February Faves

Hello lovelies!

February is coming to a close (autumn is approaching!), so it's the perfect time to share my favourite products of the month with you.

I have been absolutely loving the Batiste dry shampoo. I like this little mini one because I can just pop it in my bag and take it anywhere.

The one product that has literally saved my skin is the Warming Mineral Mask from The Body Shop. It heats up when it comes into contact with the skin and it leaves my skin feeling so refreshed. Any redness is diminished and blemishes are left much smaller and less angry.

The UBU Blender Baby sponge has completely changed the way foundation looks on my skin. I've fallen in love with this sponge, as it just blends foundation and perfects the skin effortlessly.

Moving on to makeup, my two must-haves this month were both Catrice products: the Camouflage Cream concealer in the shade 020 light beige, and the Pure Shine Lip Balm in 020 Rusty In Peace. The concealer is so so creamy and easy to use, and the yellow hue makes it really good for covering any redness. The Catrice lip balms are the most hydrating lip products I've ever tried, and this shade is one of those your-lips-but-better colours.

Sticking to lips, I've been drawn like a magnet to the Catrice Long Lasting Lip Pencil in 030 Berryson Ford; it's a lovely berry shade that works really well under a dark lip colour and is also really lovely when used all over the lip with a gloss on top. I think this shade is going to be my go-to colour this autumn and winter!

I was pleasantly surprised by the Get Big Lashes Volume Boost Waterproof mascara from Essence, When I fist tried this product, I though the wand was way too big and I ended up getting mascara all over my eyelids. Now, after giving it another chance, I've really come to love it! Being very careful when using the massive wand, this mascara yields mightily thick, voluminous lashes and also adds quite a bit of length. Also, it definitely lives up to being waterproof and smudge-proof.

Lastly, I've been totally infatuated with Catrice's Ultimate Nail Lacquer in shade 24 The GlamoureX Factor. It's a beautiful, metallic, champagne-y gold, but it strikes me as such an unusual and sophisticated colour.

What have been some of your favourite products this month? I'd love to hear your recommendations!

Until next time xxx 

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

NYX Love in Paris Palette Review

Hello again!

Behold! Something lovely this way comes. This was a complete impulse buy - randomly browsing the NYX stand at my local Clicks, I thought "Oh, pretty!" and popped this palette in my basket.

This is the Love in Paris palette in the shade Je Ne Sais Quoi. Ain't it pretty?

I'll start by saying that a primer is a must for these shadows. Without a primer, the colours aren't as bold or vibrant as I would like, and they slip off the lids after a couple hours.

Looking at the first row: the first colour is a lovely, shimmery champagne that is gorgeous as a highlight in the inner corner (it's also lovely to press on the lid over a darker shade for some sparkle). Next is a pretty dark brown with golden flecks - I love this shade for deepening the outer corner or running along the upper and lower lashlines for some subtle liner. The last one in this row is disappointing for me; it's a cool-toned light brown with duo-chrome shimmer that doesn't really look like anything on the lid. I wish this shade was more vibrant, because it's so so pretty in the pan.

Second row: first up is a matte, warm brown; this shade is gorgeously pigmented and a great transition colour! It's great on it's own, in the crease, or used to smoke out black liner. The middle one is a lovely, shimmery, warm-toned light brown, which is pretty on the lid, but needs a few layers to show up the same colour as in the pan. Lastly, we have a satin cream colour, which is a perfect browbone highlight!

Third row: this first one is a bit tricky: it's basically a silver glitter, and it's hard to work with on its own. However, this shade is stunning when patted on the lid with a finger! It adds a really pretty glitter to any look that might be a bit lacking. The next one is a plum shade with some sparkly flecks, but it's almost matte on the eye. This one is lovely on its own, under the bottom lashes, or used in the crease to warm things up a bit. Finally, the last shade: this one is fantastic! It's a completely matte, super-intense black. How hard is it to find one of those?! This shade is great for making any look more dramatic, and I really love it as a liner: I take a small angled brush, press the shade into my lashline, wing it out a bit, smoke it out with the matte brown and I'm good to go!

Have you tried this palette or others from the Love in Paris range? What are your thoughts?

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

"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

Clicks and Dischem Haul

Hello lovelys! So another haul... typical me.

First up from Clicks is this Wet n Wild H2O Proof Liquid Eyeliner in the shade Black Brown (I meant to pick up the black one, but didn't check the label... oops). This stuff is seriously waterproof and needs a good oil to remove. I'm still getting used to the brush, which is like very hard felt.

Then I also saw this Clicks brand duo-fibre Mineral Brush - I've been looking for something like this for a while, so I am really glad that I came across it!

As seen in my previous post, I was seriously attracted to this Wet n Wild Walking the Red Carpet palette (which I think is a fantastic purchase).

 I saw this Beauty Treats Love Crush Bronzer at Dischem and I thought I'd give it a try. It just looks so cute and it was really inexpensive.

After looking for a good orangy-coral for a little while, I finally found the Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Lipstick in the shade Vibrant Mandarin. I'm soooo excited to try this out for spring and summer!

