Nikkia Joy: 2015

Hello beautiful people!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week – mine has been jam packed so it’s nice to actually sit down with a cup of tea and write this post! This week I wanted to share my experience with some new skin care products that I have been trying out over the past month because I have been super excited about the results I have had with it!!

The products are by a brand called ‘Orogold’, which you may be able to tell by the name actually use ‘gold’ as an active ingredient. Being the little researcher that I am, upon discovering the line I immediately started doing more research on the benefits of using gold on the skin and the list is actually quite long! The use of pure gold in skincare dates all the way back to ancient Egyptian times where it was believed that the healing powers of gold could cure a vast array of physical skin ailments. It has also been used by Romans and in ancient Chinese Medicine for the treatment of skin lesions and wounds as it drastically reduces inflammation to the area. Furthermore, there is heaps of recent scientific evidence that proves that the application of gold to the face naturally rejuvenates skin, locks in moisture and keeps skin firm by maintaining healthy levels of collagen and elastin in the cells. They even use gold impregnated dressings in modern day medicine to heal serious burn wounds!

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I’m not going to bore you to death with all of this research that I have found (I understand that probably not all of you are such avid researchers like I am!) so if you are wanting to learn more about the benefits of gold then a quick Google search will be your best friend!

We have all heard of the fancy 24-carat gold leaf facials that promise to ‘reduce fine lines/wrinkles and give you beautiful radiant skin’ that you can get at schmicko salons, and lets be honest, these treatments cost MORE than a pretty penny, so I was quite excited to find a skincare range that could actually give me the same benefits of these ‘fancy facials’ all from the comfort of my own, considerably less fancy bathroom!

Now being that I am only a ripe 24 years of age I wasn’t particularly interested in the anti aging treatments offered by the brand – I was more intrigued by products targeted towards acne and oil production – as those are my problem areas.

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I would first like to say that I absolutely LOVE the packaging of the Orogold products. They arrived in beautifully designed boxes with the actual product laying on a bed of white silk complete with a gold certification certificate to prove the authenticity of the product and the location that the gold was mined. I felt like I was opening an expensive jewelry box, honestly, the packaging is THAT pretty.

I will talk about the 24K Oil Control Skin Cleanser first as it’s the first step in the routine. It comes in an attractive looking blue and silver slim line bottle with a pump top. It feels heavy and sturdy and well… fancy? I actually feel ‘fancy’ standing in my shower staring at this cleanser. The actual cleanser is a white gel type cream that does not really have a particular scent about it – which those of you who are adverse to perfumed skin care (either by preference or due to sensitivity) will love! The full list of ingredients can be found on the website if you are interested, but I’m pleased to see that it includes Salicylic Acid, Chamomile, Tea Tree Oil and of course, 24K gold. The instructions state to apply to wet skin and massage for 1-2 minutes, which effectively gives me time to ponder about my future marriage to Ryan Gosling…“sighs”. I find the cleanser refreshing but it also does not make my skin feel dry and tight like many other cleansers do – I just feel ‘clean’. I also did not have any type of reaction to the product - no redness, no drama, no fuss!

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Now onto the 24K Oil Control Day Moisturizer Cream. This face cream comes in a completely spherical container, and for some reason it reminds me of a teeny little robot? Not too sure why or how haha - but I like it all the same. Once again the ingredients include some lovely natural plant extracts as well as Vitamins A & B (You can read the full list of ingredients HERE on the website). Orogold claims that the moisturizer will relax the appearance of expression lines, reduce wrinkles and give your skin softness, smoothness and radiance all at the time as controlling oil production. It’s a lightweight non-greasy cream and when I look at it closely I can actually see the little flecks of gold in it! On application to the skin it feels lovely and soft, not heavy or emollient in any way, and it also has a sort of cooling/refreshing feel to it - and trust me at 6am in the morning on a busy work day, that is EXACTLY what we are all after!

Now seeing as I am a bit of a cynic at heart I was not really expecting too much out of these products. I come from the K.I.S.S method when it comes to skin care (Keep It Simple Stupid!) and while I do enjoy me some fancy skin care I always tend to eventually go back to basics but these products have definitely earned a spot in my holy grail skin care cupboard! After about 6 days of using the products consistently I could visibly see a difference in the appearance of my skin – true to the product claims my skin looked more luminous and radiant but it was really the changes in my oil production that had me excited. For those of you who are new to my blog I have combination/oily skin and generally need to touch up with powder somewhere around lunchtime – BUT – something about the combination of these products with my normal makeup routine has resulted in me being able to go an entire day without even needing to touch up at all! The oil production in my skin is dramatically reduced but not in a way that makes it flat, chalky or dry – it is just well balanced and I’m looking a lot less shiny! My skin just looks healthy, kind of like I’m 7 years old again and haven’t been exposed to the dreaded hormonal rollercoaster known as ‘puberty’. (Puberty we hate you. Yours sincerely, all women!). I have even been avoiding using a primer under my foundation and only using the 24K Oil Control Day Moisturizer Cream as a base and it works absolute wonders! It keeps my makeup in place all day long as well as providing a really nice smooth base for the initial application!

