Dove Foaming Makeup Remover review

I love a good makeup remover, knowing that I can get all my makeup off, a very important step to a good skin routine. When I was sent the Dove Foaming Makeup Remover I was excited to try it out.

Dove claims: Works by effectively removing even the heaviest make-up including waterproof mascara, eye make-up and foundation.

The makeup remover is a yellow see-through bottle with a pump. There is a stopper that you can attach underneath the pump if you want to travel with it.

The remover is liquid, but when pumped comes out as a foam. It has a gorgeous fruity smell that is really nice. The instructions say you can use it on wet or dry skin, by applying three pumps.

I use it in my shower, with a full face of makeup I apply three pumps and massage it around my face, even on the tops of my eyelids and it gives me the results I want. A clean makeup free face that feels soft and clean. Love it! If your not wearing a full face of makeup you can use two pumps, just depends on what will work for you. This works well on my eye makeup and does not leave a stingy feeling at all.

It really does remove the heaviest makeup and waterproof mascaras all in a few seconds. I keep this in my shower permanently and love how easy, convenient and great results I get.

I would definitely recommend this - a must have in the shower and a very easy and convenient way to remove your makeup.

The Dove Foaming Makeup Remover is a 155ml pump bottle and retails for $10.95 aud. You can buy it from supermarkets or department stores.
Do you use a makeup remover?

Encouraging quote of the day

Life is a song - sing it.

Life is a game - play it.

Life is a challenge - meet it.

Life is a dream - realise it.

Life is a sacrifice - offer it.

Life is love - enjoy it.

by Sai Baba

Do you have a favourite quote you live by?

FASHION PET POLICE

Our pets are becoming a more important part of our lives and our families. You might be surprised, but the owners are more in tune with  their pets’ fashion as well:-)
This post is about fashion for our little loved ones.

A funky rocky look is edgy with bold accents that can be expressed with funky hairstyle:-) and accessories. Clothing pieces include black leather jacket, glasses and bold color scarf raped around the jacket.
Your dog will make a lot of cats be jealous:-)

The boho fashion style trend can represent many flavors and can lean toward the beachy, quirky, eclectic or kitschy cool classification. This style radiates freedom with loose tunics, tousled hair :-), headbands and other fun accessories including cocktail rings and necklaces. This look is definitely saying “feeling good about myself”.

                                                           Chicy Urban Hip-Hop
In the street scene it is all about attitude. This look includes denim jacket, diamond hair clip and silky scarf.

                                                   This nautical style is for real salty dogs.
This dog is not afraid of rough seas or bigger size dogs. He is probably not afraid of cats as well :-) A classic combination of gold and dark blue colors.

                              This royal outfit it is very appropriate for a tea setting with the Queen:-).

Very European, amazing combination of purple color and animal print. Fabulous hat. Your doggy will turn heads in this outfit.

                                                                       Preppy                                         
                                          Conservative, elite and a very clean-cut appearance
                                          This style expresses a clean, prim and proper look.

        I shall not upset cat lovers. Here is a very tropical catty look. Oh, where is my vacation????

A must have “diva look” fur coat will complete my fashion collection. Smooth hair dogs like this doxie may need that extra fur to feel and look fabulous.

Just remember to pick outfit that suits your pet’s personality and make sure that your pet feels comfortable wearing it.

Please do join my blog and feel free to leave your comments. I appreciate all your feedbacks and welcome everyone to my blog!

                                         And once again, if you have any questions, Ask Erena!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Winner of the Tangled DVD giveaway is........

Thanks to everyone who entered the Tangled DVD giveaway. I loved reading your responses.

The winner has been chosen and is:


Belinda


Congratulations! Please email me your profile name, full name and mailing address to danniibeauty@hotmail.com ASAP.

Walt Disney will be sending out your prize, it may take a few weeks.

Stay tuned for some more great giveaways coming soon....

Arbonne lip polish review

I have never tried any Arbonne products, so when I was sent a lip polish to review I was curious to try it out.

Arbonne is a network marketing business that is run through a network of independant consultants. Their products consist of skincare, body and cosmetics.

The lip polish I was sent is in the colour Raisin, which is a pretty plum colour with some specs of gold shimmer. It looks dark in the tube but it actually is lighter on the lips which I like. The packaging is sturdy and a great compact size.

