Diva Desle

Elie Saab Girl of Now Forever Perfume Review

Elie Saab Girl of Now Forever Review

Hi Divas

My favourite perfume designer of all time is Elie Saab. If I could own every perfume he produced I would be in absolute euphoria. There is an essence of the Elie Saab perfume collection that resonates with me. The Girl of Now range has had me in a chockhold since its inception in 2017. Unfortunately my favourite from the line, Girl of Now Shine has been discontinued, but I hold onto that bottle like it is my prized possession. I have never received so many compliments on my scent as when I wear the Elie Saab Girl of Now range. People always stop me to say I smell good, or insist on asking me what fragrance I am wearing. It's a hidden gem that I am not gate-keeping any more. There is a specific DNA of the Girl of Now range consisting of sweet, fruity, vanilla, woody and nutty notes. The perfumes are not light but have a weight to them that encapsulates their alluring power and longevity. Elie Saab Girl of Now Forever is a fun sweet and fruity version compared to its charming predecessor.

The main accords in Girl of Now Forever are fruity, sweet, citrus, vanilla and almond. This burst of sweet sugar along with the zesty fruity scent reminds me of classic summer mocktails on a warm afternoon. Picture yourself in a pretty floral dress, at an all-girls garden party with a sparkling punch in your hand, and the warm breeze of Summer blowing through your hair. That is exactly what this fragrance epitomizes. Top notes consist of Rasberry and Lemon Peel. Middle notes are Almond, Blackcurrant, Rose and Orange Peel. Lastly, base notes consist of Vanilla, Patchouli, Musk and Cashmeran. It is a blend of warm sunshine and citrus delights.

The bottle is in the classic Girl Of Now design to distinguish it as part of the line. The pretty flower petals iconic to the bottles are now in a fun shade of pink, with the rest engraved in gold including the cap. The bottle has some weight to it as it is made of glass, but it is easy to handle and fits snugly in the hand. The perfume juice is clearly visible in a pinkish-orange hue. The packaging is playful yet luxurious at the same time. It would truly give your vanity a pop of glam when displayed there. The spritzer provides a fine mist that distributes evenly across the body. It does not squirt too much perfume, and the quantity can be easily controlled.

The longevity of the fragrance is a solid 6 to 8 hours on the skin. It starts with a strong burst of Rasberry and Lemon accords. Later the sweetness starts peaking through and it settles into a beautiful feminine and fruity scent with a hint of vanilla and almond at the bases. The scent wears wonderfully throughout the day and the smell still lingers after 6 hours. The perfume's longevity wears much better on fabric as your clothes still have a lovely whiff after a few days. I absolutely adore this fragrance in Summer as it is the perfect blend of sweet, fruity and almond in a bottle. It's delicious, bright and feminine.

Have you tried this fragrance or any of the Girl of Now additions? Let me know below.

Thank you so much for reading!

Xxxx

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, by Diva Desle

Conditioner

Loreal Elvive Bond Repair Review

L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair Review

Hi Divas

Do you struggle with dry, damaged hair or excessive breakage from heat damage and over-processed chemical procedures? If you answered "Yes", I found the perfect treatment to restore your locks to their healthy, strong and shiny state again. The new L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair range is a 4 step system that revitalizes and restores broken hair bonds within the hair shaft. The miracle ingredient is Citric Acid which is naturally found in most citrus fruits. These high concentration levels of citric acid used within the products aid in penetrating deep into the cortex. It recreates inner broken hair bonds to achieve, strength, manageability and shine. This routine restores the hair's strength from the cortex to the cuticle. We all know that salon treatments can reach exorbitant amounts when done frequently. Thankfully L'oreal has provided a premium range that delivers salon results without the heavy price tag. It's a convenient salon experience within your home at a fraction of the cost. I have been using the range for a while now and below are my review and results.

STEP 1: REBUILD

L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair Rescue Pre-Shampoo

This is the powerhouse treatment of the repair range as it contains a 12% bond repair complex alongside citric acid. The pre-shampoo delivers the deepest level of repair to the core of the strands. The treatment must always be applied to wet hair to achieve optimal results. Squeeze a generous amount onto your hand and work it through your hair, focusing on the lengths. Leave in for 5 minutes. This treatment rebuilds inner broken hair bonds, strengthens the hair and prevents further breakage. It feels like a cream and spreads effortlessly through the strands. Even though term shampoo is in its name, this product is not a cleaning agent at all. It is a treatment designed to be used before shampooing the hair.

STEP 2: REINFORCE

L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair Sulfate Free Shampoo

Once you have rinsed out the pre-shampoo, thoroughly wash your hair with the sulfate-free shampoo. This shampoo is amazing. Not only does it smell wonderful, but it lathers very well for a sulfate-free product. It gently cleanses without stripping the hair. The product does an amazing job cleansing the hair follicles from all dirt while leaving the strands soft and manageable The shampoo reinforces the bond repair treatment you applied earlier by containing 5% citric acid. I prefer to wash my hair twice for a thorough clean. I rate the shampoo a 10/10.

