Consequences of Retail Therapy || Beauty Haul

Hey Guys!

So I went to Milton Keynes shopping yesterday, and lets say came back with a significantly lighter purse! I actually went to do my driving theory test, and obviously had to peruse the beauty shops there! I must admit that I splurged a bit, but in the end I failed my theory by one mark, so I was glad to have all this as a cheer-me-up! So yeah, there is a mix of drugstore and high-end products, and some I've been looking forward to trying and will review them once I've tried them out properly. 

So the first thing that I've been so excited to get is the Barry M Flawless Matte Finish Oil Free Foundation in the shade Ivory.

I've read great reviews about this on various blogs and have been waiting to get to a Superdrug in order to buy it! It claims to be 'super blendable' with a 'hydrating formula'. The swatch I tried on my hand feels really smooth and it has a really light formula, which hopefully will look nice on the skin. So yeah, really looking forward to trying this and at something like £6 a bottle, you can't really go wrong!

Next is the H&M BB Cream Brush.

This is basically a dense, angled stippling brush. I've never tried any H&M cosmetic products before, but I've been looking for a new foundation brush and thought I'd give it a try. It's really soft and thick, and  has a nice flat top, which can be used for BB/CC cream or liquid foundations. Hopefully this brush will be really good for buffing out foundation when applying.

Next, surprise surprise, is a nail varnish. Literally cannot go anywhere without coming back with a nail varnish! This is the Barry M Silk Nail Paint in the shade Meadow which is like a shimmery pale blue.

This new range of Barry M Nail Paints is supposed to look like silk after you've applied it, and looks good so far. I quickly tried on one coat when I got back yesterday, and it's pretty sheer, so am guessing you'd need a few coats. They had a really pretty selection of spring colours, so if this one is good, I'll definitely have to find an excuse to get some more!

Next is one of my favourite products that I use on a daily basis, and it's the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in the shade 001 Transparent.

I go through these bad boys like they're going out of fashion really. This is such a great setting powder, especially if you've got oily skin, as it gives a really great matte finish to our foundation as well as making it last for ages. I cannot speak highly enough of this product, and as I'm sure many beauty bloggers would agree, if you haven't tried it yet you really are missing out!

Next is a more expensive product, but I literally fell in love with it as soon as I swatched it. It's the MAC Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in the shade Expensive Pink.

This is such a gorgeous, dusty-rose gold pink shade with a heavy gold shimmer through it. It is also quite a coral-toned shade, which makes it very wearable for summer. I cannot wait to start trying out a few looks with this, as the swatches I did were so pigmented and creamy. 

Then we have the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser.

This was a bit more expensive than I thought it would be, but I'd heard such good reviews about it, I couldn't  pass the chance to pick it up. This product is essentially a face primer, targeted at minimising the look of pores. It is a transparent cream, that actually looks matte when it comes out. It smooths out really nice and smoothly on the skin, and hopefully it will help my makeup to stay out of my pores for a good amount of time. 

Next is a second product from H&M and that is their Eyebrow Fix. 

This is basically a clear mascara like gel, that you brush through your brows to set any powder or product. It has quite a large wand to apply the product with, and hopefully it won't be too crunchy or dry horribly when it's actually on the brows, so fingers crossed for this product.

Lastly we have what I think is my favorite thing that I've bought in quite a while! I went to the MAC counter and was looking for an off-red lipstick that wasn't too bright, since I tend to go for bright or dark reds, and the woman at the counter suggested this shade so I tried it on and literally couldn't leave without it! It's the MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in the shade On Hold.

It is just the most beautiful red with slight pink/orange undertones. It isn't too bright and because it is a Cremesheen lipstick, it's very moisturising and creamy. This is by far my favourite lipstick now, and I'm beyond excited to start wearing it!

So yeah that's everything to show today! I hope you enjoyed seeing everything I got, and I'll post full reviews on everything once I've tried them out and seen what they're like!

Review || The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Perfector

Hey Guys!

So on the hunt for a good face primer, I've come across this little product. It's the Body Shop Seaweed Pore Perfector.

So I went into the Body Shop and asked what primers they sold and they recommended a few. One had a tea tree scent which I personally cannot stand, and the other was one in their makeup range. However, I decided to go for this one because it claims to perfect pores, and also has much better qualities for the skin, and since I have have noticeable pores and sensitive skin, I just had to try it!

