All Dolled Up

April 30, 2013

How To: De-Potting MAC Eyeshadows

Last week something very special happened – the MAC Store in the V&A Waterfront actually had stock of everything that I wanted (this has never happened). I initially went in just to get my sister and I our eyebrow pencils, but then I saw that they had stock of their pro palettes *insert singing angels here* – I had been waiting for ages for these to come in so I promptly snapped up the 4-set palette. I got home, so excited to transfer my existing eyeshadow into the palette…until I realised that I didn’t have the faintest idea of how…

April 29, 2013

Cruelty-Free Beauty: Cosmetics

Cruelty-free beauty is more popular than ever before, and for good reason. It’s no longer acceptable for cosmetics companies to routinely brutalise innocent animals in the name of our vanity and consumers are unable to claim ignorance of these practices. Living more conscientiously is a lot easier these days, thanks to stricter controls on animal testing and a growing demand for planet-friendly products from the public. While I can’t claim to have a 100% cruelty-free existence (and neither can you if you use any products from these brands including L’Oreal, Revlon, Johnson & Johnson, Estée Lauder, Unilever and most of their…

April 26, 2013

Little Black Book of Beauty: Dante Wellness Spa

When I first moved back from London, I was so out of the loop that I didn’t know where to go for the essentials like nails and waxing (the trauma). Luckily for me, a good friend quietly whispered in my ear that there was only one place to go, and that place was Dante Wellness Spa. And how right she was! Dante was founded a few years ago by the Stefanutti sisters, and offers a full range of treatments from manicures and pedicures to luxury facials and massages. I have been going to Dante for all of my mani/pedi’s and…

April 25, 2013

Revlon Nail Art Stencils

I came across these in Clicks a little while ago and I thought they were cute so I picked up the bow and moustache designs. Each little block is a self-adhesive stencil that sticks well to your nails and lets you quickly and neatly jazz up your manicure. I put them to the test using Essie Off the Shoulder as a base and Woolworths Metallic Champagne for the accent colour. My verdict: Fab and fun! Price: R29.95 Availability: Clicks, Edgars, Dis-Chem, some pharmacies Images by me.

April 24, 2013

Mama Mio Review and Giveaway: OMG Feel Good Kit {CLOSED}

Mama Mio was officially launched in 2005 by four friends whose main objective was to help women feel more confident in their skin. All of their products are jam-packed with the highest possible dosage of active ingredients so that you see maximum benefits very quickly. The ladies at Mama Mio also maintain a strict ‘No Nasties’ policy, so all of their products are paraben free, petroleum free, sodium laureth sulphate free and sodium lauryl sulphate free – everything is completely natural.

April 23, 2013

Link Love #2

Here is my round-up of the five best recent beauty reads: Water Color Hydrating Hair Masque from The Beauty Department Absolutely love the idea of using these moisturising wash-out colour conditioners! An Afternoon With Skincare Guru Caroline Hirons from Liana Beauty You probably already know that we worship the ground that Caroline Hirons walks on, so this comprehensive list of her best beauty tips is basically the gospel as far as we’re concerned! Got Milk? Living Dairy Free from Lips So Facto A fascinating post about how giving up dairy affected Megan’s skin. If you’re interested, Ruth from A Model Recommends…

April 23, 2013

MAC Impassioned vs. Bourjois Rouge Edition 11

Bourjois Rouge Edition no. 11 (L) and MAC Impassioned (R)

There few products that brighten up the face quite like a bold, fuchsia lipstick and MAC Impassioned has long been my favourite of these. The Amplified (i.e. highly pigmented) formula is smooth and creamy and the colour is as opaque as they come. It’s one of the best lipsticks in my collection and one that I wish I wore more often. I noticed the other day that I had another bright pink lipstick that was very similar and I thought I would compare them. It’s Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick in no. 11 “Fraise Remix” and the colours are indeed quite…

April 22, 2013

Eyebrow Masterclass

Fact: eyebrows frame your face – they should be groomed, polished and above all, thick. Blame Cara Delevigne if you will, but bold brows are bigger than ever at the moment, and whilst I’m not usually a fan of following trends, I will be making an exception for this one. Learning how to thicken and shape your brows by using either powder or pencils is invaluable – you can transform your entire face in no time at all. Getting to grips with your brows can be daunting to begin with, and so with this is mind, I want to share…

April 19, 2013

Beauty Oils

The nourishing properties of natural oils in skincare and beauty products have long been known, but it is only recently that oils have become a nightstand staple. The new generation of beauty oils are lightweight, hydrating and absorb ultra fast, making them the perfect multi-taskers for hair, skin and nails.

April 18, 2013

WIN! A 12 MONTH RUBYBOX SUBSCRIPTION {CLOSED}

Our friends at rubybox are giving away a year’s free monthly subscription to their brilliant beauty sample service worth R1 119! Camilla and I are both long-time subscribers and it’s a fantastic way to trial new products, especially from unfamiliar brands. You can also shop their online boutique which stocks all sorts of great products, including those from Stila, Essie, Bourjois and Tweezerman. You can find out more about how it works here. Click below to enter – good luck!