Hi Divas

Before this year comes to a screeching halt, I want to share some of my nail art designs with you. These were done from late 2018 to 2019. I have done many designs in this time frame, but these are the ones I love the most. To see all my nail designs you can follow me on Instagram here. As I mentioned before, nail art is a wonderful way of expressing my creativity and challenging myself. There are still so many designs I want to do and nail art techniques I want to achieve. It takes a lot of time, patience and dedication to create pieces of art for your fingertips. I am slowly but surely getting there. As you can see below, I love colour and am not afraid to wear it. If you are afraid of colour and want to be bold, nail polish is a great way of achieving this. I find that nail art is so much more than just a pretty manicure. It truly represents your personality and mood for that period in time. I hope you find inspiration from my designs and let me know what look you love the most in the comment section below. ;)


Christmas Sparkle Nails
I wanted to step away from the traditional Christmas nail designs consisting of red and green. My goal was to have soft festive nails with a touch of angelic sparkles. I decided to use pastel purple and pure crisp white to achieve this. For the purple polish I used Sorbet in Berry Special and Wet n Wild in French White Creme. To top it off I added jolly stickers and purple rhinestones for extra sparkles. I loved this design as it was playful, angelic but still captured the Christmas spirit.

Summer Tie-Dye Nails
When I was painting this nail design, I honestly didn't expect the great response for it on my Instagram. Everyone was in love with this manicure. It is funny how you are busy creating something and it looks so mundane and foolish at first. Then, once everything comes together, you can finally see the beauty taking shape. This is exactly how I felt when creating this pattern. The Tye Dye was really easy to do too. I used three bright nail colours in #11 and #70 by Etude House and Walking on Sunshine by Tip Top (discontinued), and Wet n Wild French White Creme for the middle finger. I randomly brushed colours on my nails in tie-dye shaped patterns. The important part is to not make it look stylized or well placed. It needs to look a little messy and random the way tie-dye naturally looks. The results came out better than I expected. I added green and gold rhinestones along with stickers for a diva signature look.

Soda Orange Pop Nails
My inspiration for this design was actually the fact that I hadn't worn bright orange nails in a long time, and I noticed my nail polish was getting old. I honestly hate wasting and will use something till the last drop. I decided to show my neglected nail polishes some love and the shade Salsa Pop by Tip Top was one of them. This brand is discontinued but you can use any bright orange nail varnish for the look. I used my trusty Wet n Wild French White Creme for the ring finger and added gold stickers along with silver shapes for the ring finger.

Oriental Pink Birthday Nails
For my birthday I wanted to use my favourite colour pink of cause and a whole lot of shimmer. My inspiration was oriental embroidery along with ancient royal jewellry. The mood was pure regal opulence inspired by the East. I love the contrast of two different shades on one nail as well. The illusion is amazing and looks very elegant. The gorgeous bright pink varnish is Etude House in #11. The white sparkles are iridescent nail glitters which I glued on using a clear nail base. I added diamond rhinestones and stickers for an extra glow.

Purple Marble with Stripes Nails
I have been dabbling in marble techniques for a while now. These are really tricky to do and time consuming. They can sometimes come out really great or be an epic fail. Thankfully I had one good attempt with this design. For the purple base I coated my nails with Essence Purple With Purpose from the Merry Berry collection. To create the marble effect, I used a foil nail polish by Nails Inc in Kings Road. For the index and middle finger, I placed the same purple polish on half my nails and used purple nail strips to create the stripe designs. I topped off the look with rhinestones and cute gold bow stickers.

Fun Pastel Easter Nails
As the Christmas manicure, my desire was to create festive nails but without the traditional Easter eggs and bunny designs. I decided to stick with pastel colours as what is Easter without pastels, right? For my thumb and ring fingers I coated them with Etude House #8 pink lacquer and added gold nail strips to resemble an Easter egg wrapper. My index finger is Wet n Wild French White Creme topped with a yellow feather nail decal to represent the cute Easter chicks. My middle finger is Sorbet Jaded and my pinky finger is Etude House Red Rocks from the Merry Berry collection. I wanted these two nails to be bright and colourful with stars and glitters to resemble Easter chocolate packaging as well.


 *****
For all my nail designs I use the Sally Hansen base coat in Complete Care 7-In-1 and the top coat is Sally Hansen Mega Shine. I have used these two products for years and can highly recommend them to protect your nails and make your manicures last. One thing, I would like to mention is that I do not run after trends and buy every new shade of nail polish on the market. I have lots of nail lacquers from collections past. I sometimes use polishes that are discontinued or may not be readily available. You can use any nail colours of your choice. You don't have to constantly go out and purchase the latest things. Use what you have in your collection and you will be amazed at what you can create. I use Pinterest as a source of inspiration for all my nail art creations. There are so many tutorials and techniques shown there too. You can explore and spur on your creative juices to do your own nail designs with your unique style and touch.


Thank you so much for reading. Hope you found this post helpful
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Diva Desle Festive Nails 2018

Hi Divas

This week I shall be sharing some of my holiday nail art with you. This post should have been done ages ago but there was always something new to review and I kept forgetting to do it. As most of you may know that I am a complete nail art addict. I absolutely love creating different nail designs and challenging myself in the process. When it comes to new ideas I definitely use Pinterest and Instagram as a source of inspiration. I like to find new designs and try to adapt it and make it my own. Nail art is an art form in which I love to express my creativity. I am in no way a qualified nail technician but just a lady having fun. Before this year comes to an end I wanted to share four of my festive manicures with you. Let me know what your favourite design is below.

