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Inspired Living SA

Top South African Lifestyle Blog

You are here: Home / Archives for Beauty

Beauty, Beauty Products

Spring Makeup Toolbag

Spring-Toolbag2

The weather is definitely improving and the flowers are blossoming – all signs that spring may indeed be here! With the change of season, comes brighter, lighter makeup colours – YAY! With this in mind we asked Kirsten Murphy Rossiter, a Cape Town based makeup artist, to share a few of her essentials for a Spring makeup toolbag.

Here are some of the essential Makeup Tools and Beauty Products, which I will be carrying around in my make up bag for this beautiful season of Spring!

  • Step aside foundation!

Revlon BB cream ~

I love this bb cream, probably because at the moment I am feeling so pale and it is a tad darker than my winter skin tone, so it gives me a slight tan! It also contains an SPF of 30, which is so great for those days when the sun shows its beautiful face. It gives my skin a lovely even tone and I have found myself using this product more often than my beloved MAC foundation!

  • Peachy Cheeky

“Peaches “ Sheertone blush from MAC ~

Most people get scared when I suggest this blush, because it looks so peach! But that is the beauty of it, a soft peach tone, with just the right amount of colour. Because it is a sheer blush, you don’t have to worry about applying too much. This has been my all-time favourite blush!

  •  Make it Stick!

MAC Fix + spray ~

I highly recommend this hydrating fix it spray! It acts as a beautiful mist to hydrate skin that has been powdered , it also fixes your makeup and helps it too stay put! Or just wear it on its own when your skin need some refreshing. This is a huge favourite of mine, which that I always use when doing brides makeup. This product is an all year round essential!

  •  Tease Please!

“Tease “ Lipstick Topshop ~

Pink lips are making a huge comeback this Spring and I love this pretty pink Lippy, the colour just speaks for itself ! It is creamy and matte all at the same time. Make sure your dry winter lips have been well exfoliated and hydrated before wearing a matte lippy.

  •  Orange you glad its Spring

“Morange” MAC Amplified ~

A MAC favourite that has been around a long time. MAC describes it as “loudmouth orange!“ Its creamy, amplified texture is easy to wear and is perfect for making a bold lip statement. A great introduction to welcoming Spring!

  •  Fake it!

Maxfactor False Lash effect Mascara ~

This Mascara Does it all! It lifts, thickens and really does give you the illusion of false lashes! I have been asked on numerous occasions, when wearing this mascara, whether I am wearing falsies! This is another essential product, which I cannot and will not live without, all year round!

  •  Neon Neon

“Out to sea” MAC PowerPoint liner ~

If a neon eyeshadow is a little bit of a reach for you then why not give your eyes a bright pop of colour in a subtle way! Off to sea is a Bright Blue liner that has intense colour and great staying power.Wear it on the waterline of your eye and don your top and bottom lashes with some serious mascara and you’re right on trend!

  •  Get Nude

“ Don’t Pretzel my buttons “ OPI ~

On my search to find the perfect Nude Nailcolour, I came across this in a nailbar in Singapore. When I’m performing, on stage, my nails are starved of coloured nail polish (which is a struggle because nail polish is such an obsession of mine) so a Nude is the only option. This in my opinion is the perfect nude, its creamy, biscuity and so there! OPI is such a great brand and the nailcolour just lasts for days ( providing you wear a base and top coat). It is also long lasting in the bottle, which is important, especially whilst travelling from warm to colder climates! Months later it is still as good as new.

Thanks Kirsten, for sharing this great list of Spring makeup essentials with us!

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Beauty, Beauty Products

Tom Ford Private Blend Collection

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I know I am sooo behind the curve on this one but I am afraid life has indeed taken over and the past few weeks have been a complete blur. It is an understatement that as kids get older you get busier! So all that aside I could not – not tell you about the Tom Ford Private Blend Launch, which I attended a few weeks back!

