April Favourites 2016

Hi guys!

There were SO many wonderful and newly discovered things I loved all through March and April and so I thought I'd do a monthly favourites and as usual, just share with you some products and random bits and pieces I've been loving and that are worth giving a try! 

LUSH Happy Hippy Shower Gel- 

I haven't tried many of the LUSH shower gels before but have really taken to this one! It was given to me as a gift and I just love it! It is citrussy and grapefruit scented and just smells so nice, especially for the mornings. 

LUSH Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub

Another LUSH product... like I said, I tend to usually stick to the LUSH bath bombs and bubble bars, etc. and so haven't given much chance to all their other products before, but I really love them. They are such great quality and feel really good and natural for your skin. This is a salt based exfoliator, and whilst I also enjoy sugar-based ones, this one foams up and lathers really nicely, feels super good and exfoliating to the skin, and of course, smells lovely. 

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream Perfume

Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE this scent! I pretty much use it as my everyday perfume, and it is just very much the type of scent I love, sweet (but not too sweet), fresh and floral. I think it feel like a good mixture between young and still slightly more mature than some of the other sweeter scents on the market. I previously used 'Daisy', which I also really like, but am currently just loving this!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick- in the shade 330 "Sloane's Plum"

I went into the shops the other day, knowing in mind that I really wanted like a deep plum/berry colour lipstick, and after a while of looking through all the counters, I found this and fell in love with it! I don't usually wear dark lipstick as I feel quite self-conscious in it, especially in an everyday setting, but there's really no need to, and I really love it, so I have been wearing it a whole lot over the past few months. It is such a gorgeous shade, Rimmel is always very cost-effective and it has relatively good staying power too. 

Mac 217 make-up brush

I am sure I have spoken about this brush on this blog before, and I know that it is definitely one of Mac's most favourite and popular brushes, and it has definitely earned its good reputation! I love this brush, and as I have been using an eyeshadow palate recently, I have just realised how amazing and helpful it is! I basically use a different eye shadow brush to put the various shades on, and in my crease, etc. and then use this one to basically just blend all over and above the lid so that the shadow doesn't look quite so stark and suits a more everyday, smokey look. So yeah, this brush just basically does what it's meant to do really well. 

Academy of Colour- Metallic brown smokey eyes kit

This is a little quad palate with some really gorgeous shades. I have actually had this for ages and never used it as I didn't know the brand and thought it wouldn't be much good, but I love the shades it includes, and they also have very good staying-power. There is a silvery brown colour, a more reddy brown tinged one, one that's matte and very similar to "Cork" by Mac, and then lastly a very dark shimmery brown, and I just love them all a lot, and they are quite natural and work for a simple smokey eye for either a more casual or dressed-up look. 

Essie Millionails Clear Polish

Oh my goodness, I love this stuff! You can use it as a top coat on top of a coloured nail polish, which helps it last a lot longer. But I also like to use on my nails when they don't have anything else on them, and it just seems to really help keep them healthy and much stronger than usual, especially cause I bite my nails, so they need all the help they can get. 

Yankee Candle in the scent Black Cherry

This was another gift, and you can only imagine my excitement when I realised that not only was it a Yankee Candle, but it was cherry scented!! And it definitely lived up to my original expectation, this smells absolutly beyond delicious! Even when it's not lit, if I leave the lid off, it scents the whole room and like I said, it is just SUCH an amazing scent. 

Nespresso coffee

We recently got a Nespresso machine and this has had a very direct impact on my coffee drinking! This coffee is just so delicious, like can't even compare to the instant coffee I usually make at home, and so yeah, I basically have been drinking a ton of it, especially through exams. 

Woolworths Wake-me-up Peppermint Tea

I mentioned this already in my "Studying Tips" post, but yeah I really love this stuff a lot! It tastes as good as it smells, which is amazing, and it is very calming and delicious. 

So that's everything I loved over the past couple of months, sorry it's so late, but still I hope you enjoy some of these products! 

Love, 

Christmas/New Year Make-up & Beauty Haul

I wasn't quite sure exactly what to name this post, cause some of these items I bought and others were christmas gifts, but either way, I just thought I'd show you some of the things I've got recently that I have really been loving!