Arbonne says: Luscious lip polish glides on silky smooth and delivers superior shine without the stickiness.

I have to agree this lip polish is quite good. When you apply it to the lips with the doe foot applicator it is really smooth and feels soft on the lips. The colour is very well pigmented and is a beautiful light plum colour that can be worn during the day or night.  It is not sticky at all, has a slight smell but its not overpowering and I got at least three hours wear out of it.

It definitely feels like a special lip gloss because it is so smooth and soft. This retails for $36 aud and is available from Arbonne website.

Do you have a favourite lip product you are using at the moment?

Fashion talk: Infinity Scarf - how to wear it

Have you ever heard of a infinity scarf ( or some people call them eternity scarf) ? They are scarves that never end. They are in the shape of a circle, as their ends have been sewn together. They are great because you don't have to worry about the scarf falling off or being uneven. The infinity scarf is a multi functional fashion accessory that can be worn in a few different ways.

Traditional  - If you want a tradition scarf look, place the scarf over your head, loop the scarf and place it over your head again. This will give you a nice loosely fitted scarf.

Turtleneck - This is when you follow on from the traditional look and make another one or two loops (depending how long the scarf is) it will give you a tighter fitted scarf look, like a turtleneck.

Shawl - If your infinity scarf is a longer one, you can wear it on your shoulders like a shawl.

Hooded - You can also wear the infinity scarf like a hood, by wrapping the scarf around your neck once, then take the back of it and bring it over the head and wear it like a hood.

The picture above is my infinity scarf that I picked up from Target for $12 aud. The picture below is me wearing it in the traditional way.

Infinity scarves come in many shapes, sizes, colours, patterns and textures. You can get lightweight scarves which allow you to wear them in many different ways and there are thicker chunkier ones which are better to be worn the traditional way as they are harder to manipulate into different shapes.

Have you tried a infinity scarf?

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner review

I am always on the lookout for hair products. I have dry/damaged hair from colouring, so I need a lot of hydration to keep my hair soft. When it comes to shampoo and conditioners I use them for 3-4 weeks and then try something different. So I wanted to review the current shampoo and conditioner I am using that I am enjoying.

The Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner is specifically for dry/damaged hair. The packaging is beautiful, easy to handle and use and it has a fusion of orchid and coconut milk which makes it smell amazing - a nice coconutty smell.

Herbal Essences say (shampoo):  it's time to take every strand of dry hair off dry land. replenish your pretty, parched head with my moisturizing shampoo fused with essential moisturizers and orchid & coconut milk. it leaves hair silky and supple. want more moisture where I come from? seek my happily hydrated conditioner.

Herbal Essences say (conditioner): I'm deliciously hydrating. give your dry hair a drink with my moisturizing conditioner. I say you can never get too much of a good thing. so say " hello " to a deep dousing of lush hydration with my rich formula fused with moisturizers, orchids & coconut milk. drink up and replenish your hair's much needed moisture. it's time to be reunited with manageable, silky, smooth hair.

I find that this shampoo and conditioner does give me hydration and moisture that my hair needs. It applies easily on the hair and you don't need to use a lot of product. I leave both my shampoo and conditioner in my hair for at least 1-2mins so the product really soaks in to my hair. The very first time I used them, I only felt a slight difference to my dry hair, but the more I use them the better it is for my hair and my hair isn't dry anymore.

It really is hydrating for my hair, leaves my hair soft, smooth, silky and easy to comb through. I think this is a great shampoo and conditioner to try if you have dry hair and give it a few goes. They are affordable and worth a try.

There are a lot of different collections that Herbal Essences have - for different hair types or concerns. The Tousle Me Softly is the next collection I want to try out.

The Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner are 300ml bottles and retail for $5.99aud from supermarkets or department stores.

Have you tried any of the Herbal Essences Shampoo and Collection? What shampoo and conditioner are you using at the moment?

You are beautiful, yes you are!

Do you suffer from low self esteem? Do you wake up in the morning dreading the day? Feel like nobody appreciates you? Feeling unloved? Feeling your not good enough? Struggle to make friends?

Self esteem is about valuing who you are and believing in yourself and what you can do, that is what matters the most. You and how you feel about yourself is what will increase your self esteem.

Our self esteem is affected by the way others treat us  - as it affects how you feel about yourself. Someone that is putting you down, gives you negative comments like 'your clothes are ugly' or 'you can't do that' or 'your not beautfiul' will make you feel down and less confident about your self.

Many people have times when they feel bad about themselves - but that is when it is time to start thinking positive. Be happy about the good things that are in your life. People who have high self esteem are happy with who they are and make the most of being fun and are full of life, caring about themselves and others.

So talk to yourself about how you want high self esteem into your life and think that you can do it, because you can. You need to be your own best friend. Treat yourself the way you would treat your best friend.

No one is born with self esteem. Self esteem is influenced by our family, friends, workmates, environment but it us up to you to recognise negative thoughts and influences and get rid of them.

 To maintain a healthy self esteem remember these points:

• You are beautiful inside and out
• You are a very important and worthwhile person  - don't compare yourself, you are unique.
• If you are different, it doesn't matter - we can't all be exactly the same, accept yourself for who you are.
• It is up to you to have your own feelings, opinions and friends - don't be someone you are not.
• You are not alone, there are others who have been in a similar way and have made it through, you can too.
• You deserve the best, you deserve love and you deserve respect, strive for it.

At some point in life we have all suffered from low self esteem. But achieving high self esteem is something that needs to be worked on and can be achieved. Make small changes and focus on yourself because you deserve to have high self esteem.

What helps you to achieve high self esteem?

GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS

                                        Life is stressful, we all need a way to deal with it.
I find gardening to be a stress relieving therapy for myself. I grew up in a city, so as you can understand gardening and me used to be like a cat driving a car or an alien trying to use dish washer.... But since I became a homeowner, I had to learn how to make my front and back yards of my house look presentable and beautiful. It is not an easy thing to do, it takes a lot of patience, but it is very rewarding…
There are so many flowers to choose from, it can be difficult and frustrating to decide where to begin. Here are some of the tips that helped me and hopefully will help you:
1.  It is best to have a plan in mind before you start digging. Choose flowers you enjoy and that suit your landscape. By choosing the right plants for the right place, you’ll give your flowers the best chance to thrive. Note how much sunlight your planting area receives each day and the level of soil moisture, and then choose flowers that thrive in those conditions.
2. Using perennials vs. annuals will save you money. Perennials will come back every year and annuals only last a season.
The first year your new perennials are underwhelming – the clumps small, the flowers sparse. By the second year, you'll see more flowers and better growth. But in the third season – watch out – your plants look like they're on steroids, and you look like an accomplished gardener.
Professionals usually advise to pick flowers that bloom different time of seasons. Like tulips that only bloom during spring, as were marigolds last all summer long. However, if you are working girl like me, too busy to do any flower searches, then chose flowers that bloom all summer long. There is a list of great long blooming perennials: Campanula, Achillea, Coreopsis and Coydalis, Fringed Bleeding Heart Coneflower, Veronica, Black-eyed Susan, Scabiosa,  Tradescantia.

3. Try to place taller plants and flowers closer to your house (if your flower box is square)
and in a middle if your flower box is around and free standing.

4. Your space may not be big, but that doesn't mean your plants have to be itsy-bitsy. Adding one or two outstanding bold perennials can give your garden the punch that's missing - even in a small space.
The shape of your garden plays an important role in the overall look.
Having a few smaller beds that are kidney bean shape, or oval, are more eye appealing than having one long rectangular bed.

They are also easier to maintain.
5. To create visual interest, select plants with different textures. For example, RUSSIAN SAGE has a soft-textured look, while LADY FERNS have a sharp-textured look. Sea grasses (my favorite) will make a beautiful statement in any garden.

6.  Structure is another important element to consider. You can form structure by creating a berm (elevation) if the area is flat. Garden arbors and trellises are another way to add structure and are perfect for growing flowering vines.
7. Container gardens are a perfect home for annuals (plants that have one growth season). Some suggestions for containers include: hanging baskets, whiskey barrels, washtubs, wooden boxes, or old boots :-) or any other object that will allow you to put drainage holes in the bottom. You can also find numerous old treasures at flea markets, which makes container gardening a fun hobby.

                                       I hope you found these tips helpful. Enjoy your new garden!
             Waiting for your comments and feedbacks, and if you have any questions – Ask Erena!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation review

I have been trying a lot of different foundations over the last few months. I love using foundation and am always on the lookout for something new. I like full coverage foundations that can cover pretty much everything.

I have been using Estee Lauders skincare range on and off for years now, but haven't really tried much of their makeup products. So I just had to try the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation.

Estee Lauder says: 15-hour staying power. Flawless all day. This worry-free, long-wearing makeup stays fresh and looks natural through heat, humidity, nonstop activity. Won't change colour, smudge or come off on clothes. Feels lightweight and comfortable. Now the flawless look you see in the morning is the look you keep all day.

I totally agree with Estee Lauder. The Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation really does everything it says it will. It comes in a frosted glass bottle so you can see how much foundation you have left. The top screws off and you pour the foundation off. I prefer pump bottles so I hope that Estee Lauder can make it with a pump bottle in the future. It also has spf 10 in it which is great.

This foundation is easy to apply and blend. It applies smoothly and evenly on the skin giving the skin a flawless finish, whilst feeling lightweight and not cakey. My shade is Ecru and it is a perfect match for my skin. The coverage is excellent it covers really well particularly my redness and discolouration areas. It really does last all day, after 12 hours it still looks natural and flawless. It definitely stays put and doesn't transfer. I have combination skin with a oily T zone and it does really well at controlling my oils. Some people that have oily skin don't like it, but I would suggest using a primer underneath and a powder to set it. Also you don't need much of this a little is all you need, otherwise it will feel heavy if you use too much.

I would definitely recommend this foundation if you are looking for a full coverage foundation, long lasting and a natural finish. This retails for $68aud. I usually buy it if there is a gift with purchase at Estee Lauder or online where its cheaper.

Have you tried this foundation? What foundation are you using at the moment?

Shopping for children

As I mentioned a few days ago, I attended a bloggers brunch. There were fantastic brands there showcasing their products and a few that I wanted to share with you that my children have enjoyed.

BRUDER products -  their company slogan is "just like the real thing" and they really are, model-sized toys to encourage children to imitate real life in the form of role play. The DHL truck ( as pictured above) is just like a real one. The quality of the this toy is fantastic, very sturdy, reliable and the detail on the vehicle is just like a real one. My son and daughter both love this toy and has so much fun playing with it. The Bruder products are really unique and special for any child. There is a great variety of products to choose for children such as fire trucks, construction vehicles, horse carriages and many more.

Little Tikes - A fantastic brand that has hundreds of colourful, educational and practical toys for children. The Handle Hauler Anchor and Speedy vehicle (as pictured above) is great with real moving parts, rolling wheels and soft grip parts making it easy for small children to play with it. My twenty month old daughter is happy rolling this up and down and loves that she can hold the little speedy vehicle in her hands.

Hasbro - Playskool Alphie (pictured above) is a cute little robot figure that has all kinds of counting fun. Alphie has lots of great counting games where he asks you questions about numbers and you answer by pressing the keys. His fingers light up which makes it all more fun. Both my children love Alphie he is fun to listen to and great for learning about numbers. I also spent quite some time going through all the games with Alphie and I did pretty good! I think this is great for any child as it makes learning fun and enjoyable.

Pink Poppy - Absolutely gorgeous accessories for little girls. I am sooo in love with Pink Poppy and so glad that I got to find out more about them. They have lots of different products like bags, jewellery boxes hairclips, necklaces, rings, bracelets and so much more. My twenty month old daughter loves wearing headbands, necklaces and bracelets at the moment and Pink Poppy have a huge range to choose from. The quality of the accessories is very durable and easy for children to handle. I actually found a stockist in my local shopping centre and I have bought some gorgeous necklaces and bracelets.

All of these products would make great presents for any child, they will love them!

Are there any great toys you've purchased for your children or as presents for children?

Winners of the five days of giveaways are.........

A huge thankyou to all my readers that entered the five days of giveaway I ran for my blog anniversary. It was great to see all of your responses and support for my blog. There were over 200 entries overall which was fantastic.

The winners of the five giveways are......

Face of Australia 'Luminous Skin Pack' Giveaway

Oh Gorgeous Baby

Its all about the lashes! 1000HOUR pack giveaway

Marusya V

Burt's Bees pack giveaway

Ling Tung

Glitter Gal giveaway

Renee

Sunspirit Aromatherapy packs giveaway


Samelia's mum
haute style
emmabovary
operationhotmother
Jasmine1485
Donna

Congratulations to all the winners! Please email me your profile name, full name and mailing address to danniibeauty@hotmail.com ASAP.

