The Body Shop Wishlist

The Body Shop is a shop that has never really been on my radar. When I was younger, I would regularly buy their body butters (my favourite has always been their Coconut body butter) but that was the extent of my Body Shop collection. I've always known they have good products, so I really don't know why I don't shop there more often.

One of my earliest memories of The Body Shop is going there with my Mum so she could buy a hairbrush. She let me pick out something as well, and of all the things I could have chosen, I picked up a perm comb. Yes, really.

After reading and watching product reviews of TBS products, it's left me browsing their website and building a wishlist. What's even better - they are permanently lowering their prices over here in Australia. (Rumour has it that it's in response to Sephora opening their first store in Oz this year).

1. Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - I've always had mixed feelings on using bronzer. My first bronzer was a MAC bronzer that I bought a few years back. I was never that sure on how to use bronzer but I do have to be very careful that I don't put too much on and risk having a muddy looking face. My current bronzer is Benefit's Hoola, but I like the fact that the Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder comes in different shades depending on your skin tone. Being quite fair, I would probably buy Shade 01 as it looks like it could be quite subtle.

2. Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter - I have never used a cleansing balm or butter, but I am increasingly curious about them. I've always been pretty loyal to the Clinique 3-Step Facial Soap but I think it's about time I branch out and try other cleansers. Especially since the price has lowered on the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter it is on a level with the Clinique Soap.

3. Hemp Hand Protector - I have some real problems with my hands, they are often very dry and I have started to suffer from eczema on my right hand. It can get very very red and sore if I'm not careful. I've read some really good things about this hand cream, so I'd definitely like to give it a go.

4. Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue - I'm very guilty of neglecting my feet, so I do really need a product targeted at my feet rather than just using a body butter on them. I've previously used Soap & Glory's Heel Genius which I quite liked. I've heard good things about this product, so I'm curious to know whether it delivers good results. Since summer is only a couple of months off, I really need to get my feet into shape before the sandals come out.

5. Vitamin E Hydrating Toner - I used to use the Clinique Clarifying Lotion as part of the 3-Step routine, I've never really tried any other toner. I know Clinique don't ever use the word toner for their Clarifying Lotion, but it's used at the same point in a skincare routine so I see them as being the same thing. The Clarifying Lotion isn't cheap, so I'm curious to see how a cheaper product will fare.

I'm also open to recommendations - what are your favourite TBS products?

Kate x

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Mini Drugstore Haul

Australia is known for being quite expensive, and now being a traveller I'm trying to keep my spending under control, which is insanely difficult at times. While in Australia I have 'splashed out' on a couple of higher end products when my skin has been in need. Typically, they are all running out at the same time. Priceline (Australia's equivalent to Boots or Superdrug) occasionally have brilliant offers on and a couple of weeks ago they had 40% off all skincare so I made sure I got to a store to take advantage of the offer.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo $27.99/£15.50 - I heard good things about this before I left the UK but my skin was never bad enough for me to consider buying it. While I was in Melbourne during the summer my skin took a turn for the worse and I was trying everything I could think of to bring it under control, including buying this. I noticed an improvement after starting to use this, but I wouldn't say it was a miracle product but I do think it has helped which is why I'm keeping it in my skincare routine.

Bioderma Créaline Solution Micellaire $29.99 - A cult product among beauty bloggers, I was looking through Priceline a little over six months ago and discovered that a whole range of Bioderma products are available to buy, compared to the UK where Bioderma was only just beginning to be available in select pharmacies before I left (if it's now available in Superdrug/Boots please let me know!). I was never bothered enough to want to order on eBay or ask a friend to buy me a bottle on their holidays in France. However, seeing as it was so easily available here I figured it was worth a try. It does a good job at removing my eye make up without making the skin around my eyes sore - something that countless other make up removers have done. I will be honest though, when I'm back in the UK I'm not so sure I will go to the great lengths to get a bottle of this, I got on quite well with the B. Pure Micellar Water which is less than £5 and very easy to get hold of.

Hydraluron Moisture Booster $34.99/£24.99 - A product I used back in the UK as well as over here, when I arrived to Australia last September my skin had a nasty shock - I had gone from hot and humid climates to the cold and windy climate of Springtime Melbourne. My skin dried out very quickly so I knew it was time to buy a tube of this. During the Australian summer I didn't need to use this, but now as we are back into winter it has become a firm staple in my skincare routine again. I don't think I reviewed this while I was back home, but I think the fact I'm repurchasing this speaks wonders. I was very tempted to try out the new Jelly, but seeing as my last tube has lasted me 10 months I think I'm best off sticking to the serum so I can fit it into my backpack.

Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser in Cocoa Glow $9.99/£3.99 - This was a product I have been curious about and I wasn't sure if it was more of a gimmick. I'm quite lazy when it comes to moisturising my body but with this I get just the right amount on my legs and arms, it sinks in quite quickly and smells lovely. The only downside is because it's in a can I don't really know how much I've used, so I'm not sure if this is a product that will go down quite quickly.

So that is my mini 'haul' that should keep me quiet for a while. I've just got to hope they don't do a 40% off make up promotion any time soon...

Kate x

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The prices in AUD are pre-discount.

Beauty Products I Miss

It's now been almost nine months since I left the UK to go travelling. When I was packing, I aimed to keep my make-up and skin care to a minimum as I was in Asia first and I didn't think I'd wear much. 

To be honest, I never really thought about what I would need once I'd left Asia, and arrived in Australia. For four months I was working in an office and essentially having a regular routine. Having not taken the time to think ahead to what I would want for Australia, it left me wishing I had certain products with me.

So what are those products? It's a mixture of skincare and make up, especially certain brands I can't get over here.

Una Brennan Tea Flower Superfacialist Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask
This is quite possibly the product I miss the most. I was always a firm fan of Origins Clear Improvements mask until I tried this. This works so well with my skin. Whenever I could feel a breakout coming on, it would really help my skin and minimise the breakout or clear it up completely. I come from a hard water area in the UK, but over here in Melbourne the water is incredibly soft. Despite being here for almost five months now I don't think my skin has gotten used to it. As a result my skin has been awful. I feel like I'm back to being a teenager again with the spots I've been getting

. 

Urban Decay Naked 1 & Naked 2
I absolutely love these palettes, but decided not to bring either of them with me. A decision I seriously regret. While I was in Malaysia I tried to buy my favourite shade from the Naked palette - Sin, but typically it was  sold out, and I didn't like any of the similar shades. I ended up buying All That Glitters by MAC, but it's just not quite the same. I have been sorely tempted to order either the new Naked 3 palette or the Naked Basics palette to be sent over here, but I'm so torn. 

Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream

This is a product that I actually brought out with me, but alas it has run out. I can't find Dr Jart out here and when I was in Asia I couldn't find this formula. I was quite slow on the uptake with this BB cream, but once I bought it I could see why it is so popular. You barely need anything and it rubs in without feeling greasy. I always thought it offered a pretty decent level of coverage too.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush

I only got into the cleansing brush movement within the past year. I really was close to packing this and again, it's something I wish I had. I never got around to review this but I really did feel like there was a difference with my skin, and it certainly felt cleaner. I've been tempted at times to treat myself to a Clarisonic whilst being over here.

Benefit Dallas Box Blusher

Dallas is my absolute favourite boxed blusher by Benefit, but when I came away I decided to bring another of their boxed blushers with me - Coralista which is another of my favourites. After using Coralista almost every day now, I'm getting a little bored and would quite like to have some bronzed-ish cheeks!
I can buy Benefit products out here, but they do feel a little pricey still, but the prices always do sound worse in $!

Are any of these products you can't live without? 

Kate x

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Cambodia

Time has passed so quickly that our time in Cambodia was well over six months ago now. Something I have really learnt whilst being away that time really does go quickly - you don't even realise it until you stop to think how great it was. A year away sounds like a long time, but we've already been in Australia for six months exactly of our one year visa.

I was initially a little hesitant about including Cambodia to our itinerary but I am so glad we did. While there we visited Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh. The highlight was most definitely Siem Reap where we spent the majority of our time, this included spending three days at the amazing Angkor Wat temple complex. Somewhere I recommend everyone visiting at some point in their lives. 

Our travel into Cambodia from Thailand was quite long and tiresome, but once we arrived and found our guesthouse we were quite relieved. 

Considering how small Siem Reap really is, it's so busy and I was very surprised to find how many foreigners actually lived and worked there. We met at least 3 Americans there all who worked as English teachers.

Sihanoukville, also known as Snookyville was a little beachy town on the coast of Cambodia. We had one day of sun before torrential rain hit. From Sihanoukville, you can also get transport to some of their islands such as Koh Rong.

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has a completely different feel to Siem Reap. To be honest, I much preferred Siem Reap. I'm sure some may disagree, but everyone has their preferences.

Phnom Penh has most of the memorial sites where the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge occurred. The two notable ones are the Killing Fields which are a little south of PP and Tuol Sleng Prison (also know as S21) which both now serve to remember those who died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, and to educate visitors.

Cambodia is truly a wonderful place, we even left Siem Reap with new friends who I hope to visit again one day in the not so distant future.

If anyone has the opportunity to visit Cambodia during time in South East Asia, I would whole heartedly recommend visiting.

Kate x

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