There was celebrations and jubilation when Urban Decay opened it’s doors in South Africa on 9 July 2016. Yes, this is a bit late, but so many of you wanted to see what the store looked like so when I got these pics Read more
Colour correcting is all the rage at the moment with every makeup company coming out with all sorts of products in different formulas. You get tubes of creamy liquids with brush-tipped applicators, serum correctors, primers, crayon-like sticks, and powders, thick and mousse-like creams . . . and that’s just out the top of my head!
It would be short-sighted and stupid of me to call Read more
Hi beauties, I am giving away this gorgeous Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal (pressed) which is LIFE and my favourite of all the shimmering skin perfectors in the range. Why? Because it’s champagne with a hint of peach that suits all skin tones across the colour spectrum. I’m also giving away the Becca One Perfecting Brush, which is a great multi-tasking brush.
To be eligible to win this prize pictured below:
1. You have to be subscribed to my blog. Comment down below with the #BBBecca
2. Follow me on Twitter and ReTweet and tag me @tiva7 using #BBBecca
3. Follow Beauty Bugle’s FB page and once again leave the #BBBecca in the comments section of the post and share the post.
It’s that’s easy and so simple. These make up products are worth R1000 but to me a shimmering skin perfector is priceless, especially Opal, which is very difficult to find.
One winner will be selected at random. This is an international giveaway, country customs permitting. The Get Social links are at the bottom of the page and make sure to use the hastag
#BBBecca so I know, you have entered.
Good Luck!
Entries close on 6 September 2015. The winner will be announced on 7 September
Hi my angels, please follow all the instructions on how to enter. I see some entrants are missing steps so this means it won’t pick up when I put it into the system to generate the entries and get a winner 🙁
Love you all so so so much xxxx
Hi beauties this is a new series I have started on my blog that I plan to do twice a month. It’s called Bosso Ke Mang, which means Who’s the Real Boss? It’s the title of a song made famous by South African rapper Hip Hop Pantsula, also known as HHP. In this series, I take two similar products and put them to the test and decide which is better in my opinion. NB. These views are based my own experiences and in no way infer that the brand rubbish and is in no way intended to bash the brand across the board. It is simply a case of, one product is better or one didn’t work for me.
When Smashbox released its Photo Finish Primer Water I raved about it to death! You know when you like a song, and you play it until you can’t listen to it anymore, yes, it was like that. That obsession was and still is very real. It was revolutionary in my mind; I hadn’t seen anything like it on the market.
Then, while at Sandton City, I came across the Victoria Secret store. They carry beauty products; make up, fragrances and of course, sexy lingerie,
Victoria Secret Angels, guys love them, girls want to look like them? Well, most girls I know. Guess that’s why their beauty products say: ‘Supermodel Approved’ I mean, who wouldn’t feel sexy putting on bronzer that a model wearing a million rand bra has given the thumbs up!
Whenever I go to the Victoria Secret store, there’s always no stock of make up, it usually sells out so I guess this brand is popular and affordable
But on the day I went there, there was a small shelf that had some stuff on that day and my eyes darted towards this clear bottle filled with clear liquid. I saw the bold and large writing on the label ‘PRIME’. I couldn’t believe it. There was indeed another primer water and it also claimed to set make up.
So I picked up the Victoria Secret Make It Last Primer and Make up Setting Spray thinking yes, this is a VS Angel in a bottle. I tested it out this primer water setting spray over two weeks, going in with a very open mind. I have always believed that my job when reviewing products is to always have an open mind and I’m brutally honest and NEVER buy into the hype. If you have been following me, you know . . . it’s real! If a product is on par or great, you know I’m going to go to the Soweto tower, shouting it out, then bungee jumping because I’m crazy like that.
So this primer water/setting spray is supposed to be runway-proof. Having modeled for over a decade know what’s it’s like backstage, clothing changes, nips, tucks, bright lights . . . it’s gets, hot, your make up can melt, move and well, if you don’t have your make up done right, you will look like a hot mess.
