Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby!

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  In case you haven't realised so far, I have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with all things makeup and beauty. With this in mind, I was super duper sad to come across the UK based company, GlossyBox. I say sad, because I found out they don't deliver to South Africa. I *WAS* sad until I found out we have our very own box of delights recently launched right here on SA soil...ladies, it is with the utmost pleasure that I introduce to you...RubyBox:



My October RubyBox contained the following:


Lancôme Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector 
A rubybox exclusive – after twelve years in development this serum combines breakthrough technology to visibly transform the appearance of wrinkles, enlarged pores and uneven skin tone – and you’re trying it first in South Africa. For best results, apply twice daily after cleansing and before moisturising.



L’Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil 

Another rubybox exclusive – hair oils are making waves so add lustre to yours with this nourishing blend of avocado oil and grape seed oil. Apply to damp hair before blow drying for added shine or afterwards for frizz-free polish. Fine hair? Rub one pump in your hands and over your lengths and ends. Thick or coarse hair? Use two pumps instead.


Decléor Hydra Floral Moisturising Mask 

Give your skin a hydrating boost with this fragrant cream mask. Suitable for all skin types, it’s packed with comforting neroli oil and leaves skin soothed, quenched and protected against environmental pollutants. Apply a thick layer to your cleansed face and neck once (or twice a week if your skin is dry). Leave for five to 10 minutes and tissue off.


 black│Up Matifying Base
The ultimate shine-buster; this 2-in-1 primer instantly soaks up excess oil and reduces the signs of visible pores. Plus it makes an excellent makeup base as it preps skin for makeup application and ensures it stays put until you decide to take it off. Apply the silky, non-oily gel after moisturising and before your chosen foundation or wear it alone to combat that mid-morning sheen.


For a monthly fee of R100, the postman delivers a box of goodies (valued at between R300 and R400) right to your door. A post to follow soon on the how/when/who of the whole process.


Market Haul...

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On a recent trip to the beach (we swopped sun, sea & sand and for rain, wind and mud) and when the weather had improved slightly, my friend Odette and I headed for the lovely I Heart Market in Durban, which has made the Moses Madiba Stadium it's new home. 

And a trip to the market is never complete without a couple of purchases...


Don't you just love these pegs! Wrapping gifts will never be the same again! The lovely Vanessa at Little Mud Hut Designs also makes magnets, tags, bunting, gift bags and lots lots more, click here to check out her facebook page for more information on where you can get your hands on these goodies


Aren't these little ring holders just so pretty...I had stop myself from buying all of them!

 Up at the Top, Pottery and Mosaic Studio.
 Eleanor Gillitt: upatthetop@gmail.com
35 Laughton Avenue, Glenashley, Durban,


These are my second and third pair of earrings from Sophia Baskin, all made by her from gorgeous pieces of material!
Email her at sophiabasckin@gmail.com for more info ♥


Odette surprised me with this pretty pair of rose earrings :)
Click here to check out the website with all the other goodies to buy!



And the winner is...

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Having no bottle on hand to do a 'spin the bottle' draw, I found the closest thing...lipstick (and not just any old one, my favourite Catrice lippie!)



Just a little reminder as to the prize...




Well done Sally! Send me your details (address etc.) or we can arrange a pickup point sometime soon! As I am currently unemployed, I'm happy to travel :) xxx

Thanks to everyone that entered! When I started the giveaway, I had only 74 followers on this blog. Now, only a few weeks later I am up to 94...yippee 


Don't forget that I my 100th follower is also going to get a lovely set of BarryM nail polishes and Soap&Glory hand cream :)


RBH Salon, Ballito

/ Dolphin Coast, South Africa/

The weather over the past few days has been cold and wet, not ideal for the beach, but ideal for treating oneself to some "rest and relaxation". Thats exactly what Odette and I found at Redlands Beauty and Health Salon in Ballito. An hour later, we walked out the door with the softest pads and cutest toenails...for a lovely R170. The next time you find yourself in Ballito, go on and treat yourself...your feet will love you for it :)




