30 January 2020

BEAUTY PRODUCTS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW {FEBRUARY 2020}

On the one hand January seems to have been one looong month, but on the other
it doesn't seem so long ago that I was writing my first "Currently Under Review"
of the year and here I am busy compiling my second.





1.

GATINEAU
FLORACIL
GENTLE EYE MAKE-UP REMOVER

This is a re-visit for me, as I used Gatineau's Floracil Eye Make-up Remover 
 back in the day the brand was called Jeanné Gatineau.
 I not only used this product for many years, I also worked as a rep for the brand.
I remember this eye make-up remover as being not only gentle, but very efficient.
I do hope this remover is as good as I remember.


2.

FIRST AID BEAUTY
FACIAL RADIANCE PADS 

This tub of FAB Radiance Pads were an inclusion in my recent 
Beauty Advent Calendar
and as I'm a great believer in exfoliating and peeling products I'm looking
forward to putting these to the test.


3.

MAYBELLINE
DREAM
URBAN COVER
FOUNDATION

Not yet launched in South Africa I had my son being this over for me
 in December. I hope the shade is correct as there are several in this foundation
range to choose from.
If I'm not mistaken this is the first foundation from MAYBELLINE that I've tried.
I was drawn to it as many have made the comparison between this foundation
and the IT COSMETICS CC+ CREAM SPF 50 which I have reviewed
 It wasn't love at first sight with this product, as I felt it was too much coverage
 and quite a thick cream, however I did fall in love and highly rate it,
so it will be interesting to see how if this MAYBELLINE compares.


4.

JULIETTE HAS A GUN
"IN THE MOOD FOR OUDE"

I was recently sent this fragrance, so I thought I would review 
during Valentines Month.
Not a mainstream fragrance brand and one that I had to do some research on.
JULIETTE HAS A GUN 
is available exclusively at Metropolitan Cosmetics in Johannesburg and I'll
bring you more info on this brand with my review of the fragrance early next week.

*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review


5.

VITA LIBERATA
BEAUTY BLUR

VITA LIBERATA is the "crème de la crème" range when it comes to all things
 "Self Tan" related and this newly launched "Beauty Blur" has been on my Wish List 
for some months.
I was fortunate to receive a 10ml tube in a LOOKFANTASTIC subscription
Beauty Box that was sent to me as a free gift with an order back in November and again
my "London Kiddiewink" was my cosmetic mule.
I couldn't believe my luck when I opened the surprise box and found this generous
 sample size of the Beauty Blur product to try.




28 January 2020

QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPR'S} JANUARY 2020

The 1st QPR post of 2020 and it contains my thoughts on an eye cream from an 
affordable drugstore brand. The 2 other products were inclusions in my 
2019 Beauty Advent Calendar, the one being from a brand that I've never tried
 before and the other is a product from a wellness brand that I generally enjoy.


1.


Brand : mineraline
Product : Aloe Vera Anti Wrinkle Eye Cream
Price : R199
Size : 20mls
Available : Exclusively at Dischem 


I have reviewed several products from mineraline and for the money they never disappoint and if you are on a tight beauty budget then this is an 
Anti-Ageing Eye cream to consider.
This eye cream is rich in antioxidants and minerals which moisturize and heal, speed
up cell reproduction and increasing collagen production. 
Boosted with Aloe Vera’s naturally-occurring anti-aging properties with Vitamin E,
 proven to reduce the appearance of lines and increase skin’s elasticity and suppleness. These ingredients are blended with the ultra-hydrating Shea Butter, Almond Oil, and Avocado Oil to maintain the the area around your eyes perfectly moisturized throughout the day and night.
Is it the best eye cream that I've ever used NO...
Is the best eye cream I've ever used for under R200 YES...



Verdict :  7/10


~~~~~~


2.


Brand : RITUALS
Product : THE RITUAL OF AYURVEDA
Natural Dry Oil for Body & Hair
Price : £19.50
N/A in SA
Size : 100mls


I was excited to find this as an inclusion in the Lookfantastic beauty advent calendar, 
as I've been loving several of the RITUAL OF AYURVEDA products over the past year.
To be used as a massage oil warm the oil between your hands and 
using slow, soft strokes, massage the oil gently into the body - moving from head to toe.
Sadly I was a little disappointed with this product.
As far as being a Dry massage Oil its great, as it quickly absorbs leaving no surface 
oily residue on the skin whatsoever, yet you can still massage easily.
However I was a little disappointed with the fragrance of this product, as 
the usual Ritual of Ayurveda has an
Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil aroma, which I absolutely love and it 
isn't the same in the dry oil, due to it being more enriched with nourishing herbs 
and sadly its that herb fragrance that I don't personally like.




Verdict :  5/10


~~~~~~


3.


