Bloomin Beautiful : The Body Shop

I've been in love with the British brand that is The Body Shop for as long as I can remember so was super happy to find a store near me here in Adelaide - not too far from the hubby's office so he's no excuses when he's last minute gift shopping for me!

This British Rose collection is among my faves - The Roses packed into this collection are 100% Organically grown and loving cared for on The Body Shop farm in Herefordshire, England.  This environmental award-winning farm is where the roses are hand-picked, air-dried and infused into fresh mountain water.  

The British Rose collection has the most beautiful rose essence scent.

BLOOMING BEAUTIFUL BODY CARE

For soft, glowing and perfectly moisturised skin my 2 favourites among The Body Shop British Rose collection would be (first step) Exfoliating Gel Body Scrub (250ml priced at AU$29.95) followed by (second step) Body Butter (250ml priced at AU$24.95.

Of course I did a little 'window shopping' at The Body Shop AU website and came across this Gift Pack - British Rose Essential Collection includes Body Wash, Body Butter, Hand Cream and Vitamin E Moisture Cream at a reduced price of AU$29.95 (u.p.AU$59.95)  - Treat yourself or how about sending a hint to the boyfriend or hubby for this Valentine Day gift! VIEW OFFER HERE

COMING SOON : The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey range

SENSITIVE AND DRY SKIN SAVIOUR

If you are the Sensitive kind then take a look at the above picture which features the ingredients you need to care and nourish for your sensitive and dry skin.

The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey range has been formulated with ingredients that both nourish and protect sensitive skin and also give a pleasant texture and subtle fragrance too.

DID YOU KNOW : Sensitive skin is currently one of the highest global skincare concerns.  In 2016 over 270,000 Google searches were with regard to sensitive skin issues.

The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey range is available soon in stores and online and with prices starting at just AU$6.95 (Cleansing Bar) we know our dry skin will be nourished and protected without us breaking the bank!

Shower Cream (250ml AU$12.95)
Body Scrub (250ml AU$29.95)
Body Lotion (200ml AU$19.95)
Body Butter (200ml AU$27.95)

For me, working out on my property and fully embracing #farmlife, my hands are always busy (weeding, picking flowers, getting into scrapes) so I bloomin' cannot wait to try The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey Hand Cream (30ml AU$9.95).

For loads more from The Body Shop do check out their online store HERE

From me
with Kisses and Smiles xx :)

Following me on Instagram @kisses_and_smiles

Why Kisses and Smiles?

MY BLOG NAME BUT WHY?

I've been pondering with the idea of changing my blog name to something else for a good while now...but nothing made me sure enough to make the change.  Nothing was right to reflect me, my life and my blog.  Because of this, I got to thinking about why I chose my blog name Kisses and Smiles...

photo from ARTISBASIC who shares great tips on choosing a blog name

Why kisses n smiles?

I do (try to) smile all the time, honestly, it's a British thing!  In good and bad - smiling makes us and everyone around us feel a little happier.

I remember living in France and doing the school run with my 2 boys, I would smile at everyone (actually at the beginning this was my only means of communication - the French language and confidence to 'speak' coming later).  

It is an odd thing though, in England (through my experience) smiling is greeted by a smile but in my corner to the West of Paris (back then) this wasn't the case.  I do believe that quite a lot of those French Mamas would regard me as the 'smiling without cause Anglaise!' Lol 😂 

And with that, smiling in France as a #schoolrunmum brings me to the Kisses part of the blog name...

In France EVERYONE kisses!  Not THE French Kiss, of course (all of the time)!  But greetings are conducted in kisses with friendships and relationships counted in kisses!  Once, twice, four times and each time switching cheeks to 'faire la bise'.

Photo Credit : how to live in France

I lived in France for 9 years and boy did I rack up the biz entre amis 😘 

So when I sat pondering over names for my blog I looked back at my time in life so far and, one of the most significant times for me would be my time in France.  A wonderful experience, some cherished memories, lasting friendships made and of course some learning curves and stressful mountains climbed.

pondering over blog names xx :)

So that's why Kisses and Smiles 😘 😊 

I don't think I'll change my blog name anytime soon...what could I change it to?...MommyNeedsVodka has already been taken 😂 (and she's one of my faves). 

So, given I still smile (through good and bad) and my left cheek dimple remembers those 'French' kisses too well I'm sticking to Kisses 'n' Smiles and I hope you stick with me.

