31 October 2014

FRIDAY FINDS

If you are on a tight beauty budget then don't despair as you may find my Friday Finds post interesting... 
Woolworth's Everyday Body & Bath range is on promotion:  
 WREWARDS BUY ANY 2 SAVE 30% 
This range consists of 9 various everyday essential products and its well worth a further look.I am just highlighting five of their products, which seem to me offer great value for money and with the buy 2 and save 30% its a steal.  

This range is available in various scented formulas and are colour coded:
Dream - soothing gentle floral  (Lilac)
Energy - revitalising ginger tonic  (Pink)
Calm - rich creamy oat milk (Yellow)
Fresh - invigorating cool mint (Green)
Awake - invigorating citrus blossom (Orange)

and all the products are:

Approved by Beauty Without Cruelty 
Formulated with vegetable oil based ingredients 
 No harsh ingredients
Approved by a toxicologist 




Everyday Foam Bath Formulated with mild ingredients


R69.95 (1 litre)


Everyday Body Lotion Nourish and protect the skin in lotion form



R55 (500ml)


Everyday Hand & Nail Cream Formulated to nourish the skin



R39.95 (100ml)



Everyday Glycerine Soap This gentle nourishing glycerine soap with anti oxident vitamin E


R19.95 (150gr)


Everyday Body Butter To nourish and protect the skin in a richer Butter form


R55 (250ml)


                                                   You can view the complete range either online or in store. 



30 October 2014

MONTHLY FAVOURITES {OCTOBER}

October where did you go?
Here are some of my "faves" for the month, two of which come from Clarins.
Enjoy!


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At the top of this months list has to be the Clarins 3 Dot Liner, 
which I am loving, so glad I discovered this product.



Clarins 3 Dot Liner




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I have used the Clarins Eclat Minute (Instant Light) for a couple of years now and only recently realised that I have never posted a review...oops! 
So this is long overdue as a monthly favourite.




Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector





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Woolworths over the last couple of years have introduced some very tasty seasonal fresh soups 
and this year is no exception. 
I have featured several on my Monthly Faves post in the past, but this fresh and light 
Summer Creamy Bweetcorn & basil Soup is made with real cream, 
is full of flavour and seriously "moorish". 
I do have a problem however with these seasonal soups and that is...
I want them to be available all year round!



R34.95 (600gms)

26 October 2014

SUNDAY SAMPLE

I have decided after a couple of months of no Sunday Sample posts, 
to dip into my sample jar again. 
My Sunday Sample jar has been added to over the weeks and as a reminder I only have samples in there of products that can be reviewed after a couple uses.

There are some bloggers that will review a moisturizer, night cream or even an Anti - Ageing product after using a free sample and those that read my blog regularly will know that the more specialized treatment products need a minimum of a months trial, but in my case it's usually 3-6 months depending on the product and this ensures that a complete and thorough review is posted on my blog.

Next Sunday I will be reviewing the 
Cellular Mineral Body Exfoliator by the Luxury Swiss brand La Prairie.  
     
As you know I am a huge believer in weekly face and body exfoliation, so let's see what my thoughts are on this "high end" body exfoliator.






21 October 2014

CUPPAFORCANSA EVENT 2014




This past Saturday I attended a Cuppa For Cansa event organized by Viveshnie from Madame Macaron and held at the
 #Hashtag restaurant Durban, the theme for the tea was 
Pink, Black & Bling.

As I am sure you all are aware that worldwide, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but it also brings greater awareness to many other cancers. Unfortunately this year to date I have lost a relative, a friend and three acquaintances to a variety of cancers. I am not sure if cancer is on the increase or if it's the age group that I now find myself in (mid 50's), but the big C word is making an appearance more in my life, so I was only too happy to contribute to an event of this kind.
The afternoon was well attended by ladies wearing lots of pink, which as you know is my "fave" colour and I think most people brought both an open heart and purse as requested on the invite. 




The following Guest speakers were lined up for the afternoon

Linda from the Durban branch of the Cancer Association of SA
Dr. Nishani Maharaj – Aesthetic Makeover Studio

Products and gift vouchers were kindly donated for the raffles and the auction, which is always a fun way to raise money, and how could a good time not be had when delicious

 sweet baked goodies were on offer courtesy of 

and yummy savoury eats, courtesy of 

and as if that was not enough sweetie and packets were supplied by

Every guest went away with a goodie bag
and it really was a great afternoon and more importantly it was all for a good cause.







