JULY FAVOURITES BABY!

Can't believe we're already at the end of July!?! Feels like this year is whizzing by, before we know it, we'll be running around like headless chickens in preparation for Christmas! Anyway, before we get all depressed and start to wonder where the year is going, I have my July favourites for you!

1. MUA Heaven & Earth Palette and the MUA Undressed Palette both £4.00 - I've found myself using these two palettes continuously this past month! They both have every nude/natural colour you could want, and since I love a good natural eye, these two palettes have had my back. They both contain 12 shades each, and consist of both matte and shimmer shadows, so they're both fantastic to keep in your bag so you can switch your eye look up through day to evening if you're off out. 

2. George Shimmer me! Shimmering brush on powder in Heaven Sent £3.50 - I was wondering around in ASDA and was looking through the makeup section when I saw the George stand, which is ASDA's own clothing and makeup brand. I saw this shimmer brick and thought it looked so pretty, almost like a sunset effect. The colours are beautiful and I couldn't help but pick it up, at £3.50 it's a steal. The powder has 5 different colours which can be used all together to create a beautiful peach/pink flush or separate  It isn't too powdery and the pigmentation is AMAZING. I'd definitely recommend having a browse next time you're in your local ASDA, the selection of makeup is fantastic.

3. Sleek Shimmer Blush in Rose Gold £4.49 - This is one of the best blushes I have probably ever purchased, and I'm a bit late on this one. From other reviews, it's apparently very much like NARS Orgasm which I have never tried so I can't really comment on that but from the reviews and pictures it does seem very very similar  It has an amazing subtle gold sheen which looks amazing. I'm going to be doing a full review very soon so keep your eyes peeled!

4. Rimmel Anti Shine powder in Transparent £3.99 - I really love this powder, it seems to be the only one I've used that has kept my face matte throughout the day. It doesn't turn your makeup caked which is a plus! 

5. St. Moriz fake tanning mousse in Medium £2.99 - I absolutely adore this tanning mousse! I love their liquid tanner too! You can find a full review on the mousse here. 

6. L'OREAL Paris Elvive ExtraOrdinary Oil UV filter £8.49 - Still loving this hair oil, it helps protect my hair and keep it moisturised and frizz free. I've noticed when I don't use this oil, my hair becomes dry, stiff and brittle. It's amazing.

7. Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour felt tip eyeliner in black £2.99 - I've been using this for months now and it is still my favourite! The felt tip makes it easy to apply and the liquid liner comes out blackest black. It doesn't go flaky or crack either, which is a must! Budge proof!

8. Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara in Ultra Black £7.99- I apply this over my Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara and it adds more volume giving me long thick fluttery lashes. Absolute must now!

9. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Mascara in Extreme Black £6.99 - LOVE this mascara, it's my go to for everyday looks. It gives me longer lashes, and lasts all day with no lid transfer. If I'm going out for the evening I coat the Bourjois clubbing mascara over the top to pack a punch of volume! I find I don't have to wear falsies either, yay!

10. L'OREAL Lumi Magique Touch Of Light Highlighting Pen in Light £8.49 - This is pretty expensive for a concealer/highlighter pen but it is so damn worth it! I've seen a few YouTube beauty guru's rave about this product and I caved. It's amazing at covering up dark circles! A full review to come ;-)!

11. Chanel LEVRES SCINTILLANTES GLOSSIMER in the shade MICA £21.00 - I've had this for a long time, and I was never really crazy about it but this month it has been creeping into my handbag many a time, and I have to say I have fallen in love. It's perfect in creating full looking lips, it's pigmented and non sticky. Hoping to get my hands on a few more shades soon!

12. MUA Eyeshadow Trio in INNOCENCE £1.25 - This trio is not only perfect for travel, has the most amazingly pigmented shimmer shadows that all compliment each other and can be worn together for a smoky look or alone, but it's also only £1.25... it's nuts! The shades are so beautiful and I find compliment my brown eyes nicely. I can't believe how pigmented these are too!

13. MUA Nail Varnish in ALL NUDE £1.00 - You can't go wrong with the MUA nail varnishes, especially for the price. The quality are amazing, colour pay off is exceptional for the price and longevity is cracking. Lasts more than a week chip free! I've been loving this bone colour recently! 

