*Essie* Van D'go

At the moment I'm really loving Essie's range of nail polishes. I did a post recently on # 633 High Maintenance which is very sheer and pretty. 

This one, #710 Van D'go, is a bit more on the barbie side of pink. I would say it tends more on the salmon side though and is perfect for Spring. Just make sure to do 2 coats, the first coat always looks horrible, but the second coat is like magic...here I'm wearing Rimmel's Stronger base coat and Sally Hansen's Insa-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat which dries all polish in seconds and leaves a nice shine.

Find it at Dischem for +-R90

#30DaysOfMe...Day6

Wondering what these posts are all about? Click here :)

Day 06- Favorite super hero and why

Image from SuperHero

I have always been a Batman girl. I have always been inspired by the character who oozes mystery, power and great ab's :) Beside's, I always wanted to be Robin (but a girl version so lets rather say I've always wanted to be *Robyn*). Batman doesn't actually have any superpowers, *shock, horror!* and instead uses his intellect, detective skills, science, technology, wealth (not forgetting he is a millionaire), martial art skills and intimidation in his continuous war on crime...cool hey! Who wouldn't want to be his friend :)

"In the original version of the story and the vast majority of retellings, Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, an American millionaire (later billionaire) playboy, industrialist, and philanthropist. Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on crime, an oath tempered with the greater ideal of justice. Wayne trains himself both physically and intellectually and dons a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime. Batman operates in the fictional American Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his crime-fighting partner, Robin, his butler Alfred Pennyworth, the police commissioner Jim Gordon, and occasionally the heroine Batgirl. He fights an assortment of villains such as the Joker, the Riddler, the Penguin,Two-Face, Poison Ivy and Catwoman" Wikipedia

Who is your favourite superhero??

*Spring* Cleaning your MakeUp Brushes

Most makeup artists will tell you that you should clean your makeup brushes after each use, especially for foundation and concealer brushes, so as to stop the spread of germs and other yucky things like that. With eye shadow brushes, it's good to do this once or twice a week (or more if needed).

Make Up Brushes are an investment, and if cared for properly, can last you ages! Here 3 steps for giving your brushes a quick clean in between uses. I would advise giving all your brushes a deep clean (post on that to come soon) every 2-3 weeks.

Brush cleaners:

I have yet to come across any other brush cleaners other than MAC. Body Shop used to sell one, but no longer stock it :( MAC's Brush Cleanser is R150 for 235ml which will last you for a long time if used sparingly...a little goes a long way :) A lot of people recommend shampoo's as brush cleansers, which are good for deep cleaning your brushes, but no good if you just need to give them a quick blitz in between uses. 

Pour a little brush cleanser onto a piece of tissue (cotton wool will absorb most of the cleaners so tissue is better to use. Toilet paper will just break unless you use 3 ply).

Dab the brush onto the wet tissue, brushing back an forth until you start to see the makeup coming off the brush. Try to do so in forward and backwards motions so as not to wreck the bristles. When the tissue becomes too dirty, open the tissue up and continue the same thing on the 'clean' part of the wet tissue. Do this until your brush is clean. Repeat with all your brushes, using a new tissue and more cleaner when the other becomes too dirty.

And voila! Clean, new looking brushes :) I have done this for all of my brushes, including lip brushes, big powderbrushes and eye shadow applicator brushes. It works like a treat on all of them :)

Getting my *Run* on!

I'm sure most girls will agree with me when I say that in order to get started on a new project/goal/idea, you need to have all the right stuff/equipment first right? Well, it's exactly the same when starting a new sport. You know you need those nice shorts that make your bum look just right, and of course the right sports bra to keep everything in place and don't even get me started on the water bottle!

Well, about 5 weeks a go I started running for the first time. It wasn't easy, but I have been following Shape Magazine's training schedule...12 weeks to run 10 k's. Last week (which was week 5) i completed the Total Sports 10k Ladies race, I didn't run it all, but I did finish...yipee! What an amazing feeling.

So to rewards myself, I went out and make a purchase, of these sexy little guys:

If you're looking for a store to buy your shoes from that really do know what they are talking about, check out Runner's Sweat in Fourways Crossing, Jo'burg. The guy who helped me had me running around the centre in my dress, with different pairs of shoes on, but boy did he know what he was taking about!

And I thought I'd also show you my running partners...

Cleo is an 8 year old Labrador cross Alsatian and is my most devoted running partner...