Brand : NEAL'S YARD REMEDIES
Product : Wild Rose Hand Cream
Price : £10.00
N/A in SA
Size : 50mls


NEAL'S YARD REMEDIES started back in 1981 in Londons Covent Garden and having 
been in their shops many times this is the first product that I am trying and that's
thanks once again to the beauty advent calendar.
This Wild Rose Hand Cream is a firm favourite with customers and I can see why,
its enriched with anti-oxidants,organic  essential oils of wild rosehip, geranium and patchouli. It nourishes the hands and leaves them feeling incredibly soft.
I didn't find his hand cream to be fast absorbing and I found using it
before bed more suitable for me.


Verdict :  8/10










26 January 2020

ON MY BEAUTY RADAR {JAN 2020}

I'm one of those people that always has an endless list of products on my 
Beauty Wish List, which has led me to introduce a new regular post
on Beauty Shout box.

On My Beauty Radar
will include just a few of those wish list products.
Let me pre warn you that some may be on my "Beauty Radar" forever, either due to my budget not stretching so far or it could be that they're only available overseas
 whilst others may get ticked off much sooner.

These are currently the most lust worthy on my radar and whilst one has recently 
been added the other two have been on for well over a year.



FENTY BEAUTY
Full Frontal
Volume, Lift & Curl 
Mascara

Being one of those that can't leave the house without mascara, this is a recent addition
 on my radar and not having bought anything previously from FENTY BEAUTY I'm very interested in giving this newly launched mascara a try.
It sounds amazing, but as always I'm a little sceptical, however I'm of to Dubai
in a couple of weeks, so I'm going to check it out in Sephora and purchase if it
floats my "mascara boat".




SUMMER FRIDAYS
Jet Lag Mask

This much raved about Jet Lag Mask from SUMMER FRIDAYS is not available in SA and having been overseas 3 times since it appeared on my radar, I still haven't purchased it.
Why... you may ask, well I just can't bring myself to spend £42 (R800) on a face mask.
They do have a smaller size that retails for £22.50 (R430) which is doable.
Whilst in the UK last September the few retailers of SUMMER FRIDAYS
were out of stock of the more affordable size, hence the reason it enters
 its 2nd year of being on my Wish List.





LA MER
The Lip Balm


Again this is another beauty product that seems to have been on my Wish List 
forever and despite reading rave reviews I just cannot bring myself to
spend R900 on a Lip Balm.
I'm a Lip Balm addict and I feel that I have to put this lip balm from
La Mer to the test at some point,so I may just have to bite the bullet when 
Woolworths have their next 25% discount on all beauty products.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any of the above and your thoughts.



22 January 2020

OSKIA RENAISSANCE CLEANSING GEL {REVIEW}

This is what I love about the Beauty Advent Calendars you inevitably discover new brands and products, some of which you may have never looked to try before.
Here is another great find and it comes from a brand I know little about and again it's 
unfortunately not available here in South Africa.

The OSKIA Skincare brand hails from the UK and was founded by Georgie Cleeve back
in 2009 and has been awarded no less than 135 International Beauty Awards in its short life and as always here is a brief overview of the brand.

Georgie Cleeve founded Oskia after witnessing first-hand the skincare benefits of MSM, more commonly known as the 'Beauty Mineral'. A natural form of organic sulphur, MSM boosts collagen production, promotes circulation and helps decrease inflammation for a brighter, younger looking complexion and is a key ingredient in every Oskia product.
 From this grew a comprehensive range that includes supplements, cleansers, masks and serums that work together to both correct and prevent the early signs of ageing.

They believe that cellular nutrients are the key to skin health and improving skin health 
is the cornerstone of corrective and preventative skincare.

Simply put, OSKIA is a 'results only' driven brand. They only use safe, proven and published, patented actives & nutrients at efficacious percentages, that deliver real clinically-proven results. Every ingredient they use is extensively researched to ensure that the results are real and kind to your skin. 
OSKIA only use naturally-derived, clean ingredients that are kind to your skin & our environment. They never use potentially harmful ingredients and much research goes into every single ingredient that they do use, as well as the ingredients that we have chosen not to use. They are best described as 'Clean Tech'. 



This generous 35ml multi award winning 
OSKIA RENAISSANCE CLEANSING GEL 
was an inclusion in the LOOKFANTASTIC Beauty Advent Calendar 2019 
and one I was happy to receive, as its a brand
and a product that I have heard so many good things about and as you may or may not know, I've recently become a cleansing Balm/Gel convert.