Tom-Ford-Private-Blend-M3

The weather on the day of the launch was beyond awful but when has that ever stopped me!!?? As you may know I am a bit of a sucker for beauty products and was really keen to find out  more about the Tom Ford beauty brand! I even managed to squeeze in a mini-makeover{hair & makeup}, courtesy of Spoilt Salon in Green Point! I am still getting use to my über blonde self but my makeup was smoking hot thanks to Adele, from Spoilt Salon. After getting my glam on I set out for Edgars in the V&A Waterfront Cape Town, which was the setting for the TomFord launch.

Tom Ford Private Blend Launch6

Tom-Ford-Private-Blend-Laun

Bubbly was flowing and the all the beauties were out in their finery; I must admit I am a bit of a voyeur and loving seeing what everyone is wearing 🙂 The excitement was electric, almost as if Tom Ford was actually there in person – which I am certain, no one would have minded! Before the official opening we had the opportunity to visit the stunning new Tom Ford Counter, situated in Edgars at the V&A Waterfront and experience the fragrances first hand. I must admit this was a first time experience for me, as I have not had the opportunity, to try any of the Tom Ford fragrances before.

Tom-Ford-Private-Blend3 Tom-Ford-Private-Blend2

As well as the Tom Ford Private Blend Collection, his signature fragrances are also available at the new counter. The Private Blend Collection is Tom Fords answer to artisanal scent.

“Packaged in a single bottle design, Private Blend delivers sixteen highly original accords of the most fascinating notes in a parfumer’s lexicon{dictionary}. Each fragrance begins with a precious extraction of a single note, such as amber, tobacco, black violet, leather, gardenia and oud wood. Then the secondary sequences of extraordinary ingredients are wrapped around each note to create a completely developed and complex eau de parfum.” Suggested Retails Price per 50 ml R1800

TomFordPrivateCollection

Tom-Ford-Private-Blend-Lips

An added bonus was that we were treated to a lippie touch up from the Tom Ford range of gorgeous lip colours. Although I had a nude lip for the night I choose Casablanca, which is a plummy pink, with a brownish undertone ~ a very pretty feminine colour!

tomford-privateblend-lipcolor-casablanca

 

This lip stick colour would be perfect for everyday wear and the Tom Ford Lipsticks contain soja seed extract, Brazillian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil to give them an ultra-creamy texture and seamless application. If it were not for the rather steep price I would be hooked!

Hopefully this is only the start and we will see much more of the Tom Ford brand in South Africa ~ I would love to own a pair of Tom Ford heels!

As luck would have, it we received a bottle of Black Orchid to take home, which was amazing, seen as it is definitely my kind of fragrance! Thank you again to Edgars and Tom Ford for a wonderful evening!

 

 

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Beauty, Beauty Products, Competitions

Spring Beauty Competition

*This Competition Has Ended*

Spring Beauty Competition

It is Friday HOORAY! Spring is definitely in the air and it is also time to start our Spring Beauty Competition! I have some wonderful beauty products up for grabs, all with a Spring-time theme. Spring brings with it warmer weather and hopefully we can soon pack away all of our Winter woolies and get our tootsies out into the open!

The colours I have chosen are bright and playful, perfect for the season ahead. There are goodies to get your hands and toes looking pretty, ready for those strappy sandals. Also up for grabs are gorgeous, bright eye colours, for those balmy spring evenings. 🙂 I am loving a nude lip at the moment and you cannot go wrong with pink for Spring, so I have selected a few of these lip colours. There are also a few basic beauty products to help pamper your skin.

Spring-Beauty-Competition

All you need to do is follow the steps below and you could be the lucky person to win all these amazing products.

