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

Both lipsticks are packaged in a beautiful gold bullet that is very similar to the iconic MAC lipsticks. The design is sleek, pretty and very classy. It looks good displayed on a vanity and would look even better being whipped out for a touch up at a party or work function. At first glance the lipsticks look identical but at closer inspection there are differences in collections. The Rose Gold collection has the deep rose gold colour with a mirror like shine on it. You can clearly see your face in the bullet. The Iconic Matte collection on the other hand has a blurry out lay and resembles a matte texture. I like this special touch which Makeup Revolution added to the design of the different lipsticks. It makes it easier to identify at first glance when choosing a shade that you want. The actual weight and feel of the lipsticks are quite light and the packaging is very sturdy with a good grip and clasp when opening and closing it. This makes it travel friendly when you are out and about in cold or hot weather. One thing I hate the most, is when lipsticks are not properly secured and you open your bag to find it either leaked or rubbed off everywhere. What a nightmare! Also, to note these lipsticks are vegan and cruelty free which is wonderful for the environment too.



Rose Gold in Diamond Life
This collection too comes in 5 shades and Diamond Life is described as a berry red hue. It does display a berry tone on me but it actually leans to a deep pink berry more than red on my lips. The shade is very flattering on all skin tones and would look amazing on deeper complexions as those berry tones would really shine through. The lipstick has a totally different formula to the Iconic Matte. The texture feels thinner and glides on as such. It has a high gloss finish and a visible sheen to it. Since the texture feels thinner, the lipstick has a tendency to bleed. You have to be careful when you apply it as it is very pigmented and can rub off on the sides of the mouth. It would be best to use a mirror whenever you apply it and clean up with a cotton tip or concealer on the edges. This formula does have a tendency to show off dry patches on the lips as you can see in the photo below. It emphasizes flaky skin and therefore do make sure to exfoliate your lips before you wear it.


For me, the Iconic Matte is a clear favourite. I absolutely adore the texture and longevity of the lipstick. The shade Inspiration looks very flattering on me and I love that I can use it to change the colour and formula of my other lip products. I recommend this lipstick for those who are searching for a comfortable creamy matte nude. The Rose Gold lipstick is a wearable shade for me but I am not one for glossy formulas. I prefer a matte texture over a glossy one any day. The lipstick is not long lasting and transfers easily when eating and drinking. It is not an easy colour to wear as it can get on your teeth and bleed on the sides of the mouth. If you are someone that loves a high gloss look then this will be great for you. I definitely want to purchase more shades from the Iconic Matte collection.

I hope you found this review helpful. Have you tried these lipsticks. Do they tickle your fancy? Let me know what your thoughts are below!


Thanks for reading!
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas

Ever since Makeup Revolution hit South African shores there has been so much talk about their liquid lipstick products. I of cause had to try it out for myself to see what the hype was all about. I personally don't wear a lot of liquid lipsticks and only ever had one in my collection. What intrigued me most about this particular product is that it resembled the Huda Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits for a fraction of the cost. You get a lipstick and lip liner all in one and you don't have to max out your credit card. I have never tried Huda Beauty nor Kylie Cosmetics Lip kits, so unfortunately, I cannot compare them thoroughly to Makeup Revolution. Although if I can find an affordable alternative to a very pricey product, I am here for it body, mind and soul! I personally love matte lipsticks. I have pretty full lips and I feel they look very flattering on me. Doing research online there seems to be eight shades within this range, but I only saw five in stores so far. I chose the shade Noble as this one seemed to be a brown toned nude which would suit my complexion perfectly.

The packaging for these lipsticks is truly sleek and chic. I love the black, white and gold theme on the box. It is simple and has a touch of glamour. The packaging of the lipstick and liner is sturdy and feels luxurious. The lip liner is fairly long in size and would last a really long time. The liquid lipstick has rose gold cap with a perfectly sized wand and doe foot applicator. You can see the actual shade of the lipstick on the box, at the tail end of the lip liner and in the lip tube. The shade matches well to the description on the box as well as the two products. There have been some discrepancies between colours being off from other shades regarding packaging but not with 'Noble'. The shade Noble is a brick brown nude with hints of terracotta and peach. The lip liner is slightly lighter in tone compared to the lipstick but they both match well. This colour is universally flattering on all skin tones and is rich in tone.

