Oh So Heavenly- skin Care Range

So I have been trying to put this post together for a month already now but every time I start I seem to amble off onto something else which is a royal pain considering how much I love this range guys.

I have mentioned my skin issues many times over my time as a blogger and for the most part since having my hysterectomy my skin has done a complete turnaround to the point where for the first time in many a year I am happy with my skin.

Then 3 months back I started to notice a change in my skin and my hair actually but let’s focus on skin for now, my skin has always been dry bar my t zone but of late it has gone full throttle and the dryness has increased and I have also started getting breakouts in my chin area.

I have been incredibly lazy with skin care over the past year so I decided it was time to climb back on the horse and find a regime I love, I popped in at Dischem and perused their skin care isle for a good 40  minutes and I left begrudgingly with a face wash that I wasn’t all too happy about, seriously the entire isle was a mass of tested on animals, paraben laden products even the one range which claimed to be all natural wasn’t and they no longer stock the Essence skin care range I used to use so I had to make do, but after 2 weeks I could not use the product any longer it only worsened the issues I was experiencing and my skin was dry and painful.

Then whilst browsing in Clicks a few days later the Oh So Heavenly skin care range caught my eye, I did not know that they had a skin care range and I knew that it was a range I had to try.

I picked up a gel wash, spa mask/wash and moisturiser and it was a 3 for 2 special so I believe I paid less than 200 for all 3 products, I have been using it for 2 months now and I could not be happier, my skin feels more hydrated, my skin is smoother and the breakouts have all but dissipated apart from being sick now the last few days which has brought out one or 2 spots but I have found that the moisturiser is amazing for use on what is now an incredibly sensitive nasal area thanks to my flu whereas before I found any product used at this time would have burned and hurt terribly.

I use the mask twice a week and the wash every day as well as the moisturisor, the mask doubles up as an scrub (exfoliant) as well which I find works incredibly well for my skin.

I highly recommend that you try this range whatever your skin type, the product is cruelty free and inexpensive as far as skin care goes.  The range I tried is the Beautifully Balanced range which to me seemed to be the most all rounded product range they had on offer, I am dying to try the day and night cream and will pop in to purchase those in the coming month.

Thank you Oh So Heavenly your products never fail to amaze me.

Essence and Catrice Mini Haul

It's no secret my go to make up brands are Essence and Catrice as they are both affordable and cruelty free, which in SA there is far to little of.

Anyhoo I managed to replenish my make up stash this month and I usually like to try new things whenever I do so 4 of the 5 products I purchased are just that new and newly tested.

Essence Rock and Doll Mascara (R59.95)

Uhm I'm not actually sure how I feel about this mascara, the packaging is great, however the wand is much bigger than I usually prefer and the product is really thick which I am not a fan of but it did make my lashes look long, thick and amazing so its a hate love relationship on this one, will I purchase it again, I'm not sure I will I really love the Essence multi purpose mascara and will most probably stick to that a staple in the future.

Essence All about Matt High covering Concealer (R45.95)

My first impression when I opened the tube was that it had a very strong smell which I have to say put my off initially and I was somewhat disappointed but after using it I was pleasantly surprised, the coverage was awesome and so little product went a very long way.

Catrice Illuminating Blush- I'm nuts about you (R79.95)

Before I found out Avon tested on animals I purchased a dusty rose colored blush from them that made me completely change how I felt towards blushes in general, it was absolutely stunning and I have found it so difficult to find a similar colour since.

So when I saw this blush I just about jumped for joy and bought it, the colour once on the cheeks isn't exactly what I was hoping for but I love it all the same as it looks natural and the product and packaging in general is stunning so I will definitely purchase this one again, here is to hoping it isn't discontinued at some point!

Essence Kajal Pencil in Black (R19.95)

I always have both a black and a grey eye pencil in my make up bag, the grey is for days I want a more subtle natural look and the black for when I want my eyes to pop, I have purchased this eye pencil before and will again, the formula is great it feels soft and light and stays on all day and at the price it is such a good buy I highly recommend it!

Catrice All Matt plus shine control Powder (R74.95)

I adore Catrice powders they really are a gem, the packages are gorgeous and the product feels amazing on your skin.  Last time I opted for a translucent powder but I decided to go with the skin toned one this time and I was not disappointing, it makes my skin feel so soft and just blends everything in so beautifully, I will definitely purchase this again in the future.

Essence stay all day make up (R84.95)

I have not had a chance to try this one yet as my other Essence foundation is still half full but I hope to get the same results as I did with my previous purchase, Essence has really changed my feelings towards liquid foundations I used to detest them and preferred either a mousse or a powder but since Essence came along I have changed my mind.

