Hi Divas

I received this beautiful palette from my blogger friend Kim of Avery Sweet Blog back in January. She kindly sent me a box of goodies to wish me a Happy New Year and this blockbuster was one of the items in the surprise box. I only own two Urban Decay Eyeshadow palettes being the Naked 2 and the Ammo palette. I was therefore super delighted to be given the Honey palette as Urban Decay have revamped and stepped up their game in the Naked ranges. They have launched three other palettes other than this, along with a new foundation and concealer line. They are one of the OG's (Original Gangsters), when it comes to high-end Sephora makeup back in the day. Since then, so many makeup brands have popped up and somewhat surpassed them in cosmetic releases, innovative ideas and unique packaging. I am happy to see that Urban Decay is not sitting on the side lines but pushing through in the beauty market. It is great to notice that such a well-established brand is exploring fresh product ideas to keep the old and new customers interested.

The Naked Honey palette is inspired by the rich golden and yellow tones of pure honey. From the packaging to the colour story within the eyeshadows, the sweetness, along with the earthly nature of honey shines through. This is a warm toned palette with rich and neutral tones to compliment every skin tone. You could wear this palette on an everyday basis to work with its earthy tones or jazz it up for a glam night out look, with the bright metallic shades. This is a very versatile palette, that would flatter all ages and occasions. The actual outer case is absolutely stunning as it is embossed with ripple effects, that look like a continuous flow of honey. The standout lettering gives the palette a luxurious feel too. The case is a lot more golden in tone, reminding me of thick large quantities of honey being poured out. The design in packaging is gorgeous and it makes me want to grab a jar of honey and eat it with a spoon. The casing feels very sturdy and comes with a big mirror, as well as the standard dual ended eyeshadow brush, which the brand is known for. When you open the palette, there is a sweet scent which wafts through. The whole experience in working with the palette from sight, to touch and smell is impressive and deserves gold stars.


The palette comes in 12 shades all with a common warm yellow tone theme. The names of the eyeshadows are inspired by the honey making process. There is a wide range of mattes and metallics to create different looks. The eyeshadows consist of 6 mattes, 5 metallics/shimmers and 1 satin shade. I love that using the palette on an everyday basis won't become monotonous. There are many colour combinations to choose from, to get a unique eye look. I have swatched the eyeshadows below using the NYX white eyeshadow base. Some of the shades might look different due to this and my skin tone. I will name and explain each shade to you from left to right in the palette.

First up is Fly By (white pearl satin) great for the brow bone, Sweet (matte peachy taupe) light transition shade, Swarm (matte light orange with yellow undertones) deep transition shade and the first metallic in the palette Amber (deep copper) similar colour to the outer case. Next up is Keeper (matte burned orange brown) excellent for the crease or all over the lid, Golden (metallic deep gold with a shimmer) beautiful shade for glam occasions, Honey (metallic bright yellow gold with shimmer), this is the masterpiece shade in the palette and Queen ( metallic olive toned shade with brown undertone and gold sparkle), beautiful on the lid for an earthy look. The last four shades are Hive (matte warm toned brown) great for the crease, Drip (rich brick brown shade) excellent for deepening the crease, HBIC (true copper coin shade), lastly Sting (matte chocolate brown with slightly purple undertone), great for darkening any look.




Bright Glam Eyes
For the first look I swept Keeper right across my crease extending it slightly up towards my brow bone. I deepened the outer corners using Hive and Sting to create depth. For the lids I pressed the magical shade Honey right across creating a little cut crease with a flat brush later. For the lower lash line I added the metallic shimmer Amber and topped it off with Flyby on my brow bone.


Soft Smokey Eyes
To start off I dusted Swarm across my upper lid as a warm transition shade. I placed Drip and Sting in the crease and outer edge for dimension. On top I pressed Queen all over my lid. This is such a beautiful shade to be worn for any occasion. I then placed HBIC on my lower lash line along with to brighten the look. I too added Drip and Sting on the lower lash line at the outer corners to deepen the look. To end off I applied Flyby to the brow bone.


I am truly in love with this palette regarding texture, formula, shades and design. Everything compliments my skin tone so well. These shades are warm and neutral enough to wear ever day while containing pops of shimmer for glamorous looks. The palette shades are adaptable and would therefore be great for travel. I recommend this Honey edition to an avid makeup lover. You will truly appreciate its unique qualities. I hope you found this lengthy review helpful and got some inspiration for makeup looks.


Thank you so much for reading!
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas

The year of 2018 has really been all about expanding my complexion products. I have bought and tried so many new foundations both high and low end. As I have been getting older I have been focusing on having clear, smooth and flawless skin. This of cause starts with eating right and changing up my skin care routine. When you have healthy and radiant skin it definitely affects the way your makeup looks too. When I stumbled on the One and Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector at Sephora, I truly wanted to give it a try. It was much cheaper than most of the products in the foundation category at the store. This product is described as an all you need one step base combining skin care and makeup. What intrigued me the most were the words ''complexion perfector''. Who doesn't want to have a perfect flawless face? I have seen many Youtubers rave about this product and I was eager to find out what the hype was all about.


