Hi Divas

 

The Festive Season is here and I have 3 amazing products from Wet n' Wild to help you create the perfect party looks. Whether hosting a Christmas dinner, getting ready for a New Year's party or enjoying a festival concert out of town, these products will glam up your holiday style. Wet n' Wild is a wonderful brand that should not be slept on. Their cosmetics come in an array of colours, shades and innovative trendy designs. There is always something for everybody when it comes to their makeup range. A woman can never go wrong with a little sparkle on the eyes or a pop of colour on the lips to add extra glamour. You cannot forget a touch of concealer to obscure those unwanted blemishes too.  

These nifty eyeshadow palettes are the perfect size to pop in a cosmetics travel bag and do a quick makeup look on the go. It has all the colours and texture combinations to create a versatile look. I have the palette Camo Flaunt which has warm-toned shades of matte camel brown, rose gold satin, reddish-toned pressed glitter, metallic silver sparkle and a deep matte brown for depth. As you can see in the swatches below, the shades are pigmented and have a great formula. They are not chalky at all and they blend really well. The glitters and sparkles do need a sticky base to adhere to. I suggest using a concealer or eyeshadow primer as your base and pressing the glitters onto your lid with a finger for precise application.

The Incognito concealer comes in a variety of shades and has medium to full coverage. The matte formula has built-in moisturising ingredients such as Shea Butter and Mango Seed Butter. The texture is lightweight and blends out seamlessly giving a natural finish. It is an excellent everyday concealer that covers under-eye circles and blemishes well. Even though it states that it is matte, the formula is not drying at all. It is a perfect combination of durable coverage and creamy consistency. The product is a true hidden gem as most consumers spend a fortune on this type of coverage. I love to use it on my eyelids to even out my skin tone and provide a tacky base for eyeshadows to adhere to.

 

This is a dual-ended lip colour with a pigmented colour on one end and a high shine gloss at the rear. Ingredients include Vitamin E, Jojoba Oil and rich antioxidant Passionfruit Seed Oil. The two in one lip combo has a radiant colour and comes in many shades. I have the shade LA Pink. The product has a built-in brush applicator on both sides making for easy and mess-free application. The formula is buildable, long-lasting and very comfortable to wear on the lips. It has a non-sticky texture and feels hydrating throughout the day. I generally only touch up after I eat. This is a budget friendly lip duo that gives great pigmentation and a glossy shine. 

 

I absolutely love the look I created with these Wet n' Wild products. This is glam on a budget but gives luxury results. My absolute favourite product used was the eyeshadow pan. The shades are versatile and fun to use. All the products are great on the wallet and have excellent coverage and pigmentation. Quick and easy makeup looks are now within reach. Let me know what your favourite products are from the brand down below.

Hi Divas

Affordable and good quality products are always a delight to discover, especially in this crazy economy. Thankfully Makeup Revolution sets the bar very high regarding makeup on a budget that can rival any high-end cosmetics. The Revolution Conceal and Hydrate Radiance Concealer is an excellent option for those who want high-end results that are light on the wallet. This concealer is a sibling to the famous Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer. I loved the original concealer as it worked well for my combination skin and covered my flaws effortlessly. I have heard people found this version too drying for their skin type as the formula was matte. Hence Revolution came out with a hydrating variant. Since I have been getting older, I have been gravitating to more hydrating products. I am looking for a concealer to cover my puffy under eyes, brighten dark circles and ensure crease-proof longevity.

The Conceal and Hydrate Radiance concealer is packaged in a slimmer tube in contrast to its stubby predecessor. It has a sleek rose gold design and contains 13g of product. The formula is infused with Hyaluronic Acid along with Acai extracts. Hyaluronic Acid is well known to moisturise skin and keep it hydrated all day. Acai derives from the Acai berry and is popular for reducing skin dullness and promoting luminosity. Both ingredients are highly beneficial for radiant, moisturised and smooth under eyes. The concealer has a whopping 50 shade range. Each concealer is categorised into fair, medium and deep skin tones alongside their different undertone shades, such as yellow, neutral, pink, olive and golden. I chose the shade C8.5 as it was described as medium skin with a yellow undertone. This concealer is lighter than my skin tone because I love a super bright under eye effect. 

