What's in my Makeup Bag: Stage Edition

Hello! Happy New Year!

This year has kicked off with a bang for me, as I've been rehearsing around the clock for a season of dance performances! So I thought I'd share with you the makeup I wear for stage.

For foundation, I've been wearing Ralo's BB Cream in light, which I apply with a sponge. I like this for stage because it's really buildable and has good coverage. If I have any pesky spots, I cover them up with the Catrice Coverstick Concealer in 020 Natural Beige. I then apply the Healthy Balance Powder from Bourjois in the shade 53 Light Beige with a duo-fibre brush.

For cheeks, I use a combination of Wet n Wild's Coloricon Blusher in Heather Silk and the Love Crush Bronzer from Beauty Treats in the shade 02, applied with a small blush brush.

Moving onto the eyes, I first prime the lids with the L.A. Girl Pro-primer H.D. Eyeshadow Primer (what a mouthful!) in Nude. I like to keep an eyeshadow palette in my makeup bag so that I have some options to play around with. At the moment, I'm enjoying the Wet n Wild Coloricon Palette in Walking the Red Carpet. I particularly love to use the warm brown with golden shimmer all over the lid, the darkest brown in the outer corner and crease, and the white as a highlight (applied with a small shader brush). Next up, you gotta have that liquid liner for stage! So I've got the Paris Collection Liquid Eyeliner in black. If I wear mascara, it'll be the Ralo Brilliant Lash, but on a big stage with bright lights, I'm more likely to wear false lashes (a.k.a. the bane of my existence). Though they're not pictured above, I use the Eylure Naturalites Double Lashes.

Lastly, we have lips. Red lipstick is a must, but I've been into a slightly darker red recently, so I like to apply Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in the shade 01 all over my lips, and then daub a bit of Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry over the top.

If you perform on stage, please let me know what's in YOUR makeup bag!
Until next time xx

Thoughts on Empties

Hello loves!

I've only really been into trying out and comparing makeup for around 2 years, and this is literally the first time I've ever re-purchased a product. My Ralo Brilliant Lash Mascara is almost ready to be tossed away and I must say, I almost had a little panic when I discovered this! As a result, I hurriedly dashed off to get a new one! This is a really wet mascara and can't be applied too hastily (tried that - big mess), but it's so beautifully lengthening and defining that it's totally worth the faff! If you haven't tried it, it gets a huge thumbs up from me.

Another thing that I recently ran out of was the Catrice Re-touch Light-reflecting Concealer. Now I really did like this! It was so easy to apply, it covered up blemishes, redness and under-eye circles, and it felt like there was nothing on my skin. However, I'm not going to repurchase this. It finished so quickly, and I've had other concealers that lasted much longer and only cost half the price! If you're looking for an affordable concealer pen, then I recommend this one, but I'm much happier with my longer-lived stick concealer.

Lastly, I've been using the Clicks Skin Essentials 3 in 1 Facial Wipes, and I've nearly gone through a pack of them. These wipes are excellent; they're gentle, remove all my makeup, and have a pleasantly fresh scent. These are supposed to cleanse, tone and remove makeup, but I wouldn't use them in place of skincare products. They're also really inexpensive and remove waterproof eye makeup in just a few swipes.

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know :).

Until next time xx

Spring Nails

Hello lovelies!

I found this gorgeous nail polish at Ralo the other day, and I love it so much that I just had to share it with you.

It's from their Professional range and it's one of the quick drying ones. I just really liked the lilac colour; I though it would be very pretty for Spring and I didn't have anything like it in my collection. After wearing this polish, I only have good things to say about it. I applied two coats to get the desired opacity and I am so so happy with the finish! It looks shiny and gel-like, and lasted several days on my nails without chipping. As an added bonus, this polish was also super easy to remove! I hate it when it takes three or four cotton pads to remove my nail colour, but this one completely vanished after one! This one is a goodie, and I recommend it if you're looking for a cute Spring colour.

What are your favourite shades for Spring?

Until next time xx 

"Beat the Winter Blues" Makeup Look

Hello lovely people!

I absolutely LOVE this kind of look for when I'm feeling down and need a little pick-me-up (this happens frequently in winter because I can't stand the cold!).  So this is what I like to wear to beat the winter blues:

• Catrice Re-touch Light-reflecting Concealer in light beige on any spots or scars
• Beauty Treats Love Crush Bronzer in 02 on the cheeks and eyes
• Ralo Jumbo Eyeliner Pencil in Cocoa along the upper lash-line
• Ralo Brilliant Lash Mascara
• Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy with a bit of clear or pink gloss over the top.