Katy is a 7 year old Labrador cross Great Dane and, despite her size, is a real softy. She has the loudest bark but never bites :)

Xena (yes, just like the "Xena the Warrior Princess" from the TV show) is a 7 year old Standard Poodle. But don't let these photo's fool you, she is the most vicious out of all 3 dogs. Her favourite past time is killing chickens (ok now I sound really cruel, she did this once and now is always on the lookout for potential targets!).

So there you have it. I take all three of these mutts out running with me. By running, I mean walking to the park and then running around it while Cleo and Katy (to the best of her ability) stay by my side, and Xena goes of on a mission to find chickens/rats/small dogs to harass :)

Sally Hansen *Insta-Dri* Anti-Chip Top Coat

I have been using this top coat for a good few years now...it must be good if I keep buying it right :) Well it does exactly what it claims, and that is dry any nail polish in 60 seconds. If you're like me and have 2 coats of polish on and a base coat, it's a little more than 60 seconds but definitely shorted than the 2 hours I used to have to wait! It also gives your nails a nice glossy finish.

Using a topcoat helps to prolong the life of your manicure (just as a base coat will do) but it also stops your nail polish from chipping.

Pick it up at your nearest Clicks or Dischem for  R80 (a little dear but worth every cent!)

The *Honey* Guys...

Driving from the Farm to Pietermaritzburg, Farmboy and I passed these delightful characters. Selling fresh honey off the comb (for R10 a chunk) we, as the saying goes, **overindulged**. This led to a very long and windy ride to Maritzburg and a few stops along the way to 'get some fresh air'.

We did check to see where they 'found/scavenged' the honey and they got it from the Bee Farm they work on where the owner sells the honey by the barrel :) Anyway, couldn't resist a few pic's (and some padkos for the road!)

#30DaysOfMe...Day 5

Click here to find out what these posts are all about.

Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.

This picture was taken by Farmboy in Cambodia at Ta Prohm. This temple forms part of the Angkor Wat Temples in Siem Riep and was one of the locations for Tomb Raider. Just a little useless piece of knowledge for all of you :)

Rimmel Stronger *DoubleDuty* Base Coat

This little baby is my absolute favourite base coat (and has a beautiful shimmer that looks fantastic when worn alone too). It's a "double duty base coat, enriched with calcium and keratin. These add strength to weak nails and protects them from damage. I've used this base coat for 4 years now, and although I've tried others, have yet to find one that works as well as this one.

When painting your nails, it's important to always use a base coat (even though it does add a bit of time) as it will stop your nails from getting that horrid yellow tinge. Wearing a base coat also prolongs the life of your manicure. This one in particular has helped my nails stop 'peeling' too.

Find it at Clicks and Dischem for +-R45.

Woman's Day 10k run!

This Woman's Day, TotalSports and Shape magazine teamed up to bring us a 5 & 10 k race in Jo'burg, Durban and Stellenbosch. For the past 5 weeks I have been following (well at least as best as I can) Shape's training schedule to get fit and ready to run 10k's. Now, I had a vague idea that the race was at the beginning of August, but this didn't quite register until a week before when I realised I would have to cut my 12 week program down to 5 weeks...eek! Just so you know, before I started with the program, the furthest I could run was to the kitchen to answer the phone and even then I felt like my heart was going to explode. I hated running and always felt so useless whenever I tried. But with the goal of having already registered for a race, the rest just happened :)

I didn't run the whole thing, I walked, a lot, but the point is I finished it and I was not the last person to cross the finish line either. What an exhilarating experience! And, not a bad way to get fighting fit and bikini ready for summer.

 If you are thinking about getting your run on but need a bit of motivation, click here to join hundreds of other women just like you, who, with a little help from Shape, could be the next Comrades winner! :)  Just sign up for their weekly newsletter which is sent to you every friday with the next weeks training schedule. The program is broken down into 3 days of training, with lots of idea's and tips on getting the most out of it. Plus, join their facebook and twitter profiles to connect with other women out there going through exactly the same thing :)

PS the SPAR Women's Challenge is happening on the 27th August at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Jo'burg with entries open for both a 5k and a 10k race. Go on, your body will <3 you for it. Plus all finishers will receive a medal and a goodie bag...yay! Click here to enter.