The concealer has a creamy texture and is quite thick in consistency. A little goes a long way as the product has excellent pigment and covers a large surface area when blended. It has medium coverage but can comfortably build up to full coverage as more product is applied. The doe foot applicator is medium in size and picks up quite a bit of product. One swipe is enough for me to cover my under eyes and top lid with a beauty blender. Speaking of blending, I prefer to use a makeup sponge rather than my fingers or brush with this product. As I mentioned above the concealer is quite thick and blending it out with a wet sponge gives me a flawless and even application. I follow up with the Makeup Revolution baking powder in translucent. This combination gives me a beautiful natural blurred under eye. 

 The concealer gives a radiant and sheer satin finish. It covers all my dark and puffy areas. My skin looks naturally fresh and smooth. The concealer wears well for many hours and does not crease or flake throughout the day. Some hydrating concealers tend to move around in warm weather and under sweat. Not this one! This formula is long-lasting and wears well even on hot days. I love that my under eyes feel breathable and not heavy or cakey. The coverage is medium to full on blemishes and pigmentation marks. It covers well and many layers can be added to hide flaws. This is an excellent hydrating concealer for my combination skin. Did I mention that it is vegan and cruelty-free too? Have you tried this concealer? I absolutely love it. Let me know your thoughts down below.

 

 

Hi Divas

I hope that you are all healthy, safe and well during this crazy and uncertain time. If you have been going through any type of hardship with all that has been going on in the world, I pray that God will strengthen you and uphold you through these trying times. I, myself have gone through a lot of loss but I am thankful to the Lord for holding me up in these deep waters. I will do a more in-depth post as to what has been going on with me personally at a later stage. For now, I want to get your minds off all the anxiety and do a fun review. I purchased the well acclaimed Too Faced sculpting concealer in Sephora at the end of last year. I have been keeping it safe till now, as I wanted to use it in the colder months. I have combination skin and generally prefer matte consistencies in my makeup routine. This new concealer is part of the Born This Way range which focuses on hydration. I absolutely adore the Born This Way foundation and therefore could not wait to get my hands on the concealer, to compare formulas and see if they pair well together.

The Multi-Use Sculpting concealer is packaged in an astonishing 15ml of product. This is more than twice the size of a standard concealer, as most come in 6 ml tubes. It looks like a jumbo size compared to other concealers and resembles a mini version of the Born This Way foundation. I love the adorable ''Mini Me'' design. I am always a sucker for Too Faced packaging and this one got me hook, line and sinker. The main difference in the concealer besides the size when compared is the jumbo applicator, where as the foundation has a pump. The applicator looks like a giant doe foot and carries a lot of product. It is attached to the screw on top and is flexible enough to work around the face and disperse product evenly. The doe foot feels soft on the skin and the applicator angles are comfortable to use. The only thing I dislike about the packaging is the funnel base at the entrance of the glass bottle. It becomes very gunky when pulling product out, as a lot of residue remains in the funnel. This can get very messy overtime, if you don't clean it after each use.

The concealer is marketed as a hydrating, long wearing, photo friendly and non-comedogenic product. It is said to cover, contour, highlight and retouch with super coverage pigments. As the foundation, it is infused with Coconut Water, Alpine Rose and Hyaluronic Acid for a more hydrating and radiant formula. This is a very versatile product and can be used in place of your foundation for an overall natural base. You could also highlight and contour for a complete full coverage glam look. The product is very convenient for every day travel and Makeup Artists as it can perform in a multitude of ways. It comes in 35 shades which is quite impressive compared to other brands on the market. I love that the shades match the corresponding foundation shades which make it so easy to choose when shopping. I am the shade Warm Beige in the foundation and chose the shade Natural Beige in the concealer. It is one tone lighter than Warm Beige and has a neutral undertone. I wanted something a little brighter than my foundation shade for my under eyes. It is not too light to spot conceal or use all over the face.

