The Parcel by Marie Claire: Summer Edit

Not going to lie, I think this may be the best beauty subscription box I have ever received. The Summer Edit of The Parcel by Marie Claire was choc full of cult products and brands that I have wanted to try for a long time and have either been too lazy or poor from spending too much money on pancakes to give them a shot. It is also one of the best value for money boxes I have received, with many of the products being full sized. So go ahead, have a gander:

Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream

Eight Hour cream is one of those cult products that I have heard many things about but never actually tried. So I was pretty chuffed when I opened up The Parcel and found one inside. You can use it on your skin as a moisturiser, for cuticles, to heal cuts and bruises, mix in with your makeup for a dewier finish or dab on top as a highlighter. Sounds promising, and for a formula to remain unchanged for many decades, it must do wonders. Sample size

Philosophy Purity Cleanser

This is a 3-1-makeup cleanser for face and eyes. It smells beautiful and is apparently suitable to rub onto the eye area. I will give this ago tonight, and if you haven't heard from me, I’m probably blind from rubbing cleanser into my eyes and don't know how to log into social media without assistance from my guide dog. Nonetheless, I’m excited to finally try a product from the brand philosophy. Sample size 

Essie 'Fifth Avenue' Nail Polish

It's red, so this will be on regular rotation on my fingers and toes. I love red polish and was so happy to see this in the box when usually in other subscription services you get left with unflattering colours that obviously aren't selling at department stores. Full sized product valued at RRP $16.96

Essie All in One Polish

I am not the best with my nails, this I will admit. For years I was a nail biter, but I was never one of those nippers that bit all the way down to the wick. I occasionally have acrylics on, but if I don't my nails are free range without a hint of polish. Though they could use some extra TLC. I've seen this in Priceline before and have been so tempted to pick it up but in the end decide not too because I’m not that fussy with my nails. But now I have my mitts on the 'All in One’, which is a base, coat, top coat and nail strengthener. Basically it is the Lauren Conrad of polish and does a bit of everything. Full sized product valued at $17.95

Jergens Ultra Healing Body Moisturiser 

If there were anything that could smell like a hug, it would be this. The smell is so pleasant and soothing and absorbs instantly into skin without feeling like a grease monkey. Go pick yourself up a tube.. or just go to a retailer and have a sniff. Full sized product valued at $5.99

Revlon Age Defying CC Cream

Just like a BB cream but one letter higher up the alphabet, the Revlon CC cream is a colour correcting cream designed to be a do it all makeup base that also covers signs of ageing, hyperpigmentation and dehydration. This unfortunately came to me in the shade ‘Medium’, which are about a bazillion (or a few bazillion if you want to be specific) shades dark for me. Will pass onto a lusciously tanned friend. Full sized product valued at $26.95

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream

This is the product I am the most excited to try. I love Estee Lauder and I’ve been eyeing this off at the counter whenever I pick up a new bottle of doublewear. But the cost is just too pricey ($95) to buy incase it is a dud. So hooray for small samples that I will be slathering on my eyes tonight after they are strained from staring at Julian McMahons naked body in Nip/Tuck for hours on end. Sample size

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo, Conditioner and Blow-out Spray

I have pretty thick hair with plenty of natural volume (thanks to my home dawgs double part and cowlick) but this little trio smell delish and I’m hoping for even higher volume in my hair so I can finally complete my metamorphosis into a hybrid of my heroes Dolly Parton and Fran Fine, so we will see how it plays out. Deluxe sample size

So if you have not already subscribed to The Parcel, do so right now because it features great brands and value for money!

5 Products: 4 Loves, 1 Dislike

ModelCo  - Daily Face

This is a little tube of wonders that I cannot rave enough about. The broad-spectrum wonder is cruelty free and contains no PEGs, sulfates, parabens, chemicals or mineral oils. It is slightly tinted in an extremely flattering shade, is wonderful at stopping the usual oil slick that sunscreen leaves on your face. Oh and it is also SPF50+. ModelCo Daily Face shields against both UVA and UVB rays and is very lightweight, unlike most sunscreens, which means it is also perfect to wear under makeup because it is just a perfect little multitasking gem. If I could pinch $25 out of everyone’s wallets just to buy them a tube of it I would. Great Australian brand with a great product ALL Aussies should be using to protect themselves from the dangerous sun. 

