The Muse Drop: lipstick

Showing posts with label lipstick. Show all posts

So recently I came across a blog post that was a no-makeup-for-a-week-challenge. I found it quite interesting because many of us don't like to leave the house without makeup on.

As a teenager, I used to wear eyeliner every single day. Not a day would pass without me wearing some sort of eyeliner. One day, I was too busy stressing for an exam so I ditched the liner and EVERYONE asked me if I was okay because I looked sick and tired (quite literally).

From that day, I made the decision NOT to wear eyeliner just so that people could get used to the real me. I didn't like the fact that people were so used to seeing me with eyeliner that when I didn't wear it, they thought that something was wrong.

Anyway, I only wear makeup on weekends and special occasions now. During the week, you'll see a bare face. I only wear either lipstick or a tinted lip moisturiser. And the only reason I do this is because my lips get dry very easily.

Thanks to my naturally long, thick lashes, I often get asked whether my lashes are real or whether I'm wearing mascara so that's an added bonus.

Other than that, you won't see any other traces of makeup. Any scars or blemishes left behind by unsightly pimples are on show for anyone to see.

I'm now so used to leaving the house without makeup, that it doesn't really bother me anymore (up until it's picture time because then I don't want to take pictures).

In fact, when I tell my colleagues about my love story with makeup, they don't believe me (sometimes, they even think that I don't know what I'm talking about because of the total lack of makeup on my face). A couple of pictures later and a quick description of my makeup collection, they believe that I love makeup.

A lot of people who have seen my pictures with makeup on almost cannot believe that it's me. And I do understand why. I look a little different. With the right angles, filters and makeup, anyone is bound to look different.

Also, no makeup tends to make me look a little younger. Of course, I don't mind this. Anything to make me look closer to my twenties and not my thirties.

The funny thing is that my husband prefers it when I don't wear makeup. I honestly will never understand the male species because I know for a fact that I look better with makeup on. Nonetheless, I'll embrace his opinion because it really does boost my self confidence.

I realised that many a times, we are harder on ourselves than strangers. We think that without makeup, we tend to look weird or odd. Thing is, when strangers see us without makeup, we look normal to them.

I guess it's important for all of us to embrace our bare faces because when we start hating ourselves, how are we expected to love others?

That being said, I'm always up for weekend and function makeup. And truth be told, I feel so much more confident when my face is baked... I’m human after all!

So every quarter, Cult Beauty has an amazing special where you purchase for £150 (approximately £132 if you don’t stay in the UK. That’s approximately R2300), and you receive free shipping AND an epic goody bag worth more than £300.

The ‘Creators Goody Bag’ is filled with various full size products, as well as many sample products. But before I get into that, let me talk about my purchases.

During March 2018, the moment Cult Beauty announced this epic deal, I immediately jumped on to the bandwagon and sealed the deal. My sister in law had been telling me for ages about their awesome deals but for some reason I just didn’t get around to purchasing from them before.

I was extremely concerned about delivery though. Since it was free delivery, I expected to receive my order through the post office. But after I heard that they use a third part courier, I found myself asking, “what could go wrong?” A lot, actually. But more about that later.

I ordered a bunch of skincare products and makeup items. I haven’t tested any of these products before but I heard a lot of good things about it.

Products purchased

Pixi Glow Mist

Pixi Glow Tonic

Pixi Glow Peel Pads

Iconic London Illuminator - Original

Jouer Highlighter - Citrine

Becca First Light Priming Filter

Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Concealer

Unfortunately, my Jouer highlighter was completely shattered so the moment I opened it, the highlighter made a complete mess. Also, as I repaired it, I could feel that it was super duper soft.

Anyway, my total order came to approximately R2300 including the goody bag and free shipping.

Goody Bag

Huda Beauty 3D Highlight Palette (Golden Sands) - full size

Iconic London Silk Lashes - 1 pair

Too Faced Mascara - mini

Dr Levy Switzerland - 3 Deep Cleanser - full size

Apa Beauty - Apa Tooth Gloss -full size

Jouer Highlighter (Rose Gold) - mini

By Terry lip balm - mini

Ouai Rose hair and body oil - mini

DNA Renewal - DNA Eye Balm - full size

Goldfaden MD - Skin Balancing Mask - mini

Late Somerville Exfoliating Treatment - mini

Briogeo Hair Treatment Mask - 1 treatment

Sarah Chapman - Overnight Facial - sample size

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm and Cloth - mini

Lime Crime Diamond Crushers (Choke) - full size

Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer - mini

Dr Dennis Gross Peel Pads - 5 treatments

Cult Beauty Tote Bag

All of the above came in a cute Cult Beauty bag.

