Saturday 13 April 2019

Make-Up Review: NYX Cosmetics Can't Stop Won't Stop Full Coverage Foundation

Hi loves,
I've finally returned after the longest break from posting. I haven't been in the mood to write up reviews, so now I'm playing catch up.
NYX recently launched their foundation here in South Africa late last year and being the makeup junkie that I am, picked it up in store in the week of the launch. Why must I wait?

The Can't Stop Won't Stop Foundation was developed in collaboration with Beauty Youtuber Alyssa Ashley; it comes in 45 shades, it's long-wearing (24hr wear), waterproof, transfer-resistant, matte and full coverage. Is what they claim...


I popped into the NYX store in Canal Walk, just as they were packing out the foundations onto the shelves. I love being the first to use testers, before they get thrown all over the place. I swatched a couple of the shades before, picking out my shade; I ended up going for shade 21 Cocoa.
Can't Stop Won't Stop Foundation in the shade Cocoa
I've worn the foundation for about 7 months, because I don't believe in first impressions ... Let me tell how much I loathe first impressions *😑* they don't tell me anything about how the foundation wears over time, how it performs with different primers, powders, setting sprays? does it settle into the smile lines? Ok, I'm done!

Foundation swatches
Packaging
It comes in the standard rectangular glass bottle with a pump and a clear plastic cap. The bottle is clear without frosting, which is great because you can see the colour of the foundation clearly. Don't use this as a guide for selecting a shade, always swatch before buying.

Texture
The foundation is thick, it doesn't run at all, it's not oily at all and it drys really quickly.

How it applies?
I didn't pick up the Can't Stop Won't Stop primer, I tried it in the store and I'm not a fan of the texture. It's very thick and slightly tacky.
I wore the foundation without primer or powder, just over my sunscreen. I applied it with my fingers (this is how I usually apply all my foundations), you have to work fast because it drys quickly. On first application it looks like it runs a little red, but the dry down is neutral...thank God!
The finish is VERY matte; like powdery matte, I use setting spray just to add some luminosity to my face afterwards. One pump is enough for my entire face, this is because I prefer a more natural finish and not the cake face full beat.

It's MATTE!

How it wore?
I wore it through December to March, during our hot African summers and it's a done pretty well. My face was matte for at 4 hours before my oils peaked through in my T-zone, but I didn't need to blot, I just had a natural glow, which is what I prefer. It lasts all day without moving, separating or settling into my smile lines. I performed well and I think performance-wise it is comparable to my high-end holy grail, the Lancome teint idole ultra 24hr.

3hrs after application, when the glow comes through

Do I recommend it?
Yes! But I don't think those with dry to normal skin will like this one. Even I found the foundation drying, even without the companion primer. Regardless of the price ZAR 279.95, this is a well performing foundation, that's worth it's price but not prohibitively expensive as high-end foundations.
I suggest getting a sample from the clicks and NYX stores before committing to a full bottle.





Friday 27 July 2018

Tools for a Natural: My Favourites

Hi loves,
Today I thought I'd share some of my favourite haircare tools, since I've shared quite a bit on products. so, in no particular order, here goes.

#1 Satin-lined Bonnet & #2 Satin pillowcase
I put these two together because, they serve the same purpose: to protect your hair from breakage when you're asleep. I have two bonnets; a standard size and larger one for when I have braids installed. There are a few companies that sell bonnets the ones that I've used personally are: Marley Grey and Kikkaboo. They also sell satin pillowcases (which are also available from Mr Price Home, if you're worried about ordering online).
My satin-lined bonnet; this one was custom-made by Marley Grey.
#3 Head Wraps
Life-savers! without question. If I don't know what to do with my hair, it's raining or my hair won't cooperate. I've got so many, ranging from cheapies I've picked up at Chinatown and Mr Price, to satin-lined #pineappledoek and ankara head wraps (My collection includes wraps from The Scarf Company, Lavish Atelier, Kikkaboo and Marley Grey). Satin-lined wraps are better in the long term, because they're gentle on your hair and minimise breakage and loss of edges.

