I've packed up and moved..

Hi Guys, I've moved my blog. To view new posts, please visit http://blogs.women24.com/whosthefairest/

lots of love :-*

Oh no! Stretchmarks!!

What next?

Hello my loyal readers! So I haven't posted anything in a little while, because just like everyone else, I've been a little preoccupied. 

I was thinking of posting something about liquid eyeliners, but a very good friend of mine called me up and asked me to post something about stretchmarks - she's pregnant and stretchmarks have become a real and concerning factor for her. Now I normally only blog about products I have received and used. Although I like to share my opinion about beauty and the like, my blog is actually intended for the purpose of testing and reviewing products for your benefit, so that you know if it works and how it works, before you buy it.

Now I don't have any products specifically designed for stretchmark removal to review for you tonight, but I know that the stretchmark factor is an issue for all women, and maybe I have a few tips up my sleeve that can assist. 

First thing's first

I just want to put this out there before we start, because I really feel that it's important to get the right message across; stretchmarks are normal and natural. They are as normal and natural as freckles and wrinkles. They come with exposure and age. The modern world has shaped our opinions of beauty to such an extent that normal and natural are no longer acceptable standards of beauty. Society has trained us to believe that we need to be so skinny that if you were to look at your naked reflection in the mirror, you would need to see some sort of bone (hip/ribs/collar) protruding or you're too fat. Society has taught us that even when you're 50 years old, you need to be blemish and wrinkle free. Society has brainwashed us to believe that freckles are blemishes, flaws, ugly...

Society has warped our opinions about what beauty is to such extreme, that when our bodies go though normal changes that come with age and exposure, we cringe and no longer feel sexy. Some of us never even get the chance to gain any sex appeal. We've stopped loving ourselves before we could even start. This is by far the saddest thing society has done for us - taught us that we cannot love ourselves as we are. What's worse that a nation of women who can't love and embrace themselves as they are? Worse than a nation of women who will never be good enough? To me, this represents a nation of women who'll settle for anything, because they don't believe they're deserving enough to fight for more. 

What are stretchmarks?

Stretchmarks are a normal process, where when the body changes due to pregnancy or sudden weight gain, and the skin cannot cope. They are injuries to the dermis layer of the skin; elastin and collagen fibers in the skin, snap. If you don't want stretchmarks (that would be everyone now) then it would be in your best interest to avoid getting them first and foremost, and in order to do that successfully, you need to understand how you get stretchmarks. As I've explained, you get them from sudden weight gain. Don't let the word "weight" confuse you now. What I really mean is, sudden growth, which could come from gaining fat, sudden body changes due to pregnancy and puberty and even over doing it at the gym (gaining too much muscle mass too fast). Secondly, understand that this sudden form of "expanding", is a bit of a stressful experience on the skin. As some of these things are a part of life, and therefore pretty much unavoidable, the only other option is to try and relieve some of that stress that the skin is going to go though.

Avoiding stretchmarks... well as much as one can avoid them that is...

Think about it, if the elastin and collagen fibers are snapping due to the extreme pressure put on the skin, an obvious prevention tactic would be to add elasticity to the skin. If you know that you are putting your skin through a tough time, try and moisturise up to 4 times a day. They say that it works best with cocoa or shea butter. I know you hate to hear this, but please try and get some exercise in. Stretching and warming the skin up will help it cope with sudden pressure. Also, dry brush. Dry brushing will stimulate the skin cells, will improve blood circulation and will promote faster cell regeneration. 

How about getting rid of already existing stretchmarks?

So you've read everything I've had to say about loving yourself as you are, and it caused you to puke a little in your mouth. And you've read everything I've had to say about preventing stretchmarks, which is all fine and well, but you already look like a road map, so this far everything I've told you is pretty much useless and you're wondering why you've even read this far. Well that's because you knew I was saving the best for last ;-)

When you notice a new stretchmark pop up - that bright red or purple "rip" that will appear on the skin almost over night - you need to tackle it right away. Firstly, DRY BRUSH. This will stimulate cell regeneration witch will help heal the scar faster. Moisturise. Chances are, that stretchmark started off small, and will be followed by more, so stop it in it's tracks. Exfoliate the area 3 times a week. This will help remove scar tissue, thereafter, apply tissue oil, this will also promote cell regeneration where the scar tissue has been scrubbed off for a better appearance once it's healed. 

I don't believe that the skin will ever look the same again, but you can do your best to lighten the scars to a point that they're barely visible anymore. The scars will lighten as they heal, and exercising to tone up will help them appear smaller as the skin firms up. Your skin colour will be the ultimate reason your scars will be visible or not at the end of the day. The lighter your skin, the better, as the scar tissue doesn't have any pigmentation. Fake tans would probably reduce the appearance of them too if you have darker skin and want to flaunt your booty on the beach - I can't be sure of this though, I haven't tried it, so don't shoot me if it doesn't work for you. 

Tip

Treat the stretchmarks as best you can, but don't let them ruin your life. I can assure you that when you are standing butt naked in front of your man, he doesn't see your stretchmarks, cellulite or muffin-top. He sees that he's gonna get lucky and that's all he needs to know. You're only as sexy as you feel, and the sooner we women realise that beauty isn't about being perfect, the sooner we can start loving ourselves again.

Night night my pretties ;-)

Oily hair weighing you down?

Are you bright?

