Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado: I used to suffer from a dehydrated under-eye area without really knowing it, and found that concealer always looked cakey on that part of my skin. I tried this stuff a couple of months ago and haven’t looked back. The formula is packed with avocado oil and shea butter, and goes on creamy and feels firming without being greasy. The best part is that concealer now goes on smoothly and evenly – result!
Price: R280 (14ml)
E45 Endless Moisture Daily Care: I generally can’t deal with heavy, creamy body lotions and it’s a non-negotiable especially in summer. This body lotion is the opposite of that: it’s light but moisturising, absorbs immediately into the skin and leaves no residue behind, plus it’s fragrance free and hypoallergenic. The pump dispenser makes life easy and it’s also pretty cheap – I can’t think of a single thing I don’t like!
Price: R52 (300ml)
Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original: This is known for being the best dry shampoo on the market and it has been a real game changer for me. I have very oily roots and have to wash my hair every morning. This product allows me to skip a day every now and then, plus it’s amazingly volumising and adds texture to clean hair for easy styling.
Price: R60 (200ml)
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector in Medium: This is supposedly a BB cream but basically it’s a glorified tinted moisturiser (like most BB creams developed by Western beauty brands) – although at R80 a pop they can call it what they want! This is a great colour for me in summer, and gives just the right amount of coverage if applied with my fingers (I prefer a sheer, weightless foundation). I put it on with a buffing brush in the evenings for that extra bit of oomph so it does double duty which I love. My only gripe is that it tends to be a bit greasy but they are about to launch a matte version which I’m sure will be great.
Price: R80 (50ml)
MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder (Pressed): What a revelation! I’m not usually one for pressed powders (or powders in general, for that matter) but Camilla convinced me to buy this and now it’s become a daily essential. It’s super finely milled so it’s invisible on the skin (being able to see powder products on someone’s face is my pet hate!), yet it miraculously removes oiliness and shine on the t-zone with minimal effort.
Price: R270
NYX Blush in “Pinched”: This is the closest I’ve come to finding a rough “drugstore” dupe for NARS Orgasm blush locally, in that it’s also coral pink with gold shimmer shot through it. The golden sheen gives the perfect highlight to my cheekbones in summer and beautifully compliments a light tan. The product pigmentation is ridiculous and it blends out beautifully – I’m a big fan. Yes, that rhymes.
Price: R100
Revlon ColorBurstTM Lip Butter in “Peach Parfait”: This is like the lipstick version of the NYX blusher – a peachy nude with subtle gold flecks. I absolutely rave about the Revlon Lip Butters because they’re so pretty and easy to wear. Like a mix between a lipstick and a gloss, the formulation is creamy and smooth without being overly shiny and is so comfortable on the lips. This colour can be difficult to find so grab it with both hands if you see it on the shelves!
Price: R125
Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara: People always ask me how to deal with the problem of mascara that smudges around their eyes, and the answer is: buy a tubing mascara. Clinique makes some of the best ones, and they work by wrapping the hairs in fibres (rather than simply coating them with black goo) which harden to encase the lash and can only be removed with warm water. This version gives rad volume to my anorexic-looking eyelashes, for which they are extremely grateful.
Price: R280
MAC Paint Pot in “Bare Study”: Paint Pots are MAC’s version of a creaseless cream eyeshadow and work well on their own or underneath powder shadows. This colour in particular is my favourite; it’s a pale, champagne-gold with pinky undertones and looks beautiful all by itself with loads of mascara. The formulation is smooth and silky and gives you plenty of playtime for blending before it sets.
Price: R180
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum: I was given this delicious perfume for Christmas and I absolutely love it! I have no idea how to describe scents so this is what The Perfume Shop have to say about it: “Oriental-fresh, a floral jasmine-rose accord, as light as a petal”… whatever that means! People constantly ask me what I’m wearing when I’ve spritzed this on (even hours later) and I can see this becoming a lifelong favourite.
Price: R695 (35ml), R975 (50ml), R1 380 (100ml)