Skin MD Moisturiser Review

by | Jan 14, 2010 | Advert, Beauty, Review

Today I hope you all enjoy this Skin MD moisturiser review!

So those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know how I’ve had some troubles with allergies. One of the things I’ve discovered is that I’m allergic to parabens which are a common ingredient in make up and skin products… when I say common I mean when I checked the labels of the products in my bathroom there were only like 2 that didn’t have them >_< I’m not going to debate whether parabens are good/bad I just happen to be allergic so I’ve been looking for alternatives.

One thing that I’ve been especially looking for is moisturiser. The back story to this is that as long as I can remember I’ve had insanely itchy legs, I mean like drive you crazy itchy, worse than the worse mosquito bite you’ve ever had! What didn’t click until I started looking at the labels in my bathroom was that I’ve also been using a moisturiser with parabens on my legs for like 10 years now… Mystery solved.

Aaaaanyway a few weeks ago I was sent some moisturiser from a company called “Skin MD”. When I received the package it had some pamphlets which were a little infomercial-y for my tastes so I took the claims with a grain of salt.

The general idea is that this isn’t so much a moisturiser but a “shielding lotion” that creates a barrier on your skin to keep natural moisture in and bad things out. I decided to give it a try for 2 weeks and see how I went… here is my morning routine/review!

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I have *very* sensitive skin on my face so this was where I decided to test it out.

The bottle is kind of… plain. Definitely not the prettiest bottle I have in my bathroom but hey it’s what’s on the inside that counts!

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The bottle has one of those clicky top lids that you press down on one side to open. I have a personal hatred for these types of lids because they are *so* hard to open with long nails.

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The smell of my moisturiser is really important to me, it’s the first thing that goes on my skin so I really have to like it. This has a really pleasant smell, not overpowering at all. Just kind of like generic cream smell. It actually really reminds me of the smell of the expensive cosmetics counters at David Jones/Myers which is really nice ^_^

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The consistency is really runny, it’s super watery which I like because when you put it on it doesn’t take a lot of effort to rub in. It doesn’t feel like you’re wearing anything at all which is great because if you then layer foundation on you won’t have that heavy pancake make up feeling!

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It feels very light and you need about 2/3rds of the amount I have here to do your whole face. I thought that the bottle was quite small when I first got it but after seeing how little you actually need I think the price tag of US$18 isn’t so bad especially when you compare it to the top level brands.

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One thing that I was worried about with this moisturiser was it’s claims to be an effective treatment for eczema. As someone who suffered from eczema throughout high school I was weary of treatments that just plain don’t work. I still have mild eczema and after using this product for a few weeks I have definitely seen an improvement. I don’t think it is a miracle cure but the difference in texture is really there.

I start by dotting little bits all over my face.

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Then starting at my nose I massage it in the directions of the arrows.

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After rubbing it all in my skin feels nice and smooth. Also hearts totally appear everywhere 😛

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Taadaa!

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So the verdict:

While I don’t think this is a miracle cure, I have noticed a significant difference in my skin since using it. I like the texture, the smell and how my face feels after using it. I actually recommended this to a friend with more severe eczema and they noticed an immediate difference too which is really exciting!

The part that I like the best is that it is free of parabens so I’m not allergic to it. After trialing on my face I started using it on my legs too and they haven’t been itchy in weeks now! After having itchy legs for the last 10 years I can’t tell you what an awesome feeling that is!

Another great point is that it comes in a version with sunscreen built in, for girls like me that live in sunny Australia that’s a huge plus! If you would like to read more just check out their website here.

So I’m going to give it an 9/10 (loosing a point because of the packaging and stupid clicky lid) I would definitely recommend it to others with skin problems or who just want yummy soft skin ^_^

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Have you every tried Skin MD moisturiser or had bad allergies?

Christmas Nailart and he last few months in pictures

by | Jan 11, 2010 | Life, Nails, Outfit Of The Day

In which we start with nail art and it just gets more random from there….

I’ve been wanting to do a proper update for a while but I just haven’t had the time >_< So I present you, the last couple of months in photos!

I made my Mum some Christmas themed nails for her work party:

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I like the nails that look like presents!