Pineapple doek from Marley Grey

Ankara turban from Lavish Atelier

#4 Shampoo brush
It's not completely essential, since can use the pads of your fingers to massage your scalp when shampooing or doing oil treatments. I'm not convinced by Vanity Planets vibrating brush ($20 for a brush is expensive, add on that shipping and custom duties). I have a cheapo from dischem that goes for ZAR 30.00.

#5 Spray bottle
All spray bottles are not created equal! I've been at this too long, if I'm nit picking about the spray bottle. The best ones are those with the trigger nozzle, because then your finger doesn't slip off the nozzle while you're busy. Also, no cramping of your index finger - wash days are looooong! My current one is a continuous mist spray bottle, which was relatively affordable for ZAR 50 at Dischem.


#6 Softhood attachment
The softhood attachment is a good alternative to getting a hooded dryer if you don't have the space, because you can fold it away for storage. I attach it to the nose end of hair dryer and use it during the deep conditioning step at low speed and medium heat for 10 minutes or so. My softhood is by Curlformers. Here in South Africa, you can order it online from hairhouse warehouse and Marley Grey

Giving my deep conditioning step an extra oomph

#8 Detangling brush(es): Tangle Teezer
 I've recently switched up my detangling brush. I was using the the D31 from Denman which is great for the first step after finger-detangling but not enough to get all the knots and shed hair. I know tangle teezers look scary to us kinky-coilys, but use just like any detangling tool; section your hair and do small sections at a time. Start at the tips, and work your way to the roots slowly.
Tangle teezer for thick & curly hair, and Shampoo brush


#9 Bobby Pins
This one is a no brainer, regardless of hair type or curl pattern. Sometimes I can't find any of them, and that's frustrating. I've become picky about these; I find my favourites are the ones by Denman, because  They don't loose the knobs at the ends (so I don't scratch my scalp or cut my hair). I'm very possesive about them too 🙈, you can have the cheapies but not my Denmans 👀

#10 Duckbill/Crocodile clips
These are essential for me; my hair's gotten long and it's thick, so I have to section my hair whenever I wash or style. crocodile clips are better in my opinion because they have teeth to hold the hair in place.

Least favourite...
My not so favourites that I keep around ...drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁  Rollers! I'm talking about the old school ones with the teeth that can scratch your brain, but they're the best at stretching my afro. So they get to stay.
Brain scratchers!


What are your favourite haircare tools? Leave a comment below if you like.

Until my next post, 

xoxo, N



Monday 30 April 2018

Current Beauty Favourites: First Edition 2018

Hi beautiful people,
I'm trying to be more consistent with my posts, but it's hard. There's plenty to write about but I haven't had the time to sit down and collect my thoughts about all the products that I've tried out over the last couple of months.
I tried my hand at monthly favourites last year but I think I lasted all of 3 months? So here we go again, this time I've titled the posts as "current favourites" because they don't necessarily change month-to-month for me.

#1 SVR Sebiaclear Crème SPF50 for combination to oily skin (50ml)

Anyone with medium to dark skin, knows the struggle of finding a high SPF day cream that won't gives that grey lavender tinge or make us look "casket-ready". I've been using this since January and one tube lasts about 4 months; which is not bad considering I use it every day. I've only just repurchased. This creme is thicker than the Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF 50 (which was a favourite in 2017) but its not greasy. It has a neutral scent (not unlike other sunscreens), it's easily absorbed into the skin and it has a dry touch finish. I wear it on it's own or under my Lancome teint idole ultra 24hr foundation without any issue. This one is a keeper. It's available at most Clicks stores and online.

Never leave the house without suncreen.

#2 Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence &  #3 Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule
I have been in love with K -beauty since my first haul on holiday to South East Asia 5 years ago. I got this as free gift when I purchased the Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule at a Missha store in Singapore last July. I wish I was more conscientious in taking pictures of my skin when I start a new skincare product. I use this essence twice a day on most days after toning, but before moisturiser, serum or a sheet mask. This essence contains yeast ferment lysate and helps to
soothe texture, moisturising, balancing, brightening, and has anti-ageing properties. 

