Lengthen your lashes with 1000 Hour Eyelash Enhancing Serum

For those of us who are not naturally blessed with luscious thick and long lashes, we go to great lengths to gain fluttery looking eye, whether it be done by piling on copious coats of mascaras or going down the path of false lashes or lash extensions.

There is also a growing market out there for eye lash serums that promises to promote lash growth naturally. I’ve never really thought much about lash serums to be honest as I didn’t think it would work for me but when I had the opportunity to trail a lash serum recently, I decided to find out once and for all whether they actually improve lash growth.

1000 Hour Eyelash Enhancing Serum - 2.5ml 

1000 Hour claims:

97% natural based ingredients that is loaded with vitamins and minerals to condition lashes. It is also paraben and fragrance free so is less likely to irritate eyes. 

Conditions lashes and help provide strength, improving its flexibility and elasticity so that it is less prone to fallouts.

Increase thickness and volume of lashes. 

My view:
This is a gel based product in a tube like you would find of any mascara. I like that it’s The wand is has a fine tip brush at the end like you would find in eye liners and you pretty much use it like one- applying the lash serum along the lines of the eye. I like to get as close to the lash line as possible so use the brush in a tight lining fashion which means applying the gel along my water line where the lash base is on my top and bottom lashes.

The lash serum not only helps with the health of your lashes, but can also help with sparse brows as well, so I applied some on the ends of my brows hoping that it could work miracles as well.

Fast forward a month later of regular use (I admit, I wasn't good with daily twice a day use as I may have forgotten during some late nights to use the serum), the verdicts are in.

I definitely experience fewer lash fall outs, in fact within the first week. I’d have fewer and 1 lash fall out in a week when I normally have one a day.

I haven’t notice much volume or thickening of my lashes but I would dare say that due to the fewer fallouts, I've got more lashes on my eyes than before I've started out as  the serum promotes hair growth. This appears to be the case with the sparse ends of my brows as well which is now slightly more filled than before (it is still pretty sparse).

I’ve also noticed that my lashes were slightly longer as well. This was most noticeable for my bottom lashes which I barely have any of that are visible and now, I have some very fine lashes growing on my lower lash line.

In summary, I’m quietly very pleased with the results. They are not dramatic and I certainly still need the help of a coat or two of mascara, but now, I can create a more doll eye look with mascara as there are more lashes for me to coat products with. If you’re looking for ways to naturally enhancing your lashes, do give lash serums a try.

1000 Hours Eyelash Enhancing Serum RRP A$39.99 at selected Price Attack stores and online at The Beauty Office.

This featured product was provided for editorial consideration. 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye Cream

Back in late January, Kiehl's launched it's latest product, the Midnight Recovery eye cream. I had the opportunity to use the product for the last month and now it's time to share with you my thoughts on it.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye Cream -15ml RRP A$44

• Designed to restore your peepers while you sleep at night, this light yet emollient cream is scented with calming lavender essential oil. 
• It is rich but not heavy and easily sinks into skin without any stickiness or residue (remember to use a gentle patting motion to get the product into skin) - something that I always look for in my skincare as I find the sticky feeling uncomfortable. 
• The emollient feel comes from the evening primrose oil and squalene (unfortunately, those with seafood allergies will need to avoid this product) as well as shea butter, sunflower and jojoba oil. 

• Results are immediate and longer term. Instant effects like well hydrated and plump skin under the eyes help to reduce the dry and fine lines. The next morning after use, I also notice that my eyes are less puffy, even if I'd not slept well the night before. My dark circles also appear to be slightly fainter after a week's use. 
• Over the course of the month, I have to say my skin around the eye is soft, supple and moist and puffy eyes no longer plague me in the mornings. 

For well hydrated skin in your delicate eye area, Kiehl's have provided a beautiful solution with the Midnight Recovery eye cream. It's no wonder the product is a winner and  currently sold out on its online store.

Available now at selected Myer, David Jones stores and online.
This featured product was provided for consideration.

All About Eyes: Skin Physics Instant FX & ASAP Advanced Eye Repair +

Today’s skincare series is focused on the eye.

I had the pleasure of trying two eye products over the past couple of months, enough time to sufficiently road test them and now it’s time to report back.

