Hi Divas
 

Do you struggle with dry, damaged hair or excessive breakage from heat damage and over-processed chemical procedures? If you answered "Yes", I found the perfect treatment to restore your locks to their healthy, strong and shiny state again. The new L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair range is a 4 step system that revitalizes and restores broken hair bonds within the hair shaft. The miracle ingredient is Citric Acid which is naturally found in most citrus fruits. These high concentration levels of citric acid used within the products aid in penetrating deep into the cortex. It recreates inner broken hair bonds to achieve, strength, manageability and shine. This routine restores the hair's strength from the cortex to the cuticle. We all know that salon treatments can reach exorbitant amounts when done frequently. Thankfully L'oreal has provided a premium range that delivers salon results without the heavy price tag. It's a convenient salon experience within your home at a fraction of the cost. I have been using the range for a while now and below are my review and results.

 STEP 1: REBUILD

This is the powerhouse treatment of the repair range as it contains a 12% bond repair complex alongside citric acid. The pre-shampoo delivers the deepest level of repair to the core of the strands. The treatment must always be applied to wet hair to achieve optimal results. Squeeze a generous amount onto your hand and work it through your hair, focusing on the lengths. Leave in for 5 minutes. This treatment rebuilds inner broken hair bonds, strengthens the hair and prevents further breakage. It feels like a cream and spreads effortlessly through the strands. Even though term shampoo is in its name, this product is not a cleaning agent at all. It is a treatment designed to be used before shampooing the hair.

 

 STEP 2: REINFORCE

Once you have rinsed out the pre-shampoo, thoroughly wash your hair with the sulfate-free shampoo. This shampoo is amazing. Not only does it smell wonderful, but it lathers very well for a sulfate-free product. It gently cleanses without stripping the hair. The product does an amazing job cleansing the hair follicles from all dirt while leaving the strands soft and manageable The shampoo reinforces the bond repair treatment you applied earlier by containing 5% citric acid. I prefer to wash my hair twice for a thorough clean. I rate the shampoo a 10/10.

The conditioner has the third highest level of citric acid at 10%. Generously spread the conditioner onto your strands, concentrating on the ends. This strengthens the hair shaft and seals the cuticle while adding maximum care to the hair fibre. The conditioner smells wonderful and the scent will linger in your hair for a few days. It has a creamy texture, gliding through my strands easily while detangling my hair. The medium consistency would be suitable for fine to slightly thick hair. It has just the right amount of moisture for most hair types. The conditioner rinses out effortlessly and leaves my hair so soft and smooth.

 

 STEP 4: SHIELD

L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair Leave In Serum

The perfect ending to a great repair system is the hair serum. Most brands don't even consider adding a serum or styling agent into their product lineup. Hair serums are essential in aftercare and heat styling. It keeps the hair frizz-free and seals in all the moisture we just applied. It shields the hair from further damage, such as preventing split ends. The serum has a whopping 20% bond repair complex with citric acid. I apply two pumps to my hands starting at the ends, and work my way up to the nape of my neck. It is a great product to use before blowdrying to smooth the hair and prevent flyaways.

The L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair is an impressive 4 step system. It is user-friendly, economical and gives salon quality results. All the products are gentle and do not strip my hair of any moisture. In fact it hydrates my hair and adds shine. As you can see in the photos below, my hair is healthy, strong and silky. I have seen a significant improvement in less breakage from heat damage and a reduction in split ends. I recommend these products wholeheartedly. Please be aware that everyone's hair is different. What works for me, might not work for you at all. Always look at ingredients and patch-test products before committing to them.  

Have you tried any of these products or bond repair treatments? Please let me know your thoughts below!

Hi Divas

Complexion products are my number one items that I cannot live without. I would probably take it with me on a desert island and have it be on my top ten list of essentials. When I first started wearing makeup at the age of 15, I only used black eyeliner and a gloss. I never bothered to cover up any imperfections on my face as I was young and carefree. Fast forward a few years later, I have ditched the gloss and constant lower black liner. As I have gotten older, I realised how much I value a smooth and radiant complexion over anything else. I would rather splurge on a holy grail foundation than another 16 pan eyeshadow palette. I love the euphoria of watching my dark circles and life problems disappear under a layer of foundation with my kabuki brush. I know I am being dramatic, but that step is honestly so satisfying to me. I have therefore tested many foundation formulas and tried an array of awful shades to find the true gems that suit me. I will be recommending my holy grail foundations that work for my normal to combination skin and medium skin tone with yellow to olive undertones. I mention my skin type and colour undertones as what may work for me, may not be great for you regarding dry to oily skin or someone with a different skin tone to me. Please be aware of that as you read my recommendations.


