Budget Beauty: Freeman Beauty Pineapple Enzyme Mask

This is my second product from the Freeman Beauty Feeling Beautiful range and once again I'm not left disappointed. I have another mask which I did a full review on here and that mask made me want to try other products from their range. It was about R15 more expensive than the last mask but thats expected because the first mask was bought a while ago and bought at the local Dischem store.

Clarins Cleansing Milk

The Clarins Cleansing Milk - R265.

Now this stuff is what makes me want more and more Clarins products. I bought this on a limb because I've been looking for a cleanser that doesn't dry out my skin and milks usually do the trick without making skin overly oily. This cleanser is specifically for combination or oily skin and you do get cleansing milks for dry and normal skin so its for everyone. I really can't describe how much I love this product, its so soft on the skin and it really cleans my skin of impurities while moisturising and removing excess makeup. As you can see this contains all natural products that are good for the skin and doesn't involve harsh chemicals that could irritate the skin. It contains Bio-ecolia which preserves the skins balance, vitamins A and E which improves your skins quality over time, Gentian which tones and heals your skin with its healing properties, Iris and Hawthorn which helps decongest your skin leaving it clean and lastly Hydrophilic acids which help cleanse the skin. All good and healthy ingredients that love your skin.

The product is very thick but almost watery and silky when applied to the skin. I literally use a pea sized amount as it spreads easy and you can feel how clean your skin feels and once your skin is dry, the skin doesn't pull or feel tight in anyway. I first remove my makeup with my trusty Bioderma (how I like love that stuff!) and a cotton pad and then wet my face and apply the cleansing milk to my skin and rub it in circular motions into my skin. It gradually thickens while washing your face and neck. Its so gentle that I can use my ring finger and gently remove excess eye makeup from the eye area and it doesn't burn my eyes or irritate them in any way. I then use a "harsher" face wash afterwards (if need be) as I feel that the cleansing milk isn't really a face wash but more of a light cleanser.

I can feel and see the difference in my skin after using the cleansing milk diligently. My skin feels softer and more moisturised and I don't have dry patches like I used to get and its controlled the oil production in my skin and keeps small breakouts at bay. I wouldn't say this helps get rid of pimples or blackheads as such but it does clean the skin properly which definitely helps to prevent pimples and blackheads. I wouldn't recommend this though if you have acne prone skin and want to focus on that instead, although this does help in the long run as it keeps skin clean. This is a great cleanser if you're looking for something light that helps dry and oily skin and works great to remove excess makeup and dirt from your skin.

xxx

Links below:

Clarins

Clarins Promotion

About two weeks ago Clarins had a promotion where you buy two products, one being a lotion and one a serum or toner and you get a free bag, Eau de Jardins and two free sample products of your choice. I'm a bad beauty blogger though. I didn't even know that Clarins was running a promotion, apparently there were adverts on TV and in magazines but I didn't even know about it until I went to the Clarins stall one Saturday (I wasn't planning on buying anything either) and the sales girl told me about it... well I couldn't say no to an offer like that, now could I and the sales girl really was good. So for literally 10 minutes or longer the sales girl and I stood there discussing the different products that Clarins had to offer, what was best for my skin and what I wanted out of the products and I ended up walking out with two Daily Energizer products, a free bag, perfume and two free samples... I was happy as can be, although my bank account wasn't.

Now I love this bag, its a great size and great for piling in a few things in on the go if you're going to the beach or a day out. The Eau de Jardins perfume is a winner! It smells so good and you can smell it all day. It's supposed to uplift, refresh and captivate and let me tell you, it does all of the aforementioned but I will do a single post about that later once I know exactly how to describe it - yes its that good. The two free samples that I got was the Hand and Nail Treatment Cream and the Beauty Flash Balm. I chose the hand and nail cream for my mom because shes a sucker for hand creams and I don't really like hand creams. They leave my hands greasy and I just don't like the feel of cream on my hands - cringe. My mom says it softens your hands from the first use and it really sinks in so there's no feeling of grease on your hands. I chose the Beauty Flash Balm as I've heard so many good things about it and before going out and buying a full version I wanted to try it first. So far so good but I've only used it twice and I haven't fully formed an opinion yet so I will do a seperate post about that soon. The two Daily Energizer products are great so far and again I will do a seperate post for these two.

