BEAUTY PRODUCTS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW [APRIL 2021}

I'm a day early with this post, which doesn't happen too often,

so here are four products that I will be trying out over the next fews weeks

and I'm excited about them all...

I'm happy to finally get my hands on a face mask that was of my "wish list" 

for years, another is a cleanser from a brand that I never thought I would 

ever get an opportunity to try , a night cream from a brand that just keeps 

on surprising me with great products and finally a lip balm from one of my 

beloved French brands.

L-R

TATA HARPER

PURIFYING CLEANSER

TATA HARPER is an USA skincare brand that offers a premium sustainable

line of Organic products that are biodegradable, free of GMO, toxins,

artificial fragrances and are 100% Vegetarian and cruelty free.

I was kindly invited to experience one of their treatments at the 

Oyster Box Hotel

(The Red Carnation Hotels & Spa's here in South Africa are the exclusive

 stockists of TATA HARPER products and treatments)

I was also kindly gifted a couple of their beautiful products, so this

 purifying cleanser will be the first to be tested.

*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review

SUMMER FRIDAYS

JET LAG MASK

Great excitement for this now infamous SUMMER FRIDAYS Jet Lag Mask,

 as it's been on my Beauty Radar for literally 2-3 years and I finally got 

my hands on one just yesterday, so stay tuned to see if it's simply

any good!

*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review

BYTERRY

BAUME DE ROSE

LIP CARE

Being a huge fan of all things BYTERRY I recently added this to my 

ever growing collection of products. If you would like to read my previous

BYTERRY reviews then Click Here

It seemed an obvious next purchase as I love the Baume De Rose

in the pot and they have in both this lipstick format and a lip gloss which 

no doubt I will also purchase at some point.

*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review

ELEMIS

PRO - COLLAGEN

OVERNIGHT MATRIX

This is another product that formed part of my Christmas gift box 

and so far I haven't been disappointed with any and ELEMIS is a brand 

that I'm loving more and more with each product I use.

Confession time : I have already started using this night cream and

just a heads up I'm loving it, so it won't be too long before I post

my full review.

*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review

Let me know in the comments section below if any of the above

 are your favourites.

 

COACH DREAMS EDP {REVIEW}

This past week I've been wearing the COACH Dreams EDP and I would have managed to get several applications out of my 1.2ml sample size spray,

but one spritz was all I needed.

They say:

Coach Dreams evokes the freedom and adventure of a road trip across America. Inspired by a sunny road trip full of possibilities, Coach Dreams takes you on a journey from beginning to end, evoking anticipation, the open road and 

memories in the making. 

Crafted by Master perfumer Antoine Maisondieu, the radiant, woody scent opens with notes of bitter orange and juicy pear, revealing a warm heart of gardenia and cactus flower before drying down to sensual Joshua Tree and Ambroxan musk. 

“Coach Dreams is playful and lighthearted.

Fragrance family: fruity-floral.
Top Notes: Bitter Orange, Pear
Heart Notes: Gardenia, Cactus Flower
Base Notes: Joshua Tree, Ambroxan

 

Unfortunately this fragrance was not for me as I found it rather too 

warm & heady from the onset and the notes of Gardenia 

I suspect were the cause.

It was overpowering the other notes so much that I couldn't smell the 

fruitiness of the Pear or Bitter Orange and it was only after quite some time

that I found it to be a much softer and more acceptable.

I find the best part about this fragrance to be the bottle that is

reminiscent of vintage apothecary bottles, the glass bottle is finished 

with a silver spray cap. A refined leather ring at the base of the cap

 nods to Coach’s rich history of leather craftsmanship. 

And lastly the pretty, eye-catching box twinkles with pink glitter, 

evoking the magic of dreams...Unfortunately those dreams were not for me.

COACH 

DREAMS EDP

60/90mls

R

1295/1620

$

82/-

£

41/58

HAND CREAM RECOMMENDATIONS {MARCH 2020} #TBT REVIEW

It's hard to believe that this post was written just over a year ago

before our strict Lockdown happened here in South Africa.

This post is still as relevant today as it was back then, so I thought

it was worthy of an inclusion in today's #TBT review post.

I don't know about you, but I've gone though so many 

Hand Creams over the past year and I cannot see that situation changing 

for a long time to come.

