Top Tips For Wearing Matte Lips

If you've been reading my blog for a while now then you'll know I'm a big fan of matte lips. They allow bolder colours to look brilliant both during the day and the evening, plus they're drier formula and tendency to stay in place means they're perfect for us slightly lazier beauty girls. However matte lips can be very unforgiven and hard on our lips. So today I thought I'd share with you my top tips for wearing a matte lip.

The first and most important tip may seem obvious but can make really make a difference. And that is to wear lip balm anytime you're not wearing a lipstick, liquid lip or any other lip product. Yes it's obvious but there have been times when I've forgotten and it's really made me rethink my lipstick for the day or two ahead. Lip balm helps smooth out lip texture and keeps lips from becoming flaky, cracked and dry. All three of these things can make or break a matte lip and even if you manage to pull off a matte lip it's only going to get worse as the day goes on. A balm like Carmex is perfect for keeping lips soft and hydrated. It leaves lips with a slight tingle after application which helps plump up lips slightly and make sure they're well hydrated. Petroleum based lip balms are more of a no no as they can just sit on the lips instead of sinking in and reviving lips. I advise always making sure to put a generous layer of lip balm on before bed. It'll stop lips getting dry and when you wake up in the morning there will still be a thin layer hydrating lips before you put on your lip product of choice.

My second tip is to exfoliate lips. It not only helps the way lipsticks apply but it removes any flaky or dry patches on the lips. Some brands have their own lip exfoliators and my favourites are the ones from Lush and The Body Shop. The scrub from The Body Shop is my preferred product of the two as it comes shaped like a lipstick and is easier to work with. However both work to remove dry patches and smooth out lips so they look and feel softer. If you don't want to buy a lip scrub you can always make one at home. Taking any kind of sugar and either honey or oil, mix them together in a bowl until it's stuck together. Then it's as simple as rubbing it over your lips until they look smoother, plus if you use honey it won't taste as bad as some shop brought scrubs. Exfoliating the lips is something you should only do once a week or if you have a big occasion coming up. I tend to exfoliate my lips when I have a day/night out with the girls so my lipsticks lasts longer and looks smoother on the lips.

 Another brilliant way to make sure your matte lips looks as good as it can do is a lip liner. Not only do they help adhere the lip product to the lips but it stops them from feathering, bleeding and gives a neater edge and finish. I have a whole array of lip liners ranging from nudes to red to dark burgundy shades. I love using these with matte lip products as it just helps application and gives the edges a crispness that using the product on it's own sometimes lacks.

And my last tip is to not over layer your matte lip products. Sure it's easy to apply layer upon layer of colour but really it's not good for either your lips or your look. Layering matte lip products, especially liquid lipsticks just make them go cakey or make them crack on the lips. It means they're more likely to flake away and leave you with uneven, patchy lips. Thin layers are okay but never thick goopey layers that look and feel over the top. If you don't know when too much is enough, take a look in the mirror. If your lipstick/lip product looks cakey or is cracking then that's when it's a bit too much. And of course once you've hit that point there is no way to undo it apart from taking it all off and starting again.

If you're a fan of liquid lipsticks but don't know which ones are the best for high pigment colour that require little to no effort here's my top three. MAC's Retro Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Dance With Me. It's a deep red shade that only requires one coat and dries down to a comfortable but long lasting finish. The same goes for Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso. This is my personal favourite as it's that shade of red that you can wear all year round and with any look. Then there are the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. These are a lot thinner in consistency than most liquid lipsticks and a lot more comfortable to wear without budging. There are so many shades, I couldn't possibly name my favourite. However if you're not a fan of liquid lipsticks then try Urban Decay's Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bad Blood. Highly pigmented, opaque in one swipe, comfortable to wear and long lasting. And if red's not your shade then Revlon's Colorburst Balm in Sultry is a perfect neutral shade for a multitude of skintones. Easy to apply, non drying and long lasting, this is definitely a lot higher quality than it's £8 budget.

So that's it for my matte lips tips. Do you have any I've missed? Or do you have a matte lip product recommendation? Let me know in the comments.

August Favourites

To August has been a long month is an understatement. Usually months fly by for me but this last month has taken ages to come to an end. But I'm glad it has as that means September and Autumn are just around the corner. Can you tell I'm excited for the colder months.

