Incoco nails

I received one set of Incoco nail wraps in my March Rubybox.  I have been saving them for a time when I would want to have my nails looking nice for two weeks, since that was what the package promised.  At first I did not do it because I was going diving, and that would be hell on nails, then I was tiling a spare bathroom (yes, I tile, and grout) and then ….. And then when I decided I had to use them NOW, I broke a nail and had to wait for it to grow out.  So I can attest that Incoco nails do not spoil in the package while waiting for you.

I would seriously suggest that you read their instructions on the website, there is a video to watch and also read the instructions that come with the nail strips.  It is not super hard to use, I only messed up one strip on my first try.  The nails stick really well and you are not able to move them once stuck down properly.  The fronts are filed kind of under your nail and break easily.

They claim that these strips last for 14 days.  I removed mine after Day 9, when a giant chunk broke off my thumb nail while I washed my hair.  There were small cracks near the tops of most of my fingers and a chip on one other finger.  I must say that 9 days is the longest any nail polish has ever been on my fingers, but it was not quite the 14 days promised.  My nails also seemed to grow fairly fast and it would have needed to come off after 14 days if nothing had chipped simply because the nail bed would have grown out to much by then.

These pictures were taken just before I took the polish off, on Day 9.  It shows where it started chipping and it shows how my nail beds have grown out. 

I love the more intricate patterns. 

It is expensive.  It costs R100 for a set (and is sold by the Rubybox boutique and in Red Square stores).  A set comes with 16 fingers so that you choose the appropriate sizes for your nails.  That means that if you cut some of the strips in half and use all the sizes you are able to get two applications out of it.  I saved the one half, and went to a great deal of trouble to seal the packet, but when I came back to it 3-4 weeks later, the strips looked fine, but they would not stick to my nails and chipped almost immediately.   Moral of the story; this cannot be stretched to two applications.  I guess it is a good deal for a special occasion, in stead of a salon manicure or when you go for one of the intricate patterns (which I love).  Unfortunately I had a plain colour, a very very cerise pink. 

The application was neat, no smudges, scratches, or other imperfections; in any case, not if you managed to stick it on straight.  It took about twice as long to apply than it takes me to apply nail polish, but it was MUCH neater and you did not need to worry about touching things before it was properly dry.   If money was no object, this would be the only nail polish I used. 

See how much my nails grew in 9 days, you can see that the nail polish does not go all the way to the nail bed.

Chips on my nail: Day 9

You can read some reviews of it here:

http://jangsara.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-incoco-non-liquid-nail-polish.html

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp?itemid=98102

http://skincare.about.com/od/handcareproductreviews/fr/Incoco-Nail-Polish-Strips-Review.htm

http://www.geewhiskers.com/2012/04/manicure-monday_30.html

http://rubybox.co.za/incoco-oscar-night-nail-strips.html

http://www.beautybulletin.com/directory/discussions/review/?id=4947

http://www.beautybulletin.com/hands-and-feet/nail-polishes/incoco-dry-nail-applique

http://www.tailsofamermaid.com/2011/08/latest-obsession-incoco-nail-polish.html

Questions on MONDAY

I have so many questions about beauty products.  If you read this, please leave a comment and answer this question:

What do eye creams do?  Are they extra moisturising lotions that are supposed to be preventing wrinkles and make the ones you have a little bit more plump and moisturised?   Or do they just temporarily make a wrinkle appear a bit less prominent but have no long term effect.  i.e. once you stop using it you are back where you started?  Or do you get both types?

Africology cleansing gel

There are some products that are just so nice to use, indulgent and luxurious  and make you feel good when using them.   One such product was the Africology gel cleanser.  Africology is a South African brand of world class quality.  The following was taken directly from their website. 

Africology makes use of the healing essences of some of South Africa’s indigenous plants. The active ingredients in our skin care products are valuable in the repair process and assist with the restoration of damaged skin tissue. You can never be too young to start this preventative process skin care products have been developed to revitalise the skin and prevent damage done to the skin by free-radicals, stress and the harsh South African climate

Kind to you, kind to the world: 100% Natural Essential Oils, Natural Plant Extracts, Eco Friendly

If you have some time, go play around on their website.  They have many other products and the website is delightful.