Skin Physics Instant FX – Instant Eye Makeover
Description
Instant FX Instant Eye Makeover is the newest revolution from cosmeceutical pioneer, Skin Physics, It is the world’s first product to contain an ultra-hydrating ingredient hyadisine formulated to mimic a unique sea mussel from Douarenez Bay France.


The anti-ageing cream, couple with multiple roller balls and micro-massage vibrating technology instantly targets wrinkles, fine lines and puffiness, while dark circles, saggy eyelids, skin firmness and collagen production are improved with long term use.

• Unique ingredients include hyadisine derived from mussels that give long lasting hydration to skin, aminiobutyric acid (GABA) which instantly reduces wrinkle appearance, purslane, gota kola and ginseng to relax expression lines.
• This eye gel product comes in a roller ball pen which means it is easy to carry around for use of the go if required. But instead of clicking the end to dispense the product from the three roller balls like other pen-style eye gel (you gently squeeze the body of the pen), clicking the end will activate the pen vibration and will give you a soothing massage whilst applying this around the eye area.
• As for product, it’s a gel that instantly cools the skin when applied and is light and non-sticky. Interesting it also gives a heated sensation as if the area after a minute as if it’s has been touched by chilli powder so it feels very weird. It’s a good thing the heated feeling fades in 5 minutes time.
• I also felt a tightening of skin soon after application, so the tightening effect seems to be working straight away to temporarily restrictthe formations of expressions.
• I noticed my puffy eyes diminishing minutes later and dry lines are plumped up by the hydration as well as a reduction in expression lines when my face was in a relaxed state (ie, not smiling).
• After using this for 4 weeks, my eye areas are fresher and smoother, the texture improved and I look like I’ve had adequate sleep most nights. I don’t have bags under my eyes anymore but my dark circles didn't seem to lighten at all.
• There is improvement on the fine lines after 6 weeks use but I felt it the instant results didn't translate to significant long term improvements. I’m not sure if prolonged longer term use will give better results so I’ll continue to use up the tube.

This is a great eye gel and in keeping with its name and claim, it works brilliantly for instant results. Whilst I'm happy with the immediate effects, I didn’t feel it did a better than other good eye creams or gels in the same price range. It’s safe to say I’m ambivalent about this product due to the weird heat tingling sensation despite loving the hydration, vibrating massage and short term results it gave.

If you have a special occasion and want instant improvement, then this could be the right product for you. For longer term results, I’d look to other eye creams such as the one below.

RRP A$67 -12ml at select Myer, Shaver Shop stores, pharmacies and online here.

ASAP advanced eye repair + 
Description
Formulated with potent coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone), white tea and arnica to hydrate, nourish and readuce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles while promoting skin rnewal to improve texture and tone.

• This pale yellow eye cream expressed from an airless pump is light and spreads very well, meaning a rice grain size amount will moisturise an entire eye and instant relieve and dry skin in the area. It feels slightly sticky upon application but that disappears once the product is absorb into the skin 2 minutes later.
• While immediate results are well moisturised eyes, it’s the longer term results that I’m most impressed with in this eye cream. My stubborn dark circles are lighter after 2 weeks use (and I get the same amount of inadequate sleep throughout that period). I attribute this to the arnica as that is a proven ingredient to assist with breaking down bruising faster (I guess dark circles are sort of like bruises)
• My skin really loves the CoQ10 and after a month’s use, my fine lines are more diminished, even on bare skin without using any products, it had definitely improved their appearances. The added benefits of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) helps to ensure those lines are soften.
• As for skintone, skin is definitely smoother, brighter and more even after a month use.

This has been my go to eye cream for the past 2 months (alternating with Aum’s firming eye cream) and I’m loving the results I’m getting from these 2 product and definitely high on my list to refill.

RRP $59 - 15ml at ASAP stocklists across Australia and New Zealand. It is also available online at the Facial Company and Adorebeauty.
These featured product were provided for consideration.

Review: terre & mer by Thalgo Eye Contour Cream

Thalgo is a French spa skincare brand that I've recently had the pleasure of being acquainted with. Since 1968, Thalgo has been bringing to spas around the world luxurious treatments based on their renowned marine algae formulats and other plant based skin care products.