At least one in 29 South African women will get breast cancer!
However early detection means that there are more treatment options available
for a better chance of survival.

If you would like to know more information or make a donation then visit


19 October 2014

SUNDAY SKETCHES - FRENCH MACARONS

 This weeks Sunday Sketch post focuses on French Macarons and the most 
famous in the world are the ones from LadurĂ©e . 
On my recent trip to Paris I paid a visit to its flagship store on the Champs ÉlysĂ©e. 
However with our poor Rand these beautiful pastel, sweet delights were, to say the least, expensive. Luckily they don't rely on South African trade, as it was extremely busy...
in fact busy would be an understatement, as there were queues to enter the shop, queues to choose and buy the macarons and there were even longer queues to go into their restaurant. 
I had to be content with just looking and taking photos before moving on to my next Paris landmark, but I couldn't help noticing a beautifully served Hot Chocolate being taken to a table...mmm definitely on my next trip I must make time to experience the 
Hot Choc and a pink macaron.
Enjoy!










17 October 2014

FRIDAY FEEDBACK

It's time to give you some feedback on products that I have reviewed or purchased over the past few months.


This feedback goes back to February when I did a review on the Clarins Instant Concealer, which I am still using and enjoying. I have been using daily for over 7 months now and it's showing no signs of coming to an end anytime soon.
This product,so far is offering great value for money.




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Back in May I included on my "Mothers Day" wish list a pair of slippers from Woolworths, which I did receive from the "Kiddiewinks", but I have to report back that after a few months of normal wear they are looking very shabby and I doubt very much that they will see another winter.
I love the Polka Dots booties, but the unfortunately the quality is not the best!





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This next report back is a foodie one and I really am disappointed with Afros Chicken.I reviewed it back in April and have revisited several times since and its always been an enjoyable 
CnC (Cheap n Cheerful)
However on our last visit we had terrible undercooked chicken burgers, oily pale chips and the service was way longer than normal, so guess what we haven't returned. 
Normally the owner is around, but on this particular day someone else was in charge and there lies the problem. It's so important to have good reliable staff that you can depend on to run your business as you would, when you are not around.

Afros Chicken


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Sad news...my favourite frozen M&S apple pie, that I reviewed back in February, has been discontinued and is no longer being imported by Woolworths!






14 October 2014

RAIN BIOLOGIE SANITISING HAND GEL {REVIEW}


Recently rain have introduced a very handy sized (44ml) Sanitising Hand Gel, 
which forms part of their Biologie Range.
(BIOLOGIE is an eco ethical range, formulated using organically certified botanical ingredients and wild harvested plant oils and extracts) 

There are several hand sanitising, waterless, gel type products on the market most of which I have to admit are not very good. This type of product is becoming more and more popular and personally I never go anywhere without one, not that I have an OCD problem, but often situations arise where I need to wash my hands and water is not always on hand.

For me it's imperative that the gel:
  • Leaves no sticky residue behind after you have applied. 
  • Most contain alcohol, which is the sanitising part,so therefore must include some moisturising ingredients.

 The key is not to use too much, otherwise they do leave your hands feeling sticky.
I am pleased to report that the rain Sanitising Hand Gel, which by the way contains, soothing Lavender and Tea Tree oil, passes my "test". 
I also like the size and convenience of the packaging with its flip lid, which fits easily into your handbag, gym bag or nappy bag.

I have to admit that my personal favourite is the
which permanently has a place in my bag, but the rain Sanitising Hand Gel is a close second and at R49 its well worth a place in any ones life.



Rain Biologie Sanitising Hand Gel R49




11 October 2014

COSMETIC BAGS

Over the years I cannot tell you how many make-up bags I have had, whether they have been bought or given as free gifts from the cosmetic or skincare houses. Branded Cosmetic/toiletry bags have always been a popular choice as a gift with purchase and having worked in the industry for 35 years I have tried them all. It's important to chose the correct size, shape and fabric for what you want to use the bag for. 

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For travel you really can't go wrong with a set of clear PVC bags,which enables you to see and locate exactly what you are looking for. I know they are not particularly pretty, but they are practical and so easy to clean.(It's always advisable to decant your skincare products into smaller plastic bottles to save on weight or better still take deluxe or sachet samples of your products)

Cosmetic Bag Set

R 130.00 


This bag-within-a-bag, 3-in-1 cosmetic set is handy for storage and even more useful for packing up your grooming products when you're on the move.


