Essentials Magazine recently asked me to tell them about five products I love and use every day. This was super easy, as I’m currently crushing hard on the five beauties below. Read on to find out why.
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Love Contours All Eye and Face Sculpting Palette (R354.95 available at Clicks) contains nine very well pigmented, blendable eyeshadows, two highlighters, two brow powders and two contour shades. I must say, R355 for a full face palette that includes a really big mirror is, in my book, a bargain.
I love the colours of the eyeshadows, and like that there are five matte shades and four shimmer shades. The cream coloured shade is great for sweeping over the whole eye area to reduce any redness and I find I use it daily. Even though I generally prefer matte shadows, I just love the rose gold shimmer shade as it’s so subtle, yet really makes the eyes pop. The darker plum, brown and black shadows are great for really dark, deep skin tones, however lighter skin tones can use them too. There isn’t one eyeshadow colour in this palette I don’t like or haven’t used.
I use the lighter shade of the contour powder and find it to be a great tone for my light to medium skin. Even though it’s quite pigmented, it blends really well. The highlighters are really pigmented, and I prefer to mix the two. The lighter one has a very iridescent quality, while the other is true to colour and very golden. Even though they are powder, they have quite a creamy texture, so ensure you use a synthetic hair brush with them as a natural hair brush won’t hold onto the product properly. I only ever use eyebrow powders, so consider myself a bit of an expert. Trust me when I say these two are fantastic. Because I’m a brunette, I use the darker option and find it blends well, looks natural and stay put. The other lighter shade would suit blondes and redheads with light brows.
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil (R650) is among my favourite cleansing oils as it completely dissolves makeup while helping the skin retain its PH balance. The consistency is quite runny, but does a fantastic job at removing all my makeup. You massage it onto dry skin, then add a little water to emulsify the the oil which changes the formula from an oil into a milky emulsion. You then rinse it off. I like using a face cloth, but your hands will do too. To remove eye makeup, it’s recommended that you pump a little of the oil onto a cotton wool pad, hold on the eye for a few seconds, then remove – especially if you’re wearing waterproof eye makeup. But, because I’m all about quick and easy beauty rituals, I rub this oil directly onto my eyes and find it effectively removes all my eye makeup. I must be honest, if I do open them while the oil is on them, I does burn a bit and I do get that blurry vision, but it’s nothing I can’t deal with. This oil is great for all skin types (yes, even oily skin can, and should, use oils as oil breaks down oil) and my skin never feels tight or dry after using it. The 175 ML lasts a good 4 – 5 months, making it great value for money.
Eucerin UreaRepair Plus 5% Urea + Creamide & NMF Lotion (R169.99). This is, hands down THE BEST MOISTURISER you’ll ever use, especially if you suffer with very dry skin. Its ingredients immediately help alleviate symptoms of extremely dry skin without leaving an oily film. The formula is fragrance and colour free, so even the most sensitive, atopic skins can happily use it. I’ve blogged about this body moisturiser many times previously, so if you’re keen to read a more in-depth review, click HERE and HERE.
Optiphi Classic Hydration Tint SPF 20 (R750) is a South African beauty that I simply adore. This tinted moisturiser offers a breathable, light to medium coverage with mattifying, skin brightening and anti-aging benefits.
The formula contains Vitamin C to brighten the skin, promote collagen synthesis and act as an antioxidant. Vitamin B3 improves skin imperfections and blemishes, while Hyaluronic Acid helps the skin retain moisture, giving the complexion a plump appearance. The Classic Hydration Tint is available in 3 shades: Light, Medium, Dark (I use light).
Dermalogica Age Smart Nightly Lip Treatment (R980) has become a favourite treat for my lips. Being over forty and an ex smoker, my lips need all the help they can get! This nighttime treat softens the appearance of lip lines and reduces sagging around the perioral (mouth) area. The formula is made up of Indian Gentian Extract that increases epidermal thickness, thereby smoothing vertical lip lines; Shea butter to restore barrier function, and sesame seed extract to increase hydration and boost volume. There’s also some clever volumising technology and an apple fruit extract to further enhance hydration and soothe parched, dry lips.
You use it in the evening after cleansing by dotting the product above and below the lip area, using the applicator. You then massage it along the left line using a lifting motion. Circle above the upper lip and along the lip line before repeating the process on the right lip line. Next, circle the product below and along the lower lip line. Finish by swiping the applicator over the lips, the message in any excess product with your finger. The product also has a lovely spearmint flavour.
Tell me, which product are you keen to try? I’d love to hear 🙂