xxx

NYX The Runway Collection Eyeshadow

I hope all South Africans enjoyed the extra public holiday yesterday and had a well deserved long weekend but unfortunately we have to get back to reality and start our four day week... Isn't it funny how quickly you form a habit of relaxing and sleeping in late, wasn't it so hard to get out of bed this morning and not be in a bad mood? I all but fell out the bed this morning and on went the heater and kettle while dragging my feet around the house to get ready. Hardest thing I've ever done today truely but anyways I digress...

The NYX Runway Collection eyeshadow in Caviar and Bubbles - R119.95 from Clicks. What a cute name! These colours are the perfect shades for a neutral or smokey eye and come with a nice sized mirror so you can do your makeup on the go and the sleek black packaging is so pretty I could stare at it all day. They range from shimmery colours to a few matte colours and I love that you can mix two colours together to get a really awesome colour and I must say I use every colour except the black - black looks way to harsh on my eyes and makes them look sunken in which is not a great look. I use these to create a very natural barely there look or a subtle smokey eye, I really love all the neutral colours on my eyes, I'm such a sucker for neutral eyeshadows. As you can see from my swatches the last photo shows the bottom row of colours and you can see the bottom row has very pigmented colours while the top row are very subtle with a mix of shimmery and matte but still pigmented enough for a subtle but buildable look. These eyeshadows are very soft and creamy, they spread very well and last throughout the day. They give a nice healthy pop of colour and the shimmery eyeshadows aren't full of glitter, they're more of a soft shine which is great as I really don't suit overly shimmery shades. Over all this is a great palette that offers a wide range of looks and have gone onto my repurchase list.

xxx

Links below:

NYX

The Body Shop Body Mist

The Body Shop Vanilla Body Mist - R110. Wow this stuff is to die for! I'm a real sucker for anything that smells of vanilla and this body mist is just so lovely. The smell lasts for ages and you get random whiffs of it throughout the day. This vanilla body mist isn't too sickly sweet like those perfumed deodarants, its more like a pure vanilla scent. If you spray too much on then I guess it will be sweet but I just spray three or four sprays (two in my hair and two on my clothes as the scent lasts longer in your hair and fibres of your clothes than on your skin). I like that you don't need to carry around the bottle in your handbag for a re-spray throughout the day because it really does last that long so that's a bonus as this bottle is quite big and heavy to carry around in your bag, plus its glass so it could break very easy. I got this in February for my birthday from Stephen and I'm only like a 1/4 way through the bottle only. Honestly this is a repurchase for me, I really love it! No bad word to say at all and a big big bonus The Body Shop is animal cruelty free!

xxx

Links below:

The Body Shop

What's On My Nails #6 // Swift Sherbet

Avon Speed Dry 30+ in Swift Sherbet - R87.95

This is my favourite colour of all time. I have never found a colour like this, I was instantly attracted to it when I googled pictures of this colour and I wanted it then and there. It was actually on special when I got it so it only costed me R49.95 but the usual price is R87.95.

Its a very summery pastel orange that looks great against my skin colour and makes my nails pop. I was definitely impressed with this one more than the other one from this range in Vamp It Up (see full review here) which lasted only two days with a base coat and top coat. I've worn this nail polish twice now and both times it has lasted five days until the first chip appeared. Two coats of this are required as the first coat is pigmented but streaky. The formula is quite thick and easy to spread not very watery like Vamp It Up (I don't mind it watery as it spreads better.) Also this nail polish didn't dry in 30 seconds like the other nail polish it only took 10 seconds longer, which still is better than waiting for 5 minutes before you can apply the next coat, I think it took longer because the formula is thicker. By far my favourite nail polish this month especially if I've worn it twice already!

xxx

May Favourites

So today I'm doing my May favourites, there's not too many products that really stood out to me last month but these are definitely the winners for May and every other month. It's a real mix of all products ranging from hair to skin to nails, I love it when that happens!