Urban Decay describes One and Done as having the best of both worlds in your hands. It has the benefits of skin care as well as foundation coverage all in one. It promises to blur imperfections, even out your skin tone and diminish the look of pores. It contains peptides, vitamins and SPF20 to help treat skin and prevent sun damage. The light diffusing spheres bring radiance and helps remove visible flaws from the naked eye. Finding a base product that has the coverage of a foundation and the benefits of skin care all in one sounds like a dream come true to me. The packaging of One and Done is quite pretty. It comes in a squeeze tube with a metallic ombre effect. There is 40ml of product which makes it 10ml more than a standard foundation. You are truly getting your money's worth. As I mentioned above it is cheaper than most high end foundations at Sephora. The product does come with a pump which is excellent as most squeeze tubes do not. The tube is designed as an air tight product; therefore, you have to squeeze the tube just before pumping it. This will allow a full pump of product to be dispersed out. The packaging is light, mess free and very travel friendly. I totally give it a big thumb up.


There are six shades ranging from light to deep. Each shade is a blanket cover for your skin tone, as the product adjusts and adapts to your actual complexion. Whether you are in the light, medium or deep spectrum, you will find a shade that works for you as the product transforms to your skin colour. I chose the shade medium light as it has a very visible yellow undertone whereas the shade medium has a peachier undertone to it. On first application medium light is slightly lighter than my actual skin tone but it does adjust and settle into my skin throughout the day. The foundation has a very creamy texture. It actually feels like a moisturiser when you apply it. It reminds me a lot of a BB cream. I therefore prefer to use my hands to blend One and Done rather than a brush or sponge. When applying it with a brush or sponge you would have to use twice as much product than if you were to blend it directly with your hands. The consistency is very light and the coverage is sheer. One thing that is very noticeable about the product is that it is very hydrating and feels so comfortable on the skin. You honestly don't feel like you applied makeup at all.


As mentioned above this is sheer coverage like a tinted moisturiser. It will not cover any blemishes, scars or dark marks. You would have to use a concealer and a colour corrector if you want to see any visible coverage in that aspect. What you do see when wearing One and Done is a visible blurring filter on your face. It is weird to describe but there is no coverage yet the face seems blurred and smoothed out. It is quite magical to look at. This product gives you a natural your skin but 10 times better look. When applied with concealer and powder, your skin looks naturally flawless. It looks like you are not wearing makeup at all but you look radiant, smooth and gorgeous. It's crazy but true. This is perfect for women who don't like to wear makeup but want to look flawless. If you are someone who wants light coverage on lazy days then this is excellent too. As you can see in the photo above, my face seems smooth and radiant yet my moles and freckles are still visible. You can also see the sheer coverage around my mouth area. Not every woman desires a full face of makeup every day, this product is great for those moments.

*Who is it for: Women who want a my skin but better look.
*Who is it not for: Women who want full to medium coverage.
*Can I skip skin care: Absolutely not! No matter how much marketing a product gives, always apply your usual skin care before using a product as the skin care benefits are not enough for a visible difference.
*Pros: Perfect for every day flawless complexion and travel friendly. Has skin care benefits and SPF20. It lasts throughout the day and does not flake or rub off.
*Cons: Has a tendency to pull or flake when applied with a drying moisturiser. Make sure your face cream is hydrating before applying this product.


Hope you found this review helpful.
Divalicious kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas

This is going to be a long post, so grab your popcorn and coke and hold on to your seats! In this post I am featuring Urban Decay's Color Correcting Fluids. There are 6 shades in the range and I have four of them. These correcting fluids are described as a light weight formula that instantly conceals flaws, blurs imperfections while leaving an illuminated and bright skin. They are infused with Vitamin C and E which brightens and repairs skin from sun damage. At first glance colour correcting products can seem a little daunting to use. It literally looks like something that belongs in a 5 year old colouring box. Yet, just as a child learns how complimentary colours work in art class, so do we learn how to correct our flaws with colours in makeup! Colour correcting is an innovative makeup technique that has been used by makeup artist worldwide. They create flawless looks on all the A-list celebrities you see walking the red carpet. Now you can have this magical technique right in your own makeup bag and look flawless too.

The Urban Decay Color Correctors come in 5ml of product and sleek tube plastic packaging similar to their concealers. In each tube the colours are visible which make it easy to identify when using the products especially in a hurry or on the go. Each colour targets specific problems on your face. The Yellow corrects dullness and instantly removes darkness on the face. The Lavender shade illuminates and brightens any sallowness (unhealthy yellow or brown tint on the skin). The Peach corrects any under eye dark circles and dark spots. Lastly the Green shade covers redness and fresh blemishes. Each colour cancels out any unwanted pigmentation or blemish colours on your face. For example, green cancels out redness and peach cancels out darkness on the skin. Once blended you create an even canvas to apply your foundation. Your skin will appear smooth and blemish free with no pigmentation problems. We use this makeup technique as a temporary solution to your problem. Great skin care will eliminate the problem all together but makeup helps us to conceal and hide it in a jiffy. It's like magic I tell you!