Shipping, customs and delivery

So although the deal was so amazing and the fact that Cult Beauty would ship with Aramex was promising, the whole shipping process was terrible!

Here’s a brief breakdown on the dates I ordered, received etc:

2 March 2018: Order placed

4 March 2018: Order shipped

8 March 2018: Order received in SA

20 April 2018: Order finally delivered

Although my order was shipped within 4 days to South Africa, I had to wait over a month to actually receive my order. And I only received it because I complained.

I had sent numerous emails to Aramex to check the status of my order and I was always told that it was still in the customs department.

Eventually, they sent me a mail stating that Cult Beauty had requested a return. I sent them a few emails stating that on my Cult Beauty account, the item was still being shipped and there was no request for a return logged by them. Thereafter, Aramex sent me an invoice for R1390 and I paid it immediately. After I sent through the proof of payment, I received another email from another individual stating that I shouldn’t pay the customs because my order needed to be returned.

After this, I literally had to beg them to respond to my numerous emails demanding an explanation. There was no inter-company communication because whilst one individual was telling me that they were trying to sort out the issue, another individual was telling me to provide my banking details because they needed to refund my payment.

Then they asked me to contact Cult Beauty because they couldn’t get hold of them. At this point I was annoyed and frustrated because as a customer, all I need to do is pay and receive my order. It is not my responsibility to sort out an issue between the courier and the supplier.

After sending numerous more emails and sending them screenshots of my Cult Beauty Account order status, I still did not receive my parcel.

Finally, without any further correspondence from them, I received my order.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time I’ve had such a terrible experience with Aramex or Aramex Global Shopper. However, because the post office is so unreliable, we have to resort to third party courier services, even if their customer service is not satisfactory.

Will I purchase from Cult Beauty again? Probably!

Will I send them an email to tell them to use another courier service? I already did.

Customer service ranks very high in my books and when customer service is bad, my faith in the company diminishes.

After I received my order, I sent Aramex an email asking them to send me a complete breakdown of the customs and duties calculation so that I could ensure that I was being billed fairly. I did a calculation for myself and a calculation for my sister and there were inconsistencies in the amounts. I’m still waiting for Aramex to explain the reason for this (if they ever get back to me). As a global company, I do expect better customer service from Aramex and I know that there are countless people out there who have the same issues.

Anyway, my sister in law mentioned that she usually chooses standard post and not express post. Although the parcel comes through the post office, you don’t have to wait long and customs aren’t exorbitant. I’ll probably try that next time.

In total, I paid R3690 for everything. Although customs was a killer, I do think that I scored a great deal, especially after taking everything I received into consideration.

I certainly love reading or watching beauty favourites because it’s always good to know what works for who and which products are trending. Unfortunately, when it comes to makeup (or skincare), I’m an impulsive buyer. Someone just has to mention how wonderfully awesome a product is, and I’ll already be surfing the net, trying to get my hands on the coveted product.

It’s starting to become an actual (although welcomed) problem - I think I may be enamoured to buying makeup. Okay, who am I kidding? I am an addict, an irrevocable addict. Anyone that sees my collection knows that I am a hard core makeup addict and lo and behold, it is a very expensive addiction.

Call it high maintenance - unequivocally, it is - but I just cannot seem to help myself. Maybe I need to go to a Makeup Anonymous group. Who’s with me?

Anyway, let’s talk more about these current favourites. Some of these products I recently fell in love with again and some of them I’ve been reaching for more often than not.

Farsali Rose Gold 24K Oil and Farsali Unicorn Essence
Just before I apply my makeup (and after my skincare), I press some of this oil into my skin. I also put it all over my lips before wearing a matte liquid lipstick or I mix it into foundations that are drying. It’s great for dewy, glowy looks.

The Farsali Unicorn Essence can be used as a primer. After massaging the Farsali 24K oil onto my face, I apply a few drops of this essence. It creates a wonderful canvas for other products.

LA Girl Orange Concealer
I don’t ever apply concealer without applying an orange colour corrector first. Apart from being extremely affordable, this product does just the job you need it to do - it cancels out those terrible dark under-eye circles as well as those random dark marks at the corner of the mouth.

Too much of this product can make a real mess so it should be used sparingly.

