Browsing CategoryMakeup

The Valentine’s Day Wearable Red Lip

Valentine's Day The Wearable Red Lip

Happy Valentine’s Day, darlings! We hope you have a love-themed evening planned, whether you’re going all out with your other half or eating pizza on the couch with friends, make sure you give them an extra special squeeze and tell them you love them. That’s what it’s all about, after all – not overpriced roses and factory-made stuffed toys! For those of you headed out on the town, you’ve probably got your outfit all planned already but what about your make-up? Camilla and I are big fans of a classic red lip, especially on Valentine’s Day, although it’s not always…

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Brand I Wish Was in South Africa: BY TERRY

By Terry Compilation

All hail Terry de Gunzberg! Once the creative director at Yves Saint Laurent, Terry was responsible for the creation of such iconic products as the Touche Éclat and the Teint Singulier. In 2000 she ended her collaboration with YSL to focus on the development of her own make up brand: BY TERRY. The main focus of BY TERRY is radiant skin, so every foundation, tinted moisturiser and concealer will leave you with a fresh and dewy complexion – your skin will quite literally be infused with luminosity. I must confess that I have only ever tried the foundations so I…

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Shimansky Rocks

The Shimansky showroom at the Clocktower in the V&A Waterfront

Last night we were kindly invited to spend the evening at Shimansky‘s showroom in the V&A Waterfront, to get pampered while sipping champagne and draping ourselves in enormous diamonds. It was a tough gig, I have to admit. First up we were given a tour of the Cape Town Diamond Museum, which is adjacent to the showroom, and saw some mouthwatering replicas of the world’s largest diamonds, including The Hope Diamond (which I have seen in real life at the Smithsonian Museum and it would blow your mind), The Taylor Burton, The Star of Africa and the 3,106 carat rough…

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REVIEW: Smashbox Brow Tech To Go

Smashbox Brow Tech To Go

I have the sad misfortune of owning the world’s most useless eyebrows. They’re fine so I have very few hairs plus they’re blonde so you can hardly see them. I cottoned on to this fact fairly early on and have been getting them tinted religiously for many, many years. It’s a tedious but necessary process I’m afraid. As a result, I’m extremely picky about what I use to pencil them in (mere tinting is not enough since there is so little hair to begin with!) and I’ve spent a large portion of my life searching for the perfect product. And…

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NEW: MAC Archie’s Girls Collection

MAC Archie's Girls

The latest limited edition MAC collection is about to hit the shelves in the form of Archie’s Girls, an homage to the classic comic cuties Betty and Veronica. Packaged in specially-designed cases, the range features two contrasting colour collections – sweet, girl-next-door pinks and peaches for Betty and racy reds, blues and purples for Veronica. Products include lipstick, lipgloss, nail lacquers, loose pigment, blush, face powder, eyeliner, mascara and assorted tools and accessories *breathe*. I’m personally looking forward to the following items from the collection: 1. Flatter Me Pearlmatte Face Powder (golden peach base with coral hearts) 2. Comic Cutie…

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Face of the Day: Mad Men

Face of the Day

I was feeling inspired by the Estee Lauder Mad Men Collection, so I decided to do a Sixties-esque look today: gentle kitten flick eyeliner and a soft red lip. THE FACE I wanted to look expensive, so I decided to use my By Terry Sheer Expert Foundation (separate post about this product coming soon). This foundation looks and smells so gorgeous, and it leaves my skin looking soft and dewy. Next up, under-eye concealing: for this I used my trusty Clinique Airbrush Concealer. I then powdered my t-zone with MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder. Popped a bit of…

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Vintage Maybelline Advertising

An ad for Ultra Lash (later renamed Great Lash) - the world's first "automatic" mascara

I’m sure you know the famous story of how modern mascara was invented? If you don’t, it goes like this: Back in 1915, there was a young chemist living in New York named Tom Lyle Williams, who’s sister Mabel had recently singed off her lashes and eyebrows in a small kitchen fire. He noticed her applying a mixture of Vaseline and coal dust to her eyelashes to give them a darker, fuller look and the idea was born. Two years later, after establishing a company called “Maybelline” (Mabel + Vaseline), he launched Cake Mascara, and later, the first “automatic” mascara which reloaded…

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NEWS: No More Animal Testing In The EU

No more animal testing in the EU

This is arguably the best news I’ve heard all year! The European Union has, after almost 20 years of tireless campaigning from animal rights groups, confirmed that it will be banning the import and sale of animal-tested cosmetic products (including ingredients) for member states from March 11 2013. This means that from this date onwards, anyone selling new cosmetic products and ingredients in the EU will not be allowed to test them on animals anywhere in the world. This ban does not just affect luxury products either, it applies to everything from skin creams to toothpaste. This is a very…

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REVIEW: Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Here’s the official blurb on this foundation: Mattifying liquid foundation for up to 12 hours. Natural shine control, for fresh matte finish. With camomile to help calm, cucumber to help clarify and cotton to help control shine. Talc free, oil free, paraben free, fragrance free 5 shades to choose from And these were our personal experiences with the product: Jules: Shade: 203 Sand Coverage: Light-medium but I only use a very small amount and then blend it out with a buffing brush. Definitely buildable. Look & Feel: Perfectly smooth application and it feels totally weightless (I HATE being able to feel…

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