review – PinkBeautyQueen.com

Review: #Hashtag Parfums EDT

July 25, 2016July 24, 2016 Candice Ying SunLeave a comment

Hashtag originated on twitter to help facilitate the searching and referencing of topics but within the ages it has become a trend to use it in every day communication. #Hashtag, aimed at the young girls who want to have personal and unique scents that enhance her personality. Whether she is a fashionista, trendsetter, party girl or cares most about friendship or love. There are 6 in range each having a different Hashtag name and very colour beautiful packaging with images inspired by Instagram and snapchat. They come in tiny 30ml bottles which make them really portable.

#ImaPrincess

Top notes: Tangerine & orange blossom.
Middle notes: jasmine, iris, plum & Raspberry.
Base notes: Patchouli, vanilla, Praline & musk.

Described as a floral sweet perfume with girly and addictive notes but actually smells fresh and woody.

#iLoveYou

Top notes: Bergamot & cotton candy.
Middle notes: Jasmine, Freesia & confection.
Base notes: Vanilla, honey & tonka bean.

Described as floral delicate fragrance with powdered rose notes but actually smells like Vanilla.

#Dream4ever

Described as a powdered floral scent, with enticing and gentle. My Fav out of the range it smells like flowers and sweets.

This brand is exclusive to Edgars and retails at a pocket friendly price of R145 each.

Review Balmain Extatic Gold Musk EDP

July 18, 2016July 17, 2016 Candice Ying Sun1 Comment

The fashion house has brought out yet another beautiful scent. This one is perfect for winter and smells bold, feminine and strong. The difference is a more “Prêt-à-Couture”, more glamorous, more rock with EXTATIC.

The name “gold musk” and the colour of the bottle is actually derived from: the combination between the romantic transparency, the softness of the MUSK and the glitter, determined femininity of the GOLD.

Extatic Gold Musk is announced as a tempting, daring and luxurious interpretation of the original, with elegant floral – woody – musky character. This is a Floral Musk fragrance opening of a fresh and clean combination of a fusing and chiseled duet of Bergamot and Aldehydes.It has a bold solar heart infused with captivating white flowers: a radiant blend of Gardenia and Tiare revealing a fascinating femininity. At the base, you will find Akigalawood and Cashmeran as well as Musk illuminated by Benzoin and Sandalwood which wrap you in a precious spicy, creamy and warm trail made of golden sparkles.

I have really been loving this and is possibly my fav winter scent. It’s warm from the musk yet still really feminine from the floral notes. My 2 favourite perfume notes combined.

If you like scents like Nariciso Rodriguez – Musc for Her or Flower by Kenzo, then you’ll love this.

Available from: Foschini, Truworths, Dis-Chem, & Stuttafords.

60ml for R995

90ml for R1195

Review: Jimmy Choo Illicit flower EDT

June 27, 2016June 26, 2016 Candice Ying Sun1 Comment

This is by far the most feminine fragrance Jimmy Choo has released. This fragrance is definitely a mix of chic, bold and beautiful. Pretty much the Jimmy Choo woman in a bottle. The bottle is the same as its older sister but doesn’t smell anything like it. Jimmy Choo Illicit is sweet and Jimmy Choo illicit is just floral.

As far as I can think this is the first EDT to be released but don’t be fooled the lasting power is amazing.

Note wise we have:

Top: Apricot, Mandarin and Freesia

Heart: Rose, Grapefruit Flower and Jasmine

Bottom: Musk, Sandalwood and Cashmeran

It has 2 of my favourites notes rose and musk and it is pink so what is not to love about this scent. I would say this is a fruity woody floral fragrance.

When I sniff it I get rose, sandalwood and grapefruit. It smells to me like a fruity version of Issey Miyake L’eau D’issey florale.

You can find this at Clicks, Dis-Chem, Edgars, Foschini, Red Square, Stuttafords & Truworths from the 15th September 2016 (Right in the middle of spring. Such a perfect spring scent.) For 40ml at R645 , 60ml at R945 and 100ml at R1095.

Does RapidLash eyelash & eyebrow enhancing serum work?

June 20, 2016June 19, 2016 Candice Ying SunLeave a comment

Forking out R999 is a real commitment and would make any normal person think twice about if a product is really worth the investment.

It won’t lengthen your lashes it will just grow and strengthen what you already have leaving you with darker, stronger, fuller lashes.

Results take long to be visible it takes 4-8 weeks to see any visible results not great for people like me who are impatient and admittedly there were many occasion where I actually forgot to apply it before bed time as I already have such an extensive and long night time routine and long day I tend to just pass out at night.

It’s one numerous beauty awards so it is effective to a certain extent.

I’m not going to bore you with the hectic list of ingredients because it’s long and I don’t even know what half of them are let alone pronounce them. I mean try and pronounce this: “hydrolysed glycosaminoglycans”? But the long and short of it is they contain “lash food” all the vitamins and minerals to help your lashes grow strong and healthy.

This product is actually pretty ideal for someone who has had lash extensions because when you get lash extensions they are beautiful but once they fall out they end up taking your natural lashes with them.

The final conclusion don’t Kim Kardashian full butterfly flutter lashes but if you want something to strengthen and volumise you existing lashes to be the best they can be then give this product a try but otherwise stick to lash extensions or false lashes.

For a list of stockist or to order online visit http://www.rapidlash.co.za/

Bodyography A kiss to the classics lipstick collection and lip wardrobe collection review

June 13, 2016June 12, 2016 Candice Ying Sun2 Comments

For those of you who have never heard of this brand it basically originates fron the USA and is a cruelty free! (Long live the bunnies!). This brand has been is SA for a while now but is not that well-known as you will only find it in exclusive stores like Placecol, Dream Nails and Perfect 10 Salon. Pity as the brand sits up there with the royal brands like MAC.

A Kiss to The Classics Lipstick Collection

The latest lipstick collection from the brand. These five beautiful satin matte lipsticks are packed with pigment giving the lips a bold statement look with a matte formulation that is comfortable and hydrating on the lips. Named after five fearless women of classic fiction novels, There is definitely a shade for everyone as I feel they really did cover their bases with this collection.

It also won’t dry out the lip as the day progresses, we could probably thank the aloe vera, vitamin E, coconut and grape seed oil for this.

They are highly pigmented, goes on so buttery smoothly without dragging and lasts all day. Not the most hydrating but that can be easily sorted out with a pre lip balm treatment. Surprising light weight on the lips I forget I actually have it on. Lasting power is amazing I can get a full days wear which is great for me as I hate having to worry about reapplying. They smells like watermelons.

here are 5 shades in the collection

Elizabeth – a mauve nude shade named after the Pride and Prejudice leading lady. This is my fav out of the collection as it is my perfect nude shade aka a my lips but better kind of shade

Lolita – this bright neon pink is very bold, it reminds me of the shade MAC candy yum yum

Anna – an independent woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind, this deep red is inspired by The King and I’s female heroine. This is also one of my favs since it is the classic blue based red that depicts elegance and sophistication. You can never go wrong with this. It is blue based so it makes your teeth look super white.

Jane – inspired by the incomparable Jane Eyre. A more pink-orangey nude suited for darker skin tones.

Jo – this orangey red is named after the fiery protagonist from Little Women. This is even more daring than Lolita but will go great in summer with a bronze smokey eye look.

20160611_151439 — From Left to right we have Anna, Elizabeth, Jane, Jo and Lolita

You can find these in July at Placecol, perfect 10 or dream nails stores or purchase online from the Placecol website in July 2016 at R230 a pop.

Mini Electric Lip Slides or the lip wardrobe collection (R590)

You can never go wrong with minis this is a collection of their best-selling lip slides with one exclusive shade. Minis make it so easy to carry around.

