QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPRS}

This is my first QPR post of 2019 and as a reminder

this type of post is where I do quick reviews on products that don't in my

opinion warrant a full dedicated post.

All of these reviews are on products that came from my Feelunique 

Beauty Advent Calendar.
(if you want to see more of the 24 beauty products that I received, then follow me over on Instagram and all of the daily openings are on the Beauty Highlights reel)

Unfortunately these 3 products are not readily available here in South Africa


1.

Brand : Sigma

Product : P82 Precision Round Brush

Price : $14

I thought this was a great inclusion in the feelunique beauty advent calendar

as who doesn't love a good quality professional make-up brush and this 

Sigma brush feels so good in the hand.

I found this precision round brush to have small dense bristles

making it ideal for applying cream eyeshadow base or primer onto the eyelid.

I don't think we have any stores retailing Sigma brushes in SA,however

 MUSE Beauty

are the authorised online retailer in South Africa and I may be checking out 

more Sigma brushes in the future.

Verdict : 8/10

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2.

Brand : This Works

Product : Deep Sleep Pillow Spray

Price : £18
Size : 75mls

Now I love pillow sprays and have used them on and off for several years.

My personal fave has been the Aromachology Relaxing Pillow Mist

by L'Occitane 

To read my full review

Designed to inspire a rejuvenating and deep sleep, this pillow spray is formulated with 100% pure essential oils of Lavender, Vetivert and Wild Chamomile.

 Spray onto your pillow before bedtime to aid a more natural sleep. 

Having heard such good things about this award winning pillow mist I was really excited to see the inclusion of a 10ml spray in the feelunique calendar and whilst I like the fragrance, it just doesn't

relax me as much as the L'Occitane one does.

Verdict : 6/10

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3.

Brand : FAB FIRST AID BEAUTY

Product : Facial Radiance Polish

Price : £20

Size : 100g

What I love about beauty advent calendars is the exposure you get to so many

new brands and many that we don't get here in SA.

FAB First Aid Beauty is one such brand and again I was excited to see the inclusion

of a generous 28g size of their Facial Radiance Polish.

 Using only natural exfoliants, including shea nut shell powder and willow bark extract, it gently buffs and polishes the skin leaving it smoother, brighter and with a more even finish. 

This polish gently exfoliates, purifies and cleanses the skin, leaving it clear, soft and renewed. Gentle is the key word here, as it can be used daily, I just found it too

gentle.

I have no real complaints about this product other than its earthy fragrance,

  I think that there are so

many good exfoliants and scrubs out there to choose from, that this just wouldn't 

be one of my choices or recommendations.

Verdict : 5/10

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QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPR} AUGUST 2018

Here's my latest QPR post on 3 products that I've recently tried and tested
including one where I broke all my own rules when buying...

1.

Brand : Catrice Cosmetics

Product : Ltd Edition

Price : R99.95

After me saying in a "zillion" of my posts how I rarely buy on impulse and how I 

always put prior thought into my purchases, well here is what happens 

when I break my own rule.

I even wrote a blog post very recently on How to Avoid Impulse Purchases

I end up buying things, that not only hugely disappoint, but end up not being used 

and this is exactly what happened with the Contour brush from 

Catrice Cosmetics.

 I was first drawn to how pretty this white contour brush was

 and how unusual the shape was (the bristles are longer on the one side) 

the idea is that brush picks up the product and then you apply to the cheek area

ensuring that you contoured in the correct place.

Unfortunately the application was a fail, as the bristles are too firm

making it unpleasant to use over the cheeks 
(I seemed to remove more of my foundation than deposit the contour).

 Obviously everyone's cheekbones are shaped differently and on me this brush 

was sadly totally ineffective.
It was a Ltd Edition and doubt that it's still available.

Verdict : 4/10

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2.

Brand : Dr. Teal's

Product : Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salts

Soothe & Sleep with Lavender

Size : 1000 mls

Price : R120.00

Having heard several good reports about the American Dr.Teals Epsom Salts
 (they combine the ancient benefits of pure Epsom salt with the 
revitalizing and restorative qualities of natural essential oils)

I thought I would give their liquid Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salts a try, 

as I love a good long soak in a bubble bath and it's even better if it 

comes in a Lavender fragrance.

There are several other therapeutic fragrant variants available:

Eucalyptus & Spearmint, 
Chamomile, 
Rosemary Mint, 
Milk & Honey,
 Ginger & Clay,
 Avocado, 
Pink Himalayan and Coconut Oil

However when it comes to foam baths I always opt for the calming,soothing 
qualities of Lavender over any other options.