Multi Purpose Toiletry Bag

R 220.00


This is a great travelling investment,as the one side houses 4 refillable bottles for shampoos, etc. while the other zip opens up to two more sections  for all your other grooming goodies.

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For my toiletries like toothpaste, shampoos,conditioners and my skincare products I prefer to use a larger, zip around, sturdier type bag. (Again buy travel sizes if weight and bulk are a concern,especially if you are flying)


Rose Print Toiletry Bag

R 170.00





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For my handbag I always prefer a prettier smaller bag to keep my make-up "touch up" items in, like lipstick,lip gloss,mascara etc. Be sure to wash regularly, as it really isn't cool to bring out a dirty, grubby bag for all to see.

Peppertree Toiletry Bag

R 220.00




Quilted Cosmetic Bag

R 180.00




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Rather than have my brushes on my dressing table I have a long slender shaped cosmetic bag to keep them in, this helps prevent the bristles from being damaged and attracting dust.

Plain Cosmetic Bag

R 45.00

Ideal for your handbag, this zip-up cosmetic bag is perfectly sized to hold make-up pencils and other small essentials.


Patch Print Cosmetic Bag

R 99.95 


If you are feeling like you need to invest in some new cosmetic bags then check out the extensive collection that Woolworths have on offer, and at the moment they are running a promotion, 
 BUY ANY 2 SAVE 20% 












7 October 2014

L'OREAL GENTLE MAKE UP REMOVER EYE {REVIEW}

As a beauty blogger I should be trying new products on a regular basis, 
but occasionally when you "hit" on a product that you really enjoy its difficult to move on in search of something different or better.
 A couple of years ago I stumbled across the Express Eye Make-Up Remover by the French brand Yves Rocher and having tried so many eye make up removers over the years, 
I instantly knew this was perfect for me. 


Unfortunately I have been forced to try another remover for my eye make-up and the reason I say "forced" is because I had no choice, as it was a desperation move. 
After several weeks of visiting the Yves Rocher counter in Woolworths Gateway 
they still were out of stock...Off to Truworths I trot to find the same "out of Stock" situation. Now this could be a result of poor planning by either the store cosmetic buyers or by the importers of Yves Rocher South Africa, but either way, I went off to Clicks to find a reasonably priced temporary replacement and that's how I ended up with the L'Oreal Gentle Eye Make -Up Remover.



L'Oreal Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover EYE


For me it was ticking all the boxes on paper as it was:

Reasonably priced R95 for 125mls
Suitable for Sensitive Eyes
Opthamologically tested
Bi Phase Lotion
Enriched with Allantoine

I think you can tell from the tone of this post that the worst is still to come, as I have several issues with the product and its packaging:

  • This is a warning to any one who uses it for the first time, don't hold onto the body of the plastic bottle...(like one would normally do), as the flip lid is not easy to grip onto when you want to open, hence you end up squeezing the bottle, when the air is released,and guess what.....out shoots the product, which didn't go down too well with me, as there was quite a bit of wastage. I suppose on the positive side, it goes to prove that its a good product to travel with, as there is no chance of any leakage.
  • In my thirty odd years in the business I have never ever seen such a large hole for the product to come out of...and no matter how much I tried to control the amount of product I dispensed onto the cotton wool pad, it always resulted in too much. At this rate of wastage this product will not last me a month, which makes it rather an expensive product.
  • I found the effectiveness of the product to be poor and considering I do not wear excessive eye make-up...this is a huge fail for me.




So all things considered, I feel simply "ripped off" with this product, so Woolworths please hear my plea and order stock of the Yves Rocher Express Eye Make-Up Remover for your Gateway store, just so I don't have to endure this useless product any more.

L'Oreal is available at Clicks countrywide.



5 October 2014

CLARINS INSTANT LIGHT COMPLEXION PERFECTOR {REVIEW}

Clarins in my opinion have definitely captured the market when it comes to creating products that enhance the skin by using light reflecting and smoothing technology,which every mature women embraces and I am no exception.
 Simply explained - with age the skin loses its ability to reflect the light due to the lack of smoothness (caused by the change in texture,lines and wrinkles) 






A smoother skin reflects the light better and makes our skin appear more radiant and younger.
(This is one of the reasons why it is so important to exfoliate weekly in order to keep the skin smooth) 
Clarins have several "Instant light and smooth perfecting" products.

