I came to the make-up party a bit later than most – don’t get me wrong I was interested in makeup from my teens and remember buying a few items from the Clicks sales (and hiding them from my mom) but I never really used it on a daily basis until my mid-twenties, and even now I’m not an every day make-up girl, and tend to use it more for nights out.
That being said I do see the huge benefit in using it daily – whenever I do I feel an immediate boost in confidence. My problem is time – as a mom trying to cram working & blogging into the mix and my make-up routine gets reduced to a bit of BB Cream, some mascara and lipgloss. More complicated make-up like eyeshadow never seems to happen – partly due to the aforementioned problem and also because I’m never quite sure if I’m doing it right!!
Eyeshadow can make SUCH an amazing difference to your look but it can also go horribly wrong – too many times I’ve left home looking like I’ve been in a fight… So this is where Revlon have come to my aid with their newly launched Photoready Primer & Eyeshadow Palettes.
I’m so excited about these pretty little palettes, not only are they in a gorgeous array of colour options but the fab thing is that the palette itself is laid out in the shape of an eye to help you to know exactly which colour to use wear… what a great idea! Why didn’t someone do this earlier?? Not only do the perfectly co-ordinated colours help you to eliminate the guesswork of the perfect eye make-up but the palette also comes with a primer (bottom left rectangle) that you use first to even out the lids and create a smooth canvas!
The eyeshadow is easy to blend, comes with an applicator brush and the intensity of the colour can be increased by using the eyeshadow when wet. The top coat (in the small square) adds an extra sparkly dimension!
Colour palettes featured here are:
Watercolours (pinks)
Renaissance (neutrals)
Avant Garde (blues)
Other options available include:
Metropolitan
Bohemian
Pop Art
Impressionist
Graffiti
I’m so excited to have some fun playing around with these colour palettes and adding more eyeshadow looks to my life! Thank you Revlon for making this a bit easier.
Images: Kathryn Rossiter
Last Friday evening I was fortunate to be invited to attend a Winter Wine and Soup pairing at Avondale Wine Farm a certified organic wine farm outside Paarl that practices bio-dynamic agriculture.
Not just any soups mind, ones created by South Africa’s own celebrity Chef, Reuben Riffel!
We were shuttled to the farm just outside Paarl and arrived just before sunset and after a glass of MCC we embarked on a tour of the vineyards and cellar with the proprietor and wine maker. This included witnessing the “Duck Mobile” in action – ducks are used in the vineyards as organic snail control – which transports the hard-working birds to their home for the night!
Then came the highlight of the evening – the wine pairing. Over the past few seasons Avondale Wine Estate have collaborated with renowned Chef Reuben Riffel to offer guests to the Estate various food & wine parings. This Winter is no different and they are offering a Winter Wine Pairing from 22 May to 15 July.
This is not your ordinary food and wine pairing; six gourmet tasting-size soups – each one unique in style and flavour – have been created by Chef Reuben, with his signature rustic culinary flair evident in every sip. Each soup has been specially crafted to beautifully complement a particular vintage in Avondale’s collection of handcrafted wines.
“We have collaborated with Chef Reuben on numerous occasions before, and the soup and wine pairing was born out of a desire to give an exciting, fresh take on a traditional winter comfort food. We are extremely fortunate to have Chef Reuben on board for this experience as we knew he would be able do precisely that – create beautiful, gourmet soups created with fresh, seasonal and, where possible, local ingredients that would do justice to Avondale’s collection of fine wines.” – Johnathan Grieve, Proprietor of Avondale
The Winter Warmer Pairing experience began with Baby Marrow & Basil Soup, garnished with crispy baby marrow, accompanied by a glass of the effervescent Armilla Méthode Cap Classique. From the start I realised this was going to be something special – the first soup was like no other I had ever experienced and immediately I knew I would need more of this particular soup after the tasting. Little did I know I was to have the same thoughts after each one!!
This was followed with Avondale’s vibrant Chenin Blanc Anima, paired with Confit Duck and Bean Soup – this was a rich, clear soup and again was nothing short of delicious.
Avondale’s Viognier blend Cyclus was paired with a French Onion Soup and served with melted Epoisse Toastie. Is your mouth watering yet? It was incredible how each soup paired perfectly with the wine and the both brought out the intense flavours of each other.
After the wholesome French Onion it was on to a Chai-Style Butternut Soup served with Avondale’s Camissa Rosé.
And then it was time for the red wines…
Avondale’s Syrah Samsara was paired with a Parsnip & Artichoke Soup and served with grated parmesan and olive oil. Another mouth-watering option – I loved the earthy tastes to this soup and added it to my list of ones to try again!