*This is also a friendly reminder to go get your skin checked out by a proper dermatologist with a specialty in skin cancers before these harsh summer rays hit. None of this going to a GP business, they are hopeless and not trained to see early developing melanomas. Go get yourself to a clinic stat! My personal preference is Sun Patrol Skin Cancer Clinic in Berwick, but if that is too far away for you, Google will gladly help you out!

Brazilian Butterfly - Delicate Body Lotion

As a keen waxer this lotion is my saviour against nasties like ingrown hairs. It also soothes dry skin, cuts and is infused with aloe vera and witch hazel to protect against waxing bumps. Personally I also find that it helps with the redness and swelling you experience after an appointment and it only needs to be applied once a day. There is no downside to this lovely lotion as it is non greasy and also able to be used by gals and guys who are undergoing laser hair removal. I haven't looked back since my waxer Steph recommended it to me months ago, she is such a gem!

I've almost used up all of my primer

Stila - One Step Correct

I loved my Napoleon Perdis primers but they betrayed me. After months of figuring out why I’m suddenly breaking out and discovering it must be a product I’m using, unfortunately I narrowed it down to my beloved primer. It’s ok, I rehomed it in a friends makeup bag, as she is one of those crazy witchcraft people who only get one pimple every 3 years. But much like the Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey Newlywed years (#neverforget) I quickly moved on. Oh boy am I glad I did because I stumbled onto this beaut when taking a leisurely stroll through Mecca.

Instead of using multiple primers to address multiple skin concerns this little gem does it all in one go for you. The primer consists of three individual primers, which are Green to reduce redness and conceal blemishes, Lavender to target sallow undertones and Peach to brighten and illuminate. When applied to skin it has a soothing and cooling feeling that feels so divine. It doesn’t feel heavy on your skin, yet it completely smoothes over pores and fine lines giving you a beautiful glowy and smooth complexion.  This does absolute wonders for your skin and even if the Napoleon Perdis primers didn’t make me break out like the before photo of a Proactiv ad, I would still prefer the Stila primer.

Completely used up! That is how much I loved this face cream

Origins - GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturiser

You know how beauty advertising loves to splash around crazy words and promises in regards to products? I remember one L’Oreal ad where it promised an anti ageing product would change your DNA at some point. Don’t quote me on that though. If there were ever a product to attach crazy life changing advertising claims to, it would be this one. This just does wonders for your skin and is pretty much the best moisturiser I have ever used. For starters, it has the most insanely wonderful, divine, delicious citrus smell! If I could attach a jar of this to my face, like a food bag to a mule, I would. I wouldn’t even care about the looks I’d get in public because that is how much I’m obsessed with the smell of this.  Once applied to your skin it is so lightweight and refreshing and just perks up your skin.  Your complexion looks dewy and healthy and like you just stepped out of bikram yoga. But without the dehydration, tomato faced redness and hint of regret. It is also the perfect moisturiser to layer makeup products over and is just an all round A+.

DeLorenzo – Essential Treatments Oil Balance

DeLorenzo is also one of those excellent brands with a focus on earth friendliness by using natural ingredients, recyclable materials and excluding animal testing. Their ‘Oil Balance’ is marketed as a “pre-shampoo treatment that works to nourish dry and damaged hair” and I was eager to give this a go as my locks had been through the ringer a bit with too much heat styling. With most hair treatments I’ve tried I notice a difference instantly, but with this one I didn’t; and if anything my hair felt heavier and looked lackluster. This is to be sprayed onto dry hair pre shower and left to its own devices. Just a tip; if you do want to try it, spray it in the shower because the first time I used it by entire bathroom was covered in a thin layer of oil. The reasons I did not like this was because it was messy to use (by leaving a crime scene in my bathroom) , the smell was actually super foul and it did not deliver results. Sounded so great on paper but unfortunately like many things did not translate. If this were Tinder, I would definitely be swiping left.