STEP 3: STRENGTHEN

L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair Conditioner

The conditioner has the third highest level of citric acid at 10%. Generously spread the conditioner onto your strands, concentrating on the ends. This strengthens the hair shaft and seals the cuticle while adding maximum care to the hair fibre. The conditioner smells wonderful and the scent will linger in your hair for a few days. It has a creamy texture, gliding through my strands easily while detangling my hair. The medium consistency would be suitable for fine to slightly thick hair. It has just the right amount of moisture for most hair types. The conditioner rinses out effortlessly and leaves my hair so soft and smooth.

STEP 4: SHIELD

L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair Leave In Serum

The perfect ending to a great repair system is the hair serum. Most brands don't even consider adding a serum or styling agent into their product lineup. Hair serums are essential in aftercare and heat styling. It keeps the hair frizz-free and seals in all the moisture we just applied. It shields the hair from further damage, such as preventing split ends. The serum has a whopping 20% bond repair complex with citric acid. I apply two pumps to my hands starting at the ends, and work my way up to the nape of my neck. It is a great product to use before blowdrying to smooth the hair and prevent flyaways.

RESULTS

The L'oreal Elvive Bond Repair is an impressive 4 step system. It is user-friendly, economical and gives salon quality results. All the products are gentle and do not strip my hair of any moisture. In fact it hydrates my hair and adds shine. As you can see in the photos below, my hair is healthy, strong and silky. I have seen a significant improvement in less breakage from heat damage and a reduction in split ends. I recommend these products wholeheartedly. Please be aware that everyone's hair is different. What works for me, might not work for you at all. Always look at ingredients and patch-test products before committing to them.

Have you tried any of these products or bond repair treatments? Please let me know your thoughts below!

Thank you so much for reading!

Xxxx

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, by Diva Desle

Essence

Essence Welcome To Cape Town Palette Review

Essence Welcome To Cape Town Palette Review

Hi Divas

It's been years since I purchased an eyeshadow palette. I never felt the need to add to my collection since the dreaded lockdown days. I have been using the palettes in my collection intending to hit pan on all of them. When I passed the Essence stand a while ago to top up on some makeup essentials, I couldn't let this beauty pass by. The palette is named after my beautiful home town Cape Town and that was enough reason for me to make a transaction at the till. Upon opening the palette, to my surprise, it was filled with an exciting colour story. I was very eager to play with it as these eyeshadows were quite different from my collection.

The palette is designed with a sturdy cardboard casing that makes it light and easy to travel with. The length and width of the casing are perfect sizes. It is not cumbersome to use. I was surprised by the large mirror inside, making it a nifty case to escort around. The cover is a picturesque aerial shot of the iconic Cape Town views. Table Mountain stands tall looking over the gorgeous coastline and bustling city arena. This is the beauty of Cape Town captured in one picture; the colourful sites of the city along with its vibrant culture and diverse nature.

There are 12 bold shades in the palette consisting of 5 shimmers and 7 mattes. The variety of shades is what makes this palette an absolute winner. The 5 shimmers are yellow gold, rose gold, metallic silver and aquatic blue. The mattes are 3 neutral shades in two browns and cream, making great transition shades. The rest are a bold orange, leafy green and two shades of sea blues. I just love the cute tree and lion embossed on the pans. There are no names allocated to the eyeshadows, but the stark contrast in colours makes it forgivable. The pans are large and will last quite a long time. What a fun and fresh design. It makes me delighted to use the eyeshadows.

As you can see in the swatches, the colours really pack a punch. They are pigmented and have great colour payoff. I was especially surprised by the performance of the matte shades. They truly blended well on my eyes and were bold not only in the pans but on the eyelids too. Some of the shimmers are a bit chunky and you will need a concealer or eyeshadow primer to help them adhere to the skin. This especially applies to the gold shade. I prefer to use my finger to pack the pigment on. I used a combination of 5 shades. For my brow bone the white-cream and for my crease a combination of light matte brown and bold orange. I carefully placed the gold shimmer on my lids as this eyeshadow has the most fallout in all the pans. For a pop of colour, I blended the two matte blues alongside the blue shimmer on my lower lash line.

This palette is gorgeous and you can create a variety of looks. If you are someone who wants to explore colourful makeup looks, this is the perfect palette to jump into. It's easy to work with and not intimidating. The mattes especially blend wonderfully. You can easily create a vibrant eye for any occasion. If you are a makeup fanatic like me, this is an excellent option to add to your growing collection. Have you purchased this palette?
Let me know your thoughts below!

Thanks so much for reading!

Xxxx