First up this month is a product I never thought I'd be putting in a favourites post, Benefit's Porefessional was a product that did not agree with me when I first tried it. It made my make up ball up and come away from my face which was just unattractive. However I pulled this out at the beginning of the month when we were having a hot spell and fell in love. I don't know if my skin has changed and that's why it works better this time round or not. I can say though that this helps prolong my make, creates a smoother base to apply my foundation and minimises the appearance of my pores. It is one of the pricier make up items in my bag but it's well worth the price tag. I've honestly needed this everyday to keep my make up in place thanks to what Britain is calling Summer this year. Roll on the cold weather.

I don't normally talk about vitamins or supplements on here as I literally just take what my mum says will be good for me. But this month I've been taking Vitamin E tablets and the differences I've seen is outstanding. My nails are where I've seen the big difference. They used to flake when they got to a certain length and wearing nail polish was a disaster but ever since I've been taking these my nails have looked healthier, felt stronger and haven't broken or chipped when they've reached a certain length. Painting my nails is a dream now and I don't have to worry so much about them chipping after the first day. If you've got problem nails then I'd recommend taking Vitamin E tablets if you can, there will definitely be a difference.

A skincare favourite of mine this month is the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask. Now before this I've never really gotten on with sheet masks. They never really fit my face, the pre cut holes would either be too high or too low and I'd end up getting serum in my eyes or mouth. Not with this mask though. It fits perfectly to my face and I don't end up with stinging eyes or weird tastes in my mouth. It sticks well to the skin and it's Hyaluronic Acid and Pomegranate Extract formula works well to hydrate and soothe my skin. Afterwards my skin feels plumper, hydrated and softer to the touch. A full review of this will be coming your way very soon.

First off please excuse the state of this brush. I forgot to clean it before taking pictures. This is one of the Primark Pro Oval Brushes. It's essentially a ridiculously inexpensive dupe for the Artis Oval Brushes. And if you're looking for a flawless yet still high coverage finish then this brush is definitely for you. Whilst it does soak up product it also spreads your chosen base product evenly across the skin creating a flawless finish without it looking overdone. I like using this with lighter finish foundations as it gives it the look of a higher coverage foundation without being cakey or blocking pores. And at £4 who was I to turn down this brush. A full review of their whole range will be appearing soon so keep your eyes peeled.

And for the final favourite of the month, I'm looking ahead to when it gets colder and lip colours like this are everywhere. This Gosh Matte Lipstick looks like it's straight out of Autumn and I've been loving wearing at every chance I get. This is the shade Cranberry which looks like a deep red shade in the bullet but has some purple undertones on the lips. I love this lipstick not only for the colour but for the finish. It's matte and stays in place all day but it's not ridiculously drying and the creamy formula makes reapplication a dream. I have more of these shades and with September just around the corner you'll be seeing more of these on the blog.

So that's it for my August Favourites. What have been your favourites this month? And are you as excited for Autumn as I am? Let me know in the comments.

Product Empties #5

Until today I didn't realise how full my empties bin had become. I'd just been chucking them in there and not paying attention to how full it had become. So today for a bonus post I'm going through with you my empties purely because I can't fit another thing in there.

Let's start with what I have the most of. Firstly there's the Garnier Moisture Restore+ Night Cream. I've gone through countless pots of this but two full pots since my last empties post. This is a gel formula cream packed full of skin hydrating ingredients which will simultanesouly soothe and hydrate skin in the evening. A little bit goes a long way and really gives skin a boost especially after taking off any make up. I can guarantee there will be plenty more of these appearing in future empties posts.

Another double empty and this time it's my holy grail concealer from Collection. The Lasting Perfection concealer is the perfect high coverage but easily blended concealer on the high street. It works well both under the eye and over any imperfections. Blemishes? Redness? Uneven skintone? This has got you covered. I go through about one of these a month because I use it liberally on a daily basis and for under a fiver you can't complain. More of these will be appearing in future empties.

Now I have three serums. Two are from the Simply Pure range and have appeared before in empties. They contain both Hyaluronic Acid and Salicylic Acid to hydrate skin and help fight blemishes. It's formula works well in the even and after taking make up as skin just soaks it right up. And the third serum is from Olay. Their Instant Hydration Day Serum is the perfect base product before applying make up. With a slight silicone feel to it smooths over pores and creates an even base for make up. It's also really good at hydrating skin. A full review can be found here. Expect to see more of both in the future.

Up next is my holy grail cleanser from Clean and Clear. The Deep Cleansing Lotion for sensitive skin has been a staple in my skincare routine since I was thirteen and it has never done me wrong. A lot of people might not like the idea of putting this on their face because the alcohol would dry their skin out. It doesn't dry skin and if paired with hydrating skincare afterwards you won't even know you've used it. I have a feeling I'll be using this still in a decades time. Used right after that is the B Essence Lotion. I used to laugh at essence lotions but ever since trying this one I've been highly surprised. It helped change the look and feel of my skintone. Gone was any texture I had and my redness look diminished with every use. Containing Allatonin this soothes skins after every cleanse. Definitey not one to turn your nose up at. A full review can be found here.