Maybelline *The Colossal* Volum' Express Mascara

For years and years I have turned my nose up at Maybelline, mostly due to the fact that at Dischem and Clicks its always the Maybelline shelves that look bare and in a horrible state (maybe thats because they have such bright light bulbs lighting them up that it ruins all the makeup!). Anyway, I thought I would make this purchase as I was in need of a new mascara and didn't have too much cash lying around :)

And I have to say...it's *AMAZING!!!!*. One of the best mascara's I have ever used! I so definitely am eating my words. Goodness me! It out performs every single of one of my mascara's...even my Dior *DiorShow* which I spent a small fortune on, and even my MAC *Plushlash*. Now don't I feel silly...

It plumps, lengthens, curls, volumises and lifts all in one stroke. It's the perfect mascara! And for only R99 a pop, a definite must have!

Missioning around *Centacow*

On a recent trip to Durban, Farmboy and I decided to do a little exploring of the area surrounding his farm in Creighton (you're not alone if you have no idea where Creighton is...it's about 40 kilometers from Ixopo, KZN). Centacow Mission was founded in 1888 by Trappist Monks, when a man called Abbot Francis Pfanner purchased a small farm in this small corner of Kwazulu Natal. Missionaries developed Centocow into a flourishing station where the brothers cared for the farm, did all the carpentry, blacksmith work and made the bricks for building operations. Today Centocow Mission looks desolate. Farmboy recently made a purchase of an exquisite piece of yellow wood furniture from one of the few monks still staying at Centacow, who told him that they now offer one of the buildings as accommodation for conferences etc.

Enough with the history lesson :) here are some pictures to set the scene for you...

MAC #187 DuoFibre Stippling Brush

I am a very lucky fishy to say that I received this as a gift a few weeks back:

 A little while ago I did a review on UBU's range of makeup brushes at Click's. Their stippling brush is pretty good, and at only R99, it's a steal. But let's be honest, it ain't no MAC!

Ok so first things first, what exactly is a stippling brush?? 

A stippling brush is used for applying foundation. It gives the skin an airbrushed finish and blends beautifully. It can be used with wet or dry foundation/powder and leaves a flawless finish. I used to apply my foundation using my fingers, and then with a flat foundation brush, but I could just not get the same look that I get every time with this bad boy :)

#187 Duo Fibre Brush is made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibre.

At R450, it's one of the most expensive brushes on the market, but like they say, once you go MAC you never go back, and this is a great investment if you wear foundation often :)

Revlon *Custom Eyes* #020

I've done a review on Revlon's Custom Eye's before, but I went out and indulged in another palette :) this time #020 Naturally Glamourous.

These eye shadows are really pigmented, and blend so easily together. They have real staying power, my makeup lasted all day without fading. I know quite a lot of people (myself included) can sometimes get a bit snobby and only want to buy/use MAC products, but these are fabulous, and a whole lot cheaper than MAC. Eacg Custom Eye's palette contains 5 shades, with a handy set of instructions on the back to show you which shade should go where.

At R160 a pop it sounds mighty expensive, but for 5 shades (thats R32 for each shade) it's a bargain ")

Above are swatches of colour for the Naturally Glamorous Palette.

**Soap & Glory**

"Soap & Glory has been supporting the Clean of England since 2006, when our founder – suds-loving serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore – challenged herself to introduce fun, fearless, and fantastically formulated, bath, beauty, and body products to the Brits (now gradually going global)"

Soap & Glory have sky rocketed to the top of my favorite beauty products ever since I first caught sight of their packaging and had my first experience of their magnificent HandFood hand cream. My hands felt silky smooth and smelt incredible the whole day long. Unfortunately, these little babies are only available in the UK and US (*sniff sniff*) but hopefully I can convince them to start selling on SA soil :) The best thing about these products? They actually do what they saw on the label. And what fun labels they have! I'm getting carried away, click here to check out their website, and here to join them on facebook!

In the mean time, check out some of the other goodies in the range...

L-R: Daily Shine Conditioner, HandFood hand cream, Daily Super Shampoo, Fab Pore face scrub, Hair Supply hair mask, Solar Powder bronzer, Daily Smooth body butter

and look at these mini's...

L-R: Clean on Me body wash, Hand Food hand cream, Glad Hair Day Shampoo, Glad Hair Day Conditioner

They have loads and loads of other products in the range. I love them so much and want you to love them too, I might need to do a little giveaway sometime soon!!