To win enter via the Facebook Competition App:

  • Click here to enter via the Facebook App
  • Tweet Win a Spring #Beauty Hamper from @inspired_lifeSA
  • Leave a comment telling me what you love about Spring

Competition Rules:

Entry Dates: 6th September 2013 – 24th September 2013

Please complete all the necessary steps as indicated above, to ensure that your entry in processed correctly (please use a valid email address). Your details will only be used to validate your entry and inform you, if you are selected as a winner.
The winner/s will then be randomly selected via the Facebook App and announced on my blog and on Facebook. The winners will also be notified via email.
Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this competition but please be advised that the various companies sponsoring prizes on Inspired Living SA, are based in South Africa and therefore prizes will only be shipped within South Africa. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

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Beauty, Beauty Products

Pantene Moisture Renewal Review

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A few weeks back I received the Pantene Moisture Renewal Range, of hair care products, to try out and review. Pantene is not the range of products I normally use but I have been struggling with dry ends, so I was keen to see if these products would help.

Much like our skin, our hair requires devoted loving care, nutrients and most importantly, conditioning, especially during the dryer months of the year. The weather can play havoc with your hair, especially the extremely cold winter weather but there are other factors, which can contribute to dry and lifeless hair.

I thought I would include some hair-care advice in this review, from Dr John Gray, who is an expert medical practitioner and internationally acclaimed trichologist. He explains that temperature is not necessarily a leading factor for caring for dry hair, but rather a combination of the following habits:

• How processed is your hair?
• How many times a week do you wash and heat style your hair?
• How often do you condition and add a moisture treatment to your hair care regime?
• How often do you make an appointment with a professional stylist, to keep split ends trimmed and your hair shaped in an attractive and easy to maintain style?

My hair is in fairly good condition and not over processed but I do heat-dry it on a daily basis hence the dry ends. I find it vital to condition my hair each time I wash it but because my hair is extremely fine, I cannot use products which are too moisturising and leave my hair feeling oily.

Pantene Hair Care

The Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal collection works to re-hydrate and replenish the driest of dry hair, with targeted micro-moisturisers. By supporting the control of moisture movement, the hairs’ natural lipid layers are protected, which ensures your mane looks and feels silky smooth, glossy and radiant, for up to 24 hours.

These are a few tips from Dr Gray to banish dry unmanageable hair:

  • “Condition, condition, condition! Hair must be conditioned after every wash. Protection against moisture loss works best after working a conditioning cure or masque treatment through the hair such as the Pantene Intensive Moisturising Masque.
  • “Wash ‘n rinse: Many of us subject our heads of hair to rigorous washing and styling on a daily basis. Through our devoted attention, we lose precious moisture, which ultimately leads to damage.”
  •  “After using a rich shampoo such as Pantene’s Moisture Renewal Shampoo with micro-moisturisers, which targets the driest areas of hair to help protect the natural lipid layer, towel-dry your hair. This is an important step before completing the drying and styling process because a hairdryer, by way of example, can boil the water in your hair because it delivers dry heat temperatures of around 140°C.”
  • “Ensure you pay regular visits to a professional hair stylist. With over 100,000 strands of hair on the average human head, two centimeters of split ends, actually equates to two kilometers of damaged tips. By maintaining the right length of hair, your style will be easy to control and maintain, and ultimately, your hair will be enabled to hold its moisture content.”

My Pantene Moisture Renewal Review:

Pantene-Moisture-Renewal-Sh

Moisture Renewal Revitalising Shampoo and Conditioner:

After our recent trip to Thailand I have really been struggling to get my hair back to its natural soft silky state and have tried various different products to add more moisture. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, when I was offered these products to review but I have really enjoyed using both the Shampoo and Conditioner. These products are not over moisuturising and do not weigh your hair down at all. I found my hair soft but not fly-away, which tends to happen to my hair. My hair was manageable and easy to comb through making styling it a pleasure.