*Please note that prices and stockists details may have changed over 

the past 12 months*

~~~~~~

I'm sure like me you're washing your hands and using some form of

 hand sanitiser more often, as a precautionary measure against the 

spread of the Coronovirus.
Being a huge fan of hand sanitisers, I've used for many years,

 I actually keep one in my car and one in my handbag at all times and they're

 an absolute must when travelling.
With this slight obsession I have with keeping my hands clean and germ free, 

as you can imagine my level of concern, again like many people, 

has risen to a whole new level.
However one negative side effect of all this hand washing and using a 

60%+ alcohol hand sanitising product, it's causing my skin to become

 far more dry than normal.
Luckily I don't usually suffer from very dry skin on my hands, but for those

 that do this added cleansing can be both be uncomfortable, irritating and

 in some cases quite painful.
I have put together some of my recommendations for Hand Creams that will help
to not only counteract any dryness caused, but will help to protect, soothe 
and calm sensitive skin.
I hope you find this helpful and I highly recommend that you start incorporating
 a hand cream into your hand cleansing ritual...

~~~~~~

1.

Brand : RITUALS
Product : Ayurveda Smoothing Hand Balm
Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil
Price : £9
Size : 70mls

In Europe RITUALS has a strong brand presence, but sadly it's not available

 here in SA. 
Can you believe that this full size Hand Balm was actually a free gift with a 

one of the U.K. magazines that I picked up on my last visit. 

It's the first product that I've tried from RITUALS and I couldn't have picked a better introduction to this brand.
The fragrance of Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil immediately won me over, 

as its divine. I love the fragrance so much that more of this collection

 is in my UK Beauty Shopping List.
It's a beautiful balmy moisturiser that absorbs perfectly and definitely doesn't 

leave your hands feeling greasy instead they're left feeling soft, comfortable

 and divinely fragranced and I have to rate this product as my 

favourite hand balm ever!


~~~~~~

2.

Brand : Mineraline
Product : Orange & Pomegranate 
Rich Moisturising Hand Cream
Price : R99
Size : 100mls

This rich hand cream combines the therapeutic benefits of Dead Sea Minerals 

with the amazing benefits of Pomegranate and Orange Oils. It also contains 

some of my favourite nourishing ingredients - Shea Butter, Vitamin E and B5,

 so this hand cream can nourish the driest of hands, whilst retaining the 

ability to absorb quickly. and the fresh citrusy fragrance is positively delicious.

Available exclusively at Dischem's Nationwide

~~~~~~

3.

Brand : Bionike
Product : PROXERA 
Nourishing Hand Cream 
Price : R99
Size : 75mls


If you suffer from very dry or even cracked skin on your hands, then this is the hand cream for you, as it's been formulated to moisturise, protect and restore the hydrolipid mantle, and it also softens and soothes the discomfort that cracked skin typically gives.
This fragrance free hand cream, whilst taking longer to absorb, works extremely well on chapped hands as my mum can vouch,unfortunately she suffers terribly, all year round, with dry and cracked skin. 
So this gets a huge thumbs up or should that be a hands up from her.

Available exclusively at Dischem's Nationwide

~~~~~~

4.

Brand : Dove
Product : DermaSpa Cashmere Comfort Hand Cream
75ml
Price : R59.95

On the more affordable side and one thats easily available in most supermarkets
and drugstores the Dove Derma Spa Cashmere 
Comfort Rich Hand Treatment gives your hands a luxurious treatment with a 
concentrated blend of oil and cell moisturisers that is fast absorbent 
and deeply penetrating.
 Ideal for very dry and rough skin.

~~~~~~

5.

Brand : NUXE
Product : rêve de miel Hand & Nail Cream
50ml
Price : R195





This paraben free non greasy, melting, velvety cream envelopes your hands

 like a comforting soft glove.
Tested in extremely cold climates the Honey, Sunflower, 7 Precious Oils

 and Vitamin E all work their magic to ensure that the hands are soothed 

and nourished.
If your hands need lots of TLC or even if they don't,then you can't go 

wrong with this repairing and protecting hand and nail cream.