I'm an advert kinda gal. I'm sure most of you just re-read that sentence 3 times and still can't figure out what I mean. I love advertisements. I watch them like most women watch romantic comedies. I laugh, I cry, and when it's over, I spend the next hour pondering over what I've just lived through. 

I remember an advert that used to air on 94.7 when I was a teen. I must have been 15 or so. Now I've always had a bad skin - I started getting zits when I was just 10 years old - but at the age of 15, you start to notice boys, and that is when you start to notice a few things about yourself. This is very likely the only reason I remember this advert. It was an ad for an ointment designed for teens and their oily skin; "When someone tells you you're bright, do you automatically assume that they're referring to your intelligence?"

Oily skin is more than just a problem for your face. Yes, your pores are bigger and your make-up only lasts a half an hour, but it also causes a lot of people to have oily hair. I'm one of these sufferers. My scalp is dry, but the hair around my face and forehead always becomes oily because it's just so close to this oil-producing-organ of a face. Oily hair sucks. When I look at other people with oily hair, the first thing I think of is dirty. When last did this person wash their hair? Come to think about it, when last did they bath? And then I get a mental image of trying to bath a cat...

Yes, oily hair can say a lot for you, even if it isn't even really about you. 

Matrix Biolage; Oil control treatment

Don't even waist your money. 

What is this product supposed to do?

So the myth goes, if you have an oily scalp, and your hair is starting to look a little greasy, just spray some of the product on the scalp, and comb it through the hair. They say that it can be used on damp or dry hair. It purifies the scalp and minimizes the effect of oily hair. 

What does this product do?

Well, if you're really desperate, and you don't have time to wash your hair but you don't want to go out looking like you just woke up from a nap on Julius Malema's face (seriously, someone had that man some Garnier), then sure, I suppose the wet-look will do just fine. If people ask, just tell them that there is this organic farm, where you pay a sh*t  load of money to have your hair styled by this really artistic cow, and you even need to book your appointment 3 months in advance if you want to get in... You might just start something..

Or you could wash your hair, because you don't want people to worry that you don't bath. I think it must be pretty embarrassing to be minding your own business when suddenly the person next to you screams and hops into the air in a fit of smacks because they think they might of spotted something running on your scalp...

Tip

Use baby powder. Seriously. If your hair is oily, and you're looking for a quick fix, sprinkle some baby powder on your roots - not too much, you don't want to look like you have dandruff - and comb it through the hair. You might get a bit of static, but at least you won't look like you tried to masque with vaseline. 

Night night everyone, get some beauty rest, and remember cleanliness is next to Godliness 

Tips, tricks and quick fixes

Natural beauty

I don't know about my readers, but I have to work flippen hard just to step out the front door in the morning. My hair needs taming, my face needs covering and my tummy needs some sucking in. Yes I know it must look pretty "put on" at times, but it's either that, or it's... me. So for the sake of other's, it's the "put on" version. I don't know what natural beauty is, or if it's a real thing. How much of it is natural and what is my idea of natural vs the next person's idea of natural. 

Today I've decided to do a post for those of us that lack a little "natural beauty". I'm not saying that we're not beautiful the way we are, but we all have that one, two, maybe three things we don't like about ourselves, but love on our favourite celeb. If you know what I mean, read on, this is for you.

The "fat" issue

This is by far one of the biggest issues in the world today. Mostly because if people aren't obese or anorexic (both equally dangerous and unappealing to the eye), they're of a healthy, normal weight and still hate themselves. Face it woman, we will never feel thin enough and we'll never reach that "goal weight". The key is to feel good about yourself as you are. It's time to start loving yourself. Look in the mirror and look past the curves you don't like while acknowledging the curves you do. Also, start dressing for your body shape. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes. 

I have found that when I eat too much junk food and I start to feel bloated and sluggish, I start to feel "fat" and unhappy with myself, so my advise would be; try adding healthier things to your diet, without cutting the things that you love out. The moment I have to eliminate an item from my diet, I crave it. Don't eliminate, add. Also, exercise. I know, I know, it's sh*tty, you don't have the time, you don't have the motivation, you don't know where to start, every time you start, you just end up quitting. I know it. I come home from work and know I have to exercise, but let me tell you, the biggest obstacle of all, is that inner dialog your have right before you do, or don't exercise; "I've had a long hard day. I was stuck in traffic, look how much time I've lost already, I don't have time to exercise. I exercised yesterday, maybe my body won't notice if I skip it today. I know I had one too many cupcakes for lunch, but I did run up and down the stairs a few more times than usual." - if you're laughing, you know exactly what I'm talking about. And guess what, in the 20min it took you to experience this inner turmoil, you could have been halfway through your routine already!

Even if you feel like the exercise isn't doing much for your weight, it will do wonders for your self esteem, and, muscle weights more that fat!!

Dry brushing

Dry brushing does wonders for the skin. It detoxes,  gives the skin a healthy glow by getting rid of all the dead skin cells, helps blood circulation (which in turn assists with skin tone and cellulite) and boots your immune system. This is something everyone should be doing and there is no excuse. Get yourself a body brush, and in a circular motion, brush the skin all over just before you pop into the bath or the shower.

Healthy hair

I'm sure you've heard the one about egg yolks in the hair? To be honest I've never tried it, but please feel free to let me know if you have and it's worked for you. I've heard of rinsing the hair with vinegar for a healthy shine, but who wants to walk around smelling like a fish and chips shop? At my last visit to the hairdresser, after my hair was washed, the hairdresser asked the lady washing my hair to rinse it with vinegar. She poured plain old white vinegar over my hair and let it settle in a bit, before finally washing it off. My hair looked fantastic, and they claim it is an age old trick. Try it. Let me know what you think.

