Some Products I've Been Enjoying Recently

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge | I last mentioned this in a First Impressions post back in February (here), and said I liked it, but still had my reservations. My foundation applied better with it, especially when damp, but I wasn't keen on replacing it every 1-3 months. Due to an offer and multiple discount codes, I've since bought two more for around £3 each (usually £5.99). Thankfully, I haven't had to use them yet because my original one is still doing a great job, two months down the line. The finish it gives is natural, and it's great at blending. I also find it to cover those blemishes which have scabbed over well. The sponge is able to mold around every crevice. Sounds gross, I know, but we've all experienced it! I don't really know where to store it when it's still damp, though, so it tends to just sit on my chest of drawers next to my makeup basket. The stains are there for life as well, but I've accepted those!

Revlon Super Length Mascara | This was another product in my First Impressions post, and I didn't have strong feelings for this either! It wasn't clumpy and gave my lashes that fluttery effect, like Maybelline's Mega Plush, but I wasn't blown away because I love my Maybelline ones so much. I've been using it every day since, though, so that must say something, and it doesn't flake either. I'll still go to Maybelline first when I need a new mascara, but I'd be happy to repurchase this one.

NYX Butter Lipstick in Root Beer Float (formerly known as Pops) | I've been loving these nude pink shades recently, and the formula of this one is very creamy and pigmented. It lasts considerably well, too, considering how creamy it is. It looks more brown in the tube than it does on the lips, but once on, it's incredibly natural, and not too dissimilar from my natural lip colour. Since taking the photo above, I've also bought the NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Tres Leches, which is a similar colour. I've been loving this as well, so will have to do a swatch post soon.

Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner in Eastend Snob | I've been wearing this with Root Beer Float, so thought I'd talk about it next. They don't look like they'd go well together, but Root Beer Float is more pink than it looks, and this is less pink than it looks. It seems to be a cult classic, and has been compared to Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk. It gives off a nice amount of pigment, and isn't at all scratchy, which is what I associated most lip liners as being. It lasts all day on my lips, and you don't even have to sharpen it. Plus, it's only £3.99.

NYX HD Blush in Taupe | I owned and loved the colour of the old Taupe, but it had no pigment, so I was happy when I got my hands on this. It's so much more pigmented! I actually have to be really careful when contouring with it. It feels a little chalky when swatched with your fingers, but it doesn't come across like that on the face.

Maybelline Creamy Mattes Colour Tattoo in Creme De Rose | My eyelids have some red discolouration to them, so I usually conceal them. They get quite oily, though, so even with a primer, they can crease a little. I bought Creme De Rose hoping to use it as a wash of colour, and start wearing eyeshadow. It ended up being so close to my skin tone, though, that you couldn't even tell I was wearing it. I started using it in place of my concealer instead, and it works really well. It barely creases, and it keeps the oil at bay much better. I've even been using a little under my eyes, where those fine lines are. It's on the cool, pink side, so I wouldn't use it anywhere else on my face, but it works well around my eyes. It's been compared to MAC's Painterly Paint Pot, so if you have your eye on that, try this first and save yourself some money!

Have you tried any of these products? And if you've tried both the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and Beauty Blender, is the latter worth the extra money?

New Products | First Impressions

I wanted to have a little natter about the products I've picked up recently, so why not turn it into a blog post?

The only time I really buy from Illamasqua is when they have one of their epic sales. I love the products I've bought from them in the past, but they're so expensive full price. This year, I held off until everything in the sale was 70% off, and bought the Powder Blusher Duo in Lover & Hussy for £7.80, down from £26, and the Cream Blusher in Zygomatic for £6.60, down from £22. On top of this, I used my 15% off birthday discount, so they were quite the bargain! Lover and Hussy are soft and pigmented, just as I'd expected. I do have similar shades and formulas from other brands in my collection, so I probably didn't need them, but am sure I'll get plenty of wear out of them anyway. Zygomatic is so beautiful. It's the perfect nude pink. It's not as pigmented as the other cream blushers I've tried from them, but I like that. It makes it easier to blend.

I finally caved and bought the Real Techniques Complexion Sponge. What I really wanted was the Beauty Blender, but I'm not willing to part with £16 for a sponge just yet, so settled on this £5.99 alternative. So far, I think it does apply my foundation better than my brushes, but I don't know if I'll repurchase. You have to replace it every 1-3 months, whereas my brushes last years. I don't know. I like it, but it hasn't become a holy grail yet.