I ♥ Market *October*

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After resigning from my job (yes, some of you may be wondering as to my mental state as I had only been there for a month...let's just say, I would have completely lost all sense of normality had I stayed there) I thought it about time for a trip to the sea. And a trip to the north coast sea is never complete without a stop at the I Heart Market. I Heart Market happens once a month, where fabulously talented people gather to sell all sorts of lovely things. Here are just a few of the stalls at this months gathering:

MisMatch Jewellery 


omnomnom deliciousness



Up at the Top, Pottery and Mosaic Studio.
 Eleanor Gillitt: upatthetop@gmail.com
35 Laughton Avenue, Glenashley, Durban,


Freshly Found...vintage refreshed
Denise Kiggan: denise@freshlyfound.com





Vanessa: vanessa.matthews@telkomsa.net
To visit their Facebook page, click here


Sophia Basckin...I just had to treat myself...with another 2 pairs of her gorgeous earrings!
Email her at sophiabasckin@gmail.com for more info ♥



Shopping for glass...

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Being Glass Week, I thought it high time I paid a visit to Consols very own shop here in Joburg. Filled to the brim with glass jars and bottles of all shapes and sizes, it's the perfect place to find just the right makeup brush holder/cookie jar/letter in a bottle thingy/anything your mind could possibly think of to do with glass :)

I grabbed my wonderful friend and fellow blogger Raf, and armed with a camera, went to take on the shimmering confines of an untamed room of glass. Here is what awaited us....















Shop opening times:
                                Monday to Friday from 9am – 4pm
  Saturdays from 9am – 1pm
     +27 (0) 11 603 2080

Glass: Wedding Idea's

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Day 2 of Glass Week is drawing to a close. But before it does, I want to leave you with these simple (*and cheap!) idea's for adding a touch of romance and old school glam to your big day.

Remember...
Glass is versatile
"Consistent in form and limitless in function, glass is as reliable as it is versatile.  All while maintaining its good looks and strength.  After its initial purpose, all you have to do is wash your glass bottles and jars to reuse and reinvent them over and over and over.  Choose to reinvent.  Choose glass"


Source: IcingOnTheCake

Source: BridalInspiration

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest


MAC Fix+

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I've had this 'fix' spray for a while (ok, a little more than a while, like maybe a few years of a while) and have only recently hauled it out of my cupboard for a closer look. I bought it when I had my makeup done at a MAC counter, along with all the other bits and pieces that those very sneaky makeup artists get you to purchase only after you get your makeup done. And well, I sort of had no idea what it was for. The lady who helped me told me it was a "refreshing facial mist"....um?? Ok, so now after using it over my makeup I've found it actually does prolongs the life of my face paint (face paint being Farmboy's own term for the numerous products I 'slap' on).

When it comes to prolonging the wear of your makeup, there are a lot of factors to consider; the humidity, the type of face cream you use, whether or not you've used a primer, loose powder to set the foundation...the list goes on. So here's the truth. When using this spray over my makeup (without using a primer) it does make it last longer than without using the spray. How much longer, well that would be a guess on my part. Anyway, I love the smell and the feel of the mist on my skin and would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for something a little different in terms of makeup. I give this a 4/5.
Find it at your nearest MAC counter for +-R190.


Glass Week **Day 1**

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Today marks the start of Glass Week, and to celebrate (it might not sound like the most exciting thing in the world to be celebrating but bear with me here) I'm going to do a few posts on why YOU should choose glass. We are all up to our noses with information on all the gazillion ways to recylce and keep our planet healthy, well here are a few unique ways that not only look pretty, but also help to keep our earth a little greener :)

"Glass is infinitely recyclable. Our legacies are shaped by our decisions.  You can choose to make yours one of preservation, respect and good taste.  The glass you use every day begins its life as sand and retains its composition to the last molecule. This makes glass all natural and 100% recyclable.  With this in mind, it’s perfectly clear why glass packaging is the environmentally-conscious choice.  Choose to recycle.  Choose glass."






To find out more about glass week, check out Consol's Facebook page and follow the on twitter!