Glowing complexion

I recently tried something I saw on Pinterest; wash your face. Take a teaspoon of olive oil, and rub into the skin. Steam face with olive oil still on, by filling the basin with boiling hot water and resting your head over it with a towel over your head. Once you've had a good steam, wipe excess oil off with cotton. Then make a paste with bicarb and water massage into skin, focus on blemishes (warning; this may burn). Once done, rinse off and then wipe face down with pure lemon juice (warning; this may burn even more). This, done twice weekly, will not only clear skin, but will even get rid of old scar tissue. The olive oil softens the scar tissue and blemishes once warmed up and the steaming helps it get in as deep as possible. The bicarb scrubs off those softened cells and the lemon juice will promote cell regrowth. 

Another things you can do for your face: for acne, scrub face with a homemade paste of cinnamon(1tp), nutmeg(1tp) and honey. They say this is the fastest fix for breakouts.

That's it for now my beauty queens. I normally finish my posts off with a tip, but since tonight's post was full of tips, maybe you can send me a few?

Night night 

My new favourite thing :-D

Girly girl...

I'm a shallow person. I know it. No body needs to tell me, I'm fully aware of it myself, as I am after all, fully aware of myself :-P

I think the point I was trying to make was; I like pretty things. I love them when they're in pink. I can't go through a single day without spotting something I love (and yes, I WILL spot something I loathe too, with equal passion). I love heels, handbags, make-up, healthy chic hair, oh and, all things pink. I will discover something new, absolutely love it, make sure everyone else loves it too, and then move on to something new. Today I have a new favourite thing, and it's not in pink...

Sally Hanson - Magnetic nail color

it's PURPLE!!

Oh my heart. People, this product is exactly what it looks like. It's a combination of beauty and science, beauty created through science. It is quite simply, awesome.

How it works

This product is very much like a normal nail polish, in that it comes in the regular packaging. Apply one coat to all the nails and allow to dry. Once you're ready to apply the second coat, get the magnetic cap from the nail polish bottle ready, apply the second coat to the first nail and then rest the cap on the skin just above the nail about 1mm or so from the nail's surface (you'll see that the cap is designed to rest easily like this, so you won't mess it up). Count to ten, you will immediately notice the colour pull and then you can move on to the next nail. Once all the nails have dried, you can apply a top coat to keep the colour lasting longer.

All good things must come to an end

I have but one negative thing to say about this brand of nail polish - it doesn't take long to start chipping off. Look if there's one thing I hate, it's the look of chipped nail polish on a woman's nails. If you can't keep your nail polish perfect, take it off. If you walk around with chipped nail polish on your finger nails, you look like a crack whore in withdrawal. I'm sorry, but someone had to say it. Most people will probably just stare. People who know you a little better, but not all that well, will start to wonder about your hygiene standards. Strangers will pull their children closer in the hopes that the child doesn't catch hepatitis B just by the mere sight of you. Yes people, chipped nail polish looks that bad. Don't do it to yourself; you wouldn't wear torn clothes to the mall, you wouldn't be caught dead in public if your mascara was running down your cheeks and you wouldn't leave the house if your red lipstick was smeared along your jaw line, so how is this any different? Just.don't.do.it. 

Tip

I see a lot of girls going without any nail polish on because "it's too much effort", or "it takes too long to paint my nails" or "If I try paint my own nails, I end up painting the whole finger". Well, boys and girls, we can't all be Picasso now can we, but that doesn't mean that we can't pretend to be artists and just have fun with it. I'm not Gordon Ramsay, but I'm not going to starve to death because of it, I still need to eat. 

Try using a Q-tip to apply petroleum jelly to the skin around clean, buffed nails. This will make it easier to remove any nail polish that has gotten on the skin during the art of nail painting. You can also dip the Q-tip in nail polish remover and use it to remove the nail polish from the skin after you've painted your nails. I, however, find that the best way to do it, is to just go wild and ensure that the entire nail is painted, and once it's dry, I hop in a bubble bath and allow my skin to soften up. Just before I get out, I use either the sharp tip of a nail file, or a push fork knife to scrap any excess nail polish off my fingers. It works like a charm!

Night night my beauty queens, next time I see you, I want to see clean colourful nails ;-)

Wild thing

Shout out

First and foremost, I'd like to send a shout out to that one awesome person who commented on my last post and said they really enjoy my blog; you rock, you awesome person you, and I'm not just saying that because you are my one and only reader ;-)

To condition, or not to condition, is that even a question?

You know that sound when the dj  stops a track and it scratches to a halt? Or when a car slams on it's breaks and they scream and shrill? Or when a room full of doctors and nurses simultaneously gasp when the woman in the delivery room gives birth to a hairy beast with 1 eye when they were expecting a cute little baby? Well that's the general reaction I have when I hear that someone either doesn't use conditioner, or only uses condition once in a while. Don't get me wrong, it's not because I feel that using conditioner after shampoo is as to hair as moisturiser after face wash is to skin, it's just, I can't even get a comb though my mop if I even attempt to use a cheap conditioner. It's as if my hair is this stuck up little poppie and nothing but GUCCI or Louis Vuitton will do...

What kind of personality are you?