The Urban Decay correctors have a pastel tone to them but they are highly pigmented. A little goes a long way when using them. The formula is light weight and glides like a dream on the skin. The liquid texture covers all the specific areas well and blend out effortlessly. I like to use my fingers to press the product into my skin. I only blend it out half way, as too much blending may remove the product altogether which defeats the purpose in the first place. The key to using these products is to spot conceal and not apply these with a heavy hand all over your face. Stand in a mirror and observe your skin. Do you have under eye dark circles? Are there any red patches on your skin? Does your face look dull and need an extra boost of radiance? If the answer is yes to any of these questions you can use a tiny amount of the colour correctors to hide and conceal. As you can see below, I used the peach shade under my eyes to conceal my dark circles. The yellow tint I placed on the bridge of my nose and eye lid area to brighten and highlight. I too placed the lavender colour on my forehead, cupids bow, chin and top of my cheek bones to highlight and illuminate the area. I had some blemishes on my cheek and forehead therefore I used the green to spot conceal and cover redness on the sides of my nose and mouth.

Welcome to  my SEXY face...

You have to apply colour correctors before you blend out your foundation. It is important to note that you do not have to use all the colour correctors at once. Only use those that are needed for specific problems at the time. The Urban Decay correctors sit comfortably on the skin. It dries down to a semi matte finish, hence once you apply your foundation it does not feel like you are tugging over the extra product on your face. It works well with applying any foundation and wears pleasantly under any base. It does not move around or break down on the face throughout the day either. The Results are astounding. Look at my skin before I applied foundation and now look at my skin after foundation below. My face looks completely flawless! I am blemish free and it looks like I have an Instagram filter on my face. These colour correctors are amazing and do an excellent job in concealing and blurring unwanted pigmentation problems. They really are great products to have in your makeup kit. I even applied these on my mom and sisters face and they were just as surprised as I was. My sister has dry skin, where as I have combination skin and it worked perfectly on both our skin types.

 I look normal again.... Well Almost! ;-)

These correctors really do give a full coverage makeup look. I love that it is not heavy on the skin but looks perfect. It blurs yet illuminates my face. It does not drag it down or look cakey. I prefer to use these products on special occasions as it covers up all my deepest darkest secrets. On an everyday basis I prefer a more natural makeup look. My face does not look this flawless on an average day therefore I prefer to use these as an extra ''va va voom'' step when I really want to look glamorous and pristine. If you suffer from serious pigmentation issues, using these everyday will be effortless, as they are very user friendly and do an amazing job. The only two cons I have with these products are that they do not have enough shades for all women of colour. These shades on offer are very pastel and may look grey on deeper skin tones and not cover anything in fact. The second con is the price for the amount of product you are getting. It is quite steep even though it works like magic. Despite these cons, I definitely recommend these to anyone looking for an excellent high-end colour corrector. They will not disappoint.


Thank you so much for reading.
Lots of love.
Divalicious Kisses!
Xxxx

Urban Decay Perversion

Mascara & 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil

Review

Hi Divas

I hardly show case any Urban Decay products on my blog therefore I am so excited for this review. I bought the Perversion mascara and 24/7 Glide on Pencil at Sephora because it was sold as a duo. Again, I was standing in a queue and couldn't resist throwing this combo in my basket. I purchased these last year but am only using it now. I have seen many big Youtubers using the mascara in tutorials and raving about it. I know from reviews and experience that higher end mascaras and eye liners are usually not as great as drugstore products. Higher end mascaras tend to get clumpy and dry out easier. Higher end eye liners tend to have a shorter life span too as they break easily and are not that durable. I mostly buy my mascaras and eye pencils at Clicks from affordable brands like Essence, Maybelline and Rimmel. How do you feel about the difference between higher end and drugstore mascaras and eye liners. Do you notice a difference or is it all in my head? LOL! On to the review. ;-)

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
This mascara is described as a lengthening and volumizing product. They promise ''Bigger, Blacker and Badder'' lashes in one sweep. That tag line totally sounds like an action hero in a movie, hehehe. The mascara is packaged in a gunmetal colour wand with the iconic urban decay purple brand name on it. The product is quite big compared to other mascaras I have used. The tube is thicker but not heavy as it is made out of plastic. The actual wand is large in size too compared to most mascaras. There are many bristles layered in a zigzag pattern to coat and reach every eye lash. I have super big eyes so the size of the wand is not a problem for me. I think if you have particuarly small eyes, you might find it hard to control the wand without smudging product on your face.

The formula is made up of Hairdensyl and Honey extract to stimulate hair growth and nourish the lashes.The texture of the mascara is creamy. The product glides really well onto the lashes without clumping. There is a definite sign of lift and volume in my eye lashes with just one coat. You can layer this mascara too and it won't smudge or cluster the lashes. The bristles separate the lashes well giving that false lash look. I do not wear false lashes at all so this mascara is perfect for me to create that effect.  I love how this mascara makes my lashes look and feel. The formula is not heavy or sticky on my eyes. It does not dry out my lashes or cause irritation and flaking. My eyelashes look beautiful and I love the glamorous effect it gives when you layer it. The colour is a true black and looks flattering on the eyes. I love this mascara and recommend it if you are looking for a dramatic glam look.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Perversion

I had no idea that there are so many shades available in the 24/7 collection. When I looked on the Sephora website, I counted 35 pencils all in an array of colours. I think it is really great there are so many varieties to choose from. I have the true black shade in Pervasion. I am so super impressed with the colour of this liner. It is one of the truest black shades I have ever seen. It's a deep intense black that reminds me of Kohl and charcoal liners which women in ancient Egypt and India would use to adorn their eyes. This is a super creamy eye pencil that glides on like butter. I have never used such a soft and creamy eye pencil before. The liner applies smoothly on the eyes. The formula is quite soft therefore pressing too hard can cause smudges. You need a controlled hand if you want to achieve a perfect winged liner. Since the product is so creamy when you apply too much pressure it is difficult to control the application of the liner. I recommend using a light hand when drawing a wing.