So I apply it in the morning before any makeup and moisturiser, and I do find that it makes my foundation lasts a bit longer. It makes your skin feel really smooth, but after a while I do find that it sinks into my pores slightly. So far I don't think it has broken me out in any spots which is great, and it also has a really nice fresh scent. 

It comes in a little tube with a pump on the top which I really like because I don't really like product when they are in tubes because inside the lid tends to get really messy. But this product stays nice and clean around the pump. You don't need a lot of product at all. I use barely one pump to cover all over my nose and T-zone. 

Overall, I really do like this product, and is nice for a break from thicker primers that may not be the best for your skin. 

Avon's Arrived! || Brochure 04

Hey Guys!

The Avon has arrived from Brochure 04, but I'm a bit late posting this because I wanted to try them out first before I properly talked about them. I didn't really get much from this brochure, but the things I got are completely new, so thought I'd try them out and give you a preview of them.

So as you can see I only got two things, one make-up and one skincare, but I've been trying them out for a week or two so can give you guys a decent review instead of just a brief explanation. 

So first is the Avon Solutions Balanced + Matte Deep Cleansing Clay Mask. 

This is one of the new products from their 'balanced + matte' range, and I was especially looking forward to trying this out because I do get quite oily skin. It is a white face mask, that dries to quite a crumbly, like clay masks tend to do. The texture is really nice to apply, quite thick and not too runny, and also nice and smooth - it sometimes makes a nice change to have a face mask without the little granules in it. It dries relatively quickly - about 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the layer - and dries with lots of cracks, but you can tell from the colour which parts are still soft. The actual facial benefits of this mask is really good I think. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and smooth, and I have noticed a slight reduction in the oiliness of  my skin. For what, maybe a few pounds, that this is a really good face mask, even just for a general deep cleanse, and I'm really looking forward to trying out some of the other products in the same range. 

Next I got the Avon Ideal Flawless 'CC' Colour Corrector Cream, and I have the shade Ivory. 

I was super excited to try this, because it claims to have loads of great qualities, and honestly I wasn't that disappointed. It is basically a light foundation, mixed with a bit of moisturiser and SPF 50. It is quite thin which means that it isn't the easiest foundation to apply, especially with a brush, and it takes a while to dry on the skin. It gives a very dewy finish, which I can sometimes find a bit too much, so you may sometimes have to use a light hand. As I've said it's not as thick as a normal foundation but it's perfect to wear on a day when you don't want to wear heavy make-up or if you've having a spate of dry skin or something. It lasts really well, and I find the colour is a really good match to my skin. It stays nice and smooth all day, and overall is a really great product! I can really see it being a go-to face base during summer, so stay tuned!

Review || Maybelline Big Eyes Volum' Express Mascara

Hey Guys!

So as you may have previously read in my Maybelline Colossal Mascara Review I'm currently on the hunt for a really good waterproof mascara, and at the minute, this one has caught my attention. I saw the advert on the TV for the Mabelline Big Eyes Volum' Express Mascara and thought I would give it a try!

It is a dual ended mascara; one end for upper, and one for lower lashes. The wand for the upper lashes is really unique, as it is a DNA double helix type job. Basically, instead of having just an average straight wand with gradually decreasing in size bristles, it sort of twists round. I really like this shape as it still gives a nice even coverage, without getting too much mascara on the inner lashes. The other end for the lower lashes is just a really small, thin wand with relatively small bristles. This allows you to coat your bottom lashes without it going all under your eye. In  my opinion this is a great combination from a mascara, and more should have smaller wands for the shorter lashes. 

The formula of this mascara is really good, not too clumpy, but is thick enough to give lots of length and volume. On the waterproof side, it is definitely smudge proof for a good proportion of the day. I've only noticed it starting to smudge towards the end of the day, but overall it does last really long. Another good feature is that it isn't an absolute nightmare to remove. It does take a bit of extra rubbing, but isn't uncomfortable to take off. Compared to the previous Maybelline mascara I reviewed, it is definitely an improvement, and I have been using it everyday. I use it as a sort of second coat for my top lashes. I use my trusty Avon Supershock Mascara as the first coat to separate my lashes, and then this one to thicken and lengthen them. I really like the look this gives, and would definitely recommend this mascara.

Overall this is a really decent mascara, but the most exciting thing about it has to be the two wands, because I just think it's such a good idea! 

