Lipgloss is my Life

You know you’re life’s possibly taken a bit of a low road when you find your panties in the post box. Chances are you aren’t acting like the fine young lady your mama and daddy raised you up to be. It’s that or you’ve been totally spoiled by Lingerie Letters which is totes the case for me. Sjoe.

The envelope read ‘sealed with a little ooh la la la…’

This month’s lady pants are all about strawberries and cream hence the pink cotton and lace. Marie Antoinette would be proud, right? While they’re not the kind of thing I’d pick out for myself this is possibly a good thing. A nice way to get me out of my black hipster thong rut.

Anyway, if you want to get your panties in the post – or send them to someone else, pop on over to Lingerie Letters’ website. From as little as R95, you can have a different pair of panties sent to your post box in discreet packaging. (The postman’s not going to know you’re the type who’d possibly like him to ring twice. Provided he’s a hottie. And drives a car as opposed to a rickety red van like that Pat dude.)

Important deets to know: you can choose between a one, three and six month subscription; choose your favourite style (thongs, briefs or either) and select your size which ranges from XS to XXL.

Thanks Lingerie Letters, this was a fun surprise.

Love, love

Leigh

I’ve mentioned this before, but Mavala’s quite the stellar nail care brand and doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. They’re not the glossy li’l fashion princess of the nail world (here’s looking at you Essie and OPI) but the quality of their products is tip freakin’ top. This may or may not have anything to do with the fact zat zee brand is German. (Can you tell I’m writing this post with a glassie rooi in my hand?)

Anyway, I was given their Mavala 002 Protective Base Coat and Colorfix Strong, Flexible top coat (both R116 at Dis-Chem) to play with.

The long, thin brush is very easy to work with and reaches the bottom of each bottle so there’s no wastage.

I’ve always thought a base coat was a base coat mos but I’ve definitely been reaching for this guy more so than the others I own making him my new base coat bestie. I like that it dries with the speed of the puma and, once it’s on, the layer is nice and thin. You don’t have to worry about it creating a ‘rim’ near your cuticle; it sits nice and tight.

The top coat’s a goodie too. It definitely extends the life of my polish by up to three days (a miracle for me as I’m always type, type, typing) and I like that it adds a salon-style shine.

The colour I’m wearing is a Mavala shade called Sapporo; a fab totally neutral Lana del Rey type of nude.

The only negative is that it isn’t a slick on and go type of product; it takes a while to fully dry. It also causes the nail polish you’re wearing underneath it to liquefy just a tad bit which is actually great if you want to smooth out any imperfections but not so great it you accidentally knock your digits before they’re dry. Still, it’s totally worth the wait; once it’s set you’re looking at a stronger, shinier mani that really does go the distance. Also, for the record, I see they do have another fast-drying top coat in their collection, something called Mavadry 918.

Win with Mavala

Want to win some Mavala goodies of your own? The brand was nice enough to give me not one but FOUR of these travel pouches worth R600 each to give away.

Oh hello there li’l nail bag…

Each kit contains the following:

• Mavala 002, the aforementioned base coat.
• Minute Quick Finish, a fast-drying top coat.
• Cuticle Remover
.
• Hand Cream
 formulated with moisturising marine collagen and soothing allantoin.
• Nail Polish Remover Pads. (Each pack contains 30 pads.)
• Manicure Sticks
• Mini emery boards

To win, all you have to do is drop me a mail on glossycomps@gmail.com and like Mavala’s Facebook page over here. The competition closes at COB this Thursday and I’ll notify the winner for their postal details and whatnot this Friday. Easy peasy right?

Wishing you the best of luck,

Leigh

If you haven’t been to La Mouette in Sea Point you need to make a plan. The food is divine. It looks like art. The service is stellar. This is the place you take a date you want to impress. This is where you bring your bestie for a day or night of indulgence. It’s the spot where you kiss your stupid Atkin’s diet good bye and get stuck in.

I popped in the other day to try their new six course May tasting menu, R185 on its own or R295 when paired with wines. I wasn’t invited to review it or anything, I just dropped in to dine with a friend and then, when the dishes started coming, I couldn’t resist whipping out my camera.

See what I mean when I said art? To make this piccie bigger, simply click on it and you can scope out everything properly.

I also got to enjoy a totally delish steak tartar with quail egg amuse bouche (not pictured) but will walk you through what’s up top.

First up, you’ve got the truffle and cheese croquettes. (OMG! These are the savoury equivalent of those addictive white chocolate Lindt bolletjies and unbelievably addictive.) Next is Asian-style butternut soup with aubergine dim sum.

After that you get to choose between herb crusted sweet potato with sweet potato puree, pickled pear and truffle dressing OR line fish with cauliflower velouté, grapes, ricotta gnocchi and mushrooms. I got to try both as my dining partner and I decided to get each dish and share them when it came to a choice. Of the two, I honestly couldn’t pick a favourite; both were absolutely awesome.

The fourth course also offered a choice; springbok medallion with caramelized onion, chestnuts, parsnip puree and red wine caviar OR mushroom ravioli with smoked onion puree, croutons, pickled mushrooms, sage brown butter. While the ravioli was divine, the venison was utterly sublime and I wanted to lick the gravy off my plate.

The fifth course involved more cheese (yeah!); fontina on toast with pickled apple, butternut and whole grain mustard and the sixth and last course, a dark chocolate tart with honey comb, vanilla cream , candied hazelnuts.

Honestly peeps, can you believe that all that was a mere R185? It’s ridiculous but also genius in that it’s the kind of extravagance you can try once, fall in love with and then afford to go back for more.

Oh! And did I mention they make their own macaroons? Reee! This month’s macaroon du jour is white chocolate and macha green tea. Mari Vigar, the restaurants co-owner, knows I’m a slet for macaroons and slipped a couple of them into my hand before leaving.

Anyway, during the course of the evening, I managed to drink an entire bottle of Villiera’s new Starlight Brut all by myself and, despite the fact that it’s a low alcohol bubbly, I woke up the next morning with the kind of hangover that felt as though blood was pouring out of my eyes.

Errrrmiiigod. Kill me now. Asseblief!

Thus, you have no idea how happy I was to discover those macaroons tucked into my handbag.

These boys and an array of painkillers saved my life.

Anyway, if you’re keen to get in on the gourmet action, book fast. This menu changes next month so you’ve only got a few days left to try it.

Love, love

Leigh

Italian spa brand Comfort Zone have created a new line called Skin Regimen. It was developed with the help of a team of doctors and scientists and are calling it a ‘nutriceutical’ range as it includes a supplement that you’re to take orally.

Comfort Zone Skin Regimen

When creating the line, Comfort Zone considered the factors that contribute to ageing and these include stress, crappy diet and not enough exercise. While only you can really help yourself in those areas, they reckon their range can help you out with other factors like oxidation, inflammation and glycation (the hardening of your collagen). Thus, the facial products contain a ‘Longevity Complex’, an antioxidant-rich mix of spinach, maqui berry, chia seeds and carnosine.

I got to try a few of their products, the first being the Duo Cleanser, a milky lotion that they refer to as a cleanser and toner in one. It leaves a bit of a film on your face afterwards which is supposed to help your skin retain moisture but I wasn’t a fan as I prefer something that can remove eye make-up and leaves my face feeling almost squeaky clean. I reckon those with drier skin types will probably appreciate it.

Comfort Zone Skin Regime Duo Cleanser, R330.

Next up, I got stuck into the Hydra-Pro face kit, an anti-aging hydrating trio consisting of a serum, day cream and renewing night gel.

Comfort Zone Skin Regime Hydra-Pro Face Kit

The Hydra-Pro Booster hydrating serum (R900) is very nice. In terms of texture/feel, it reminds me a lot of Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair; a watery brown-coloured liquid. It sinks into your skin in a flash and, thanks to its hyaluronic acid content, you can pretty much watch those fine dehydration lines disappear within minutes.

The Hydra-Pro Cream Gel (R800) is also lovely. As the name states, it’s a delish crème-gel that also hydrates like a boss but doesn’t feel too heavy. It’s ideal for those with oily-combo skins who still need moisture, especially as we head off into colder, drier weather. Like the serum, it also contains hyaluronic acid and the antioxidant-rich Longevity Complex.

The Night Renewer gel (R800) contains 6% alpha hydroxy acids to gently dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells so they slough off to reveal fresh, brighter-looking skin. You’re supposed to leave it on for 10 minutes and then wash it off but my skin’s used to stronger AHA’s that can be left on all night so I just slapped it on and went to bed. If you’ve got sensitive skin, however, you might want to follow the rules. The next morning, my face felt nice and soft and looked a little bit smoother than it had the night before.

Aside from the Hydra-Pro products I was given, the brand has two other items aimed at those who are more interested in anti-aging; a Juvenate-Pro booster serum (R1 150) that contains 1% retinol and a Juvenate-Pro Rich Cream R1 050). Last but not least, Skin Regime offers an oral supplement.

Skin Regime Omega 3 + supplement, R200 for 20 capsules.

It contains omega 3, vitamin E, astaxanthin and choline bitartrate. Astaxanthin, despite soundly like a deadly zombie virus, is actually a potent antioxidant. You can read more about it over here. Choline bitartrate is a ‘mood rebalancer to help counterbalance stress’.

Some thoughts? If you’re set on trying the line, have combination skin and are focused on anti-aging, skip out on buying one of the kits and invest in Juvenate-Pro serum to use underneath the Hydra-Pro Cream gel. You’ll get more anti-aging bang for your buck from that, the serum, as it also contains hyaluronic acid and the antioxidant complex but then you also get the added benefit of retinol. Still, whichever items you buy, be sure to repackage them into air tight tubes to preserve their actives.

Anyway, aside from the products that you can use at home, you can also indulge in a 30 minute in-salon Skin Regime facial (plus minus R450). This involves a super mild, non-irritating facial peel using a mix of acids. This way you’re going to leave with skin that’s stimulated to renew a little faster over the next few days as opposed to turn bright red and flake off in sheets. I got to experience one at Carlton in Constantia Village and left feeling relaxed with plump, glowing skin.

To find a salon that stocks the products in your area, call (011) 7913567.

Love, love

Leigh

So last night I attended one of the more entertaining black tie events held in Cape Town, the 5 for Change charity ball. It was held at the city hall and the theme was The Great Gatsby which made for seriously glam-looking turnout. Think sequins, tassels, red lips, diamante headbands, vintage stoles and hot boys in tuxes.

The hall looking exceptionally awesome.

Due to circumstances that are too mundane to type about, I ended up throwing my outfit together at the last minute and ended up with a look that I felt was a bit more Madonna than Daisy, but ag wat, I had a blast. Blogger bestie Karisa sparkled in champagne sequins while Clouds showed off a tassley number local designer Jacques Lagrange put together for her. He even made her a bag on the fly so we all kind of despise her behind her back now.

Karisa and I.

..

Karisa and her v pretty date, hot actor/model boy Francis. He’s a friend of her hot actor/model boyfriend Bjorn who couldn’t make it as he’s starring in a play. Sometimes I think the only boys Karisa knows are hot actor/models.

..

Clouds and her mooi handsak; Jacques and his friend Tim and all the free 5 for Change-branded fudge she probably crammed into the bag before leaving.

Atmosphere-wise, the hall with it’s gorgeous high ceilings was a fab backdrop to all the glamour. Guests were treated to a welcome glass of Patrone and Appletiser (a seriously delish drink!) and nibbled on canapés. Later, Gold Fish and The Rudimentals entertained the crowd.

Going clockwise we’ve got the best steak tartar crostini thing ever; Dom from Goldfish (v nice guy), fellow beauty blogger Tori from Kiss, Blush & Tell and twitter friend @taraosborne being the only person I know who can make a DIY embellished turban look sexy.

But ja, lets talk about the charities for a bit ‘cos that’s what 5 for Change is all about. Below are the big five that were selected to be the focus this year:

To read more about each one, pop on over here.

Personally, I was most impressed with Iyeza Express, a service that sees delivery boys on bikes deliver medication to chronically ill patients in the townships. The guys who ran the stall were so passionate about what they were doing and the initiative has grown to the point where they need funding for more bikes, salaries and some kind of computer system. I think they said they’re currently sharing one laptop between ten people.

I also spent a fair amount of time at the Trashback stall but only ‘cos the dude who was running it was so ridiculously soap opera-style good-looking that all my girlfriends wanted to ogle him. Ironically, I don’t have a shot of his face (Miss K’s head is blocking him in the shot) but you’ll see the stall is pretty much flooded with an array meisies who may or may not be super passionate about recycling.

Anyway, after lots of dancing, credit card swiping and drink splashing, Karis Piss and I ended up being among the last to leave. It was that much fun.

You do not want to know why Francis looks so surprised in that piccie up top and I still have no clue as to why my date was attempting to talk to the credit card machine. It might explain why that mean barman eventually cut us all off though.

Alas, due to several twisty-turny complications, we both lost our dates and ended up on Long street in the nastiest little restaurant/bar which I’d love to mention but am too scared they’d hunt me down for the theft of 1 x Coke Light. You see, instead of going straight to the Woolies Engen on Orange to binge eat like every other drunk in Cape Town, we made the mistake of sitting down at the dive.

Our waitress, a total zombie, told us our food would be out in ten but after waiting 40 minutes we gave up walked out but this resulted in being chased by two enormous bouncer dudes who hit and shook the back of our first getaway taxi. (Yes, our escape involved not one but two cars.) It was kind of like a really blurry pirate copy of 2 Fast 2 Furious but with lip gloss and sequins. Ooh! But I do remember Karisa screaming ‘NOOOO! We are NOT paying. NOOO!’ in this seriously scary demon voice I’d never heard her use before. In fact, she sounded like a terrifying dog trainer from the inner circles of hell. Under no circumstances do you ever want to mess with this girl when she’s in a mood. Like ever. O. M. G.

Eventually, once we’d made it home clutching our Steers burgers and chips, we devoured it in the lobby of our building like wild animals whilst making totes awkwies sex noises. You know, like classy girls. Classy girls who go to balls in plastic pearls and DIY headbands oozing Super Glue into their hair. We then blacked out, classily of course, and the next morning I woke up to discover this semi-embarrassing selfie that I have zero recollection of having taken:

Love you Miss Piss!

Anyway, all I can say is that Five for Change, as per usual, was one helluva bash. A big thank you to Kirsten Hopwood from Prestige Communications for pulling it off with aplomb. (Kirsten – I’m sorry I didn’t use that snap of the two of us. You looked gorgeous but my eyes were like evil little slits. I looked like a baby sloth taking a power nap on your shoulder. Not a good look.)

Next year, the moment those tickets go on sale you best get in there fast.

Love, love

Leigh