Let's get picture ready!

What's up Magicals!
       

Last month I purchased an Essence concealer at Dischem, they were having a sale, and you guys know how much  I love bargains -
TBH, I seriously  get  an adrenaline rush  when I can  get stuff for half  the price😅

 I must tell you but, I was never one for concealer. The number one reason was that  I didn't know how to properly apply it... l  always ended up looking ghostly.
         

 I have them dark circles and it's bad - picture a panda, yep that's me... (it looks like two black holes) -  and I was very conscious of it when I was younger.

So it's taken me a while to be friends with concealers and gal they now part of my make-up staples!

Getting back to the Essence get picture ready! concealer.
The  thing that caught my eye besides the cute playful packaging, is that it's a brightening concealer. The label also  states that it gives a radiant flawless finish.
       

I love the light consistency- it's thick but creamy... if that makes any sense😄
The coverage is medium and it sets easily.

 

I have no hassles with it creasing and it also has a hydrating feel to it- (bonus)
 It's  really good for highlighting.
           

I like that fresh wake me up look it gives,  and  it  does a good job of brightening up the under eye area.

The applicator is a  round sponge tip   that doesn't come off.   

Sometimes I use it alone because it's almost like a BB cream.
         
Did I mention how cute the packaging is?
           

       
 If  you all for a low key, natural look, like me-   then you should give this Essence get picture ready! concealer a try.  It doesn't completely  cover dark circles which is perfectly fine with me.

But if you prefer a heavy duty-  full coverage, I'm sorry gal,  this is not the one for you.


The only downside is that there's only two shades. Ivory  and Nude.

So let's hear it, do you use concealers?

Follow me on the gram to check out more of my mini product reviews that I do on there 🤗

Shea Moisture Hydration Masque...

Hello again!


 I absolutely have no idea
 how my hair survived without deep conditioning.
         

Deep conditioners and hair masques go deep into the hair shaft to strengthen and nourish the hair.

 My hair gets dry very quickly especially the ends, so when this happens I like to use the Shea Moisture Hydration Masque. 
        
          

  It's  great for transitiong, dry and brittle hair. The masque  is thick and creamy and my hair just soaks it all in- (ya'll know I have thick, thirsty hair)

Although it's thick it spreads easily. I have  no trouble raking my hands through my hair to make sure every strand is coated.
       

Soft and manageable hair are my results every time I use this masque.

 I just  wish it came in a bigger size though- with my thick hair I almost used it up by the second use😅

Check out more of my favourite products on the gram.

What's your favourite hair masque? Let me know down below👇

This post is not sponsored all opinions are my own.

Until next time Magicals!

Giveaway you don't want to miss...

Hieey everyone!

First off I want to thank all of you who participated in the giveaway.
     

You have shown me a tremendous amount of support during these last couple of months. Thank you so much, you guys are amazing😘

Aaand for those of you who haven't yet - head on over to my account to check it out.

Here's what's in it.
       
        The Perfect Hair Co-wash and Deep deep conditioner.

Afrobotanics leave-in conditioner - two .

 Brownchild shampoo and conditioner.

Sorbet shampoo and conditioner.

Inecto box colour in red velvet.

African black soap.

Two sachets of Palmers protein treatments.

A nude nail polish from Image.

Nail buffer set.

Foot buffer.

A white tee from Woolworths.

 Hair bands  from Woolworths.

Cantu sachets.

Toiletry bag.

Clicks Afri True conditioner.

Dark and Lovely 3 in cleansing conditioner.

Two sets of earings.

Hand and nail cream by Jennam.

The giveaway ends on 30 of October 2018.

Good luck Magicals! 

There you have it- my way of showing my gratitude and appreciation to you my readers and followers! 

Until next time...

September Favourites...

Hieey  Magicals!
     

 So this post is all about products that I've fallen in love with.
We all have old product loves and new favourites that we reach for often.
     
          
Since I'm always trying new products and trends  I thought I should show them to  you.
     

First up is the L'Oréal  Elvive colour Protect conditioner. I've been using this conditioner for over two years now. I like to  try out new conditioners but I always find myself going back to this one. It moisturises and nourishes both coloured and uncoloured hair very well. The scent lasts for days on my hair - that's a plus😊

     

My  next favourite is the Shea Moisture body lotion. This lotion is thick and has a light coconut smell. Despite it being thick it absorbs quickly into the skin. It does a good job of keeping my skin hydrated. You guys know already that I love coconut oil and Shea butter and these are the star ingredients in this lotion.  No Parabens, No sulfates, No animal testing... no this and no that ( for some of us who are extra)😅
This was the first Winter where I didn’t get the  usual dry patches and itchy  skin-  thanks to Shea Moisture All - Over Hydration Body Lotion. 

     

I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a lip gloss junkie and I have  quite a lot.  As a teenager I was never  without my clear lip gloss. I always loved the simplicity of lip gloss and I still do. The  pigmented lip gloss  from Woolworths gives a nice slick of colour. It's not sticky and has a nice velvety  finish  that lasts.
         
     

Please take note - I'm a newbie when it comes make up and I've fallen in love with it😄
Next is the  L.A. Girl concealer.  This concealer   doesn't make my face feel cakey. It has a soft tip applicator, that I absolutely love and  is perfect  for finishing off my brows.

      
It blends easily and the best thing- is that there's no creasing! I sometimes use it alone.  A little dabbing and blending only on my  blemishes  and dark spots, for an instant - wake me up look.  I recommend this brand if you are new to makeup because it's very affordable.
 Just FYI  I'm using the shade in Light Ivory. 
   

       

Lastly is my gel nail polish from Essence.  I applied this shade on my toes too  and they look so gorgeous.  - I bought the Essence clear base and  top coat for this polish a few days ago. This nail polish is well  pigmented and lasts a while before it starts to peel. 

     

Well, that's it for now. Leave a comment if you've tried out some of these products.
Check out more of my product and beauty reviews here and let's connect😘

Until next time Magicals
       

Afrobotanics Moisturising Leave-in Conditioner...

Hey everyone!

I did an Instagram post  today on the AfroBotanics leave-in conditioner. I thought that I should come on over here and give a review.
     

Leave-in conditioners are used after you shampoo and condition the hair.

The AfroBotanics leave-in conditioner is a moisturiser.
I've used this brand for quite a while now and I seriously love the kiddies range😆 too.
 Whenever I buy hair products -especially leave-in conditioners, I look for the ones that read "moisturising, hydrating, nourishing" These are formulated to meet the needs of my dry thirsty hair.
     

So the key players in this leave-in are Aloe vera, Coconut oil and Vitamin E which makes it great for hair growth and hydration. Aaand wait, because of these ingredients it protects against the sun and heat. 

             
My biggest struggle is dryness. I have  thick, thirsty low porosity hair and it needs alot of moisture to keep it manageable and healthy.

     

This leave-in is very thick, I sometimes  dilute it with water to use as a detangler or as a daily spritz. My hair is always left feeling soft and moisturised afterwards. It's perfect for everyday use and it's affordable. I get mine at Clicks stores. 

Have you tried out this leave-in conditioner?

Share this post if you found it helpful and follow me  to get more product reviews and tips...

Until next time Magicals!

My Instagram Flatlay Tips...

Hey there Magicals!

I've fallen in love with flatlay photography.
Here's a post on photo editing I did a while back that focuses on flatlay photography.



Flatlays are the trend of Instagram and it's a great way to showcase more than one item in a creative way.

A flatlay is  basically taking a picture from the top view. A flat surface is best.
I was drawn to the beautiful  curated photos that I saw on Instagram  and I knew I needed to learn that "art"

Here's the two ways I like to capture flatlays:

One is to tell a story or create a mood. The  picture below I created a mood of self care and  pampering. You'll probably picture yourself in a bubble bath  with scented candles...

       
The next one is centred around an object. In the picture below I made the hair product the main subject or focus.
     

Trying to get the perfect flatlay is not difficult but it can be a bit tricky.
I've learnt a few things I picked up  along the way.

