My Must Have Makeup Brushes - Budget Friendly Edition

Everyone who loves makeup will know the tools one uses to apply it can make all the difference. They can be quiet expensive though and sometimes even those over priced ones do not deliver when you need them to.

Now if you don't know by now, I am obsessed with makeup brushes. I can never have enough.So, I've compiled a list of my budget blasting makeup brushes that will leave your face beat without breaking the bank.

This 7 piece eye brush set from Beauty Treats is really such a versatile, great all round set.

The 305 Tapered Blending Brush is ideal for cleaning up and softening your look while the 316 Large Shader lets you apply a good amount of product all over the lids with one sweep.
If you're looking for the perfect brow bone highlight brush then the 321 Medium Angled Shader fits the brief to the T. The 313 Eye Shader let you pack on product for maximum intensity.

The 331 Angled Brush is perfect for eyebrows and eyeliner while the 335 Eyeliner and 324 Pencil Brushes allow for precise application of inner corner highlight and to smoke out your lower lash line.You can even use them as as nifty lip brushes

The only downside with this set is that its rather difficult to get your hands on them, they retail for R99.95 at DisChem and if you spot them, grab them.

Now the brush below is featuring the new look of the Beautique Brushes from Edgars. You might recall them with those sleek silver handles.

I can't say I mind the new design, it looks fun and flirty and this new addition, Angled Contour Eye brush really is a babe.

I use this to apply my base shadow with flat part and my crease colour with the pointed end. It also allows for easy blending with its fluffiness. I can also see this working as a great concealer and nose contour brush.

At only R39.95 it's super affordable and they usually have them on 3 for 2 so it really is a bargain.

I've saved the best for last, my holy grail foundation brush is the Urban Studio Angled Contour Brush from DisChem.

This is the perfect brush for buffing in your foundation, cleaning up your contour or even using as a powder brush. It's super soft bristles are easy to wash and I have been using the one on the left for about 9 months now. I wash them twice a month and they still perform exceptionally well. There's very minimal shedding with this brush and it has a weighted handle which gives good control when working with your products.

The sleek design with rose gold ferule can rival even the most expensive brushes out there and in my opinion this is the perfect everyday brush. 

At 79.95, you can also get a back up one like me but I would say this one could last about 10 months if not longer with everyday wear, just depends on how you care for it.

The beauty products you really DON’T need to buy

I am a self-confessed shopaholic, my life’s motto sounds pretty much like the 7 rings lyrics “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it”, so it’s no surprise that I’ve bought and tested all the items on this list.

I am sorry to say this but you can live without these items and if you really MUST HAVE them, there’s so many affordable DIY options.

Sheet masks

Now, I love me a good moisture masking session as the next beauty babe and I have tried a few sheet masks from different brands, however I haven’t witnessed any radical, skin perfecting results from any of them. With an average price of R50.00 each, these are hardly considered affordable and for what you get out of it, it isn’t worth it in my opinion. 

Most skincare products are only able to offer great benefits if they are on your skin for a long time, think serums, treatments and moisturisers. Rather save your coins on the sheet masks and opt for cheaper DIY alternatives with natural ingredients like the ones below.

Lip exfoliating products

I bought two different types of these and wrote a review of one here which you can check out, needless to say I am not impressed. The other I tried was very affordable but also not worth it.

You could do a better job with brown sugar and honey, a wet toothbrush or a damp face towel.

Eyeshadow primers

This is just unnecessary, I know, I know, the Primer Potion fan club will have my head for this but I’m not saying you don’t need to prime your eyelids, I’m saying just use your concealer because there aren’t that many affordable eyeshadow primers out there that does the job better than your concealer.

Hot cloth cleansers

I’m not going to lie, the one product I used was amazing, my skin was moisturised and it removed about 90% of my makeup. However it was overpriced, considering the size and how long it lasts.

You can purchase virgin coconut oil for about R50.00 for 500mls… to make the awesomely effective hot cloth cleanser below.

Refreshing facial mists

I’m not talking about makeup setting sprays as most of these have a different set of ingredients to specifically increase the wear time of our makeup. I’m talking about the refreshing mists that’s supposed to give your face a pick me up during the day. Essentially most of these are made up of 95% water and essential oils which make them smell amazing. I personally love the citrus ones and the one I use is R95.00 for 60mls. There are so many recipes online for these, SaneshMakeup has introduced many to her rose water spray on her channel, here’s my own variation below:

Seeing Red – My Favourite RED Lippies

Don't we love a red lip, whether it's a night on the town with your girls, dinner date with your love or if you're just feeling extra fierce for the office, the red lip screams confidence and clout. It really is the ultimate power colour.