The concealer has a cream like texture and glides well on the skin with the applicator. It is not thick or runny and does not dry too quickly either. The consistency blends out effortlessly on the skin using your fingers or a sponge. It sits comfortably on the delicate skin under the eyes and does not crease or bunch up in the area. The formula of the concealer is medium to full coverage. It has a buildable consistency but can become cakey after two layers. The concealer covers amazingly well and you could seriously skip foundation if you want a natural look as it blends and covers evenly across the face. As this is a more moisturising formula, I love that it covers my dark circles and blemishes without my skin feeling heavy, tight or dry. It gives a satin like appearance and since I am combination skin, I like that it does not give me an unnatural sheen or dewy appearance. It mimics the ''my skin but better'' look. The creamy texture blends effortlessly with other makeup products too. It performs amazingly with the Born This Way foundation. An absolute match made in heaven. They complement each other so well.

  Unfortunately I do not own the Too Faced setting powder but all my other powders set the concealer  with ease. There is no flaking or creasing on the skin. The formula wears really great throughout the day in all types of weather and activities. I wore it on hot and cold days and it held up great on both occasions. The product mixes well with the oils on my face which seep through during the day. My skin looks radiant and feels hydrated but does not look overly glowy or shiny. The coverage is wonderful and it is long lasting. This hydrating satin finish would be a winner for all skin types; dry, combination and oily. Each would enjoy the versatility and long wearing comfortable formula. I would definitely purchase it again as it is great value for money. A little goes a long way and the jumbo size will last you a really long time. I recommend this concealer for those who want a hydrating texture with the option of natural and full glam benefits!

Hi Divas

Makeup Revolution has an array of affordable products to choose from. One of the most outstanding products from the brand has to be the Conceal and Define concealer. I don't know how they did it but this concealer manages to tick all the right boxes. It is super affordable, full coverage and comes in a whopping 50 shades ranging from fair to deep. When Makeup Revolution launched in South Africa last year (2018), I was very excited to get my hands on the concealer. I have heard so many great reviews on it. Unfortunately, we do not have all 50 shades on our shelves but we do have a satisfying range to choose from. Each shade comes in different undertones within the fair, medium and deep ranges. I had to use quite a few before I could find a shade, I was happy with. For reference I am a medium to tan skin tone with yellow and olive undertones. I started out with shade C6 but that was too light for me. I then jumped to shade C8 but the undertone was peach and didn't match me at all. I purchased C7 and C10 which has a neutral to soft yellow undertone. C7, of cause is lighter and I use it on a daily basis to brighten my face. To conceal and give a more natural look I use C10 as it is closer to my actual skin tone. I hope that helps anyone who has a similar skin tone to me.


 This product is described as a full coverage concealer and contour. You can use it all over to hide blemishes and to tone and sculpt the face. It promises to give a smooth matte finish without accentuating fine lines and pores. It has long-wearing pigments which gives full coverage all day long. The concealer is packaged in a glass tube with a large doe foot applicator. It holds 4 ml of product which is quite little compared to other brands which hold 5 ml to 10 ml in concealers. You therefore can run fairly quickly out of the product if you use a substantial amount every day. The packaging is very sturdy and great for travel. Everything is very secure and you won't experience any leaking if carried around in a makeup bag. The doe foot applicator is a great size to pick up product and disperse it evenly on the face. It is very soft in texture and feels comfortable to use under the eyes. The product does come in clear glass with a rose gold top. The packaging is very sleek and I like that you can tell if you are going to run out of product soon.


The concealer is a liquid but it has a very creamy texture. It's quite thick and one stroke covers quite a large area on the face. For application, I like to only use one dip in the product for both areas under my eyes. I feel that it is enough coverage for me than dipping in twice. If you are someone with dark circles and pigmentation then you may need a second application. As I said it disperses a lot of product under my eyes and I like to blend it out with the warmth of my fingers instead of using a brush or sponge. I feel I get more coverage this way as the tools tend to soak up product. The concealer dries quite fast; therefore, you have to blend it out a few moments after you apply it or you will experience tugging and pulling. The concealer once dried, stays in place and it is difficult to manipulate the product after that. I always set my concealers with a translucent setting powder as I have normal to combination skin.