Finally, Avondale’s signature red blend La Luna was partnered with the my winning soup of the evening – the Truffle Bean Soup. Nothing can describe the taste of this luxurious soup. I had heard much about truffles but not been fortunate enough to taste it yet, well, now I know what all the fuss is about! It was incredible. And yet again I knew I had to have more…
Fortunately we were able to have a few more bowls of our favourite (or favourites!) and I made sure I enjoyed this benefit of being at the launch event… Then it was time for a quick photo op with Reuben himself…
I really enjoyed the company I shared the evening with too! That’s me, Bailey from Vanilla Blonde, Roxanne and Natalie from Tails of a Mermaid. Other fab bloggers that I enjoyed meeting included Karlien from The One K, Hestelle from Koekies en Cream and Leaine from Leaine’s Kitchen.
“I like simple food, beautifully prepared, and I love soup for its versatility. The humble soup is quite often perceived as a boring “filler” item on a menu – or old-fashioned peasant fare – and is, rather mistakenly, overlooked. There are so many delicious possibilities and variants, and it is can be an exquisite addition to any menu when properly prepared.” – Chef Reuben Riffel
The Winter Warmer Pairing is available to the public at Avondale Wine Estate starting today, 22 May until 15 July at a cost of R120 per person. Reservations are by appointment only and can be made via 021-863 1976 or email wine@avondalewine.co.za. I would really recommend this as an alternative Wine Pairing to the usual cheese, chocolate or food options out there. It would also make a lovely way to celebrate a birthday or special occasion.
Images: by Kathryn Rossiter (excl top image and 6 x images of wine with soups)
When you don’t have kids of a particular age buying gifts for them might seem very overwhelming. What do teen boys want these days? And how about tween girls? Are they into teddies or trainers, barbies or boys?? It’s hard to keep up. I’m still a bit stuck when it comes to presents for boys (seeing as I have never been one) but one thing I know with certainty about girls is that no matter their age (whether they are 8 or 80) you can’t go wrong with jewellery!
Recently I was pointed in the direction of CHARM IT as a great gift option for my 9-year-old niece. And what fun I had choosing the charms for her… especially as when I was a little girl ALL I wanted was a pretty charm bracelet!*
CHARM IT is premium fashion accessory brand for young girls and has recently launched in South Africa. The range consists of individual collections themed according to various interests held by young girls. The brightly coloured collections include themes such as sports, cupcakes, animals, phrases, princesses, hearts and many more allowing girls to express their individuality through their creative charm choices. Tweens, teens & toddlers (if my daughter is anything to go by – she is already obsessed with jewellery and makeup at age 3!) will love collecting their own charms to match their personality!
What is great about a charm bracelet that it ties up the next few birthday and Christmas gifts for you – as all charm bracelet owners ALWAYS love getting a new one! Charms are priced at R69.00 each with bracelets and necklaces priced between R79.00 – R199.00 each which makes it a perfectly priced pressie option!
CHARM IT is available at the following stores across South Africa:
Polly Potter’s Toy Store – Parkhurst
Absolute Kid – Mall of Rosebank
Kozi Kids – Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre
Clarens Toy Store – Clarens, Free State
Happi Days – Sage Centre, Salt Rock
Lilly’s Place – Killarney Mall
Peek a Boo Kidz – Riverside Boulevard Centre, Vanderbijlpark
Precioux – Morningside Shopping Centre, Pineslopes Shopping Centre, Somerset West Mall & Cavendish Square
Funky Fish – Clearwater Mall
The Lightshed – Cnr Westminister and Portland, Craighall
Unique B – Bijoux Square,Huguenot Street,Franschhoek
Bambanani – 85 4th Ave Melville
Sweets from Heaven – JHB International airport, Montecasino Boulevard, Sandton City & Carnival city Casino
Star Dot Toys – Hout Bay
Pink – Somerset West
Ekker Valley Trading – Standerton
Shop online at: www.charm-it.co.za.
* P.S. Finally for my 30th birthday my wish came true ;) I was gifted my very own charm bracelet by Thomas Sabo and it’s a treasured piece in my jewellery box!
Today I’m sharing with you my thoughts on a NEW beauty product recently launched in South Africa called nanoblur™. I was recently invited to the launch at the exquisite Ellerman House, a fitting venue for such a quality brand. Here I was given the opportunity to see the effects of the product in comparison to the work of a top digital photo retoucher. I also was able try out the product that has been making waves in the beauty industry around the world.
nanoblur™ claims to make you look 10 years younger in 40 seconds and since this pretty much is the dream of women everywhere you can imagine why it’s shot to the top of the best-selling beauty product list at Boots in the UK. (where every 9 seconds a women choose nanoblur™)
This is what the product promises:
nanoblur™, the award winning hero product from Indeed Laboratories™ is the ultimate instant skin perfecting cream that provides high definition ready skin in seconds. It instantly transforms your skin, immediately minimising the signs of aging, smoothing and softening the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, enlarged pores, uneven texture and tone while mattifying the skin.
So, is it true? Let’s find out… I decided to “bare all” and put the product to the test by way of a vlog which you can watch here:
So what did I find – fine lines were definitely far less obvious (“blurred” away so to speak!), pores were minimised, my skin was less shiny and had a matt appearance to it. I’ve heard it works wonders for reducing the appearance of pigmentation – let me know if you have had good results for this skin issue. I can’t say I look 10 years younger but certainly fresher! I did find the cream to be quite sticky to the touch and I my face felt like I was wearing an extra layer of something rather than a moisturiser that is absorbed but it wasn’t uncomfortable.
nanoblur™ is not a moisturiser, serum, anti-aging treatment or a primer, it is officially known as a correction cream to be applied AFTER make-up/ foundation but before powder and can be blended with moisturiser for those with drier skins. nanoblur™ is formulated to smooth out imperfections that makeup cannot, it’s free of colour and can be used by both men and women. What I also appreciate is that it is formulated without the use of parabens or sodium lauryl sulphate.
Originally developed for on-camera talent to smooth out HD visible skin imperfections, it helps to turn transform the skin into a picture perfect, line-free canvas, ready for the camera at every turn even if that camera happens to be your friends mega-pixel camera phone!
nanoblur™ is a cream full of minute high‑tech particles that scatter light, making skin look miraculously better — clearer, fresher and younger — in seconds, by using tricks of light and blurring wrinkles and pigmentation.The nanoparticles they use are 700 nanometres which are too big to slip into the skin (only ones less than 400nm in diameter do that), so these stay on the outside of the skin and reflect light.
Formulated with advanced optical prism technology, nanoblur’s™ ground-breaking formula changes the way light is reflected off skin. Once applied, micro-prisms diffuse light in a multitude of directions, creating a “blurring” effect on the skin similar to an air-brushed photo. Photo artists use techniques in digital retouching to make their subjects’ skin look perfect. nanoblur™ does the same thing, but in real life.
For special occasions such as a wedding, school reunion, an important job interview or a first date, nanoblur™ is the cosmetic solution, but it’s also easy enough to use in daily life too. It may be worn without, applied under, mixed with, or over makeup which makes it unique and in its own category.
nanoblur™ retails for R299,99 and is available in South Africa from selected Clicks stores nationwide. For more information on Nanoblur, please visit www.trynanoblur.com.
I have also got my hands on the other new products from indeed laboratories that will be launched in South Africa over the next few months and will be sure to post my thoughts on these soon. These include Snoxin (a multi-peptide, anti-aging serum), Hydraluron (a serum with hyaluronic acid that holds 1000 times it’s weight in water) and Okrapeptide (“beauty without needles”)
For more information on these products from indeed laboratories visit www.indeedlabs.com
Mother’s Day might have been on Sunday but that doesn’t mean that celebrating moms is over – not here anyway! I believe moms should be celebrated everyday… And to prove it I’m bringing you ANOTHER amazing giveaway. This one is the perfect treat for all those moms who treat their families to delicious meals daily but it’s also for those of you who love to cook for friends – in fact it’s for anyone who fancies themselves a bit of a chef in the kitchen! Kitchen Passion is a leading online shop specializing in kitchen gadget and appliances. They are … Read More »
Last weekend we were treated to 2 nights at the gorgeous Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. I’m a big fan of exploring the world around me, so when the invitation came a few months back I jumped at the chance to visit this beautiful part of the Cape. The weeks leading up to our getaway were crazy busy and having Grootbos to look forward to definitely got me through! Holidays and traveling might seem like a luxury to many, but in my mind they are a priority and I like to plan a weekend away every few months and a longer … Read More »
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I’m loving this photo shoot in the June 2013 issue of Vogue UK magazine – featuring Kate Moss photographed by Patrick Demarchelier. She looks stunning and the clothes are lovely too – beachwear with a 60′s edge. Love the stripes and leopard print, florals and sequins. The make up is pretty amazing too! And let’s not forget the setting – a yacht in St Barths… All of this has got me hankering for a summer holiday somewhere overlooking the sea…. Dream on! Images: Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue UK
Looks what coming to town in the winter school holidays – Disney On Ice is back!! Hooray scream thousands of kids (and their parents!) This year Disney on Ice presents Passport to Adventure and this family adventure is sure to be a hit with all ages. We thoroughly enjoyed the show last year (Click here to read my review of our first Disney on Ice experience) and as a family of Disney fanatics we will be sure to make this a priority for our winter school holiday line up! This year there are more shows, more family-sized enthralling entertainment with … Read More »
When it comes to shapewear, one word you don’t expect to hear is sexy! But that’s all about to change with the arrival of a seriously sexy range of shapewear by women’secret… After a certain age (and certainly after having kids) there comes a point when a little bit of extra “help” is required to look good. Which is why sales of shapewear are skyrocketing! I don’t know about you but I have been enticed to try on some shapewear and although the end affect (once you are sucked into your outfit) is pretty good, the process to get there … Read More »
Hi, I'm Kathryn. Thanks for visiting Becoming you. I blog to connect with the world and remind myself of who I am aside from someone’s mom – style, fashion, kids, family, interiors, photography, inspiration! I hope you will feel inspired while visiting. I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment on a post you loved or email me via the contact page. Looking for posts? Start here. 
Copyright 2011-2013, Becoming you. Content, words and images (unless stated) by Kathryn Rossiter. kathryn @ becomingyou.co.za
