Hi Divas

If you follow me on Instagram, you would know that I am a huge winged liner fanatic. I hardly do any makeup looks without it. I have very big eyes and I love to accentuate it with a sultry black line while lifting up the eye with a flick at the end. Depending on my mood I can truly go big and take flight when I draw my wings. Let's just say I get a little too over dramatic and sometimes end up looking like a botched Cleopatra, LOL. It took me many failed attempts and undesirable racoon eye looks later to perfect my winged liner technique. As anyone who has ever tried it would know, drawing liquid liner on your eyes takes special precision, unwavering dedication to the black mess you just started and a prayer that everything would turn out right in the end. Due to this level of intense difficulty, I have developed my own technique in applying liner perfectly to my eye shape.  I therefore have very specific needs when choosing the right eyeliner for me. When I saw the Makeup Revolution eye liner in store, I got truly excited. The packaging was so gorgeous and the price was on point for being budget friendly. I was hoping that this liner would be another option to create sharp clear cut wings like a knife.

For a lower end product, this eyeliner is packaged in the most high end way. The liner is encased in a beautiful rose gold pen which comes in a black and gold box. This is the most sleek and classiest packaging I have ever seen for a liquid liner. It is stylish and elegant and outshines even the most expensive liners on the market. The pen feels sturdy and high quality. Your fingers will have a good grip on the body of the pen to draw lines with the utmost precision. Makeup Revolution deserves 10 stars for their attention to detail. The liner is described as an intense long wear black felt eyeliner. The formula has a great consistency and slides effortlessly across the eye. The pen glides on the eye with just enough product. It does not feel dry nor does it drip with too much liquid. I do not have to go over any lines or reapply the liner when using it above matte, shimmery and glitter eyeshadows. The formula is easy to work with and has an intense black colour which I love. It is not completely matte and does have a slight sheen to it.

As I mentioned above, I am very particular when it comes to eye liner application. I love a felt tip pen as I feel it gives me the best winged look with sharp lines and easy application. I prefer to start drawing my liner from the tip of the pen at the inner corners of my eyes, and use the fat base part of the felt tip to draw a bold line right across the eye. I therefore prefer a felt tip that is longer in size and has a thin tip. Unfortunately, the Renaissance Flick has a short felt tip size which makes it difficult for me to lay the base flat across my eye to draw a line. I have to rely mostly on the tip to do the job which does not work with my technique. Also, placing pressure on the base of the felt pen helps push the product out. I find that this is difficult when only using the tip of the pen. Drawing the wing however is easy as the pen is a good size to keep control for precise lines. I do struggle to create fine thin lines as the tip is slightly fatter than most pens I have used. I therefore have to go in with a concealer to clean up the edge and create a super thin line towards the end of the wing if I so desire it. This is my way of applying eyeliner and others may have a different experience with this felt tip pen to me.

What I love most about this eyeliner is that it does not smudge or flake throughout the day. It stays put and is comfortable to wear all day long. It has amazing staying power in humid and hot weather. I even did intense cardio wearing the liner and my wings were still looking fly! Like I said this pen feels and acts like a high end product for more than half the price. It is very impressive and I recommend it to anyone looking for a user friendly and affordable eye liner. I would repurchase this as I love the formula and the packaging is excellent for travel. I do wish the actual felt tip was longer in size then it would be perfect to me, but that is my personal preference when it comes to these types of products. What do you like in eye liners and have you tried this product before? Let me know below!



Thank you so much for reading.
Divalicious Kisses!
Xxxx

Urban Decay Perversion

Mascara & 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil

Review

Hi Divas

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

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

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

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Perversion

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

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

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


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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Thank you for reading!
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Throw Your Nasty Crusty Makeup Away!

Hi Divas!

I know we all have that one makeup product that no matter what animal species are growing on it, we just refuse to throw it away. Don't act like you don't know what I am talking about. It might be your first foundation colour match you ever bought, or that lipstick that was discontinued two years ago. We all have a cosmetic product that for nostalgic or emotional attachments we just won't let go of. I know it can be hard sometimes because it is in our comfort zone or that product was so damn expensive you don't even want to think of your money going down the drain. As most things in life, including yourself, makeup has an expiry date. It's gonna kick the bucket some day. Most beauty products actually don't have expiry dates printed on them. Therefore it is easy to forget and keep using old makeup. You should take note of when you bought your cosmetics and if the formulas have changed for the worst over time. We all have to be aware that whatever me put on our skin gets absorbed by our bodies. For some our skin is resistant to many things. For others it is a different story and can lead to serious skin infections, breakouts and allergies later in life. Below is a guideline as to when to throw that nasty makeup away!

1.Liquid Foundations and Cream Products: *6-12 Months Lifespan!*. Most foundations come in liquid formulas. The components in liquid products break down and separate faster than dry ingredients. As with cream products such as concealers these can become hard or flakey. Check your makeup to see if your foundation consistency has changed and become lumpy. Sometimes oil would separate from the foundation and sit as a another layer on top. When this happens throw it away.