Everyone has a different hair type, even people who think they have the same hair type, don't, going to a hair dresser to get the same hair cut will prove this (I speak from experience). Sometimes I feel all alone in this world. There is one thing I seem to have in common with most people though; damp weather really ruins my hair, only, instead of becoming bouncy and full of volume, my hair loses it's style and falls flat. If a cow licked  me it would look more flattering. I therefore cannot speak for anyone else but myself, when I talk about what hair problems I have, and what works for it. I do however think, that most woman feel the same as I do when I say that most days, I'm convinced my hair has a personality of it's own. Not only does my hair have personality, it has moods. It has fat days and thin days. It has leave me alone days and I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD days. Sometimes it's happy, sometimes depressed. We fight a lot. We make up though, which is a good thing, as I can't picture us apart. I found a good therapist though - Elvive.

L'oreal Elvive

What I love about the Elvive range is; they seem to have a product for every mood of the week. When my hair is feeling depressed and limp, and doesn't want to see anyone, I use the Nutri-Gloss. When my hair is feeling over worked and stressed, I use the Re-Nutrition. When my hair is having a good day, and I want to keep it that way, I use Volume Collagen. For everyday use, I use Colour-Protect. This is like an entire range developed just for me, and I love it. Thank you L'Oreal, because of your hair therapy, my hair and I are not only still together, but our relationship is healthy and happy!

What about you?

I have no idea what kind of hair my readers may have, but what ever it is, and how ever your hair may feel, I'm sure Elvive has a product just for you. Give it a try, I swear you'll love it. 

Tip

If you colour your hair a lot, or you blow dry it, or use a straight iron a lot, why don't you get yourself Elvive's Re-Nutrition (or Damage Care) hair masque? When you bath or shower at night before you go to bed, towel dry your hair, apply a generous amount of the masque to the hair, massage in, wrap a warm towel around your head, and leave in over night. You'll find that after you've rinsed it out the next morning, your hair will be as soft as a baby's bottom. 

Well that was short and sweet, night night everyone, go get that beauty rest ;-)

Happy Skin

What makes your skin happy?

As much as I like to go on and on about how important it is to maintain some sort of beauty regimen, including but not limited to putting your face on in the morning before you leave the house, at the end of the day, the happiest face, is a clean healthy face. Wearing make-up all the time can clog up the pores and dry out the skin, that's why it's so important to make sure that you remove your make-up and clean your face before you go to bed at night. This will allow the skin to relax, and breathe during the night while you chase your dreams.

What kind of cleanser are you looking for?

You need to make sure that if you are skipping the make-up remover, that you are using a cleanser that can remove all the make-up successfully as well as unclog the pores and exfoliate the skin to get rid of dead skin cells. I personally think exfoliating is one of the best things you can do for your face. After you've exfoliated, your skin is softer, smoother, it glows, and it has a healthy bright colour to it. Skin that is exfoliated regularly is also easier to apply make-up to. The make-up will also look like it has a better finish. 

What kind of cleanser should you avoid?

L'oreal's Happyderm Cleansing Wash

Look I wear more make-up than Dolly Parton. It may work for me throughout most the day, but by the time I get home from work, my face feels like the surface of Venus - volatile. It's oily, tired, dry, dull, and it's in need of some TLC. Now I'm not one of those people who wants to wash their face 3 times before they can leave the bathroom. This product makes you feel like you need to do just that. If you clean your face with a soft fluffy mouse that smells like a basket full of roses, you expect to radiate all of that when you're done, but all this cleanser really seems to do is remove the make-up. Every time I use this, I still feel like my skin isn't clean; when I run my fingers along my face, it feels like I'm trying to rub up a lizard. It doesn't feel pretty. I end up using the mouse again, but I still don't get the feeling I'm looking for. It's only once I've found an exfoliating face wash to scrub my skin, that I finally feel like I can leave the bathroom. 

What cleanser do I recommend?

L'oreal's Dermo Expertise Vitalift Self Heating Wash

This is what you use when you want your skin to feel amazing. It doesn't foam, it doesn't smell like roses, it doesn't look like whipped cream, but it does the job you need it to. With products like this one on the market I cannot understand how the Happyderm Cleansing Wash was even approved. I think the kind of people who'd by the Happyderm Cleansing Wash over any other cleanser, are the same kind of people who'd by a laptop based on the fact that it's pink rather than for it's performance... okay, I might be that person, but you're missing the point, which is, this product LOOKS like it's a cool product, but really, it's performance is non-comparable with it's competitors.  

Tip

If you're not using an exfoliating wash, try and use a scrub at least 3 times a week. If you don't you'll start to notice dry skin, and no matter how much moisturiser you use, the problem will not go away.  The dry skin you're seeing is the dead skin cells hanging onto the live skin cells, trying to moisturise them would be like trying to use a defibrillator on a zombie. Also, the moisturise won't be able to penetrate the the skin properly because of wall of "zombies" blocking your pores. Exfoliating removes the dead skin cells, giving the moisturiser the chance to work it's magic on the new skin cells underneath, so that you can wear the rosy look, rather than just smell it. 

Beauty - in the eye of the beholder?

Who's scared of eyeshadow?

Don't be. Eyeshadow can either make or break your look - literally! When you're not wearing eyeshadow, it's much like flaunting the "unfinished look" where celebs apparently go without concealer (and yet somehow still look like goddesses). Well the point I'm trying to make is... the look will be incomplete. Even if you want it to look like you are not wearing any makeup, you need to be applying a nude eyeshadow to your lids. Why? Because you aren't naturally beautiful, but you want all the other boys and girls to think you are :-P 

Applying nudes to your eyelids will still look natural, but will allow you to use tone to emphasise your eye colour or shape, which ever it is that defines your look, in a subtle way that says; "Yes, I am naturally this hot goddess, now bow before me you puny human".