For an affordable/drug store product, this concealer performs excellently. It gives amazing coverage, blends effortlessly on all foundations and does not oxidize throughout the day. It covers my period blemishes really well and looks smooth and matte. It does not give a cakey appearance nor is it too drying for a matte consistency. It sits very comfortable on the skin and lasts all day long. I have not experienced any creasing in my fine lines nor has it interfered with my pores. This concealer is the best I have come across in the low-end range. It honestly acts as a high-end concealer. Do keep in mind that I have normal to combination skin and it may perform differently on very dry or oily skin tones. I personally love this concealer and will keep repurchasing. Have you tried this concealer? Do let me know your thoughts below.



Hope you found this review helpful.
Thank you for reading!
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas

Essence has some really great complexion products on the market. If you haven't checked them out yet, you definitely should.  I particularly love their liquid concealers as they are affordable and give excellent coverage for a low end brand. I was excited to see that Essence had expanded their Camouflage range as I was a huge fan of the previous concealers. I have a review on it here. This range has been up graded to Camouflage Plus. It promises to be a full coverage matte concealer which is waterproof and even covers tattoos. Now I do not have any tattoos, but I do have moles and under eye bags that need serious cover. When it comes to waterproof claims I do not venture out into open waters with makeup on, but I do sweat it out in intense cardio workouts. I need a concealer that would cover pigmentation and not move during exercise. This one sounds like it would do the job perfectly and therefore I didn't hesitate to purchase it.

The previous Camouflage range only came in an atrocious two shades. The Camouflage Plus comes in a disappointing three shades. I have the shade 30 Light Honey which is perfect for my medium skin tone. If you are darker in complexion from a medium to medium tan than there is no shade match for you. This is extremely discouraging as we live in a time where inclusivity is not an option any more, it should be a prerequisite. I understand that Essence is made in Germany and their demographic is not the same as the rest of the world but if you going to branch out to other countries, you going to need to expand and put in the effort to include everyone. Any way besides the shade range the packaging is really great. It comes in a sturdy plastic tube with a doe foot applicator. The applicator is an ideal size to disperse product evenly. The tube comes with the standard 5ml of product and is well built to travel with as it won't easily break under extreme conditions such as falling or knocking against other products in a makeup bag.

Upon application, I was truly surprised at the consistency of this concealer. By the claims I was expecting it to be super thick and hard to blend. This was not the case at all. The product goes on quite light and blends out smoothly with fingers and a sponge. It does not drag, flake or dry too quickly. The formula is lovely to work with and you can build it up to the desired effect you want without it becoming clumpy. I have combination skin and the matte effect it gives is just right. It does not dry out my under eyes or cause streaks. There is a surprising luminosity to it that I did not expect. It covers blemishes and under eye dark circles great too. I have a mole on the right side of my face that is very prominent. Since I do not have tattoos, I decided to test the full coverage claims there. It did not cover the mole fully on first application but started to conceal it as I was layering the product. I do not think this is a full on heavy one touch concealer. You would need to add a few layers to get total full coverage on things like tattoos and heavy scars. When it comes to the matte effect and waterproof claims, the concealer held up really well. It lasted under my intense sweaty cardio sessions and did not run, flake or move. My under eyes still looked covered and flawless.

This is a well made concealer for an affordable price. It did a great job in covering blemishes and holding up under heat and sweat. It is on the light side when it comes to covering full on tattoos in one go though. You would need to layer up and blend. The concealer is not drying even though it has matte claims. If you have intense dry and sensitive skin, this may not be a good option for you. For those with normal to combination skin, this concealer sits comfortably on the face and does not feel tight, heavy or dry. I love the price and longevity of this product but the shade range needs a whole lot of work. I hope you found this review helpful. Let me know if you tried this concealer down below.