So for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, just hang on a little longer! Spring is around the corner :)

Does anyone else love a bright lipstick to perk up their mood? Let me know!

Until next time xx

Over-night Makeup Bag

Hello everyone! Today I though I'd share with you what I pack in my makeup bag when I'm not at home. I don't always pack the same things, but this is the standard amount and types of products that I take with me.

I don't wear foundation every day, but I have some scars and spots that I usually want to hide; for that I use Catrice's Re-touch Light-reflecting Concealer Pen in the colour 020 Light Beige. Then I have the Prime and Fine Eyeshadow Base also from Catrice. For eyeshadow I like to take a palette so that I have some options to work with. Here I took with me the Wet n Wild Walking the Red Carpet one, and I just had a little shading brush as well. I took Ralo's Jumbo Eyeliner Pencil in Coco and the Catrice Lashes to Kill Volume Mascara. Lastly, I had with me a mineral brush to use with the Beauty Treats Love Crush Bronzer in the shade 02 (this is great because it works as a bronzer and a blush!).

That's it! I like to keep things really simple when I go away, just so that I don't have to pack a whole lot of stuff.

Let me know what you pack in your over-night makeup bag :)

Until next time xx

Quick and Easy Out-the-door Face

Well, hello there! Today I thought I'd share my favourite super-easy, polished yet minimal look with you. I stumbled across this combination of products over the passed few weeks while I was writing exams. I needed something really easy and fast to put together, but I still wanted to look like I'd made some effort. Ya know what I mean?

After moisturising my skin, I took some of Catrice's Re-touch Light-reflectiong Concealer in 020 Light Beige and applied it to any spots (which were quite numerous) and under my eyes to hide my exam-time darkness, and blended it in with my fingers. I chose this particular colour becuase I wasn't looking to highlight, just to conceal, and the Light Beige is very close to my skin tone.

This is going to sound a little strange, but I then used the Ralo Professional Eyeliner Pen to fill in my eyebrows. If you remember my Mini Ralo Haul, you'll know that I found this eyeliner really sheer and not as black as I would have wanted, but this makes is great for filling in the little gap in my less-full brow. Besides for the little gap, I really don't have to do anything to my super-bushy brows.

Next I used the Catrice Made to Stay Inside Eye Highlighter Pen in the colour 010 In the Mood for Nude. I applied this in the lower waterline to make me look more awake and bright-eyed.

I then used Ralo's Brilliant Lash Mascara, which I think is just fabulous. I sometimes spent the whole day at university with exams, so I wanted a mascara that would hold a curl all day and not smudge under my eyes, and this one did the job really well. I'm sure any waterproof mascara would work well too.

And lastly, I just went for a bit of Dischem's Aloe Vera Lipbalm.

This look takes me about 5 minutes to put together and I really think it's a good one for when you're in a rush.

Let me know if you decide to try this look, or what your quick and easy staples are!

Until next time xx

Ralo BB Cream Review

Hi Sparklers!

So seeing as I've had it for a while now and feel like I've given it a good go, I think it's high-time I reviewed Ralo's BB Cream (which I talked about in THIS haul). This product claims to be all-in-one perfection, containing primer, foundation and concealer, to moisturise while having a non-oily, silky matte finish, and it contains sunscreen.

I really want to like this BB cream, but I just can't. Yes, it does leave a beautiful, light-weight, silky matte finish, it has great coverage and it doesn't budge all day. I wore it to the Mothers' Day Concert at the Zoo, which was really hot for May, and it lasted through a whole afternoon of sweating in the sun. But every 4 out of 5 times that I wear it, I end up with little bumps (the non-whitehead variety) on my skin, usually on my forehead or along my jaw-line. I already have fairly acne-prone skin, so I seriously do not want anything to make it worse. And these little bumps take ages until they go away. I think maybe it's the sunscreen that annoys my skin, because I've never had a problem with Ralo's foundations/face products before.

Anyway, so if you have sensitive, irritable, or moody skin, give this one a pass.

Until next time xx

Budget Friendly Beauty Haul!

Let's get real: there are tonnes and tonnes of beauty products that I'm just itching to try, but I'm on a student budget. I recently picked up a few things that are totally inexpensive.