To apply the colour I started off by lining my lips with the liner. The product is surprisingly soft to use and glides on quite creamy. I do not over line my lips as I have full lips already but you can create a lovely effect if you do as the product is workable and not hard. I filled my entire lip with the pencil and the shade was so pretty, you could totally wear it just like that on its own. It does not look dry or flaky. The first photo below on the far top left is just the pencil shade. As you can see it glided on my lips smoothly and looks good as is. When applying the liquid lipstick, I was shocked at the consistency of the formula. The texture is thin but completely opaque. I was expecting a thicker formula but the liquid lip glides on quite watery and the colour is rich in pigmentation. It does not dry down immediately, hence there is time to work with the lipstick and apply as many coats as you want. Even though the texture is thin it does not run or drip down the mouth. The wand is a lovely size and disperses the product evenly across the surface of the lips. The colour goes on smoothly and does not crack. There are no patches or uneven spots when it comes to the shade Noble.
 

The liquid lipstick lasts superbly well throughout the day. I was expecting it to be completely rubbed off after eating lunch and drinking water and coffee all day. I kid you not, there was some fading but the initial colour remained all day. There was no flaking, patchiness or dry spots. This shade did not settle into fine lines too and there was no bleeding or smudging. I am truly impressed with the quality of this one. I have read reviews on other shades and they do not last as long as Noble. The pigmentation and bold colour are well made and looks great on my lips. I do have to say that I did prep my lips well before applying the matte formula. I exfoliated my lips and got rid of any dead skin. I too applied a moisturizing lip balm underneath to protect my lips. I do believe these steps helped a lot in ensuring great wear from this liquid lip. I love this shade Noble and would definitely purchase it again.


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Have you tried these liquid lipsticks? Let me know below. Hope you found this review helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas

Last week Makeup Revolution hit South African Clicks stores with a bang! It was honestly one of the biggest surprises to hit our beauty community as the brand was launched in such a nick of time. I have watched many Youtubers using all their wonderful products but never had any experience with them until now. For those who are not aware, Makeup Revolution is a British cosmetic company which manufacturers affordable, high quality and cruelty free products. What makes this brand so revolutionary (see what I did there), is the fact that they target all areas of makeup as well as skincare and hair care too. They have a variety of complexion products, different tones of highlighters, blushes, all shades of lipsticks and tools to suite any demographic, gender and age. To me the most iconic factor about the brand is the amazing price point. All the products are super affordable but there are no exceptions on quality regarding packaging, pigmentation and lasting power. You honestly get budget friendly cosmetics with such high value. It's truly remarkable and revolutionary!

Makeup Revolution had their amazing opening event at the Clicks store in the V&A Waterfront located in Cape Town. I asked my sister the day before if she would like to be my plus 1 and accompany me. To my surprise she happily said yes and we woke up at 5:00 in the morning to skip the rush hour traffic and be on time. Truly sisters are absolutely the best! She sacrificed her sleep and her PHD work to support me as she knows what a makeup fanatic I am. The actual unveiling of the cosmetic stand within the store was wonderful. Bloggers and makeup addicts alike were all there to view and test the new products. To see all the different array of palettes, lipsticks and colours made my heart skip a beat. Once the unveiling and speeches were done we all rushed to the stand to play. The atmosphere was very exciting and inviting. There was a Revolution photo section where we could take home a memory of the morning and we too all received a lovely goodie bag at the end. My sister and I had a blast and it was so great to share this experience with her.

Below is a list of all the products I received and picked out at the opening:

*Makeup Revolution Sport Fix Extra Hold Makeup Fixing Spray

*Makeup Revolution Bake and Finish Luxury Baking Powder

*Makeup Revolution Baked & Strobe Highlighters in Vivid Golden Lights and Moon Glow Lights

*Makeup Revolution Conceal &Define Full Coverage Concealer and Contour in C6 and C8

 *Makeup Revolution Brow Pomade in Dark Brown

 *Makeup Revolution Renaissance Flick Black Felt Eyeliner

*Makeup Revolution Pro HD Smoky Eyeliner

*Makeup Revolution Retro Luxe Matte Lip Kit in Noble

*Makeup Revolution Lipsticks in Iconic Matte Nude Inspiration and Rose Gold Diamond Life

*Makeup Revolution Advanced Complexion Expert Soft Makeup Sponge

 As I mentioned above, I have never used Makeup Revolution before hence, I am so excited to play! I am looking forward to using the concealer, baking powder, makeup fixing spray and highlighters as I have heard so many great reviews about them. Hope you are ready for the many product blog posts in the future. Thank you so much for reading.