Starting with make-up first:

So these first few things were all Christmas gifts from my parents. I love Mac make-up so much, but it is so bloody expensive, so I was so excited when I saw my mom had spoilt me  with some items I've been wanting for ages! 

MAC 'REDD' LIPLINER PENCIL
I've been wanting a red lipliner for ages, because it makes it SO much easier to apply red lipstick perfectly and I think, just give the lip a fuller look. I don't usually use lip liners, but after hearing so many people recommending using a lipliner for a red lip, I thought I'd give it a try, and it's definitely worth it! I love this lipliner, it comes out nicely, very pigmented and a beautiful bright red colour. 

PEACH BLOSSOM CREMESHEEN MAC LIPSTICK
I have wanted a very pretty pink lipstick for quite some time, and have never really had one. I initially wanted to give 'Angel' a try, cause it is so popular, but it was sold out, so I got this one, and it is just such a pretty, everyday pink colour, and so easy and smooth to apply. 

'CORK' - MAC SATIN EYESHADOW 

It looks quite a bit lighter in the picture than it actually is, it is a light, almost matte pretty brown colour, which I like to use in my crease and sometimes just below the eye too. It lasts for the whole day and is such a pretty, subtle colour. 

Next were two items I ordered off Feel Unique, because sadly they aren't sold in SA, so they needed to be ordered online.... they took their sweet time, but yay, I've finally got them and I am loving them both SO much!

MAYBELLINE 24 HR COLOUR TATOO IN 'ON-AND-ON BRONZE'
Unfortunately, even the swatch doesn't show how stunning this colour is! It is a shimmery bronze colour, that just comes out so beautifully! I LOVE this product and can't wait to get to ordering other colours in the range. They are so easy to apply and on most days, I will literally just swipe this across my lids with my Mac 217 and not add anything else except mascara and you're set for the day. It makes it look like you've put a lot more effort in than you actually have, the pigment is great, and my favourite thing about this product, is that it lasts SO LONG. If I put it on in the morning, when I get home late at night, it will still be on just as well as how it was applied! I highly recommend this product, and it is also very affordable. 

REAL TECHNIQUES SETTING BRUSH (PINK)

Finally, I have found the perfect shape, firmness and brand of brush for concealer. I have been struggling to find one the right size for what I want to blend in concealer, particularly under the eyes and T-zone, but this brush is perfect, and I am really loving it. 

Then lastly, there were just a couple of others I bought over the Christmas and new year period.

WOOLWORTHS EYELASH CURLER
Just a basic eyelash curler, but so far so good!

MAYBELLINE DREAM BOUNCY CREAM BLUSH IN #20 'PEACH SATIN'
This is my first time trying a cream blush and I am enjoying it quite a bit, what I really like, is that it does tend to last a lot longer than a powder. I think this peachy pink, is such a pretty colour for summer, and it is so quick and easy to apply. 

And now onto a few beauty items I've bought/recieved recently.

Okay, so I've gone through a bit of a Body Shop-obsessed phase recently and picked up a couple of good old shower gels and body butters, fuse you can never have too many of those, right?

HONEYMANIA SHOWER GEL

My brother gave me this for christmas and I am so excited to have it because this is my all-time favourite scent that The Body Shop do! Seriously, if you haven't tried it, give it a sniff next time you're there, it's amazing!

SWEET LEMON SHOWER GEL
I bought this mainly because I used to love the Sweet Lemon scent and I thought they'd discontinued it, as I haven't seen it there for years, and now suddenly, it's popped back up, but only in shower gel form. So in fear that it might not come back again, I bought it, and it smells SO delicious and fresh. 

FROSTED CRANBERRY BODY BUTTER (Christmas range)

I always love to see what the christmas scents are and this year this cranberry one was one of them, and it smells so good, so I picked it up, because I've just about finished my last body butter. 

and lastly one last shower gel (another gift) VANILLA CREME BRULE SHOWER GEL (Christmas range). I was so happy to get this for christmas from one of my aunts, because it is also one of the christmas scents and you can't go wrong with vanilla! I've actually not used it yet (clearly I have a huge over-supply of shower gels) but I plan to give it a try soon!