Christmas Nails December 2017

For this design I wanted something festive yet regal. Kind of like Christmas in a palace feel, LOL. Since I will never be a princess and know what it's like to have a royal Christmas, why not live that through my nail art. I opted for a royal blue and festive red nail polish as the base colours. I mixed Rimmel Salon Pro in Brit Pop with Catrice in Get the Blues for the perfect blue. Essie in Limited Addiction was the perfect red to compliment the blue. Glitter, pearl and gold rhinestones as well as snowflake and a Christmas tree decal all sealed the deal in creating the perfect look. 

Birthday Nails January 2018
This glam look was all I needed to celebrate my birthday in style. I wanted it to be all things diva with an edge. I used two black and gold nail polishes by Tip Top a brand which sadly discontinued their products. I still have full bottles of their nail lacquers and I intend to use them till the last drop. For the glitter overlays I applied Sephora Collection nail polishes in Gold Fever and Fireworks. To achieve perfect geometric angles, I placed nail tape to corner off my shapes. I then painted my nails in black and gold. The trick is to wait for the nails to dry slightly and slowly pull off the nail tape. If you rip it off too early you will smudge the design. If you pull it off too late the polish will dry over the tape and it won't come off. This one takes some practice but it looks amazing when done right. I finished off the manicure with gold rhinestones.

Valentines Day Nails February 2018
Many people have mixed opinions about Valentine's Day. I personally like the idea of having a special day to celebrate love. Even though it can get super cliche and soppy, I view Valentine's Day as a license to be all lovey-dovey. It better be just for that day though. You know you got to cut it out when the clock strikes 12, LOL. My idea for the nail design was romantic, sweet and charming. For my two base colours I used Nails Inc Special Effects in Marylebone Lane for the beautiful glitter red and Wet n Wild in French White Creme for that crisp white. Again, I used a silver nail tape to create duo colour nail effects but left the tape on as part of the design. I drew a heart on my little finger with a dotting tool and applied pearls and stickers. I really liked the way this manicure turned out and definitely want to do something similar again.

Easter Nails April 2018
When it comes to Easter the colours are always playful and fun. For my design I really wanted to play around with as much pastel shades as possible. I was inspired by bunny ear head bands and decided to paint them on my nails too and use pearls as the headband structure. Polishes used are Sorbet Ice is Nice for the blue and Berry Special for the purple and Wet n Wild French White Creme for the white. Etude House Play in #8 for the pretty pink and a Tip Top yellow nail polish which is discontinued. I painted yellow speckled eggs and zigzag Easter egg patterns with a nail art dotting tool. I think it turned out pretty cute.

*****

I really hope you like my designs and get inspired too. Follow me on Instagram @divadesle to see more nail designs. Thank you so much for reading. Lots of love!

Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Diva Spring Favourites 2017

Hi Divas

Happy Spring to all my fellow South Africans and everyone living in the Southern Hemisphere. Even though Cape Town hasn't really been playing along with the Spring weather I am still excited and grateful for the season change. The Western Cape has been experiencing a serious drought this year so I shouldn't be frowning when Cape Town has more rain clouds than bright sunny days. I know that we are all praying for rain and stocked up on some water reserves. We already have 30 Litres of water reserved in my house hold and we are planning to purchase some more. Even with the terrible water crisis, it is so wonderful to see so many flowers that have naturally bloomed this year. God is so good! Spring is such a lovely season for me. It gives us new hope and a promise of growth and happiness. I have put together a few of my Spring favourites below. Hope you like them and let me know what your favourites are too.

1. Beautiful Flowers In Bloom: When I think of Spring, pretty flowers definitely comes to my mind. My late grandfather had magical green fingers. He would take any little space in the garden and turn it into an enchanting piece of art. He used to plant all types of seeds in the Winter months and come Spring they would bloom into the most exquisite colours. As children, my sister and I would enjoy playing in the wonderful garden that he created. 

2. Pastel Nail Colours: I know it's a cliche but pastels and Spring really do go well together. Nail polishes are especially flattering in peach and baby pink shades. After the cold months my hands are very dry and my nails are brittle. I like to use this time of the season to moisturise my hands and make my nails healthy again. Pastel shades look beautiful on short or long nails. They are great to wear in those in between lengths when your nails are trying to recover and grow. I love the South African brand Sorbet. They make the prettiest nail polishes with affordable prices.

3. New Adventures: During Winter I hardly want to leave the house. Laying on my bed with a cosy blanket and some hot coffee seems way more appealing than driving endlessly in the rain. Most outdoor activities and places are closed during this time, but come the start of Spring and everyone is open for business. It is such a great feeling. I love seeing how the environment changes just by a little bit of sun peeking through. It is subtle changes but it truly is remarkable.

4. Bright Pink Lipsticks: Big YES, for all things pink and girly. I love my pink lipsticks, rosy blushes and whimsical eye looks. Goodbye to dark eyeshadow and emo trends. Lipstick is a wonderful invention. It completely changes your whole appearance. It can create a specific mood and make you look put together without even trying. Etude House knows how to make a pretty lipstick. From the packaging to the shades, they all scream cute. I have mine in the limited Etoinette collection. You should check them out on Ebay.

