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26 February 2015

The stuff of dreams: the Balm's Nude 'tude Palette

I have had the Balm's Mary Lou-Manizer highlighter for about a year now and I was ecstatic when I heard that RetailBox were selling a whole bunch of the Balm's products! They have three Lou-Manizer products, eyebrow products, eyeshadow palettes, and some extremely nice blushes. About two weeks ago I splurged a bit and invested in the Balm's Nude 'tude Palette...

There are two variations of this eyeshadow palette, but this is the only one sold on RetailBox. Both variations have exactly the same eyeshadows, but the one on Temptalia is called "Feeling Naughty" and features nude women with the eyeshadow squares covering the unmentionables. The one I have, "Feeling Nice", does not have the nude women. What I noticed, however, is that the names are not all the same between the two palettes. The shade marked "Seductive" in my palette is called "Schitzo" in the other palette.



The eyeshadow palette is large and flat and comes in a smooth cardboard casing. When you compare it to the Urban Decay Naked 1 palette, the Balm's is bigger and flatter, as on the photos below.






And now onto the gorgeousness that is the inside the palette! The lid of the palette closes with a magnet and I never get the idea that it will just pop open. Inside are 12 eyeshadows, a small double-ended brush, and a nice big mirror.



The 12 shades range from shimmery white to matte black. There are four mattes and the rest are shimmers, so maybe not a good option if you only like wearing matte shades. I've taken close-up shots of the shadows, but please go have a look at Temptalia's website for swatches. The shadows have their names printed below each shadow (yes!) and all 12 names start with an "S", hmm.



The shade "Sassy" is a gorgeous frosty white colour that isn't glittery or tacky at all. "Stubborn" is a beautiful pale pink and looks amazing when paired with the more rose gold champagne-y "Stand-offish". "Selfish" is one of my favourites and is a shimmery taupe. "Snobby" is a bit too yellow to my liking, but I think it can work with some light brown shades. "Sultry" is a matte warm-toned light brown shade.



"Sophisticated" is more of a dark bronzy brown version of "Selfish" and is absolutely stunning when paired with brown eyeshadows. "Sexy" is a sexy deep plum colour and is also one of the matte shades. "Seductive" is a golden honey colour with shimmer, and "Silly" is a dark, and almost sparkly, brown.



"Serious" is a matte black shade, while "Sleek" is a rich chocolate brown shade, and is also matte.

These shadows are all soft and buttery and apply like a dream. With my trusty NYX eyeshadow primer they last the whole work day, and sometimes even longer. To add to my enablement there is a "Version 2" of this palette called the Nude Dude palette. I see a collection in my future...

Have you ever tried the Balm's products? Let me know in the comments section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

19 February 2015

A few Lush Valentine's Collection goodies

It's been a while since I've done a blog post about Lush, but that definitely does not mean that I haven't been stuffing my chest of drawers with bath bombs! I normally stock up on Lush when we're in Cape Town or when my mom happens to go to the V&A Waterfront. This time I decided to place an online order (my first from Lush) and this is what I got.



Tisty Tosty


Tisty Tosty is a big heart-shaped bath ballistic, which means it will fizz in your bathwater, but won't make bubbles. It contains rose, geranium, jasmine, and lemon. I can definitely smell the rose, hmmm.

Floating Flower



This floating flower is also a huge bath bomb. I have to admit, I absolutely hate the smell of this. This is no fault of Lush, there is just something in this that I cannot stand (the jasmine perhaps?). I read somewhere (after I ordered it) that this has the same scent as the Lady Godiva solid shampoo bar and Flying Fox shower gel. Two other products which I also hate the smell of, so there you have it. If you don't like the smell of Lady Godiva or Flying Fox, you're not going to like the Floating Flower.

I will however try this out, as I hate wasting things. I might combine it with another bath product to mask the smell, I'll keep you posted!

Unicorn Horn



This is probably the most hyped-about product in the entire Valentine's Collection. A bubble bar in the shape of a unicorn horn, I mean! Mine looks much pinker than those of other bloggers, but each bubble bar is handmade and no two are alike. It contains candy stars and lavender and I can't wait to dive in!

Sakura



This isn't part of the Valentine's Collection, but it's a bath ballistic that I've never tried before. It's white and light pink with blue crystals on top. According to the website this is a floral spring-time bath ballistic and was inspired by Japanese cherry blossoms. It contains mimosa, jasmine oils, lemon oil, and orange flower, yum!

Have you ever tried any of these before? What did you think? Also, would you like to see more of these types of posts? I still have an entire Christmas collection to get through...

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

16 February 2015

New drugstore lippies

I don't know about you, but I am obsessed with lip products. My vanity table is starting to look a bit crowded due to all the lippies on display! I've always been a lipgloss girl, but then I started dabbling in nude and my-lips-but-better lipsticks. Recently I've been dipping my toe in the bold lippie pool. Today's three lippies are all courtesy of Maybelline and the most expensive one was R110. Not bad for a lippie addict, I'd say!



Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils in "Red Essential" and Fab Orange"




I read about these lip pencils on a couple of overseas beauty blogs and was very intrigued. Apparently some of these lip pencils are dupes for the NARS Velvet Lip Pencils. The texture of these pencils are creamy and super pigmented, and does not drag the lips. It's a velvet matte look, but isn't ever completely touch dry. Eating and drinking will cause transfer, however, the colour does not get patchy after a few hours, it just kind of fades evenly. I have to reapply about two or three times during the day, but I don't mind seeing as I like applying this product!

The colours I have are "Red essential" (first pic left, second pic right) and "Fab orange" (first pic right, second pic left). Fab orange is a beautiful orange red. The first time I applied it, it came out bright orange on my lips, but the second time it came out tomato red. Red essential is a dark blue-toned red and is a seriously vampy shade! 

I don't know how many shades we get in South Africa, but apart from these two I've also seen a nude pink and a bright pink shade. I know some other countries have loads more shades, so here's hoping!

You can buy this from Clicks or Dischem for R80.


Maybelline Color Elixir in "Rose Redefined"




I've been looking for these lippies for the longest time. I actually thought they would be liquid lipsticks, but I was wrong! Well, kind of. It's a lipgloss/lipstick hybrid and I am in love. Firstly I love the packaging, it looks so classy and expensive! Twisting open the top reveals a spade-shaped applicator, much like the L'Oreal Rouge Shine Caresse lip stains. The smell is incredible, and is a mix between flowers and candy. The lipgloss/lipstick applies like an absolute dream, you don't even need a mirror to apply it. It sits comfortably on the lips and there's no tackiness or greasiness. After an hour or three my lips still feel comfortable, and it doesn't make my lips flaky like some of the other liquid lipsticks or glosses.

Rose redefined is a beautiful rosy pink colour with a touch or coral. It looks super natural on my lips and goes with most makeup looks. So far I have just seen this shade and a bright fuschia-purple. Hopefully there are more shades!

You can buy this from Clicks and Dischem for R110.

Have you ever tried any of these lippies? Which shades did you love? Let me know in the comments section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo


*The lipstick print is courtesy of Kaz @ Pixabay.

12 February 2015

Empties Post #4: Haircare

I can never finish a shampoo and conditioner at the same time, but somehow I've managed to have four complete sets of shampoo/conditioner in one empties post!



L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo + Conditioner

I have very fine hair, but I have a lot of hair, which gives the illusion of it being very thick. I tried this shampoo and conditioner to see if I can thicken the individual strands, as it promises 80% more "body and bounce". I did not experience any of those claims, which is unfortunate as I normally really like Elvive's products.

The good

  • It smells absolutely delicious

The bad

  • Doesn't live up to the claims

Will I repurchase?

  • Probably not...


Pureology Hydrate Shampoo + Conditioner

I am so in love with this brand that I'm already on shampoo bottle number two and conditioner bottle number three or four. It leaves my hair clean, soft, and bouncy. It's non-stripping and doesn't contain sulphates, making it a very good option for coloured hair.

The good

  • Amazing smell (shampoo smells like bergamot, conditioner smells like mint and makes your scalp tingle like you just ate a mint)
  • Soft and gentle on your hair
  • Makes your hair bouncy and soft
The bad

  • I could state the price of R250 for a shampoo and R280 for a conditioner as a bad thing, but I still think it's good value for money...
Will I repurchase?

  • Yes. Probably until the day I die


Suigo Ultimate Control Shampoo + Conditioner

I already did a post on this which you can read here. I really like this shampoo and conditioner, but at R199 a bottle I prefer the Pureology.

The good

  • Smells absolutely amazing
  • Non-stripping, also doesn't weigh your hair down
  • Soft and bouncy hair
The bad

  • Nothing really
Will I repurchase?

  • Maybe, but seeing as I'm such a haircare floozy, probably not soon.