Following up from those I have a couple of sprays that I adore. The B Hyaluronic Acid Facial Spritz has really saved my skin during our hotter days and even a few bad skin days. Packed with nothing but Hyaluronic Acid this delievers hydration to your skin with every spray. It can be used over and under make up to keep skin feeling refreshed during the day, especially helpful during the hotter months. Then another product that has come in handy when the temperature has risen is the Maybelline SuperStay 24 Setting Spray. This is a fine mist that doesn't disrupt or ruin your make up that helps make make up look more natural and lock it into place for longer. Personally this is one of the best setting sprays on the high street and if you haven't tried this before you should definitely pick one up.

Up next is a mask that I've gone through countless tubes off and a product that didn't work well originally but I found a use for anyway. The Sanctuary 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask is a staple in the beauty world. It's a brilliant mask for pulling any crap out the skin and giving skin a really good detox. I've talked about this so much my mum now uses it too. Then there is the Make Up Revolution Aqua Priming Base. It's a hydrating spray that you spray on before foundation and it's supposed to help base products stick to the skin. It didn't work like that for me so I used it to dampen my beauty blender when I was feeling to lazy to go to the sink. And it worked really well. My make up looked smoother when this was sprayed on my sponge. I'm definitely going to have to pick up another bottle.

I've gone through my first pot of the Garnier Miracle Wake Me Up Cream. This is the sister cream to Garnier's Miracle Sleeping Cream. This won't be a daily moisturiser for everyone but using after removing make up or a face mask and this will work wonders. Containing ingredients to help reduce signs of ageing and tiredness from the skin this smooths over and blurs any imperfections. It's the perfect cream to use on days when you're not wearing make up and it will just give everything that blurred over look.

The Nip and Fab Glycolic Extreme Fix Pads are my favourite skin treatment pads. Containing 5% Glycolic Acid as well as Salicylic and Lactic Acid these work to exfoliate and loosen and dead skin cells as well as clearing away any blemish creating bacteria. As you only need one or two a week, a pack of sixty will last you ages. The Simple Brightening Eye Make Up Remover Pads aren't the best to remove all eye make up but they're great to catch any mascara or eye liner lingering around the eye area. One pad can do both eyes so these will last a long time as well but don't believe anything about them brightening the under eye area. Invest in a good eye cream, the results will be more obvious.

Now the final items in this post are ones I don't talk about often. Yes I'm on about face wipes. I don't use face wipes to remove any part of my make up except my lipstick. And these two packs of wipes from Garnier work better to remove my various lip products better than any other. The original micellar formula wipes are good removing sheen finish, gloss or cream finish lipsticks. But the oil infused wipes are brilliant at removing matte lips and the most difficult liquid lipsticks going. They're both very soft wipes that don't irritate the lips and the formula's won't create issue for the lips as well. I know I'm going to go through countless more packs of these with the amount of lipstick I wear.

So that's it for this ridiculously long empties post. Hopefully the next one won't be so long. I'd love to know what products you go through the most so let me know in the comments. 

Review: Gosh Lip Liners

Earlier in the week I reviewed the Gosh Matte Lipsticks so thought today would be good time to review their matching lip liners.

There a wide variety of shades in this range and each can match either one particular lipstick shade or many shades. I have the shades Rose, a neutral pink shade and Raspberry Dream, a pinky red tone shade. Rose conincides nicely with their Matte Lipstick in the same shade. And Raspberry Dream works well under their Matte Lipsticks in Cherry, Classic Red and even Fuschia. These liners can be worn on their own as well as the colours are highly pigmented and opaque in finish. Rose is my favourite of the two to wear on it's as it's a easier to work with, Raspberry Dream can sometimes be patchy if you repeatedly go over certain patches.

These liners are a hybrid between a wooden pencil and a crayon. They're very creamy in texture and don't drag on the lips when you use them to fill in the lips entirely. They do dry down to a matte finish but aren't ridiculously uncomfortable to wear or catch on any dry or flaky patches. Because they're so creamy to wear they can be harder to work with to get that precise line along the lips. However if you sharpen them ever so slightly then the point of the pencil helps create a sharper more precise line.