This bottle is huge as its a 1 litre and whilst it produced great long lasting bubbles 

I was a little disappointed with the intensity of the rather weak Lavender aroma.

However this foam bath wins hands down on price versus quantity and I will for sure 

re purchase one of their other fragrances or perhaps opt for a bag of their 
Pure Epsom Salts.
Its a brand that offers so many different "well being" body and bath products 
that I may investigate into this range further.

Verdict : 8/10

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3.

Brand : Cotton On

Product : Double Wick Fragrance Candle

Size : 290 grams

Price : R249.95

R70.00 with any purchase

 I'm sure I'm like many of you reading this, in that I love a good fragrant candle, 

but I'm finding the price of some of my more expensive branded ones 

becoming a little prohibitive in terms of their pricing, 

so I'm always on the lookout for more affordable options, as I often have them

 burning either in my bathroom,bedroom, lounge or office,

 so as you can see it can work out fairly costly. 

I recently spotted these rather pretty candles in "Cotton On" 
that we're on special,

 (bought without any other store purchase they would retail for R249

or with any purchase R70) which I thought was a good price.

These medium sized, double wick,scented, Soya boxed candles came in an

 assortment of fragrances and unlit they both smelled amazing, 

so I bought two.The one above was Kiss (French Can Can) and the other I bought
was Wild ((English Pear Freesia)

They have burnt down evenly and the fragrance pay off is fairly good
and they also come in heavy duty, pretty pastel glass containers.

However I'm not sure if these will still be available, but it seems that

"Cotton On" change their candle range regularly, so if you see them again

for R70 with any purchase in the store then try one, but at their

full price of R249 I personally wouldn't pay that.

Verdict : 8/10

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QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPR} JUNE 2018