To find a glass bank in your area simply sms “GLASS” and the name of your suburb to 32310. SMS costs R1


Body Shop *Beauty Haul*

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I first came across the term Beauty "Haul" on ViviannaDoesMakeup. Vivianne is a gorgeous, UK based beauty junkie who does super informative videos and photo posts on all things makeup. The term isn't new, I see it all over the place on international blogs, but I have yet to spy it on the South African field...
Here is my latest haul:


My skin has been especially dry, with winter drawing to a close, and I was on the hunt for a new night cream. The Vitamin E range of products is mild and gentle, whilst still doing what it says on the tub. The face wash gets rid of all traces of makeup and impurities, without drying out my skin, leaving it feeling soft and clean. The night cream does leave my skin feeling a little oily when I wake up. Before using it, my skin was incredibly dry, so a little bit of extra oil has been good for. 
For as long as I can remember, the skin on my nose has always been dry and flaky, no matter what I do. I've tried exfoliating, masks, suncream (as my mom insists it's because I keep getting sunburnt), moisturisers, you name it I've bought it. But the one thing I hadn't tried, was a serum. After cleansing and toning, you massage the serum into your skin, before applying your moisturiser...and voila! My nose has been flake free since I started using this moisture serum. And the best part, it doesn't make my skin oily at all! 



If your skin is on the oily side, this range of products wouldn't be very suitable. I would recommend this range for normal to dry skins, and those in need of a bit of a moisture surge.

Night Cream R110
Moisture Serum R120
Facial Wash R70
Total R230

The Body Shop is having a super awesome sale at the moment, 2 for 3 on selected products. I picked these up for R230...not bad if I do say so myself :)


**Glass** Glorious **Glass**

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Next week is Choose Glass Week, and the lovely people behind Consol are doing their best to make people aware of all the fabulous reasons to choose glass. Everyday next week I'll be sharing another reason with you as to why you should choose glass. In the mean time, I'll leave you with a few idea's to get those creative juices flowing:

Image: DreamyWhite

Image: HomeKlondike


Image: CompletelyCoastal
Image: EatDrinkBeMarriedInCali


Image: DreamyWhite

The 16th September was Recycle Day here in South Africa, and if you didn't get the memo, it's never too late to start recycling! To find a glass bank in your area simply sms “GLASS” and the name of your suburb to 32310. SMS costs R1


 P.S. If you have any ideas on creative ways to use/re-use glass, drop me a line below :) xx


*Spring has Sprung*

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I wandered around the garden this afternoon, camera in one hand, a cup of tea in the other, and thought I'd share what made me smile...














Yes, this post was pretty random, but these flowers did make me smile today, I hope they do the same for you. If not, click here to enter  my giveaway to win some lovely things that will certainly make you :) xx


Yardley Loose Powder

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This translucent powder has become one of my ultimate must haves. At only R79.95, it's preety reasonable as far as powders go. I find it holds my foundation is place for much longer than my very much more expensicve Clinique powder (review to follow shortly!). What I love the most is the smell...soft floral scents that make me enjoy putting my make up on even more :) Being a translucent powder, it will suit any skin tone (except perhaps very dark skin) and it blends in beautifuly. But, in being translucent, it doesn't provide a lot of coverage, and so is best used over your foundation to 'set' it and make sure it stays put. Or if you have clear skin, to provide a very sheer veil of coverage. I give this powder a 4/5.
Find it at your local Clicks or Dischem for R79.95.

P.S Don't forget to enter into my giveaway! Click here for more information on how to get your hands on these pretty products:



Batiste Dry Shampoo...

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A little while ago I did a post on TRESemme's Dry Shampoo which was at the top of my list with regards to fab new products, untill I gave Batiste a try. It's even *better!*. Yes, effectively it does the same thing, BUT it also smells good enough to eat and comes in a mini size too! So now ladies you have no excuse for greasy hair. All you have to do is give your roots a good spray, and then make sure you comb/brush your hair thoroughly as the spray leaves a white powder residue (thats whats soaking up that grease!). And voila! Picture perfect hair in seconds. I definitely give this a 5/5!!  Find Batiste at Clicks and Dischem for R35.99 for the mini bottle.


Market on Main...round 2!