#30DaysOfMe...Day4

Click here for the full list of what goes where in this #30DaysOfMe little challenge :)

Day 4: A habit you wish you didn't have

A habit I wish I didn't have...there are a few but the biggest one would have to be worrying about what other people think of me. Ever since the beginning of high school I have always placed so much emphasis on what others have thought of me. It's something which has held me back. It's not so much worrying what people think about the way I look, but rather, the way I act and the things I do. It's led me to do things with the aim of making people like me...not a good path to go down. Sometimes I catch myself wanting to say something out loud in a group of people, but then hold back, afraid of what others might think. Why is that we place such importance on the words of strangers, and not enough on the words of those who love and care about us.

Wanting everyone to like me is a childish dream I know. But I just can't seem to shake it. My Dad often used to say to me that it's impossible, "You can't make everyone like you. In life it's important for people to respect you, not just to like you Rox". So why is this such a hard thing to come to terms with? In the past I have let people walk all over me, for fear of offending them. I end up making the most effort with those that I feel don't like me, while those who love me are often left out in the cold. It's unrealistic to think that I can be friends with everyone. But often I wonder, "well, why not?". At the grand old age of 23 I have come to realise that this is all a part of growing up. I am no longer that little girl desperately trying to make new friends, rather I am more sure of myself and where I am going, even if I'm not sure how to get there yet.  Little by little I am trying to let go of constantly wanting to please others, and doing more things to please me. I've heard people say that it takes only 10 days to make a habit, but only 1 to break it. So here's to the next 10 days :)

TreSemme **Dry Shampoo**

This has now become one of my absolute favourite products...ever! Picture the scene, you've just paid a small fortune to get hair done all fancy, blow dry and all. You sleep on it, and wake up with it a bit drab and maybe a slight peek of oily roots. Disaster?! Never fear, dry shampoo to the rescue! Just give your roots a blasting with this light, oil absorbing spray and voila! Volume and vavavoom and just like new :)

How it works:

*Formulated with mineral clay which soaks up excess oil and impurities leaving hair looking refreshed

*Contains citrus extracts to neutralize odour and enhance the 'clean feeling'

*Volumizes oily/straight hair that becomes limp in between washes, giving hair added body and bounce

*Perfect for colour-treated hair, it reduces the need to was as frequently, which prevents colour from fading

How to use:

Shake can vigorously before use and in between sprays

Lightly spritz roots to inject volume and spray evenly all over hair.

Leave product in for 1-2 mins to allow time to soak up oil

Brush thoroughly to remove the white residue & then style as usual

Available at Clicks and Dischem for +-R70

Tea and Cake *Blackwood Nursery, Richmond*

Tucked away in a little corner of KZN lies this little gem...Blackwood Nursery. With a huge array of plants, tree's, garden & home decor and yummy dishes to choose from, you could very much spend all day there.

And the best part...the chocolate cake, omnomnom :)

Directions:

Take the R56 towards Richmond (37k's from Pietermaritzburg), then the  district road D562. Blackwood Nursery is situated in the Baynesfield area. Look out for this sign:

Contact Details:

082 379 1858

bnursery@mweb.co.za

**Decorex** JHB

Guess who won double tickets to Decorex Jhb??? Little ol' me :) Thanks so much to LuckyPony (and of course Decorex for the win!)

The convention is happening from the 5th (today) to the 9th August at Gallagher Convention Centre. Tickets cost R70 and can be purchased at the door. Hope to see u there!

Source: LuckyPony

Fabulous Photographer...*Sophie Smith*

I just could not keep my friend Sophie a secret any more. After she took these pic's of Farmboy and myself at a friends wedding:

I had to show you all some of her other work...

Sophie is an amazingly talented freelance photographer based in Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape. She studied photojournalism at Rhodes and now works for the University Journalism Department. We met while studying and have been friends ever since.

I am so excited to see what the future holds for her...as I know she is going places.

If you'd like to see more of her work or contact her, click here So now I've give you a little taste of what she's about, stay tuned for the interview :)

#30DaysOfMe...Day 3

Here we go with Day 3...click here for the list of what goes on each day :)

Day 03 - A picture of you and your friends

This took me a little while...as I am shocked to see I have hardly any pictures of me and my friends. This was taken in South Korea on the roof of Farmboy's apartment, after a sunday afternoon braai (the girls from left to right...Amanda - Canada, Megan - USA, Sally - UK, Elisia - USA, Me - SA, Koen - USA, Claire - SA)...and yes, I did cut the guys head off...*oops*