beauty | maybelline magic

So, next up in my Catfish Chronicles, I wanted to share with you some of the new make up I’ve purchased and received from the lovely people at Maybelline SA recently! I got sent the Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation a few weeks ago and I now understand why I’ve seen both local and international beauty bloggers rave about it.

First off, I was really happy that they guessed my colour correctly – I use number 95 called Coconut and it’s a perfect colour match. I even prefer using it over my Mac Studio Fix Fluid in NW50 because I found my Mac foundation to be really red/terracotta on my skin – so this new Maybelline one is so nice because it blends perfectly. Naturally, it’s not as heavy duty as the Mac one but I really don’t mind – the Dream Velvet foundation feels really soft and light on my skin but it still covers – and pretty damn well too. I’ve started colour correcting with a red lipstick/balm (the Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush lip balm in the colour 600 On Fire) and the foundation covers over that perfectly.

The first time I tried to shoot this post, I figured that since they gave me a lighter colour too, I could try highlight with that! Yeah, hey. I was really wrong. I thought I looked lovely but then when I took pictures (no flash even), I saw how grey it made me look because, duh, I’m using a foundation that’s too light. So welp, now I have a lighter foundation for my sister. The only problem I have with the Dream Velvet range is that I wear number 95, which is the darkest colour they make, and let’s face it – I’m not even that dark. It’s still quite annoying that make up brands in Africa don’t cater to dark skin tones, but let’s hope they’re making darker ones too. You can get it at Dischem and Clicks for R129,99.

Coincidentally, on my birthday, I bought quite a few other Maybelline products too. I love the Baby Soft Instant Pore Eraser primer (R89,99 at Dischem/Clicks) – it’s a clear gel that just makes your skin a smooth canvas for your make up. I also got the gel eyeliner, because as much as I loved my Essence khokis, they started drying up on me really quickly so I thought I’d finally try gel. Maybelline sells a little gel pod and brush for I think R119,99 and its surprisingly easier to use than I thought! You lowkey need surgeon hands but you eventually get the hang of it – the gel is really soft and easy to use. I just found that it really isn’t that black, so you don’t get the hard cut drama that you want.

Next up, my sisters thought they would treat me to some higher end make up for my birthday and so they got me Inglot eyeshadow using their freedom system. I love the concept – basically you get a palette and choose whatever colours you want to fill it. You can get a palette and put eyeshadow, blush and bronzer, or just eyeshadow, or blushes, etc, and then when they finish, you can just replace the colours you want! I chose the golds/bronzes and a blending colour because those are my staple colours. They’re a bit pricier (R120,00 per eyeshadow colour) but I know at least these are the colours I always use.

I also got a gold Rimmel eyeshadow that I use as a bronzer right now and it’s a really beautiful shade that works as both eyeshadow and bronzer (I think it was R79,00), and then I got a caramelised Yardley loose powder which I use for both setting my concealer on my eyes (I use concealer as an eyeshadow primer then dab the powder over it to set it), to set my colour corrector and then to briefly bake my concealer for my face and it works really well! I’m still useless at actually getting the powder out of the container but I’ll get used to it.

Other products I used but didn’t photograph were my LA Girl lipstick in the shade Romance, Mac lip liner in Vino, my Essence eyebrow pencil, Mac concealer in NC50, LA Girl Concealer (to contour) in Dark Cocoa, Rimmel Wonder’full mascara, Mac Fever blush, some Clicks brand highlighter from ages ago and Eylure No. 118 lashes.

My mom said I need to stop buying make up but all I really need is a highlighter, setting spray and new brushes and then I’m done (sorta)! ?

I hope this post was helpful! Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see me beauty-blog about or any products you want to recommend ?

Have a good week/end!