The following description of the cleansing gel comes from their website:  Contains Quillaja extract and Soapwort, which are both natural, mild foaming and cleansing agents. On a metaphysical level, when the skin is reactive to emotional situations the brain sends signals that encourage protection, so the skin starts to secrete oil. When we remove all these oils from the skin by means of chemicals, the brain continues to replace oil, and so we keep on imbalancing the skin. It is better to instead work with the skin's natural oil supply rather than to erase it.  Added seaweed extract maintains skin health and has a smoothing and moisturising effect. We want the skin to not only cleanse itself, but also for our gel to firm and stimulate the skin with its astringent properties.  For oily, reactive skin. 

Use daily in the morning and evening. Apply Gel to face with damp hands, avoiding the eye area. Remove with warm water. Refresh with Anti-reactive Tonic afterwards

The gel can be ordered from their website and is sold in certain spa’s.  It costs R260.

 

My experience.  I received a sample in a Rubybox.  I was impressed by the quality of the sample.  It came in a small glass bottle with a pump, 25ml.  It looks like something that would be given as hotel toiletries (see my comments here on hotel toiletries) or sold in a travel kit.  It was really a generous sample.  The gel smells divine.  It is a refreshing wake-up smell, a kind of kick start in the morning.  It is quite a strong botanical smell.  I would describe it as Aloe or maybe mint, but I am not sure whether I am right.  It does not foam, since it does not contain harsh soaps.  It does have a slippery, soapy consistency and feels like a soapy cleanser.  My skin feels clean and tingly and refreshed after use without feeling dry and tight.  I think this cleanser is perfect.  The only downside:  The price.  Especially since I skimp on cleansers so that I can spend more on moisturisers, which I believe makes a larger difference in the look of your skin.  I would love to try the rest of the range.  If the cleanser impressed me so much I can only imagine how great the rest of the range would be.

 You can see reviews in the following places:

http://www.beautybulletin.com/brands-spas-and-salons/brands/africology

http://rubybox.co.za/africology-cleansing-gel.html

http://www.beautybulletin.com/skin-care/cleanserstonerswashes/africolgy-cleansing-gel

http://www.kissblushandtell.com/2012/05/africology-purifying-cleansing-gel.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Africology-Skincare-Spa/161371680738

http://julieeagleton.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/africology-travel-kit/

The best shoes in town

This started as a beauty blog, but I am going to deviate to share with you my favourite shoes.  I guess shoes and beauty go together.  I am not much of a fashionista.  I prefer my shoes comfortable over pretty any day.  But I do love a certain combination of comfort and beauty - I guess it could be described as very comfortable shoes that are pretty enough.  They are called Froggie shoes.

Froggie shoes are made in South Africa.  There is a giant factory store in Durban.  The factory store is a little bit cheaper than the stores, and sometimes offers specials such as buy 3 and only pay for two.  But the best attraction of the factory store is that it is enormous and has a large variety of shoes; much bigger than their stores in the shopping malls.   Since they carry old stock as well as almost new stock, it is also one of the only places in Durban where you can buy boots in summer.  (I once desperately had to buy boots for a January trip to the US in the middle of the South African summer.)



My selection of (dirty) Froggie shoes

The shoes are made of leather and are so so comfortable.  I kid you not.  You can wear high heels  all day and not have sore feet.  These shoes also last and last and last.   I have not yet thrown away a broken pair of Froggie shoes.  The only damage I have had has been scuff marks at the front.

They sell school shoes as well, which they claim support a growing child’s foot better than hard shoes.  It is called the barefoot science range and the soles are completely flexible.  The school shoes are expensive.  I would love to buy these for my children, but have not done so, yet. 

They have a tiny selection of men’s shoes.  I bought my husband the only pair they had and he was in love with the shoes.  It might not be the most snazzy pair of shoes ever (but my husband is not a good dresser at all.  I try !),  He claims it is as comfortable as going barefoot.  (His nickname in high school was “Barefoot” because he hated to wear shoes.)

The combination of comfort and beauty cannot be beaten.  And we should all support good home grown initiatives. 

Froggie shoes are sold in small Froggie shops all over Durban malls, and elsewhere in KwaZulu-Natal.  I am sure that I have seen Froggie shoes being sold in Woolworths under a Woolworths label (cheaper than in Froggie stores)  I could be wrong.  And then of course, there is the factory store.  Whenever my female friends and family come to visit Durban, they all insist on a visit the Froggie factory store. 