Overall these are good liners and for their £4.99 price point aren't ridiculously over priced for what they are. They can be patchy and hard to work with but when paired under a lipstick they work wonderfully to create a stunning lip look and help keep lipsticks in place. If you haven't tried these then I definitely suggest giving them a swatch when you're at a Gosh Stand next.

Let's Talk White Nails

This month I've been enjoying painting my nails various summer shades but there is always one colour I keep coming back to. And that is white. Now I know this isn't going to be for everyone but personally I love how white nails look during the hotter months.

It is one of the harder colours to pull off especially if you lack a tan but there are ways to still rock a white nail. Now a lot of white nail polishes are streaky, patchy and thin in formula. This takes away the pop effect white nails has and leaves them looking almost off colour and overall the look of the nails and your hand in general is not pretty. If the polish is a bad quality polish then your hands are going to look dirty and obviously your nails aren't going to look much better.

Polishes to avoid getting this look are the ones from Maybelline, Rimmel and the Barry M Classic Nail Paint in White. These are all very thin in formula which means they're harder to work with and will probably end up leaving nails look a little streaky in places even if you're sure you've covered everything. Slightly pricier nail polishes are the best way to go with White Nails as they have a thicker and better formula. If you don't want to pay the earth for a polish then Barry M's Gelly Hi Shine in Cotton. It's very thick in formula and doesn't go patchy or streaky no matter how thin a coat you apply. Two coats of this polish and you're in for bright white nails that will set off a tan or give nails a brilliant pop of colour without one.

However if pure white nails aren't your thing then you can still work this look by wearing shades that have a hint of a colour running through the white. Nails Inc did a whole range of shades that were white based but had hints of colour running through them. It was mainly pastel shades that still gave a nice pop of colour but it wasn't a stark white against the nail. Barry M's Rosehip and Essie's Fiji are two great examples of these polishes. Both are white based polishes but have pink running through them. They're very pale in colour and you need a good two maybe even three coats to get the colour to truly show through but they give that interesting pop to the nail but aren't stark and in your face.

And I know that it's coming to the end of the summer now but whilst the sun is still shining white nails is something I'd definitely give a go before the colder weather rolls in.

Review: Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks Autumn16 Releases

Last Summer Gosh released their first range of matte lipsticks and I fell in love. They were creamy, highly pigmented and incredibly comfortable to wear. At the beginning of the year they released several more that I'm yet to pick up and only last month released another five.

The five new shades are all very autumnal in feel and right up my street. I picked up the shades Cranberry and Grape. Both look very similar in the bullet but the difference is obvious on the lips. Cranberry is more of a berry shade with a hint of raspberry whereas Grape is darker and more red in tone. In the bullet it looks more of a burgundy shade but on the lips it has a purple undertone which gives it depth. All of the new releases will look fantastic on ladies with a fair skintone and create that perfect bold lip but they'll also look gorgeous on ladies with medium to darker skintones aswell.

As with this entire range of lipsticks they're very creamy and highly pigmented which makes application a dream but these latest releases seem to be even creamier and more pigmented. One swipe is enough for bold opaque colour that is matte in finish but not uncomfortable or drying on the lips. Easily the most comfortable lipsticks to wear all day long this also rarely need to be reapplied, even after eating and drinking. And if they do need reapplying then it's as easy as the intial application is. There is no chance of these clinging to dry or flaky patches and they won't look streaky or patchy in the slightest. They'll still be creamy, comfortable and opaque, giving a perfect bold lip.

If you're looking for new Autumn shades then I highly recommend checking out the entire range of Gosh Matte Lipsticks. There is a brilliant range of shades and for a brilliant purse friendly price you can rock a bold lip this Autumn. If you'd like to see the rest of the shades you can see them in my review here.

Review: MUA Lip Liners

A little while ago a friend of mine recommended I try the MUA Lip Liner and I was dubious to being with. I'd tried one a while back and it didn't work well for me, it was scratchy and patchy in application. But according to my friend they had improved the formula and were now a lot creamy and easier to apply. And at a £1 a pencil how could I resist giving them a go.

I picked up three shades. Sloe Berry, Dark Thistle and Brooding Plum. I was feeling very autumnal when I brought these and considering darker tones are the most prominent in my lipstick collection I thought these were the best choice. Dark Thistle is my favourite of the three as it has a bright almost violet tone to it that translates nicely on the lips and works well as a unique lip loo. Sloe Berry and Brooding Plum are going to work well under a variety of lipsticks and as they are so creamy to apply they're not going to be a pain to wear.