My last QPR post was back in March,so I thought it was time to bring you
up to speed on some products that I've been trying since then.

~~~~~~

1.

Brand : Mineraline

Product : Invigorating Aloe Vera Gel

250ml

Price : R125

Aloe Vera is well known for treating burns, skin abrasions and irritations,

by quickly cooling and soothing the affected area.

My tube of Mineraline Invigorating Aloe Vera Gel was put to the test recently

 when the London "Kiddiewink" arrived for a month's holiday

 and managed to over expose his skin, in other words he got sunburnt.

Initially this soft green tinted gel feels quite sticky on application

but when it dries down the stickiness disappears and leaves the skin

feeling soothed and calmed.

It turned out to be a life saver and the inclusion of Dead Sea Minerals

and Vitamin B5 ensured that the skin was left feeling moisturised.

I've been using as an all over body gel and I'm loving both the consistency 

and the cooling effects of the gel.It would be great for a Summer body gel.

Apparently it can also be used to calm an irritated scalp.

This product offers great value for an affordable price of R125

for a generous 250mls of product and is definitely one to add to 

your shopping list.

Verdict : 8/10

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2.

Brand : Dove

Product : DermaSpa Goodness3 Hand Cream

75ml

Price : R49.95 (Current price as its 20% off at Clicks)

Dove have recently launched a hand cream as part of their 

DermaSpa range of products.

On application It immediately smells spa-like, as it's fragranced with Vanilla,
Musk and coconut and blended with Omega Oil.
Without doubt it leaves your hands feeling comfortably moisturised and velvety
soft.It's fast absorbing and great to massage into your cuticles and nails, its
like giving yourself a hand spa treatment at home.
This is, a good affordable hand cream backed by the research and development
of Dove. 

Verdict : 7/10

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3.

Brand : Rimmel 

Product : Lip Liner 1000 Kisses

Shade : Cappuccino

Price : R95.00

On a previous QPR post I reviewed the inexpensive Ultra Last Lip Liner from

Essence and I was suitably impressed and it encouraged me to try

another lip liner, this time one from Rimmel.

Not being "big" on lining my lips I only have the essence one to compare

this Rimmel one to.

I found this one to be a much harder pencil and not as long lasting, despite

the colour being good, I much prefer the texture of the essence and it

comes in way cheaper than the Rimmel. 

Verdict : 5/10

QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPR} MARCH 2018

My last QPR post was way back on the 1st January, so I think this
post is long overdue

so here is my one for March...

This is the first time I have ever given a score of 0/10 for any of the 

products that I have reviewed on my QPR.

Let me start with the hugely disappointing item first...


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1.

Brand : Cala 

Product : Bamboo Fan Make-up Brush

Price : R59.95

I have been on the look out for sometime now for a Fan make-up brush for 
applying powder highlighter, but surprisingly they're not that easy to find.
 I spotted this one in Dischem and thought it's not expensive
 I'll give it a try, with hindsight Dischem is where I should have left it.

The natural bristles are soft, in fact their too soft making it difficult for
 the brush to pick up any product and then it's just as difficult to apply
 to the cheeks. 

The only good thing that I can say about this brush - it's a fantastic brush to 
clean away the dust between the keys on your keyboard.

Verdict : 0/10

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2.

Brand : L.O.V.

Product : LipAffair Colour & Care Lipstick Shade 530
Price : R209

L.O.V. Cosmetics can be found in Dischem and on Takealot and I've used

several of their products now and I enjoy this high end drugstore range.

I still rate their nail polishes as the longest wearing and I also rate this

LipAffair Colour & Care Lipstick.

It has a quality heavy feel in the hand and has a click and magnetic 

clasp release.

The formula glides on beautifully and is enriched with Kendi Oil and

 Hyaluronic acid, the pigment is good and on me I found it to be long wearing.

Definitely one to consider if you are looking for a new lipstick

Verdict : 9/10

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3.

Brand : HASK

Product : Blue Chamomile & Argan Oil Blonde Care Deep Conditioner 

50g

Price : R59.95

I actually knew nothing about this haircare brand and spotted quite and 
extensive range on the shelves in Clicks.
After a little research HASK is made in the USA and features exotic
oils and other unique ingredients from around the world
Free of: sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten and drying alcohol.
Bring back your color clarity with Hask blue chamomile & argan oil 
blonde care deep conditioner. 
This light blue violet treatment helps neutralize unwanted yellow tones
 and reduce brassiness. 
Formulated with blue chamomile to help lighten and boost blonde tones 
and argan oil to help repair and protect coarse blonde hair, leaving you
 hair feeling soft and silky.

I found the 50g sachet enough to condition my hair for 4 applications,

so its pretty cost effective.

Verdict : 7/10

QUICKIE PRODUCT REVIEWS {QPR} JANUARY 2018

My first post for 2018 is a QPR (Quickie Product Review) and today 
I have three "cheap n cheerful" make-up items to give you feedback on.

Brand : Maybelline

Product : Baby Lips Electro (Pink Shock)

Price : R37

  

This may seem like a strange product for me to go out and buy, 
but I didn't, as it was actually a free gift in a magazine, so I thought I would 
add it into my QPR post for January.

Initially I had wide eyes at the neon colour, thankfully it transforms onto
the lips as a lovely toned down pink shade.

I was pleasantly surprised and I found that over the holidays it was a lip balm 
that I constantly kept reaching for.
 I enjoyed how comforting it felt on my lips
and it claims to offer 8 hours of hydration,which I won't dispute.

It was moisturising in a non greasy way and the soft, sheer pink colour just added
 to its appeal, along with the price.

Verdict : 8/10

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Brand : Catrice

Product : Glam & Doll False Lashes Waterproof Mascara

Price : R79.95

Mascaras are a difficult item to review as it's such a personal choice

as we each have different needs from our favourite make-up item.

The brush on this mascara is curved with short bristles, which I like

 as it allows for easy application on individual lashes in order to create

volume and definition and give the appearance of wearing false lashes.
On longer lashes it may give that affect, but on my "shorties" not so much

Not being a huge fan of waterproof mascaras I enjoyed

using this on my recent vacation, but I can't say it's the best on
the waterproof front.
However if you like mascaras with this style of wand and you are wanting
a false lash look then it could be one to check out 
without breaking the "beauty bank".
It's only available in deep black.

Verdict : 6/10

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Brand : Essence

Product : Ultra Last Lip liner

Price : R26.95

Not normally a wearer of a lip liner, yet many years ago I used to always 

use one and to be honest I'm not sure when or why I stopped using.

I thought I would buy a cheap option just to test the lip liner waters again.
It claims to be "smooth & Gliding which it is, but I can't say that its waterproof
(waterproof is quite a claim in a lip liner)
Would I buy this again? Yes and they have a good selection of colours 
and its another good affordable option.

Verdict : 7/10

To read my monthly QPR'S

Click here