It is a hybrid of a lipstick, gloss and stain, it reminds me of the Almay liquid lipsticks just a bit more thicker and pigmented. The texture is thick but not dry and packs a nice colour punch but it’s more of tint. It feels pretty moisturising on the lips thanks to the vitamin E, shea, cocoa, avocado and mango butters. In summary think creamy feeling of a lipstick, shine of a gloss, longevity of a stain that is pineapple scented.

20160611_152540 — From left to right we have Caught in the act,Cupid’s beau, It girl and tickled pink

Shades in the Lip Wardrobe collection include:

Cupid’s Beau – a dusty rose that’s super feminine

Caught in the Act – a vibrant fuchsia that will add a pop of color. The loudest colour in the collection.

Tickled Pink – a pinky coral that’s oh so pretty
It Girl – The shade that is exclusive to this collection is a nude, pink, brown shade that is universally flattering. According to Lori Leib, Bodyography’s Creative Director and professional makeup artist, It Girl is “the perfect rosy nude, with just the right amount of pink and brown. It’s a universally flattering shade that not only looks good on every skin tone, but is appropriate for any time of the day or year!”

New fragrance launches

May 26, 2016May 25, 2016 Candice Ying Sun2 Comments

There is always new news in the fragrance department and here’s the latest scoop.

Repetto Eau florale EDT

My new all time fav scent! Love love love! The bottle design is the same as the previous 2 except this one is a bright sorbet pink emphasize the more lively and fresh take to the originals.

A floral Fruity Woody Fragrance: Notewise we are looking at:

Top Notes: Pink Grapefruit & Cherry Blossom

Middle Notes: Violets & Rose Bud

Bottom Notes: Grey Amber & Cedarwood

Rose is a common note in all but smells totally different. It smells very similar to Issey Miyake L’eau D’issey florale EDT but weirdly enough the notes aren’t the same. Compared to the prior 2 this one is more playful and fresh the previous 2 were more sophisticated and elegant they were very powdery and sweet. Now that it is getting so cold I can’t wear it anymore but I will be sure to be wearing this a lot during the warmer seasons. What I love about this scent is that Repetto has actually managed to add just the right amount of fruity notes to complement the scent and not overpower the floral notes which some perfumers seem to get wrong all the time.

Available from: Stuttafords & Dis-Chem for 50ml at R895 and 80ml EDT R1095.

Riri by Rihanna EDP

This is the 5^th scent from this singer. Riri describes this scent as flirty and femine. The scent opens with a strong opening chorus of feminine burst of passion fruit, sparkling cassis and Italian mandarin. Then transforms into a bridge of musky, sandalwood with final chorus of sensual vanilla to warm things up. This fragrance is part of the fruity floral family. It smells very sweet and candy-like which is actually the route most celebs tend to take, think Britney Spears and Katy Perry. When I look at this bottle and smell the scent songs like “we found love” and “only girl in the world” start to play in my head. I love the bottle design it doesn’t look like any perfume bottles on the market it combines iconic glamour with a sleek finish.

Pricewise we are looking at R745 for 50ml and R545 for 30ml.

Sofia by Sofia Vergara EDP

Sofia Vergara is an actress her most popular roles playing Gloria in the series modern family. This fragrance is in the floriental family. Her favourite flowers being orchids and roses she wanted to incorporate those into her scent. I really like the design of the bottle it’s a simple yet elegant designs and not over the top with the rose gold accents and diamond cut compact bottle. It smells very similar La Vie est Belle by Lancome. It smells like fruity, rosy candy floss.

Note wise we are looking at:

Top: juicy blackberries, cassis buds and plum nectar

Mid: Colombian rose, violet, Columbian luna musica orchid

Dry: earthy woods, toasted praline, vanilla, sandalwood

This retails at R795 for 50ml and R595 for 30ml.

Adam Levine for her EDP

Previously I reviewed the male version but this is the woman’s one. The design is exactly the same except the colour of the fragrance is different. Smells powdery and woody quite a strong scent. I give props on the fact that it is very unique and doesn’t smell like any perfume I have smelt before it takes spicy, woody florals to the next level. Also this fragrance is pretty worth the price considering the quality and expensiveness of the ingredients that have been used in this fragrance.