Victoria Secret Make It Last Primer and Make up Setting Spray claims to be an AMAZING primer and setting spray: It’s not.
Ensures budge-proof make up for up to 8 hours: No
Under make up, provides a smooth and seamless application of make up: Your skin does fell smooth at first
Over make up, helps hold the look: Yes, it feels like you have smeared glue stick all over your face and that really does last all day, so I guess that claim is true if you think about it that way.
VS: The bottle is clear plastic and it has a pump with a fine nozzle
Smashbox: The bottle is clear plastic and has a fine nozzle.
VS: The nozzle has to be pressed twice in order for the product to spray out. This results in an irregular and uneven distribution of the mist and the mist is not as fine. Because the mist is powerful, you get a shot of cooling primer on your face. It’s refreshing but not hydrating.
Smashbox: You press the nozzle once; the nozzle prays an even, super fine mist on the face. It’s also cooling and refreshing.
VS: I found that once I sprayed it on my face, it dried down tacky very fast and stayed tacky. My foundation application was anything but seamless and looked patchy. It broke down my foundation in about 30mins after setting my make up. I do think that the uneven and distribution of the mist is a major factor in the not working for me and the gloop that makes it sticky.
Smashbox: Once sprayed onto the face, it dried tacky at first then set into a smooth canvas that was ready for foundation application. Foundation went on smoothly; my full coverage foundation.my make up was sealed when I spritzed my face after application.
VS: Price: At R195, it is cheaper than the Smashbox Prime water and you get 4ml extra (just saying)
Smashbox: Price: R400 for 116ml. Yes, it’ssssspensive.
VS: There is only one Victoria Secret store in Sandton City, Johannesburg and often there is limited stock, so it’s not readily available. I do not know if there are any other stores in South Africa. I believe Johannesburg has the only store.Smashbox: There are various Smashbox counters at selected Edgars and Woolworths stores and you can buy Smashbox products at www.redsquare.co.za or www.woolworths.co.za. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water is more easily available.
VC: No detectable fragrance and while there are no ingredients listed on the bottle, I didn’t detect any alcohol nor did my face sting or go red when I used it.
Smashbox: It smells like grass, but the scent goes away. It has no alcohol, parabens or silicone.
To be fair, I think, the Victoria Secret Make It Last Primer and Make up Setting Spray may work better with a light, sheer coverage foundation that doesn’t have to mix with too much product. But unlike the Smashbox Photofinish Primer water, it doesn’t give you a glow, which is odd, because those VS Angels glow like Goddesses!
And the Real Boss is . . . Smashbox Primer Water! #Bosso
Have you tried the Victoria Secret Make It Last Primer and Make up Setting Spray? Did you have better like than me?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time, stay blessed and beautiful
xoxo
Prativa
Beauty Bugle
I’ve heard a lot about Catrice products but only took notice of the brand when I was looking for a good primer and a few people suggested that I try out their
Prime and Fine, Pore Refining anti shine base. However, you know mama loves to play so when I got to the counter at Dischem I fell in love. I was like a kid in a candy store!
I will say that ‘drug store brands’ (and I use the term again for international readers because we use call it pharmacy in South Africa) have really upped their game with all the limited edition collections and really great products that rival higher end brands. I picked up a few things from the line and here are my thoughts 🙂
Liar liar, Catrice Prime, Fine and Anti-shine base
I did get the primer; yes I got the thing I wanted to buy. You know sometimes you go to a store and you get so side tracked buy everything else that you forget what you went to the store for in the first place? Yes, it has happened to us all. But I did get Prime and Fine, Pore Refining anti shine base.
