Proof: Even dudes get sucked in by advertising

- by Paul

Despite my best efforts to avoid it, some advertising recently caught my eye. Olay, it would seem,
have released a men’s range, and have been splashing it across my TV screen. They’ve gone for
the conventional male shaving/grooming ad formula: a buff-but-not-too-effeminate-looking feller
performing a variety of outdoorsy activities to the admiration of not one, but two, hot, bikini-clad girlies, interspersed with shots of him lathering/massaging his skin and looking generally smooth and pleased with himself.

Olay, though, have some serious cred in all things feminine and creamy, so I was curious as to how their
men’s stuff turned out.

I tried a couple of moisturizers which were generally pretty good, but I’ll elaborate on these in a separate blog. The product I want to talk about in this post is the Refreshing Energy Post-Shave Toner (RRP $19.99), which is truly one of the best shaving products I have found, and well-deserving of a post all to itself. It is part of Olay’s Men Solution suite of products, designed for a broad spectrum of male skin types (Elise: as if 95% of males would know what their skin type was anyway!)

It is a clear and light-textured liquid that you splash on like a conventional aftershave. I applied it after an early morning, bleary-eyed shave, and it felt just magic. It wasn’t heavy and oily (like some balms tend to be); nor did it feel stinging and moisture-sapping (like an aftershave). Truly wonderful stuff. I bounced out of the bathroom feeling alive and energetic and ready for the world (I later checked the label and found that it contains “vitamins and ginseng extract” … which probably explains the buzz).

Best of all, it had no scent of its own, so there were no issues when I hit it with the new Tom Ford eau de toilette (incidentally, the Tom Ford is something else you seriously have to try – it is spray-on sex).

Bottom line: Love the Toner. Full stop.
Buy when: you want to give your man something that he will use and love, all the time.
Price: $19.99
From: Supermarkets, Priceline, everywhere else you get your chicks Olay.

This product was offered to Stuff That I Bought for consideration - for more details, please see the disclosure policy
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I'm turning into my Mother - I even smell like her now!

At some point we all turn into our mothers, don’t we. You say something one day and wonder when your mother inhabited your body; you put an outfit on, look in the mirror and cringe; you answer the phone and your Aunty launches into some random conversation thinking she's speaking to your Mum. Sigh. For me, the turning point was perfume.

My Mother has a beautiful collection of perfume, but they all come from the same fragrance family. Different brands, similar notes. She definitely has a signature scent family - green, floral and a bit of soft floral for good measure. Me? I have always worn sweet perfumes – anything woody oriental, with the odd floral thrown in (I'm fussy about my florals though - tropical beach flowers only). Until now.

I recently started wearing Juicy Couture's newbie Peace, Love & Juicy Couture, and suddenly I was like ‘hang on…I smell like my ma…and I like it…’ Up until this point in my life our tastes have always been very different, but I actually found myself liking something that my mother would like (and wear – she sniffed, she approved and she tried to steal). Not sure if this is my tastes changing or whether Juicy have produced a scent that just appeals to a broad audience.

This fragrance is firmly within the green perfume family - earthy floral to the power of ten with lots of citrus rind, and some wood thrown in for balance. Top notes of lemon tree blossom, blackcurrant bud, sweet apple, hyacinth - middle notes of jasmine (YUM), magnolia, poppy, honeysuckle - base notes of patchouli and musk. The bottle is super cute - a heavy (faux) crystal stopper, a string of turquoise beads wrapped around the top, tassels in various shades of pink, and the Juicy Couture crest in gold. Very Malibu hippy and California cool.

Me, my Mama and my Sister

I'm not quite ready to give up my sweet perfumes just yet (I just bought another bottle of Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess even though my first one is only half empty) but I am definitely happy to add this new fragrance into my repertoire. As for smelling like my Mother, well, I'm turning into her more and more every day, so it was inevitable, right?

Juicy Couture - Peace, Love & Juicy Couture
Price: $79/30ml, $99/50ml, $145/100ml
From: Myer and David Jones
Why you need it: If you love free-spirited, floral fragrances, then this is for you. Try it if you like Private Collection by Estee Lauder or Virgilio by Diptyque.

Product image courtesy of Juicy Couture
This product was provided to Stuff That I Bought for consideration - see our disclosure policy. Stuff That I Bought attended the launch event of this product.

Stuff that's making me really happy right now

Lots of things make me happy…sunshine, good food, pilates…but buying shit makes me happy too. Let's focus on that.

Red lips - I am head over heels in lust with my MAC red lippie - it's Cruella DeVil Heartless from last years Disney Villains collection. See photographic evidence here or just try to catch me in person. I have been wearing it with a lip liner by Om She that matches it perfectly (the shade is Jasper and costs $12 for anyone playing along at home)

New shoes - Oooooh definitely an indulgent purchase, but I wear flats most days so I figure the cost per wear will make these Marc by Marc Jacobs Logo Plaque Ballets Flats worthwhile. So in love with these pebbled and patent leather babies. I bought them from Shopbop and I was fortunate enough to have a $100 voucher so in the end realistically they only set me back $100 (wow! look at her with the justifications!) I will wear them every day. Except when it rains. Note to self: buy Scotchgard this weekend.

