Welcome back lovelies, today I am sharing with you something close to my heart.. Lipstick, but not just any old lippy, this is a MAC lipstick.
So I will talk you through my experience, I shopped online at www.maccosmetics.co.uk, they offer free delivery and a small free sample, so what's not to like?
Firstly I wanted to say I have bought this as a little treat to myself on payday, it took about 1 week to arrive, but I didn't mind as there was no charge for postage.
The lipsticks range from £15.50 - £17, which is more than your budget lipsticks, however MAC's lipstick are so popular for the colours, the formula and the packaging and of course for the brand itself,
So here's the little beauty out of it's box, it has a nice weight to it and feels like a good quality lipstick. They're very sleek, however there are prettier lipsticks on the market.
And here's the colour,I just love it! super shiny and dark
Interested in the shade of this lipstick and wanna see how it swatches? Please give my video below a little watch.
Earlier this year I was sent a variety of Korres products to try. In among these were the Korres Sunflower and Mountain tea hair range. I am always skeptical about trying new hair products, mainly as I am fairly happy with my original hair routine.
I wanted to give these a fair trial so I have almost come to the end of these, and heres what I thought.
These are a really nice range, unlike most Korres shower products the scent is very light, but it is a lovely lovely smell all the same. It does stay after washing but it's nowhere near as strong as their showergels. For those of you that don't like overpowering scents I'd say you'd be fine with these. I personally love Korres products for their strong bold scents.
Korres Sunflower & Mountain Tea Shampoo £10 for 250ml Korres Sunflower and Mountain Tea Shampoo is a colour protecting, deep moisturising shampoo for chemically treated (dyed/ permed) hair. With organic extracts of dittany, marjoram & mountain tea from the island of Crete. Benefits:
Sunflower and Mountain tea, natural source of polyphenols, protect hair colour and sheen from frequent shampooing, styling and sun exposure.
These all come in lovely sleek packaging, the design is good and it's easy to get the right amount of product each time. As far as shampooing goes, this is really mild and gentle on the scalp and yet it made my scalp and hair feel super cleansed and 100% squeaky clean without drying out the hair. All round this is a really great shampoo and it can be purchased here
Korres Sunflower & Mountain Tea Conditioner £10 for 250ml
The conditioner contains similar ingredients and helps to further the benefit to your hair. It is a very cream like consistency and manages to condition the hair without leaving any greasy residue. It washes out well and does leave my locks feeling conditioned, it can be purchased here
Korres Sunflower & Mountain Tea Hair Mask £10 for 125ml
Key Ingredients:
Hydrolysed wheat protein - Film forming, moisturising and conditioning without build-up effect
Sea Lavender - Increases hair hydration and hair protection against static electricity, resulting in a easy combing effect.
Vitamin B3 and Provitamin B5 - Improves the shine, the feel and the flexibility of the hair, also protecting it against mechanical damage. In general they help make the hair more resistant to environmental stress.
Vitamin B complex - Offers a complete restoration of the hair.
I managed to use this hair mask on each occasion that I washed my hair without it causing any build up. I have particularly dry hair and especially dry ends where the hair is most brittle from colouring.
This too has a pleasant scent, it offers a little more conditioning power than the standard conditioner and penetrates deep to help smooth out dry hair and avoid split ends.
In all I am really impressed with this range, my hairs in great condition and is feeling nicely hydrated. I would re purchase this going forward for the subtle yet beautiful scent and great conditioning power. Cookie x *PR Sample*
Just recently I have experimented with different methods of application for foundation,
I have tried several different sponges and I thought I'd share with you what I've learned so far.
At the point that I took these photos I had tried all of these sponges with the exception of the Real Techniques one. The first impressions of that sponge were really positive. Keep reading to see how i got on with each of these.
1. This sponge cost me £1.50 and was purchased from Primark, it's quite hard and not very flexible. I feel that the best application with this sponge is through dabbing, if you try to sweep you do end up fairly streaky. This washes OK and as you can see hasn't really stained too badly.
2. The middle sponge is the 'Beauty Blender',this cost me £16 and it is a popular blogger and youtuber favourite. It can be purchased with free delivery on www.beautyblender.co.ukhere along with a load of other interesting products.
3. This sponge was purchased from Dealz and retails for £1 in the UK, the shape is different from the other two and I must say this is more awkward to use because of this. In addition it is very stiff and not very flexible. Again, like the one from primark it does tend to only work when bouncing the foundation in rather than smoothing it onto the skin.