The new Revlon mascaras were on offer at Boots for £6.99 (down from £9.99), 3 for 2, and I managed to use student discount on top of my staff discount, so I couldn't resist trying a couple. I've never tried a Revlon mascara before, and am very much pro Maybelline in this area, so didn't know what to expect. I'd read that the green Super Length one was generally preferred, so my sister & I both chose that one, and then I thought I'd try the red Ultimate All in One because the brush was so small. I've used them a couple times so far, and I think I prefer the green one. It doesn't clump your lashes at all, and leaves them looking natural and fluttery, similar to Maybelline's Mega Plush. The brush on the red Ultimate All in One mascara can pick up too much product because of its size and plastic bristles, meaning it has more potential to clump, but it's still okay. At the moment, I don't regret buying them, and will continue to use them, but will probably stick to my trusty Maybelline ones in the future. I'll let you know if this opinion changes when the formulas start to dry down.

What are your thoughts on these products?

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.

Gravitating Towards Nude Pink Lip Products

Revlon ColourBurst Balm Stain in Honey, Maybelline ColourSensational Elixir in Blush Essence, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayon in Bashful, Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in Proudly Naked, L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Julianne's Nude

It's hard to believe that I've only been regularly wearing lip colours for a couple years. It was the step I used to skip, but now find it pulls the whole look together. One of the first products I started to wear on a daily basis was Revlon's ColourBurst Balm Stain in Honey. It's a combination of pink, mauve, and brown, making for a natural, easy-to-wear shade.

Since then, though, I've been all about the corals, reds, and berries. Every shade in my 2014 favourites was bold and eye catching. I didn't wear them to their full intensity, mind you. I'd sheer them out, so they were appropriate to wear to work. I wouldn't even notice the nude, natural pinks on the stands. For some reason, though, this has changed recently. I've been favouring the shades above over my usual ones.

I only had a few of these shades in my expansive collection, so it was the perfect excuse to go shopping. I ended up buying the Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in Proudly Naked and the L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Julianne's Nude the other week.

The Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in Proudly Naked is more nude than the others, but is still in the pink spectrum. I'm liking this more than Peach on the Beach, and it's making me want more shades from the range, even though I should probably stop buying lip products. I liked Peach on the Beach, but it settled in the lines of my lips ever so slightly. I think this was because it's one of those shades which is mixed with white pigment to make it lighter and brighter. I thought every shade in the range was similar, so was pleasantly surprised when I swatched Proudly Naked. It's balmy, sits on the lips nicely, and fades evenly.

I already own L'Oreal's Colour Riche Lipstick in Julianne's Red, and love the shade, so had been eyeing her nude shade for a while because we have the same colouring. Julianne's Nude is a peachy pink. It's not as balmy as the other shades, understandably, since it's in the form of a lipstick, but it's still one of my favourites. It's not heavy or drying, and probably lasts the longest.

The other two products in the photos above are the Maybelline ColourSensational Elixir in Blush Essence, and the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayon in Bashful. They're both extremely balmy and lovely to wear. I personally think the Maybelline Elixir packaging could be improved, but I don't mind too much because I really like the formula. The Soap & Glory Gloss Crayon is the least pigmented, and more of a tinted lip balm, but it feels the nicest on the lips. I have three different shades of both, so I'm clearly a fan!

What lip shades are you wearing at the moment?

The Price of My Makeup Routine

I was looking back through old blog posts the other night when I stumbled across the how much is your face worth? tag I wrote four years ago. I couldn't believe that it had been over four years, and was sure I'd done one since then. As it turns out, I've written about my various makeup routines since, but have never calculated the cost of them since 2011. I thought it'd be interesting to see just how different my current routine is, and how much it costs. I can already tell you it's going to be a lot more expensive, because I used a £1.99 blush and lip balm in the old post, and the total was a mere £38.95. My makeup varies day to day, and I don't always use a bronzer and highlighter, but this is what I wore yesterday.

Revlon ColourStay Foundation in 110 Ivory | £12.49

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural | £5.50

Bourjois Bronzing Primer | £9.99

Topshop Glow Cream Highlighter in Polished | £9

The Body Shop All in One Face Base in 02 | £14

ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light | £3.95

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black | £7.99

Maybelline Sensational Mascara in Black | £7.99

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon | £7.99

Total: £78.90

It's just over double the price of what it was four years ago, but I'm not that surprised! My makeup knowledge and skills have come a long way since then, and I'm now using products and brands I never did in the past. Also, the total is based on the retail prices, but I rarely pay that. I've never paid £14 for The Body Shop All in One Face Base, I recently bought the Revlon Foundation for £9.99, and I remember the Maybelline products being £5.99 each. Then there's discount codes and loyalty points, which I paid for the Bourjois Bronzing Primer with.