So how do these pencils perform throughout the day? It lasts pretty well. There are a few smudges under my eyes but nothing too major to complain about. With a setting spray the liner lasts long with minimal smudging. You will need an eye makeup remover to thoroughly cleanse any traces of the product on the eyes, as a foam cleanser is not enough to remove all the product. When it comes to packaging the pencils are made from soft plastic and paper. You will need a good sharpener for the pencils as it is not a twist up liner. I would have preferred if the liners were in a twist up casing as the texture of the pencils are very creamy. This makes it difficult to sharpen because you feel you are sharpening some of the product away. Also, beware of not sharpening to much or the tip may break off.

*****
I adore the mascara and would definitely purchase it again. It lasts all day and is easy to remove with a foam cleanser. The 24/7 Glide on Liner performed well but I probably would not repurchase it. I found the texture a little too creamy for me. I personally prefer a slightly stiffer eye liner when it comes to texture. If you like creamy liners then definitely purchase this one. You will love it. Have you tried any of these products? Let me know below!


Hope this review was helpful. Thank you so much for reading.
Divalicious Kisses.
Xxxx

Urban Decay All Nighter Spray Review


Hi Divas

This week I will be doing a review on a very famous and most loved setting spray. Makeup lovers all over the world rave about this product so obviously I had to get it for myself and see what the hype is about. I bought the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray while standing in a queue in Sephora. Just like a grocery store where they pack all the sweets and chocolates near the tills so that kids go crazy, so it is in Sephora. As you stand there and wait for an open till, makeup pops up from every angle begging you to buy it. I swear it's a tactic by store managers because your guard is down, you feeling happy about what's in your basket, you see something pretty, you believe you need it and BAM! The product lands up walking with you outside the mall. The struggle is real people. Anyway that's the backstory of how I got the product. Leave your shopping addict stories down below, LOL.
 

I bought a travel size makeup setting spray in 30 ml. This is perfect to pop in a cosmetics bag and travel all around the world with it. The spray comes in a slick white and purple packaging. The bottle has two caps which I was quite surprised about. It has the purple cap for the bottle and a smaller clear plastic cap for the spray nozzle. If you ever end up losing a cap, you do not have to fear because there are two. Urban Decay says that this is a oil free and paraben free product. It claims to keep your makeup lasting for 16 hours without cracking, melting or fading. For those who are not familiar with makeup sprays, there are many variants out there. This is a setting spray meant to be used after applying all your makeup and locking it in place. This is not a primer or hydrating spray to be used before makeup application. I have used two other makeup setting sprays before this one so thankfully I have something to compare this too. My favourite setting spray is the L'oreal Infallible which locks your makeup in place for days. This spray is super amazing and so is the price. I use a Korean brand called The Saem as an everyday hydrating setting spray and has a similar price to L'oreal. As you know Urban Decay is in the higher price range so it's a big investment.
 

So how does Urban Decay sprays perform next to lower end setting sprays? Well it performs pretty great actually. The L'oreal Infallible spray is a super product for oily skin girls that need their makeup to stay in place and not budge. The Saem spray is great for ladies with dry skin that want to set their makeup but keep a natural glow. Urban Decay All Nighter Spray is the perfect medium between the two products I mentioned above. This product has a texture of a hair spray. It sprays on the face in a fine mist. It is not wet or splotchy like some sprays are. It distributes an even amount of product around the face and does not leave the face feeling wet. It dries fairly quickly and it does not feel tight on the skin. What I like most about this product is that you still keep your natural glow without your makeup fading. It truly has a great balance. This product would suit dry, combination and oily skin. If you have very oily skin or live in hot climates you may need a stronger setting spray. This spray does last all day. My makeup always looks natural but stays locked in place even after heavy exercising and dancing.

I think this is a great setting spray. I truly have no problems with it. It is definitely not a holy grail product though. You can easily find a lower end makeup spray that would do a similar job. You won't be disappointed if you buy this but you are also not missing out on anything spectacular if you don't. It's all up to you whether you want to spend the extra coins and try the product or not. I hope you found this review helpful. Thank you for reading.


Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

 Hi Divas!

Recently everybody and their dog was doing the Ride or Die makeup tag on YouTube and I decided to be annoying and do it too, Hahaha. ;-D It was created by the very famous beauty Youtuber Jaclyn Hill. The tag is all about your holy grail products. Cosmetics that have never let you down and makeup that has been with you through thick and thin and will always be your number one. I have included Korean brands as well as Western brands because you know I am about that ''Cosmetics around the World'' Life! This is quite a long tag so hope you enjoy reading it and find some mini reviews helpful.

1. Ride or Die Primer: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. This is a skincare and makeup product in one. I love that it brightens and lifts my face while creating a smooth and even canvas to apply my foundation.

2. Ride or Die Foundation: Peripera BB cream. This Korean product comes in the cutest packaging you will ever see. I am already on my second bottle. The BB cream gives me the coverage that I need while still looking natural on my face.