Normally a traditional wooden pencil liner is scratchy, patchy and hard to work with. These are highly pigmented, not scratchy and somewhat creamy. They're not creamy enough to wear these comfortably on their own but under lipsticks or any lip product they work well. The nibs of the pencils aren't sharpened to a really harsh point which I think is what makes them less scratchy in feeling and easier to apply. If you really wanted to wear these on their own, I'd advise wearing a little bit of lip balm underneath to protect and moisturise lips and make sure you have a pencil sharpner handy. The wooden pencils do get dry as the nib runs down which makes them drier and more scratchy to use so I'd advise avoiding using these on the centre of the lips where it can be drier as they'll just make lips dry and flaky feeling.

Overall for the price point these aren't the worst liners on the market but personally I prefer the Primark liners which are the same price but a lot creamier in texture and less drying on the lips. I know some people may think Primark make up may be a bit down market but out of the two sets of liners I'd highly recommend checking the Primark ones out over these.

Have any of you tried these? What did you think? What do you think of the new blog name? Let me know in the comments.

Top Ten All Time Favourite Lipsticks

 

This is a post that I've meant to write for the last eighteen months but never really felt happy with my lipstick collection until recently. This year alone I've added some of my favourite lipsticks to the collection and thought it was about time I shared my Top Ten All Time Favourite Lipsticks with you all.

 Let's start with my favourite of favourites and most worn lipstick. This is from the Rosie For Autograph collection in the shade Lady Rose. This is a stunning mauve pink toned shade that looks perfect with a multitude of outfits and make up looks. It's such an easy colour to throw on and go and it's long lasting formula means it doesn't need constantly touching up. A beautiful shade for even the farirest of skintones.

Russian Red from MAC is one of my favourite red shades to wear. It's a blue toned red that makes skin look perfected and teeth look whiter. It's matte formula is creamy to apply and not ridiculously drying to wear. This lipstick doesn't transfer easily so touch ups aren't a massive worry and when they're necessary it's easy to reapply.

Revlon Colorburst Balm in Sultry looks like the stubbiest of the ten but has in fact still got a lot left in it. It's the first non red lipstick I happily wore and it's dark almost rapsberry shade suits a multitude of skintones. Matte in finish this isn't to drying to apply or wear for long periods of time. Practically transferproof, this is an easy lipstick to reapply and with it's hint of mint scent this is one of the nicer smelling lipsticks to wear.

Rimmel's Kate Moss Lipstick in 107 is the first lipstick I brought a good three years ago. This is not the same tube. It's dark berry tone suits fairer skintones perfectly and the matte texture is dry enough to keep it in place but not that drying that you end up with ridiculously chapped lips. This is my go to lipstick if I can't make any other lipstick work. So easy to apply you could probably do this without a mirror, the same stands for reapplication as well.

Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso is the only liquid lipstick to feature in this post as it's the only one that doesn't dry my lips out completely. It's a bright orange toned red that looks gorgeous in the Summer but also stunning all year round. It's doe foot applicator is the perfect size for an even application and one coat of this is enough for a highly pigmented, opaque pop of colour. Yes it'll be drying after a good four or five hours but it won't leave them feeling cracked and void of any moisture. Reapplication can be tricky but once it's on it's not going anywhere.

Urban Decay's Matte Revolution in Bad Blood was my go to red lipstick for the whole of the last Christmas season. It's that same blue toned red as Russian Red but depending on the rest of your make up can look deeper than normal. Matte in finish but creamier than most this won't be as drying on the lips as others but a bit of lip balm before and after will help get rid of uncomfortable patches on the lips. It does transfer but it's easy to reapply and doesn't ball up or cling to dry patches.

Gosh's Velvet Touch Matte Lipstick in Rose is a pretty affordable dupe for Lady Rose. Pink toned with a hint of mauve this is a perfect neutral tone for people with a fair skintone. A creamy, easy to apply formula this dries matte but doesn't zap any or all moisture from the lips. It doesn't transfer easily and even when it does the formula is creamy enough to reapply without it clinging to any dry patches or flaky bits. A great dupe if you're working on a budget.

Maybelline's Creamy Matte Lipstick in Divine Wine is that perfect Autumn/Winter shade. Looking more burgundy based on fairer skintones and more red toned on darker skintones, this flatters everyone. It's one of the creamiest matte formula's on the market which means it can go astray when it's on the lips but a lip liner will help keep it in place. As it's so creamy, it doesn't feel drying on the lips and can be worn for hours on end with touch ups and still look as good as when it's first applied. New shades are being released soon and they all scream Autumn Lips as well.