REAL TECHNIQUES MIRACLE COMPLEXION SPONGE
And for the piece de resistance, coming in at just £5.99 from boots, this is soft but not as soft as the beauty blender. For me this is just the right consistency, it doesn't suck up all of your foundation and it works with a variety of different textured foundations and concealers. I can achieve such a light layer of foundation with this, yet it still gives flawless and full coverage. This is by far the best value sponge I have tried and I use it everyday. This washes really well and a couple of months in it still feels like new. I will definitely be repurchasing this sponge, whats more you can get it even better value, 2 sponges for £9.99 here
WHAT NEXT?
OK, so I am loving this sponge, but I am still open to trying others, see below images taken from the boots website.
The first one I would like to try because it is so refined in shape and looks like it would be great for getting under the eyes and getting into any awkward little places.
The second one is another really interesting one, it's not a shape I have seen before in beauty blenders and for this reason alone I would like to see what it can do. I think this is perhaps just for fiddly areas as it's a little small for larger areas.
And the final one I would like to try is cheaper than the 'Beauty Blender', however it's by the brand Dior. So in the case of this sponge I would like to know if it's Dior quality or if it's just a cheap blending sponge with Dior branding.
Have you tried any of these sponges? Let me know what you thought, also if there's any sponges I haven't mentioned let me know and I will give them a try!
In my quest for trying bargain beauty I came across the 'In the Buff' palette from W7, this is said to be a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 2 Eyeshadow palette. I dont have that palette, it's perhaps on my list of things to save up for as it retails at £38.50.
This palette retails at £9.99 on their website, so is a fraction of the price of the Urban Decay palette. I picked mine up cheaper than this, £5.99 from TK Maxx, so it was really fab value for a 12 colour palette in a neat tin. (currently on Amazon for £5.70). So even if you pay full price for this set you get each shadow for less than a pound each and a really nice hard wearing tin that contains them, so I'd start by saying this is fantastic value.
There is a really good range of colours within this palette, they are all the same size, and one thing I will say is that for the light base colour it would be really great to have this as a larger block as this gets used the most, however to make up for this there is 2 light base colours. 4 of the colours are matt whilst the others have some level of sheen.
Texture wise these could be a little more blendable but they are really pigmented and have great colour pay off, these as best to build up slowly rather than going in with too much from the start.
Now that this palette has been used a lot and I've hit pan on a few of the colours I have noticed the quality has started to diminish slightly. This is still usable and does have life left but the texture has changed slightly.
If I had to score this palette out of 10 I would say a good 7, there are better quality palettes, but with quality comes higher prices. I think this is really good value and is perfect for anyone on a budget or someone starting out with makeup. It's a really comprehensive palette colour wise and will create some really amazing everyday and dramatic eyeshadow looks, and even the perfect smoky eye!.
I’d love to hear your opinion on this – do you have this palette? What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
If your looking for a range of truly refreshing body care products then I have to say these are them. For stockists please click on the below headings for the link.
I use this product first in my shower. It's a deep cleansing body scrub, which is ideal for sore muscles and to give a really clean and refreshed feeling after exercise or exertion. This helped to make me feel invigorated and energized after a work out.
This product combines ground Bamboo with Jojoba beads which helps to remove dead skin cells. Sodium, Magnesium, Zinc and Manganese assist in restoring energy to skin cells and hydrating the skin.
I use this product after the scrub to get myself really clean, it gives a really super clean feel whilst not drying my skin out. It made my underarms feel deodorized after an intense workout. Wheat proteins help to form a protective film on the skin, maintaining its natural moisture level. Active Aloe, rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, Zinc and antioxidant enzymes, enhances the immune system of the skin. Furthermore, due to its ability to stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis, Active Aloe helps reduce the visible signs of ageing.
This Moisturising body milk is fantastic for adding a little more moisture to your skin. It smells just as good as as the scrub and shower gel. The scent is a little more diluted and smells somewhat lighter.
Key Ingredients: The combination of Almond oil, active Aloe, provitamin B5 and Shea butter which provides long-lasting hydration whilst making skin supplen. Almond, especially the sweet variety, is known for its inflammatory and immune-boosting effects. Almond oil, with its soothing properties, when applied regularly, nourishes extra dry skin. It also works as an effective skin cleanser without causing any irritations to the skin.
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis
- Dermatologically Tested - Paraben Free - Mineral Oil Free - Silicone Free - Propylene Glycol Free - Ethanolamine Free - Enriched with Active Plant Extracts
I have loved using these products and feel they will be especially good when the weather gets warmer too. The scent is really gorgeous and lemony with a hint of basil.
These are a must to give a try, whats more you can purchase the showergel and body milk in miniature sizes for £3 (40ml) to try.
