Review: Aveeno Tinted Moisturiser and Eye Illuminator

Hi loves, I'm going to be reviewing some new Aveeno products again - two shades of tinted moisturiser and an eye illuminator. You're probably wondering what the eye illuminator is - I'll get to that later on :) As always, my reviews are 100% honest with no influence of whether the item/s were purchased or sent to me :) I am not getting monetary compensation for my review nor was this a requirement - I just wanted to share with you my thoughts and opinions!

L-R: Aveeno Eye Illuminator and Tinted Moisturisers in Fair to light and Medium

So I was sent two shades of tinted moisturisers to review and I'm glad that I was because neither of the shades are accurate to my skin's shade unfortunately :( So I could mix them together to match my skin tone. Fair to light is a tad too light and Medium is a tad too dark! Wish I was one of those shades (fair to light preferably), it would make things much easier hehe.

Firstly I'm going to review the tinted moisturisers:

Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturisers - Fair to light and Medium

Price: RRP $22.99 AU each

Size: 75mL

Scent: Slightly salty, not too strong

Texture: Silky smooth

Fair to light swatch

Medium swatch

What Aveeno says about the product:

These are the only tinted moisturisers with clinically proven Active Naturals® Total Soy complex to brighten and even skin tone while providing SPF15 sun protection. 

Natural light-reflecting minerals and lightweight coverage seamlessly blend away imperfections and immediately enhance skin’s natural radiance.

Ingredient/s and their purpose:

• Soy to reveal skin's natural health and beauty. Soybeans help with evening tone and texture for radiant-looking skin

My thoughts:

I have enjoyed using this tinted moisturiser, it blends quite well however when I had a break from using it and resumed using it again, the texture seemed to have slightly changed. It was although the products inside were separating a bit... like the bottle needed a few good shake for the moisturiser's consistency to become 'normal' again. Some parts of the moisturiser were clumpy and others were too watery. That's the only negative I have to say about this but I can say that it did give me a sheer coverage on may face. I have some swatches to share:

So the first two from the left are the original shades and the third is a mix of both

I reckon the mix of both suits my skin shade best :)

I like how pigmented they look as swatches (just like foundation!) but when applied, it just 'sink's into my skin and doesn't make me look cakey - it is such a natural finish to my complexion!

Here is how my face looks like with nothing on. I experience light redness and hardly have any blemishes/spots but this doesn't mean that I am lucky or advantaged - when I blush, I look even more red x_x

The swatches on my cheek

 Blended in all the swatches and my redness seems less noticeable!

Pros (+) and Cons (-):

+ Oil-free
+ Hypoallergenic
+ Non-comedogenic (won't clog pores)
+ SPF 15 UVA/UVB sunscreen
+ Blends effortlessly
+ Covers redness
+ Does what it claims to do
+ Nice smooth texture feels pleasant on the face
+ Handbag-friendly
+ Pump mechanism is hygienic and has a twist-lock
+ Lid can be unscrewed for all of the product to be used
+ Expiry date is at the base of the bottle
- Shades may be difficult to match with certain skin tones
- Some may not find the 'salty' scent to be pleasant
- Can be pricey for its amount of 75 mL


Repurchase?

I do use tinted moisturisers more than foundations so I can see myself buying more tinted moisturisers... but unfortunately not this one. It has worked well for me but in my opinion, $22.99 is pricey! And I like my tinted moisturisers or any face products to have a more pleasant, sweet scent ^^" The idea of mixing two different shades to match mine completely doesn't appeal to me - that would mean that I have to buy 2 x $22.99 products :( Not good for the purse and more time-consuming. But I would still recommend this, especially if redness is a problem for your skin too.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Eye Illuminator

Price: RRP $19.99 AU each

Size: 15mL

Scent: Slightly salty, not too strong

Texture: Thin, smooth

 Illustrated instructions on the inside

 

What Aveeno says about the product:

Dark circles and dryness around the eyes are key factors that affect your natural radiance.

AVEENO Positively Radiant Eye Illuminator contains an exclusive combination of Active Naturals® Total Soy complex boosted with tone-evening Vitamin B3 and light-diffusing technology to rejuvenate your natural radiance and help you look fresh and luminous.

