The Products Which Didn't Quite Make It

I set myself a limit of fifteen products for my 2015 favourites, but I have to mention the ones above. They may have missed out on a spot at the top, but I still enjoyed using each and every one of these throughout the course of the year. I think I discovered all but one of them during the year as well, so I haven't gone on about them umpteen times before.

Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Primer (review here) | I started using this towards the end of 2015, but it's better than a lot of other primers I've used before, and I'll be repurchasing soon. It doesn't live up to a lot of its claims, but it does make my makeup last well, and my eyeliner less smudgy. I also like the packaging; you can get everything out of the tube, and the nozzle allows for control.

Soap & Glory Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder | I swatched this multiple times over the course of a year before buying. I thought it was beautiful, but for some reason, always put it back on the shelf. When I finally made the purchase and used it for the first time, I was actually disappointed. It didn't look as nice out of the store, and it was barely noticeable. I don't know why I thought that because I find it to be more than enough now. I find it too shimmery to be used all over the face, but think it looks beautiful on the tops of the cheeks.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Julianne's Nude | I wasn't into nudes and muted pinks before the summer of 2015. I don't know what changed, but I've been wearing shades like this one on a regular basis for months now. This particular one is very flattering, and the formula doesn't go patchy over the course of its wear. It stays looking good right the way through.

NARS Copacabana Illuminator | I bought this in a blog sale, and can see it lasting an age! The smallest amount gives a pearlescent, almost metallic highlight to the places you apply it.

Revlon ColourStay Foundation for Normal/Dry Skin in Ivory (review here) | For someone with oily skin, I was skeptical about this. I bought it over the one for combination/oily skin because it looked lighter. I've since bought that one as well, but find myself reaching for this one more. It has a thicker, more gel-like texture than my other foundations, and leaves my skin feeling more moisturised. It doesn't make me any more oily than I usually get, and seems to last throughout the day better. I just wish it had a pump!

Bourjois Bronzing Primer (review here) | A matte, cream bronzer that blends beautifully. There's not much more to say! I still want them to come out with a contour version.

NYX Concealer Wand in Green | I started using this in December, but still wanted to mention it. I've had the jar version of this for a long time, and started using it again in November. The colour really helped tone down my blemishes and rosacea before applying foundation, but the formula had dried out and become difficult to blend. This liquid version is much better, and incredibly pigmented!

No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter | I bought this all the way back in the summer of 2014, but haven't mentioned it much, and started using it again towards the end of 2015. I love cream products, and this one is no different. A dupe for the Clinique one, it's incredibly easy to use, blends well, and has just the right amount of shimmer. I'm a fan of the blushes from the range as well.

Stila Convertible Colour in Hibiscus | The NYX Cream Blush in Natural is still my go-to blush, but I also love this one. It's mostly the shade I love because I have nothing like this coral red in my collection, but the formula's good, too. It's harder than the NYX ones, almost like a solid gel instead of a cream, but it's pigmented and blends well. The packaging is also pretty, let's be honest!

Have you tried any of these? I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.

Boots Haul

It's currently double discount week (and a half) at Boots, where employees and designated card holders receive 25% off branded products and 45% off Boots own products. I've been taking advantage of this, and thought I'd show you what I bought. Compared to last year's haul (found here), this is tame, especially considering some of it isn't mine!

Both my sister and I already have a large bottle of Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream. I bought my sister it for her birthday, and considering she's not into perfume, she's already half way through her bottle. She decided to buy another for when it runs out, which I have no complaints about because she received 500 Advantage Card points for buying it, and gave them to me! I'm now back up to £80 odd.

She also picked up the OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner because it was already a third off, making these around £3 a bottle. I've used OGX in the past and like it, but don't find it to be above and beyond what I normally use. I also have a drawer full of hair products already, so have put myself on a hair product ban!

The Maybelline Rocket Mascara and Lasting Drama Gel Liner are also hers. I also picked up the Gel Liner and the Sensational Mascara, both of which are repurchases. I have other mascaras to use, but wanted a back up of one I really love.

I bought the Laura Ashley Ceramic Cupcake and Muffin Tray and Rolling Pin with my future kitchen in mind. They're both things which should see me through the years, and they're so pretty! I actually bought two of the trays because I always make at least 12 muffins when baking. They're both originally £16, but the 3 for 2 offer and double discount brought this down to a more acceptable amount.