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

Essence Camouflage Full Coverage Concealer Review

Hi Divas

I recently went on the hunt for an affordable concealer as I shockingly ran out. I couldn't find one full tube of concealer any where in the house. Such horror, I tell you! When it comes to concealers I usually stick to what I know and tend to purchase my tried and trusted products. On my shopping trip I was feeling a bit daring and decided to try something new. I purchased the Essence Camouflage Concealer. What struck me the most was that it said full coverage on the tube. The product promised to cover dark circles and imperfections without a masking effect. It guaranteed a fresh and concealed look. I was excited to try this new magical concealer because it claimed to camouflage my deepest flaws while being kind to my wallet. I have only ever tried one concealer product from Essence called the Stay Natural Concealer. That one was light as a feather and didn't give much coverage. This concealer however is part of the full coverage Camouflage range which  has a 2 in 1 makeup and concealer base. I had already purchased a new foundation therefore I decided to try out the concealer first and if I like it, would purchase the 30ml 2 in 1 foundation later on. 

The concealer comes in a very sturdy 5ml tube with a bright orange cap. The packaging is quite heavy and bulky compared to most products in this range. It has a soft doe foot applicator that picks up the concealer pretty well and distributes it across the face evenly too. I have it in the shade 10 nude. This is a little too light for my skin tone. I would have preferred the shade beige. Nevertheless I use it to brighten up the darkness under my eyes. To be honest I have only seen two shades in this concealer so far. Both on the shelves in store and the website only display Ivory and Nude. I have no idea if there are more shades in the range or if this is it for the colour selection. I really hope that it is not the case as most women in South Africa would not be able to use this concealer. The product is made in Germany and maybe that is the reason for the limited shade options.

The texture of the concealer is soft and creamy. It is not super runny or too stiff. It actually has the consistency of custard. The formula is very pigmented and a few dots is enough to cover the areas under the eyes. I have used my fingers, a brush and a sponge to blend the product out. I enjoyed the sponge and using my fingers the most as both blended the product effortlessly. The brush caused streaks and uneven patches. It was very difficult to blend and I ended up using more product than I was supposed it. The sponge and finger tips press the concealer into the skin and gives the most natural coverage. The concealer dries fairly quickly therefore you have to blend it out immediately. It is buildable and more than two layers can be applied for heavy coverage. I like to set my face with a translucent powder to lock all the products in place. The concealer sets well with powder and does not move around or flake throughout the day.

I was extremely surprised at how well the Essence Camouflage performed. It covers my dark circles and under eye puffiness like a dream. It does not crease under my eyes or flake off. Even though the concealer is thick in texture and dries quickly, my under eyes do not feel dehydrated or heavy. When wearing this concealer it gives you the full coverage without that mask feeling as it claims on the tube. It lasts a really long time as my face was still flawless at the end of the day. I would definitely repurchase this one if I can find a deeper shade for my skin tone. I think it is a great budget friendly concealer and lives up to its claims. Have you tried this concealer or any product from this range? Do let me know below. Thank you so much for reading. Hope you found my review helpful.


Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Diva Tips:

Differences between Foundations and Concealers

Hi Divas

Have you ever done something out of habit or because everyone else is doing it, you do it too? That is how I feel sometimes when I apply makeup or see others applying makeup on their faces. When it comes to the beauty world, we as makeup fanatics tend to follow Youtube gurus religiously and copy everything they do. After all they are looking flawless and we want to be beautiful too. Do you ever question why we do what we do? Why do we need a concealer if we have a full coverage foundation? When do we apply concealer? How does everything work together? For someone who does not have a clue about makeup application maybe puzzled by all the 200 steps we do everyday to achieve a gorgeous face. In today's blog post I am going to break it down for you. This post is for those who are curious and new to the makeup realm. Of cause if you are a makeup connoisseur yourself, feel free to leave any tips below. Here we go!

What is a Foundation?

