Haul: Haus of Gloi Perfume Oils.

It is no secret that I enjoy smelling edible. My olfactory preferences lean to close-skinned authentic gourmands, of which notes of the like are rarely found unsullied by the manufacturing process in the slew of mainstream perfumery. It is also a poorly kept secret that I have starry eyes for the popular Indie soap manufacturer Haus of Gloi.

Mango Sticky Rice (Reverie collection)

Sweet mango, coconut infused rice and toasted sesame.

Peach Mama

Peach nectar and a host of resins: offertory frankincense, styrax, copaiba balsam and ambered labdanum absolute. Warmed with cassia and a barely audible breath of black patchouli.

Milkmaid (spring collection)

Flushed, but demure. Fresh milk, clean linens, pale musk and pink sweet pea blossom.

Samples: Sol (summer collection), Selkie (spring collection)*, Lassi (spring collection), Honey Tree, Litchi Milk Tea, Imp.

Available from www.hausofgloi.com
5ml Amber glass bottle US$12.00
Sample Vial US$2.50

*Freebie

Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask.

I adore Antipodes. A number of the NZ brand's gems feature in my skincare routine; I enjoy their brightening cleanser and serum. I have designs on their cleansing balm and hand cream. But today, I'm here to wax lyrical over their face mask offering.

Aura Manuka Honey Mask is unlike most face masks. It doesn't dry and tighten, cracking like a riverbed in the height of drought at the slightest move. Nor does it have a tingly, exfoliating feel of others. Rather, it sits like a thick cream, cooling, soothing and smelling utterly edible.

Manuka honey is a known superfood with antiseptic qualities. The honey simultaneously nourishes and moisturises the skin while treating acne, all the while gently. It seems this mask is a true universal product, able to please a slew of skin conditions from acneic, sensitive, parched, everything in between and even a combination of any aforementioned. I'm talking a crowd pleaser unlike anything we're familiar with (I'm looking at you, Two and a Half men and ilk of your kind.)

On Rotation: March 2013.

Source: Pinterest.

Skin Care

Makeup Remover: Bioderma / Dermalogica Precleanse
Cleanser: Antipodes Juliet Skin Brightening Cleanser & Clarisonic Mia
Exfoliant: Alpha-H Liquid Gold
Toner: -
Moisturiser: Steamcream
Night Treatment: Alpha-H Liquid Gold Serum
Spot Treatment: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion / Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
Eye Cream: -
Mask: Ren Glycolactic Radience Renew Masque
Lip Balm: Nuxe Reve de Meil / Korres Lip Butters

Body Care
Hand Cream: Jurlique Rose Hand Cream
Body Scrub: -
Shower Gel/Cream/Lotion: The Body Shop Neroli Jasmin / Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
Soap: -
Body Lotion: Lush Sympathy for the Skin
Perfume: The Body Shop Neroli Jasmin
Candle: Ecoya Palm Leaf & Tiare Flower

Hair Care
Shampoo: Original & Mineral Hydrate & Conquer
Conditioner: Original & Mineral Hydreate & Conquer
Treatment: Evo Mane Prescription / Original & Mineral The Power Base
Shine Spray: NAK Aroma Oil Spray*
Hair Spray: L’Oreal Elnet Supreme Hold Hair Spray
Leave In Conditioner: Kerastase Nectar Thermique
Styling Product: Evo Haze

Makeup
Base: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm / Estee Lauder Double Wear / Garnier Roll-On Anti Dark Circles* / MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural
Eyes: MAC Painterly Paint Pot / Benefit Creaseless Cream Shador Flatter Me / Benefit They're Real Mascara
Lips: L'Oreal Shine Caresse Juliet & Princess
Cheeks: Too Faced Mocha Mi Amore / Dior Amber Diamond

*PR Samples

Original & Mineral Hair Care.

Hydrate & Conquer Shampoo

For a daily dose of hydration. Give dry, damaged or coloured hair some TLC with nutrient-rich Tasmanian Sea Kelp rich in vitamins A, B, C & E while 13 amino acids help to revitalise tired or stressed locks. All O&M shampoos are formulated with native Australian ingredients and include a UV inhibitor to gently shield coloured hair.

Imagine lathering your locks in liquid milk bottle lollies. That is what this shampoo is like, only without the stickiness. For a shampoo without naughties, it still lathers and cleanses wonderfully, and unlike any other shampoo I've tried it does indeed moisturise. I'd never come across a multi-function shampoo before. I'd long resigned myself to the notion my hair is and will be forever dry, coarse and frizzy, however this shampoo has shown me otherwise.

Ladies with oily or fine hair beware, this moisturising element would most likely weigh your locks down.

Hydrate & Conquer Conditioner

For a daily dose of hydration. Nutrient-rich Tasmanian Sea Kelp instantly nourishes and infuses moisture into dry, damaged or coloured hair. All O&M conditioners are formulated with natuve Australian ingredients and include a UV inhibitor to gently shield coloured hair.

Again, much like it's shampooing partner, Hydrate & Conquer Conditioner smells of milk bottle lollies. Delicious.

Using this conditioner in conjunction with its sister shampoo, the results are what I used to believe could only be achieved after a visit to the hairdresser or intense treatment. Hold me.

The Power Base Protein Treatment

The king of lifts for damaged hair. This intense double action treatment helps to restore your mane within through the rebuilding strengths of Wheat Protein and follows up by moisturising and nourishing the exterior with Apricot Oil and Shea Butter.

All hail the king of protein treatments! Now, I've used a protein treatment or ten in my time on this mortal coil, and let me tell you none have packed such a potent protein punch as this. This is, quite seriously, my favourite hair product I have ever slathered on my tresses.

