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).

Ciate's Velvet Manicure in SA!

A follow up to my flocking nail art post earlier this year, Ciate has their own professional flocking powder available to purchase and dust on your nails for that sexy chic velvet look. The best part is that it is not as pricey as I thought (Compared to their DIY caviar manicure sets)

The pretty bowed bottles, infamous to the Ciate brand, are only R65 each and they have 12 different colours to suit your mood or compliment your outfit. 

Maskscara is the official distributor of Ciate in SA so if you would like to get your hands some flocking powder (the proper stuff) then contact them through Twitter or Facebook.

Don't feel like spending money? See my DIY flocking powder tutorial here.

Please subscribe to my blog via email in the box on the top right of this page!

Keen on the velvet manicure? I see it making it's way into winter trends for next year ;)

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Milk_Shake!

There is a new hair care craze in the UK at the moment, and it is quickly filling it's international demands, making its way across the world. It's the hair care brand called milk_shake. I always admire brands that create a certain vibe about themselves that makes it irresistible to beauty fanatics like myself.

Unfortunately milk_shake is not in South Africa...yet! I hope that it will hop onto our shores soon so my curiosity can be eased. Milk_shake has been around for the past few years but has only really become well known from the beginning of this year.

With yummy fantasies of me washing my hair with rich creamy milkshake-like products using natural ingredients, making me feel like Cleopatra, just wants me to buy the whole product range! Their packaging is also something cute and a lil' cheeky, making them stand out from the rest of the monotonous products we often find before us on the shelves when we do our toiletry shopping every month.

With many international brands jumping the ship to sunny SA, I hope milk_shake buys their boarding ticket soon! Visit their website here.

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

Lip Smackers in SA!

I cannot emphasize enough how crazy I am about the fact that so many international brands are making their way to South Africa! I feel so hopeless when I see international bloggers raving about products that we don't get here *insert distraught face here*. Don't get me wrong, there are many SA brands that surpass international ones but we are curious beings and we have a fear of missing out.

I am jumping up and down with excitement to tell you that Lipsmackers are in SA! If you're not sure what they are, they are very original and awesomely flavoured lip balm sticks (known as 'chap stick' in the USA).

 Vanilla Coke Lipsmacker

CocaCola Lipsmacker

One thing that I think is so overrated when it comes to being a 'grown up', personally, is swapping out our awesome verjaarsday partytjie koeldrank for cocktails, ciders and beer. If I was out socialising and had a choice between a strawberry daiquiri and a can of cream soda, I would totes take the can of cream soda if I knew no one would judge me, but they do so I moping-ly reach for the daiquiri. *Self image issues*

What is my point? With these really awesome Lipsmackers, you can have the best of both worlds!

Fanta Orange Lipsmacker

Fanta Strawberry Lipsmacker

I purchased the Vanilla Coke flavour for myself and the Fanta Orange for my boyfriend this past weekend. They smell just like the real deal!

The Fanta Orange has the infamous bubbly orange scent and leaves a very sweet taste on your taste buds. The Vanilla Coke Lipsmacker reminds me more of a coke float because you usually use vanilla ice cream in coke floats and seeing as I haven't had a vanilla coke in years, this is the best description I could come up with.

One of my pet peeves is when you have such an amazing scented lip balm or lip gloss but when you lick your lips or accidently get some in your mouth, you just want to puke because it tastes like the medicine your mom used to force down your throat when you were a kid. These very smart Lipsmacker peeps have made the actual taste of the balm very sweet. It doesn't taste the same as the scent but it is rather enjoyable!

Sprite Lipsmcaker

I just love the packaging on each lip balm, especially the vitamin water balm sticks because they look just like the bottles of vitamin water you buy in stores. I want the entire collection to put on display! 

I am also a huge fan of the SPF 15 in each stick!

Fruit Punch Vitamin Water Lipsmacker

Lemonade Vitamin Water Lipsmacker

Triple Berry Vitamin Water Lipsmacker

If you are more of a Lip gloss girl than a lip balm girl then Lipsmackers has something for you too! Cherry Coke (with shimmer) and original CocaCola flavoured lip gloss tins :)

CocaCola Lipsmcaker Lip gloss tin

Cherry Coke Lipsmcaker Lip gloss tin

I cannot wait till we get access to amazing flavours like candy floss, watermelon, all the skittles flavours, m&m flavours, coffee & hot chocolate and the cute 7up inspired bottles with lip balm in!

You can find Lipsmackers exclusively in Clicks stores. The lip balm stick are currently on special for R35.99 each and the lip gloss tins are R45.99 each!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook so we can chat about which flavour you have and love the most. You can also subscribe to my newsletters in the box on the top right of this page.

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

Oh my GOSH!!

Yesterday afternoon, I attended the fabulous launch of a trendy cosmetic brand from Denmark, called "GOSH Cosmetics". This Danish brand have stirred things up in the South African cosmetics industry by being bold and saying "Hey, we're here and in your faces!". This is definitely something that I admire in such a competitive industry. 

