Thursday, 3 October 2013

The battle of the great Cleansers


In the left corner we have........kidding. I am not going to pretend I know the first thing about boxing. But what I do know a bit about is cleansers. You see, after a lifetime of trial and error with sensitive skin, prone to outbreaks and rosacea, followed by the student years which were spent buying the cheap stuff - I have learnt a thing or two. I am hitting the big 3-0 this year and have finally found the right balance for me. In fact, and I hate to brag (no I don't), but I got told just yesterday that I am too young to be married and I should be at varsity. That dude made my year!!!

Back to the topic at hand. The key to great skin (again, this is just my theory) is to be kind and gentle. Scrubbing away daily or using seriously soapy and foamy numbers just didn't work for me. After discovering Cetaphil through my dermatologist, and Environ products through a close girlfriend of mine, I learnt that these gentle formulas used day and night are what keeps oily skin at bay, as well as irritation and breakouts. Bioderma and Kiehls are two new discoveries and while I think I may forever be loyal to the first two, these are both really amazing products worth trying out to see if they work for you.

Below each one I am going to give you a little run down of how they worked out for me.






I actually really loved using Bioderma. After reading rave reviews on a few local and international beauty blogs, I nipped into Dischem to try it out for myself. My skin felt super clean when using it, and it left no residue behind. My face didn't feel tight or dry at all either. It doesn't clog pores and I didn't break out using it. Best bit, is while it won't replace my staples, I will be buying it again as a make-up remover. It works like a bomb! Even if you've been rocking a ton of eyeliner, it gets it off in a jiffy. Actually, the more I think about it, go buy it now and add it to your make-up artillery. You can go to bed after a night out totally guilt-free.


Ah, Environ. As I type I have images of my dear friend, lets call her "The Chief", holding a gun to my head. She may or may not be affiliated with the brand. Regardless, she got me hooked on Environ products about 2 years ago and changed my life. Stress, the pill, a busy lifestyle and years of neglect left my skin in tatters. Environ brought it back to life. I will forever be grateful.
This Sebuwash is great for my oily/combination skin. It leaves no residue, tightens pores. I love the gentle lather and the subtle tea tree scent. Don't be alarmed if your skin breaks out ever so slightly when you start your Environ journey, it takes a brief period of getting used to - and then its make-up free days ahead my friends!




I initially thought that this product was pricey, but caved due to blogger peer pressure. I am so glad I did. It is a gorgeous product and a little goes a very long way. So it's not as expensive over the long term as I previously thought. Its fragrance free and so far has not caused any irritation or break-outs and my skin didn't need to adjust. Just remember to wet your face first and rub into wet hands as well before applying, otherwise its a bit sticky and gluey straight from the tube. 


Old faithful. You will always be a part of every cosmetics cabinet and travel bag for the rest of my days. Seriously though, if you don't own a bottle of Cetaphil, I just don't know if I can take you seriously. Ok, fine, thats a tad harsh. But trust me on this, for daily cleansing, make-up removal and a reliability that will stand the test of time, this is your friend. Its gentle, non-drying, non-irritant, gentle and simple. And sometimes the simpler the better. Also, its affordable. And also, models swear by it - and if you can't trust a 6-foot camera monkey who doesn't eat, who can you trust?
Cetaphil is your skin's BFFAEAEAE (thats best friends forever and ever and ever and ever)



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Wednesday, 2 October 2013

The happiest place on earth

Here is why you need to see Disneyland once in your life...

Disneyland is divided into 2 parks, The Magic Kingdom and California Adventure. The latter houses more in my opinion. Better rides, and more to see and do - and my favorite ride of all time, The Tower of Terror (Its simulates dropping down a lift shaft all while having been transported into the Twilight Zone. Obviously). But you can't go to Disney without doing the classics like Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean and Its a Small World - and all of these are at The Magic Kingdom.

You also can't leave without sampling Blueberry Fanta fizzy slushies, pineapple Dole Whip, a giant turkey drumstick and some kind of giant Mickey-Mouse-shaped sweet on a stick. California Adventure also has it's own Ghirardelli chocolate shoppe and a Boudin Bakery so you can pretend you're in San Fran and enjoy the classic clam chowder in a bread bowl, followed by the famous Ghirardelli hot fudge sundae. Calories don't count, and if they did, you'd walk them off anyway!

Spend a day or two at each so you can really try out every ride, see every parade and meet all the characters. And of course, for the late night shows - from mind-blowing laser light displays over the water to the fireworks that will take your breath away at the Magic Kingdom. You'll grin from ear to ear the entire day, find yourself humming and skipping  along to your childhood favorite songs and when you leave at midnight with a tired body but a happy heart you'll see all too clearly that it truly is the happiest place on earth.




























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Tuesday, 1 October 2013

8 Summer Sandal Must-Haves

Finally summer is creeping out from under the covers and we can start shopping for warmer weather! This year the gladiator sandal returns and retailers have some gorgeous options in stock - even for the more conservative among us. I for one won't be wearing them all the way up my calf - but each to their own I guess. We also see the huarache sandal make a resurgence, and this is a staple that you absolutely need in your Spring/Summer 2013 wardrobe, in a few colours or in gorgeous snakeskin. Or both. I vote both.
Thongs are always going to be chic - and give just about any outfit a soft, feminine and bohemian feel. 
So enough rambling, check out some of the pretty options we've sourced for you!




1) Dana Sandals by Billini, R600 at Spree
2) Faux Snake Skin Huarache, R99,99 at Mr Price
3) Leather Buckle Gladiator, R149,99 at Mr Price
4) Colourblock Sandals, R299 at Woolworths
5) Multistrap Huarache, R89,99 at Mr Price
6) Charlotte Sandal, R699 at Country Road
7) Tan Cuff Sandals by New Look, ± R632 at Asos
8) Georgia Metallic Sandal, R399 at Woolworths




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