The primer promises take away shine and refine pores so I bought it. Sounded like a good deal and for the price, I thought it was a steal. Also it is dermatologically tested and I do not argue with the good ole’doctor 🙂
I have only ever use Smashbox and MAC primer so this foray was a realm I’ had never ventured into. I’m very picky on what I put onto my face so you will rare ever find me reviewing face skin care products because I rarely change up the foundations I use or the primers because I break out like crazy.
The primers itself is very liquidy and feel also like a lotion. It’s very lightweight and not tacky or greasy. It is white in colour when you squeeze it out of the tube but it smooths out clear onto the skin.
I actually loved the feel of it on my face. My skin felt as soft as a baby’s bottom. It was hydrating and it felt tacky for a whole 30 seconds and my skin felt softer. My foundation applied smoother. However, this product was not mattifying on me. I have combination skin and I get oily on my T-Zone area. I applied the primer at about 8am and wore it the entire day and didn’t touch up my make up at all, not even a dusting of powder (work got so busy, I had no time). On an average day, I usually have to touch up with a bit of powder after 4 and a half hours, I didn’t check until I hit the eight hour mark and my foundation had not moved, but I looked a bit dewy under the office lights of course.
When I drove home, and got out into natural lighting, my foundation was having a serious meltdown. I swear, I could have wiped it off my face and worn it as a lip-gloss. It was greasy and once I touched my face it, it transferred onto my hands and then onto my steering wheel and God help me! Luckily I do carry tissue in the car so I was able to wife off the foundation and drove home with a patch of foundation missing on my face. And my foundation had oxidized . . . the lighting in the office was very forgiving if you ask me.
The verdict is quite confusing. I liked this mattifying anti shine primer for it’s the hydrating and softening properties it has and the dewy finish it gives my foundation. It did keep my make up on for a solid 8 hours so it is good in that department. It does the opposite of what it claims in a good way, for the most part.
While Catrice calls it ‘A true beauty perfectionist’ this may be giving this primer a big head for no reason. It’s a fair primer . . . and a great liar!
Where to Buy: Dischem
Price: R69
Catrice kissed . . .
Onto some bronzer. Some people think I’m crazy when I say I am obsessed with bronzer. Yes, I know I’m brown but I love the look of bronzer. To each their own. So when I saw this bronzer at the Catrice counter, I knew I needed it in my life.
I got the Catrice Sun Glow Matte Bronzing powder (030 Medium Bronze darker skin)
This bronzer is matte, like I don’t know where the ‘Sun Glow’ came from. This is a beautiful product. It is smooth to the touch. The colour is so not very dark, which I find concerning because it is marketed for darker skim.
Maybe they should have said medium skin and perhaps brought in a third shade for deep skin Just putting it out there Catrice!
The shade of the bronzer itself is few shades darker than my NC 40/42 skin. The shade while still warm is shows up a tough orange on my skin but leans more towards being a neutral brown. Because of the shade and the fact that it’s matte, this bronzer is ideal for contouring on a budget.
Worn solely as a bronzer it gives my face the perfect kiss of sunshine.
This is by far the most versatile bronzer I found on a budget! I find that I have to use the softest brush to apply and blend this bronzer because it can move your foundation around and cling to the foundation making it very difficult to blend.
It really is finely milled and creamy and a little goes a long way. I definitely back this 100% and if you know me and how picky I am about bronzers that’s saying a lot. For the price point, this is a steal.
Where to buy: Dischem
Price: R69,95
Lit from within . . .
Onto blush. I will admit that I wasn’t always into blush. I went years without using it in my daily make up routine. (Yes, I really did). I’d only ever wear blusher on a shoot or for a very special event.
Now, I can’t live without a pop of colour on my cheeks and highlighter.
And Catrice’s Illuminating blush in 020 Coral Me Maybe gives me the best of both worlds.
I love the checkered pattern on the blusher itself. Catrice says the blush combines two different colour-intensities with a subtle shimmer and a light pearl. This accentuates the cheekbones as well as giving your complexion definition and a soft glow.