While we're on the topic of protein treatments, I will pay forward the knowledge imparted on me by my lovely hairdressing friend: follow protein treatments up with conditioner. Here's why your protein treatment acts as an extra step between your shampooing and conditioning routine rather than a replacement conditioner:

1. Shampoo opens the hair follicles to cleanse away dirt, oil and product.

2. Protein treatments enter the opened follicles and nourish the inner shaft.

3. Conditioner smoothes the hair by closing the follicles and nourishing the outer shaft.

For smooth feeling hair, condition to close your follicles. 

The Power Base's smell retains the sweet lollies smell, however I find subtle elements of vanilla sponge cake and syrupy fruit linger ever so deliciously in my hair a few hours after use.

Seven Day Miracle 

Use this hair masque religiously. This treatment will leave all hair types deeply moved with its unique blend of Australian native oils. Cold-pressed, Certified Organic Argan Oil and Macadamia Oil help to fortify the hair leaving it deeply nourished, frizz-free, soft and silky smooth.

Once a week- normally on the Sabbath for an experience as close to religious as possible for my agnostic self - I switch out my conditioner for this bottle of miracle. I leave it on for as long as possible under a shower cap while I tend to my cloven hooves and whatnot. The results are nothing short of holy; no frizz, amazingly soft and with that delicious milk bottle lolly scent.

O&M products contain no sulphates, parabens, triclosan, MIT, propylene glycol, phthalates or sodium chloride. This bunny approves of their NO animal testing policy. 

Available from Adore Beauty.

Nuxe Reve de Miel.

If there were a product that could give me lips that exceed my dreams in softness, plumpness and moisturised-ness, I would be willing to endure an entire Cat Stevens album in exchange for a tub. Add the fact this wonderful lip potion come in a citrus blossom and honey scented vehicle, then heck, I've just become Yusuf's number 1 fan.

With Nuxe Reve de Miel I am thanking my lucky stars I only have to part with twenty beans and wait for Mr. Postman to deliver the goods. I loathe the artist formerly known as 'Cat' with the heat of a thousand Father and Sons.

Despite years of blistex, paw paw ointment, 8 hour creams, I always experienced painful lip dryness that would cause splitting and peeling. Since turfing out the many sub-par lip treatments I had amassed and turning to Nuxe, I haven't experienced all the horror that came with dry lips. Can I get a 'hallelujah?' 

The balm itself is quite similar to buttery, crystallised raw honey in texture, smell and how it melts in contact with body heat. Once on the lips, it leaves a protective layer with a matte finish. This layer is very long lasting, surviving general menial tasks such as talking, drinking, snacking, wincing at co-workers from behind your partition. The matte finish and lack of slip make it the perfect lip primer.

Even when I smooth a layer over my pout before bed each night, I always wake with it still fully applied. I remove it during my cleansing routine with water and a muslin cloth, which reveals the extent  of which this gem of a product has saved my kisser; smooth and supple (cringe, I hate the word 'supple'. It's in the same category as 'moist' and 'viscous').

Dior Amber Diamond.

Dior Amber Diamond (or Diorskin Shimmer Powder 002 Amber Diamond) is magnificence. 

Some may put it down to sheer lunacy, others a lack of zeal for my humdrum 9-5 life, but this highlighter puts a spring in my step. It is - for my face - as syrup is to pancakes. Cheese to macaroni. Butter to toast. Soft cheese to conichons.

(Is it lunch time yet?)

Admittedly, this is not the subtlest of highlighting products on the market. While it does deliver a soft, diffused glow, in sunlight it can be a little wham bam thank you, ma'am. In a glorious way, of course.

There is a rosy pink variation of Amber Diamond. Quite predictably, it is called Rose Diamond. I've not tried it, but I am quite content with its bronze sister, whose colour palate lends it to double as an eyeshadow palette. I particularly like using the middle, albeit slimmest strip on my lids.

Also, this wouldn't be a post on a Dior product without cooing over the luxurious packaging. Coo coo.

There are whispers here and there of Dior Amber Diamond's fate; to be continued or discontinued, that is the question.

L'Oreal Shine Caresse Stains: Princess & Juliet.

Swatched: Princess, Juliet.

I believe the true name for these glossy lip stains is 'L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains', which is fucking ridiculous. The direction the industry is headed will see the worth and value of a product measured by the yardstick of ALL THE WORDS. 

Riding on the coat-tails of the hype surrounding the YSL glossy stains, L'Oreal tricked me into casting my moral objection for the brand* aside (again). Ok, so while I may not have been coerced into purchasing, a 3-for-2 deal and my designs on their Telescopic Mascara (waterproof) sealed the deal. Shame on me.

However, let me redeem myself. These glossy lip stains pack a decent punch, smell deliciously of raspberries and feel oddly cooling to the lips, just not in the horrid peppermint plumping product way. Who doesn't want bright orange or red-ish/purple-ish stained lips that smell of summer berries? WHO?

The texture is near indescribable, I would need to possess a much more spectacular vernacular. So let's stick with: gel-like but not gel-like at the same time. It's both wonderful and unsettling, and once the glossy layer is gone, you're left with such a beautiful, effortless stain.

The gold, plastic packaging isn't my aesthetic. I want artsy with a little bit of fartsy, not a tube I'd feel shame whipping out to reapply at an organic breakfast cafe. Think a pot of Korres lip butter, or Nuxe Reve de Miel, or some other European brand. My fig and fennel sprouted toast deserves more of a follow-up.

Plus, I will admit to wrestling with the wrong end of the tube a number of times. Logic.

Overall, packaging and policies aside, I like the product. No, I love it. I'll just have to excuse myself to the privacy of the bathroom for my post-breakfast touch-up.

*L'Oreal is notorious for their animal testing policy.