I'm a Tip Top lover!

Baracksdubs on YouTube

I never really understood how much attention to detail you need when editing video's. Since doing my own video editing, I have come to appreciate a good video when I see one.

This brings me to a YouTube channel called Baracksdubs where this person edits Barack Obama's press speeches into songs. Here are a few good ones :)

Call me maybe

Sexy and I know it

What makes you beautiful

My Favourite: Boyfriend

Could you imagine sitting and watching hundreds of Obama video's just to get one word? And the editing is just, WOW! I thought I'd share this with you guys and hopefully some of the video's made you laugh :)

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

{Trend} Essence's Circus Circus

 Here's a look at Essence's new trend, Circus Circus, hitting Dis-chem shelves in August/September 2012.

Products that you can look our for include:

• Stay all day eyeshadow - R39.95,
• Liquid eyeliner - R29.95,
• Lip lacquer - R24.95,
• Lip topper - R29.95,
• Highlighter powder - R39.95,
• Colour nail polish - R39.95,
• Nail fashion stickers - 29.95,
• Eau de toilette - R79.95.

Follow me on Twitter for more trend news :)

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

*Prices may vary, All images from Google

Essence's New Colour and Go Bottles

I stumbled upon the essence website while browsing and saw that their nifty little Colour and Go bottles are getting a much needed face-lift!

More exciting than that? They will have a new improved formula inside as well as 44 new colours! The formula in the curvy little bottles will have a gel-shine effect and a new ultra fast drying ingredient.

They will be released overseas in August 2012, and given the usual delay, they should be on our shelves by the end of the year (Totes guessing though).

Pop over to this article to view some of the new colours.

Follow me on Twitter for updates!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Dove Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner ~Video Review~

Here is another review for Beauty Bulletin's product review club. They sent me Dove's infamous Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner and here is a video about my experience:

Main points:

• Really great product that left my hair feeling silky, soft and nourished.
• The Fiber Actives treat the inside of each hair follicle.
• The Micro Moisture Serum, moisturises your hair without weighing it down and leaving it "flat".
• I recommend it to all ladies who love looking after their hair (Which are all ladies - I hope :P).

Thanks to Beauty Bulletin for including me in another product review. Visit their website and like their Facebook page. You can also visit my Beauty Bulletin profile by clicking this link.

Follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page for blog updates.

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

8 Ways to prepare your animals for war

I thought this would add some humor to your day. This was not tested on real, live animals and is meant to be taken with a smile. Don't go all "animal cruelty" on my A$$ and call PETA :P

Love your faces!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

~Video Review~ Johnson's Nourishing Facial Cleansing wipes

Here is a quick video review on Johnson's daily essentials nourishing facial cleansing wipes (for dry skin).

Don't laugh at the fat kid

Main points: 

• The material that the wipes are made from, is very rough. My skin was red and irritated after using them.
• They were super cold on my face. I'm used to using warm water when washing my face with regular face wash.
• They are quite pricey. I bought mine for R38 and there are only 25wipes per pack. You would need 3packs per month if you use them twice a day.
• Besides all the negative, They left my skin really moisturised. I didn't feel the need to apply moitsuriser or lotion on my skin after using the wipes :) *Thumbs Up* 

Overall, I'd rather stick to my normal face wash and cleansing lotions but will continue to use these every now and then to see if my skin improves in any way.

If you have tried these wipes, leave me a comment below!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Catrice's limited edition Papagena collection!

Image from Google - Watch the making of this photo shoot here

“CATRICE brings the Amazon jungle trend home – and we want it, the most powerful look of the season!”. What exactly is “It” that we want? The new limited edition collection form Catrice, Papagena! This spring, the faces of many ladies will be shaded with breath-taking make-up based on rich green and khaki shades interrupted by bright accents in pink, orange and mustard yellow.

I received two exciting items from the new range to review!

The Absolute Eye Colour Quattro in C01 Rumble in the Jungle

This Eyeshadow Quattro has the most amazing selection of colours. You can mix and match the colours to get a different look upon each application.

I have found, to get the most out of this eyeshadow quattro, you will need to use a moist base, like an eye primer, otherwise the eyeshadow is not as striking and fades easily. I used Balm Balm’s fragrance free lip balm and it works really well as an expensive primer.

This very versatile eyeshadow quattro goes for R59.95 at Dischem stores from August 2012.
This is one of the ways I did my eyes using the eyeshado Quattro. They are really well pigmented but like I said, you get a way better colour pay off if you use a primer.

