Sympathy for the Skin - Lush

The only way to describe this Body Lotion is delicious. Opening this container was an absolute surprise. A delightful one. 

The cream colored lotion with small dark flecks remind me of walks through the banana plantations in Tzaneen. Decadent and dreamy. Don't let the small dark particles dissuade you from trying the lotion, you will regret it! 

Packed with the fresh goodness of organic mashed bananas, vanilla pod infusion, almond oil, fair trade cocoa butter, sandalwood and lemon oil this is a deeply nourishing lotion. Perfect for overly dry winter skin that just won't return to its natural glow. 

Available in a 240g tub the packaging is elegant and simplistic. 

At R225.00 for a 240g tub the lotion is a bit pricey. However, its the perfect winter treat. Spoil yourself! You know you want to! 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/225_162/id/76/BODY-Lotions-Sympathy-For-The-Skin

Hask Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo

When it comes to hair I seriously got a bad deal. Not only is my natural color most accurately described as Cow Turd Brown, but it is overly frizzy. On a good day I look as if I have broken ends and damaged hair. Which leads to daily comments on how I should take better care of my hair. (I kid you not, strangers have stopped me to give advice!)

Traditional hair care products lead to one of two options. Overly greasy, dirty looking hair or dry, even frizzier hair.

After hearing that the solution is hidden in Argan Oil, I decided to brave the shops. I was expecting overly expensive bottles that would make me feel like a neanderthal. Great was my surprise to stumble across the Hask range of products. 

The range is affordable and beautifully packaged. Not only does this product contain Argan Oil, it is also free of Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates, drying alcohol and artificial colors. Added the bonus that the Hask range is not tested on animals I was pretty darned impressed! 

From using this product I can definitely see an improvement in my hair. It is soft and easier to manage. (However, still frizzy...I don't think I will ever really be able to tame the curse of Medusa's locks.) The shampoo lathers up well and a little really does go a long way. My hair doesn't end up greasy and neither does it end up overly dry. However, I only wash my hair once a week. I can foresee this product causing very fine hair to become greasy rather fast. The scent is divine. I adore citrus scents. It is long lasting, fresh and not overly sweet. 

The only negative thing is the fact that my blue hair faded to purple quite fast while I was using this shampoo. Their website states that their range is safe for all hair colors, be it brown, blonde or purple. However, I have to disagree. When you have alternative hair colors, rather don't take the chance. For a while I kept thinking that I must be imagining the fading. However, upon using the shampoo on my currently sea-green and pink hair the lather again ended up with a large amount of pink in it, even though my current pink color isn't even the result of pink hair color!The plus side is that a bottle lasts me more than 6 months. Take into consideration that I have really thick hair I find this really impressive. 

At R129.95 for a 355ml bottle of Shampoo I feel that the Hask Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo is truly worth every cent. Partner this shampoo with one of their other hair care products for a winning formula and healthy hair. 

https://clicks.co.za/hask_argan-oil-from-morocco-repairing-shampoo-355ml/p/228425

Manic Panic Classic Hair Creme

Manic Panic in my opinion, is not just the leader in its field but also the brand every other alternative hair care brand strives to live up to. Sitting on its Rock n Roll throne, donning Dr Martens and vibrant locks. 

I have to admit, I tried their products out of sheer desperation. After a year of fading hair, purple color coming out turquoise and a lot of money spent I bit the bullet. I have not looked back for one second. 

My original choice was a mix of Shocking Blue and After Midnight. The cream was vibrant and conditioning. Before application my hair was dry and damaged. Lets face it, to get it from dark brown to a light enough shade to get color on I really had to mangle it. Thanks to my previous negative experiences I was quite nervous about trying something new. 

 

Much to my relief the end result was exquisite. My hair was soft and conditioned. In the best state it has been in for years. The color! Oh my gosh, the color! It stopped traffic, (I'm not joking!) it leads to strangers staring in awe. To geeks choking (Okay so he was staring at my boobs at that moment...but I am pretty sure my hair outshone my cleavage.) There is no way to describe the color, other than phenomenal. If you want to feel like a Goddess, use Manic Panic Classic Hair Creme! 

I do have some advice though. Don't expect the color on the bottle to be the exact shade that your hair will turn out. So many things play a role in defining the end result. I have seen other individuals rocking the same Hair Creme shade as myself, only to have it look very different. 

Don't listen to the instructions on the container. Or your hairdresser. Or your bossy friend. I know it says leave on for an hour, but trust me, leave it on for at least 2 hours. My best results are from leaving the creme on for between 3 to 5 hours. The longer you leave the creme in, the longer the color will last. It isn't traditional hair color. It won't damage or burn your hair. Don't wash your hair with hot water (This is pretty entertaining in winter...) and don't use traditional shampoos. 

