Kiehl's

Let me confess.  I have NEVER heard of Kiehl's, the iconic New York skin care brand.  And to make it worse, I lived in New York and have never even seen their very iconic shop.  How I wish I did!

Kiehl's has recently launched a shop in South Africa, only one shop in Edgars in Sandton City.  You could read about it all over the beauty blogs.  Look here, here, here and here and many many more I did not link. 

More recently some reviews of Kiehl's products started coming out on beauty blogs.  I have never seen or touched their products, but the reviews seem very good. 

Rubybox is sending out a Kiehl's box this month.  I am patiently waiting for my bit of Kiehl's. 

Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream

What Clinique claims: Treat hands to 12-hour hydration, soothing comfort. Rich, restorative cream strengthens skin's moisture barrier against environmental stressors. Even boosts skin's ability to retain moisture-so hands look and feel smoother. Conditions cuticles and nails.

I really liked this cream.  A small amount goes a long way and a it was not greasy.

Pros

Need a small amount

Not greasy

Moisturised hands very well

Penetrates rather than sits on top

Great tube – squeezes out a small amount easily

In between

Smell is subtle, forgettable

Cons

Although there are no cons for the product, it is a bit expensive, but probably worth the money.

This is sold at Edgars, Red Square, Truworths and probably a few other places as well

You can read a review for it here and here.

Questions on Monday

I have so many questions about beauty products.  If you read this, please leave a comment and answer this question:

Does it matter if you mix products from different ranges?  Do you need to have your cleaner, toner, moisturiser from the same range? 

Incoco nails

I received one set of Incoco nail wraps in my March Rubybox.  I have been saving them for a time when I would want to have my nails looking nice for two weeks, since that was what the package promised.  At first I did not do it because I was going diving, and that would be hell on nails, then I was tiling a spare bathroom (yes, I tile, and grout) and then ….. And then when I decided I had to use them NOW, I broke a nail and had to wait for it to grow out.  So I can attest that Incoco nails do not spoil in the package while waiting for you.

I would seriously suggest that you read their instructions on the website, there is a video to watch and also read the instructions that come with the nail strips.  It is not super hard to use, I only messed up one strip on my first try.  The nails stick really well and you are not able to move them once stuck down properly.  The fronts are filed kind of under your nail and break easily.

They claim that these strips last for 14 days.  I removed mine after Day 9, when a giant chunk broke off my thumb nail while I washed my hair.  There were small cracks near the tops of most of my fingers and a chip on one other finger.  I must say that 9 days is the longest any nail polish has ever been on my fingers, but it was not quite the 14 days promised.  My nails also seemed to grow fairly fast and it would have needed to come off after 14 days if nothing had chipped simply because the nail bed would have grown out to much by then.

These pictures were taken just before I took the polish off, on Day 9.  It shows where it started chipping and it shows how my nail beds have grown out. 

I love the more intricate patterns. 

It is expensive.  It costs R100 for a set (and is sold by the Rubybox boutique and in Red Square stores).  A set comes with 16 fingers so that you choose the appropriate sizes for your nails.  That means that if you cut some of the strips in half and use all the sizes you are able to get two applications out of it.  I saved the one half, and went to a great deal of trouble to seal the packet, but when I came back to it 3-4 weeks later, the strips looked fine, but they would not stick to my nails and chipped almost immediately.   Moral of the story; this cannot be stretched to two applications.  I guess it is a good deal for a special occasion, in stead of a salon manicure or when you go for one of the intricate patterns (which I love).  Unfortunately I had a plain colour, a very very cerise pink. 

The application was neat, no smudges, scratches, or other imperfections; in any case, not if you managed to stick it on straight.  It took about twice as long to apply than it takes me to apply nail polish, but it was MUCH neater and you did not need to worry about touching things before it was properly dry.   If money was no object, this would be the only nail polish I used. 

See how much my nails grew in 9 days, you can see that the nail polish does not go all the way to the nail bed.

Chips on my nail: Day 9

You can read some reviews of it here:

http://jangsara.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-incoco-non-liquid-nail-polish.html

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp?itemid=98102

http://skincare.about.com/od/handcareproductreviews/fr/Incoco-Nail-Polish-Strips-Review.htm

http://www.geewhiskers.com/2012/04/manicure-monday_30.html

http://rubybox.co.za/incoco-oscar-night-nail-strips.html

http://www.beautybulletin.com/directory/discussions/review/?id=4947

http://www.beautybulletin.com/hands-and-feet/nail-polishes/incoco-dry-nail-applique

http://www.tailsofamermaid.com/2011/08/latest-obsession-incoco-nail-polish.html

Questions on MONDAY

I have so many questions about beauty products.  If you read this, please leave a comment and answer this question:

What do eye creams do?  Are they extra moisturising lotions that are supposed to be preventing wrinkles and make the ones you have a little bit more plump and moisturised?   Or do they just temporarily make a wrinkle appear a bit less prominent but have no long term effect.  i.e. once you stop using it you are back where you started?  Or do you get both types?

Africology cleansing gel

There are some products that are just so nice to use, indulgent and luxurious  and make you feel good when using them.   One such product was the Africology gel cleanser.  Africology is a South African brand of world class quality.  The following was taken directly from their website. 

Africology makes use of the healing essences of some of South Africa’s indigenous plants. The active ingredients in our skin care products are valuable in the repair process and assist with the restoration of damaged skin tissue. You can never be too young to start this preventative process skin care products have been developed to revitalise the skin and prevent damage done to the skin by free-radicals, stress and the harsh South African climate

Kind to you, kind to the world: 100% Natural Essential Oils, Natural Plant Extracts, Eco Friendly

If you have some time, go play around on their website.  They have many other products and the website is delightful.

The following description of the cleansing gel comes from their website:  Contains Quillaja extract and Soapwort, which are both natural, mild foaming and cleansing agents. On a metaphysical level, when the skin is reactive to emotional situations the brain sends signals that encourage protection, so the skin starts to secrete oil. When we remove all these oils from the skin by means of chemicals, the brain continues to replace oil, and so we keep on imbalancing the skin. It is better to instead work with the skin's natural oil supply rather than to erase it.  Added seaweed extract maintains skin health and has a smoothing and moisturising effect. We want the skin to not only cleanse itself, but also for our gel to firm and stimulate the skin with its astringent properties.  For oily, reactive skin. 

Use daily in the morning and evening. Apply Gel to face with damp hands, avoiding the eye area. Remove with warm water. Refresh with Anti-reactive Tonic afterwards

The gel can be ordered from their website and is sold in certain spa’s.  It costs R260.

 

My experience.  I received a sample in a Rubybox.  I was impressed by the quality of the sample.  It came in a small glass bottle with a pump, 25ml.  It looks like something that would be given as hotel toiletries (see my comments here on hotel toiletries) or sold in a travel kit.  It was really a generous sample.  The gel smells divine.  It is a refreshing wake-up smell, a kind of kick start in the morning.  It is quite a strong botanical smell.  I would describe it as Aloe or maybe mint, but I am not sure whether I am right.  It does not foam, since it does not contain harsh soaps.  It does have a slippery, soapy consistency and feels like a soapy cleanser.  My skin feels clean and tingly and refreshed after use without feeling dry and tight.  I think this cleanser is perfect.  The only downside:  The price.  Especially since I skimp on cleansers so that I can spend more on moisturisers, which I believe makes a larger difference in the look of your skin.  I would love to try the rest of the range.  If the cleanser impressed me so much I can only imagine how great the rest of the range would be.

 You can see reviews in the following places:

http://www.beautybulletin.com/brands-spas-and-salons/brands/africology

http://rubybox.co.za/africology-cleansing-gel.html

http://www.beautybulletin.com/skin-care/cleanserstonerswashes/africolgy-cleansing-gel

http://www.kissblushandtell.com/2012/05/africology-purifying-cleansing-gel.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Africology-Skincare-Spa/161371680738

http://julieeagleton.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/africology-travel-kit/

The best shoes in town

This started as a beauty blog, but I am going to deviate to share with you my favourite shoes.  I guess shoes and beauty go together.  I am not much of a fashionista.  I prefer my shoes comfortable over pretty any day.  But I do love a certain combination of comfort and beauty - I guess it could be described as very comfortable shoes that are pretty enough.  They are called Froggie shoes.

Froggie shoes are made in South Africa.  There is a giant factory store in Durban.  The factory store is a little bit cheaper than the stores, and sometimes offers specials such as buy 3 and only pay for two.  But the best attraction of the factory store is that it is enormous and has a large variety of shoes; much bigger than their stores in the shopping malls.   Since they carry old stock as well as almost new stock, it is also one of the only places in Durban where you can buy boots in summer.  (I once desperately had to buy boots for a January trip to the US in the middle of the South African summer.)



My selection of (dirty) Froggie shoes

The shoes are made of leather and are so so comfortable.  I kid you not.  You can wear high heels  all day and not have sore feet.  These shoes also last and last and last.   I have not yet thrown away a broken pair of Froggie shoes.  The only damage I have had has been scuff marks at the front.

They sell school shoes as well, which they claim support a growing child’s foot better than hard shoes.  It is called the barefoot science range and the soles are completely flexible.  The school shoes are expensive.  I would love to buy these for my children, but have not done so, yet. 

They have a tiny selection of men’s shoes.  I bought my husband the only pair they had and he was in love with the shoes.  It might not be the most snazzy pair of shoes ever (but my husband is not a good dresser at all.  I try !),  He claims it is as comfortable as going barefoot.  (His nickname in high school was “Barefoot” because he hated to wear shoes.)

The combination of comfort and beauty cannot be beaten.  And we should all support good home grown initiatives. 

Froggie shoes are sold in small Froggie shops all over Durban malls, and elsewhere in KwaZulu-Natal.  I am sure that I have seen Froggie shoes being sold in Woolworths under a Woolworths label (cheaper than in Froggie stores)  I could be wrong.  And then of course, there is the factory store.  Whenever my female friends and family come to visit Durban, they all insist on a visit the Froggie factory store.