January Favourites

A new year and a new round of favourites, how is it that we have already reached the end of January? Time is moving seriously fast, it won't be long until we're all celebrating Christmas and the coming of 2017!

Surprisingly I have been preventing myself from buying beauty products this month, and this does mean that I have been using products that I'd completely forgotten I had instead of sticking with my usual. I went through a phase last year where all I would use for my brows was the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade and because it's a product that will literally hold your brows in place all day, I decided to only use it for nights out or special occasions, but for the last couple of months I have gone back to using this everyday. I love the way that I can use this product to really carve the brows out and with the right brush you can still achieve the hairlike strokes that everyone craves for their brows!
I remember raving about the Smashbox Primer Water not long after it's release last year and although some people think that it is a gimmick and doesn't really work, I have been relying on this product before foundation this month, because my skin has been dehydrated and this just places moisture into the skin before applying anything else. And this leads me onto my next product which is a foundation, and I'm not really someone who is a lover of drug store foundations but I'd had this one for a while and decided that I would try it again and my gosh I am glad I did! The Revlon Colorstay Foundation has been my go to, and I use the formula for oily and combination skin because although my skin has been dehydrated it is still oily which I have to admit is a real pain! But I have to admit that this seems to keep oils at bay throughout the day and I can put this on in the morning and it won't fade anywhere near as much as some other foundations that I have used in the past! And I have to say that the shade range for this foundation is actually impressive for something out of the drugstore, I would highly recommend checking that one out!

So a while ago I saw everyone raving about the MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul and without even considering it, I had ordered. Then came the problem of me being so pale and this having a very beige tone to it, and so I put off using it for so long in case it looked too stark on my skin! But just recently I decided to try it out with a bronzed look and a very light hand when it came to applying this product and I think I've found my perfect way to wear this blush and I'm pretty happy about it! This blush also has a lovely gold pearl to it which makes the cheeks shimmer slightly which I think really adds to the look!
I have also been using a different tool to apply my foundation recently and this is a blending sponge from Chi Chi Cosmetics and honestly I think I bought it because it was blue but I prefer this over my Real Techniques sponge because it seems softer on my skin and has the pointed end to it making it great for applying product around the nose and in the under eye area. But I know that Chi Chi isn't easily assessable in the UK and so I feel like when it's time comes to an end, I will go back to the much loved Real Techniques sponge!

A product that I have gone back and forth with since I got it is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer, it's one of those products that works for me sometimes but not all the time. I love it because it is a concealer that is actually light enough for my skin which is always a bonus and if my foundation is a little too dark, I can semi highlight with it, but I only tend to use this on my under eye area day to day. However I feel like sometimes it just doesn't quite cut it for coverage with me, my under eyes are very dark sometimes and so layering is what happens but I love how lightweight this concealer feels and I do think that I will end up repurchasing this when it's gone!
I recently made a post all about my Z Palette containing my Makeup Geek shadows and I feel like for most of this month, this was the palette that I would reach for because it's custom and you put the shades you want in there, so you know there's always going to be an eyeshadow look you can create that will suit you and your own preference. But I have been also using the Makeup Revolution Awesome Metals Rose Gold eyeshadow as well either on the centre and inner of the lid or just in the inner corner as a pop to the shadows I'm already wearing. And I just find that it creates a really nice metallic foiled look to the eye and I must admit whenever I was wearing this, I seemed to receive more compliments which is never a bad thing!
What products have you been loving this month, anything you think I should try out? Let me know in the comments!

April Favourites

The months keep going quicker and quicker, it honestly feels like I was writing my March favourites about a week ago! But yes, we are here again in this transitional month where I feel like I have changed up my make up routine a little bit and so this is what I've been enjoying using...

A foundation that I'd been eyeing up for quite a while now is the Maybelline Superstay Better Skin and the only reason I'd put off from buying it was because the colour range wasn't too great! However, I decided to just pick up the lightest shade which is very pink and luckily my skin tone has a very pink undertone, but I do have to bronze my neck a little because the foundation is still a little but too dark! Problems of a pale girl! I may do a full review on this in a few weeks as this claims to help the look of skin from three weeks of using it. I also like to apply this foundation with the Sigma F80 which I believe everyone should own because it just makes blending foundation so easy, especially if they have a thicker consistency!