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So safe to say I am a happy girl. These products have made a huge difference for me and I will be continuing to use them and update you guys as I go! And like I said earlier, if you suffer inflammation, dry/dehydrated skin or pesky oil production it really is worth reading up on the benefits of gold in skin care – it’s not just an old wives tale and there is plenty of scientific research to back it up! I also recommend that if you are interested in looking further into have a serious look into the Orogold brand, the products are well developed, the packaging is insanely stunning and the results really speak for themselves! They even have an entire skincare line tailored specifically for men – and let’s face it, hubby could probably do with a bit of a push in the skincare area!

Depending on your location, you can actually go into an Orogold salon to try the products and speak with their experienced staff about your personal skincare problems, they also offer many different beautifying treatments and facials – the next time I am in Sydney I will definitely be visiting the Orogold Salon!

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Let me know in the comments below if you have ever tried any skin care products with gold in them and what your experience was, I would love to know!

Visit Orogold.com here:

http://www.orogold.com

Visit the Orogold.com.au here: (Australia)

http://www.orogoldcosmetics.com.au

I hope you are all having a completely wonderful day and I will talk to you all soon!

Don’t forget there is a new video up on my channel every Thursday at 3pm PST so make sure you subscribe HERE so that you don’t miss out!

NJ xx

Hello everyone!

I hope you have all had a fantastic week so far! I would say TGIF but I’m working all weekend haha…

Anyway before I jump into the blog post, I am going to advise you grabbing a snack – or even a hot cup of cocoa (which I’m obsessing over at the minute) as this post may be a little ‘wordy!’.

I was lucky enough to be invited to experience an ‘Extraction Facial’. I still remember the email arriving in my inbox and thinking to myself ‘What the $#@! is an extraction facial?’, but seeing as the sentence involved the word ‘Facial’ I of course immediately signed up. I was informed that extraction facials are all about clearing acne, blackheads and pores in the skin, essentially like dry cleaning your carpet, but for your face!

The salon offering this service is called ‘Shine Skin & Body’ and it’s a lovely, cosy salon located in Melbourne (Kew) that actually specializes in extraction therapy. Upon arrival to the salon I was immediately impressed with how the salon felt. I have found in the past that many skin clinics and salons have a clinical type feel about them and don’t particularly feel welcoming, but Shine was warm, ambient and it felt friendly. I was met at the door by the owner Sheridan and ushered into the reception area. Sheridan was extremely friendly and genuine and very happy to explain the whole process to me. She explained the concept of ‘Extraction Facials’ in great detail and who they are best targeted towards, and to put it in simple terms, extraction facials are targeted towards people who suffer acne (including teen acne), blackheads, persistent oil production, or any lumps & bumps on the skin. Sheridan explained that a large portion of her clientele are in fact teens and how having these facials performed from the start can actually prevent full blown acne breakouts and the development of acne scarring. I know so many people who suffer from acne scarring, and I can remember how I felt as a teen with acne at school - If I had known about extraction therapy back then I would have booked the treatment in a heartbeat!

The treatment room was just gorgeous, so warm, comfortable and cosy. I immediately felt relaxed, which for people who know me personally is a big deal as I am always on the go, running around with so many things to do – I definitely struggle to relax. The therapist completing the facial (Sharaya) was friendly and approachable and she left the room while I disrobed (you keep your undies on!) and climbed into a lovely heated treatment bed – ahhh bliss! The treatment began with an in-depth discussion about my skin, problem areas, skin type, issues that I had in the past, any questions that I needed to ask, what I wanted to get out of the treatment etc. For those of you that are new to my blog, I have always had oily skin, with enlarged pores on the apples of my cheeks. I do not have issues with sensitivity, and I develop ache around that time of the month and also if I’ve been a bit naughty with my diet. I certainly wouldn’t consider myself an ‘acne sufferer’ but being a female I’ve definitely had my fair share of hormonal acne (especially in my teenage years).

So after this discussion Sharaya started to remove my makeup, which admittedly is quite a task on it’s own when your dealing with a makeup artist! I just remember it feeling so good to be all tucked up in a heated bed and all the products smelled so delicious! After my makeup was removed Sharaya did an AHA/BHA peel to exfoliate my skin and relax the pores then brought a large light over to the bed and began to examine my skin closely. She explained that she was looking for areas of oil congestion, oil production, blackheads, acne, millia (which I later learnt referred to small solid balls of oil? Sounds grosse right!?). Once this analysis was finished I was ‘steamed’ (basically a steam machine is placed over your face for several minutes to allow the heat and moisture to really open up the pores and surface of the skin. And then, the extracting begins! Now I’m not going to dress this part of the treatment up in ribbons and bows – it is not exactly the most pleasant experience as the therapist is using tissues and her fingers to basically push gunk out of your pores, but at the same time it also wasn’t unbearable, and Sharaya chatted to me throughout the process to keep my mind off the unpleasant parts. Bear in mind I also don’t consider myself to have the highest pain tolerance – I would think many people would not find it painful in any way - I'm just a sook! It was actually fascinating (and a little grosse I must admit) how much Sharaya was able to extract from skin. I honestly went into the treatment think that I didn’t have any blackheads, as I am constantly checking my face for blackheads and removing them as soon as I see them – but she found heaps! It would seem that under that fancy light several little monsters reared their ugly heads!

