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The Nude by Nature Essential Collection Brush Set contains almost all the brushes one could need, but I find it odd that there's a Kabuki brush & also a powder brush, yet no blush brush; & a concealer brush, but no foundation brush. The faux leather case has a rose-gold zip that matches the ferrules of the brushes, & elastic straps to hold each brush in place. Overall, I consider most of these brushes too large for controlled application, particularly the powder brush & eyeshadow brush, but I use the eye blending & eye definer brushes regularly. The brushes are each "discreetly labelled", according to the box, so you can differentiate which is which. But, why label them discreetly? I needed to peer closely under a fluorescent light before I even found these "discreet" labels, let alone read them. Each brush feels luxuriously soft, except the eye definer brush, which feels somewhat scratchy. The softness of the kabuki & powder brushes makes it difficult to apply my mineral powder, so I pinch the base of the bristles to give me more control. The eye shadow brush is so large it's unwieldy when used for its intended purpose: I compromise by using it for blush, although it's smaller than ideal. Since I rarely wear concealer, I've repurposed the concealer brush for eyeshadow & it works well. The lip brush is too painstakingly slow for daily use, so I'll reserve it for gouging the dregs from a tube of lipstick that has worn too flat to access. Made in China from synthetic fibres.

I've used Manicare Travel Bottles for many years, & while I now prefer Manicare's new Travel Tubes for thicker liquids like conditioner & sunscreen, I continue to use these bottles for thinner liquids such as makeup remover & toner. With a capacity of 75mL, they're cabin luggage compliant. They come with twelve sticker labels for cleanser, sunscreen, body lotion, hand cream, washing powder, washing liquid, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face cleanser, moisturiser & toner. I prefer to label using a permanent marker, & remove it later with either metho or eucalyptus oil on a cotton ball.

L'Oréal Lash Paradise Mascara differs from other mascaras I've used in several respects & it's taken some experimentation to discover how to apply & remove it best. At the start of the tube, my lashes became so thickly coated from the lightest swipe that I needed to declump the mess with a lash comb; & yet, the volume & overall impact were spectacular. The further I progress down the tube, the less it clumps, but my lashes lack volume without additional coats. I experienced no flaking or smudging, but removal was initially tricky. Clinique Take The Day Off (balm) usually removes all makeup easily but requires hard rubbing to shift this mascara. After using two makeup pads, the roots of my lashes still felt stiff. When I switched to Simple Eye Makeup Remover (liquid), my mascara cleaned away gently - how odd! Another minus was how messy the luxe rose-gold tube became around the lid: I had to clean it regularly. Should I blame my clumpy lashes & messy lid on the large brush or the whipped formula? REPURCHASE? No. Made in Italy. PAO 6M. (Open jar symbol shows PAO: Period After Opening that product should last, shown in months, M.) INGREDIENTS: Aqua/Water, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera/Carnauba Wax, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Cera Alba/Beeswax, Synthetic Beeswax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polybutene, Cetyl Alcohol, Steareth-20, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Steareth-2, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Behenate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil/Castor Seed Oil, Maltodextrin, Potassium Sorbate, BHT, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract. [+/- MAY CONTAIN: Ci 77499/Iron Oxides.]

The stated purpose of the Circa Alchemy White Tea & Wild Mint Soy Candle is to eliminate unwanted odours & keep the kitchen smelling fresh. When I make a curry, this candle fulfils its promise of neutralising cooking odours - but it's less enjoyable when burned for the pleasure of a fragrant candle. This blend of white tea & wild mint is unusual. I initially didn't find the scent appealing & wouldn't have bought it if I'd sniffed it in-store. When burned, the aroma seemed to change, as though not consistently blended: occasionally, it was a delightful mix of mint & white tea, but at times, the soapiness reminded me of dishwater. From the box: Handmade in Australia using natural soy wax, high quality fragrant oils & lead-free cotton wicks. The glass jar & packaging are 100% recyclable.