Ingredient/s and their purpose:

• Vitamin B3 to rejuvenate natural radiance, helps luminosity and evens tone
• Refreshes and hydrates under eyes

My thoughts:

I was extremely looking forward to using this product when I received it. Not sure if it's obvious in photos or anything but I do have faint dark circles under my eyes and bags (only really obvious when I smile). Of course by no means was I expecting this product to completely vanish my dark circles etc. but it was like I had a purpose for using this product to see if it would make a difference.

I liked the brush applicator, it made it more easy to apply the serum instead of dipping my fingers into a jar of product. It was easy to squeeze for product to come out although most of the time, lots more product came out than expected.

Soft-bristled brush applicator

A milky-white serum that rubs in and dries clear

So, did it do anything for me? Mm, not a lot however it did do what it claims - made my under eyes refreshed and hydrated. Only when I applied it too close to my bottom lash line I experienced slight irritation to my eyes like a tiny stinging feeling which went away after a few quick blinks. I don't think it had anything to do with the serum, it was due to my carelessness =/ Nothing should ever come that near the eyes!

Don't expect it to decrease your under eye bags or make your dark circles vanish because it simply will not. The serum is made to brighten tired and dull-looking skin so the result you may see is more radiant skin under and around your eyes :) I felt that my skin around my eyes had improved slightly.


Pros (+) and Cons (-):

+ Oil-free
+ Handbag-friendly
+ Not too difficult to squeeze for product
+ Simple twist/push cap
+ Brush applicator has soft bristles
+ Does what it claims
+ Smoothes onto skin very well
+ Feels very light on skin
+ Gives a cooling/refreshing feeling
+ Packaging comes with illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions
- Some may not find the 'salty' scent to be pleasant
- Can be pricey for its amount of 15 mL
- No portion control with squeezing the eye illuminator tube


Repurchase?