Notewise we are looking at:

Top: Saffron, crisp citrus, marigold and spice

Mid: Indian jasmine petals, Australian sandalwood, rose petal

Base: benzoin, tears (ya I’m not sure about this one either), creamy vanilla.

Pricing wise: 50ml for R695 and 30ml for R495

Agent Provocateur fatale intense EDP

British lingerie brand Agent provocateur has launched a new fragrance this is the latest addition to the fatale family but this one being more intense the difference being previously they used a selection of mix of floral and oriental Fatale intense is a spicier more seductive scent containing things like black liquorice and spiced red chilli. The bottle itself is more mysterious in a cherry red. The scent makes me think of a woman who is mysterious, enticing, fierce and sexy. It’s a heavy scent, spicy but balanced with the sweetness of vanilla, rose and amber. The scent is too sexy for the office but perfect for a night out or hot date.

Notewise you are looking at:

Top: Black liquorice (Hint), Wild dewberry, spiced red chilli pepper

Mid: lush lotus blossom, divine champaca flower, rouge baiser rose

Dry: luxe amber, noir leather accord, Tahitian vanilla.

You can find this at dischem stores (100ml for R1395, 50ml for R995 and 30ml for R795).

Review: Jimmy Choo Illicit EDP and Yardley Bond St pour homme

March 7, 2016 Candice Ying Sun2 Comments

This time I’ve got one for the guys too but let’s start with ladies first.

Jimmy Choo Illicit EDP

The latest edition to the Jimmy Choo family but with a sweeter, fresher and more youthful take than before. You can still tell that they are related though with same hard note as a base. I’ve never been a fan of the previous Jimmy Choo scents besides Jimmy Choo flash London club as I felt they smelt a bit too “hard” as fruitchoulis I’m more of a soft feminine floral scent kind of a girl. Jimmy Choo Illicit is a bit too sweet for my liking but I do think they are heading in the right direction when it comes to fragrance production.

The thing though about Jimmy Choo fragrances is that they are quality perfumes. You can actually tell if a perfume is good quality by not smelling the alcohol on initial spritz.

The bottles are always masterpieces, this one in particular oozes luxurious and decadence inspired by an art deco style multi-facet crystal glass tumbler with a contrasting silver lid that makes it striking and bold casing inside a gold elixir.

Note wise we have:

Top: Ginger and bitter orange

Heart: Rose and jasmine

Base: Honey, amber and sandal wood

I can definitely smell all the notes as they transition because they haven’t used many notes in it to mix up. The scent actually transitions across the levels very quickly and fades quite quickly too. I can only get max hours wear from it unless I spray it in my hair or my clothes. The dry down smells like vanilla which is not an official note but it is probably due to the combination of honey and amber. I would describe this as a sweet warm soft fragrance, think macaroons nestled in rose petals (what more could a girl ask for?)

In summary if you are a fan of warm, floral-gourmands like YSL black opium, Viktor & Rolf flower bomb, Viktor & Rolf bon bon or Prada candy you will love this scent.

You can find these at Foschini, Truworths, Edgars, Stuttafords, Dis-Chem, Red Square & Clicks for R695-40ml, R995-60ml and R1195-100ml.

Yardley London bond St pour homme

So a while back I chatted about Bond Street EDP for ladies well Yardley has released one for the men. Yardley London bond St pour homme signals ambition and uniqueness.

Bond Street celebrates the brands international fragrance credentials with a modern and contemporary premium offering that appeals to a younger, progressive consumer.

Yardley Bond Street is made up of bergamot, apple, cardamone, violet, lavender, cashmeeran, sandalwood, coumarin, and vanilla, which create a memorable scent that draws confidence and success. It pretty much is your typical male scent like 70% of the male fragrances on the market. You can find these at selected Clicks, Foschini, Edgars and Dis-Chem stores 50ml for R299.95 and 100ml for R379.95.

