May Favourites 2015!

Once again I find myself picking my monthly favourites and once again I am starting this post by saying OH MY GOSH how has another month flown by so quickly?! We are officially into June and halfway through 2015 which is mind-blowing. But here we go with the favourites:

1. Charles Worthington Salon At Home Strength & Repair Conditioner

I have crazy hair. Let’s face it. Its waist length and crazy curly so I straighten it religiously. This means that my hair gets brittle, thin and dry very quickly. I always use heat protector and I have a very nice GHD but heat is heat no matter what precautions you take. This Charles Worthington conditioner is a godsend when it comes to needing a thick and moisturising conditioner. It certainly lives up to its name, your hair is much stronger and healthier after just one wash. I prefer to use a cheaper shampoo before this as its super rich and thickening and I feel your hair  would be quite rich and maybe a bit oily if you used a rich shampoo before this one. Leaving it in for about five minutes (instead of the recommeded 3) adds just that extra bit of health, too.

It is a bit pricey for an every day conditioner (R105 for the 250ml), especially if you have long and thick hair, but using it once or twice a month definitely makes a great difference.

2. Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in 05 ‘to die for’

This quad used to be a staple for me back in 2014. Quite literally, I used it every day for about half a year. It has the four perfect colours to create both a smokey eye and a few nude daytime looks. I rediscovered it when I was sorting through my eyeshadows and I decided to give it a again and hey-hey it works just as well as it did last year! I decided to check the expiration date as I know I purchased this around two years ago and that’s when I saw that you can use it for three years before throwing it out. THREE years! I have honestly never seen an eyeshadow quad which has such a long life on the packaging. I admit that I always keep my make-up for longer than advised but this just makes me feel happy about spending money on the brand because you know nothing will go wrong with it for ages

3. Make-Up Academy Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighters in Pink Shimmer & Iridescent Gold

I received these absolute beauties in my International Beauty Swap with Becky (from BeckyLovesXO – full unboxing post coming on Friday) and I am soooo happy that I asked for them! I had heard that they were pretty good dupes for M.A.C’s Lightscapade and, while I disagree with the dupe part, these are fantastic for certain uses. I love using the gold for under my eyebrow and on my browbone, in your tear duct area and along my cheekbones, and the pink is perfect as a highlighting blusher to give you that ‘just pinched’ look.

At first touch they are quite rough, which is odd, but they transfer onto your skin smoothly and the pigmentation is mind blowing. Just look at the swatches below!!

I wish this brand was available in South Africa! They are so inexpensive and they have an amazing selection and quality.

4. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+

I purchased the entire three-step Clinique pack with the facewash, toner and moisturizer and, while I love the set, the moisturizer stands out for me 100%. I have never really struggled with dry and flaky skin until this year when I had one small patch above my mouth/under my nose and my usual face creams were not working but after four days of using this it was practically back to normal! I was obviously so so super impressed by this and I’ll be using it for a long time 🙂 It may be a little pricier than one you would buy at a Pharmacy but when it comes to your face its always best to spend the extra money and look better for longer.

5. Mabelline Master Drama Khol Liner

Oh my gosh. This was my number one favourite make-up item this month. I also received this eyeliner in my swap with Becky and I honestly just thought ‘meh’. Maybelline, we get that here. Eyeliner, I always stick to one brand. But for some reason I tested it and I don’t think I will be going back to my usual brand anytime soon. The intensity is so dark and it lasts for around six hours before needing to be touched up. I am truly not an eyeliner kinda gal. I mean, I wear it almost every day but I don’t covet the different brands and types like I would with other beauty items. But hel-LO this is amazing.

6. The Body Shop Shower Gel in Passion Fruit

Who doesn’t love a Body Shop shower gel? They smell amazing and one bottle lasts ages. Clicks recently had these on special for only R40 each so of course I was stocking up like there was an Apocalypse. If you like the smell of granadillla then this Passion Fruit one is for you. It has an intense smell and it stays on you for hours. You can also use it for shaving as it lathers up really well with a sponge. I may need to rush out for a few more bottles..

What were your favourites this month? Leave me your links!

Rayne XX