November 23, 2013

Not my scene: Her Fashion Box

November 23, 2013/ Nicole McIntyre

At first I thought the contents inside were having a bit of an identity crisis, but when I did some reading about the concept/inspiration behind Her Fashion Box I now understand what the creators, Kath and Kerry, are going for.

I, however, am still not sold.

While I can (and sometimes do) appreciate snippets of fast fashion crammed into a petite box, I wish the execution was a bit more focused. Well known brands, namely Maybelline, Redken and Batiste might back this particular flashy September bundle -- however, the wonky clutch, chunky chain bracelet and adjustable ring leaves a lot to be desired.

From afar the accessories appear to be on trend, but on closer inspection things are far from good.

For Australian standards, subscribers are getting a good value for money. But, I'd rather spend the same amount of coin at Lovisa, Colette or Claire's (for the ladies in the States) on accessories to my liking.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Her Fashion Box:

$39.00 AUS per month

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

2 out of 10 bags — Her Fashion Box is not everything to me. Pass.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

Nope. Thanks for sharing.

*PR sample provided – Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own

March 31, 2013

Australia's own - Hello Darling Nail Lacquer

March 31, 2013/ Nicole McIntyre

From left to right: Fairyfloss, Mint Slice & Tramonto

Let me start things off by mentioning how awesome Hello Darling's nail polish quality is and its longevity is comparable, if not better, than most nail polish brands I've tried and use almost religiously.

The kicker here is Hello Darling offers a 5-free formula, "NO toulene, formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or camphor." For someone who wears nail polish on a daily basis, the less I expose myself to cancer causing agents, the better! Now if only I could avoid smokers and what they leave behind in their wake.

What else is there to know about Hello Darling? The company was started by two Sydneysiders who bonded over polish and their mutual love for beautiful nails. They don't test on animals. Their colour naming winks at all things Australian and even extends to favourite holiday escapes. On top of their nail polish range, they also have nail decals, Rockcandy (think caviar) and nail art brush sets!

Recently, I reached out to Hello Darling in order to test a few of their colours -- I figured if one of my favourite nail salons is going to stock Hello Darling, then it must be pretty special :)

Fairyfloss (a.k.a. cotton candy) is a soft, sheer light pink with microscopic flecks of silver glitter. While Fairy Floss is quite pretty, it's translucence was a negative in my book; I applied three coats in order to get decent coverage. With that said, I'd still love to layer Fairyfloss over an opaque white polish in order to see it pop.

Mint Slice (named after wicked tasty cookies; the US equivalent would be Thin Mints) is a creamy yellow-based pastel green. It only took two coats to reach full opacity. Mint Slice is fun and so sweet -- a breath of fresh air for Spring and Autumn.

Tramonto (the Italian word for sunset) is a creamy blue and also happens to be my favourite shade. Back when Crayola Crayons released 96 colours in one box in the early 90's, they included cerulean; from then on it changed my approach to colouring the sky, the ocean and rainbows. Silly, but oh so nostalgic. Tramonto is a two coater as well.

A quick word about the brush: put simply, it's fantastic! Two to three passes is all it takes per nail.

And the polish, it dries fast!

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Hello Darling's 5-free Nail Lacquer:

$18.95 AUS

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

9 out of 10 bags – quickly becoming my favourite brand of nail polish!

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

Let's see... definitely!

So, what do you think? What colours ticked your fancy?

*PR sample provided – Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

March 16, 2013

My city: Melbourne

March 16, 2013/ Nicole McIntyre

A quick stroll down the street takes me to the GPO (General Post Office), a former fully-functioning hub used for mail collection and sorting -- you could even look phone numbers up and pay your bills there too! Last year scaffolding was erected in order for facade works to commence; upon completion a refreshed spirit was revealed in the form of 2,900 LED's tucked behind cornices, columns and other architectural elements.

Now that the sun is setting earlier and earlier as we inch closer to winter, be sure to head into the city's centre and check out this beautiful building located on the corner of Elizabeth & Bourke.