3.  Ride or Die Concealer: Rimmel Stay Matte Stick Concealer. This concealer is so creamy and blends like a dream! Unfortunately I have not seen it in stores for a while. Someone please tell me that this is not discontinued. *Crying face*.

4.  Ride or Die Powder: Innisfree No Sebum Powder. Another holy grail Korean product is this very famous Innisfree powder. It's similar to an HD powder which smooths the face and eliminates all traces of oil. It blends makeup well and has a super fine texture.

5.  Ride or Die Contour: NYX Contour Stick. I am not much of a contour girl, but I do enjoy a light application of it on special occasions. I use the nifty NYX contour stick as it is easy to travel with and to apply on the face. You can read my review on it here.

6.  Ride or Die Bronzer: Sephora Collection Shimmering Bronzer on Seychelles Cruise. I love that it contains three shades of colour and can be used as a bronzer or dark blush as well as an eyeshadow. Yay! ;-)

7.  Ride or Die Blush: Too Faced Sweethearts blush in Peach Beach. I feel like my cheeks were kissed by unicorns when I use this blush. Not only is the packaging gorgeous but the blush can be used as a eyeshadow and highlighter too. Read my full review here.

8.  Ride or Die Highlighter: The Balm Mary LouManizer. This is a great universal highlighter and perfect for travel. Read my review on it here.

9. Ride or Die Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion. I have used many eyeshadow primers but nothing has ever come close to Urban Decay. It is seriously holy grail material.

10.  Ride or Die Eyeshadow Palette: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. This palette has a lot of sentimental value to me as it is the first Sephora product and Too Faced product I ever bought. I love it so much and we will never ever part! Review here.

11. Ride or Die Single Eyeshadow: Essence Single Eyeshadows. I am not much of a single eyeshadow person, but I do enjoy the Essence single eyeshadows. They are super affordable and some of the shades can double up as a highlighter and bronzer.

12.  Ride or Die Eye Liner: Essence Super Fine Liner. No product can create a wing that can cut my worst enemies like this liner. Plus it  retails for under R50/ $5. Hello!!! Review here!

13.  Ride or Die Mascara: Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara. I love this mascara as it gives bold dramatic lashes which stays put all day. I will buy this mascara over and over again.

14.  Ride or Die Lip Liner: NYX Lip Liner in Pinky. I only use on lip liner and this one by NYX is my holy grail product. It remains in my cosmetics purse and compliments all my lipsticks.

15.  Ride or Die Lipstick: Wet n' Wild Bare It All and Mauve Outta Here Lipsticks. I cheated and chose two lipsticks. These are my favourite as they are light on the wallet and give a beautiful semi matte finish on my lips. They also work with any makeup look. LOVE!!! Review on them here.

16. Ride or Die Lipgloss: NYX Butter Gloss in Peaches And Cream. I am not much of a lip gloss wearer but these glosses smell so good and give a beautiful sheen on my lips.



Thank you for reading!
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hello gorgeous Divas

Christmas is finally upon us. It really is my most favourite time of the year. I hope that you are as excited as I am for this very special day. Are your Christmas decorations up yet and have you finished all your gift shopping? The only thing that I hate about this festive time is the Christmas rush. I prefer doing things earlier in the month so that I have no stress about crazy holiday shopping and trying to find parking at busy malls. The worst! This week on the blog I wanted to share my Christmas makeup and manicure with you. Plus I did a fun festive tag to get us in the Christmas mood. For my makeup I used my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette and my Nude Dude palette by The Balm on my eyelids. These palettes have beautiful glittery gold shades that are great for a festive look. I lined my eyes with a Maybelline Studio Fix gel liner and topped off my lashes with my favourite Hypnose Drama Mascara by Lancome. For my blush I used the gorgeous Clarins Blush prodige product in Miami pink. For my highlight I used The famous Mary Lou Manizer by The Balm for that extra golden twinkle on my cheeks. To top everything off I used Cinnamon Spice by Wet 'n Wild for a deep red lip. This makeup is great for a Christmas dinner as it is super glam and golden.

Holly Jolly Holiday Tag Questions:

-Favourite Christmas movie?
I love watching The Family Stone and The Holiday.

-Are you on the Naughty list or the Nice list?
Always Naughty, lol.

-Show us an embarrassing Christmas Card photo!
I shared one of me and my sister on Instagram last year. My hair was whack in that photo. You can view it here ;-)

-Have you ever had a White Christmas?
Never, but I am dreaming of one.

-Where do you usually spend your holiday?
Sadly in my home town. I would love to take a trip overseas but times are tough people!

-Play or sing your favourite Christmas song!

 I'll add a YouTube link instead. O Holy Night by Mariah Carey and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Bing Crosby. So beautiful!

-Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?
No. My mother was always very strict about opening presents on Christmas day after church. The torture was real! So I have it ingrained in me now to only open presents on Christmas day. I find that it is more exciting that way.

-Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Hell no. I only know Rudolph ;-D

-What holiday tradition are you looking forward to most this year?
Eating and more eating. No jokes!

-Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

 It is fake. We used to have real ones when I was a child.

-Hands down, what's your all-time favourite holiday food and holiday sweet treat?