In this case, they are a coral and a pinky coral with a pearl finish. It gives a true 3D effect to your look, fab not flat . . . talk about hitting the jackpot!
It is very pigmented so a VERY light hand is needed, else you will look like a clown. . You will, really, really I kid you not.
I like applying this blush to the apples of my cheeks to create a youthful look. Make sure you tap off any excess product beforehand. This blush is long wearing and it lasted a good 8 hours on me without fading. At the end of the day, my T-Zone was shiny, but my blush still had that heaven-sent luminosity. The coral shade suited my dark skin perfectly and I think if you are around my skin colour or darker, this will make you stand out of the crowd for all the RIGHT reasons.
Where to buy: Dischem
Price: R69,95
Kissed by a rose . . .
Onto the lips . . . the hero of this show . . .
The Catrice Ultimate Colour in 370 In A Rosegarden. I will say that drugstore lipsticks have come a long way and the the formulas rival some higher end brands. And while they have up their lippie game, their prices have gone up too, with some drugstore lipsticks costing more than a MAC lipstick (yes, believe it)! So this tube of buttery goodness was a breath of fresh air or scented roses or . . . well you know what I mean 🙂
This rose shade with mauvey/pink undertones is the perfect shade for dark skin. It’s not my lips but better but more of an ‘I wanted to go for a nude lip, but this is soooooo much better’ kinda way.
The shade is as effortless to carry off, as it is to apply. This creamy formula glides onto the lips and it’s very opaque and could very well be a one-swipe wonder, however, I needed a second swipe to cover my pigmented lips entirely. That said, the pigmentation on my lips is quite extreme.
It is also glossy (yes, there is a difference between glossy and shiny) in a way that’s not annoying. It claims to be long wearing, but honestly, this isn’t a matte shade and will transfer when you eat or drink. However, it does leave a stain behind and this is great. It lasts pretty long, depending on how soon you start some lip activity. Writing that sounded so wrong . . .
Apart from all the product raves, I will say that I was really impressed with the study packaging. The lipstick is housed in a sleek black bullet, with the bottom of the bullet being clear plastic. You can’t see the actual lipstick through the plastic which is a drag, considering Catrice went through the trouble of having a clear bottom (again that sounds wrong guys . . .) but their a little sticker the colour similar to the shade with the shade name and number written in it.
I love the formula of this lipstick and can’t wait to try out a few more.
Where to buy: Dischem
Price: R69,95
Overall, the while the packaging on the powder products didn’t wow me, I man it’s clear plastic . . . it’s durable and not flimsy. I am wowed by this brand and my first kiss with Catrice has been a memorable one. Yes, I’ve been Catriced . . . and I love it!
Have you tried any Catrice products? Which are your favourites? Let me know and until next time, stay beautiful . . .
Love you beauties
Xoxox
Prativa
Beauty Bugle
Nudes can be girly and chic, . . . which ever it is . . . it’s usually ON FLEET!
And my heart really wanted to love EVERYTHING from this collection . . . but I didn’t
First off I’ll start with what I didn’t heart
The XXXL nude lip gloss
I got the shades 01 Shy Beauty, which is a milky pink and 03 Taste The Sweets, which a deeper pink.
The pigmentation is subtle and the reservoir brush does offer just the right amount of texture and makes it easy to apply. It’s not gloopy and has a pleasant berry fragrance.
However, both glosses didn’t show up on my pigmented lips. I bought 01 Shy Beauty to wear as a topper on my lipstick, I didn’t expect it too show up. My lips are way too pigmented for that. But it looked like a clear lip gloss over top my lipstick. The darker shade was undetectable. I know this collection is meant to be natural . . . that said, you get subtle, sheer, and then you get ‘it never showed up ‘ . . . enough said.
The nail polishes are amazing. I got the shades 03 I’m Lost In You and 04 Cupcake Topping, which is a beautiful glitter.
Paired together, the combo looked so pretty and it lasted a good 5 days before I saw any fading or chipping.