Naked Skin Concealer
This is definitely my all time favourite concealer. I love the applicator, it isn’t the standard doe foot applicator. It picks up enough product to conceal dark circles for both eyes and highlight the nose, forehead and chin.

It’s medium coverage and pretty hydrating. Unfortunately, I have a lot of under eye wrinkles (oh, the horror!) So whenever I apply ANY product under my eyes, it accentuates the fine lines.

However, this concealer doesn’t accentuate fine lines as much as some other concealers. There’s a minute difference.

It definitely hides those under eye circles which is a tell tale sign that you’re completely exhausted (or in some cases, it hides your hereditary genes).

L’Oréal brow product
I was never into brows until recently, partly because I would never get them shaped to perfection, I would just let my natural brows be. And then one day, I decided to fill them in and neaten them with a brow pencil. Ever since that day, brows have been given more consideration and unintentionally, it has become my priority.

I love how easy this brow pencil is to use. Its creamy enough to glide on but dry enough not to make a mess. It goes on effortlessly and the spoolie works just as well.

Jaclyn Hill Palette
Every time I use this palette I fall more in love with it. Apart from being absolutely stunning, it is so versatile. The shadows are pigmented and creamy and a dream to blend (in depth review coming soon).

Morphe 39A palette
This palette is probably the only palette anyone needs (if you're not completely makeup obsessed). With the large-pan transition shades and the various colours, you can do any look you want.

AOM Extreme Artliner Pen
Liquid liner can either be your best friend or your arch nemesis. I find that with this liner, it's almost always your best friend. It's easy to use and the colour payoff is great (granted, it's a black liner). The fine tip makes a sharp wing effortless.

L’Oréal False Lash Wings Mascara
The shape of the wand will probably leave you blinking in confusion. It's unconventional but it is oh-so-effective. I almost always go back to grab this mascara. It coats the lashes completely, leaving you with thick, luscious lashes.

Givenchy Radically No Surgetics Foundation
This particular foundation is revolutionary for me. I've yet to find a foundation that gives me the feels the way this one does. It's medium to full coverage and it leaves the skin looking absolutely beautiful.

RCMA translucent powder
I’m not a fan of powders but they are absolutely necessary to set your makeup. I always feel that although powders set my makeup, it also accentuates fine lines and dry patches.

I always used the Ben Nye Banana Powder but recently, I found that it’s oxidizing on my skin. I don’t know why this started to happen but nonetheless, I just moved on to a translucent powder.

It’s finely milled so it doesn’t leave a powdery mess all over your face. It sets the makeup well and it doesn’t make dry areas look patchy. But like concealer, I feel that every powder that’s placed under my eyes makes the under eye wrinkles accentuate. Ugh, the struggle is real.

L’Oréal Lumi Powder
Technically, this is a foundation. However, I use it as a setting powder and I love it. It is extremely fine and melts into the skin even if it's applied over foundation. I find that it does not make me look cakey or powdery. I generally take a large powder brush, dip it into the powder, tap off the excess and dab it all over my face.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer
I got this some time back as a gift and at first, I barely used it. I just thought that it wouldn't look great on me so I didn't bother ton try it. When I finally decided to use it, I absolutely loved it. Recently, it's become a go-to product. It blends in wonderfully and doesn't leave my cheeks looking muddy.

Morphe 9B Blush Palette
I never really owned a lot of blushes. I don't know why - I probably just never found something that I loved. However, I'm really starting to love this blush palette. The array of colours gives you a variety to choose from. It's super pigmented so a little goes a long way. If I don't tap off the excess, I end up looking like I belong in the circus - THAT's what i mean by pigmented.

Colourpop Highlighter - Wisp
I'll go months without using this highlighter but whenever I go back to it, I remember why I love it so much. I usually apply a small amount with my fingers and then go in with a beauty blender to blend it out. You can make this highlighter look like a blinding highlight or just a subtle glow. Either way, it's gorgeous!
(Excuse the picture though, you can clearly see how much I love it!)

Becca Opal Highlighter
My all time favourite highlighter is probably Becca Champagne Pop. But sometimes when I want a highlighter that has less of a gold/peach undertone, I find this perfect. I think it looks great when worn outdoors and when the sun bounces off it.

Huda Beauty Liquid Lipstick - Trendsetter
Huda Beauty liquid lipsticks are great. I love that the formula is not too drying and not too thick. It lasts a good few hours before starting to wear off but if it's paired with the lip contour, it lasts even longer. It transfers ever so slightly but I can't complain, especially because it doesn't leave my lips feeling parched.