The Missha Night Repair serum has been touted as the cheaper dupe for the Estee Lauder Night Repair serum and the Lancome Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Serum; all 3 contain yeast ferment lysate. I alternate it with the Naruko Night Gelly and The Ordinary Vitamin C suspension. 
It has no scent and it's easily absorbed into the skin, without leaving any sticky residue or film. I've reached the pinnacle in my skincare journey: I no longer wakeup with a greasy face in the morning (That's a win for K-beauty right there).
My skin has definitely improved in terms of texture its much smoother and my blemishes fade away more quickly (I'll attribute this to the combination of this Essence and the night repair serum). I've gotten to the point where I can go out without foundation. Yay! 

It's available in South Africa from SAMIKA and Pink Cosmetics. Or you can purchase from YesStyle for really good deals but the wait time is ~2 months.

#4 My Natural Hair Edge Gel
I have never been one to "lay edges" maybe because I was yet to find the one. This edge gel is so good that it can slick down type 4 edges without a brush (Sorcery! I tell you). It's soft and flexible, so it's easy to manipulate. The fragrance is like the other products in the range, a light herbal floral scent. It's available from Beauty on TApp and Shop for Life.

sLay those edges

#5 Camille Rose Naturals Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse
Alert the media people, I have found my holy grail shampoo. It smells like cupcakes...I love cupcakes. This one is hyped up on YouTube  and I was curious if it would be THAT good. It is! It suds up like regular shampoo but it doesn't dry my hair out and I can detangle with it and leaves my hair soft and manageable.A little goes a long way so this current bottle should last me a year. It's available at Style Studio and Beau2you.co.za

Wash Day Heaven

#6 Juvia's Place The Festival Palette
I love all my palettes from Juvia's Place. This latest like the others is full of brights in mattes and shimmers. I can do so many looks with this palette; from neutral to bright and bold. Everyone should try at least one Juvia's Place palette.  Here's my full review for the palette
This palette inspired by West African festivals

#7 Stila Stay All-Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
Stila makes my favourite formula for liquid lipsticks; they last through the day with minimal fading and no feathering. I got this in a mini/deluxe as a free gift for purchasing two Stila items at Woolworths. It's a classic red lip, not as blue toned as Fiery (another favourite of mine), it's a dupe for Ruby-Woo in terms of colour but not wear: Ruby-Woo feels more drying on the lips. This shade suits every skintone and I love that. 

The Classic Red Lip; Stila liquid lip in Beso


Have you tried any of the products? What are your current favourites? Let me know in the comments below. 

See you in my next post, 
xoxo, 



Tuesday 24 April 2018

The Festival by Juvia's Place: five looks, one palette

Hello,
I'm finally writing up my review for the latest Juvia's Place palette; part of 'The Festival' collection which includes an eyeshadow palette and two matte liquid lipsticks. I purchased my palette through Beauty Gifts by Melanie in early March as a birthday gift to myself. Other third party sellers that I've purchased from are SAMIKA, Pink Cosmetics and Fashion Police. You can also order the palette directly from Juvia's Place or Beauty Bay.
Let me tell you, she's gorgeous; Juvia's Place palettes are inspired by African culture and this one is inspired by the Wodaabe Gerewol in West Africa.
Here's the description from Juvia's Place:
 "The festival party filled with mystic trances. A celebration of daring and bold colors. Not for the faint heart. A beautiful blend of colors to make everyday festive. Consists of 9 highly pigmented shades."


You can already tell which I shades I'm really digging.

The palette consists of five matte shades (Izafa, Ofala, Mmanwu, Iri Ji and Oro) and 4 shimmer and satin shades (Uli, Keleke, Aba and Odogwu).

As usual, I like to give myself at least 2 weeks with a palette, before I post a review. I get to play with it and learn how to play with the shades. For a beginner, most Juvia's Place palettes can feel incohesive and challenging, but I'm not into neutral palettes so each new palette is fun learning experience.

Below are some of the looks I came up with (I had to do this twice, since my previous phone died on me and I lost all my pictures).

