CALA STUDIO MASTER PROFESSIONAL BRUSHES

Hi there

I have been trying out some new brushes for over a month now and I wanted to share with you which ones I have and how much I enjoy them.

In South Africa, these brushes are found in Dischem Stores and are very reasonably priced.

The first four brushes are from the Studio Master Line and are Cruelty Free made from Synthetic Hair.  They are super soft and I have always wanted a set of brushes with the "white brush hairs" on the tips (if that makes any sense).

Cala Deluxe Powder Brush 301 (R99.95)

Cala Angled Contour Brush 302 (R69.95)

Cala Angled Eyeshadow Brush 314 (R29.95)

Cala Large Shading Brush 312 (R29.95)

My last Cala brush is also form the Studio Master Line but is made from Natural Hair:-

Cala Duo Eyeshadow / Blending Brush 353 (R54.95)

The following brushes is still on my wishlist:

Cala Blending Blush 311

Cala Kabuki Brush 326

Cala Retractable Kabuki Brush 327
To carry around in my bag for touch-ups

You can view the Cala brushes that Dischem stock on the Dischem website: Click Here

http://dischem.co.za/product-view/13536/cala-duo-eyeshadowblending-brush

Or you can view CALA's entire range of brushes, Beauty blender sponges etc: Click Here

http://www.calaproduct.com/shop/shop_tailview.asp?top=90&Steps=000900009100121&page=3&OrderBy=&submenuheader=3

Cala has the folowing range of brushes avaialabe on their website -

*  Studio Master

*  Luxury Brushes

*  Calla Lilly Brushes

*  Travel Brushes

*  Organisers and sets

Xoxo

Natalie

Current Beauty Favourites August to October 2014

Hi there

These are the products that I have been using and loving over the last couple of months.

Yves Rocher Elixir 7.9 Youth Energy Care - Day Cream
I have already done a blogpost on this product)

Woolworths Smoothing Primer
(They have since changed the packaging into a tube instead of a bottle)

Dischem Foundation Sponge
R26 and they have them in blue

Benefit 10 Bronzing Powder
(I only use the bronzer for contouring)

Elf Studio Blush and Contouring Set
(I love using the blush. the bronzer is a bit dark for me)

LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer

This is how I apply the LA Girl Concealer

Essence Lashes Go Wild Volume Mascara

Mac Prep + Prime CC Powder

LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint in Blushing
(I have the shade "Coy" as well)

Cala Brush - Deluxe Powder 301
(Available at Dischem)

Thanks for reading!

Natalie

Yves Rocher Elixer 7.9 Youth Energy Care - Day Care

Hi all

I have been using the Yves Rocher Elixer 7.9 Youth Energy Care Day Care and after two months I can say that I love it!

I still love my Bionike Base 100 cream but the sales lady at Woolworths talked me into it and I don't regret buying it.  I am definitely going to try the night cream when my regular night cream is finished.

Yves Rocher is one of the leading beauty brands in France and is currently available in the UK, USA and RSA.  Yves Rocher has reasonably priced products containing natural ingredients that actually work well. The Elixir 7.9 Youth Energy Day Care is botanically based with a mix of 7 plants with anti-aging properties and 9 patents (hence the 7.9...get it?).

Active ingredients include;

APHLOIA MANGIFERIN, TARA SEED EXTRACT, GREEN RICE INOSITOL, SANDTHORN SEED EXTRACT, ALOE VERA POLYSACCHARIDES

Elixir 7.9 claims to;

• In one day : signs of fatigue are reduced, radiance is revived.
• In one week : wrinkles are reduced, skin texture is refined and has a more even appearance.
• In one month : skin appears radiant with youth.

The Plus:
Paraben free, mineral oil free, colorant free,
– Tested under dermatological supervision.

I chose the day cream for Normal to Combination skin, which is exactly how I would describe my skin at the moment.  My skin does seem more radiant and Elixir 7.9 feels great on the skin.  It's not thick though it does give lasting moisture and has a silky feel once applied to skin.  So my T-zone oils are kept under control while my cheek area is moisturized.  It also plays well under my sunscreen.  Normally I stay mattified until I apply sunscreen which brings out my oils.  This does not happen with this cream.  The look and feel of this cream is like a mix between a gel and a cream, which I think is why it has a light texture without the oily residue.

I have sensitive skin and this agrees with my skin 100%, no breakouts .  In fact, it has a calming effect on  my skin and I think it prevents breakouts for me.  It has a pleasant botanical smell that I really like (not an artificial fragrance smell)

Elixir 7.9 has a large range for all skin types, so check out the range at selected Woolworths stores.  I purchased mine at Gateway Theatre of shopping in KZN.

Yves Rocher also has  makeup line at reasonable prices which is worth checking out.

Xoxo

Natalie

2014 Challenge : Jumpstart 7 Day Weight Loss Program

Hi all

On October 2012, I shared my experience with the Jumpstart 7 Day Weight Loss Program.  Please follow the link below to read this post.
My weightloss story - Jumpstart 7 Day Weight Loss Program
http://healthandbeautyfair.blogspot.com/2012/10/my-weightloss-story-jumpstart-7-day.html

I did the Jumpstart 7 Day Weight Loss Program in the beginning of 2010 and lost 3 kg's during that week and a further 13 kg's thereafter by eating healthy.  That is a loss of 16 kg's in total.

My daughter was ill a few weeks back so I took her to the doctor.  The doctor took her blood pressure, weighed her etc.  He is very thorough, even though she just had flu symptoms.  He said that she needs to lose weight and follow a healthy eating plan.  If she doesn't, she would have problems with her weight later in life.  She is 14 years old and she is a little over-weight for her age.

So I knew what I needed to do for her and myself.  Winter 2014 was not kind to me with all the comfort food that I finally gave in to.  So I had a couple of kilos to lose myself. So on Saturday 4th October 2014, we embarked on our 1 week Jumpstart journey.  I found that doing this program first, after the toxins are eliminated, made it easier for the weight to fall off when you follow a healthy eating plan thereafter.

I really meant to blog each day and show pictures of the juices and do daily updates of our weight loss, but everything was a rush and I still had to work.  I took leave from work but only in the afternoons.   It was also the best week to do this program as my daughter was on school holiday.

I woke up every morning and made our breakfast juice.  Then I would make our mid-morning juice to take with me to work and one for my daughter as well.  I would then finish work and rush home to make our lunch juice.  Then I would make a list of fruit and veggies I needed for the next 2 days and go shopping,  Then at 6pm we would have our mid-afternoon juice, and our last one at 9pm.

Make no mistake, I was tired of the running around but unfortunately work deadlines still had to be fulfilled.  Its also harder making juices for more than one person.  The juicer has to be cleaned all the time so that was more work.  I had to do shopping everyday.  The last time I bought all the veggies all at once and they couldn't all fit into the fridge and started going bad half way through the week.
This time I made list for things I needed for 2 days at a time.

So as of this morning Saturday 11th October I have lost 4 kg's, 2 cm on my hip, 8 cm on my waist and zero cm on my bust.  My daughter has lost 2 kg's, 5 cm on her hip, 23 cm on her waist and 3 cm on her bust.  I am very happy with losing 4 kg's in 7 days.

The book gives you a guideline of what of what to do after the 7 day Jumpstart program, which is what we started this morning. Hopefully I will do an update post later on detailing our progress.


Thank you for reading
Xoxo
Natalie

LA Girl Cosmetics - New Products In-Store

Hi there

A few ladies from work and myself visited Dischem during one of our lunch breaks to check out the Spring Beauty Fair.  While the others where checking out the discounted skincare and perfume products, I (as usual) was hovering by the makeup stands.  I was so shocked to see the LA Girl was fully stocked with a bunch of new items.

Chubby Lipstick Pencils have become a craze and most high end brands have their luxury versions of them.  LA Girl has their own version called the Chunky Lip Pencil.   I love the colours so I picked up 4 shades at R34.95 each.  I chose shades Wine, Cocoa, Warm Caramel and Rose.  I want to go back and get the Red Shade as the swatch was gorgeous.
Hello! You don't have to shell out the price for a high end version, as these are gorgeous and full of colour at a fraction of the cost. I would suggest applying a lip balm underneath first.

After I spotted the the Chunky Lip Pencils my eyes fell onto the LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint and fell in love with it.  These will give other lip paints a run for their money!, So now I don't have to shell out for the Rimmel Apocalips or the Loreal version or the YSL version.  These are so full of colour, it will make your head spin.  They are very pigmented.  These retail for R39.95.  I chose the shade in Blushing and I am definitely going back for more shades.

I picked up two of the LA Girl 3D Effects Hologram Nail Polish at R39.95 in the shades Brilliant Blue and Sparkle Ruby.  I want the Teal Dimension shade next.

Another interesting discovery at the LA Girl counter was the 3D Blush Contour Palettes at R39.95.

I chose the shade Sweetheart.  I would love to have another palette.  There seems to be one for every skin tone and every shade.  It is nice to have your blush, highlighter and contour in one compact.

The blush shades range from soft pinks for pale girls to dark pinks for darker toned girls.  There are peach and coral shades as well.  Every contour and highlight shade are also different depending on your tone and shade chosen.

LA Girl continues to impress me.  Even the other nail polish lines are great, even though I did not pick any of those up.  They have the Feather Frenzy line and Sand Blast nail polish line just like higher end brands.  I also love their concealer and lipsticks.

I am soo happy with my purchases and even happier that I did not have to break the bank to get them.

XOXO

Natalie

Fashion Trend : Denim On Denim

Fashion rules are meant to be broken, and lately that includes wearing denim on denim. The look has been seen on Kim Kardashian, Cameron Diaz, and Rihanna, among other A-listers. “Mixing denim is exciting because it has infinite possibilities.

After years of shunning denim on denim, why is it suddenly a trend?

It certainly had a pretty bad rap. I think for a long time we couldn’t get the image of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake at the 2001 American Music Awards, wearing matching head-to-toe light wash, out of our minds. No one wanted to touch it. The shift can really be attributed to the rise of bloggers and street style. They offered up a host of styling ideas, making the thought of pairing a chambray shirt with jeans feel fresh again.

What’s the secret to pulling off the look?

The secret is balance. A lightweight pale shirt looks great with a dark denim skirt. It’s about knowing your body, and flattering your shape. When wearing denim on denim, lighter shades of denim draw attention to the body areas they cover, while darker washes create a slimming effect. Celebrities like Kate Bosworth, Miranda Kerr, and Alexa Chung always get it right. But if you pay attention to proportions, this look is easily accessible to anyone.

What is the most common mistake people make?

There are two major denim on denim pitfalls: picking denim that’s all the same weight and wash, and accessorizing with busy pieces. Both of these choices will leave you looking like a bit of a miss.

How do you know when you’ve gone overboard?

When you look more Jay Leno than J.Crew.

Should you look for pieces that are similar in colour or is it best to mix washes?

Mixing is best. When it’s all in one shade, head to toe denim can easily look you’re headed to the rodeo. But it’s not just a matter of wash—the weight of the fabrics should vary as well. A lightweight chambray shirt paired with dark skinnies and an amazing pair of heels can look very glam.

How can you dress it up or down?

For a casual look, try mixing light distressed denim shorts with a medium wash, over-sized, denim shirt and a great pair of motorcycle boots. A denim blazer and trouser-cut jeans are perfect for the office. If you want to look chic and sophisticated, accessorize with a sexy, slinky heel.

Which silhouettes work best?

Skinny jeans are probably the easiest to pull off. But it’s all about proportions. Any silhouette can work if it’s done right. The key is balance. Slouchy boyfriend jeans can pair nicely with a more feminine lightweight chambray shirt and instantly give a street style vibe that looks effortlessly put together.

M*A*C - LOOK IN A BOX COLLECTION

LOOK IN A BOX 2014

Look in a Box features a selection of kits offering thoughtfully designed looks in universal shades and finishes to complement your skin tone. Two Face Kits (R810) come in colour waves of cool taupe and plum and warm beige and coral. Three Look in a Box Kits (R800) are designed in distinct colour schemes of pink, coral and neutral. Each includes a face chart, guiding you through the look for effortless application. Basic Brush Kit and Advanced Brush Kit (R750) provide a selection of our favourite blending and shading brushes for simple, pro-worthy application.

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