I'm really excited to share these wonderful natural products with you. I have been so lucky to be able to try these in order to share my thoughts you all. As you will see from previous posts I am a big fan of this brands, however I have predominantly tried their shower gels and body creams so far and haven't really touched upon their makeup much. So here are the products that I tried along with what I thought. Wild Rose CC (Colour Correcting) Cream £26 for 30ml - Can be purchased here Last summer I tried a BB cream for the first time and was astonished with the results, I have now tried this CC cream and have been wowed once again. It's so light yet manages to help iron out the appearance of imperfections. It's not really heavy coverage but I don't wear makeup for any reason other can concealing a few freckles which is does rather well. It gives such a beautiful glowing and dewy look to the skin and has been really kind and gentle, not causing any outbreaks or sensitivity. I only apply a thin layer but I think with more of this product you can achieve a higher level of coverage should you want it.
. Black Volcanic Mineral Mascara £17 for 8ml - Can be purchased here I thought I had found the one, until this mascara came along. I couldn't believe just how amazing this is, it's got one of those lovely thick bristle brushes that I love and it does a great job making each eyelash stand out and look voluminous! It lasts really well throughout the day and does need a fairly strong eye makeup remover to assist with removal.
Mango lip butter £8 for 6g - Can be purchased here These lip butters are really nourishing and leave my lips feeling super soft and cared for. This mango one is particularly delicious in scent and has a pleasant taste too just in case you accidentally consume some.. I really love the coral orange colour of this product which isn't too bright and gives a nice look to the lips making them really kissable. To summarise I have loved using these products, I'd find it difficult to name a favourite of these 3 as I love them all for their individual properties. I was blown away by the mascara and couldn't believe how much volume it added to my lashes. The CC is now a regular in my morning routine and eliminates the need for foundation or heavy makeup. As for the lip butter, these are a fab everyday staple which I love to have in my bag or at my desk.
The finished look
Please check out my video review below for my full thoughts on the products!
Billion Dollar Brows 60 Seconds to Beautiful Brows - £24 at boots for the powder and brush
This little set is a lifesaver, especially for those days where you don't have much time to spend on your brows.
A little goes a long way, and I have a feeling this product will last me a very long time. The powder can be purchased on it's own for £18 and comes in Taupe, Light brown and Blonde. I tried Taupe and I have to say that colour looked really natural for me.
The brush also retails on it's own at boots for £17, meaning buying the set is totally worth it.
The brush was really useful for evenly distributing the powder, and the spoolie was perfect for blending the product in for a more natural finish, This is a great kit for a quick tidy up and it makes light work of adding depth.
Above is all of the fantastic brow boosting products that I received to try. Now that I have road tested these I can give you my honest opinions.With the exception of the items from the 60 seconds set, the other items come together to make the Billion Dollar Brows Best Sellers Kit which retails at boots for £49.50.
This is a really comprehensive kit which means super precise eyebrows are totally achievable at home, no salons and no tattoos required. The first time I used the kit it took be approx 30 minutes to get 2 perfect brows, I have since had a fair bit of practice and have got my time down to 10 minutes!
Universal Brow Pencil by Billion Dollar Brows £17 at boots
The Universal Brow Pencil is suitable for many skin tones and hair colors and can be applied in layers to the darken the final result. This doesn't require sharpening and comes with a spoolie brush for effortless and effective blending to assist you in achieving a perfect finish.
Billion Dollar Brows Brow Duo Pencil - £20 from feelunique.com
This is a fabulous 2 in one product, on one side you have a concealer and the other side has a highlighter. I draw around my eyebrows with the concealer and use the below smudging brush to distribute evenly. I then go back under the brow with the highlighter and blend this out using the below brush, this helps to create a really distinct and neat brow look. These are both really easy to blend and look natural once applied.
Smudge Brush - I haven't seen this on sale in boots or on feelunique.com
This is a really soft brush which made blending a treat.
Billion Dollar Brows Clear Gel - £17 from boots or feelunique.com
This completes the set and a sweep of this formula is all you need to put those brows in their place. Its super strong and lasts throughout the day. On the days were I am feeling lazy I skip on all of the above and just use this, and to be fair it works pretty good on it's own too!
These products may seem expensive, but I believe that each one of them will last a considerable amount of time. I have purchased cheaper brow kits before, however they have been a waste of money so far as they haven't been that easy to work with so I haven't got much use out of them.
Here are the finished brows, sorry I put my hat on and then thought to take a picture of the finished look. By that time I had committed to the hat hair that would follow.. I'm sure you understand.
