in Australia, so there is no better time to kick start a new skincare routine, before our faces turn into dried up prunes.

You may think you have it down pat - cleanse, tone and moisturise. And yes, they are the minimal steps you should be taking, but do you have an eye cream? What about a serum? Where do you apply these amongst that basic 3 step routine? Let's break it down...

Cleanse - Okay to this would probably be the step I assume everyone does. But do you cleanse in the AM and PM? I had a reader ask, "why do I need cleanse in the morning if I cleanse in the evening? I didn't think my skin would get dirty from sleeping?" My answer? Your skin doesn't get 'dirty' but your skin cells do turn over, so cleansing is a way of removing that, preparing your skin for makeup and not to mention, wash away any of that night time nasty stuff that seems to build up around your eyes (yuck). 

Cleanse - No this isn't a typo. Depending on what routine you are doing, AM or PM, you may need to cleanse twice. A second cleanse is not necessary in the mornings if you have been a good girl the night before and followed the advice above. But in the PM (if you have been wearing makeup or SPF that day) you must double cleanse to remove every last trace. So let's make this clear, cleanse once in the AM and twice in the PM if you are wearing makeup/SPF.

RR TIP: Experience breakouts from wearing SPF? Don't blame the sunscreen, you have to double cleanse! 

Tone - This stage is probably the one I have been reading and researching the most. From what I have understood, the toning stage was originally what would remove the last traces of your cleanser and any makeup that was left over and was predominately full of alcohol. But as we are now washing our faces with water (not just removing our cleanser with a dry cotton pad, yuck), the toning stage is now designed to prep your skin going into your treatments in the PM and going into a face of makeup in the AM (note, this stage can be skipped in the morning if you prefer to prep with the option below). This stage of toner should include a liquid exfoliant. Something that will help remove dead skin and brighten your skin tone without the harsh abrasiveness of a bead exfoliant.

RR TIP: If you have any breakouts on your face and you use a bead exfoliant, you are only going to spread the infection around your face. A liquid exfoliant will still allow you to get in there and clean out your pores, but will help prevent any further infections and broken capillaries on the skin that harsh scrubs can cause. 

Tone - Again, not a typo. I know this is going to seem OTT for some of you. A second tone!? This gal is cray cray. But hear me out. The first tone stage is to exfoliate the skin, in liquid form remember? And the second tone is to add moisture back into the skin. This can be anything from Caudalie's Beauty Elixir to a rose water spray. I do this stage morning and night as I love the feeling of hydration, but if you don't want to exfoliate in the mornings as noted above, this is your tone stage. 

Eye Cream - If you wear any eye cream this is when you should apply it. If you put it on after your moisturiser, even if you are very careful not to get it around your eye area, it won't absorb where you want it. This is for AM and PM.

Serum/Treatment - Unless you have a specific treatment you like to apply during the mornings, this stage would generally just be for the PM. Makeup doesn't tend to sit the best over serums and oils which is why it's more beneficial to apply them at night time.

Moisturiser - Now it's time to pack on your moisturiser. Do you need a different moisturiser for day and night? That is up to you and your skins need. 

SPF - Obviously this last stage is for AM only. If none of your AM products have SPF included in them and you are going outside that day, you must apply SPF. 

RR TIP: If you have any spots or scars and you go into the sun without sunscreen, you will eventually be left with a dark mark where the blemish was. This is called hyper-pigmentation and is a really big pain to try and fade. Sunscreen is your BBF all year round. 

Okay so we are done! If you are freaking out and thinking this is way too much product to be putting on your face. Think again. Each stage is designed for a specific reason and of course can be determined on your skin type and skin concerns and/or needs, so listen to your skin and give it what it deserve. You only have one face remember?

Oh if anyone is going to ask, but shouldn't we just let our skin breath at night? News flash, your skin is always breathing. It's not rocket science. 

Next week I thought I would recommend a few products for each of these stages - what I use, what I want to use and what other people rave about so be sure to pop back!

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Note: I would like to thank Caroline Hirons for being my skincare go-to lady. Her blog, Beauty Mouth, is definitely worth reading if you are anywhere as obsessed as skincare as me.