The Maybelline Color Drama Pencil in Red Essential is a great budget dupe for the Nars Velvet Lip Pencils. As it's a pencil product it's slightly drier in consistency and means that it's slightly harder to reapply and work with. It's semi matte formula means it's comfortable to wear but after a while can become drying. It's pencil form makes it's easy to apply initially as the point will line the lips effortlessly. If this shade of red isn't your cup of tea there is a more orange based red called Light It Up in this range.

And finally there is Loreal's Color Riche Lipstick in Blake's Red. This is a great dupe for both Russian Red and Bad Blood. It's a blue toned red that looks particularly striking on fairer complexions and makes everyone's teeth look whiter. It's a very creamy formula so a lip liner is advised when applying this just to stop any feathering and bleeding. It's not so matte in finish that it leaves lips cracked and flaky after wear but it's advised to wear lip balm before and afterwards to make sure lips look their best for this. It does transfer easily but it's formula makes it easy to reapply without it looking over done.

So that's it for my Top Ten All Time Favourite Lipsticks. All of these appear on me on a very regular basis and some of them whilst not having been worn yet this year will definitely be appearing in the upcoming seasons.

What are your favourite lipsticks? Are any of them the same as mine? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Origins Mix And Mask Box

Last month I did an unboxing of the Latest In Beauty and British Beauty Blogger collaboration box with Origins. I like to give skincare a month to see if it works and if there is actually a change in my skin so it's about time I reviewed this box fully.


I was quite suprised by the products I didn't like and not really surprised by the ones I did like. The Vitazing was probably the most disappointing product in the box. It's said on the box it had sheer tint release. It's okay if you like your tint to be orange. I put this on one day as an alternative to foundation and had to take it almost immediately. Instead of blending with my skintone which I thought it would, it turned darker and darker the longer it was on my skin. It was like I'd dipped my face in a bowl of fake tan. A big no from me.

The Ginzing Peel Off Mask was also another disaapoinment for me. It took nearly the whole sample bottle to do the lower half of my face which doesn't bode well for the time it would take to get through a full sized bottle. It dried down and started to peel away from my face but when it come to actually peeling it off my face, it was an ordeal. Instead of coming off in one chunk or even longer strips it came of in tiny pieces that would have flaked off anyway. Peeling it off the skin also meant a lot of pinching the skin underneath and it ended up looking redder than it should of after a peel off  mask. Definitely one to give a wide berth.

One of the products I liked was quite a surprise. The Maskimizer just seemed like a overly fancy water spray when the box first arrived but after a couple of uses the idea behind this product becomes very well known. This contains Marine Algae which works to add and retain moisture in the skin whilst you're wearing your mask of choice. It also helps adhere the mask to your skin and if you're a fan of charcoal based masks then this is also going to help with how deep this goes into pores and removes any impurities.

The Original Skin Mask and the Clear Improvements Pod were both firm favourites with me. I knew I'd like these both as I'm a fan of both retexturising masks and charcoal based masks. These are slightly more higher end than I'd normally pay out for but if you're skin doesn't agree to Glycolic Acid then the Original Skin Mask would probably worth the price tag. It's a retexturising mask so will aid with exfoliation and removing any texture from skin. Plus it contains Rose Clay which makes it smell absolutely divine.

Overall this is a good box, especially for people who haven't tried Origins as a brand before. However it's also a slightly risky box because not every mask agrees with every skin type. For example the Original Skin and the Ginzing Peel Off Mask may not agree with people with very sensitive skin. It's is though just trial and error when it comes to trying the products inside. Not everything is going to agree with everyone and that's one downside to this box, however at £20 a lot of people, myself included aren't particularly bothered if there's a product or two that don't work or agree with my skin type.

Have any of you tried these masks? What did you think? What ones are worth buying in full size? Let me know in the comments.

Lip Product Week Day Seven: Gerard Cosmetics Hydro Matte Liquid Lipstick Review

Welcome back to the Final Day of Lip Product Week. For the last post of the week I wanted to try a brand that I'd never tried before that was a little bit more out there. And of course with Gerard Cosmetics being an American Brand it seemed like the perfect brand to try.

I managed to get my hands on their Hydro Matte Liquid Lipstick via Beauty Bay as was very impressed with both pricing and shipping. I chose the shade Immortal which looks like a bright red but is in fact a deeper more brick toned red. This is another of those reds that would look fantastic in a vintage make up look and really pops beautifully on girls of a fairer skintone. As it's a deeper red tone it's also perfect to wear all year round instead of just looking better during certain seasons.