5. Feeling The Sun On My Skin: I'm done being a vampire. Although, I would like to glisten like diamonds in the sun as Edward did in Twilight. Staying indoors a lot can really darken your soul and make you feel depressed. As I said above Spring brings a promise of hope and happiness. I find when I am out and about in the warm sun, my soul feels joyful and my mood becomes cheerful. Everyone always looks more radiant and happier in the Spring time. Have you noticed that?

6. Getting Rid Of Winter Fuzz: Honestly, I am tired of being a werewolf. Winter can turn any one into a beast, Hahaha. Come Spring the shedding of excess hair begins. It is a daunting task for any dark-haired girl, but every razor blade burn is worth it. I love using exfoliating scrubs to get rid of all my dull dry Winter skin cells. Have you tried the sugar body scrubs from Bath And Body Works? They are amazing. I have them in peach and guava. They both smell so fresh and fruity.

7. No More Frizzy Hair: Winter can be pretty harsh to us ladies. We spend two hours perfecting our sleek hair, only to be outside for 5 minutes and it's all ruined. The damp hair and gale force winds make our hair look like floor mops sometimes. Hence, we hide it all away under hoodies, beanies, buns, oversized hair bands and more. Thankfully Spring gives us a chance to give some extra love and care to our tresses. We can wear it out with pride while rocking a cute accessory too. We know it won't blow away or get tangled in a mess. Plus, a little ray of Vitamin D can do wonders for your hair growth and over all hair condition.

8. One Word, Food!: I love food through every season. I really don't need any excuse to eat a doughnut or gobble down an ice cream, LOL. I just love that my doughnuts have prettier decorations now and my ice cream has more flavour toppings. YOLO!

9. Wardrobe Change: Lastly, I can finally put all those heavy coats away and show off my newly ''defuzzed'' legs in a pretty bright dress. Even though I am sporting a few extra curves from all the Winter doughnuts I have been eating, I can still flaunt my floral tops and cute pastel shorts with confidence. I am happy remember. The sun is out and flowers are in bloom. I want to look the part too. *wink*

Thank you so much for reading.

Divalicious kisses!

Xxxx

Hi Divas

Firstly I want to apologise for my complete absence on the blog. I have been travelling the Middle East again and doing shows. Unfortunately during that time I suffered severe insomnia and my brain just wasn't functioning properly at all. When I came back from my trip I really needed to sleep and rest. I wanted my body to get back to its normal sleeping patterns. I don't know if I will ever recover from the sleep I lost but I definitely feel much better and more energized. If you follow me on Instagram you can see some photos I posted from my trip. I won't be doing a blog post on it as it was a short trip and I didn't do anything exciting besides work. Now onto the blog post....

When I wake up in the morning the very first thing I do is go to the kitchen to make me a strong cup of coffee, with no sugar. I swear I can't do life without that first cup to kick me in my soul. I am not a morning person at all. So don't even think of trying to have a conversation with me when I just woke up. It's never going to happen, ever! LOL. About two months ago I shared my night time skin care routine with you. You can read that post here. This time I want to share my morning skin care routine too. It is not as extensive as my night routine though. I do most of my deep cleansing and moisturising in the evenings. I love to leave serums and creams on my face overnight to really soak in and do its magic. Since mornings are usually such a rush and a complete blur for me, I keep my skin care steps very simple.


My 4 Morning Skin Products:

1. Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner: As most of you know this is my holy grail toner of all time. It cleanses and wipes away oil and grime while controlling sebum and balancing the PH levels of my skin. I do not wash my face with a foam cleanser in the morning as I don't feel the need for a deep cleanse. This toner is sufficient for me to purify my face. Read my review on the toner here. (Available on Amazon and Ebay)

2. Goodal Waterest First Essence: Korean skin care consists of essences which are lighter than a serum but is packed with ingredients that are beneficial to the face. I like to use an essence that contain niacinamide as it is proven to brighten the skin tone and help prevent ageing. The Goodal essence contains brightening and moisturising ingredients that penetrate deep into my pores which gives me a healthy and youthful glow. It is such a pick me up for tired and dull skin. (Available on Amazon and Ebay)

3. Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer SPF30: I have tried many different moisturises with SPF but none work as well as this product. I always come back to this cream no matter the season. It blends wonderfully into the skin without leaving the face greasy or with a white residue as some SPF creams do. I like that it is light on the skin but moisturises really well. It works great with all types of foundations. It does not separate my makeup, make it oily or cakey. This is truly a holy grail day moisturiser for me.

4. Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Sleek Mist: When my face is feeling dry or tight I like to spritz this mist all over my face. It revives the skin and adds extra glow and hydration. The great thing about this mist is that you can spray it anywhere and anytime during your skin care routine. Sometimes I use it before I apply moisturiser and sometimes I apply it after my makeup to revive the skin. Plus the packaging is super duper cute. How could you not resist this?! Tony Moly is available at Sephora, Amazon and Ebay.


Hope you enjoyed my mini reviews on these products. What are some of your holy grail morning products that you love to use. Let me know below!



Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas!

This week I want to share some of my nail art with you. I love doing my nails and getting creative with my manicures. A lot of my designs don't even make it to Instagram nevertheless this blog. I do all my nail art by trial and error. A lot of the times it's an error. Doing creative manicures as I said before takes a whole lot of patience and a steady hand. It can become frustrating if you trying something that looks perfect in your head but does not translate that well into reality. I want to share four manicures I did recently. I am always looking to try new things and challenging myself. I really want to get my grip on stamping designs. I have the plates and the stamper. I just need to get my hands on the right nail polish. If you have any suggestions please let me know below.