Removing makeup can be the bane of my existence. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. Sometimes, I actually do not wear makeup just because I really do not want to remove it later. The struggle is real!

However, even though the process of removing makeup is tedious and not well received, I always, ALWAYS remove my makeup. There’s just something so satisfying about being bare faced and freshly cleansed.

I don’t think I’ve ever gone to bed with makeup on. It’s just something that I cannot do.

I love the feeling of not having any products on my face (except moisturizer because my skin NEEDS hydration). I feel as if I can finally collapse face-down on my white sheets without having to worry about a foundation mask imprinting itself on my bed.

Getting all traces of makeup off my face is something I ensure I do.

Anyway, let's get to it! Below is a step-by-step guide on how I usually take off my makeup and right at the end, there's a lazy girl tip (which I resort to often). To be honest, I can use the lazy girl hack but sometimes I just enjoy being so extra.

Step 1
I usually take a dollop of coconut oil and rub it all over my face. This is one of the easiest ways to remove makeup and it’s pretty affordable.

Please note that I use a grocery store coconut oil to remove my makeup. I only included a picture of the Kopari coconut oil for aesthetic purposes.

Step 2
Once the oil is smothered all over my face, I gently wipe it away with a damp makeup eraser or with a makeup wipe (you can even use a damp microfiber cloth).

Step 3
Although most of the makeup has been removed at this stage, there are still traces left behind. I then use a facial wash (if I’m not too lazy and if I want to do an extra step). If not, I move on to step 4.

Step 4
I’ll rinse out my damp makeup eraser and if I’m not too lazy, I’ll wash it with laundry detergent (have you noticed how many times I said I'm lazy? #ThatLazyGirlLife). I’ll then take either micellar water/micellar milk/micellar oil on my damp makeup eraser/cotton pad and cleanse my face with it. If the makeup eraser/cotton pad looks completely clean once I’ve removed all my makeup, I’m done. If not, I’ll take another cotton pad and repeat step 4.

Step 5
After my face is cleansed and fresh, I moisturize well.

Bonus tip for lazy days (or most days)
Sometimes I get way too lazy (again!) to do the entire cleansing process as stated above. Instead, I’ll moisten my damp makeup eraser with micellar water and use it to remove my makeup. It works really well and removes most makeup in one simple step.

Where to purchase Micellar water:
Any drugstore (Clicks/Dischem in South Africa)

Save: Garnier Micellar water
Splurge: Bioderma Micellar water

10 rules for every makeup junkie (or anyone else)

Rules aren’t always meant to be broken. Sometimes we need them - especially because we want our makeup to last because that shizz is expensive! And if we’re going to be applying expensive products to the face, we want it to look good.

If you’re a makeup junkie, chances are that you probably spend most of your would-be savings on makeup.

Here are 10 rules to follow when your makeup addiction is real:

1. Flawless fakes

Before buying any makeup, make sure you do your research! Buying fake makeup should be a no-no. Applying something laden with trashy ingredients will not make you look flawless. In fact, it can destroy your skin. There are countless products that are out there that contain poisonous and harmful ingredients - be vigilant!

Also, ensure the retailer you are purchasing from is legit. Ask around and read reviews.Rather buy dupes than fakes.

When it doubt, throw it out.

2. Expensive eyes

Makeup is expensive. We all know that. Dropping your hard earned cash on an overpriced product is sure to turn you bankrupt. Once again, do your research. There are many third party retailers who stock international makeup and many of them are overpriced. Compare the prices between these retailers before spending those bucks. But remember the cost of shipping and customs. Third party retailers do have to make a profit too!

3. Sharing shadows

If you’re going to share any makeup, make sure you clean your tools! Using the same eyeliners can lead to eye infections. All you have to do is sharpen your eyeliner or wipe the tip of your retractable lip liner. Get disposable makeup wands if you’re applying mascara on others.

In this case, rubbing alcohol is your best friend. You can even spritz it on your pretty palettes!

4. Clean canvas

Make sure your skin is clean before applying any makeup. Wash and cleanse your face before moisturizing. A clean canvas is a necessity for flawless looking makeup.

5. Remove rosiness

Always always always remove your makeup before you sleep. Apart from staining your pillows, makeup left overnight will clog your pores and it will make your skin age faster!