This comes with your standard doe foot applicator which is neither too firm or too flexible. It deposits just enough product on the lips so you're not left with streaky patches or uneven areas. The only problem with the applicator is that you seem to get more along the wand itself than on the actual applicator. This means that a lot of product is going to waste and whilst budget friendly would end up costing more to keep replacing it.

This dries down fairly quickly on the lips and once it's dry then it doesn't budge. However because it's so stay put you can feel it on the lips and it does have the tendency to dry lips out. A bit of lip balm bopped gently in the centre of the lips should make this more comfortable to wear but even then this isn't the best lip product for wearing for long periods of time. If your lips are really dry or in a bad condition when this is first applied then it can flake and peel in patches leaving it looking uneven and streaky. When it comes to reapplication of this product it's best to wipe away as much as possible from what's left and then going in with a fresh coat. It will not only make the colour look fresher it'll also stop it from cracking or peeling from the lips when it dries down. A bio phase eye make up or lip product remover will remove this without leaving lips feeling sore or scrubbed at.

So that's it for Lip Product Week. I hope you all enjoyed it and hopefully it'll be back next year. However keep your eyes peeled the rest of this month as I've dedicated as many posts as possible to lip products. Feel free to leave me product recommendations or your thoughts on lip product week in the comments, I'd love to hear what you think.

Lip Product Week Day Six: Primark Super Matte Liquid Lipstick Review

Welcome Back to Day Six of Lip Product Week. Today's post was going to be another slightly disappointing post but luckily for both me and you a discovery at the beginning of the week completely turned this post around.

At the beginning of the week I said that the MUA Luxe Liquid Lipsticks were the most budget lipsticks for the week but then I found this new Primark lipstick tucked away in the corner of my new in box. And this is the most budget lip product of the entire week.

This is Primark's Super Matte Liquid Lipstick. I picked this up a couple of weeks ago when I was out shopping and was eager to give it a go. There are only four shades in total and none of them have shade names which is a bit of a pain. The one I picked up is this deep berry, purple toned shade which would have looked lovely in the upcoming seasons. And I said would have because unbeknown to me when I brought this it's full of glitter. And not just a small bit, I mean a whole lot of glitter which can't be hidden when this is on the lips. Once this has set down, it doesn't budge and especially with this shade you have a ridiculous glittery lip look that whilst looking good at a festival doesn't really suit well with everyday life. Because of this I wasn't going to put this on for the week, not wanting to really write a bunch of bad reviews during this particular week.

However when I went to Primark in Basingstoke at the beginning of this week and raided their lip product section I found another shade that looked like it had a bit more potential. And at £2 it wasn't going to break the bank if this didn't work either. Oh how happy I was when I tried this out. Instead of being chock full of glitter, this is a standard block colour which is ridiculously high in pigment for such a budget price. It is neither a tomato red shade or a blue toned red shade and will suit a whole host of skintones. And it doesn't have a speck of glitter in it.

Both shades come with a slightly longer than average doe foot applicator that isn't too firm but isn't too flexible either. It bends just a little bit to make following the line of the lip easier but it won't leave you with an uneven line. When you apply this you aren't going to be overloaded with product, there will be enough on the applicator to do at least one lip. If you're good though you can make this stretch over both lips and just need to dip back in to make sure nothing is patchy or streaky looking. And when this dries down this is not going to budge. Not budge at all. It takes a more oil based bio phase eye make up remover to remove this it's that good.

Once applied this dries down to a matte finish that you will feel on the lips but it's not that matte you feel there's no moisture left in your lips. A bit of lip balm popped underneath or gently over the top will help to keep lips moisturised while you wear this. If you eat anything remotely greasy or oily whilst wearing this then it will transfer and move around but you can easily reapply this. It may make your lips feel tight and dry but because of the high pigment in the shade it's more of a high maintenance product. Definitely brilliant if you've got a long night out that doesn't require eating.

Overall I'm impressed more by the red shade than the berry shade. There are lighter shades in the range but they both look like they wouldn't suit my skintone. When they say super matte they really do mean super matte and for such a budget price it's pretty impressive. It's unknown how long these will be in Primark so if you see one then I highly recommend picking one up.

Have any of you tried these? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Lip Product Week Day Five: Barry M Satin Superslick Lip Paint Review

Welcome Back to Lip Product Week Day Five. When it comes to this week I try to review products that I haven't tried before hand and Barry M's Satin Finish Lipsticks were perfect for this week. So today you'll be joining me on my first foray into Barry M lip products.

The Barry M Satin Finish Lipsticks are one of the newer ranges from Barry M. They started with a range of six shades and have recently added another five shades. And it was the five newer shades that have caught my eye. I picked the shade 175 which comes across as this plummy berry toned shade that is going to be stunning in the upcoming months.