1. Christmas Nails:

Would you believe me if I told you that the nails in the photo on the top left is not even my real nails? I know, right? What a shocker! They look super natural but it is true, they are not my real nails. It was Christmas Eve, I just finished helping my mom with the cooking and I washed and styled my hair. I was dead tired and it was late. I have only used acrylic nails once in my life. I was too tired to stay up late and wait for my nail designs to dry. I decided to apply these acrylic nails which I bought from Clicks and add my own touch to them. Viola! Perfect Christmas Nails in like half and hour. I added the nail stickers and rhinestones for a festive theme. I even fooled my mom. She had no idea that they were not my own nails. I found a new love for acrylic nails that I never knew I had. Plus they last a really long time and are super convenient for when you need to have a manicure in minutes.

2. Valentine's Day 2017 Nails:

This manicure on the top right is definitely my own nails. I chose pink as my main base colour and stuck to black and a touch of silver to glam it up. The part that took the most time and patience was of cause the thumb and pinky finger. Getting two tones of polish on the nail without smudging takes precision. I added silver nail striping tape which I layered across each other twice to give it some extra bling. I will probably try this technique again sometime soon. I used a nail dotting tool to draw on the 'xo' and heart. I painted my nails with Etude House Play Nails in '#8'. For the black Polish I placed 'Black Forest' by Tip Top and for the accent glitter nail I painted it with Wet n Wild in 'I'm With The Band'.

3. Turquoise Stone Marble: 

This was one of the hardest techniques I tried doing. Everybody in every tutorial said this was so easy and a breeze to do. I think not! It took me like 5 attempts to get this right. I had to repaint my nails and remove it so many times that I ran out of cotton pads. LOL! In order for water marble nails to work you have to make sure that the temperature of the water you are using is lukewarm and that the nail polish you are using is not too old. So after my many attempts I finally got it right. I truly love the way it turned out. You need to paint your nails with a base colour and choose two to four colours and drop some in the water. Take a toothpick and draw a design in the bowl where the nail polish was dropped. Dip your finger into the polish and get a random marble design. It sounds easy but it is not. I will definitely do this technique again and try out new polishes. For this manicure I used Etude House Play Nails in '#70' as my base coat. For the water marble technique to create a stone marble look I used the gold shade 'Gold Digger' and for the black 'Black Forest' both by Tip Top.

4. Yellow Fun Nails: 

So this manicure was me free styling. I had no idea of what I was going to do. I just started painting may nails and going with the flow. This can sometimes be the best part of nail art. Having fun and exploring different options and designs. I like the way it turned out. It could have been a total disaster, but it came out great. For these types of looks I like to use nail polishes that I totally forgot about and haven't used in a long time. You know those polishes and rhinestones that were hidden deep in the back of a box or cupboard? For the base colour I used the yellow shade 'Let's Meet' by Sinful Colors. For the red heart I used the polish 'Red Rocks' by Essence.

*****

Let me know down below which manicure you like the best and if you tried any manicure techniques or designs recently. Thank you so much for reading.

Divalicious Kisses!

Xxxx

My Night Time SkinCare Routine Summer 2017

Hello gorgeous Divas!

This will be my first beauty products post review for 2017. As you all know I am a serious makeup junkie. I adore cosmetics and the process of applying it every morning relaxes me. As I am getting older I have really been investing in my skincare routine. I find I am becoming a skin care addict too and the ritual of cleansing and moisturising my face everyday gives me the same euphoria that applying my makeup does. Korean Skin Care has been on my radar for a while now and I have truly been investing in their products. Compared to Western skincare, Korean products usually have the most natural and beneficial ingredients for the skin. Most brands are cruelty free, do not use parabens and have ingredients that target problems areas high on their manufacturing list. Korean skin care is also much cheaper than a lot of Western brands. Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of high end Korean products that can really make your wallet cry. There are also great Western products that have amazing ingredients and are kind to your wallet. It all depends on the individual product and brand. By trial and error I feel I am leaning to Korean skin care more often now. I have seen amazing results on my skin. I have not given up Western products completely though. I love combining the two for optimal results. Below is my current Summer routine as I may change some products in Winter.

1. The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter: This product is amazing. I am not even joking. When I first used it I didn't expect to fall in love with it like I did. I have a full review on it here. This butter is super gentle on the skin and gets rid of all makeup including waterproof mascara. It cleanses the face well too. I double cleanse my face because I wear makeup everyday. I use this butter as the first step to removing all my makeup thoroughly. I rub a small amount all over my face and wash it off with water.

2. Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel: Once I removed all my makeup I like to double cleanse and use my favourite face wash of life which is this gorgeous gel cleanser. It contains Moringa extracts which is well known to rejuvenate skin and remove impurities. The cleanser smells amazing and is very gentle on the skin. It has a gel consistency at first and turns into a foam as you wash your face. I use it to thoroughly remove dirt and grime from my pores. It leaves my face squeaky clean but not dry or sensitive. Read my full review on it here.

3. Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner Toner: This is a kind of a cult beauty product in the Korean  market. Everyone including their grandma uses this toner. I too have written a review on it which you can read here. This is marketed as a 10 in 1 toner which cleanses pores, removes dead skin, refines skin tone and balances ph level of the skin while controlling sebum. I personally love this toner because it thoroughly removes makeup and dirt without making my skin dry. It is very gentle to use even though it does contain a small amount of alcohol. This 250ml bottle is a holy grail product for me. I have gone through more than four of these bottles in the past few years. I will definitely keep repurchasing it.