A fresh face before bed should be a bedtime ritual. Besides, it’s so much more comfortable to sleep with a makeup-free, fresh face.

6. Blend baby, blend

One of the most annoying things to see is a single dark line streaking just below the cheekbones. Blending your contour and your blush is essential!

Remember to always blend your contour upwards.

Blending eyeshadow is another important point. Wearing blended eyeshadow can make you look a thousand times more put together. Imagine wearing a bright pink eyeshadow without any blending - that’s called the clown-look.

7. Makeup matters

Use makeup that is made for your skin type. Wearing an oil controlling foundation on dry skin will not make your foundation look good. Similarly, wearing a dewy foundation on oily skin will just make you look like a grease ball.

If you’re dry and you want to wear a foundation that’s mostly targeted for oily skin but the coverage is great, add a few drops of moisturizing oil to your foundation.

And if you’re oily and you want to wear a dewy foundation, use an oil controlling powder to set your foundation.

8. Eerie eyebrows

Don’t fill in your brows in such a way that it makes you look like you’ve completely changed the shape into something weird and unnatural. Make sure your eyebrows are filled according to a natural shape and not according to alien standards because that's just not a cute look.

You don’t need to shape your eyebrows to perfection to get a refined brow look. Concealer and a brow pencil can do wonders!

9. Gentle joys

Be gentle with your face when applying and removing makeup. Beating your skin with rough movements will just stretch it unnecessarily, making it prone to unwanted wrinkles.

Also, ripping out false lashes are fine. Ripping out real lashes? Not so much. Be careful with your lashes, you don’t want large gaps between your lashes.

10. Always awesome

Never feel like you always NEED to wear makeup when leaving the house. Society’s standards are not worth it. Wear all the makeup you want or wear none at all. You only need to keep yourself happy because when you’re happy, you can make others happy.

Be you.

Do you have any other makeup rules you swear by? Share them below!

Makeup Hygiene

Is there even such a thing like makeup hygiene? Well, there should be!

Since makeup is going on your face, it’s essential to keep all products and utensils absolutely clean before allowing it anywhere near your face. This will not only combat the bacteria, but it will also lessen those annoying zits.

Besides, it's downright disgusting to steer clear from makeup hygiene. Your skin will thank you if you exercise the following tips:

Hygienic hands
Always wash your hands just before applying skin care products or makeup. This should be step one in applying makeup or skincare. It’s essential!

Brand new brushes
Always wash new brushes before using them. You do not know the condition of the storage or the warehouse. For all you know, there could be rats running around the warehouse. Gross!

Clean the cleaner
Clean your cleaning tools. If you have a product like a silicone glove or equivalent to wash your brushes, wash that with antibacterial soap too!

Conceal those brushes
Try not to leave your makeup (especially brushes) in the bathroom. There are countless germs flying around in there. Apart from that, the humidity and steam won’t dry your brushes and this is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Pure palettes
Every once in a while, spritz your makeup with rubbing alcohol. This should get rid of those surface germs and bacteria.

Beat that blender
Wash your beauty blender with soap before or after every use. I usually do it before every use because I need my beauty blender damp in any case.

Bagged brushes
If you store your brushes in a brush bag, clean the bag. Turn it inside out if possible and wipe it clean with hygiene wipes or rubbing alcohol. Alternatively, you can always put it in the washing machine. Make sure it’s completely dry after it’s washed though!

Bye eye bacteria
If you share eye products like eyeliner, always sharpen the eyeliner or wipe it off before using it. Even if you don’t share your eyeliner, wipe it off. You don’t need the bacteria collecting on that tip and giving you an eye infection.

Bad brushes
If you wear makeup everyday, deep clean your brushes at least every month. Every two weeks is preferable though.

Softies
Don't touch the bristles on your brushes with hands that have not been washed (even if it's really tempting to touch soft brushes all the time).

Animal control
Don't touch your makeup after touching your pet. Pets harbour tons of bacteria and germs.

Throw it away
Throw away old makeup - Makeup is expensive so you don’t always want to throw away that palette that you’ve used only once in the last six months. It shouldn’t harbour many germs if it isn’t used too often. However, be mindful of how long you’ve had it for and how much you’ve used it. Honestly, I’m a makeup hoarder. I don’t throw away old makeup.

No makeup? Really?

I joined a Cult (Beauty)

Current Beauty Favourites

Makeup removal routine

10 Makeup Rules

10 rules for every makeup junkie (or anyone else)

Makeup Hygiene

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