I would recommend this for use however I can't see myself forking out $19.99 for another one of these. 15mL may not be much however I reckon this one I have now will last me for a while. Only a tiny, half a pea size of serum is enough for both eye areas I swear! I tend to forget to use this daily too (not that it is a requirement) so I reckon I still have plenty of product inside. I have enjoyed using it and I will surely continue using it :)

~~~

Thanks for reading my review guys! I am still terribly sorry for my lack of blog updates T__T

As my little 'giving back to my readers' thing, I am open to sending out samples of any products that I review, free of charge. If anyone would like a sample jar of Aveeno's tinted moisturiser and/or eye illuminator, don't hesitate to send me an email with your request/s :)

Since I have reviewed Aveeno products before, I'm sure there are a bunch of you are more familiar with the brand now. If you didn't catch my previous review, here's the *link*

A questjen for you:

What are your thoughts on Aveeno products?

Loved? Hated? Which products have you tried?

Please let me know!

NEW BYS Nail Polishes + Swatches

Hello blog readers! Back in December last year (2 months ago now... wow time surely does fly) I received  7 new BYS nail polishes for consideration and by new I don't just mean brand new (obviously they would be haha) but from their newly released ranges - Diamond Glitter, Hi Impact and Quake nail enamels. I never knew it would be this exciting to be a beauty blogger, I feel so privileged to be able to try out products before they hit the shelves and/or being one of the first to get my hands on them. For this I wasn't obliged to write a review but this is my way of 'giving back' and sharing my honest thoughts and opinions with you guys :)

 From L-R: 3 Diamond Glitter, 1 Hi Impact and 2 Quake Nail Enamels

I was very eager to try these nail enamels out when I received them because I had read the press releases beforehand so as you can imagine, I had some pretty high expectations! I ended up using the nail wheel that I got from Saku to do the swatches and I am extremely thankful and glad that I have one because it would have taken me a really long time to swatch on my own nails! The whole nail wheel was used and I bought a new one on eBay recently for any future swatching (it can be a pain to remove the nail polishes from the wheel).

 

BYS Diamond Glitter Nail Enamels

Price: RRP $3.95 each

Where to buy: Fashion Addict, Kmart, selected discount stores

 L-R: Crystal, Cobalt & Rose and Amethyst

Ah, can I just start by saying that I LOVE glitter nail polishes?! Well yes, I do and I like how their names sound as pretty as they look. I know Amethyst is February's gemstone and cobalt and rose are shades but... it's just like a really pretty girl having a really pretty name lol, they'd go together so well don't you think? Crystal is a pretty name, same with Rose.

Before I got these ones, I only owned a couple of glitter nail polishes and now I'm heaps happy to add these ones to my collection ^_^ They're simply stunning, here are my pictures to prove it!

 L-R: 1 coat, 2 coats and 3 coats

 

 Crystal

 Cobalt & Rose

 Amethyst

What BYS says about this range:

Each bottle is packed full of light reflecting particles to keep your nails sparkling all night long!

Just quoting a sentence from the press release. It was mostly about the colours and being perfect for the party season which I didn't bother including here.

What I thought about the ones I received from the range:

• Are gorgeous top coats and colours
• After 3 coats it is opaque enough to be a nail polish
• Consistencies with each coat
• Quite even spread of glitter
• Accurate colour on nails to the bottle
• No issues with drying time
• High staying power, not easy to remove! (Both a good and bad thing)

My experience/s with these nail enamels:

I applied the Cobalt & Rose one on my toes before I jetted off to Sydney for 9 days and it was chip-proof for almost a week! It only started to chip when I swam at the beach and probably the water and/or sand made it fade a bit :| I am currently wearing the Amethyst one on my toes and it has still lasted with only minor chips for just over two weeks! In my opinion, all nail polishes last longer when worn on toenails so don't be too surprised that it has lasted this long :P But in comparison with other nail enamels, glitter ones clearly last the longest. It's not fun removing them! Thankfully there are easier methods using aluminum foil.

And since they still are a hassle to remove, I only applied glitter nail polish to the tips of my nails as my attempt of a gradient effect which was a bit of a fail :/ I tweeted a picture of it and I received a bit of praise, thank you girls :) I was inspired by Kitty's tutorial and by no means was I attempting to do a replica - it looked really nice on her nails and this made me want to do something similar to that with mine :D

 Did the manicure at night and used flash to take a picture...

 

 ... which was PERFECT because you can actually see the sparkles *__*

Taken the next morning~

Used Revlon Sheer Translucent in Sheer Blossom and BYS Diamond Glitter Crystal

Repurchase?

Umm yes! For only $3.95, it's entirely worth it. Long-lasting, superbly cheap and such pretty colours in the range! I want to collect them all ahaha, I've become glitter obsessed. I recommend :D

BYS Hi Impact Nail Enamels

Price: RRP $3.95 each

Where to buy: Fashion Addict, Kmart, selected discount stores

 

 Yes it's called 'Hi-Impact', not a typo

(well 'hi' in this case = high)

What BYS says about this range:

Maximum impact with minimal effort. When applied (they) give your nails a beautiful high shine metallic finish.

 BYS High Impact Purple

I tried my best to be a little different with my photography

What I thought about the one I received from the range:

• First assumption = 1 coat would give a big punch of pigmentation, but it didn't
• Slight inconsistencies with application and opacity
