10 Game-Changing Beauty Products We Tried in February
It’s time for another WomenStuff beauty roundup! Every month our beauty desk is inundated with new beauty products to try – from new skincare product releases to fabulous new makeup items and more, there’s always something exciting popping up. So, I decided to put them all together for you in one convenient place so you get all the reviews and news on the latest must-try beauty products without having to sift through a million articles. All of the products featured here have been personally reviewed by me, so you know they’re aces. Here are 10 new beauty products that blew me away in February!
1. Six Brightening Enzyme Peel
A wonder for ladies with dry skin begging for moisture, this easy-to-use peel is one of the best peels I’ve used in a while. It’s a papaya enzyme exfoliator with added coconut oil so not only will it improve your skin tone and texture and increase blood circulation to the treated area but it will also leave your skin feeling hydrated and beautifully soft. To apply simply spread it over dry skin, leave it on for a minute before wetting and then massage it into the skin for two minutes.
The Six Brightening Enzyme Peel is available from selected salons at R365 – call (011) 312 7840 to find your nearest stockist or visit the Six website.
2. Marc Anthony 2nd Day Clear Dry Shampoo
Anyone with dark hair will tell you that finding an affordable dry shampoo can be a nightmare of note. While most “drugstore” dry shampoos leave brunette and black hair looking a little ashy (white powder residue is every dark-haired girl’s nightmare!) this residue-free dry shampoo from Marc Anthony won’t reveal to the world that you were too lazy to wash your hair this morning. It absorbs excess oil like a boss, masks odours in a jiffy, and even adds volume to flat, lifeless unwashed hair. Basically, the product was developed with Nanotechnology and Zeolite, a micro-porous mineral, to cleanse hair without a chalky residue or gritty texture. I tried it on my dark tresses and it truly is invisible and leaves your hair feeling soft, silky, and oh-so-fresh!
Marc Anthony 2nd Day Clear Dry Shampoo is available from Wellness Warehouse at R175.
3. Revlon ColorStay Foundation
Revlon is knocking colour matching out of the park with a shade to match every skin tone and type in the Revlon ColorStay Foundation range. The full-coverage foundation comes in a whopping 27 Shades in Normal/Dry and Combination/Oily formulas. The range offers 18 shades in Combination/Oily and 9 shades in Normal/Dry, so you’re bound to find your perfect match. Despite being pretty full-coverage Revlon’s ColorStay foundation is lightweight and super comfy. I can wear it all day no problem and I love that it helps me create a flawless, yet natural-looking finish when I want to wear a full face of makeup.
Revlon ColorStay Foundation is available at selected pharmacies and makeup counters nationwide at a recommended price of R325.
4. MIES Hand & Body Oil in Rosy Lemon
This fragrant natural oil is manufactured in South Africa and is a real treat for the skin. The oil can be used as a hand or body moisturiser to leave skin feeling soft and smooth. I love how quickly this oil absorbs into the skin – it doesn’t leave you with a horrible oily residue and it smells like heaven in a bottle. Made with extra virgin olive oil and rose and lemon essential oils, this beautiful oil is a hydration powerhouse. It is also packed with essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin E (basically a fountain of youth in a bottle), so it’s great for those who want to have healthy, young looking skin. It’s a wonderful handbag companion and is officially one of my new-favourite body oils!
MIES Hand & Body oil in Rosy Lemon is available from Wellness Warehouse at R120.
5. Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick
This delicious liquid lipstick glides on like butter and sets matte without drying out your lips. It’s a very comfortable lipstick and you’ll almost forget you’re wearing it, it’s so light. This lipstick is also very highly pigmented and really long-lasting. When I say this lipstick doesn’t budge I mean it’s got serious staying power and you’ll need makeup remover to get it off – yes indeed, you can eat and drink to your heart’s content while wearing it! The formula is quite mousse-like and takes a short while to set but once it’s ‘dry’ you’ll enjoy beautiful lip colour all day long. The lipstick is available in a range of colours, I tried Nudest Peach, a stunning nude that is great for all-day wear.
Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick is available from Clicks at R99.
6. Payot My Payot Brume Eclat
I’m a bit obsessed with facial mists at the moment – I keep one on my nightstand, in my handbag, and even in my car so I can easily give my skin a quick blitz of hydration when I’m feeling a little dried out and “not-so-fresh”. If you’re not using a facial mist in summer then you’re missing out! At the moment I’m loving this Payot My Payot Brume Eclat face mist – it’s packed with all sorts of super hydrating ingredients including glycerin, hydrogenated castor oil, and hyaluronic acid. The product also contains antioxidant-rich superfruit extracts acai and goji berry which help to protect your skin from barrier destroying environmental pollution. This mist also smells great and is a must-have in your travel bag, especially if you’re going on a long-haul flight!
Payot My Payot Brume Eclat is available from Dis-Chem pharmacies at R265.
7. Bionike Defence Micellar Water
We all know that Micellar water is the best thing since sliced bread and this version from sensitive skin-loving brand Bionike is a great choice for those who struggle with breakouts and frequent reactions to beauty products. It removes face, eye and lip makeup with ease and the gentle formula even helps to protect your skin’s barrier! The product contains soothing panthenol and distilled rose water and I love it because it leaves skin feeling fresh and soothed. To use simply pour onto a cotton pad and cleanse skin and follow with a moisturiser of your choice.
Bionike Defence Micellar Water is available from Dischem at R129.
8. Swiitch Beauty Unicorn Sauce Eyeshadow Palette
Colour loving beauties will adore this Unicorn Sauce eyeshadow palette from local online beauty store, Swiitch Beauty. With a whopping 35 ultra-pigmented matte and shimmer shades you’ll never run out of eyeshadow options with this palette. The collection offers everything from bold brights to a matte white and is everything you need to create a bold look. I love this palette because it gives you the opportunity to really play with colours and different looks – whether you want to create a multidimensional ombré look with the creamy mattes shadows or experiment with bold shimmer shades, you can do it with the Unicorn Sauce palette. I was also impressed with the staying power of these shadows – they really last and there is minimal fallout when applying.
The Swiitch Beauty Unicorn Sauce Eyeshadow Palette is available online from the Swiitch Beauty website at R350.
9. Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Primer
Many women swear by wearing a primer on their skin under makeup and even on days when they’re rocking a bare-faced natural look. I’ve tried many a primer over the years and this one from Elizabeth Arden is a real winner. It feels soft and velvety on the skin and helps to minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles by giving your skin an instantly flawless appearance. It’s also a wonder at controlling shine and keeps your skin from drying out and your makeup flaking or looking dry throughout the day. The product has a slightly peachy pink tint to it which blends well into all skin tones, giving you a great base to start from when applying makeup. I love wearing this primer under my foundation as it allows me to carry on with my day, stress-free knowing that my makeup is going to stay put and continue to look good hours after I applied it.
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer is available from Edgars and Red Square stores at R365.
10. Lush 1000 Millihelens Jelly Face Mask
Nothing helps my skin recover from a busy week quite like a good face mask. This one from Lush is all sorts of awesome and is not only good for your skin but it’s planet-friendly too! The clay-based mask contains fresh apple juice, Brazilian orange oils, and Sicilian lemon, which help to brighten the complexion, as well as green tea which is a wonderful antioxidant. While this mask is great for all skin types it’s definitely worth mentioning that it will work particularly well for those with oily skin who struggle with breakouts. To use simply grab a chunk of the mask from the tub and rub it between your hands to activate it before applying to the face. Leave the mask for 5 – 10 minutes before rinsing off with a face cloth or sponge. It’ll leave your skin feeling fresh, hydrated, detoxed and doesn’t dry out your skin while you’re waiting for it to work its magic – win!
Lush 1000 Millihelens Jelly Face Mask is available from Lush stores and online at R145.
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