Marc Anthony Oil Of Morocco Argan Oil Sulfate Free Shampoo + Conditioner

I mentioned this in my April favourites last here which you can read here. It's a nice shampoo and conditioner if you want to test drive affordable sulphate-free hair care. It was my first sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner and I quite liked it. I feel like I've progressed to other, better options, but this can't be beaten for value.

The good

  • Very affordable at about R99 a bottle
  • Easy to get hold of as you can buy it at Dischem and even Checkers
  • Leaves your hair soft and healthy
The bad

  • The results weren't that noticeable
Will I repurchase?

  • If I were in a pinch, yes.

Have you tried any of these shampoos or conditioners? Let me know in the comments section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

09 February 2015

{Blog birthday giveaway} - CLOSED

Aaaaaaaaaand the winner is.......


Congratulations! Please email me your details so I can send you your prize.

In a sneaky turn of events I have decided to give away a runner-up prize as well. The winner of this prize is Jane Tennet. Please email me your details!

Thank you to everyone who entered and thank you for all the lovely blog post suggestions!

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

Review: Balm Balm Frankincense Light Facial Oil

In January I received a bottle of the Balm Balm Frankincense Light Facial Oil and I was very excited to try it out. I'm obsessed with anything Frankincense-related at the moment and this goes extremely well with my REN Frankincense night cream.









The packaging is understated but still very pretty. The Frankincense range consists of three products namely the cleansing balm, the hydrosol, and the light facial oil, all with the signature brown glass bottles and light brown labels. The facial oil comes with an eye dropper to dispense the perfect amount of oil.





The oil has a very light texture and is colourless. It has a lovely Frankincense scent, but isn't overpowering. It sinks into the skin immediately and doesn't leave my skin feeling feeling greasy and icky. After washing my face and applying toner, I apply the oil and after a few minutes, my REN night cream. My skin hasn't had any breakouts and seems to be more hydrated and softer than before.

Have you ever tried Balm Balm products? Let me know in the comments section!

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

05 February 2015

Review: NYX HD Eyeshadow Base

Oily eyelids can really be a pain if you love wearing eyeshadows. I almost gave up on wearing eyeshadow due to it creasing and sliding off my eyelids at 11:00 in the morning. That is until I discovered the beauty of eyelid primers. I'd say it's a fairly new concept, but what normal primers do for your skin (and primers do for walls, as my husband likes to point out), eyelids primers do for your eyelids. It creates a smooth base for the eyeshadow to grip onto. I bought the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potions for R400 (so R100 per little bottle) from Rubybox a long time ago, but never really knew if I used too much or too little, as my eyeshadows still didn't last the whole day. I decided to try a few other primers and I picked up NYX's HD Eyeshadow Base at Clicks for around R140.



The primer comes in a mascara-like tube with a doe foot applicator. I like the doe foot applicator as you can spread a small amount on each eyelid without using too much product and without sticking your finger in a pot, or struggling with a tube that spontaneously spurts out too much product.

The primer itself is a pale pink, almost white cream. It's not thick and heavy, nor is it runny or gel-like. It smoothes across the lid beautifully and creates a nice even-toned blank canvas for your shadows. Applying shadows over it is a breeze, whether I'm using cream shadows or powders. Blending the shadows is also very easy. I've used this primer every day for the past month and a half, and each time my eyeshadow lasts the whole work day. I don't know about you but I think that's pretty incredible!

Have you ever used the NYX eyeshadow base? What do you use on your eyelids? Tell me in the comments section.

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo

02 February 2015

Birthday Post: The Big 3-0

And so I have come to the start of another decade in my life…The Big 3-0! I celebrated my birthday on Sunday with a couple of friends, among others my lovely blogger ladies!







Not only did I celebrate my birthday on Sunday, but tomorrow I will be celebrating my blog's first anniversary/birthday! I can't believe that my little baby blog is turning one. At first I didn't know if I would like blogging and if anyone would even read it. Turns out I love blogging, and that there are actually people who read what I have to say, yay! To all of you I would like to say a big thank you for all your support during the past year.

To celebrate my blog's first birthday and to thank my loyal readers, I thought I'd do a little giveaway. This prize will consist of a couple of my favourite products, and I'm going to keep the contents a surprise!


Follow these easy steps to enter the giveaway:
  • Follow me on Instagram (@hildegarde_k)
  • Follow me on Twitter (@hildegarde_k)
  • Comment on this post and tell me what type of posts you enjoy/would like to see more of.
The competition will run until Sunday 8 February 21:00. Winner to be announced on Monday during the day on Twitter and the blog. Please remember to follow all the steps.

Best of luck!

Hildegarde
xoxo