Posts Written ByJules

Review: Dermalogica V&A Concept Store

Dermalogica V&A Concept Store | All Dolled Up

I don’t think anyone would argue with the fact that Dermalogica make some of the best quality skincare around. Daily Microfoliant and PreCleanse have long been part of Camilla and my beauty routines, and we’ve never tried a product that we didn’t adore. Everything in the professional-grade line is targeted, highly effective, and free of common irritants – you quite simply can’t go wrong. As part of the brand’s 20th anniversary in South Africa, they opened a new concept store at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, offering the full retail experience as well as a range of skin health treatments. These include…

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My Favourite Blushes

My Favourite Blushes

I’ve always loved a bit of blush – it really is one of those makeup products that can completely transform the face. It’s one of the things that I will always include in my routine, no matter how basic my look is, because it brings the whole look together. My collection is fairly extensive for one medium-sized face and here are my favourites: Powders Perfect for blush newbies and certainly the easiest formula to use, powders are a great staple in any makeup kit. Matte, neutral shades are a great way to start, because they add some subtle colour to…

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Quick Reviews #3

Quick Reviews: Lush Roots, MAC Fling and VO5 Give Me Texture Tousled Style Spray

It’s time for the next instalment of “Quick Reviews”! If you haven’t seen #1 and #2, then all you need to know is that we choose three products that we’ve tried recently and give you a brief overview of our thoughts on each. Often these are products that don’t make it into our monthly favourites but are still worth mentioning or otherwise might be worth steering clear of! Here we go: LUSH Roots Hair Treatment Another YouTuber-inspired purchase! This time the culprit is Allison Anderson AKA Amarixe who gave this stuff a rave review. Formulated for fine, thin hair (pick…

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Hydration Heroes

Hydration Heroes | All Dolled Up

I posted this picture on Instagram last week and it prompted quite a few questions from followers, so I thought I would elaborate. My skin is combination-oily but suffers from some dehydration when I don’t look after it (read this to find out the difference between dry and dehydrated skin). This results in a general dullness and flaky patches around my chin that feel tight and uncomfortable. It took me a while to figure out that dehydration was the cause but now that I’m treating it directly, my skin is much better. Here are my hydration hero products:

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Once-a-Week Wonders

Once a Week Wonders | Purple shampoo

When it comes to my beauty routine, I generally have a short attention span; I tend to try out lots of different products and my top shelf is on continuous rotation. There are, however, a few things that I do on a more regular basis than contribute to the maintenance of my nails, skin and hair. Here’s the list: At-home manicure I recently did a post on my DIY manicure essentials so you’re probably familiar with the tools I use to keep my nails in good nick. I go through this routine about once a week, usually at my desk…

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Beauty Battle: Sigma E25 vs MAC 217

MAC 217 vs Sigma E25 Comparison | All Dolled Up

If there is one essential beauty tool for perfect eye make-up, then it is the blending brush. They are characterised by fine, densely-packed bristles and a firm but slightly fluffy oval shape. Designed to soften the edges of your eyeshadow and seamlessly blend shades together on the lid, they can also be used to buff on concealer and for precision powder placement.

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Review: The Garden Spa at Babylonstoren

The Garden Spa at Babylonstoren | All Dolled Up

A couple of Sundays ago, I visited the Garden Spa at Babylonstoren for the first time, for a few hours of blissful relaxation in the heart of the Drakenstein Valley with some girlfriends. Located between Franschhoek and Paarl, Babylonstoren is a beautiful 200-hectare Cape Dutch farm on which you will find vineyards, orchards and one of the country’s best restaurants.

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Disappointing Products: May 2014

Disappointing Products: Dr Bronner's Magic Soap

I try SO many products that it’s actually amazing that I don’t find more of them disappointing. I suppose it’s because I usually buy things on recommendations from others but it also goes to show that products work differently for different people. These aren’t necessarily duds, they just didn’t work for me in the way that I expected. If you’ve used any of them and have a different opinion then I’d love to hear from you – leave a comment below!

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