From Ralo, I got the BB Cream Professional in the colour Light (which is surprisingly dark for the lightest shade of the bunch!) and one of the Trio Eyeshadow Shimmers in number 36. This trio has two really pretty browny-taupe shades and a dark grey. I've used the BB Cream a couple times and I think I like it! I love the how the finish is super velvety and non-oily.

The Maybelline Baby Lips line recently launched in South Africa (can I get a "whoop whoop"?). I've heard so many good things about these lip balms on YouTube and other blogs, and they are soooo inexpensive that it totally couldn't hurt to try one! Unsurprisingly, I got the red one, which is the colour Cherry Me. Can we just appreciate how amazing this thing smells?!?! Ooohhh my gosh! It reminds me of cherry-flavoured Fizz Pops! Who wouldn't want their lips to smell like that all day?!

Lastly, I went a bit Catrice crazy (oops). For my horribly oily skin, I decided to try the Prime and Fine Pore Refining Anti-shine Base which boasts that it is "mattifying, longlasting and oil-free". I'll have to give it a go the next time I wear foundation. Once again, for the oilyness I have to put up with, I picked up the Prime and Fine Eyeshadow Base. I'm super excited to try this out and see how it lives up to claims of fixing eyeshadow and making it waterproof. I also thought to try the Gel Eye Liner Brush. The bristles feel really soft and look like they will create super fine lines. You know me, what's a beauty haul without some mascara, right? Of all the mascaras I've tried, the Catrice ones have been my favourites! I thought I'd try the Lashes to Kill False Lashes Volume Mascara with Lash Extension Fibres (what a mouthful!). Mascara is my favourite thing ever and I've never tried a fibre one before, so I'm one very very excited girl. Finally, I've joined the lip balm crayon crew with the Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm in 050 Cherry-ty. This balm legit smells like vanilla, which is my favourite scent.

After that huge ramble, I now have some products to test and I'll probably return with some reviews.

Until next time xx

Easter Weekend Makeup

I had some fun creating simple looks over the Easter weekend. I really like how they turned out, so I thought I'd share them with you.

 

Good Friday also happened to be my mom's birthday, so we ended up going out for lunch. I was having a pretty good skin day, so I skipped the foundation, put on some of Ralo's Brilliant Lash Mascara, and swiped a bit of the purply-berry Jay Jay's POUTMECRAZY lipgloss onto my lips (the colours of these glosses don't have names! Grr. See the image on the left for this look).

 

Saturday was a chilled day at home (I did lots of applied maths assigments), so I thought to try the red POUTMECRAZY gloss to see how it lasted over a whole day. Once again, no foundation and a bit of mascara (the Wet n Wild Megaimpact this time); this look is pictured on the top right.

We had some guests over on Easter Sunday, so my look was slightly more complicated: I wore a thin layer of Ralo's Long Lasting Liquid Foundation, some of the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, the purply-berry POUTMECRAZY, two coats of the Brilliant Lash Mascara, and then I layered some eyeshadows from Wet n Wild's Comfort Zone Palette. I started with the bronze crease shade on the lid and a little under the eye, then added the blue-brown definer shade on top of the bronze on the lid (this look is on the bottom right).

Until next time xx

Mini Ralo Haul and Review

 

 Can you guess what's on my face? I went to Ralo a little while ago and picked up some stuff, so I though I'd do a little haul/review. Above, I'm wearing all three products that I purchased.

Fistly is this pretty pink lippie, the Ultra Thin Lipstick in number 5 Ballet Pink (the name was on the till slip, but the actual product just has a number). The thin tube makes this lipstick very easy to apply, and the colour pay-off is great! The formula is smooth and creamy, which kind of reminds me of the Ralo Colour Blast lipsticks. Retailing at just under R40, I think this product is great value for money. Am I the only girl who has trouble finding pink lip colour to suit my complexion?

 

I could not wait to try this new Professional Eyeliner Pen! So obviously I had to buy it *guilty*. While the super fine nib makes the liner really user-friendly, I am disappointed with the colour. I was hoping for an intense black, but this liner is quite muted. However, if you're a fan of subtle liner, or just a little definition, then this is what you're looking for. I like to wear this if I'm in a rush (which is pretty much always) and just want quick, easy definition at the lashes. This product retails for R60, which is very reasonable for an eyeliner pen.