Paying homage to their nature-based roots, Thalgo created an organically certified line back in 2002 called terre & mer by drawing inspirations from the Mediterranean to come up with products that both recognises and respects your skin and its environment. All terre & mer products comply with the COSMEBIO Charter (which demands a minimum of 95% plant based ingredients in products with a minimum 10% organic origins) and contribute to the development of Organic Farming.

This eco-design range recently added to its line up the contour eye cream with organic olive leaf to help us look after our delicate eye area without synthetic ingredients or parabens, mineral oil and propylene glycol which may cause irritations.

terre & mer by Thalgo Eye Contour Cream with Organic Olive leaf 15ml

• Cream based, it is scentless, light and readily absorbs into skin. This doesn't leave any greasiness yet is hydrating enough to make crepey skin disappear instantly
• With star ingredients of green algae powder, organic olive extract, aloe vera, ivy, and red vine leaf extra creates a powerful blend of antioxidants to help fight free-radicals, remineralises the skin and assist with cell regeneration.
• Also contains extracts of Organic Cornflower and Mallow allow the skin to be decongested to refine the skin texture.   
• Results: plump supple skin that is even in texture and well nourished allowing makeup to sit well on top of it.

In a nutshell: quintessential to fighting the signs of aging, a eye cream is a must and this mulit-action contour cream keeps the free-radicals and crepey skin at bay while giving good hydration throughout the day.

Want more reviews on eye creams? check out these 5 eye creams you need to know about.

A$45 at selected spas and salons. Find your nearest Thalgo stocklist here. More information about terre & mer can be found here.

This product was provided for consideration. 

5 Eye Creams You Need to Know About

Our eyes may be the windows to our soul but they are also is the first area to show the early signs of aging and fatigue with dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles.

While nothing beats a sound 10 hour sleep and sun protection to help prevent these problems, there are some great products on out there to help you keep your peepers looking fresh and rectify the tell-tales signs of tiredness and premature aging.

1. Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair 15ml 
Winter dries out my oily combo skin and I'm currently experiencing a bout of dry patches across my face and the skin under the eye area is rather dehydrated.

Enter this little gem from Dermalogica, an ultra rich gel but not heavy or greasy on skin, it instantly hydrates skin to eliminate fine lines and crepiness and keeps the skin moisturised throughout the day.

Contains a cocktail of antioxidant-rich ingredients like cucumber extract, arnica and wild yam extract, vitamin A, B5, C, E to fight free radicals as well as help repair prematurely aging skin. It also primes skin to help makeup sit on skin better rather than sink into the fine lines.

This is a FITE product so its sale will help fund a female entrepreneur in a developing country. To find out more, visit www.joinFITE.org

RRP A$71 at selected salons and at the FacialCompany.

2. Olay Regenerist Anti-aging Roller 6ml*

Click the end of this anti-aging pen to dispense the product out and then massage it into the under eye skin area with 3 precision massaging rollers. You will be greeted with instant coolness against your skin from the metal rollers whilst the massaging action improves blood circulation around the eye area and allows the caffeine and vitamin E infused serum to be delivered deeper into the skin to reduces eye puffiness. Before you know it, you'll be de-puffed and looking wide awake. 

It also has dimethicone to fill in lines and smooth over wrinkles to give a more youthful under eye area appearance.

RRP A$49.99 at supermarkets, Priceline and most pharmacies.

3. Kiehl's Ultimate White Darkness Diminishing Activated Eye Treatment 15ml* 
Now that you've sorted out the hydration and puffiness, attack the dark circles with this potent eye cream that will gradually fade darkness with vitamin C, plum fruit extract and glucoside. You will have to be persistent with this cream as it won't give you results overnight but you will get that brigthened translucent under-eye skin in 3 weeks time. It also gives very excellent hydration to dry, tired eyes.

RRP A$62 at Kiehl's counters or Kiehl's Online.

4. Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-aging Eye Serum 15ml
The holy grail of all eye creams. That is all.
Oh alright, I'll elaborate. I love this eye serum because when I wake up in mornings after using it the night before, I have next to no sign of puffiness in sight. My dark circles are lighter, the skin in my under eye area is firmer, hydrated and fine lines are barely visible - all thanks to the 0.5% idebenone formula that my skin is such a fan of. If I didn't have a mortgage, I'd be hauling this by the truckload to use forever.

