In 2012, Trilogy celebrating 10th year in business is giving back and is launching a new year-long campaign to raise funds for Child’s i Foundation - a foundation set up to end the tragedy of baby abandonment in Uganda.

Trilogy has launched the limited edition Trilogy Helping Hand Wash 30ml (RRP AUD$19.95) with all profits from the sale of Helping Hand Wash throughout 2012 will be donated to Child’s i Foundation.

Helping Hand Wash contains natural antibacterial ingredients like Elderberry and Burdock, contains natural vegetable oils and Trilogy’s signature fragrance of frankincense, rose geranium and lavender. Texture wise, this hand wash is creamy and low foamy, leaving hands clean, smells refreshingly good and non stripping dry.

Trilogy is sold nationally through selected Priceline, Myer, pharmacy and health stores

ESP stands for Environmental Skin Protector combines antioxidant moisturisers combines natural, physical, mineral, zinc sunscreen (20%) and anti-pollution formula.

Pump bottle two in one functioning sunscreen (UVA/UVB) + moisturiser is the best bet for time poor individuals. While I am not a big fan of using skincare that combines moisturiser and sunscreen; but because of the high concentration of sunscreen, I deep dived into this and gave this a go.

As I already do have oily skin, moisturiser is not really ‘important’ on my list, hence I find this product just great on me. It acts as a barrier between the skin and the environment. Texture wise, this moisturiser is quite watery but the consistency is still rich. I use two full pumps for my face and neck area everyday in the morning.

Due to its zinc content, the sunscreen takes a while to rub in and to blend onto skin so make sure you put in the effort to massage and thoroughly work it all over face/neck. Scent wise it does smells like a zinc sunscreen. As for the finish, it is WORTH it. My skin felt refreshingly cool with a quite comfortable and non greasy finish.

In fact, I’ve been told this sunscreen can prevent those bad burns you get during ski trips! If you’re in the market for a high performance sunscreen, this one is a winner.

RRP AUD$35

Available on counters now 

For a nude palette, Bobbi Brown has nailed the palette down with screaming hot pink casing on the outside and the discreet classic black on the outside. From the Neons and Nudes Collection the limited edition Bobbi Brown Ultra Nude Eye Palette is one to watch out for if you’re in the market for a nude eye palette minus the shimmer.

Now you’d think that, oh this is just another nude eye palette. Well you are wrong. This is no normal nude eye palette because:

• The six colours in this staple palette suits everyone (regardless if you’re warm or cool toned)

• Perfect for those who are afraid of wearing eye shadow or simply don’t know how to (these colour are quite sheer so even none pro blending skill can get this mastered)

• Comes with beiges (you can’t go wrong with this shade) to browns (for a slightly more intense look minus the OTT smokey eye look)

• Has a combination of mostly matte and shimmer finishes (think pearlised shimmer rather than glitter shimmer)

• Comes with really handy and actually usable double ended make up brush, so there’s no need to invest in further make up brushes

RRP AUD$99

See full palette shades here

Available on counters officially 19th Feb 2012 but you can purchase it online at Bobbi Brown website now (get in quick as Bobbi Brown is notorious at selling out their limited edition palettes)

I have a confession, I find it extremely gross to get make over done in a makeup counter. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning new tips from the experienced makeup artists, trying new products and colours on me but just not big on using products on display counters straight to my face.

Reason behind this is that no matter how clean and hygienic you think you are; the next uneducated customer is just going to come along, dig their dirty finger onto the makeup products on display and apply it to their face. I have seen people apply lipstick on display to their lips, JUST LIKE THAT, using the liner on display on their eyes, JUST LIKE THAT, using the bronzers on display and buffing away, JUST LIKE THAT. Gross much? It is disturbing and is a major ground for breeding infections.

This is the same reason why I would never swim in a public pool. The thought of while I do not piss in the swimming pool but that doesn’t stop someone else from doing so and I don’t want to drown myself in someone else’s piss. Major gross. I know, I am weird.

