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Ruth Butaumocho and
Tafadzwa Zimoyo
“He will bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.”

The above verse from Isaiah 61 verse 3 evokes a sense of comeback, of a phoenix rising from destruction or someone finding something good in the midst of evil.

The prophetic words from Isaiah mirrors the life of perfume connoisseur, Blessing Muzvongi-Mashangwa, who is making a comeback with a wide range of beauty products, despite a series of challenges and misfortunes that almost threw her off the hook last year.

Running under the name Gabriella Lavigne Cosmetics  the wide range of products that include perfumes, lipsticks, waterproof eyebrow pens and shower gels, will hit the market next Saturday, immediately after the launch in Borrowdale Brooke.

In other countries such as South Africa and Zambia, it is already in the store.

The differing shades of lipstain with the same nourishing formulas-features are fashionably packaged in portable and fancy plastic containers.

The wide range of fragrances are bottled in courvoisier black and grape wine maroon with a gold cap for ladies giving the royal flair, while for the gents it is a black knight style coated with gold.

“We want to cater for the classy discerning clients, who value their personal appearance and how they smell, hence our decision to take particular care in the aesthetics.

Blessing who is no stranger to cosmetology after her long affair with beauty products, which started when she became one of the first distributors of Avon products sometime in the 1990s feels she has struck the right chord this time.

Since her romance with cosmetics at the age of 22, inspired by the “beauty for all” ethos, Blessing consistently put out great perfumes, Oceane Collection Perfumes, which earned her a name as a perfume connoisseur of repute.

Imbued by the smiles she would see on her customers’ faces, whenever they picked the scents from their array of fragrances, Blessing decided to venture out and create an assortment of beauty products that would scintillate and evoke the same memories.

True, to her aspirations, Blessings, put her time, thoughts and resources together to create an array of classy beauty products in line with international standards.

That zeal and determination gave birth to Gabriella Lavigne beauty products and she believes the coveted releases will not be stopping anytime soon.

Already hypnotised by the transformative magic that perfumes give to people, especially to the femme fatale keen on upping their stakes in fashion, Blessing is upbeat about her new decision.

The coming of Gabriella beauty products on the Zimbabwean market speaks volumes of her passion in a sector that many has shied away from.

Headquartered in Johanesburg South Africa, the product was first launched in South Africa, followed by Zambia and it has since spread its tentacles to other parts of the Southern African region.

From fundamental products perfumes, roll-ons, oils, shower gels, lipstains cream blushes and bronzers to more fun releases like shiny, hydrating lipsticks, Blessing believes she is pushing the boundaries of cosmetics.

Like Oceans Collection Perfumes, Blessing says Gabriella will also become a source of livelihood for thousands of people across Zimbabwe, spawning a new breed of network marketing entrepreneurs.

During its promotion, customers and potential distributors stand a chance of winning the latest of the four Honda Fit cars.

Taking off from Oceane Cosmetics, where at one time she gave away 10 cars at one go, Blessing still wants to promote the tradition.

“My passion is to empower women, who often find it difficult to venture into business because of lack of sound capital.

Whilst she is yet to reach the levels of internationally renowned beauty products like Coty, Johnson and Johnson, and her all time favourite, Estée Lauder, Blessing’s grounding in cosmetics, especially in fragrances, is terra firma. However, past edition we have been covering the winter wear, how to look good on such season.

Now that the cosmetics are coming to Zimbabwe, isn’t a bit weird to smell good yet alone you don’t have the right attite.

When it comes to fashion, remember the world is your runway.

Your choices can vary from overcoats to ponchos but pick the one which keeps you warm and suits you the best.

Besides, it is important to have your winter essentials in place so that you can stay snug through the cold weather and look chic while doing so.

Just stocking up on jackets and sweaters is not enough.

You need to have a good range of winter wear in your closet that will help you stay covered through different occasions.

From head-to-toe, we have the ultimate checklist of winter essentials for you to grab right away.

Here is a quick list of winter essentials that you should pick and gear up for winter courtesy of Swirlster, popular fashion site:

1. Sweatshirts And Hoodies

Be it casual style or to layer up, sweatshirts are definitely must-have in your collection.

Like Bollywood celebrities, you can pick graphic printed sweatshirts to make a statement, or opt for colour pop hues for a fun look. For days you want to cuddle up and stay snug, oversized hoodies are the best option.

2. Jackets

From puffer and bomber to military jackets and cropped pieces, there are many stylish jackets for you to choose from. Keep your needs in mind, and pick a jacket or two based on your requirements.

3. Sweater And Cardigans

Another great way to stay cosy yet look chic for various occasions is to pick sweaters and cardigans.

Be it formal occasions or office wear, they will keep you on point. But that’s not to say that you can’t have fun with sweaters. Pick animal prints, shimmer, embellished or faux fur pieces to make chic style statements.

5. Shawls

They can range from so many beautiful colours and designs, shawls are just as chic when it comes to making chic style statements.

From phulkari patterns to pashmina, team them with your ethnic outfits for wedding functions.

7. Gloves

Your hands too need some pampering in the cold winter season. Pick pretty gloves that will keep your hands warm and cosy.

By the way enjoy the Africa Day celebrations and next week, we tackle on the Ankara material, how one can rock them.