Available at WOOLWORTHS


~~~~~~

6.

Brand : CLARINS
Product : Hand & Nail Treatment Cream
100ml
Price : R420

I have used this Hand Cream on and off for 30+ years and you can't go wrong
with any product from Clarins.
This pro-quality emollient hand cream is formulated with extracts of soothing
 sesame oil and strengthening myrrh.
 The cream works like a protective invisible glove on the hands, protecting them from climate damage while minimising signs of ageing. 
The silky, non-greasy texture imparts a delicious sensation of comfort. 
This hand cream brings softness and comfort to dry, dehydrated, chapped or damaged skin. It also strengthens the nails and nourishes the cuticles.

Available at WOOLWORTHS

~~~~~~

7.

Brand : L'OCCITANE
Product : Shea Hand Cream
150ml
Price : R420



It wouldn't be a very good list of Hand Cream recommendations if I didn't
include one of my favourite hand creams from the ultimate hand cream 

brand L'Occitane.
An international cult product, 1 Shea Butter Hand Cream is sold every 3 seconds.
The Shea Hand Cream is highly concentrated in organic shea butter (20%), penetrates quickly and helps to nourish, protect and soften the hands. 
The formula includes honey, almond extracts and coconut oil are blended with organic shea butter to create this effective care. 
The creamy texture is rapidly absorbed to leave the hands soft and comfortable, 
without any greasy film.

Available at L'Occitane Boutiques Nationwide

Let me know in the comments below if you are experiencing 

the same issues with dry hands.

 

ON MY BEAUTY RADAR {MARCH 2021}

My list of products that I'm lusting over is growing, as I only updated 

"On My Beauty Radar" mid February and here I am at the end of March 

adding to it...

Needless to say I haven't been able to purchase any of the Urban Decay

products I added last month, as we no longer have UD in South Africa,

so those will have to be an overseas purchase which could

take a while. I only foresee my list growing ever longer, with no

 products being added under the "purchased" heading for quite sometime.

{NEW ADDITIONS}

BYTERRY 

HYALURONIC 

HYDRA-CONCEALER

I'm a huge fan of French Luxury brand BYTERRY and my collection

 is building up nicely, however

they have very recently launched a couple of products that

have caught my eye and knowing how I love the items I already have, I'm

confident that I'll also love these new additions, but I'm not

sure my wallet will...

Their new Hyaluronic Hydra Concealer is 87% skincare based formula

and it promises to:

 Hydrates. 

Disguises dark circles

Plumps and blurs

Brightens and protects

 Buildable coverage 

Long-Lasting.

I always prefer my make-up to be more skincare focused and I cant wait to 

get my hands on this concealer.

BYTERRY

HYALURONIC

GLOBAL FACE CREAM

Another new launch that has me intrigued is the 

BYTERRY Hyaluronic Global Face Cream

A powerful Global Face moisturizer with 8 hyaluronic acids for intense hydration. Plumps, smooths and illuminates skin. 

Clean, vegan formula. Fragrance-free. All skin types.Can be used am & pm.

I fear this one will be the wallet "attacker".

{STILL ON MY LIST}

URBAN DECAY
STAY NAKED HYDROMANIAC
Tinted Glow Foundation

Sadly URBAN DECAY are no longer available in South Africa and they 
just so happened to have recently launched two products that have
caught my eye and would love to try.
It's a longwear, tinted glow foundation infused with kombucha filtrate and 
marula oil for up to 24-hour hydration, coverage, and fresh glow.
£29

URBAN DECAY
LASH FREAK
MASCARA

As you know all too well I'm a bit of a mascara addict and this one really
 appeals to me, as its an intensely volumising mascara with an 
asymmetrical brush that lengthens, lifts, and curls lashes for a dramatic, 
wide-eyed effect.
£22

LANEIGE 
LIP SLEEPING MASK

The Korean Beauty brand LANEIGE formulated this, now infamous, award winning
leave-on lip mask that soothes and moisturizes for smoother, more supple lips
 overnight and being  slightly Lip Balm obsessed I had to add to my list.
I was so close to buying earlier this year, at Dubai Duty Free, but unfortunately
they don't sell the individual loose items, only a Duty Free exclusive pack of 4
and even for me 4 was way too many.
Retails $20 and available in 4 options:
 Original
Vanilla
Apple Lime
Berry

