A Little Topshop Make Up Haul

I've heard so many good things about Topshop make up but unfortunately, since I live in the middle of nowhere my Topshop is too small to stock it (I feel like I say something along those lines rather often...maybe it's time to move...).

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow

So I picked these up in the Boots 3 for 2 offer the other day...

Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

I know, we've all read so many raves about this product but I haven't read many reviews about how this works for oilier skin types so I thought I'd wade in with my two cents worth!

Now Rimmel obviously knew they were on to a good thing as there was a sample of this glued inside every magazine you picked up for a good few months. Usually anything that claims to give me a 'Radiant Glow' I generally wouldn't get near with a barge pole. I'm a heavy duty, apply with a trowel, mattifying foundation kind of girl really. What attracted me to this however was the 'anti-fatigue effect'. If there is one thing I have in abundance, it's fatigue.

This really does what it says on the tin in that it perks my skin up a bit and makes me look like I've had a lot more sleep. I really like using it. The coverage I'd say is medium but it can be built up. I apply it with my fingers and that seems to be the best way I've found so far. Considering it's not really meant for my skin type it lasts pretty well I think. It does need to be powdered on my skin and I feel like I need to re-powder a bit more than usual throughout the day but I'll put up with that for the lovely awake, radiant look it gives the skin. There's one drawback and that's the 'sparkle issue'. Daytime you really don't notice it but under artificial light...

This photo was taken by literally putting the flash straight against the bottle. I tried a swatch on my hand to see how 'glitterball' it actually goes when using the flash.

All in all it's really not that bad. You can make out a bit of shimmer but I think it appears much scarier in the bottle to how it looks on the skin. For night time I like to mix this with a bit of Revlon Colourstay to dilute the glitter a bit and give it more staying power. 

On another note, I am aware that this foundation is not a colour match for my hand. One day in the sun attempting to ski has left my face a very different shade to the rest of me. Fake tan is being deployed...

:-) xxx

New MAC Lipstick Favourites

Creme Cup                 Please Me

I purchased these around 3 weeks ago but what with going on holiday and spending the rest of my time propped up in front of my laptop trying to get this bloody Uni work finished, I haven't really switched up my make up to try them. In a moment of extreme procrastination the other day I decided to give them both a try. Well now I'm in love: they've definitely been my most reached for lipsticks over the past week.

Starting with Creme Cup

I really wish I could pull off a true nude lip, unfortunately I either end up looking like a walking, talking corpse, or a reject from TOWIE. This is about as nude as it gets for me. It's a very light pretty nude pink which looks lovely on the lips. Even better than that, I actually look like a living, breathing being when I wear it. I find that always helps. The formula, being a cremesheen, is sheer but build-able and not drying on the lip at all. The only problem is that I've heard this formula tends to melt in the heat. I MUST remember to keep this out of my handbag when the sun (eventually) comes out.

Please Me

I think this is going to be a firm summer favourite. This applies as a lovely rosy, almost peachy toned pink. It is much brighter than creme cup and looks really good on sunny days. I think this would make a really good shade if you're a bit scared of the bright lip but are getting a bit bored with the light pink/nude colours. It is quite drying on the lips being a Matte formula. I tend to use a balm before I apply this.

Swatches?

Top: Please Me, Bottom: Creme Cup

Well I now feel pretty glad that I abandoned any type of productive essay writing/revision in the pursuit of the perfect lip.

Anyway, better get back to it...

:-) xxx

Review: Maybelline Dream Nude Airfoam Foundation

OK so I wrote this post a few weeks ago and have been stalling to put it up as it isn't exactly a rave review...actually, it's quite the opposite.  Can I just say that normally I'm a big fan of Maybelline cosmetics, this just really didn't float my boat I'm afraid.  Anyway, on with the post.

Now I’m usually a fan of a fuller coverage when it comes to foundation so you can imagine my surprise when I found this in my Boots carrier bag.  I’m at a bit of a loss to explain how it came to be there.  Having spent quite some time thinking about this, I’ve come to the following conclusions:

1. My skin had been better than usual and I maybe thought that light coverage would now work for me.
2. Summer is on the way, and who needs heavy foundation in summer right?
3. It was a mousse. I fell for the gimmick.
4. I walked into Boots and blacked out.

