Review: WOW Moisturizing Lipsticks with Swatches

I've never been one to buy a lot of lipstick shades. I generally stuck to the few shades that I was happy with. Recently, I've become more adventurous and ordered a whole lot of shades from the WOW range and find myself recommending it to my clients as touch up lipsticks for their functions as they are very inexpensive and safe to use- (by safe, I mean they are not the 'made in China' brand)

They have 2 types of lipsticks in their range- the moisturizing lipsticks and the long lasting, matt lipsticks. The ones I have swatched is the moisturizing lipsticks which has about 90 different shades. I hope to slowly buy a lot more to build up a collection as I really like the quality of the product-especially since it is not overly priced.

They apply very easily with little effort and have a glide on application with no tugging on the lips. As the type suggests, it's moisturizing and has an amazingly pleasant smell. They are creamy and highly pigmented. The color pay off is excellent and did I mention that they are cheap??? Lol.

I realized after swatching them that I was attracted to shades very similar to each other in color. But, I'm not complaining as I'm thoroughly happy with each and every shade that I've bought. Right now, in Durban, u can purchase it through individual agents and the prices range from R25/R30 for a 3.8gr tube.

The swatch colors on my hand are bang on but the pictures of the lipstick itself is not the best. My apologies....

Review: Essence 3D Duo Eyeshadows- Irresistible Mermaid Kiss, Irresistible Green Dreams, Irresistible Purr-ple

Last week I purchased 3 of Essence Cosmetics 3D duo eyeshadows. Each shadow comes in 2 tones- a lighter shade which can be used as a highlighter or on the inner corner of the eyes and a deeper, darker shade that can be used across the entire lid, on the crease line or just to smoke out the look.

Each of the shadows has a nice soft feel to it and the darker shades are extremely well pigmented. What I like about them is that they are packed with fine, blend-able shimmer(and who doesn't love shimmer?) If you want a deeper intensity, try applying them wet and watch the colors POP. They have a long enough wear time on their own but if you want more than 6 hours of wear, apply them over an eyeshadow primer and base. One thing that I really loved about these eyeshadows is when a bit of pressure is used to apply it, it did not go on patchy- instead it leaves a very evenly pigmented layer that is very easy to build and blend. The lighter colors in this duo pick up powdery but once applied, gets the job decently done. They are currently retailing at R39.95 for 2.8gr of product and can be found at most Clicks, Hub and Dischem pharmacies.

Essence 3D Duo Eyeshadows

The colors that I purchased are:

• Irresistible Mermaid Kiss(No 06)-  this is a mint green color, just like the green of the deep ocean waves.
• Irresistible Green Dream-(No 01)- the lighter shade in this duo leans more towards a very pale mint green but the darker shade is more of a darker avocado green. It's an amazingly beautiful shade which you would definitely enjoy using...alone or accompanied by a complementing shade.
• Irresistible Purr-ple(No 02)- this duo comprises of 2 shades of purple from either extremes...the lighter shade borders more on a silvery lilac shade whilst the main color is an intense mauve color with shimmery blue specks. Here again....a color not to be ignored.

Swatches

Irresistible Mermaid Kiss- No 06

Irresistible Green Dream- No 01

Irresistible Purr-ple- No 02

Colors swatched without any base or primer.

Four Top Quality & Affordable Makeup Brands in South Africa

Recently, I seem to be drawn more and more to store brand beauty and makeup products and I'm beginning to realize with each day how misguided we are in terms of the make of products that we keep in our private collections. Most makeup artists and even prospective clients turn their noses down at anything other than Mac and Kryolan....myself included. Truthfully speaking, in the past few years, I would not have even considered swatching ANY other brand except Mac. After spending thousands of rands on brand named items, I became a lot more disillusioned in my beliefs as I encountered items that did not meet my expectations and which left me totally disappointed and regretful that I had spent so much on them only for it to be tossed at the back of my drawer never to be used again:(

Now I get an unusual high when I get 2, 3 or even 4 products for the price of what I would normally pay for just 1.