Too Faced Peach Perfect
 I'm starting off with the cutest foundation packaging out of the 5 products. It comes in a tube with a gold pump. I love the peach details on the packaging. I only recently started using this but I decided to add it to my collection as I love the easy application and quick results it gives me. This is a medium coverage foundation that is very matte yet super comfortable to wear. I love using this as an everyday base product as it gives the most natural finish and my face still looks airbrushed. The shade Warm Beige is great for me because it has the right amount of warmth and it does not oxidize throughout the day. The tube is great for a quick application and is very travel friendly too. I recommend it to someone who loves a matte finish and a natural looking appearance. I do prefer to wear this in the Summer months since it is so matte and you will need to use a hydrating moisturizer in the Winter to pull this one off. Full Review Here.

Fenty Beauty Pro' Filtr
I'm going to come out and say it now! This is the best foundation in formula and in shade that I have ever used. I have received so many compliments from many people telling me that my face looks flawless when I wear it. This is a matte foundation and gives a medium to full coverage. It literally hides all my imperfections in one sweep. It blends wonderfully into my skin and looks like a dream. The shade 290 has warm and olive undertones which miraculously fits me like a second skin. The shades in this foundation do apply lighter in tone but oxidizes to its true shade after a few minutes. I find that the shades do get warmer throughout the day but it just blends so effortlessly into my natural complexion. I love it! Regarding performance, this foundation lasts all day with no cracking or fading. If you have dry skin make sure to moisturize well before use. Packaging is sleek, pretty and equipped with a pump in a glass bottle. It can be heavy to travel with but I don't mind though. Full Review Here.

L'oreal Infaillible 24H Fresh Wear
 The performance and formula of this foundation is very similar to Too faced Peach Perfect except it has more coverage. Can you believe that a low-end base has more coverage than a high end one? Believe it because it is true! This is a lightweight and matte foundation that is very comfortable and breathable on the skin. It gives a natural appearance and can be built up to fuller coverage. This is great for everyday wear and is very long lasting too. The only con is that the shades do oxidize. I have the shade 260 Golden Sun and it definitely gets one to two shades darker throughout the day. I have to go one shade down to make it a perfect fit for me. Do keep this in mind when purchasing the product. The packaging is not my favourite as it has that chunky L'oreal block design with a stumpy pump. It's not sleek but it gets the job done. It is in my top favourites as I love the way it wears and the coverage is great. I really do feel it out shines Too Faced Peach Perfect regarding coverage as well. Full Review Here.

LA Girl Pro Matte
This is my ultimate favourite low-end foundation. I don't know why this product does not get the hype and love it deserves. It is perfect for combination to oily skin types as it gives a comfortable matte finish. I love using it on hot Summer days. It can cling to very dry patches, therefore do wear a hydrating moisturizer or primer in those areas. The formula reminds me of Fenty Beauty Pro' Filtr as it has the same texture and consistency when blended out on the face. It gives great coverage and lasts throughout the day too. The shade Light Tan is perfect for my Summer skin tone because it has a warm yellow undertone. Even though Fenty gives a much more filtered look this one can easily be considered a dupe for it. The packaging is sleek and comes with a pump. I have travelled with the glass bottle before and it was very easy to pack into my makeup bag. This is the cheapest foundation out of the 5 and you get great value for your money. I will keep repurchasing because I love it so much. Full Review Here.

Too Faced Born This Way
I'm going to come out and say it again! This is one of the best foundations I have ever used.
This too was my first ever Sephora foundation purchase and my very first high-end foundation. I have fond nostalgic memories of it. Since then, I have gone through two bottles and am now onto the third. The packaging comes in a luxurious glass bottle with a pump. The gold details on the bottle and box make the product look very luxe. The formula and texture of the foundation is creamy, slightly thick yet blends effortlessly onto the face. The product contains coconut water and hyaluronic acid which makes it very hydrating on the skin. I therefore only wear this in Winter and Autumn because it gives me a hydrating satin finish. It always looks beautiful on the skin and it gives me full coverage with a healthy glow. The shade Warm Beige is great for my Winter skin tone as you can't even tell I'm wearing foundation when I have it on. I may need to go up a shade and use Sand in Summer time though. The performance is wonderful and I sometimes forget I'm wearing makeup since the foundation feels so comforting on the skin. This is the most expensive foundation out of the 5 but you seriously getting what you pay for. Both the packaging, performance and formula is top notch. I would repurchase till the end of days, LOL. Full Review Here.