New outfits - Specifically, the outfit I have to wear to my friends wedding in a few weeks - a divine pair of Alina Van camel suede heels and an olive Wayne by Wayne Cooper dress. Pictures to come, but suffice to say I'm excited, and praying for a warm night.

Glowing skin -  I got given Jemma Kidd Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer (fancy way of saying illuminator) as a gift from someone who obviously knows me better than they might think. I am obsessed, and wear it almost every day. It's really runny and doesn't stay in the tube very well, but I don't mind that I have to wipe it off the end of the tube every morning - it's so worth it. I remember my very first illuminator from Red Earth about 10 years ago and this smells exactly like that one did (cucumbers), so I feel a little nostalgic every morning when I wipe it on.

New hair - I got a haircut from Andrew at People - this kid knows his shit! One of the best haircuts I have had in ages. Also one of the priciest, but that's Sydney I guess.

Cute prods - Take a look at the new Australis Paparazzi Perfect eyeshadow quads - how darn cute are they?! Rhetorical. I know how darn cute they are. So cute I don't want to use them, but I will anyway.

The fine print…
MAC lipstick - $37 - probably ebay at this stage, since it's sold out on counters
Marc by Marc Jacobs flats - $206.23 ($US195) - Shopbop
Jemma Kidd Illuminator - $35.95 - Kit Cosmetics
People hairdressing - $95 - Shop 4/91-93 Macleay St Potts Point, Sydney
Australis Paparazzi Perfect eyeshadow quads - $15.95 - Priceline, KMart, Target

The Australis eyeshadow was offered to Stuff That I Bought for consideration
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The one where I get my hair washed

Pantene isn't normally one of those brands where I use excessive hyperbole and exclamation marks. Sure, they're good. They're great. They provide a quality product at an excellent price, but there is only so much energy I have for being excitable and I have to ration it very carefully. Right now…excited. Me + pantene = excited.

It's the new Pantene and Wella Clinicare that's floating my boat (those two friends got into bed together and did the nasty to make a hair care baby). Hiromasa Takasugi, the Wella hair Ambassador, describes the range “It was in the four principles of Sado - harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity that Pantene Clinicare found its mission; that is to inspire women and help them on the journey to their hair transformation.” Sounds fruity, no? Essentially, this is Barney Martin on a Just Cuts budget. Speaking of Barney Martin, that's where Pantene took me to introduce me to this new product (my life is awful sometimes. But not this time, ha!)

I went to the Barney Martin salon in Surry Hills and the incredible Van washed and treated my hair with the new range, and then showed me how to blow-dry my hair properly and style it to give it texture. As an aside, I was secretly very proud of myself because I was using the "right" technique for blowdrying my hair to give it body. High five, me! (FYI - blasting it while flipped upside down and then using the wrap technique that Zoe describes over on primped).

So right, Clinicare. Think about what your hair was like when you were 10 years old. Fresh, pure, virgin - untouched by chemicals or products, the most damaging thing that happened was the odd blow dry or too much exposure to chlorine in summer. Wouldn't you love to have hair like that again? That's the idea behind Clinicare - it's a micro-repair revitalising range that reverses damage, conditions and then stops more damage happening in future. Did you know that 20 year old hair is often in worse condition than 60 year old hair? Too much ghd action. So this range is perrrrfect for women in their 20s and 30s to help fix up all that damage, even though it was actually created for the older birds.

Pantene sent me home with some Clinicare and after two weeks of use I am pretty pleased with the results. Random observation: the shampoo seems to lather up more than regular shampoo. I doubt it has any effect on anything, but I love the feeling of really sudsy shampoo. It smells like Pantene (which has a distinct smell, no?) and I get roughly three treatments out of one little amulet, which is incredible value for money (you would get more for shorter hair, probably less for longer hair).

As for my amazing textured blow dry, Van curled just the mid-lengths of my hair, leaving the ends straight. He explained that doing just the middle makes it more about texture than just curling it. He used Wella High Hair Ocean Spritz, which is a great texturising sea salt spray/hair spray hybrid that gets two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.

Price:
Clinicare Micro-Repair Revitalising Shampoo - $14.99/250ml
Clinicare Micro-Repair Revitalising Conditioner - $14.99/250ml
Clinicare Micro-Repair Revitalising Rinse Off Treatment - pack of 5 x 15ml little amulets - $19.99 (if you get three uses out of an amulet, that's just over a buck a treatment!)
From: Supermarkets
Why you need it: To repair all the horrible and mean things you have done to your hair with heat tools, hair dye, air conditioning and general neglect

Price: Wella High Hair Ocean Spritz - $23.50
From: Salons - check the website for somewhere close to you
Why you need it: Texture is in, baby.

