Urban Decay Born to Run - The Only Eyeshadow Palette you will ever need

I know this is a huge claim, but this is honestly how I feel about this palette. Urban Decay products have been a favourite amongst many for the longest time. Their claim to fame being the Naked eyeshadow palettes which offered beautiful natural shades for all skin tones.

Fast forward to 2018 and the Born to Run palette was the word on everyone’s lips and the shades on everyone’s lids.

It entered the market at a time when there were so many amazing products out there but not many offered the broad spectrum of colours and finishes that it does. It has everything one would need from an eyeshadow palette, mattes, foil like metallics, high colour pay off and longevity.


It is 21 shades of awesome, that’s right 21 shades, that’s a whole lotta bang for your buck. 
At R800 for 21 shades, that works out to about R39.00 a shade, all of which you would use. 
I got mine on sale from Foschini, at R640 so you can only imagine my excitement.
I’ve created a variety of looks from everyday work looks to going out looks with this palette and my eyeshadow lasts a good 7 hours, I do have very oily lids and prime with my concealer.

The colours are easy to work with and blend well with other shadows. The palette also comes with a large mirror, which does make it great for travelling.

A summary of the colours:

Hell Ride is the perfect deep cranberry colour that works well as a transition shade while Good as Gone and Punk will be sure to intensify any make up look.
Breakaway and Weekender are perfect base colours and can also be used for extra contrast on mid cut crease look.
Still Shot and Riff does double duty as great transition or standalone shades.
The Metallic shades are all winners, they apply best with a flat shadow brush or your fingers.
Stranded and Blaze offer the best brow bone highlight but can double as highlighters for your face.

Ignite, Smog and Double Life is a good inner corner highlight but layer them over Jet or Good as Gone and you will find another sultry dimension to these shades.
Guilt Trip, Radio and Wanderlust offer that something different to jazz up your look, although they do work well layered over other shades.
Drift and Big Sky lets you create an elusive evening look when paired together but can be softened with Wildheart on the outer lid.

I’ve included some looks I created with the palette below:

A subtle everyday glam look, with Riff all over the lid and crease followed by Accelerate all over the lid.

Use Baja in the crease with Jet all over the lid for a more dramatic eye look.

Baja is probably the most versatile shadow in the palette use it on its own for an intense monotone look, its also perfect for the lower lash line.

Do you have a go to Eyeshadow palette, share with me below:

Review Benefit KaBrow and Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

If you were an old school YouTube fan like myself then you know that the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer was a must feature in every Beauty Vloggers video in the mid 2000’s. I remember watching those videos and thinking, “damn, I wish we had this product in South Africa”, now these were the days before you could courier pretty much anything anywhere.

Last year my wishes were answered when Maybelline brought this amazing product to South Africa.

I have used a few concealers before but this one for me is thee most amazing. Full coverage without being cakey, no powdery residue and creamy to the touch. It is the perfect brow bone highlighter and great for cleaning up your brows.

It also doubles as an awesome eyeshadow primer, you could blend it out until its completely dry or use the tacky texture as the perfect base for metallic & glitter shadows.

Sells for around R190.00, it lasts a very long time and has a cushion applicator, which makes it a dream to use. This is definitely going to be a staple in my makeup bag.

The next product has been raved about everywhere with good reason to, KaBrow is an iconic Benefit Cosmetics product and everyone whose brow game is on fleek knows why.

They come in a variety of shades with cool, neutral and warm undertones. The little brush makes doing your brows a breeze and once applied this product really does stay put.

It is a pomade, gel like products but not too dry where it looks fake and not too soft where it will melt off.

You can get a natural or bold brow look depending on your technique; mistakes are easily fixed with some Micellar water. You can use a brow gel or powder afterwards but I often skip this step.

I bought the mini at R175.00 form Edgars and have been using it for well over a year & I’m not even half way through this.

I would totally splurge on a full size one once this one is finished, because this product has changed my entire makeup game.

Quick Review Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream

I've wanted to try the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream forever. It has been around for a very long time and holds somewhat of a cult status in the beauty industry.

It is said to help with cracked lips, minor burns & dry or flaky skin.

Price R300 for 50ml
You can buy it from Clicks, Dischem, Foschini or Edgars.

Now I must say reading all the fab reviews online, I had very high expectations for this product.

The first thing you should note is that this is not really a cream, it is more of an emollient with a balm like texture. It has a bit of a medicinal scent which doesn't linger for to long so it's easy to ignore.

It is quite dense so I would recommend using at Night Only unless you are using on your lips as a lip balm, then it's okay to use during the day as well.

Whilst it did soften my lips and offered an extra boost of hydration I wouldn't buy it purely for the purpose of using it as a lip balm. There are more affordable options that work just as well.

I've used it a few times on my face after my cleansing routine at night and found that my skin was much softer the next morning. You have to make sure that you massage it well in to the skin or else it will leave an oily residue behind.

It also helped soothe a scrape that I had on my leg so it does deliver in that aspect.

I don't however find myself buying this again, I didn't notice any major benefits to my skin (maybe I need to use it for longer than a month) and feel it might be more beneficial to those with extremely dry skin.

Have you tried out this product, let me know your thoughts below:

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.

Tips to find the perfect Foundation for You

This post has been requested a few times by one of my friends, so Trishy this one's for you.

For me there's just a few steps I need to follow to pick the perfect foundation, here they are in no particular order:

#Always try out a new shade in natural light - have you ever been to a makeup counter tried on something, bought it but only to go home and realise oh no this isn't the correct shade. This happens far too often and can be avoided by just taking a step outside before buying. If you're at a mall and you are really keen on the product, you can pop outside really quickly and check out how the makeup looks in natural light.

