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27 October 2014

Favourite Face Masks

The first time I ever used a face mask was when I was in high school. My best friend and I would buy those French masks in the packets at Clicks (you still get them, amazing!) as they were the only ones available, and we loved thinking that we were pampering our skins. I always went for the peach kernel scrub mask, which, in hindsight, probably did more bad than good. My best friend would go for the peeling mask, which never ended well as she couldn't get the mask completely off.

Fast forward to a few months before my wedding (about August 2012) when I started going to a certain beauty salon for monthly facials and was reminded of how much I used to like putting on masks. Since then I have tried quite a few masks and acquired enough to give the whole neighbourhood facials. In this post I will give a quick rundown of my favourite masks, most of which I mentioned in my Masking routine blog post.

Chemical exfoliators


The only chemical exfoliating mask I'm currently using is the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. It has a thick consistency and is slightly gritty (gritty as in not smooth, not gritty as in abrasive), and smells like marmalade. A few generous pumps of this is applied to clean, dry skin and left for about 10 minutes after which it is gently washed off with warm water and a cloth (a cloth is included when you buy this mask). This mask can tingle slightly and leaves your skin clear and smooth. It doesn't break me out, but I find that this mask only really works for me in conjunction with other masks.

Clay/purifying masks





As you can see, I have built up quite the collection of clay masks. Clay masks purify and deep clean the skin, but using it too often can lead to the skin being too dry, and therefore producing more oil.

The Clicks Chocolate Face Mask (not pictured) is a cheap packet mask. It reminded me of the Placecol hydrating chocolate face mask that they always mix in a bowl and slap on your skin before removing the mask-like remnants in one swoop after 20 minutes. It looks and smells exactly like chocolate and is a real treat for your skin. This doesn't break me out, but leaves my skin feeling nice and hydrated.

The REN Detoxifying clay mask does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a detoxifying clay mask for combination to oily skin. I love the REN pump bottles with the little nozzle thing-a-majigs that keep the spout open and unclogged. I don't really have more to say about this besides that it's a lovely clay mask.

Origins is unfortunately not available in South Africa, but if you're ever overseas, treat yourself to a few of their products. The charcoal mask, for instance, is a nice and purifying mask that gets the job done. It doesn't smell like charcoal, thankfully, and gets rid of blackheads and other unsightly blemishes.

The Freeman's range of masks is a really good budget option for those who either want to expand their mask collection, or who want to start playing around with masks. I have both the Chocolate and Strawberry clay mask and the Lemon and Mint clay mask, but the Chocolate and Strawberry is my favourite, for obvious reasons. It smells like chocolate (just like the Clicks mask), and does just as good a job, in my opinion, as some of the higher-priced brands. I've found that the Lemon and Mint one makes my eyes water, even though I keep far away from my eyes. But that might just be me. You can buy Freeman's from Dischem.

The Dirty Works Vitamin C Brightening Mask is another gem from Clicks. It's well-priced, comes in cute packaging, and does as good a job as some of its more high-end contestants. I can't really say if this really has a brightening effect, but as far as a clay mask, it does a good job. And it smells like oranges, so what's not too love? This didn't break me out, but left me with clear skin.

The Body Shop is really killing it in terms of skincare products. Besides their warming mask, I love the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask. It's the colour of cement and it pretty much smells like seaweed, but oh boy is it a goodie! It does however sometimes burn my skin, but I've never had a rash or breakout afterwards, so maybe it's just an indication of it working...? Either way, this is a pretty cool mask to try and also won't break the bank, especially if you keep an eye open for special promotions.

I can't really say too much about the Clarins pink clay mask since I only have a few samples, but it's also a nice deep cleansing clay mask. Nothing more, nothing less.