PS - the lipstick is MAC Cruella DeVil in Heartless from the Disney villains collection. Amazeballs.
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Amazing, best ever, new favourite lip products! (for now, anyway)

- by Shay

It feels like only yesterday I was swearing my allegiance to a completely different lipstick brand. That’s one thing I’ve learnt about the beauty game. Much like the film industry, competitive cricket or the world of technology, something new, amazing and BETTER is always waiting in the wings, biding its time until it completely changes the game on you.

I wasn’t expecting much when I opened my two new Cid lipsticks and one Cid lipgloss.  To be honest the brand name conjures up images of psychedelic 70’s dance festivals.  Not something I would usually associate with life-changing lip products.

When I opened the Pink Bliss lipstick I was immediately enamoured with the packaging.  It comes in a long rectangular tube that sports a good size mirror for easy application and – be still my beating heart – a light to ensure you’re applying to your lips, and not your cheeks, chin, et al.

The light itself has a bluish tinge to it, but it still works remarkably well when used with the mirror.  I always have to pull out my bulky compact in order to re-apply my lip products throughout the day, and this was a welcome lightening of my handbag load.

Then I applied the lipstick.  Holy amazing lipsticks, Batman.  I really should stop using terms like “best ever”, “won’t change brands again” and “lifetime loyalty” when I’ve found what I think is the best product as this just blew anything else I’ve used completely out of the water.

For a start, it applied so smoothly.  It felt like some kind of marshmallow butter and was impossibly light on the lips.  Then, there’s the colour pigment – it is indeed excellent, with only one swipe required for a perfect pout.  Plus the lack of scent means it’s a pleasure to apply and have on the lips. Follow this with the amazing moisture-locking system and you have plush, hydrated, pigmented – dare I say it, PERFECT – lips.

The only thing that could be viewed as a problem is the fact that it’s not particularly long-wearing.  My lips seem to hold colour pretty well at the best of times, but I did find I had to reapply a little more than usual.  But if you’ve invested in moisturising lipsticks before you’ll know that the terms moisturising and long-wearing are almost always mutually exclusive.

The two colours (Pink Bliss and Scarlet) are very natural looking, and I saw them as two very common lip shades only deeper looking.  Both looked flattering on my skin-tone, and I dare say at least one would suit lighter and darker toning than myself.

When it was time to put the lip-gloss through its paces I was cautiously optimistic. This brand seemed to know what it was doing in terms of formula AND application of their lipsticks; would they continue it through to their lip-glosses?  I needn’t have worried. Cid have created one of the best, non-tacky lip-glosses I have personally ever used. 

Raspberry Kiss is a complimentary shade to any skin-tone. It’s natural looking and reasonably sheer, while still looking great on its own.  It looks lovely layered over both the Pink Bliss and Scarlet lipsticks too.
It sports the same inspired mirror and light system for accurate application, and I was most impressed with the formula.

The brush is large enough to pick up adequate product to do one lip at a time and small enough to really get into the corners of your mouth or cupids bow without needing to mop up any excess.

I really want to say these are my number one, never forsake them, can’t imagine anyone else doing it better lip products.  But that shows I haven’t learnt anything since my last lip product rave, have I?

Price: $33 for both lipstick and gloss
From: Not readily available (i.e. not in Priceline) - call Haircare Australia on 1300 437 436 to find a local salon
Why you need it: How much win is it to fix your lips with a product that has a built in light? This much win.

These products were offered to Stuff That I Bought for consideration - please see our disclosure policy

Why Lindt Gold Bunnies are the devils work - by Harvey Birdman

Hey, it’s Harvey Birdman here. Elise has gone away for a few days so I thought I would hijack her blog and complain about her behind her back. God she’s annoying. She talks to me like I’m stupid or something and then sticks her hand into the cage when I’m trying to have private time. So inconsiderate.

Anyway, with the shelves full of chocolate eggs already, I have to say that Easter is my least favourite holiday for one reason. Lindt bunnies. I don’t eat chocolate myself, I’m watching my waistline, but Elise loves them. LOVES. She should maybe not eat so many, but that's just my opinion. That's not the reason I hate Easter and Lindt bunnies so much though - it's the little bells around the necks of the bunnies that really boil my blood. I hate them. My cage is full of them. I ring them, chew the ribbon and do my best to pull them down. When I finally pull one down, Elise puts another one up. It’s relentless. She thinks she is being really cute and funny, but I just want to bite her finger.

I suggested she perhaps buy something else from the Lindt Easter range this year like the little Bugs & Bees pouch bag with the hazelnut chocolates ($5.99) or the mini bunnies without the bells in the slide box ($14.99). But no. Damn bitch is hoeing into the bunnies already like she'll never get to eat another one ever again, and I can see the pile of bells on the counter. Easter is still two months away. For the love of my sanity, if you see her, please tell her to stop!

Lindt Bunnies
Price: $5.50 for 100g milk, dark or white bunny
From: The supermarket
Why you need them: It's not Easter without them!!

Before you go calling the RSPCA on me - Harvey is actually very well loved and cared for. He might not admit it, but he really does like the bells. As an aside, Lindt sent me a gold bunny a couple of weeks ago. I ate it and the bell is ready to go into his cage. Mummy loves you, baby.
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