As a result, I only trial beauty products at the counter on the back of my hand unless it is a pump bottle product.

Do you feel the same way?

To celebrate their association with New York Fashion Week, Maybelline NY is releasing a limited edition NYFW Baby Lips Lip Balm SPF20 in February. This lip balm delivers a conditioning formula and berry fragrance that keep lips moisturised for a full 8 hours and decreases fine lines.

To share their excitements, from 9-16th February 2012 – Maybelline have 10,000 limited edition Baby Lips lip balms up for grabs. They will be conducting a treasure hunt at New York Fashion Week AND you are all invited as it is online.

Clues will be posted on Maybelline NY’s facebook page. Good luck!

#1 Make Up Brushes from NP Set, Benefit and Royal & Langnickel – Make up brushes that are worth investing and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

#2 Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser – HG quality concealer, such a shame with the sponge applicator design.

#3 Lanolips Lip Ointment with Color SPF 15 in #Apples – Favourite colour from Lanolips so far!

#4 UNT Color BB Cream – One of the better BB cream I have tested recently, dewy, good coverage and gives me a great natural skin finish.

#5 Restylane Skincare – Simple, effective and affordable. You can’t go wrong with this range.

#6 Harmony Home Spa Ultrasonic Cleansing System – Clarisonic watch out, this newbie is going to take you out!

Congratulations to PENNY GEORGE, now get busy and email me your postal address.

You won a set of Dermalogica Daylight Defence Kit. The prize comes in a re-usable zip bag that includes:

• Multivitamin BodyBlock SPF 20
• Solar Defence Booster SPF 30
• Solar Shield SPF 15
• After Sun Repair

IMPORTANT NOTES: 

Please email me at (ponikuta@gmail.com) your postal address in the next 48 hours so I can organise to have your prize sent out. If I don’t hear from you, the prize will be redrawn for the next lucky winner.

If there’s a time that you should invest in skin brightening products, now is the perfect time. Summer time is when UVA/UVB is extra harmful to our skin, hence a potent product like DMK Super Bright (high concentrated of Vitamin C) helps to target melanin production and to prevent things like freckles, age spots and pigmentations.

Super Bright is a night use only cream. To be honest I am quite surprise with the texture of this product as it is very watery (even though it is creamy rich) and is packaged in a jar instead of a bottle. As a result, I had to be extra careful with opening the jar and avoid any over spilling.

I find this cream really comfortable on the skin (without any stinging reaction like how some Vitamin C products can cause) and has a faint smell of vitamin c after application. Even though the product is really rich and creamy, it absorbs fairly quickly into skin without leaving any greasy residue.

After two and half weeks of using this as my night cream, I find my skin look more even tone and less blotchy. In terms of brightening, I have to say, I didn’t see my skin go shades lighter or anything like that so if you’re worried about any brightening products bleaching your face, you will have nothing to worry about.

RRP AUD$132 (60ml)

Available in DMK salons now

Removes make up (including eye make up) in one wipe. Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes comes in 30 wipes and removes make up, cleanse your skin and tone in one step.

Personally, I have been using cleansing wipes lately as soon as I get home for that nice clean feel and double cleanse before I go to bed. I blame the weather for being so yucky and sticky! Besides, after having make up on face all day long, it feels great to wipe it all off, as soon as I step home.

Star ingredients include white tea extract, cucumber extract, aloe. Each sheet is pre moistened, revives skin without any drippy mess. If you like white tea scent, you’d be please to know that this one comes scented with white tea naturally, a very unique and distinct scent – it smells clean and refreshing, the scent lingers quite a while too.

Especially great for travel, long flights, gym bag, busy day, prior to a nap and to freshen up. These are so handy, I love it.

RRP AUD$9.95 (30 pack) 

Burt’s Bees is available from David Jones, Myer, Priceline and selected pharmacies

Stockist number in Australia 1300 855 478

Available on counters now

#302 – Rose Ideal

Lancome L’Absolu Nu also known as the ‘Replenishing & Enhancing Lip Color’ is made in France and is developed with a unique formula – pro xylane designed to keep your lips replenished. This formula helps to keep the lip well hydrated and provide the lipstick a ‘bare-lip sensation’.