From me with 
Kisses 'n' Smiles xx :) 

Bushfire Season #bushfireready

Living in the Adelaide Hills brings with it many wonderful lifestyle changes, but also some challenges and new experiences. Right now, me and my family are preparing for our first bushfire season here in South Australia.

Bushfire Awareness Week recently happened and I caught up with the County Fire Service (CFS) to learn some import details and ask some questions that would help us prepare and could potentially save our lives. 

Here's some pointers that are interesting to note;

1. Know your bush fire ratings and be aware of any fire bans.  Click HERE to see the CFS website.  

2.  Be prepared - clear leaf litter, dry bark and other debris (fire fuel) away from your house. Most import places are gutters, flower beds up close to the house and solar panels where leaf litter can dry out and stay lodged. Imagine embers blowing over your home and some of that debris catching light!  

3.  Have a fire evacuation plan and a clear idea of at what stage you leave. Will you stay to fight fire and protect your home?  Will the younger and elderly members of the family leave and go to a safer place. Remember the pets and livestock. Have a bag packed and ready to leave.   It's important to consider - if your route is blocked and it's too late to head for safer ground, you will need to know how to fight fire and protect you and your family.   Your local CFS can help you prepare for this instance - see the CFS website HERE for more important info and click HERE to get started on your Survival Plan

Having never lived in a bushfire zone, and wanting to be sure me and my family are as safe and prepared as we can be, I was interested to know;

1.  What should I pack in my emergency kit?  There are 3 types of emergency kits to consider; 

   1) Survival kit - to be used in case of emergency and when you intend to (or need to) stay and fight fire, 
   2) Evacuation Kit - to be packed with everything you need from your home that must be kept safe and transported with you when you decide to leave, 
   3) Recovery Kit - this will hold everything you would need for the next 24 to 48 hours after leaving home (remember, if your home is damaged by fire you will not be able to return there for some time.)

You can click HERE to see the lists of necessary items for each of the emergency kits mentioned.  

2.  Where is my closest safe zone?  Safe zones are usually located in ovals (playing fields) and areas away from dense forests.  Click HERE to see SA bushfire safer places.

3.  How soon to leave on a fire risk day?  You will need to stay informed - use the CFS website, follow ABC Local Radio (across Australia), Sky News Television as well as CFS on Facebook and Twitter.  If a fire danger day is predicted then, if your survival plan is to leave your property and not defend then you should leave the night before or very early the day.  

4.  How fast will a fire travel?  A typical grass fire during bushfire season could travel at up to 25 km per hour!  Of course there are many factors which change the way a fire behaves - click HERE for some interesting facts about fire behaviour.

5.  What are common reasons of bushfires occurring?  Human error is often blamed as the most common reason - perhaps someone is using machinery on a fire ban day and a simple spark sets a grassfire.  Or the disposal of a cigarette butt is careless.  There are many reasons for bushfires occurring and being prepared and preparing your property is the best way to stop a bushfire starting on your property - prepare now - be #bushfireready

Yes it's a scary time and yes me and my family still have much to do before we are truly bushfire ready!  But the best thing is that we are bushfire aware and we are busy preparing our house, property and the whole family in case of danger and in case we need to act in an emergency!  

For more information visit your local fire department website or drop into your closest fire department hq and ask for their information booklets, leaflets and you can also pick up a kid's activity book which helps the little family members prepare too. 

#bushfireready
#staysafe

kisses and smiles from me xx :)


(the info I have shared is via the South Australia CFS website and guides but you can search for your Fire Department in your area on Google and get info local to you.  #bushfireready #staysafe

Throw Back Thursday Post - A weekend in the sunshine

In the spirit of the Throwback Thursday trend I have took the decision to make a weekly post dedicated to something or somewhere from the past...

These Throwback Thursday posts will not have been previously posted - more often than not they will be something that I didn't get around to posting at the time - busy lives get in the way too darn often, hey!!  xx :)  Enjoy!

Today's Throwback Thursday post takes me back to August 2016 when I enjoyed an escape from the South Australia weather;

Adelaide to Cairns, a weekend in Port Douglas

My constant moaning about the terrible wet and cold weather in Adelaide had the desired effect when my hubby surprised me with a flight from Adelaide to Cairns!  We spent a lovely weekend in the Queensland sunshine at Port Douglas.