Some brands also oxidises - changes colour after application, something I find happens a lot with darker shades, so you might find that walk outside to reveal a whole different colour on your skin, one you might not be so keen on purchasing.

#My next tip is work with your skin not against it and by this I mean consider the type of finish you want and sometimes this can mean investing in other products to give you that finish. Let me explain further.
So if you're like me and have a super oily T zone you might need a mattifying primer for just this section because if you use a dry finish foundation it could leave the outside of your face with some dry patches. On the other hand if you are using a quick drying matte foundation ( my favourite is the Estée Lauder Double Wear Total Coverage) then make sure you apply extra moisturiser to the dryer areas of your face.

#Many people ask me if price matters when it comes to buying a foundation the short answer is yes and no.
I say this because there are some great affordable brands out there that has fantastic ranges but for me I found the best ones are the ones that cost a little more. This doesn't mean I won't purchase a more affordable brand, it just means I don't mind splurging on what I know works for me. Also you have to consider how many uses you actually get out of it.
Let's do some math - A R600 bottle of foundation that lasts let's say 2 months with daily use equates to R10.00 use, wouldn't you say that's great value for money considering this is something that you're putting on your face?
Also shopping when items are on sale, makes a huge difference. I once bought a R99 tube of foundation that oxidised way too much and got 1 use out of it before I passed it on to a friend... Now that was an expensive lesson right there.

#Ask for take home testers, I know many brands have in store testers but sometimes it's easier to try something in the comfort of your own home. I know Mac offers tester pots but don't be afraid to ask other brands as well. It's better to try a foundation a few times before committing to purchasing because most of the higher end brands range from R450 updwards and returning opened make up can prove to be a tad bit difficult.

#Find your happy medium
Oh the possibilities, there's liquid, cream, powder and  mousse foundations. Find what works for you. The best thing is you get so many different coverage options in the different mediums like liquid doesn't have to mean super full coverage with a cakey finish and powder can offer full coverage and is very easy to use.

#Try, Try and try again
When you're really into finding the right match it's best to try out a few finishes, brands colours etc. Don't be afraid to try without buying. I know that all the amazing products out there can be so overwhelming but do a little research. Make a list of what you're looking for in a foundation and start searching firstly online for some reviews and ideas on what products will fit the bill.
Also don't be persuaded into purchasing something because someone else says it looks good on you, make sure you are happy with how it looks.

Do you have a foundation finding tip or story share with us below:

Simply Scentsational Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue Review

Fine fragrances aren’t really my thing and you definitely won’t find me rushing out to buy the newest one after a launch. I do however have a few favourites and I emphasise the word few cos there really aren’t that many than I love.

I got this heavenly scent from, well the very same source all my favourite scents come from, my hubby of course. I must add that if ever I do find myself lusting after a new perfume, I just need to drop some not so subtle hints and he usually gets them for me.

He does however complain that I don’t use them enough but there’s perfectly valid reasons for this.

First things first I have terrible sinus/ allergies which means sometimes even a mild scent will have my eyes all watery and I spend the rest of the day looking like I caught a bout of pink eye. The next thing is I like to bring out these wonderful fragrances for special occasions as I feel they add a little something extra to my outfit.

The Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue fragrance has scents of jasmine, apple and a slight woodiness to it. For me, it’s a refreshing aroma that isn’t over powering or clinical, perfect balance between floral and fruity.

If I had to describe it, its summer in a bottle with a seductive twist.
That’s the reason why I find myself reaching for it year round, in winter it reminds me of the summer breeze and the lazy days spent on the beach. In summer it’s light and airy nature makes it easy to wear even in the warm Durban weather.

Source

I have seen a recent launch for the Italian Zest edition which I’m keen to try. You can read up more on that here.

You can purchase the Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue EDT from Redsquare or anywhere that sells fine fragrances.

Do you have a signature scent, share with me below:

Review Swiitch Beauty Prime Time Kit

Wearing makeup is fun and leaves me feeling pretty but sometimes the effects of matte lip products combined with the elements are a bit much for my lips.

I needed to get a product that would make my lips softer especially now as winter is approaching.

I bought the PrimeTimeKit from Swiitch Beauty a few weeks ago. They had a 50% off sale for their birthday, so I paid only R75.00 for the kit which is a definite bargain.

There's two tubes in the kit, a black one which is the priming gel that removes dead flaky skin off your lips and the white one is a moisturising balm.

Both my sister and I tested the products and for me the priming exfoliant didn't do much for my lips. My sister however felt that it worked enough to remove the dead skin and flaky bits of her lips. She did have to use it twice in one go to see the results.

The balm did hydrate my lips and is a good base for lip colour. It's quickly absorbed into the lips and doesn't affect the colour pay off from your lipstick or gloss.

Final Thoughts
The balm works and is a great base with out being greasy. The priming exfoliant also offers minimal benefits but when combined with the balm, you will notice a difference.
I would suggest using a more effective lip scrub at least once a week. At R150 for the kit it's affordable as it has enough product to last at least 3 months. I also like the fact that it's two products in one which means more bang for your buck.

Have you tried the Swiitch Beauty Prime Time Kit share your thoughts 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

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.

New Year Wishes

Well, It's already the 15th of January and I am a little late with the New Year Wishes.

Just a few words from me to you. Enjoy each day this year offers you and do more of what you love, what makes you laugh and what makes your heart happy.

Remember to embrace the greatness that's within you and be kind to one another but most especially to yourself.

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.