Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Stick Trio
Jules picked these up a few months ago during our V&A Waterfront Beauty Haul and has been raving about them ever since. I decided to give them a go recently, and I am just as smitten as she is.
The set contains three matte crayons: a contour shade, a bronzing shade and a highlighting shade. The contour shade is particularly lovely as it contains no red/orange tones whatsoever – it’s a brown/taupe shade which mimics the shade of a natural shadow, thereby allowing you to sculpt your face in a subtle, realistic way. The bronzing shade is also very flattering and really warms the face beautifully, whilst the highlight shade brings light to the face and does a great job of accentuating cheek bones/brow bones/noses/cupid’s bows without any shimmer/glitter.
The consistency is creamy as anything and basically melts into the skin. They blend extremely well and transition into each other seamlessly. The set also comes with this really handy guide for how best to contour, bronze and highlight according to your face shape, which I think is so clever.
I got mine from the V&A Waterfront Woolworths for R520.00, but it’s also available online from Red Square for R580.00 (naughty).
Kiehl’s Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending
Masque* & Kiehl’s Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energising Radiance Masque*
Recent studies have suggested that pollution has a detrimental effect on the skin, and, considering that most of us are exposed to pollution on a daily basis, I think it’s an issue that we need to pay close attention to. The new Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque from Kiehl’s has been designed to reduce the visible effects of pollution, replenish the skin and prevent impurities from adhering to the skin.
This mask contains orange extract, an ingredient is known for its ability to protect the skin from oxidative stress, and for its ability to stimulate the the production of skin barrier proteins. It also contains Cilantro Seed Oil and Vitamin E to nourish and strengthen the skin: Cilantro Seed Oil encourages the regeneration of the skin’s barrier after pollution damage, and Vitamin E helps to replenish any Vitamin E reserves which may have become depleted as a result of exposure to pollution. Although this masque is designed to primarily be used at night, using it during the day helps defend against environmental impurities by preventing pollution particles from adhering to the skin.
I really liked the cream-gel formulation of this masque – it felt really soothing and comfortable on the skin. As it’s designed to be worn overnight, I dutifully slathered it on and climbed into bed. I did find that after the masque had sunk into my skin, it did leave a slightly tacky finish, so if you’re precious about your linen (I’m not), bear that in mind. My skin certainly looked calmer and less red in the morning (I’m having a small rosacea flare-up at the moment), and I am definitely planning on incorporating this little gem into my routine to help protect my skin from all that beastly pollution!
Research has revealed that dullness is one of the top worldwide skin concerns (I know it’s certainly on my list). With that in mind, Kiehl’s have released this Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energising Radiance Masque, which works as an “instant facial” by brightening the look of dull skin and restoring a rosy glow.
Turmeric has long been used to help heal and soothe the skin. It is also a natural cleanser and is known to have strong antioxidant, anti-septic and sebum balancing properties (so its especially good for oilier skins). And in addition, it has been shown to visibly brighten the skin so it’ll help kick lacklustre complexion to the curb! Cranberry is a rich source of antioxidants, and the the crushed seeds within this masque’s formula help to exfoliate the skin and leave it looking more radiant.
This masque heats up on application, so your face feels pleasantly warmed whilst you’re wearing it (not a scary, tingly heat – it’s very gentle). It also dries down quite quickly and sets tightly, which I didn’t expect – I don’t know why but I expected it to retain it’s creamy in-pot formulation. I think the brightening effects are impressive, however I did find the masque ever so slightly drying on me (based on the sebum balancing abilities of the turmeric). I think if you have combination/oily skin, this masque will be a fantastic for you – it really does lift away dull skin and leave the complexion looking brighter. If you have dry skin like me and want a non-drying brightening/exfoliating masque, I can highly recommend the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask.
NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in ‘CW12 Green’
With the recent colour correcting craze showing no signs of abating, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and try this little number from NYX. To brush up on colour correcting and how it works, you can have a read of my post here, but to summarise: green tones counteract red tones (so a green corrector will neutralise blemishes and general redness).
This really does work well, I have to say. I woke up with a lovely spot during the week (luckily for you, because you’re about to see it) and using this corrector prior to foundation really helped knock back the redness so that I needed less foundation and concealer to cover it. You simply swipe it on, pat it a little to blend it in, and then apply foundation on top (and concealer, if needs be):
Simple, effective, and very affordable at only R105.00. Available at Clicks (hopefully…the stock levels at the V&A Clicks are always embarrassingly low – get it together, Clicks).
*PR Sample