Thank you so much for reading and I hope you found my recommendations helpful. Do share your foundation favourites below and let me know if I am missing out on any great complexion products. Lots of love!


Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

I have not done a foundation review since last year which is remarkable because there have actually been quite a few launches in 2019 in South Africa. I decided to choose wisely and purchase the L'oreal Infaillible 24H Fresh Wear foundation to add to my makeup collection. I say I had to choose wisely, because drugstore/low end products are becoming more and more expensive these days. There are certain brands that are tilting towards high end prices and L'oreal is one of them. I hope the technology and new formulas are responsible for the high prices as low-end products are now on the same level as high-end ones when it comes to quality, pigmentation and longevity. The L'oreal Fresh Wear foundation has a big red 'I'm Back!' sticker which hopefully means the product was reformulated for the better. I have not tried the previous variant Infallible (notice Infallible and Infaillble!) and therefore cannot comment on any changes. The main reason why I purchased this foundation is because, I wanted something light and comfortable to wear for the Winter months. South Africa has just started its Winter season and it can get really cold on some days. Cape Town has a wet and rainy Winter with icy winds. My skin tends to dry out on my forehead and around my nose and mouth during this season, even though I am normal to combination skin. I need a foundation that is matte, but not too drying and won't cause flaking on cold days.

The Infaillible Fresh Wear is described as a light weight and long wear foundation. It contains new oxygen technology which circulates air and makes the skin breathable. It promises to give a flawless complexion with a medium coverage. Its aim is to give a flawless base while still looking completely natural. It is sweat proof, waterproof and matte too. It claims to last for 24 hours without breaking down. There are 30 shades in the range all sporting different undertones which is super impressive. I chose my shade in the medium category and opted for 260 Golden Sun. This shade is for warm medium skin tones with olive and yellow undertones. This is honestly a perfect match for me in Winter and fits my skin tone exactly. The foundation comes in the standard 30 ml glass bottle with the unique L'oreal designed pump. The pump has a thumb impression on it and is quite stubby in size. It's not my favourite design when it comes to bottles but it is practical and works well.

The foundation has quite a runny consistency and I therefore prefer to apply it either with my hands or a brush. When I want a light layer, I apply one pump with my hands. For a full coverage look, I apply two pumps and blend it with a brush. I find that the sponge soaks up too much product with this runny formula and I end up using more than what I would like too. Using both my hands and the brush gives a smooth and seamless application and look. It does take a while to dry and moves around when you apply it vigorously. You therefore have time to build up the coverage you want without it drying down too quickly. This dries down to a matte finish and can cling to pores or dry patches. Do use a primer if you have enlarged pores. I would suggest applying a good moisturiser before using this product as it can settle into fine lines under the eyes. If you applied a moisturising base on your skin, the foundation will blend easily and look really good. It melts wonderfully with concealers and powders. Once dried down, there is no tugging, moving around of product or flaking.

This foundation gives a medium coverage. You can build it up but you will need a concealer if you have scars and blemishes. The foundation gives a natural finish and blends into your skin. It does not look like heavy makeup and gives a 'your skin but better' appearance. The texture feels light weight and breathable. I love that it looks really natural and flawless. This is a great foundation for everyday wear such as work and on days you want to look great but not too made up. I actually wore this on my long-haul flight to Qatar as I wanted to look natural as possible but not scare the people with my zombie face. As you know plane air can be quite drying and the skin tends to look dull and tired. I was going from a cool Cape Town, to dry plane air and then to a hot and humid Qatar. Three temperature changes all in a space of 15 hours! I wore this foundation and my face still looked good. I had no flaking, fading or dryness. I did get a little oily in my t-zone area when it came to midnight but that was all. I was impressed with the longevity and hold this foundation had.

This is a really good foundation for someone interested in a light and fresh look. As you can see in the photo above it looks really good on my skin and blends well into my skin tone. It applies effortlessly, it is natural, breathable and wears extremely well throughout the day too. This gives a medium coverage but if you want something a little heavier duty then this may not be for you. I personally enjoy wearing this and recommend it to those with normal, combination and oily skin tones. Have you tried this foundation? Let me know your thoughts below!