Foundation is a colour correcting base that is meant to even out skintone and give you an overall perfect complexion. It is applied all over the face and neck area with either hands, a brush or makeup sponge depending on the type of base. There are many different formula's of foundations like liquids, creams and powders all catered to your specific skin concern. Women who have oily skin tend to love powder foundations as it gives a matte finish. Women with very dry skin go for liquid luminous foundations for an all day hydrated glow. It is important to always buy a foundation that is suited to your specific skin type and not only the skin colour. This will give you the most natural finish and optimal skin benefits.

What is a Concealer?

Concealer is a more concentrated form of foundation. It is packaged in smaller tubes or jars and has a higher pigmentation. Concealers are meant to spot correct any areas on the face that need slightly more coverage. Areas such as dark under eye circles, eye puffiness and blemishes around the face. Since concealers are packed with higher concentration of pigments it covers imperfections easily. You only need a tiny amount on an area to blend and have excellent coverage. Concealers can be blended out with fingers as the warmth of your hands help blend it out seamlessly. You can also use a sponge or foundation brush.

Why don't we just use Foundation or Concealer only? Why do we need both? 

As mentioned above, foundations are lighter in coverage than concealers. To fully cover blemishes or under eye darkness and puffiness, it is going to take a lot of foundation layers. When applying foundation you want to look as natural as possible and not like a cake layered in icing. In order to cover certain areas, foundation will need to be layered on. Even if you are spot layering, the skin will still crease, flake and look like a mess. I have seen women layering foundation to cover blemishes and it never has a happy ending. The face always looks textured and not even toned. I do agree that there are many high coverage foundations on the market that can cover any sin you ever did. Always remember to use those sparingly and not cake the face. The same concept applies to concealers. Since concealers are heavily pigmented, applying it all over your face can end up making you look like you are wearing a full on mask. If you do not blend it out correctly it can crease heavily on the forehead area especially. Plus concealers do not come in an array of shades like foundation. It will end up being a little too light or dark for your actual skin tone. To even out your entire complexion it is best to find a foundation that matches your skin completely.

When do I apply Concealer?

There is much debate about which comes first, foundation or concealer? I personally prefer to use concealer after I apply foundation because I use it to not only cover my dark circles but to clean up any eyeshadow and eyeliner marks around my eye area. Concealer can be used to correct makeup mistakes and used as a primer before applying eyeshadow. I think it is your personal preference on using either one first. If you are going to be using a powder foundation it is important to always apply liquids and creams before hand. Applying liquids and creams on top of powder can lead to difficulty blending out and heavy creasing. Use the powder to set your concealer and make it last longer.

So where do you go from here?

Firstly, find a foundation and concealer routine that works for you. This will be by trial and error and sometimes money wasted. Trust me, once you find something that works for you, you will never regret it. There are so many different types of foundations and concealers that are excellent which will suit your budget and skin needs. Do remember, not every thing works for everybody. I personally love BB creams and liquid foundations with a little bit of concealer and a mattifying powder all over the face. On the other hand my mom does not like liquids on her face every day. she prefers to use concealer first and dust a foundation powder over her face to set everything. You want to have natural beautiful radiant skin. Do what works for you and makes you happy.

*****

I hope this super long post was helpful. Feel free to leave any tips below.

Thank you so much for reading!

Divalicious kisses.

Xxxx

Hi Divas

Welcome back to my blog. Yes I know it has been a while since I posted anything meaningful on here. To be honest I struggled to get back into the blogging groove. Easter happened and I was doing shows and didn't have the motivation to blog. I have since shaken off that negative energy and decided to get back into the swing of things. Also, I totally forgot that this month my blog turned 5 years old. Whoop Whoop!!! Happy Birthday to Diva Desle ;-) Any way to brighten things up on this little space of mine I thought I would do a fun post. This week I am sharing some great and crazy makeup hacks with you. Hope you like them.

1. Create your own Tinted Moisturizer: If you have natural glowy skin and want a light coverage base on lazy Saturdays, you could totally create your own BB cream. Mix a drop of your foundation and moisturiser and blend it on your face. You will enhance your natural beauty and look like you have flawless skin. Of course be careful what foundation you use. Preferably pick one that blends out easily with your hands and does not cake up or become chunky.