A product that I've started to rave about is the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Pencil which is a drugstore dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz which I also love but if you can pay less for something that does the same thing, why not?! I also just find it so easy to use, and I love that one end has a spoolie so if I go anywhere and need to take my make up bag, I know I don't need to take a separate spoolie which is always handy! The only downside to this brow pencil is that it only comes in two shades and I find that the blonde one works for me but I could see why some people wouldn't be able to use these due to not having a colour that would match!

Bourjois is a brand that I love, however being ridiculously pale, the foundations don't work for me as they are always too dark and so I was sceptical about trying the Healthy Balance Powder, purely because I knew that those also come in different colours and I didn't know how much of the colour transferred onto the skin. I picked up the lightest shade (which I think is 51) and so far I have been loving it, and I don't find that it makes my foundation look any different and it leaves your skin looking healthy but sets the foundation well! It also comes in a tiny compact with a mirror so easy for use on the go, which makes this winner all round!

Another product for Bourjois is the Bronzing Primer and I love this because we all know that when the weather gets warmer, the cream products come out to play, and this seems like a dupe for the Soleil Tan De Chanel which has been on my wishlist for the longest time! But I love this because it really warms up the skin without making it look too muddy, and it's really easy to blend in because of it's texture! I tend to use the damn sponge to blend it in because it makes it look a lot more natural!

As the weather warms up, it means that oily skinned girls like me have to make sure that whatever we put on our face is going to stay in place, and so this means that I've been using the old faithful Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray which not only sets my makeup for the day but also controls the oil which is great because I don't have to worry about the possibility of the make up on my face disappearing! Another product that I decided to start using again the other day was the Revlon Highlighting Palette in the shade 002 which is great for a blusher and highlight all in one for those lazy days, and I love that it doesn't give off too much colour because it means you can build it up without it looking too much.

My last favourite for this month is the iPhone 6 Plus which I decided to get myself to replace the 5s, and I am loving the bigger screen, it makes things so much easier, and I find that I can now blog on the go due to having a phone with a bigger memory as well! I know that the 6 would have been big enough but I'm one of those people who just has to take it one step further!

I hope you enjoyed this months favourites, what have you been loving for the month of April?

Abigail
xo

Winter Lips

I love the cold months, it means that the darker lipsticks make a reappearance with all varieties of red and berry tones to indulge in, however with the weather as it is at the moment, the chap sticks are coming out ready for preparations.

Rimmel London Kate Moss in 107: now, I love a good berry lip as much as the next person and I remember a couple of years back, I would never have gone near dark lipsticks as they were waaaay out of my comfort zone! But alas, I fell in love with this lipstick and its ones that pretty much every female owns! But this is a lipstick that isn't too dark for daytime wear, I love the fact that it's matte and a good matte considering its a drugstore brand!

Rimmel London Kate Moss in 01 & 30: these are both glossy finish lipsticks one being a deep red and the other being a wine colour - both the colours you would associate with the upcoming season! My personal favourite the 30 which the wine colour but either of these can be worn as a stain or a full on colour which I think is great for those who want to start wearing more daring colours because it doesn't have to be worn as a solid colour! I found that for shade 30 the Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Liner in Midnight Plum works extremely well to line the lips!

L'Oreal Collection Privee Pure Reds in Blake's Red: one of the newest reds to come out in the drugstore and has been dubbed as one very similar to MAC’s Ruby Woo and I can see the resemblance and for someone who wouldn't want to pay out for MAC, this is a very good alternative and again for a drugstore brand, a very good matte lipstick that I find isn't too drying on the lips!

Collection Little Mix Lipstick in Perrie: a very cheap lipstick for those who are on a tight budget but still one that is in my favourites because I find the colour to be so unique considering the brand! The purple is one that is a lot lighter than the rest and can easily be wrong for a day or night time look and I find that this has pretty good staying power and is quite nourishing on the lips! I'd pick it up if you're on the hunt for lighter purple shade!