And lastly, back to Clicks, I purchased two of the Wet n Wild Megalast Lipsticks in the shades Sugar Plum Fairy (which is a lovely pinky-purple) and Rosebud (a pretty pink).

I hope everyone is having a great Sunday :)

Until next time xx

Wet n Wild Walking the Red Carpet Palette Review

Aloha!

I saw this new Wet n Wild palette (#StudentBudget) at Clicks recently and I was a bit indecisive about whether or not to pick it up. I thought some of the shades might be similar to the Comfort Zone palette, which I already have, but the two golden shades and the light matte brown are what convinced me to buy it.

The left-hand column has a matte light pink, matte light brown, a gorgeous slightly shimmery brown and a dark matte brown, all of which are just as buttery and soft as I've come to expect from this line. The pink and light brown shades are lovely for blending out darker colours, and the brown is also great as a crease contour. The shimmery brown is absolutely stunning! It's a great colour for all over the lid and has the most beautiful, subtle sparkle to it that I just love.Then the definer shade is super dark, so it's great for lining the eyes or creating a smokey look.

On the right-hand side, we have a pearly white, glittery yellow-gold, a shimmery copper-golden colour, and rich chocolate brown with golden shimmer. The white is a gorgeous highlight for the inner corner and the chocolate is so smooth and beautiful for placing all over the lid or in the outer corners. These two shades are soft and creamy. The two golden shades are more difficult to work with. The yellow-gold is a bit dry and flaky, so although it's a very pretty colour, it tends to have some fall-out and can be difficult to blend. The copper-gold is more creamy than the yellow one and doesn't have the fall-out problem, but it's also just a little more difficult to work with than the other shades.

The pigmentation of all the shades is really amazing and won't let you down if you're a fan of Wet n Wild shadows. Overall, I think this is a versatile palette that would be a great one to pick up if you don't have these sort of shades already. This is a limited edition palette, so hurry to your nearest Clicks if you want to pick one up! There's also a limited edition purple palette, but I decided not to get that one.

Let me know if you've tried this palette or the purple one! I'd love to know what you think of them.

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

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

Jay Jays Haul

 

I saw on Facebook that Jay Jays had launched a very reasonably priced cosmetics line, so I simply had to check it out (typical me!). The range includes glosses, what looks like liquid lipsticks, thin and chubby eye pencils, mascaras of varying colours (even a glittery purple one!), little eye shadow duos and a vast range of nail polishes.

From the cosmetics line, I picked up three of the POUTMECRAZY Intense Colour Lipglosses (they look super pigmented, so I think they are lipstick/gloss combination) for R25 each. The classic red and dark pink ones say "matt finish" and look totally opaque, while the purple one looks slightly more sheer and has a little bit of sparkle. I'm really excited to try these out, especially the pruple one, since winter is coming (insert cheeky Game of Thrones reference).

While checking out the Jay Jays Facebook page, I also happened to notice a really cute winter sweat shirt. I'm quite obsessed with anything French, and this shirt is so so soft and comfortable. It's loose and baggy, so I can't wait to wear it with a pair of jeans and some boots for a casual, chic look.

I might do a little review on the lipglosses sometime soon.

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

Current Obsession: Lipstick

So we all know that I've been on a little (or not-so-little) wet n wild spree since the line has been launched in various Clicks stores. I'd been eyeing the megalast lip color in Cherry Bomb for a while, so I decided to give it a go. After all the rave I've heard about these little lippies, I'm not surprised at how much I love this product!

The colour is beautifully rich and pigmented. I like to apply it either totally dark, as above, or gently blot it on and blend it out with my finger to create a lovely, rosy stain. The formula is really long lasting and can therefore be a bit drying, so I suggest applying a bit of lip balm under the colour.

Obviously wet n wild products are very inexpensive in the USA, but I think the R50 price tag is definitely worth it for this lovely product. I will no doubt be trying out more of the colours from this range soon! Let me know if you have any recommendations! Don't forget to check out the wet n wild South Africa Facebook page  :)

Until next time xx

Pick of the Day: Purple Liner

Recently, I have really been loving to wear purple eyeliner. My favourite at the moment is the Wet n Wild Mega Liner in Plum, which I like to wear in quite a think line across the lid with a little flick at the end to help elongate my eyes. I picked up this little guy at Clicks for R39.95. Despite the low price of this liner, I think it's great quality. The colour comes out dark, with a slightly metallic sheen, and the fine brush is perfect for creating that winged-out effect (for some reason, the purple colour picked up better when I had my eyes open).

For a more smokey, evening look, you could always add a bit of liner on the lower lash line or waterline. Don't forget to add some drama to the lashes for killer eyes!

Some other purple liner-ish products to try are

• Smudge Waterproof Gel Eye Liner pencil, from Clicks (about R30 the last time a bought one).
• Wet n Wild Color Icon palette in Petal Pusher, from Clicks (R89.95) - the shadows can be used with a fine, wet brush to create a liner.
• Catrice Absolute Eye Colour mono in Don't Lie, Lac!, from Dischem (about R35) - again, use a small brush to apply this as a liner.

Please let me know what YOU are loving at the moment in the comments below.

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!