Hope you found this review helpful.

Thank you so much for reading!

Divalicious Kisses.

Xxxx

Hi Divas

Can you believe that I have another foundation review for you? I feel like 2018 is the year of finding that perfect base. If you read any of my foundation reviews before, you will know that I love a full on matte base. I have normal to combination skin; therefore I prefer a foundation that is matte and will keep me looking somewhat oil free throughout the day. I love the formula and feeling that a matte base gives too. It may sound horrendous to you, but the feeling of a stone wall canvas is very appealing to me, hahaha. I hate any sort of dewy finish or the feeling of foundation sliding down my face, it truly gives me the chills. So, when I decided to reach for the L'oreal Super Blendable Foundation in store and give it a try, my inner self wanted to slap me in the face. There is a reason for this madness, though. It's currently Winter in South Africa and the weather has been particularly cold in Cape Town. We have had lots of rain and even snow on some mountains. My combination skin was shook and I even had to change my skin care to a much more hydrating one, read here. I therefore needed a foundation that would not dry out my skin, but not be too dewy either. L'oreal True Match sounded like a perfect combo for me as it is marketed as being hydrating, skin like, has SPF 17 and giving good coverage without a cakey mess. 

L'oreal True Match foundation is one of the OG's (Original Gangsters) in the makeup world. This foundation was around before most trendy cosmetic brands existed. It had and still has an extensive shade range that caters to different undertones. The packaging and formula has changed slightly since its original launch but it still stands strong among the rest. The foundation is packaged in a 30ml glass bottle with a plastic top. It does contain a pump but this is where the product falls flat for me. The pump is really short and stubby, which makes it difficult for the product to disperse mess free. The liquid tends to drip down the bottle if you do not angle the pump properly. I have to wipe and clean the top after use as it leaves residue on the plastic. Overall the bottle is sleek and comes with the standard amount of product. I just wish they designed the pump a little better. It looks chic on a vanity and is travel friendly too as it does not feel heavy despite it being a glass bottle. 

Most reviews claim this foundation is their all time favourite and holy grail product which they can depend on. I always wanted to try it but I never did, as stated above that I always purchased matte finishes instead. This foundation has a skin like and breathable texture. It is very light weight but gives great coverage. It's pigmented and covers blemishes despite its light formula. It contains micro match pigment technology that adjusts to the true shade of your skin tone. I bought the shade 3.D/3.W Golden Beige. I originally wanted 4.D/4.W but that was out of stock. Looking at the swatch it is one shade lighter than my skin tone, but once blended it adjusts and matches perfectly to my skin. This foundation gives a radiance satin finish. It is not fully matte nor is it dewy. It gives a wonderful balance for those that want a natural skin like feeling. The formula does contain minuscule flecks of gold. You can see it in the bottle but once blended on the skin those flecks of gold are not visible to the naked eye at all. For application I use a brush and blend one to two pumps onto my face depending on the coverage I want. Sometimes I even skip concealer with two pumps and set with powder. The brush does take a while to blend it out as the foundation takes time to dry. I feel a sponge would work better as it would press the foundation into the skin and not move it around so much as a brush. Using a brush is convenient for me though as I like to pump foundation directly onto it and apply it to my face.

 

The foundation wears like a dream throughout the day. It sits so comfortably on the skin. Sometimes I even forget that I am wearing makeup. This formula looks so natural and perfect on me. It does not oxidize, flake or slide down my skin. I can see why most people rave about this product. What I love most about this foundation is that any skin tone can find a shade that matches or will work for them. In 2018 it is still so hard for people to find their foundation shades amongst various brands. It is sad but a horrible reality! This is a good natural and affordable product. It gives sheer to medium coverage and can be worn every day. This is currently my favourite Winter foundation at the moment. I would have to skip on this in the Summer time as I need a matte formula to control my oils. By the way the makeup and look you see in the photos above has been my go to Winter look. I have been wearing my black Stellenbosch University hoodie all day and every day. It's so comfy and warm. I like to reminisce about my crazy campus days too when I am wearing it, LOL.

Have you tried this foundation? Let me know your thoughts below. 

Thank you for reading.

Divalicious Kisses

Xxxx