Today I am sharing my October First Impressions with you…

As you can see, orange is the shade of the moment…

MAC Freshen Up is not at all a highlighting powder, but works well as a coral illuminating blush. I like to swirl all the colours together. I am not entirely impressed by this, but will give it a few more tries.

MAC Hipness Blush is a really pretty pink blush. It is very subtle but can be built up for more pigmentation.

I have already featured the LA Girl Color Balm and Colourpop Lippie Stix in Chi Chi in my October Favourites, so I won’t say much over here.

Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Mercury Rising is just as amazing as the other shades from this range. It is a bright orange and perfect for summer.

The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Balm doesn’t show up much on my skin tone, so it is going to my Blog Sale.

The essence Mosaic Blush in Miss Floral Coral is a stunning shimmery peach shade, it gives a healthy flush to the cheeks without emphasising pores.

*Garnier Moisture + Radiance is a hydrating moisturiser for dull/tired skin, and my skin is both of those at the moment. It has a light almost gel like texture, and works well as a makeup base.

Last, but definitely not least is The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter which is a sweet smelling treat for dry skin!

The Maybelline Cheeky Glow Blush in Peachy Sweetie is one of my favourites this month!

At first I was a bit skeptical about the glo-minerals Protective Liquid Foundation because it was so cool toned when it came out the tube. But it actually melts into my skin so well. The Satin finish is perfect, not too matte, not too dewy. It does cling a bit to dry skin, but once I get my skin sorted I think this will be a winner!

The Body Shop Concealer pencil blends better than I thought it would, and really covers up well. It is a bit light for me, so I have still not decided about this.

Last of this bunch is the L’Oreal Lipstick which has a sort of metallic finish that I quite like.

Moving on to Tarte Cosmetics

The Cheek Stain in Dazed is amazing! And is a favourite of mine!

The highlighter in Enthused is soft, blendable, finely milled and not one of those chunky glittery ones. It is very subtle, but can be built up, and is best applied with a dense brush instead of a fan brush.

The famous Maracuja Creaseless Concealer is thick and oily and it does  crease. I haven’t used it that much, but it does cover dark circles well, I just don’t know if it worth the hype.

Last is the Chiseling Charmers Deluxe Contour Set. The highlight and contour do not work very well with my skin tone, so they are going to my Blog Sale. I am really loving the cute kabuki brush though!

The first eyeshadow palette from *Maybelline to land in SA! How exciting! I have a full review, swatches and a look using this palette over here.

I also received two creamy pigmented *lipsticks that I absolutely love! More to Adore (the darker shade) is my favourite.

I was invited by Dermaceutic and Pure Aesthetics to experience a Mela Peel which is designed to combat pigmentation. The peel itself was amazing, and I will have a full review on that soon, but I was also sent home with some *home-care products. The Foamer 5 is a foaming exfoliating cleanser that contains glycolic acid. It is not drying at all, and cleanses and removes impurities, balances the skin’s ph and exfoliates in one. K-Ceutic soothes the skin and and restores antioxidants, it also has an SPF 50! It works well under makeup, and is definitely a product I will keep using! Lastly, the Mela Cream, it contains loads of active ingredients such as Kojic Acid, Retinol and Niacinamide for an even skin tone, and even my skin tone is what it did! The combination of the peel and these products have really taken my skin to a new renewed level. My skin is brighter, my pores are less visible, and my skin just looks better overall. Dermaceutic and Pure Aesthetics are two skincare giants in my opinion, and I will definitely be going back for some more treatments (at my own cost) to address my acne scarring.

When I first heard that Dermalogica had launched a face oil I could not contain my excitement, I love oils and I love Dermalogica! And when I received it to try, nothing could stop me from slapping it on my face immediately. The *Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil is a lightweight non-greasy oil that absorbs immediately. It strengthens the skin’s barrier, hydrates and protects the skin from free radicals. I have been using this during the day under my Noreva Sunscreen, and it doesn’t leave my skin oily or make my makeup slip and slide. It has a subtle scent, and 4 drops is more than enough to press into my entire face, so this bottle will last me ages! You can use this alone, mix it into your moisturiser to supercharge it, mix it into your foundation for a dewy look, or even over your foundation for an enviable glow.

P.S Keep your eyes out next week for a Dermalogica Giveaway for your and your three besties worth R10 520, and yes all three of you will get a full size oil, and MORE! I am even jealous of the prize!

Kings & Queens Tobacco Shower Gel has a very manly scent, but I quite like it.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream… Enough said!

Lastly I have the My Payot Discovery Kit which contains three products to boost radiance. The Tonique is an exfoliating toner which contains glycolic acid, and is amazing! I haven’t tried the Pixi Glow Tonic, but I am assuming it is similiar. The next product is a cream with superfruit extracts, which is nice, but I haven’t seen any visible difference yet. Lastly is the Intensive Radiance Mask, which is a star! My skin looked visibly fresher and less dull after use.

I did a full review of the new *essie Gel Couture Collection, so I won’t go into too much detail, but how amazing is this shade Flashed? This will definitely be my go-to summer shade!

These *Vaseline Spray Moisturisers will be your best friend this summer! Not only are they so quick and easy to use, they are also cooling! The green one is my favourite.

I received some budget haircare products a while ago, and the *Beautiful Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner surprised me! It has a brown tint, which assists in keeping your brunette bright and beautiful. It leaves my hair soft and manageable, and is a great combo for ladies on a budget.

The *Argan Oil Hair Treatment is extremely rich! The first time I used it I used too much, and my hair just looked oily, but when I cut down the amount my hair felt soft and frizz free. I really like the *Leave In Spray, that protects hair from heat styling, combats frizz and leaves hair silky soft.

Lastly is the genius combo from L’Oreal Elvive, Keratin Straight. A shampoo, conditioner and oil replacement designed to keep your hair straight for 72 hours. This is best used with heat styling, and it will keep your hair frizz free and straight. When used without heat styling my waves were definitely less pronounced and my hair was frizz free. It contains black cumin oil, which is a key ingredient in the Kardashian Hair products too. At a fraction of the price!

See anything you need to get your hands on?

*Press Samples