I ordered through the tills in store so I could have access to the products online. On the website, you can buy a No7 Restore & Renew bundle for just over £31, which is an amazing price when you think that the day and night creams are usually £24 each. The bundle also comes with the eye cream, and I'll be giving all of these to my mum for her birthday. This bundle was exempt from the discount because you're already saving so much.

Soap & Glory! I picked up the Super Exfoliating Scrub Gloves in the hope that they're better than my usual cheap ones. I also bought the Sugar Crush Body Wash, which I haven't used in a while. I still have my fair share of shower gels to get through, but I've resisted quite a few recently, so thought I'd allow myself this one. The One Heck of a Blot Primer and Sugar Crush Hand Gel are both new releases, and for some reason, I received 45% off of them, which I'm very happy about!

Barry M have released a new lipstick range called Satin Super Slick Lip Paints. There's six shades, all of which are beautiful. There's some neutrals, berries, and a peach. I chose Nuditude and Berry-licious. Nuditude is more pink than I thought it'd be, and looks like it'd be chalky, but it's not at all. Berry-licious is more toned down than a lot of berry shades, making it more wearable. Because of the 3 for 2 offer and discount, I got both of these for £3.47. I'm excited to wear them, and can see myself buying a couple more shades!

Have you had a splurge in Boots or Superdrug recently? What new releases have caught your eye? I can't wait to get my hands on the Freedom brow products, as well as The Body Shop's Fresh Nude Foundation and Shade Adjusting Drops.

Recent Purchases

You know when you buy something here and something there, and you don't feel as though you've bought much recently? And then you gather these purchases together and realise your shopping habits haven't changed? This is how this post came about.

I'll start with the items dominating the photos. I bought the Aussie products on a 3 for £10 deal, but they're now 3 for 2, which works out cheaper, annoyingly. I picked up another bottle of the Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner because I use it all the time. Then I opted for the Mega Shampoo and Conditioner. This was last month, and I've nearly finished these now. I really like them, so may include them in my next favourites post. They don't leave my hair as soft as the Tresemme Platinum Strength range, but they're more light weight. Because I've been impressed with these, I then bought two shampoos and a conditioner from the Miracle Moist line.

I bought the Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Nude Mauve (£8.99) with my Boots points, then went back and bought Gorgeous Berries. Pigmented, illuminating, blend well, and I don't have shades like these in my collection.

I've been using the Real Techniques Stippling Brush daily for nearly two years now, and was considering buying another. Then one found itself on my store's clearance stand, so I had to buy it. Normally £11.99, but I think I paid £4-5.

I also bought a couple more packs of the No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes. These work out as 42p with the £5 off vouchers and staff discount, so I like to stock up when the vouchers are around.

The last bargain purchase from Boots is the Origins Mask Marvels Gift Set. £20 down from £50, you receive the Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, the Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask, and the Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. These are 75ml instead of the full sized 100ml tubes, but that's still a hefty saving! The 100ml tubes are £23, so these 75ml ones work out as £17.25 each. £20 instead of £51.75 isn't bad at all. I've heard great things about these products, so I'm excited to try them.

The Blistex products were half price in Superdrug, so I stocked up on the Intensive Moisturiser because it's the best lip balm I've ever used. Definitely worth more than the full price of £2.59.

You can always rely on The Body Shop for a bargain. The Vineyard Peach Body Mist was £3.50 down from £7 in their current sale, and the Cranberry Joy and Vanilla Brulee Home Fragrance Oils were just £1 down from £4. They smell delicious, and I've been burning Cranberry Joy since I received it.

Let me know of any bargains you've purchased recently, and if they're still available for me to buy myself!

Playing Catch Up With Foundation

Until last year, I never used foundation. It just didn't seem to sit right on my skin. Then I started using concealer to match my freckly nose and rosy bottoms of my cheeks with the rest of my face, as well as under my eyes and on blemishes. I was using it nearly everywhere, so thought it'd be more cost effective to buy foundation. Now I'm discovering a wide range of products I've never even glanced at before, and it's exciting.

I acquired some vouchers which made the No7 foundations very affordable, so bought the Stay Perfect (£14.50) and Beautifully Matte (£13.50) ones in the lightest shade, Calico. Both have a medium-full coverage and don't feel heavy. The only difference is the Stay Perfect one is more satin than matte. Beautifully Matte doesn't feel or look as expensive, but the packaging is much more practical.

