Changing The Colour and Finish Of My Foundation

My two main concerns when buying a foundation have always been the colour and finish it provides. How it would wear, and for how long, would come after. However, that's changed in recent months. As long as the formula of the foundation is good, I don't mind if it's a shade too dark, or not as luminous as I'd like. This is because I now have products to help with these.

NYX has just brought out these Pro Foundation Mixers (£7.50), and they actually have less expensive dupes of the next two products, but these weren't available when I was in need of them. The Pro Foundation Mixer I have is in Luminous, which is a pale champagne shade with teeny tiny gold shimmer particles. Once mixed in with your foundation and blended out, you're left with, as the name suggests, a luminous finish.

I've been using the Soap & Glory Hocus Focus Illuminator (£11) in my foundation for a couple months now, and it's very similar to the Opal shade of the NYX Pro Foundation Mixer. It has that pearly finish, which gives you a more natural glow.

I've raved and raved about The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Lightening Drops (£10), and because there wasn't anything like them on the cheaper end of the market, I bought an extra bottle. I didn't need to because NYX now has its own version with double the amount of product in, but it doesn't take away from what this product does. Not only do I use this to lighten any foundations that are slightly too dark for me, but I'll add a drop when concealing around my eyes, just to brighten the area.

Not only am I now able to get the exact shade and finish I want, it makes my foundations go further. If there's any illuminators you swear by, let me know. I've just bought the Gleam shade by NYX, but I'm looking for some other warm/golden ones!

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.

Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Primer

I love primers, and I love Soap & Glory, so when I heard about this new release from the brand, I was intrigued. I read a few positive reviews, but decided to wait until double discount week at Boots before buying. For some reason, 45% was taken off of its £10 price tag instead of 25%, making this just £5.50.

It claims to make your pores appear smaller, leave your skin shine-free, and make your makeup last longer. It also claims to help hide imperfections, even out your skin tone, and reduce the appearance of redness. That's a whole lot of claims! I've found that only one of these is significantly true, but that's enough to make me like it.

This primer is really thick. You have to work it into your skin. This set off alarm bells in my head at first because I thought it would make my foundation cling to it in a very bad way. It didn't help that the primer I was using before was the runniest primer I've used to date. It was all fine, though, and my foundation applies like it usually does. 

I haven't really noticed a difference in the size of my pores. I thought it'd be like those blurring primers, but it's not. I also haven't noticed a difference with my imperfections, skin tone, or redness. It does leave my skin shine free, but this doesn't last all that long. I still have to blot half way through the day. I don't mind this, though, because it's not something that causes me a great deal of worry.

So, it's sounding pretty awful so far, isn't it? It's not living up to its claims. However, and this is a big however, it makes my makeup last very well. It's even minimised the amount my gel liner smudges in the inner corners of my eyes. I know people will be thinking you aren't supposed to use it around your eyes, but I have been, and it's worked a treat. I usually get a little smudging on my way to work and have to use my finger to wipe it away, but I haven't needed to when wearing this primer.

It doesn't do everything it claims, granted, but it does the main job of a primer incredibly well, so I'd probably repurchase. I just wish I'd bought more than one tube when it was so cheap!

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.

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?

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?

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Spray

The moment we've been waiting for is here; Soap & Glory has released a Sugar Crush fragrance. There's also four other scents now available in body spray form, but this is the one we're most excited about, isn't it? I bought it the day after finding out about its release, and didn't think the £4 price tag was too bad. There was also a 'mist' in a glass bottle for £10, but thought I'd give this a go first.

A sweet spray, with a fruity lime twist. SUGAR CRUSH™ features essential lemon oil and a Elemi oil for an ENERGIZING lift using Active Refresher technology. A cocktail of vanilla musk blended with sweet lime, ginger and smashed brown sugar. This happy-hour-all-day, mouth-wateringly moreish, mojito-zinging body spray is the closest you can get to a smile in a bottle.

It smells exactly like the other products in the range, which actually surprised me at first. I thought the heavier notes of the scent came from the ingredients in the body butter and scrub, not from the fragrance itself, so was expecting this to be lighter. The scent is strong, and can even be overwhelming if you get a bit spray happy, but it lasts longer than other body sprays I've tried. I could still detect it after an hour (I wasn't paying attention after this point). It produces a fine mist, too, which I like. The packaging does look a little cheap, but it has that retro vibe we expect from Soap & Glory.

Will you be trying this?

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?

Soap & Glory Christmas Gift Sets

Soap & Glory are known to have great Christmas gift sets, but only this year have I bought them. I think it's because 2014 has been the year I've really started loving their products. I still don't care for their classic scent, but am a fan of their Sugar Crush range, as well as their makeup and facial skincare. I'm introducing my mum to the brand by gifting her with three of the sets this Christmas, but thought I'd talk a little more about the two gifts I've bought myself! Because you have to treat yourself when Christmas shopping, right?