The last clay mask I'm featuring is the Korres Pomegranate clay mask. I actually won this in a competition and couldn't wait to try it out. As you can see it is well-loved! It's a small tube but I've already got about five uses out of it. It's also the perfect size for travelling. The smell is inoffensive and it's also another nice deep cleansing clay mask. You can buy this at certain large Edgars stores who stock Korres.

 Moisturising masks





This is another place where I seem to hoard masks!

I received the Optiphi Hydra-Derm HA Masque from a fellow blogger and I absolutely love it! It's a thick and creamy mask that you apply to the skin almost like a moisturiser. You can either tissue it off after 10 minutes, or leave it on. I normally leave it on and then just pat it in by the time I go to bed. It leaves my skin smooth and hydrated and just looking good!

The Origins Drink-up intensive overnight mask is a good companion to the charcoal mask. This mask is a thick pale yellow cream that smells like apricots and is also a leave-on mask. This also leaves my skin looking plumped and healthy.

It might be blasphemy, but I think I prefer the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask to the Origins one! It doesn't smell as good, but the results seem to be more...in your face? (See what I did there?) It's also a positive for the girls in South Africa, as Clinique is freely available, while Origins is not!

Another Dirty Works gem comes in the form of their Rose & Glow Moisture Mask. Soft rose scent, check. Budget friendly, check. Moisturises and plumps, check.

A lot has been said about The Body Shop Vitamin E moisture sink-in mask, and I can confirm that it is indeed a winner. I'm not too fond of the smell, to me it doesn't smell as nice as the other Vitamin E products, but it might just be this specific jar. Does what it says on the tin, travels well, won't break the bank.

Last but not least is the packet masks from SkinLogic and Sorbet. They cost anything between R32 and R50 and is super easy to use. You tear open the packet, unfold the mask, put in on your face, and leave it on for 20 minutes. I find it extremely difficult to do ANYTHING with this on my face, as it feels like it's slipping off the whole time, but a treat nonetheless.

And those are all my favourite masks that I've been collecting the past few years! I hope you enjoyed reading this, and thanks for reading all the way to the end! What are your favourite face masks? Come one, enable me.

Until next time!
Hildegarde

xoxo

23 October 2014

My Face Mask Routine

In the past week I've let you in on my AM and PM skincare routines (here and here), so I thought it would be good to do a post on my face mask routine.


Exfoliation is very important, as is using masks. I absolutely love face masks and I have more than I wish to share on this blog. I am a bit obsessed with face masks, but I see it as an investment in good skin days. For a while I applied masks twice a week, but I find that this routine doesn't work for me, timewise. So I rather do it once a week over the weekend and use the opportunity to soak in the bath with a magazine. Although I have been so busy lately that even that has fallen by the wayside! I do however plan on changing that and getting back to my masking routine.

You've all probably heard of double-masking, but how many of you have heard of triple-masking? That's right: applying three masks, one after the other. I read about this either on Caroline Hirons's blog, or in an interview someone did with her. After trying it, I was hooked. It's based on the idea that you first need to purify and exfoliate your skin, and then put the moisture back in.

I cleanse my skin as mentioned in the PM skincare routine (I only use masks at night), and then apply a clay mask to deep clean my skin. For this I love the Korres Pomegranate clay mask, REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask, and the Origins charcoal mask. I leave this on for 10-15 minutes (any longer and you run the risk of drying out the skin), before gently wetting the hardened clay and removing it with a facial sponge and rinsing my skin off.

For the next step I use a chemical exfoliator. Chemical exfoliators contain fruit enzymes to gently exfoliate your skin, rather than manual exfoliators that can be abrasive and hurt your skin (like something with gritty peach kernels, eek!). For this step I like using the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal mask. Placecol also does a nice one with an incredible fruity scent, but I can't remember the name. I apply this straight after washing off the first mask (and gently patting my skin dry with a clean towel), and leave it on for 10 minutes before gently washing it off with warm water and a facial sponge.