I have been loving the Lush christmas range and my other brother bought me the SNOW FAIRY SHOWER GEL which is SO amazing, and I have never tried it before but have had my eye on it for ages, so I was so pleased to finally get to try it. It literally smells like sweets and candy floss, and while it is a bit sweet for everyday, I use it every now and then, and it is pink and shimmery and just so lovely! Not to mention that all lush products are always packed with good oils and things for your skin.

And the last beauty thing I bought recently is the JOHNSONS REFRESHING GEL FACE WASH. This has a really fresh and subtle smell, and I am enjoying it. For me, it still doesn't quite beat the Nivea Daily Essentials Face Wash, but comes in a close second. 

So that's it for all the make-up and beauty sort of things I've got over the past few months. 
Hope this helps if you've been wanting to try any of these products or, if nothing else, maybe just gets you inspired to do some shopping soon :D 

PS: I just want to add that I am sadly already back at varsity and have been for a week, and I hate that I have posted so little in December and January. I have lots of ideas for posts, so even though work is very hectic just for this first month of varsity, I'm still hoping that I can keep some posts going!

Lush Haul | Limited Christmas Range

I've made a few stops at Lush lately and seem to have accumulated pretty much every item on the Lush Chritsmas range. I have no idea why it makes me so happy, maybe its the fact that it's limited edition, or maybe it's just a combination of Lush and Christmas, two of my favourite things, but either way, I am very excited to get using these! 

So I just thought I'd show you what I've picked up from Lush and tell you about the one's I've used so far!

SO WHITE BATH BALLISTIC
So this was my first year trying this one under high recommendations and I really enjoyed it! It is not as exciting as some, in that it is mainly just a plain white bath bomb, but it feels super good for the skin and smells like apples, which is such an amazing scent of Lush's!

SPARKLER BATH BALLISTIC

Sadly, this broke in half before I could use it but it still did it's job! This one smells absolutely amazing! It's nice and sweet and it looked so cool in the bath! This was also the first year (I think) that they brought out bath ballistics that aren't round, so it was cool to give these a try. 

LUXURY LUSH PUD BATH BALLISTIC

These bath ballistics are so amazing! This one particularly, just exploded crazy whirls of bubbles and colours and glitter all over the bath, and smelt sweet and christmassy. 

DASHING SANTA BATH BOMB

I didn't see this one last year and so had to try it! I haven't use it yet, but it smells so good, sweet and floral but still fresh and quite crisp. I can't wait to try it!

CANDY MOUNTAIN BUBBLE BAR

This cute little bubble bar is in the Lush scent 'Snow Fairy', which pretty much just smells like sweets (or candy), and so it is not a smell that everyone likes, and can be a bit much if you use it often, but I really do love this scent! This bubble bar can be broken up and used at least 3 times and it fills the bath with loads of pretty pink bubbles. 

STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT BATH MELT

I have just used this one recently and it is one of my favourites! It has a beautiful smells of lemons and just melts away in the water, so really moisturises your skin and leaves it feeling so smooth!

GOLDEN WONDER BATH BALLISTIC

I haven't used this one yet but I had the same one last year and it was amazing, so I'm saving this one! Apparently this is one of their most popular ones and while it is a bit pricey, cause it's so huge, I know it is worth it and makes for a very exciting bath!

HOLLY-GO LIGHTLY BUBBLE BAR

This bubble bar's scent is just the epitome of Christmas, it smells like spices and is so fragrant! I've not yet used it, but it is so pretty and I think it will makes so delicious smelling bubbles. 

ROCK STAR SOAP

I've never bought any of the Lush soaps before cause I'm usually more of a shower gel person, but I got this one, which smells like Snow Fairy and is just so lovely and sweet and I am really enjoying it! I'm keen to give some other new Lush soaps a try now too. 

SHOOT FOR THE STARS BATH BALLISTIC

Hmmm, this one smells amazing! I also used this one recently and it is just so exciting in the bath! After it has finished it's show of fizzing and bubbling and darting all over the bath, it leaves the water a super deep blue and sprays out loads of pretty silver glitter, I loved this one!

CHRISTMAS EVE BUBBLE BAR

I've not used this one yet either, but I did try it last Christmas, and it's one of my favourites because the smells is quite natural, fresh and not too sweet or overpowering, so it's really lovely. 