L'oreal Color Appeal Trio Pro

I think this is a fantastic eyeshadow, especially for newbies. You don't have to worry about  

buying colours that look like they might go, or worry that your shades are too far off or almost the same. In one simple compact, you have everything you need, the right applicators too. This eyeshadow comes in loads of different colours, so you can go anything from Nicole Kidman to Kim Kardashian, what ever pops your toast, and it's so easy, you couldn't go wrong if you were Forest Gump's daughter!

Spice it up

Don't be afraid to play with some colour too. This is the modern age, it's okay to put colour on your eyes, in fact, it's okay to put more than one colour on your eyes. 

Yes ladies, that's right, blue can be worn on the eyes without the red lipstick, leopard print skin tight dress, pink fluffy heels, long red nails and curlers in the hair. Look at how fantastic these eyes look; splashes of blue with other colours, and it works especially well with grey and black. 

Just please people, please, what ever you do, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, walk out the house looking like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show!!

Your husband will leave you for your mother, your children will not acknowledge your existence till they've moved out the house and they're sure they haven't suffered any permanent mental scarring, and your dog will run away! Please always ask a child how you look before you leave they house - their honesty knows no bounds. 

Okay ladies (and queer gents) I think you can do this, now get out there and try some eyeshadow. 

Tip

Feel free to take a pic and email it to me at sammybsa@gmail.com, if you don't have a child in the house to tell you when you've f***** it up, I'm always available :-)

Have a fab evening, and get that beauty sleep

Before and after

Hello loyal readers. Today's post is more of an update on my previous posts. I am going to post before and after photos of myself to demonstrate how well the products I've raved about work. I must admit, doing this is rather like getting over some or other fear - for the first time, I'm am showing people what I look like without make-up on, and I'm posting it on the internet for EVERYONE to see (dom dom dom...).

First photo: Washed face, straight out of the bath

So I took this pic after I got out the bath. The only thing I'd done to my face was wash it with a L'oreal face scrub. Oh, and I blow-dried my hair too, I'm already showing you what I look like "naked", I'm not going to look like a wet dog too!

Second photo: toner and moisturiser have been applied

You can see I'm looking a little shinier, but I've just created the perfect base for my make-up. It will go on smoothly, without blotching or drying up on one spot. In doing this, I have also ensured that my skin is better protected when I'm out and about in the sun today. 

Third photo: BB cream has been applied 

Can you see the instant difference once the BB cream has been applied? My skin is looking neutral, mat and healthy. Again, the long term effects of this product is why you're actually using it. After a while, you should start naturally seeing a healthier glow with a nice neutral tone. No blotches or redness.

Fourth photo: Concealer and press powder has been applied

See now why I said BB cream or a tinted moisturiser will not be enough if you're looking for full coverage? Even my puffy eye looks better. This is now the perfect canvas for make-up.

Fifth photo: Eye make-up and lipstick have been applied

Now look at that previous photo again - isn't this mascara just the product of the decade? I've also applied gel eyeliner. Together with the mascara, it creates the illusion of larger eyes with longer lashes. I've also used an eyebrow pen on my eyebrows. Even if you don't have light eyebrows like me, using an eyebrow pen or even some eye shadow on the eyebrows will always give your eyes a more structured look. 

And that's it boys and girls. Now go out there and get cracking, I want to see pretty faces out on the street tomorrow, you don't just owe it to the public, you owe it to yourself, because you're worth it ;-)

Night night

Leather, a good look for a jacket, bad when it's on your face...

Who really puts that much effort into looking after their skin?

Um, Jennifer Aniston, Salma Hayek and Halle Berry, to name but a few (and these 40 somethings can put just about any 20 something to shame).

 I've noticed that besides being just so busy that no one has the time to take 5 minutes to themselves in the mornings and evenings now days, most people just don't seem to care, and it's such a pity, because I know that they are young still, and one day once they've aged, and it's too late, they'll regret not doing more for themselves. 

It's not considered selfish to take some time to make sure you've taken proper care of yourself before you leave the house, in fact, I'd say it's expected of you, just as it's expected that you've brushed your teeth and wiped your arse, dammit! Make yourself decent before you go out in public. 

Where to start

Along with making sure you cleanse and tone twice daily, you need to moisturise. As it is, we don't drink enough water in the day, and then we run around, eat crap, take in far too much salt and sugar, and  we live in sunny South Africa. You need to make sure that you moisturise in the morning after you've cleansed and toned your face, and again in the evening. Remember ladies (and queer gents) you should never go to bed with make-up on, NEVER. I admit, I am guilty of this, but my skin will make me pay for at least a week every time I attempt to break this rule. 

What moisturiser should you use?

See, now here's the thing, you can get moisturiser for just about every skin type there is, I however find that the problem is that my skin never stays constant in it's "type". Today my skin is oily, so I use a moisturiser for oily skin, and then tomorrow it's dry, blah blah blah. I've come to learn that with temperamental skin like mine, I've had to develop the gift of foresight to tackle the problem. If you don't have the gift of foresight, check e-bay, you can buy anything there.