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

Sephora Collection Makeup Haul

Hi Divas

As most of you may know, I have been to Qatar many times. On each trip I do a crazy shopping haul and purchase things that are not available in South Africa. One of my first and most important stops is SEPHORA!!! I remember the first time I was in a Sephora store back in 2013. I was so excited and overwhelmed, I didn't know where to start and what to buy. I was on a budget too and had to be wise on what I spend my money on. The Sephora Collection brand stood out to me because they had an array of cosmetics all at affordable prices. Each time I went on my little trips I would buy a product from the Sephora counters. The Sephora Collection brand never disappointed me. I feel that this brand has excellent quality and deserve more hype and praise than what they are getting now. I would like to share some of my absolute favourite products from the brand with you.This is going to be a LOooooong review, so get your coffee and your snacks! ;-)



Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Face Powder: This is one of my favourite products from the Sephora brand. I love it so much that I am on my second powder compact. The product is described as an ultra light foundation that gives a smooth and air brushed complexion. This is a baked powder infused with green tea extract and radiance boosting minerals. It is designed as a powder foundation that gives a flawless finish with a no makeup, makeup look. I have the shade Light Nude as I bought it as a brightening setting powder and not to be used as a foundation. Since the actual pigment powders are so finely milled, I prefer to lightly sweep this under my eyes on the top parts of my cheeks and top of my forehead and chin area. All the places I like to highlight I would dust this powder on my face for a natural radiant glow. It truly is amazing. It gives my face an airbrushed look and sets my makeup without caking up. The packaging is solid and with 7g of product it lasts a really long time.

Sephora Shimmering Bronzing Powder: I admit that I bought this bronzing compact mainly for the packaging at first. I couldn't resist the beautiful orange sunray design on the compact and inside the case. To my surprise, this turned out to be a wonderful multi purpose bronzer. I chose the shade Light Seychelle Cruise as I didn't really know what to expect and I am not much of a bronzing person since I am tan already, LOL. I use it to give a sun kissed glow to my cheeks and as a lovely warm toned eyeshadow. The bronzer comes in three different colours. There are two tones of brown and a lovely shade of a rosy pink. There is also tiny specks of shimmer in the product. It is so small that it hardly shows up on the face. It does give a pretty radiant glow though. When you mix all three pigments together you get a natural warm sun kissed colour on the skin. The bronzer works perfectly on the eyes as a transition shade too. I have already mentioned that the packaging is beautiful but the compact is great for travel as it is durable and comes with a good sized mirror. I definitely recommend it and would buy another one if I ran out.



Sephora Colourful 5 Shadow Palette: If my memory serves me correct, this was one of the first products I bought from Sephora. The eyeshadows are from the Colourful 5 collection. There are 8 palettes in the range all consisting of 5 shadows. I chose the Pale to Rich Taupe palette which is a neutral toned compact filled with brown and skin toned eyeshadows. There are no names for the eyeshadows so I will refer to them by colour. The darkest shade is a rich matte chocolate brown great for the crease and lower lash line. There are three satin shades consisting of a golden brown with slight glitter specks in it which can be used on the lid or crease for a smokey eye. There is a beautiful satin taupe shade that has purple and brown undertones and looks lovely on the lids as a sultry look. The next satin shade is a creamy champagne shadow that would look flattering on any skin tone. It is my favourite eyeshadow in the palette. The last shade is a full on glitter pearl eyeshadow which can be worn as a topper over the champagne satin shade or as an inner corner eye highlight. The quality of the shadows are wonderful. They are pigmented and blend easily. I will do a more in depth review on this palette at a later stage.

