STRIVECTIN SUPER-C RETINOL BRIGHTEN AND CORRECT VITAMIN C SERUM {REVIEW}

When incorporating Vitamin C and Retinol products into our daily skincare

 routine we've always been advised to use a Vitamin C in the morning,

 whilst keeping the application of any Retinol products for evening use,

 due to various incompatibilities, however we finally have a product from

 the prestige USA skincare brand StriVectin which incorporates these

2 powerhouses of anti-ageing into one serum.

STRIVECTIN 

SUPER-C RETINOL BRIGHTEN & CORRECT 

VITAMIN C SERUM

Together at last:

 the brightening power of Vitamin C and the correcting power of Retinol

 join forces in one supercharged, lightweight serum. 

This ultimate collaboration is a skincare science breakthrough featuring

 two forms of stabilised :

Vitamin C + Acerola Cherry Extract

 to restore clarity and brighten dull, tired skin.

 Retinol 

smooths rough texture and fine lines all while helping to neutralize

 the effects of free radicals to skin. 

All of the above are amplified by NIA-114™, StriVectins proprietary form

 of Niacin, to strengthen the skin barrier for a renewed, glowing complexion.

Formulated to:

 Restore radiance and clarity to dull skin.

Smooth away fine lines and uneven texture​.

Visibly firm and improve elasticity.

How To Use:

1.

Shake well

2.

Apply 1/2 drops to clean face in the morning and evening

3.

Follow with moisturiser and also a sunscreen during the day

I feel like I have been using this serum for an absolute age, 

which just goes to show, how little one needs to cover the face and neck.

(I did have a 2 week break from using twice daily during the unrest

 back in July).

The pipette dropper allows complete control of the amount you dispense,

with no wastage and that always pleases me.

I found the formula of this lightweight serum, unlike many Vitamin C serums, 

to absorb quickly without being tacky or leaving a sticky residue, 

making it ideal to layer under moisturiser or makeup.

It was such an easy product to incorporate into my daily skincare regime

and I soon noticed a difference in my skin (around 4-5 weeks). 

The most noticeable improvement was in the brightness and the radiance

 of my skin, whilst over the weeks I could most definitely see a softening

of the lines across my forehead.

As you can tell I highly recommend this serum, as it's easy to apply, 

it's 2 serums in one and most of all it works and is a great product

as an introduction to the wonders of Vitamin C and Retinol... 

STRIVECTIN 

SUPER-C RETINOL BRIGHTEN & CORRECT 

VITAMIN C SERUM

30ml

R

1850

£

62

$

72

StriVectin is available in South Africa at

 Metro Cosmetics

URBAN DECAY NAKED RELOADED PALETTE #TBT REVIEW

Sadly URBAN DECAY withdrew from the South African market during the

2nd half of 2020 and I for one was sad about it, as I was a fan of UD and have reviewed and 

loved many of their products.