Since so many of us still search for the perfect red shade, I’m sharing my favourite Red Lippies with you. They flatter many skin tones and most of them are pretty affordable.

#1 Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm Provocateur Femme Fatale – R175.00 Foschini Beauty 
I have been using this colour for a good few years. It’s so comfortable with a minty sensation which I feel plumps my lips. It can be built up or a single swipe offers you a great flush of colour. I love how shiny this lip balm looks but if you like matte lippies, they also have a matte version of these for you.

#2 Wet N Wild MegaLast Lip Color in STOPLIGHT RED - R48.95 Clicks
This is a really comfortable easy to use red, it’s often been coined as a dupe for Mac Ruby Woo but I think it feels better on the lips than Ruby Woo. It’s great value for money and you will often find Clicks has it on special or on 3 for 2 offers.

#3 Wet N Wild Liquid Catsuit in Missy and Fierce - R99.95 Clicks
This is a beautiful rich red colour, it dries matte and really does offer great value for money. Undeniably one of the most affordable yet great matte lip products around. One swipe of this and you ready to paint the town red.

#4 Freedom Makeup – Pro Lipstick in Retro – R34.95 Jet #BESTBUDGETBUY
This lipstick as a great feel as it offers a semi matte look but doesn’t dry your lips. It’s more of a true red for me and also have great staying power. It most certainly offers you big bang for your buck.

#5 Essence Matt Matt Matt 06 Kiss me if you can– R49.95 Dischem
This beautiful deep red offers high impact colour with a single swipe. Very comfortable to wear on the lips and good staying power.

#6 Mac Ruby Woo R240.00 Mac
This lipsticks is a cult favourite it's a beautiful blue red it suits many skin tones and really does last a long time on your lips. I do suggest using it with a lip liner though because it bleeds a little bit, also moisturize your lips before putting it on because it's a retro matte and it has a bit of a drying effect on your lips.

L-R

Missy and Fierce, Retro,Provocateur Femme Fatale, Ruby Woo, Kiss me if you can, Stoplight Red

These colours really does suit everyone, just take a look below at the pics of some of my gals Rocking the Reds

Do you have a go to RED Lippie? Leave me a comment below to share it with me

Revlon Irresistible Kiss Balm Juicy Peach VS Labello Vanilla Buttercream lip balm

I had to buy both of these (at different times of course) because I’m struggling to find my favourite Maybelline Baby lips in stores.

Let me just start this post saying there is no lip balm that will compare to the Baby lips for me. I have tried so many different ones from Avon, Body shop, Oh So Heavenly, Soft Lips, LipIce and I always find myself going back to the Maybelline Baby lips.

I decided to give these two a try because I need to find a lip balm that’s a pretty close second to my fave.

Let’s talk packaging, the Revlon Kiss Balm wins here for me, the colours are so fresh and I like the sleek design with a cute transparent lid. The Labello Vanilla Buttercream lip balm is sturdy with a white base and gold cap which is pleasing to the eye.

Now onto product size, Labello steals the show here with 4.8 grams of product compared to the 2.6 grams you getting with the Revlon balm. While we here we rather compare price, again Labello wins as it retails for R24.95 compared to the R59.95 for the Kiss Balm. I will more than likely need 2 of the Revlon ones in a month which makes it quite expensive for me. (I use lip balm every day, even under lipsticks or glosses).

On the moisturising/hydrating test I pick the Labello one (this could be due to the variant of the Revlon one I purchased). I felt the Labello one moisturised my lips for a good 2 hours before I needed to reapply. 

I felt the Revlon one was too thick and just sat on my lips without being absorbed, also it left a very light white film on my lips, (again, this could be due to the variant of the Revlon one I purchased). I found myself reapplying the Kiss Balm more often as my lips felt dry.

When it comes to the smell of the lip balms both are amazing, the Labello Vanilla Buttercream had a beautifully light vanilla scent, I could also get a bit of an oily scent from it as well but it isn’t something too noticeable. The Revlon Kiss Balm though made me feel like I was walking through an orchard of peaches. Also I got a sniff of the other varients and they are all amazing.

The Labello Vanilla Buttercream lipbalm is a WINNER for me, it’s super affordable, hydrates my lips and has a sweet but not over powering scent. I also ended up passing the Kiss Balm along to my sister since she apparently likes it a lot, different strokes I guess.

You can purchase both of these lip balms at Clicks or Dischem and the Revlon Kiss Balm at Foschini and Edgars.

Have you tried any of these or are there any other lip balms that you just can’t live without, let me know below:

Review Freedom Makeup

I was thrilled when I saw the Instagram stories of this brand, when they shared that they launched in a few of the Jet stores NATIONWIDE. So naturally on my very next trip to the mall I popped into my nearest Jet store at Chatsworth Centre.

I was ecstatic, I struggled to choose a “few” items to try. I hadn’t used anything from Freedom Makeup before but had seen many videos on Youtube on how affordable and awesome they are.I bought the following products which I convinced myself “I MUST HAVE” and proceeded to test them immediately. 

Luckily for me I was getting ready for a party, a pretty fancy Oscars themed Party.
On my look below I used the Pro Highlight highlighter in GLOW and Pro lipstick in NOIR DARKNESS

They were hits, I also proceeded for the rest of the night to tell anyone who would or wouldn’t listen just how much I LOVE these products.

I also bought the eyeliner which has a thin brush applicator which is perfect for my hooded eyes. The brush allows or precise application and you can build up you liner as you like. It’s a strong jet black 
colour and R49.95 is a good price for a liquid liner as I find I need to buy these quite often.

The eyeshadow primer was a bit of a miss for me, I tried using it on its own, with a powder, over concealer well pretty much any way that was possible and I didn’t see the benefits of having it there. Unless I am using it incorrectly, I would skip this one if I were you.

I can’t decide if I love the lipsticks or highlighters more. At R34.95 the lipsticks are a steal, the colours are so pretty I really wanted them all. They last a long time and even the semi matte ones won’t dry your lips. The pigment is wow and you can use them without a lipliner. Also there was no bleeding with these colours which gets a thumbs up in my book.
I got the colours Retro Retro, a beautiful deep red and Noir Darkness a gorgeous rich purple tone.

The highlighters though, the struggle is real with finding non ashy looking, non-texturizing and affordable highlighters.  These highlighters had me glowing, beaming and shimmering for days. It stays put can be built up, used on its own or as a pretty topper on your blush.

Now they call this trio the Bronzed Professional Pro Bronze I have the shade SHIMMER LIGTHS but it’s more of a highlight/bronzer combo. The bronzer shade is a bit light for me but I use it as eyeshadow sometimes so no wastage here.The peach and champagne colours look great on my skin tone but I do believe they will suit a variety of complexions.

Check out the swatches below, L-R theres Glow, Noir Darkness, Shimmer Lights, Retro Retro & black

Have you tried any Freedom Makeup products share your thoughts below:

My Top 5 Beauty faves

These are the products that are must haves for my makeup bag. I can create a full look with only these products, so for me they really are the bare essentials.

Anyone who knows me won’t be surprised to learn that the very first product I will make reference to here is my Estee Lauder Double Wear (DW) foundation in the shade Sandalwood. I have managed to convert my sister and a lot of my friends to the wonders that is the DW foundation.

It comes in a variety of shades, really does last forever and leaves you with a beautiful matte finish without looking cakey. Yes, I know the R575.00 price tag is not budget friendly but honestly it’s one of the few items I would encourage someone to splurge on.

It wears well throughout the day but my T zone is very oily so I do need to blot at least once through out the day but the product does last for a good amount of time on the rest of my face. (I would say it’s roughly 6 hours before you can see the signs of it fading away).

This is after 5 hours of wear

Now many makeup lovers out there love Mac lipsticks. Their lipsticks are of a superior quality, offers great colour payoff and comes in various finishes. Now I know it's a little expensive at R220.00 a pop but if you wanna spoil yourself sometimes, then why not.

The Viva Glam III is a beautiful every day colour, it’s moisturising and will suit many skin tones. You can amp up the colour with a lipliner but I mostly use it on its own and I’m good to go.

This lip colour is a raisin mauve and has just enough punch to be noticeable. It compliments many eye makeup looks, although you can use it without doing up your entire face. You can also sheer it out a bit with some lip gloss.

The Maybelline FitMe Matte and Poreless powders have been causing up a storm since they launched in SA last year. The 1st thing I love about this powder is the shade range, there are great shades for women of colour. I use the shade Caramel. At R99.95 it’s super affordable and I love how finely milled this powder is, it really does minimize pores and gives a naturally filtered look to your skin.

A good black eyeliner is a staple in any makeup purse and I have tried a few but these ones from Avon are my favourite. The Avon Glimmerstick in blackest black is a beauty, I use it to topline and line my lower water line. It’s an intense black that lasts through out the day, also very affordable as I usually get it on sale at R34.95 each.

I found this blush by Design Cosmetics (Edgars) and it was really really pretty and was also quite affordable (R29.95) and then it became one of my favorites. It's a rose shade called Fudge. I even use it as a transition shade. It} really gives a good wash of colour although you can build it up. It also works really beautifully under your highlighter.