Perfumes

I vow never to review perfumes.  For one thing, perfumes should be smelled, not read about and for another I think it is a very, very personal choice.  Just because I like a fragrance does not mean you will like it. 

I thought it would be interesting to share the perfumes I have loved in my live.  I struggle to choose a perfume, so if I find one I like I tend to stick with it.  My lifetime list of perfumes might therefore be fairly short.  Some of these perfumes I have used for years. 

Hello kitty (aged 10):  A fragrant pencil kind of thing.  It was blue, you sharpened it like a pencil an it had a gel like substance in the middle that you would rub on yourself and use as a perfume.  I got it when I was 10 or so as a gift from a friend on my birthday.

Panache by Lentheric (aged 14 – 20) :  I think this was my first perfume.  I received it as a gift for Christmas in those smaller wands sold in Clicks.  I liked it and used Panache for years.  Now I think it is a kind of boring smell.  And maybe a bit old ??? 

Exclamation by Coty (aged 14-16):  This was my sister’s favourite while I was in my Panache phase.  I liked it and we swapped from time to time.

Lapiz Lazuli (aged 18-30).  This was a fragrance sold by Justine.  An aunt’s stuff was distributed among us and I got half a bottle of this perfume while in high school.  I loved it.  I used it for years.  I still remember hunting down Justine reps to buy it years after I started working.  And then Justine discontinued the perfume and I had to find a new scent.  (It was also very affordable)

Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden (aged 28-32):  My sister worked in a pharmacy for a year and brought home half a bottle that was used as a tester.  She did not like it and gave it to me.   I loved it and used it for years.  It was a very large bottle and lasted long.  I bought some later and thought it was discontinued, only to find another bottle some years later. 

Flower by Kenzo (aged 28):  I likes this around the time I had a baby and someone told me it smelled like baby powder, so I stopped liking it.

Juicy Couture (aged 33):  This was the scent I picked from the Sephora sampler.  I do not think it is the greatest fragrance in the world, but I liked it most of the ten in the sampler.  I only had the one bottle.

Queen by Queen Latifa (current):  The perfume I picked from my Foschini sampler last year. 

Glow by JLo (current):

Infusion d’Iris by Prada (current):  My current most favourite scent in the whole wide world.  I got it as a sample in a Rubybox.  Bought a bottle and love love love it. 

Current:  I made my husband buy me a Foschini perfume sampler last year for my birthday and receive samples in Rubybox.  Between all these perfume samples I have enough to keep me busy.  In my very first Rubybox I received an envelope with 13 (3 male) Givency fragrances.  These have been marvellous to try.  I get the samples faster than I can use them up.

It is clear from this list that I cannot go into a shop and choose a perfume from the thousands there.  Almost all the perfumes I loved were given to me and I liked it enough to replace it. 

I would love it if someone out there could tell me what perfumes I am supposed to like if these are the perfumes I have liked in the past.   Please help. 

Or please leave a comment and share your favourite perfume.  I would love to go and try it.

DIY cheap pore strips

Just a quick link to another blog.
This blog links another persons youtube video to show how to make your own pore strips using gelatine and milk.  It worked great.  I loved it.  Best tip ever.
http://www.geewhiskers.com/2012/09/diy-pore-strips.html

Smudge charcoal waterproof khol liner

Smudge is a cosmetic range sold in Clicks.  This Kohl eyeliner is amazing.  It is meant to create a smoky eye.  The eyeliner is really soft and slides on easily.  It is so soft and smooth and easy to blend.  On this photo I only wear the eye liner (and a tiny bit of white eye shadow) and a tiny line of black liquid eye liner and mascara).  I could easily only wear this eye liner blended well.  I have never used an eyeliner that blended this easily.

There is one downside.  The first time I wore it I noticed large raccoon lines under my eyes after about two hours.  I guess something that goes on this easily also smudges easily below the eye.  Maybe this should only be worn on the top eye lid.

PS:  This is the first time ever I tried to take photos of my eye makeup.  I am working on it.

This is the only review I could find of smudge eye liners

http://rougebeauty.co.za/smudge-pencil-range/