The third and final step is to apply a hydrating mask to put all the moisture back into your newly-cleansed skin. There is a long list of masks that I like for this, including Sorbet and SkinLogic packet masks, The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Sink-In Mask, Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, and the Origins Drink-Up Intensive Mask. None of these masks need to be washed off: the packet masks are removed after 15-20 minutes, and the residue massaged into the skin. The rest of the masks are left on the skin until bedtime, or even the next morning.

This routine keeps my skin looking clear and glowing, and keeps nasty spots and blemishes at bay. It is a little bit time consuming using three masks, but I love the ritual of it. And I get to use more of my masks!

And that is my masking routine! Do you have any mask suggestions? I'd love to hear them.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

20 October 2014

My PM Skincare Routine

On Thursday I gave you a look at my AM skincare routine. Today it's time for the PM routine, and it might be a long post!



In the evenings I remove my eye makeup with Bioderma on two cotton rounds. I've recently run out of Bioderma, so I grabbed a bottle of Nivea Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. I use eye makeup remover as a precleanse because I can't stand my face cloths being covered in eyeshadow and black mascara streaks during the next step! Cleansing my face at night is a real treat to me, because I have many cleansers on rotation and I enjoy picking out products for the night's cleansing routine.



I normally use an oil or a balm, followed by something a little bit lighter. For oils I like The Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing Oil and the Melvita Rose cleansing oil. For balms I enjoy using Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter. For a second cleanse I would use Clarins Pure Melt cleansing gel or Soap & Glory Ultimelt Hot Cloth Cleanser, or something similar. Neither an oil or a balm, but I've been loving REN's ClearCalm 3 Clay Cleanser as a first cleanser, followed by something lighter. Recently however I've started using the Lipidol cleansing oil (mentioned here and here), and I haven't been using anything else for a first cleanse! The past few days my skin has been looking and feeling icky because of the hot weather, so I've been using the REN ClearCalm 3 Clay Cleanser as a second cleanse and that seems to solve the problem.



After cleansing my skin I use the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Toner on a cotton pad to gently exfoliate and brighten my skin. This is an acid toner that gently exfoliates your skin, and isn't really a toner in the normal sense of the word. I don't use a hydrating toner after this, but Caroline Hirons advocates it, saying the more moisture the better. I normally don't use an eye cream because I can't really be bothered. My main concern is puffiness (I've decided to just accept my dark circles), and that I treat in the morning.



The next step is the treatment step: either a serum or an oil. I prefer to use an oil rather than a serum, but The Body Shop's Vitamin E Serum-in-Oil is the best of both worlds as it contains both. The Clarins Lotus facial oil is pricey but oh-so-luxurious, as is the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate (of which my sample is quickly running out). For the past month or so I've been using the Lipidol facial treatment oil religiously and my skin is thanking me for it. On very hot nights I often wonder if I'm doing the right thing by slapping oil on my skin, but I think my dehydrated skin anyway just slurps it all up!

To moisturise I've been using the Clarins Multi Active Night Cream for months, but again, after another price hike and currently at R610, I've switched to a cheaper alternative. I've found this cheaper, but equally good, option in the form of the REN Revitalizing Night Cream (formerly known as the Frankincense night cream). Some people might not like the Frankincense smell, but I personally find it very comforting as the last step of my nightly skincare routine. It's not a greasy cream, yet it is still quite rich and makes your skin feel nice and plumped.



And that's it for my PM skincare routine! I hope you've enjoyed this little skincare series. I'm busy with a post on my favourite masks and how I use them, as that to me coincides quite a bit with a good skincare routine.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

16 October 2014

My AM Skincare Routine

I'm always fascinated by what other people do for a skincare routine, so I thought I would do a post to tell you what I put on my face on a daily basis. To keep the post relatively short I have decided to split my skincare routine into AM and PM.