My review on the NAKED RELOADED palette dates back to April 2019, so prices

will have changed.

~~~~~~

After several weeks of use, I've finally managed to put down into words my feelings about this 

"super hyped" eyeshadow palette.

Never a brand to follow the generic brand packaging norm, 

URBAN DECAY recently launched their NAKED RELOADED 

Palette and when it comes to the packaging, this cushioned fabric Orchid print palette not only 

looks trés chic, but it also feels weighty and very comfortable in the hand.

Sadly the birth of the new NAKED RELOADED followed the demise of the globally and much loved original NAKED Palette.

It was a sad moment for many URBAN DECAYERS, but thankfully it has been replaced with a

 collection of 12 "must have" universally flattering shades in a palette thats been designed for everyone

any age, gender, and skin tone.

If you're looking for a collection of flattering shades that will cover all your essential 

 nude/neutral/brown requirements plus a little extra, then this is the ultimate palette to have in your eyeshadow collection.

The selection includes soft mattes, satins, metallics and a little sparkly glitter is thrown in 

for good measure...

I'm also happy to report that UD have included 4 larger outer pans of the lighter shades,

that are used the most for highlighting and inevitably, on any eyeshadow palette, they always 

finish before the others.

After a couple of months of use I can excitedly report back that the formula of these shadows fall 

into that buttery, velvety texture with a rich colour payoff and are easy to blend and work with.

One piece of advise though - do ensure that you tap any excess shadow off you brush before 

application, as there will be shadow fall out, but its nothing that isn't easily brushed away with

 out leaving any pigment behind.

The longevity of the shadow was good with no creasing or fading, however I have become an

 unexpected and huge fan of the URBAN DECAY Eyeshadow Potion

to read my full review 

and without doubt it helps to keep your eyeshadows in place all day.

All of the 12 shades are very wearable and I have surprisingly found myself using 

all of the shades at some point, but reaching daily for the following ones:

Bribe

Barely There

Reputation

Burn

Distilled

Boundaries

&

Blur

 and for a slightly more evening,shimmery smokey eye look I just add a touch of:

Barely Baked

Angel Fire

End Game

&

Dreamweaver

It's known, here in south Africa, that UD Eyeshadow Palettes generally weigh in on the pricey side, usually around R800-R900, however the NAKED RELOADED weighs in at a much more 

appealing price of R695.

 This palette is not only worth its "Super Hyped" status, but its got to be

the NAKED Palette to own above all others.

URBAN DECAY

NAKED RELOADED

EYESHADOW PALETTE

R

695

£

38

$

44

URBAN DECAY SA

I have reviewed several URBAN DECAY products and to date I have not been 

disappointed with any of my purchases.

To read all my detailed reviews

LAURA MERCIER HYDRATING LIP BALM {REVIEW}

 As I've mentioned so many times on my blog 

"I am a Lip Balm addict"

and I can't help myself, as its my "Achilles Heel" of beauty.

My recent purchase of the

Laura Mercier Hydrating Lip Balm 

was not planned and some may think a strange, first purchase from

this French and American cosmetics and skincare line that was founded back

in 1996 by celebrity makeup artist, Laura Mercier.

Renowned as being the pioneer of the “Flawless Face” I may just have

 to make a return visit to Skins Cosmetics to check out her 

collection of award winning "Flawless" foundations, tinted moisturisers 

and face primers.

  

This luxe lip balm moisturises and visibly softens lips. 

Lips are left feeling smooth, fully conditioned and prepared for any 

makeup application.

The 4 main ingredients are:

Cold-pressed Plum Seed Oil:

 for deep nourishment

Fresh Spring Water:

for instantly hydrating and bringing skin’s moisture levels back 

to its optimal state.

Rose Water:

A blend of French Rose Flower Extract and Damask Rose Flower Oil is full 

of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants known to calm 

and balance the skin.

Starflower Oil:

Laura’s secret weapon for achieving healthy looking skin.

This oil is known to nourish skin, perfectly preparing it for flawless makeup application.

I'm so happy that I was introduced to Laura Mercier via this lip balm,

which I'm really enjoying and as many good lip balms do, it glides on 

beautifully, nourishes and looks good worn either on it's own or

under/over a lip colour.

Having reviewed "make-up bags" full of lip balms, of varying price points,

 this one is one of my more pricier buys and I don't apologise for that,

as I'm a self confessed "Addict" so expect many more lip balm

reviews in the future...

LAURA MERCIER

HYDRATING

LIP BALM

3g

R

795

£

21

$

26

(Skins Cosmetics are the exclusive stockist of Laura Mercier in South Africa)

CLARINS RELAX BATH AND SHOWER CONCENTRATE {REVIEW]

Shower or Bath? 

I am a bath person and always have been, as it's my safe,

calming and relaxing place.

I find nothing more enjoyable than indulging in a nice long soak

in a bath full of bubbles, with my perfumed candles burning and if

I'm being super indulgent I may have a glass of bubbles and chocolate

on the side...

This product was a favourite of mine many many years

 ago, so it was good to revisit the aromas and benefits of the 

CLARINS 

RELAX BATH AND SHOWER CONCENTRATE

This concentrated body wash by Clarins activates on contact with the heat 

of the bath or shower to release soothing aromatic vapours of basil,

 camomile and petit grain. 

Enriched with calming lime tree and valerian extracts, this bath foam 

relaxes sore muscles after a stressful day. 

It forms a lightweight, non-irritant, silk like lather that's suitable for even the

 most sensitive of skins, as the colouring agents and allergens have been removed.

For a complete super luxurious home spa experience, follow up with the

 Relax Body Treatment Oil and Relaxing Body Balm.

Perfect for relaxing evening use, this product can be used in 

both the shower and in the bath:

For use in the bath, pour a small amount of bath foam into the bathtub

 and run the water.

 Massage the lather onto the skin as you inhale the aromatic benefits 

of the steam. 

In the shower, apply Relax Bath & Shower Concentrate on a sponge.

Whilst this product has no doubt been re-formulated several times

 over the years, it's latest formula is "greener'" and more natural than ever

yet it's still a luxury aromatic foam bath and I've been loving it all over again,

not that I ever fell out of love, but more a case of me moving onto discovering

 other fragrant bubbles...

CLARINS 

RELAX 

BATH AND SHOWER CONCENTRATE

200mls

R

370

£

21

$

30

CLARINS UV ANTI-POLLUTION MULTI PROTECTION MOISTURISING SCREEN {REVIEW}

From the onset of this review I must be transparent and inform

you that I wouldn't have bought this type of product, however it formed

part of a Modern Beauty Beauty Box that I ordered some months ago.

Yet after saying this, I've found many "gem" products via beauty boxes,

 subscription boxes and my absolute favourite beauty advent calendars. 

Clarins 

UV Anti-Pollution Multi Protection 

Moisturising Screen

UV Plus Anti-Pollution SPF 50 is a multi-protection moisturising screen

 that protects against 5 types of pollutants including atmospheric and indoor pollution, photo-pollution, blue light and pollen. 

The watery gel texture is enriched with a true cocktail of goodness.

Ingredients include:

Mango

Organic mango leaf extract helps to protect skin against external aggressors,

 pollen and blue light.

White horehound

Its organic extract helps skin fight the harmful effects of pollution.

Furcellaria

Its extract helps to protect skin exposed to pollution from dehydration.

Succory dock-cress

Extracted from an organic plant, it boasts anti-free radical properties and 

helps stimulate the skin’s natural defences against external aggressors.

The light-weight formula is easily-absorbed for a soft touch finish and

 delivers 8 hours of hydration to the skin.

It can be used by all skin types and you just apply in the morning

 over your day cream and before make-up.

The invisible formula leaves no white finish.

I've been reaching for this product and its now my "morning walk" cream,

 due to the fact that it's super quick and easy to apply.

I highly recommend this for use during exercise.

I've enjoyed just using alone, as a straightforward sun protection cream

and its worked well and feels far more lightweight than a conventional

sunscreen, so again I've discovered a little "gem" when I least 

expected it....

 

CLARINS

UV ANTI-POLLUTION

MULTI PROTECTION

MOISTURISING

SCREEN

30ml

R

505

£

33

$

44

LANEIGE WATER SLEEPING MASK {REVIEW}

This was a face mask that I had lusted over for several years and having

 finally acquired one I was excited to try for myself and see why everyone

 raved about this cult Korean Beauty product.

The LANEIGE WATER SLEEPING MASK is an Award winning innovative 

mask that claims to recharge your dehydrated skin while you sleep

 and I do love a good "sleep-in" face mask.

My favourites of these type of gel re-hydrating type face masks are:

LUMENE NORDIC HYDRA AERATING GEL MASK

AVENE HYDRANCE AQUA GEL

L'OCCITANE INVIGORATING FACE & EYE MASK

Formulated with highly concentrated Hydro Ionized Mineral Water to 

deliver high doses of moisture to stressed, parched skin.

 Calming Sleepscent™, infused with orange flower, rose, and sandalwood

 provides a relaxing and comforting scent while apricot and evening primrose extracts helps visibly brighten and purify fatigued skin.

They claim the result will be skin that looks and feels radiant, refreshed,

 and soft so you wake up with soft, glowing skin.

Where this sleep mask is different to the norm, you apply over

your normal nightly cream or serum in order to help retain/lock the moisture in 

your skin overnight.

After the product is absorbed completely, leave treatment overnight 

and rinse off in the morning. 

Use once or twice a week.

Even though they advertise for all skin types, I personally think

this is better for a normal to oily skin rather than a dry skin.

It comes in 2 variants Original and Lavender and I opted for

the Original and the mask also comes with that all important spatula.

You can imagine my disappointment when I first tried this mask only to find 

that it didn't agree with my skin whatsoever...whilst the cooling, lightweight 

gel formulation and the fragrance are great, my skin soon started to feel uncomfortable and tingly and I had to remove, as I certainly wasn't able 

to sleep with this mask on.

I actually waited a couple of weeks and tried again and I had more success this time, as I didn't experience any sensitivity and I was able to sleep with the mask overnight, however the expectations of waking with "soft, radiant and glowing skin" didn't happen, as I woke with extremely parched, dehydrated skin, the exact opposite of what the mask claims and to be honest I'm not sure why. 

As advised I applied over the final product of my night routine and I did try over different night products thinking that it may be a reaction to one of those, but it made no difference. I tried this mask a total of 3 times and its sadly had its time with me and I won't be using it again, as I fail to see the fascination and hype of this mask. 

LANEIGE

WATER SLEEPING 

MASK

70ml

R

599

£

26

$

25

GIORGIO ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION #TBT REVIEW

Throwback to October 2019, when I originally wrote my review on

this luxury foundation by Giorgio Armani and I'm slightly embarrassed

as I read this part ...

 "alas I personally wouldn't part with the approx R800, I feel that there 

are many equally good foundations available on the market and for

 a lot less money."

It was 5 weeks later and the Black Friday sales enabled me to get

20% or 25% off (I cant remember which)

and I couldn't resist this opportunity to get my hands on one, as my

UK Kiddiewink was due for a visit in December.

I don't regret my spend for one minute, as this is a great foundation

and having used sparingly I have placed this foundation is on 

my re-purchase list.

I have since bought several other high end foundations, which

combine skincare with colour and they're some of my best purchases.

So I have changed my opinion somewhat over the last 2 years, as I

now know the benefit of combining the two, but unfortunately it does

come with a price and if you are willing to spend, it's well worth it.