Soap & Glory Your Own Sweet Lime Gift Set - £10

They have a couple of these hatboxes available this year, and I think they're the perfect way to introduce someone to the range, or even give to someone who's already a fan. The products are also great for travelling. The main reason why I bought this, though, is because it contains a Sugar Crush Hand Food. A Sugar Crush Hand Food! I've been loving hand creams recently, and adore the sweet lime scent of Sugar Crush, so this is perfect. 50ml is a decent size, too.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayons Gift Set - £16

These crayons (which are full sized) are £8 individually, so you're getting three for the price of two here. The shades included are Fuchsiaristic, Bashful, and Raplumzel. Fuchsiaristic is a bright pink, Bashful is a natural pink, and Raplumzel is a plum, hence the name. I already have Fuchsiaristic, and since they're individually wrapped, will be giving to a friend as part of her present. The crayons are sheer, but can be built up, and are incredibly balmy. I'd definitely recommend them.

The gifts, which can be found in Boots and start from £5, are also 3 for 2, so you can get a little more for your money. Will you be gifting a Soap & Glory set this year? Or do you plan on treating yourself to one?

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?

Bedside Beauty

I've unintentionally accumulated a small gathering of products beside my bed, and thought I'd talk a little about them today.

Just before bed, I'll sometimes want to moisturise areas such as my elbows, knees, and feet. My body butter of choice at the moment is Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush Body Buttercream (review here), but I'm also a fan of The Body Shop's Raspberry and Vineyard Peach varieties. They all smell incredible, aren't too greasy, and provide my skin with a lot of moisture, leaving it soft and subtle.

I've also been moisturising my hands before bed because they've been needing more TLC since starting work. I'm absolutely loving the Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in Cherry Blossom (review here). It isn't greasy in the slightest, but still leaves your hands feeling hydrated. It also smells amazing!

For facial moisturisers, I have the Organic Surge Blissful Daily Moisturiser (thoughts here) and the Balance Me Moisture Rich Face Cream. I used, loved, and finished my pot of Organic Surge Super Intensive Daily Moisturiser, so am now making my way through the Blissful Daily version. It's obviously not as moisturising, but still sinks in well and leaves my skin feeling soft. The Balance Me one is a generous sample I received in a magazine the other month, and I'm still making my mind up about it. It isn't greasy, and leaves my skin adequately moisturised, but it's heavily fragranced. If you don't like strong rose scents, you'll struggle to use this.

For lips, I have the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser and Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm. The Blistex Intensive Moisturiser is amazing, and leaves my lips feeling softer than any other product. More often than not, though, I find myself gravitating towards the Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm because my lips don't need the Blistex one every night. The Nivea one is just like your standard tube of lip balm, but it's one I use a lot.

For blemishes, I use the Nelsons Pure & Clear Blemish Gel. It seems to do the job better than others I've tried, and that includes Lush's Grease Lightning.

Then I just have some products that I haven't been using that often, but are there just in case. I'm still deciding whether The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Serum gives my skin any extra moisture. I'm honestly not sure. Then there's the Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil, which I'll use if my skin is feeling particularly dry (which is not that often).

Have you tried any of these? What products do you use in the evenings/just before bed?

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!

Empties #07

Although it's been a couple months since my last Empties post, it still feels like it's rolled around quickly! Let's jump straight in.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - £6.50, review here

I actually have a small amount of this left, but thought I'd include it here so it won't be sat in my empty products bag for a couple months. I love the scent of this, and the packaging is pretty nice too. It's more expensive than I usually spend on shower gels, though, so will only be repurchasing when it's on some kind of offer.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Shower Gel - £4, review here

I've already been through a couple of these bottles, and have another stashed away, so I'm obviously a fan! It just smells so juicy. I don't find the scent to linger, but I'm okay with that.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10, review here

I've been using this every day for a few months, and it still has that smooth, softening effect on my skin. I really do love it, and have already started on another bottle.

Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner - £15.95, review here

I don't find this as moisturising as when I first started using it, but still like it. It's too expensive for my liking, though, so it'll be something to add to my Christmas/birthday wish lists.

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub - £8.50, review here

I don't really use body scrubs (prefer exfoliating gloves), and if I do, I like them to be thick, so I'm surprised I like this! The scent is refreshing, and when I really rub it into my skin, it feels soft afterwards. I'm not sure if I'd repurchase any time soon, but I wouldn't rule it out.

Superdrug Colour Effects Wash In, Wash Out Conditioning Colour in True Chestnut - £1.49, review here

I've spoken about these so many times. They make my hair more rich and vibrant for a short period of time. If you want to know more, just read my review!

Maybelline The Rocket Mascara - £7.99, review here

Darkens, doesn't clump, looks natural. Favourite mascara and I already have back ups.

The Body Shop All In One Face Base in 02 - £14

This gives you a little coverage and a velvety, matte finish without looking cakey. Combine this with one of The Body Shop's famous discount codes, and it's a winner all round! I already have another one of these in my draw.

Have you tried any of these products?

New Favourites #05

I've written positive reviews on most of the products above, but realised that they haven't been in a Favourites yet, so here we are!