I remember this tag doing the rounds back in the day, so would love to see updated versions. I'd also be interested to see the total of your routine if you've never calculated it before. Let me know in the comments!

Revlon ColourStay Foundation

Since starting to wear foundation six months ago, I've tried ones from L'Oreal, Max Factor, and No7. Revlon ColourStay has always been tempting, especially because it's raved about by so many, but the one for combination/oily skin in 110 Ivory always looked too dark. 110 Ivory for normal/dry skin, however, looked perfect. I don't know if this is normally the case? Despite having combination/oily skin myself, I decided to just go for the normal/dry skin one. What can I say? I like to live on the edge. I sandwich my foundation between primer and powder anyway.

I like the simplicity of the packaging, but would prefer a pump. I'm just getting used to pouring the right amount out now. Despite this, I've been liking this foundation. More than liking, in fact. It has a gel like texture, which feels different to any other foundation I've tried. In turn, it applies beautifully with a medium coverage, leaves my skin ever so slightly dewy, and makes it feel moisturised throughout the day. Now, the real question is, does it make for an oily nightmare? No! This surprised me. I mean, I do become slightly oily around lunchtime, but I do with my other foundations as well, and this is no more problematic. The other major point is how long lasting it is. My foundation is usually non existent by the end of the day, and very little comes off when I cleanse. This, however, is still going strong when it comes to the evening. Because of my skin type, I thought it'd slide off, but that's not the case. It's left me very impressed.

I think this will be too moisturising for my skin in the summer, but for the rest of the year, it's great. I may try the one for combination/oily skin when it gets warmer - I should have some colour then! I'd love to know your thoughts, if you've tried it.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks

Gladiolus, Iris

Revolutionary wax-free gel technology for true colour clarity in one smooth swipe.

I've been waiting for these to be released in the UK since I first saw them on American soil many, many months ago. Throughout April, I was looking in Boots whenever I walked past, but for some reason, they were no where to be seen. I ended up going to Superdrug where they were 2 for £10 instead of £7.99 each. So, were they worth the wait?

Pros

• These babies are pigmented. One swipe and you have intense colour. I prefer building my lip products up and creating a subtle stain, so don't wear them to the extent of the swatches above, but like having the option to if I wanted. You can always make pigmented products less pigmented, but if there's little pigment to begin with, you're limited to what you can do.
• They glide on, with no dragging whatsoever. 
• Following on from this, they feel light.
• They don't settle in the lines of my lips, which I was expecting because of how pigmented they are.
• I find them long lasting. I've been wearing them much less intense, and there's still some faint colour after 10 hours.
• They don't dry my lips out. I've heard others say they're not as forgiving for them, though, so just keep that in mind.

Cons

• If you wear them to their full intensity, they have the tendency to bleed ever so slightly. This is the downside to them being so pigmented and creamy. I'll be wearing a lip liner with them next time I wear them so bright.
• The packaging could be improved if the bullets retracted all the way down, to save you from catching the product on the lids. Saying that, I haven't found them to be as bad as others were saying. Only a small amount sits above the casing (they're wound up in the photo above - when they're retracted, the smallest part of the slant cannot be seen). I have yet to catch them on the lids and make a mess.
• There's some slight silver shimmer in Iris, which annoys me because it's such a beautiful colour. Why do brands ruin lip products with shimmer? Obviously, this is more of a personal preference, but I feel like most people prefer a solid cream colour.

Although they're not perfect, they're better than I thought they'd be. I've read a mixed bag of reviews, so wasn't sure what to expect. I'll probably get some more shades in the future, but won't be running out to buy any soon. Saying that, who knows what'll end up in my basket on my next shopping trip? I've been spending some pretty pennies recently!

Boots and Superdrug Haul

You know when you're in Boots or Superdrug, and the first one or two products you pick up are thought through, and then, suddenly, the enthusiastic spender comes out in you and you're picking up things you didn't plan, things you didn't need? Well, that happened. Considering I caught the shopping bug, I think I was pretty restrained. I only bought half of what I originally picked up! Boots is my retailer of choice because of the loyalty points (and the fact that I work there), but stock availability and different offers lead me to Superdrug, so this haul is a mixture of both.