I wear IZ Face + Body Sunscreen to my neck & décolletage or all over if going swimming, but I prefer to wear IZ tinted daywear on my face. I have a fair, moley complexion & both parents have had multiple skin cancers, so I'm careful to apply sunscreen every day, year-round. The hard plastic bottle has a pump dispenser, & the lid snaps on firmly. This sunscreen applies with a white cast that takes some rubbing to dissipate. Annoyingly, after rubbing it in, the cream collects in a crease between my neck & collarbone, leaving a white line. I usually hate the suffocating feeling of heavy products on my skin; & while IZ does feel heavy, curiously, it doesn't bother me: I hate the feeling of sunlight on my skin even more, so I prefer physical sunscreens as they minimise the sensation of direct sunlight. Invisible Zinc is AUSTRALIAN MADE using patented Australian sunscreen technology! (According to pack) The full ingredients aren't listed. Active ingredient: Zinc Oxide 27% w/w. Preservatives: Caprylyl Glycol 1, 2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol. No Titanium Dioxide.

Dermal Therapy™ Very Dry Skin Cream is an extremely thick, white cream that disappears into my skin without leaving a greasy residue. Despite including parfum (perfume) in the ingredients, the scent is so mild it's barely detectable. I have just finished a 250g tub, which lasted over a year since I seldom suffer from dry skin. The cream instantly moisturises my feet & elbows. A light application of cream is sufficient to soothe my hands & legs when they become dry in winter. I've loved every product I've tried from Dermal Therapy, & love that it's made in Australia. INGREDIENTS: Water, Urea, Lanolin, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-20 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Decyl Oleate, Mineral Oil, Glycerine, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Panthenol, Aloe Vera Gel, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Arginine.

These Manicare Travel Tubes have an 89mL capacity: a prime number! - It's odd that they didn't round it up to 90mL. I like to pack light, so all my toiletries get decanted into travel-sized containers. The flip-top caps screw off to reveal a large opening of approximately 17mm, which is plenty of room to pour from a large shampoo bottle, for example, or to insert a bottle brush to clean when empty. I cannot vouch for how well the sticker labels withstand getting wet in the shower, as I prefer to label with permanent marker, which I later clean off with eucalyptus oil on a cotton ball. The twelve stickers are for cleanser, sunscreen, body lotion, hand cream washing powder, washing liquid, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face cleanser, moisturiser & toner. I mostly use these tubes for shampoo, conditioner or sunscreen. Sometimes, to minimise my luggage, I'll revert to a cheap 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner - my hair can tolerate that if it's only for a few days. These travel tubes are superior to the Manicare travel bottles, which I continue to use. I strongly recommend these! Product of China.

I usually favour physical sunscreens, but Neutrogena® Ultra Sheer® Face Lotion SPF50 has such good reviews I was tempted to try it. The lotion dried quickly to a matte finish that felt weightless on my skin - like wearing nothing! The downside of this weightless feel was that I was more conscious of the sensation of sunlight on my skin than when wearing physical sunscreen - & I HATE the feeling of sunlight on my skin. My skin is not sensitive but is highly blemish-prone - unfortunately, this sunscreen was a zit-trigger for me. I upped my usual double-cleanse to a triple-cleanse to combat my breakouts. I understand how Neutrogena Ultra Sheer can be a Holy Grail sunscreen for many, but it's not for me. I love that this was MADE IN AUSTRALIA as I'm trying to buy Aussie-made more often.

I've recently repurchased Maybelline Color Sensation Loaded Bolds in 835 Sapphire Siren, which you'd expect to be blue, but it's a vivid purple colour with a bluish tinge. The pigmentation is rich & the endurance is better than average, but it leaves a ring on glasses & mugs, & I need to reapply after eating. This lippy has a creamy feel; however, I'm not prone to dry lips. The semi-transparent case is dark blue, but the 835 Sapphire Siren sticker on the base of the tube has a bold purple background, indicative of the actual lipstick shade. My teeth are reasonably white, but some shades of purple make them appear yellowish: Sapphire Siren emphasises their whiteness. Made in U.S.A.

I own SinfulColors Shimmer Nail Polish in the colour 931 - See You Soon. At first glance, it could be mistaken for black, but a blue sheen with tiny blue shimmery particles becomes visible under bright light. The bottle looks like micro glitter, yet the polish applies smoothly & is removed as easily as cream nail polish. See You Soon is not one of the listed colours above: I'm sure there are WAY more than 8 colours available. REPURCHASE? Yes. I own heaps of SinfulColors shimmer & glitter nail polishes & I'll continue to buy more. The shimmer & glitters are my favourites. Made in USA.