RRP A$165 at Elizabeth Arden counters

5. Peter Thomas Roth Power K Eye Rescue 15g
Given my very bad dark circles, I'm always trying to find quick fixes for them and this was one of those purchase I wish I hadn't made.  Lured by the promise of vitamin K (at 5% concentration which this clearly isn't, it's proven to fade dark circles and help treat bruises) and flanked with a stellar line up ingredients such as vitamin c, green tea, kojic acid, arnica and CQ10, this rich gel was too hard to resist.

I admit I enjoy bursting the CQ10 micro-capsule when rubbing the gel into my under eye skin and although it is a good eye gel in all other aspects, it just didn't do the one thing I wanted it for - reduce dark circles.
For the price, I want to see results pronto but  after 1 whole week of use, my skin just didn't respond. I didn't see improvements in darkness nor was it any better at reducing puffiness than the Olay eye serum so yes I'll be holding a grudge against Mr. Thomas Roth for this particular eye treatment.

Personally, I would choose the others eye serums before forking out such an exorbitant amount that didn't deliver more than its budget-friendly counterparts.

RRP A$125 at Kit Cosmetics counters or Mecca Cosmetica.


Out of the five, you all know which is my favourite but a close second is the Dermalogica Intensive Rich repair for it super hydrating properties whilst the Kiehl's Darkness Diminishing Activated eye treatment is slowly winning me over as I start to see results of lighter dark circles.

Do you use eye creams on a daily basis? What are your favourite eye creams?

Products marked * were provided for consideration. All other products were purchased by me. 

Review: Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist & Herbal Recovery Eye Cream

Nowadays, We are more aware of what we put into our skin and many people are gravitating towards natural and organic skincare sources but also demanding that these products deliver effective results.

Many brands are jumping onto the organic bandwagon but there just happens to be an Aussie brand that pitches itself towards this market that I think makes amazing products.

About Jurlique

• 100% Australian made and owned company. 
• Strong belief of marrying nature and science together to produce innovative skincare products that meets the needs demanding consumers 
• Started in 1985 by husband and wife team Dr. Jurgen Klien and Ulrike, both chemical scientists with backgrounds in herbology, homeopathy and alchemy. 
• Sourcing as many ingredients from local farms and often growing their own herbs and flowers to harvest, Jurlique ensures only the purest ingredients goes into every jar or bottle of their product backed by a leading R&D team in South Australia to formulate the high-performing products. 

Below are just 2 of their products I’ve tried so far and love. 

Rosewater Balancing Mist  - RRP A$24 / US$21 / £14.50 for 30ml 

• Helps sets makeup and gets rid of the cakey look immediately after makeup applications. 
• Rehydrates skin in dry environments, aka full blast air-conditioned offices.
• Tones and balances the skin out so it doesn’t produce as much sebum during the day. 
• Best of all, it's like the freshest bunch of roses ever, sweetened ever so slightly with marshmallow root extract (which is actually an African floral plant, not the confectionery stuff you get from the supermarkets). 
• I spritz it on me as often as required and feels even more amazing on skin when it’s been chilled in the fridge 

Herbal Recovery Eye Cream  - RRP A$52.00 / US$40/ £34.00 for 15ml 

• Best Selling range for Jurlique, this emollient eye cream is soothing and refreshing and the botanical scent is not overpowering at all.
• Non-heavy or greasy, it quickly is quickly absorbed into skin to provide hydration and sooth any any crepiness you may have.
• Does a good job of brightening the eye with liquorice root extract. 
• Used during mornings, this helped markedly with reducing puffiness but didn’t do too much for my incredibly dark circles.

What I appreciate about the brand is that you can find see all the ingredients listing on their website. They don't hide anything about their products at all. It also helps me decide whether there are any ingredients that I might react to or don't want to put onto my skin. 

If you are someone who consciously make the decision to buy organic skincare products, rest assured that there won't be many others with Jurlique's quality and effectiveness. 

Jurlique products are available at department counters and selected pharmacies in Australia or online for Australia, Europe and the US. 

Have you tried Jurlique before? What are your favourites?
Samples were provided for consideration from Jurlique counters.