L'oreal Even Perfect cream 

Garnier Pure Active 24 hr cream

 

I find that at the moment, the combination of these two creams work for me. Though I have oily, blotchy skin with pimples and blemishes, I still need to moisturise (invest in my future good looks ;-) so I use the Garnier Pure Active on my problem areas and for the rest of my face, I use the L'oreal Even Perfect cream (great cream to even skin tone for the guys and gals out there with blemishes). I think it's important that you get to know your own skin a little better, and maybe buy a a few different products that you feel might work together. What's important is that you do moisturise, the luxury we seek is to find the moisturiser that will not only preserve our skin, but will aid it in appearance today, which if you think about it, is a pretty unrealistic expectation, isn't it? 

I think it's important to remind you not to give up though. You may feel crappy about your skin today, you may even feel that you haven't got anyone to look pretty for, but you cannot undo that neglect, and a day will come when you will regret it severely.

Tip

Night cream repairs the skin, whereas day cream protects the skin, so it's important to make sure that you use the right cream at the right time. Drink more water, take your make-up off before you exercise or go to bed, avoid smoking and alcohol, and enjoy life!

And that's it for now guys, night night, get that beauty sleep, you're gonna need it ;-)

Mascara

I love it :-D

Black mascara, brown mascara, blue mascara, lash extending mascara, extra volume mascara, waterproof mascara, false lash effect mascara, collagen mascara, extra think mascara - I love mascara!! Mostly because without any on I look sickly and people around me probably worry that I'm carrying something contagious...

I am always wearing mascara. Even when I tell you that I'm not wearing any make-up, you can count on the fact that I'm wearing mascara and some sort of concealer. This is solely for your benefit, not my own :-/

If I love all mascara, what's my fav?

L'oreal's Extra-volume brown mascara...

...and L'oreal's Lash Architect 4D black

OMW, these mascara's were made for me! I have very thin blonde eyelashes, and with a little normal mascara on, they are at least visible, but with these lovely beauties, they are not only visible, they're IN YOUR FACE! Thick, lush, long, seductive and absolutely sexy!

How to use it

I like to use the brown Extra Volume mascara first, a nice thick helping full as a base for my black mascara, if you will. Why brown? That's the colour hubby brought home so that's the colour I'm using okay. Why am I using it as a base? I didn't realise it was brown when hubby brought it home, so after I plonked it on, I realised that it wasn't flashy enough, and then just went ahead and grabbed a black mascara to put over it. Little did I know that this was the birth of a whole new beginning for my eyes...

I then apply the black Lash Architect 4D mascara. I love it because it does things to my lashes that would probably be considered illegal in some countries, and also, it's waterproof :-)

This combination of mascara really can give you the false lash effect, without weighing down on your eyelids. False lashes tend to hang so heavy on my lids that I end up looking like some kind of any Asian inbreed. 

Is this product for you?

How the hell should I know? If I didn't get it for free I'd never have tried it out myself, but damn I don't think I could ever go back to my old brand of mascara, or even go back to using just one brand of mascara at a time for that matter - I've discovered the secret of the goddesses, and I must spread the word (and the lashes) so that all may know - now go on my beauties, spread the word, spread your lashes, spread your wings, and if you think you can fly... maybe you should get off the roof before you hurt yourself...

Tip

Liquid / gel eyeliner - they make the lashes look even thicker and longer. I find that the gel liner is much easier to apply, but the liquid liner pens are pretty cool too. If you aren't used to putting liquid / gel eyeliner on, practice at night before you wash your face, you'll be getting it right within a week ;-)

Night night everyone, and remember, beauty sleep ;-P

Everyone can do with a little concealer now and then

...yes you too!

I can't believe I'm still surprised to find that some people expect one solitary product to do everything for them. We all have different skin types, and as far as I'm concerned, unless God blessed you with porcelain skin, you need a more than just a little help from one tiny little bottle. Yes ladies, we don't just wake up looking drop dead gorgeous, we work our damn butts off trying!

Firstly, I want to clear one thing (for those of you who went out and bought the BB cream I was raving on about), there is a very big difference between the look that BB cream and tinted moisturiser gives the skin and the look that concealer / foundation gives the skin. There is also a difference between BB cream and tinted moisturiser that I won't get into right now, as the point I want to make tonight, is coverage!

We all need a little coverage, be it on the face, the chest area, or the pink G-string strap riding up your butt crack - some things are just better left unseen. 

If you have skin like mine, BB cream is a good idea, because over time it sorts out those nasty blemishes and acne scars (but note, that isn't done over night, although your skin might radiate with health, it can still appear spotty). While the nutrients in this cream take their time to heal the damaged skin cells, you need a little assistance with those spotty areas, and I find L'oreal's Infallible concealer does just the trick.

L'oreal Infallible Concealer

Foundation gives the skin full coverage. Obviously you'll chose a foundation that is fit for your skin type, and then you'll apply it to the face right after the moisturiser. A little press powder, and you should be good to go.  Concealer works the same as foundation in that you get full coverage, only it's better for targeting an area, which is fantastic if you are only using a tinted moisturiser or a BB cream, as coverage from these products are minimal. This product from L'oreal's infallible range is fantastic, I call it my little magic wand! It's a thin stick of concealer making it easy to apply to that targeted area. 

How should you be using it?