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Shame: this one is on the pricier end and one that won't be to everyone's likings, but last year I took the plunge and got the darkest lipstick I've ever bought! Now in the stick this looks incredibly scary and on the lips, it's still dark but it's one that I love to wear at night! You can bet that once this is on, it's going to be hard to get off but on the downside is that it's messy to apply and so a light and goes a long way!

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo: my favourite lipstick of the bunch, there is no doubt that if I could wear this everyday, I would! Daytime or night time this lipstick comes out to play and if you like a red lip, you should probably go and pick this up! I also pair this with the MAC Lip Liner in Cherry which a perfect combination! 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Colour Balm Stain in Crush: the perfect berry shade for the people who don't like a full on colour because this is a very balmy and glossy and does stain the lips so the colour can be built up to be opaque or just left very sheer on the lips! I also like this because the product comes in a chunky pen form and this makes it so easy to apply!

Do you have any lip favourites for the upcoming months? 

Not For Me

I must say that I have bought my fair share of raved about products and non raved about products that I have used and not enjoyed but kept using them anyway! Sound familiar? Probably. Well I thought it was about time to share the products that I continue to use for the sake of having them but wouldn't rush back out to buy!

Probably the most expensive of the bunch and something that I hardly ever use is the Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner, and in a way I feel like this is a love it or loathe it product due to the many mixed reviews! And I have myself done a full review on this (read here) and my opinions haven't really changed too much, I just don't think this works well on my oliy lids as it tends to either spread and smudge or disappear completely! And I really can't get down with the technique of getting the 'perfect feline flick' with this either!

A truly raved about product from L'Oreal is there True Match foundation, and I honestly feel like the only person who doesn't like this and there were multiple reasons for this. The colours - despite their being a lot in the range - were all too dark for me and so whenever I wore it, the bronzer would come out to make my neck match my face! And not only does the colour not work for me but this foundation formula just doesn't work with my skin - it highlights dry patches that I didn't even know I had and just doesn't blend into the skin well so I was rather disappointed and have since given this product away to a friend who will get a lot more use than I ever I would from it!

A product that I have had since the launch of is the Maybelline Colour Tattoos and I remember going to pick almost every colour that they had at the time and one that I have barely ever used is the shape Eternal Gold. Now I'm not a massive fan of glitter and shimmer, so matte looks work for me but saying this some shades in the range such as On and On Bronze which is possibly my favourite, do contain some glitter but there is just something a bit too glitzy about Eternal Gold and I feel like I will only ever use it as some kind of fancy dress make up!

Miss Manga Mascara by L'Oreal? Possibly one of the most hyped up mascaras this year as far as the drugstore goes, and honestly it took me a while to purchase this but I did end up doing it! Now I have to say here is always something kind of disappointing about hyped products, as I seem to find flaws but in terms of this mascara, it just really does not work for me. The brush, in my opinion is far too big for my eyes and so I ended up smudging it around my eye but I also found that the more I tried to layer or separate my lashes with the wand, the clumpier it became and that's not enjoyable for anyone! However there is no fault with the formula, I just wish the wand was different but some you win, some you lose! 

In a previous post about blusher, I did mention that myself and cream blusher are not a good duo however I went against my better judgment and purchased the Topshop Cream Blush in Afternoon Tea a while back! Now the colour and pigmentation of the blush is something to be admired for a blusher that is so reasonably priced but cream formulas seem to just hate my skin! I honestly found no way of putting this on and making it look at least reasonable and so it has been thrown to the back of the drawer in hopes that one day, I will be brave and try it again, but for now, it's a no from me!  

Keeping in the line with the blisters, another one that I (stupidly) purchased online was from Sleek and I got the shade Pomegranate which in the pan is a beautiful deep autumnal shade that would perfect for the time of year (in the UK at least!) The only major problem I have with this blusher is that it is way to dark for my skin tone considering I may as well be a vampire and with the pigmentation being incredible there is no way of putting this on 'lightly' so with a heavy heart, I have to admit I probably won't be using this anytime soon! 

