A NEW WAY TO COOL, REFRESH, SOOTHE, & HYDRATE SKIN || Hydromerse Skin Recovery System || #RivetReview

Sometimes, skin just gets so irritated from environmental stressors, or after an intensive skin treatment, that you feel like you need to throw a bucket of ice cold water over it in the hope it calms down.

Image description: Retail packaging for Hydromerse. 3 containers; a large white tube, a clear spray bottle with a white lid, and a lip balm tube laid out on a white and pink watercolour background.

Don't worry, Hydromerse is here to give you a better way to cool, refresh, soothe, and hydrate your skin without having to hose yourself down!

BEAUTY HEAVEN NATURAL BEAUTY MONTH 2019 || Event Recap + Haul || #RivetReview

Happy birthday to me! On the very day I turned 31, I attended the annual Beauty Heaven Natural Beauty Month event!

Image description: Collage featuring images found further in this post, the Beauty Heaven logo, and the Rivet Licker logo, with text that reads 'Natural Beauty Month Event + Haul'

This event takes place in August every year, and showcases Australian and international brands helping to promote natural beauty trends. Beauty Heaven members are invited to this event held at BH HQ in Sydney's CBD and are given products to trial and review. This year's event was sponsored by Sukin.

VIX!N Apple Stem Cell Skincare ALL-IN-ONE || #RivetReview

We keep looking for the easiest way to care for our skin while also treating it with top performing ingredients. Fruit stem cells have been a major trend in the cosmeceutical field.

Image description: Outer packaging of VIX!N Apple Stem Cell ALL-IN-ONE with a VIX!N gift bag in the background.

VIX!N is an Aussie made and owned brand that offers all the benefits of Apple Stem Cell Smart Skincare in one single product.

iUNIK Centella Calming Gel Cream || Style Story KBeauty Edit || #RivetReview

I seem to be getting back into KBeauty again. More cruelty free brands are emerging from South Korea, and are becoming more and more accessible to Aussies.

Image description: iUNIK Centella Calming Gel Cream outer packaging and tube (pastel green and white with light brown text) on a holographic mauve background.

iUNIK was one of the brands featured at the Style Story #KBeautyDownUnder event held for media. 

MASKED BY MODELS || Dead Sea Mud Magnetic Mask + Launch Party || #RivetReview

Jessica Earle is a model whose skin hasn't reacted well to many skincare products on the market. Jessica made it her mission to create a line of masking products that are suitable for sensitive skin, but still offer a bit of luxury in your life.

Image Description: Product flatlay and a stylised gold circle with white text that reads 'Masked By Models Launch Party #RivetReview'.

Masked By Models was born, and I got to share the launch with Jessica, her family and friends, and now I get to share this range with you!

THE DOWNFALL OF DECIEM || What about the products?! || #RivetReview

As things get more bizarre, I'm talking conspiracy theories and incomprehensible banter bizarre, with Deciem and its problematic founder, Brandon Truaxe, it's hard to tell what is going to happen with the brand. Brandon was ousted as CEO as of the 12th October 2018, after he stated that Deciem was going to cease operations for two months. With the Instagram account deactivated (reactivated as of 15th October) we don't know what is happening inside the brand, and whether this is just all an elaborate PR stunt or just somebody who has lost themselves to their mind.

Leading up to this, I have been trying to use up the stash I have left, and I said I would give my thoughts on the products, feelings aside for a person who publishes confidential emails, accuses his board of criminal activity, and calls customers 'idiots'. I'm not sure where the brand is going now, only time will tell, but I want to be confident that things turn around for the better.

Beauty Expo || PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY TRADE SHOW RECAP|| #RivetReview

Every year around September, beauty industry professionals gather to attend Beauty Expo, a trade show that caters to the needs of beauty therapists, nail technicians, clinical aestheticians, and makeup artists.

My inner beauty therapist was really thrilled to discover so many new brands and innovations, and my journalistic intuition took me to the event to cover what went on. BE WARNED, THIS IS LONG!

PEEL-OFF FACE MASKS || Do they do anything or are they a gimmick? || Rivet Licker

Remember when you were a kid and you would brush PVA glue on your hand, wait for it to dry, then peel it off? Satisfying hey?

Peel-off face masks have been trending lately, and some, well, they are quite fun, but very expensive. Do these masks actually do anything for our skin, or are they just a huge gimmick?

Sand & Sky Flash Perfection Exfoliating Treatment || #RivetReview

Australia is very isolated from the rest of the world and some of the most interesting cosmetic ingredients can be found here. Pink clay can be found in several different parts of the world, but Australian Pink Clay is the only kind that goes into these formulations!

After the hit success of Sand & Sky's Pore Refining Mask, the team brought out Flash Perfection - a dual action scrub and mask that aims to mattify and invigorate skin.

Cultural Beauty Trends || Skin Whitening: Racism, Class Warfare, WHAT? || Rivet Licker

I have been putting off this post for a while because of its sensitive nature, and I respectfully want to open the discussion. We've come to see different world views on the beauty industry because of the mainstream boom in Asian beauty trends. We were once pretty much sold an ideal created in Europe, but now we are finding ourselves immersed in different standards of beauty from around the world, but unfortunately, they're still very limited (as standards usually are). Black and brown skin still needs pride movements and representation; tanned skin is accepted and desired; but light skin is still the winner in some parts of the world.