Look #1
EYES: Crease - Iri Ji, Outer  - Aba & Lid  - Uli. Liner: Lancome Grandiose Liner in 02. Mascara: L'Oreal Lash Paradise Voluminous. Lips: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Heroine.



Look #2
EYES: Crease - Iri Ji, Inner and outer - Keleke & Centre Lid - Aba. Liner: Essence long-lasting liner in Purple Rain.  Lips: Stila Stay All-Day liquid lipstick in Amore 09
Look #3
EYES: Apply a light layer of Uli over the entire lide and crease. Then add Izafa to the outer corner. Liner: Lancome Grandiose and Lash Paradise Voluminous. Lips: Stila Stay All-day liquid lipstick in Beso.
Look #4
EYES: Crease - Ofala, Outer - Izafa & Inner - Oro. Liner: Lancome Grandiose and Essence long lasting liner in Berry Fantastic. Mascara: L'Oreal Lash Paradise Voluminous. Lips: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Conspiracy

Look #5
EYES: Crease - Mmanwu, Inner and Centre Lid - Keleke & Outer - Iri Ji. Liner: Essence extreme long lasting liner in Blackest Love. Mascara: L'Oreal Lash Paradise Voluminous. Lips: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Psycho.


For my eyeshadow base I use the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Caffeine, except for look #4 where I layed down a white base with the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk (this is just to make the colours pop against my skin, especially the mustard yellow Oro). All the shades are buttery soft as expected from Juvia's Place. I feel as though the mattes not as velvety as the shades in the Saharan II palette (See Review Here). The shimmers are not as soft as those in the Nubian II palette (Review Here).

I'm not wearing any foundation in any of these shots, just sunscreen (SVR Sebiaclear Crème SPF50). For blush, I'm either wearing MAC in Devil with Springsheen as a soft highlighter or I'm wearing blush colours from the Saharan Blush palette Volume I (also from Juvia's Place).

Which of these is your favourite? Let me know in the comments section.

Until my next post, 
xoxo




 

Tuesday 20 March 2018

Haircare Review: Cantu Refresh Apple Cider Vinegar Root Rinse

Hi all,
It's been a long while since my last post...almost 2 months.
Todays review is on the ACV root rinse from Cantu; I've been using this for almost 3 months while my hair is in faux locs.


I struggle with a dry flaky scalp, especially when I wear braids and regular sulphate-free shampoos don't work for cleansing my scalp. I use the shampoo bars ("Soak & Float" and "NEW!") from Lush but these don't work so well when I have braids installed.
I decided to try the Cantu root rinse which is part of their Refresh range, since the reviews online were overwhelmingly positive.

Product blurb from the Cantu Beauty site
Cantu Root Rinse is made with apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil and shea butter – a deeply cleansing yet nourishing cocktail that replaces your shampoo when you need a deeper scalp detox and extra conditioned strands. Rinse away the old and bring on the new revealing stronger, healthier hair with a natural shine. No mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, silicones, phthalates, gluten, paraffin or propylene.

Ingredients list
What's it like:
The root rinse comes in a 355ml (12 fl oz) bottle with a nozzle. fragrance wise, there's a floral scent mixed with mild vinegar scent and mint. I quite like it. I'm not a fan of a strong vinegar scent, which is why I don't do vinegar rinses but I can handle this scent. The rinse is clear and has a very runny consistency.

The root rinse is clear runny consistency.
How I use it:
Before I apply the rinse, I divide my hair into four sections, then I spritz my scalp and roots with water. I apply the rinse to each section and massage my scalp (with my fingers) and leave it on for ~ 5 minutes. I rinse out my spritzing with water and wipe my scalp with a cotton t-shirt. You can repeat the application if you need to.
Got my water bottle, root rinse and oil #washdayready
How it performs: 
The root rinse has a soft lather, but not too much; which is good because...WATER RESTRICTIONS! Once I rinse it out, there's cooling sensation and my scalp is clean with no dry patches or flakes. My roots also feel soft and moisturised.
I follow up with my scalp oil mix (which mainly contains olive oil, ximenia oil and Jamaican black castor oil) or the Caivil Fusion Oil Hair Gro Essence (sometimes I reapply the oil midweek, if I need to). 
Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Oombeke (ximenia) Oil
One bottle of root rinse is enough for 5 washes (that's 5 weeks for me) and I'm already halfway through my second bottle.