I haven't bought a nail polish or painted my nails in over a year now. I wasn't even interested in the new Barry M Sunset range. However, my sister wanted a nude polish, so I took her straight to the Barry M stand and started comparing the shades. Like a Nude attracted my attention because it wasn't too brown like so many others are. I walked away and regretted it, so bought it in another store. I'm not thrilled with the £4.99 price tag, but like I said, I was in the shopping mood. It takes three coats to become opaque, so it's not perfect, but it's a beautiful, classic, work appropriate shade, and you can always wear a white underneath.

I've heard so many positive things about the Revlon Colourstay foundations, so finally bought a bottle. I don't have dry skin, but bought the one for normal/dry skin in 110 Ivory because it was lighter than the combination/oily one in the same shade. I sandwich my foundation with primer and powder anyway. I tried it this morning, and so far, so good. It feels less chalky than my other foundations, not that they're chalky, but this one feels more gel like? I also haven't been any more oily than usual. My skin feels more hydrated, though, like when I moisturise in the morning.

I already own four of the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Lip Colours, and while they're good, I've been neglecting them as of late. It's because I have so many lip products. To make matters worse, I then go and buy more. I know, there's no logic in this. However, I really wanted the deep red shade called Diva, and it was only £3.99.

I was regularly checking one of my large local Boots for the Revlon Ultra HD lipsticks throughout April, and with still no luck, I decided to just head to Superdrug. They're currently two for £10, so it worked out for the best. I chose the shades Gladiolus, a bright red, and Iris, a plum. Just from the state of the testers, I know these are going to be difficult to use without catching the product on the lids, so I'm tempted to cut off the small part sticking up at the top and store it in a little jar or something.

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer looks promising. Although it's called a primer, it's basically a light textured, cream bronzer. It can look quite orange at first, but once blended in, skin looks more sunkissed.

Like I said in my wishlist post, I'm always open to trying new primers because I've yet to find my holy grail. The Garnier Perfect Blur has been talked about a lot, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's £12.99 full price, but I paid £8.66 while it was on offer.

I swatched Soap & Glory's Glow All Out Super Luminizing Powder (not pictured) multiple times over the course of a couple years, but never bit the bullet and bought it. Possibly because of the price (£11). I finally bought it the other week, and to be honest, I've been underwhelmed so far. It's a nice, subtle highlight, but because it's raved about by many, I was expecting to be blown away when I applied it to my face. I'll persevere and get back to you on this one.

Another Soap & Glory product I've recently bought is the new Sugar Crush Body Spray, which I've already reviewed here.

I've also already reviewed the Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laques here. The colours are beautiful and they last 5-6 hours on me, but they can settle and collect pigment towards the inner centre of your lips, so my feelings are mixed. I think 04 is worth the little hassle, though, because the deep rose shade is different to other colours I own.

I used and loved the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer a couple years ago, but didn't feel like it did much towards the end of the pot, so never repurchased. However, I felt the same way about the Witch one, but noticed a difference when I didn't wear a primer at all. Since the Witch one has been discontinued and this one was better than half price, at £2.48, I thought I'd buy it again.

I also bought a Micro Pedi last week for £15.99. It was on offer in Lloyd's, and my sister had 20% off. I haven't had a lot of dry skin to test it on, but from where I have used it, I'm impressed. It's so much more gentle than the Ped Egg, which is a lethal cheese grater for your feet.

What have you purchased recently? Any new releases you've been impressed with?

Wishlist #02

I'm feeling the need to shop this morning, so thought I'd channel it into a wishlist post. It's more productive than pretending I have an unlimited bank account and adding anything and everything to my virtual shopping baskets.

Garnier Perfect Blur Primer // I'm always open to trying new primers because I've yet to find the one, and this looks interesting. I've read a fair amount of reviews on it, and the majority like it. It seems about a fifth of people don't, but I'll just have to see whether I get on with it myself.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks // These are apparently in stores now, although I've yet to see them. I know they're online, but would like to see them in person before buying. From online swatches, though, a few shades have caught my eye. I know people aren't a fan of the packaging because the product doesn't twist all the way down, meaning it catches on the lid, so that's something I'll have to keep in mind. Hopefully I'll find these in my local this week!

