Shop My Stash: Make Up

When it comes to make up I find myself always reaching for the same products, day in, day out. So when I did my make up declutter a little while ago I picked out some products that I'd completely forgotten were in my collection and put them to the side so that at some point I could give them all a go at once, or one at a time. And for the last few weeks I've been swapping out some of my usual go to products with these to see if I still like it or if it's not the product for me anymore.

Primer is an essential part of my make up routine. Without it my make up is gone in couple of hours. I absolutely adore the Maybelline SuperStay Primer, it works really well with both my skin and the foundations I place over top. However in my collection I found an unopened bottle of the Maxfactor Facefinity Primer. A couple of years ago this was my go to primer because of it's creamy texture, something harder to find amongst the silicone based primers. However I'd forgotten about it as I discovered other primers that were substantially better. And there came a day when I ran out of my Maybelline and I was in need of a primer. So I grabbed this and applied it the same as I would my Maybelline. Immediately there was a very obvious difference between the two. Where the Maybelline was tacky in a good way in which you knew it was going to grip and hold onto any base product, this one was just plain sticky and didn't grab onto the foundation I applied over top. In fact it made my base look patchy and uneven, something that took a lot of work to fix. Whilst I my have enjoyed it back then, I certainly won't be reaching for it again any time soon.

Alongside the Facefinity Primer I also found an unopened bottle of the Facefinity Foundation. Now throw it back a couple of years again and the two were my go to combination. So when I was swapping products out in place of others I thought I'd give this a go. And I really like it. Medium to a buildable full coverage, this foundation allows my skin to look like skin whilst still covering any imperfections I may have. And it lasts all day. It doesn't fade unevenly or look patchy when it comes to removing it, something a few of my foundations have a tendency to do. The only downfall of this product is that it has a habit of oxidising on my skin. So it'll look nice when first applied and for the first half an hour to an hour but after that it does darken slighltly on my skin which depending on the rest of my make up and outfit can look very obvious. Other than that though I could easily see it being added to my permanent foundation collection.

A concealer I very nearly forgot about comes from Rimmel. Their Wake Me Up Concealer used to be a must have for me but just seemed to fade out of my rotation of products as I tried different concealers that the market had to offer. However I picked it out again recently and thought I'd give it a go. I knew that it didn't have the best coverage so I decided to use it on a good skin day. And I regretted it almost immediately. Now I know this product has light reflecting particles that makes skin look more awake but wherever on my face I had applied this looked like I'd doused it in a shit ton of glitter. It was horrendous and I had to do some serious correction before I was happy enough to leave the house. Definitely one I won't be reaching for again.

A setting powder that I had only purchased at the beginning of the year but totally forgot about comes from MUA. Their Transparent Pressed Setting Powder is actually a brilliant powder for those with fairer skintones that struggle to find powders to match their skintone. White in the pan but undetectable on the skin, this not only sets make up in place but leaves skin feeling silky and smooth to the touch without a single hint of cake face. Plus there is no flashback from using this and you can easily use this under the eyes without it looking ghostly or obvious that it's there.

Now I didn't think I had any mascaras that weren't ridiculously past their prime or just plain horrendous until I stumbled across this unopened and very old Rimmel Mascara. The Scandaleyes Flex mascara has been out of circulation for that long that I don't even know what it claims to do. What I do know is that I really like this. The tapered bristle brush distributes product evenly throughout lashes and leaves them looking defined and volumised without being over the top. I really like this for a daytime mascara but would go for something different when it comes to evenings.

This next one was a pleasent surprise to me. I have tons of the Gosh Matte Lipsticks and didn't even realise that I owned this shade. This is the shade Raisin and for a while I'd actually been thinking of buying this shade and had swatched it a couple of times when I was in Superdrug, so finding it already in my collection was a nice surprise. I really like the Gosh Matte Lipsticks as they're creamy, don't feel powdery on the lips, last a long time and don't leave lips feeling like prunes after you've worn it. I haven't worn this shade yet but I'm going to wear it at some point this week, after I've giving a new Maybelline lipstick a trial.