After the extracting was done I was then placed under an LED healing light – which once again was all explained in great detail, and while I was ‘healing’ away I was treated to a lovely hand massage (I was well and truly back in 'zen mode'). The treatment was then finished with a Vitamin B serum, which felt lovely and refreshing after being under the healing light.

Now I must admit, following the treatment my skin was looking a little angry, but you would expect that after having your face extracted for 20+ minutes! BUT despite the redness, it was probably the softest my skin had ever felt, and my nose! It seriously felt like I had a new nose – soft as a babies bum! There was no pain following the treatment but Sharaya did advise that I avoid putting any makeup or product on my skin for the rest of the day (just to allow the skin to recorrect itself).

So that brings me to today – approximately 2 weeks after the treatment – and I must admit, my skin looks pretty damn awesome! It looks clearer, brighter and for some reason I just look healthier? Like I’ve been on a detox or something (and trust me I definitely have not!). Would I go back for a repeat treatment? ABSOLUTELY I would! Extraction therapy is recommended as a longer term treatment program (requiring repeated appointments) and over time will clear and prevent any future breakouts. But even after just one session I can see a dramatic difference in my skin - even my makeup goes on and looks smoother. I think that for those of you who suffer cystic acne, hormonal acne, teenage acne, persistent congestion and blackheads then this treatment is definitely going to be a God send for you! I really love that it’s all about fixing the root of the problem rather than just trying to cover it up and put a ‘band-aid’ on it.

And if you’re going to look into the treatment, I really couldn’t recommend the girls at Shine any more – with 16+ years of experience in the industry I knew my skin was in safe and knowledgeable hands, but also the time and effort taken to explain the entire process and the friendliness that came with it, made it overall an incredible experience!

If you are wanting to learn more about extraction therapy and the Shine Skin & Body salon, please click HERE. Please also feel free to contact the girls at Shine if you have any questions regarding the treatment!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend!

NJ xx

Hi everyone!!

Well what a fantastic day it is today! The makeup gods have finally answered my prayers and we can now buy L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation in Australia YIPPEEEEE!!!!

L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte is a foundation that is marketed towards people who want medium buildable coverage, a long lasting mattified finish and oil control. Basically - it's a foundation catered towards oily skin!!

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I have been obsessing over this foundation for the last month and it was a pain in the butt to have to order it from the states (we all know that shipping items here from the states can be quite pricey!) So you can imagine my glee that while casually strolling the aisles of my local priceline store (looking quite sweaty and repulsive post gym sesh) I spotted the mothership! L'Oreal Infallible Matte Foundation shining up at me, I could almost hear it crying out to me 'Please buy me mother of dragons" (whoops I mean mother of makeup) and I of course became weak at the knees and gave in!

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Now firstly there are a few differences in the product branding and packaging and for good measure I have summarised them below!

In Australia and the United Kingdom it is called L'Oreal Infallible 24H Matte instead of L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte (as seen in the US).
The packaging is different, as pictured in the photo below the Australian packaging is longer and more slender than the US packaging - but still features the same handy squeeze tube style applicator and the same black/white/red branding.

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The 24H Matte shades are different to the Pro Matte shades. For example in the US Pro Matte I am matched to the shade 106 Sun Beige but in the Australian 24H Matte I am between shades 22 Radiant Beige and 30 Honey (the latter for when I'm wearing self tanner)

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Swatches pictured above L to R: Pro Matte in 106 Sun Beige, 24H Matte in 22 Radient Beige & 30 Honey

Furthermore - we also have available to purchase the L'Oreal Infallible Mattifying Base (same packaging as the 24H Matte) and my goodness she is a beautiful primer!! I wore it today in conjunction with the foundation and couldn't have been happier with the result - completely matte, shine free, oil free skin, oh and did I mention that I didn't even finish with a powder? Yep - amazing huh?!

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I was unsure as to whether the 24H Matte and my previously purchased Pro Matte were going to be the same product so today I conducted a little science experiment - On the left side of my face I applied the 24H Matte and on the right the Pro Matte. After 10 hours of wear and experimentation with both products I can confidently 100% say that they are indeed the exact same foundation - which as you can imagine makes me extremely happy indeed!!

I have a full review video of the product linked below - which includes all of my thoughts on the product plus a full application demonstration!

BUY HERE US/CANDA ETC: From Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Iy6B85
From Ulta: http://go.magik.ly/r/nikkiajoy/5ab3/
BUY HERE AUSTRALIA: Available in Priceline Stores

Let me know in the comments below if your going to be picking this foundation up!? And I promise to all my oily skinned babes - this stuff is a god send for us!

NJ xx

Let's be friends!

Nikkia Joy

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