I was blown away by the single eye shadows.
I was looking for matte single eye shadows to use as transition colours, so when I saw these guys, I grabbed two of them. There was a light rose pink I swatched in store but it swatched chalky so I didn’t pick that up.
These are baked shadows and they are dome shaped. They look like mini MAC Mineralized eye shadows. I got the shades 01 Vanilla Sugar, which is a sheer, subtle beige, which worked great to blend out my crease colour, to tone it down and give it a softer look. This isn’t pigmented enough to wear as a brow bone highlighter or in the inner corner of the eye. It is way to sheer, but very pretty nonetheless.
The other shade I got was 04 Sweet like Chocolate. This colour blew my hair back, it is that awesome.
It’s a soft brown shade that looked beautiful worn alone on the lid. The texture both these shadows are silky and just glided on the lid. You need to build this guy up a bit to show up dark or use it lightly as a transition shade or a sheer wash of colour worn over a primer. Surprisingly, these shadows were really long wearing and I noticed fading after the six-hour mark.
If you get anything from this collection, I recommend trying out these eye shadows. They are incredible and you get a lot of product in a single pan.
So, there were some hits and misses in this collection but those eye shadows are definitely hidden gems at the drug store!!!
Where to buy: Selected Clicks and Dischem stores nationwide
Price: Essence eye shadows: R44,95 each
Essence lip gloss: R 36, 95 each
Essence Nail polish: R32,95
I love all the Disney princesses, but the story of Cinderella is one of the first fairytales my mum read to me. My Barbie dolls always reminded me of Cinderella . . . I was about five years old then . . .
I wonder if Cinderella and her glass slippers is the reason for my shoe obsession? Mmmm . . .
So I was excited as that five-year-old when I heard of MAC’s collaboration with the launch of Disney’s Cinderella the movie. Can’t wait to watch that!
The hype surrounding the MAC Cinderella collection was huge . . . but was it worth the hype? HELL NO!!!!
I wasn’t impressed with the products themselves. They weren’t very brown-girl friendly, I mean, I know Cinderella has blonde hair and blue eyes and I’m probably more Princess Jasmine-friendly, but Cinderella fans are all colours of the rainbow and MAC should have put some thought into that. But, it is what it is.
However, I had to get something (yes, you know I am a macaholic). I chose the MAC Coupe d’Chic Iridescent pressed powder because it is a mirrored compact.
I want to place on record that I hate the plastic packaging . . . it just looked cheap . . . for a princess . . .
Now, let us take a moment to appreciate what I loved about the packaging, I just did.
The iridescent periwinkle colour of the packing is a sight to behold. The gold lettering and the gold inner rim (this is also plastic) LOOKS like it’s fit for princess. I personally wouldn’t have minded paying a bit extra for sturdier packaging.
Now onto the powder.
In the pan, Coupe d’Chic iridescent pressed powder looks super pigmented. It looks lie a deep golden peach with sparkle. It swatched beautifully, but I thought it would be a great highlighter. But when applied to my NC40 skin, it’s had to be built up (heavily) to show up.
This powder is not finely milled and when applying the powder, fairy dust and glitter was flying through the air, I thought my Fairy God Mother would appear. She didn’t though I did didn’t see a glass slipper . . . I called my prince and he didn’t have it either . . .
An average product, but it is a compact mirror so I can pop something else into the pan and het to hold Cinderella in my hands!
If this is your jam, some stores may still carry them. I got mine from the MAC FFS in Rosebank. I believe Melrose Arch in Johannesburg also carried the collection.
Price: R450
Make up brushes, so many kinds, so many claims, and so many colours.
Oh and the prices . . . with names like F80 and 325is and e55, you might as well be buying a car!
I own many make up brushes because I almost never use my fingers to apply makeup. It’s just a hang up I have, then again, I’m weird like that.