14. Curious by Britney Spears Parfum £22.00 - I've found myself reaching for this a lot this month. Its a beautiful fruity meets floral scent and perfect for summer. 

What's been your most favourite product this month? 

Lauren xo

Rimmel Instant Tan Water Resistant Self Tanner

Rimmel Instant Tan Water Resistant Medium Matte £6.99

Around two weeks ago, I was in Superdrug and was on the hunt for a cheap instant self tanner since I was going out with my friends that night and didn't want to look super pasty. Rimmel had just released this water resistant instant tanner and I was keen to try it because of it being water resistant. I bought it in Medium Matte, because the lighter tans never really show up on my skin enough. They did have others with shimmer in, but I didn't want the tan to look obviously fake (provided it didn't come out orange or green mind!). 

Once I got home and prepared my skin, I lathered it on with my hand...yep big mistake. My hand was a dirty brown colour and I had to scrub to get it off! My hands ended up blood red! I used a tanning mitt to finish the skin off. The colour thankfully wasn't orange or greenish at all. It looked like I was beautifully sun kissed and brown. It blended well too, and I had no streaks. 

Now for the bad bit....

it isn't so water resistant in places. It started to come off around my chest area when I accident;y got water on there from washing my hands, and by the end of the night I was patchy and had stripes...actual stripes like a tiger. Wasn't sexy, wasn't cute. I jumped in the bath straight away when I got home and scrubbed! It came off on my clothes too... I know it's a instant tanner which tend to be wash off, but this is also water resistant and I solely bought it in the bid for it not to streak whilst I was out in a boiling hot bar. I think it would be okay if I used it for a day out where I wasn't active and wasn't going to sweat or get hot. Nonetheless I don't think it is very water resistant unless you get it on rough skin like the palms of your hand. You'd have to make your hands bleed to get it off there!...

All in all, I give it a 4/10. I just don't think it's that water resistant. The colour is beautiful, and easy to blend. If only it does what it's meant to! I think I'll stick to my normal St. Moriz :-)

x

Let's get lippy! My favourite lip tints!

Hi ladies!

So since it's finally summer, and pretty hot in the UK at the moment, I've noticed that I've been opting for lip tints over lipsticks. There's nothing worse when your lipstick runs down your mouth and chin in heat, so I choose lip tints during the day and for nights out. So, here are my favourite lip tints that I own!

Here are the swatches....

 Collection 2000 Colour Pout lasting lip stain in pout

This is my most favourite lip stain ever. Its the most perfect red lip tint that I've found and the pigment is absolutely AMAZING. I love wearing this on nights out, since it lasts all night and doesn't budge when drinking or eating. What pleases me the most is that as it wears off, it doesn't leave a product around your lips and nothing in the middle, and fades nicely. You will still have a nice colour by the end of the night despite not topping up.

Maybelline Colour Sensational lip marker in shy red

I've had this lip tint for absolutely ages, and it's still going strong (even if I do have to rub hard into my lips!), I'm still able to get colour pay off. It's a lovely rose colour and would suit all skin types! I'm not sure if you can still get this on the high street but you should be able to get your hands on it online.

 Rimmel 1000 kisses lip tint in Carry on cherry

Rimmel 1000 kisses lip tints are by far one of the best lip tints on the market. I love the colour pay off from them, and Carry On Cherry is my favourite of the two! It's a pretty cherry colour, and makes your lips look a lovely bitten red whilst looking natural. The balms that they come with are a must though as with just the tint your lips can end up a little dry.

Rimmel 1000 Kisses lip tint in perpetual plum

Like I said above, Rimmel 1000 kisses lip tints are amazing, and Perpetual Plum is an amazing deep raspberry colour. I love putting this on when I'm wearing hardly any make up as this tends to make my face/skin/eyes pop!

Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon 

I got this lip tint in a glossy box last year and it's still going strong! You only need the tiniest amount to get amazing colour pay off, and it looks like 'your lips but better' (cringe!).  It's not very moisturising so a clear balm would work well applied over it. What's even more amazing is that it can be used as a blusher too! It's perfect for everyday wear, to put into your bag on your travels. It's my must have for summer too because it's so easy to use, you get so much out of it and it's the perfect tint for the beach! At £20, it's a bit expensive for a lip tint but it's worth the pennies. I will definitely buy it again.

xo

June Favourites

I can't believe we are already at the end of june! Seems crazy that we're already in summer, and before we know it we'll be in Autumn freezing cold and complaining... this year is going far too quickly!

My favourites have changed a little bit, and you'll probably see most products that I've done past reviews on. So, let's get into it!

MUA Undress your skin illuminating foundation in porcelain £5 

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll probably know I've done a past review here where I go into more detail. I went through a phase where I didn't actually like it because my skin was breaking out bad and so I put it down to this. A couple of months on, my skin is much better and I've been turning to this as an everyday quick go to foundation and it's not broke me out, phew! It's pretty pale and I'd say a good match to a porcelain fair skin (don't you find a lot of other brands shade of porcelain is pretty dark?!) but I don't use it when I have fake tan on obviously. I really like the coverage and the effect it gives. Read my post on it for more information :)

Bourjois Volume Clubbing ultra black mascara £7.99

I mentioned this in my recent haul post but didn't go into much detail as I hadn't got a recent feel for it. I used to use this all the time when I was about 16 and absolutely loved it. Obviously since then I've used more mascara's and know what I like and what I don't like. I forgot how cakey it can make your lashes if it's not used correctly and felt disappointed when I initially tried it when I re purchased it. Since then I've been using it after I use my Rimmel scandaleyes mascara and it works perfectly! I use it to thicken my lashes but you do have to be careful not to create a spider effect. I think it's worth buying if you tend to use multiple mascaras.

NYX HD concealer and Full coverage concealer pot duo in Light £10.00

I was pretty excited to get my hands on these, not only because they're so hard to come by in the UK but I've also heard amazing reviews on them! I have an account with Very, and found them on there for £10.. which isn't bad considering the quality and you're also getting two when only one bought separately would probably come to £10 anyway. I really like them so far, I use the concealer wand for under my eyes and the pot for cleaning up around my brows and for blemishes. They're both very creamy too which is a massive plus. I'll be doing a review soon!

St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse in Medium £2.99

I absolutely love this tanner and won't use anything else now, you can find a review here. I recently found it in pound stretcher for £2 which is 99p less than what I got mine for but either way it's a bargain and the quality is amazing, as is the outcome from using it!  

Batiste dry shampoo in dark & deep brown £3.99

Not much I can say apart from it's a good dry shampoo... it does what it's meant to and the hint of colour stops you from getting that ghastly white powder on your hair! It's the only one I will use now!

L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary oil £9.99

I did a review on this a few months ago and I hated it! It wasn't what I was used to when it came to hair oils but this month it's all I've used! I've been using this every time after I wash my hair to put moisture back into my ends and I also use it after styling to tame frizz. It does feel a bit strange, almost like alcohol and smells like it too but nonetheless it does well. They have a few different types of Extraordinary oils, this one has UV filter for coloured hair, which I need since my hair is dyed red!

Primark Eyelashes in Sultry £1

I love primark lashes! If I'm on a budget or broke but need me some glamorous lashes, I'll pop into primark and pick these up. I don't really tend to buy any of the other styles, I tend to like these sort of wispy lashes. Their durability are really good considering it's from Primark. Massive thumbs up.

Rimmel lasting finish 1000 kisses lip tint and balm 5.99

I love lip tints! I tend to opt for these for during the day and even for clubbing as it doesn't budge whilst I'm drinking. If I wear lipstick, it always ends up on my chin and it's pretty annoying so I always keep one of these on me even if I am using lipstick at the beginning of the night. I own two of the shades which are Blushing and Kiss me. I really want to find a true red one! They don't last all day and gradually fade from your lip leaving an outline which doesn't look really obvious. The balm at the end of the tint helps since the tint can be a bit dry, the balm gives a lovely glossy look. 