And the last product I rediscovered is another lip product and this one is a bolder shade than Raisin. This is the Gerard Cosmtics Liquid Lipstick in the shade Immortal. I brought this last year to feature in my Lip Product Week and once I'd reviewed it, I put it in with my other lipsticks and promptly forgot about it. This is a beautiful true red shade that I remember quite enjoying when I wore it. However I believe there was something I didn't quite like about it and that's probably the reason I haven't worn it a lot since. However I need to stop wearing the same three lipsticks on rotation so this is one that I'm willing to give another go.

Review: Barry M Lash Saver Lash Primer

Recently Barry M have released a whole host of new products. One of them happened to be a lash primer, something hard to find on the high street at an affordable price. So of course I couldn't help but snatch one up and I am so happy I did.

If you've never tried a lash primer before they are generally just like a mascara but are white or brown tinted. This comes in your standard mascara packaging and is to be treated exactly like a mascara would.

This has a plastic multi bristle wand that will catch and hold on to every lash, whilst the slight curve to it makes sure it'll hug the contour of the eye and distribute product evenly. It's white coloured formula contains Vitamins B and E to help condition lashes and accelerate the growth of both new and existing lashes. It appears white on the lashes so can not really be worn on it's own but is a perfect base underneath your favourite mascara.

This product is a complete game changer for me. I know it's not advertised as a lash primer that will extend and improve the appearence of a curl but it really does. My lashes seem to be held higher for longer and if they start to droop then I can just push them back into place without difficulty. And it has really helped my lashes. Before I started using this I had a couple of sparse looking patches in my lashes from years of rubbing at my eyes, using problematic eye lash curlers and eye make up removal but since I started using this under my mascara on a daily basis they've improved greatly. The sparse patches are still there but are less noticeable as new lashes are growing in place and I don't find myself losing as many lashes as I used to. They also feel a lot softer to the touch but not as flimsy or weak.

Overall I've really enjoyed using this product and would definitely purchase another tube when it dries out or runs out. It doesn't take too long to add into your routine and results are visible after a few days use. If you like to take your time getting ready in the morning then this is going to be a brilliant product to add in but if you're rushed and think this is a lot of faff then I'd suggest giving it a miss. At £4.99 a tube, it's a complete bargain and really works. I have to take my hat off to Barry M, they're killing it at the moment with their new releases.

Top Ten Under £10: Make Up

When it comes to make up I do love a luxury purchase every now and again but at heart I'm a budget drugstore make up girl. And whilst some of you may think the high street is full of duds, there are a few gems on the market which wow even the hardest to please beauty lover. So today I'm sharing with you my Top Ten Under £10.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
If there is one concealer on the high street that everyone has tried and loved at some point it's the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. This full coverage concealer covers even the reddest of blemishes without being cakey or fake looking. It also gives great coverage under the eye and can be used as a highlighting concealer in certain areas of the face. It's only £4.19 a tube and works better than other higher end concealers. I've lost count of the amount of these I've gone through and know I will go through countless more in the future.

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Polishes 
Normally I'd choose a shade or two to show you but with these polishes I just can't choose. There are so many beautiful shades in this range and each one gives a stunning result. These polishes are thicker than your standard polish to give the look and effect of a gel nail without having to go to the salon. Their flat square ended brush makes application a dream and even though they're a thicker formula, they dry almost as quickly as the Speedy Quick Dry Range. Some of my favourite shades include Elderberry, Almond, Guava and Cocoa.

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms
Lip products on the high street can be very hit or miss, especially when a brand tries their hand at matte products. One brand that succeded is Revlon and their Colorburst Matte Balm range. There are tons of shades in this range and deciding which one to buy is difficult. This chubby stick-esque lipsticks range from light pinks to deep browns. Application is easy as their pointed tip makes it easy to create a defined look without an additional lip liner. And unlike other matte lip products, these are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and you can reapply over the top of exsisting product without a problem. Plus they smell of mint which is one of the nicer lip product smells out there.

PS Love Lip Liners
A lot of the time when I think of budget beauty I always think of things you can find in Boots or Superdrug and because of that I very nearly overlooked my favourite lip liners. Primark's PS Love Lip Liners are some of the best I've ever tried and they only cost a £1. They're more of a crayon than a pencil liner and glide smoothly along the lips better than most pencil liners. There is a whole range of shades from bright pinks to neutral browns and dark purples. The shade range is always being added to and their low cost means adding to your collection won't break the bank. These sharpen with a normal pencil sharpener and don't drag or scratch along the lips.

Maybelline The Eraser Eye Concealer 
Another concealer that I've brought countless times and definitely deserves a place on this list comes from Maybelline. The Eraser Eye Concealer is a sponge topped concealer that deposits the perfect amount of product under the eye and blends out to reveal a brightened more awake looking under eye area. It only comes in two shades but the two shades cover a wide spectrum of skintones so nobody misses out. Even if you have the darkest of dark under eye circles/bags this will help to cover and conceal them. A damp beauty blender is the perfect tool for blending this out as it gives it a seamless flawless looking finish.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks
Matte lipsticks is something that is only becoming a larger trend in drugstores now. Revlon kicked it off with their Colorburst Balms and the next brand to step up and do it well was Maybelline. Their Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks are not only stunning shade wise but brilliant value for money and the quality rivals that of other higher end brands. Non drying, long wearing and highly pigmented these lipsticks are ones I find myself reaching for constantly. The shade range is ever expanding and now they have a beautiful range of nudes as well as bright shades and dark winter plums. They glide effortlessly onto the lips and don't transfer without drying the lips out or looking gross on the lips. Definitely ones to check out when you're at a Maybelline stand next.

Gosh Matte Lipsticks 
Another lesser known brand that do fantastic matte lipsticks is Gosh. Released two years ago they bowled me over with their highly pigmented, long lasting, comfortable formula. Like the Maybelline their shade range grows with each season and they never fail to disappoint. Neutral shades, bright shades, dark shades and out there shades, this range has something for everyone. They're very creamy to apply to the lips and once they're on, they don't go anywhere. The creamy formula means you don't have to worry about drying your lips out and reapplication is easy as well. My favourite shades are Rose, Cherry, Grape and Cranberry. Definitely keep your eye out for these, they're definitely worth a go.

Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray
Setting sprays are something that are becoming a trend on the high street and every brand is bringing their own version out. And Maybelline's is one of the best out there. Their SuperStay Setting Spray is very lightweight, non pore clogging and oil free. It is suitable for every skin type and is lightweight enough that it won't cause any problems with even the most sensitive of skins. It's very fine mist doesn't drench the skin and disrupt make up when you spritz it. And it really does lock make up into place all day long. It also helps create a more natural look to foundations and powders that have a tendency to look cakey after a while. Perfect for the warmer months ahead of us.

Maybelline SuperStay Primer 
A newer release that definitely earned it's place on this list is another Maybelline SuperStay product. Their new primer is a lightweight, oil free, pore smoothing beaut that grabs and holds onto make up all day long but is also perfect for evening skintone out on non make up days. It's thin liquidy consistency makes it feel more hyrdating on the skin than other primers and it's velvet finish has a nice tackiness to it that really grabs and holds onto any base product you apply over top. Two pumps is significant enough to prime the skin perfectly and once it's got a hold of your base product it's not going anywhere. I predict that this could be one of Maybelline's best selling products.

Loreal Total Cover Foundation
Another new release that earned it's place on this list with it's first use is the new Loreal Total Cover Foundation. This lightweight gel feeling foundation gives the highest coverage available on the high street, it even covers tattoos. It's matte finish, oil fighting formula means that you can look flawless but not overdone all day long and not worry about touching up at all. A little goes a long way with this foundation and it blends out like a dream, leaving a flawless finish that still looks skinlike and natural. If you're still unsure then I'll tell you now that this managed to make me part ways with my favourite Dior Foundation and even converted my friend from Bobbi Brown to Loreal. I can not recommend this foundation enough. If you have oily skin this will work like a dream for you. 