Packing up for my weekend I was freezing and shivering in my bedroom whilst trying on summer wear in order to decide what to take to Port Douglas in my carry on case. Not only decide what to take but check what I could squeeze into - the recent operation on my foot saw me immobile and gaining kg upon kg which I have yet to shed (more about the accessory navicular and big op another time...)


Of course I too needed a few new items and took this as a great excuse to escape the Hills and hit the City - well close to the City anyway!  I took a short drive down the freeway to Burnside Village - lots of wonderful stores in this mall to inspire me and see me updating my style, fashion and beauty purchases.  

At Burnside Village ... 

I like the Forever New store, Laura Ashley and Zara for clothes and accessories.  The stationery lover in me adores kikki K store and there are no shortages of coffee stops and lunch options xx ;)

What did I buy? ...

A Couple of off-the-shoulder tops from Forever New - these look good with shorts for a casual day out or can be dressed up for an evening look when paired with wide leg trousers or skinny jeans and heals.

The electric blue Forever New top
(thankfully, I have lost some kg since this pic was taken xx :))

Also bought a lovely pair of pink shorts from Zara - these are high waisted, silky cotton and fit me perfectly.  Again, when packing for a short journey and using just a carry-on case, these shorts are perfect to style up for evening wear and can be worn again for the hotel breakfast as a more casual look.

At Port Douglas ...

Quite a short flight from Adelaide to Cairns and a shuttle bus from airport to hotel saw us arriving at the Pullman Sea Temple Resort in Port Douglas.

The hubby and I are celebrating our 20th Wedding Anniversary this year so we spoilt ourselves to a beautiful apartment room with jacuzzi and roof top terrace. As a special welcome and celebratory gift, we were over the moon to find a bottle of bubbly on ice in our kitchen.

Seeing the view of the pool from our balcony we decided to explore and take a dip.

Just a short walk took us to the beach front of Four Mile Beach. Stunning views out to sea and of the tropical hillsides - which reminded us of Thailand views.

The Sea Temple Resort at Port Douglas is set quite a way out of town so the regular and inexpensive shuttle (mini bus) taxis are the way to get around best.


As there is only one restaurant at the Sea Temple Resort in Port Douglas, we enjoyed getting into town for a change of scenery.  One early evening we had drinks at the marina and another morning we took a stroll around the arts and handicraft market.

One particular favourite view was the cute little church by the sea

The average weather for Port Douglas in August is 20 degrees with the odd few rainy (but warm) days thrown in - a perfect destination to escape the cold and damp weather from Adelaide.


We didn't do many of the sights but intent to return with our boys to enjoy the tourist attractions like;
Sky rail, Wildlife park, 


The flight we took was with JetStar and we could not fault the service or comfort.

The Hotel - my personal opinion

The Pullman Sea Temple Resort in Port Douglas is beautiful.


Here's my personal opinion scores for the Resort;


Cleanliness 10/10 lovely


Check in service 10/10 friendly, professional


Pool area 6/10 limited seating, loud pool bar, with crowded seating close to bar


Breakfast choice 8/10 usual selection at buffet with choice of eggs to order


Breakfast service 7/10 quite slow for any menu orders


Restaurant choice 5/10 just the one restaurant


Restaurant service 8/10 very good


Overall resort 9/10 beautiful, perfect for a quick and short break



I hope you've enjoyed my post and perhaps it will inspire you to jet off to the sunshine sometime soon - Or maybe you'll feel like treating yourself to a shopping trip to Burnside Mall to update your wardrobe or pick up some new season accessories!

Kisses and Smiles from me xx :)

Cold, Rain, Wind 'n' Braving Winter in South Australia

Recently I have mostly been braving the Winter in South Australia!

I do not do cold weather!  Even the slightest chill leaves me 'freezing'. I'm certainly not one for a ski trip, I prefer hot beach hols with plenty of summery sunshine. So, when I've recently experienced my first winter weather in 5 years it was a real shock to my system!

With little to smile about when my toes are so numb I can barely walk and with my extremities turning blue (actually black - I was sure it was frost bite), all I could do was throw on another layer of clothing, be brave and hope for the best as I set out braving Winter in South Australia.

Living in Singapore until recently and suffering my last Winter back in France in early 2011, this South Australia winter 2016 has been one heck of a test!

one July morning - frost, hail and freezing winds

As I say, this was a shock to my system and totally unexpected.  I know South Australians will be laughing their socks off - I should have known something was a miss when, back in March, I announced I was cold and that I didn't think much to this South Australia winter because, other than looks of bewilderment, everyone was saying "wait until August"...I chose not to listen and truly believed they were having a laugh. 