If you don't like bright hands, use gloves. Even though the container leaves enough space to get the creme out of every corner, its super messy. Ask my poor hairdresser. We have had moments where we had to scrub blue hair creme off his floor and walls. If you drip it on your bath or sink by accident, wipe it up! Don't leave it for later, your bath will end up looking like a piece by Jackson Pollock. 

If you need to stretch your hair creme, you can mix in some conditioner. I have done this many times while I was broke and in desperate need of a root touch up. It won't last exactly as long as the concentrated hair creme, but it will get the job done. 

Love your bedding, linen, curtains...erm...cat? Cover them up. The first couple of times you use the hair creme it is very likely to run. For the first year of using Classic Hair Creme I would wake up to blue and purple walls, blue pillows. Don't like your towels? Sleep with your wet hair wrapped in it. Don't worry, most of the time it washes out. 

If you want to touch up your roots, leave the color in for longer. On some occasions my roots were still a bit lighter than the rest of my hair. Don't be dissuaded if it doesn't come out perfect the first time. Its an adventure. 

If you want a temporary funky look, please don't use the Hair Creme. Yes, as with all semi permanent hair cremes it fades after a couple of washes. However, this stuff has some serious lasting power. For example. Two years ago I decided to go back to black hair for a bit. After 6 months I decided to switch back to blue. Thus I needed to strip my hair of color. All the black came out...but the ends of my hair were light pink. Six months ago I wanted to change my color again. My hair is now an ombre of blue and pink...because the color in the ends would not budge! 

Manic Panic Classic Hair Creme is the stuff adventures are made of! At R209.00 for a 118ml tub it is a bit on the pricey side, but that won't change my opinion on it. If you can afford it and want to change to bright hair, this is the product for you.

In South Africa, you can buy it directly from AnonaMiss Beauty Emporium, or from selected stockists. 

http://www.anonamiss.co.za/

For a reliable hairdresser with experience in using Manic Panic Classic Hair Creme, use the directory on their website. If you need an amazing hairdresser in Pretoria, I can recommend Colbyn Hair Salon. 

https://www.facebook.com/colbynhairstyling

African Extracts Nourishing Night Cream

Night cream. That overly expensive beauty product that most of us can't afford. Usually greasy with the fun end result of waking up with a pillow plastered to your face. 

Well think again! As with the majority of African Extracts products this beauty cream is absolutely divine. With Rooibos and Chamomile it is gentle on even the most sensitive skin and absolutely non-greasy. Enriched with Jojoba Seed Oil, Vitamin A, B and E5 this night cream is nourishing and repairing with a lovely moisturizing effect.

The cream has a very soft Chamomile scent which I absolutely love. For such a small tube it lasts quite long. My pillow does not stick to my face and it doesn't aggravate the evil face demons that come with sensitive skin. 

My only down side on this product is that it still left some areas of my skin dry and patchy. As my problem areas contain skin that is damaged due to a chronic skin condition that just won't bugger off I can't really blame the cream for the persistence of the flaky bits. Not even the prescribed medical products I have used in the past will clear it up! 

I would definitely recommend it as a gentle night cream for teenagers or individuals with sensitive skin.

The African Extracts products can be found at most standard grocery stores. At approximately R62.99 for a 75ml tube its affordable and easy to find. 

http://shop.pnp.co.za/b2c_pnp/b2c/display/(cpgnum=2&layout=5.1-6_2_4_86_92_8_3_3&cquery=african%20extracts&uiarea=3&carea=%24ROOT&cpgsize=12)/.do?rf=y

The Gel Nail Polish - Essence

If there is one item that I always struggle to find on the Cruelty Free market it is nail polish. When you do come across it the polish is usually of poor quality, which causes it to streak, chip and just not last. 

Because I work with my hands the dream of perfectly manicured nails have always been a tad bit unrealistic. In the same class as fitting into that size 34 bikini that I wore in high school. (A girl is allowed to dream, darn it!) Even the best brands of nail polish would chip after a maximum of two days. 

Thus you could understand my skepticism when rumors started doing the rounds. Rumors about a miraculous nail product that act like gel nails, without the time consumption and expense. Having had gel nails when I was younger, I found them thick, clunky and not really attractive. But oh so long lasting! Perfect for growing out your nails. I kept telling myself that there is no way that a silly little nail polish could pack the punch of gel nails. But curiosity got the better of me. 

Because of my current strict budget, the brands that we think of as best of their kind, was not an option for me. Wandering through Clicks I spotted gel nail polish in a bright display that I would not generally approach. A display that screams 16 year old girl. (Lets face it, even as a 16 year old girl crazy bright displays made me run the opposite direction.) But it was gel nail polish! Affordable gel nail polish! 

I decided to try the polish in a dark red that matches my signature shades. Since I paid under R30.00 for an 8ml bottle of nail polish I decided to invest in the clear top coat as well. 