Last month, I bought the Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation in 40 Light Ivory (£11.99). I was sent the Skin Luminizer a few months ago, but it was in the wrong shade, and then I completely forgot about it. I was drawn to it on that day, though. It's thick, but, again, not heavy, and it also has a medium coverage. The reflecting shimmers are very subtle, unlike Rimmel's Wake Me Up. Everyone seems to love that foundation, but my sister looked like a disco ball when she wore it!

I also bought the L'Oreal True Match Foundation in C1 Rose Ivory (£9.99). I don't know what tone my face is because I have warm freckles and rosy patches, but this looked pale, so I went for it. The colour seems fine, but what I was most surprised at was the formula. It's very runny, so I thought it was going to be quite sheer, but it's not. Its coverage is just as high as the others.

L'Oreal had a 2 for £12 offer going on in Boots last week, which was amazing, so I couldn't resist buying two more. These next ones were technically free because I used my Advantage Card points to buy them. I chose the L'Oreal True Match Foundation in N1 Ivory (£9.99) to see if it'd be a better match for me (I think it is), and I also picked up the L'Oreal Infallible Foundation in 015 Porcelain (£9.99). You can't really tell from the photo, but it's lighter than the others, which is rare. I've used it a couple times so far, and it's probably the best match, especially on my neck. This one also has a medium-high coverage, a natural satin finish, and seems to sit and last well on my skin (I always moisturise and prime before applying makeup, though).

I still use my fingers to apply these, like I do with my concealer, because I find it looks the most natural. I'm going to try out some different techniques in the next couple of weeks, though, to see if there's a better way.

What's your favourite foundation? I know a lot of people love the Bourjois ones, but they're too dark and yellow for me. Let me know!

Recent Purchases

This post is going up about a month later than I originally intended because I just kept buying things! As well as all my brand specific hauls (Lush, The Body Shop, Yankee Candle, Illamasqua, Makeup Revolution...), these are the purchases I made when feeling really spendy in January.

The Christmas sales were a disappointment, especially after three of my orders were cancelled. I did manage to buy some bargains from Ciate, though. The Mini Mani Manor went down to £14.70, the Candy Cane House to £7.50, and the Cranberry Love Me Oil to £5.50. I then bought a couple of the Big Beauty Buses from Boots for £5 each.

I also managed to pick up the No7 Skincare Collection in the Boots sale for about £6, which I'll be giving to my mum for Mother's Day. Online, Boots also had the Marc Jacobs Daisy Sunshine for £22.50 instead of £45, so I had to add it to my collection! Other purchases from Boots include the Rimmel Gel Eyeliner in Emerald £6.99 (a twist on black which should make my eyes and hair pop), the Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Peach Poppy £6.99 (so pretty), the No7 Eyelash Curlers £7.25 (they're okay, but not great - other reviews are very negative!), and the Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures 1 Minute Treatment £2.99 down from £4.99 (smells great and conditions my hair, but not to a great extent).

From Lush, I bought a large pot of Ultrabland for £11.50 because it's one of my favourite cleansers, ever. I also picked up the Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask for free because I brought back 5 black pots. It smells incredible, but easily crumbles off your face. It does seem to cleanse and mattify my face, though.

I always buy underwear in the Accessorize sale, and the ones above were £2-3 each, instead of £5-6. I also bought the parrot shopper for £8 because I love a shopper!

The dress doesn't look like much folded up, but it's really pretty. It's from Closet, and one I had my eye on for graduation, but it wasn't really appropriate for that, so I bought a couple others from the brand (and ended up keeping both because they fit so well!). It was £26 down from £51 in the Dorothy Perkins sale, which I think is pretty good, considering I wanted it beforehand. The back has a V shape, but you can still wear a normal bra with it. I'm just waiting for a summer wedding so I can wear it! I seriously love Closet for more formal dresses - the shapes are beautiful, and the quality incredible.

For some reason, I included my mini lint rollers from H&M when taking the first photo. They are helpful, though, and I've been keeping one in my bag.

Debenhams had the Marc Jacobs Daisy Delight for £24 instead of £48, and I had to buy it to complete my collection. I didn't mean to collect them - it just happened! Like the others, it smells beautiful.