Where to buy:
You can get this at Dischem, Foschini and takealot.com for R 199.95 (regular price). It's currently on sale on takealot for R 149.95 and at Dischem from R 159.95 (until 8 April).

Final thoughts: 
My relationship with Cantu haircare products is love and hate; when I first started transitioning back to natural, The Cantu shea buter leave-in conditioning cream was my jam. My transitioning hair loooved it and then as soon as I chopped off the last of my texlaxed ends, that love affair came to an abrupt end.
I switched to the Cantu for Natural hair leave-in and that didn't go well either. Although, combining this leave-in with the the Ecostyler gel when installing braids or locs is the best combo for retaining moisture of hair while in braids 🤷‍♀ I've tried some of the other products in sample packs that I got goody and they were just ...meh

The root rinse is my favourite Cantu product hands down! I never thought I'd be this excited about anything from Cantu 🙈 but here we are. This stuff is amazing.

Have you tried anything from the Cantu Refresh line?

Let me know in the comments below 👇

See you in my next post, 
xoxo




Sunday 21 January 2018

Happy New Year! My Favourites of 2017 - Hair Edition

Hello beautiful people,
Happy 2018! I'm never sure when to stop saying that, but I know I'm late 😁 I hope this year is going well for you and may all your dreams come true.
I had to share my look for the Cape Town Naturally HairFest from last December 😜. Photo by BrianEngel Photography
For my first post of the year, I'm gonna go with the crowd and talk about my hair favourites for last year. So here we go:

Shampoo - Lush Shampoo Bars NEW! and Soak & Float
I've long since given up on drugstore anti-dandruff shampoos, they just don't work for me I've gone from the most accessible to some pricey ones... and all I achieved was dry tangled hair and no improvement to my dry flaky scalp. These shampoo bars from lush have been my saving grace; they contain sulfates but they cleanse my hair and scalp without drying it out so they get to stay in my stash. Price is R 115.
"Soak & Float" Shampoo Bar
Conditioner - Baylis & Harding Great Hair Coconut Conditioner
I very rarely use rinse out conditioner as directed, instead I prefer to use it for my pre-shampoo treatment/detangling. For this I just need a cheap silicone-free conditioner and this one's my favourite. It's got a creamy consistency and a whole lot of slip and it comes in a 500ml bottle for R 60.
Pre-poo combo: Sunny Isle Extra Dark JBCO and the Baylis & Harding Conditioner

Deep Conditioner - Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Treatment Masque
Hands down my favourite deep condtioner for when I need to revive my hair after a month of braids or twists. It's got amazing slip for detangling and it doesn't necessarily need heat to be effective. I love the scent and though the price is a bit steep R 270 at Clicks, a little goes a long way.

Shea Moisture JBCO Treatment Masque
Leave-in Conditioner - My Natural Hair
For me, the best leave-ins need to have a ton of slip to help detangle my coils, because they love to hug each other. This one from My Natural Hair is the best one included in my stash. It's creamy lightweight formula and a little goes a long way. I haven't sen it stores yet but you can get it online on the My Natural Hair site and on Shop for Life as well for R 99.99.

Styler - Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter
Meet my current #bae! I know that Camile Rose Naturals is super pricey 🙈 but I like nice things and this one is really nice. It's a toffee-coloured cream with pudding like texture. It smells like Old Fashioned vanilla ice cream with almonds. It's super moisturizing and the twist-outs I get with this butter are amazing. It also plays well with others (including products from other brands). The price is a very nice R 550 from Style Studio.

