May | The Test Box

After years of putting my hair through extreme amounts of dying and heat styling (I would change my hair colour every month) I began to realise as healthy and as long as my hair was if I did not look after it I wouldn't have it to abuse much longer.  I have now started paying allot more attention to what products I use on my hair and how I style it and I have to say it has never looked healthier. The Test box allows me to try out some really good high quality products with out breaking bank (if you don't know what it is you can read about it here) The May test box is all about pluming up the hair as well as a little body care thrown in in the form of a soy candle which I was some what excited to get after hearing it would be in the box, check it out below.

Soy Body Candle | Light it, Blow it out, Pour it on!

The soy candle is made up from a blend of soy wax and Shea and cocoa butter oils. Light the candle when you get into the bath or shower and you will have just the right amount of liquid oil to use as an intensive moisturizer.  It is especially good to use on the bust area, to keep the sensitive area well moisturized and firm. Soy has a firming effect as well as an anti ageing effect on the skin. The melting point of the candle is just a few degrees above body temperature, so you can immediately pour the melted liquid onto your skin for a warm soothing skin treatment. The fantastic quality of these candles is that they are totally seasonable, the oils and the butter added to the soy will change to assist the body during the hot and the cold seasons.  A 110g candle retails for R100 (you can purchase it here) 

After my shower there was only a small amount of wax that melted and I first thought that it wouldn't be enough but it was more than sufficient for my boobs and stomach which leads me to believe you could get quite allot of uses out of the candle. It hardens quite quick once you blow out the flame so you need to work fast with it. I will admit I was a little hesitant to just pour it all over my boobs so I started with the back of my hair first. The soy melts to just above body temperature and is quite soothing to pour over and massage in leaving your boobs feeling very well moisturised. It is very easy to massage into the skin and soaks in really quickly leaving it soft to the touch with a very pleasant soothing scent. I thought it would be allot more oily but luckily it isn't, the only down fall I have though is the shape of the jar it comes in. It isn't very easy to pour and I find you mess allot down the side of the jar. Other than that I look forward to using it allot more during winter.

Kevin Murphy | Pluming Wash and Rinse

Both the wash and rinse is a thickening shampoo and conditioner, the wash is infused with ginger root and nettle extracts that helps strengthen, nourish and thicken the hair follicles. It helps nourish and revitalise the scalp, stimulating the blood circulation in the scalp accelerating hair growth all while exfoliating and leaving the hair with added softness and shine. The wash is Sulphate and Paraben free and helps to reduce DHT. The rinse is a thickening conditioner infused with Hemsleya root rich in oleanolic acid which nourishes and restores hair leaving it thicker and stronger. It helps prevent hair loss, thickens, hydrates and protects hair from damage.  Both the wash and rinse retails for R410,00 for a 250ml

Ill admit that I have only recently been introduced to the Kevin Murphy range and I can really agree with their claims. My hair felt lighter and cleaner and had a really healthy shine to it. I can't vouch much for it making it thicker and stronger because you only get about two washes out of the little travel sized bottle. They each have their own unique colours and scents depending on your hair concerns but I do like that the shampoo and conditioner bottles are different tones or shades (if you have ever washed your hair in the shower and had soap everywhere you will understand why this is a plus)

The total value of the March box - Kevin Murphy Plumping wash 40ml - R100, Kevin Murphy Plumping rinse 40ml - R100, Testbox soy body candle (mini edition) - R40, Delivery charge R60 which is a total of R300. While you will only be paying R160,00 that is a total saving of R140,00. You can purchase your May test box here.

DIOR | Nude Air Foundation Review

I feel like every time a new makeup product is launched, its always marketed as a ground breaking brand new innovative product that will change our lives, but then when you actually try it its like yeah its a foundation how much more could you possibly improve it? That's exactly how I felt the first time I read about the Dior Nude Air foundation and the wonders it can do for you and to be honest I just brushed it off and totally forgot about it. That is until Jaclyn Hill started raving about how amazing it was and then I needed to have it in my life at any cost. I've tried so many foundations and just didn't find the one that ticked all the right boxes and that I could wear every day, that was until Nude Air entered my life and has taken its place right at the top of my holy grail products.

Nude Air is a oxygenated foundation and even the powder and bronzing powder is designed to allow the skin to breath and look more natural. Nude Air is talc-free and made with oils that evaporate quick leaving a undetectable film of makeup on the skin. The formula enriched with a soft-focus agent and glazed pigmentation produces an even complexion leaving the skin with a sheer radiant even toned natural glow. The Oxygen active technology combined with the hyper oxygenated oil, cranberry oil, vitamins and minerals revitalizes the skin while still allowing it to breath and become more naturally beautiful.

Getting complimented on having really nice makeup on is great its means your doing a good job at applying it but getting complimented on having really nice skin is even better it means your makeup is doing a better job at looking natural. This is where Dior Nude Air Foundation backs up its claims for being like a second skin. This foundation gives sheer to medium coverage so if you have problem areas you will definitely need some extra coverage for that. I prefer medium coverage foundation because it means what ever freckles or imperfections I have will still somewhat show through which for me just feels more natural. I prefer just minimizing these imperfections because lets face it I don't have perfect skin and on days that I am just to lazy and opt for no makeup people wont be shocked to see a whole new me. This foundation dries to a velvety matte which I am obsessed with, it makes your skin feel so soft once applied. I have tried setting this with a powder but find wearing it on its own helped it keep that natural look and also wore better and longer on my skin. This foundation is perfect for oily skin, with my other foundations if I don't set it with a powder by mid day most of it will have vanished and my T-zone will look oily but with this foundation my oil only starts showing around the 5 to 6 hour mark but around 10 to 12 hours it just looks like I have a natural glow and my foundation is still perfectly in place.

I have to say when I first saw the packaging online I was a little confused and the dropper just didn't make any sense what so ever to me. The shape of the glass bottle and the silver lid however just looked so luxurious and appealing that I didn't really mind. Once I tested the foundation though the dropper made a whole world of sense because the consistency of this foundation is really watery and the dropper allows you to pick up and dispense the precise amount of product. I use such a little to cover my whole face and neck that I can see the foundation lasting me for quite some time so honestly the R695,00 price tag is very justifiable for me. Dior has designed and wants you to apply this foundation with your hand and I can understand why. A brush or sponge sucks up way to much product and your hand allows for a more precise and even application with out any wastage, so I just drop a few drops on the back of my hand and then apply with my fingers from there. The only complaint I have is that there is only about 8 shades to choose from so finding a match was some what tricky. I honestly don't think I have the right shade but luckily for me I have naturally tanned skin so the shade I picked was the closest and  is easy to pull off. If you have dry skin however I think you will have to find ways to make this foundation work a little better for you. When I tried a lighter shade the foundation clung to every dry spot that I had and accentuated it more but when I took a darker shade it blended into my skin better and didn't make any dry patches visible.

The closest comparison I have to this foundation would be MAC Face and Body, it has the same watery consistency but the Dior dries matte and does not need to be set with a powder. The MAC is said to be waterproof but it doesn't last all day on me, the Dior lasts till I remove it at night. Nude Air also offers allot more coverage than the MAC. Nude air is allot more expensive but the quality and lasting power is much better.

Have you tried the Dior Nude Air yet? Let me know what you think in the comments below.