What is thermal water and how does it work in skin care?

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If you walk into a pharmacie in France, you’ll immediately bump into a giant display of thermal water spray cans. A whole host of French skin care brands like Avène, La Roche-Posay, Uriage and Vichy sell thermal water sprays. What is it, what’s in it, what does it do and how is it different from regular water? What is thermal …

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Guest Post: Remington Barber’s Best (Virtually Indestructible) Beard Trimmer review

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This is a guest post from our esteemed nail art guru. He’s also apparently a male grooming appliance connoisseur. Here are his musings on the Remington Barber’s Best (aka. the Virtually Indestructible) Beard Trimmer. I’m normally the kind of person who wonders why anyone would spend extra money when they can get something cheaper that does the same job. But …

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Why You Should Never Straighten or Curl Wet Hair

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I’ve been straightening and curling my hair wet/damp for years, despite all the popcorn-sounding fizzes and crackles – but some science I’ve recently read have made me do a complete 180. It turns out wet and dry hair respond to extreme heat very differently – and wet hair cops it far worse, and not just because it’s more fragile. First, …

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Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencil Swatches and Review

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Maybelline Color Blur Matte Pencils are making their way to Australia, and I’ve managed to swatch them all! These pencils contain a twist-up matte lip shade with a smudger on the other end, so that you can create effects like ombre lips and the super-chic “just ate an ice block” lip look that’s all over Asia right now. There are …

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Korean Gray-Brown Brow Pencil Comparison

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I have undyed East Asian hair, so it’s hard to find a good brow product in stores in Australia. Luckily the Asian beauty market has it covered with tons of grey-brown options! I couldn’t find many comparison swatches online so I ended up buying a whole stack of “Gray Brown” pencils from a range of Korean brands (The Face Shop, …

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Banana Boat and Nivea Facial Sunscreen Reviews

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Here are some new sunscreens I’ve been trying. They’re available in stores in Australia which is very exciting, because Australia hasn’t had many “cosmetically elegant” (non-greasy, non-clumpy) sunscreens that you can use under your makeup without it all turning into a big greasy mess. Banana Boat has released two sunscreens in their Everyday range – Everyday Sensitive ($17.49 for 200 …

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Maybelline Color Tattoo Leather swatches and comparison

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There are 4 new shades joining the Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo range in Australia in February. 3 of these are matte, and the final shade is a satin with subtle shimmer. They’re neutral colours which will be fantastic for everyday wear. I’ve swatched these next to similar shades in the permanent range, so you can work out if they’re worth …

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Face of Australia Glamazon Contour Kit review

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Face of Australia’s Glamazon Contour Kit is back and is joining the permanent range! I wasn’t really into contouring when this contour/highlight duo first came out, but as I got into subtly sculpting my cheekbones and jawline and trying out different products, I discovered that the brown shade in this kit is perfect. It’s cool-toned, which is important if you …

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