My Natural Hair Strengthening Oil and the Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter
Oils - Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil and My Natural Hair Strengthening Oil
My longtime #bae has been with me since I started transitioning back to natural. I've stuck with one brand (I'm loyal 😊) I use JBCO predominantly as my pre-poo/detangling treatment mixed with a cheapy conditioner. When I feel like my hair needs extra love, I mix it into my deep conditioner as well. Thirdly, I mix JBCO with grapeseed/olive oil and jojoba oil with whatever other oils in my stash to make a scalp oil. R 270 for 236ml from African Flair and Obulunji

Strengthening oil from My Natural Hair is the perfect oil for those who aren't interested in being kitchen mixtresses. It's light and non-greasy. My favourite way to use this is to seal moisture into my strands as part of the L.O.C method. It goes for R 80 online.

All-rounder/Multi-purpose - Shea Moisture Raw Shea Conditioner
I use this conditioner 3 ways: As a rinse out conditioner to detangle post-shampoo, as a deep conditioner and as a leave-in. it's got lots of slip and it's super moisturising. Shea Moisture is now available in Clicks stores and the prices are very nice...not! Wait for the 3 for 2 specials and 30% off sales.

Best new product - Buuya Beauty Intense Hair Masque
This is a moisturising deep conditioner; I use it as a regular weekly deep conditioner and to restore moisture balance to my hair following the ApHogee protein treatment (here's the review). It's light and not as creamy as some of my other deep conditioners. My favourite thing about this one is the fragrance - grapefruit 😊. It's available from Buuya beauty and Beautyontapp for R 325 for 450ml.

Best Underrated/Over looked  - Caivil Fusion Oil  and Root Nourisher
I can't get over how well priced this range is; the root nourisher is R 30 and the oil is R 35, it will not get much better than that considering the ingredient list. I have the root nourisher and I like to use it to oil my scalp and seal moisture into my strands when installing braids and twists.

And that's my list. What were your favourite products from last year and what are you excited to try this year?

Let me know below.

See you in my next post, 
xoxo


Monday 27 November 2017

One Week,One Palette Challenge: Juvia's Place Saharan II

Hi loves,
I'm back with another "one week, one palette" challenge with the Saharan II palette from Juvia's Place. It's a relatively new palette from the company that was inspired by the Saharan desert,  the Mosaics, Colours and Spices of Morocco. Th e formula of these shadows different from previous palettes but the quality and pigmentation is excellent; the mattes have soft velvet feel and the metallics and duo-chromes feel silky to the touch.


As with my previous palette,

  • My lid base is the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Caffeine
  • Eyeliners are all from Essence cosmetics
  • Mascara is either Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara and L'Oreal False Lash Wings
  • On my face is the Stila One Step Illuminate and the NYX Cosmetics #nofilter Powder in Cocoa
  • Light contouring or bronzing is done with Fez in the Saharan II palette and Aby in the Saharan Blush Palette Vol I 
Look #1

Crease: Taza
Inner and outer corner: Fez
Centre lid: Aziza
Liner: Super Precise Liner

Lips: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in the shade Conspiracy

Look #2

Crease: Taza
Outer lid: Zohra
Inner + Centre lid: Nomad
Inner: Hadiya
Lips: OFRA x Kathleen Lights  Liquid Lipstick in Havana Nights 

Look #3

Crease: Fez
Outer: Fez + Zohra
Lid: Marrakesh
Lips: Stila Cosmetics in Rubino
Look #4

Crease and Outer Corner: Fez
Centre Lid: Berber
Inner: Aziza
Lips: Stila cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Amore 

Look #5

Crease: Taza
Inner + Outer Lid: Berber
Centre Lid: Chefchaouen
Outer corner: Fez

Lips: L'Oreal Pure Reds Collection  - Doutzen 

Bonus Look: One shadow smoky eye look

Base: NYX Cosmetics Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean smudged over the lid and then apply a sheer layer of Aziza all over the lid with a fluffy brush
Lips: Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipstick in Pandemonium


Where to buy: In South Africa, this palette is available from Beauty Gifts by Melanie and Fashion Police Online. Or you can get it directly from Juvia's Place Online store (They do ship internationally). 
Have you tried out the Saharan II palette? Please feel free to tag me in any looks that you recreate. 

Until my next post, 
xoxo