 I absolutely love my mom's homemade roast lamb and chocolate mousse. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

-Be honest: do you like giving gifts or receiving gifts better?

 I love giving gifts. I especially love wrapping gifts and making them look pretty. It is so much fun.

-Show us your tackiest Christmas attire!

 Hahaha, I don't have one.

-What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

 I would love to visit the Christmas markets in Germany. They look so stunning in pictures online. As I said above I have never had a white Christmas, so I would love to be in the snow.

-Does your family have a special holiday recipe you like to help make?

Yes. I love helping my mom make the desserts. Like the chocolate mousse and cheesecakes. Yum!

-Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?

I am definitely a pro! I wrap up those prezzies with precision. No peek a booing allowed ;-)

-Most memorable Holiday moment?

 When my dad almost set the Christmas table alight when he knocked over the candle and it landed on a serviette. All you saw was flames! Hahaha

-What made you realise the truth about Santa?

 When I had to say thank you to my mom and dad for the gifts. I couldn't understand why I had to thank them and not Santa Claus. Something clicked inside me and realised they were somehow involved in the gift giving.

-Do you make New Year's resolutions? Do you stick to them?

Never! I don't believe in making New Year's Resolutions. 

-What makes the Holidays special for you?
Family always makes the holidays special. I love spending time with them. We have so much fun together.



 For my nails I used glittery red Nails Inc nail polish in Marylebone and Nails Inc Foil in Kings Road as a base. I drew on my funny Santa Claus with some Tip Top nail polishes with my dotting tools. I used silver nail trips for my thumb and pinky fingers. I then topped up four of my nails with Christmas nail stickers. Super easy manicure and super fun too ;-) I really hope I have inspired you for this Christmas day and that you enjoyed this post.


Wishing all you lovely Divas a Beautiful and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!
Thank you for all your support on the Diva Desle blog this year. See you in 2016 ;-)
Lots of Love
Xxxx

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Rapture 

Hey Divas!


I want to share with you one of my favourite lipsticks in my collection by Urban Decay. This is the only lipstick I own of the brand and I seriously want more. There are 20 shades in the range and I chose a beautiful dusty rose shade called Rapture. The lipstick is described as a 'creamy, bad ass, luxury' lipstick infused with pigment and nourishing oils that deliver the best colour pay off and 'cushiony' soft lips. Can we just take a moment to appreciate the two words bad ass and luxury being next to each other in a sentence. What a oxymoron! Can you be bad ass and luxurious at the same time? That is like a definition of a DIVA. Hello, I think this lipstick was clearly meant for me. I bought the lipstick at Sephora which is one of my favourite places of life! I could spend hours browsing around and playing in that makeup heaven store. I think I should just move in there.

Since this was my first time purchasing a lipstick from Urban Decay I decided to only buy one and chose a shade that would be versatile with any look and suite all skin tones. As I said above Rapture is a dusty rose shade with a hint of mauve thrown in. As you can see in the picture above the lipstick looks a little more pink on me. I am wearing it without a lip liner in the photo. The formula of the lipstick is super soft and creamy. It feels like you are gliding a butter stick on your lips. It is very moisturising and your lips are left feeling soft and plump.The lipstick is very opaque and one swipe covers your lips in rich colour. It has a creamy satin finish with a slight glossy shine. It would be better to pair these lipsticks with a lip liner as they are very creamy and may have a tendency to bleed on thinner lips. The lipstick lasts really well through out the day. It does wear off slightly after eating and drinking but your lips will still have a wash of colour. The formula is quite thick, so I rarely found it necessary to reapply the lipstick throughout the day.


When it comes to packaging the lipstick tube comes in a metallic gun metal casing which is slightly bigger than a MAC lipstick. The tube is quite sturdy and strong and will withstand any hard clumsy falls. I find the packaging quite strange as it is not very feminine. It looks pretty futuristic and almost like a sci-fi object. It reminds me of the matrix movies. Lol ;-) There is no significant scent to these lipsticks too, so that is a good thing if you are sensitive to fragranced products. I am in love with this lipstick and I think this colour is perfect for my skin tone. I really do want to purchase more of these lipsticks. Besides this lipstick I own about 5 other Urban Decay products and this brand never disappoints in quality and pigmentation. In this instance you really do get what you pay for and I love splurging a little extra on Urban Decay because I am never disappointed.

Hope you enjoyed this review.

Divalicious kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas!

This year I celebrate my blog turning 3 years old. I started blogging on the 4th April 2012. My blog has always and will always be a very fun hobby for me. I blog for love and pure excitement in sharing my makeup and beauty addictions with you. I buy 99% of the goodies I blog about and all my posts are me having fun and sharing my reviews and experiences with you. I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting me in the last 3 years. I truly hope we continue to share and have fun together on this blog. I wanted this giveaway to be extra special, so I am giving away a brand new Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I love this palette so much! You can read my review on the palette here. All you have to do is follow these simple rules below and I will choose one lovely lady via random.org to win the prize!







Rules to Enter:

1) Follow Diva Desle on Twitter and retweet the giveaway photo.

And/Or

Like Diva Desle on Facebook and share the giveaway photo on your profile wall.

And/Or

Follow Diva Desle on Instagram and share the giveaway photo on your wall and add @divadesle in your post.