Sephora The Mascara Volume, Length & Definition: This is a mini version of the actual mascara. I picked this up while waiting in the queue at Sephora. They usually have travel size products at the till area and I just couldn't resist this little cutie. This mascara promises to give length, volume and define your lashes all in one sweep. I have the colour 03 Ultra Black. This size is really great to travel with and throw in your purse. It gives lovely volume and definition to my lashes. The shade is a true black and coats the lashes really well. I like the size of the wand. The brush is thick and filled with bristles which grab the lashes easily and gives good volume and lift. This is not a waterproof mascara and has a tendency to smudge before it dries. Make sure your mascara is completely dry before you attempt to place any eye makeup on the eyes or setting spray. I have exercised in this mascara and it does not run or flake. It also removes easily with a cleansing face wash. I recommend this mascara for travel. It's a good mascara for a quick fix but not for a glam night out.

Sephora Rouge Cream R61: I love Sephora lipsticks. They are seriously good quality. They have an array of shades to choose from. Each colour is highly pigmented and rich in texture. The formula of the creams are beautiful. It glides on the lips effortlessly without it bleeding or smudging everywhere. The creams feel comfortable on the lips and give a slight shine. Your lips will look plump and vibrant. I have the shade R61 Lucky One, which is a deep pink rose. It's like a browny pink tone and looks very flattering on the lips. This is my second lipstick from the Sephora Collection and I totally want to purchase more. The packaging is a sleek black plastic case with the Sephora label in bold silver letters. The design is stylish yet sturdy. It won't break easily and looks lovely displayed on a vanity table.


Let me know if you tried any of these products below. Thank you so much for reading.
Lots of love.
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. 

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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

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


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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

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 Divas!

I am excited to do another makeup review for you. I don't own many products by Becca and have only recently started using the brand. The brand hasn't been very accessible to my fellow South Africans until now. I did a review on their famous Shimmering Skin Perfector which you can read here and I wrote a review on a lovely sunscreen which you can read here.  As most of you know Becca is very famous for their stunning face highlighters. These are still on my wish list and I would love to purchase one soon. Besides gorgeous illuminators Becca has a lovely makeup line. This week I will explore some more products in their makeup realm. I own three face products which are a shimmering eyeshadow, a lip and cheek creme tint and a juicy lip gloss. All the products come packaged in the same dark brown box with the elegant Becca silver logo.

 The packaging for all three products are very sleek and sturdy. I love the silver accent on the lip and cheek product as well as the eyeshadow. The lip and cheek creme has the same packaging as their highlighters, just smaller. It is really cute and compact, which is great to pop in the smallest clutch. The eyeshadow is held in a plastic square pot with a twist top. This too is very cute and not too bulky to put in your travel makeup bag. The lip gloss comes in a 7ml tube with a doe foot applicator. The top is very sturdy and won't leak or break in your bag.

Becca Jewel Dust in Laila

The eyeshadow pigment I own is in Laila. It is a gorgeous duochrome loose pigment with white, silver and specks of iridescent blue glitter. It looks stunning on the eyes and reminds me of a mermaid's tail and the White Queen look from Alice in Wonderland. This is a loose shimmery pigment that works best by applying it with your fingers onto your eyelids so that the glitters won't get lost in the brush fibres. The pot comes with a sifter. This is great as you can be fully in control of how much eyeshadow you want to use without it spilling everywhere. The lid of the pot is deep enough to deposit eyeshadow in there and lift it with your fingers onto the eyes. You should definitely use a eye primer when you wear these loose pigments. If you want a bold shimmer effect glitter glue would also be a great option. I love this eyeshadow for a very dramatic look. You should wear this if you totally want your eyes to stand out and be the focal point of your face.