Pantene-2-Min-Intensive-Moi

2 Minutes Intensive Moisturizing Mask:

This is an awesome treatment but because my hair tends to become oily quite easily, I have only been using it once a week. It is light and does not weigh your hair down or make it tacky after using it. My daughter who has curly hair, which tends to dry out, has also been using the treatment but twice a week. You can apply it after you have washed your hair and leave on for two minutes, while you shave your legs or use your body scrub. Then rinse as per normal, it is super quick and easy to use and is definitely a product I would buy!

Pantene-Deep-Moisture-Souff

Deep Moisture Soufflé:

Last but certainly not least, the Deep Moisture Soufflé, leave in treatment, which looks like pipped meringue, is truly amazing. It is a blend of four moisturises, which help protect your hair against heat damage. It looks a bit like regular styling mousse but it does not have the same sticky texture that mousse does. You only need to apply a small amount to towel dried hair before you style it, for perfectly silky tresses!

*Disclaimer – The Pantene Products were sent to me for review purposes but the views and opinions are my own.

About Dr John Gray:

John qualified in Medicine from St George’s Hospital in London. He ran a family-based primary care practice and trichology clinic before moving to South Africa in 2010.
As well as being a senior consultant to P&G, John is a member of the European Academy of Dermatology, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the European and North American Hair Research Societies, the Royal Society of Medicine and the Institute of Trichology.

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Beauty, Reviews and Features, Video Reviews

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Sponge-On Makeup

Elizabeth-Arden-Flawless-F4

My most recent beauty review for the Beauty Bulletin, is of the Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Sponge-On Makeup. You may recall my review of the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Radiance Blush, which was the first Elizabeth Arden product that I had used. I have been most impressed with the blush and was really excited to try this foundation.

Elizabeth-Arden-Flawless-F3

I am quite fussy when it comes to choosing a foundation for myself, not only is my skin quite oily in parts but I also have pigmentaion. A foundation has to fulfill a fair amount of requirements for me – it has to give good coverage with out being too thick and pasty and while I like it to be moisturising, it cannot be overly so and make me look like an oil-slick.

I have tried quite a few mineral foundations, with not much success and liquid foundations can be a bit light on the coverage front, which is why I really like a compact foundation. Not only are they neat, easy to store and carry in your makeup bag but I find the application is much more even.

The Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Sponge-On Makeup, which I have been using is the perfect mix of moisturising and great coverage. The colour that I have tried is Cognac, no.56. I was a bit worried at first that the colour was a bit dark for my skin but I have been happy with the colour and the overall appearance of my skin after application. The end result definitely lives up to the promise of a flawless finish 🙂

Elizabeth-Arden-Flawless-F6

The makeup comes in a neat gold compact, with a sponge applicator and a handy compartment to store it. Perfect for makeup touch-ups on the run!

Makeup application is very much personal preference. Some people prefer to apply foundation with a sponge for applicator but you can also use a foundation brush or your finger tips, to apply it to your skin. I have used the sponge applicator with this makeup, as well as my finger tips to apply it and would recommend either of these, over brush application. The main thing is to ensure that your hands are clean and that you either wash or replace the sponge regularly, to avoid a build up of bacteria!

My general routine is to apply serum, moisturiser and a bit of concealer or primer. I usually wait for approximately 10 minutes before I apply my foundation and the rest of my makeup. I have also made a video review for you so that you can see the makeup application in the “flesh” – I hope you enjoy it and would love you to subscribe to my YouTube Channel, so that you do not miss out on future reviews and tutorials!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roTq4RJGS08&feature=share&list=UUW-Ptg2fpKFHowi0_J6Po_w[/youtube]

 

This product is available from all major retail outlets with beauty counters, as well as certain pharmacies and Edgars Red Square Stores.

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Meet Fiona Rossiter

Hi, I am Fiona Rossiter, from Cape Town, the writer and photographer behind Inspired Living SA Blog. If you love good Food and Wine, reading amazing Travel Adventures, keeping Fit and Healthy, as well following Decor Trends – then Inspired Living SA is just the place for you! Read More…

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