Lastly, I picked up the Brilliant Lash Mascara (of course I did, mascara addict that I am), for R60. How gorgeous is the packaging?! You get a whopping 10ml of product here, which I think is a total bargain. At first, I didn't like this mascara at all. I thought it was way too wet and difficult to apply. Now that I've fiddled with it a bit, I've learnt the best way to use it, and I must say I'm really enjoying it! As you can see in the first image, my lashes look full and long (and that's only with one coat!). I think this mascara works best when applied carefully, with a very light hand. The formula is really wet, so it can create a mess when applying if you're not careful. Volume is easily buildable, and the small brush really coats every lash well. On a weird note, this mascara also smells really good! Lol.

I'd love to hear if anyone else has tried these products, or found any other gems at good ol' Ralo.

Until next time xx

One Brand: All About Ralo

 

Ralo Cosmetics is my favourite brand for beauty on a budget. Their products are high quality and great value for money.

 

I've spoken about the Long Lasting Liquid Foundation before: I really do believe that this is an amazing product. It has buildable coverage and literally looks like a second skin. Also, I find that I rarely need to touch up my face when I wear this (that's saying a lot, as my skin is really oily!).

 

Next is the Jumbo Eyeliner Pencil. Mine is a  lovely brown shade, and the pencil comes with a sharpener in the cap. The colour comes off as slightly metallic, which I think is pretty, and the product is really smooth and glides on effortlessly. I will point out that when used all over the lid as a shadow, this product creases easily, so it definitely needs a primer or lots of layering.

 

This next one was a gift with purchase. The Eye Liner Hard is indeed very hard, and difficult to apply to the sensitive skin around the eye. However, this liner works great for defining the brows.

 

The Hi-definition Liquid Liner is one of my favourites! I've had this for ages and it hasn't dried out. The brush is thin enough for a subtle line and is perfect for creating  a winged-out look. I only have the black one, but this product comes in a variety of colours.

 

This Soft Twist Pencil in Dove Blue was a gift with purchase. I'm so disappointed with this product! The first time I tried it, a whole chunk snapped off, and it literally smells like a drawing crayon. It doesn't last well at all on the waterline or lower lash-line.

 

This one's a win! I love Ralo's eye shadows; they are buttery, pigmented and really easy to work with. This is the Trio Eye Shadow Shimmer in number 21. This one looks a bit scary (I bought it for the emerald green in the middle).

 

The Quin Eye Shadow in number 20 is a great pick for an every-day look. Again, these shadows are awesome. I need to find a way to get more use out of the bright pink!

 

This one is the Quin Eye Shadow in number 17. The minty green is perfect for a little pop of colour and the navy blue is gorgeous for a smokey eye.

 

This Blusher in number 6 is a lovely pink shade. The colour is buildable, so you can use it for a simple flush or an intense pink cheek.

 

I have a love-hate relationship with this Professional Lipstick in number 35. The colour looks like a berry tone from the outside, but when applied it's a bright, glittery pink (see swatch at the end). While it's not the berry that I wanted, the pink is quite nice if you can get passed the glitter. The formula is dry, so it definitely needs a lip balm under the colour. Also, the packaging really sucks - it's chunky and feels cheap.

 

This Colour Blast Lipstick in number 58E is gorgeous! It's a classic bright red with amazing pigmentation. The formula is smooth and buttery and leaves the lips feeling moisturised. The packaging is cute, but feels cheap. I guess you can't have everything in a R29.50 lipstick.

 

This tiny little baby is the Glitter Nail Colour in number 29. It's a teal\jade green with a metallic sparkle, and it is my ultimate favourite nail polish.

 

Lastly, we have the Magnetic Effect nail polish in number 9 - Steely Blue. This is a duo-chrome silver-blue shade and it has one of those magnetic patterns on the lid (the ones that you hold above the drying polish to get a cool effect). I really like this shade, but I find it hard to apply. I either get a very thin layer of colour, or it's just way too thick. Maybe the brush is the problem?

 

I thought I'd include some swatches. The two lipsticks are in the middle. Going clockwise from the top: the black is the Hi-definition Liner, the dark brown is the Jumbo Eye Pencil, the next brown is the Eye Liner Hard, and the last one is the Soft Twist Pencil.

Let me know what Ralo products you've tried! Do you love them, hate them, are they just okay?