Becca Lip and Cheek Creme in Petal

I don't own many cream blushes as I prefer powder ones. This compact is perfect for travel as you get a two in one product and it comes with the cutest mini mirror inside. This is especially great if you are stuck at an airport and you want a lovely flush of colour on your lips and cheeks without too much fuss. I have the shade Petal which is a pretty peach shade. This actually looks darker in the compact than when swatched on my skin. It kind of has a pastel peachy colour with bubblegum pink undertones on my skin tone, if that makes any kind of sense! I use my Real Techniques stippling brush and dab it lightly into the product. I then gently tap it on my cheeks. This technique gives a gorgeous flush of colour on the apples of my cheeks. My skin looks like I have a natural peachy glow. It is so feminine and pretty and I love it so much. The cream is definitely buildable and you can increase your blush intensity from a subtle glow to a ''Wam Bam, Hello Ma'am'' look! On my lips, it is a whole other story. This as lip colour does nothing flattering to my skin tone. It is too pastel and too peachy. I look like I stepped out of the 80's when I wear it on my lips as a full on colour. I think it is too cool toned for me. If I were to wear it on my lips, I would dab it on the centre and add a gloss over it. I think this would be my best option. If you are lighter in skin tone than me then I am sure you can rock the peachy lips. The best part about this product is that it does not rub or fade or feel sticky on the skin. It sits surprisingly well throughout the day and does not flake off. Yay!

Becca Ultimate Colour Gloss in Malibu Punch
This gloss is absolutely rightly named as it is packed with so much punch! This is a vibrant and juicy coral lip gloss. I love that it is so opaque and it smells good too. It has a viscous consistency which I prefer in a gloss. I do not like runny lip glosses that drip everywhere when you apply it. The formula of this one is pretty good. With one swipe of the doe foot applicator your lips is coated in juicy colour. This is quite a sticky lip gloss, so if that is not your thing then you probably won't like this one. I don't mind it though. I hardly wear gloss and when I do I make sure it is not on a windy day that my hair gets glued to my lips ;-) I think this is a good one to have in my collection, since I only own like three lip glosses, LOL.

Becca Makeup Look
I used all the products to help create my look below. I have the Jewel dust eyeshadow in Laila on my eyelids. For my cheeks I used the Lip and Cheek Creme in Petal applied with a makeup stippling brush. I tapped the same product on my lips and topped it off with the vibrant lip gloss in Malibu Punch. I also added the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector on the high points of my cheeks and the bridge of my nose. I finished off the look with a dramatic winged liner and lots of black mascara. I think the look came out beautifully. I would definitely wear it to a nighttime event.


Let me know what you think of the products and makeup look below. Have you tried any Becca products and what are your favourites? Visit Becca South Africa for more details on how to purchase the products;-)


Thank you so much for reading.
Lots of love
Xxxx

ESSENCE

'Happy Girls Are Pretty'

Blush and Sheer Lip Balm Review

Hi Gorgeous Divas!

Hope you all had a beautiful Valentine's Day. Whether you were showering your significant other with love or spoiling your single self with something special, I hope it was all kinds of wonderful. As most of you may have seen Essence has come out with a beautiful Happy Girls Are Pretty collection that tied in perfectly with Valentine's Day. Most of the products involved cute heart motifs, pastel colours and an overall romantic and whimsical theme. Essence always comes out with the prettiest trend editions and this one is no exception. The products include a blush, two sheer lip balms, nail polishes, two eyeshadow palettes and a nail file. I have the blush and sheer lip balm in my makeup bag and wanted to share my thoughts on them with you.

Firstly, I give the packaging five stars! Look at how cute that heart blush is. I swear it has unicorn kisses all over it. The huge pink heart in the middle is absolutely adorable. It just screams 'Desle'! I love that the blush is multi coloured too. I have it in the shade 01 You Sweeten My Day! On the eye the heart has a dusty pink, almost mauve, shade. The outer blush area is lighter and softer in a baby pink shade. What I love most about this blush is that it is very visually appealing. It has different textures and pink tones that make this drugstore blush one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It is very eye catching and someone who is a makeup junkie and pink freak like me won't be able to resist it. The sheer lip balm is equally cute and compact. It is thin as a chapstick but a little longer in length. This is perfect to pop in your handbag and it smells lovely too. I have it in the shade 01 Pretty You!, which is the darkest out of the two lip balms. It is described on the tube as being a lipstick that gives a hint of colour and a smooth feeling on the lips.

