Beauty Review: Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

As you know, Lush's concept is focused around fresh, handmade, natural cosmetics. The stores are so fun to spend time in. From the array of handmade soaps to the nifty products, a trip to the store is always a treat. 

Recently I picked up the Bubblegum Lip Scrub. My lips were going through a rough patch - mind the pun- and I needed something to smoothen and moisturise my lips so I opted for this scrub, because I'm an all natural girl. I do use chemical products however I prefer natural goodies. 

So back to the scrub... The ingredients are sugar, Jojoba oil and a bit of colouring. The sugar works as an exfoliant while the Jojoba oil moisturises lips leaving them baby soft. It smells delicious! and tastes even better! The candy floss yumminess got me applying it every so often just to lick it off. It's great as a sweet treat but as far as it's effectiveness, I didn't see much of a difference. I especially like to use it before applying a deep lipstick. There's nothing worse than cracked lipstick which is why I thought it would help. Needless to say, my lips were still a bit dry. I can't remember the cost, I'm sure I paid well over R100 which I think, for the price point, the results are satisfactory. 

All in all, this product looks, smells and tastes great however I wasn't totally satisfied with the results.

What's your opinion of this product? Comment below

Image not my own

Ben Nye Luxury Powder - Banana

Clients often ask why we use a yellow powder to set their makeup which leads to a long explanation about the product and why we use it, which is why I decided to dedicate a blog post to the miracle that is Ben Nye Luxury Powder.

Ben Nye Luxury Powder is a neutral powder which provides a superior matte finish to any makeup look. This micro - milled loose powder is often compared to many French powders with silky textures. Translucent with just a whisper of colour, Banana powder can be used by just about anyone with a warmer skin tone and for just about any need. Perfect for setting makeup, highlighting or colour correcting surface redness. 

What I particularly love about this product is it's ability to smoothen fine lines and mattify without giving a caking appearance. Unless you're a true-tone, foundation often changes the appearance of your skin tone, however with this magic powder, your skin tone is enhanced without over - powering it. There are a few ranges in this brand as well as various colours to suit each skin tone but this colour - Banana proved to be universal for all skin tones. 

This powder enhances your skin colour and with it's anti - perspiration technology, it keeps the skin matte for up to 8 hours without clogging pores. Popularised by Kim Kardashian's makeup artist for highlighting her face especially her under eye area - this powder works wonders under the eye. The yellow tone neutralizes dark circles without creating lines and caking under the eye. Due to its texture, this powder is build-able which can be dusted lightly over the eye area or used for "Baking" - a new technique which involves leaving the powder to set into the skin to create a highlight under the eye area.

I recently did a photo shoot and used this magic powder to set my foundation and under eye concealer. Once my foundation and under - eye concealer was applied I then used a soft - bristled brush to dust on the translucent powder on to my under eye area, highlight areas, chin and the sides of my chin. This gave my face a natural glow and a smooth finish. 

I highly recommend this product to give you a professional finish to any makeup look.

This product is available online but I purchased mine from Muse Sa. Having Tasneem curate the finest products from around the globe just makes my life easier. You can purchase this must-have powder from her... 

Follow @muse.sa on Instagram or whatsapp Tasneem on 0735214369

I used Ben Nye Banana Powder over my foundation and under my eye.

Here I brushed over the powder under my contour line as well as under my eye.

Morphe G30 Flat Contour

Morphe is fast becoming a leading makeup brand in South Africa thanks to Muse SA. I recently got this brush from Tasneem and I must say it works like a charm. The first thing to do when purchasing brushes is to wash them! You never know what's on the brush, and if you have sensitive skin like me, you don't want to risk getting an unnecessary blemish!

 The brush is designed mainly for blending out a cream contour, however it can also be used for powder contour. The bristles are synthetic, feathery-soft and dense which blends cream contour beautifully on the forehead, cheeks, and jawline. On my first attempt, I brushed on the product with this brush, which was incorrect. On another occasion, I applied the product using a tapered concealer brush and subsequently blended with the Morphe brush. This method provided a smoother finish as opposed to my initial method. The brush is a bit thick for the nose area, especially for beginners - I suggest using a slimmer version of the brush for the nose. That and the fact that the brush handle is quite thick are the only negative qualities about the brush.

 Furthermore, if you want to purchase a universal contour brush - and you're not a makeup artist - I suggest purchasing a tapered version of this brush, which Muse SA does stock. This brush makes a great addition to an established kit. For a makeup novice, it's best to purchase a brush that can be used for smaller areas as well.

Find Muse Sa on Instagram: @muse.sa or Whatsapp Tasneem on 0735214369

Topshop Lipstick: Mescaline

Hello fabulous people! I hope everyone's week has been productive thus far. Mine has been busy, I've been working on content for various mediums. I trust everyone has been keeping up to date with my Teenzone Magazine articles. I'm so proud to announce that I am currently being featured in the online version of Glamour Magazine - as part of their Style Diary. You can view it here. 

Topshop has been fulfilling my beauty needs of late. I have always been a Mac and Bobbi Brown girl but since my first lipstick purchase (I did write a review on this  - it's nestled safely in my drafts folder) I've converted.

My latest addition to my ever-growing Topshop Lips agglomerate is from their Autumn/Winter '14 collection - Mescaline - which is a shimmery gold lipstick, is part of their metallic range. I must be honest, I have never been a fan of wearing any sort of metallic makeup but this collection has swayed my opinion. I was instantly attracted to the gorgeous hue and ever so subtle shimmer it possess - the metal is subtle enough for girls of any shade to find their perfect match. 

The problem most of us face with pearlescent shades is that it tends to make us look a bit 'old-school' (picture a 90's chick with a waterfall scrunchie, super high waisted jeans and horrible metallic lips) but this won't happen with this particular range of lippies, I assure you... Topshop is unrivaled when it comes to reinventing the classics.

This lippie is ideal if you want to give the metals a go as it's subtle enough for those who aren't confident about the change.What's really cool about it is that it's perfect worn on its own- during the daytime -or can be layered for a glam evening look. 

Have you tried this colour? whats your favourite lipstick? Share your references with me on Twitter @zaida_omar