Firstly, you need to make sure your face is a clean canvas to work on, that means washed, toned and moisturised (depending on what product you'll be using). Once you've applied your tinted moisturiser or BB cream, apply a little concealer just under the eye area and use your fingers to blend it in. Make sure the concealer you are using is the same shade as the base product you are using, or you'll end up looking like  a raccoon (the scary rabid kind, not the cute kind), which usually doesn't go down that well with the opposite sex (or any sex for that matter). I then recommend taking a step back, and having a good look at yourself in the mirror. Now be honest with yourself, or you aren't helping anyone here - any discoloured spot that shows through needs to be taken care of with the wand. Use your fingers to blend it in, and before you know it, you should have a smooth clear appearance. 

Non-cute raccoon eyes

Mistakes!

Please ladies (and queer gents) look at yourself once you've applied your foundation. I swear people put their make-up on in the dark. Be careful not to cake on the make-up, especially if you have oily skin with big pores, or you'll end up with all the foundation sinking into the pores, and none on the skin and then you'll just look like a flipping burn victim. Also, remember to blend the foundation into the neck, the last thing you want to do is give people the impression that you're being cast in the next production of Phantom of the Opera! One more thing I have to mention; I've seen woman with foundation on where I don't know that the problem is that it's been applied too thickly, or that it's completely the wrong shade, but it appears green! Flip man, that's one way to scare the living sh*t out of a person in broad daylight! I don't know how they get that right, but please people, if you look in the mirror and you notice that you're a colour not typically that of HUMAN, wash the crap off, and try again.

Tip

If there is someone else in the house, ask their opinion, never be to proud to ask for help, we all could use a little every now and then.

Night night people, now get that beauty sleep, I want you all waking up looking like Goddesses in the morning ;-) 

The BEST advise I can give you?...

...Sunblock!

Everywhere you look today, you've got someone preaching about sunblock, and how bad the sun is for your skin - that's because, it's true!

I remember in my school days, there was this track on one of my old cassette tapes called Everybody's free, and of all the advise that old guy had to give, one thing he said stuck, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99 

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be 

it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by 

scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable 

than my own meandering"

Listen to the track here, this guy had a hell of a lot of good advise to give. I think this is a track we should all have on our ipods and mp3 players, so that we could listen to it every morning before work.

 Back to the sunblock. Tonight I bring you Vichy's sunscreen and repair cream. 

About my skin

Now believe it or not, I come from Natal (Empangeni) and I'm the whitest kind of white person you can get! When I expose my skin, my victims get arc eyes! So I buy a moisturiser that over time gives the skin a bit of a tint, so as to minimise making enemies (I'll review it for my other super white readers some time soon). 

Growing up in the north coast, the only sunblock I ever used was the colourful stuff the surfers used, and only to draw pictures on our bodies that would over time, tan into our skin for a few weeks. I never burnt, I was a nice golden brown colour, and my hair went white from all the sun. We finally moved to the Vaal, and since the water on this side of the world is so cold, stopped swimming and going out into the sun as much. With all this sun deprivation, I've become the potential lead actor for the remake of the 1995 film, Powder!

But I remember my golden brown days, and somehow believe that I can get that lovely skin colour back. 

My mistake?

So every flipping time we go to the coast, I go out onto the beach with nothing more than a bikini on, planning on catching a tan. My hubby will offer me sunblock, but I'll refuse, because my skin needs LOTS of sun to get colour again. Ja ne. And so, every flipping time we go to the coast, I burn to smithereens. I end up in so much pain that if my husband so much as even looks in my direction I wince. And never mind that, for 2 solid days I'm the target of every moth on the flipping planet!

What did I do right this time?

So my husband and I have been on holiday this past week; We get to our hotel at about 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. The sun is still blistering hot out there, and even though there's a nice cool air in the suite from the aircon that's obviously been on all day, we can't wait to get out there and feel the sand between our toes! We stop on the way out the door, and apply some sunblock. 

This time I decided that I wasn't going to try tanning. It never works, I always end up in a world of pain, and you know what, I'm not the only white GP body on the beach! I made sure I applied Vichy's sunscreen every day. On one  particular day, I forgot to apply any to the back of my legs. By that evening, the back of my legs were red, and in some pain. It then dawned on me how well the sunblock works, as the rest of my body was just fine. I then used some of Vichy's after-sun cream. I got immediate relief, and the next day there was no evidence of any kind of burn at all. I didn't even peel!

So is it worth it?

Hell yeah! Not only did I not burn, but I now have a nice light brown tan! By not burning on my first outdoor excursion, I was able to go out everyday, and slowly but surely build up a tan, through the sunblock and all! No burn, no pain, brown skin at the end of my holiday, hell yeah it's worth it :-D

Tip

Ha ha, you guessed it, always use sunblock, you'll be glad for it when you're older and friends your age look like leather!

Night night everyone, and remember, beauty sleep ;-)

Blog number 2

It's not all good...

Tonight's victim? The L'oreal Perfect Slim range, dom, dom, dom

Now ladies, I don't care how fit you are, how small your jean size is, or how hot you think you feel, if there is something each and every one of us has in common, it's the fat complex. 

One day my husband came home from work with the L'oreal Perfect Slim range for me to try out. Now my husband doesn't think there is anything wrong with my figure, he just knows how I can spend hours in front of the cupboard trying on outfit after outfit, only to collapse into a heap of tears and screams on the floor because I'm too fat to be allowed to live!

So how does it work?

That's what I want to know! No, seriously, you mean to tell me there is supposed to be a cream that can be applied to a section of the body and it will magically become smaller and smoother over night? Pffft! So I got the Perfect slim laser (a bottle of gel with a narrow nozzle for "targeted" application), the Perfect slim night cream, and Perfect slim patches. Boy was I excited, here was the answer to all my problems, and I wasn't even going to have to work at it! So after you've jumped out the shower, you first rub this cream in, and then you use the target gel to get to the "stubborn" cellulite, and then you strategically place the pads on the problem areas, which needs to stay on over night. 

