I know for a fact that I've got so many sheer, pinky-coral lip products that they're practically coming out of my ears! I'd never really lined them all up before though - so I thought I'd share my somewhat messy armful of swatches with you in case anyone else would find the colour comparisons useful...
The most long lasting of the bunch are the YSL and Nyx, which really don't shift unless you eat something oily. Rather surprisingly these are followed by Barry M's offering. Despite it being extremely sheer, it really sticks around for a good few hours! 'Red Square' is a bit of an odd one out - not a coral at all - I just scribbled a bit on my arm to see how orangey it really was, and honestly it pulls a lot cooler than you'd think.
I use the Korres Lip Butter almost constantly, as it's so ridiculously hydrating - and then I'll usually top it up with the Dior Lip Glow as that feels pretty much the same but in stick form. The Dior does change from an almost orange colour to a light fuchsia after a while, but is still quite a bit more pigmented than the original version. The Revlon is pretty good as a budget dupe, but I do find that it needs quite a bit of building up to get the colour payoff you can see in the swatch and is a little waxier in texture.
Last of the bunch there's Soap and Glory's Sexy Motherpucker Gloss Stick, which is a very sheer hot pink. Looks gorgeous, but for some reason I haven't used it lots. 'Nudist' gets a heck of a lot more love (and tbh is looking rather battered) - possibly because it's a bit more unique? I might start popping this in my bag more so it gets a bit more use, perhaps as a slightly brighter alternative to my beloved Revlon 'Honey'!
All in all, having lined them up I feel there's a place for a more pigmented orange and maybe even a hot pink for the spring/summer?! I've had my eye on a couple of Revlon products for a while, shall keep you updated with what I end up picking up...
xxx
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Friday, 6 March 2015
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!
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...
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
 |
| 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
Monday, 16 February 2015
Lip balms galore!
Over the last couple of weeks, whether its due to the weather or just me being a tad stressed out, my lips have been a bit of a wreck to say the least! Other than super hydrating glosses that somewhat disguise the damage for special occasions - I've stuck to lip balms, layered up with a little lip liner that's a similar colour to my lips (to even the edges up a bit). Whilst I'm doing my skincare, I usually apply a little of the Origins Drink-Up Intensive mask (£23, John Lewis) to my lips and allow it to sink in. This has seriously helped with the peeling (tmi, sorry!) I've had when they're healing up and hydrates really well underneath whatever's layered on top. After this...
Korres Lip Butter in Mango (£8, ASOS)
Really nicely pigmented, and smells heavenly. Like YSL lip products! It's super creamy, and although it delivers the same colour as a sheer lipstick it never seems to cling to any dry spots. Love love love, and I'm using it up like nobody's business.
Dior Lip Glow Colour Reviver Balm (£23.50, Boots)
Pricey, but is like the Korres Lip Butter in stick-form! Great for on the go, when you don't want to be sticking your mitts in a pot but are in need of a top up. It's one I always seem to go back to, hence why it ended up in last year's favourites!
Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lipcare (£4, The Body Shop)
This is my holy grail balm for overnight - if you've been stressing a lot (for me, about exams) and biting your lips it soothes any sore spots so by the morning the redness is seriously calmed down! Plus, it comes in at a couple of pounds if you grab it on sale. Oh, and you may want to eat it - it smells that good.
Honourable mentions go out to the slightly less frequently used, but still loved:
Nuxe Rêve de Miel Balm (£9.50, Escentual)
I tend to pop a thick layer of this one on top of the latter overnight, just to seal everything in! You wake up in the morning with it still on your lips!
Burts Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm (~£3.50, Amazon)
Then finally, I always seem to have a tube of this in my handbag. It's seriously tiny and light to carry, and is also great for a mirror-less mid lecture top up!
YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in Dewy Papaya (£25, Boots)
Although it's the most lightweight of the bunch it leaves a gorgeous shine and is completely non-sticky. Plus, the ritzy tube - oh yes!
xxx
Thursday, 5 February 2015
Makeup Revolution...Iconic 3 palette swatches!
A few months ago, whilst in London I made a trip to Superdrug Marble Arch and managed to get my hands on the Iconic 3 palette by Makeup Revolution. I'd heard amazing things about the brand, and since I've always wanted to try out one of the infamous Naked palettes I thought this would be great to see whether the colours suited me! I picked the Iconic 3, because the range of taupey-pink shades was gorgeous!!
Worn with a primer (which I cannot go without - even with high end shadows) these last all day on the lids. They also have excellent pigmentation and blend easily with a fluffy brush. For £4 you get 12 shadows, and in total 14g of product which is a bargain! This particular palette does have a wide range of shades, but is lacking a dark, matte brown and a champagne highlight shade - other than that I can't really fault it for the price.
xxx
Worn with a primer (which I cannot go without - even with high end shadows) these last all day on the lids. They also have excellent pigmentation and blend easily with a fluffy brush. For £4 you get 12 shadows, and in total 14g of product which is a bargain! This particular palette does have a wide range of shades, but is lacking a dark, matte brown and a champagne highlight shade - other than that I can't really fault it for the price.
 |
| The shades don't appear to have names, but above are the first 6 (lighter, pinker-toned shadows) and below are the last 6 (taupey, purple-toned ones) which are super highly pigmented. |
 |
| And here's the palette overall. I prefer the packaging to MUA's equivalent, simply because there's less plastic and more shadow! |
xxx
Friday, 30 January 2015
5 Lessons learned...
A rather different sort of post today - skimming over the superfluous, yet somewhat useful things I've learned over the past term of University. Most of this seems blindingly obvious...but in all honesty I didn't think any of the scenarios mentioned below would happen!
No. 1
Bring a stepstool.
I clock in at about average height (5'6), so thought I'd be alright on the reaching-things-front, but spent the first few weeks of term balancing precariously on my wheelie chair to get up to my top shelf. What with the skincare/ makeup/stationary/laptop/miscellaneous-food-rubbish situation going on on your desk - you're gonna need that space! Needless to say, once my folks back home witnessed the rather wobbly process whilst on Skype - a stool of some form was added to the list. I now have a super cute, black and white dotty one from Dunelm that does the job nicely.
No. 2
Weather appropriate clothing.
Pester anyone you know who lives in the area you'll be living about how cold it is - and trust their advice. Up North? Bring more than one wool jumper...and a bobble hat. Although, the distinct lack of winter clothing in my cupboard has allowed me to go a little nuts with my student loan *proud owner of 4 oversized scarves right here*
Which leads me onto the next one...
No. 3
Mum isn't watching.
Okay, my bank statements are going home...but without the judgemental eyes of anyone (other than the college porter) it's incredibly easy to go overboard with your Asos orders. Trust me, it seems like a good idea to get 5 pairs of shoes at a time so you can pick the ones that are just right - but carting them back to the centre of campus, or god-forbid, town is an utter pain in the backside. Instead, either save the money for when you're home or get your shopping sent to store so you can try it all on and dump what isn't right, straight away! (Or be good and save the cash for next year's books...maybe)
No. 4
Food on campus is expensive.
Not takeaways - actual fresh food. Despite the fact that you can get an awesome sandwich for a few quid at lunch, when you're actually craving something a bit less carb-heavy and healthier, you're a bit stuffed. Small bottle of Copella = £4 *squeaks* Get familiar with Asda deliveries!
Although the snack-y stuff isn't so extortionate, try to bring a decent stash of your favourites along so you aren't carting them back from the shops on a bi-weekly basis. Nevermind the spare kitchen towels - fill the boot with Cream Crackers I say!
No. 5
Know when something's up.
On a slightly more sobering note - I spent the last few weeks of term in a pretty bad state. Physically, I was alright. Mentally, I was drained. Turns out it was Vitamin B deficiency, so I wasn't absorbing nutrients properly (hence the tiredness etc)...now I have a huge pot of supplements to take. Yucky taste and smell, but they really have made the world of difference. Take notice of your body - remember, you've still got years left to party!
xxx
*the list
Parents coming up for a visit?
These are the items that will fill their car boot (think: stuff you had back home you never knew you couldn't function adequately without!)
Monday, 26 January 2015
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 :)
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
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
Friday, 16 January 2015
And back again...!
To say that I've neglected this blog over the last month would be a bit of an understatement...
In all fairness though, I've spent the past few weeks recovering from a nasty case of tonsillitis (wouldn't wish it on anyone, it's nothing compared to strep throat!) so haven't had enough concentration span to finish writing up any posts :(
Currently though, I've settled back in at Uni (and am typing this as snow is falling outside my window *squeees*) so I thought I'd finally write up my 2014 favourites. I'm going to separate it into makeup, and then skincare/body related items otherwise it'd be one enormous post...makeup will be up first!
xxx
In all fairness though, I've spent the past few weeks recovering from a nasty case of tonsillitis (wouldn't wish it on anyone, it's nothing compared to strep throat!) so haven't had enough concentration span to finish writing up any posts :(
Currently though, I've settled back in at Uni (and am typing this as snow is falling outside my window *squeees*) so I thought I'd finally write up my 2014 favourites. I'm going to separate it into makeup, and then skincare/body related items otherwise it'd be one enormous post...makeup will be up first!
xxx
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