A higher end makeup haul...

I'd like to start off by saying that don't worry, nope, I didn't purchase all this in one go!  It's a collective haul from the last month or so, as I didn't feel that every item warranted an individual post but I still thought it'd be nice to share them with you all...

The first thing I picked up was Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, which is a super dry, high coverage concealer.  It was super pricey, but I've actually gotten quite a bit of use out of it on those no-makeup days where I'd still like a bit of coverage on any scars or blemishes.  It's also great used over foundation, but I've found it's best to powder first and then layer up or you can start to move stuff around a bit!  The best thing is that the lighter shade (I've got the lightest palette, SC-1 if anyone's interested) is actually lighter than my skintone!  It's also yellow toned, so does the redness-cancelling job really well.  The darker shade (which annoyingly is the one you get more of) is pinker toned and is useful to mix in with the other one for when it's just too light.  I use a tiny flat brush to apply it with, and the stiffer bristles mean you can really pack on the product without it looking cakey.  Overall, I'm actually really glad I've got this in my stash, as it covers so much better that liquid concealer!  You also get almost 6 grams of product, and considering how little you need to use it's going to last ages!

Next up was the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara, which is super handy for when you want you lower lashes to look on point.  I do find it a bit of a faff to use though, and often can't be bothered so I might pass it onto my Mum so that it doesn't dry up before it's used up!  I love the cute silver design on the tube, which is probably part of why I was suckered in - but I do think it'd be worth the money if you tend to make a big mess with larger mascara wands.

Soon after, I splurged on my first Burberry Eyeshadow.  I'd been eyeing them up for a while, but they never had the shade I wanted in stock, and then when we actually passed a counter in duty free we had to rush to catch our plane and I didn't have time to stop, sadtimes.  But I got my paws on one eventually, and I'm super happy with it!  I've actually done a proper review of it, which should be the next post up here!

Finally, last week I saw that Escentual had a sale on.  I was picking up some of my usual bits and bobs and then on a whim decided to treat myself to a new lipstick!  I'd been really good up until then, and had been on a bit of a lip product ban but 20 percent off was a too good offer to miss!  I picked out one of the Rouge Dior Lipsticks in the shade 'Rose Bonheur' as I'd heard good things about the range online.  It's the perfect my lips but better shade for me, and although it's quite sheer the colour sticks around for a decent amount of time with no awkward fading.  The scent is also lovely - a more sophisticated version of love hearts sweets!  One that goes with everything, and since I don't have a lot of nude lip products I didn't feel to guilty about picking it up!


xxx

My new favourite mascara combo!

I love the pink and gold accents on the packaging
- which is usually just black all over!

On my last trip to Superdrug, I picked up a tube of Max Factor's False Lash Effect mascara.  Over the last couple of weeks I've absolutely fallen in love with the beautiful fluttery lashes it gives - the picture below is after almost 12 hours of wear, and you can still see the curl!  It's not massively volumising unless you start to build it up, which I actually rather like (as most of the time I like to keep my makeup natural looking!) but as I said before it really does hold the curl despite the fact it isn't the waterproof version.  It doesn't crumble or smudge at all, even with my super watery eyes and at the end of the day it washes off nicely with my usual cleansing oil.

After using the dinky little wand on Benefit's Roller Lash it did take a while to get used to the mahoossive wand on Max Factor's - but I quickly got the hang of it and now really appreciate how the larger wand allows for faster and easier application.  I do use a separate mascara for my lower lashes though (Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara), as even with the smallest of regular mascara wands I tend to make a mess!  

Overall, I'm really pleased I picked this one up and would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting super long curly lashes that are still natural looking.

xxx

Speedy review: Benefit's Roller Lash mascara

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a copy of Elle on the way back from the station.  It came with a dinky little tube of Benefit's new mascara, and since it just so happened that my current tube was drying up I thought I'd give this one a go!

Benefit Roller Lash mascara £19.50, Boots

Firstly, I must say that I'm a big fan of the sleek, skinny brush.  I'm always prone to smearing mascara all over the place if the brush is too chunky, so I was already feeling optimistic...

Above: before mascara
Below: after applying Roller Lash

I don't particularly find that the bristles separate very well though, as the wand tends to pick up a lot of product.  Most days, I've had to comb through afterwards to de-clogg my lashes a bit.  However, the amount of impact you get from a couple of swipes of the brush is amazing.  Having curled my lashes, Roller Lash somehow manages to curl them up even more...and best of all, the curl sticks around all day long!  There also isn't the issue of smudging or crumbling, and I've found it a heck of a lot easier to remove than it's sister product They're Real.  All in all, I'm not sure if I'd pay up for a full tube of this at the moment as high end mascaras are a bit out of my budget, but I'm going to keep on using this one and see how it goes!


xxx

2014 Makeup Favourites

I guess you could say that 2014 has been a year of makeup discovery!  At the end of 2013, I started a part time job over the weekends so my budget wasn't constrained to whatever I had leftover from birthdays/Christmas/etc.  Despite this, I'm still absolutely in love with the shelves of Boots and Superdrug and some of the best surprises of the year have come from Wilko - which previously I didn't even know stocked beauty products!  My main weakness is still lipstick, and my Muji drawers can attest to this as there's now an overflow section *oops* but here I'll be including the ones I've gone back to time and time again over the last twelve months :)

So here we go...