/ Johannesburg, South Africa/
I have done a post on the wonder that is the Market on Main in Joburg's town centre, but after a recent visit and lots more photo's I thought I'd do another...why not hey :)

So as not to confuse anyone, ArtsOnMain is the building which houses MarketOnMain :)

Check out her blog (click here) for more stock of her lovely pieces

View of outside, what a pretty Spring Day in Jozi!


omnomnom...ChocolaJ :) 


The most delicious *homemade* marshmallows I have ever encountered!





Get yourself there every Sunday to stuff yourface with good food, mingle with cool looking people and get decked out in awesome  accessories!

Open from 10 am - 3 pm every Sunday. Check out their facebook group for more info.

Directions:
Corner of Fox Street and Main, Joburg.

From the M1 North click here
From OR Thambo International Airport click here
From Jan Smuts Avenue click here
From Houghton Drive click here


*Stuffed Butternut* for dinner!

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Summer is supposed to be around the corner, but with the last few days being as cold as they have been, here is something to keep you warm and full...

Ingredients
Tin foil
Butternuts 
Olive Oil
Herbs
your choice of stuffing (here I used feta & sun dried tomatoes). Mushrooms, onions, lentils & bacon also work well!

Step 1: Pop the oven onto 180 C. Slice your butternuts in half and remove the seeds

Step 2: slice up your fillings (make sure to have nice bright nails to avoid slicing your finger open!)

Step 3: Once your butternuts are well and truly stuffed full of yummyness, drizzle some olive oil over them and sprinkle with herbs. Wrap in tin foil and pop into the oven.

Step 4: after 40 mins in the oven, unwrap the foil and poke a stick into the butternuts to check how they are doing. Leave the foil off them and bake for another 10-15 mins.

Step 5: Enjoy!!


Catrice Eye Shadow...

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Yay! I am currently at 79 followers! Only 21 to go :) please help me get there ladies (& gents!). All you have to do is follow this blog (click here) and like my facebook group, leave me a comment with your name and email (and what kind of blog posts you enjoy reading) and you could win some really cool prizes! Easy peasy lemon squeezy...click here for more info!
Now, on with the review!


These single eyeshadows are perfect for any look. They blend easily and are highly pigmented. The lightest colour (#090 Bring me Frosted) is the perfect highlighter, while the darkest in the picture above (#350 Starlight Espresso) is great for a smokey eye. The only downside is that I had to really layer on the dark colour to get it to show up, while the light colour showed up perfectly. But for only R39.99 each, I think we can all afford to layer and layer and layer! :) I give these baby's a 5/5!! You cab find the full range of Catrice products at Dischem.

Soap&Glory and BarryM **GiveAway!**

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I am aiming at *hopefully* having 100 followers on this blog in the next few weeks...I am currently at 74. Pretty please can you help me get there :) 

I have some lovely things to giveaway to celebrate the occasion! Well, 2 lovely sets of lovely things to giveaway to be exact...These goodies are extra special as we you can't get your hands on these wonderful brands here in South Africa. Unless you have a magic carpet to take you to England, in which case, can I come with?? 


The first will go to a random lucky someone...all you have to do is comment on this post so I know who's who in the zoo (please also tell me what you'd like to see more of on my blog) 'follow' this blog and 'like' my page on facebook, easy right?

And the second prezzie will go to my 100th** follower!


**the only condition...winners have to reside in South Africa as shipping laws make it very difficult for me to send liquids overseas...so only South Africans will be eligible for this giveaway, but please don't let that stop you from checking out my blog! Lots more giveaways to be done in the future with non-liquidy prizes...yay!

Lucky Draw Winners will be announced on the 30th September 7th October *more time to enter ladies!!*. 
Good luck xx


Catrice Lipstick...

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As promised in this post here is the first review of this wonderful new brand (well at least new to us South Africans!). This Ultimate Colour Lipstick has taken a firm hold of my makeup bag and I carry it wherver I go. "Be Natural" is a nude colour that goes on effortlessly. It's great if you just need a hint of colour, and is the perfect shade for spring. At only R54.95 it's a steal! The only downside, it isn't very long lasting.  I give this a 4/5, and am on way as I speak to get more shades :)