2. Powder Foundations, Blushes, Bronzers and Loose Setting Powders: *2 Years Lifespan!*. Unlike liquids, powder products last longer as the ingredients are dry and bacteria takes a lot longer to grow on them and break it down. Sometimes powder products can form a layer of crust on them due to oils that we transfer from our skin onto our makeup products. You can scrape the crusty top layer off and the product will be fine underneath. If your powders have been in your makeup draw for more than 2 years, throw it away. Bacteria is still swimming around on it and you do not want to transfer those buggers on your face. Eeww!

3.Eyeshadows: *2 Years Lifespan!*. As with powder products most eyeshadows are dry pigments so bacteria won't break it down quickly. Here again, a top layer of crust may form on your eyeshadow due to oils transferring from your fingers onto the product. You can scrape the top layer off and your eyeshadow will be good as new. If you see that the whole eyeshadow has turned hard and crusty, not just the top layer, then throw it away. That eye infection ain't worth your time!

4. Mascaras: *3 to 6 Months Lifespan*. This is a hard one. I know I struggle to throw my mascara away after 6 months if I feel that I can still get some use out of it. Unfortunately bacteria breeds very quickly in mascaras. We are constantly pumping air into the tubes making it a bacteria's play ground. Mascara formulas therefore break down fairly quickly. To prevent your mascara from expiring in a jiffy, try to not pump your mascara. Rather twist it inside the tube if you need more product. You can tell when mascara has reached its end. When the formula gets hard and very clumpy then it's time to toss that bad boy.

5. Lipsticks: *12 to 18 Months Lifespan!*. Oh gosh, I fail again! I have lipsticks from 2010. Let me just go hide my head in shame. Lipsticks are creams and the formulas tend to change over time. They can become either flakey, separated or start having a watery texture. Sometimes lipsticks change according to the weather as well. It all depends on whether it was stored in a hot humid environment. Lipsticks are also a big breeding ground for bacteria. Excuse me while I purge my old nasty lipsticks.

 6: Eyeliners in Pencil, Creams or Gel Formulas: *6 Months to 2 Years Lifespan!*.  Pencil eyeliners can last for 2 years has they can be sharpened to remove bacteria and make it good as new. Gel liners and cream liners last for about 6 months. They become dry, hard and cracked. If you see your pencil liners and gel liners become crumbly and hard. Throw it away. It's time to move on.

Help you found this helpful.

Lots of love.

Xxxx

Hi beautiful Divas!

I am very excited to share a budget beauty gem with you. On one of my recent shopping trips I came across the Essence eyeliner pen in Clicks stores. I have been using the NYX Superfine Liner religiously and ran out of it. I decided to try something new and opted for the Essence eyeliner as it was more than half the price of the NYX liner. I paid under R50 (+ $5) for it. I had no idea if this product was going to be a hit or miss for me but because it was so cheap, I did not hesitate to buy it and test it out. The eyeliner is packaged loose on the Essence stands and does not come in a box or plastic packaging. It is shaped like a black pen and feels very comfortable in my hands and between the fingers when using it. When taking off the cap the pen tip is drenched in product so be careful to not shake the pen excessively or you will end up with black eyeliner ink all over your carpet, and this is exactly what happened to me, poo! I managed to clean that mess up in a jiffy so no makeup stains on the carpet, yeah!

The eyeliner felt tip is quite thin at the tip and tapers out in a wider shape towards the base. This tip too is much longer than the NYX pen liner. I was actually having a mini panic attack before I used the pen as I had no idea how I would control that elongated tip. It seemed as long as a train compared to my NYX liner. Any way all this hesitation was all in vain because this mighty long tip actually worked to my advantage. I found it so easy to glide the pen across the base of my upper lash line and create a perfect black line. There was seriously no fuss. I created a lovely black line across my eye in seconds by one stroke of gliding the brush. If you press the base of the pen against the eye the line will be much thicker than just using the tip. It is very easy to get the brush on the inner corner of the eyes with no smudging. Controlling the pen and creating different thickness with the lines was very easy to achieve.


Creating my wing was an absolute breeze too. Everyone has their own technique in creating their perfect winged liner. I found that what works for someone might not work for me and that is OK. As long as you feel comfortable and create a winged liner that you are happy with. Most people like to start at the base of the eye and draw the pen up towards the brow. I prefer to start at the top and work my way down to the base of my eye. With this brush I can create a perfect wing liner in one stroke by slowly drawing the brush from my outer crease to my lash line. I then go in and fix any smudges or ridges with the pen. As you can see in the photo above my wing is sharp and perfect and ready to take flight! Lol. I was very surprised by the lasting power of the liner. I exercised in excessive heat and my face was drenched in sweat. I could not believe my eyes when I saw that my liner did not smudge, run or budge. It was still perfectly in place. This budget beauty has staying power! The liner is very easy to remove as well when I wash my face with my cleansing face wash. It comes off with no mess and no fuss.


I really recommend this eyeliner pen to anyone who is starting out with their winged liner technique or if you want to have your winged liner done in a jiffy because you don't have time in the mornings to deal with a brush and gel liners. Have you tried this product? Let me know below.

Thanks for reading beauties!

Divalicious kisses

Xxxx