Summer Loving Nail Polish Edition

Now that SUMMER is on our doorsteps (Well from the weather in Durbs lately, you would swear it's not) and you know we gots to get our nails did to evoke those #summervibes Here's some of my favourite nail polish shades for summer:

First up is the Essence The Gel polish in You and Me a beautiful lavender colour, two coats gives u maximum effect. Very pretty and likely to flatter most skin tones. I think this would work well as a pedi colour too.
Also I used this polish without any topcoat and it lasted a good 5 days with very minimal chipping.

Next up we have a beautiful aqua shade called Juicy from Avon cosmetics if you can't get your hands on this, Essence, Sorbet and Essie have similar colours. This is the perfect pedi colour, I use it for an accent nail when I do a manicure. It's fun and bright and would complement many other colours for some cute nail art combos.

I got the Sorbet Sweet Sixteen set for Christmas last year. It really is an ideal gift for any nail polish lover like myself. There are so many cute colours with different textures. Melting Moments is one of my favourites, it's a pale nude pink. This colour would suit many skin tones. It's a very romantic colour, I think it would also go really well with a metallic rose gold accent nail.

Found the next gorgeous colour at the freshly stocked Essence stand at Dischem it even says new on it... There was only 1 left so needless to say I grabbed it pretty quickly. It's a peachy, pink nude that looks oh so fresh and cute. This seems like it would be a perfect base for a multitude of nail art designs. This shade is called Rosewood Forrest, I know! the name is as pretty as the polish.

If you know me, then you know this next colour is as bright as my personality. This one again is from Essence (what can I say, their nail polishes are awesome) it's a Matte tangerine colour and screams #summervibes. Its called Va Va Voom This colour need no accents, it stands loud and proud on its own. I sometimes put a glossy top coat on and it just makes it look a lil more special. Sinful Colours also has a similar shade called Boogie Nights, which was one of favourites for a while.

Now this last colour called Serendipity is my all time favourite it's like a greyish lilac colour and can pass off as a cool neutral, no suprises that it's from Essence Cosmetics too. It will flatter many skin tones and can be used with a multitude of colours for those of you who like to mix up their mani.

What's your summer nail polish faves, share with me below and I just might try them out❤️

Save or Splurge - Battle of the MAKEUP SETTING Sprays

Setting sprays are all the #RAGE right now. Good news for us South African’s is that more brands (affordable ones too) are bringing setting sprays to SA… Whoop Whoop.

I must firstly say that if you haven’t tried a setting spray, go on try it. I know you will see a difference in your makeup game with just this one product.

You can use them to:

Prime your skin before make up application

Set your makeup

Hydrate and moisturize your skin

Refresh your makeup throughout the day

    

I have been using these 2 sprays for about 10 months or so and have to admit, I now can’t imagine makeup application without a setting spray.

 

1^st up is the Avon Makeup Setting Spray

At R79.99 for 125ml ,this bottle is affordable and great for anyone wanting to try out setting sprays without the heavy price tag. So this spray is a little tacky when you 1^st apply it and you need to make sure it dries completely before touching your face. Once dry, I don’t recommend adding any products onto your skin as it is a bit stiff but that makes it great for keeping your look locked in. The mist isn’t as fine as you would like and it is advisable to spray in the air first before spraying your face, which does lead to a bit of product wastage. I haven’t tried using it to refresh my make up but I think it could work.

Bonus tip for this one, use after primer and while tacking apply your foundation. You will find it helps keep the product in place with a natural look.

Get your bottle from your local AVON rep 

Primed and Shined with the Avon Makeup setting spray

Next up is the BeautyFix Radiant Make-up Finish

This beauty babe costs R299.00 for 100ml but I have to say it is worth ever rand. I will also come right out and say it, its my FAVOURITE. I won’t classify this as a makeup setting spray because I haven’t seen it pro-long the wear of my make up but it is everything else and more. I use this before and after make up application. It calms my skin and leaves it with a fresh feeling. It has rosewater, cucumber and aloe Vera extracts. I even use it after I cleanse my skin at night. It offers a beautiful dewy finish to your make up. You can spray it on your make up sponge or brushes for seem less blending.

Bonus tip for this one, Get them from RUNWAYSALE when available for R150.00 each.

Get your fix from BEAUTYFIX 

Locked in my look with the BeautyFix Make-up mist

I found that neither of the sprays did much for my oily T Zone but in their defence very little can help with that *sigh*.These sprays last a long time depending on how often you use them.