Urban Decay Good for one fare eye shadow in Midnight Cowboy £14.00

I've owned this eye shadow for years and as far as I know it's out of stock on the Urban decay website but you can find it here . I've been using this mainly on nights out as it's VERY glittery and would look a bit Edward Cullen ish if worn in the day. It has a lovely beige colour with silver and gold flecks of glitter which look amazing placed in the centre of the lid on almost any eye look. 

MUA Matte Eye shadow in shade 17 £1.00  

As you can probably guess, I'm a big fan of MUA products and think their £1 shadows are amazing for the quality and pigmentation. I use this shade 17 all over my lid. It looks a bit brown in the picture and in the pan but on the skin it transfers as a lovely neutral beige. It's completely matte too and is perfect for everyday wear and as a base for other eye looks.

Topshop blush in the shade Flush £6.00

Isn't the shade pretty? It's a lovely pink/peach lightweight cream to powder blush and looks amazing on fair and tan skin tones. I'm not sure how well it would transfer on darker skin tones as it's pretty lightweight and doesn't have a harsh pigmentation like you'd think it would. I like using this on its own during the day, and then using it at night under my Dainty doll blusher for more impact. I can't wait to try the other shades from the topshop blush collection

Have you tried any of these favourites? 

HAUL || Make up Edition

Since I've accumulated a few products this month, I thought I'd do a little post on what I've managed to get my paws on. I don't usually buy things over an amount of time, I usually go on a big spend on pay day, but I'm trying to be good and not buy things just for the sake of it being pay day ! I've tried to only buy things I'm running low on, or things I know I'll get use out of. My make up draws are over flowing with products I never use and never will get much out of, which needless to say, has made me penny less without getting anything out of it! Annoying!

1. No7 Natural Blush tint powder in Honey* - £8.00 Gifted - I was lucky enough to have had this gifted to me by my lovely sister-in-law! I thought I'd add it to my haul anyway! I'm so grateful that I was gifted this, as it's the perfect contour shade for my skin tone! Unlike many bronzers used to  contour, they can end up looking orange or muddy. This beautiful honey/taupe colour is just what I've been looking for in a contour shade. The powder itself isn't that horrid powdery substance that can lead to loss of pigment, it packs on to the brush nicely and the pigment is amazing, it also blends superbly. 

2. Topshop Blush in Flush - £ 6.00 - I spotted this whilst browsing the Topshop make up section, and ultimately was pulled in by the rosie peach fluorescent shade... I don't know if that's a good thing! I tested it out on my hand and it was much like a creme blush but once blended, it turns into a powder. I was sold! I've only used it once so far, and like it but trying to get to grips with the formulation!

3. Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Veloute De Peche £7.49 - I've already done a review, and pretty much explain everything in the post. Not too over the moon with it but it works well as a subtle wash of colour.

4. Topshop Nail Paint in Celestial - £5.00 - Picked this up in the queue to pay for my blush, and fell in love with the pretty sky blue hue. Perfect for s/s!

5. Bourjois Paris So Laque Glossy Nail Enamel in Oh So Rose - £5.99 - Really pretty nude polish but takes a few coats to get a good pigment on the nail. 

6. Garnier Pure Active 2in1 Tinted Spot Roll-On concealing treatment £7.99 - Bought this and realised it wasn't the one I wanted once I got home! Nonetheless, it's a good concealer for under eyes and to cover spots. I also like that the applicator is metal and is always cold and soothes under your eyes! 

7. NYX Concealer Wand and Concealer Jar Duo - £10.00 - Heard good things about this and caved. Really amazing coverage and getting two concealers is always a good thing, right? Review soon to come!

8. Rimmel Scandal'eyes Mascara £6.99 - I really like the brush on these mascara's, they remind me of Benefit's They're Real's wand. 

9. Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara Ultra Black £7.99 - I used to use this all the time years ago, and when I saw it in superdrug I had a little nostalgic moment. The only thing I hate is that there's nothing to catch the product inside, so your brush is caked in mascara.

10. Rimmel Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner in Black Kiss £5.29 - I was keen to try this out but not loving it at the moment. I think I prefer felt tip liners, as these sort of ones can be pretty gloopy and messy!

11. L'oreal Renewal Lash Serum £3.49 - I originally got this on Fragrance Direct but it seems to have disappeared  so I found it on Direct Fragrance. I've not used this long enough to see a difference in my lashes... I'll keep you updated! 

12. Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Nude £3.99 - I've wanted a flesh toned eyeliner for yonks, since sometimes white can be too much in the waterline for everyday. Loving this one from Rimmel.

Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Tint - Stay Very Berry £5.99 - I love love love lip tints! I have so many of them! I prefer using these to lipsticks and glosses, as they're less mess and easier to use. This one comes with a balm to stop your lips from drying out from the felt tip. I want them all!

So, that's my recent purchases! Have you tried any of these products? If so, what do you think of them?

Lauren xo

Rimmel Scandaleyes Show Off Mascara Review

Rimmel London Scandaleyes show off mascara 

So I recently purchased this mascara whilst on a shopping binge at Boots, and since I was on the hunt for a new mascara anyway since my Benefit they're real mascara is starting to dry out slightly (le sigh), and decided to pick this up (without any thought as to what it was like) and it luckily resembles Benefit's they're real pretty well! It cost £6.99 which is the usual for a drugstore mascara, and I bought it in Black. 

The packaging is nice, nothing too out there for Rimmel, just a pink tube. It's shaped like a bullet.... not much else I can say about the packaging really!

The brush is AMAZING. It really does look like the Benefit They're real wand (read my review here), with the big plastic bristles at the base and the round pointy load of bristles at the top to target those pesky little lashes that an ordinary wand could never coat. I really like how it gets every little lash, and coats them a lovely deep black. The only thing that I wasn't happy with (which probably has nothing to do with the mascara itself) was that it was drying out already when I bought it, but was packaged when I bought it... hoping it's just a one off! I think this mascara also works well lapplied on top of the Benefit mascara since they're the same brush design, although I think this Rimmel one is slightly larger. 

(Apologies for the naff eye shot!)

This is the result,  Long flirty lashes! I'd give it a 4/5, only because I'm devoted to the Benefit mascara already... I feel like I'm cheating! I would purchase again though if I couldn't afford the other mascara or even just to apply on top.

Have you tried any Scandaleyes products from Rimmel?

Lauren xo

Apocalips lip lacquers review

 Rimmel London Apocalips lip lacquer RRP £4.99

Hi all!

I thought I'd do a quick review on the Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquers. I know there are a ton of reviews floating around online, and I was meant to get a review out when they first were released but it seemed like everyone and their mum were posting reviews about these beauties. So I thought I'd wait and put my two cents in when the hype had calmed down a bit! 

At the time boots were doing a 3 for 2 on all Rimmel Products and I believe they're still doing that offer online and instore, so take advantage! I purchased Celestial, Big Bang and Apocoliptic. 

The packaging is actually pretty cute! I love the diamond effect lid, and the fact the outside is black from the top down to the hint of colour from your lip lacquer peeking through at the bottom. The formula itself is AMAZING. It lasts all day and once you pop a bit over your lips to touch up, can last all night. The gloss does eventually disappear, but you're still left with a colour on your lips, almost a stained effect left by the lacquer. The only downside is they do smudge easily, and should be worn with caution on a drunken night out haha! You can easily be left looking a hot mess with colour all over your chin after drinking from a cup! For extra precaution, try and blot your lips after application... it saves a lot of mess and embarrassment  But over time the lacquer dries a bit and isn't so slippy. 

Apocoliptic is a beautiful bright fuschia colour, and is my go to spring/summer party lip colour. I haven't worn it as much as the other two colours, but I hope now it's getting warmer here in the UK, I'll be wearing this a lot more! I can't seem to make it work with all my dark pieces of clothing haha!

Celestial is my absolute favourite of all three, and probably my most favourite lip product of 2013. It's the perfect 'your lips but better' colour. It's a dream to maintain colour as even when it fades, your lips still look just as good. Also because the shade isn't so crazy, if you do end up getting it anywhere else apart from your lips.... it's easily erased ;)!

 (Apologies for the really bad/messy photo!)

Big Bang is the perfect red lip colour. I have used this colour on nights out and although is a beautiful colour, the formula is a bit too slippy and after a few drinks can end up all over your face and because it's red it ends up looking horrendous.... blot blot blot if you use this colour in the evening! It is nonetheless a fantastic red shade and I think any skin tone could get away with this shade! Overall I'd say Rimmel got it spot on with this product. It offers a lot  and even though it can be messy, it's worth it! I think I'll be getting all shades!

What are your thoughts on these lip lacquers? What's your favourite shade? 

Lauren xo

My daily make up !

from top left to right
 1. Undress your skin Highlighting powder

2. MUA Bronzed Perfection Bronzer

3. Collection Sheer Loose Powder

4. No7 Lift and Curve eyelash curlers

5. Benefit's They're Real Mascara

6. Collection felt tip eyeliner

7. Prestige Black Kohl Eyeliner

8. MUA Brow Kit

9. Estee Lauder Blush (Disontinued)
10. Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Ivory Nude
11. MUA Undress Your Skin Illuminating Face Primer
12. MUA Cover and Conceal concealer wand
13. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light
14. MUA Pro Base Fixing Mist
15. MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Pearl
16. MUA Undressed Pallet 
17. Rimmel Apocalips Lip creme in Big Bang

Hi guys!

I thought I would do a quick post on my everyday make up, as I find these sort of posts pretty interesting. I always like to see what people are buying and using daily, it gives a good insight into what they really find the best for them.

I live by the rule that no matter what you should always have a good high-end foundation. It is, after all the base and foundation of your beauty look. Without a good base, an even canvas, your make up most likely won't turn out as perfect as you'd like. With everything else, you can experiment with different drugstore/highstreet alternatives!


So first off after moisturising my face with some good old E45, I spritz my face with the MUA Pro Base fixing mist and then wait for a few seconds before moving on to my foundation. With this Estee Lauder foundation, I find you have to work pretty quickly to get the best results because of it being long lasting it sets pretty quickly. I use my Real Techniques Buffing brush to work my foundation in, I do this for a while to make sure it is completely worked into my skin and doesn't look cakey or uneven. I then move on to concealing, which is usually just under my eyes. I mix both Collection Lasting perfection and MUA cover and conceal together under the eye and then blend with the Real techniques buffing brush once again. I then Powder my face with the collection loose powder with a big fluffy blush brush and then go over my entire face with the MUA Undress your skin illuminating powder, to give my face a lovely glow, it brings life back into the skin. I like to leave my blush and contour until I've finished my eyes etc. so I can see how much I need. 


So, I  move on to my brows with the MUA brow kit, and use both the dark and medium brown with a models own angled brush. Once that's done, I use the MUA Pearl eyeshadow in Pearl on my brow bone, in the corner of my eyes, a little dab down my nose and across my cheek bones (not too much because we've already applied the illuminating powder!). I then use the lightest shade from the MUA Undressed Pallet all over the lid and then contour the socket with the brown 3rd along the top. I tight line with the kohl pencil and create a cat eye with the collection felt tip eye liner. Finally, I curl my lashes with the lash curlers and add lashings of Benefit's they're real. 

Okay so now we can add blush and contour! I don't know why I like to leave it to the end, I guess I feel it's the final thing to do to bring the look together. I contour my cheekbones, temple, hairline, jaw and under my chin with the MUA Bronzed perfection with the Real Techniques contour brush. Make sure to blend this out really well or you'll look muddy and weird with lines down your face haha! I then go on to use my Estee Lauder blush (can't remember the name but I know it's discontinued so use any of your favourite blushes!) and sweep this up my cheekbones with a fluffy blush brush. I find that because I have a chubby face, I can't apply it so much on the apples of my cheeks because it weighs down my face. By applying the colour lightly on your cheek bones, you're further sculpting and lifting the face. A tip is to remember that when you apply your blush on the apples of your cheeks you tend to smile, and so when you drop your smile the apples drop and your blush is further down your face.

Finally I apply a chapstick or a lipstick. Of late I've been into the Apoalips lip cream, and variate between Big bang and celestial. Celestial is my favourite, though! To finish off I spritz my whole face with the MUA Fixing mist to set everything for the day!

PHEW! That was long to go through! I was thinking about doing a video to show this look if people are interested. I could go into the products and techniques I use more but I'm not sure who would be interested watching it! Let me know :) <3