I mentioned in my Healthy Eating and Detox post a month or so back that I was taking the IsoWhey weight loss supplement, and promised that I would be updating as I progressed.

So, as promised, here is my first update.

First two weeks
It took a while for my stomach to adjust to the introduction of so much protein. I was going to the toilet more often (TMI, I know!), and I felt a little bit uncomfortable my first three days or so.

Once I got used to it, I felt much more comfortable taking the shake. Unfortunately, I hated the taste of the banana shake - it reminded me too much of a type of antibiotic I took whenever I was ill, when I was younger. I found a fantastic way to disguise the taste though! I bought a pack of frozen berries as well as a little bit of honey, and blended them together with the shake and a little bit of milk, and managed to disguise the taste enough so that it didn't take a lot of effort and breath-holding to gulp it down.

It was really good at helping me curb my appetite - after my morning shake, I didn't feel at all peckish, nor was I hungry by the time lunchtime rolled around.

Next two weeks
My stomach had definitely gotten used to this by then. However, the IsoWhey booklet had warned me that the protein would be very dehydrating, and I definitely was feeling the effects in these next two weeks. I increased my water intake but still experienced chapped lips and a very dry nose and throat.

This supplement was pretty fantastic when I took it post-workout. I always feel very lethargic and sometimes even a little dizzy after my workout. This helped immensely (and almost immediately), which really impressed me.

Overall
As far as weight loss goes, there has actually been a tiny bit of weight loss despite my poor efforts! I think I may have lost a bit more weight if I had adhered strictly to the meals in the recipe book provided by IsoWhey, but realistically speaking, I had very little time to make these meals, I was cooking meals for a picky bunch of people at home, and it wasn't easy trying to get all the ingredients together to make them.

I am currently taking only one shake per day, though there are other plans on IsoWhey that will probably help you lose weight faster by taking two shakes per day as meal alternatives. I am still sticking to this plan and have been making an extra effort to work out as well as eat healthy, so I will report back with results in about a month. Wish me luck!

This post contains a product sent for review and consideration purposes and has been included in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

Warmer weather means lighter clothes, bikinis, and tight bodies. I have been making the effort to eat more healthily and exercise, and have also been lucky enough to be sent some products that help with that process.


I was recently sent some protein powders from IsoWhey, a high-protein, low-fat meal replacement shake. What I like about this program is that it offers support for its customers, with quality video content teaching you everything from how to make a healthy, delicious meal, to how to work out. They also have a blog full of tips and advice, as well as an e-booklet with recipes for yummy shakes, as well as lunch and dinner meals.

Another thing I love about this is that I don't need to substitute all my meals for these shakes - it is so easy to replace just breakfast with one of these meals, and then cook balanced, healthy meals to have for the rest of the day.

I generally have a lot of trouble sticking to healthy meals, because they tend to lack taste, and I have to cook with the entire household in mind, so when I do cook meals, I need to make them meaty enough and tasty enough so that J is satiated. However, I am putting my foot down and starting on this healthy food diet today, because I have been really unhealthy these past few months and it needs to stop!

Have a look at the IsoWhey website here - and skim through their eBook to see some fabulous recipes cooked up by resident chef Janine Royce.

I will be updating this post about 1 1/2 weeks into my program to let you know how I'm going. In the meantime, tune in to my updates on Twitter and Facebook!

Another product that I trialled recently is something that a lot of you have been asking about ever since I posted it on Twitter.


This is the FatBlaster Coconut Detox - a two-day detox program that has you replace all your meals with coconut water. I have to admit, it was extremely difficult for me to quit food cold turkey, so I would highly recommend eating more healthily and in smaller quantities before you begin this detox. I would also recommend getting rid of tempting foods around the house before embarking on your detox!

Coconuts are considered a superfood, and are practically free from fat. Different ingredients, taken from the coconut at different maturity stages, help with everything from cleaning the body to fuelling the metabolism, increasing fat oxidisation and energy expenditure, and decreasing the appetite.

One bottle of Coconut Detox costs AUD 39.99 and lasts you the entire 2 days. One 'dose' per meal, mixed with water, is drunk over the course of 1-1 1/2 hours. The drink tastes lovely - I was dreading starting this detox at first because I hate coconuts - instead of a coconut-y flavour, it actually tastes like mango juice, which was such a relief for me!