So what's the problem?

Um, the cream leaves this blueish green tint on your snow white legs and bum. It also leaves the skin feeling really sticky, so you stick to the leather couch, and when you get into bed, you stick to the sheets. The patches are the size of your face! They have a funny gel like area that is supposed to be sticking to the skin, but it keeps falling off. Now this stuff is expensive, so you make a plan. I got some bandages, and wrapped this flipping stuff around my body. Oh, another thing; results are seen after 14 days of use! So for 14 days, you need to go to bed looking like a mummified version of the incredible hulk! If that doesn't ruin your marriage, your husband is gay! 

Anyway, 3 nights into this, and I made peace with my cottage cheese and threw the crap out.

So what product does beat cellulite?

Oh come on, really? Don't you think that if there were a magical product out there that actually did get rid of cellulite, that every woman on the planet would have a bottle of the stuff in their medicine cabinet right next to the birth control? There is no magical cellulite busting product, but if you read the fine print on the label, you'll soon find how it might work, if at all. They all say, drink 8 glasses of water a day, get at least 20min exercise 4 - 5 times a week, and when applying the magic cream, do so in a circular motion for a good flipping half an hour!

Is there nothing we can do? Are we stuck with cellulite for life?

Pretty much, yes. You can however, reduce the amount of cellulite you have, or the appearance thereof, by changing your lifestyle - there, 7 of my 8 readers just left the page. 

Seriously. Cellulite is nothing more that fat cells blown out of proportion by too much fluid. The intake of too much salt can cause this. The salt locks the water in the cells, the more salt you're getting in, the more fluid is locked in the cell, and so the cell starts to loose it's cell structure. It's simple osmosis (for those of you who remember high school biology), fluid will distribute in such a way until some sort of equilibrium is reached, unfortunately  it's trying to equalise in your butt!

Cut out the salt (who am I kidding), drink more water, and try an get that exercise. If you feel woozy just by reading this, try looking in the mirror, and repeat after me; "I love and accept you for who and what you are, my cottage cheese bum. You will always be a part of my life, my orange peel thighs. I promise to enjoy fat, salt and preservatives with you, until death do us part". 

Tip

Apparently honey and cinnamon does a great deal for weight loss. Take a half t/spoon of cinnamon, and soak for a half hour in a cup of boiling hot water. Once cooled, add 1 t/spoon of honey, and stir. Drink half the cup before bed, and the rest in the morning (do not re-heat, if the honey warms up, denaturation will occur, rendering the vital enzymes useless). This cleanses the body of all kinds of toxins, including the kind that cause acne and slow the digestive system down, hence the weight loss. 

Good night everyone, and get some beauty sleep ;-)

My very first

This is, my very first blog, my first post, and my very first review

 My name is Sam, and I am fortunate enough to be married to a man who works for a big beauty company and I therefore get a lot of beauty products for FREE (that's right girls, eat your heart out).

Why am I blogging?

I recently realised that I've been doing a lot of free marketing for a lot of these products that I've been getting for free; being the busy girl that I am, I normally would never have bothered to get half the products I've been using now, but let me tell you, this stuff is amazing! Finally, after realising how much I go on and on about how my girlfriends MUST BUY THIS FANTASTIC PRODUCT, I've decided to blog about it. Here's one place that I can go on and on about it, without making my girlfriends green with jealousy :-P So if you stick around, you'll soon find out what the newest products out there are, how they work for me, if they work, and if they're what you are looking for.

The very first product I bring to you?

Garnier's BB cream!

How I feel about this product

I LOVE this product, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!! I have very bad skin, I have acne scars, blemished skin and huge pores. My skin is also dry, but extremely oily (ja, I've also been wondering what exactly it was I did in my previous life to deserve this). I have tried every kind of foundation. Problem with it is, it always clogs up my pores, and if you're wearing your glasses, you'll notice it makes me look like something out of SawII. Anyway, over the years, I learned that a light-weight foundation in a shade darker than my natural skin tone, works best. 

A few months ago my husband came home with Garnier's BB cream. He said it was a new product and all the staff got a bottle to test out. I loved it from the first application! Not only is it an all in one, a few minutes after application, you can actually see your skin tone even out and brighten up! A little concealer on the much needed areas, and some press powder, and you're good to go. 

How I use this product

Because of my horrific skin type, I have to do things a little differently. I think each girl has to do things a little differently, because at the end of the day, no one is alike, and you need to do what works for you. This may take a little time to figure out, but hang in there, you'll get it soon enough. Now this product is supposed to moisturise your skin, along with everything else it does that's supposedly good for your face. After two weeks of using this product without moisturiser  I started getting blotchy red patches on my face - it was dry skin. I now use moisturiser before I apply my BB cream, and I haven't had this problem again. After two months or so, I have found that my skin is looking fantastic, even without my make-up on, and that says a lot coming from me!

Tip

Remember ladies, cleanse, tone and moisturise EVERY morning and night. If you are not already doing this, try it for a month, and your friends with notice the difference! (I say friends, as opposed to you, as we as human beings tend to expect too much from ourselves, and then end up overlooking some of the good things, especially when they start out small)

Have a fab night everyone, and get that much needed beauty rest ;-)