2016 Beauty Favourites: Make Up

Welcome to the first of three 2016 Beauty Favourites. This year I've decided I would split my yearly favourites up into three posts. Today we're starting with my make up favourites, Wednesday I'll be talking skincare favourites and Friday I'll be talking all things non-beauty related.

Primer: There's only been one primer this year that has thoroughly impressed me. And that is the Benefit Porefessional Primer. It has a that silicone feel to it but isn't overly slippy or hard to work with. It not only helps keep make up in place longer but also helps the look of pores and smooths over any enlarged or open pores you may have. Applying foundation over this is a dream and I've loved wearing this during the hotter months when my face has really needed a primer.

Foundation: There have been two foundations this year that have really stuck out for me. The first being the Loreal Cushion Foundation. It was the perfect breathable lightweight coverage my skin needed through Summer and whilst it wasn' full coverage it still gave my skin a flawless yet natural look. And towards the end of the year I discovered the Dior Star Foundation. This is more a medium to full coverage foundation and was brilliant at covering up my redness. It's the only foundation I've ever tried that still applies brilliantly everytime I wear it.

Concealer: Concealer wise there have only been two I've found myself reaching for religiously. The first is the Maybelline The Eraser Eye. There's just something about how this applies and blends out that I love. It covers my dark circles brilliantly no matter how bad they look. And the same can be said for the Rosie For Autograph Miracle Concealer. It's less creamy than the Maybelline but still gives the same coverage and finish. However the Maybelline has the sponge tip applicator which just gives it that at extra something about it.

Powder: There's only been one powder this year that I've truly enjoyed using. It's the Collection Pressed Powder. It's cheap, it's easy to get ahold of and it doesn't leave skin looking cakey or powdery. I have the shade Ivory and I absolutely love it. It's very finely milled so it works well both under the eyes and over the rest of the face. And because it comes in Ivory, it doesn't oxidies on the skin and turn me orange after a few hours.

Brows: Brows have been a big thing this year and I've tried quite a few different products but there has only been one that I've been impressed with. And it comes from Rosie For Autograph. Her brow pencil is soft enough to give brows a natural look but not soft enough for it to disappear or smudge easily. I like that it comes with a spoolie so I don't have to keep reaching for a seperate spoolie when I'm in a rush. Plus it's colour match is perfect and doesn't make my brows look like they've been filled in.

Mascara: I can never stay loyal to a mascara, most lost my interest pretty quickly but the one who I've reached for most this year is the Loreal Miss Hippie Mascara. It has one massive bristle brush that looks like it would leave lashes looking clumpy and fake but in reality gives a stunning fanned out, volumised look that makes my eyes look bigger and more awake. I like the fact that I can go in and add more coats if I think I need it and the mascara won't become clumpy or flaky to the touch.

Lip Liner: I have stacks of lip liners in my collection but I've only found myself reaching for a select few. From that select few I've noticed that one in particular is used most than others. And that liner comes from Primark's PS Love range. It's in the shade 03 and is a bright red shade. It works beautifully under a variety of red lipsticks as well as on it's own. Over the last month this has been the only lip liner I've reached for when I've been doing my lipstick, there really isn't a red lip that this doesn't work well under.

Lipstick: Lipsticks is always a hard category to narrow down but I've managed to choose four favourites. Two of them come from the Rosie For Autograph range. Lady Rose and Silk Rose are both beautiful neutral shades that look good with any look, any outfit and any skintone. They are a sheen finish lipstick but they don't budge or dry the lips out. They're probably my most worn lipsticks of all time. I also found myself reaching a lot for the Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Burgundy Blush. It's the most stunning shade for the colder months and unlike some matte lipsticks it's not drying or uncomfortable to wear. Definitely one of my favourite budget lipsticks about.