Now lets face it, as a lover of Revlon Colourstay, I was never going to like this product.  The thing is, even if I was more of a ‘barely there’ kind of girl, I’d still not be loving this.  I wouldn’t call this light coverage; I’d call it zero coverage.  The other problem with this is the amount of product it dispenses, because it’s a mousse (think what you put on your hair) it’s not very easy to control the amount that comes out with each pump.  This means that half of what does come out ends up wasted.  Not economical at all.  If your skin is so good that you can get away with this kind of foundation then here’s my advice: spend the extra 2 minutes in bed in the morning and skip foundation altogether.  Also, I’m jealous of you. There are so many amazing lighter coverage foundations/ tinted moisturisers/ BB creams on the market for the same money. I just think that this product is all gimmick and does absolutely nothing for the skin.

Sorry for the kind of negative review, as always with foundation I’m sure this works wonders for some (maybe), but just not for me.

:-) xxx

I Heart MUA

For those of you that haven't heard of MUA, it's Superdrug's £1 make up brand. I've bought a few goodies from them before and have been amazed at the quality of the products for such a low price.

On a recent trip back to see The Parents (my local Superdrug doesn't stock it. Boo.) I picked up these little lovelies

There's been a lot of hype surrounding the MUA Love Hearts collection and unfortunately I think I picked up the few remaining products and as far as I know the collection is no longer available.

I got 2 nail polishes in the shades 'Love U 24/7' and 'U R Fab'.  Let's face it, any product that tells me I'm 'Fab' is going to get purchased!

I have to admit that I didn't really have high hopes for the formulation of these but I was prepared to cope with the chipping/peeling/general 'naff' feeling of them on account of the colours being so pretty. On application I was pleasantly surprised. They were both opaque after 2 coats and they seriously LAST.

Wearing 'Love U 24/7' with a coat of Miss Sporty Sparkle Touch over the top.

These polishes were a little more expensive (I think they were £2.50 each) but for the money I was very very impressed.

My final MUA purchase is one I just can't stop looking at...

Ooooooh.....

This is the MUA Professional Mosaic Blusher In English Rose. MUA Professional are slightly more expensive and this was £2.50, yeah I know, the word 'expensive' is applied loosely here. This is such a beautiful product consisting of a mosaic print of lighter peaches, pinks, pure shimmer, lilac, and rose coloured powders.  The pan is big enough to get a good 'swirl' going on with your brush and it looks a pretty, shimmery light rosy pink on the cheeks. OK so obviously the colour payoff is not going to be amazing but it's buildable and not chalky at all. Because of this it's really quite foolproof and great for anyone just starting out with make up or those that aren't too confident applying blusher. This gets at least a weekly use from me and although not my go-to blush (as I have quite a few) I do open it just to stare at it on a daily basis...simple pleasures and all.

You can find MUA products at Superdrug and if you haven't already I really recommend checking them out.

:-) xxx

Review: Clinique High Lengths Mascara

Be warned.  I’m about to rave.  I’ve been using this for a good month now and think it may be my new make up love.

I first received the product in sample size as a free gift with another purchase and put off using it for a little while due to the…well…weirdness of the brush.

Usually I tend to go for the fuller natural bristle mascara wands so I really didn’t think this would be for me.  The brush is entirely plastic, curved, for some reason lime green and the bristles are tiny.  To be honest I just thought this was one of those odd shaped gimmicky mascara wands that come out from time to time but don’t really do anything for the lashes.  Well this was all until I went to see my parents for the weekend, forgot my usual mascara, and was forced to use this.  I honestly can’t rave about this enough.  Not only does it do exactly what it says on the tin/tube and give my lashes amazing length but it also gives lots and lots of volume.  Now for some reason, most mascaras seem to do either one or the other. I don’t know why but many cosmetics companies have not yet cottoned on to the fact that we girls want both.  This doesn’t claim to give volume but trust me, it does.  I will warn you however, I’m not the kind of girl that wants her lashes to look in any way natural.  Unlike many, this doesn’t clump and does a pretty good job of separating the lashes but it doesn’t exactly look ‘barely there’. This is why I love it. Anyway I’ve spent some time freaking myself out looking at photos of my own eye so I can show you what it does for my lashes:

I have a feeling this will be repurchased…a lot.