The sponsors will be sending out your prizes, it may take a few weeks.

I appreciate each and every reader, there will be many more giveaways coming soon!

THINKING TATTOO?

                                                                    Thinking tattoo? It seems to me that people put more thoughts into picking colors for walls in their houses than picking a tattoo. So what is a tattoo? Is it a statement of your personality or just a spontaneous impulse like "let's get married while being drunk in Vegas"? Should tattoo be personal, located in a private area of your body or for somewhere for everyone to see?  Let’s learn from celebrities.

Tattoo lesson number 1: well balanced tattoos. The perfect sample of this is a combination of tattoos on David Beckham's body.
David has several tattoos on his body, each of them has a particular meaning: his son’s name, Brooklyn, on his back, a crucifixion scene, as well as his other son’s name, Romeo, on his upper back, the number seven in Roman characters on his right arm and the name of his wife Victoria in Hindi.
The majority of Beckham’s tattoos have been done by Manchester tattooist Louis Malloy, one of the most prominent in the UK.
Tattoo as an art and a hobby, this is what might be appropriate for David, just look at almost all his body filled with tattoos. He has been collecting tattoos for many years.
David, we just cannot get enough of your tattoos! We want moooorrrreeee!
Tattoo lesson number 2: think twice before getting one.
 This leading lady is best known from the hit science fiction movie, Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Before she made it big in the movies she was growing up on the set of the television series Hope & Faith where she had the recurring role of Hope's teenage daughter Sydney.

Not surprising, but before the acting bug hit Megan Fox won awards for modeling and she still continues to model today.
21-year-old, Megan Fox has 9 tattoos, but it is rumored that she is regretting 2 of them. The first one, a tribal tattoo is located on her left wrist. Here it is .
From what I read on the internet, the tattooist who did her tattoo, was smoking weed while drawing it:-) Meagan, it looks like it.
Her second regretting tattoo is her ex-boyfriend’s name: Beverly Hills 90210 star – Brian Austin Green.
They broke up some time ago. Now she has got this Brian tattoo in her pelvic area, not sure what to do with it.
Tattoo lesson number 3: love comes, love goes, but your tattoo stays.

Another inspiring break up tattoo story is about Johnny Depp. One can see a ribbon tattoo reading "Wino Forever" and the story goes that this tattoo was originally "Winona Forever", and Depp amended it by removing "na" after his estrangement with Winona Ryder. Johnny had this tattoo done at Sunset Strip Tattoo reportedly paying 75 Dollars.
Tattoo lesson number 4: be creative.

Watch out, Chris Brown,  Rihanna’s gun tattoo.
Original idea for Rihanna’s gun tattoo was two guns on either side of the tops of her arms. But the singer decided against having the weapons inked on in such a prominent position because of her contract with make-up brand Cover Girl.
Rihanna who was recently victimized both by her boyfriend, and then by the press, is now sporting permanent guns, an overt symbol of power and violence. Personally…I love this one!



You might be as beautiful as Kate Van D, but let's say in about 20 years from now you may not want to look like this.

I would like to hear your comments about this post. Do you have any tattoos on your body? If yes, did you ever regret getting any of your tattoos? What would you advise someone who is thinking of getting one?

How to make your eyeshadow last longer?

No matter what brand eyeshadow I use, my eyeshadow creases. I have oily lids and no matter what eyeshadow I use it will crease or wear off half way through the day. So after searching for the solution to my problem I have found some great ways to keep your eyeshadow on longer.

Eye primer - Using a eye primer works the best for my eyelids. I use the Urban Decay Primer potion and love it. There are many eyeshadow primers so find the right one and you will find that your eyeshadow will stay put all day. A primer is basically a base for your eyelids and something that your eyeshadow will hold on to and stay on longer.

Face Powder - Applying a translucent face powder over your lids can create a base for your eyeshadow to stick to. The powder will absorb the oils from the lid. Then apply your eyeshadow on top.

Wet eyeshadow - Before applying your eyeshadow, take your brush and wet it and then apply your eyeshadow. Using a damp applicator can help your eyeshadow stay on longer and makes the colour more intense and brighter.

Overall I would recommend using a eye primer, I find that to be the most effective.

What do you do to make your eyeshadow last longer?