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And the stripey ones. Stripes are awesome 😀

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I made this cake when my Mum came over for dinner.

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It didn’t turn out very well but it was pretty yummy! I think next time I need to just stick with icing because I tired to paint roses on the sides and it looked terrible!

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One day I went to brush my teeth and there was a lizard in the sink who couldn’t get out. He was stuck because the sink was slippery >_<

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He was scared of us (I named him Steven by the way) so I used the string on my pajamas to make a ladder for him. He got out and lived in our bathroom for a few days eating the ants.

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One day he tried to venture into the lounge so we had to put him outside in case someone stepped on him 🙁

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BYE STEVEN! He lives under our back steps now.

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We discovered that there was a Japanese bakery that just opened up at one of our favorite shopping centers… and went a bit crazy. Turns out that as pretty as the below cake looked it was disgustingly stale >_< Luckily their other things are absolutely delicious so we’ve been going back almost every week!

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These are the photos James took on Christmas Day. I didn’t get any of the morning when we went to my Dad’s house so here are the ones from lunch with James’ family. The food was so yummy!

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And the table was very pretty ^_^

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Candied yams… we don’t usually have this in Aus, it’s very American. I’d never heard of it until James introduced me but it’s sooo yummy!

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Group shot!

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I stole some of the decorations from the crackers to make my bow more Christmas-y.

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For New Years we went to James’ Parent’s unit in Mooloolaba. There was such a pretty view from the balcony!

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Oh course it always had a breeze in the most inappropriate times XD I still love this photo!

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James wanted to try out lots of new camera settings so I got to do lots of cam-whoring.

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And I wanted to show you how glittery my nails looked in the sun…

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So glittery! I can’t believe I forgot to take a close up >_< They were seriously all pink and silver glitter with some cute black hearts.

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For dinner that night I had Okonomiyaki from a street vendor, so over priced and not very nice. I give it a 5/10 because they didn’t have extras on top.

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The view from that night, there were lots of street stalls there.

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A kiss at midnight!

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And the pretty fireworks.

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It was a pity that half of them were behind that tree. Pretty anyway 😀

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So there you go! I’ll be back again with another nail art tutorial soon ^_^

Grand Opening Of Violet's Nailart Store

by | Jan 7, 2010 | Advert, Beauty, Craft, Decoden, Hime Gyaru, Nails

Well this week has been all about nail art hasn’t it?

Today I’m happy to announce the grand opening of my nail art for sale section ^_^

Scroll down to see some of the false nails I’ve got for sale or scroll to the bottom to see how to order!

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Set 1. Princess Pink Nail Art

Description:
These beautiful nails are fit for even the fussiest of princesses. They are striped in light pink, white and dark pink with a pearlised finish so they shimmer in the light. Two rows of pink, purple and red diamantes bejewel each nail, the tiny gaps between the dimantes are filled with small gold bullions. Perfect for any royal event.Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a square tip. The largest size is 1.8cm wide and 1.9cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.2cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.Price: US$30Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 2. Loving the Leopard

Sold!

Description:
There is no hiding from these nails, you won’t need to camouflage! With a bright purple base and fluro pink leopard spots these nails sure make a splash! The tips have been dipped in bright pink glitter and a matching pink diamante has been added to polish off. These are guaranteed to grab attention!

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a rounded tip. The largest size is 1.7cm wide and 2.3cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.4cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$15

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 3. Gilded Roses

Description:
A dark red base with tiny black flecks featuring a gold glitter wash and hand painted gold roses. They shimmer beautifully in the sunlight and make an eye catching addition to a day or evening outfit.

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a rounded tip. The largest size is 1.7cm wide and 2.3cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.4cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$15

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 4. Cake Parade

Description:
Mmm Cake. Each nail in this set of 20 is individually decorated in the theme of strawberry cake. They even have yummy 3D icing! Some of the designs include: a slice of cake, a fork, and an icing heart. So yummy you might want to bite them off and eat them!

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a rounded tip. The largest size is 1.7cm wide and 2.3cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.4cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$20

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails. Particularly note the hand painted bow and delicious strawberry cake slice.