4. Goodal Moisture Barrier Fresh Liquid: This is a fairly new brand on the Korean skin care market. I discovered the brand while searching for affordable essences. Even though I have combination skin I felt like my skin was feeling a little dry lately. I decided to invest in a moisturising essence that would penetrate deep into my skin and provide extra hydration. Korean essences are different to western serums in that it is slightly lighter and applied after toner and before a serum. It has a viscous texture which is packed with nutrients that benefit the skin. I chose the Goodal Moisture Barrier Liquid not only for the price but for the awesome ingredient list. The 150ml bottle contains a good amount of Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) which is proven to prevent hyper pigmentation, brighten skin tone and prevent ageing. I splash a few drops on my hand and pat it into my face. It truly moisturises and brightens my skin. I use it twice a day before I apply my day or night cream. The scent is quite floral and strong. If that is not your thing then you may want to skip this one and find another essence.
 

5. Nature Republic Argan 20 Real Cream: Nature Republic is a very famous and well established cosmetic brand in Korea. They have an array of skin care products catered to different needs. My western creams were starting to become too expensive on my wallet. I decided to try a cheaper cream that is packed with the same wonderful ingredients of a high end brand. As you know, just because a product is expensive does not mean it has good ingredients that are beneficial to the skin. Sometimes you pay more for the brand name and packaging than the actual product itself. When buying skin care always look at your ingredient list and not just the packaging and brand name alone. The cream that I use is formulated with fermented argan oil. Argan oil is known as liquid gold for your hair and skin. It contains high amounts of Vitamin E which provides nutrition and moisture for the skin. Argan oil is known for it's anti ageing properties too. While this cream is not number one in the anti ageing department, I feel for my skin right now it provides enough nutrients and hydration. As I get older I will definitely buy another cream with more anti ageing punch. This cream comes in a 50ml tub and smells sweet and fresh. It's quite thick in consistency and a little goes a long way. I love to use this at night and wake up to plump skin in the morning.

*****

Thank you for coming on this skin care journey with me. I know this post was a tad long but I had so much vital information to share. I really hope you found it interesting and helpful. The cosmetic and skin care realm is a huge market. There are so many amazing products and brands from all around the world. I love expanding my horizons and trying new things. I would love to explore the Middle Eastern and some other European brands out there one day. All the products I reviewed are available on EBay and Amazon if you are interested in purchasing them and you do not find them in your local stores ;-)


Divalicious kisses!
Xxxx

A Merry Diva Christmas!

Hi Divas!
It is the most wonderful time of the year indeed. I love Christmas and all the good vibes and festive cheer it brings. This year my family and I are very prepared for the upcoming day. We have done all our Christmas cleaning, hung up new golden curtains, finished all our crazy Christmas shopping and decorated the house. The only thing left to do is cook up a storm on Christmas Eve. In this blog post I decided to do a post on my top 5 favourite things for Christmas this year. And if you are wondering whether I was naughty or nice in 2016, then keeping on reading below.... ;-)

1. Favourite Christmas Decorations

2. Favourite Christmas Beauty Products

 I love getting all glammed up on Christmas day! I usually start with a gorgeous smelling body wash and lotion so the scent lingers on. I love the Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar range. It smells like Christmas indeed. For my face I love to wear my absolute favourite makeup to make me feel special. This year I will wear my number one foundation right now which is Too Faced Born This Way. For the eyes I will use the pretty Too Faced Bon Bons palette for some sparkle and shimmer. On my cheeks I will be warming them up with my Too Faced Sweethearts Peach Beach blush. I love wearing bright red lipsticks on Christmas day. My most loved is the Etude House Etoinette red lipstick. To top it off I will be spritzing the sultry Victoria's Secret Angel Gold fragrance all over my neck and decollete.

3. Favourite Christmas Gift Collections

4. Favourite Christmas Treats
 My favourite treats for 2016 would have to be chocolates! From the gorgeous and cute packaging to the different mouth watering flavours and caramel or nougat centres. They make excellent Christmas gifts for loved ones, great for Secret Santa games and just pure indulgence to eat on your own. Big Yessss! ;-)

5. Favourite Christmas Music

 Christmas music always reminds me of my late grandfather because he had a Nat King Cole carols tape (back in the day when we still had cassette tapes) that he would play and sing along with. That memory will always be a favourite of mine. Like her father, my mom adores Christmas carols too. We play an array of different Christmas songs in our house. We love rocking to Elvis, feel playful with Bing Crosby, get all cozy with Buble and feel sentimental and blessed with Il Divo. My most loved Christmas song is O holy Night.


6. Was I NAUGHTY Or Nice This Year?

 I was plain blank NAUGHTY! LOL ;-D


*****
I want to wish you all a blessed and wonderful Christmas and Festive Season. Thank you so much for supporting me and being true Divas this year! I love you lots. Let me know below what some of your favourite Christmas things are and if you were Naughty or Nice this year? ;-)
Divalicious Kisses

Xxxx

All About Sheet Masks:

Etude House, Innisfree, Beyond and Tony Moly

Hello Divas!