Happy Friday everyone!

:-) xxx

A Mini Lip Haul: Sleek and MUA

Hello me dears!

Hope you all had a lovely NYE and 2012 is going well so far. I thought I'd start the new year with a trip to Superdrug. The only problem was that I had no more than just over £10 with which to ease my post-Christmas blues. Luckily there is some amazing budget make up out there!

The first thing I got was the Sleek Pout Polish in 'Frosting'

This is essentially a tinted lip balm. It contains jojoba, avocado, and sweet almond oil and is surprisingly moisturising. The colour is very sheer and very pretty:

I'm planning on getting this in the colour 'Scandal' which is a bright red. I think this would be a good way to experiment with brighter colours.

The next thing I stumbled across was the MUA stand. I honestly think I have a new make up love! Pretty much everything  is £1 apart from the eyeshadow palettes which are £4 and the eyeshadow trios at £2.50. Four lipsticks for £4? Yes please!

From left to right: Shades 12, 11, 2, 5

Both the formula and the colour payoff of these lipsticks is surprisingly good:

Shade 12

Shade 5

Shade 11

Shade 2

Again, the perfect way to experiment with colour without paying a fortune. My favourite shade is number 12. I think this will be perfect for summer (or if I need cheering up on a rainy day!) 

All in all I am very happy with my little purchases and would strongly advise anyone with a spare tenner and a need for lipstick to head down to Superdrug!

Tag? My 6 Most Repurchased Products

I vaguely remember this being a tag a few years ago but I'm not absolutely sure where I saw it.  The idea is to list the 6 products you would/have repurchased as soon as they run out.  For me this was surprisingly difficult!  I don't really like to stick to the same thing and I'm always on the lookout for something that works better.  These are literally the only beauty products/cosmetics I own that I would always go back to...I'm getting all sentimental now...on with the post!

1. OPI Nail Envy

I have dry, flaky, very thin nails.  It's not pretty.  This literally works wonders on them.  I put 2 coats on as a base under polish and one as a top coat.  After that I apply a thin coat every day for a week (unless I change my nail polish, in which case I repeat the process).  The effects really are amazing, my nails are so much stronger and don't chip or flake at all. At £18 this stuff is a bit pricey but I wouldn't be without it as it has massively improved the condition of my nails.

2. Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions 3 Step

I have a whole separate post on this so I'm not going to go on!

3. Revlon Colorstay Foundation

This is so perfect for my skin type.  This is a full coverage foundation but compared to other long wearing drugstore foundations it doesn't look anywhere near as 'caked on'.  I love the fact that it is designed for oily skin (they make a normal to dry one too) and it really does do what it says on the tin: it stays put!  I really would recommend this to anyone with oily, spot prone skin.  I'm planning a bit of a foray into Chanel foundations this year but there will always be a bottle of this in my make up bag (I'm already on my 5th!)

4. L'oreal Sublime Bronze Tanning Mist

I've used them all: St Tropez, St Moriz, Fake Bake, Xen Tan etc. etc. etc.  This is the most foolproof tan I have ever used.  There's no rubbing it in, no trying to blend around the wrists, elbows etc.  Just spray it on, let it dry and you will have a natural, totally un-orange, tan.  I must say a can doesn't last very long so it does require a fair few repurchases. Also be a bit careful with your carpets! Best to cover the floor with an old towel before use!

5. Too Faced lipstick in Free Love

I love the formulation of this as it's really moisturising. I also love the colour, a beautiful light dusky pink. And lastly I love the packaging. Full marks then!

6. Chanel Chance EDP

Apologies for the stock photo, I left mine at my uni house by mistake :-(

I'm rubbish at describing scents.  The best I can tell you is that it smells 'really nice'.  I  found this description on the Boots website:


'An unpredictable balance that continually surprises. A constellation of scents, warmed up by Absolute of Vanilla, where Absolute of Exotic Jasmine and Iris are more pronounced. A mysterious alchemy accentuated by the intensity of the White Musk note.'