Available in 16 shades to perfectly match your lip tone from brown-neutrals, pink-berries to red-corals.

Keeps my natural lip tone in a veil of shiny, translucent colour. Feels really lightweight and comfortable on the lips. This is with a base coat of lip balm and a layer of lipstick. #302 is a pinkish rose colour – appears very natural and sheer on my lips.Very creamy and very hydrating.

RRP AUD$49

Now available on Lancome counters

Graphite Refillable Compact

Earlier in 2011, Jane Iredale released a limited edition luxurious graphite compact that is refillable for mineral foundation of your choice from Jane Iredale’s PurePressed Base, PureMatte or Beyond Matte foundation. Best of all, the compact comes with a Swarovski crystal.

The sleek compact features a large mirror and is made of recyclable and eco-friendly materials. Personally, I picked the  PurePressed Base Mineral Powder refill to go with the compact and it fits effortlessly with the compact without needing much efforts.

RRP AUD$24

To find stockist, click here

]]> http://www.ponikuta.com/2012/02/jane-iredale-graphite-refillable-compact/feed/ 0 http://www.ponikuta.com/2012/02/opi-the-holland-collection/ http://www.ponikuta.com/2012/02/opi-the-holland-collection/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:02:45 +0000 ponikuta http://www.ponikuta.com/?p=5651  

OPI’s Autumn collection aka OPI The Holland Collection features wooden shoes, pickled herring and tulip. The Holland Collection features 12 colors Autumn colours with a burst of vibrancy.

From left:

• Wooden Shoe Like to Know (reddish chocolate brown),
• Vampsterdam (deep grape purple),
• Thanks A WindMillion (sea green),
• A Roll in the Hague (sun-lit orange),
• Peddle Faster Suzi (pink lavender)

From left:  

• Did You ‘ear About Van Gosh? (sandy bisque),
• Red Lights Ahead…Where? (coral red)

From left:

• Kiss Me on My Tulip (hot pink),
• I have a Herring Problem (blue-grey),
• I don’t give a Rotterdam! (blue),
• Gouda Gouda Two Shoes (robust rose),
• Dutch ‘Ya Just Love OPI? (plum purple)

#Wooden Shoe Like to Know – This rich chocolate brown comes with a hint of gold shimmer in it. For some reason the gold shimmer fail to show on the actual swatch but looks absolutely gorgeous in the bottle.

RRP AUD$19.95 each

Available on counters and salons now

It is another month and there’s another giveaway. This time one lucky winner will walk away with a Dermalogica Daylight Defence Kit (valued for RRP AUD$59). I have been using this kit throughout Summer and boy do I love them all especially the Solar Defence Booster. I won’t start nagging y’all about sunscreen protection but I must say – one can never have too much sun protection! In fact, some one* told me she got a better tan with sunscreen on – not that I condone it but go figure.

The prize comes in a re-usable zip bag that includes:

• Multivitamin BodyBlock SPF 20
• Solar Defence Booster SPF 30
• Solar Shield SPF 15
• After Sun Repair

How to win it: 

Subscribe to ponikuta.com (Via the RSS feed top right) or ‘like’ my Ponikuta Facebook page and let me know in comments below that you’ve done so.

*I am only basing my statement on that some one because I don’t tan myself.

Make up artists and professionals will always tell you make up tools will make of break your make up routine. I personally agree to this to an extend; while you don’t need make up brush for every single make up step, there are a few that you most possibly can’t do without for example the blush brush, powder brush, eye shadow brushes to name a few.

I have been raving about how much I adore those make up brushes from Bobbi Brown & Hakuhodo and they certainly are not cheap either. Recently I’ve trialled brushes from a few other brands and is quite happy to report back with the following. They all work just as good and is relatively heaps cheaper than BB. So let’s begin shall we?