Here is a list of store brand makeup or beauty products that you should seriously consider experiencing. It's definitely worth the try... Being a once upon a time self confessed, die hard Mac fan, I can safely state that the products that I have tried and liked are comparable in every way...quality, duration of wear, pigmentation, texture and application.

My 4 top favorite affordable, quality makeup brands in SA.

The first brand that makes my list is:

Essence Cosmetics

I love the fact that the Essence range is extensive and well thought of it includes everything that you
would ever need- from eyebrow stencil kits to trios and quad eyeshadow palettes. Whatever I have
tried thus far has exceeded my expectations and I honestly cannot figure out how this awesome brand had escaped my makeup radar. They can be purchased at Clicks and The Hub stores.

WOW Cosmetics

Super, super cheap range of quality products catering for all ages and skin types. Here again, the range extends from makeup brushes to eyeliner stickers and ANYTHING else in-between. Am LOVING the range of lipsticks(have 19 colors out of the 30 some odd shades in the moisture range). The gel liners are TO DIE for. I have just placed an order for 12 of their single eyeshadows. Oh, and did I mention their range of eyelashes??? Need I say more??? I didn't think so....! WOW cosmetics is available in Durban only through private agents at the moment. There possibly are a few pharmacies that stock them but I am not really aware of which ones.

NYX

A brand boasting an extensive range of makeup goodies as well. The color range of their eyeshadows and lipsticks are endless and what I especially like about this brand is that they are often introducing combo editions that keeps their fans waiting and guessing. They are a little higher priced than Essence and WOW cosmetics....with good reason I suppose. There are a lot of NYX eyeshadows whose colors very closely resemble Mac eyeshadow shades so if you are finding that Mac is not within your budget range, check out our Mac/NYX dupes. Their quality also is something worth raving about. The only place that I have seen NYX products is at Clicks.

Catrice Cosmetics

I have very recently discovered Catrice whilst browsing through a local Hub store. I am simply taken by their eyeshadows and they are priced from R39 for 2gr of product. I was very attracted to the
texture and pigmentation of their products and will be posting reviews of my purchases in a few days. Their prices are so reasonable that you can have the luxury of experimenting with many of their products without feeling guilty. Catrice is a 'sister brand' to Essence cosmetics and are available at Clicks and selected Hub and Dischem Pharmacies.

So far, these are my 4 favorites that top my list and I'm hoping to add more along the way. If you know of other worthy products, give me a shout out so we can share them with the rest....

Review: Catrice Eyeshadows(420- Talk Like an Egyptian, 640- Don't Touch my Mosserati)

I've always been an eyeshadow gal and I can never resist the temptation to buy when I come across a good brand that offers quality and affordability. I usually end up with many similar shades of eyeshadows made by different companies simply because I just cannot resist them. Tempting my weak sense of makeup willpower is another brand that I have recently discovered- CATRICE. Catrice is the 'sister' brand of Essence which was launched by ex Miss South Africa Cindy Nel and her husband Clive Roberts. Now Essence has been a hit ever since it was launched here in 2009 and I can see that Catrice is going to be giving it some stiff competition. Both products are European brands and we can all breathe a sigh of relief as that eliminates the 'made in China' phobias.

Like Essence, Catrice offers an extensive range of makeup products which are priced well below the budget of the average buyer. It's a very trend focused brand that revises their range every 6 months and releases one trend edition every month to keep up with the ever changing trends. Once a color is taken off the shelf, the chances of a reappearance is very slim- so if you see something that you are super impressed with, purchase backups upon backups as you may never be able to set your hands on it again- and with their crazy low prices, you certainly will be able to afford many backup purchases for future use, lol. Their products are of premium quality and are not tested on animals.

I purchased 2 of their eyeshadows a week ago despite me having so many of those colors already in my collection.

The Price:  R34.95 for 2gr and it has a shelf life of 24 months

The Product

• 420- Talk Like An Egyptian: which is a pearly beige gold color. It feels a bit sheer but when packed on with a brush, has good color payoff. It's excellent for creating a shimmery, luminescent sheen on the eyelid and can be paired beautifully with almost any other color. It's perfect to use as a highlighter on the brow one and on the inner 1/3rd of the eye.
• 640- Don't Touch My Mosserati: this is a rich dark green with shimmery gold specks. It picks up effortlessly and applies like heaven. Once it's packed on, the gold specks even out leaving you with an intense pearly green color with a goldish undertone that dances in the moving light. It kind of reminds me of the 'mother of Pearl' effect without the multi colored hue.