The packaging of this lipstick is stuning. A sleek metallic case this may be simplistic in style but it still stands out in a collection. Thee bullet itself also has an extra touch to it that makes it look a lot more than it's £4.99 price tag. And that comes in the form of an engraved B and M near the base of the bullet. Not many high street brands do this and the ones that do give their lip products this more a luxury feel that some miss out on.

The lipstick itself though is ever so slightly disappointing. It may be because I'm a big fan of matte lips that when it comes to non matte lipsticks I've even harder on them than I am on matte products. The intial swipe of application was extremely satisfying. It wasn't dry, there wasn't some sort of film on the top you needed to get rid of. No it was creamy, highly pigmented, opaque in one swipe and gliding easily across the lips. The colour pay off is amazing and if you're a satin or sheen finish lover than these are definitely for you. However for me, these aren't really up my street.

The initial swipe was nice and felt like it wouldn't budge on the lips but when it came to finishing the look and filling in my cupid's bow the problems showed themselves. It has too much slip to it which makes defining an upper lip hard. Personally I found that this meant everything slipped too much and I ended up with more outside of my lip line than actually on my lips. And that was with a lip liner.

Maybe without a lip liner this would have applied better and been less slippy but it was necessary to give a clear lip line. Without it this would have more than likely feathered or bled out of the lip line. As I say it may not work for me is because I am a big fan of matte lipsticks. And the non matte lipsticks I wear are more neutral in tone and easier to reapply or touch up than this one. If you're a fan of this lipsticks then check these out, under a fiver, highly pigmented and bang on trend for the upcoming colder seasons. They just weren't the right lipstick for me.

If you've had your eye on these for a while, don't let this dishearten you. Some products work better with others and this is one of those. It's not matte so I wasn't as comfortable with it as a product but if you don't like matte lip products then these will probably be right up your street. Even if you don't buy one, at least go and swatch them at your local Barry M stand.

Have any of you tried these? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Lip Product Week Day Four: NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick Review

Welcome back to Lip Product Week Day Four. When my local Boots started stocking NYX, I went straight for the Soft Matte Lip Creams and that was it. But one day when I was looking through their many shades I spotted the Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks and was instantly drawn to one particular shade.

The shade I picked up from this range is called Exotic and is a peach toned nude that looks almost terracotta in the tube depending on lighting. However when it's on the lips it has much more of a pink tone and dries down darker than when it's first applied. This is a brilliant colour for a variety of skintones as it looks different shades once dry. As a fairer toned girl I like how it looks and makes a statement when I wear it but I'm sure it'll like completely different on girls who have more olive and deeper skintones.

Another liquid lipstick, another doe foot applicator but this one looks a little longer than ones tried before. It feels a bit more firm as well which personally works better when applying the product. It means that you get a cleaner line and aren't likely to have patchy edges or feathering along the lip line. It can hold slightly more product than necessary but once it's applied to the lips you wouldn't really know that it had that extra product on it. A lot of the time you don't need to put the want back in the tube to get more product as one swipe is enough to deposit enough colour to give a highly pigmented opaque finish.

There's a theme to this week and it's products that do not budge when they've dried down. Sure, matte finish lipsticks can be uncomfortable to wear and can leave lips dry and somewhat flaky but they do not move. This can be applied at nine in the morning and still be going strong at four or five in the afternoon. Sure it may fade a little along the inner parts of your lips but from personal experience most lipsticks/lip products do this. It's a lot to do with when you talk, eat or drink. However straight on biting down on something will not take away massive chunks of this lipstick. It may fade slightly but it will not leave massive chunks of your lip visible where the lipstick should be.

Reapplication like with every long wearing liquid lipstick can be tricky as the drier your lips are the harder it is to get an even, smooth, flawless looking colour. A bit of lip balm about ten minutes before reapplying this colour should ease reapplication and give lips some of their lost moisture back. However there really isn't a lot that can be done to give lips the same look as when this was first applied. It's just how liquid lipsticks work and it's something I've personally had to learn to deal with to enjoy the long wearing matte finish.

If you've had your eye on some of the high end liquid lipsticks I'd say put them on a wishlist and check these out instead. They have twelve shades in total, mostly nude shades but with some deeper more interesting shades as well. They only cost £6.50 so two of these will still be cheaper than some of the higher end products that claim to do exactly the same thing. Even if you can't find a shade to suit you still check this out, you never know when a brand is going to expand their colour range.

Have any of you tried these? Did you like them? Do you have any colour recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments.