Isn’t it refreshing when an already well established company finds a gap in the market fills it and very successfully at that.  What am I talking about?  Well a clever friend of mine put me onto this very cool new product range that has just been launched into New Zealand called Za.

Za is the collaboration of Shisedio and Zotos who both have a long and successful history in the beauty industry.  Their mission was to ‘establish a brand for all women who seek new value and lifestyle, who actively enjoy their life and want to bring out their beauty’.  I believe they have succeeded.

Za’s products are rich in vitamins and minerals and the product list is vast.  If you can’t find something to suit you in this range, then you may need to call Madonna who would be as fussy.

The product range consists of Dewy Effect which gives you a natural and silky smooth look, or you could choose from the True white range with it’s advanced technology to help make your skin look more luminous and translucent.  If preventing those dreaded wrinkles before they appear is what concerns you, then the Future Defence range could be the one for you.   Anti Acne range is also proving popular for the younger market, but don’t look past the Special Care Products for treatments which will give your skin the extra boost, especially during these drying winter months.

If none of that is what you are after then don’t look past the Make-up range with Tinted Moisturiser, Concealers, Powders and the Eye liners, Lipsticks and lots more, I am nearly out of breath just trying to read the whole list out.

But I have saved the best for last, the PRICE  it’s positively brilliant as it’s some of the lowest prices for these type of products on the market.  For example the highest price you pay for anything is $29.95 and some are as low as $9.50, what a bonus for me as a Mum buying a future tween her first range of skincare.  Yipee.

I’ve given Za 5 out of 5 which is as you know is unusual for me, but they really have done a very good job with this range and it seems that they tried to cover all possible needs.  I am suitably impressed and would highly recommend it to anyone who is  just starting out using skincare or even for those who are looking for a good quality product, at a bargain.

  I’m often asked what products do I really rate as the best I’ve used and often that’s a question I really like to give some thought to, because as you know I like to recommend things that really work.  One of my all time favourite beauty products is Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. No it’s not a plant fertiliser, it’s actually a face scrub which smoothes away dead cells and leaves your face clean and helps with cell renewal.

It’s not like any face cleanser I have used before which is why it’s a product I always go back to because I get really good results from it.   What makes it unique is that it’s a powder that you shake into the palm of your hand and then mix it with water to activate it.  This then releases the Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes which smoothes the skin and allows the Licorice and Bearberry to brighten the skin giving it a clean and fresh look. 

Now if all this sounds a bit to much like the ingredients to ‘Ready Steady Cook’, I completely understand and my advice is not to get to bogged down in what’s in it because it does work.  I must say after using it for a while my skin did feel better, it was smoother and it’s also gentle enough to use on a regular basis.

It is quite expensive to start with as it’s $120.40 for a bottle, but in its defence this lasted for a long time.  Because it’s a powder you just don’t use very much, it seemed to never run out and even for me who subscribes to the ‘more is better’ theory in life, it took a long time to use it all up.

Note:  You must remember to keep the top on it as it is a powder which you don’t want to get any moisture in and I kept mine on the shelf outside my shower.

The best part about all this,  is that you can now buy all your Dermalogica on line and they will ship directly to you.  How easy is that.  www.dermalogica.co.nz

This a great daily cleanser that I found did work and I really like the result I got from using it over a period of time.  It’s on my ‘to do list’ to buy some more.

Price:$120.40                                    Available:www.dermalogica.co.nz  or any beauty therapists that stock the Dermalogica range

   

You see there’s a really good reason I’m called the Shopping Queen.  I didn’t get my title for nothing, much to my husband’s despair it’s well earned and my latest purchase is no exception.  It’s a disaster, one even my children have said Mummy ‘what were you thinking’.  But to be fair it was packaged up so I couldn’t do the  ‘try before I buy’.  

I am always prepared to give something a go when I am told it’s a not to be missed out on and it’s the latest and greatest product on the market.

So you all don’t make the same mistake,  it’s called nimue Vitamin C Moisture Mist. You spray it on your face to lock in the moisture which helps with anti-ageing and provides the skin with well needed anti-oxidants.  It’s also supposed to make you feel good and give you a lift with the help of Phyto Endorphins to create happiness.  To be fair the only lift I got was the one I rode up and down in at my building, can’t say I noticed a happy feeling and my husband certainly won’t when he finds out how much I paid for it.

What they don’t tell you is that it’s smell is like rotten cabbage, which seems to linger on your clothes for ages afterwards and would make those around you question the last time you had a shower.  It really isn’t very nice and definitely not an indulgent $72.00 nice.

We could rename this as the ‘I want to be left alone spray’,  because that’s exactly what will end up happening and as much as you think everyone likes you, this is one sure fire way to end up standing on your own, it just stinks.  Now I can put up with a lot in the name of anti-ageing, I have had hair pulled out, face lasered and lots more all in the name of beauty but this really is ridiculous even for me.  A big old waste of money.

So save your pennies for something else more worthwhile, unless of course rotten cabbage is your thing.

Price:$72.00                                               Available:all nimue stockists

  I have found what could be my new favourite thing.  A friend of mine is a hairdresser, very handy and especially when she gives me the heads up on what’s new and cool in the Hairdressing world.

It’s called bent, my new very easy and fun way to do my hair by wrapping it around the tong and creating these amazing curls.  I am no hairdresser so anything complicated you can just kiss goodbye to with me, but believe it or not I can do this myself.

So what is bent, well it’s a ‘ceramic curling tong’ with advanced cuticle protection technology and is designed by the master of hair himself Richard Kavanagh.  While working in the forefront of the fashion industry creating the latest looks for celebrities, music videos, magazines, etc he couldn’t find premium hairstyling tools.  So he developed his own.

While most heated hair styling tools can damage your hair after use, the beauty with this tong is that it helps to protect your hair by locking in moisture which creates your lovely curls and waves.  After you have dried your hair it seriously only takes five minutes.

The digital temperature settings allow you to control how much of a curl you want and the automatic timer takes all the worry away if you ever forget to turn it off.  The tong heats up in record time, comes in four different sizes and 360 degree swivel cord with a hanging hook.  The best part is the display which shows exactly what the temperature is and you control that yourself and is available in four different sizes.

So create your way to the latest in big stunning hair for 2009 with the bent, it’s really easy to use and great value for money.  My daughter can’t wait for me to try it out on her.

Hot Tip: Don’t forget to use a heat protector before you use the bent - not only does it protect your hair, it also helps the curls to last longer.

I have given it a 5 out of 5, which is unusual for me, but really its that good. 

Available: www.richardkavanagh.com                                         Price:$140.00

   While I was away on holiday, I tried in our hot weather to take much better care of my skin than I normally would. But sometimes I fall into the classic mother trap where I slip, slop slap, everybody else in the family and then either run out of time for me and think I’ll do when I get down to the beach or forget altogether.

I did however manage to put moisturiser on my face every morning before I ventured out into the sun. As luck would have it, this moisturiser also doubles as a sunscreen and it is fantastic.

It is the brainchild of two Aussie woman who when looking couldn’t find the ideal moisturiser and sunscreen, so decided to create their own.

So what makes this one so special, well it is the latest in coloured moisturises which also double as a sunscreen because it protects you from UVA and UVB rays.  It is water resistant and contains natural anti aging ingredients like Green Tea, Pomegranate and Australian Daisy. 

So why is this so great, well Australian Daisy has been used by the Aboriginal Tribes for it exceptional cell renewal and anti- inflammatory properties and I must say it does feel pretty amazing when you put on.  I didn’t get sun burnt once during my holiday and that’s really saying something as I was at the beach for all of January.  This without a doubt has become my new favourite moisturiser to wear in summer and it’s amazing how many people comment on how good my skin looks when I am wearing it.  Truly it’s hard to explain but you really do look tanned, youthful and relaxed with it on.

It comes in a range of seven shades to match your colour and although may seem a little on the pricey side, it you think about you are getting two products in one.

Now who doesn’t want that.  Check out their website as they other products and if they are where near as good as this one it will be worth giving them a go.  Their site is great and lists all stockist’s of their products in Australia and New Zealand.  www.hissyfit.com

Available:Kirks, selected life pharmacies (check out website as well for stockist’s)

Price:$69.95

  The count down to my most favourite time of the year is now on.  Christmas is ten weeks away and this year like all the previous ones I will make the grand statement I normally make and that is I am going to be more organised. Yes even I can leave some of my present buying to the last minute, but in order to make great buying decisions and get the biggest bang for my buck this year more than ever, we all need to start early.

I will include my great finds and I’ve found some great budget ideas which is always helpful, so look out for this years Christmas gift ideas.   The Christmas list is coming soon.

So this is the perfect time to chill out and prepare yourself with the upcoming Christmas stress.  I had the privilege recently to be asked to visit at Spa Horrobin and Hodge which is located at Manakau in the Horowhenua.  The Spa has been set up as a place you can retreat to from the city, to be pampered away from all the noise, a place where you can unwind and relax.

Upon arriving I was greeted by the lovely Jackie and led down to the lounge where I sat down to unwind and gaze at the breath taking view of the lovely countryside, all while sitting in front of a lovely open fire.  After having my cup of tea I was led into a treatment room, where I was given the most fantastic massage using the amazing Sodashi oils from the Sodashi Organic Skincare Range.  I am relatively certain I didn’t go to sleep and if I did then I am pretty sure I didn’t snore.  I think.

You can choose from their extensive range of treatments including the fabulous exclusive Hema Facial which has been tutored by Margaret Hema to her exacting standards and using her famous hand blended oils.  You can try the Ilcsi facials which are individually tailored to suit your skin or have a body scrub and spray tan.  Whatever you choose you will leave here feeling unwound and in a very happy place.

Whilst you do have to make the effort to drive there, it is certainly worth it and you will leave feeling relaxed as though you can in fact face another day.

Get a bunch of girlfriends together or just simply escape away from the rest of the world, either way its well worth the trip.

Available:  Spa Horrobin and Hodge

Price:  varies on what treatment you choose

  Oh, you are all really going to laugh about this one.  Yesterday I finally got around to using this supposedly “must have” marine bath soak from Thalgo.  I bought it awhile ago on the advice of the very sincere beautician who told me ”this is the best bath soak and you will really love it”.  I was just waiting for a quiet time to be able to relax and enjoy it, it has just taken awhile to find that time.

Now it’s called Micronized Marine Algae by Thalgo and it is a re-mineralizing, refining product - I know you have already gone to your happy place and have absolutely no idea what I am talking about.  This only seems to prove that my husband is correct - I will try anything once and they don’t call me the Shopping Queen for nothing.

So I opened this precious sachet, to pour it into the bath which is supposed to be either: toning 36 degrees, relaxing 37 degrees or refining 38 degrees.  It’s all a bit complicated for me since I just wanted to have a bath, but anyway I tore open the top to smell the lovely aroma and thought oh, that’s just awful.  It’s brown and smells like a stagnant rock pool and looks like dried up poo. 

Ok it’s at this point when I am about to pour it into my bath you say “why bother if it’s so awful” and I say no, I am adventurous, how bad can this really be, and it costs $12.50, I shouldn’t waste it.

So I pour it into the bath and not only does it look like poo, it smells like poo.   I have to get in, fantastic.  So I got in and to be really honest it didn’t get any better, it was just awful and there really isn’t anything remotely relaxing about soaking in a bath that looks and smells like poo.

So to sum up, it’s a big zero from me and they can say what they like about it’s wonderful effects it has on the body, surely they can make a product nicer than this.

This does in fact now prove I can be sold just about anything, even possibly poo.

Available:  all Thalgo stockist’s                       Price:$12.50

  I bought the Wondercap from my local pharmacy ages ago, with the view to being able to give my hair (since I’m really hard on it) a deep conditioning treatment at home.  At the time I thought, gosh this is a good idea.  You buy this Wondercap which is a thermal heatcap you pop in the microwave heat it up, put your treatment in your hair and then put the cap on your head. It sat around for a long time as I could never really find the time to use it.

The product is well presented and conceptually sounds like a good idea. The heat comes from a wheat pack that goes inside the cap before you put it on your head. All good? Well, coupled with the fact that I really did not enjoy using it,  I’ve found a couple of more serious problems.

The first problem I found is that despite following the instructions, I know its hard to believe but I did follow the instructions, the cap melted. When I pulled the wheat pack out of the towel so I could wash it and noticed a hole in it where it had melted.

The second problem is with 500g pot of "Feral Organic Hair Conditioning Treatment" included in the pack. I’m no chemist but its ingredients; Cetrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride and DMDH Hydrantoin don’t sound all that organic. A little research shows that:

• * Cetrimonium Chloride is "used in hair conditioners, but originated from the paper and fabric industries as softeners and anti-static agents. In the long run they cause the hair to become dry and brittle. They are synthetic, irritating, allergenic and toxic, and oral intake of them can be lethal."
• * Stearalkonium Chloride is, "A chemical used in hair conditioners and creams. Causes allergic reactions. Stearalkonium chloride was developed by the fabric industry as a fabric softener, and is a lot cheaper and easier to use in hair conditioning formulas than proteins or herbals, which do help hair health. Toxic."
• * DMDH Hydrantoin (which is listed on the package as "natural preservative") contains Formaldehyde which is "a known carcinogen (causes cancer). Causes allergic, irritant and contact dermatitis, headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapour is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes)."

My conclusion, a heat treatment might be a good thing for your hair but if you are going to give it a try, buy a good quality conditioner and steer clear of the Feral Organic stuff especially if you are susceptible to allergic reactions.

Available: Rodney Wayne, selected pharmacies or online www.wondercap.co.nz

Price: $45.00

   Could this product be any more stupid?  I think not.  I bought the Define-a-lash Lengthening Mascara by Maybelline the other day because it’s supposed to be their great answer to great lashes.

They say it has zero clumps, sleek definition and wait for it, sensuous length. Are they sure they are talking about this mascara?  Nevertheless I have got one and tried and tried to use it, but with very little success.  At first I thought, damn it’s broken.  The end of the wand wobbles around and there’s nothing for your lashes to push against when you roll it past them, it’s too floppy.

But I asked my girlfriend who bought hers at the same time and, like me, thought this can’t be right, it must be broken.  Ah no.  Just useless.

It’s a total waste of money, there are much better mascaras on the market, my advice is just don’t bother with this one.

Available at: New World Supermarket and major pharmacies         

  Ok so we all by now know winter is well and truly on it’s way, so reluctantly I am dusting off the jackets, pulling out the boots and reassessing the winter make-up look.

So today I popped into Farmers to have a mini facial and new make-up look done and I have to say I am impressed.   I have seen all the new products Revlon have brought out lately and really wanted to give them a try.  I normally need to extend the mortgage when I buy beauty products as I have always subscribed to the "more expensive is best" policy.  But these days lots of the mid-priced beauty houses have come along way with their products and the new technology they are using is very good.

Revlon had launched a new range they are calling the 2008 Limited Edition Collection and there are some great buys in it.

I love their new Blush called ‘A Floral Affair’.  I have bought the Peachy Keen one which is just stunning and at $33.99 you can’t go wrong, a bargain.

They also have great eyebrow pencils, lip liners, eyeliners all priced around $23 - $27 which is very reasonably priced and their new Mineral make-up is romping out the door.  I also bought for the second time their new ColourStay eye shadows which I find really good and easy to carry around in my make-up purse.  The one I bought is ‘Sterling Rose’ and it is stunning.

Farmers run specials regularly with their instore consultants and have their own make-up artists who will give you a whole new look for the upcoming season.  I have to say I walked out looking a whole lot better than when I walked in.  Now if only there was somewhere that you could walk in have a make-over to loose a few pounds and leave the store, what a coo that would be.

So go in and chat to the Revlon consultants, ask them when their promotions are going to be and get a make-up done to zoosh yourself up for winter.

Available at: all leading department stores and selected pharmacies.

Price: ranges from $23 onwards, but even their four block eye shadow is only $33.99