Review: Mr. Firming Eye Gel, Facial Scrubs and Cleansers

Do you know how hard it is to get some males to use skincare products?
They tend to think that their skin will take care of itself and they shouldn't mess with nature. Other than the perfunctory shaving creams and hair styling products, skincare is not a word the men in my household understand. In fact, it's so foreign to them it's almost akin to asking them to wear lipstick or paint their nails.

But men's skin like any other skin type, have different and specific needs. Men’s skin is generally thicker than women’s skin. They have larger pores that are more prone to clogging as they are a lot more oiler than women (15% more so in some instances) and as they are often shaving their face so are frequently disrupting the skin natural barrier in these facial area, they need skin care solutions that take all these factors into account.

So when I received some very masculine skincare products recently, I passed this over to male members of the family with the stern order that they are to use it every day - all for the purpose of research of course. Putting that scientific spin to it seemed to do the job and they were more diligent with trialling the products than I've seen ever seen them use any lotion or creams.

Mr. Skincare
I've previously mentioned this newish Aussie brand back in November and the guys were kind enough to organise a few products to be sent for trail. Made from all indigenous Australian products, the entire Mr range is designed to help men tackle today’s lifestyle. After 3 weeks of use, here are the verdicts from the boys.

Mr. Firming Eye Gel  - 15ml RRP A$52

• Impressive packaging - this comes in a sleek silver pump style bottle with a cap top that you see with many high end products. It definitely impresses and I suspect the packaging alone will quickly win over any unconvinced user to try the product.
• Clear gel with a light scent (I took a sniff and to me it seems to have a light rose scent). It was not offensive to the boys' nostrils at all. In fact, I suspect they like the scent very much as I caught my dad sniffing at it the other day when he was about to use it. 
• Is light and non-greasy which that is a big plus with males. It was slightly tacky immediately after use that the boys didn't quite like but it disappeared within 5 minutes.   
• Although light, it isn't too fluidy and finger patting it into skin is recommended to get the product to absorb into the under-eye area - a method that took some demonstration to the boys before they learnt this new way of applying the product (their usual modus operandi is to slap it on and rub it in like crazy - a big no-no in  delicate eye areas).
• Contains seaweed, centella, and Echinacea  to soothe and restore moisture to skin and works well in de-puffing eyes in mornings and gave the eye area an immediate awaken look.
• There was a slight brightening associated with this gel but no real difference was seen for prominent eye bags or deep wrinkles after 3 weeks use but I'm not sure if there would be visible difference on mature and neglected skin such as my dad's who's almost 60. On younger skin, I expect results to be more noticable/effective. 

Mr. Facial Cleansing Scrub - 80ml RRP A$37

• Contains micro-fine crushed limestone and sandstone from Central Australia to exfoliate without scratching or harming skin during daily use. 
• Easily removes, dirt, oil, dust and skin cell build ups and has a soothing base made with rose and tea tree oil to soothe and repair skin from any scraps or razor nicks. 
• Left face cleansed, refresh and softened without being too drying. 
• No-fuss and easy to use, this got the boys tick of approval within the first day of use. 

Mr. Facial Cleanser - 80ml RRP A$35

• Comes in the signature sliver pump style bottle that is sleek and functional, this is well packaged and looks good in the bathroom stand or in the sport bag at the gym (yes boys, you should wash your face after a big sweaty workout).
  
• Gel based cleanser that is soothing and gentle whilst at the same time powerful enough to provide a deep clean to remove the daily grime that accumulates on skin after a long day out at work. 
• This non lathering product with aloe extract has great skin softening powers and is soothing to use after shaving - it was an instant hit with the brother.
• Also contains chamomile essence and witch hazel extract - all of which are known for their soothing and calming properties which is why this is great for sensitised skin, especially after suffering from razor burns.

Next time you are stuck for ideas on how you can get your man to start taking good care of their skin, try looking for products that are simple and fuss-free to use and not only will make them feel better in their skin but isn't too fancy by appealing to their masculine sense of style with metallic designs and muted neutral packaging. Mr.'s collection is certainly one to look out for to tempt him into developing his own skincare regime or prevent him from borrowing/stealing your favourite skincare products.

The Mr. Range is available online or exclusively at shaver shops and selected salons.  Note online prices are quoted ex-GST, which is added in when processing the sales order.
The above products were sent for consideration.