2. Control Oils With Powder Before Foundation: If you struggle with oily skin and your makeup tends to melt off your face here is a quick hack for you. Before applying foundation, dab a little bit of translucent powder on your t-zone. Make sure you do a light layer so that the powder is not visible. This will create an extra barrier for your oils to seep through before it hits your foundation. If you know you are going to be out in the sun all day and your trusty makeup primer is nowhere to be seen, then this is a great trick.

3. Swatch Lipsticks On Your Finger Tips: When swatching lipsticks in stores don't swatch them on the back of your hand. Swatch them on the tips of your fingers. It has a similar appearance to your lips. I know, like who knew?! This will help you in making those super tough life decisions.... Coral red or Coral pink?

4.  Use Sticky Tape To Spot Clean Your Eyeshadow Brushes: So you are in a hurry or you went on a business trip and only brought one eyeshadow brush with you, don't fret. Miraculously you got some sticky tape lying around, LOL. Take a piece and use the sticky side to clean off any eyeshadow you used before. Gentle rub the bristles on the adhesive side and watch how easy it is to clean your brush in seconds. This is great if you only have one brush to do a whole eye look.Yes the struggle can sometimes be SO REAL.

5. 3 In 1 Look With Lipstick: Did you know you can use lipstick as a cream eyeshadow and not only as a blush. Yip it is true folks! It gives a natural flush of colour on your eyelids when you blend it out with your finger. I have done this before and it seriously works. Say you at the gym or in a random parking lot looking like a walking corpse. You see a cute guy walk pass and you want to look semi decent when he sees you. Just grab that pink lipstick and plump up your lips, cheeks and eyes. Viola semi goddess in seconds ;-D Do remember obviously creamy formulas blend out better than mattes. Also a light sheer pink or nude colours look more flattering on the eyes. Make it work for you girl. *wink* ;-)

6. Make Your Own Colourful Liquid Eyeliners: This hack is for the adventurous spirit in you! Scrape off some coloured eyeshadow of your choice and mix it with eyeshadow primer and a bit of Vaseline. Blend it with a brush and draw it on with an eyeliner brush. You can also spray some MAC Fix Plus to make the product glide on easier. Great if you are at a festival or music concert and want to jazz up your makeup.You don't need to spend money buying 10 different colour eyeliners. Make your own when the occasion arises.

7. Match Your Concealer Shade With Your Inner Arms: This one blew my mind away too! The skin on your inner arm is usually a true indication of your actual skin tone as it has not been touched by the sun. If you want to conceal blemishes and scars (not highlight your face) then match your concealer shade to the tone of your skin on your inner arm. The shade that matches you the most will be perfect to conceal imperfections and still look natural and not overdone.

8. DIY Highlighter Brush: If you have fluffy brushes and struggle to control the amount of highlight you put on your face then this hack does the trick. Take a hair pin and place it towards the middle of your makeup brush hairs. It will cause the hairs to taper and create a perfect shape to apply your highlight. This is great if you are travelling and you only brought minimal makeup brushes along with you. You might be out of control when using a fluffy brush and end up looking like a glittery unicorn if you don't restrain your overly excited hand. It seriously works!

9. Craziest one yet! Make Your Own Face Setting Spray: If you have seriously sensitive skin, this last hack is just for you. Most setting sprays contain chemicals that might aggravate your skin if you are allergic to the ingredients. To prevent your skin from becoming irritated and full blown angry with you, mix a few drops of Aloe Vera gel with some purified water in a bottle. Use a 1:3 ratio and shake it up. Viola, you have a refreshing makeup spray. You can even add a few drops of rose water, lavender or witch hazel to give your spray a lovely scent and kick to revive the skin. This spray will freshen up your makeup and revitalise your face. Make sure to use purified water and not regular tap water as this spray will contain no preservatives and won't last as long as store bought spray. 

*****

Do you have any makeup hacks you want to share with me? Comment down below.