My skin has been looking clear and bright lately and I think that I've found a good routine. I do try to eat healthily, but that resolve goes out the window most days. I also don't drink nearly as much water as I should; if I drink more than three glasses of water a day, it's a miracle. I do make a point of removing my makeup and washing my face every. single. night. You won't catch me going to bed with makeup on. Granted, I don't really wear a lot of makeup, but I love wearing eyeshadow and mascara, but I also have sensitive eyes, so sleeping with eye makeup isn't really ever an option for me. With that disclaimer out of the way, let's get to the fun part!



Now that the weather is finally warmer, I don't use my hot cloth cleansing in the mornings anymore. I've spoken here about my love for the Konjac sponge and I find that most mornings I just apply some of the REN Mayblossom T-zone cleansing gel to a dry face and massage it in before massaging my skin further with the wet Konjac sponge. I then rinse off my face, rinse the sponge, and massage my skin once more.

I have a LOT of cleansers, and I do love swapping them out, but everything that I mention in this post is what I'm currently using on a daily basis. I'd be happy to do a "Favourite cleansers" post if anyone is interested?

After cleansing my face I apply a hydrating toner. I used to use the green toner from Clarins, but for the past few months I've been using The Body Shop's Vitamin E hydrating toner on a cotton pad. I then apply eye cream, at the moment I'm using an Origins Ginzing sample which is a really lovely eye cream. I always apply eye cream before serum. No matter how carefully you apply serum, you'll always get a tiny bit around the delicate eye area, and if you apply your eye cream on top of the serum, you won't get the (full) effect from the eye cream. So either apply the eye cream first, or don't apply it at all (you don't really need eye cream, I just like the ritual of applying eye cream).

For a serum I like Clarins Multi Active Serum, but at R575 it's very pricey for a little tube. When mine ran out at the start of the year, I bought the Woolworths Anti Ageing serum for R290 and it worked lovely. Since finishing this, I've switched to the even more affordable (and significantly more travel-friendly) The Body Shop Vitamin E Serum (R149).

On very dehydrated and "urgh" days I'll apply a very thin layer of Hydraluron to my T-zone, and then go in with the Clarins Multi Active day cream. I am very very very bad with remembering to apply sunscreen, but when I do remember it's usually a Kiehl's sun protection fluid sample, or my Bioderma sunscreen.

And that is my current AM skincare routine! What are your essentials for healthy, clear skin?

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

13 October 2014

Review: Lipidol oils

Over the past few months I have seen a few tweets and Instagram photos floating around about a brand called Lipidol, and that they will soon be launching exclusively at Clicks. Well, fast forward a few months and Lipidol seems to be the name on everyone's lips! What I can gather about the brand is that they are owned by the same people who gave us Bio Oil. Lipidol produces six oil products in extremely minimalist packaging, and each product costs R79.95. I bought the Cleansing Face Oil (blue) and the Overnight Face Oil (yellow).


I don't know about you ladies, but I have really fallen hard for the oil trend. I've lost count of how many oil products I have and I use about three each day. I have combination-oily skin and I find that facial oils really help my skin to retain its moisture levels. It also doesn't break me out or result in more oil.

The Lipidol packaging is to the point and minimalist and I absolutely love that. Both bottles are clear plastic with white screw caps. There is not a single label on the bottles- all the writing is printed on the back in white, and the product's name is embossed on the front. In the store itself, the bottles are all in clear plastic wrapping and you can immediately see if someone has opened it. One of the things I was most interested in was what type of bottle opening there would be. Sounds silly to wonder about that, but there is clearly no pipette (eye-dropper), so the other option was surely just a big messy hole through which you poured the oil. The people at Lipidol clearly applied themselves, because the top of the bottle is flat with a single smallish hole. You have to tilt the bottle to get a drop or two out, and if you want more product, you can either shake the tilted bottle gently, or squeeze the bottle.

