Brunette Beauty

Packaging: Strong plastic and super slim automatic pencil in black packaging with rose gold accent text. The product has a very fine tip of 4mm. Twist up mechanism works fine with no problems. Smell: None. Colour: Caramel - light brown with warm undertones. Formula/ Texture: This is a stiff and fine wax. I don't have any issues with my brow hairs straying but I do find this to have great longevity without any fading, smudging or irritation. Using a light hand will result in a very light application. The more pressure applied the darker the application. Like with any wax, the smoother the surface the more trouble you'll have getting product to transfer. Theres no tugging or pulling using this either. No need to sharpen and with this fine tip, you get more natural looking strokes. This is the feature that makes me fall in love with this product. It's almost foolproof to get a harsh, unattractive brow. Thin lines can be created to help shap...

I've noticed more brands releasing cleansers, masks and scrubs containing Charcoal. It was brought to my attention through the hyped Glamglow Super Clearing Mud Treatment. Unfortunately as far as I know, this brand is only readily available in America, making it hard to try out. On my recent trip to America I picked up another product by Origins. It wasn't until a recent 40% off skincare sale at Priceline that I noticed more affordable options out and triggered this quarterly 'what's new' post. I admit I might be behind on the 8 ball but some items are new in my world. Origins Clear Improvement Mask Much more affordable high end mask. It's gentle but effective and fast working. Garnier Charcoal Scrub You can see the list of claims this does. What I found interesting is that this is the first charcoal related scrub I've found. It's not as grainy as I was expecting so would be gentle enough for all skin types. Bioré Deep Pore Char...

Packaging: Plastic clear squeeze tube with white cap and text packaging. Great portability and durable packaging. Smell: None that I can detect. Colour: Dark grey when wet and dry. Formula/ Texture: This is a thick, smooth and product. It's not runny but thick enough to be able to apply it with your fingers without having to rush. It is a little messy with product remaining on your hands that are easily washed off. I was drawn to this product for the active charcoal ingredient that I know is also in the famous Glam Glow Super Mud mask. I hadn't heard too much about this so I didn't have high expectations for this. When I first tried this I was converted. It feels cooling and comfortable on the face and doesn't dry as tight as other typical clay masks I've tried. There was no extra sensitivity, dryness or irritation after this is removed.  It left my face clean, unclogged and very smooth to the touch. My skin looked more eve...

Packaging: Smooth metal can with a pink cap. The nozzle is quite small in comparison to the width of the can. It is a very fine, sparse wide spray. Smell/Taste: None. Colour: None. Formula/ Texture: This is literally mineral water. The spray isn't what I am used to but is actually good as it ensures the face doesn't get saturated with water. The whole theory behind mineral face sprays is to hydrate, refresh and set the skin. This does an amazing job at this, especially during summer. It cools down the skin and makes it feel more comfortable. I haven't used this to set makeup but I have used it on top of already set makeup and it doesn't move it  around but I'm not sure if it increases the longevity either. I know I just posted a review on the Avene facial spray but this one is just as good. I prefer this one based on the size and price but I find this spray to be finer and obviously give a lighter spray and not feel as though i...

Packaging: Palm sized transparent dark purple plastic soft hourglass bottle with a pinker purple nozzle and lid. I like how slightly transparent the bottle is so you can see how much product is left. The size is great for travel, with enough uses for a month. Smell: Floral, very similar to Tresemme products. Colour: White but sprays out transparent. Formula/ Texture: This is a smooth and silky but with a consistency a littler thicker than a typical liquid. I have found this easy to spray if stored upright so the product sits at the bottom. When it's getting low, it does take a while for the product to get to the bottom. You do have to use this on towel dried hair and comb through after. I find that once my hair dries, it's more manageable and feels softer and smoother. There is no greasy or film like feeling either. I have notice more of a shine to my hair when I use this compared to when I don't (and still using the same shampoo and condi...

