Foaming Cleansers and Your Skin’s pH

Foaming Cleanser

A couple of weeks ago I read an article about foaming cleansers and how they can negatively effect the skin, and I had a real light-bulb moment. I had recently started using a foaming cleanser two to three times a week with my Clarisonic, (instead of my usual Cetaphil) and I started noticing that after every use, my skin would be left red and irritated. I am ashamed to say that I didn’t even make the connection between the foam and the irritation until I read that article! So, you ask, what’s the deal with foaming cleansers? Well, to answer that question,…

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Budget Beauty Basics: Face

Budget Beauty Basics for the Face - All Dolled Up

I, like many of you I’m sure, was completely inspired by Camilla’s post on the Top 10 Basics last week, and it got me thinking about what the alternatives are at “drugstore” prices i.e. stuff you can buy at Clicks or Dischem. So I’ve put together a list of beauty essentials that are easy to find and won’t break the bank. They will be split into two categories – face (today) and eyes & lips (Thursday). Enjoy!

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The Repeat Purchases

The Repeats

Hello. My name is Camilla and I’m unfaithful. There, I said it. When it comes to cosmetics, there very few products that I will purchase more than once – mainly because there is just so much good stuff out there that I still need to try. However, there are a select few that I continue to come back to, time and time again. L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Of course I still adore my Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume and Maybelline Great Lash, but there is a special place in my heart for L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes. I first bought this…

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Beauty Wishlist #1

Beauty Wishlist 1

I’m currently on a self-imposed spending freeze after a rather expensive trip to London where I lacked even more self-control than usual. Since I’m not allowed to buy any non-essential skincare or cosmetics for three months (*cries*) I thought I would share my wishlist with you of things I would buy if I could: Borghese Active Mud Face & Body Mask (R390) – I first heard about this blackhead-busting mud mask when Fleur included it in her March favourites video. I love mud and clay masks as I find them so effective at clearing out pores and getting rid of…

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Winter Skin Savers: Your Body

Winter Skin Savers

I don’t know about you, but my whole body feels so dry at the moment and if I don’t slather on moisturiser twice a day, I end up looking like a scaly wreck. I have a major weakness for anything that promises soft, supple skin, so I’ve ploughed through more than my fair share of body oils and moisturisers in search of the holy grail. In my opinion, these are the ones that deliver during these drying times (see what I did there?).

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Curling Your Hair with a Flat Iron

How to curl your hair with a flat iron

We’ve had quite a few requests for this post over the past few months, but the truth is that not only are Camilla and I not very good at it, we also prefer to curl our hair using hot tongs or barrel curlers. Help is at hand, however! There are literally thousands of video tutorials online that teach you how to curl your hair with a straightening iron so I’ve scoured YouTube to find the best. They vary slightly in approach but the general principle is the same. Seeing it in action is also definitely much easier than trying to…

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What You Actually Need: The Top 10

Top 10 Basics

I often forget that not everyone has the same affinity for make-up that Jules and I have, and that for most people, the world of cosmetics is a daunting one. We recommend a lot of products on this blog, but the fact of the matter is, you don’t need them, strictly speaking. None of us need five mascaras or twelve foundations (*avoids eye contact*), but what we want them all the same. With that being said, there are certain products that are essential if you want to avoid looking like the crypt keeper – and so with that in mind,…

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Review: Essence Gel Eyeliner

Essence Gel Eyeliner

Let me start off by saying that Essence as a brand has completely surprised me. I assumed that, since their products were so ridiculously cheap and seemed to be aimed at the teen market that the quality would be questionable. After trying some of their nail products with varying degrees of success, I still wasn’t convinced but decided to try the gel liner as I’d heard a few good reviews. It also seemed like a low-risk purchase considering that it costs only R40! It is an amazing product and all the others I’ve tried from Essence since (like the cream…

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Flawless Face Series Part III: Concealer

Concealer Must-Haves

Concealer helps to even out your skin tone, cover blemishes and disguise dark circles. It comes in various forms – pens, creams, sticks – you will need to play around a little and see which formulation you like best.  I like to separate concealers into two categories: those for the under-eye area, and those for blemishes/the rest of the face. I always use two different concealers for these areas and I don’t like to interchange them. I like to use stick or a cream concealer for blemishes, and a light reflective concealer for under the eyes – the reason being…

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