This product has been setting the beauty world abuzz. I've noticed many beauty bloggers either love it or hate it! Most seem to adore it! I first noticed the Baby Lips when British beauty bloggers and youtubers were waxing lyrical about them and I couldn't wait to give them a try! I picked up the Maybelline Baby Lips in Hydrate but there's an entire range including Peach, Grape and Intense, some of these being lightly stained versions. I decided on the Hydrate because what's better than a product that promises baby soft lips and which hydrates at the same time? I really enjoy the product and it fits right in with the rest of my makeup. It gives a slight dewy look to the lip and I've found that it lasts (and lasts)! Usually I'm not a fan of lip balms that are flavoured because I get the urge to reapply every few minutes for the flavour but with the Baby Lips the flavour is just light enough that I can resist! The price is great, right in there with other lip balms so you're not paying extra for the fact that it's by Maybelline! 

(That 'selfie-ing' I was talking about...)

I'm back and I'm back with a beauty review I've been desperately wanting to share! If you're wondering where I've been and what I've been up to there'll be a post on that soon (look out for that!) but on to today's beauty review: Revlon's Balm Stain.

What can I say about this product that isn't complimentary? Uhh...nothing. It's a lip balm with a stain as the name suggests and having encountered very few products of this type I find it nothing but clever. I love playing up my lips with a bold colour as you can see here and here and think there's nothing to take your outfit to the next level than a fun coloured lip. That being said, sometimes a bright coloured lip isn't quite apropos (maybe because you're at work or maybe 'cause you don't quite feel like attracting all those stares that come with that bright red lippie you love on any other day) and this is where the Balm Stain comes in.

It's light enough to wear every day and what's better is, it has a moisturizing balm effect. I carry it with me to campus in my pencil bag (which holds more makeup than pens stunningly) and have been caught 'selfie-ing' with it more than once (oops!). Because it's so much more day appropriate than full on lipstick I tend to use it a minimum of three days a week. I can't get over the way it smells. It has a minty fresh fragrance that is unexpected for a lipstick but is typical of lip balms and like a regular sale's woman I've been whipping it out and telling all my friends about it. On top of that is its lasting power. I only have to re-apply about once or twice in a whole day.

If you're not too keen on lipstick but have been wanting to try a bit of lip colour this is the product for you. If you're looking for a daytime lip product option, this is also the product for you. So what I guess I'm getting at is, whoever you are, this is the product for you.

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What's more exciting than a product that works? My beauty blogger heart can think of nothing else! When I was approached with the opportunity to do a review of the Natures Lift Range I couldn't wait to get my hands on the product to review. As I'm sure you know I love trying out new skin products to help with my difficult skin. I seem to alternate between extreme oiliness and dryness and the blemishes on the problem areas on my face have been a struggle for years.

In my last post I hinted about sone beauty news I would have to share soon! 

Being away from the blog for any length of time always makes me feel bad. I love putting  up regular posts but to be real sometimes life gets in the way! I have been focussing on the fashion side of the blog recently but beauty will always be something I love to dabble in too and with that being said it's on to the good news! The news is this: There will be beauty reviews! I have picked up a few beauty buys recently and will be reviewing them with abandon in the weeks to come. Please bear with me as exams are on the way and that may intervene with regular programming. I also have more exciting news which I will share soon on the beauty front (look out for that!) Life has been busy at law school with tests, the fallout from said tests, stress and all the good things that remind  you you're a law student (just in case you forgot). 

The story goes like this...

Price: R 55, 00 (on sale)

Price: R 29, 99

Price: R 19, 99 each

Are you one of those people that perfected the smokey eye when it first became all the rage? I wasn't! In fact, the first time I attempted the look I ended up looking like I'd had a rough night before the night got started! After a few attempts I managed to get it looking better but it never looked quite its best until I came across the Essence Smokey Eye Set (very clever of them I have to say). I bought the grey set but they're sold in various colours like purple and brown and they come with instructions on the back to help you figure out which shadow to apply first and where (helpful for a beginner like I was). 