My first 'meal' was a little difficult. Halfway through the meal I could feel my tummy getting a little upset, and afterwards I felt a little light-headed. The program does recommend a healthy intake of water throughout the day, which I followed, and by Meal 2 I was feeling much better.

Overall, difficulty aside, this was effective. I felt less bloated by the end of the second day, and lost some weight around my belly (which was my aim).

This product is available at selected pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide.

These products were sent to me for review and consideration purposes in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.

Happy Monday, everyone! I thought you might like to take a little peek into my beauty cupboard and see what I'm trialling this week. Most of these products were sent to me by PR agencies, and some I purchased myself.

I don't usually do these kinds of posts, but if this is something you'd like to see more often, please leave a comment below telling me and I will do my best! :)

The first picture I am going to post is of some products that I found quite interesting, and products that I normally wouldn't try myself!


Kurahito Toning Lotion
This is a great toner that aids with the absorption of products that you apply to your face. I don't use it as a toner, but instead soak my DIY face masks with it and use it as a prepping mask before I apply my nighttime skincare or another face mask. I feel like it really helps my other products absorb better into the skin. It has a very slight fruity scent to it, but it is very light and doesn't bother me at all. You can get this and other Asian skincare products at www.choiceessentials.com

LUS Extra V-Line Lift Up
This is an interesting little contraption. It contains a sheet mask that you apply underneath your chin, and then you put on this funny looking stretchable headgear that is meant to 'exercise' your chin and get rid of the dreaded double chin. I tried the headgear on out of curiosity and it is SO tight! I will report back once I have actually tried this and let you know if it helped with my double chin ;)
This is available from www.GlowandGlamour.com

FatBlaster Coconut Detox
So the coconut is considered a superfood, and has been shown to fuel the body's metabolism, increase fat oxidation and energy expenditure, and decrease the appetite! In a couple of days, I am going to try this two-day detox (worth AUD 39.99). I am pretty excited, though I have no idea how I am going to stay away from all things yummy for two whole days! Wish me luck!
Oh, and if you see me having a weak moment on Twitter or Facebook, give me a quick slap, please!

I pretty much have a bucketload of exciting products to try out this week. This next range is the Keratin Earth hair straightening and smoothing system. It gives you salon straightened hair from the comfort of your own home, without the staggering price tag attached!


Retailing at AUD 129.95, this 4-step system lasts anywhere between 30-90 days. It won the coveted Allure Magazine Best of Beauty Award in both 2011 and 2012. I am really looking forward to giving this a go. Look out for my instagram updates!


Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder
I am also trialling a couple of makeup products (I love makeup!) and the one I am most excited about is the cult Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder. Ever since Kim Kardashian's makeup artist started talking about this powder and how much he loves it, this product has been sold out almost everywhere! I was lucky enough to find a jar (though I didn't expect that it would be so HUGE) and I have been trialling it for the past week. I love it but I haven't gotten a good feel of how it works in different situations, so I will put up a full review of it later on.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Show Off Mascara
This is a gorgeous, brand new offering from Rimmel. It doesn't volumnise my lashes much but it does add some gorgeous definition, curl and length. It also does a really amazing job at feathering my lashes. So far it's held up amazingly well and I love layering this on top of my Benefit They're Real mascara.



Dermalogica Chroma White TR Range
I was so excited when I opened my package to see this beauty! I won't be trialling this, but my entire family has a history of bad pigmentation, so I will be passing this on to my sisters and Mom for the ultimate test of Dermalogica's whitening prowess. I cannot wait to see the results. This is the first time I've come across such a complete, targeted range!



L'Occitane Limited Edition Collection
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of L'Occitane. I have always loved everything about them - the way they are presented in store, their packaging, their gorgeous scents. The way I feel about their latest collections is no different! Both the Marvellous Flowers (with rose absolute and peony extracts) and Magical Leaves (extracts of verbena and hazel leaves) range have the most lovely scents. I am very much looking forward to experiencing a little pampering session with these products.
These launch on the 31st of October, by the way! Look out for them!

That about sums up the products that I will be trialling this week. Are you looking forward to reviews of a particular product? Let me know in the comments!