I didn't believe (or perhaps chose not to believe) that anywhere in Australia would get 'soooooo wet and cold'!  In my defence  I have to point out that I never saw rain or wind in Home & Away and definitely never saw a long sleeved shirt or hat and scarf on Neighbours. I know these 'deceitful Aussie soaps' are not set in South Australia, but I have recently found out that both Sydney and Melbourne do indeed suffer from winter weather -  real, proper cold winter weather!  I have been totally deceived by Aussie soaps xx :)

Craig McLachlan wouldn't have looked quite as good in a wooly jumper in Winter

Tom and Pippa never braved the cold, wind and rain

and this cheery lot were never spotted in rain coats, hats and scarves

Ok, before buying our home and making the life changing move from Singapore to Adelaide, I did all the research on schools, where to live, how to buy a car, converting drivers licences, good restaurants, where to do shopping, how to apply for Medicare but what I failed on was checking the weather!  

So, after 5 years of not experiencing winter weather conditions,  I had to face the cold, smile in the rain, avoid the wind and just be brave!  So, as Spring dawns here in Adelaide, I am happy to report I survived my first South Australia winter xx :)

a particularly huge pine tree uprooted!

the pine tree fell across the road and into our paddock - barely missing the hay barn

We lost a few trees to the wild wind, but I didn't lose any toes to frost bite!  Now the weather is brightening, warming, drying and improving every day, Spring is definitely set to give me lots to smile about xx :) 

the colours of spring to brighten the days

Spring blossom buds bring happy endings to the Winter

I am informed that this 2016 Winter has been particularly bad - the most windy in the last 30 years, rainfall for July was at 415 mm (usually the full year only gives Adelaide 544 mm!) giving Adelaide its wettest Winter in 75 years, as well as hail, flurries of snow and regular frosty mornings.

So, fingers crossed this year has been an exception which would mean that 'normal' South Australia Winters are mild (and not so wet).  So, perhaps I can survive future Winters...I'll survive or I will hibernate from mid-April to early September xx :) 


With all this cold and rain, a winter-sun break was a much appreciated surprise from my hubby.  Celebrating our 20th Wedding Anniversary, we headed off to Port Douglas (near Cairns) for a long weekend of sunshine and relaxation.  More about that next time including a mini review of the Pullman Resort at Port Douglas, the restaurants we tried and the beaches we walked...


Visitors beware!


WEATHER NOTES : 

Adelaide, South Australia falls into Autumn in March through to May where visitors should expect cooler temperatures (lows of around 10 degrees C) and rainy wet days (around 25 rainy days in Autumn)

Winter in Adelaide starts in June through to August and visitors should prepare for low temperatures but also the wind chill.  Temperatures during the day with sun and no wind can be as high as 15 degrees C but the evenings and nights are particularly cold.  Frost and flurries of snow feature int the Hills.  The Winter months in Adelaide would, on average, have 45 days of rainy wet days.

Singapore opportunities, past 'n' I'm back

It's been a while!
It's been an age!
It's been 2 years and 10 months - blimey!

But I'm back...and ready to explain myself...

Why the radio silence?
Have I been doing nothing noteworthy?
Have I been doing stuff I didn't want to mention?
Have I been doing stuff of no interest?
Not at all!

From writing this little blog I was fortunate enough to be linked up with some exciting media people as well as some like-minded bloggers in Singapore.  So, while I was spending so much time 'working' and blogging, I was spending my free time away from my MacBook and doing other stuff!

Here's a brief look at what I've been up to since October 2013...

VANITY TROVE : I got on board with a Singapore brand named Vanity Trove - here, enjoyed testing beauty products for their online review sections and then fell into working as an editor on their mini mag.  I also took on some great review roles 'out of office'.

Vanity Trove - ready for subscribers,
Vanity mini mag (7 editions) written by me xx :)

I want to take this opportunity to thank the beautiful Camy who brought Vanity Trove into my life xx :)

TANGS : Through a certain staff member (previous) at Vanity Trove, I was linked up with an international advertising agency where I worked on one of their client's projects.  I was brought on board as Editor and Copy Writer for one of the biggest, and very prestigious, department stores in Singapore.  The Tangs magazine was an opportunity which was, not only so much fun, it really taught me a lot about the media business and how everything and everyone pulls together to make a marvellous finished product.