Blush Stick in C01 Tigerlily

I’m not such a fan of blush sticks because they make my skin feel suffocated, they don’t blend as well and, some cream blush sticks never “dry”, so they’re constantly smudging. This Papagena blush stick really changed my mind. Using a cosmetic sponge to blend, it spread out really nicely and after about 15min, the “stickiness”, dried and felt just like normal powder blush.

The prettiest pink glow on my skin. *Blushing*

You can get your very own from August 2012 at selected Dischem stores for R44.95!

Here are some other items from Catrice’s limited edition Papagena collection:

Image from Google

I'm really curious to try out the Crystal Clear Gloss Sticks. They look like really cool jelly-like lipsticks and, from reading international reviews, they are one of the must have items from the Papagena Collection! They will be going for R54.95 here in SA.

Image from Google

Thanks to Cosmetix for sending me these two fantabulous products. Follow Catrice on Twitter and like their Facebook Page for updates on all their products.

Anything catch your eye?
Leave a comment below if you'd like prices for any of the other Papagena items not listed above :)

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

I'll be back soon!

Hey there,

Apologies for the lack of blog posts on Miss Claira-Bella lately. I am currently lying in bed with horrible flu. My doctor has put me on a whole bunch of medication so once I feel semi-human again, I will get back to blogging. 

I have a lot of exciting things coming up so keep your eyes peeled :)

Follow me on Twitter for frequent updates

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

*Little Whispers*

Kobus Muller - Where did those abs come from??

The whole of SA has its eyes on Kobus Muller, the 2007 Supersterre winner! 

My reason for bringing him on my blog is beyond the obvious *sizzling*. I'm in shock at his "2012 Heat manwatch winner" title. I attended the launch of his album, "Alles en meer" as well as Big Boy Records (Collaboration), last year and got to see him in the flesh. He didn't have nearly the same definition as he does now! *High five Kobus* 

It shows that even the skinny dudes can get a hunk-worthy bod :)

More Pikkies *Yes Pah-lease*

My autographed CD from the Big Boy Records/Kobus Muller launch

The point of this post was to provide some eye candy (Duh), to make the start of your week-end a little sweeter, and to let you know that this is one South African hottie you should all be supporting!

Follow Kobus Muller on Twitter, Facebook and visit his website.


Lovely blog kisses to you all!


Miss Claira-Bella


Xoxo


*All images from Google

Dior's Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 2012 Set

This is probably old news by now but I just cant get over how beautiful the decor at Dior's Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 2012 set was!

Over 1 million fresh flowers were used to cover the walls, from floor to ceiling, of 5 rooms in a mansion in Paris, for the prestigious fashion show earlier this month. See the video below of how the crew made these marvelous walls fit for a fairy queen.

I don't particularly like the items that were modeled but I think that's partly due to the fact that they all looked so miserable and could hardly walk straight. Okay, so I'm no model expert, but surely there are prettier girls out there that can handle walking in heels? Their dreary makeup ruined the 'uplifting' effect the flowers gave. See 20min the video below to view some outfits.

So what do you think? Let my know in the comments below :)

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Johnsons Dreamy Skin ~Video Review~

I received two Johnson products to review for Beauty Bulletin's Product Review Club. 

Here's what I thought:

View my written reviews on Beauty Bulletin:

Johnson's Dreams Skin Body Lotion

Johnson's Dreamy Skin Hand Cream

View my Beauty Bulletin Profile here.

Love your faces!

Miss Claira-Bella

xoxo

Rascals are coming back to SA!!

This is for all individuals out their that remember growing up with Rascals in their tummy, you'll be glad to hear...They're coming back to South Africa!!

Mister Sweet realised that the demand for Rascals never stopped once they took them off of the shelves. Personally, over the past few years, I've had numerous conversations like "Remember Rascals" or "Rascals were awesome". I guess Mister Sweet has eyes and ears on me (I wish).

Whether they'll taste and look the same, is always the issue when re-releases come out. I guess we'll have to wait and see! They should be on the shelves relatively soon so keep an eye out!

Thanks to Sweet Heart Candy Buffets for the long awaited news and the picture!

What is your favourite memory about Rascals?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Spar Woman's race 2012

This year will be my 2nd Spar Woman's Race. I had a lot of fun last year and, I'm so excited for this year's race, that I have already signed up and got my striking orange t-shirt in June! 

I will be taking part in the Pretoria race on the 25th of August

Here are the other dates and venues:

Cape Town, Sunday, 15 April, 2012 

Port Elizabeth, Sunday, 5 May, 2012

Durban, Sunday, 24 June, 2012

Pretoria, Sunday, 25 August, 2012

Pietermaritzburg, Sunday 9 September, 2012

Johannesburg, Sunday 14 October, 2012

Visit www.sparwomensrace.co.za for more info!