2) Comment below what your holy grail beauty product is that you swear by. It can be anything from lipstick, to Vaseline, to nail polish. Please leave your email address or twitter handle so that I can contact you if you win.


The giveaway will end on the 30th April 2015 and is open internationally.



All the best and lots of love!
XOXO

 Valentines Day Vibes 2015

Hi Divas

 This week I have succumb to all the Valentines hype and bringing you a Valentines Day post too. I know super cliché, but what the heck. I thought I would just run with it since February is known as the month of love. I did a makeup and nail look for you to spark some inspiration for Saturday. So whether you going on a romantic date, going out with friends or crying on the couch with a tub of ice cream (ME!), you can still look good while doing it. I know there are a lot of people that despise Valentines day but I really don't mind it. There are a lot of gimmicks and advertises have a field day with it but I think it's a cute and fun to give some flowers, chocolates and hearts to those you love and adore. Back in the day at university my room mate and I used to buy each other roses and walk around on campus all day with them pretending they were from a secret crush. Haha, super duper lame! Do you have any fun Valentines stories you want to share? Please comment below!

Valentines Makeup

For my face I used my favourite bb cream by Guerlain called Super Aqua BB Hydra+ (Will do a review on it soon) to even out my skin tone and give a natural radiant glow. On my eyes I used my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette and my Urban Decay Ammo palette. I placed the eyeshadow Venus under my brow bone, the brown shade Faint in my crease and dusted a beautiful cool toned gold shade Maui Wowie on my lids. As you can see in the photo above the gold shade really pops and brings out my brown eyes. I then added my favourite NYX Super Fine Liner and Miss Manga Mascara by Loreal for sexy lashes. I dusted Faint on my lower lash line to warm my eyes up a little bit. For cheeks I kept the look subtle and lightly dusted a pink blusher from my BH Cosmetics That's Heart palette. I went slightly bold with the lips and used Fuchsia Flash by Maybelline. This lipstick is a really pretty pink and I think it looks perfect for Valentines day. The makeup look is not to overbearing or sultry. I think it is light and playful for a romantic date out or as I said eating ice cream alone on the couch (ME!!!).

Valentines Manicure

For my manicure I used four nail polish colours and some stickers and gold heart rhinestones. I wanted to create something fun and girly so I focused my attention on cute little hearts and added white polka dots on my index finger and ''XOXO'' on my ring finger which turned out kind of whack, lol. For the pink polish I used Get the Party Started by Tip Top, The white polish is Cream Puff  by Tip top, The glitter gold polish Gold Fever by Sephora and to write the ''XOXO'' on my ring finger I used Black Forest by Tip Top. I drew the pink heart in the middle with a dotting tool. I am actually surprised that it didn't turn out into a messy blob as I was freestyling and hoping it would turn into something that resembles a heart. Whoop! I will be doing more heart manicures from now on ;-)

Have a great week and enjoy your Valentines Day.

MWAH Xxxx

 Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette Review 
(International Series)

I received the Naked Basics Urban Decay palette earlier this year from my beautiful blogger friend Tasneem. You can visit her blog CityGirlVibe here. She sent it in a birthday gift box along with some other amazing goodies. I never thought that I would be able to get my hands on this palette as it was sold out at the Sephora in Doha Qatar and on online beauty stores as well. So, I was very grateful to receive this awesome gift. If any of you ladies watch YouTube videos, you know that this palette has been raved about over and over again by beauty bloggers. I have been using this palette for months now and can see why it is such a must have and classic product.

The palette comes in a sturdy metal casing with six eyeshadows. All the eyeshadows are matte with the exception of one which has a satin finish with a slight shimmer. Palettes with matte eyeshadows are often very hard to find, which makes this palette so unique and a sought after product. The palette fits quite snug in my hand and is smaller in size than most smartphones. My cellphone is definitely much bigger in length and a little in width. The small packaging makes it easy to travel with, and can fit into any makeup bag. Even though the palette is small it does not affect the quantity and size of the eyeshadows. I have been using this palette everyday for 8 months and I am no where near hitting pan on any of the eyeshadows. Urban Decay, thank you very much for being so generous with the eyeshadow quantity!

Eyeshadow Shades:

VENUS:
The lightest shade in the palette has a white satin colour with a slight shimmer. This is great to highlight the brow bone, the inner corners of the eyes and the bridge of the nose. The texture is super soft and silky.

FOXY:
This is one of my favourite shades in the palette. It looks great as a natural eyeshadow on my eye lids because I have a honey skin tone and this is a yellow toned neutral shade. The texture is very matte and soft. It looks very natural on the eyes and the staying power is great.

W.O.S (WALK OF SHAME):
This eyeshadow has a similar texture to Foxy except it has a pink neutral finish. This would look great on fairer skin toned eye lids. I use this mainly under my brow bone but I do use it as a main base lid colour if I want a cooled toned look.

NAKED2:
This is another one of my favourite matte shades from the palette. It is a taupe eyeshadow with purple, brown and grey undertones. I love to warm up my crease with this colour and it is great as a transitional colour as well. It looks lovely on my honey skin tone. I use this shade in my crease everyday as well. I sometimes dust it on my lower lash line if I don't want to do hard black liner but I still want to warm up my eye a little. When I do a smokey eye I like to place this eyeshadow on my lid. It is dark enough for a smokey eye but not too harsh.