Formulated to purify, revitalise and strengthen the skin, the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is a unique illuminating gel-to-oil facial cleanser, that works effortlessly to remove makeup and impurities and can be used on all skin types.
This vitamin rich, yet gentle formula is perfect for repairing and soothing sun damaged and dry skin, while fortified bio-available vitamins and fruit enzymes remove dead skin cells and enhance collagen production.Beginning as a rich pink balm, this unique cleanser melts into the skin and turns milky when mixed with water, then rinses cleanly away, along with any daily grime and makeup.I find it very similar in consistency to my favourite balm cleanser from EVE LOM
 Fragranced of refreshing rose and chamomile it immediately soothes the senses, while the skin is left surprisingly soft and supple, it also feels revived and fresh.
As always gel cleansers are super easy to use, just massage onto dry skin, add a little water to emulsify into a white milk and then remove with warm water or damp muslin cloth.
If you are a fan of gel cleansers and especially of the EVE LOM Cleanser then you will no doubt enjoy the OSKIA Renaissance Cleansing Gel, as its a hard working cleanser that just gets on with the job at hand, without leaving your skin feeling or looking like its had a workout and I'm now officially a FAN...

OSKIA 
RENAISSANCE CLEANSING GEL
35ml/100ml


R
Not Available in SA

                                                                                 £















15/35


$
-/53






19 January 2020

MY TOP 10 SKINCARE PRODUCTS 2109

Normally I find My annual Top Skincare list the hardest to compile, as I have previously kept it to only 5 products, but this year I've had to increase it to 10, as in 2019 I tried
too many excellent skincare products to restrict this list to only 5.

This is also the last of my "Top" list for 2019 and if you would like to catch up on
the ones that I have already posted, then click on the Pink Links below





For me 2019 proved to be a great year for skincare, as I've tried some great
products and in my opinion all of these 10 skincare items are worthy of a place on 
the list and equally as worthy of a purchase.
I do however highly recommend that you read my original reviews on each product
to find out all the product info and my thoughts.


~~~~~~

Cleansers seem like a good place to start and I have two on my Top 10 list.
I found that in 2019 I ventured out of my comfort zone of using milky/cream cleansers and tried several different cleansing product formats, two of which have
seriously converted me, so much so that I find myself reaching less and less for my once beloved cleansing milks.


EVE LOM
CREAM CLEANSER
Whilst I reviewed this product back in December 2018, I didn't include it in my
Top Skincare Products 2018, but rather opted to leave it for my 2019 list.
Having originally used a generous deluxe sample size, I then purchased the largest size
back in January 2019 whilst overseas and as I said earlier I'm a covert.

The texture of this cleanser is a heavy dense balm and a little is all
you need to perform a good cleanse.
My skin felt super clean, radiant, smooth and not stripped of natural oils,
 which so many cleansers can do.
I enjoyed using the textured muslin cloth, as it not only helps with the product removal process, but it also stimulates and exfoliates the skin.
In my opinion the cloth is what makes this combo combo so effective.

I would actually go as far to say that its the "Best" Cleanser I've ever used and after
being in this business for over 35 years that's a BIG claim.





CAUDALIE 
MAKE-UP REMOVING OIL



The Caudalie Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil works to dissolve all types of make-up, including waterproof, whilst removing impurities and cleansing the skin.
Initially the Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil wasn't a purchase, as it came as part of a free gift and I'm so glad it did, as I would never a opted to buy 
a make-up removing oil.
This product is not only quick to use, but its super easy and the skin
is left feeling nourished and comforted and
  "It's an absolute pleasure to use".



~~~~~~


I have included a special toner in my list, as I have found this one to be the most refreshing and uplifting toner I've used in years and for that reason I have included it.
My original review below included both this Toner and its complimenting
 Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser, which I also enjoyed.