The application process was a breeze. Just as easy as any other nail polish on the market. Two color coats and one or two top coats, depending on your preference. I wait approximately 15 minutes between each coat for the nail polish to dry properly. The only down side of the color nail polish is that the 8ml does seem awfully little for such a thick nail polish. After only 4 applications I need to go buy a new bottle. (Yes, I shouldn't complain, its not as if I am bankrupting myself.) I have noticed that when I give my nails a slight buff with only the rough part of a nail buffer, the nail polish stays on much longer. 

The only  problem after application is the chipping. This polish is tough as nails, however, when it does chip, it will remove serious chunks of nail polish at a time. This is because the polish is much thicker and harder than traditional nail polish. So please don't think that you will now be able to Super Woman it when doing the dishes or laundry. Please still use gloves to protect your hands and nails. 

Unlike gel nails, it looks like normal nail polish. None of that clunkyness that I absolutely despise. Like gel nails it has that newly applied shine until the day you remove it. 

My schedule only permits me to really pay attention to my nails once a week. Writing this 5 days after I applied my nail polish, everything is still in pristine condition. Including my one nail that always breaks when it starts to become reasonably long. (I broke the finger working with horses and its has just never been the same.) During the nail shaping process it started to become damaged, but I have covered it up and the damage is staying minimal. At this rate I might be able to file the damaged part out when its longer! 

Removal is just as easy as traditional nail polish. Use your normal nail polish. Your normal process. None of the trauma or damage involved with removing gel. 

At R22.95 to R29.95 a bottle of nail polish, this product is an absolute steal. It has made me look at the Essence brand of products in a brand new light. Especially when I realized what a fun, cruelty free company they are. I honestly can't wait to try out some of their other products! 

Available at most Clicks and Dischem stores, the nail polish is easy to find and perfectly affordable. 

What do I learn out of this lesson? Don't judge a book by its cover. Even when that cover is so bright it is blinding.

http://www.essence.eu/za/products/nails/nail-polish/e/product/the-gel-nail-polish-14/
http://dischem.co.za/product-view/70349/essence-the-gel-nail-polish-14

Fudge Paintbox

This product was my first experience with alternative hair color. Since I was still very inexperienced on the subject I left the type of product in my hairdressers hands. 

As with the majority of these hair colors the Paintbox range is a conditioning, cruelty free product.

The range contains approximately 9 semi permanent colors. As they are continuously changing  colors, they never seem to have all the shades listed on their website. (They have approximately 14 colors listed.)

The hair color comes in a fun little tube. I find this form of packaging the most practical by far when it comes to hair color products. You can easily squeeze the last bit out of the container without much of a hassle. 

The down side of the tube? Its only 75ml. Thus it took about 6 tubes to cover all my hair. For short hair this is very affordable. For long, thick hair, not so much. 

As with all these colors the best is to strip your hair of color. I prefer using bleach since my hair is tough as nails and very stubborn. If you apply the darker shades over dark hair you will end up with  hair with a slight ever so unconventional shine. The best for this option would be the reds, blues and purples. Don't expect to put something like Pink Moon or Blue Hawaii over your dark locks. It will not take. No, you won't miraculously end up with pastel or light, bright hair. Even when using the light colors on light hair you have to be very meticulous as they take far longer to set. 

I used Electric Blue and Blue Velvet. My hair dresser left it in my hair for approximately 2 hours. The result was vibrant blue hair. With my after care I would re-color and leave it in for 3 hours minimum. 

As vibrant as this brand is, and as much as I loved it, the Paintbox colors have one thing against them. They really are semi-permanent. After my first dreaded wash my bleached roots already showed. By my second wash my hair started to fade drastically. By my third wash I had to re-color my hair. It didn't fade to the underlying tones, it just washed out to reveal the bleached white hair underneath. 

Thus, if you want a fun splash of color over the holiday, with the added bonus that it will wash out fast, Paintbox is your best bet. Unless you have the budget to re-color your hair every 3 weeks, I would not recommend this product for use over long periods of time. 

At R105.00 a tube from selected stockists, Paintbox is definitely one of the more affordable options. However, it is incredibly difficult to find a supplier. Mix in the limited amount of colors, this is definitely not my preferred product. 

https://www.fudgehair.co.uk/paintbox/fudge-paintbox-extreme-colours 
http://www.shopbot.co.za/fudge-hair-products/price/south-africa/327222

Vanishing Cream - Lush

The Vanishing cream was part of the testers I received when I made my Lush purchase in 2015. As I was concentrating more on the full products I purchased I left these for last. I should have known better!

I'm not fond of moisturizers. My skin is possessed by the demons of a thousand angry wasps. There is a 90% guarantee that applying any standard moisturizer would lead to those wasps becoming angry. Really really angry. Thus I approached the little pot of cream with trepidation. 