One thing that I really suffer from is redness - mainly on my nose - and for anyone who has this problem, you will know how annoying it is and on a whim I decided to pick up the L'Oreal Nude Magique CC Cream! Now the concept of this product is great, when applied the product is green therefore helping to neutralise the redness but when rubbed into the skin, it turns into the colour of foundation or at least someone's foundation colour! I wish this product came in a variety of shades because this is way too dark and honestly makes me look orange and so the only way I can wear this is by only applying it on the nose and then putting my normal foundation on top! 

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Complex formally known as the lipstick you all need, didn't work for me as well as it did for everyone else! I love the Colorburst Balms because they are seriously pigmented and they stay on for as long as you need them too but there was something about the shade Complex that just didn't work with my skin tone and I think this is because I am far too pale for this 'nude' but for anyone who is slightly tanned or just more tanned than myself, this would work and not look foundation on lips!

Have any if you tired any of these products? Are there any products that you regret buying or just don't use anymore?

Recent Purchases

When Boots have a 3 for 2 offer on, how can a girl resist a few new items? Now, I have to admit some of these items I didn’t even need, but if they are on the shelf, I'm probably going to end up taking them to the counter! I will point out though that not everything was bought from Boots, nor was everything bought on the one shopping trip; it was spread out over the course of three or four different occasions.

A few things I've had my eye on for a while (probably due to beauty bloggers raving about the items) and that seems to be why I buy half the stuff I don’t really need, but I do end up using it so I can’t complain! To make things a little easier because the list is quite long, I will group together items from the same brand.

REVLON

From Revlon I've picked up a few things recently and this isn’t usually a brand I go to often and I'm not sure why, because some of their products are pretty unbeatable and so I decided to go and stock up on the Revlon cosmetics. Everyone has raved about the Nearly Naked collection and instead of buying the foundation, I decided to buy the Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in the shade 010 Fair and from the few times I've used this (on top of foundation) the outcome has been incredible! I'm obviously not getting the “nearly naked” effect because the layer of foundation but it really does set the foundation while still giving me that natural colour from the powder itself. I've mainly used this as a powder that I use to touch up during the day because the packaging comes with a mirror and a foamy applicator, so it saves me carrying more than I need to! I also picked up the Photoready Skinlights Face Illuminator in the shade 100 Bare Light, and this is also something that everyone is beginning to go and buy so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and after the couple of times using this, it’s safe to say I think this will become a staple in the routine! Following in with the highlighting products, I got the Highlighting Palette in the shade 002 Rose Glow and as you would expect there is a variety of pale of pinks and shimmery whites that can act as a highlighter and blush all in one (what more could you need?!)

MAYBELLINE

Now, this brand used to be my go to, if I was in a drugstore, you would probably find me browsing this stand but just recently nothing has jumped out at me from this brand and so I haven picked up too many things from them. However what I have purchased is the Master Smoky Shadow Pencil in the shade Smoky Black and thinking back I have no idea why I picked this up but I am so glad I did! I get lazy when it comes to eyeliner and so this shadow pencil acts as my eyeliner and because it comes with a smudge applicator at one end, the shadow can be smudged out to create desired smoky or non-smoky look! Along with this, I also got The Falsies Volum’ Express mascara in Black Drama, and so far I haven’t been too fussed over this product and would probably choose to use other Maybelline mascaras over this one, but I will continue to use it and see if my opinion changes!

BOURJOIS

The only product I have ever owned from Bourjois is the Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder in 51 because it was always a brand I skipped when hunting for makeup. Alas I have loved this product so much that I am back for more from this brand! First off, I had to pick up another one of the bronzers, so I did that, and I think this product speaks for itself and I don't know of many beauty bloggers who haven't give this a try! Knowing that the bronzing powder was so good, I took it upon myself to look at a few reviews for the bronzing primer and I saw a lot of good things and so ultimately I went and picked one up. While having a browse at the Bourjois stand, I spied a foundation that intrigued me and it was the 123 Perfect Foundation in the shade 51 and this foundation supposedly has three correcting pigments to reduce dark circles, dull complexion and redness but we'll see if this really does match up to what it says and also what others have said in reviews about this product!