Firstly before you throw random items together for your flatlay, you need to know what is it you  trying to convey. Every flatlay image is a story or a mood. Here's a flatlay I created showing my mood for that particular day.
     

Pay attention to the background of your photos. Keep it simple and clean. In other words less is more. No one likes a noisy flatlay. I use white because it brings out the contrast of the objects.
You can use colour background but make sure it's not distracting. You don't want to end up with an unflattering flatlay that's not clear.
     

Lighting is important to capture a bright picture. If the weather is not good I wait it out. Natural light is always  best that's why I shoot close to a window. Seriously, the best filter won't be able to make up for a dim grainy photo.

Try adding some colour or create a colour pallete. Most instagrammers are doing this.

Hopefully you got inspired to start creating some gorgeous flatlays. Also make sure to follow me on Instagram @Magicalmessyme
where I blog more on tips for blogging and photo editing Aaand hair product reviews😁

     


What are your tips for creating beautiful flatlays?

My recent haul...

Hieey there Magicals!

       

I must  admit that I'm quite proud of myself for cutting back on my spending😄 I wrote a post a while back on my goals, and this was one of them.

So here's what I recently bought, and if you follow me on the gram - then you already have an idea of what they are. Aaand if you don't follow me then you certainly  can  right here.

First up is my African black soap. Now, if you natural then you should already be familiar with this soap.
It's packed with all sorts of goodies for the hair and skin. Shea butter, lime juice, aloe vera and honey to name a few.

It lathers  well and clarifies good, but what I like about this soap, is that my hair feels soft and manageable afterwards,  without applying conditioner.
 Can you get why this soap is a staple in my regimen? Affordable, multi - purpose and does the job- BOOM!
       

Next up is the Garnier Miscellar water. I've read good things on this make up remover. I purchased it out of curiosity- (I mean most beauty bloggers are  raving about this baby) Sooo I got the  travel size.
It's a soothing water that lifts dirt from the skin without rubbing harshly. It doesn't need to be rinsed off.
I can't say much for now because I like to use a product for a while,  to give a full review of it. But so far I do like that it doesn't sting my  skin.

       

How gorgeous is this gel nail polish from Essence? I don't do nail polish often because of  peeling by the second day.  It's nice and thick so you don't have to  layer it  a thousand times.
I chose gel because it lasts a bit longer. I've got a few comments over at the gram that a clear top coat will make it stay on much longer.

     

I got this at Dischem for R29.99 - Clicks stores also stocks this brand😗

Lastly is the Essence translucent powder. I don't usually use powders often because I  have dry areas on my face. The few times I've used it, I noticed I had to double up on moisturiser.

  

Well that's all for now, let me know if you've tried these products out in the comments section. See more of the products that I use and review over at Instagram-

Until next time Magicals!

Carol's Daughter leave-in moisturiser...

Hey there Magicals!

Most of the products I'm currently using are from the  #ClicksCurls  event goodie bag.

I've used a few products  but I've been reaching more often for the Carol's Daughter hair milk leave-in moisturiser.
Now most of you know that I have thick, thirsty and  dry hair.
       
               
This product claims to moisturise, soften and nourish the hair.
The Carol's Daughter hair milk leave-in moisturiser is creamy and light. I seriously can't say much about the smell...okay
I'm disappointed😑 because I love me some yummy smelling hair products-
                 

I use this product as a leave-in and to refresh my hair after a few days of  wearing it out. I noticed it works really well on damp hair. It softens and gives a nice sheen to my hair, making it manageable.
         

Only downside is that it's kind of oily. You have to figure out the right amount- because,  it's light you'll think you need to add more.
It would be heavy for those with fine hair.

Have you tried out this product?

Magicalmessy Laetitia

Hieey everyone!

Hope ya'll had a super weekend, today I'm featuring a gorgeous curly from Cape Town. She's an entrepreneur and a natural hair enthusiast. Check out her natural hair journey she has lots of tips to share. Meet Laetitia.

     
Hey everyone. I am Laetitia, better known as Tisha. I am currently doing my final year Master’s at UWC in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, I have a huge heart for animals and have a passion for nature and conservation.