~~~~~~

For this past week I've been enjoying the
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

 Giorgio Armani Luminous silk foundation is an oil-free, yet hydrating fluid

 with exclusive Micro-fil™ technology.

It's lightweight and silky texture glides seamlessly onto the skin and 

provides a buildable medium coverage.

The formula offers an extremely comfortable long wearing, 
weightless and luminous natural finish to the skin.
It honestly feels like silk on the skin...

Use a Blender Brush to apply for a radiant finish. 
Add and blend more product to achieve desired coverage.

Suitable for all skin types

Available in 30 now 40 Shades

 mine was #5.25.

Whilst I enjoyed my week of luxury using this beautiful packaged

award winning foundation I couldn't fail the product, alas

I personally wouldn't part with the approx R800, I feel that there are many equally good foundations available on the market and for a lot less money.

From my experiences with both high and mid priced foundations, they don't

 seem to offer much more nowadays in terms of formulation,coverage,

luminosity etc. than some of the very good drug store foundations.
As always I prefer to invest my cash into anti-ageing skincare products 

than high end makeup.

Giorgio Armani 

Luminous Silk Foundation

30ml

R

N/A

$
64

£

42

44

RAIN BOTANICAL CLEANSING GEL {REVIEW}

Having written many reviews over the years on RAIN products they're

 my go-to local brand for bath, body and home fragrance products.

Their humble beginnings started when their founder, Bev Missing, 

established Rain back in 1999 by making soaps in her garage in Ladybrand, 

a small rural village on the Free State border between 

South Africa and Lesotho. 

Today, Rain is a proudly South African international brand.

 There are currently 30 Rain retail stores across South Africa and the globe, 

including Ireland and New York.

The Botanical Natural unisex skincare collection was launched back in 

2019 with 9 products and now it consists of 10 skincare products.

The Exfoliating Facial Scrub has since been added to the original launch line-up

 and it just so happens to be "Currently Under Review" on Beauty Shout Box, 

so expect my full review to be posted soon.

I reviewed the Relaxing Night Serum back then and made mention

that this serum would be ideal for men to use due to it's formula being

effective, yet non sticky and quick to dispense and apply.

I soon after lost this serum to my hubby and he gave the product a 

massive thumbs up...

To read that review Click here

This time its the turn of the 

Botanical Cleansing Gel

Formulated using African botanicals such as Aloe Ferox, Honeybush and 

Bulbinella, this cleanser will gently remove any makeup and dirt while

 leaving your skin feeling clean, soothed and comfortable.

Other ingredients include:

 Green Tea

Coconut

Baobab

 Marula

 Moringa

&

 Mongongo Nut

Can be used by all skin types in your daily cleansing routine. 

Apply a small amount to wet hands, lather and gently massage onto face. 

Keep eyes closed to avoid irritation. 

Rinse well, pat dry and follow with rain serums and moisturisers.

A natural and gentle facial cleansing gel, formulated with probiotics 

and botanicals known for skin conditioning. 

Naturally fragranced with Spearmint and Grapefruit essential oils, that help

 turn this cleanser into a lovely uplifting and refreshing cleansing experience,

which is my ''standout" like about this product.

It's waterproof packaging with a handy flip lid makes this an ideal 

shower product.

I may just have to hide this cleanser, so hubby doesn't lay claim to it, 

but I have to admit... he would also love it!

RAIN

BOTANICAL

CLEANSING GEL

120mls

R

299

$

34

For more info about RAIN and their outlets

RAIN