Bourjois Bronzing Primer // I've been applying bronzer to my temples almost daily, just to give my face some warmth and definition. I think the mousse/cream formula of this will be a nice alternative to powder, and I've read a lot of positive reviews. I'm just hoping it won't be too orange.

L'Oreal Le Lip Liner Magique // Some lipsticks are prone to settling or smudging more than others, so it's best to use them over a lip liner. It's a step I usually skip, though. The beauty of the Le Lip Liner Magique - it's clear, so goes with every shade. It's not a lip liner that's going to make your lips appear fuller, but it's (hopefully) going to prime them for colour. I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

I now have to go through the shopping centre to get to my new place of work, so these products will no doubt be coming home with me by the end of the week. I'd like to know if you've tried any of them?

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?

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?

Empties #08

As I'm writing this, I already have three products for my next Empties. I could include them here, but that would mean taking the photo again!

I don't like to include every shampoo and conditioner I go through in these posts because it gets incredibly tedious. However, this one's worth mentioning. I even dedicated an entire post to it here! It's the Tresemme Platinum Strength Shampoo. I was skeptical at first, but it really did make my hair feel softer, stronger, and overall healthier. I've already bought more, and would definitely recommend giving it a go.

The Nivea Waterlily and Oil Shower Gel was something I bought ages ago because it was on offer, but only started using it recently. I usually prefer fruity shower gels which pack a punch, but enjoyed using this delicate number. I didn't notice my skin feeling any more moisturised, though. It's nice, but nothing special, so I probably won't repurchase.

I can no longer see The Body Shop's Vineyard Peach Body Mist (review here) on their site, and I'm kicking myself for not stocking up. It smells like a fresh, juicy peach, and it's amazing.

I also finished up another bottle of Superdrug's Colour Effects Conditioning Colour in True Chestnut (review here). I think I've mentioned one of these in nearly every Empties, and I'm starting to sound like a broken record! Just read my review or previous posts to find out why I like them.

I liked the Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (review here). It left my skin looking and feeling smooth, mattified it slightly, and made my makeup look better. I just wish the packaging was different because I had to pry the lid off and whack the bottle on my palm to get the last little bit out (which was actually more than a little bit).

The Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Intense Black and Colour Tattoo Gel-Cream Eyeshadow in On & On Bronze are not empty, but they are drying up (after having them for years, may I add). Both are creamy, intensely pigmented, and last all day. They've become part of my daily routine, and I've already repurchased both.

Have you tried any of these products?

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?

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag?

After five years, I thought it was about time I did one of these 'what's in my...' posts. My travel makeup bag doesn't exclusively contain makeup, like the name suggests, but my travel essentials.

I'll start with the beauty products because they're more exciting. I rarely touch up my makeup during the day, but carry a couple products with me just in case. I have the Revlon ColourStay Concealer in Fair, which has a medium coverage and satin finish. It could be a little heavier for blemishes, but is great for everywhere else.

I then carry around the lip product I'm wearing that day, for when I want to reapply. Revlon's ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon just happens to be in there at the moment. It's a sheer, balmy, juicy, summer red, and I love it. I don't like reapplying some lip products, though, because they look best applied to freshly exfoliated, moisturised lips. In this case, I'll just wipe away any product left and apply a tinted balm like the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom.

For fragrance, I currently have the Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Rollerball Perfume in my bag. It's great for travelling, and smells beautiful.

Since starting my job, I've been using more hand sanitiser than ever before. I finished Bath & Body Works' Market Peach one last week, and am now onto their Sweet Pea scent, which is a light, sweet, delicate floral. These are more expensive than your standard bottle, especially in the UK, so I won't be buying them all the time, but they're nice to use while I have them. My hands and cuticles have also taken a battering since working, so I bought the Figs & Rouge Mango and Mandarin Hand Cream last week to use throughout the day. It's the perfect size for travelling, looks cute, smells amazing, isn't greasy, and leaves my hands feeling moisturised.

The other items in my travel makeup bag include pain and sickness relief tablets, tissues, plasters, mints, a flossing harp (for those lunch leftovers. What? I'm keeping it real!), hair accessories, a nail file, and a pen. I also carry a notebook, hairbrush, and wipes with me, but they're in my handbag because they don't fit in this one!

Oh, and the actual makeup bag is a basic one I bought from Boots the other week (RRP £5). I'm currently on the look out for something a little more pretty, though, so if you've seen any, let me know!

I'd love to know what your travel essentials are?

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?