Until next time xx

Today's Picks: Favouite Makeup Items

These are my favourite makeup items of the moment! I feel like these products work well together and alone, so let's get down to the details.

This is my Long Lasting Liquid Foundation by Ralo. Ralo is a South African cosmetics company that make really high quality, affordable (and I mean super affordable) products. I have to rave about this product! It's quite a light-weight, medium coverage foundation that comes in a plastic bottle with a pump, and it lasts on the skin absolutely all day! It's really easy to blend into the skin with fingers or a brush and leaves a beautiful, natural finish. It also has a really lovely, light scent. I have oily skin and I find that I hardly ever have to touch up this product. The shade range is awesome for darker skin tones (seeing as Ralo is a South African company, the foundations cater well for African skin). However, people with fair skin my struggle to find a match - I wear the Ivory shade, but my skin tone is more of a Mediterranean light olive. I will point out that not all of the shades are available online. Anyway, some shades can be found here.

This little trooper is my Catrice Cover Stick in the shade 020 Natural Beige. This product has a thick, creamy consistency and is great for covering spots, scars and redness. I would not use this under the eyes, as it creases quite badly. Click here to see Catrice products online.

Two of my more recent purchases! When I saw that Clicks was now stocking Wet 'n' Wild products, I had to try some! First on my list was the Color Icon Petal Pusher Palette. This stuff is gorgeous! Going from top to bottom on the left and then the right, the colours are a slightly pink-toned matte white, a matte lilac, a matte darker purple, a sparkly blue-toned purple, a super shimmery pale pink, a beautiful nude-ish mauve, a glittery deep plum, and a sparkly black. So many looks can be completed with this product! I love wearing the mauve all over my lid, and the plum and black shades work wonderfully as liners as well.

Next we have the Wet 'n' Wild MegaImpact Mascara. This mascara is simply gorgeous! While it's not the blackest mascara, it coats each lash evenly, adds length and volume, and (best of all) it separates the lashes like no other mascara I've tried. I love how full and defined my lashes look when I use this. The wand is quite fat, but the formula is pretty dry, so I don't have any trouble when applying the mascara. For an every-day, all-purpose mascara, this one is fabulous! Check out Wet 'n' Wild products here.

Ralo again! Need I mention how much I love this brand? This is the 5 Colour Eye Shadow in number 20. Ralo's eye shadows are absolutely amazing! I've tried so many of them, and they are all creamy, blendable, pigmented and long-lasting. I like this little palette the most because it has great every-day colours and can also be used for a more dramatic, colourful look. From left to right, we have a white, baby pink, taupe, dark grey, and cool-toned dark pink, all of which are shimmery. I specifically bought this palette to replicate a look by Kayleigh Noelle on YouTube! Here are links to Kayleigh's channel and her makeup look. This Ralo palette can be found here. I'm also going to mention that ALL of Ralo's 5 Colour palettes have beautifully coordinated colous.

This next friend of mine is my absolute staple, every-day favourite lip gloss. Meet the Woolworths Lips Plump & Pout Gloss in the colour Apricot Smoothie. This shiny gloss has a thick consistency and the colour is a lovely nude-peach with a little bit of gold sparkle. It's one of those tingly glosses with a menthol type of feel and a pleasantly sweet scent. Most (if not all) of Woolworths beauty products are approved by Beauty without Cruelty. Product info on this gloss can be found here.

This product I have dubbed the "Queen of the Lipsticks"; I don't think I can express in words how much I love it! This is the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in number 01. The colour is a lovely, cool-toned dark red that, in my opinion, is perfect for any season. The product is creamy and ultra long-lasting with a pleasant scent. I've worn this lipstick through meals and it only had to be ever so slightly touched up. Also, the packaging is gorgeous! A sleek, black, sturdy tube with a little pop of red, who wouldn't love that?

Out of all of my blushes, I think this one is the most versatile. This is the Ralo Blusher in number 6. It's a classic pink colour that can be built up from a slight, rosy flush to a dramatic, dark pink. This is my favourite blush for stage (I dance) because I can get that great, dark colour out of it. I can't help but appreciate this beautiful packaging! The little black strip with silver writing and snowflake detail is so pretty, and the pan makes a very satisfying "snap!" when closed. I don't think this particular blush is available online, but check out some of the others here.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my favourite makeup products. I'd really like to know if anyone has tried these items! Leave me a comment telling me what you think of them if you have. Until next time!