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Set 5. A Midnight Rendezvous

Description:
The perfect nails for a night out on the town or a civilized evening waltzing on the dance floor. The deep blue background on these can’t be completely captured in photographs, it’s stunning in person! Gold glitter tips with strings of gold bullions falling from the sky adorn this set with hand painted stars and crescent moons accenting 8 of the 20 nails. Each gold bullions has been hand placed in it’s individual string.

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a square tip. The largest size is 1.8cm wide and 1.9cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.2cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$30

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 6. Seeing Spots

Sold!

Description:
With a mixture of gold, purple and pink these nails are perfect for an every day look. They are classy and have just enough bling to keep everyone’s attention firmly on your nails. They have a mixture of french tips and moons. The diamantes used are complimentary colour in the shapes of circles, flowers, hearts and stars.

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a square tip. The largest size is 1.8cm wide and 1.9cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.2cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$15

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 7. Tea for Two

Description:
These nails would go beautifully with a Lolita co-ordinate. Pastel pink and blue themed they are each individually hand painted with items such as lace, bows, lollipops and even a portrait or two! Please view them close up to fully appreciate the details. The perfect accessory to top off any outfit!

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a rounded tip. The largest size is 1.7cm wide and 2.3cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.4cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$35

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 8. Koi Pond

Description:
Koi fish splishing and splashing their way through the waves on your nails. These koi have all been painstakingly hand painted. They have gold metallic scales and the waves have silver metallic accents to make them shimmer in the sunlight. Please view them up close to see all of the little details.

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly long nails with a rounded tip. Please note that these particular nails have been hand filed to shape, as such they are not completely even. Please examine the photos carefully before ordering. The largest size is 1.9cm wide and 2.7cm long. The smallest size is 0.9cm wide and 1.8cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$35

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 9. Tartan Icing

Description:
These nails feature hand painted tartan style pointed french tips and tiny silver bullions. The base are frosted white with silver glitter to make them extra shiny. The tartan is made with 4 different shades of pink and white.

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a square tip. The largest size is 1.8cm wide and 1.9cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.2cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$20

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Set 10. Frosted Fruit Candy

Description:
This set just screams summer to me! Each nail has a summery base colour with a thin white french tip. The tips have gradated silver glitter so they really catch the light and a slice of fruit to top it all off! These nails would look great sipping cocktails by the pool.

Measurements:
Included in each set sold are 20 individual nails in 10 different sizes. These are fairly short nails with a rounded tip. The largest size is 1.7cm wide and 2.3cm long. The smallest size is 0.8cm wide and 1.4cm long. They will arrive on cardboard backing wrapped in pink fabric with ribbon details as pictured below. Gift wrapping is available upon request.

Price: US$15

Please click on the photos for a larger version to see all of the details.

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A close up of the first 10 nails.

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Extra Information!

Custom Orders:

I will take custom orders, please comment with what you are interested for a quote 🙂

Ordering:

Before you order please take the time to read all of the information.
You can order by either commenting here or by emailing me using my Contact Page to let me know which set you would like to buy and your email address so I can send you a Paypal Invoice. Please note that the email address you put in the comment form can only be seen by me so if you are uncomfortable publishing your email either put it there or order via the Contact Page. Anything that doesn’t sell here is going to be put up in my Etsy shop, if you would prefer to buy via Etsy let me know and I will create a listing for you 🙂

Payment:

Payment must be made via Paypal. All prices are in US Dollars.
Australian buyers have the option of doing a direct bank transfer in Australian Dollars but must contact me for details.

Postage:

Shipping fees are included in the listed prices. Shipping is via Australia Post. International shipping will be by standard Airmail (unless you want to pay extra for express).
Insurance is not included in the price, if you would like to buy insurance please contact me. If you do not opt to buy insurance I cannot be held responsible for lost packages.

Notes:

Please note that these nails are all hand painted and as such they are all unique. They are not mass produced and therefore they have small irregularities. Please view the pictures carefully to be sure before you place your order as I will not accept refunds if you just change your mind. Larger photos are available upon request.

Thank you so much for looking at my nail art!