January Favourites 2014!

Hey Guys!

So it's been a long time since I've done a favourites post, so these are a few things over January and the Christmas period.

As you can see there are four beauty products, one music-related item, and my cat sleeping! So lets begin!

First is my MAC Eye shadow in the shade Jest which is a Frost shade.

I have already put this in my Christmas Presents Post, and it had to make an appearance here, because I've basically been wearing it everyday since! It is a really pretty light pink/taupe shimmery shade, perfect for all over the lid. I use it with a neutral brown or matte brown through the crease, and it just makes a really nice look for everyday, or even night time if you were to add a more dramatic, smokey eye. Obviously it is from an extremely good brand, and therefore lasts really well and applies really smoothly, and overall I just really love this product, and will definitely be buying more mac eye shadows!

Next is my Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24HR and I just have the shade 01 Black.

This is a really good quality gel eyeliner, and as you can see from the photo, I use it most days. I wouldn't necessarily agree that it lasts for 24 hours, but it definitely has some staying power. I have eyelids that rub onto the top of my lids, so I usually expect some rubbing throughout the day, but I just find that this is the best product I've tried so far. It's so easy to apply, and I use a thin angled brush to prevent getting really thick lines (even though some mornings I literally can't concentrate), but it gives a really intense black line and is just generally a really good quality product.

Next is a brush that I've been loving which is the No.7 Eye Shadow & Contour Brush.

I guess that this brush us a dupe for the MAC 217 Blending brush because it's a very similar medium-sized, fluffy brush. It's perfect for blending into the crease and generally blending out eye shadow, and I've just really liked using it because it is also really soft, and so doesn't take much effort to create a seamless look. So yeah huge thumbs up for this product!

Next is a product which was also in my Christmas Presents post, and that is the Body Shop Born Lippy Pomegranate Lip Balm.

This is by far my favourite flavour lip balm from The Body Shop, and the reason I tend to use these is because they actually work! Some lip balms or salves that I get don't moisturise my lips at all, and can even make them drier, and I just find that these lip balms are really nourishing and smoothing. I apply a layer at night before I go to bed, and I can still feel it working when I wake up in the morning. So yeah, if you're looking for a really decent lip balm definitely get this one, and there is loads of different flavours to chose from, so there is definitely one for everyone!

Lastly isn't beauty related, but I thought that I'd have to put it in because I've literally had it on repeat since Christmas Day. It's James Arthur (CD) by James Arthur.

Obviously he has made this album as a result of winner the X-Factor last year, and I just really love his music. The songs that I have been loving in particular are 'Suicide' and 'Roses'. All of the songs generally under the title of 'Pop music', but I would say that some of the songs don't fit into that since they are really unique, and I find that I can listen to it all of the time; when I'm getting ready, when I'm on the bus and when I'm working. So yeah been loving this CD, and is definitely a great CD to actually own on hard copy!

Review || OPI Liquid Sand Nail Lacquer

Hey Guys!

So for my birthday last year, one of my friends got me the OPI Liquid Sand Nail Lacquer in the shade Wharf!Wharf!Wharf!, and I've been wearing it quite a bit lately. I love nail varnish in general, especially different or unique ones, and so this is just such a great nail varnish for when I want something a different!

So as you can see, this isn't your average nail polish. The best way to describe it is that its a textured nail polish that dries matte. It feels really strange, a bit like when you were a kid, and mixed paint and sand, but I actually really like it. The colour that I have is Wharf!Wharf!Wharf! which is a deep, cobalt blue, and it's a really nice, alternative autumn/winter shade. Let's just talk about the names of OPI nail varnishes for a second. I'd love to know who comes up with these names, because every polish I have seen either has a funny or play-on-words name, so well done OPI!

I love how all of the OPI bottles have really big and wide lids with thick brushes, because it makes it so much easier to actually apply the nail varnish! I really hate when you get tiny bottle of nail varnish with the smallest brush you've ever seen, and it takes forever to paint one nail!

I normally apply tow coats to get a nice even cover, but it dries matte and really quickly which I think is very useful; since the worst thing is when you're in a rush after spending ages painting your nails and it smudges!

It lasts for a really long time without chipping, but that is what's expected really from such a great, high -end brand such as OPI. To be honest, all of OPI's nail varnishes are great, but I particularity love this nail varnish as it's completely unique, and catches peoples' eye!