Packaging: Palm sized plastic white bottle with a black spray nozzle and soft black bottle packaging. Comes with a clear lid that snaps on tightly. They have recently updated the packaging on their products so this bottle is the old but distinguished blue the hints of blue. Smell: Floral. Very similar to the Bridal Makeup Setting Spray. Colour: Clear. Formula/ Texture: This liquid has an ultra fine mist. It's lightweight on the skin and easy to apply. You do have to shake the bottle well and spray at least 20cm away from the face for ultimate coverage. I've never had the nozzle clog on me. The formula is paraben free & hypoallergenic meaning that it suits all skin types during all seasons of the year. Skindinavia claim that this spray extends the wear and vibrantancy of colours throughout the day and up to 16hrs. I have used this on days over the 12hr mark and my makeup as though I have worn it for a few hours and not completely gone as ex...

Packaging: Palm sized white smooth aerosol can. Comes with a sturdy opaque cap. The spray is wide and soft in concentration. This is very disable and portable packing making it perfect for any type of travel. Due to the opaque packaging, it is hard to visibly tell how much product is left. However this can be determined by feeling the weight of the can. I don't find the pump nozzle to be hard to pump. I do want to note that the can came in a tamper proof protective film which I thought was beneficial. Smell: None. Colour: None. Formula/ Texture: This spray is literally water. You can defiantly feel in the skin that this is more dense water particles that in terms of sprays, saturate the face with product. So this isn't a light mist but being water, this is comfortable on the skin. It's easily absorbed as expected from water. It has a soothing effect on my face more so than refreshing. I think it'll be perfect solution for those situa...

Packaging: Thick round shiny black plastic tube. The handle portion is long with a tall pot where the product is. The pot is a little wider then the handle making for an overall stubby and not fluid packaging. The black is offset with gold text on the bottom portion. Smell: None. Colour: 01 Noir - intense black. Formula/ Texture: This is a thin and smooth consistency. The felt tip applicator makes it easy to create a fluid line across the eye whether this be thick or thin. I found the flatter the tip is to the lid, the thicker the line as the tip tapers out at the bottom. What I really like about this liner is how precise I can get into the inner corner of my eye and create a thin line. It doesn't skip or tug along the eye. The handle is ergonomical and helps with application. Once applied there is a 30 second window for smudging or setting. If the line is touched in this window, the colour is removed rather then smudged across the eye. After the...

In my previous posts I have mentioned that throughout June I was travelling throughout America. I'm on the final leg home now and while I was there, there was a few shops I wanted to stop out. The high end makeup and clothes shops of Sephora, Macys, H&M and Victoria Secret were the ones. They are the US equlivent of department stores here, expect they stock a larger range and variety of brands, at literally half the price of the same product here. Like with the Ulta stuff, I could have gone crazy and picked up so much more then what's here, you know products I'm interested in and wouldn't mind seeing how it works for me, but I decided to be reasonable. I did spend considerable amount of months researching each product, it's ingredients and reviews to see if it would suit me. No point going halfway across the world to spend this kind of money and it not work for me. There a few products I didn't make the cut from this. It does feel good to have a clean...

In my previous posts I have mentioned that throughout June I was travelling throughout America. I'm on the final leg home now and while I was there, there was a few shops I wanted to stop out. The drugstore shops of Ulta and CVS were one of them. They are the US equlievent of Priceline here, expect they stock a larger range and variety of brands, at literally half the price of the same product here. Honestly I could have gone crazy and picked up so much more then what's here, you know products I'm interested in and wouldn't mind seeing how it works for me, but I decided to be reasonable. Without further ado here's what I picked up (L-R, T-B); Gillette Venus Snap with Embrace $13 I needed a shaver and I saw this portable shaver compact from Venus. The razor head is the same 5 blade that I'm used to but I loved the size and convenience of razor handle and compact. Easy to store and clean. Evian Mineral Water Facial Spray $12 It's qu...