London haulin' (ft. Muji, F21 and Makeup Revolution)

This week has been a flurry of activity.  Everything from buying kitchenware to selecting modules for my course has been going on, so apologies for the lack of posts!  At the weekend though, we made a little trip to London and some haulin' happened on Oxford Street!

I was out for the afternoon with one of my best friends from college, so we spent ages browsing around the shops and having a good catchup.  We also stopped off for an iced drink at a lovely coffee shop called Apostrophe, just off Oxford Circus.  I had a peach iced tea, and my friend had a homemade lemonade - both were delicious and very reasonably priced (about £2).  Once we'd recovered a bit, we went for a mooch around Topshop.  I didn't pick anything up (mainly because I'd already gotten some bits earlier on in the week back home) but it was still amazing to look around at the sheer volume of stuff they'd got in there!

Whilst in Forever 21 though, I spotted a gorgeous skirt.  I've not owned anything quite like it since I was back in secondary school, but the whole almost 'mermaid-esque' thing going on with it meant I would've regretted not picking it up.  I own very few mid length skirts, so it should be nice for when I want something a little smarter/different for an evening out!

I couldn't find the skirt anywhere online, but it's on display right by the door in the Oxford St store!
They also had it in an almost hematite grey colour, but I'd fallen head over heels for the pink so that's the one that came home with me.

A visit to Muji was also on my list, as I needed some acrylic storage for my uni room.  I had no idea there would be so much choice in store, so was a little overwhelmed once I got inside - but in the end I picked out this 3 drawer unit (£17.95) and this partitioned container (£2.95).  The drawers aren't quite deep enough for loose powders and foundation bottles so those along with brushes should fit in the extra container nicely.  I also couldn't resist their travel section, so picked up this stack of pots that screw together (£2.50) and this tiny little spray bottle (£1.95) which I think will be great for facial mists such as the Caudelie one when on the go.

Last up, was a trip to Superdrug Marble Arch.  Ever since seeing the reviews of Makeup Revolution products start to pop up all over the web, I've wanted to get my mitts on some of their range.  Unfortunately, my local store doesn't stock it and I didn't really want to blind order online.  However, when the lovely Mary-Ann from Angel Flicks mentioned in a post a few weeks back that she'd found some at Marble Arch, I made sure to add a visit there to my list.  They didn't have the 'One Foundation' which I'd been dying to try out (as they supposedly go ghostly white!) but they did have an excellent selection of eyeshadow palettes.  I was very restrained, and only picked up the one - the Iconic 3 that everyone seems to be talking about!  I've been loving it so far - the shadows themselves are soft and don't have too much fallout - and the matte shades have much better colour payoff than MUA's equivalent.  And for £4, you can hardly go wrong!

The palette itself is pretty sturdy feeling, and not too cheap looking either.
And the shades are beyond pretty - even my Dad (when I showed it to him at dinner) said they looked too pretty to use! 

xxx

The one coat nail polish.

Recently, I picked up a bottle of Essence's 'Colour and Go' polish in the shade '168 Love Me Cupcake'.  It's a gorgeous grey-purple colour, very similar to Barry M's 'Almond' but with a little more lilac.  It is also a gazillion times easier to apply!

Out of routine, I previously have applied two thin coats and it's been absolutely perfect.  But last night, I didn't have time to wait so just slapped on the one (slightly thicker) coat over a quick dry base, and ran out the door.  It wasn't till later on that I noticed it was completely opaque with no streaks - that second coat wasn't needed!  It still needs a topcoat to avoid chipping obviously, but if you're looking for something that you can just do the one coat of and be done with - this is the one for you.  It also dries super fast, and although the coat was thicker than usual there were no odd smudge marks the following morning.

And here you go, one coat with no topcoat!

You can find it here or in store at Wilko, priced at £1.60.

xxx

Bargain brushes...

A few months ago, I was having a little mooch around the brush department on Ebay.  I was looking for someone selling the Real Techniques contour brush, as it's only available in the Core Collection and didn't need the entire set.  However, most sellers were charging above and beyond and I would've given up had I not stumbled across this seller.  They had a huge variety of brushes on offer, and for only a few pounds!

The brushes look very similar to the Real Techniques ones, but aren't complete knock offs (or I wouldn't have been comfortable purchasing them) - but they do have very similar synthetic fibres and the coloured aluminium handles.  I found one that looked as if it would be good for contouring, as it was tapered - No.1 from this listing.  I also ordered No.2 from this listing, as it looked similar to the 'Expert Face Brush' and I thought it might come in handy for blending in foundation.

They both arrived in a couple of weeks, and before getting them near my face I gave them a really good wash.  They smelt rather plasticky, but after a few weeks use that wore off completely.  Both brushes are actually great though!  I've been using No.1 for it's intended purpose - contouring - but I've found that No.2 is amazing for applying cream/liquid blush.  I've been using it with Daniel Sandler's watercolour blush, and it works a treat!  If you want a brush to use exclusively with his blushes, but don't want to buy another £10 brush, it's definitely worth checking out.  They also wash very well, with no shedding, and are super soft.

The contouring brush (No.1) is on the right, hopefully you can see how it tapers.
No.2 is almost a hybrid of the 'Expert Face Brush' and the 'Buffing Brush' by Real Techniques.

Overall, I'm super impressed with these and for about £3.50 for the two how can you go wrong?!  (Also, having just revisited the page I've gone and popped the duo fibre brush in my basket - oops!) 

xxx

My morning skincare routine...

Ever since I can remember, my skin has been fairly up and down.  Over the past few months though, I think I've managed to develop a decent skincare routine that isn't too harsh but still balances my skin out.  My skin is fairly oily around the T-zone, but normal on my cheeks with intermittent dry patches (weird right?!)  I'm also fairly blemish prone, but with the products I'm now using I feel that most ones that crop up now are hormonal - as opposed to bacterial.  I used to use quite astringent products to deal with blemishes, that would often cause more damage than help (looking at you TCP!) but have found that a gentler skincare routine has really helped with healing time and prevention.  Today, I'm just going to talk about the products I use in my morning skincare (if I covered them all in one go this would be one monster post!)

My current cleanser is the Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Wash Mask.  I'll use a pea sized amount for my entire face, and wash it off with a face cloth.  You can also use it as a clay mask, but unless your skin is super oily it leaves your skin completely dried out!  It's been great during these warmer months as it leaves my face squeaky clean, especially is it's been a sticky humid night.

You get 150ml in the tube, it's excellent value for money.
Plus the packaging is light and sturdy, great for travelling.

I'll then tone my face with a spritz of the Caudelie Beauty Elixir - which is one of those products that I've had my eye on but was too eye-wateringly expensive to justify purchasing.  However, I spotted it in the Feel Unique sale for about thirty percent off and couldn't resist.  It does what it says on the tin, leaving my skin super soft and fresh feeling all day.  Also, can I just talk about the scent?!  Minty, fruity - the perfect perk-me-up.

Dreading the day this runs out - goodbye student loan!

Next, I'll moisturise with the No 7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily Skin.  I previously used the Nick Lowe equivalent, but as it was getting near impossible to source I thought I'd give this offering from No 7 a go.  The cream is smooth and nourishing - without feeling greasy - and at £7.50 when using a voucher it's a bargain!  The SPF 15 has also been great for brighter days, as I tend to forget facial sunscreen on a day-to-day basis.

Considering you get 50ml in the tub, it's a bit over-packaged -
but the pot isn't too heavy and is airtight.  The product also smells
 like sunscreen, but really nice sunscreen if you get what I mean!

Over any blemish-prone areas I'll then smooth in a little of the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo.  This feels very light and soothing on the skin, and is supposed to prevent spots and promote healing.  I do feel it has helped with both of these, possibly because it creates a bit of a barrier between skin and makeup so there's less likelihood of pore clogging?  Also, does anyone else think the scent is amazing?!  Then on any particularly dry patches I'll apply a little of their Cicaplast Baume B5, which I've found works a treat on helping makeup glide over.  The antiseptic properties mean its also great on healing drier blemishes - I'll leave a little on overnight and it calms any inflammation right down.

This tube has lasted me a good few months, and there's still a decent
amount left.  I also like that its in a tube - when you use very little of a product you don't want to be dipping your fingers into a tub each time!

Apologies about the state of this one! It lives in my handbag ninety percent
 of the time, just in case a bit of dry or sore skin rears its head while I'm out for
 the day so had gotten a rather battered! It's also lanolin free - unlike Eight Hour
Cream.  It's cheaper and smells great too, so I'd urge you to try it out if you're
 looking for an alternative.

Finally, I dab on a bit of the Boots Vitamin E Gentle Eye Cream.  This is non greasy, doesn't irritate the sensitive skin beneath my eyes and leaves a great base for concealer.  Nothing much else to say!

Super duper cheap, has SPF 15 and lasts ages.
(Okay, yes there was more to say haha!)

The links:
Neutrogena's Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Wash Mask is £3.50 at Tesco.
Caudelie's Beauty Elixir is £10.35 at Feel Unique.
No 7's Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily Skin is £12.50 (£7.50 w. voucher) at Boots.
La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo is £13.15 at Escentual.
La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Baume B5 (40ml) is £5.50 at Escentual
Boots' Vitamin E Gentle Eye Cream is £2.54 here.


Also quick side note - I'd already written this post up once today and then whilst adding the pictures managed to lose it all to auto-save :'( I couldn't remember it word for word, but I hope I've managed to get the original gist of it!  Any ideas for the best way of backing up posts would be much appreciated!

xxx

Essie's Splash of Grenadine

This is one of those polishes that makes you feel girly, no other way to describe it.  It's such a vibrant Barbie lilac-pink, and it just draws the eyes in.  As Essie polishes go, it's pretty standard - easy to apply, good longevity and decently opaque in two coats.

The colour is very distinctive - even though (as I said above)
 it is Barbie-esque, there's something slightly chic about it.
Perhaps because it's almost a muted neon?

Here's two coats of the polish, with the usual top coat (Sally Hansen Insta-Dry).
No chips after five days! 

You can find Essie polishes at most Boots stores or online, priced at £7.99

xxx

Unboxing last week's splurging spree...

Last week - specifically on the evening of results day, I went a little nuts with the online shopping.  I've already chatted about what I purchased in this post (where I get slightly emosh towards the end if you're into that stuff!).  But I also promised to update you when they'd all arrived...so here they all are!

First to arrive was the Sleek blush.  It's everything I thought it would be - the perfect peachy coral that blends in seamlessly with my skintone.  My only gripe with it is the fact that its not the softest blush out there, but it leaves a lovely sheen to the skin.  Also, highly bargainous at a mere £3.89 (including 1st Class delivery!)

Sleek Blush in 'Life's a Peach'
There's something about it that reminds me of Clinique's 'Peach Pop' blusher,
I shall have to swatch them side by side and get back to you on that one.
Also, the name.  You know by now that anything peach related gets a thumbs-up
from me!

Second up is the Laura Mercier palette.  (I must say that I was very impressed with Space.nk's customer service before I tell you all about what happened - they got back to me within the hour and were absolutely lovely.)
Anyway, I opened the box up like a kid would at Christmas and encountered a golden brown, glittery mess...

Understandingly, I was somewhat upset!  In hindsight though, it was rather funny...
all that gold shimmer went everywhere like a poof of icing sugar ahaha!

Space.nk sent out a brand new palette free of charge, and told me to keep the old one.  I decided to try to clean it up as best I could and give the eyeshadows and brushes to my mum (as I knew she would love the shade 'African Violet' in particular.)  I did end up with hands like one of those Bond girls from Goldfinger, but I thought it was a shame to not attempt to salvage at least some of such a beautiful palette!  The replacement arrived in perfect condition, and I am absolutely in love.  I've been using them over the top of my favourite No 7 shadow stick in 'Cool Mink', in particular the shade 'Sable' all over the lid and 'African Violet' in the crease - I'm a purple shadow convert!  The cake eyeliner in 'Ground Espresso' is a little bit of a faff to apply, but oh boy is it worth the extra effort - using it wet means it sticks around all day long.  I could go on and on, but I think you can tell I'm happy with my purchase!

The packaging, although rather bulky feels sturdy (and is oh-so-glamorous!)
Also, can I just talk about the brushes?!  Especially the pony-tail brush - so so soft.

Top row L-R: Morning Dew, Coffee Ground, African Violet, Ballerina Pink
Bottom row L-R: Crystal Beige, Sable, Dusk, Deep Night

I have yet to use the bronzer for its intended purpose, as it's a
little too dark for my skin.  The blushes though - oh my.
Underneath, is the cake liner in Ground Espresso (applied wet)
and the pencil liner which literally stayed on for a shower and a day!

Last of all was the scarf from Kate Moss' Topshop collection.  It's a lot more of a dark cream, almost with a little green mixed in than it looks on the website - but looks perfect with a plain grey tee and jeans.  And although it's rather thin and gauzy, it works a treat at keeping the wind off your neck if the weather is a bit chilly!

And here it is, in natural light.  The colours are pretty much true to
 life here - I love the way the light blue pops through!

xxx

Another Essence haul!

This week, I happened to nip into Wilko to pick up a few bits for uni, and remembered that I'd been meaning to try out some more items from Essence's makeup range.  I'd been particularly impressed with their 'Colour and Go' nail polish, so chose a couple more colours (plus another blush, oops!)...

'111 English Rose' and
'146 That's What I Mint!'

I've already tested out the mint shade, and much as I love how it applies, there is some light shimmer running through it that I didn't spot in store.  However, it's pretty much opaque in two coats and dries super fast.  The colour is also almost a light turquoise on the nails, not as light as expected but still lovely!  Judging by how the colour from bottle-to-nails translates a smidge darker, I'd expect the rosy shade to be almost terracotta on the nails - which should be perfect for autumn.

I also grabbed their 'Blush Up!' cheek colour in the shade 'Heat Wave'.  This was the one item I regretted not picking up last time I was at the stand, and although I really didn't need another blusher, it was so pretty that I couldn't not pop it in my basket this time around!  I've been experimenting with orange blush, having purchased Sleek's 'Life's a Peach' a couple of weeks ago and although this isn't as sheer, I feel that with the gradient you can get the perfect customised peachy-pink shade.  This blush is a lot less sheer than the Sleek one, so you have to be quite careful with it - just a dab is enough.  The compact also feels very sturdy, and although you don't get a mirror with it, I can hardly complain about the gorgeous design being on show!  (The perspex packaging reminds me a little of the Clinique Cheek Pops aswell.)

L-R: Swatched across the gradient of the blush (orange side to pink side),
then all the colours swirled together on the far right.

You can find the entire Essence range here at Wilko, and in store.
The nail polishes cost £1.60, and the blush £3.50.

xxx