I have used Clarins Éclat Minute Instant Light Complexion Perfector for a couple of years now and for me it certainly adds much needed radiance to my skin. 
This lightweight, protective fluid smoothes and illuminates my skin and has been a handy addition to my beauty regime. 
Only a small amount is needed and its suitable for all women and skin types.

It's a multi functional product ,as it can be used under your normal foundation or mixed in with your foundation to help fix your make-up. 
It can be used alone, which is my favourite method, as it illuminates my skin allowing me to go "sans" foundation on those relaxed and easy days.
You can even apply "post" foundation to enhance your make-up or to just to highlight above the cheek and brow areas.
Another bonus for me is that Instant Light Complexion Perfector is also a protective skin care, thanks to Clarins Anti-Pollution Complex which protects against free radicals and environmental aggressions.

I give this little "treasure" of a product a big thumbs up.. 
Thank you Clarins and may you long continue to do R&D into these types of light and smooth enhancing products. I for one appreciate all the help I can get.


More reviews on products from Clarins light perfecting range, will follow soon.


Other reviews on Clarins products:









30ml
R335

Available from Clarins stockists around South Africa 

Order Online













3 October 2014

CLARINS 3 DOT LINER {REVIEW}



I was sent the press release on this product some time ago and it immediately grabbed my attention, even though there are a couple of houses around with a similar type product..
I wanted to try this one from Clarins.
Unfortunately liquid eye liners and me aren't the best of friends, as liquid liners need a steady hand and a smooth wrinkle free eyelid in order to create that wonderful line, both of which I don't have,so eye pencils have always been my eyeliner of choice for many years. 
Following it's hugely successful launch, as a limited edition last year, the 3 Dot Liner is now a permanant product, much to the happiness of many. 


Clarins 3 Dot Liner


After a delay with the official launch date in South Africa I finally got my hands on this Clarins 3-Dot liner and as you can see from the picture above its comes as a sleek pen with a 3 pronged dot applicator. The idea is to dot the pen along the line of the eye lashes filling in between and creating a line of black that accentuates the eye, whilst giving the lashes a volumising effect.






It looks as easy as joining the dots, but was it as easy to master as it looked....initially I would say no, but as with most things in life "practice makes perfect" and whilst I am not yet perfect at using the 3-Dot liner I am becoming more proficient with each application. 
I am right handed and the application on my left eye is pretty good whilst my right always proves to be a little problematic with a few dots being higher than the rest. 
(Being in my 50's the skin on my eyelid isn't smooth making it more challenging than if my skin was in its 20's and 30's) 
This liner is a "stayer" as once applied it doesn't go anywhere until its time to remove.


Only available in Black at the moment and it is a "True" Black, I would love to see Clarins bring out the 3-Dot Liner in a black/grey or even a dark brown, which would be a little softer and more flattering for the more mature user like 
Moi.

I have a couple of helpful tips with regard to using the 3-Dot liner:

1. It will take a while to master application, so don't be discouraged, as practice will pay off.
2. Hold the pen at right angles to the eyelash line otherwise you end up with splodges of black rather than precise, small dots creating the line.
3. The thickness of the line, with practice, can be changed according to the way you angle the pen.
4. Have a Qtip dipped in eye make-up remover close at hand, as you will need it to quickly remove any messes made with the liner.(The liner fast drying on the skin making it difficult to remedy any errors)
5. Don't try to remove or smooth the line with your finger, as you will end up with panda eyes, which I did on several occasions.
6. Apply before your mascara or any eyeshadow as this enables you to see clearly your lash line.
7. Even though this product is not waterproof, I used my normal eye make-up remover to remove, it did require a soak and a few swipes with the cotton wool to remove.

I  really am enjoying my new found hobby of joining the black dots every morning and sadly I don't see a place for my eye pencils anymore....
So if you recognise some of the same problems with using liquid/pencil eyeliners then 
the Clarins 3 Dot Liner could just be your saviour.

Available from selected:

R250

www.woolworths.co.za
www.edgars.co.za
www.truworths.co.za
www.foschini.co.za