Get picture perfect skin with Rimmel match perfection foundation and Rimmel fix & protect makeup primer plus I discuss the benefits of a primer.

December 24, 2015December 24, 2015 Candice Ying SunLeave a comment

Now there are a lot of arguments about primers but it is more a case of once you try it you can’t really live without it. Sure it seems like an extra expense that you could probably think you could do without and if these are your thoughts you’ve probably never tried it before. I’m quite glad Rimmel has brought out a drug store price primer as a lot of drugstore brands don’t even produce these and they are only then reserved for the high end names. I love primers but I don’t wear it every single time I use foundation I like to wear it underneath my foundation when I require a full days makeup wear but there are many other benefits which I will list below:

1. Seals pores: Even if you don’t have large pores foundation can sink into them and emphasis pores.
2. Baby soft skin: It make you skin feel like a baby’s bottom which is mainly due to the silicone found in it.
3. Smoother makeup: it creates a smooth canvas with some “slippey” to make everything apply smoother.
4. Non-comedogenic: Meaning it won’t clog your pores, which would irritate your skin and cause breakouts.
5. Makes your skin look younger: The primer will sink into your wrinkles and kind of act like a filler.
6. Makeup stays on longer: The main reason for primers, it helps keep oil at bay which could melt off makeup.
<em>7. Keeps oil at bay: this nifty tool actually creates a layer over the skin and seals oil in so it doesn’t surface which is perfects for all the oily skinned gals.
8. Hides imperfections: Some brands now have a rainbow of coloured primers which help to combat certain skin imperfection.

The Rimmel fix & protect primer (R99,95) is a very different formula for a primer that I have come across it is a metallic pearl colour (not clear) and contains a SPF 25. The white shimmer gives a nice illuminating glow. Rimmel says you can wear it alone too but I would only recommend that if you have flawless skin since shimmers will highlight imperfections. This is my new fave primer it is affordable, prolongs my makeup, brightens my complexion and makes my makeup slide on easily. The added SPF provides a barrier to protect against sun, pollution and stress. This primer is light weight and actually somewhat seeps into the skin instead of sitting on the surface like others this is likely due to the runnier formula. While some foundations and BB cream claim to have added primer properties in the product, this basically means they have added the primer inside instead of you having to apply a separate layer I find this a complete nightmare as the foundation is then so slippery that everything just slides off so it is best to apply a primer and foundation separately.

Now let’s chat about the Rimmel match perfection foundation (R149.95)

These have been around for a while so this is just some shade changes and a bottle revamp basically. The name basically says it all it is match perfection i.e. it has skin adapting technology that adapts to the shade of your skin giving invisible coverage. I did notice a slight blending and adapting effect but this wasn’t drastic I think the adapting portion is mainly due to the fact that most of the product gets absorbed into the skin.

My match is Ivory 100 which is the lightest neutral tone in the collection of 8. It comes in a nice sleek pump bottle which makes it look pretty high end but heavier to travel with. I find it best suited to be applied with a foundation brush, I feel it gives more of an even coverage than when I apply it with my fingers since it sets very quickly so it won’t budge after I place it on my face. Dries to a semi matte (aka satin) finish. As I said it sets really quickly and well I don’t get any transfer on my clothes or even when I touch my face so you won’t need to set this with a powder or spray however for the oil skinned girls by midday this does leave your skin looking a bit on the oily shiny side but this can easily be fixed with some blotting paper or some powder.

Initially when I saw light reflecting I was concerned since I loathe foundation with shimmers in it as the disco ball look is not attractive at all but bi am glad to report that I didn’t detect any shimmer or metallic particles. Coverage wise I found it pretty light but buildable up to a medium coverage so you will still need to reach for concealer. Rimmel match perfection is quite hydrating doesn’t dry out the skin. It also doesn’t cake, move or emphasise dry patches. The product is said to be weighless which I don’t agree with it is not heavy but I can still feel it is there this is also mostly due to the strong scent which doesn’t fade so if you are sensitive to scents you won’t like this one. This reminds me of the infamous Bourjois healthy mix serum gel foundation actually.

McNab’s new SuperCharge energy drink

December 21, 2015December 20, 2015 Candice Ying SunLeave a comment

McNab’s has become my go to for my energy needs and I am super excited that they have released an energy drink which is the first natural energy drink produced I South Africa which is taurine-free, vegan and halaal. I use to live on energy drinks in my university day to the point where they stopped working on me but recent studies showing all the random energy drink brands that have been coming out that are actually damaging to the health which is really shocking but luckily Mcnab’s has released an all natural version so you can be sure this won’t be harmful at all.

are pretty affordable too at R19,95 per can. It comes in raspberry flavour not sweet at all since it contains 25% less kilojoules then your average energy drink.

Just to give you a bit of insight into the ingredients used in the energy drink:

Guarana berries are what gives the caffeine and has been used as an energy restorative for centuries.
Panax ginseng is used in traditional Chinese meds for stress and ill health.
Green tea obviously the most popular and well known ingredient containing many antioxidants and caffeine.
Green coffee beans which are basically unroasted coffee beans which contains more nutrients then roasted beans.
Beetroot juice which is actually really good for you it improves the delivery of oxygen to the brain and muscles improving mental and physical performance. So definitely get your beetroot on!

Turn the ageing clock back with Yardley’s defy time foundations

December 7, 2015December 5, 2015 Candice Ying SunLeave a comment

A foundation specially targeted for anti-aging wow probably the first of it’s kind I’ve ever come across. The foundation is enriched with an ideal lift and helps fight signs of aging that have firming and moisturising properties leaving you with a younger, radiant appearance. Available in 6 shades at selected Clicks, Foschini, Edgars, Dis-Chem and leading pharmacies nationwide for R159.95

And I know that I previously mentioned that foundations have died and been replaced by bb creams but with the mass amount of foundations that have landed on my beauty desk with new innovations they have managed to restore my love and faith for foundation. Thing is lately my skin has been misbehaving a bit so I’ve been needing more coverage than what a tinted moisturiser or bb cream can offer me. The Yardley defy time foundation really fascinated me as this is the first one that actually claims to help with anti-ageing when I look at the ingredients I do see grape seed oil which is an ingredient used in anti-aging products but I wouldn’t classify this as the strongest anti-ageing ingredient they could have used but something is better than nothing but don’t expect this to be your fountain of youth which Yardley never actually claimed it to be, so no disappearing wrinkles so to speak.

Packaging wise it comes in a glass bottle which makes me think of high end brands like Bobbi Brown type packaging. So you will need to be careful when handling the bottle. The pump helps to control the amount of product you dispense.

The scent and coverage actually remind me of my beloved Yardley oat meal tinted moisturiser which I lived on by the bottle all throughout high school just with a thicker consistency. My perfect shade is medium beige and I can use true beige if I get a bit more tanned or caramel as a contouring shade. A tip on how to find your perfect shade is actually to swatch it on your jaw line and the shade that disappears is your perfect match. It is a good idea to keep different shades on hand as our skin tone can change when we get more tanned or paler from sun and season changes however you do want to apply a foundation that blends in flawlessly with your skin otherwise it looks very unnatural, a shade too light will make you look like a ghost and a shade to dark will make you look muddy, personally one of my pet peeves but I know many people get this wrong.

I enjoyed this foundation. It provides light coverage but is buildable. Is suited for all skin types. The foundation lasts the whole day you don’t even need a primer or setting powder. It applies smoothly leaving a satin finish and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. It Is really moisturising but doesn’t leave my combination skin feeling and looking like an oil slick or dry out and turn my face into fish scales or cake I actually think they found the exact balance between matt and luminous glow. The colour does not oxidise, adds radiance and gives a fresh luminous dewy complexion which is what you want in a foundation if you want your skin to look younger you want hydrating formulas which make your skin look dewy and glowing.