SEPHORA PEARL FACE MASK {REVIEW}

The fact that it takes me so long to put sheet face masks to the test,

 is a sure sign, that they''re not my favourite.

Despite this, I still get drawn into buying them and then I have them sit around for 

months and months waiting to be used.

I have such good intentions that never seem to materialise, until today, as I 

have dug deep into my sheet mask stash and decided to give

the SEPHORA Pearl Face Mask whirl...

Their own, highly rated, in-house brand called the SEPHORA COLLECTION 

covers most skincare products and they have an extensive assortment on offer 

when comes to sheet face masks.

I could have picked up so many that sounded interesting but I opted for the 

SEPHORA Pearl Face Mask 

Perfecting & Brightening

  Enriched with white pearl from natural origin, it drew me in with claims that it's 

ideal for tired, dull and fatigued skin.

A natural lyocell fiber mask perfects and brightens the skin to create high luminosity 

that visibly minimizes irregularities. 

It also claims to be designed to perfectly hug facial contours for better 

and more even penetration of the active ingredients.

How to apply:

Unfold the mask 

Peel away the plastic backing

Apply the mask onto a cleansed, dried face. 
After 15 minutes, remove the mask and gently massage, 

allowing the excess product to penetrate the skin. 

No need to rinse.

*Paraben Free, Dermatologically tested and Not Tested on Animals*

Here lies one of my many problems with a sheet face mask, they never seem to fit 

my face and 15 mins with some, can seem like 15 minutes of a "Beauty Nightmare" 

rather than "Beauty Heaven".

I personally find that some can be quite difficult and fiddly to apply, as well as

 being rather time-consuming. 

So what did I think of the SEPHORA Pearl Sheet Mask:

1. 

Application and fitting of the thin mask was way easier than some and it seemed to fit

my face pretty well, with only a few adjustments and it didn't slip down my face.

2. 

There was no shortage of serum both on the sheet and in the sachet.

(You can save the serum for another time as long as you close up the sachet tightly)

3. 

The mask does have a noticeable peach fragrance,I didn't find it unpleasant, but it 

may not suit all skins.

4. 

The mask did feel very cool and refreshing on the skin, which I enjoyed.

5.

It was also good to see that there was very little serum left on the sheet 

once I removed meaning that my skin had taken in the active serum.

The clear gel textured serum was surprisingly non greasy and my skin

had absorbed nearly all of it and just a quick massage ensured that any traces of 

serum were completely absorbed.

6.

The mask performed well and my skin was left feeling amazing, not too sure

if it looked any brighter though, but it felt good.

Whilst I wouldn't personally rush out to buy another Pearl Sheet Mask 

I would highly recommend to anyone that is a lover of a good sheet mask.

I know that sounds somewhat contradictory, but personally, I've come to terms 

that I don't enjoy the whole experience of sheet masking.

 A further important point,I feel sheet masks work out to be very expensive for 

essentially just one a "one shot" of active ingredients

so I've taken the decision that I will not be buying anymore until I've used up my 

current sheet mask collection and even then I would rather invest money in 

a bottle of serum rather than a serum soaked, single use sheet mask.

Let me know, in the comments below, if you perhaps feel like me or do you

love a sheet masks...

SEPHORA

Pearl Sheet Mask

1 sheet

R

SEPHORA N/A in SA

$

6

SEPHORA ROSE QUARTZ FACIAL MASSAGER/ROLLER {REVIEW}

Facial Rollers are not a new beauty tool, crystal-based rollers like the jade roller and rose quartz roller are skin-care tools said to be used in ancient skin-care rituals,

but over the past couple of years

they've become something of a "must have" beauty aid.

I've sat on the fence with buying into this trend of the moment, as I'm

really not sure if it's a beauty "fad" or a "friend".

Whilst both rollers do a similar job, the rose quartz appealed to me more, 

firstly because its pink, secondly it stays cooler longer and thirdly rose quartz is a 

heavier stone and  these differences clinched it for me.

 Rose Quartz is known for its skin nourishing properties and “love” energy.

Regular use of a rose quartz roller supports lymphatic drainage to reduce the 

appearance of puffiness and wrinkles, as it cools and soothes your skin.

For extra cooling and soothing place the roller in the refrigerator.

The stone is naturally cold, but this extra temperature drop will support circulation and natural collagen production, drain congested lymph nodes, rid the body of toxins, and help with sinus issues.

With age I have noticed that my face has become more puffy, especially under the 

eye area and above the cheek bones, where I tend to get those pockets of fluid,

which are very noticeable when I smile and I simply don't like it.

With my daily rolling  routine I've been focusing on using the smaller roller

to massage and drain that bothersome area and I can happily report that I have 

noticed a difference, so for that improvement alone, its been worth the purchase.

Have I noticed any other improvements? 

not really, but I do look forward to taking a daily 2-5 mins to massage my face 

and neck and I find the coolness incredibly soothing and relaxing.

I don't find it a chore at all and I think that's where the success of any beauty gadget

lies, you have to enjoy the process to keep the momentum going and the benefits

 will follow.

I do have a backstory to this purchase, as it wasn't planned.The main reason

for not buying a rose quartz roller earlier was my uncertainty about the 

quality of the actual rose quartz, as the market is flooded with a variety 

of qualities and prices, so it has never made it onto me beauty "wishlist".

Lets fast forward to early February 2020 and standing in the aisle of doom in 

Sephora Dubai, clutching at my purchases as I never take a basket

it's just too tempting, I spotted Sephora's own brand Rose Quartz Roller.

Curiosity got the better of me and after feeling the quality and more importantly

 the weight I decided it was now or never, so in my arms it also went.

I didn't look at the price, big mistake, so when I got to the checkout I was slightly 

taken aback with the final rand price of R560 once converted from 140 Dirhams.

(May 2020 it equates to R668)

However the price faded into insignificance after a couple of uses, as the roller

is a quality well made weighty product, with no squeaking of the well balanced

smooth rollers.

How To Use:

Use the larger end of the massager for bigger areas of the face such as the cheeks and forehead.
Use the smaller end for more delicate areas of the face such as under the eyes, 

between brows, and on nose.

After cleansing and toning, you can apply your normal serum, creams etc.,as this 

will help the Facial Roller glide across the skin with ease, but I actually found my roller

 to glide beautifully on occasion over a dry skin, but the roller will help products to absorb better, therefore increasing the products benefits.

I leave my roller on my dressing table, as the success of any beauty aid, I believe is

to keep it in sight, rather than tucked away in a drawer or cupboard.

I generally zip over my face in the morning and again in the evening 

and very occasionally during the day if I've no make-up on and it takes me 

a couple of minutes and then I'm done, but you can spend longer.

Below is the natural way that I tend to roll, but as long as you remember to roll

upwards and outwards, you can't go wrong.

Begin rolling by starting at the center of the face, under the eyes and cheekbones, 

moving out toward the hairline in short, gentle strokes. 
Move down to the jawbone, still working in short strokes, starting at the chin, and 

moving out toward the bottom of the ears.
Next, roll above the eyebrows and forehead in an out and up motion. 
Use the smaller roller around the eyes and take extra care in this area. 
To end, very gently roll down the sides of the neck and then toward the center of 

the clavicle.

Are the crystal rollers/massagers a beauty "fad" or a "friend" and we will see thousands

 of rollers condemned to the crystal roller graveyard in a few years time?

Well I think that's entirely up to each individual, but for now I'm happy to spend

 2-5 mins of indulgent daily self care....

Let me know in the comments below if you have a Jade or Rose Quartz roller

and if it's still in use or has it sadly been decommissioned.

SEPHORA

ROSE QUARTZ

ROLLER

R

N/A in SA

$

20

SEPHORA WEBSITE

BEAUTY PRODUCTS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW {APRIL 2020}

I have 3 products under review this month and whilst 2 were purchased from the beauty Mecca Sephora, I also have one that was a simple (excuse the pun, I shouldn't resist) supermarket beauty purchase.

To be more correct I have 2 beauty products and 1 beauty aid that I'll be reviewing,

so be sure to pop back during April to see exactly what I think about the below items.

 1.

I've sat on the fence for literally years on this beauty aid rather than a product

and finally I succumbed and invested in a very pretty

Sephora Rose Quartz Roller.

It was more expensive than I thought it would be, but I've always been a little

sceptical about fake Quartz and Jade rollers and thought the one from Sephora

would be the genuine thing.

I just hope I haven't wasted my money here but I suppose only time will tell, 

so let me start my daily rolling.

~~~~~~

2.

My supermarket purchase was from a very affordable skincare range and having

tried several of their products before and enjoyed I'm looking forward to putting 

to the test their

SIMPLE Water Boost Micellar Water

~~~~~~

3.

My second purchase from Sephora was one of their own brand sheet masks

The Freezing Mask

Sephora without doubt have the best selection of affordable face masks and even 

though I have dozens of sheet masks that I still have to try, I still buy more.

I was drawn to this as it's different to any others I've seen, it has an 

instant toning effect on the skin thanks to Eucalyptus  Extract and an ice effect

Menthol, so I can't wait to give you feedback.

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

BEAUTY PRODUCTS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW {MARCH 2020}

It's the beginning of another new month and that means it's time to let

you know which products I will be reviewing during March.

The reviews on the 4 products below will all be posted over the next couple weeks,

so you won't have to wait long.

GATINEAU products aren't new to me, in fact I used to rep for GATINEAU 

back in the mid 1980's, which meant I used their products for many years, 

so it's nice to re visit this brand by trying their 

Cleanser and Toner for Sensitive Skin.

Last month I reviewed their FLORACIL Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover and had 

forgotten just how good it was.

 To read my full review

*NOW POSTED*

Cleanser Review

Toner Review

~~~~~~

SEPHORA Pearl Face Mask went into my shopping basket on a recent visit 

to Dubai and whilst I'm not the best at using sheet masks,I'm more likely to apply

a face mask from a pot or a tube, this appealed to me, so I will make every 

 effort to put this one to the test very soon and let you know if it's worth adding to

your next SEPHORA shopping basket.

*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review

~~~~~~

FENTY BEAUTY this was an absolute splurge for me, as I don't normally

spend so much on a mascara. However after hearing so many outstanding reports

on this latest launch FULL FRONTAL I decided to spoil myself.

SEPHORA were also in full force, excuse the pun, with their launch events etc.

so it seemed like the perfect time to get on board, hopefully I'm on board

otherwise I've wasted my money and as you all know I hate nothing worse than

wasting money on over hyped beauty products.


*NOW POSTED*

To read my full review

SEPHORA - WAS IT MY BEAUTY HEAVEN?

Every Beauty Blogger and beauty addict alike will know of the French brand and chain SEPHORA, but did you know that SEPHORA has been around since 1970, as that's when it opened its first store in Paris and I was lucky enough to visit it last week. Behind this rather insignificant shop front and entrance on the Champs Elysee lies an Aladdin's cave of fragrances,make-up, skincare and all beauty products imaginable. 

Champs Elysee SEPHORA

A walk down the red carpet

As you enter the store and walk down the red carpet, all of your senses are literally bombarded at once...I found my eyes flitting everywhere trying to visually take in as much as possible, I could hear people talking in every conceivable language and the air was filled with a heady mix of so many of the newly launched fragrances..I thought I had entered beauty heaven.....but was it my beauty heaven?

My initial excitement and frenzied state soon settled as I began to realise that this was not the "heaven" as I had first thought. I have been to the SEPHORA in Times Square New York and several around Europe, but this was most definitely the largest and busiest for me and sometimes "busy" and "large" are not always the best! 

A small part of the nail section

You will find all of the well known International brands and to us here in South Africa many of the not so well known. Departments have been created for nails, hair, tanning, just name it and you will find it in its section, so navigating the store was easy. I found the consultants very helpful and knowledgeable about their brand and products and everywhere you turned make-overs, mini-manis and layering events were happening on counter. Fragrance promoters were in abundance and with every few steps I took deeper into the store I was approached by another "cheery well groomed" consultant, asking me to try yet another new fragrance, so be warned , as it does become irritating and distracting after about the twentieth approach...

and I am not joking! 

A beautiful display of J'adore on the Dior counter

A large light box advertising the Dior Addict Fluid Stick

Whilst the cosmetic counters and displays are amazing, the selection of brands is unbelievable and you truly are spoilt for choice, I came away non the wiser about anything new. It was too overwhelming and hectic to gather your thoughts and process any new information and I sincerely doubt its a conducive environment for you to make decisions with regards to expensive skincare and make-up purchases. I would recommend that if you are in Paris and have lots of time and money, as you will need both, then pop in. Sadly I was left feeling like my beauty heaven was not all that it initially seemed and a lot has to be said for the quieter cosmetic stores back in South Africa where you can leisurely buy your products!

P.S For your info.. I was accosted by the security several times for taking photos inside the store, so apologies for so few and the poor quality!

Click here to read about SEPHORA Pantone Foundation Match

To read about the SEPHORA 18k Gold Nail Polish