Its a wonderful feeling

For pretty much my entire life I have struggled with my weight and the way I feel about my body, since I was a little girl my weight has yo yo’d to the point of being obese as well as underweight, there was a point in my life where I firmly believed that you had to be thin to be beautiful and for people to like you.

I know now that that is all utter hogwash, you don’t need to be thin to be beautiful or to love yourself what you need is to be happy within yourself, healthy and confident.

At this point in my life which has not been the easiest I will be honest I truly feel that I am at my most confident, there are off days in between but otherwise I like my body and I am happy with who I am I feel healthy, confident and above all comfortable within my own body which is something I have never known even at my smallest I hated my body and felt it wasn’t good enough, now post 3 kids I feel that I have developed a better relationship, appreciation and understanding of the beauty of a human body that I never had, I look at the stretch marks, the lumps and bumps and I am proud, when my hubby tells me I’m beautiful I don’t push him away I smile, it’s a wonderful feeling and it is something I wish for every woman, because the truth is there is beauty in everyone and everything you may not see what others see but it is there and it’s all about learning to appreciate and love yourself for the beauty that you ignite in others as much as yourself.

I am so incredibly happy to have reached this point in my life, I feel great, I feel loved and I think that it shows, I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and that you take the time to look and appreciate the love and beauty within yourself and that which you inspire in others!

Kiss, Care, Love Lipbalm- Essence

I am not a lip product fan as much as I love the look of a vivid red lip or the idea of a lip product that can moisturize and care for your lips I cannot for the life of me stand the feeling of a lip product on my lips and have always found them incredibly drying so I usually just skip that beauty section all together.

So I am not exactly sure what it is that drew me to purchase this product but I did and I decided to give you a quick review.

Iv'e fallen down but I will get back up!

So I have been fighting against doing this post for the last week but after reading another post on one of my favourite local blogs I have decided to do it….

Remember when I wrote that post about Breaking Things off with the Scale, I spoke about my new healthy path, one where I no longer cared to weigh myself because it’s not about the numbers on that scale it is about being a healthier me and being happy within myself…

Well I have put that post to shame….

Sunnyside Bubble Bar

Last week when I took the boys with me to the LUSH store (bad idea) they asked actually begged me to get them something so I said ok one thing as long as you choose together, it took a while but in the end they Chose the Sunnyside bubble bar, now I have never bought this bar before and it has been remastered into the shape of a tear/raindrop when it used to be circular and it is bright gold and COVERED in glitter (shudder).

Essence My Skin- Skincare Range

So over the past 2 or so months I have been on a search, a search for a better skin regime and a solution to the various skin issues I have been experiencing lately.

Whilst I love LUSH and I loved the Aqua Marina facial cleanser I was using I just couldn’t afford it at the time on a monthly basis and the soap version of it Fresh Pharmacy seemed to be aggravating my skin to the point where my skin was physically sore and brought me to tears.

So after doing a bit of research I went on a search I looked at various options and eventually my mom spotted the Essence skin care range and I am so grateful that she did because not only is it extremely affordable but it has worked miracles to the point where my skin has now COMPLETELY cleared up, it feels soft moisturised and looks healthy with no more breakouts!!!!!!

Absent Vlogger... where to from here

So I've been asked why I haven't been vlogging lately....

First up I would just like to say that no I have not given up on vlogging or lost interest in vlogging I know I originally said that I wanted to get a vlog out every week and now I haven't in quite a while...

My reasoning behind it is well really embarrassing and narcissistic so I was honestly hoping that no one would ask me and it would go unnoticed but it hasn't so here it goes.

Small Catrice Products Haul

So last weekend I was recommended to incorporate a primer into my make up routine, I have mentioned before that I am having some troubles with my skin lately so it was recommended as a barrier layer between my skin and make up and in particular the Catrice Prime and Fine smoothing refiner was recommended so upon my trip into red square this week I decided to go ahead and get it.

Usually I would go for the Essence brand which is the same company as Catrice but somewhat less expensive but since Essence didn't have a primer I decided to give it a go.

Essence Soft Touch Mouse- 02 Matt Beige

So I have been meaning to review this foundation for a while now, I started using this mousse from Essence 3 months ago, I was using their CC cream but the mousse came highly recommended by their brand ambassador who also happens to be my elder two monkeys step mum, so I decided to give it a go and am so happy I did.

Catastrophe Cosmetic- LUSH Face Mask Review

So I mentioned on my LUSH vlog that I was looking to try another one of the LUSH fresh face masks, for anyone who doesn’t know LUSH offers a reward/ recycling program whereby you can return 5 of your empty product pots in exchange for a free fresh face mask from their collection.