Swatches

Pros

• I love the packaging- very elegant looking. The eyeshadows come in a transparent case without any distractions of labels and images allowing you to appreciate the color the minute you lay your eyes on them and without you having to open it.
• It has a luxurious, soft, velvety feel to your touch.
• A firm, single swipe is all it takes to pack on the color.
• It is extremely blend-able and lasts the whole day with an eyeshadow primer.
• It is intensely pigmented.
• It is very affordable- the price is definitely not an indication of its quality.

Cons

• There is heavy shimmer fall out from the gold shadow- which I couldn't remove as I had already applied my foundation. Although on the lid, I loved the shimmery effect, under the eye area, it was a nightmare. To overcome this, apply a thick layer of powder under the eyes and once you are done, use a fan brush to clean up. Leave foundation application for after applying the eyeshadow.
• Be wary...u might develop a strong addiction!!! They've got me addicted and I can't help purchasing LOTS more from their product range...

Brand Name Makeup....Rip Off or Justified???

All of us have grown with the mindset that the more we pay for something, the better the quality. We tend to look past the fact that we should never judge a product by its price tag...I too belonged here not so long ago until I forced myself to become more broad minded about price and quality. I cannot deny that makeup brands like Mac, Inglot, Bobbi Brown and others have some really good products out there however, I cannot condone the prices attached to their products. I have learnt the hard way, that we certainly are not paying exorbitant prices for their quality only, as I have recently come across many product brands that are not as well advertised or are not sitting in designer decorated aisles, that match or even exceeds the quality of these overrated and overpriced brands. What we are really doing is footing their bills of advertising, staff salaries that are designated to particular makeup houses, fancy makeup lighting blah, blah, blah....

To put my money where my mouth is, I have come across something which I felt I had to share with you. Whilst surfing the internet recently, I was directed to Mac's online store and noticed that Mac did not have their own brand of eyelash adhesive but instead sold a brand called 'DUO'. I then remembered that Inglot also sold the same adhesive for their eyelashes.
Wait....It gets more interesting....Mac resales the DUO eyelash adhesive for....wait for this...a whopping R290 for a 14gr tube. The very same product is sold by Inglot for R149. Now that is a difference of R145.....you can get up from the floor now...there's more to read lol. You could actually buy 2 of the very same product at Inglot than at Mac!!!! and, and, and...the quantity is the same. WHAT THE HECK!!!!

The Proof is always in the Pudding....

Does the product perhaps turn to gold once it's reached the hands of Mac.??? Am I missing something here??? Are we ALL missing something here?? I know what I have been missing...my marbles!
Now if that does not blatantly spell out 'daylight robbery' and set off alarm bells, then I definitely am an idiot.

There's nothing much left to decide...NOT justifiable at all...total rip off. Create your brand so that it becomes affordable to all...and do not use superior quality as the reason to overcharge the very people that are helping you survive....

Have you come across any proof of overcharged products??? Share them with us....

Makeup Looks: Silver & Teal Smokey Look

This look started off as a simple silver and black smokey look but then we decided to give it a pop of color by adding the teal blue. We were more than impressed with the outcome.

Products Used

For the Face

• Smashbox face primer
• Kryolan Dermacolor corrector- D2
• Kryolan cream foundation- OB3
• Kryolan translucent powder- TL2
• Mac blusher in Breezy
• Gold/Pink shimmer powder above blush line to highlight cheek bone

Doesn't she photograph beautifully?

For the Eyes

• Mac Shadestick in Overcast as a base for the eyeshadows
• Mac Elektra for inner 1/3rd of the eye
• Mac Freshwater for middle 1/3rd 
• Kryolan Black for outer 1/3rd 
• Mac Knight Divine to smoke out crease area
• Mac White Frost for highlighting brow one
• Star Dust pigment over the White Frost on brow bone
• WOW glitter dust over entire lid for more glamour
• WOW gel liner
• Mac eye pencil in Smoulder to line waterline
• BodyShop mascara
• Store brand fake lashes

For the Lips

• Lipliner- WOW No 15
• Lipstick- Mac Rocker 
• Clicks brand lipgloss

Take it up a notch by applying some lip gloss

Makeup Looks: Blue, Green & Gold

Whenever I do the makeup for this young lady, I'm always in awe of the outcome. Her transformation certainly leaves a lot of heads turning....

Products Used

For the Face

• Kryolan Cream foundation- OB2
• Kryolan translucent powder- TL2
• Blusher- a blend of Mac's Plum Foolery & Peach Twist
• Shimmer powder to highlight cheekbones & 'T' zone

Before 

After

For the Eyes

• Eyeshadow primer
• NYX Jumbo pencil for the base- Pacific
• Inglot AMC No 06(gold) for the inner corner of the eyes
• Inglot No 418 for the middle of the lid
• Mac Freshwater for outer 1/3rd and ti create smokey effect
• Mac Whitefrost for highlighting the brow bone
• WOW shimmer powder(Silver/No13)
• WOW gel liner

For the Lips

• Mac Burgandy Lip pencil
• WOW lipstick- No C07
• PAC Lip Sparklette in Bronze

Makeup Looks: Red & Gold

The sister if a friend of mine got married this weekend and I did the makeup for a few girls there. It was a hectic, rushed 2 days but when I look at the photos, I can't help beaming with satisfaction.

Before n After

Products Used

For the Face

• Smashbox face Primer
• Kryolan Dermacolor- D2 for color correction of under eye circles
• Kryolan cream foundation- OB3
• Kryolan translucent powder- TL2

For the Eyes

• NYX jumbo pencil in Gold
• Mac's Goldmine for outer corners
• Loose pigment in Maroon Sparkle for the middle of the lid area
• Pac's loose pigment in shiny Gold over the Goldmine
• WOW cosmetics silver glitter/ shimmer powder over the entire lid area to give it a shimmery effect
• WOW gel eyeliner
• WOW false lashes in No. 086883

For the Lips

• PAC lipliner in Eggplant
• Lipstick in Rocker
• Lipgloss- Uberbabe, Lips To Go Dazzle Gloss in Gold

Review: WOW Cosmetics Gel Liner

One of the greatest makeup inventions in my opinion are gel liners. Gel liners offer the same application technique and purpose without all the fuss and mess of pencil and liquid eyeliners. My very first gel liners that I owned were Macs Fluidline in Blacktrack, Sweet Sage and Jadeye. My next purchase of a gel liner was Inglot's No.77- as much as I loved the fact that they stayed on all day without smudging or fading, it either dried up after just ONE use(and trust me, I was very careful with regards to air exposure whilst I was using it) or it dried tight onto the lid after the application, leaving me a bit uncomfortable. Despite them hardening very quickly if proper care is not taken, I don't think I would ever go back to liquid and pencil liners.

With my experiences of gel liners hardening up on me, I wasn't going to invest a lot of money this time round and decided to purchase something that is not quite as expensive as Mac or Inglot. Which brings me back to my latest discovery of an affordable, quality makeup brand.....WOW.

Now, I have reviewed 2 other products of WOW cosmetics and I must say that so far....I am quite impressed. I have been back for my second makeup haul purchase and am seriously loving every use that I am getting out of their products thus far. My experience with their gel liner is also worth raving about....

Comes in a durable, plastic tub

The Price: R60 for a 5gr tub

The Packaging

The liner comes in a neat, clear, plastic square tub that is nestled in WOW's brand labelled box with sufficient information about the product and it's application on the back. Ingredients are listed clearly and it comes with its own mini brush applicator. The container is sleek and small enough to comfortably fit into your handbag or carry along makeup purse.

The Product

I did not use the brush that came in the box to apply the liner. I used a very thin synthetic brush. The consistency of the gel is very creamy allowing for a smooth, glide on application. It does not dry quickly, giving you ample working time. I was able to play around with it to eventually settle on an elongated winged application. It has a brilliant depth of pigmentation and I just had to apply it once over for an intense color pay off. Despite my slightly oily eyelids, I found that there was no smudging or fading and the product stayed on throughout the day... it did not leave a tight, dry feeling on my lids like I've experienced with some major brand gel liners. It dried to a semi-matt finish, which is exactly how I like it.

Applied as a single stroke- look at the intensity
of the pigmentation

My Overall Impression

I honestly believe that this is real value for money. R60 for 5gr of product is certainly a budget friendly replacement for any major brand gel liner. It is long lasting, easy to work with, gives excellent color pay off, is inexpensive and definitely worth the try...now that's certainly getting all the boxes ticked...

My Personal Rating: with eyes closed, a non-hesitant 10/10

Disclaimer

Please note that all products that I review are purchased with my own money and I do not get paid to provide any sort of positive or negative feedback on ANY product. All opinions are solely my own and is 100% honest. What may work for me, may not necessarily work for you. This is just to provide a guideline on what you can expect if you are considering purchasing the product.

Review: WOW Cosmetics Liquid Eyeshadow

I remember purchasing a liquid eyeshadow many years ago and somehow back then, it just failed to tickle my fancy. Thereafter, I found myself steering clear of them despite the attractiveness of some of the shades and colors. In my vague recollection of my experience with it, I recall that it hadn't totally met my expectations and since then, they have never made my favorites list.

With my recent makeup haul of WOW makeup, I couldn't resist a duck egg blue(which happens to be my new favorite color for ANYTHING) shade liquid eyeshadow(No 08). I tried it on the previous day to test its wearability and to see if maybe this time round it cut the grade.

WOW's range of liquid cream liners

The Price: R25 for 5ml bottle vile

Shade No 08

The Packaging

There really isn't much to say about the packaging except that it comes with a sealed, see-through,
tamper- proof plastic and label around it. The label has the importer and ingredient details. Imprinted
on the clear bottle which allows you a view of the shade and color is the company logo. Nothing fancy, pretty simple....

Soft, velvety applicator

The Product

Wow's liquid eyeshadows come in a range of 9 metallic colors. The color range consists of some bright, funky colors (01, 02), a few pastel shades (03, 05, 08) and the basic neutrals (04, 06, 09). They seem to have skipped 07 for some reason, lol, but we can forgive them for that. The mix of colors
cater for every type of makeup lover which is a definite plus.

Applied as a double layer

I swatched the shadow on my inner wrist as well as on my eyelids up to the crease area without any base or primer. It comes with a doe foot applicator for quick and easy application. It applied quite effortlessly to a silky smooth finish. I didn't try building up the color as the metallic aspect served well for an intense enough look- so at this stage, I can't comment on whether it's a build-able product. If I remember to do that on my next use, I will include it in here later.

I have slightly hooded eyelids that tends to fall over my lid area which is also a bit oily. I noticed that the area where the lid touched whilst blinking, the color had faded a bit leaving that area looking a bit patchy. The area below the crease remained intact throughout the day and it resisted color loss exceptionally well. It stayed fast despite me intentionally trying to rub it off. Those that do not have hooded eyelids will especially benefit from this.

I like the fact that due to its excellent staying power, and it can also double as a funky eyeliner. The swatch on my inner wrist stayed on for more than 8 hours despite all the rubbing and touching. I expected it not to budge when washing it off, but warm soapy water was all it took to leave my skin clean and stain free.


My Overall Impression

Pros

• Quick and easy application
• Comes with own applicator
• Dual performance....eyeshadow/eyeliner
• Dries to a silky, smooth finish
• Good range of colors
• Smudge and smear proof 

Cons

• If you do not know how to apply it evenly, it ends up looking a bit blotchy.
• For those that are cursed with hooded lids, keep the shadow away from the crease line to avoid the shadow from fading away.
• Not everyone is fond of metallic, shimmery colors...range should include a few simple colors .

Liquid eyeshadows are an excellent alternative to traditional eyeshadows which require little or no blending skills. It's endless staying power certainly gives it an upper edge over powder shadows. Try it...you may just find yourself a gem product that you are unable to do without. However for me, I'll just wait for WOW to introduce some non- metallic shades in their range...

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