Thank you so much for reading. 
Lots of love. 
Xxxx

Hi Divas!

Welcome to my blog! A place where makeup junkies and fellow crazy people can hang out with me. Today I will be reviewing a contour product by NYX called Wonder Stick. If you watch YouTube makeup tutorials you would know that there was a time when it was all about that contoured and chiseled face! Every brand was coming out with a contour palette and every beauty Youtuber was carving out their face like a professional sculptor. I was never on the contour bandwagon as I was too lazy to care because it was an extra step to my already long makeup routine. Plus all those products on my face tend to look super cakey when blended in with my foundation and powders, so I just gave it a skip. Unfortunately for me I wasn't blessed with beautiful supermodel bone structure. In fact I have no cheekbones and a whole lot of chubby cheeks on my face. So I would probably benefit the most from that contoured life but I just can't handle those cumbersome contour palettes. They just look clumsy and unnecessarily big to me. In comes NYX Wonder Stick. A petite and nifty product that I can pop in my makeup bag and be super inconspicuous on my vanity table while giving me that contoured life look. Whoop!

 GET THAT CONTOURED LIFE!


The Wonder Stick comes in 4 shades and I have it in WS02 Medium Tan. It is shaped like a chubby stick and has two sides to it. One is a contour stick and the other a highlighting stick which rotate up and down with a plastic cap. The highlight shade is matte and has a light but bright coverage. The contour shade is a matte taupe brown that looks quite natural on my skin tone and doesn't leave that horrible orange streaks. I love the packaging of the stick as it is small and super convenient. I have two products in one which can fit into the smallest travel bags. NYX gives a reasonable amount of product as it is quite similar to cream concealers that I own from other brands. The box comes with pictures and a step by step guide in how to achieve that perfect contour. For those who watch a trillion beauty videos like me you definitely don't need a guideline as the contoured rules have been etched into your brain already. For the newbies out there NYX does a great job in explaining where to shade and highlight on the face.

 THE CONTOUR WARRIOR HAS BEEN UNLEASHED!


How to Contour and a Key Tip:

As you can see in the photo above I used the lighter shade to highlight the bridge of my nose, under my eyes, centre of my forehead and chin area. Basically you draw a highlighted tree with the base down your nose and the branches across your forehead. Draw upside down triangles under your eyes to get a glowing effect on your face. For the contour we want to fake it till me make it and carve out those non existent cheekbones. Draw lines from your ear to the centre where your nostrils end right under your cheekbone line. Suck in those cheeks and create fish lips for a more precise measurement! Then draw contour lines on the sides of your nose, around the end of your jaw line and across the tops of your forehead. Now here is the key that defines a gorgeous contoured face from a disastrous one: BLEND, BLEND AND BLEND SOME MORE!
You will need a makeup brush or beauty sponge and blend those cream products until they look like shadows and highlights on your face instead of sharp drawn crayon lines.

What's my verdict on this product:
I love it! This is perfect for me as I mentioned before that it is so convenient and travel friendly. Both cream products blend wonderfully onto my skin without it looking cakey or harsh. I love that the shades are natural and they won't make me look like a oompa loompa once applied on my face. I like to set the contour and highlight with matching bronzers and highlighting powders to seal the cream products on the face. The lighter shade is strictly for highlighting purposes. If you want to hide blemishes or dark circles you will have to apply your favourite concealer underneath before you apply this product for extra coverage. The trick that I found to creating a flawless non cakey look is applying a light layer of foundation first on the face then apply your concealers and this wonder stick. Set everything with your desired powders and your face will look naturally highlighted and contoured. As contouring is an extra layer on your face it is important to not cake up your foundation on first application. Start light as you will be layering it with contour creams and powders. This will prevent your makeup from creasing under the eyes and end up looking like a hot cakey mess.


 Forget it or Get it!:
If you are looking for a no fuss contour that looks natural and blends well, then give this Wonder Stick a try.  I loved that it's a trouble free, no fuss product that gives me a natural contour. GET IT!



Hope you found this review helpful
Divalicious kisses
Xxxx