Liquid Lipstick: Liquid Lipsticks have been massive this year and each brand is slowly bringing out their own version. There were a few that were really disappointing but there was also a few that really impressed. The first two come from Stila and basically raised the bar for any liquid lipstick afterwards. Sure these are a little uncomfortable to wear but the high pigmented colour, opacity and longevity is enough to make me look past it. The shades Beso and Ricco have been my favourites and I've lost count of how many times I've worn these shades. A recent addition to my collection which has raised the bar even further is the Kat Von D liquid lipstick in Outlaw. It's non drying, long wearing, highly pigment and transfer proof. I could even eat a greasy burger and not have to worry about reapplying afterwards. Made a lot of those Christmas nights out a dream as I didn't have to worry about my lipstick.

Setting Spray: There has only been one setting spray that I've reached for this year. And it comes from Maybelline. It's Superstay 24 Setting Spray is amazing. It sets make up, takes away any cake face or powdery looks and keeps skin feeling hydrated even hours after intial application. It does require shaking before use but that doesn't effect the wear of this product too much and it doesn't effect how long your make up lasts either. I've gone through quite a few bottles of this this year and I can safely say next year will see me go through even more bottles.

Christmas Week: How To Take Your Make Up From Desk To Dancefloor

It's that time where Christmas Parties are the main social event of the month. But what if you don't have enough time to redo your entire make up ready for the night. Well no worries because today I'm sharing with you my Top 5 tips to help refresh your make up and take you from day job to night out.

Keep a hydrating facial spritz nearby
Seriously, a facial spritz will be your saviour this festive period. Most facial spritzs can be used over the top of make up and help to revive and hydrate the skin whilst simultaneously taking away any signs of creasing or cake face. My personal favourite is the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer. It contains Lavender, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E so it not only hydrates the skin but soothes and stops any causes of irritation. Another good one to try comes from B Beauty and contains Hyaluronic Acid to give skin a moisture boost without disrupting make up.

Top Up Concealer, Not Foundation
When it comes to touching up your base don't add another layer of foundation of the top of your exsiting make up. It has the chance of going cakey and nobody wants that. Instead go in with your concealer of choice and a damp beauty blender. Concealer is a lot easier to work with because you can pin point and choose exactly where you place it. And bop it in with a beauty blender than a brush because it will make it look more natural and shouldn't disrupt the rest of your make up. I like the Collection Lasting Finish Concealer as it has the coverage but doesn't look cakey or layered when freshly applied over exsisting make up.

 Powder To Set In Place But Don't Go Overboard
Now it may be tempting to just go wild with powder in hopes that it will keep everything from moving but too much powder can actually make things look powdery and essentially cakey. So the best way to set everything in place is to take a big fluffy brush and lightly dust your pressed/loose powder of choice into the places you've touched up. It'll set them in place without adding extra powder to the areas you set when you first did your make up. I really like the Collection Pressed Powder in Ivory. It's lightweight, barely has any colour to it and doesn't leave skin feeling clogged up or looking cakey. To apply I love my B Beauty Powder Brush. It's fluffy and big enough to apply powder without going overboard.

Give Your Lips A Festive Twist 
If a bold lip is too much for you day to day but you want to give your look that pop for the evening then start with a nude lip. A nude lip will be appropriate for the daytime, easy to wear with any look and most of the time they're easy to remove. Before you begin touching up your make up take off your lip of choice, you can always touch up anywhere that gets smudged. Once you're make up is touched take your red lip or bold lip of choice and apply. A lip liner may be required but if the applicator of your lip product is good enough then you may be able to go without. My go to red this time of the year comes from Stila and is their Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso. It's a true matte finish that can be drying but a bit of lip balm underneath and it lasts hours without feeling uncomfortable.

Setting Spray Is Your Best Friend
Once that's all done you want your make up to stay in place and that's where setting spray comes in. Not only does it help prolong the life of your make up but it helps combat any signs of oil and can even give skin that flawless, almost airbrushed look. That means it removes any signs of cakey-ness or excess powder and overall makes things look more natural. My favourite is the Maybelline Super Stay Setting Spray. It's a fine mist that doesn't leave the face feeling like it's been drenched and dries down quickly to lock make up in place.