LORD OF MISRULE BATH BALLISTIC

If you read this blog regularly, you'll probably know this is my all-time favourite Lush bomb! It's smell is just so good and like nothing else, I just can't stop sniffing it! Not to mention how amazing it is when you pop it in the water and it spins and fizzes and colours you water leaving behind that amazing smell!

NORTHERN LIGHTS BATH BALLISTIC

This unfortunately also broke before I could use it! I haven't used this one yet and I think it's also new to the Christmas range, so  am so excited to give it a try, and it, of course, smells delicious! 

So that's everything I got from Lush! If you feel like a treat, particularly those of you up in the Northern Hemisphere, in the midst of winter, a lovely hot bath with any one of these will just instantly cheer you up!

Another Lush Haul!

I've been to Lush again. Well actually I go all the time, hehe, but I did a little splurge over the past month or so, so wanted to share these with you guys! 

DOROTHY BUBBLE BAR

This was my first time trying this, and I have a feeling that it is new, or maybe it has just never caught my eye before, but I had one sniff and knew I had to try it. It smells very fresh and clean. It's a bright refreshing smell that isn't overly fragrant and is, in that way, quite an unusual smell compared to most of Lush's other stuff. If you have tried the christmas edition bubble bar called Christmas Eve, this smells very similar to that. yeah, I have used half of this and it is amazing! 

THINK PINK BATH BALLISTIC

This is actually also one I hadn't tried before and to be honest, I used this a couple of months back cause it was the first thing I bought that I'm putting in this haul, so I can't actually remember what it smelt like... buut what I do remember is really loving it! It's filled with sprinkles and glitter and loads of little hearts in the middle and I just really liked it. I think it was a very pretty floral smell. 

TWILIGHT BATH BALLISTIC

This for me is a bit of an old classic. It's not new and is on their permanent range, but it's definitely a goody! It is a very warm, sweet smell and oh my goodness, everytime I smell it I just have to buy it! I hadn't had one of these in a long time, but forgot how much I love them! They don't do anything showy (like spurt out glitter and hearts, etc.) but they make the water so silky and it leaves your skin so so soft when you get out, so definitely one that's good for your skin too!

GRANNY TAKES A DIP BATH BOMB

This is relatively new too, and it was my first time trying it! It's quite an unusual tangy sort of smell, I don't really know how to describe it, but it smells so lovely and oh my goodness, it looks so cool in the water, it turns it into a like foamy multicoloured layers, that smells amazing and is also super good for your skin. 

PHOENIX BALLISTIC

Also part of the newer range, this was one that I really loved because it smells of cinnamon! It smells so delicious and leaves the bath deep pink with loads of gold glitter everywhere! 

FIZZBANGER BATH BALLISTIC

This isn't a new Lush product, but has only recently come out here in SA, as far as I know, cause I'm sure I haven't seen it before. I had heard quite a few Youtubers say how much they love this one, so when I saw it, I immediately put it in my basket! And it was no disappointment. I think this is actually my new favourite Lush product! It smells of lemons and is super fresh and perfect for spring/summer. It is a birght yellow on the outside, but then the middle is a deep blue, so the bath turns a really bright pretty green. And then, if that's not enough, in the middle, there are also all these popping candy type things that fizz and pop (like rice crispies haha) in the bath, and yeah, this is just a really cool bath bomb! 

HONEY BEE BALLISTIC

And last but not least, an all time classic and probably my favourite bath bomb on their permanent range, is Honey Bee. I just luurve the smell of this so so much! It smells very sweet and fragrant and like honey (surprise!), and yeah the amazing smell combined with how soft it makes your skin feel after a bath makes it my ultimate bath ballistic, so had to pick up one of these again!

So that's it for this time! As exams come up and stuff, do yourself a favour, go to Lush, treat yourself to a bath bomb or two, I promise it will be the perfect stress reliever! Enjooyyy

Massive Winter Beauty Haul - Beauty and Skin Care

Yayy, I have done some shopping! 