Where does skin whitening stem from?

Penny Lane & My Perfect Cosmetics Company || REPRISE || #RivetReview

Penny Lane is a pretty remarkable human, and a champion at professional beauty treatments at home. I'm so thrilled to be working with Penny and her amazing product range again!

Two years ago, I brought a couple of demo and review posts for My Perfect Facial and My Perfect Eyes, not just by using them on myself, but on others, to show that they really do make a world of difference. I'm two years older and wanted to reprise these to see if I feel the same about these products.

Dr. Nassif MD Detox Pads - Complexion Perfecting Pads With Alpha/Beta Hydroxy Acids || #RivetReview

You may know Dr. Paul Nassif as one of the stars of Botched, a reality show about botched cosmetic procedures, where his expertise as a plastic surgeon is highly sought after for those who've undergone a dodgy treatment.

Naturally, being a medical aesthetics fixture in Beverly Hills, California, he has released a line of clinical grade skincare that is designed to target concerns such as dryness and dehydration, and help prevent damage to the function and appearance of our skin. In today's review, we'll be breaking down the Bio-clock Dermaceuticals Detox Pads, which has just won TVSN's 2018 Customer Beauty Award for Best New Innovation!

RIVET HACKS || 3 Ways To Use Microfibre Makeup Remover Cloths! || Rivet Licker

Ever since the original Makeup Eraser hit the market a few years ago, many dupes have become available through eBay, The Reject Shop, and other brands putting their names on them. The idea was that they remove makeup with just water, and yes, they do work, but I have found better ways to use them!

I've used my fair share of face towels in my time, but I feel the microfibre cloths are the best at removing things, and not just makeup. The latest innovation are the small disc shaped makeup removers marketed as Santé By Enjo, and Chloe Morello's Face Halo, offering environmentally friendly alternatives to disposable wipes.

Essano Rosehip Clarifying Clay Masque || #RivetReview

Clay and dry skin, not really a winning combination, as per my last review, but are there ways to actually use clay masques in your skincare routine without leaving skin in a worse state than it was before? Apparently you can!

Essano are a New Zealand born brand that offer their gorgeous Rosehip Oil infused beauty products at budget friendly prices. Their Clarifying Clay Masque is vegan and suitable for dry skin. Winning combination!

Cinch Skin || FACE CHEAT(ER) + FACE IT CLEANSER || #RivetReview

Cinch started with one product, Face Cheat, a spray moisturiser that took the place of multiple products, including a primer, illuminator, and powerful antioxidant treatment. The all in one formula was an innovative take on a quick and easy beauty routine for those who are rushed, however, it wasn't suitable for my skin type. You can read my full review here.

Since giving my feedback and requesting a product better suited to dry skin, in 2017, Cinch expanded the range with two new products that they kindly sent out to me; Face Cheat(er), a cream version of the original spray, and Face It, a cleansing micellar water. I've finally given them a go and here's what's going down!

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Surface Hydration Formula || #RivetReview

Deciem have many brands under their umbrella known as 'THE ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY', and The Ordinary was the brand to bring high end clinical formulations into the hands of consumers at budget friendly prices. I mean, BUDGET FRIENDLY.

Our skin needs moisture to maintain optimum health and function. The outer layer cells may be dead, but there's a crucial component to the mix; Natural Moisturizing Factors.

Know Your Cleansers || A GUIDE TO CLEANSERS || Rivet Licker

Cleansers. Just soap, right? WRONG. Cleansers are the first step in your skincare routine, the step that gets the day off and leaves your skin prepped to receive treatment, but they're not a one size fits all approach. Your cleanser should be appropriately matched to your skin type and condition, because you don't want to be using something that dries your skin out when it's already dry, or worsens your acne.

This post is an adaptive revisit from a story I wrote a couple of years ago for another blog, but the information is absolutely more than relevant for my readers with some products for all budgets!

Claytox Clay Masque || Alumina Silicate Sea Clay for Dry Skin || #RivetReview

I've never been a fan of clay based masques, because I have dry skin and they really just don't work for me, but after being contacted by Claytox, I was willing to give their product a go and was offered a full masque kit to trial.

I was actually really excited to try this – I wound up picking the Alumina Silicate Sea Clay which was recommended for dry skin, and I couldn't help but feel like Louis Litt during a mud session!

Summer Holiday Skin || Antipodes Skincare Edit || Rivet Licker

Antipodes is a good friend here at Rivet Licker. The natural and effective beauty products from the New Zealand brand have been keeping my skin soft and smooth for just over two years.

Being an Aussie, the festive holidays fall in summer. I was offered the opportunity to trial and create my own edit of Antipodes products to keep my skin in top notch this summer.

SCOUT Cosmetics Nutraceutical Super Food Skincare || Rivet Licker

I can't pass up testing out Aussie brands, especially ones that are Sydney based and harness native Australian botanical derivatives such as Desert Lime, Davidson Plum and Kangaroo Apple. There's nothing quite like the bouquet and unique experience of our large and remote island.

SCOUT Cosmetics released a line of skincare using those very ingredients to cleanse, treat and moisturise a variety of skin types. SCOUT also offers a range of mineral makeup and all products in the range are cruelty free.