It is the month of love, which you might celebrate with a romantic dinner or by smooching a random in a bar. Either way, you’ll want to look good doing it.
I’ve rounded up a few great beauty products that will help you prep for your Valentine, from great hair care products that won’t hurt your wallet to a superhero skin care product and some stunning lipstick. And if you’re planning to snuggle up on the couch in sweat pants, watching action films and gorging on pizza, these can help erase the evidence.
Because I love you, I’m also giving away a hamper with the 3 new fragrances from Thomas Sabo, to the value of R2400! Yay! Scroll down for the entry details
Here are my February Beauty Obsessions:
1. Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Matte Lipstick in Raspberry and Pink Pucker
(R220 each, elizabetharden.co.za – available from 16 February)
I’m a big fan of Elizabeth Arden’s lipstick. The colour is intense, it lasts really well, and it feels comfortable on your lips. Driven by the runway trends, they’ve now extended the range to include new shades that have a silky, matte finish. These also contain moisturizing mango, shea and Murumuru butters along with Argan Oil and Vitamin E to condition your lips. I particularly like the dusty Pink Pucker and the deep Raspberry shades.
TIP: “Before applying matte lipstick, exfoliate the lips by gently brushing them with a toothbrush. Then, add a pea-sized dab of lip balm to seal in moisture. This removes any imperfections, leaving you with a flawless matte finish” – Elizabeth Arden Global Makeup Artist, Rebecca Restrepo
Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Pink Pucker (front) and Raspberry (back)
2. essie Nail Laquer in Lilacism
(R120, essie.co.za)
Cool purples and lilac are a stunning nail colour trend at the moment and work great from summer through autumn and winter. Think Wes Gordon’s S/S 2014 and Emerson’s F/W 2014 runway looks. Give it a twist by adding a smoky silver accent nail or use black to create geometric nail art patterns for an edgy touch. This particular shade has just enough warmth to prevent it from looking like dead men’s fingers, and needs only two coats for a solid colour.
essie Nail Laquer in Lilacism
3. Organix Biotin & Collagen Thick & Full Shampoo and Conditioner
(R179,95 each for 385ml, select Foschini stores)
I’ve really been enjoying this hair care range. It contains some good nourishing ingredients, including collagen and hydrolyzed wheat protein which conditions and adds shine to hair. I wouldn’t say it gave spectacular volume, but my hair did look fuller, and feel smoother and more manageable without becoming weighed down. It also has a sweet, nutty smell that I liked.
Organix Biotin & Collagen Thick & Full Shampoo and Conditioner
4. Thomas Sabo Charm Rose Eau de Parfum
(R795 for 50ml, select department stores)
This is such a young, fun and flirty fragrance. You’ll get top notes of juicy Clementine and yellow plum, with softer notes of rose, jasmine and magnolia at the heart of the fragrance and hints of rosewood, vanilla and sandalwood at the base.
WIN a hamper with all three Thomas Sabo Charm Club fragrances valued at R2400! To enter, send me your ultimate romantic quote, along with your name and ‘Thomas Sabo’ to admin@9lives.co.za. Competition closes 18 February.
Thomas Sabo Charm Rose Eau de Parfum
5. label.m Thickening Cream
(R350 for 100ml, Splush)
Apply this heat activated cream to damp hair and blow dry in sections to give your hair a fuller appearance. It did make my hair appear more voluminous than it normally looks, and I liked the fact that my locks still had a soft feel. This cream also contains nourishing Panthenol (Vitamin B), olive fruit extract and avocado oil, as well as Oat Bran which can help prevent free-radical damage.
label.m Thickening Cream
6. Dermalogica Skin Renewal Booster
(R780 for 30ml, dermalogica.co.za)
This exfoliating fluid contains Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid and Hibiscus Extract which exfoliates dead skin cells, as well as the anti-aging hero ingredient, Vitamin A. It helps to improve your skin’s texture, reverse signs of photo-aging like fine lines and pigmentation, and stimulate new cell production. I can definitely see an improvement to my skin’s appearance since using this.
Squeeze a drop onto your fingertips and massage it onto cleansed skin. I would recommend you use this at night only, and make sure you use a broad spectrum, high SPF during the day since your skin will become more sensitive to sun damage.
Strike a deal: If you buy three Dermalogica products this month, you get a FREE Booster Trio pack which includes samples of the Skin Hydrating Booster, Solar Defense Booster SPF50 and the Skin Renewal Booster. Nice.
Dermalogica Skin Renewal Booster
Hope you enjoy these! Remember to share your thoughts, or your own beauty obsessions with me on Facebook and Twitter.
Main image: Shutterstock; Product shots: Liezel Malherbe/ 9Lives. Prices are recommended and may vary across retailers.
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