• Required 3 coats to accurately achieve that 'high shine metallic finish'
• Smooth coats but had some streaks (as seen most clear in the first swatch)
• Accurate colour on nail with the bottle colour
• Not the fastest drying time
• Chipped too quickly (a day or two later)

My experience/s with these nail enamels:

I had initially thought that 'hi impact' (high impact) would mean that one coat of this nail polish would 'go a long way' so to me this seemed a little misleading. I thought that BYS had finally come up with a new range of nail polishes where one coat would be very opaque without needing a second or a third. I honestly wish that all nail enamels only required one coat to achieve opacity for many reasons: 1, faster drying time. 2, quicker to apply. 3, saves time in general. 4, less product usage. 5, more likely to last longer (because it's thinner and hence will be harder to peel/chip).

Then I realised that by 'hi impact' they actually mean that after three coats of nail polish, your nails will be metallic and have high shine. But then I don't get the 'minimal effort' thing...? I guess it means minimal effort to create this high shine and metallic finish using just one nail polish. That's the best thing I can think of anyway.

  

 L-R: 1 coat, 2 coats and 3 coats

It took longer than I expected to dry and that's why there are fingerprints xD

Repurchase?

The third coat finish is stunning and for $3.95 it is a really cheap nail enamel. However, I am all for fast-drying nail polishes and unfortunately this doesn't cut it for me. I can honestly say that I won't go out and buy more of these Hi Impact nail enamels because I wasn't too impressed with the staying power. And streaky, slightly inconsistent nail polishes do make me feel less encouraged to buy more. I will continue to use this one and for me, one is enough :) If you are looking for an affordable nail polish for under $5, I would still recommend this.

BYS Quake Nail Enamels

Price: RRP $6.95 each

Where to buy: Fashion Addict, Kmart, selected discount stores

 Boxed packaging

Quake Red and Quake Bright Pink

1 Swatch on its own

So before you start assuming that this nail enamel is just like the crackle ones, think again. I had never heard of 'quake' nail enamels until I received these BYS ones and from reading their media release, these have a different formula to their cracked nail enamels. I don't own any cracked nail enamels (I had one but it was a major disappointment, therefore I donated it to an ABBM swap) so I can't make a comparison with them but they do look similar and the same sort of thing happens.

What BYS says about this range:

Shake up your look in seconds. Instant quake effect, long lasting effects.

I used the Hi Impact Purple nail polish as the base colour just because I wanted to stick to using BYS nail polishes for the demo :) It keeps it consistent for the review, you know?

  

 Using the Quake Red nail enamel

 Using the Quake Bright Pink nail enamel

What I thought about the ones I received from the range:

• Quake pattern occurs instantly after one thin coat
• Inconsistency makes the pattern unique however some didn't 'shatter' as much as others (see the red swatch)
• Fairly long-lasting
• No issues with drying time
• Formula is smooth to apply
• Shouldn't apply thick or multiple coats or else it wouldn't work

My experience/s with these nail enamels:

I had that exact combination above (Hi Impact Purple and Quake Red) as my nails for Chinese New Year and I think it suited the theme but probably not the best colour combination. Next time I'll try a blue or a darker colour as the base so that the quake effect can be seen clearer. The quake effect has gaps in between so it is more prone to chipping - that's why you must wear a clear top coat over it. I really like the pattern, it's not as 'random-looking' as the crackle types and there are smaller gaps. I did notice an inconsistency with the Quake Red one... one of the nails had vertical stripes with hardly any shatter gaps. Maybe it had something to do with the way I applied it (perhaps too thick... if it's too thick then the effect won't occur). I was impressed with how fast the effect appeared, it was actually interesting to watch!

Repurchase?

I could definitely see myself getting more of these, I like the shattered effect. I'd love to try different colours and also the original crackle ones. It's so quick and easy to do and it's especially good for people like me who lack nail artistic skills. $6.95 is not too bad, it's a pretty okay investment. Only one coat is required for each nail application so one bottle is bound to last you for a while :D

That is all for my new BYS swatches and reviews! This post actually took me so long to write and I'm glad to have finally finished it. If you have any questions or comments about these nail enamels then feel free to let me know :)

My questjen for the week is:

How important is nail polish to you?

My answer: Not that important because...

I can't wear nail polish to work because I deal with food so it's an occupational health and safety thing. I wish I could wear nail polish all the time though, I love having pretty nail colours and designs ^^ I always have toenail polish on, I love how it lasts much longer than nail polish on fingernails. The days I don't work though, I would apply nail polish hehe.

My First GlossyBox AU

Hello! Last week I was contacted by Amanda of GlossyBox and from that I was sent January's GlossyBox - a box filled with full-sized products/samples from a range of beauty brands. I'm sure most of you bloggers out there are already familiar with these boxes. If not then here's what I know about them:

• A subscription is required to receive these boxes monthly
• Generally they range from $14.95-$20 a box p/month
• Contain 4-6 samples/full-sized products which are beauty, skincare or haircare related
• At least a few high-end branded items are included
• The items are unknown before receiving the box
• Every box's items are the same