Anyways my favourites for May are:

Clarins Cleansing Milk

Catrice Cosmetics Infinite Matt Makeup in 010 Light Beige

A Beauty Blender dupe (see full review here)

Avon Speed Dry+ in Vamp It Up (see full review here)

Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick

Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula (mini size)

Tip Top Protein Base Coat

I've been using the Clarins Cleansing Milk for about two months now and I can really feel a difference in my skin. It hydrates my skin but not too much that it makes it oily and it removes excess makeup and cleans your skin. My skin hasn't felt so soft and hydrated in a long time and I'll be doing a full review once I'm completed satisfied.

The Catrice Infinite Matt Makeup is the perfect shade for me. I've also been using this for about two months and I'm completely sold. It's so easy to apply and its matte so it doesn't make my t-zone shiny but its also not that matte where you skin is flaky and visibly dry, it still provides hydration. I would say this is medium coverage and is definitely buildable and I find that it covers dark circles like never before while also brightening the eye area. It covers redness and blemishes (with a little help from concealer) but it still looks natural because it allows your freckles to show through it. I find I get the best look out of it when I use my Beauty Blender dupe which has also made it to my May Favourites without hesitation. It blends foundation out so well and almost gives it a sheer, dewy effect when the sponge is damp.

The Avon Speed Dry nail polish is my favourite colour and I love that it really does dry in 30 seconds, I just wish it would last longer.

The Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick is a no brainer. These lipsticks are so soft and hydrating to your lips and provide such a nice colour on your lips.

Advance Techniques conditioner is a conditioner that I don't think I'd be able to live without anytime soon. This make the ends of my hair so soft and shiny and manageable that I can't stop playing with my hair after I wash it. And paired with the shampoo these two are a killer team.

The Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula is one that surprised me. I really don't like the smell of a chocolate cream, nor do I like smelling like chocolate, for some reason I find the smell quite nauseating. Anyways like I said this surprised me. I thought I wouldn't like it just based on the smell but I reach for it all the time because of how soft it makes my skin during these cold days and I've gotten used to the smell now. My skin is visibly smoother and I'm definitely getting a bigger sized bottle though.

The Tip Top protein base coat is my favourite. It doesn't allow coloured nail polish to stain my nails and it makes nail polish last for longer. I've worn this on its own too and it has an incredible shine too while making your nails feel stronger. Repurchase again and again.

So those are my favourites for last month and I can't wait to see what this month brings for me!

xxx

Budget Beauty: Clicks Cosmetic Sponge Spin Top

So we've all heard about the famous Beauty Blender and the mixed reviews about it in the blogger world. Personally I don't think the real Beauty Blender is worth it. Its like over R100 for a sponge, I'm not sure how they can justify that price, I think its ridiculous. A lot of people say its worth every cent and a lot of people say its a waste because they've used it once but I can't comment on that since I don't own a Beauty Blender. Whatever the comments I've found a cheaper version of the Beauty Blender and it works!

I've always used my hands to blend in my foundation because fingers can blend foundation out a lot better and you can feel the contours of your face easier then I'd use a cheap (clean!) triangular sponge and dab it everywhere to suck up extra foundation that was just sitting on my skin. I use this Cosmetic Sponge Spin Top from Clicks (R24.90) in the same way that I would use the cheap sponge because I find that this doesn't really blend in foundation properly on its own (it's only down fall) so I still use my hands and fingertips to spread the foundation over my skin and then this little pink egg of a magician steps in. Honestly this sponge just rocks my socks right off. I first wet it and then squeeze it out in a towel so that its damp and it expands a little bigger then you bounce it on your skin with the bottom side of the egg and it blends out the foundation naturally and it gives your skin a fresher look to it (don't ask me how maybe because its damp but I've tested it against my normal sponge and the normal sponge just made the foundation look flat) and the pointed side of the egg is perfect for blending the concealer under your eyes and by your nose. Also just a tip don't "wipe" your foundation with this rather bounce it even when you're blending in concealer. When you wipe it across your face you're just wiping your foundation off and bouncing it takes the excess off while blending it in.

