Just Peachy

In my late teens, I never used to wear blush. I've got quite naturally rosy cheeks, and I was under the impression that I would look fatter if I made my cheeks pinker.

Of course, I was very wrong. If anything, I looked fatter, more moon-faced, without blush. Blush helps define and sculpt your face. It's called "contouring" to the professionals, apparently.

I've since worn blush, but this year I've begun really falling in love with it.

I got Natio's Rouge Glow a few months back, which is a tremendously fun, almost sparkly, pink. I recently picked up Natio's Rosewood colour, which is a soft, dusky - well, "rosewood" describes it well. At roughly $13 a piece, they're well-priced and lovely to use.

Rouge Glow on the left, Rosewood on the right.

But for some reason there was a WHOLE other blush colour that I had failed to give consideration to.

Peach!

I always aspired to an "English Rose" complexion - fair skin and pink cheeks. But I realise my skin could just as easily be moulded into a "Peaches and Cream" complexion.

So I picked up a glorious Prestige Minerals blush in Peach. I had been eyeing it off, and when I saw it 50% off at Priceline (for $11.25 instead of $22.50), I snapped it up.

It's a gorgeous product. The baked mineral formulation is smooth, and its swirl of a deeper streak of pink and a touch of shimmer gives the colour a fullness. Start with a little on your blusher brush - it's stronger than you might think, and you don't want to overdo it. You can always build the colour on. Pop it on the top of the apple of your cheek, and sweep back towards your temples.

All I'm wearing here is the Prestige Peach blush and some of Natio's Mineral Lip Butter in Cheer. I think  it's a soft, easy look that would suit most casual occasions.

Let me know about blushes you love!

Natio - WTF BBQ?

As you know, I love Natio products in much the same way a Christian person loves Jesus. Some of you may think that's a disrespectful comparison. I say try Natio's Pure Mineral Foundation, then tell me which is truly miraculous.

Natio is fantastic about giving away full-size products as well as sample size treats in their promotional giveaways. But this one takes the cake. Or more accurately - takes the steak.

Currently, if you spend $30 on Natio products at Myer and many participating pharmacies, you receive - a three-piece BBQ set.

Seriously:

I must admit when this first popped up in my inbox, I thought it was a late April Fool's Day joke.

Then I thought perhaps it's a metaphor for a make-up brush set. But no, it's a full size set of tongs, fork and steak-flipper-thing.

This completely confuses me. What's the link between cutlery and beauty? Are they making an ironic jab about cosmetic surgery?

And it's an odd time of the year to do it too. I could understand more if it was November/December, and we were entering our summer season. A gift set like this could make a great present for a female friend who likes to cook. But... in April? They're Australian, they should know people are starting to pack up the barbeques.

I just don't understand the reason behind this. I certainly can't recommend it - I'll be waiting for the next gift of skincare/make-up before I buy again!

I hope it's not a sign that Natio are going to start doing what other companies do and offer crappy non-specific items as customer bait. You know, like some products will offer a tacky tote bag or cheap towel as a "free gift".

Natio - your gifts with purchase have always been outstanding, because they represent great value. When I test the products, I go back to buy the full-size versions. Don't ruin it!

Mask It

Over the past six months, Natio has become my favourite range of beauty/colour products. They're Australian-owned and made, they're derived from botanicals, they smell great, they feel gorgeous - and they're incredibly well-priced.

Another thing to love are their frequent "gift with purchase" offers. I find these incredibly hard to resist, as they're generous in including full-size products along with samples.

However, it is a sample I've road-tested for the first time - the Clay and Plant Face Mask Purifier, from Natio's Aromatherapy range.

It contains kaolin and bentonite (the clay parts), as well as lemon, palmarosa and sesame, and claims to absorb impurities and refine the skin's texture.

Now I can't say if it does any of that. But I can tell you it has a light yet creamy texture, making it lovely to apply. I used about enough to cover the tip of my middle finger, and that spread evenly over my face. It also dries on the face powdery soft, without the tightness or cracking that generally accompanies clay masks. After 15 minutes, I rinsed it off with lukewarm water, and it all came off without any trouble (some masks I've used have a tendency to stick).

I followed it up with a touch of Natio's Rosewater and Chamomile Gentle Toner, and my skin feels soft to the touch, and not dry.

The full size product retails for $14.50, and I'd recommend it if you like giving yourself a once or twice a week mask as a relaxing treat.