With Summer fast approaching, I might need to rethink my standard high-pony for those hot days and nights. How cool are these braided beauties?


Photos from @kristin_ess , @kirstenzellers  and @blohaute

When I saw the Maybelline Lash Sensational in Clicks last month, I got so excited because, a) I'd seen it on a few UK blogs already and was hoping it would make its way to our shores, and b) because I was really not loving my current mascara.

I know we're not meant to judge books by their covers, but being a designer and general "visual person" by nature, I definitely do. Maybe not the best thing to admit, but hey! Okay, the point is that I've previously been put-off by all the other Maybelline mascaras (except for the Great Lash, that's a classic if ever there was one) because I find their packaging just very tacky and garish-looking.

There, I said it. Phew! Now that's outta my system, let's talk about this new addition to my daily routine.

I was completely drawn to the beautiful lilac-rose-metallic hybrid colour of the tube, as well as its "lash multiplying" effect. So far so good! It coats the lashes nicely and clumps aren't an issue, which is always a plus. The only thing I wish is that this was a bit more lengthening, but I guess you can't have everything. I've even gotten a few compliments on my lashes since switching to this one, so I think its a winner! 

Overall, I'm really happy with this one and will definitely be re-purchasing.

Here are a few awkward before and after photos, not the greatest, but I think they show the difference it makes. (PS. how creepy do I look with my eyes closed? Like a corpse bride or something! Haha)




Note: None of this is sponsored, I just really like this mascara. Hope this has been helpful!

So after being incredibly lazy in the hair department (the last time I went to the hairdresser was in February!) I finally have an appointment on Saturday morning - super excited to look like a decent human again and maybe even have the hair of my dreams... for now, this is what my idea of "dream hair" is.. basically, blonde, long bob with a hint of pink.

For more "hairspiration" be sure to check out my Pinterest board - because I'm such a Pinterest addict, it gets updated pretty frequently!


1. Fringe benefits 2. Platinum perfection 3. Also love a bit of purple! 4. A pretty cut 5. Candyfloss dreams 6. In awe of this one! 7. Emelie Etc. looking incredible

I've been trying my best to avoid the shops lately (no easy feat when you love shopping and happen to work within walking distance of Canal Walk) but while on a quick stop at Dischem recently, I couldn't help but stop at the Catrice stand - I mean, look at these beauties!

These are part of the Limited Edition Caviar Gauche collection - there is a total of four nail shades, but these two caught my eye. The grey is C04 Cool Wonder and as the name suggests, it's a lovely cool-toned grey - possibly a little bit dark for my ghostly fingers, but I'll see how it looks in summer when my skin has a bit more colour. Then, the colour of my dreams, C03 Love Me Tender.... basically, this is the colour I've been searching for - the perfect pinky lilac - not too pale, not too dark, just right! My only issue with this shade is the formula - it's quite runny so you need 2 -3 coats for a completely opaque look - but the end result is totally worth the effort.

I've been a fan of Catrice's nail polishes for a while now - they have such great brushes (wide and rounded) and people always ask if I'm wearing gellish, especially with the darker red colours. Also, at just over R50 each, you really can't feel too guilty for spoiling yourself.

So if you're looking some pretty new shades to spice up your nails, be sure to check these out.

An exciting new series - Babe on a budget - I think the name speaks for itself, but this is basically going to be all about looking your best when your bank balance is small (aka, my life at the moment, fun times!) I'm not sure how regular this will be, since I don't go make-up shopping that often, but I'm going to try my best to keep it a semi-regular feature.

Until very recently, I wasn't really that bothered with eyeshadow - I mean, I always thought it looked nice on other people, but I was perfectly happy with my standard black liner (one thing I can kind-of brag about is that I've just-about perfected the ultimate cat-eye, but maybe that's a post for another day!)

All that changed when my amazing friend Linda surprised me with the LA Girl NUDES palette a couple of months ago - oh my goodness, this is incredible... such a good mix of mattes and shimmers, perfect for any occasion. I remember these sold out really quickly, and I'm not sure if Dischem has restocked them yet. I also can't quite remember how much this was, but it was definitely under the 100 mark. Totally worth picking up if you do see this.