Tangs 'in house' magazine
I got to check out SEVIIN and signed myself as 'Editor' xx :)

I want to take this opportunity to thank the splendid Farhan who thought of me and brought me on board for that project.

BUBBAMAMA : I then met up with Katherine from BubbaMama.  This was THE most amazing opportunity I could have ever wished for.  Hitting it off from day one, Katherine brought me on board her team as Managing Editor at BubbaMama (and later Managing Editor at MartiniBlanc).  Together we had THE most fun anyone could wish to have (in a working environment anyways! :))

[our faces when leaving a media event when we BOTH bagged a Nespresso machine and Aerochino xx :) ] Loads of Happy Memories and smiles xx :)

While working with Katherine on both BubbaMama and MartiniBlanc, I worked on pretty much everything from reviewing beauty products (Body Shop, Lush, Fresh), to getting 'house best' theatre seats at many shows being performed at Marina Bay Sands Theatre.  I got to interview the stars, reviewed the shows and enjoyed the performances greatly (My Fair Lady, Le Noir, Grease, Mama Mia).  We also bagged some tickets which made for wonderful giveaway prizes for our readers - giving always feels so good!

I was lucky to receive personal invitations to many prestigious events and happenings around Singapore too (Amber Lounge - Formula One weekend and many red carpet premier nights).

What was a great bonus was when I was asked to bring my boys along too - the three of us were welcomed to ride the Luge at Sentosa, take a preview tour at Madame Tussauds Sentosa, sky dive at iFly, preview the water playground at Gardens by the Bay and attend premiers of movies too - with free popcorn of course - my boys were super happy!

My boys will also remember well the hand deliveries we would receive : boxes and bags packed with treats for us to review (drinks and juices, cakes and bread, ice-cream and pizza) :)  My boys even made a video which is now on YouTube : the BubbaMama Sunshine Cocktail

White Moon, Tsubaki, iFly, Sinequanone, Gardens by the Bay

Blimey!  That all seems like a life time away!  What fabulous memories to treasure for another lifetime!

Sadly, I had to bid my farewell to Katherine and BubbaMama when my time in Singapore came to an end.  So I packed up my desk, kept my photo memories and now enjoy a Nespresso with 'frothy' milk regularly and think of happy times xx :)

You can read the parenting and mama lifestyle online mag BubbaMama HERE.
You can read the ladies lifestyle online mag MartiniBlanc HERE.
...and you can check out pics over on Instagram @bubbamama and @martiniblanc

My Fair Lady, Le Noir, Cavalier, SG50 celebrations, Formula One media call

I want to take this opportunity to thank the very gorgeous and truly fabulous, Katherine who trusted in me and gave me such an amazing opportunity xx :)

So, that's the Singapore opportunities past - now onto the here, the now and the future...

Life in Australia,
living the #farmlife,
#eastwoodstoadelaide

You may have gathered I left Singapore - my family and I along with our 2 Mr Dogs flew out of Changi Airport in January 2016 and are now living in the very beautiful Adelaide Hills area of South Australia.

More of the present coming in the future (to follow....)

There's stories of stress and tears with Broken Bones and Runaway Dogs, as well as happy smiles when our dreams come true, finding grapes and wine tasting in our Shed, driving (the compulsory farmlife vehicle) the UTE, experiencing changing seasons, feeling the cold and sunbathing on the deck!

You are invited to follow me as I make the Adelaide Hills and Australia a part of my story.  Do come along with me as I explore and discover my new home, taste and trial foods, services and check out what's happening in and around the city of Adelaide in South Australia @visitsouthaustralia

Until the next time.

Kisses 'n' smiles from me xx :-)

Welcome to the House of Colour...

Do you really know what colour suits you?  

I don't mean what colour you love and want to wear endlessly because its so the colour of the season...I actually mean do you know what colour makes you look absolutely drop dead gorgeous, what colours give you a true sense of confidence and what colours do you need to wear to make everyone wish they had your style!!

For my birthday this year, my Mum organised, not only a morning of colour, but also a lifetime of knowledge for her and myself.  It was fabulous to spend a full morning with my mum, it was also lovely to share it at the home of Karina, our personal consultant, with the House of Colour.


Learn more about House of Colour here xx :-)

First things first:-
Off with the make up, tie back and cover your hair and be covered in a white cloth to create an absolute clean slate.  Now Karina is all set to work her colour magic...

