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Beauty, Nail Polish

Essence Nail Polish {Mani-Monday}

Essence The Pastels Nail Polish

 Essence Nail Polish

Essence-Nail-PolishI recently featured the The Nudes Essence Nail Polish, from the I Love Trends Collection, which you can find out more about here. Today on Mani-Monday, I thought I would feature a shade from The Pastels Essence Nail Polish  range, which is also from the I Love Trends Collection. I have also used the Essence Nail Art Pastel Ombré Top Coat, in this feature.

essence-The-Pastels

The Essence Nail Polish shade I chose, for this look is called I’m So Fluffy, which is a peachy colour. I thought I would try something a bit different for Mani Monday this week, as lots of my features recently have been darker autumn/winter shades.

The Essence The Pastels range, is available in eight shades, seven of which have a matt finish and the eighth a glitter effect. I’m so Fluffy has a matt finish and I would recommend at least two coats, if not three to get the full effect of the polish.

Essence-Nail-Art

To try something different, I decided to use the Essence Nail Art Pastel Ombré Top Coat, which lightens the colour of your nail polish, with each application. The image above I have one coat of the Essence Nail Art Pastel Ombré Top Coat and the image below I have two coats.

Essence-Nail-Art

The effect is not dramatic but it does result in a much softer, milky finish. Essence does recommend that you use darker nail polish, with the Essence Nail Art Pastel Ombré Top Coat, to get more of a dramatic effect.

What do you think of this look?

RRP: Essence I love Trends The Pastels Collection Pure Soul R34.95, Essence Nail Art Pastel Ombré Top Coat R38.95.

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Beauty, Hair

Pantene Pro V Aqua Light {Review}

Pantene-Pro-V-Aqua-Light

Pantene Pro V Aqua Light

You may remember a few posts I did last month, on Inspired Living, as well as on social media, about the Pantene Open Trial. If not – to put you in the picture, I have been testing the new Pantene Pro V Aqua Light Shampoo and Condtioner for the past month.

Pantene-Pro-V-Aqua-Light

Pantene recently released their newly formulated range, which combats damage caused to hair, by the minerals in tap water. This is all thanks to anti-oxidant ‘Damage Blockers’, which actively target, capture and neutralize the minerals found in tap water.

The Product ~

I have been using the Pantene Pro V Aqua Light shampoo and conditioner, which reinforces fine hair, without weighing it down. Due to the fact that I wash my hair daily, as well as it being fine, I cannot use a product which is too heavy or over moisturising. As well as reinforcing and volumising the hair, the unique Pantene Pro V Aqua Light formula deeply nourishes and protects against styling damage.

Pantene Pro V Aqua Light

My Verdict ~

After using the Pantene Pro V Aqua Light range for just over a month, I can only give you positive feedback! My hair has never felt or looked better. I have found that my hair definitely has more volume and bounce. It is easy to style and it is not fly-away at all. {I do use products, after washing my hair, to prevent heat damage, as I blow-dry my hair daily.}

I promised I would post a photo of my hair after using the Pantene Pro V Aqua Light produtcs! As you can see above my hair is sleek and smooth but still has great volume.

In my opinion if you have fine hair and are looking for volumising products, which will not break the bank, then give the Pantene Pro V Aqua Light range a try!

Top Tip ~

Use a nourishing hair mask once a week, to avoid your hair drying out, especially if it is colour treated.

Pantene Aqua Light Shampoo R42.99 (250ml), Pantene Aqua Light Conditioner R42.99 (200ml), Pantene Aqua Light Dual Phase Nourishing Spray RRP R66.99

Disclosure: These products were supplied to me by Pantene, as part of an open trial but all views and opinions are my own.

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Beauty, Beauty Products, Nail Polish

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish {Mani-Monday}

Maybelline Color Show

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish

I decided on something quite bright for Mani-Monday! I was recently sent a few of the new Maybelline Color Show Nail Poilsh shades to try – these two caught my eye immediately!

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish

The Colors~

As you know I simply cannot resist pink nail polish and the brighter the better! The first colour I used to create the look below is Maybelline Color Show Park Avenue Pink, which is a gorgeous cerise pink. I painted a coat of Maybelline Color Show Wine Shimmer, over the Park Avenue Pink, to create a pretty sparkly effect. Wine Shimmer is a pinky red shade, with fine iridescent glitter.