Finally, I picked up a copy of Elle for the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. I dislike magazines, and this one's no different, but some samples are worth buying for. Roller Lash has a very similar wand to the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara, and the effect is pretty similar, too. I think I prefer the Lash Sensational one, though, but I'll keep you posted.

What did you pick up in the sales?

2014 Favourites: Part One

I wasn't planning on having this many favourites, so I've split them into a couple posts. As you can see, this one contains the makeup!

There's clearly a theme with the lip products, with them either being coral or red. The ones above are No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Berry Rose, L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Exclusive Reds Lipstick in Julianne, Maybelline Colour Elixir in Alluring Coral, NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler, The Body Shop Colour Crush Shine Lipstick in Sunset Romance, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Frambourjoise, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, and No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Geranium. Some are glossy, some are matte, some are sheer, some are opaque, but they are all absolutely beautiful.

Another lip product I've been loving is the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser. Hands down, the best lip balm I've ever tried. Unlike many, it doesn't just act as a barrier, but actually improves the condition of your lips.

I started wearing foundation in 2014, after not being able to get on with any for years. The No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation changed that. The packaging is practical, it's one of the lighter shades on the highstreet, it gives a full coverage, and doesn't feel heavy or look cakey.

The Body Shop's All In One Face Base in 02 is a product I've been using for a couple years now. It's silky and provides a little extra coverage. I've yet to come across anything better.

I don't like the handles of the Real Techniques Stippling and Powder Brushes because they take up so much room in my brush holder, but I've been using them nearly every day for the past year and they're still looking good. They've held their shape and haven't shed a hair, so I'm really pleased with them.

The No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter is just beautiful. It's the perfect candlelight shade and is easy to blend. 

The ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light. I've been through so many of these over the years. I used to use the Medium shade, but started using Light in 2013/2014 and find that it's a much better suiting.

I had a couple styes in October that lead to me pulling out my eyelashes (I know), and the Eylure Individual False Lashes saved the day. I only used the short ones to fill in the gaps I had, but they looked natural and weren't that difficult to apply. They didn't last more than a day because of cleansing, but they lasted through the day without any problems. 

Another product I started using for the same reasons is the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Black, and I now use it every day. It's jet black, easy to apply, and lasts all day, even on the upper waterline.

To my lower lash line, I smudge in the Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze. It's a beautiful metallic shade that lasts all day.

Maybelline really is my favourite brand for eye products! The Rocket Mascara is another favourite of mine that I've been using for years. I don't find it clumpy in the slightest, and it really lengthens the hairs.

The last products are cream blushes. NYX's Cream Blush in Natural is my favourite blush of all time, and I've just hit pan! So proud. It's pigmented, creamy, and easy to blend. The Illamasqua Cream Blushers in Dixie and Seduce are also great, although not quite as creamy. The shades, though, are beautiful.

Are you a fan of any of these products? What were your favourites of 2014?

Boots Star Gift - No7 Ultimate Collection

The last Star Gift leading up to Christmas is the No7 Ultimate Collection. It's better than half price at £37, down from £75. They've annoyingly increased the price from last year, but you still get £124.45 worth (the box says 'over £130 worth', but I've worked it out to be £124.45). I bought this for the Protect and Perfect Intense creams, which are £23 and £24 on their own. I'm also intrigued to try the rest of the contents in the smaller box. I'm thinking about leaving the products in the larger box and giving as a present, possibly for Mother's Day.

In the No7 Ultimate Collection, you receive:

Protect and Perfect Intense Day Cream - £23

Protect and Perfect Intense Night Cream - £24

Protect and Perfect Intense Hand Cream - £10.50

Beautiful Skin Dry Skin Rescue - £12

Lovely Lashes Mascara in Black - £12.95

BB Lips Beauty Balm in Ballerina - £9

Blissful Body Wash - £7.50

Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion - £9.50

Sumptuous Bath Soak - £7.50

Completely Quenched Body Lotion - £8.50

I think this would make a great last minute Christmas gift, especially because it's packaged so beautifully. Or you can buy it for yourself, like I did!

Foundation (No7 Beautifully Matte and Stay Perfect)

2014 has been the year I've started wearing foundation. Before, I just used concealer because I didn't like the way foundation looked on my skin, or the colour selections available. I would have continued doing so, but as well as using it on blemishes and under my eyes, I started using it on the rosy bottoms of my cheeks and my nose where there's so many freckles that it's a couple shades darker than the rest of my face. I thought it'd be more cost effective to just buy a foundation.

I bought the No7 Beautifully Matte (£13.50) and Stay Perfect (£14.50) foundations because I had a Boots employee voucher. I wouldn't have bought them if it wasn't for this, but now that I've used them, I'd buy them again. I have the lightest shade (Calico) in both of these, and although I think it's still one shade too dark for me, my sister insists it looks fine. It's also lighter than most other highstreet foundations I've seen. Although the Stay Perfect packaging looks more appealing, with its glass bottle, the Beautifully Matte one is definitely more practical, pushing the product up so none is wasted. Aside from this, they're very similar, in terms of formulation. The Beautifully Matte one is ever so slightly more matte (hence the name), but that's it. They both have a medium to full coverage, don't feel heavy or look cakey, and have an SPF of 15. They don't keep my oily complexion at bay all day, though, even with a primer and powder, so I have to use shine absorbing sheets half way through to help control this.

I would absolutely love for them to bring out a lighter shade, but for now, these are doing a great job, and have converted me to foundation. I would love to try some others, though, so let me know your recommendations (especially if you're as pale as me!).

Sheer, Berry Lips

Although I'm not one to adhere to seasonal shades, I do find myself gravitating towards berry lip products more in the winter months. A lot of people prefer their lighter, summer shades to be glossy, and darker, winter shades to be matte, but I've been liking something in between. You see, I'm still dipping my toes into the darker shades water, and I feel like the shades above are perfect for that introduction. 

The No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Berry Rose (£9) and Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumsel (£8) are both incredibly balmy, which is why I love them so much. They also fade well, are quick and easy to reapply, and your lips don't have to be in perfect condition for them to look good. All of these aspects make up for the fact that they don't last as long as a heavier lip product would. The other shades I have of these are also some of my favourites, so I'd definitely recommend looking out for the ranges on your next shopping trip.

What kind of lip products do you see yourself gravitating towards in the colder months?

Empties #10

Mitchum Pure Fresh Deodorant Stick, £3.20-£3.35/41g, Boots or Superdrug

I rarely talk about deodorant on here because there's not much to say about it, but thought I'd mention this one because it's my new favourite. It comes in a stick formula, which is my favourite, it smells fresh (and also sherbety?), and keeps me dry and smelling clean. They're usually on offer for 2 for £4, too.

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner, £4.49/250ml, Boots or Superdrug

A classic. I've been through bottles and bottles of this stuff. It smells incredible and leaves your hair feeling soft.

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes, £7/30 wipes, Boots

I would never, ever pay £7 for these, and I don't think anyone does. They're usually the product people pick up when the £5 off vouchers are floating around (which is regularly). They removed all my makeup easily enough and didn't dry my skin out, but then my Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes don't either (and they're a lot cheaper!). I've already bought another pack of these because I can get them for 42p with staff discount, but I wouldn't recommend them over any others.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara, £7.99/9ml, Boots or Superdrug

One of my all time favourite mascaras. It darkens and lengthens my lashes, and doesn't clump, which is all I look for in a mascara.

Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly, £3.50/100g, Lush

I used to be a Lush Mystery Shopper, so bought this with the credit they gave me. It smells very fresh, which I love, but it's not something I'd buy again. It's expensive for what it is, and you end up wasting a lot of it. I can appreciate the gimmick, though, and think it's worth trying at least once!

Superdrug Face & Bikini Wax Strips, £4.29/20, Superdrug, review here

They remove the hair I want without irritating my skin, and that's all I can ask for! My hair grows so fast that I have to use these every couple of weeks, but I don't mind for the price. I usually buy them when they're on offer for 2 for £5 (which is now!)

Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Wash in Moisturising Honey & Almond Milk, £3.15/200ml, Boots or Superdrug, review here and here

I love these body washes. I prefer the fruitier scents, but still enjoyed this one. It's slightly sweet, but still neutral, so I can see many people liking it. I usually buy them when they're on offer for £2, but definitely think they're worth the price.

Have you tried any of these products?

Huge Boots Haul!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35

Boots staff double discount happened, and this isn't even all of it! I've removed some presents and doubles from the photo, and I forgot to include the No7 mirror and foundations (which I paid pennies for thanks to clearance and vouchers). In my defence, a number of items above are Christmas presents for various people. I'm just going to talk through a handful of things because we'll be here for a long time else!