LANEIGE
WATER SLEEPING MASK

Now I do enjoy a good "leave on" face mask and thoroughly enjoyed my recent 
LUMENE NORDIC HYDRA AERATING GEL MASK to read my full review
and I'm assuming this maybe quite similar, as it's an overnight, moisture-recharging gel mask that quickly absorbs while you sleep to deeply hydrate skin. 
Again I missed out on this award winning mask as Duty Free only sold
packs of 2 and it was one too many, as it meant double the price.
Retails for $25 and is available in 2 variants:
Original
Lavender

SUMMER FRIDAYS
Jet Lag Mask

This much raved about Jet Lag Mask from SUMMER FRIDAYS is not available 
in SA and since there's been no travel, I still haven't purchased it, so
 On My Beauty Radar it stays...

{PURCHASED}

I can now say that I have purchased this foundation mid 2020

 and I'm loving it, so much so that it made it onto my

 Top Make-Up List of 2020 Here

BYTERRY

HYALURONIC

 HYDRA-FOUNDATION

As I'm sure you will already know, if you read my posts regularly, I do love me

some BYTERRY.

The latest addition to their make-up line up is a hydrating foundation, which I 

would love to try, hence it's made it onto this list. 

It's a Hydrating foundation. 

Perfects and hydrates skin. 

Buildable coverage. 

Infused with hyaluronic acid. 

Protects with SPF 30. 

Long-wear. 

Vegan formula 

and it seems to tick all my foundation boxes and considering how much I enjoy

 their iconic Brightening CC Serums to read my full reviews

I'm hopeful that this foundation will deliver.

 R1490 

to read my full review

Please let me know in the comments below if you have used any of the above

and are they worthy of being on

"My Beauty Radar"

SUNDAY SAMPLE

 Seeing that it's International Fragrance Day today I thought it would be 

appropriate to review a sample of perfume this coming week.

Recently unpacked from the OneSkin.emporium Little OneBOX I will

put the COACH Dreams EDP to the test this coming week.

OneSKIN.emporium Little OneBOX

I am also giving away one of the Little OneBOX over on Instagram

Hurry as the Giveaway ends at midnight tonight 21/3/21

The sample is a 1.2ml size, so I should manage to get a couple of applications

out of it and that's enough to form an opinion, remembering that fragrance

reviews are very much a personal choice.

Having never tried any of the fragrances from the COACH brand previously

 samples are always a good way to try in the comfort of your home and this

is why I love Beauty Advent Calendars/Beauty Boxes/Subscription Boxes

it allows you to try so many different brands and products before

you shell out money on the larger sizes.

COACH 

is an American luxury design house specialising in handbags, 

luggage, accessories, and ready-to-wear and of course fragrance is always

an add on division.

COACH DREAMS 

was launched at the beginning of 2020 and is classified

as a feminine fruity, floral fragrance, so next Sunday I will post my

review and all the fragrance details.

LET'S TALK ABOUT ONESKIN EMPORIUM

OneSKIN.emporium 

is a new business that came into being during the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020.

OneSKIN.emporium 

is a one stop skincare destination website not only

retailing wonderful beauty brands, to name but a few, such as:

ELEMIS

NUXE

JACK BLACK

OPTIPHI

OPI

JONK

 they also offer online skin consultations where you can get a comprehensive,

 in-depth, skincare and body analysis, complete with

 how to address your concerns, product recommendations,

 personalised skincare routine and advice.

45mins appointment R400 

(Appointments can be made online)

AND FINALLY we have a Beauty Subscription Box service available

in South Africa and this excites me greatly, because the boxes contain

 face and body care products from luxury/high end brands.

The OneBOX is hand-selected by the founder Elsie on a monthly basis,

just for you, choosing her all-time favourites, for ladies and gentlemen, 

whilst at the same time throwing in some new and exciting products, 

giving you exclusive access to exciting launches and promotions. 

Who doesn’t love unboxing any package that is presented beautifully and packaged with love and conveniently delivered to your doorstep, I know I do.

There are 2 options for the monthly subscription boxes, 

OneBOX, gives you an exciting chance to try products you haven’t tried before, or maybe you have and enjoyed them and want to experience them 

all over again.

Included in the OneBOX will be a combination of full-size products, travel, 

and sample sizes.

OneBOX. retails for R 1,850 per month. 

Little OneBOX mini version of our OneBOX and would include a mix 

of products.

Little OneBOX retails for R550

Clients can sign up month to month, per quarter or yearly.

Delivery is free for orders in excess of R750

I recently received the current March Little OneBOX (as pic above)

 to unbox, which I did over on

 my Instagram Stories (so check that out) and OneSkin.emporium 

have kindly given me another

Little OneBOX to giveaway to one lucky person.

As this is a giveaway happenin gover on my IG only, head over there 

to find out all the T&C's and how to enter.

(Click on the IG pink icon on the right hand side bar)

This giveaway is sadly only open to South African residents.

 Be quick though as the giveaway ends on Sunday 21st March and the lucky winner will be announced on Monday 22nd March

To find out more about OneSKIN.emporium or to order online

Click here

CHRISTOPHE ROBIN CLEANSING PURIFYING SCRUB WITH SEA SALT {REVIEW}

Contrary to what the name suggests, 
Christophe Robin's 

Cleansing Purifying Scrub With Sea Salt 

is a product for hair and not the face.

In short its a scalp exfoliator and shampoo that cleanses, removes buildup, 

and soothes sensitive, flaky, and oily scalps and its the type of product

that I have been wanting to use for time.

I believe that our scalps need to be exfoliated regularly just as we exfoliate

 our face and bodies, but finding this type of product has been difficult

especially here in South Africa, so I'm very happy to have had chance to

experience this one from Christophe Robin.

To read my other Christophe Robin Product Reviews

Click here

 

The cleansing purifying scrub with sea salt is ideal as a detox treatment as it cleanses, purifies and restores balance to sensitive or oily scalps. 

It can also be used as a post-colour treatment to sooth tingling and itching sensations.

I wrote about my own Hair Detox many years ago, as I personally need 

to put my hair and scalp through a regular detox to rid it of a chemical, 

product and skin build-up.

To read about my Hair Detox

The Cleansing Purifying Scrub by Christophe Robin forms part of a 

3 product range that is aimed to purify and detox the hair and scalp.

The scrub contains large grains of mineral-rich sea salt, which are very evident in the white paste and salt being a natural exfoliant you can certainly feel it 

 both cleanse the scalp and stimulate the blood circulation and it's a wonderful

invigorating sensation that leaves the scalp and hair feeling incredibly clean.

In addition, any chemical traces of colour and impurities are naturally removed.

Other 100% plant-based ingredients in this scrub ensure that even after rinsing,

 the scalp is still hydrated, soothed and itch-free. 

Within 24 hours of use, the moisture content of the scalp is back in balance and irritations are considerably reduced and these effects can last for up to 

four days after treatment. 

This Christophe Robin scrub is free from parabens, silicones and colorants.

Recommended for Sensitive scalps, Oily scalps, Men & women.

Can be used once or twice a week as a shampoo

Detox treatment: 

Apply the equivalent of a tablespoon on damp hair. 

Gently massage the scalp, add a trickle of water then lather, concentrating

 on the nape of the neck. 

Rinse thoroughly and apply a nourishing treatment on the lengths and ends depending on your hair's condition. 

For a more intense effect: leave on for about two minutes before rinsing. 

Post-colour soothing treatment: 

Ideal for eliminating chemical residues, which have become embedded on the scalp. Instantly soothes itching and calms irritation.

I'm 100% sold on this product, as it left my hair and scalp feeling incredibly

fresh, clean and more importantly for me, my hair felt light, almost

weightless, which has never happened previously with any other hair products.

As a shampoo the foam is rich, thick and voluminous, again like nothing

 I've EVER tried.

It is without doubt a unique product and I cannot recommend 

this product enough, especially if you suffer from any of the above

 hair or scalp issues.

I also believe the pricing of this type of product is very good as the entry 

size of 75mls will give you plenty of deep cleansing washes.

I'm currently using this product once a week, however I'm sure I will

drop back to once every other week in the future.

As a heads up this product has already been added to my 

Top Hair & Body Product list for 2021

thats how much my hair loves it...

CHRISTOPHE ROBIN 

CLEANSING PURIFYING SCRUB WITH SEA SALT 

75/250ml

R

370/825

£

17/40

$

19/53

Christophe Robin products are available

 in South Africa

exclusively in store and online

 at

Skins Cosmetics