There are many other awesome brands out there with great make up sprays. Like most things in life, each person may have a favourite or different experience with each products. Find the best one for you and share with us by commenting below.

Makeup Brands available in South Africa

I’ve been seeing so many posts on IG and blogs about #fakemakeup and how so many people end up buying these items because they want to try a variety of products. So I thought I’d do a little reminder post just to go through some of the #SUPERAWESOME makeup brands that are available in stores South Africa. Don’t be surprised by how long this list is:

Yardley London

Catrice

Rimmel

Mac

Stila

Smashbox

Black Opal

Maybelline

Sisley

Estee Lauder

Revlon

Clarins

Elizabeth Arden

Woolworths

Essence

Givenchy

Black Up

Chanel

Bobbi Brown

Michellori

Gosh

Calvin Klein

Benefit

Wet n Wild

Design

Clinique

Colours

Smudge

Lancome

LaGirl

Foschini for Beauty

Inglot

Kryolan

Bourjois

the BALM

Urban Decay

Yves Saint Laurent

NYX

Beauty Treats

Justine

L'Oreal

The Body Shop

Almay

Physicians formula

Max Factor

Avon

I tried to include as many brands as I know of in this post, so forgive me if I missed a few.

I also understand that not all of these brands are available at stores near you bit, with the beauty that is online shopping, you can buy from stores like Woolworths, Redsquare, Clicks, Mac and Dischem online.

I hope that this post has opened your eyes and minds so you don’t have to open your wallet for #fakemakeup ever. 

International brands resellers

There are reputable resellers of international make up brands and if you decide to purchase from them, do a little homework by:

Asking for proof of authenticity
Checking for reviews on them from other sources
You can even email the brand itself to confirm if this is a legit reseller.

Remember as the saying goes, you rather be safe than sorry

Tried, Tested and Loved

This is the 1st edition of #TTL & I want to make it a regular feature on my blog. I love writing product reviews, I always feel my opinion counts a whole lot and so I love sharing it with anyone who will listen.

Here's a a few products I started using this year and my take on just how awesome they are.

Justine Tissue Oil

I know like where have I been?, I had to switch to this one because I couldn't get my hands on my usual Cocoa Heaven from Bramley.

I like the smell and feel of this oil, its quickly absorbed into the skin and keeps me moisturised without feeling greasy. That’s a pretty grand feat for a beauty oil. I use is whenever I remember too and mostly at night on my face.

Price: R60 for 60ml on special ( They are having a special on 2x 100 ml for R190)

Get Yours From: Local Justine sales rep find yours here

Brush Egg

Ok so, many of my peeps are telling me I don’t need this but, they are soooooo wrong. This mini beauty babe makes brush clean up a breeze, it takes me half the time to wash my brushes and get them really clean. I use this with baby soap and water and it works on both synthetic,natural and combo brush types.

This is pretty hard to come by, I haven’t seen them in many stores. You can buy yours from one of the IG sellers and this one often has them on special.

Price: R60.00

Catrice Long lasting lip pencils

I love lip liners, well I love makeup so this isn’t a shocker. I ordered these ones from Takealot when they were having a sale. Got them at a bargain price. The shades are pretty flattering for most skin tones. They are soft and highly pigmented. If your lips are in super great condition you could get away with using these as matte lip sticks. They can be used to line or full in lips and maybe switch up the colour of lipstick by layering them on before or after lipstick application

Price: R18.00 each on sale 

Get yours  from: Takealot or Dischem

Can we ever have too many of these

Pantene Aqua light

I usually use this refreshing spray after I wash my hair or to tame fly aways when I’m tying my hair. It has the most freshest scent ever and isn’t sticky. You can spray as much of this as you like and I promise you there will be no sign of oiliness in sight. Curly hair beauties should try this as a leave in conditioner, you will be amazed at how soon you will fall in love with this miracle worker.

It softens hair and makes frizzy hair more manageable without weighing it down.

Price: R70.00

Gets yours from: Clicks, Dischem, selected Checkers and PnP

Need another one of these soon

Design EyeShadow Palettes

I have ready great things about these palettes from Hayleigh. I was so eager to try them so I jumped at the opportunity when I saw this in Edgars at the beginning of January. You might only spot them at one of their beauty sales so if you see this in the store then you have to act fast. The colour pay off is awesome and I can create a variety of looks with this palette. The golden bronze shades can be used to highlight and bronze. This has to be one of my new favourites.

Price: R53.00

Gets yours from: Edgars whenever you can

Rich Naturals

Have you tried any of the products above, Comment below and let me know what you think.

PS The notebook used in the pics is part of a 2 pack from PnP got at a steal of R29.95.