The Cleansing Face Oil smells like a more menthol-y version of Bio Oil (when I asked my husband to describe the smell, he immediately said it smelled like Bio Oil, so there you go). According to the website it contains rosemary and niaouli essential oils. I find that my face cloths are much dirtier since using this cleansing oil, and I attribute it to my skin being cleansed more thoroughly. I squirt about a teaspoon of oil into the palm of my hand, press my palms against each other, and press my palms against my (dry) skin. I massage the oil into my face, especially my eyes. I then use a warm wet face cloth and start massaging my skin in circular motions. I then rinse my face off with warm water (just incase), and then pat my face dry with a towel.

My skin is clean, clear, and smooth. I haven't had a single breakout since I started using this and I don't see myself using anything else at night for quite a while.

The Overnight Face Oil contain Ylang-Ylang and Black Pepper essential oils, and I have to say, I'm not too fond of the scent. It's not overpowering, but I think I was expecting a scent closer to the Clarins Lotus Oil (seeing as the bottles look so alike!). I use this after cleansing and toning at night. I apply a couple of drops onto my fingertips and pat it into my skin. I use about four drops: one for each cheek, one for my forehead, and one for the nose-chin area.

My skin feels soft and hydrated in the mornings and I haven't had any breakouts. The combination of these two products are really doing wonders for my skin, and at R79.95 a pop, I think it's ridiculously good value for money. I've also mentioned both products in my September favourites which you can read here.

I've recently purchased the Cleansing Body Oil which is a shower oil that smells of limes. I've only used it a few times, but I might report back later when I've had a good go at it. I'm determined to try all the products in the range! You can view the whole range online here.

Have you ever tried any Lipidol products? Let me know in the comments section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo





09 October 2014

Favourite lip balms

I love trying out new lip balms and butters, but I'm always a bit skeptical of the claims. I'm quite fussy with lip balms, and even though I have about 20, there are a select few that I will keep coming back to.

My lips tend to get chapped very easily (especially my bottom lip) and some products seem to aggravate it. In the past few months I've heard that you shouldn't put Vaseline on your lips because it contains mineral oil and actually depletes the moisture from your lips, or something like that? For the duration of my high school career I only used Vaseline with Vitamin E for my lips. That and lipgloss used to be my staple, and let me tell you: in those couple of years I did not once have chapped or sore lips. My lips were soft and smooth and after starting to use lipstick quite often, I'm considering going back to my trusty Vaseline with Vitamin E!

As for proper lip balms, here are my pick of the crop.



Kiehl's Lip Balm #1



This was quite an expensive tube when I first bought it, but boy oh boy is it amazing! It leaves my lips soft, smooth, and nourished with a hint of clear gloss. I'm currently on tube number two of this, and before that I tried the cranberry fragrance which was equally divine.

You can buy this from Kiehl's (selected Edgars stores) for around R125.


The Body Shop Aloe Lip Care



I heard about this little tube from various overseas beauty bloggers, and when my lips started acting up a few months ago, I knew it was time to try it. It's almost half of the price of the Kiehl's, and does an almost equally good job. It's pretty much fragrance free (it doesn't smell like aloe, thankfully) and is quite a thick gloopy lip balm to put on. After application you can feel it nourishing your lips, and you only need to reapply a few times during the day (much less than with other lip balms, I would say).

You can buy this from The Body Shop for R70.


Maybelline BabyLips in Hydrate



Now I know there is a big divide between the two camps: either you love Maybelline BabyLips or you don't get it. And in the "Love BabyLips" camp, there are some who love this Hydrate variant, and others who can't stand it. As this lip balm made the cut for this post, you can guess in which group I fall. It's really been years since I've found a lip balm in stick form that does such a good job as this one. It doesn't smell of anything, but simply glides onto your lips and keeps them hydrated. Nothing more, nothing less. And for around R25 you'd be hard-pressed to find something better.

You can buy this from Clicks, Dischem, or recently Pick N Pay. Oh, and the reason for the stock photo is because I've finished tube number three of this and thrown the empties out.


Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm (jar)



This is one of the most raved-about lip balms that I have probably ever heard of. It took me a long time, but I finally got my hands on a jar at the end of winter. The consistency and the smell were very different to what I had expected. I somehow expected a creamy yellow lip balm with a honey scent. Instead it is a thick yellow-orange balm that smells of oranges. That being said, it definitely lives up to the hype. I use this religiously every night before going to bed (and sometimes during the day when I'm at home such as over weekends), and wake up to smooth lips. No more chapped lips or horrible dryness!

You can buy this from selected Truworths stores or online for R130-155. Pricey, but a jar lasts a long time.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream lip protectant



I have always been a fan of the Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, although not of the smell. This lip protectant comes in lipstick form, and even though it has the distinct medicinal smell, it's slightly less offensive than that of the skin protectant. I apply this before I start with my makeup, so that my lips are smooth and moisturised by the time I apply my lipstick. Being in lipstick form, it glides across the lips easily and hydrates the skin without leaving it sticky or greasy. I'm almost finished with mine and am seriously contemplating getting another one.

You can buy this from stockists of Elizabeth Arden. I'm unsure of the price as I bought mine as an Eight Hour Cream set.

What are your favourite lip balms? I'm always on the lookout for new ones to try, so let me know in the comments section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

06 October 2014

Review: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Super Cleansing System

Followers of beauty blogs will know that the European beauty bloggers all have a deep-seated love for the Clarisonic, a little handheld device to cleanse your facial skin. This handheld device is basically an electronic toothbrush for your face. It deeply cleanses your skin without you doing more than moving your arm around.

The Clarisonic recently launched in South Africa (or will launch soon, I'm not sure), and at about the same time powerhouse skincare and makeup house Clinique also launched a similar, more affordable option.

Just before these two launches, Olay launched a much, much cheaper cleansing device and this is the one I will be reviewing today. I'm not sure of the exact prices, but to give you an idea of the scale, the Clarisonic retails for around R2,400, the Clinique for R1,600, and the Olay for about R300. I haven't used or even seen the higher-end facial cleansing systems yet, so this review will stand completely on its own. I can't say if the Olay is on par with the more expensive systems, I just want to bring across my personal views on the system.






The cleansing system comes in a box with the device, the brush head, two AA batteries (already inserted in this photo), and a mini Skin Perfecting Cleanser.  To set up the cleansing device you insert the batteries in the battery compartment in the handle, click on the brush head, and you're good to go. The cleansing device has a power button as well as two speed settings.



You can use the cleansing device to remove your makeup, but I prefer to remove my eye makeup beforehand. I apply the facial cleanser to my face and massage my skin for a minute or so. It's a slightly gritty gel cleanser, and I was scared that it was going to irritate my skin, but it didn't. I then wet the brush head in warm water and switch it on, starting at my forehead and working my way around my face. The brush head spins in circles and massages and cleanses your skin. I stay away from my eyebrows, eyes, and hairline, because I can imagine getting your hair caught up in the spinning brush head will not be pleasant! After moving the cleansing device across my entire face, I switch it off and rinse my face (and the brush head) with clean warm water. I don't wash my face in the shower, but the Olay cleansing device is waterproof so you can use it in the shower and the bath.

My skin is left feeling smooth and clean, but I can definitely feel that my skin has had a "workout"! I was a bit scared of how my skin would look and feel the next morning, but to my surprise my skin was clear and smooth, without the slightest hint of a breakout or a rash. I do however advise against using this every day, as I have heard horror stories of people using the Clarisonic too often and then having worse skin problems than before. I don't know what the optimal number of times per week is to use it, but I don't use it more than two or three times a week.

The replacement brush heads for this system retails for around R100 for two. Dischem recently had a special offer where, if you buy any two products from the Regenerist range, you receive a full size Skin Perfecting Cleanser for free. I bought the cleansing device (which was already on special) as well as the replacement disks, and got the cleansing gel for free.