The Shea Butter scent put me off. It reminds me of stale vomit.  The smell meant I put off testing the cream even longer than intended.

It surpassed all my expectations. My possessed demon skin was soothed, calmed and quite angelic! It has to be the impressive formulation of ingredients that make my skin so happy. The combination of Shea Butter, Linseed, Rose Water, Lavender Honey Water, Grapeseed Oil, Honey and Witch Hazel to name a few, means that the most foul tempered skin is calmed down within seconds of application. 

The Fair Trade Shea Butter means that you can tame your skin while soothing your conscience. The low fat formulation leads to a gentle application that doesn't linger around as an oily mess. Perfect for problem skin. 

The only heartbreaking thing about this little container of moisturizer is the price. My small tester container lasted me a week, with careful application. At R345.00 for a 45g tub of Vanishing Cream I shall just cry quietly into my pillow. With the impressive list of ingredients and the effect it has on sensitive skin I suppose I can't be too upset, it is quite obvious that it would cost an arm or a leg. It might just be worth it to sell a limb for this! 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/id/502/keyword/vanishing+cream/vanishing-cream

It's Raining Men - Lush

Yet again, a tester I should not have left unnoticed in the dank depths of my bathroom cupboard. The name alone should be an indication that the little container contained something interesting. 

I did open it out of sheer curiosity, but for some reason the sticky consistency put me off. (I think by now we have established that I am seriously full of rubbish when it comes to smells and textures.) 

The tester contained a toffee colored syrup. There is no other way to describe it. Its not like any other Shower Gel I have ever tried. According to the Lush website it smells like toffee fudge. To me it smells like a soft blend of flowers, spice and honey. If you like Honey I Washed the Kids soap you will absolutely adore it. If you dislike honey (What on earth is wrong with you??) this is definitely not the Shower Gel for you. 

Don't let the syrupy texture put you off. The second it hits the shower sponge it turns into a thick, fragrant lather. Beautiful liquid gold. 

With Honey, Lotus flowers, Orange and Bergamot oil it isn't just beautifully scented, but incredibly moisturizing. Using this shower gel leaves your skin feeling silky. The fragrance stays with you all day, exotic and mysterious. 

At R85.00 for a 100g bottle this beautiful shower gel is worth every glorious golden drop. 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/136_138/id/991/SHOWER-Shower-Gels-and-Jelllies-Its-Raining-Men

Woosh Jelly - Lush

This little jelly had me very perplexed. I am used to shower gels, which come in a thick liquid form. So imagine my surprise when I opened the container to find a solid blob. I turned the pot upside down on my hand, to find the little thing wobbling, like a Sunday pudding. Or a Pokemon of sorts.

Its smelled divine, even when dry. According to the Lush website it is filled with the organic goodness of Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Rosemary and Geranium with a dash of Citronella. However, the little Jelly has an overpowering Lime scent to it. Taking one sniff refreshes your mind, body and soul. 

Due to my perplexity with using the little blob of jelly I googled the various ways to use it. I'm not exactly fond of washcloths. They're soggy, dirty and rife with germs. Thus I opted to break small pieces off the giant jelly and washing all over with it. My fear was that using the entire jelly would cause it to lose shape, or to become dirty or moldy. My method didn't have a very good result. It really didn't want to foam much and ended up on the shower floor far sooner than I anticipated. 

I then succumbed to using it with a cloth, as all reviews stated that this is the preferred method. Again I didn't have much luck. It didn't foam much, but it was definitely a bit better than just using my hand. 

Since we were experiencing a serious heat wave I decided to use the next recommendation. I stuck broken off pieces of the jelly in the freezer. The result was lovely and cool, but still not what I desired. Definitely refreshing though!

Finally I hit a spot of luck. I received a care hamper from another cosmetic company. Inside the package was a mesh pouf sponge. Fighting my issues with things that hang in the shower for extended periods of time I decided to give it a go. 

What I found was a winner. The mesh sponge causes the jelly to foam. Finally! I had the refreshing, foamy goodness I was looking for. 

During the process of experimenting with the various techniques, my four year old got hold of the poor, innocent jelly. It was rendered to something resembling bubblegum Slush Puppy. However, this did not stop it from packing a serious punch. Using the mesh pouf sponge the little slushy bits still performed just as well. 

The key to this product is to find the method that works best for you. Use it whole with a bath cloth or shower sponge, break pieces off, freeze it, refrigerate it. Whichever you prefer, you won't be disappointed. This small jelly packs a serious punch that will leave you refreshed and ready to take on the world. 

At R85.00 for 100g the Woosh Jelly is totally worth it. My 100g container lasted me more than a month, even after being turned into liquidized jelly slush. 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/136_138/id/1002/SHOWER-Shower-Gels-and-Jelllies-Whoosh-Jelly