As you can see in the photo above I am wearing both the blush and lip balm. I was expecting the blush to be very pigmented therefore on my first use, I lightly dipped my brush onto the compact and swept it across my cheeks. To my surprise the blush was not showing up deep on my cheeks at all. It has a very sheer coverage that almost borders on a pink highlighter for medium to dark skin tones. For the second time, I applied the brush to the blush a little more vigorously and got a better flush of colour on my cheeks. This is a pastel light pink blush with slight shimmers in it. I think it would be perfect as a highlighter and blush top up for skin tones such as mine and darker. If you are fair in skin tone this would be a pretty light pink blush on your cheeks. It does come off a little powdery at times on the compact but stays in place on your cheeks for most of the day.

For the sheer lip balm, I would describe it as being more of a lip tint. You get a moisturising balm with a flush of colour on your lips. This shade is deeper than my actual lip shade but it still looks natural and pretty on my lips. The colour is not overbearing at all and looks good even when it is slightly faded after eating and drinking. I definitely recommend this lip product for someone who wants a dab of colour on the lips but don't want to commit to a full on lipstick. I have actually been wearing this every day as a quick fix to slap on some colour when I'm in a rush and need to go to the mall or drive somewhere quickly. I think this product would be great on a flight as you want to look pretty but not too overdone.

I have enjoyed wearing these products and am happy with them. I decided to not buy the eyeshadow palettes even though they were so delightful as I have a 1000 other eyeshadow palettes in my collection to get through, Lol. The struggles of a makeup junkie are real. I am proud of myself for exercising self control. Anyway, hope you find these products soon as they are selling out like hot cakes. 

Thank you for reading.

Lots of love.

Xxxx

My Favourite Christmas 2015 Collections:

The Body Shop, Essence and Clarins

Hi Divas!

It is the most wonderful time of the year!!! The festive season is surely upon us and I am super excited. I just love the holidays and all the happiness and joy that it brings. I hope you have all completed your Santa shoe boxes or gifts for those less fortunate than yourself. You know it is more blessed to give than to receive. This year I teamed up with my local church and we made some Santa shoe boxes filled with goodies for an orphanage close by to our area. I cannot wait to see the surprise and happiness on the children's faces. Speaking of giving, are you done with you Christmas shopping yet? I sure am! I hate leaving Christmas shopping to the last minute. It really stresses me out. I thought I would do a post on my favourite beauty Christmas collections for those of you who are still struggling to find the perfect gift. Hope you enjoy!

The Body Shop Frosted Plum, Glazed Apple and Frosted Cranberry Collection:

Each Christmas season The Body Shop comes out with a limited edition scent filled with body washes, body butters, room sprays and candles. For the past two years I really enjoyed the Glazed Apple (fruity, sweet and fresh scent) and Frosted Cranberry (fruity and spicy scent) range. These two scents are my absolute favourite and I cannot resist buying a few items when the festive season comes along. This year I bought body washes, body butters and a delicious Glazed Apple candle that just delights all my senses. It seriously smells like heaven! The Body Shop added a new scent to their 2015 Christmas collection too called Frosted Plum. I am not a huge fan of this scent so I only bought the shower gel. If you love deep plum scents then you will surely love this range. These products would make excellent gifts for your best friend, sister, mom and granny. You can buy them individually or in a lovely gift set.

The Essence Merry Berry Collection:

I reviewed this collection last week. You can read it here. These products would make perfect stocking stuffers for the beauty and makeup lover in our life. Or you can be like me and just buy the collection as a Christmas present to yourself. After all you know you deserve it! Hahaha ;-) My favourite products from the Merry Berry collection are the lipsticks, nail polishes and the gorgeous starry highlighter powder. Don't you just love the packaging? It is so pretty and everything is under a R100 ($11). Score!!!

Clarins Christmas Collection: 

Clarins is my holy grail skincare brand. Every year they come out with various Christmas gifts packaged according to your skin care needs and age. Each gift comes with a free toiletry/ makeup bag along with two or more skincare samples. I bought the Clarins Multi-Active range as I am not getting any younger and need some anti wrinkle ingredients in my life. These gifts are on the higher end side of your beauty budget. They would make excellent gifts for the ladies in your life who appreciate skin care products and love to pamper themselves. You can visit the Clarins website here for more information of the gifts on offer.




Thank you so much for reading Beauties.
Happy Shopping!!!
Xxxx