This week on the blog we will learn and explore all about Sheet Masks. Sheet Masks have been all the rage lately. Koreans were the first to pioneer it and the masks have been one of their skincare essentials for years. The Western World has only recently caught on the sheet mask craze. I first found out about sheet masks when I started exploring the world of Korean cosmetics. The first time I saw and used a sheet mask, 2 years ago, I was super scared. I did not know how to apply it and if it will be too harsh for my skin or not. Plus the instructions were in Korean so I didn't know what the heck was going on. I decided to cross my fingers and my toes and give it a go! To my surprise, sheet masks was the best thing that happened to my skincare routine. I am now 100% hooked! In the Asian markets there are hundreds of different types of sheet masks all catering to an array of skin types and needs. Today I will introduce and share some of my favourites with you.

What is a Sheet Mask?

Sheet masks are cotton fibre sheets that are soaked in essences or serums. These serums or essences are usually liquid in texture and contain active ingredients which hydrate, soothe and treat problem skin. Think of it as a facial in a packet! Most sheet masks contain natural ingredients, that once opened you cannot use it again. Each sheet mask is meant to be used once and thrown away as it may expire or allow bacteria to grow on it. Choose a sheet mask that is most suited to your skin type or skin concern. If you are suffering from dry skin, try a shea butter or hyaluronic acid sheet mask to provide extra moisture to your skin. If you have tired and dark spots, then try a lemon or pearl mask for brightening.

How to use a Sheet Mask?
 The application is very easy. All you have to do is tear the mask packet, carefully take out and unfold the sheet mask. Depending on the brand, some sheet masks can be thin and break easily. Other sheet masks are quite runny and can drip on your clothes or down your neck. Make sure you are not wearing your Sunday best when doing your mask. Place the sheet mask on your clean and washed face. You will see holes for your eyes, nose and mouth. Most sheet masks don't fit perfectly as each face shape is different. You can adjust the sheet mask to fit your profile the way you want it too. Once it is on your face, you can leave it on for 20 minutes and have some tea, read a book or just relax. I like to leave mine on for 30 minutes. When the time has passed, remove the mask sheet and throw it away. You can squeeze the excess serum into your hand and gently pat it on your face. Do not wash the serum off. Leave it to soak into your skin for the rest of the day or night. You can go about doing your normal skincare routine such as applying creams and makeup if you want to.


Why Sheet Masks? What's the hype?
Sheet masks are by no means a miracle worker. If you have serious problem skin it is best to visit your dermatologist and get proper treatment. I see sheet masks as a convenient way to give yourself an at home spa treatment. It is a great pick me up for tired and dehydrated skin. Your face will look radiant and feel so good after a sheet mask. It is a temporary solution to your skin problem. I love to wear my sheet mask at night and leave the essence to soak into my skin. In the morning my face feels super hydrated, brightened and perky. If you don't go for regular facials at a spa then this is a great way to give your skin an extra boost or some extra love and care. Plus sheet masking is so much fun! There are many types to choose from and I love trying new things. A lot of Korean sheet masks have cute and interesting packaging which makes the experience even more enjoyable.

My favourite Korean Sheet Masks:

Tony Moly I'm Real Lemon Mask Sheet Brightening: The cotton fibre of this mask is very thin in texture and can break easily. It is also very juicy and has a tendency to drip down the neck if you are not careful. What I love about this mask is the affordable price and the packaging. Everything about Tony Moly is always so cute. This mask is great for dull and tired skin. It contains lemon extracts which brighten and refreshes the face. This is a great and fun pick me up mask! It does not contain parabens and it is not tested on animals. Tony Moly masks are available at Sephora.

Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask Black Berry: Innisfree is my absolute favourite Korean skincare brand. All their products are amazing. The Blackberry sheet mask contains jeju complex which is green tea, cactus, tangerine, camellia leaves and orchids all rolled into one. This mask promises to give clear and bright skin while adding extra moisture. It does not contain parabens or test on animals too.

Etude House I Need You Vita Complex: This is another affordable brand with cute packaging. It does not contain parabens or test on animals as well. This mask contains vitamins to brighten and create skin vitality. The most important ingredient is niacinamide also known as vitamin B3 which is known to clear acne prone skin, facial blemishes and discolouration.

Beyond The Real Pomegranate: Pomegranates are known for their anti ageing benefits on the skin. This mask contains pomegranate extract, B1 and B2 vitamin complex for a firmer and more energized skin tone. The cotton fibre is thicker than other masks and it fits quite snug on the face. It has a great smell and the serum absorbs quickly into the skin. It does not contain parabens nor test on animals.

I scared my grandma!!!! 
Yes indeed! I literally scared my grandma. I crept up on her while she was sitting at the kitchen table and gave her the biggest fright of her life! Lol ;-D I love sheet masks and will buy them over and over and over again. There are many great western sheet masks available at Clicks and Dischem stores in South Africa now. I haven't tried them yet but will soon. I purchase all my Korean sheet masks from Ebay and they are available on Amazon too. Maybe I will do a follow up post and compare a western brand one to an Asian one. I think that would be a great idea.



Let me know if you tried any sheet masks below
Hope you found this LONG review helpful ;-)
Xxxx

Easter 2016 Diva Bunny

Hi Divas, HAPPY EASTER!!!

I feel like we just celebrated Christmas and now it's Easter! Guys, I cannot keep up with the world. Did an angel press the fast forward button on the universe? Anyway I am not complaining because this gives me an excuse to eat chocolate like a crazy person and I don't have to feel an ounce of guilt. Whoop! ;-D As usual I decided to do a fun Easter manicure. To be honest I always do fun Easter manicures because I haven't found any sophisticated Easter designs yet. To me the feeling of Easter is all about pastel blues, polka dot pinks and little yellow ducks with cute bunnies hopping everywhere. So I think every year at this time I will bring out the 4 year old in me. Lol! 