Benefit Cosmetics is one of those brands that takes us by surprise with their quirky packaging and quality of products. I am pretty surprised to see their brushes look so ‘normal’. They are sturdy, doesn’t shred when I wash them and is soft and does its job.

Benefit brushes starts from $28 – $30++. I find them very reasonable for the quality of their brushes. Brownie points for its quality of the bristles without any fall outs. The range is however quite limited, there’s only 6 brushes to choose from, great for beginners who aren’t too sure how many brushes they need and what they can do with it.

Royal and Langnickel Silk Green Line brush is the perfect eco-friendly option if you like your products natural and is environmentally friendly.

This 12 piece brush set is retailing for around $120, making each brush approximately $10 + a brush case that is comes with. Travel friendly and comes with all brushes that you need unless you’re a pro that requires 20,948,395 brushes. The brushes are super silky soft as they are 100% synthetic brushes.

Great option for someone who have very few brushes and require a complete set of make up brushes, you can’t go wrong with this.

NP Set  brushes ranges from $9.99 – $29.99. Another affordable range with great quality brushes. They are soft to touch and picks up colour just as good as the expensive brushes.

There are around 14 make up brushes all up from NP Set with a few double ended brushes mostly under the $20 mark. Comes with NP Set signature white colour, I especially love the Crease Blender Brush and Primer Brush, they are the clear stand outs.

You can probably read about my past experiences with DMK products and I still swear by some of their best selling products like the Micro Peel, Acu Masque, Deep Pore Cleanser and so on.

With the changing temperature and the constant change with my skin, DMK has recently personalised a program that suits my skin specifically looking at reversing sun damages to my skin and to prevent any future possible sun damage.

DMK Herb & Mineral Moisture Restoring Spray

RRP AUD$63.50

This is recommended to use after moisturiser or on its own when needed. Unlike your typical facial spray that sits onto your skin and dries it out, this one replenishes with herbs and minerals to keep skin at well hydrated level.  It is also a refreshing welcome to keep at your office desk or in the fridge for the hot Summer days.

DMK Dermatox (MY FAV OUT OF THE LOT!)

RRP AUD$40.50

We all do detox to our body all the time but often neglect that our skin aka our largest organ requires detox too. This helps to remove toxins and free radical causing pollutants from the epidermal layers of our skin. To be honest, the product itself is quite neutral scented but it stung really bad on my skin once applied (I have been told that strong odours occurs when your skin is extremely toxin, so go figure!) However, once rinsed, the odours disappears.

I start by pouring some of the dermatox onto a cotton pad and wipe down my face and neck. Let it sit on my face 5-10 minutes and rinse out. Love how my skin always has a brighter, clearer and softer results each and every time I use this.

DMK Melanoplex Creme

RRP AUD$109

Many people often associate brightening products with bleaching. This is a common misconception and Melanoplex Creme uses an exclusive ‘non bleaching’ product to reduce hyper pigmentation (the freckles and brown spots). The formula inhibits tyrosine which stimulates melanin in our body.

I for one have over productive tyrosine that makes me tan way too easily and even when I hide my life from sun and I somehow turn brown!! Whenever I get acne on my skin, I am bound to get pigmentation scarring that last on forever and ever, longer than a fairy tale’s ending.

I am currently use this faithfully every night during Summer and is loving how acne scarring seems to speed up and hopefully it will protect me against signs of pre mature ageing.

DMK Solar Damage Gel

RRP AUD$35

This gel moisturiser is god sent during Summer months. Designed to repair and restore skin that has been punished by age, harmful UV rays and external aggravations. It works to help boost collagen and elastin fibres while promoting more efficient hydration and cell regeneration.

The great thing is that this product is ideal for face (including the delicate eye area), neck, hands or body. I find this brightens and hydrates my skin well without breaking it out. It can however be a little sticky, so be sure to use a tiny bit and gently massage with hands and pat/dab all over desired area.

Other notes:

DMK is a salon only brand (prescribed by professionals)

All products mentioned in this post is now available on counters