Base (foundation, concealer etc)...

To be honest, I've loved the Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation and Concealer for years now.  It was the first base product range I found that actually matched my skintone (the shades Porcelain and Blondie respectively), and although I've strayed for a month here and there it's the one I always come back to.  Sometimes though, with those super dark or red areas I need more coverage - and the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in the shade Chantilly does the job brilliantly.  I use it under the eyes and pat a tiny amount into blemishes, the coverage is great but not drying.  My only gripe would be that it can be a little too yellow-toned, but blended out it's perfectly fine.

I also use a green colour corrector on a daily basis, even if I'm just using concealer and don't need the coverage but just want to even out any redder areas (cheeks, chin, marks from spots).  It also blends out seamlessly, and I swear by it now!  Seriously, if you're super pale go give one a go!!  My most used one has been the Max Factor CC Stick, but there's a great cheaper alternative from Natural Collection - and I recently picked up a cream version from Kiko which I'm trying out now.

Finally, powder-wise it's not much of a surprise that I'm mentioning Soap and Glory's One Heck of a Blot powder.  The only way I can describe it is that it fixes things - your skin looks ever so slightly smoother and you can use as much as you like throughout the day without things looking cakey.  I've almost run out, so it's almost time for a trip to Boots!  At the end of the summer, I also fell for the hype around the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders and decided to splurge when Space.nk had one of their £10 off promotions on.  Was it worth the money...?  As a highlighter, probably not.  But Ethereal Light is so light and finely milled that it makes your skin look incredible dusted over as a finishing powder.  I use it on days (read: everyday at the moment) when my skin looks a bit grey and lacklustre, but I can't be bothered with a lot of foundation.  Also, a perfect colour match!


Cheeks and Eyes...

With cheek products and eyeshadow, I tend to be a little flighty.  I usually use something for a month or so on a daily basis, and then totally forget about it.  One thing I've stuck to all year long though is the Body Shop's Honey Bronzer - the lightest shade works great on my skin at either creating a bit of shadow under the cheekbones or adding some warmth all over - I can't really fault it!

I've also used (but they're not in the massive heap in the picture *oops*) a couple of Sleek blushers off and on all year.  My local Boots doesn't stock them - which is a bit of a pain - but I'd love to try out a few more shades.  The two I've got (Rose Gold and Life's a Peach) are quite sheer, but they're great value for money.

And the cream of the crop - the Laura Mercier Palette I nabbed in the summer sales this year.  Eyeshadow-wise, I adore the formulation and pigmentation (I've used the shades Crystal Beige and Sable constantly, and Coffee Ground as a liner almost daily), and the blush in the shade Barely Pink is the perfect not-too-pink, natural, matte blush.  The mini Pony Tail blending brush is fab too, and I've actually been reaching for it more than my Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush (although I still love the latter for a wash of colour on the lids!)

(Nars Pro Prime also needs an honourable mention, despite it being a beginning-of-December purchase.  No jokes - it increases eyeshadow wear time from about half an hour to 12 - absolutely amazed!!)


Lips...

As I said earlier, I was well behaved and managed to narrow it all down to a couple of favourites.  First up is the Dior Lip Glow Colour Reviver Balm - okay, technically this is two in itself as I have both the original and the coral shades - but I love them both equally!  The minty, vanilla scent and the smooth-but-not-too-sticky texture make it a winner.  And the colour changing feature is just plain awesome.

Then there's a Mac Lipstick in Plumful - which everyone loves - and quite rightly so!  It's such a lovely pop of colour that's not too pink or berry toned, doesn't highlight any dry areas and smells divine.  I've also been using Patisserie, which is the same formulation - and although I love the colour the glitter tends to emphasise chapped lips a lot.  I'm hoping that I'll get better results with it in the warmer months though, when the weather isn't so harsh!


Brushes and tools...

Brush-wise, this year's winner is the Real Techniques range.  I use the Blush Brush every day - pinched together for bronzer and dusted along the cheekbones for blush.  The Starter Set is great - I especially love the Accent Brush for smudging out shadow as a liner, and the Liner brush for applying cream concealer to areas that you don't want to be heavy handed.  To apply mineral concealer I also use the No 7 Smokey Eye Brush - which is the perfect size - to pat and work it in until I've got the desired coverage.  My favourite though, has to be the Setting Brush, it's fluffy and so so soft so I can use it for blending concealer under the eyes and even for buffing in mineral powder (to the hard-to-get-to areas that most need the coverage)!

(Also) not pictured, but deserving of a mention are the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Scissors...these took a while to get the knack of - but now I can shape my brows beautifully without worrying about irritating my skin by plucking them like crazy!

And last of all - eyelash curlers!  Up until about this time last year, I'd been using a cheap pair I'd gotten as a part of a gift set yonks ago.  In hindsight, they must've been decent - as they did the job for a long time!  But when I was in London, around my birthday time, I decided to treat myself to a brand-spanking-new pair from Shu Uemura.  And they're pretty darn great.  They fit snugly into my smallish eye socket, and despite daily use (and abuse) they're just as solid as the day I bought them!



Happy 2015 everyone!!!

xxx

Bits and pieces: Stocking up for uni

The little heap that's forming in the spare room...

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been stocking up on 'beauty bits' ready to leave for uni.  Almost all of these were repurchases, so I thought I'd share them with you (as they must be pretty good to be worth having a backup of!)


Neutrogena 2-in-1 Visibly Clear Wash Mask £2.33, Tesco

This is (and has been all through the summer months) my go-to face wash.  A little too stripping perhaps to use as a mask, but works a treat at getting the skin squeaky clean.  (Full review in my morning skincare post here.)


Soap and Glory 'Peaches and Clean' £8, Boots

I love to use this to take off my face makeup in the evenings, as its gentle and creamy and doesn't make my eyes sting if I accidentally splodge some in them.  The scent is amazing - like minty peaches - and I feel that the fruit extracts help with gently controlling oil and tightening up my pores.  Soap and Glory skincare is also buy one get one half price in Boots at the moment, hence the two products featuring here!


Soap and Glory 'Scrubatomic' £9, Boots

One of my first blog posts was a review of this product, and I still love it just as much!  Doesn't irritate my sensitive skin, and my skin just seems to glow when I wake up the morning after having used this.
(Original review here.)


Boots Essentials Nail Polish Remover £1

Cheap and cheerful.  Not acetone free, but does the job.  The main reason this was a repurchase was that the scent doesn't give me a thumping headache - but I do need to take care to use plenty of almond oil on my nails to stop them drying out after using this.


Oral-B 3D Luxe White 'Healthy Shine' £1.99, Boots

Seriously impressed by this stuff - it has the same effect over time as using the Crest Whitening Strips (which are a pain in the butt to source in the UK) - and it doesn't leave your teeth super sensitive.  I do tend to interchange this with an enamel protect toothpaste though, as I feel that I don't want to be bleaching them constantly.


Cuticura Hand Sanitiser £1.50, Tesco

I always carry a little bottle of this around in my handbag, and since I am moving into a probably-not-very-clean uni room I thought this would come in extremely useful.  It has a pleasant fresh scent (described as cucumber), and is completely clear and residue free.


No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily Skin £12.50, Boots

I've already chatted about this aswell in the aforementioned morning skincare post.  It's creamy, but not at all heavy on my combination skin and is also great value for money when you use a No 7 voucher.  I'd previously been using the Nick Lowe equivalent, and feel this is much better.


Dr Nick Lowe Anti-Blemish Spot Gel £11, Feel Unique

The tube I have of this is nearly finished and quite old.  I always tend to have one or two blemishes (or healing scars) so have to rotate my treatment routine so the bacteria don't become resistant.  Therefore, when I saw Feel Unique had a sale a few weeks back I popped this in my basket as it did the trick nicely when I used it a while back.  A great cheap alternative to this is the Bonjela that contains Salicylic Acid, as something to cover up sore spots overnight.  During the day though, this is much better as it stays put and doesn't peel off but still prevents reinfection.


Invisibobble Hair Ties £3.75, Boots

These hair bobbles are like magic!  I always use them when I want to put my hair up in a bun as they're near invisible (as the name suggests) and they help you create the perfect bun without pins.  There's an entire post dedicated to them here.


Benefit They're Real Mascara Mini £9.99, Boots

Since my Clinique mascara is on it's last legs, it was high time I found a replacement.  To be honest, unless it's reasonably priced, I'm loathed to buy any full sized mascaras as they always seem to dry out/get clumpy around the two-to-three month mark.  Therefore, when I spotted this mini 'They're Real' I couldn't resist as I've wanted to try it for ages!  I also loved their 'Bad Gal Lash' formula back when I was in secondary school, so I'm really looking forward to testing this out.  I could't find a link anywhere for this online, other than for multipacks with other mini products.  However, they have it in abundance on the shelves of my local Boots, for just under a tenner.


And there we go, that's the lot!  I'm pretty sure I'll remember a few more things come next week, so stay tuned for another post along the same lines :)

xxx