Hopefully this makes sense to someone! I just think it's 'really nice'! If it's a night out or a special occasion this is what I will be wearing without fail.

Well that's it. My 6 most repurchased and most loved products.

What are yours?

:-) xx

FOTD: Christmas Eve

Hello All!

Hope you all had a lovely, lovely Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate).  I thought I'd show you the make up I wore on Christmas Eve.  I usually go for the bog standard variation on browns for lids but you know..since it's Christmas and all..I thought I'd go for...drumroll....pinky brown!  That's right peeps.  I'm just CRAZY like that!  Please note the sarcasm here!  Anyway, now for an awkwardly posed photo...

And a close up of the eyes...

Okay okay so not the most original look in the world but I really enjoyed wearing it and felt all girly and 'less is more'

Products used:

FACE

• Revlon Colourstay foundation in Sand Beige for oily skin
• Benefit Erase Paste in 02
• Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in 003 Peach Glow
• Bourjois Delice de Soleil bronzing powder for olive/tanned skin
• Bourjois blush in Lilas D'or

EYES

• MAC shadows in Shhh Don't Tell, Rose Potion, Violet Vow (from the mystic cool eye shadow palette about 2 years ago!)
• Sleek The Original palette (bottom row, third from the left-they don't name them!) in inner corner
• Maybelline Lasting Drama gel liner in black
• Clinique High Lengths mascara in 01 Black

LIPS

• Too Faced lipstick in Free Love

:-) xx 

December Glossybox Goodies: A Couple of Reviews

Since my Glossybox arrived a few days ago, I've had a bit of a chance to play with the products.  So here are my thoughts...

The first thing I did on receiving my box was to slap on (I literally mean 'slap on' as you will see) the Deborah Lippmann 'Razzle Dazzle' nail varnish...

Please excuse the extreme lack of skill exhibited here!

First let me say that the colour of this is absolutely beautiful.  It's perfect for Christmas as it is just festive enough but still sophisticated (not that I'm adverse to pillar box sparkly red at this time of year).  In some lights it looks red, red and in others (like above) it is a beautiful plummy colour.

All great so far right?  My problem?  This stuff retails at £16....SIXTEEN WHOLE POUNDS!  For that i would have expected the formula to be top notch: quick drying, easy to apply, no chips etc...sod it, for that price, I'd expect the brush to literally jump out of the pot and apply itself to my nails whilst I sleep.  Alas, no.  I found that it took ages to dry and after an hour it was still a bit tacky.  If this was say a Barry M product it would be fine but from such a high end brand I would expect so much more.

All in all I do like the product and will enjoy wearing it over Christmas although if I had spent my own money on a full size, I'd have been a bit disappointed.

Anyhoo, on to a product I honestly only have good things to say about...

I was lucky enough to get the Blink + Go eyeshadow and blush palette in 02.  Sorry it looks a bit dusty, I have been playing with it a lot since I got it.  This really is such good quality and the colours are all very wearable.

Also, I managed to get my camera to photograph swatches semi-decently:

Without flash

With flash

As you can see these are all shimmery and super pigmented.  My faves are the first four and I've worn them on my eyes every day since getting them.

And the blushes?

Without flash

With flash

These are bright, bright, bright!  The best advice is to use sparingly and apply lightly with a fluffy brush to avoid looking a bit 'aunt sally' (if you weren't born in the UK before the 90s you may not get the reference).

In summary, I love the Blink + Go palette and am a bit meh about the Deborah Lippmann polish.  That's why I love Glossybox, I now know what I would and (would not) buy if I had a spare £16 knocking about :-)

xxx

It's On The Way...The Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

Ohmygod Ohmygod Ohmygod!

I didn't get the Naked palette first time around.  It featured a couple of 'bluey' colours that really didn't match my skin tone so instead I opted for the Too Faced Natural Eyes Kit (which I absolutely love).  This time around, the darker blues seemed to have been switched out for more purple tones, which will suit me so much more.  The only problem?  Not yet released in the UK.  COME ON URBAN DECAY!  I would move to the U.S. for this reason alone (and Sephora, obviously!)

Oh well.  At least I have time to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable waiting list/scramble for my life in House of Fraser.

Bring it on.

xxx