Okay, enough about my studies I started my natural hair journey on 23 April 2017, I started transitioning after my sister’s wedding in February 2017. I could no longer handle the two textures and my perm rods just never worked probably because I was using the wrong products, anyway I big chopped my hair myself and I cut myself a boy’s cut. I have never applied heat on my hair since then and I love my journey thus far, evidently, I have been natural for 1 year and 3 months. I have mini-chopped few times during my journey due to issues with incomplete split ends but length is not as important as health to me so I don’t mind at all having an awkward stage afro forever.

        
What inspired me to go back to my roots… This might sound cheesy but it is my future babies. I have been struggling for years with breakage, split ends, etc. and I just decided that I need to take my hair more seriously and the best way to do that FOR ME is to stop applying heat and relaxer to my hair. I want my future babies to love the hair that grows out their scalps. I want them to be confident and content if they decide to wear their natural hair (once they old enough to decide).

  
I definitely had setbacks with my hair, especially with the incomplete split ends. At the time, I did not know how to properly take care of my hair, I used a comb to detangle my hair but this is now all changed and my hair has improved and is much healthier. I love my hair journey more than anything now, finger detangling changed everything.

My advice would be is to do it for yourself, no one else. Being natural is not easy you need to be emotionally and mentally ready for it. You will have bad days, days where you want to buy that pot of creamy crack. It will not be sunshine and roses all the time. Biggest TIP- do not think products will work for you just because it worked for someone else.
     

Another TIP is your hair porosity is THE MOST IMPORTANT characteristic of your hair and will tell you exactly what type and consistency of products you need for your mane. Evidently, it will save you time and loads of money!

My hair in one sentence: My hair is the blood that runs through my veins, it is beautiful and authentic.

 

My regimen has changed so much over the period that I have been natural. Previously my wash day would take almost an entire day. Now, I keep my hair detangled at all times and I keep it that way in preparation for wash day. My wash day sometimes starts the night before, where I apply coconut oil to my hair as a prepoo (yep, coconut oil is not all bad – it depends how you use it). Sometimes, I prepoo about 30mins before I wash my hair. I wash my hair while in sections (chunky twists) using ACV (cheaper & and it cleanses your hair just as a normal shampoo would) I pour 1 part ACV and 3 parts water and spritz this onto my hair, massage and leave in for about 5 mins and rinse. Repeat. I then apply my DC put on a plastic cap and then my heated conditioning bonnet. I then rinse with warm water, and then give a final rinse with cold water. I then apply the hair juice to soaking wet hair and scrunch it into my hair. I then part my hair into smaller sections and apply Shea by Design hair butter, I massage it into my hair and plait or twist it up as a protective style for the week.

   

I recently started my business called, Shea by Design. I sell Raw & Unrefined Shea Butter specially designed and handmade for any hair porosity & texture. I am a huge advocate for hair porosity because it plays such a big role in how receptive your hair will be to a product. I have two products for high porosity hair (extra virgin olive oil with castor/coconut oil) and two products for low porosity hair (extra virgin olive with avocado/almond oil).

     

The high porosity oils are thick oils and coats the hair strands in order to reduce the amount of moisture lost, whereas the low porosity oils are lighter oils and able to penetrate the hair strands and seal in the moisture that lopo naturals find so difficult to maintain. I researched and had polls on my page to determine what the customers prefer and in order to give them an option I decided to have two choices for each product.
   

I added some scent to the product to reduce the raw smell of the Raw & Unrefined Shea Butter, lavender and rosemary oil, the drops are literally counted from the glass bottle to ensure the scent is not too potent or too subtle. I have 250g of each these variants for R100 and 500g for R180, I also sell the Raw & Unrefined Shea Butter without any added oils in 250g for only R120 and 500g for R200 to order your welcome to contact me via  HYPERLINK "mailto:sheabydesign111@gmail.com" sheabydesign111@gmail.com or like our page  HYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/sheabydesign" www.facebook.com/sheabydesign. I also have a personal page ( HYPERLINK "http://www.facebook.com/curlytisha" www.facebook.com/curlytisha) on facebook, please share in my journey and I would love to share in yours.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.