A more recent purchase is the HD Perfect 10 eyeshadow palette - I spotted this at Clicks about two weeks ago and at only R40 (yes, you read correctly, forty rand) it's another total catch. This one is a really nice mix of warm shades, which is perfect if you have blue or grey eyes like me. They also had a darker/ cooler toned version, so if you have green or brown eyes, then definitely give that one a try.

As you can probably see, both of these have already had their fair share of use, in fact, I use at least one of the shadows every day, so both palettes are definitely worth it - not that you need much convincing with prices like this though!


Do you have any budget beauty faves? I'd love to hear!

x A



And a quick disclaimer: I am no professional when it comes to makeup and skincare, I'm simply a girl who loves a bit of something-something from time to time. Hopefully you'll enjoy what I put up here!

Hope everyone's having a wonderful long weekend! And happy Women's Day to all the ladies!

I'm in full-on hibernation mode today - even though Cape Town is beautifully sunny for a change, it's still pretty nippy outside. Luckily, I have these fluffy bear slippers that I picked up at Woolies last week (payday! whoop!). I also popped into The Body Shop to check out their sale (and use up my stash of vouchers that I've been clinging onto for no good reason) - and I walked away with a big tub of their Shea Body Butter - this stuff smells incredible, like warm vanilla, but not too strong. Basically just awesome.

What are you up to this weekend?

x A

My boyfriend's friend lent us his copy of The Business this weekend an I'm so glad he did - such a great movie.

It reminded me of Blow with Johnny Depp, and one of my all-time favourites, Snatch. Really worth a watch.

"Set in the Thatcher era with the cool sounds of the 80's, THE BUSINESS is an action packed gangster flick set in Spain's sun drenched Costa Del crime. Frankie (Danny Dyer), is on the run from the high-rise's of South London to a new life in Malaga with nothing but a tin stuffed full of cash. Having no idea that this delivery of cash to super-suave playboy and ex-con, Charlie (Tamer Hassan), will change his life forever, he soon becomes one of the gang, and finds himself drawn into a flamboyant and violent world of organized crime."

Anyway, another major reason that I love this film so much is the costumes and make-up - amazing! Maybe this is a weird thing to say about a movie set in the 80s, but just look at this face, isn't she perfect?



 

 Now I'm officially searching for a deep blue-toned red lipstick... any suggestions? Fire away!




Oh and I saw this image on Pinterest today and it reminded of a slightly updated version of her look... sort of similar hey?

all images + sources can be found here

I'm absolutely in love with the work of Stanislava Pinchuk, aka, Miso. This series of handmade tattoos is 

"An ongoing & loose project -
Home-made tattoos for friends & friends of friends, playing with memory,
space & geography turned back on the body, all completed as trades."

 Beautiful.

I thought it would be fun to do a little round-up of my favourite bits of inspiration - should make for a fun weekly series too!

1. This pic of Goldie Hawn - that hair! that face! I love her.
2. A beautiful leafy wreath.
3. Pretty string lights in a cute bedroom.
4. A great smokey-eye tutorial over on ghostparties.
5. Some sweet sneaks.

Please feel free to follow me on Pinterest for more daily inspiration.

Happy friday!

On a lighter note (see what I did there? Getting all fancy with puns and stuff... hey now!) I snapped this pic this morning. Just a random collection of some of the things that help me to get that hair colour I love so much, yet also hate for the way I come out of the shower with a giant bird's nest on my head each morning...

I tried the Schwarzkopf Colour Mask in Pearl Blonde last month (I had my hair professionally highlighted in September and my roots were really getting out of hand) - I had read and watched some great reviews on this and decided to give it a try - and I'm still so happy with the results! This is honestly the only hair dye I've ever tried that has not gone brassy & yellow - the bluish-purple mask works so well, so when I saw it was on special at Clicks, I made sure to stock up with another one.

Then there's the trusty purple shampoos - key ingredients in fighting that brassy situation and maintaining a cooler, almost silvery blonde.  I also love the Dove range of shampoos & conditioners & treatments for coloured hair and like to alternate my shampoo between the Dove & a purple variant.

The shower comb is actually more of a representation of my black Tangle Teezer - I honestly can't live without it, but it doesn't photograph very well!

So there you have it, some of my daily essentials in the haircare department!

By now it's no secret that Pantone's Colour of the Year is Radiant Orchid. This year, Sephora has teamed up with the colour authority to produce a line of beautifully co-ordinated beauty products.