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:

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:

Because I’m Appy

I love my phone, there I said it and it’s true. I really like the convenience of having everything in one place. I have a Huawei P10 light, the screen is quite big, the phone itself has a great design and isn’t too bulky. As awesome as my phone might be, it's really only as good as the Apps on it.

There are thousands of apps out there for Android devices. I seem to use the ones below on the regular. I have shared them with many family and friends and most agree that these apps are the Bee’s Knees

Photogrid

For me the best all in one photo editing app, you can create collages, posters, scrapbooks and so much more. It also comes with ultra-cool photo props and filters that are updated for different seasons. 2017 Christmas edition had me on a roll. Kids love these filters, also its meme generator is genius. It’s a really quick way to personalize pics especially for special occasions.

Google keep

Shopping lists, notes, images all in one place and its free. This is my top pick for making quick lists with check boxes that are easy to edit and save. Ps the colour coding and labels help too and you can access these online.

UB reader

I have read too many books on this app. It opens files in multiple formats including epub and pdf. There aren't too many ads on the free version and I love how you can switch up the screen design and fonts. It also allows you to create your very own digital library and I know many will say you can’t beat the feel of a “real” book and I agree but I love the convenience and affordability of ebooks. There are some sites that offer great, free ebooks but only in epub format so that’s when this app comes in really handy.

Pinterest.com

Their app is one of the most user friendly apps around. Makes searching, pinning and sharing a breeze I heart it so much. Especially like how you can upload pics from your phone to create pins of your own. Also how you can share boards with your peeps so you all pin together. This app is great for party planning, fashion inspo, DIYs’, travel info and well pretty much pretty imagery of everything.

Speechnotes

Now this app is amazingly, it takes your voice notes and converts it to text. I actually use it for blogging and it's super helpful for studying as well. You can save and share your notes. Yes you have to edit the notes a bit but its much quicker than typing all of it out. You could also use it to makes lists, quick notes or memos. Options are really endless.

What are your favourite Apps that you'd be lost without, share them with me 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.

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

Review The Body Shop Strawberry Shower, Scrub and Soften Range

I must firstly admit that I have never purchased anything from The Body Shop. Not sure why but I just haven’t. Now don’t get me wrong I’ve heard of them before even popped into the store a few times but still not sure why I didn’t buy.

I received this gift set for my bridal shower last year from a super awesome friend of mine. I only got around to trying it a few weeks ago and boy am I impressed. Let me just say that I love strawberries and I know they don’t taste like much but they look and smell amazing. These products evoke a feeling of luxury and serenity. They contain only the best ingredients and left my skin feeling soft and smooth. Oh and the smell, I adore the smell. I used the Shower Gel and Body Polish in the shower and my skin felt clean without being dry or stripped down of its natural oils. For those of us who think we don’t need a body scrub, trust me we do. I wasn’t big on the added routine in the shower but the benefits on my skin really outweigh the time. I suggest using it once or twice a week. That’s all you need. Exfoliating your skin helps with easy absorption of the moisturising products that you apply afterwards. This means your skin can truly benefit from all the ingredients these products contain. I topped the routine off with the Body Butter which melts in your hands and into the skin.

Image Source: The Body Shop

Now these products have converted me and as much as I love a beauty bargain, I also adore great quality products that deliver what they promise. These products have made it onto my must have list and I will be sure to get them again.

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.

Pretty Posh Polish Catrice Luxury Lacquers Million Brilliance

Every and any self-respecting beauty addict knows that glitter nail polish is a must have in our beauty stash. I love me the odd feature nail or 2 or 3.

I bought these Catrice Luxury Million Brilliance Nail Polishes from Takealot.com you could also buy them from Dishcem. They were on sale for R33.00 each for 11ml (normal price R63.00). I got the following shades gold 07 Stars and Stories, silver 01 Its Showtime & bronze 06 Bronze Upon A Time. How totesadorbs are these names... another thing I love about Catrice cosmetics. I always love using base coats before applying glitter polish as it gives it a better back ground to pop. So I used this mauve colour from design cosmetics which can be found at Edgars for R17.00 yes that’s pretty damn affordable.

The polishes are awesome, thick enough so you get a good amount of glitter on your nail with each swipe yet thin enough to prevent clumps. I used about 1.5 coats on each nail and you’ll see below the polish is quite dense and I imagine it could be used on its own with a clear base coast. (This makes it easier to take off the polish.)

I know many people don’t like glitter polishes because of clean up but honestly if you just soak a cotton paid in nail polish remover and let it sit on the nail for about 10 seconds you can have the glitter off quite easily. Some also suggest using elmers glue or liquid latex under the polish but seriously, ain’t nobody got time for that.