This is actually my second attempt at this manicure. The first time I did it my bunnies looked like they were possessed by demons and I was like, this is not how my Easter look is going to go down. I think I drew the eyes too big and they ended up looking like monsters. As Jesus is the reason for the weekend,  I don't think He would have been happy with me walking into church with demon bunnies on my nails. I seriously need emoji's for that sentence, haha. Any way I think my bunnies turned out pretty cute the second time round ;-)

For my manicure I painted two bunnies on my thumb and ring finger. The middle finger has a broken egg duck face design and the index and middle fingers have polka dots with blue rhinestones. I used dotting tools and toothpicks to draw on my bunnies, duck face and polka dots. For the nail polishes I used Etude House #70 for my pastel blue base, #8 for my baby pink base and inside of my bunny ears and noses. For the polka dots on my pink base I used Etude House #4 which is a very light creamy pink. Tip Top Black Forest was used for the eyes on both the bunny and duck faces along with Tip Top Cream Puff used as a white base on the middle finger and the bunny faces. I used Tip Top's Salsa Pop to draw the duck nose. For my base coat I used my trusty Sally Hansen Complete Care 4 in 1 Treatment and my favourite top coat of life by Sally Hansen called Mega Shine Top Coat.
 

Hope you enjoyed this post and feel inspired to do some fun Easter manicures too. I am pretty happy in the way my nails turned out. I will be eating my mom's homemade pickle fish and chowing yummy hot cross buns with tea this weekend. These are all South African Easter treats for my international readers out there ;-) Will you be joining an Easter egg hunt or like me already have your chocolate stash ready to be devoured? Let me know below!

Have a wonderful Easter weekend.

Lots of love. 

Xxxx

Hi Divas

Hope you are all doing great this week. I am going to do a post on something I have wanted to share with you for a very long time. Some of you may have known that I am crazy about Korean Cosmetics. Ever since my friend Nicole, who lived in Korea, sent me a box of goodies I was hooked! I decided to buy and explore some more Korean products and brands via Ebay. Etude House is one of the most famous and most affordable brands in Korea. Their packaging is always super cute and girly. I especially love their lipsticks. I have been loving their skin care products too and wanted to share my holy grail toner with you. Now I know that many of you will not be able to get your hands on these products. I am going to blog about them any way because it is great to learn about the array of beauty products around the world and expand your knowledge on other cosmetics out there. Beauty and cosmetics are so much fun and I want to share some of the products that bring me so much delight. So here we go!

The Wonder Pore range by Etude House consist of products that are targeted at people with oily skin and large pores. The range is extremely gentle and consists of face washes, toners, masks and creams. The Wonder Pore toner is one of my favourite products of life! I swear I have been through four bottles of these and I cannot get enough. I initially bought it because everyone on the interwebs was raving about this glorious product. I wanted to see what the hype was all about. I was not disappointed at all. Even though my skin is combination this toner is perfect to use on almost all skin types because it is so gentle. Most toners burn my skin and eyes terribly and leave my skin feeling sticky. This one is a dream to use and cleanses my face without drying it out or causing irritation.

The Claims on the bottle says that it is a 10 in 1 product that:

*Balances Skin's ideal pH level   
*Deep cleanses pores
*Refines skin tone  
*Minimise appearance of pores 
*Keep the elasticity of pores
*Remove skin surface's dead skin cells
*Cleanses pores with cooling effect
*Control large amounts of sebum
*Moisturise inside and outside of skin
*Complete smooth glass like texture

After a year of using this product I would say that the toner definitely cleanses my face, while moisturising it. This is perfect for controlling excessive sebum production too. I do not have very enlarged pores but I do notice a tightening effect and my pores look and feel a lot cleaner and less clogged up. I wear a lot of bb creams and foundations during the day, which if not removed properly can cause breakouts and blackheads. I usually place the toner on a cotton pad and wipe my face thoroughly after I have washed my face. You will never believe the amount of dirt that is left on my cotton pad after using it. This toner does an excellent job in cleansing pores. Some people love to splash the toner on their face instead of placing it on a cotton pad. I prefer to use a cotton pad as I mainly use toners as an extra step to cleanse my face, rather than using it as an extra splash of moisture.


The toner does contain alcohol so if you are sensitive to skin care products containing alcohol then be sure to take care when using it. The product comes in a 250ml bottle with Korean writing and the cutest blue packaging. I am absolutely in love with this product and dread the day I have to purchase more. Since our currency the Rand is falling drastically on the global market it has been really difficult to shop overseas brands due to high custom tax, inflation rates and currency exchanges. Super sad!!!



Hope you enjoyed this review.
Lots of love!
Xxxx

Hi Divas!

I haven't blogged in like FOREVER! Sorry ladies, I have been very busy with work, travelling and family stuff. My head has been all over the place lately and since it is almost Christmas time the madness is just getting worse. I hope all of you are surviving the end of year crunch time. You know things always tend to unravel this time of the year. To help keep me sane I did a little shopping to ease my busy mind. Retail therapy always helps! I bought some new nail polishes and have been testing them out recently. Hope you enjoy my little reviews.

