Cruelty Free Items you can buy right now.

Trigger Warning for all the perfect cruelty free and vegan people reading wHo HaVe AlWaYs BeEn AlL tHeIr LiVeS. HERE is a low key rant from Fairly Local Vegan. Being destructive makes no one a better person. I'm doing the best I can.

Buying cruelty free cosmetics and personal care items have been at the top of my list the past 2 years. My question to myself was always: Why must an animal suffer/die because I just want to clean my hands with soap/ put on lip balm/ wash my hair/ blend eye shadow. There are no standardized laws about how to keep these animals. They don't play in the field after a day of work or even a safe space to sleep at night. You might think they test only on rats and rabbits.

Nope.

They test on dogs too.

I didn't finish reading and articles or linking because it's graphic a.f. and I just can't. I just typed in “why do they use Beagles for testing”

Digressing . . . vegan items are a bonus and it also seems to be the way the industry is slowly moving towards.

Side note:

🐰Cruelty Free ~ Not Tested on Animals

🌱 Vegan ~ No animal derived ingredients (Carmine, Bees Wax, Honey, Silk ect.) also not tested on animals

Anyways, here are some of my fave products that you can go out and buy today. Not spons, not an ad. Just stuff that I enjoy:

The Good Stuff co.

🐰🌱🆉🅰

Being broad with them because they have a massive range. Cruelty free and most of their range has vegan options(the Bee Natural Range has Honey but it's best to refer to their website to be sure but the packaging is clearly marked). I first enjoyed their hand creams because they absorbed super quickly and after that everything else. I love the shampoo, conditioner, day and night cream, serum, hand wash. I know I can pick up any of their products and they will be great. The exxtra Care and repair shampoo was the BEST shampoo EVER for my bleached hair. I could comb through it the just the shampoo. 10/10 I recommend. 

Available at Dischem and Pick n Pay but the bigger range is at Dischem.

Oh So Heavenly! ~ Clicks

🐰🌱🆉🅰

I think by now we all know the batch gift sets of cream and shower gel you get when the person didn't know what to get you for Christmas/ your birthday. Get ready to fall in love with that sh!t. My love actually started with their lip balm. I was looking for a balm that was cruelty free. I still have good old 'name brand' and popular 'name brand' balms and for the sake of not being waste full I will use them until they are finished but their lip balms are heavy good. The Vanilla Cupcake Bubble balm and the more traditional stick balm in Moisture Burst is always on my repurchase list.

 

As with Good Stuff, not everything is vegan but it's clearly marked. HERE is the link to the full list of options.

They are exclusive to Clicks. The range has hair care, skin care and personal hygiene items as well as fun stuff like air fresheners, Candles and the Positively Pink range where they donate to assist women with Breast Cancer. (Bonus points for that.)

Pick N Pay Green:

🐰🌱🆉🅰

[No Picture because I deleted it. Good Job Michellé]

Here is where cruelty free costs a bit more than our mass produced tested faves. Cleaning products. They are considerably more expensive. Here is my experience with each product:

Dish washing Liquid: I'm sorry. I use this but it is not as effective as old Sunlight liquid. I buy two 500 ml bottles a month because it's so sh!tty. I am hoping buy buying this that they will improve the formulation. Trying to be frugal and spending close R50 on dish washing liquid for my conscience. You do that existential math.

Oven Cleaner: Meh. It's okay. It's a repeat buy, nothing worse or better than competitors.

Toilet Cleaner: At a few Rands more expensive than competitors, I don't feel like it cleans any worse. This is also a monthly buy. I've bought it for the last . . . since it came out. I went to Harpic in November 2018 because of Mrs. Hinch but bought it again. I don't know what that says. Mrs. Hinch is an actual influencer. Boss.

Window Cleaner: This is a top, 5 star product. I will never go back to any other. I don't know what they did with this product but I hope this will eventually be the whole range. Effective and easy to use. It is a jam.

