Essence Colour Flash Volume Macara - Haul & Review

Hi There

I spotted the Essence Colour Flash Volume Mascaras on the Essence stand at Dischem a few weeks ago.  They retail for R49.

Shades
01 miss early green-birdy (the green shade)
02 miss sue blue (the blue shade)
03 miss mary berry (the dark pink berry shade)
04 miss louise turquoise (the turquoise shade)
05 miss lila deleila (the purple shade)

I originally bought every shade except 03 miss mary berry.  The next day I returned the purple and the green shade unopened.  I realised that I was being a bit greedy.

I have worn the blue mascara a few times and have received compliments.  I applied the LA Girl Glide Gel liner Crayon in GP363 Royal Blue on my top and bottom lash-line.  Then I took an angled brush and ran the brush over the liner with an eyeshadow in the same colour as the liner.  This makes the liner stay on even longer and vibrant.  Then I applied at least two to three coats of the blue mascara.  This mascara is very volumising.  It lets you apply a few coats without clumping.  So I am impressed with this mascara.

These are obviously not for everyday wear, but you could definitely brighten up your day every now and again with these beauties.

Are you planning to try these out?

Review : Beauty Treats Lip Crayon

Hi there

I found the Beauty Treats Lip Crayon while browsing in Dischem.  They sell for R19.95 each.  "Twist-up lip colour, lightweight and hydrates"

A while back I received an Elf Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in a haul which I liked.  It is great to have an all in one twist up lipstick & gloss which is quick and easy to apply to leave in your purse.  The market has blown up with these jumbo lip pencils (NYX, Revlon, Clinique, Elf etc).

I was glad to find a cheaper version of the high end jumbo sticks and wondered if they where any good being R19.95.  I purchased four of six shades the Beauty Treats Lip Crayons.

Product description:
A creamy lip colour that provides build-able coverage with a twist up core so it doesn't require sharpening. Lip crayons come in 6 creamy colours.

The packaging do not have any shade names on it. There was only four of the six shades left on the shelf.  The colours I got are:-
- A pink shade
- A plum shade
- A mauve pink shade
- A Coral Shade

I was pleasantly surprised, I expected these not to have any colour pay-off.  I was going to be honest even if these where not good.  It was just the opposite.  The quality was better than I thought.  The consistently is good.  The colour pay-off is really good, very pigmented.  There is no unpleasant taste or smell.  My favourite one is the plum shade which is most flattering on me.  This one stays in my handbag.  Its quick and easy to apply before meetings.  I apply a lip balm before applying these lip crayons.  I also do not need to apply a lip liner before applying these.



Thanks for reading
Nats

Essence 2013 Oz The Great and Powerful Collection

I always wait in anticipation to see what Essence next collection will be.  Just like lots of people can't wait for Mac's new collections.  Its no secret that I like Essence as a brand.  

From the picture of the collection below I only picked up two things: The Highlighter Powder and the Cream blush.

The reason I picked up the Highlighter Powder was because the last highligher Essence released from the Twilight range was awesome and has become my everyday HG highlighter.  This powder has a good look to it (the embossing on the powder).  Makes me not want to mess the embossing.  Anyhoo, its a very smooth powder and I can actually use it as a setting powder instead as sadly there is no highlighting effect as all. 

The cream blush I have not used yet.  I guess I am scared because I have never tried a cream bush before and I want to experiments on the best way to apply it and not look like a clown.  Not sure if I am going to keep it or pass it onto a friend but I love the shade.

Here are swatches of the Cracked nail polishes;

 V.l.n.r 02 Winds of Change, 01 Master of Illusion

More swatches from the collection:

V.l.n.r. Cream Blush 01 Beware the wicked witch, Lipbalm 01 Glinda the good, Eyepencil 01 Fragile but feisty, Eyeshadow 01 Goodness

All pictures where taken from google.

Cant wait for the next Essence collection.

XOXO

Revlon Photoready Review & Shade Matching Chart

Hi There

About two years ago I received a sample of Revlon Photoready foundation in a magazine and I tried it out.  I quiet liked it.  Last year I was offered a makeover at a Revlon counter and the makeup artist used this foundation on me.  I read lots of reviews where people said that it had glitter chunks in it and makes their face look like disco ball..  Well that does not show on me and I have received compliments while wearing it. I use it alone on most days as I love the finish of it on my skin. It is also a great mixing foundation  to mix with another foundations that is too thick and cakey.  It seems to balance it out and gives a nice finish to the skin. I was sad when I tried to pump some out last week and realized there was none left and that I used up the whole bottle.  

I am in between an NC25 and N30.  I am currently using 008 Golden Beige, but now that we are in winter, I can definitely try a shade lighter in Photoready as well as in Colorstay.  I have mixed my Photoready with Colorstay when I need more coverage with very good results.  I have also mixed it with Clarins Everlasting Foundation.  I use it alone when I do not need full on coverage which is most days.  It has decent staying power and looks nice after being set with a powder.  It gives my skin a healthy look and evens out my skin-tone with no cakiness whatsoever. It is also build-able from a medium coverage to a fuller medium coverage, if that makes any sense. Best of all, it comes with a nice pump!  I will definitely repurchase.

Below is a Revlon  Photoready Shade Maching Chart created by Miss Wan ( http://fashionismycrush.blogspot.com/2010/01/revlon-photoready-foundation-shade.html )  She is a Youtube Guru who I follow religiously.  Her online name is fashionismycrush.  The shade matching chart was created by her after she did her research.  Please follow the link above to her blogpost to see how she collated the data for the chart.  Also, if you subscribe to her You tube channel, you will not be sorry.  It also helps that she is wears the same shade / tones as me.

Bear in mind where you fall in terms of your own MAC shade. For example, you may be in the lighter or darker end of the spectrum in NC35. Some tips on using the chart above:
- This chart was created as a guide, please use it as a reference point.
- Your undertone (either pink or yellow) will play a major role in shade determination.
- The Revlon Photoready shades do NOT correspond to the Revlon Colorstay shades.
- 006 Medium Beige is darker than 008 Golden Beige.
- NC20 & NW20 are overwhelmingly 003 Shell.
- There is a alternate pattern as the shade numbers increase moving from pink to yellow, pink to yellow.
- 006 & 008 can be mixed to create shades NC30 - NC37.
- Some shades (very light/very dark) may not be available in your area.
- Word on the street is darker shades such as Caramel & Mocha are available.
- Always feel free to mix shades to create your perfect shade.

I hope this post has been helpful. Please leave a comment below and let me know if you have tried this foundation.  I know hat some people tend to love it and some people tend to dislike it.  Different strokes for different folks! lol

XOXO

New Essence Products & BB Cream Review

All pictures where taken from google.

I must say that for a very affordable brand, Essence is really stepping up to the plate.

Look at how cute those makeup sponges are!  Those sponges in other brands are a bit pricey.

I saw every product in store except for the sponges, they must be arriving soon.

I did not pick up the either of the powders as I have the Catrice Loose Prime and Fine Powder as well as the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder which are going to last for a while.

I did pick up the Essence Match 2 Cover Concealer as I am almost out of my HG Elizabeth Arden Maximum Coverage Concealer which I absolutely adore and have purchased twice.  The Elizabeth Arden once is pricey considering it gets finished very quickly.  So I was hoping to try an affordable alternative.

The back of the packaging states :-

"Cream Concealer - high coverage of skin imperfections and dark circles. 2 shades to perfectly match your skin-tone"

So the idea is to mix the two in order to find the correct tone for you. I only purchased it a day ago and have not really used it on my skin or under eyes.  I did test it on my hand when I got home.  It's a little drier than I would like it to be, so It would be good for my blemishes but hopefully not too dry for my under-eye which is where I need concealer daily.  I think I may just need to warm the product between my fingers first then apply to the eye area.  My fingers are crossed that this works for me.

The Essence all-in-one BB Creams come in 3 shades : 01 Universal, 02 Natural & 03 Medium.

Universal has a yellow undertone and suites my Mac NC30 skin-tone well.

Natural has a Neutral undertone for fair skin-tones, suitable for pink undertones as well in my opinion.

Medium looks like it has a yellow undertone as well and is slightly darker than the first two shades

It has SPF30, is fragrance and oil free, dermatologist tested.  This was the reason I picked this up as my skin is super sensitive. I did wear this today and set it with mineral powder, so far so good. 

Other products being launched from Essence in 2013 are:-

Stay Matte Lip Cream

Velvet Rose (01)
Smooth Berry (02)
Soft Nude (03)
Silky Red (04)

3D Eyeshadow

Irresistble Green (01)
Irresistble Purrple (02)
Irresistble First Love (03)
Irresistble Caramel Cream (04)
Irresistble Blue Sky (05)
Irresistble Mermaid Kiss (06)
Irresistble Smokey Eye (07)
Irresistble Vanilla Latte (08)
Irresistble Chocolates (09)

Stays No Matter What Waterpoof Eye Pencil (In-store. I can kick myself for not picking this up)

Schwarz
Braun
Grau

Stays No Matter What Waterproof Eyeliner (in Store. I fail at putting these on my eyes, my hands are not steady. I always admire it on everyone else)

I ♥ Punk Jumbo Eyeliner Pen (In store)

Stays No Matter What 24h Waterproof Volume Mascara (in Store)

All Eyes on Me Waterproof Multi-Effect Mascara (In Store)

Maximum Length Mascara (in Store)

I ♥ Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara (in Store.  I love this mascara and have done a review already)

Gel Tint (Not in store yet.  I am dying to try these.  Hopefully as good as the pricey and highly raved about YSL ones and the L'oreal ones)

Deep Red (02)
Flashy Apricot (03)
Hot Red (01)
Pink Exposed (04)

There are lots more products coming out as per their website like lashes and lash glue and lots more colours from their nail polish line, bronzers, nail art etc.  The list goes on.

I am so happy to have a brand like Essence that keeps up to date with the trends of high end brands at an affordable price.

Have you picked up any of the Essence stuff lately?  Please let us know in the comments below if the products whee a hit or miss.

Thanks for reading

XOXO

Review : Revlon 24 Hours Gentle Cleansing Milk

I purchased this product months back and have since finished the bottle. It was purchased from Dischem for about R54 for a 400ml bottle. The bottle is very big so it was cheap for the quantity that you get.  The L"oreal one is about R90 or much less product so this was value for money.  The packaging looks expensive and comes with a lovely pump. It says that it is suitable for all.skin types.

The texture of this product is more of a cleansing lotion instead of a cleansing milk.
Cleansing milks work better in my experience and opinion. So it looked and worked like a cleansing lotion, which was just okay.  I also was not fond of the slight "relaxer" smell it had.  But the smell disappeared once I wiped it off my face two minutes later.

When you pump it out the bottle it dispenses a cream coloured lotion which I apply to my face. I then take three tissues (doubled on top of each other) then wipe off.  I then follow with a cleansing wipe (Clicks brand).

My opinions:-
  I was initially happy to find an affordable cleansing milk, which are generally more expensive and effective than cleansing lotions. Cleansing milks remove makeup off your skin way better.  But this was not a milk as it says on the bottle, rather it is a lotion.
I did not enjoy the smell.
I loved the packaging, and the quantity you get at the affordable price I paid.

I still want to try Revlon's other cleansing milk called - Eterna 27+ Softening Cleansing Milk.
Since I finished this cleansing milk, I am using the Victorian Garden Cleansing Cream that I received in a swap from a friend. It works better. I.see more makeup.come off onto my tissue and I use less of the product.  I will do a review on this at a later stage.

Xoxo

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara

I have been testing this mascara out for a few weeks now. I purchased it from Woolworths.  The sales assistant applied it over my other mascara (not very sensible) but anyhoo I liked the look of it.

The brush is quite large, just like the Revlon Growluscious Plumping Mascara.  Large brushes give lots of volume, which I like.  I find I have to apply to the lashes on one eyelid, then do the second eyelid, then repeat the process on both sets of lashes, which I normally do with most mascaras.  Then I get good volume and length from this mascara.

I like both the Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping and the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascaras and feel that they both are the same.  I still think that the regular Growluscious (the one that came out first) is better than both these mascaras which gives extreme length, volume and extra black colour to the lashes.  The Revlon one is also cheaper.  As you know Smashbox is not cheap.  So I would buy Revlon and save money.

Overall I do like this mascara, especially since it has the huge brush that does give volume.  

Essence - I ♥ Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara

I have read a few posts on how good this mascara was.  I have tried a few Essence mascaras before and was not impressed by any of them.  I love most Essence products, but the mascaras never wowed me.    I have thin sparse lashes and am always looking for the best mascara high or low end.
Since Essence is very affordable, I thought I would try it out without breaking the bank and be sad if it was a miss.

I am happy to report that I like it.
- extreme volume thanks to the innovative large plastic brush
- the upper end is ideal for definition and for applying mascara to hard-to-reach areas
- extra-black lashes due to deep-black texture
- compatibility ophthalmologically confirmed

It really does give volume without having to go over the lashes a few times like I normally do.
It does not really give my lashes any length, but in terms of volume, I get fuller, thicker lashes in a shorter application time.

It is alway nice to find an affordable drugstore option.

Essence Colour Arts Eye Base

I was on my lunch break the other day when I stopped at the Essence counter, like I always do, and saw the Essence "Colour Arts Eye Base"  I am already in love with their first eyeshadow primer they sell  "I love Stage Eye Base".  So I had to try this one. As you know, Essence is very affordable.

It is a transparent eyeshadow base which allows a smooth application of  color pigments and guarantees long-lasting and intensive eye make-up thanks to its great bonding effect.

This product is part of Essence new trend "Colour Arts"  This eye base is supposed to be perfect when applying  pigments.  I applied this eye base with my normal pressed eyeshadow and it lasted all day.  I am sure when I do try it with my pigments, it will last all day as well.  Two of the pigment tester shades really impressed me and where gorgeous but alas I stopped myself from purchasing as I have so many already. These pigments are such good quality, comparable to high end pigments but at such an affordable price.

Other products from this trend:

Charlie Revlon Shine Divine Lipcolor

Hi there

I did a haul post on my blog about items I received from my bff, and these lipcolours where part of that haul. I did not use them when I received them and I decided this week to pull them out and see if they are any good.  I was so impressed on just the first application.

My Findings:-
- Opaque and pigmented.  Great colour payoff.  Only one coat is needed.
- Its like a combination of lipstick and lipgloss.
- Intense colour of a lipstick and the shine of a lipgloss.
- Moisturizing and non drying
- Long lasting
- Built in slanted applicator.  No mess no fuss.
- Twist up applicator. Only one twist needed.

003 Mocachinno on the left
001 Royal Plum on the right

I tried them with and without a lip primer (Mac prep and prime lip primer) and was happy with the reluts both times.

I went to.see what other colors they had in store but haven't found them yet at Dischem or Clicks.  They where purchased on sale at Edgar's so I will try there next. I hope these are not discontinued because they are awesome. My favorite out of the two is 003 Mochaccino. Its an everyday wearable colour that looked great with every eye look I wore to work this past week.
The other colour I have is 001 Royal Plum. As the name suggests, it is a rich plum colour, perfect for evening looks or day looks where you do dramatic eyeliner with no eyeshadow and deep plum or Berry lips.  I love this look.when I wear red clothes.

xoxo

Review: New Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipsticks

At the end of February I was in the queue at Woolworth's waiting to pay when I spotted the March 2013 Destiny Magazine.  What caught my eye? Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipsticks FREE with the purchase of the magazine.  This magazine costs R29.90. The free lipstick was a full size and not a mini and retails for R145.

Needless to say I took four.  The teller looked at me like I was crazy but I didn't care.
There where only four shades to choose from:

- 040 Flashing Lights - peachy coral

- 015 Runway - nudey brown

- 005 Muse - light mauve

- 035 Backstage - raisin brown

These lipstick apply exactly as the name suggests "suede".  It goes on smooth and moisturising.  After about 20 minutes it settles to a matte finish.  Essentially matte lipsticks are long-wearing lipsticks, and they last a long time on the lips.  Matte lipsticks also tend to be drying on the lips which feels uncomfortable, so you need to apply a lip balm underneath.

By force of habit with all lipsticks, I always apply lip balm, lip primer, lip liner, lipstick and top it off with some lipgloss. (A lot, I know)  but using a lip primer ensures me that my lipstick will wear for a longer period.  I did not own any long-wear lipsticks so this was essential for me.

This lipstick does not really require a primer and will last for a long time on it's own.  Though adding a lipgloss does make the lipstick less long wearing.  So, these lipsticks have vibrant colour pay-off and are long-wearing.
People who don't like matte lipsticks will not enjoy it. However, adding a lip balm and a lipgloss transforms it into a regular lipstick.

I have used Flashing Lights and Runway.  Backstage and Muse I will be giving to a friend.

Have you tried these Revlon lipsticks?  If so what was your impression of them?

Xoxo

Revlon Photoready BB Cream

I went to the Dischem Beauty sale saw that the Revlon BB Cream has finally landed in our stores, I had to pick it up only because it had such good reviews.
Revlon Photoready BB Cream comes in 4 shades, Fair, light/Medium, Medium and Deep.

It has the following claims:
- HYDRATES like moisturizer
- SMOOTHES like primer
- COVERS like foundation
- BLURS FLAWS like concealer
- PROTECTS with SPF 30 like sunscreen

My first impressions of this was that it is way better than the Garnier BB Cream which I gave away and didn't bother to review.  The Garnier one was too pink, did not cover anything and clogged my pores.

I was happy to find that there is four shades. Normally fair is too light and medium is too dark for me.
Light / Medium is an okay match for me.  It has better coverage than the Garnier BB Cream.  It is not so pink like the Garnier one either.  It is slightly dark for me but not by much.  I can get away with it especially in the evening time.  I can also mix it with my Colorstay foundation or Estee Lauder Double Wear foundations which are such dry foundations.  This will add moisture to those formulations.  It can also be used under a foundation as a primer.  I applied it with my fingers and instead of using concealer, I added a second coat after the first one.  I also always set this with a powder.

I have mainly used this in the evening only because it is summer now and worry that it will slide off my face because of the moisturising properties.  I cant wait to try this out in winter as I am always looking for more moisture during this season.

Has anyone tried this BB Cream?  If so, please leave me a comment and let me know how you like it.

xoxo