Honestly I am SO happy with this sponge! My foundation and concealer have never looked more natural and blended. I'm in love and have abondoned foundation and concealer brushes and all my cheap sponges. It's just my hands and this pink egg now forever together... haha!

Happy Friday!
xxx

Links below:

Clicks

Hello June

Not to state the obvious or anything but it's June already! We're half way into the year and I remember the 1st of January like it was yesterday. Really where are all these months going? We really need to take things slower and think for longer than a second. Rushing around isn't getting you anywhere really so I've learned to take things slower and do whatever I'm doing more thoroughly and efficiently. This month is about doing things for yourself and learning to say no once in a while.

At work for instance if someone wants you to do something, do it when you can and do it slowly and thoroughly so the person doesn't bore down on you like 1000 hungry bears that have been hibernating forever and even if they are rushing you do it in your time. I'm not saying to leave it for next week when you have free time, do it that same day they asked you but do it when you've cleared through most of your work. Where I work they all ask me to do something and one person in particular will rush me and ask for it constantly and then I end up rushing and stressing and then end up not doing it right and that person decides to do it themselves. Firstly anybody who asks you to do them a favour should in turn remember that you have your own work to do and that most importantly you are doing them a favour. Now this person where I work has now realized I work better when I work slowly and they've learned not to rush me even though they are impatient for it.

Also learn to say no once in a while even though its hard but really if you have a lot to do and somebody asks you to do something for them just explain to them that you're very busy and (in the kindest possible manner) politely ask them if they can do it themselves or the other alternative is ask if its okay if you do it tomorrow or whenever you feel your work load won't be too much. They should understand this since they are clearly busy to do it themselves as well. And remember once you do one person a favour everyone will come running to you for favours. People don't use their own initiative anymore to come up with plans, they would rather off load it onto sombody else to deal with their problem and you don't want to be that person. I'm not saying be horrible or unapproachable and always say no but make sure people know that if you're busy you're not going to be able to do their jobs for them. Make sure people know that you're a really nice person that they can't take advantage of all the time but they can still ask for help and they can still approach you.

I guess it's hard to listen to a 19 year old about life advice but I really have learned a lot in life as I've had my fair share of high school drama's to fall back on for life lessons and obviously I've studied other peoples mistakes and I learned from that too. I've learned that Sometimes in life you have to disappoint a few people and sometimes you have to put yourself first. Just remember those people asking you to do them a favour are putting themselves first too so why can't you do it too? Do things for yourself too not just others. Theres more to life other than making other people happy.

xxx

Budget Beauty: Catrice Prime&Fine Smoothing Refiner



The Catrice Prime and Fine range consists of this primer, an illuminating base, a highlighter, an eye primer and a translucent loose powder. This range prepares your skin for makeup and reduces the size of your pores and fines any wrinkles or lines you have. I have the highlighter and this primer. I haven't got the illuminating base product as it looked quite shimmery and I didn't want to look like a disco ball but I might try it out soon.

Anyways this primer is very soft and "fluffy-like" and it feels light on the skin. When I first put it on I was sceptical as it felt very oily on my skin but as it settles it makes your skin feel soft and moisturised, the oily feeling goes away and thankfully it doesn't make my skin break out. This is great for foundation as the foundation just glides over my skin and stays put and doesn't fade or slide over my skin during the day. I don't have very visible pores so I can't really comment on that front but it does eliminate the site of fine lines like the ones under the eye area. My concealer that I use used to settle in the lines under my eyes after a while and this primer stops that from happening. My eyeshadow doesn't crease at all anymore and it doesn't stray from my eye area. I find my blush stays on for longer too and its easier to blend when I wear this primer. It creates a moisturised, smooth base for makeup and makes all makeup stay on for longer. Even with all the makeup on you can feel your skin is softer and smoother and you can visibly see a difference in your skin as it smoothes and fines everything out.

It comes in a small jar but you literally need a little bit for all areas so this product will last for a long time and at only R54.90 a pop I think its pretty worth it for such a great product.

xxx

Links below:

Catrice Cosmetics