My 4 favorite fashion / beauty / review blogs PART 1

Sometimes when I consider a beauty purchase or want to know if I should spend my hard earned money on a product or not I try my level best to get as much research on it as possible. Before the Internet I used to peruse Elle and Cosmopolitan magazine  but since I stopped buying them religiously - because I realized I'm not their target market - (that's another topic for another day), I now have my go to blogs which I rely on for first hand information on the latest products

I've numbered them in a particular order, from the one I find most reliable (number 1) to the ones I read just for fun 

thestyleandbeautydoctor.com

This blog is run by Caribbean-born, U.S. based blogger, Danielle Gray. I enjoy her in-depth posts  and the effort and process that goes into reviewing products. But mostly, I love how you can tell that she really enjoys blogging. Not only does she blog about makeup she's an image consultant too. A legitimate one at that. As in she has the papers to prove it. Now that's really something.  

thatigbochick.com

This blog is run by Nigerian born, UK based blogger Dimmah Umeh. I came across her page via on Instagram and I've been reading her posts religiously ever since 

makeupalley.com

Some of the reviews on makeupalley are hilarious and some are downright ridiculous. I check this site out mostly when I'm not sure wether to purchase a product or not. If there's too many unwavering reviews I don't even bother but if most of the reviews lean towards the positive I'm most likely to consider the product

fashioninflux.co.uk

This blog is run by UK based blogger Lydia Rose, I mostly enjoy this blog for the high end make up reviews. Not only does she blog about makeup but she merges both her loves fashion and beauty so effortlessly. The theme of her blog is quite minimalistic and her style is really one that I could see myself rocking. So chic yet so comfortable 

Which are your favorite blogs? 

LA Girl Blush Collection

I wasn't keen on getting any of these blush palettes until my favorite blogger [styleandbeautydoctor]  posted a review on them. So the moment I was at Dischem and I saw them at the LA girls counter I immediately grabbed one. I couldn't decide which to pick from because they all looked so beautiful.

This blush palette is absolutely amazing. It comes with 2 blushes, 1 bronzer and a highlighter.

I ended up picking the Spice palette because it looked like it would suit my skin tone and most especially because it doesn't lean too much towards  pink and the blushes in this particular palette seem more of a light orange and peach.  The highlighter is more on the gold side which is perfect for that summer glow radiant look. The bronzer is perfect for contouring. 

My favorite out of the two blushes is the darker one because it stands out so nicely on my skin. The lighter blush just disappears so I don't reach for it often unless I'm going for a full make up face and I mix it with the more pigmented blush and add highlight on top 

 Overall, I absolutely love it! It's perfect for traveling and also for beginners who are just getting into makeup because it's versatile.

The only regret I have is not buying another one, more specifically the "Glam" palette, but that can always be fixed 

Avon Eyeshadow Base - Light Beige

An eyeshadow primer is one of those beauty products you never realize you need until you start using it. 

I used to think that it was a norm to have my eyeshadow crease at the end of the day so I never ever thought I should invest in an eyeshadow primer. 

That's until I saw it in a catalogue and it was on sale and I thought why not? 

I knew I liked it when I got back from a long day at work and I looked in the mirror to see how tired my face looked and I was surprised to see that my eyeshadow was still "poppin" lol i.e. it looked as good as it did when I had applied it in the morning. So much so that I didn't even want to remove it.

PROS

It blends very easily when I put it on and it truly and really does make eyeshadow last long and stay pigmented.

A little goes a long way

CONS

The only downside is that it dries out very quickly so you have to work very fast when using it.

Overall, I'm not on the market for another eyeshadow primer because I feel like I hit the jackpot with this one. I honestly doubt that I can find an eyeshadow primer that does a better job. 

It's good value for money and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for an eyeshadow primer and is not looking for one that is expensive.

Dupe or Not

For the longest time I've been meaning to post a review on the Revlon Colorstay foundation  but I just couldn't find the exact words to express my disappointment in it.

I bought this foundation because it was said to be a dupe for the Estée Lauder DW.

Firstly the girl who gave it to me was in a rush when I was looking to test the correct shade for my skin. She swatched both Toffee and Caramel on my hand and said that Caramel would suit me best. Secondly, this foundation breaks me out each time...it's really unfortunate because it has been re formulated yet it still causes breakouts. Lastly, no amount of MAC Fix+Spray or setting powder can try to make it come together, the formula is quite hard to blend and for those reasons I have given it up altogether.

Once in, the foundation offers the most minimum coverage. Sticking to its "Colorstay" name it takes a lot of work to remove it.

 It's bad experiences like these with "drugstore" makeup that made me give up on them altogether. How was your experience with the Revlon Colorstay Foundation so far?     

Concealer Review

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit  

This concealer has a thick consistency but I like that it comes with a corrector. Because of how thick it is I usually spray the MAC Fix + onto my flat brush first before using it. It does a great job of covering dark circles but it's quite expensive, the upside is that it lasts long 

LA Girl Pro HD Concealer 

This concealer is proof that just because something is popular it doesn't mean that it will work for everyone. I bought a second tube in a different shade because I really wanted to like it like everyone else but Ut just keeps letting me down. Firstly it oozes water every time I use it and secondly I can't stand it's texture on my skin. I believe that it's greatest appeal is that it's easy on the pocket (less than R60). However, I will not be repurchasing it again 

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place concealer 

This is my favorite concealer. Its the perfect creamy texture which turns matte and I love  that it comes with a wand for application. It covers even the smallest of blemishes and doesn't need any reapplication even after a long day. Some days I wear it without a foundation but when I do I find that I get the most compliments when I use it with the Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation 

Garnier PureActive Micellar Cleansing Water

I have been using the Garnier PureActive Micellar Cleansing Water for about 2 months now and I've got to say it's just okay. Before I continue with this review let it be known that apart from using a cleanser to remove my makeup,  I have a skincare regimen because I believe in a proper cleansing routine even after using the Micellar water. 

I bought the Garnier Cleanser purely out of curiosity because it was said to be a cheaper alternative for the Bioderma Micellar Water. However, I have to disagree. 

This particular cleanser is okay for those who don't have any sensitive or problematic skin. If you have any skin ailments I'd say give it a skip and opt for a cleanser that's specific for your skins particular needs.

I found that I had to use a lot of it to get the most out of which required using a lot of cotton pads.

I will not be purchasing it again.