I fell head over heels for the last one I used which was the brazened honey, but upon my return to the store this time it had sold out and when I told the store manager what I was looking for she suggested Catastrophe Cosmetic (I wanted something to fight break outs), she said that this mask specifically detoxes and purifies the skin clearing up all the nasty’s so that seemed to be exactly what I needed…

Essence- Make me Brow gel

Two weeks ago I walked into the Red Square store in Canal Walk and head on into the new Benefit stand as Benefit had literally just been introduced into SA it was quite a large stand dead centre of the store, now I had heard all the hype about the range and have spent some time reading up reviews etc but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on cosmetics no matter how good the product is….. thankfully I am not a beauty blogger because I would never be able to keep up or be able to afford to try out all these new ranges.

Essence- My Skin Intensively Caring Moisturiser

So I have been using LUSH facial products for a while now which I absolutely Love, as mentioned on my vlog however I did find a slight difference between using my favourite facial cleanser Aqua Marina and the soap version which is Fresh Pharmacy, the difference is that I find the soap to be slightly drying which considering I already have dry skin has not been a good thing, which is sad as the soap is cheaper than the cleanser but I will use up the soap and then go back to the tub cleanser in the future.

Breaking things off with my scale

So I know a lot of people will look at this title with some confusion yes I am comparing a human relationship to that which one shares with an everyday weight scale, it may seem stupid or ridiculous but give me a moment to explain and you will see why they are so similar.

A relationship can do many things, it can make your day or break it, it can build you up or bring you down, it can be an obsession or a casual thing…. See where I am going with this.

The same can be said for a scale, one simple number on that piece of metal or plastic can make or break your day, it can make you feel top of the world beaming with self-confidence or it demoralize you and stamp your confidence into the ground, it can also be something you step on once in a blue moon or every now and then or it can become a dangerous obsession…..

LUSH Twilight bath bomb demo

Hi Everyone

So I managed to put together a little demo of the Twilight Bath Bomb I purchased from LUSH as seen in my LUSH vlog, I think I am finally getting the hang of editing processing etc, my hubby has the patience of a saint I promise you.

Honey Bee Bath Bomb- LUSH Review

So for anyone who watched my vlog a few days ago I picked up a few things from LUSH and did a not so little haul, well afterwards I was finally able to let loose and try some of the products and the Honey Bee bath bomb was one I was really excited for.

I was going to vlog the bath bomb experience and how it takes to the water but to be quite honest after trying half of the bomb as I cut it into two it wasn’t a very exciting one so I decided it would be best to just do a written review.

Essence Soft Touch Mousse and Cream to Powder Highlighter- Product Review

This past Friday I went past the Red Square store in Canal Walk to pick up a new foundation and I ended up walking out with the Essence Soft Touch Mousse in the shade Matte Sand or no 1 as well as their Cream to Powder Highlighter in the cream/ white shade (they also have a light pink shade).

First off I have no idea why I considered a highlighter quite frankly I think I am just too pale for contouring as every highlighter I find just blends into my skin and doesn’t make a difference and every countering shade I find is just too dark but I went against my better judgement and purchased this product anyway, hope still lingers on I guess.

Brazened Honey- Fresh Face Mask- Review

For anyone new to LUSH or for anyone who maybe didn’t know this LUSH has a brilliant recycle program and offer with their shoppers- ie if you return 5 of their black product pots you get to choose one of their fresh face mask worth around R130 for free.

I love this initiative besides the recycling who doesn’t love getting a product for free.

So a month or so back I had accumulated my 5 black pots and decided a fresh face mask would be nice to try, I have to admit I was a bit nervous though as I had been given some of their oatifix facemask as a sample and I didn’t like it at all, it did absolutely nothing for my skin and looked and felt to me like bird excrement…. Yes picture that doesn’t it sound just wonderful but I was not going to let that deter me from my mission and off I went.

Blue Skies and Fluffy Clouds- LUSH Review

Since the first time that I stepped into a LUSH store I fell completely head over heels for their products, besides everything they stand for – they are cruelty free, natural and many of their products are even vegan, I completely adore their products.

My boys especially love their bubble bars and bath bombs so every month I ensure that I at least have 1 thing my cupboard for them to enjoy (I find this to be a better treat than sweets) - usually this is a bubble bar as I find these go much further than the bath bombs and are better value for your money- also what child doesn’t LOVE bubbles.

Things can change for the better

After Jesse was born I took a good look at myself in the mirror and didn't like what I saw, I was over weight I had neglected my health, I was literally sick and tired all the time, my skin, my hair everything looked terrible and I was so unhappy within self.     

So I decided enough was enough and I made a change. I stopped buying processed crap which surprisingly saved us money, I had my hysterectomy which sorted my hormonal issues out and I started exercising and made a conscious effort to look after my self and my appearance, as a mom of three it was incredibly difficult for me to make time for myself I was so used to throwing on whatever was comfortable throwing my hair in a pony and going without make up etc, but I knew that I couldn't keep going like that for the sake of my kids my marriage and myself I needed to make the effort.