 FAINT:
This is a medium dark brown shade. I like to use it in my crease and lower lash line to create depth. It strikes a perfect balance of a dark brown where it doesn't look too harsh on the eyes. It is easily blendable so that you don't end up looking muddy or like someone punched you in the face.

CRAVE:
The darkest matte shade in the palette is a black eyeshadow with grey and brown undertones. The shadow is a little more powdery than others so I am usually more careful when I work with it because it can have fallout. I line my upper and lower lash lines with this shade if I want a dramatic winged eye.

Looks Created:

Below are a two looks that I love to do. The palette is very versatile in that you can create a soft day time look and a dramatic smokey eye for the night time. All the eyeshadows used in these looks are with the Naked Basics palette only. I did use the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk as my eyeshadow primer and base.



Day Time Look: 
  Foxy on my eyelids, Naked 2 in my crease and W.O.S with Venus on my brow bone. I tapped Venus on the inner corners of my eyes. I lined my eyes and created a wing using the Crave eyeshadow only. I paired it with a light rosy blush and my favourite pink lipstick Fuchsia Flash by Maybelline.

Night Time Look: 
Naked 2 on my eyelids, Faint in my crease with a little bit of Crave for a deeper cut crease. I used W.O.S and Venus on my brow bone. I placed Venus on the inner corners of my eyes as well. I lined my eyes with Crave and created a dramatic winged liner. I placed a deeper red blush on my cheeks and a sultry red lipstick by Nars called Shanghai Express. I topped it up with Stila Lip Glaze in Cranberry for a more glossy look.



Final Thoughts:

All the eyeshadows glide on the eyes like a dream. They are so smooth and blend easily. The pigmentation of the eyeshadows are fantastic. You can wear them with or without an eye primer. I personally feel this palette is a must have in a makeup addict's makeup bag. There is so much you can do with the eyeshadows, the quality is excellent, the packaging is great for travel and it will take you a very long time to hit pan on the eyeshadows. The neutral shades will suite any skin tone. The palette is user friendly as well. You could be starting out with makeup or be a makeup pro and you won't go wrong with it. This is one of my Holy Grail products for shizzle! ;-)))

P.S You can purchase the palette on rubybox.co.za if you live in South Africa;-)

All About Eyes Tag

Hi Divas!

Hope you all had an amazing weekend. This week on the blog I will be doing a fun beauty tag. Since my eyes are my favourite feature on my face I thought I would do a spot light post of it on the blog. Hope you enjoy it. P.S. I have a makeup giveaway on my Facebook page currently running. So head on over to Diva Desle on Facebook and enter! There are three lovely products up for grabs.
Much love!

Tag Questions: 1. What eye cream/serum do you use?

I don't use eye creams or serums. I do love to use the Essence Cooling Eye Roll On ball. It contains cucumber extracts that soothes and moisturizes puffy eyes. I love to roll this under my eyes in the morning if they are feeling tired and looking puffy and red.
 

2. What is your favourite under eye concealer?

I love using the Essence Stay Natural concealer. I use it mainly to highlight as it is quite sheer but I love the natural finish it leaves on my face. You can read my full review on it here .
 

3. What is your favourite eye brow product?

I think you will notice a pattern here, but I really love using the Essence Eyebrow Stylist Set. It comes with two shades of brow shadow and stencils. You can read my full review on that product here.
 

4. What is your favourite eye shadow primer?

My absolute favourite would have to be the Urban Decay Primer Potion. This product is amazing and never creases your eyeshadow. A little product goes a long way too, so it is a great investment.
 

5. Your favourite shadow palette ( you must choose just one).

This is a very hard decision to make as I love all my eyeshadow palettes. If I have to choose only one it would have to be my Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. This palette contains a variety of neutral eyeshadows that can be worn every day. You can also create many glam smokey eye looks for a night out. This is a beautiful and versatile palette.

6. Your favourite eye makeup remover.
 I love using Clarins Instant Eye Makeup remover. It is gentle on my eyes and removes the toughest black liner.

7. Your favourite mascara.

It would have to be the Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara. I adore the formulae and the brush. It gives gorgeous dramatic lashes.
 

8. Your favourite eye liner (gel, kohl,felt tip).

To create a beautiful winged liner I love using the NYX Super Fat Marker black liner. I will do a full review on it soon. It gives me a beautiful precise line across my eyelids.

9. Your favourite single eyeshadow.

I don't use single eyeshadows. I love using palettes, so I would have to say the Essence quad eyeshadows would be my favourite. Read my full review on them here.
 

10. Your favourite sunglasses

So, I have a confession to make. I don't buy sunglasses any more. I used to spend lots of money on sunglasses and they would break in the most tragic ways. They would crush in my handbag; I would sit on them by accident or scratch them. Big sigh! So I found a solution to my problem. All the sunglasses I currently own are all free because I get them with magazine purchases. Whenever I see a fashion or beauty magazine giving away sunglasses free with the monthly magazine I would buy it. Needless to say I have four awesome pairs of sunglasses that I got for free. My favourite pair are the pink retro shaped sunglasses pictured above, which I got in a Glamour magazine. I even went overseas with this pair and got so many compliments. Score!:-)

Have a fabulous week Divas!

Xxxx