ELEMIS
REHYDRATING 
GINZENG TONER



This nourishing toner effectively tones skin, re-balances its pH level and preserves the natural oils, without the use of alcohol or harsh detergents, add to that a wonderful
spritzing nozzle and ingredients that smell like a spa and I absolutely fell in love 
with this refreshing toner.



~~~~~~


A Luxury French brand that has been in my sights for several years has been BYTERRY and during 2019 I was able to tick 2 of their iconic products off my Wish List.

Having purchased back in December 2018 a Christmas pack of 3 of the
 BYTERRY Brightening CC Serums it enabled me to decide which of the 4 shades suited
me the best and Sunny Flash came out as the winner.
I have since purchased a full size Sunny Flash and have also been kindly sent one from the PR of Metropolitain Cosmetics who are the exclusive retailers here in South Africa.

I couldn't write my top 10 list without including a Lip balm and this one from 
BYTERRY stood out head and shoulders above any of the others that I 
experienced in 2019.

N.B. I have also recently reviewed a make-up product from BYTERRY and I can already
 say that its 3 out 3 loves for this brand and one that I'm hoping to bring you more 
reviews on in 2020.


BYTERRY
CELLULAROSE
BRIGHTENING CC SERUM


As you know skincare is my priority and this product
combines skincare benefits with luxury make-up, so for me its a win/win situation.
Infused with radiant rose stem cells, this advanced Brightening CC Serum is an 
illuminating primer that creates a flawless base with NO coverage.
 Optical glow technology blurs imperfections, evens out skin tone, intensifies skin radiance and neutralise redness.
For me this product has been an absolute winner and I'm so glad I've 
got back-up product.





BYTERRY
BAUME DE ROSE
Baume de Rose Lip Balm is without doubt the Rolls Royce of lip care and being a Lip Balm Junkie I feel I can say that, after having many years of experience in trying all types of lip products.
The balm has a velvety smooth texture and a non-sticky finish.
Formulated to soothe,repair, condition, protect, it even contains Hyaluronic Acid
to prevent dehydration.

I have no regrets about my purchase, however I do have one looming problem,
I'm starting to worry about the day my pot is empty...




~~~~~~


Obviously it wouldn't be a great Top 10 of Skincare Products if I didn't include core
treatment products like a day cream, night cream and a more specialised and targeted treatment.
For these I have chosen two French brands which have a long established and impeccable history where skincare is concerned and it just goes to show that they have moved with
the times in terms of products they offer.


MARY COHR
EXPERT FACE SCULPTOR



The Expert Face Sculptor serum intrigued me from the start as it makes some 
hefty claims regarding re contouring and sculpting the face for anyone
over 40 years of age.
The texture of this AM/PM serum is lightweight and its a cross between a cream and a gel.
 They claim that your facial contours and features are reshaped, appear slimmer and visibly lifted, whilst ensuring that your skin feels comfortable and well-moisturised.
This is one review you have to read in order to find out why it made it onto this list.




MARY COHR
INCREDIBLE HYDRATING CREAM





I knew from the first application that this AM/PM cream and I were going to hit it off.
The clue to this product is in its name - Incredible Hydrating Cream.
The texture is one of a light creamy soufflé which absorbs perfectly and leaves
no trace of stickiness behind whatsoever, only a softness to the skin that's Incredible.
It's a product that just re-confirms again to me that the French
really do skincare the best  




PAYOT
BLUE TECHNIC LISS
NIGHT CREAM


The Blue Techni Liss range (which consists of 5 products) has been specifically 
formulated to fight the damaging effects and impact of blue light on the skin 
and can be used on all skin types.
BLUE TECHNI LISS a new chrono-active smoothing range that restores balance to your skin.This deep blue gel texture miraculously melts into an oil on contact with the skin
 giving  a most ultra-comfortable smooth finish and one that I've never 
experienced before.
I happily found it to be one of the most cost effective products that I have used in ages,
as a little goes such a long way and using in the evening only, you have an excellent
night treatment for many weeks, if not months to come.





~~~~~~


In case you were wondering I have included an Eye Treatment in the form
of Eye Patches.I have reviewed several good eye creams and eye masks in 2019, so this
was a difficult decision, but based on pure refreshment value and much needed depuffing, these from PIXI came out tops.


PIXI
DETOXIFEYE 
DEPUFFING EYE PATCHES
Formulated to revive, refresh and rehydrate the delicate eye area for visibly smoother, soothed and fortified skin, these eye patches came to my rescue and have done on many occasions since writing my original review.
Bought, somewhat as a 2nd prize, due to the Peter Thomas Roth Eye Patches being out of stock, I'm now glad that they were unavailable.




~~~~~~


Finally my 10th highly recommended skincare product is not an essential
or is it?
Initially I believed the Caudalie Beauty Elixir was a "nice to have" kinda product
but I soon realised it was a "must have" in my skincare regime and even more so for travel.
I have used maybe 3 in the past year and thankfully I have a back-up stock.



CAUDALIE
BEAUTY ELIXIR




This is the second inclusion of a Caudalie product on the 2019 Top 10 Skincare Products List and its a brand that I have written 12 or 13 product reviews on.

The Caudalie Beauty Elixir is much loved by beauty editors and beauty bloggers 
around the world  and I have to say that I join them wholeheartedly in 
their praise for this product.

This multi-tasking mist sets make-up, tones and tightens pores, smooths fine lines
 and gives the skin an instant boost of radiance. 
Can be used as a priming mist either under or over your completed make-up, 
enhancing its longevity and reviving tired and dull-looking skin.





Please drop me a message in the comments below if you have tried any of my 2019
favourites and if you agree with me or not...