I think this look would be particularly good for wearing out in the evening – to a glamorous event or dinner party. It will look especially good against black!

Maybelline-Color-Show Nail Polish

The Application ~

The Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish, applies very easily and is fast drying, as the label indicates – in 60 Seconds! I could have gotten away with one coat of Park Avenue Pink, if I was only wearing the one colour.

Maybelline-Color-Show Nail Polish

The Verdict ~

I think Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish is a winner! It applies well, is fast-drying, reasonably priced and looks great. I am not sure about how well it lasts yet, that remains to be seen but it definitely gets a thumbs up from me!

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish is available from selected Clicks Dischem, Foschini and Edgars stores. RRP R49.95

Disclosure Ranking:2

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Beauty, Competitions, Nail Polish

Essie Winter Giveaway

Essie Winter Giveaway

 Essie Winter Giveaway

Essie Winter Giveaway

Winter has officially arrived in Cape Town! It is cold and grey out and the best place to be is indoors, warm and snug next to a roaring fire!

To help lift the winter blues, we have decided to run an Essie Winter Giveaway! What better way to add colour to a grey day, than with awesome nail polish!

One lucky reader can win the six Essie shades below – which are: Licorice, After School Boy Blazer, Thigh High, Sew Psyched, Au Natural and Blanc.

Essie Winter Giveaway

These six iconic shades are a great addition to any nail polish collection and Essie is, in my opinion, one of the best nail polish brands!

To enter our Essie Winter Giveaway please follow the simple steps below:

  • Subscribe to our mailing list


For extra entries and more chances of winning:

  • Like:  Essie SA and Inspired Living SA on Facebook.
  • Tweet: Win with @essiepolishSA & @inspired_lifeSA http://goo.gl/PGAeOU #EssieWinterGiveaway
  • Leave a comment below: Please tell me if you qualify for extra entries and where you have entered.{Please ensure you read the *Terms & Conditions below carefully, to ensure you comply with all the entry criteria.}

*Terms & Conditions:

By entering this competition you automatically accept all the Terms and Conditions laid out below.

  • Entries are open from 5th June 2015 until the 15th June 2015.
  • You must complete all the steps as stipulated above: Subscribe to Mailing List, Leave a Comment, Like and/or Share on Facebook or Instagram and/0r Tweet about the competition.
  • To ensure that your entry is 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.
  • This competition is only open to South African residents and to readers who have not won a competition on Inspired Living SA in the past 6 months.
  • Entries will be considered incomplete and thus disqualified if the entrant does not provide all requested information. Entry information will not be shared with any third party without the entrant’s prior knowledge and consent. The prize hamper will go to the first name selected at random after the closing date.
  • The prize is not transferable and may not be exchanged for cash.
  • By “Liking” you enter and agree that this promotion is in no way associated with, administered by, or endorsed by Facebook; and acknowledge a complete release of Facebook by your participation.
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Beauty, Beauty Products, Nail Polish

Essie Style Cartel {Mani-Monday}

Essie-Style-Cartel

Hello from a very gloomy and grey Cape Town! It is the 1st of June and officially Winter in our neck of the woods…brrr. I thought I would feature something a bit brighter today on today’s Mani-Monday! Essie Style Cartel is from the Essie Fall Collection 2015, which I have featured previously.

Essie-Style-Cartel

The Colour ~ Essie Style Cartel is a inky cobalt blue. I am not a lover of blue nail polish but I loved the colour of this in the bottle. The colour on the nail, is slightly darker than I an anticipated but I do like it!

Essie-Style-Cartel4The application ~ The polish applies well as with most Essie polishes I have used. My only negative is that the colour tends to stain your skin, so try not to paint outside the lines! I am hoping this will not be the same case, with staining my nails but I guess I will only find out once I remove the polish. I used two coats of Essie Style Cartel and the Good To Go, fast drying top coat, to achieve the look below.

Essie-Style-Cartel

The Verdict ~ I really do love Essie Style Cartel, mostly because it is something a bit different, from my usual go-to colours for Autumn/Winter.

The Essie Fall Collection is available at selected Dis-Chem, Clicks and Foschini Stores, as well as selected Beauty Salons.

Follow Essie on Facebook to keep up to date with new collections and product launches.

Disclosure Ranking:2

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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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