Have you ever used a cleansing device? Would you use this one? Let me know in the comments section!

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo


02 October 2014

Monthly favourites: September

Another month done, where is this year going? I still have a lot (and I mean A LOT) of work to do, so please refrain from telling me how many Sundays there are left until Christmas... Right, enough of being a grinch, let's get stuck into my favourites of the past month, shall we?

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Bronze Sunless Tanner & Instant Bronzer with SPF 15



I am terrified of sunless tanning products. I'd much rather lay in the sun or be as pale as a ghost than slapping on a liquid/cream that is going to make me look like a streaky ooma-loompa. Browsing in Dischem one day, as you do, I discovered this on the suntan shelf and decided I would try it. (A few weeks before that I bought a can of Carribean Tan's Tan-in-a-can which I am petrified of using.) Long story short, I've managed to work my way through a quarter of the tube and I actually really like the stuff! It's basically a bronzy body lotion that develops into a golden tan. Being the scaredy cat that I am, I'm currently just using it on my legs.


REN Frankincense Revitalising Night Cream



I purchased this when my Clarins Multi-Active Night Cream ran out and I saw its ludicrous price increase. After using a sample of this night cream, I knew this was going to be my new night cream of choice. The smell takes a bit of getting used to, but I find the Frankincense scent very comforting and relaxing at night. The cream hydrates and plumps my skin and is just generally "nice" on the skin.


Lipidol Facial Cleansing Oil and Facial Treatment Oil



Big noise has been made over this brand in recent weeks and I totally understand why. There are only six products in the range (all oils), each and every product costs R79.95, the packaging is absolutely fuss-free, and it feels amazing on the skin. I have two products and haven't been able to stop using them since I've bought it. The facial cleansing oil (light blue oil) smells clean and menthol-y and removes every last bit of makeup without leaving my skin feeling greasy. I put a few drops in my hand and smooth it onto a dry (dirty) face. I then massage it into my skin and remove it with a wet, hot cloth. My skin feels smooth and clean, not stripped or greasy. I then apply my toner and follow it with the facial treatment oil. The oils are all (except for the body oil) coloured, but they are coloured with plant dyes, so no nasties in there. I don't like the smell of the facial treatment oil that much, but I love the way it feels on my skin, and that's all that matters. I've been waking up with radiant-looking skin for the past two weeks, and I think I owe it to this Lipidol combo.


Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in "Warm sand"


I'm not normally one to wear foundation, but this is such an easy product to apply and it never looks cakey. It's just a simple, creamy foundation and you control how much you use by swiping it across your skin. I paint this on warrior style, and then use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to blend it in. You can read the full review here.


Konjac sponge


This little sponge is so quick and easy to use. I'm not a morning person at all, so reaching for this when I'm still basically asleep, is a Godsend. You can read the full review here.


MaxFactor False Lash Mascara in Brown Black



I was on the hunt for a new mascara and picked up this MaxFactor mascara. It's got a big brush with stiff bristles which I like, because it separates my lashes nicely. The brown/black colour is also very subtle for daytime.


The Body Shop Instablur for Eyes



I've spoken about this here. It's a lovely eyeshadow primer (it might even be better than my Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion!) and you can use it as an under-eye concealer as well, bonus!


Essie in "Splash of grenadine"



I think this might be the first nail polish to ever make it to my monthly favourites list. I love nail polish and I have too many, but it rarely (read: never) happens that I wear a certain colour two, three times during one month. This is exactly what happened with Splash of Grenadine. I can't accurately explain the colour, but it's like a girly pink with a blue undertone, making it almost a pinky-purple. It looks stunning on both fingers and toes, as well as pale skin and tanned skin. I really think this will be my go-to colour for Spring.

That was my favourites! What were your favourites this past month? Let me know in the comments section!

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo