Despite its name, Noreva Exfoliac BB Crème (R239,95, Clicks) doesn’t contain any exfoliating ingredients. It’s just part of the brand’s Exfoliac line aimed at oily, spot prone skin. (For the record, the Exfoliac lotion is a high percentage AHA product, one of few decent ones you’ll find in a drugstore.)

As far as coverage goes, it’s definitely more ‘lightweight foundation’ than tinted moisturiser but still sheer enough that you can totally get away with picking a shade that’s a little darker than your skin tone. Being super pale and craving colour, this is what I tend to do. Pick out something darker but sheer enough to blend beautifully and negates the fact that, without make-up or facial self-tanner, I look like a terminally ill waif.

The shade ‘Golden’ initially looks a little on the orange side, but don’t be scared. It blends out like a boss. Something else that’s nice about it? It’s got a subtle iridescence to it so it doesn’t look ashy or flat.

Benefits-wise, the actives that elevate this product from mere foundation to BB include pigmentation-blitzing antioxidant niacinimide, antibacterial ingredients with names to long to type and micro sponges to help soak up excess oil. In all, a very nice BB cream for anyone with an oily/combo skin type. It reminds me quite a bit of Garnier’s BB for oily skin, another favourite.

Next up, Revlon have added six new shades to their ColorStay Creme eye shadow (R105) line up. I gave Cognac a bash and I LOVE it. It comes with a little brush applicator that’s – surprise – actually useful and I like to use that to paint it onto my lid and spread it into the corners before tapping and smoothing with my finger. It blends beautifully and then dries to look just like an intensely pigmented powder shadow.

This is a very true reflection of the colour. It looks like a warm bronze in the pot but is more of a neutral dark brown.

Revlon says this will stick around for 24 hours but it doesn’t. If I apply it in the morning, wearing it on its own without any foundation or primer under it, it’ll crease by lunch time which is to be expected because I have oily eyelids. But this is where Revlon ColorStay eyeshadow primer (R179) comes in…

This guy did a brilliant job of ensuring my shadow sat super tight. So vas, in fact, that on a night when I fell into bed wearing make-up, I woke up the next day with everything else pretty much dissolved and shadow that still looked vivid and was 100% crease-free, as though I’d put it on just a few minutes ago. Going forward, I’ll definitely buy my next tube. It’s almost half the price of the Urban Decay primer I’d been using and does exactly the same thing.

Lastly, Elizabeth Arden sent me a huge whack of stuff so expect to see quite a few posts on them in the next little while. This included their new Beautiful Colour Liquid Lip Lacquer Finish (R299).

I was given Seductress, Tulle and Casual to play with and obviously liked Seductress the most, given my penchant for eating men for brekkie. (Kidding. I’m just a freak for fuchsia and have actually just had breakfast. A very asexual leftover chicken fajita.)

I really like that, it’s shiny, but not too shiny and has a slight glimmer to it that helps create the illusion of a fuller mouth. Texture-wise, it feels hydrating and smooth and this worried me a bit because I find only very tacky-feeling liquid lip colours (unless they’re stains) remain on my lips. I shouldn’t have worried though. Despite its lack of stickiness, it had very decent staying power.

Sure, I had to reapply it after eating or drinking, but if I was just going about my life while looking devastatingly attractive, stealing the hearts of every hapless fajita within a 5 kilometre radius, then it stuck around. Being a minimalist, I tend to pass on most of the lip colours I test, but this dude’s definitely a keeper.

Love, love

Leigh