We heard lovely words from Angela Corder (Executive buy manager for GOSH cosmetics at Edcon), Hanne Zinsli (International sales director of GOSH cosmetics) as well as the very sweet Bo Tjellesen (CEO of GOSH cosmetics) which makes me, and I'm sure other beauty lovers, very excited about the future of GOSH cosmetics in South Africa. 

GOSH cosmetics have been around for 25 years and are represented in 78 countries world wide. This should ease your mind and reassure you that these products are not made by "newbie's" and really are great quality for your buck. You can find GOSH Cosmetics exclusively in Edgards and Red Square stores, meaning we will be the 80th store as well as the very first country in Africa to represent this trend setting brand.

GOSH has such a wide range of products for all types of ladies. They have a hair care range, skincare range, bronzers and self tan lotions, fragrances for him and her as well as having a full cosmetic range with foundations, mascara's, lipstick, eye shadows and a lot more

The well planned launch had 5 amazing little 'stalls' where you could test and play with the innovative products. There were so many ladies running around, sipping on drinks, eating very yummy snacks and getting pampered. I had my makeup retouched at one of the stalls and immediately loved how 'light' all the products felt.

Here are some more pictures from the launch :)

Beautiful colours

Marshmallows!

Champagne time (WOW)

Strawberry juice in jars - in grass. So cute!

Stunning view (Especially at Sunset)

Yummo Lemonade

GOSH DNA for woman

Nail station

I will be testing out some products from GOSH Cosmetics over the next few weeks, so expect some fab reviews right here on Miss Claira-Bella.

Follow GOSH on Twitter and like their Facebook Page.

Follow me on Twitter to keep up to date with what I'm trying out and what my first reactions are.

Thanks so much to GOSH and Edcon for including me in this fabulous launch! I look forward to spotting the GOSH stands in Edgars and Redsquare stores soon!

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

Glambox and Rubybox join powerful beauty forces! (UPDATED)

"What do you get when three talented businesswomen meet? The most exciting collaboration of the year - rubybox and GlamBox are sharing the love and teaming up to bring you a bigger, better beauty offering!"

This might not be new news to some ladies but I thought I'd share it with you in case you missed any details. Glambox and Rubybox are merging in to one "super-awesome-kick-ass sample box"

Here is what will happen:

• As of today(1 September'12) Glambox will be a thing of the past. The ladies already signed up to Rubybox, nothing will change for you. For the Glambox girls, you need to note the following:
• You will continue to receive your monthly beauty box. The monthly cost stays the same (R100) and all payments will be handled by Rubybox.
• Your existing user information (email, delivery details & any instructions, subscription information and Points) has been transferred. However, you will need to update your password.
• All accumulated GlamPoints will be carried across and will reflect in your personal account in the next week.
• Unfortunately they could not transfer your beauty profile. In order for them to customise your boxes to suit your beauty needs, please update this as soon as possible.
• Visit this webpage for any details I may have left out

Time for some tough love!

Anyone that has either purchased sample boxes or have compared the different boxes online, will know that Rubybox was the weakest of the 3 sample box companies in South Africa (Glossybox, Glambox and Rubybox). I was only ever subscribed to Rubybox and after my 3 month subscription, honestly, I really regretted not signing up for Glambox instead. I received a Glambox earlier in the year and found they seemed to have better service, better samples and overall, a better box, so please don't call me a horrid bitch person for what I'm about to say. I am sad that there will be more Rubybox than Glambox in this merger.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still stoked that they are joining forces and do not doubt that the new sample boxes have the potential to be on the same level as Glossybox, I just cant help but wonder why they didn't stay more Glam and less Ruby. There are obviously many business related issues when going into a merger like this (which I have no clue about).You have so many established "clients" already and with a big change like this, there is always a big chance of losing them.

I, as the "public", think it would have been better to start off with a new name, brand, logo and the whole shenanigans that go with mergers. This would eliminate the chance of people choosing sides, just like I am right now.

I'm glad they have merged and I can't wait to see what the new box will be like. I think this is a really good move on Rubybox's part and wish the "new Rubybox" all the best of success. I will be keeping an eye out, on the boxes, over the next few months and do an update for you gals.

The Glambox website is no more but if you would like to contact them you can do so on 076 886 2636 or email support@glambox.co.za.

The new revamped Rubybox website is where you can place your order and find the necessary info on the sample boxes. Any questiond directed at the "new Rubybox" can be done so via hi@rubybox.co.za.

Miss Claira-Bella

Xoxo

UPDATE

So as promised, I am back for an update on the "New Rubybox". Seeing as I don't subscribe to the sample boxes myself, I have relied on my fellow beauty bloggers to tell you how they fell about the new colab.

"I must admit I was expecting a "WOW" box, you know the two is better then one type thing. But I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed. This might have been cause I was expecting too much, but either way I was left wanting just a little bit more." - Lipgloss Kisses

This is one of the combination of products that you might have received if you ordered the September Rubybox

View more by clicking this link.

View Gee Whiskers' post on Glossybox, so you have something to compare it to.

Will update this post again when more reviews are available :)

[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

{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

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