The "ME TIME" Tag

Hi All

This a tag that is doing its rounds on the blogosphere and I thought I would take a crack at it, since I know how important it is for us busy woman to take time out for ourselves every now and again.

So here are the questions ......

1. What do you watch or read during me-time?

Since I have an external hard drive, my friends and I are always swapping the latest series.  I have spent hours watching series.  I think my favourites where "Games Of Thrones", followed by "Pretty Little Liars" and then "Revenge"  I also adore the girls on "Two Broke Girls", they are hilarious.

Right now I am watching "Tyler Perry's The Haves and the Have Nots" and I am Season 1 Episode 10 and I have some catching up to do.  I have only been reading blogs and my e-mails.  I have not read a good book in a long time.

2. What do you wear during me-time?

Around the house I wear comfy sleeping shorts and a T-shirt - no underwear allowed!

3. What are your me-time beauty products?

Yes, while its essential to do a scrub and a mask, which I do, my quintessential me-time beauty treat is my Decleor Hydra Floral Eye and Lip Moisturizing Mask.

4. Current favourite nail polish?

Sally Hansen Lustre Shine #004 is my current favourite nail polish.  It is a captivating blue with an iridescent shine.  It looks like is has a bit of purple in it as well.  Simply gorgeous!

5. What do you eat/drink during me-time?

I know this sounds boring but I like to have Rooibos tea and rusks.   I don't have rusks often, or anywhere else, except when I am home having me time.  I also like to keep muffins at home on weekends when I want to snack.  

6. Current favourite candle?

I have a Cranberry Scented Candle from Woolworths that I received as a gift.   I love anything Cranberry.  I also like the "Baby Powder" scented candle from Yankee Candles.

7. Do you ever have outdoor me-time?

I would say yes - everytime I am makeup shopping LOL.  What can I say, shopping for makeup is calming and seeing all the pretties up close and personal is better than looking at them online.

Do I go into the garden to plant, or go riding - Hell No.

8.Would you ever go see a movie alone?

I definitely would.  I remember being stressed about a month and a half back and I took a half a days leave, and I went to the movies on my own.  It was calming, and I came out feeling glad that I did it. And the movie was good.  I went in my time, and chose the movie I wanted to see, and didnt have to rush to get anyone else home on time.

9. Favourite online shop?

I would have to say Red Square.  Who could resist the free samples with every purchase?

10. Anything to add? What else do you do during me-time?

De-cluttering my room is important to do every now and again.  I tend to sometimes keep old receipts, which pile up and  I then have to throw them away at a later stage.  Putting order back into may makeup stash, or getting rid of makeup I don't need or use is important.  Its a chance to go through my stash and get rid of things that may be close to its expiration date.  I also find that I use the same items over and over again, so "me time" is the best time to "Shop my Stash" and rotate things for me to use in the next week for work.

Yes, playing with my makeup is always calming - spoken like a true makeup junkie. 

I hope you've enjoyed this tag! I highly encourage you to do it, because it's super fun and I think it would be really fun if we just spoke more about pampering ourselves and relaxing, because we all need it sometimes. 

Smashbox Holiday 2014 Limited Edition- ON THE ROCKS PHOTO FINISH PRIMER DUO

Hi All

I always use a primer under my eyes before I apply concealer.  I try to use a moisturising primer under my eyes, not a mattifying  or pore minimizing primer.

I have just finished my tube of Palladio Herbal Foundation Primer (I only use this under my eyes).  I also had a sample of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer which also is finished.

I have been watching rave reviews for the last couple of months about the Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer and was very curious.  I already new that it would be expensive but I wanted to go to the store and speak to the sales consultant and test it out to see if it really is moisturising as I have very dry under-eyes.  Concealer could make it look worse if I do not use the correct products underneath the concealer.

To my surprise this concealer was cheaper to buy if I bought the 2014 Holiday Collection of primers - "Smashbox On The Rocks Photo Finish Primer Duo"
This included:
-  Photo Finish Foundation Primer
-  Photo finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer

The Hydrating Under Eye Primer was R375 on its own, whereas the Duo was R400 (No brainer right?)

The sales assistant said that this under eye primer was like a moisturiser, and you would not need to apply an eye cream.  I do not agree with this.  My T zone gets pretty oily since the weather is warming up, but my under eyes are always pretty dry, so I always apply an eye cream.
Also, once the hydrating primer is finished, I have a whole tube of the regular photo finish primer to use under my eyes, and this would take forever to get finish.  So I thought that this was an excellent buy.

Photo Finish Under Eye Hydrating Primer 10ml

This primer does not have the usual silicony feel to it.  It has a light pink cream look to it and a slight scent, but it does rub clear into the skin with no colour.  I have used it for almost a week, so maybe its to early to tell, but I think its just okay and not as hydrating that it was made out to be, or maybe its just that my concealer is just too dry.  Dunno, but I will keep using it, I am glad that there is primer made especially for under eyes as I really needed it.

Other offerings from the holiday collection include ;
-  ON THE ROCKS ALWAYS SHARP LINER SET
-  ON THE ROCKS BE LEGENDARY LIP GLOSS SET

-  ON THE ROCKS BE LEGENDARY PHOTO SHOP EYE SHADOW PALETTE

-  ON THE ROCKS BE LEGENDARY LIPSTICK TRIO

-  ON THE ROCKS BRUSH SET

These sets can be viewed on the smashbox website.

Not sure if it the whole holiday collection is available at all Smashbox counters or not.