All Dolled Up

August 27, 2013

Summer Holiday Make-Up: What To Pack

I am taking a lot of make-up with me on this holiday, but I would like to place on record that the reason for this is because I am in charge of doing Jules’ make-up on her wedding day and I would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared. Under normal circumstances I would hardly take anything – tinted moistuirser, mascara, blush and a lipstick, max. I never wear make-up on the beach and I can’t stand traipsing around a scorching hot city with a full face on – it makes me feel claustrophobic. But, be that as it may, these are…

August 23, 2013

Bon Voyage!

The time has finally arrived for Camilla and I to hop on a plane to Greece where I’ll be getting married on the 5th of September. Goodbye pouring rain of Cape Town, hello sunny beaches of Skopelos! We’ve scheduled two posts per week for the next four weeks to keep you beauty bunnies busy and will be back soon with more make-up, skincare and nail polish ramblings. Look after each other while we’re away and keep your eyes peeled on Twitter and Instagram for updates from our trip. Bye! P.S. There’s a Sephora in Athens. Just saying.

August 21, 2013

The Perfect Travel Kit: NUXE Anti-Age Try Me Kit

When Edgars stopped stocking NUXE earlier in the year Jules and I were so disappointed – we are both huge fans of the brand, and the fact that we could buy it locally instead of having to get friends to bring it from abroad was a real treat. Of course NUXE is available online at Style36, but they don’t carry the full line, and I like to play around with products a little bit in-store before I commit to buying them. Anyway, fast-forward to August, and Jules and I were happily shopping in the V&A Waterfront when I happened to…

August 19, 2013

Favourite Five: Travel Essentials

You’ll probably see a lot of travel-related blog posts here over the next few weeks as Camilla and I start packing our bags for Greece. As you may know, we’re headed to the Sporades where I’m getting married and Camilla is one of my beautiful bridesmaids. I’m so excited for the big day, and probably equally happy about spending two weeks in the Mediterranean sunshine with 50 of my favourite people. I’ve written before about my trusty in-flight skincare kit but there are also a few beauty basics that are an absolute must when you travel. Here’s my pick of…

August 16, 2013

Nail Polish Infatuation: Chanel Le Vernis in Taboo

Isn’t it exquisite? Now, I’m not usually a fan of dark nail colours (on myself) and I’m not generally a huge fan of Chanel nail polish (it chips if you don’t use industrial-strength base and top coats) but Taboo cast a little spell over me and I couldn’t stop myself from buying it. The colour is a deep, red-toned purple with flecks of iridescent shimmer shot through it, and when the light catches your nails, the polish reflects shades of red, violet, pink and copper – it’s utterly mesmerizing. We know that Chanel sets the trend and other brands follow…

August 14, 2013

Trouble Sleeping? You need Moya.

I have been a bit stressed out recently and as a result I haven’t been sleeping well. I am trying not to take melatonin, which is my usual go-to solution when I can’t sleep, and so have been on the hunt for other alternatives. I have been dying to try the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, which is hailed as the most effective pillow spray around, but sadly it’s not available in South Africa (*feigns surprise*). The gods must have heard my prayers though because I have discovered a local alternative that has really knocked my socks off…Moya! Moya…

August 13, 2013

9 Dos and Don’ts of Growing Healthier and Stronger Nails

I’ve always been very careful about looking after my nails – I wear gloves when I wash up, I file and buff them regularly, I condition my cuticles and use hand cream on a daily basis. Even so, they take a beating and recently I’ve found that they’re peeling so badly that my nail polish was flaking off with the top layer of the nail within a day of painting them (my manicure usually lasts me 4 or more days at least). I’m busy trialing Sally Hansen Miracle Cure to help improve the situation but I also spotted this helpful…

August 12, 2013

Jules’ Wedding Make-Up Trial

Jules is getting married in less than a month, and given that I (a brideslave) have been given the honour of doing her make-up on the big day, we thought we better get cracking and do a few test runs. As she is getting married in Greece, I need to make sure that the products I use are going to hold up in the heat – I don’t want her face to be slipping down her dress half-way through the ceremony! I have chosen a variety of primers and products with long-wearing formulations to ensure that she stays looking fresh…

August 9, 2013

Tails of a Mermaid Hair & Makeup Workshop

Listen up, ladies of Cape Town! Our lovely lady friend, Natalie Roos, is giving an awesome hair and make-up workshop at the end of the month and you need to sign up! If Camilla and I weren’t both going to be away that weekend we would be there like a shot – here are the details: She’ll cover the basics like foundation types, textures and shades, how to contour correctly, and the best colours to use for your skin tone. Then you’ll get a tutorial on how to put together an easy but effective daytime and evening make-up look and…

August 8, 2013

Review: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

My skin is normally quite dry, but this winter has been particularly brutal – my face has been flaking and peeling as though I’ve been sunburnt. Additionally, my office is rather chilly so I have had to have the heater on most days, which only aggravates the dryness – but as my grandmother always said: if you are cold you are either very poor or very stupid…I’d like to think I am neither, so the heater stays! I have a de-humidifyer in my office and I drink a shed-load of water throughout the day in an effort to stay hydrated,…