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10/200ml - review here

I love both this and the Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, but have been reaching for this more often because it's quicker. Instead of unscrewing a lid and scooping, I can just pump. It removes all of my makeup well and leaves my skin feeling really soft. 

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Mist - £7.50/100ml - review here

I have quite a few of The Body Shop body mists, and this is my new favourite. It smells like a fresh, juicy peach. Amazing.

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser - £2.59/5g at Superdrug, £2.63 at Boots

I have yet to mention this on Affordable Treats. Blistex were giving away 500 of these on Facebook a few weeks back, and I was lucky enough to win one. I wasn't expecting it to be anything special, but was blown away when I first used it. It feels like it moisturises your lips right the way through, instead of just the first layer of skin. I apply this at night, let the menthol do its thing, then wake up to moisturised, plump lips. I rarely have chapped lips, so cannot comment on if it helps to that extent, but it seemed to help my sister's. I'll definitely be buying another tube!

NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler - £5/6.5g - review here

Like I said in my review, I'm not usually one for gloss, but this is something else! It's not as orange as it looks in the tube, and it's not as pink as my swatch suggests, but a beautiful coral. It feels buttery, like the name suggests, but in a good way. It's also pigmented, lasts a few hours, and fades evenly. I also have Apple Strudel, but that shades tends to settle into the lines on my lips. Peach Cobbler doesn't.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream - £10.50/300ml - review here

My sister bought me this from eBay for just £4.69 including P&P. It smells like lime cheesecake, absorbs into the skin quickly, and leaves it feeling moisturised. Couldn't ask for more!

Accessorize Daisy Necklace - £6

I normally include my non-beauty favourites in my Currently Loving posts, but thought I'd just include this little item here. I like jewellery, but don't wear a lot of it because I always forget to. I went into Accessorize with my sister the other day because she wanted a ring, and she picked out this for me. I was surprised it wasn't more than it was, and love daisies, so decided to treat myself. It's small and sits perfectly on my collarbone, going with most of my tops. I could have bought a lot more, but will probably wait for their next sale!

What have you been loving recently?

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream

At the weekend, my lovely sister surprised me with the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream. I'd wanted it for months, but didn't want to part with £10.50 (and not even the 3 for 2 deals persuaded me). My sister nabbed this on eBay (brand new) for just £4.69 including P&P, which made me even happier when she told me because I love a bargain! So, there are three things I look for in a body butter. 1. It has to smell incredible. The scent of a body butter is important to me because it's not being washed off. 2. It has to absorb into the skin quickly because I don't want to be left feeling greasy. 3. It must moisturise, obviously. The Sugar Crush Body Buttercream knocks the first one out of the park. It smells like lime cheesecake. Need I say any more? It also absorbs into the skin well. I'll generously moisturise an area of my body, and by the time I've moisturised another area, there's no residue present. It also moisturises well, but I've never come across a body butter that doesn't. It pairs nicely with my Sugar Crush Body Wash (review here), and I'm tempted to get the scrub to complete the collection. On a side note, I know whether I like a body butter after the first use, and I've used this 4/5 times, so my opinions are unlikely to change. It's facial products that I like to use for weeks before reviewing.

Are you a fan of the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush range?

My Lip Crayon Collection

MUA Power Pout in Runway, Revlon Matte Balm in Audacious, MUA Power Pout in Justify, Bourjois Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach, Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Peach, MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous, Revlon Balm Stain in Honey, Revlon Matte Balm in Elusive, MUA Power Pout in Broken Hearted, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic, Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Apple, Revlon Balm Stain in Sweetheart, MUA Power Pout in Irreplaceable, MUA Power Pout in Crazy in Love, Revlon Balm Stain in Crush, and No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Berry.

iPhone photo, natural lighting

Flash

I love lip crayons. I think it's because it was a lip crayon that got me into wearing colour on my lips (outside the house!). That lip crayon was Revlon's Balm Stain in Honey, which is one of my all time favourites. You can see that Honey and Bourjois' Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach are my most worn shades because the swatches are wider, and this is where I've completely worn down the points! I also love how balmy lip crayons are. Even the new Revlon Matte Balms feel comfortable on the lips, and I'm enjoying using them. I have yet to lip swatch these because of a pesky blemish, but will be doing so in the next week or so! You can find reviews and lip swatches of the others here:

MUA Power Pouts in Justify, Broken Hearted, Irreplaceable, and Crazy in Love

MUA Power Pout in Runway

MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous

Revlon Balm Stain in Crush

Revlon Balm Stain in Honey

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bars in Juicy Apple and Juicy Peach

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic

Bourjois Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach

Let me just say, the camera really highlights freckles and hair! I didn't even know my lips had freckles on them until I started blogging. I also started waxing my upper lip after some of these swatches, so, uh, excuse the moustache ;) Oh, and on a side note, the MUA Power Pout lids are rubbish, so I wouldn't go trusting them in your bag! Also, the swatches above show just one swipe of each lip crayon, so you can see how pigmented they are.