RIMMEL

I love this brand, there is no other way to say it, and so when I see a Boots 3 for 2, I'm obviously going to come home with something from Rimmel! The Stay Matte Primer was a must have for me because I prefer a matte finish to my face most of time and also I have been looking for a new primer, and the few times I've used this, I have to say, this is definitely a keeper! I also picked up too foundations and they are ones that I have previously used and so I knew that I would be getting my money's worth out of them! The first one is the Stay Matte Perfection Foundation in the shade Ivory and the second one is the Match Perfection Foundation in the shade Ivory, and I have to admit the only reason I had to repurchase these foundation was because I got one that was a shade too light in the Match Perfection and one that was a shade too dark in the Stay Matte... As you can see, I am no good at swatch testing in drugstores, I always seem to come home and realise I've bought the wrong colour!

SEVENTEEN

How did I only find out about this brand last year? No exaggeration. So, since finding out about this brand, I haven't actually bought anything from them, and then there was something that caught my eye and I'd been debating on getting it for a while! Guess what? I bit the bullet, and got it! Well actually, I got two, and they are the Blush Stamps and I got one in Made You Look and another in Blushin'. I am so excited to use these, they look so easy to use and the colours that I have chosen also look amazing (especially in time for spring!)

OTHER

Now, the rest of the products that I bought, I only purchased one thing from the brand, and so I will group these all together. First off, who doesn't like Soap and Glory? No one, that's what I thought and as I was innocently looking at the stand for Soap and Glory, I spotted the Sugar Crush Body Wash and can I just say if you haven't smelt this scent, you need to! It is like heaven in a bottle! But obviously I had to pick one of these up to go with the Scrub and Body Butter I already have that are in the same scent!

Something that everyone has raved about for a few years now is the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and it wasn't until now that I owned one of these because for so long I have used the Clinique Airbrush Concealer and I thought I would try out the Collection concealer because for the price even if I don't like it, I can't complain! I picked up the concealer in the shade Fair but I have yet to try this out!

Besides having lipsticks from Topshop, I've never thought to pick up any other make up items from them, but when I was in London a few weeks ago, I decided to try out of one of there blushers which I got in Afternoon Tea (which is one I had heard lots of good things about) and so far I love it, the colour is so pigmented and is a great pink shade ready for spring. The creamy texture is something I've never tried with a blush but I seem to be doing okay with it!

Okay, so one of the most talked about foundation for spring at the moment is the L'Oreal True Match which I got in the shade W1 Golden Ivory. I've never really tried out any L'Oreal foundations but if it's being talked about so much, I had to buy it, right? I've only used this a couple of times, and it is a little dark on my skin (but it'll be great for Summer) but it does what it says, it really does a give a finish look that matches your skin, and would look pretty flawless on people who don't have such problematic skin.

Another foundation that I'd been putting off buying for a long time now is the NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc but I was browsing online and finally took the plunge and decided to order it because sadly I do not have a NARS Counter anywhere close to me. I was afraid the colour would suit me, but luckily I didn't waste my money, and I don't think it gets much better than this foundation especially for the brighter months! I can't pick out any fault in this, it gives that finish that is enough glow that is doesn't overpower, and you still use shimmers either on top or underneath! I honestly don't think I've stopped using this since it arrived in the post!

Something that got suggested to me a while back now are the egg shaped sponges you can get to apply many products and I went in the search of the Models Own ones knowing that you get two and if I didnt like them it wouldn't be too much of a waste however I came up empty handed and turned to the much loved Real Techniques and ended up buying the Miracle Sponge which I have yet to use but I'm sure I will love it because everything else from Real Techniques is brilliant!

The last thing I have to talk about is Effaclar Duo+ which I have seen a few beauty bloggers use in the past and I knew that I needed to get something to try and help out with my skin, because I have a lot of scars from previous acne problems and I also get redness and this cream is supposedly to help unclog blocked pores, correct the appearance of blemishes, refine skin texture, controls the appearance of shine and fight against the appearance of marks! I've been using this every night underneath my moistoriser since I bought this and I have noticed that the shininess that I had on my face has reduced cnsiderably as well as the appearance of some marks that I really wanted to be concealed! Hopefully with continues use, this cream will work wonders! 

What's In My (Makeup) Bag?

Lately I’ve been feeling a little uninspired as far as blog posts go, but I have been brainstorming and hopefully blog posts should be happening at a quicker pace. After reading through various blogs and waiting a fair few YouTube videos from other bloggers (beauty bloggers for the most part) and something that cropped up every so often was “what’s in my bag?” And so I’ve decided to do a similar post but instead of using a handbag which seems to be the way to take this, I'm going to use my makeup bag, just because it’s something I use more regularly.

I’ll just start off by saying that I do need to purchase myself a new makeup bag because although mine does the job it’s supposed to, it is rather small for the amount I try to carry in there but it’s also getting a bit grubby (as makeup bags tend to do.) But until then, I am using a makeup bag which was purchased from Next, quite some time ago although I wouldn’t hesitate in buying a makeup bag from them again. The products I'm going to talk about, I will try and do in some sort of order but I can’t guarantee that it will be the order that everyone else would want to use them in.

The first product is Dermalogica Ultra Calming Barrier Repair and this is something I use every day without fail, after I’ve cleansed and moisturised my face, this goes on my nose and cheeks which is where I tend to get a lot of redness and this just seems to calm it down considerably. I find that this is a product I reach for even on the days that I don’t wear makeup because having red cheeks and a red nose isn’t something I enjoy, but on the days I do wear makeup, this also works well as a primer for those areas. As for primer else where I am currently carrying the Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer around with me, but I wouldn’t recommend this people who suffer from oily skin because this seems to do barely anything for my foundation. I could say that it makes my foundation look worse and this does depend on what foundation I have chosen to use but it does tend to make me look a little cakey.

There are a few different powder products that I keep in my makeup bag and the first one is the holy grail of every girls make up routine, the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent. Now I don’t feel like I need to rave about this product too much, because a lot of other beauty bloggers have done that for, but let me just say that for the price of this product, everyone should own it. Everyone. No ones like a shiny face, and this just takes it away, effortless. There are currently two Sleek products that I own, and they both hold a place in my makeup bag, the first of these products is the Face Contour Kit in Light and this is something that I don’t tend to pull out too often because I've been going through a lazy stage where I just use bronzer to contour and I completely skip the highlighting stage. But I will say that this is a must have (if you are not lazy like me) because the pigmentation is amazing and I find that both the highlight and contour to this kit are brilliant, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the product again because the price can’t be knocked. The other Sleek product in my makeup bag is one of the blushers in Pomegranate and I haven’t used this too many times because it’s one of those blushers that could look overpowering depending on the other makeup you are planning to put on, but the pigmentation is incredible for a high street blush, and the colour is beautiful in the pan (which is what originally drew me to this) and I hope to get a lot more use out of this. Staying with blushers, there is also one more that I keep in my makeup bag and this is the MAC blush in Fleur Power and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I use this blush pretty much every day because the colour is just that nice. What can I say about a MAC blush that hasn’t been said before? Pigmentation is one of the best (as you would expect) and the colour is just so easy to wear, because it looks very natural and I think it would be one of the go to colours of any season – well done MAC. The last powder product that I have in my makeup bag is the Bourjois Bronzing Powder in 51, and I'm being completely honest when I ask who hasn’t tried this bronzer because it is ah-ma-zing and this is no overstatement. For a high street product, there is nothing I can say that is bad about this product and I will continue to use it and I will most probably repurchase it (even though I have been eyeing up the Nars bronzers…)

As far as eye and eyebrow make up goes, I only carry two products with me all the time and that is my mascara which is the Maybelline Colossal Volume Express in Smokey Black and I have been using this mascara for as long as I remember and I do go through phases of buying new ones and I always seem to go back to this. It just seems to do something to my lashes that other mascaras can’t achieve and I also find that this is just the right shade of black, as weird as that may sound! The eyebrow product I carry round is the Benefit Brow Zings in Light, and I think I must use this at least 5 days of the week so I get my use out of this product and it doesn’t make my eyebrows look too dark (I have blonde hair) but it also gives them enough boldness so they define my face which is always a plus. However, I do have to admit on my lazy days, I do just bring out the MAC palette and pop some of Omega onto my brows. Finally the last thing I carry around in my makeup bag is a mirror – a must have!