Current Favourites

I know it’s been a while since the last blog, but my life has been a little hectic. Fortunately, that wait is over.

Before I discuss another product, I thought I should share a bunch of my favourite products, just so y’all could get on with the business of getting your slay on! I picked one from each of the following categories.

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• Beauty

Liquid Matte Lipstick – this was gifted to me by some friends and girrrl! I look bomb in it. At first I was afraid it would make my lips look even bigger than I needed them to be but I was mistaken. If it runs out, I’m going to need them to buy it again.

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• Skincare

Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1 Wash, Scrub & Mask – This face cleansing system is a dream to people with oily, acne prone skin. At some point earlier this year, I couldn’t find it in the stores (because Zimbabwe), and I had to use an alternative. During those months, my skin was extra greasy and I had permanent acne on my temples – it wasn’t cute. When I can find them, I like to use the face wash with the Garnier Pure Active Toner and the Moisturiser for maximum effect. Price: Min of US$13 depending on where you buy. I bought mine at a local pharmacy.

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• Hair Care

As a fellow naturalista, I know the struggle when it comes to keeping that crown healthy. My favourite moisturiser right now is the Malkia Shea Butter. Shea butter is a dream for African hair textures – Its non-greasy and it really does soften the hair, making it easier to manage. 

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• Body Care

My favourite in this category is Avon Purse Sprays. The smell great, fit in your purse, and come at an affordable price. Basically, you get to smell expensive for less than half the price. Right now I’m using the FarAway Infinity purse spray. Price: approximately US$4.50 for 10ml. 

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• Fashion

I’m not a fashionista but I do like to have a few statement pieces that go with almost any item in the wardrobe. At the moment, I’m obsessed with my blocked heeled boots. (<–link to an alternative pair). They make an edgy look with jeans/leather pants and leather jacket; and a chic/city girl look with an A-line dress. Unfortunately, they are getting a bit too warm for the weather so I will be looking for a summer alternative. Price: US$9.20 at Mr. Price SA.

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Non-Beauty Favourites

Fashion and beauty aren’t the only ways to be a slayer out here. I try to keep up the slayer mentality doing some of the following favourites:

• Books

I’m an African girl that likes to read about people like myself. Recently I enjoyed a book written by Gaile Parkin called “Baking Cakes in Kigali”. Google books describes it as “… a novel in 14 irresistible confections, and behind each cake lies a story. As Angel helps her customers to work through their problems, they, in turn, help her to lay to rest the demons she has buried deep inside until, finally, she is able to face the truth and to achieve a sense of peace”. Price: US9.42 on Amazon (ebook).

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• Series

The reason why I like Baking Cakes in Kigali is the same reason why I enjoy watching “Insecure” the series. Except, Insecure is just different. Issa Rae and those hair styles are BAE! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll watch it. Its available on Netflix, HBO, and on VUZU (Dstv).

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• Events

The Hair Expo – This isn’t really a favourite but is promising to be one in the near future. I’m excited to find out what other locals are using to keep their natural hair healthy. Price: US$5 Entrance Fee. 

Brows On Fleek!

Every girl knows that in order to truly slay, your eyebrows need to be on done just right. Many products for shaping and filling in the eyebrows are available on the market. I’ve gone through my fair share of options as well, from the brow pencil, to brow powder, to dark brown eyeshadow, and of course to eyebrow gel. My mission – to fill in my brows but still have them looking as natural as possible.

Before brow gel, I relied on brow pencils that I hated sharpening. The twist out brow pencils weren’t ideal either because I could never tell when they were about to finish. The worst is when you’re in a rush to go somewhere but you can’t fill in your eyebrows because you ran out of liner and your back up liner is unsharpened! Brow powders, on the other hand, have always seemed unreliable to me.

I was happy to discover brow gel but of course, the gels that I found in the mainstream beauty supply stores were far too expensive. I eventually discovered a brow gel in a China store – the ADS Mesmerizing Eyeliner. Honestly, sometimes these China store are grossly underappreciated … emphasis on sometimes.  The ADS Eyeliner came in a set with two gels in brown and black and two mini brushes, one of which was an angle brush – talk about value for money! I can’t remember how much it cost but I know it was cheap and looked like this

ADS 2 in 1 Eyeliner Gel

 

The ADS eyeliner set was truly good to me, it lasted for a few YEARS, and I still have the black gel. It was easy to apply, could be manipulated easily, and didn’t dry while in the pot. The only drawback was that it was a little greasy.

When the brown gel ran out, I tried to repurchase it through AliExpress but I couldn’t find it. Reluctant as I was to try a new brand, it had to be done and I eventually settled on the USHAS Cosmetics Matte Eyeliner Gel. It also comes with an angle brush for application.

 

 

Ushas Brown Gel Eyeliner

Claims: Water-proof, long lasting, matte, quick setting.

Price on AliExpress: US$1.57 (free shipping via normal mail) Plus US$2 Post Office Handling Fee.

Expected Delivery Time: Maximum of 2 months.

Actual Delivery Time: Over 3 months – I think this may change depending on where in the world you live and when you place your order. An order placed during or just before the festive season or Chinese New Year will definitely take longer than expected.

Colour Pay Out:  Very dark brown that looks almost black especially if you apply to much. It would be visible on the darkest shade of African skin, but may be too dark for the lighter shades of African skin.

Texture: It looks thick and pasty but actually has a silky texture. Nowhere near the oily texture of the ADS gel. To be honest, the pasty look makes me feel like it will probably dry in the pot before it is finished.

Used Ushas Eyeliner Gel

Eyeliner Gel and Angle Brush

My Experience of Using It: Because of its pasty looking nature, my first experience with this brow gel was a bit shocking. I put a bit too much product on the angle brush and ended up with very stark looking brows – imaging an extreme version of Cara Delevingne! I tried to wipe off the excess, but this gel sets very quickly and really is water-proof as advertised. Since then, I’ve learnt to use a much lighter hand in my application and to work faster. The gel initially does give a matte finished as advertised, but the matte finish disappears as my T-zone oils start to seep through. The best part about this brow gel is that it is oil and water resistant – it literally does not budge. You never have to worry about accidentally wiping off your eyebrow and it lasts the whole day. It comes off easily when washed with facewash.

Extra Information: The angle brush that comes with the USHAS gel liner seemed sturdy at first, but as can be expected with most Chinese products, it’s not built to last. The top of the brush is not glued on securely to the handle of the brush. I’d recommend using another angle brush altogether or using some super glue to attach the head back onto the handle. The brush head itself is of decent quality.

Verdict: Your brows will be on fleek! And you can definitely slay on a budget with the USHAS brow gel. It’s cheap, has no side effects, and I see it all over town here in Bulawayo, so I assume it’s easily available in 3^rd world countries. I probably will repurchase it.

How my eyebrows looked after using USHAS Eyeliner Gel