The pics speak for themselves. I heart these polishes, looking forward to doing some glitter ombre’ or hearts nails soon. Keep your eye out for those posts.

Favourite Favourites

Being a lover of all things beauty, girly and well just plain down pretty, its really difficult for me to pick “favourites”. I think these change with season or needs or looks. There have however been a few beauty babies that I must buy, well whenever I find myself almost running out or them on sale.

In no particular order, here they are:

Baby Lips Lip Balms from Maybelline

Whether you want a flush of colour or some serious lip therapy this is the lip balm for you. Priced at around R35.00 a single tube lasts about a month and half. Also comes in a cooling Dr Rescue range which heals chapped lips and is a winter must have. The funky colours on the packaging can easily have you grabbing for more than one.

Johnson and Johnson Baby Wipes

I have used a variety of wipes over the years, but these ones are my absolute fave’. Gentle enough to prevent irritation but strong enough to get rid of most of my make up. It smells well, baby like and comes in a pack of 80 for about R32.00 Bing bang for your buck here.

Essence Nail Polishes

Oh my these little bottles of awesomeness are so affordable and pretty. The chubby flat brush allows me to get through my nails in 2 swipes and most colours are really opaque so one coat has got you covered. You can pick these little gems up from Dischem or Clicks prices range from R20.00, yes they are that affordable.

Revlon Lip Stain

Whoa Provocateur my on the edge colour buildable and bold I always reach for this baby when I’m going out and even been known to use this in the day time with a little bit of gloss to sheer it out. Priced around R135.00 it’s a great red with a good undertone which suits most skin tones.

I cant seem to find it right now, but will post a pic asap.

WetnWild Crème Brulee Eye shadow

I discovered this beauty about 3 months ago, read many people raving online about how it’s a dupe for something or the other not that any of that matters to me. This colour is an amazing base and highlighter colour. I love matt eye shadows as they are really versatile and can be used everyday without looking over- done. This one can be used on its own with a black eyeliner smudge out and you good to go or use it under your transition shade to intensify colour.

 

Avon glimmersticks

Probably using these eyeliners for about 10 years now. The intense colour and softness is just a few reasons why I always find myself with one or 2 of these in my make up purse. Feeling funky, try the emerald green or sparkling blue shades. I usually get them on specials for about R39.95 each.

My Hair Heroes

Hair for me is one of the most important part of my look, if my hair doesn’t look good or my eyebrows aren’t on fleek, well then I know my look isn’t complete.

I have tried an array of hair styling products over the years. There are some that didn’t sit quite so well with me and some which I always find myself grabbing off the shelves over and over again. So without further a due here it is my list of favourite hair products:

Aussie Mega Volume Shampoo

My hair feels squeaky clean after using this shampoo. Its smells great and offers an instant volume boost without drying my hair out.

TreSemme' Mousse

This mouse smells great and can be used on wet or dry hair. I usually boost its lifting power by using a shot of hot then cold air from a blow dryer with mu head upside down. This mouse is perfect for use before curling your hair as it smooths down nasty fly aways.

Pantene Hair Soufflé

Dry hair, a result of the elements and over styling can be a real downer especially if you want your hair to look healthy. This beauty magician adds moisture without being oily, I use a few pumps before drying my hair and my hair smells wow and feels silky too.

Sunsilk Hair fall hair treatment

This tub has seen me through me long locks and shorter wisps and I adore how soft it leaves my hair. A little goes a long way and the 330ml tub usually lasts me about 6 months or more. I don’t condition after every wash but whenever I do, well this is the one I want to use.

PS If you have oily hair, you can condition your hair before shampooing.

Beauty Bonus DIY Hot Oil Treatment

You Need

• Amla Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Castor Oil
• Olive Oil

Method 

• Mix 2 parts of other oils to 1 part castor oil in a glass container (I usually use a shot glass for this).
• Then warm up, you can do this by placing the container in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds or safer method is to place container in hot water. I love living life on the edge and I’m also very impatient and lazy so I use the microwave.
• Then apply to your hair, you can leave this on your hair for any amount of time preferably longer than 30 minutes. For a deeper treatment leave overnight, just make sure to sleep on a towel or old pillowcase you don’t want to stain your fine linen now.
• Wash out as normal, for oily hair don’t condition when washing.
• Use as often as you like but not every day.
• PS you can add a few drops of essential oils, like peppermint or lavender to add a nice scent to this.

My Crowning Glory