Wet n' Wild Megalast On a Trip: 

I am absolutely in love with this lavender colour. When I saw it in store I just had to have it as I don't own any light purples in my collection. This is my first Wet n' Wild nail polish that I have tried and I must say that I am very impressed by the quality of the nail varnish. The consistency of the polish is quite thick. Two coats would be sufficient for a pretty manicure. In the above picture I added three coats. The brush is wider and thicker than most nail applicators so do be careful to not paint your whole finger in the process. Hehe, you know what I'm talking about, don't you? ;-) With a top coat my manicure lasted four full days with no chipping. I think that is very impressive considering the low price of these nail polishes. I am definitely sold on this brand and will be purchasing more colours soon.

Etude House Play Nails #4:

Etude House is a very famous Korean cosmetics brand. I have tried their makeup and skin care products and I really wanted to add some nail polish to my collection. I ordered three shades from Ebay and #4 is one of them. This is a pretty baby pink shade that is perfect for spring. Unfortunately the consistency and the lasting power of this nail polish is not that great. I did get two full days of wear with no chipping and then it all went down hill from there. The polish can apply quite unevenly if you are not careful. I think the trick is to gradually build the colour up with light strokes. It needs about four strokes for the desired effect I created above. Sigh, I really wanted to like this polish but it is not one of my favourites. I still have to try the other shades I bought from this brand. Will let you know what I think of them later.

Catrice Get the Blues:

I have never used  duochrome nail polish before so I was very excited to play with this polish. For those of you who don't know, a duochrome nail polish changes colour according to the light. Two colours would appear as the light reflects off the polish at different angles. With this shade a metallic blue is the main colour and with it a pretty metallic purple hue would appear reflecting off on the sides. It reminds me of fishes scales as it changes colour according to the light reflecting off it in the water as they swim. When I wear this nail polish it makes me feel like a mermaid ;-) The polish glides on smoothly too and lasts a really long time with a top coat. A sure winner for me.

Tip Top Cherry's in the Snow:

This is a beautiful strong classic red. It would be really pretty to wear Christmas time. It applies very smoothly and evenly on the nails. Two coats is just enough to create a pretty manicure. The polish is a little runny on application and can be smudged easily. So make sure your nails are completely dry before you do anything after you are done painting your nails. The polish chips easily without a top coat so I do recommend wearing this nail polish with a good base and top coat. I am not a big fan when it comes to red nail polish. I only have two shades of red in my collection. This shade of red is very classy and warm and can be worn to any occasion.

Much love beautiful Divas!

Mwah Xxxx

Spring Fling Tag

Hi Divas!

I thought it would be very appropriate to do the Spring Fling tag on the blog as we are in the middle of September. I started packing away my winter clothes and my vampy winter makeup. Even my nail art colours have changed to pastels and some neon polishes. I am definitely looking forward to the weather heating up, all the pretty flowers blooming and bright displays in the shop windows. Spring always makes me feel hopeful and excited about life.

1. What eye palette do you/will you use most this spring?
My BH Cosmetics That's Heart Palette. The palette has pretty golds, pinks, and blue shades that are great for spring. The eyeshadow colours are soft and gives a beautiful romantic look. The palette comes with a candy floss coloured blush, a bronzer and a highlighter. It is very versatile for day and night makeup looks. 

2. What blush in your collection is a spring must-have?
My Clarins Blush Prodige in Miami Pink 03 consists of  soft pink shades.

What about lipstick?
 I have recently discovered the Etude House Dear My blooming Lips Talk lipsticks. My favourite for spring would be a soft pink in RD304. I love wearing all shades of pink in spring and this shade is perfect as it is not too bright or shocking. 

3. What nail polishes do you love to wear in the Spring?
I love pastel blues, peaches and baby pinks. I usually gravitate towards Tip Top Cha Cha Cha and Tip Top Get the Party Started.

4. What is your signature spring scent?
I like to wear light body fragrances this time of the year. When I want a fragrance that is not too strong I love to wear my Victoria Secret Angel Fragrance Mist. It is a body mist and not a perfume. It's light and whimsical.

5. What is on your spring break agenda?
Well, I don't have school holidays any more because I am a working girl. When I was at university, I used to go home for the September week holidays and enjoy picnics at Kirstenbosch gardens.


6. What trends are you looking forward to the most? Fashion, Makeup, Nail Polish, etc.
 I am a dress fanatic. I absolutely love dresses and my wardrobe is filled with them. I am looking forward to seeing pretty girly spring dresses in prints, lace and embellishments.

7. Do you have a spring skincare must-have?
 I like to get rid of dull winter skin with a highlighter/ illuminizer. I love the Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector in Rose Shimmer. You can dot it on your cheek bone area or mix it into your foundation to highlight your whole face. It gives a beautiful radiant glow without the tacky shimmer.

8. What is spring like where you live?
 I live in Cape Town. Spring is warm with a slight chilly wind. As the flowers start to bloom I get allergy attacks galore! So I always have to have antihistamine pills and tissues on hand.

9. Floral: gotta have em or make them stop?
Got to have them on my dresses, shorts and accessories ;-)

10. Favourite thing/activity to do in the spring?
 I have never really thought about this, but I think I like to do the annual house spring clean, pack all those winter clothes away and bring out bright accessories for your home. I like to have picnics and drive out to wine farms and enjoy a good lunch. It is not too hot so the drive is pleasant and all the pretty flowers are out in full bloom as you road trip across town.

Thanks  for reading ladies! Xxx