They first became known around early last year where they weren't available in Australia. I remember thinking to myself, 'I wish they had these in Aus, it's such a good idea!'. About 6 or so months later, many different companies started launching these beauty boxes in Aus and before we knew it, we were pretty much bombarded with many to choose from! And because of this, I wasn't able to make up my mind on which to subscribe to. I decided to wait for others in Aus to receive their boxes and review. Then after seeing reviews, I still couldn't make up my mind so I subscribed to none :| Not to mention that I wasn't too keen on spending 'x' amount for a box where there may be products unsuitable for my skin (my sensitive skin can be so problematic).

Here is the GlossyBox for January 2012:

Contents:

• Nivea Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser
• Sheer Cover Nourishing Moisturiser
• Sheer Cover Lipgloss
• Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Colour
• Australia Day Temporary Tattoos
• GlossyBox Welcome Card
• GlossyBox Men Discount Card
• Sally Hansen Booklet July to December 2011
• 2 x THE ICONIC $25 Gift Cards

The box was sent via express post and was delivered straight to my door :) It arrived on the morning of Australia Day (January 26) and since it was a public holiday, my mum was home. Haha, you're probably thinking why I mentioned that. Well, my mum is always extremely curious when I receive a package in the mail and she makes me open it straight away. I had planned to take pictures of the box and everything before opening it but of course, I couldn't because I did end up opening it beforehand. I did my best to package it all back nicely for photos:

A box within a box

Cushion-y stuffing wrapped with black crepe paper tied with a pink ribbon

These are the 5 items that were inside the wrapped packaging

List of items in the box and brief descriptions, pricing

I actually didn't know that this GlossyBox would also come with a few discount codes for affiliated companies but yeah, it's cool =] These are the ones that came with my box:

GlossyBoxes for men are now available! If you're interested in purchasing one for your man, this is a $5 off code which is redeemable until February 29 2012

CODE: GBMEN2012

I made use of my $25 gift card for THE ICONIC (I made a blog post about them here)

I'm willing to share this code with my blog readers ^_^

$25 off your purchase from THE ICONIC - one per person and minimum $49 spend

CODE: GLOSSY

Since it was Australia Day in January, these temporary tattoos were included

Does anyone want them? First person to request them can have them for free!

My initial thoughts on the GlossyBox

• Lovely packaging, pink sturdy re-usable box is perfect
• Secure wrapping around the products
• A theme within the items - 'goodies to make your outer beauty glow'
• Informative card about each product
• Sally Hansen nail booklet included has some very helpful tips
• 2 full-sized products and 3 sample-sized products
• 3 skincare, 1 nail and 1 lip product
• Honestly expected there to be a few more items in the box
• Discount codes seem to be a bonus in the box, also the tattoos

Thoughts on the products provided

I'm not a very fussy person and I am usually happy/grateful for things that I am given. In this case, the box was provided for me free of charge and being the nice person that I am, I can't exactly 'complain' about the items. But from a beauty blogger's perspective, I don't feel obliged to point out my concerns and give my honest opinions. I'll start off by saying that yes, I would use all of these products as they all are suitable for my skin type... and taste in skincare/cosmetics =P But I already have heaps of body moisturiser. That's my only complaint, if you even call it a complaint, lol.

I have to admit that I did feel a bit puzzled after seeing only 5 items in my box. I did a little search on GlossyBox's site and I found out that there are two products that weren't in my box - Kosmea Daily Exfoliant and Mirenesse Tight Liner Hydra Gel Eye Liner. BUT then I found out that there are actually 2 versions of the box where they would include those two products but then not have two of the ones that I had!! Thanks for the clarification Sue and Anna.

Because I've had these products for only a bit over a week, I haven't been able to use them to their full extents to be able to write a review. If anyone would like a review for any of January's GlossyBox items, just let me know!

Repurchase?

$14.95 is a decent price I suppose, so yes I would repurchase, aka keep the subscription. It's just that I'd rather use that money on products that I actually want or need to purchase. But I've realised that this a good way to try new products without having to buy full-sized items.

And guess what? I have now subscribed to GlossyBox! I found out about their limited edition Valentine's Day GlossyBox that will have an extra gift never before in their boxes! I am super eager to find out what it is, and I couldn't wait until other bloggers receive and review so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and be one of the first to receive it ^o^

 Credit to GlossyBox

Do you know what's even better? Groupon are having a deal right now where it's only $7 for a women's GlossyBox and $9 for a men's GlossyBox! I must thank Sue who tweeted this amazing deal, I just couldn't resist! Interested in your own GlossyBox for less than half of its RRP? Here is the link to the deal :D Be quick because this deal will be over in less than 72 hours!!

I'll do a post like this when I receive the Valentine's Day edition of GlossyBox. I seriously cannot wait!

My questjen of the week:

What are your thoughts on paying for samples?

And would you subscribe to a box like GlossyBox?

Disclaimer: Products mentioned in this blog post were sent to me for consideration. I am not affiliated with GlossyBox and I do not receive monetary compensation for this review. All opinions stated are my own and are 100% honest.