These days there’s a make up brush for almost anything, a shader for the inner corner of your eye and a brush to blend it and another to create more depth in the inner corner of your inner corner!
Honestly, while some of these brushes are laughable, I have more often than not been drawn into the hype.
That said, in South Africa, we do have many high-end and even super luxe make up brush brands to choose from. We have Sigma, Bobbi Brown, MAC etc. Some of these guys are amazing quality and the price is quite amazing too. The money spent of one of these high-end brushes can fill up your tank for a week! That’s a bit cray cray. We also have some budget-friendy brushes like Beautique, the Body Shop and Clicks Professional Range. But for some, these brushes aren’t budget friendly. It depends on an individual’s budget, no?
I often hear people say: “Expensive is not always good” I agree, but I have found that “cheaper is not always good too”.
In my experience, most expensive brushes, if properly cared for, will last you a long time, I have MAC brushes that are about 7-8 years old that are in great condition.
On the other hand, I do like the Ubu make up sponges and accessories, but I won’t buy another Ubu brush, or take them if they were handing them out for free. Why? Because based on my experience, they shed, like really, they shed neon pink . . . have I mentioned that they shed?
In South Africa, we need make up brushes that are affordable and of good quality.
Enter Cala, a cosmetics company based in California.
I found their brushes at Dischem and was only looking to get a decent fan brush.
There were no testers on display so I bought them by sight. I really didn’t look at the price (most of us have done that at point). When I got home, the prices were still on the plastic casing. I was shocked. At first I thought maybe they were on sale and I didn’t check, but there were no markings of the price tag so I also chocked on my chai tea when I saw how cheap they were.
Of course, I wondered, Why are these brushes so cheap? What’s wrong with them? When I tried them, they swept me off my feet!
The brushes I got are individual not in a set and there are from the CALA Studio Master range. These brushes are synthetic so they work well with cream products unlike brushes made from natural hair, which are better for using powder make up. But, of course, you can use them any way you like . . . nothing is set in stone.
I picked up the
Cala Blending Brush 311
Cala Studio Master Fan 305
Cala Studio Master 314 Angled Eye shadow Brush
First off, the bristles on these are sooooo soft, ultra soft, some of the softest bristles to ever touch my face.
All three brush bristles are solidly attached to the ferrule, making them less likely to shed. That’s a winner right there . . . it’s very rare to find cheaper brushes made like that. The bristles are densely packed, so there shouldn’t be issues with splaying.
Now, lets get into the brushes . . .
The Cala Blending Brush 311 is not the fluffiest blending brush, it’s firm at the base and fluffier at the top. It picks up product effortlessly so you can pack on colour at the crease and blend at the same time. It also blends powder eye shadow seamlessly but because of the density, you may have to apply a bit more pressure when blending in windshield wiper motions. Not really an issue.
This brush is by far my favourite because you can contour your nose with it in a jiffy, apply a highlighter, set your under eye concealer with powder . . . and that’s just off the top of my head.
Now for the brush I set out to buy:
The Cala Studio Master Fan 305 really surprised me. Many cheaper fan brushes are thin and straggly. This makes for streaky application of a powder highlighter, which is what I primarily use it for. This guy has densely packed bristles that are firm enough to hold its shape yet soft enough to dust highlighter on top on the cheekbones.
Cala Studio Master 314 Angled Eye shadow Brush
I don’t know why this super brush has faded into oblivion when it is perhaps one of the best brushes to create a great crease contour and the perfect ‘V shape for structuring a cat eye look! The brush is also great to contour and highlight with cream or powder if you are going for a subtle look.
Overall, these brushes are the bomb.com
Clean them with a bit of baby shampoo, shape and leave to air dry. Once dried, they do not shed and hold their shape. What’s not to love!
If you’re looking to expand your brush kit or try out new brushes to use different techniques, these are definitely for you. I did see a brush set as well, but I didn’t pick it up or have a look at them. Have any of you tried those? There are other brushes in the range, I may try out the face brushes. I’m definitely getting more blending brushes, unless you beauties get there before me!