With my face acting up the sound of a good ole scrub to sort it out sounded more than appealing to me. Semester time is always very stressful (with this last week having been more stressful than most) and it always shows on my face with a buildup of oil, regular outbreaks and general unpleasantness. I went shopping for a face scrub...and ended up with a body scrub instead! A Sorbet body scrub to be specific. Since it was a body scrub I used it as directed including on my face...

My first impression of the product was that it was a great find. I loved that it was peach scented and looked like a gentle and effective scrub for the body. I squeezed a little of the product out onto my hand and started having doubts. First off, it's a peach scented scrub but I got a big whiff of the soapy scent which was pretty overwhelming. Secondly, when I rubbed it between my fingers it wasn't very abrasive (something you need in a scrub). I decided to reserve judgement, however, until I'd actually used it.

Of course my worries proved unfounded. I've been fortunate lately when I buy products, to find things that seem to work great with my skin. The scrub was a nice surprise because it released the peach scent when rubbed onto the skin and I got that abrasive, exfoliating feel after splashing a bit of water onto it. I know abrasive doesn't give the best impression of the product but when you use a scrub, you should feel like you've used a scrub in my lowly opinion. I loved the fact that there was a removal of the oil buildup on my face and that the sensation lasted a good week meaning I don't have to use more than once weekly!

Brava Sorbet!

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Sorbet Cleansing Face Mask
Price: R34, 99

When I popped into Clicks a few weeks ago I was excited to see this Sorbet product on display. As is often the case I was in a hurry and couldn't stop to get a good look at it but made a note to myself to come back when I had the time. I finally got some time the other day and picked up a mask in one of the various types they had on display ranging from masks to help with teen skin to aging skin.

I chose the Spot & Oil Control mask with tea tree, witch hazel and vitamin C (all good sounding things I'm sure my skin would appreciate). Each pack contains 1 mask with a recommendation to use it twice weekly for the first month and then monthly for every month thereafter for the best results.

I'm always a sceptic as a beauty blogger but I also love to have my skepticism be unwarranted and to have a product actually do what it purports to do. After using the mask I have to say this time I was proven wrong and I enjoyed every second of it! My face was literally breaking out on me the week I tried the mask and it was itchy, oily and a horrible experience overall until I used the mask.

All I can say is the mask was cooling, soothing and such a relief I wanted to keep it on for longer than the given 20 mins but I managed to restrain myself! My face went back to its somewhat less oily self within the week. Now whether that is owed to the mask treatment or my regular face regime or a combination of both I couldn't definitively say...All I know is I can't wait to try the mask again soon!

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Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation
Price: R79, 99

For the first product on my hunt for the Best Coverage I might have stumbled on a great find if not a winner. Rimmel's Lasting Finish Foundation is advertised as having a 'hydrating lightweight feel'. Having not had much experience with foundations I decided to take that description with a grain of salt. A liquid can't possibly be any good at smoothing out imperfections and giving my face an unblemished appearance...or so I thought!

After a trial I have to say I'm a believer in the wonders of foundation. When I tried the product out, I went for a more tame look with just a bit of winged liner and a dark eyeshadow, leaving the cheeks without blush to give you a better idea of the effectiveness of the foundation. My cheek area is covered with imperfections which, after an application of the product, were smoothed almost into non-existance!

What I love about this line of foundation in particular is that it comes in inventive names like Almond, Toast and my shade Warm Caramel which make you have you thinking about your skin-tone in a different way than as 'medium' or 'shade number 235'. The foundation was light and, unlike what some people seem to experience with foundation, my face didn't take on an ashy appearance. I was even more impressed with the staying power an while I have yet to keep the foundation on for 25 hours, the fact that it lasted the length of a work day impressive enough.

Light, long-lasting with flawless coverage I declare myself impressed with this product! With this impressive a forerunner on the Hunt for the Best Coverage, I can't wait to share what I find next!

What do think about Rimmel's Lasting Finish Foundation?

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Tresor in Love
(This time I did not lose the till slip, I simply purchased the fragrance in another country haha).
Price: SR 300, 00 (Saudi Riyals) (about) R600, 00

When I received Lancôme's latest fragrance, Tresor in Love, I couldn't wait to give it a try. I had just used up a bottle of their last fragrance, Tresor, an experience which I had enjoyed and which accounted for my excitement for the new fragrance. I didn't know what to expect from the new fragrance but one look at the delicate bottle, the fabric rose and the soft pink hue had me guessing I was in for something light, sweet and not at all overpowering.

I especially loved the packaging and the French description of the product which read: 'une touche de nectarine et de bois de cèdre, une rose de caractère et un jasmin lumineux, composent ce parfume floral irrésistible' (a touch of nectarine and cedar wood, a rose with character and a luminous jasmine, compose this irresistible floral fragrance). Having a basic understanding of the language meant I could translate the words but I'm sure even if I hadn't understood them I would have been impressed (because everything sounds better in French, oui?)

My expectations were proved partially correct in that the fragrance was light but not at all the sickly sweet I had expected. I don't know how to explain it other than to say that the fragrance has a sort of 'bite' to it that makes it more than the cliche girly fragrance. Maybe that's because of the cedar wood and jasmine. While it's scent isn't overpowering this isn't the plus you would think it would be because what I found was that the scent is actually underpowering. It lacks staying power and while I love the scent, I'm not willing to drown myself in it to keep it going the whole day.

The verdict? Hmm...my love of all things Lancôme means I was slightly disappointed by this one. It seems to me that the focus when making a good fragrance, after perfecting its scent that is, should be making sure it lasts. However, the delicate rose fragrance and the way it has me feeling light and fresh when I wear it go a long way to consoling me!

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Inglot Lipsick: #243
Price: R140, 00

Bold colours for lips and clothes are all the rage at the moment and I have to admit I'm definitely a fan of the trend. There's nothing I love more than leaving a makeup store with some new colourful lipstick in hand and knowing I'll soon be trying to play up or tone down whatever shade I've bought.

When I made my way to Inglot on a recent trip to Cape Town I couldn't wait to find a new colour to buy. I've seen celebs rocking the pink lips trend and I always wondered if that was something I could pull off. I'm one of those people that has to warm up to a trend before I try it and I this time was no different. Seeing all the colours of lipstick arranged on the shelves of the store definitely convinced me to go for a bold colour and pink was one I'd been thinking to try so I picked it up and asked the sales assistant to help me try it on.

I quizzed her about the colour and other shades I'd see in the store and found her somewhat reluctant to offer me any information. I don't know why that was and started thinking either she was treating me that way because she didn't believe I was going to purchase anything or because she was uninformed about the topics I was asking her about (neither of which endeared her to me). I quickly bought the shade and brought it home where it's been sitting waiting for me to be brave enough to try.

A makeup trial told me all I needed to know about the product. The shade is great but the quality was not the best I've ever encountered. I found the lipstick too glossy for my tastes and that it sat on my lips rather than covering them like I've come to expect. Overall I wasn't too impressed but appreciate the reasonable price.

So what do you think: hot or not?

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African Extracts Purifying Vanishing Cream
Price: R17, 99

This product is also a part of the Purifying range for oily and problematic skin. Having had a great experience with the cleansing bar of the same line I expected nothing but good things from the vanishing cream. Unfortunately I was sorely disappointed. The cream left a white residue on my face and was so bad at moisturising that I had to mix it with a moisturiser I was already using if I wanted any chance of being comfortable throughout the day. It also seemed to encourage sweating, a distinctly undesired effect!

Maybe it's me and my problem skin but I have to say I found this product unhelpful. Although it didn't live up to the standard set by it's counterpart, I wouldn't dismiss the African Extracts brand completely. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. This time, with this product, I didn't win but I'm definitely still open to trying other African Extracts products in the future.

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