They use to also have an All Purpose Cleaner, Kitchen, Bathroom and Floor cleaner but I don't find them on the website nor have I bought them. Except for the All purpose cleaner that I do buy every two months and it's good. I bought from another brand that you dilute a concentrate so I am still working to use it up. What I can remember is that they were generally good. Hope they are “Window Cleaner”ing them.

Pick n Pay Green in PnP by Pick 'n' Pay.

The Simple Truth

🐰🌱🆉🅰

Come through Checkers. Yaaaaaas. The range is small at 5 products but I am here for it. All Purpose Cleaner cream, Multi purpose Cleaner spray , Dishwashing Liquid, Fabric softener and Liquid Laundry Detergent. I will probably be buying the rest of the range and trying them out. I'm hype for the fabric softener because Mrs. Hinch (here she is again) uses it everywhere. The clean walls to freshen sofas and pillows.

The Multi Purpose Spray I used when deep cleaned 2 bathrooms, the main bedroom and hallway. I used it the clean the top of the closets, walls and tiles in the bathrooms. It worked pretty well. The dish washing liquid is the same as the PnP Green. It, like all of us, it can be better.

Cosnova Brand

Essence Cosmetics, Catrice and L.O.V

🐰

Here is where I feel you need to make a call for yourself. The aren't Leaping Bunny or Beauty without Cruelty approved but HERE is their story

How Cosnova works is; Essence range is age 16 to 25, Catrice is 25 to 35 and L.O.V is 35 and up. Looking at their products and ranges, is that they test formulas and trends in the Essence range, then it gets refined at Catrice and the final version of the same item ends up at L.O.V.

 Fight me.

As a early 30s 'adult' I still love Essence and buy Catrice (just as they planned). Essence eyeshadows are like a will they won't they romantic comedy. Some are patchy and powdery and some are the best shadow ever in the world. Close Too Face like

Pure Nude Single - Coffee Bean ~ Patchy A.F.

Wood you love me Palette - Darkest brown ~ Better

Melted Chrome Single - 02 Ironic ~ Best glittery eye shadow ever!

Too Faced Then and Now Palette - NSFW

Catrice's long pallets are questionable but there new singles are WOW

I love both's face powders (I don't care about ”flashback”, I care about being not shiny irl. I don't plan on exposing my life on Snapchat or stories like some beauty guru) and Catrice has great primers. A few items are also vegan. Though they don't really state it, some of their powders are reformulated to be paraben-free.

I own nothing from L.O.V . I'm too cheap.

I also don't buy any complexion products because range. I can't recommend and my readers can't go in and try anything. Let's be real, this is South AFRICA and the melanin is rich and the time for 3~5 shades are over. Rather buy a nail polish. It's cheaper and they have nudes for all there.

Not manufactured in ZA but they are brought in and managed by South African team, Cosmetix

Essence Cosmetics is available at Dischem, Clicks, Foschini, Edgars and selected Pick 'n Pays.

Catrice and L.O.V at Dischem.

Also all on Takealot.com

L.A. Girl

🐰

This brand is from the USA. Half of my everyday make up is comprised of their products. They have the best range of complexion products that range from BB Creams to full coverage matte foundation. The big Beauty Brick palettes are questionable (please note I still own all 4 and use them regularly) but I like the formula of the smaller Eye Lux 4 pan. I don't want to talk too much about this because this post is already long. That pic has all the items I own and are all well used.

Available only at Dischem.

Wet 'n' Wild

🐰 mostly🌱

The best liquid eyeliner. The best highlighter. One of the best liquid lipsticks. Most affordable brushes. There are a few items even your Gucci of YouTubers love and never replace. LaMer, Sisley and Wet n Wild all live in harmony on one face. They also have a large amount of vegan items, HERE is their list.

I have not once been disappointed with the quality of any of the products (accept again I could not recommend their Photo Focus Foundation. Especially since the first 3 shades launched were not even close to even my colour. I had to use bronzer. Clicks did extend with a few shades, but there is a bigger range shown on the Wnw website.)

Exclusive to Clicks as well as online.

These are my recommendations for a start. If you are deciding to make a change, don't dump your currents. Finish 👏 your 👏 products 👏 .

Don't get discouraged. There will be a time, I feel especially with the cleaning products, where you might not find an item or you get gifted a non cruelty free item. Also don't let the 'perfect' cruelty free crusaders (usually on the internet or a Peta extremist) influence you into thinking what you are doing is not good enough. also get educated by the people will to give advise.

Doing something like reconsidering a brand or item or replacing make up products is 100% better than conscientiously not caring at all. This can go way deeper with “Parent brands” but I feel if you do your research and see the bunny on the packaging you are good to go.

Here are my resources for making choices:

Cruelty Free Kitty

Beauty Without Cruelty Humane Guide for ZA

Vegan SA product Guide

There are many other brands and products but these are the most common and make it easy for a start. Please also know that as I was suppose to be editing the pictures of this post, I was looking for CF hair bleach. Pro-Active or Pro-crastenation?

Michellé

Hey 2019

Hi reader(s). It's 2019. Living Coral is Pantone Colo(u)r of the year and 5^th of Feb it's the year of the Pig.

Last year was a super fail year for my blog. I tried and posts just didn't work out. But here we are and it's a new year, new existential crisis.

There are a few things I have read up on, researched or just flat out decided immediately. With these changes and notes I'll be making, I don't want you to feel forced to do what I say or feel like I'm judging others (or you). I feel like low key educating you to make your own decisions and challenging myself to make better options is good. I want to be better. (All YouTubers 2018)

WhaT aRe ThEsE cHaNgEs AlReAdY?

With favourites and products I want to indicate Cruelty Free, Vegan and South African made product.

Cruelty Free will be 🐰

Vegan 🌱

South African Made ZA

Am I a vegan now? Nope. Does that mean that I with completely stop featuring non Cruelty free not Vegan products. We'll see. Some brands I completely stopped buying from especially like cosmetics and personal care items. All my personal care and hygiene items are cruelty free and mostly vegan. Before anyone climbs on their Kat Von Soapbox, eliminating items does not mean I'm 100% perfect, I am trying and that is better than doing just nothing. (If you want to do nothing, you do you boo. You are your own boss.)

Note that if I still have non cruelty free items, I will be using it up and not repurchasing. Not finishing and not using stuff is wasteful.

I also think there needs to be a bigger focus on South African made products. Companies who manufactures and employs in ZA. I want my money to stay in South Africa to enrich and employ more of our own people.

That is all,

Michellé

March 2018 Favourites

I have nothing cutesie to say so let's jump in!:

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer:

This is an OG Beaty Guru favourite. We got most of their products and last year I saw a distrubutor sneak peeking it. No lies ES ESSPENSIVE at R220 for 11 grams BUT compared to Benefit Hoola mini of 4 grams at R215 and R400 and what for 8 grams full size it is a great price. 

It's a great neutral Bronzer That blends like a dream. They have launched 3 additional shades in the US and I am sure we will get them eventually as most of the Dischems are SOLD OUT. If you want it and see it, get yourself one because they go quickly.

DIY Colour booster Shampoo and Conditioner:

I while ago I coloured my hair pink again. I was scared of the fade because I had an events and a lot of social things happening. So I mixed up some of the colour (ReNew Perfect Colour in Pink Passion) with Shampoo and conditioner. A while ago I had issues with discoloured blond hair and toned it with the Sapphire Blue and conditioner.

Pick n Pay Real Clothing Track Suit:

Last winter I was looking for a nice Tracksuit and this year PnP is coming through for me. They come in Dark Grey, Light Grey, White, Black, Pink and Olive. Because of my hair colour (Pink doesn't really go with Olive and Pink on Pink is too Pink) I got a Black and Light Grey set. Tops and bottoms sold separate.

R50 Woolworths Stir Fry:

In my local Woolworths I found a bundle deal on egg noodles, julienne stir fry mix and Sweet and Sour sauce for R50. All I need to buy is what ever protein. Quick to make, healthy and delicious.