I'm not one for false lashes, but I had a few styes and started pulling mine out (I know), so needed something to fill the gaps while they grow back! The individual lashes have been great, and while they don't last for days and days, they look natural. I remove them every night like I do with any cosmetic. This would be time consuming if I applied a full set every morning, but I only apply a couple. The Naturalites (10) also look promising!

I well and truly stocked up on the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner because they ended up being just £1.87 a bottle. It's definitely a range I'd recommend trying!

Original Source have brought out some body moisturisers, and I couldn't resist buying the peach and apricot lotion. It smells like a peach and apricot yoghurt! There's also a watermelon one, which I wouldn't mind smelling at some point.

29, 34, and 35 were on clearance in my store, so I ended up paying just 39p and 87p for them! Another exciting lip product purchase is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Exclusive Red Lipstick in Julianne. It's beautiful!

The Babyliss straighteners and Soap & Glory gift sets are for my mum for Christmas. She's only ever had mine and my sister's old straighteners, and her favourite colour is purple, so I thought the Elegance Pro would be perfect. She's not familiar with Soap & Glory, but after telling her a bit about the products and showing her reviews/swatches, she's excited to start using them!

Other points to mention: I'm excited to use the No7 makeup products (7 and 25-28) because they all have great reviews, I love the Laura Ashley kitchen accessories, and I don't know why I included the anti-blister stick and spray plaster. It must have been a long day!

Have you splurged recently?

Maybelline Colour Elixirs and No7 BB Lips Beauty Balms

Maybelline Colour Elixir in Mandarin Rapture, Maybelline Colour Elixir in Alluring Coral, No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Geranium, and No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Blush Coral

The Maybelline Colour Elixirs and No7 BB Lips Beauty Balms are similar products, in the sense that they're both a liquid balm with a decent amount of colour payoff and a high shine finish, so I thought I'd group them together in one post. I also thought that this would make up for the lack of lip swatches. I just couldn't get the photos right! Speaking of which, the photos above look fine on my screen, but not so fine on my dad's, so sorry if they're not looking great on yours!

The Maybelline Colour Elixirs (£6.99) were not something I intended to buy. I hadn't looked at many reviews online, and the packaging didn't appeal to me. Then I swatched them and realised how balmy and similar they were to the NYX Butter Glosses. I bought Mandarin Rapture first because my store had a very small selection and I didn't realise there was a coral. Then I ordered Alluring Coral a few days later. I definitely prefer the latter. I prefer the colour, it's more opaque and even, and it has no shimmer. Mandarin Rapture's shimmer is very fine, mind you, and you can't detect it on your lips, but I'd prefer there to be none. I feel like they're more pigmented than your standard gloss, they're moisturising, and they last a few hours. Alluring Coral also stains my lips slightly. The scent is a mix of perfume and fruitiness, but it's not offensive. I can see myself buying more of these in the future.

I don't like the name of the No7 BB Lips Beauty Balms (£9), because they've simply jumped on a bb everything trend, but the actual product is impressive. They're like the Elixirs, but they're thicker and more balmy. They also have SPF15, which is an added bonus. Geranium is my favourite because it's more pigmented, but Blush Coral is perfect for those more natural days. I'm not sure how well it'd show up on those with more pigmented lips, though, so keep that in mind. They're more expensive than other high street lip products, but No7 always have an offer on. Buy one get one half price, £5/£3 off voucher, free gift (sometimes you can combine two of these deals at once, too).

Are you a fan of these balmy hybrids?

Bargain Beauty Haul

I've bagged some great bargains recently, especially in the last few days, so thought I'd gather them together and have a little ramble!

The first product is the Nina Ricci Nina perfume. I was going to buy this from Boots, but found it on allbeauty.com for £31.80 instead of £54. Although it's still not the cheapest perfume out there, I thought it was a great discount.

On top sits a set of three Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butters in Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Peach Parfait (all shades I've considered buying in the past). I found this little gem in TK Maxx for £7.99, instead of £7.99 each. It's the first decent beauty item I've found in there! 

I bought the Maybelline Elixir in Mandarin Rapture in Boots yesterday. This retails for £6.99, but I used a couple of vouchers towards it. There's also a 3 for 2 on all Maybelline products at the moment, if you're interested. Apart from the slight shimmer (and it's only slight), I like this so far. It reminds me of the NYX Butter Glosses, in the sense that it's balmy, glossy, and still packs a punch of colour. Unfortunately, we don't have a huge shade selection over here in the UK, but there's still a couple of others I have my eye on.

The EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm wasn't a huge bargain, but thought I'd include it here anyway. I bought it from Amazon for £3.91 including P&P, but they've now changed the price, so I'd suggest looking around yourself. I wanted to know if these hyped little balls were any good before buying a big value pack for presents. So far, so good. I'll keep you posted!

The Witch primers were on clearance in Superdrug for £1.75, and they were buy one get one free. Two primers for £1.75? Yes, please! The Superdrug Colour Effects Conditioning Colours (£1.49) were also buy one get one free, so I picked up a couple more.

I definitely didn't need any more wipes, but had a £5 No7 voucher to use, so thought I'd pick up the No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes (£7). My staff discount on top made these just 42p. It would have been rude not to! I then bought the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm (£9.50) with another voucher I had, and ended up paying just £2.36 for this. Lastly, on the No7 front, I bought the BB Lips Beauty Balms in Geranium and Blush Coral (£9 each). I had a £3 off voucher, and because I bought two makeup products, I received a free gift box. It contains a mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and eyeshadow brush. The shades are ones my mum will love, so I'm going to give it to her as a present.

There's currently a 3 for 2 across all hair products in Boots, so I picked up the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor (£4.99), the Naked Rescue Intensive Care Shampoo (£4.39), and the Naked Rescue Intensive Care Conditioner (£4.39). I also had 25% off and double points vouchers, making these even cheaper.

After I bought these (and annoyingly used my 25% off voucher), I noticed that the Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo and Conditioner bottles were on clearance for £1.75 each (down from £6.99). They also qualified for the 3 for 2 offer and discount, so I paid just £1.02 each. I think it was meant to be because there were just three bottles left, and two of them were shampoo (I go through more shampoo than I do conditioner).

Have you picked up any bargains recently?

Collective Haul

I don't feel like I've been buying much recently, but this photo says otherwise! 

So, you know the Pacifica fragrance sets I've mentioned a few times now? £18 on Feel Unique, bought a couple in January for £5, bought a couple more a few weeks back for £7.50? Well, Tesco Direct reduced them again, to just £3.75. £3.75! I'm glad they're not a well known brand over here. If they were, they would have sold out in a heartbeat. I now have four to give away as presents, and three myself.

I don't tend to buy many clothes from Primark (or from any store, really. Jeans and a plain tee will do me just fine). I just like the pj and home sections. I'm fond of their reed diffusers, so picked up four more; two sweet pineapple & ginger, and two blackcurrant & orchid. They smell great, and were only £3 each. I also bought some more cosy and thermal socks (£2 and £2.50). Love, love, love their thicker socks.

I reviewed the TRESemme Platinum Strength Shampoo a couple posts back (here), and then discovered that the bottles were half price in Superdrug (still are), so bought the Platinum Strength and Renewal Hair & Scalp duos. Each bottle was £2.47 down from £4.99. The 900ml and 750ml bottles are the same price, which is annoying, but these have been making a difference to my hair.

There was an offer on Soap & Glory facial products the other week in Boots, so I ended up paying £5-6 for the Ultimelt Hot Cloth Cleanser, rather than £10. I've used it a fair few times now, and... it's okay. It doesn't smell the nicest, it doesn't remove my makeup as well as others, and it doesn't leave my skin as soft as others. It's just okay. I like it, but wouldn't pay £10 for it. I then bought the Sugar Crush Body Scrub for £8. Full price. I don't think I've ever paid full price for a Soap & Glory product. There was a points voucher involved, though. Anyway, I've tried the other products in the range, and wanted to move away from exfoliating gloves and enter the world of scrubs. It smells better than the body wash and butter. It's incredible. I'm going to use it for the first time tonight, so will let you know how I get on.

I bought another Blistex Intensive Moisturiser (£2.59/Superdrug, £2.63/Boots) because I use my current one every night, and I also bought another Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick for £5.99 (normally £8.99). This shade is Peach Club. I like them, but can't say too much because I haven't worn them to their fullest potential yet. I've just been dabbing and blending a little in.

What happens when you combine a buy one get one half price offer, a £3 off voucher, and multiple point boosting vouchers? You spend, and you don't feel guilty about it. I bought the No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush Stick in Classic Rose (normally £9.95), and the No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Tropical Beach (normally £9). I ended up paying £6.95 and £4.50. I haven't tried them yet, but like the Instant Radiance Highlighting Stick I have from them. Tropical Beach also looks similar to Bourjois' Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach, which is one of my favourites.

Lastly, the bag is from Accessorize. At £33.30 (usually £37), it wasn't the cheapest, but it's for my sister's birthday, and the patterns are really beautiful.

What have you been buying recently?

Lip Product Collection and Storage

I don't know when this happened. One minute I'm rarely wearing lip products, and the next I'm having to buy a third container just to fit them in! I didn't realise how many I had until I gathered them together for this post. I used to wear nothing on my lips because I thought I looked like a child playing dress up when I did. However, I wear very little eye makeup and have pale lips, so without some form of colour on them, I can look a little...  ill. The lipstick holders are from here, and I'm very happy with them. I'm able to easily see every shade I have, without having them scattered across multiple surfaces in my room. They're currently just £2.99, which is an added bonus. I'm not going to go through every lip product with you, but I'm going to link the posts and reviews to some:

My Lip Crayon Collection (with links to individual reviews)

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Fraise Remix

Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick in 1,2,3 Soleil

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours

What lip products would you recommend I try? I have some slots to fill!

Getting Back Into Makeup - New Products & Mini Reviews

Up until recently, I hadn't bought any makeup for months. It didn't appeal to me and no new releases caught my eye. Then, within the space of a month, I go and buy the above. I don't know what changed, and I don't know if I'm back into makeup again or if this was a one off splurge, but I'm liking trying new products again! I thought I'd group them all together and tell you my thoughts.

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer - £11.99

I've actually already reviewed this here. The packaging looks nice, but it could be improved so no product's wasted. The actual product almost blurs fine lines and pores, while mattifying the skin. Makeup then applies better, and you can feel the smoothness throughout the day. I'd repurchase, but only when it's on offer!

Revlon Colourstay Concealer in Fair - £6.99

Before this, I was using the Collection Lasting Perfection and MUA Cover & Conceal concealers. The Collection one became a little too heavy for my skin, while the MUA one was a little too light (in terms of coverage) and dewy. I wanted something in between. This concealer is just that. It has a medium coverage and satin finish. It's nothing special, and rather average, but that's what I was looking for.

No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter - £9.95

I didn't plan on buying this, but had one of those vouchers and it swatched beautifully, so couldn't resist! It's a beautiful candlelight shade, creamy, and SO easy to use. The shimmer is very fine, so you don't look like a disco ball. I'd actually prefer it to be even finer, so it's more metallic, but that's just me. I'll probably be reviewing and swatching this in another post, so look out for that. If you know of any other cream highlighters, preferably under £10, let me know!

Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara - £9.99

Everyone's been raving about this. I love my Maybelline mascaras, but thought I'd try something different, so picked this up when it was on offer. It's clumpier than my Maybelline ones, and starts to look bad if I put on two coats. It's more dramatic and gives more volume, but I won't be repurchasing. It's okay, but I don't know why everyone's been raving about it so much.

The Body Shop Colour Crush Shine Lipsticks in 15 Fuchsia Flirt and 18 Sunset Romance - £10

I'll be reviewing and swatching these soon! They're light, balmy, and perfect for summer. They look quite bold in the bullets, but they're sheer and give a nice wash of colour. They can be built up, though. They're similar to other lip products that have been coming out recently, so they're not unique, but worth trying when there's a great offer on (which is always).

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours in Gossip, Show Off, Chatterbox, and Screamer - £3.99

I've already reviewed these here, but will be showing you them on my lips soon. I like them. They're pigmented, glossy, don't settle into the lines on your lips, and last a decent amount of time. You only need to use a small amount, too, so the 10ml tubes should last a while. I've read a couple people write that they're just pigmented glosses which don't last well. They're pigmented and they're glossy, but they're not glosses. I also don't know why they didn't last well for these people. Show Off lasted through three hours, a stir fry, and a whole lot of ice cream on me!

Do you go through phases of not being into makeup?