Will you be attending?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

JimmiJagga - Ooh la la!

If you ladies haven't heard about JimmiJagga then you need to read on...It's only the sexiest fusion wine spritzer out there!!!

"KWV has launched another new product. Jimmijagga, a new Ready To Drink (RTD) fusion wine spritzer has been launched into Gauteng outlets (update: now nationwide). Jimmijagga is low-alcohol at 4%. It’s also ready to go - people are too busy these days to take time to prepare – life is fast paced, and things need to be instant. Unique, stylised glass bottles of 275ML are available in four-packs or as a case of 24." Source

It might be old news to some but I only recently tasted it for the first time. The stunning wine spritzer comes in three different infused flavours:

*White wine infused with lemon,

*Rose/Pink infused with melon,

*and Red infused with plum.

All their flavours are delish and are the perfect companions to take out to a chilled braai or a hectic house party! Did I mention the 4% alcohol? You can enjoy drinking all three yummy infused flavours and still be standing up straight at the end of the night!

Love this KWV invention!

Social media stuff:

Mr Jimmijagga on Facebook

and Twitter @jimmijaggaZA.

Miss Claira-Bella on Facebook

and Twitter @Msclairabella

Going out this weekend? Don't forget to stop at the bottle store and try it out!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Tip Top Nail Addict - Pyjama Party

The ladies from Tip Top Nails keep surprising me. While testing out their new Nail Addict colour, Pyjama Party, I became a firm believer that they have one of the widest colour ranges, of nail polishes, out there! Its impossible for you not to find a colour that you want to buy because they have something for every lady.

Pyjama party is a neutral peachy-beige colour that is a very close match to my skin tone. Neutrals aren't really my favourite as I'm more of a bright kinda girl, but having 'Pyjama Party' on my nails for a few days made me admire the simple things about nail polish.

This polish is a really great base for nail art as it gives you a clear, clean, canvas to work with (will do a blog post in the near future). Such a fresh clean look for spring if you wear it plain-jane!

Pyjama Party (157) is available from selected Foshini stores nationwide for R39.95.

Social Media Gadgets: Tip Top Website, Twitter @TipTopNailsSA and Facebook Page.

Your thoughts on neutrals?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

My Birthday Wishlist

So seeing as my birthday is in exactly a month's time from today, I decided to do a wishlist for my B-day, instead of my usual (June) favourites posts. Here are a few things on my birthday wishlist!

What is currently on your wishlist?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Eating Rainbows

Image from Pinterest

I love baking! I dont do it as often as I'd like but when I do, I feel zen-like and happy. Another thing that I love, is colour. You can imagine my excitement when I found a cool cupcake technique that turns your cake/cupcakes into colourful rainbows of delicious-ness.

All you do is separate your cake mix (Vanilla of course) into separate bowls, add food colouring and layer the colours before you put them in the oven.

I tried it for a picnic I went to last weekend and here's how they turned out!

My cupcakes with butter cream icing and edible glitter!

I didn't realise how thin the layers need to be so I only ended up with 2 colours per cupcake. Just as an FYI, keep the layers thin by using a tea-spoon to fill your cupcake holders.

Pink and Green

Blue and Green

You can view my pinterest boards for more ideas :)

Is this something you would try?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

P.S. This can totally work for cakes as well, just 

make your layers thicker :)

~Video Tutorial~ Ombre Nail Art

A nail art trend that I am loving right now, Ombre Nails!

I never tried this until now because I thought it would be difficult but watch my video below and you'll see its quite simple :)

Subscribe to my YouTube channel!

If you liked this post then I'm sure you'll love my Nail Fanatic category, check it out. Share the love and like my Facebook Page. Any Tweeps reading this can follow me @MsClairaBella for some entertaining and informative tweets and shout-outs to my favourite brands!

Let me know if you try this Ombre nail art!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

*Little Whispers*

Tip Top Nails - Cha Cha Cha

I saw this colour while Google-ing nail polishes and I just had to have it! 980 - Cha Cha Cha!

I am crazy about this colour at the moment, hence the bracelet (from Sass Diva). Such a pretty turquoise that will suite any skin tone, even my snow-white-fair-skin :)

You can buy your own at any Clicks Store for R39.95. The Tip Top polishes are usually on the lowest shelf so keep an eye out.

Thoughts on this colour?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

*Trend* Nail Rings, Yay or Nay?

A trend that first started on runways and has now made its way onto the streets. Nail rings....

All images are from Google Images

I have mixed feeling about this trend. It seems horribly uncomfortable and how exactly do you get them to stay on? If you'r interested in trying them I have spotted them at Sass Diva for about R100-R120 each.

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo