Essence Trend: Class of 2013

 I really love Essence products. They are original, trendy and really affordable. Definitely one of my have-to-have brands and I always go to the Essence stand first when I walk into Dis-Chem or Clicks! 

Image from Google

If you go to your nearest Essence stand you may still be able to catch the last of the "Class of 2013" Trend Edition. I was sent a few products to share with you. Here is what I received!

Class of 2013 nail polish in 03 "Ready for rush week?"

 This polish is a beautiful deep red boarding on burgundy. Try one coat to acheive a lighter coat and two layers to get the colour seen on the bottle. The formula dried relatively fast and did not streak or bleed. I paired it with the next polish.

Class of 2013 nail polish in 01 "Collage herd"

Glitter polish is very versatile especially when its silver. This nail polish pair really suits one another. The glitter may be a bit "flashy" for a day time look so I suggest wearing the red at work (lets be realistic, this trend was only made for the American tween market. We wear uniforms here) and then put the silver glitterati top coat on before your night out on the town.

Which ever you decide, these two nail polishes are stunning. Only R39.95 each.

Class of 2013 eye shadow in 01 "Want to be my freshman"

This is my favourite of the three products. Its a beautiful creamy eye shadow stick. You can use it as a liner or smudge it out and blend it with the rest of your makeup. This is a great product for highlighting the inner corner of your eye or even blended under your bottom lashes. I'm not sure about how much this goes for but it shouldn't be more than R35.

Tweens, you might be able to get away with wearing this at school but only use a tiny bit. I really wished we had casual wear as our uniforms back in high school. I would have had a lot more boyfriends if I was allowed to wear make up. We'll save that pity party for another time.

Thanks so much to Essence for these cute back to school themed products!

You can find Essence stands and their trends at Clicks and Dis-Chem stores (FYI: Dis-Chem has a much bigger range of the nail care products and nail polishes than Clicks).

Simple French Manicure

I was in a 'playing around' mood a weeks ago and did my nails (by "did" I mean try do something other than just painting them a solid colour like I usually do). I don't normally do french manicure designs because they are such a mission to do and it turns into a big mess. Then I found a very handy white tip painter by Essence and gave it a try. Here is what I came up with (as shared on Instagram);

View the original design here.

What I used:

1. After filing and buffing my nails I applied one coat of ZOYA's Anchor Basecoat. This is my current favourite basecoat.

2. Then I used Essence's white tip painter pen (R29.95). This pen is so simple to use and gives a really precise line from it's thin tip. I made my french manicure tips free handed but you can always go ahead and apply those strips if your hand isn't too stable.

3. I mixed some acrylic paints to make my coloured stripes. I wasn't really going for a specific colour so I just played around a bit until I was happy. I used a striping brush from my nail art brush collection to paint the stripes. Very simple. (I actually forgot what the original design looked liked so I made a star instead of a pretty flower. I might redo it later)

4. After that was all dry I applied my Rose French manicure topcaot from Rimmel. This adds that pretty seal to french manicures.

5. Luckily I had some diamante drops from my Nails Inc Rebel set (review coming soon) so I stuck one at the base of each star and voila!

I love how simple this design is and it is rather inexpensive. I will try do more simple ideas that anyone can do at home. Let me know what you think in the comments below or Tweet me!

Essence All-in-one BB Cream

Lets do a quick head count on the brand-passengers on my BB cream train. So far I have reviewed Garnier's miracle skin perfector BB Cream, Essence's my skin tinted moisturisers (I consider them to be the same as a BB cream) and Ponds' newly released flawless radience BB cream. 

One guest that I have been wanting on the train ever since I heard about it, is Essence's All-in-one BB cream and I am finally here to welcome it on board with open arms!

Finally, a BB cream that matches my skin tone almost 100%! I don't have to blend out any lines near my jaw line to avoid the dreaded "mask" look. This really made my girl problems better and that's all I really need.

The moisturising properties were really enjoyable. My skin did not feel dry or tight, in fact it gave my skin a slight glow. This is fantastic to liven up dull winter skin but might be a problem on hot summer days. Luckily I don't need to worry about that now and it works just fine!

I am also loving the SPF 30 in each tube of Essence All-in-one BB bream. Don't forget that even though it's cold, the sun can damage your skin and give you horrible dark sun spots. I honestly don't think I would buy a BB cream if it didn't have an SPF. *High-five to Essence*

More awesome news? This is the cheapest BB cream you'll find on the shelves right now. Retail price is only R54.95 for a 30ml tube. Yes please!

One major downer is that it smells terrible. The Essence All-in-one BB cream is oil and perfume free which is fantastic for your skin but can be rather grotesque once it's applied and it's stuck to your nostril area. This scent (or lack thereof) does fade within like 30min but might be too much for some ladies to initially overcome.

This is a great BB cream because the quality you get for the amount that you pay, is totally worth it. 

Thanks so much to Essence for sending this BB cream my way. I am so glad that I get to use it on a daily basis. Follow Essence on Twitter and like their Facebook page to keep up with their fab products and new releases!

Tickle me pink!

Here are some pretty pink products that can easily brighten up an otherwise dull face/outfit. Pink isn't just for spring and summer anymore. Add a pop of colour to your winter outfit and you can really make a big statement!

Here are some pretty pink products that I recommend:

1. Essence's XXXL Shine lip gloss - This is the prettiest pearl lip gloss in my collection. It has tiny shimmer particles in the formula that will deem your lips absolutely irresistible. I love that you can dab a bit of this gloss over any lipstick or lip balm making it 100% versatile.

2. Pond's flawless radiance BB cream. Read my review here. A must-try for the BB cream craze!

3. Physicians Formula Mineral Powder Palette - This is an amazing powder to lightly dust over your face after applying your foundation. One thing that I miss about summer is the natural glow the heat gives you. In winter we all look cold and lifeless. With this beautiful powder palette, you can get your glow back! The multi-coloured glow minerals wont make you sparkle like a vampire but rather give you a natural hint of glow and help even out your skin tone. It comes with a very handy mirror and the softest application brush I have ever used...ever!

4. Essence lip liner in "Cute Pink" - I am a huge fan of the Essence brand and each new product I try out, ensures that I never change my mind. This is such a handy little lip liner pencil. It isn't horribly difficult to apply. I have had bad experiences where lip liners have cut into my skin because you push so hard before the colour transfers onto your lips *ouch*. This was not like that at all, it actually melted a bit in the car on the way home (not badly though).

In the image above I actually coloured my whole lip with the lip liner pencil and topped it off with the XXXL shine lip gloss. Pretty hey?

You can find all these products at most Clicks and Dis-Chem stores :)

Essence's New Gel LipTint

Hey ladies! I'm here to bring a fab new product to your attention that will leave your lips looking beautiful and wont break your, already broken, bank.

Essence has just started stocking their Gel Lip Tint at most Dis-Chem and Clicks pharmacies. The water based gel tint will give your lips colour for hours. I'm not one for heavy lipsticks and sticky gloss so this is a perfect in-between-er. Lip tints are all the fashion nowadays and after using Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain, I reckon that lip tints are a neat investment.

These pretty Gel Tints from Essence comes in 4 shades, red, reddish-brown, pink and apricot. They also come with a very pretty price tag of only R29.95 each. Bargain!

So what are you waiting for? Use some of that 'pay-day' money and go shopping at your nearest Essence stand (At Clicks and Dis-Chem stores). Read more Essence reviews here before you do, so that you can get some advice on what to buy!

Follow Essence on Twitter and like their Facebook page for more news and product launches.

Essence Twins

Woah, talk about delay. I saw these "Twins" nail polishes on one of my favourite beauty YouTuber's channel middle of last year and they only made it to our shelves now. Still, I think they are as cute as a button!

Edward and Bella

I spotted these at Dis-Chem for R19.99 each. They come in "Edward and Bella", "Romeo and Juliet" and someone that goes with "Connie"? "Connie's" partner was missing.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more window shopping finds :)

Essence's "Night in Vegas" Nail art topper

My new favourite polish is Essence's special effect nail art topper in 08 "night in Vegas". Every time I paint my nails I just cannot resist applying one coat of this to add character to otherwise lifeless polish.

The best way to describe this polish: Stunning nail art flakes with a unique multi colour changing shimmer. Photo's do not do this polish justice. I suggest taking the opportunity to see the polish in person. I purchased my "night in vegas" at Dis-Chem for an extremely affordable price of R24.95.

(Above) I applied two coats of Tip Top's "Fantasy" and one coat of the very purdy nail art topper. I give you permission to go completely overboard and apply 3-4 layers if you'd like! I was honestly too distracted by the sparkles that I didn't take any note of drying time.

After trying this polish, I have been persuaded to try out the other nail art toppers that Essence has to offer and at such a low price, I don't see why I can't have them all!

Follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page for all things Essence and to get more news on pretty polishes.

What do you think?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Essence cracked me up!

Two weeks ago I received a delivery from Essence SA containing their exciting new crackle nail polish. I already have a few crackle polish but a lady can never have enough, so I embraced my new bottle with open arms and got right to experimenting.

I applied one coat of lumo green polish. I only did one coat because the crackle layer covers any empty spots or streaks which is a bonus with crackle polishes. You can finally use those cheap not-that-great-and-streaky polishes.

Lumo green nail polish

I then added one coat of the Essence crackle polish in "crack me! blue". I blew on the polish to speed up the cracking process and I was quite amazed at how this polish is different from the others I have tried. Most of the cracking happened in a vertical direction where as others crack all over in different directions. I am not sure if its because my layer was too thick but I rather like the uniform but still random look. 

Adding a top coat to any crackle nail polish will make sure it is protected from chipping and I find that most crackle polishes have a matte finish because of its complicated formula, so for an extra eye catching sparkle, add your favourite top coat.

I really love this crackle polish because it is unique and different from my others. There are a few crackle polishes in the "crack me!" range including a very pretty grape colour called "crack me! pearly pink". You can find these at Dis-Chem stores for a very affordable price of R24.95 each.

Like Essence's Facebook Page and Follow them on Twitter @essence_ZA for regular updates on all thing Essence-fabulous. While you're there you can like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter @MsClairaBella as well ;)

Don't forget to subscribe by email (top right hand side of this page) to ensure you don't miss out on future nail posts.

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Essence Breaking Dawn Part 2 Collection

Two weeks ago, I received a few exciting products from the Breaking Dawn Part 2 trend from Essence.

 I did a post earlier this month on this collection including all the cute names. Check it out here.

As soon as I opened me package and saw the products I got to swatching right away and here's what the family looks like! 

From left to right: Shimmer Powder ("Bella's Secret"), Blush ("Renesmee Red"), Black pigment ("Jacob's protection"), Gold shimmer pigment ("A piece of forever"), Blue glittered gel eyeliner ("Jacob's protection") and a Red lip gloss ("Renesmee Red").

As always, Essence has outdone themselves with their quality for money ratio! My favoutire would definitely be the pigments as well as the Renesmee red blush powder. With both of these, it is a good tip to rather use small amounts at a time and then gradually build a deeper colour especially with the blush, otherwise you will end up looking like you're sunburnt. They have great pigmentation!

The only product I wasn't that happy with, is the gel eyeliner but that's only because it is a clear gel with blue glitter so it looks a bit patchy when you apply it. I would recommend using a light blue eyeliner and then applying this gel liner ontop. The lighter blue will help the navy blue-ish glitter stand out.

Thank you so much to essence for my Breaking Dawn Part 2 products! I am a huge fan of the series and I feel like a kid knowing I have something original and I can show it off to other fans-friends (and they'll be jealous) *Evil laugh*

You can get your own products right now at Clicks and Dis-Chem stores but hurry, collections dont stay around forever! Follow Essence SA on Twitter and like their Facebook Page. Do the same for me, here and here.

Let me know if you need any price info in the comments bellow.

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

A little 'Essence' of beauty

A lot of beauty bloggers recently received a package from Essence with some new products to test out and tell you lovely ladies about. I was one of the spoiled bloggers and here I am with my honest reviews for their very affordable skin care products.

Starting with my favourite product first, Essence's Pure Skin Natural Cover Moisturizer,

Essence's Pure Skin Natural Cover Moisturzer, RSP R29.95

I guess you could call this a BB cream but it doesn't have as many vitamins or skin benefits. I'm going to rather put it in the 'tinted moisturiser' category. This natural cover moisturiser is designed specifically for skins with "issues". If you have spots, blackheads and any other skin imperfections then this baby is for you! It contains clearderm which is an acne fighting ingredient so you shouldn't have as many breakouts if you use this every day. 

I love how this moisturiser gives a really natural matte finish to the face and is absorbed into the skin really quickly. This is perfect for a relaxed day at home or even a casual day around the office. I have been using this as my foundation and it does a great job. I would have made this product a must-have is if it contained an SPF. 

Next, Essence's My Skin Tinted Moisturizer,

Essence's My Skin Tinted Moisturizer, RSP R29.95

The first thing I noticed when applying this tinted moisturiser is the scent. I love that it has a slight fruity scent that reminds me of cocktails on the beach *Bliss*.

This tinted moisturiser has a little less coverage than the natural cover moisturiser (previous product) but this isn't always a bad thing because you can gradually build your desired coverage. If you want a really natural look than only apply a small amount and if you want more coverage, apply more of the product or do a few layers. Unfortunately it wont cover really bad pigmentation or dark beauty spots/freckles.

This tinted moisturiser also contains cleardem which will help with acne breakouts and stubborn blackheads. It also claims to moisturise your skin for 24 hours which I believe it could (I only wore it for about 8 hours).

I really wish I knew about tinted moisturisers in high school. I had horrible breakouts and imperfections and products like this would have helped a lot!
Just take note that the two products above contain Parabens. I know many ladies are superstitious about the ingredient so take that into consideration when buying these.

Another keeper, Essence's My Skin Cooling Eye Roll-on,

My Skin Cooling Eye Roll-on, RSP R34.95

I really love this cutie pie! It helps take away any puffiness commonly found in tired eyes. It contains cooling hydro gel and cucumber extract to give your skin a quick boost of refreshment. I have gotten into the habit of applying this to my eyes as soon as I wake up in the mornings, before I apply makeup, and it actually works pretty well.

You could get the same results by just rinsing your face with cold water but this is really handy to keep in your cosmetic bag or even in your hand bag. You can apply this over your makeup so if you have a hangover at the office, Essence has you covered ;)

My curious boyfriend applied this as soon as I opened my package and he said he felt a burning sensation. I thought he was just being a ninny but I also felt it every few days/applications. I think that if you apply too much of the product at once, the hydrogel heats up to the same temperature as your skin and that is where you get the "heated feeling". It doesn't leave red marks or anything and it only lasts like 60 seconds, while the gel dries.

A BIG thanks to Essence for letting me test these great products. I have done many reviews on Essence products and the quality you get for your buck exceeds my expectations every time!
I highly recommend trying the products in this post. They are really affordable so you have no excuse ;)

Oh, and don't forget to follow Essence South Africa on Twitter and like their Facebook Page. Do the same for me here and here.

Got your eye on anything?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Essence's new Colour and Go bottles {Video Review}

In July I told you that Essence was going to be getting a new look and feel to their infamous colour and go polishes (click here to check it out), well...THEY'RE HERE!!

Here is my video review :)

"Hey there, I like your curves ;)"

Purdy Manicure

4 day later. I suggest applying a top coat to prevent this :)

So excited to buy more of these little guys!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Twilight fan?

If you're a Twilight fan then Essence has you sorted with their new "Breaking Dawn" trend.

The limited edition Breaking Dawn trend will be hitting Dis-chem and Clicks' shelves in November 2012 and will be available till December 2012. (High five for releasing it just in time for the Breaking Dawn movie)

Here is what you can look our for:

Four nail polishes: 01 Jacob’s protection (blue), 02 Alice had a vision – again (purple), 03 A piece of forever (gold), 04 Edward’s love (black),

Four pigments instead of the usual eye shadow quattro, in Jacob's protection, Alice had a vision - again, a piece of forever and Edwards love,

Renesmee red blush,

Shimmer powder in "Bella's Secret",

Shimmery Gold lipstick called A piece of forever,

Two shimmer lipglosses in Alice had a vision – again and Renesmee red,

and finally, two glitter liquid liners in a royal blue and a royal purple.

(You can expect usual Essence prices *Bargain*)

I personally have my eye on the liquid liners as well as the shimmery lipstick. I will let you lovely ladies know when I spot them on the shelves (usually via Twitter).

Follow Essence SA on Twitter and like their Facebook Page. Do the same for me, here and here.

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

*All images from Google

Essence stay all day concealer {Review}

I received a Clicks gift voucher for my birthday last month and decided to pick up some Essence products. One of the products was their Stay all day concealer. It's not new to ladies, that Essence is one of the "cheaper" cosmetics companies out there so I thought I'd share my thoughts on this concealer and let you know if it's cheap for a reason.

Product claims: Covers under eye shadows and skin imperfections. Lasts 16 hours.

I chose 'soft beige' (20) as my skin is quite fair. This is what the before and after looks like when applying the concealer to the dark bags under my eyes.

Before vs After

As you can see, you can still see my freckles and a little bit of "blue-ness" in the inner corner of my eye. I actually prefer this because it still gives a natural look. I imagine a BB cream would be perfect for my dark circles (Can't wait for my Garnier BB cream). I'm not really looking for something to hide all my imperfections but rather lighten the dark patches, which this concealer does perfectly. 

It has a really easy applicator that reminds me of the Tinkerbell lipglosses I used to wear when I was younger. I was quite impressed with how long it lasted. It didn't fade very easily and kept my dark circles hidden. I also applied a tiny bit to my eyelid to give a nice base for my eye shadow to stick to. I don't need my makeup to last 16 hours so I didn't really test this claim.

Overall I really like this concealer. I think its very affordable at R29.95 each and works really well for my eyes. I definitely recommend this to ladies who are looking for a light concealer. 

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

[Trend] Essence's new Colour Arts

"Unlimited color, unlimited effects, unlimited looks! All creative beauty queens take note: from September 2012, essence offers endless new and cool styling options for your eyes, lips and nails with the trend edition “colour arts”.

Pure color pigments in bright shades – from matt and subtle shimmer to metallic and sparkling glitter – ensure a unique look that is guaranteed to be eye-catching. All pigments can be mixed and matched for an absolutely individual look. Whether used on their own or combined – the expressive colors in this trend edition are sure to lift your mood and awaken your creativity! Do it yourself… with essence!" - Colour arts press release

So the concept is, that you buy your bases which act as the "sticky stuff" that will allow the pigments to stay on your skin. You then mix and match the different pigments and apply it on top of the base (as shown in the video above). You can make your own colours which is really great! I have had countless ocassions where I just can't find a lipstick that matches my outfit or an eyeshadow that compliments my eye colour. With the new Colour Arts trend, you can do it all yourself!

These are the pigments you will see on the shelves. There are 20 in total.

Pigments - R29.95 each

Nail Base - R19.95, Lip Base - R23.95 and Eye Base - R23.95

Mixing Pots and Multi tasker - R16.95 each

Are you excited to make your own colour creations?

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Essence's super easy Nail Art Stampy Set!

So a while ago I was browsing the HUGE Essence stand at my nearest Dis-chem store and saw they have their very own stamping plates. I was sooo over the moon because, me being a nail fanatic, I have been wanting to purchase the infamous KONAD image plates on amazon.com. The reason I haven't purchased the KONAD image plates is because it would cost a ridiculous R250 for just one plate!! (Not including the scraper, stamp or polishes) *Over my dead body*

It is with utter delight that I tell you, my Essence Stampy Set cost me 80 bucks! 

The plate, scraper and stamp came in one set for R39.95 and the stampy polishes were R19.95 each. Bargain!

You can get such beautiful design's on your nails and its really easy. This is a perfect "Nail art for dummies" set. There are various plates with numerous designs on. You can buy individual image plates for R19.95 each.

Here is a demonstration on how the Stampy Set's work:

Just a few tips and tricks from my end:

*Scrap paper - Put a piece of scrap paper under your stampy plate. Sometimes when your scrape away the nail polish, it goes off the side of the plate and onto the surface you're working on. 

*Be super quick - If you wait too long between each step, the polish will dry.

*Push hard - If you don't apply enough pressure when putting the image onto your nail, it wont stick and you'll be left with only half a picture on your nail. The stamp is made out of rubber so it will not damage your nail.

*Always use a top coat - This will make sure the design will stay on your nail.

I'm so glad that there is an affordable way for ladies to get really nice nail art and I'm really impressed that a brand like Essence can be compared to the KONAD brand of stamping plates.

If you liked this post then chances are you'd love browsing my Nail Fanatic category! Click here.
Follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook Page for more exciting nail art. *Watch this space*

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

P.S. Essence also has striping brushes and dotting tools to complete your nail art collection :)

Spring Bumblebee Nail Art [Water Marble]

I feel that Spring is the best time to wear nail art designs. It's a time to go from dark Winter colours to warm Spring pastels, to trade in our cosy boots for pretty slip slops and an opportunity to pull off some really cute nail art designs. So over the next few weeks I will be posting really easy nail art ideas to try on your nails for Spring!