I kind of went a liiitle overboard- but in my defence, these were not all bought in one day. I was in great need of a lot of beauty and make-up items and so over the past 2 weeks or so, I seem to have accumulated a pretty big stash! Seeing that I have had quite a few of these for a couple of weeks now, I have tried most of them, so I will give you a little run-down on how I'm finding them and so on... :)

So here it goes!

I am splitting this haul into 2 posts, one for beauty and skin care products, and the other for make-up, because I don't want one extremely long post, I would rather have two shorter ones. 

BEAUTY: 

THE BODY SHOP- HONEYMANIA BODY BUTTER
If you read my blog regularly, you'll know how much I LOVE this scent from the Body Shop! It is quite new, and is my ultimate favourite! I had recently finished my shower gel and exfoliator that I got for Christmas in this same Honeymania range, and so I knew it was about time I went back for more! I have been absolutely loving this! It is just a run-of-the-mill Body Shop body butter, but the smell is just so so amazing!! Definitely worth a sniff next time you're there! 

TRES EMME- INSTANT REFRESH: RADIANCE DRY SHAMPOO
I am a big dry shampoo fan- particularly because I straighten my hair a lot! This one is my favourite of all brands because it is the only one, I've found, that actually stops my hair from feeling and looking greasy- which is essentially what you want from a dry shampoo, right!? It smells like apples and with a quick comb through after, it doesn't leave behind any white specs or anything! I'm onto my fourth or fifth can of this since I started using it last year sometime, and I've stuck with it because it really is the best one I've found. 

NIVEA: DAILY ESSENTIALS- REFRESHING TONER (NORMAL & COMBINATION SKIN)
I have been so impressed in general with the Nivea Daily Essentials range! Nivea isn't specifically renowned for amazing skin products.... what I mean by that is that when someone talks about amazing face washes/exfoliators/toners/make-up removers/moisturisers, and so on, Nivea isn't a brand that comes up often. But currently, I would highly recommend this Nivea range to anyone looking for quality skin care products that are affordable. I love this toner- it's light and gentle on my skin, and always leaves my skin feeling refreshed! I have used one bottle of the same type before this, but by mistake bought the toner for dry skin, and when I went back to buy more, I saw that this (normal/combination) one is the one I should be using. I really like this, so definitely give it a try if you're looking for a new, fairly cheap toner!

CLICKS: SKIN ESSENTIALS- 3-IN-1 FACIAL WIPES
(Sorry my picture is a bit blurry) 
These are nothing too special, but I just feel like everyone needs these in their bathroom to wipe off  a night of make-up quickly... I often use these if I'm having a super lazy night and can't be bothered to do anymore than just wipe off my make-up with one of these and then use a moisturiser. They have a toner, cleanser and make-up remover all in one, and so they do a good job at just clearing my face quickly. Clicks is a South African drug store type shop, so I don't think you could get these anywhere else but here, but like I said, they are nothing too amazing, just a staple I think everyone should have :) 

DERMALOGICA- CLEAR START BREAKOUT CLEARING: DAYTIME TREATMENT
For such a long name, this is essentially just a good moisturiser. I don't know if Dermalogica is an available or well-known brand overseas, so depending, you may not be able to get your hands on this brand, but I do know that it is Australian (I think). I wasn't enjoying my Yardley London moisturiser that I had, and so made a transition to this, and in fact, have pretty much decided to use this brand for all my face products because it is so good. I think what I like the most is that all the products are very gentle on one's skin- and my skin needs products like that because it tends to get irritated by products quite easily and is very sensitive. There is also SPF in this, and it always leaves me feeling fresh-faced. It is a bit on the pricey side (my mom bought it for me :P ) but worth it if you can!

I also bought the 'Dermalogica Clear Start Cleaning Face Wash' (which is also very good) but didn't take a picture because it I have been using it for a while now and it was wet in my shower and a bit empty and so on....

My mom also bought me little sample sachets of other Dermalogica skin products that I have been using (sparingly, but still). 

DERMALOGICA- CLEAR START BREAKOUT CLEARING: PORE CONTROL SCRUB

(the green sachets)

This is their exfoliator in the range, and I have really liked it. Obviously these are small little samples, so could only get about 4 uses from the sachets I have, but I did enjoy it, and might well go back (when I make some moola) and buy a proper sized tube of it. 

DERMALOGICA- CLEAR START BREAKOUT CLEARING: EMERGENCY SPOT TREATMENT
(the red sachets)
I highly highly recommend this to any one whose skin can occasionally just stop co-operating completely. I, generally speaking, have never had really really problematic skin, but of course, like all of us, my skin has its good and bad days. About 2 weeks ago, my skin seemed to have a bit of a meltdown and I was doing everything I could to kind of just treat it kindly and get it back to normal. So I got some of these sachets of this spot-fix serum type stuff. It is SO good! It is alcohol based, so really kills any bacteria you may have around little blemishes and within about 4 days of using it, my skin was pretty much completely clear. I definitely want to go buy the large version of this!

TIP TOP NAIL VARNISH- SHADE 974: "IN THE NAVY"

Tip Top is a South African brand of nail polish, and it is one of the two brands I actually like buying. I really hate using polishes that chip within a few days, or require loads of layers just to get the colour properly but Tip Top is super good, in that 2 layers will do, and generally I can go a week or so until I need to redo it or take it off. It is winter here and so I have been wanting a dark colour, and decided I wanted a navy blue colour. I found this one and it is exactly what I wanted. It is pretty dark, but you can see it is blue not black, and it is just very nice, I have been liking it a lot. 

ESSIE NAIL POLISH: SHADE 10- BLANC
ESSIE NAIL POLISH: SHADE 686- CUTE AS A BUTTON
I ordered these two online, and am so happy I did, because I am such an Essie fan! Let me start with Cute as a Button- the pinky-corally one: I ordered this wanting a coral colour and so was quite disappointed when I saw it, because it is a lot more pink than the sample shade looked (never trust the Essie thumbnail samples- I say this with experience haha). Buut it has since grown on me a bit- when you paint it, is does look a bit more coral than it does in the bottle, and I've decided that it will look really nice on my toes in summer, not too sure about my hands yet, but we'll see. 

The second one, Blanc, is one that I am loving!! I have wanted to try white polish for a long time because I have seen a lot of girls do it recently, and I really like the way it looks, not to mention that it goes with everything you wear :) Blanc was one of their very very first colours they ever made and even thought they have since made quite a few other whites, I wanted this one because it is the original one and is very crisp and clear, and doesn't have shades of anything else in it! 

Both of these don't chip for at least a week, usually more, and I only need 2 layers to have the colour perfectly pigmented. Also, they don't come out streaky and yeah, they are really good quality. 

LUSH- MELTING MARSHMALLOW BATH MELT
I have used this one once before, and so thought it was about time I tried it again because it just smells too delicious. Its a Lush classic I'd say, because it's always there, and not part of any special range or anything, but sometimes simple is best. As you could guess, it smells like marshmallow, but not so hectically that it is overwhelmingly sweet. Being a bath melt, you just pop the whole thing is your bath and it melts into the water, with all its delicious smelling goodness and I promise you, my skin felt so soft afterwards! I love this one, and I think sometimes a bath melt is best if you just want something plain and simple that smells delicious and is good for your skin too. 

LUSH- SAKURA BATH BALLISTIC
This is one of the new products for the Spring/Summer range (at least it's new here in SA, it may not be elsewhere). It smells like cherry blossom, which is a scent of theirs I hadn't smelt before. I've not yet used it, but from the look of the colours and the popping candy stuff on the outside, it looks pretty exciting! 

MARC JACOBS PERFUME- DAISY (EAU SO FRESH) 
I have been wanting this Marc Jacobs fragrance for a long time now, but it is so bloody expensive that I haven't been able to. So of course, it was the first thing I asked for when my mom asked me what I'd like from her trip to Ireland. I am so happy with this! I love the scent, is is floral (say what, a perfume called Daisy smells floral haha) and quite sweet, but not so much so that is smells childish or anything, so yeah, I'm super happy with the scent. So far, it also doesn't give me allergies, which is my main priority when buying perfumes because my nose is very sensitive to smells and fragrances and stuff. I also love the bottle, and there is a lot of perfume in there, so I think it will last a long time! 

So that's it for beauty and skin care stuff, if you want, go check out the second part of this haul which is some of the make-up I picked up :)