Where to buy: Dischem
Price: Cala Blending Brush 311 – R29
Cala Studio Master Fan 305 – R39
Cala Studio Master 314 Angled Eye shadow Brush – R29
Not a typo, those are the prices
I really wanted to try MAC’s Lustre Drops. Just thinking of it made me feel like summer. I had visions of golden, glowing skin, lying on the beach wearing a gold bikini with the sunset shimmering in the horizon.
I wanted to try Sun Rush because I thought it would suit my darker complexion and give me that sun-kissed glow. But when I got to the MAC store, this tiny pink bottle caught my eye.
I was like, you know what, I want to try out the pink, let me see how pink would look on me and just like the name I went Pink Rebel cray cray!
And my risk paid off. MAC Lustre drops are liquid rose gold, well that’s the way it shows up on my skin.
Dabbed on the highest points of you cheekbones and blended out with your fingers or a stippling brush, it leaves the most beautiful pinky /peachy sheen. It warms up your skin, not the way bronzer would, and looks very natural on dark skin, leaving you with a healthy radiant glow.
Dab some down the bridge of your nose and on your cupids bow (pout pout) for more sexy sheen. It’s very difficult to go overboard with this product because it is so sheer and light. A word of advice, I did mix it with foundation and the truth is, it didn’t really make any difference. It’s true beauty shows when it’s worn alone over your base.
In terms of packaging, the tiny nozzle on the squeeze bottle ensures that you get just the right amount of product on you fingers or brush.
You get 18ml of product, which will last you quite a while.
The little bottle affirmed what I have always thought, brown girls don’t need to wear bronze to warm up their complexions as most of us are made to believe.
Pink looks great on brown . . . take a chance now and then, you never know what you will find . . .
Rumor has it that these guys are being discontinued. I asked the MUA at the store and she said it’s not. MAC stores and counters do have them in stock, so if the rumors are true, grab one today!!!!
Where to buy: MAC FFS or MAC counters across the country
Price R200
First things first . . . get your minds out the gutter . . . I don’t have a night job of that kind!
But, I love wearing make up and I do almost every day. Women often say to me, why do you wear makeup? Don’t you know it damages your skin? Of course, this usually comes from a women who chain smokes, drinks lots of coffee and doesn’t wear sunscreen.
Newsflash! Many things damage your skin. Make up can, if you use it incorrectly, or your skin reacts to certain ingredients in the product. (If you have that reaction action, stop using it, no matter how much it cost, saving your skin is worth more than money.)
I often hear women complain about how a foundation made them break out or how and an eyeliner, mascara or eye shadow caused an eye infection. Now, this can sometimes be true, but more often than not, it’s because you haven’t taken off your make up properly. I have one simple rule . . . NEVER sleep with your makeup on. Make up seeps into your skin and it will clog your pores and this will cause breakouts. Eye make up, if not removed completely can lead to infections. It stands to reason that this is inevitable.
I always use gentle yet effective make up removers. And I have a separate eye make up remover, which I also use on my lips.
I have been in love with The Estee Lauder Take It Away waterproof make up remover for a long time and my Body Shop face brush. It does the business.
I recently found two new products that I can’t live without.
The Estee Lauder Re-Nutrive Hydrating Crème Cleanser and the Olay Regenesrist cleansing brush.
I use the cleanser every day but the brush a few times a week because for me, over exfoliation leads to excess oil production, which leads to break outs.
I alternate with a deep pore-cleansing mask. On other days, I place a warm face cloth over my face for a few seconds to deep cleanse and remove any excess make up. I’m also a fan of mild exfoliators. I like using mixture sugar and a milky cleanser but my favourite has to be a mixture of honey, brown sugar and lemon.
Taking off my make up properly is very important to me, it gives me peace of mind and a good nights sleep!