DIY Vitamin C Booster:

As per the previous post you can see I am having a Woolies moment. A few times I picked up an orange juice vitamin C booster. R16 for 100 ml started to get too bouj for me. I hacked it with Sir Juice, Nature's Choice Turmeric and Cayenne pepper. For 500ml I added 2 teaspoons of each. Though next time I will add less Cayenne because I'm not strong enough.

This it what I drink to shake the after lunch slump.

Candy Crush Saga:

Wow did you know your favourite Facebook procrastination game still is around? You know other than Farmville. (RIP Chocolate Milk Cows and your corn and tomato plants) I'm not hawking this app because not #spons. I have been enjoying it again. It doesn't consume my time as I always remember it doing. I'm at level 539. they designed some levels to be 'Super Hard' but I still enjoy it. I always remember some being 'Super Annoying'. Bonus points if you send invites to people who post that they don't want to be sent invites because they don't play games.

Used my creative SkIlLZz:

I found myself in different social settings this month. Usually as a social introvert it made me anxious. I dealt with it with my creative skills. Now I will not compete with Project Runway or audition for Master Chef or Bake Off but I can get by. It helps me manage with social interaction. THE WoRsT, rIgHt! Because I have things already (ingredients/ Pattern and fabric) I just add to use my skill to put it together. FREE.

Finally that's my things for Feb now go use your skillzzz!

é

Caffeination Guide

HIGH CAFFEINE CONTENT: Consume responsibly. Do not read this if you are pregnant, lactating or for persons sensitive to caffeine.

If you are a working person, especially in an office, there is a strong chance that you ingest caffeine. It pays your bills, puts food on the table and solves problems.

http://owlturd.com/

There is always fake news flying around about how horrific coffee/ caffeine is for you. Chances are if you are reading this, you are that someone it got sent to. Ignore those people. You don't need that time of negativity in your life.

Eetrite 600ml French Press/ Plunger:

I bought this plunger on special at PnP. (Online at Takealot.com) I do already have a 6 cup one but since I'm the only one drinking it seems like a whole lot. This is a super ideal size to keep at work. It's enough to share with a work friend and not too much to drink all by yourself.

Life Hack: Light roast has more caffeine. This is also the ideal way to cold brew coffee.

Seattle Coffee Company's Double Short Latte:

There are a lot of little and big coffee houses/ shops but this is my tried and tested favourite. The Double short has the biggest bang for you buck and can also be ordered with soy milk. Bonus is that after the 10 cup you get a free coffee.

Life hack: They also have the best short bread among other food items.

McNabs Supercharge Energy Drink:

This is unlike any other energy drink on the market. It is delicious and it does not make me want to murder innocent people. With some drinks it's like the caffeine release is immediate. This has a slower release. It was even included in Fit Girl's Fit Kit.

It's vegan, no weird unidentifiable ingredients AND made in South Africa because it's owned by South Africans.

Life hack: This drink is also available in Lite BUT I have never seen any . . . 👽📐 Illuminati confirmed?

Zang Chocolate:

Because my husband knows I need to be caffeinated to be human, he actually picked this up at a petrol station for me. I had zero expectations. Wow wow wow. I love this! I need a strong start to the day and this came through for me. I though I would have to caffeinate later in the day but I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them I only started feeling tired at 16:00. YASSS I WANT MORE.

McNabs Supercharge Energy Shot:

 

Do you like that mass produced pink brand of syrup? I use to too. I don't feel like when I was drinking that that I was caffeinating responsibly. I was finishing 500ml bottles without blinking. I had to rehab myself. So instead I opted for a healthier, more measured option.

I especially use this to kick that afternoon slump. You know when 15:00 and your will to work wears thinner than your fake laugh at your boss' joke.

Available in 3 flavours but I only ever find Guarana Berry. (Who must I complain to? Still Illuminati? 👽📐)

CAUTION: Entering NON CAFFEINATED area

McNabs Supercharge Energy Tabs:

UHG more McNab's products?! Yes! This is the one company I feel okay to recommend every product. I feel like I needed items for energy without (DUN. DUN. DUUUUUUUUN!) caffeine. Some days and with some products, you can't layer caffeine. It makes you feel worse. This is why this product is great because unlike caffeine, it won't dehydrate you and helps with stress management because of all the B-Vitamins.

Freshpak Energising Rooibos and Ginseng Tea:

I had to use Dischem's Product Pic because I put my tea in a glass jar.

The only place online to buy is seems to be Dischem but I have bought at PnP and have seen at Checkers. I think the true secret of this tea lays in the ginkgo bioloba. This is a natural blood thinning agent. The theory is that blood carries more oxygen when it thinner making you feel more awake and alert. The last few times I had to be careful because of the dry weather my nose is more likely to bleed. Even after a cup of tea in the morning, it flows like a river and takes a while to stop. There are also warnings that if you do take Ginkgo Bioloba as a supplement (Vital has that kind of supplement marketed towards concentration) that you should not donate blood.

Now let's laugh in the face of people who says drinking water gives them energy.

é

That time I went to: The Soap Barn

I love Yankee Candles. The votive ones, jarred and even the Car Smart Scent Vent Clips. That got me thinking of some small scale candle making. So as we do, I Googled for raw products and Soap Barn popped up.

At first I was confused because I felt like this was some secret place that was kept from the world then I got angry when I found that this place was right under my nose! You literally pass it on the N3 Highway at Linksfield. I browsed the heck out of that website to make sure I'll get all the items. Since I found them I go in at least every six months.

The store looks basic but it is truly the Aladdin’s Cave for DIYers and hobbyists. You can buy single portions to bulk of raw items like fragrance, bicarb, Epsom Salt, clays, waxes to finished products like shampoo, bath bombs, lotion and soap. Even packaging and storage for finished items. This “basic” store can be genuinely overwhelming as the product possibilities are endless so I do suggest going on the website and browsing the recipes if you are not sure.

I have had multiple hauls from the store but here are a few repeat buys:

African Black Soap Pet shampoo:

What disturbed me about mainstream dog shampoo is that I had to wash my pets with soap that I have to wear gloves for. How is that safe? This bubbles up nice and rinses out with ease.

The African Black Soap range also has hand wash, shower 'gel' and shampoo, as wel as a solid soap for our not-so-millenials. I have bought a normal pet shampoo in between the black soap, but it dried out my pets' skin. I love this stuff. Add to cart 4 eva!

Pro Hack: I also add Tea Tree oil and in Mosquito time, Lemon Balm or Citronella, then re-poured it into their reusable pump bottle for easy use. (Also wastes less because it dispenses measured amounts rather than an endless stream) I wash two Amstaffs (mid sized dogs) weekly for 3 to 4 months with 500ml.

Shea Butter:

Now I know Black Girl Magic is about the mystic, beauty and strength of black women. But I bet if we reverse engineered Black Girl Magic, that a segment of it would be Shea Butter. It absorbs well and leaves skin with a glow. This winter is rough on my skin because I've been outside in the dry air more often. Also my feet become so dry i can litterally peel skin off my heels. TMI. I started dipping straight into my tub of Shea. It's expensive for the bigger 500ml tub but it will last longer than you think. It's heavy so you don't need a lot. NOW teach me more of your magic beautiful Black girls!

Pro Hack: I bought wind up lip balm tubes, melted some Shea and poured it. I'd like to think it work like those hip new type balm make up removers. It melts the make up off. I needed to remove a heavy liquid lip and it worked like a bawse.

Zinc Oxide:

The struggle with sunscreens for me was real. A few years ago, like, 5, I got a few red dots on my hand when I was on vacation. I chalked it up to stress. You know the type when you go away to relax and come back to triple the work because “It's-not-my-job”. That next year (exactly), after two days at the coast MY WHOLE BODY was covered in this rash. I was allergic to sunscreen.💀💀💀

For the next few years I had the worst time finding sunscreen. Then I decided to check out natural/ organic sunscreens and the prices shot up. It is double the money for an already expensive product.

When I saw this it just went straight into my basket and look at that price though. . . 👍👍

Pro Hack: Instead of mixing up a weird batch of a mixture of Shea and Coconut oil, mix it in with their Gel, Lotion or Aqueous cream Bases.

Bicarbonate of Soda:

I use this for a few applications. Here is my carpet powder. I also use it as a exfoliater, to remove build up of products in my hair, to stretch out washing powder. I use at least 1 kg a month so it's super economical for me to buy bulk.

Pro Hack: For stinging burns make a paste of bicarb and water and apply it on the burn. A few years ago I had a bad burn (I think it was close 3^rd degree) and today I can't even tell that I was burned. (images too graphic to post)

Candle Supplies:

This was my first haul here. AAW! That is why the clay is here as well as the balm tubes.

I wanted to make candles to use/ give as presents. The upfront starting price was a large amount but I still got more candles out of that than if I had to use that money to buy candles. I also made a healthier candle because I used soy wax.

The thing that really caught me out was the large fragrance range. From Almond, marshmallow to Watermelon and ylang-ylang. I wanted it all.

Pro Hack: Here is a website that works out fragrance loads. You're welcome.

Facial Mask Items:

If I had to have a 'True Life: Addicted to . . .', it would be face masks. I try and apply a mask at least once a week. I definitly can see the improvement in my skin, Break outs are more controlled and my skin looks more even. For the same price of a month's worth of clay masks, you could buy a bag of clay (Bentonite/ Kaolin/ English China) and few Essential oils (Lavender/Tea Tree/ Rosemary) and have masks for days.

Pro Hack: You can trend it up with some activated charcoal and because you are mixing it up yourself, it's fully customize-able to your skin's needs.

Containers:

I love the variety of containers available for finished products. From 500ml spray bottle to 2ml atomizer (I bought a few so I could decant some perfume for on the go in my handbag)

Pro Hack: Their packaging is super reusable. I like whipping up things and storing them in the tubs I bought them in.

Final Thought:

I feel like this shop is selling items anyone could make a business out of. A bath and body range.(I'm imagining with the Spa fragrance of Avo and cucumber or Bamboo) Candles. (Marshmallows or something weird like banana) Skincare. (Just add water mud masks or SLS & Paraben free face wash) House hold products. (Thinning out the Black Soap, add essential oils and use as a natural dish soap) Even cosmetics and fragrances. There are a million creative possiblities.

É's tips:

• WARNING!!! As with any new hobby, start up is a bit expensive but after that, you just buy as you use
  
• If you are looking into making candles, body butters and potions that require you to melt products. I suggest to buy a small pot and stirrers for your hobby. I lost a good pot to candle wax. 😢
• If you decide to use fragrances, be sure to work in a well ventilated area or else you will need to stop because headaches get real.
• International company, Yankee Candle, started with a guy who made a candle for this mom and people saw it and wanted one too.
• Hoelson Sisters Facial oils started with experimentation of basic oils.
• Lush started as a small business that made everything in-house.
• The Body Shop was started by Anita Roddick as income for her and her children

The Soap Barn Website and Facebook

That place is my jam. Go there.

é

My Problem: Coming clean.

This is not easy but I came to a MASSIVE conclusion Monday morning. I have a problem, I am disorganised and I'm trying to hide it with décor.

I know I had this problem from a young age as some of the earliest self help things I took down from an Oprah Show is Julie Morgenstern's SPACE acronym. But soon forgotten, in a misplaced, un-updated diary, I became of age where I am viewed as an adult and still carried that problem.

I can't any more. I want to redesign the aesthetic of our house, I want to repaint, add decorations. Today I had a think of why (Especially with the current economy for most of us, just buying a more expensive drugstore lipstick feels like a financial mistake.) I want metallic finish titanium coloured walls. Am I painting away the disorganisation? Existential thoughts for a Monday, but YES.

The evidence:

Good thing this is blurry because this is the "I don't know where this goes" Graveyard

This is where I am suppose to do blog things. The sewing table was suppose to solve all my problems

Back there is kitchen equipment I can't even remember that I own

This is my life now: No one knows what's happening, not even me.

Throw it in, sort it never.

Blurry photo of glasses that should go into storage

Takealot.com boxes watching me while I'm sleeping. So elegant for room decor.

I can not live like this. That's why blogging was easier when we just moved. I didn't have so much random stuff clogging up space and time.

For the next few weeks I will be dealing with my issues. Now it won't be like a how to, but I will show you hacks and tips on my journey. I will start in my kitchen because I feel like I got the epiphany here. You know everyone has THAT kitchen drawer and cupboard.

I feel like I hate my life already for thinking of this but when it's done it will be worth it.

é

May 2017 Favourites

Middle of the year! Right now it's dry A.F. in North ZA and the South is in a storm

Via Vintage Lover

Here are my favourites for the last month of Autumn:

Essence Nail Polish:

Cheap and cheerful. I bought a few in the end of April and wore them through out May.(All can be bought online at Takealot.com. I bought mine at Dischem)

The Gel Nail polish in Crash the Party?!

The Gel Nail polish in Crash the Party?! is H💿L💿 and I don't think anybody realised that. It's nice as a sheer polish, a topper and also nice to add more layers of holo with a sponge (See Simply Naillogical)

Mega Last base coat

It so does what it says. It lasts for 4 to 5 days with out getting weird. I like to do the Base coat sandwich trick (base – polish – base – polish – top coat) that makes it last longer.

All That Shimmers in Make a Wish Topper:

This a milky Dual Chrome shimmer topper. When I don't feel like doing a big deal nail art, it's easy to add a topper for extra dimension to a flat coloured polish.

Quick Dry Top Coat:

This is super handy when you want to add a second coat of a coloured polish and don't have time for it to dry. I also use this as the everyday top coat to make polish last.

Beanies:

I recoloured my hair and because it's an unnatural colour, washing is restricted. Most weeks it looks awesome for days. Other times, not so much. With the fear of having a hair style mainly consisting of a mixture of dry shampoo and/or baby powder I like to disguise with a slouchy beanie.

H&M

MrP

DcatsG Studios

These are a trick thing to find because though I found them in-store there is none listed online.

Shopped in my closet:

I recently had a few occations I had to dress for. Because I have good basic pieces, instead of buying a whole outfit, I could piece one together. As a child, my mom thought me to have a few good pieces: A white t-shirt, a nice black knitted top (When I where it with a jean, flats and a slouchy beanie I feel French), pair of black pants, as well as plain black shoes. From these elements I had a few accessories to dress casual to a bit more formal without spending any money.

Humidifier:

This is one of the most expensive things I have bought the last few months but so worth it. I got mine here on Takealot.com but this specific one is available at Dischem and Baby Boom. I suggest to shop around. This has solved most of my congestion woes. This is the 4L and does not last during a whole night even on the lowest setting but what I do is to put it on and close the bedroom door 1 and a half to 2 hours before I go to bed and keeping the door ajar during the night.

Soaring free Superfoods Organic Hemp Seed Protein Powder:

I like Chia seeds. So when I was browsing in the health section of Fruit& Veg Food Lover's Market this item was cheaper than Chia. SO it naturally migrated into my trolley. I add this to smoothies and when ever I'm baking stuff that don't really have substance I add some of it. Like flapjacks (“Pancakes”) and even those premix bran muffins get a few spoons full. I like the idea of adding extra natural protein to anything.

I got mine in the health section of Fruit and Veg but it's also available at Faithful to Nature.

YouTube App Save Offline and Telkom Nitesurfer:

This is my app and free favourites in ONE. Now lately there have been a lot of videos I like to watch and these days I'd rather watch online content than what DStv thinks I must watch (Because all their ads look like all life is about is not missing your show and “family time”. Believe me, someone will die for deleting a show that was not watched yet.)

Now we have Night Surfer Data that we kept losing. (That is technically free) SO I started downloading stuff in the mornings. Because Telkom is sketchy A.F and don't state it outright the times anywhere on there site I had to cyber sleuth that the times are 00:00 to 07:00.

That means I've been binge watching Laura Lee and caught up with the Jeffree Star/ Nikkie Tutorials/ Too Faced/ #nounicornsintheamazon stories.

That is my things I've been liking in MAY and #unicornsareeverywhere

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