Golly how shocking do I look :-( anything will be an improvement on this pic, truly!!












The Colour Wheel - it's split into 4 sections which represent the colours of the seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter)...

Is it this or that...

So the House of Colour Consultant then takes you on a journey of colour.  Bringing similar colours from the very different areas of the Colour Wheel and offering you the choice of 'this or that'.  I actually found this quite difficult at first, I was more interested in what colours I actually 'liked' rather than what made me look good.  

I got the hang of it though and once I 'saw it' I couldn't believe how my face and eyes really came to life when the 'correct' shade of colour was under my chin.  "Oh my, how did I never see or realise that before!?"

Very similar greens but there really is only one that makes you look fabulous xx :-)

What season of colours are we?



Once Karina had me realise how I looked so much more alive, brighter and actually felt more confident surrounded by 'my' colour scheme, we were all set to put on a little makeup and apply the exact shade of lippy that totally worked for me...

Now that's a better look.  

So, I'm a Winter Jewel.  Also, I'm better in silver jewelry and should I feel inclined to wear pearls then I should go for white pearls.










My Mum went through the exact same process and ended up a perfect Spring.  

She looks amazing xx :-)

...and there is the lovely Karina (she's confident as a Winter Jewel and really did look stunning)










So, will this change your life?  

Perhaps 'change your life' is a little heavy!  I do feel your confidence to dress in a colour you were 'never sure about' will shine out.  You will feel confident knowing you look fabulous and I know your shopping trips will be very different....Let me explain, I've always been a shopper for pleasure and tend to come home with items that don't actually go together (2 tops, one pair of shoes and a couple of paris of earrings) Course, I felt I 'needed' these items and they'd be worn at some point.  Since my experience with House of Colour, I've actually stopped to think before buying and since then, have purchased fewer items and now know what colours I can easily pair together to create a 'new' outfit from my older wardrobe.



Like this scarf...with the colours in it being from my Winter colour scheme, I can pop this around my neck or shoulders to completely change a top and therefore create a perfect outfit for me.














Find an house of colour near you Here..... Find YOUR House of Colour

If you do live in the UK and more specifically in the South Yorkshire area then I highly recommend visiting Karina...her House of Colour web page is here ... Karina

There's a House of Colour pretty much everywhere so, just because you are not in England or visiting England in the near future, you've really no excuses for not finding your season of colours and embracing them with a passion NOW xx :-)

I want to thank Karina for our wonderfully colourful morning and for the knowledge we took home with us.  Yes, me and Mum now know 'our' colours but its so much more than that!  xx :-)

Me, after my House of Colour experience
and wearing my Red lippy

Kisses n smiles from me xx :-)

Discover Beauty with Vanity Trove

I recently told you about the changes at Vanity Trove.... My recent post about the new VT concept...

How the Beautiful Surprises of Vanity Trove have now been transformed into a wonderful platform to Discover Beauty.  Yeah, such a fabulous concept idea...now you can 'choose your own' samples as and when you like and discover the beautiful things in life for yourself.  Add to that it's delivered with care and speed and all your goodies come inside the most glamorous of boxes xx :-) Ah, yes, I'm loving it!!



Here, now, I'm going to post in more detail exactly what I chose from my sample choices, the cost and what I think about the products I received.






Box number 1...
...At $25.00 with a chance to choose 7 items.  I chose:-

 Kérastase Elixier Ultime - a versatile beautifying oil suitable for all hair types.  Hair is nourished, protected and enhanced leaving it feeling light, soft and supple with incredible shine.  3ml sample

Huiji Fruity Lite - A fruity tea that can aid weight loss.  15g sample (I received 2 packs)

Touch in SOL toc toc toning capsule base - a primer product that promises to smooth, soothe and moisturise to create a perfect base for your BB or CC.  There's moisture gel with pearly capsules to brighten and define, crystal powder to conceal fine lines and/or wrinkles.  5 ml sample

Touch in Sol In the Skin Renovation BB Cream - another BB cream on the market with SPF 36 PA++.  I love BB creams and will try them until the cows come home... :-) 5 ml sample

Enavose - Black Tea Quench Mask - Provides moisture to deeply hydrate and replenish skin with nutrients and vitality.  15 ml sample

Enavose - 1st Line Alpine Edelweiss Foam Cleanser - Creamy foam texture lifts impurities and reloads moisture for a refreshing wash.  30 ml sample

Enavose - 1st Line Alpine Edelweiss Dew - Nourishing essence that hydrates refreshes and enriches skin.  30 ml sample

So, there is the list of 7 items I chose.  But there's bonus items thrown in too...I got :-

Herborist Whitening & Revitalizing Mask.  30g sample

La Roche Posay 50+SPF Melt-in Cream.  2ml sample

Skin 79 Super+ BB Cream.  2ml sample

All in all, an excellent box full of goodies I had either tried before and loved or really wanted to try.  My faves are the Enavose collection and I'll enjoy having this Swiss made product in my daily routine.















Box number 2...
...At $25.00 with a chance to choose 7 items.  I chose :-

Love More - Japanese Soy Milk Enzyme Moisturising & Smoothing mask - this mask promises to rapidly help improve skin clarity and fight against aging.  1 mask

Nuxe - Fondant Cleansing Gel - suitable for normal to combination sensitive skin for cleansing and removing makeup from face and eyes.  15ml sample

Nuxe - Gentle Toning Lotion - for normal to dry sensitive skin

Heliocare sun protection gel 50 SPF - 5ml sample

Avancé Eye Makeup Remover - Works instantly to remove even resistant or waterproof eye make up.

Cyber Colors Ex Volume Waterproof Mascara - promises to create big eyes that won't get smudged ;-) 8g sample

SpectraBan Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin - an anti-UVA & UVB, PA++ SPF30 and it's waterproof.  20g sample.

My bonus goodies were :-

Kérastase Elixir Ultime and

Huiji Fruity Delight slimming tea.

All in all very happy with my second box and particularly looking forward to trying the Love More mask and seeing if the Cyber Colors Mascara really is waterproof and smudge-less :-)

So, now I come to box number 3.  I mentioned in my earlier post about the changes to VT which meant I had some Vanity Tab points/dollars stacked up and, these do have an expiry date.  So, I was left with $15.00 to spend.  Luckily I spotted a special Trove for guys and thought I'd order this to check out what Vanity Trove were offering the gorgeous boys of Singapore...


To start, the box design is perhaps a little more masculine (colour and overture are different).  What's inside this 'Vanity Trove - Men's Folio Edition'?...

GATSBY products - 6 Gatsby products to be exact...

Facial Paper - removes oiliness and dirt on-the-go.  Removes stickiness from the face and prevents acne spots.  5 wipes sample size pack

Deodorant Body Paper - Ice-Type - There's no English on the pack but I'm guessing they are deodorant wipes that are another on-the-go product and ideal for your guy to slip in his bag for those quick fretting up moments when the Singapore heat gets a little too sweaty :-) 3 wipes sample size pack

Facial Wash (actually 3 different facial washes) -

...Nano Million Scrub - Ultra Pore Cleanser that unclogs pores with micro beads.  50g

...Perfect Scrub - for shire free and smooth skin, it promises to thoroughly remove oil and dirt.  50g

...Acne Care Foam - reduces oil and skin's redness and kills acne causing bacteria.  50g

Super Hard Hair Styling Gel - a super-strong and super-lasting hair gel - it says it's non-sticky, long lasting for a hard look and is resistant to perspiration and humidity.


Alright, OK, not going to be trying out the GATSBY 'guys Trove' myself but I think it makes it a pretty nice gift or is ideal for your Mr Man's business trip.  I'll probably let my eldest son loose in the box of GATSBY products...he's still at that age where a wash or shower seems like a really unlikely event (yep, he's obviously not old enough to notice girls yet :-))


Check out the Beauty Profiles of the VT beauties...

Course, after you've Discovered Beauty in this way you then have to get involved in the social side of Vanity Trove...this means logging on to your beauty profile, updating your beauty table, reviewing your products and adding one or 2 items to your wish list.  I'm simply loving the concept, enjoying getting involved and the absolute indulgence of receiving a box of beauty goodies is a sure fire way of making your day xx :-)

Sign up here..Discover Beauty for you...

See my beauty profile and add me to your 'follow list' here...Clare Victoria - VT Beauty Profile...You can simply make your own Beauty Profile by logging on to VT with Facebook (and you don't need to be a subscriber to add your favourite products, review and tell the world your must haves to a beautiful you xx :-)

Go on Discover Beauty with Vanity Trove, what lady doesn't deserve some serious pampering in her life xx :-)

kisses n smiles from me xx :-)