In this post, I tried a bumblebee inspired water marble design done by Simple Little Pleasures on YouTube :)

Here is her video tutorial:

When trying any water marble design, remember to prep your nails properly to minimize the issue of having to clean nail polish off your skin. Click here for a tutorial on how to do water marble prep correctly.

I want you to try this out and post pictures on my Facebook Page or share them with me on Twitter! Water marbling is super fun and really easy, just make sure you have a good brand of nail polish so that it spreads nicely across the surface of the water.

Keep your eyes peeled for more nail art idea's here on my blog :)

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

*Trend* Natventurista by Essence

I received a few products from Essence's up-coming trend, Natventurista, and I'm really excited to share them with you!

This limited edition trend will be on the shelves from May/June 2012 and is definitely something not to be missed. Here they are:

Lip Balm in 01 "Outdoor Nudes" - I really like this 3in1 lip balm tin. It comes in 3 flavours (which are delish by the way) and colours which makes it easy to mix and match to your desired colour. It has a creamy, soft texture which leaves your lips looking glossy and moisturised. I had trouble opening the container at first as it doesn't have an easy-to-grip lid, but once to get used to opening it a certain way, its a breeze!
A lovely handbag must have!

Nail Polish in 02 "Mother Earth is watching you" - This nail polishes is perfect for achieving the "nude/natural but still totally glam" look. It dried rather fast and stayed on for 3-4 days (Even longer if you use a good top coat). The whole nail polish collection comes in 01 You are my dragonfly, 02 Mother earth is watching you, 03 Barefoot through the moss and 04 Chirp Chirp.
Something to invest in for the fresh
spring months where you'll need softer, more neutral colours on your nails

Nail Stickers in 02 "Flower Power" - To be honest, I was a bit skeptical when I first saw these "Gel" nail stickers but really loved how they looked on my nails. Once you get them to fit snugly and cut off any excess at the tip of your nail, you hardly even notice they are stickers. It is however, difficult to fit then correctly around your cuticle area as there are only 7 different sizes. Another big let down was that they only lasted about an hour before peeling off/ sticking on everything I touched. This flower power design was really pretty and I adored how it made my nails look. I wouldn't suggest these stickers if you want a 5-10 day manicure but they are perfect for themed parties or special occasions (There are other nail sticker designs in other Essence trends).

Baked eyeshadow in 03 "Chrip chrip" - This eyeshadow is a really great base colour and great for highlighting. Unfortunately the green in the eyeshadow hardly shows up, if you apply it dry, so it appears as a plain sparkly silver colour (I used a different eyeshadow to get the hint of green in this picture). Try using a wet brush to intensify the colour. (I'm thinking the green might be darker as you use it, as the marbled-ness has many layers)


Gel eyeliner in 01 "Barefoot through the moss" - This mossy green eyeliner gel is perfect for achieving a subtle nature look to give you beautiful bright eyes. It has a really smooth velvety texture, making it really easy to apply. It lasts the whole day, morning to night, without fading or flaking.


Gel eyeliner in 02 "Mother Earth is watching you" - I am in love with this gel eyeliner. It has the most beautiful copper colour that adds a lovely texture to the eye. The one thing I disliked about both gel eyeliners is the smell. It has a very strong vinegar-like scent. Fortunately when it is applied to your eye the scent disappears. Love, love, love this colour!

There is an eyliner brush in this trend aswell. You purchase it separately (for those who do not already have a liner brush) to use with the gel eyeliner pots.

All the photo's in this post will be available to view in a higher resolution on my Facebook page. 

I hope you will consider investing in some of these products. They are perfect for Spring!

Search their international website for more info on the Natventurista trend. Cosmetix is the official distributor of essence cosmetics in South Africa. Visit their website here. 

Like Essence's Facebook Page and Follow them on Twitter @essence_ZA for regular updates. While you're there you can like my Facebook page and follow me on twitter @MsClairaBella as well ;)

Don't forget to subscribe by email (top right hand side of this page) to ensure you dont miss out on future trends.

TTFN

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo