Beauty Declutter

                       

If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know this weekend that I did a massive beauty purge. I filled up an entire bag of products that I didn't want or that didn't/wouldn't work for me, that I'm working on donating to a local women's charity. However there were a few products that weren't suitable to be donated so I thought I'd share them with you before chucking them out. 

                         

There was only a couple of skincare items I'm throwing away. The first is this Clearly Youthful Resurfacing Night Serum. I loved this serum at one point but then one bottle was just full of little plastic bits that scratched my skin. And if that wasn't enough to put me off, when I looked inside these boxes, they've clearky gone off. Both bottles are yellow in colour and the product has separated in the bottles. I hadn't used this product in ages so throwing them out isn't going to create a gap in my routine at all. 

                           

The other skincare product I'm throwing out is the Nivea Express Hydration Primer. I brought this on a whim to use under my make up but it didn't work so it just went to the back of the cupboard. And now it's been sat there that long, it would be unhygienic to use, even if it did work. Again because it hasn't been a part of any of my routines, it's not a loss to get rid of it. 

                            

Going through all my old foundations made me really question what the hell I was thinking. A lot of them were empty but all of them looked a good two shades two dark for me. I can't believe I happily wore those out in public. This one I thought I could try and make work but was horribly wrong so it's got to go. This is the Maybelline Dream Velvet Foundation. I remember when this first came out and how impressed by the look and feel of it on my skin. But it's clearly too dark for me (just call me Casper) and has separated in the tub, so it's bye bye to this. Let's just all be thankful that I've finally learnt how to match my foundation properly. 

                           

There are two concealers I'm getting rid of. The first is the Gosh CCC Concealer. This actually matched my skin tone but was really piss poor when it came to coverage and staying power. I never reach for it so I don't see the point of keeping it. The second is the Barry M Flawless Light Reflecting Concealer. What on Earth possessed me to buy this shade. It's clearly too dark for me and from what I remember from using it, is that it doesn't do a lot coverage wise and just sits heavily on the skin. Again it makes me feel grateful that I finally learned how to choose the right products for my skin. 

                      

Two colour Correctors I'm getting rid of come from Maxfactor. I remember ordering these especially from Boots when they were first released. I wish I'd never bothered, these are thick, heavy textured products that drag on the skin and do little to correct skins tone. These are also about three years old so I think it's best if we just parted ways. If you want a decent colour corrector, I'd recommend trying out the Collection Lasting Perfection Colour Correctors. 

                              

The Rimmel Clear Complexion Pressed Powder used to be a staple in my everyday make up routine. Now though I much prefer loose powders, especially those that are transparent and can't be detected on the skin. This now has too much colour to it for me to wear. Plus for hygiene reasons, it's probably bests that this goes in the bin. 

           

                            

I'm throwing not one but three mascaras. I'm always cautious when it comes to products that come into contact with my eyes so even though I like one of these mascaras, it's for the best that chuck it out. The first is the Bourjois Volume 1 Second mascara. I remember using for the sake of using it when I first brought it but the brush was way too big and caused more mascara to land on my eyelid than my lashes. It's pretty ancient so it's for the best that it goes. The second is the Barry M Showgirl Mascara. The bristles on this particular wand are just way to spiky and I ended up poking them in my eye more times than not. And because it's been opened, I'm just going to throw it away instead of donating purely for hygiene reasons. And the last one is pretty much finished but one I'd completely forgotten about. The Pur Volume Vixen featured in a beauty advent calender one year and I absolutely loved it. I loved it that much that I used it all up but because it was so small in size, it got lost in my collection before I could feature it in an empties or just chuck it away. 

                             

Another eye product I'm throwing just to be on the cautious side is the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner. I don't wear eye liner but I did try this product when I received it to see if it would be the product the worked for me but alas it didn't. That being said, it felt like it could be a nice product, just that didn't work for me. If it had been in an uopened cellophane wrap, I may have considered donating it but because I've opened and used it, it's just gotta go in the bin. 

                             

I remember spending ages looking for the perfect lip scrub and then finding two, that after a couple of uses just sat forgotten about in my collection. And now they've both gone off and I'm back to square one when it comes to lip scrub. The first is the Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub. This worked well on my lips but it tasted horrible and I always ended up with it in my mouth no matter hard I tried not to. The second is the Body Shop Lip Scrub. I wish this one was still okay to use (it's not) as it worked wonders on my lips, didn't taste of much and didn't end up in my mouth even after I'd wiped it off. I'll probably have to repurchase The Body Shop lip scrub as I am actually in need of one at the moment. 

                              

Two lipsticks that I'm bidding adieu to are the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 38 and the Revlon Ultra HD lipstick in Peony. Both are colours that just don't suit me, even when I've tried to mix them with other shades. Plus I've lost track of how long they've been sitting in my collection, so I don't feel comfortable donating them, even though they've barely been used. 

                                

A liquid lipstick I'm throwing away is the Loreal Infallible Lipstick in 503. It's a stunning colour, actually the kind of colour I'm looking for at the moment. But when it's held up to the light you can see that it has a shimmer run through it, that would definitely show when your wearing it. I'd have cleaned it up and donated it but when I opened it, it had started to dry out and looked like something even I wouldn't be happy to out on my lips so I wouldn't expect anyone else to either. 

                         

And the last thing I'm throwing out is something that should have gone ages ago. The Loreal Infallible Setting Mist is just a heap of crap and that's putting it nicely. It would probably have potential to be a nice product if it didn't have that white sediment that settles at the bottom no matter how much you shake it and then appears like little blobs of dried toothpaste on your face. If you're looking for a good setting spray I'd highly recommend checking out the Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray or the Collection Primed And Ready Make Up Fixing Mist. Both lock make up into place but won't leave those horrible white dots on your skin. 

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: Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Every brand is starting to dip their toes into the liquid lipstick trend. Barry M do fantastic ones as do Stila, MUA and Nip and Fab. And now Rimmel have joined them with their recently released Stay Matte Liquid Lipsticks. They claim to be a high intensity, pigmented liquid lipstick that has a velvet finish and lasts for up to 12 hours whilst remaining comfortable to wear.

There are fourteen shades in the range starting with beautiful nude shades working through some gorgeous bolder shades and finishing with some slightly more eccentric but still stunning shades. The two shades I went for are Plum This Show and Fire Starter. Plum This Show is a deep plum shade that has more of a purple undertone than raspberry whilst Fire Starter is a bold red shade that is neither a blue toned red or a tomato red, sitting somewhere in the middle.

Now I'd love to tell you that both of these are highly pigmented, opaque in one swipe and comfortably long wearing. But I can't, I can only tell you this about one shade. Fire Starter is the shade to go for out of the two. It's opaque in one swipe, doesn't take a lot of work to get right and when it dries down, it's not budging. Like you can eat a greasy cheeseburger followed by a huge slab of fudge cake not moving. And I know because I've tried it. It does not budge and doesn't need reapplying either. It's an absolutely amazing shade, the doe foot applicator makes application a dream and you don't need to layer coats to get a highly pigmented matte finish that is totally comfortable even if you've been wearing it for a good few hours.

Plum This Show on the other hand is a disaster of a shade. What looks like a beautiful shade in the tube is a streaky unworkable disaster. It doesn't even swatch nicely. Now you may think I'm being harsh but it's the truth, I've tried so many different ways to get it to work and it just isn't. Under lip liner, on it's own, in thin layers, nothing works with this shade. And it's such a shame as it looks like it has the potential to be such a good shade. It would look absolutely stunning during the upcoming colder months if it just worked but it doesn't which is so disappointing.

Shades aside, these liquid lipsticks have the potential to be some of the best on the high street. Their velvet mousse feel makes them a lot more comfortable to wear than others' on the market and don't dry lips out. The doe foot applicator applies just enough product and has enough flexibility to it that it smoothly glides along the lips, leaving behind an opaque colour that dries down in seconds and doesn't budge. Compared to the Barry M, Loreal, MUA and Gosh liquid lipsticks these are the best for their price point. And at £5.99 a pop you can't complain. I definitely plan on picking up some more shades including the stunning bold pink called Heartbeat.

Monthly Favourites: July

It's Monthly Favourites time! Last month's favourites was rather small for various reasons so I'm making up for it this month. The first favourite this month is saying goodbye to the most hideous toothache I've ever had. I had to have a tooth removed at the end of June but couldn't put the pure relief it brought along with it in June's Favourites as I'd already posted it by the time I had my tooth out.

This month I've been enjoying my skincare a lot more. When I had my toothache my skin went downhill because I was more focused on the pain than looking after the rest of me. However since it came out, I've been back on the skincare bandwagon and to say my skin looks better for it is an understatement. And there has been a couple of cleansers that I really think have helped get my skin back to it's best. The first is this Botanics Hydration Dual Action Cleanser. I've been really enjoying this for taking my make up off. It's thick gel formula really works to break down my make up and removes it without clogging or weighing down my skin. This last month it's been my go to intial cleanse, it's gel to milk formula not only removing all of my make up but giving skin a hydration boost at the same time.

The next cleanser I've been loving comes from Murad. Their Essential-C Cleanser has seen more love for both inital cleanses and second cleanses than any other cleanser this month. It's orange scented and Vitamin C enriched formula really has left my skin feeling refreshed and revigorated every time I've used it. It's very thin in consistency, feels very lightweight on the skin and doesn't foam or soap up which makes it feel like it's actually cleanses my skin instead of stripping it of all it's goodness.

Another Botanics product I've been loving this month is their All Bright Serum Concentrate. Their All Bright Serum Concentrate has really helped improve both the texture and the look of my skin this month. Containing a natural exfoliant that helps to retexturise the skin with every us, I've been loving layering this and the Simple Hydrating Booster under my night moisturiser so that in the morning my skin looks brighter but also feels hydrated at the same time.

A product I wasn't sure I was going to love as much as I do comes from Simple. Their New Water Boost Hydrating Booster is a lightweight, water based serum product that you can add to your exsisting serum or moisturiser to give it a boost. I usually use hydrating products anyway but have really enjoyed adding this in to give skin that little extra boost. A little goes a long way and really helps skin feel hydrated, soft and plump to the touch. In the evenings I've been really enjoying adding a drop or two of this in with the Botanics All Bright Serum so my skin gets that glow boost but also a good dose of hydration as well.

Facial oil is something I've always been a bit intimidated by but recently I've been dipping my toe into them, to discover they're not actually as intimidating as they sound. And one I've been loving in particular comes from Naturally Radiant. Their Moisturising Facial Oil contains a mixture of Mulberry and Kiwi extracts as well as Rosehip, Jojoba and Apricot Kernel Oil that work to soften and moisturise skin without leaving it feeling overly greasy or oily looking. And that's exactly why I've loved it. It's lightweight enough to feel like it's not clogging my pores or causing my skin to produce more oil but heavy duty enough to actually moisturise my skin, leaving it feeling plump, soft and hydrated.

There have been a few masks I've been loving this month. The first is one of the latest offerings from Loreal's Pure Clay Mask range. Their Blemish Rescue Mask contains Marine Algae and works to help decongest pores, draw out impurities as well as soothe any exsisiting blemishes. Whether it was due to stress, being run down or hormones but at the beginning of the month I had a massive break out along my chin and mouth. They weren't pretty and left me feeling very self concious until I tried this mask. Unlike the others this doesn't dry down completely so if you happen to leave it on for an extra few minutes it's not going to dry skin out. In fact it seems to help and after one use my blemishes whilst not gone did look a lot better and slowly disappeared a few days later and luckily didn't leave behind any marks.

And the other masks I've been loving this month are Garnier's New Moisture Bomb masks. The De-Tiring and Glow-Revitalising Masks have been exactly what my skin has been asking for this month. The De-Tiring mask contains Essential Lavender Oil which helps reduce the signs of fatigue within skin whilst the Glow-Revealing Mask contains Sakura Extract which helps bring out skin's radiant glow. And these sheet masks as a range are some of my favourites in general. They don't flap about or peel off as your wearing them, they fit nicely to the contours of my face and the serum in which the mask is soaked in actually works and leaves results that last longer than fifteen minutes after it's been removed.

The only base product I've been loving this month is one that I've featured in a favourites post beforehand but I couldn't resist including it again. You may remember when the Rosie For Autograph Sheer Finish Complexion Enhancer first came out as I talked non stop about it and then I moved onto other bases I had in my collection. Well my love for it has come round full circles again, especially during the more humid days we've experience this month. It's BB Cream/Tinted Moisturiser hybrid formula gives skin coverage but doesn't create a mask over skin and still allows skin to breathe underneath. And the coverage is fantastic, I suffer from redness and this conceals that in a completely looking natural way that doesn't look cakey or too much. This paired with some concealer, powder, mascara and a bold lip has been my go to look for the last month and I can see that it will continue to be my go to product for the forseeable future.

The only red lip I've been reaching for this month comes from Rimmel. Their new Stay Matte Liquid Lipstick in Firestarter has been the only red I've wanted to wear since I purchased this. It's not a true blue toned red but it's not an tomato red either, it just sits comfortable in between and looks stunning on so many skin tones. This has a mousse like texture when applied to the lips which you would assume would leave lips feeling thick and gloopy but in fact the texture when it dries down is very lightweight and you can almost forget you're wearing it. And it doesn't budge. Like seriously, I've eaten a greasy burger and fries followed by fudge cake and ice cream with this on and it doesn't budge. It does fade from the very inner part of the lips but every lipstick does that whether it is liquid or not but the main body of colour stays in place. If you want to see my full thoughts on this, check back on Wednesday when a full review of these will be live.

And my last favourite for the month is this Barry M Lip Kit. Now a permanent line in the brand, these lip kits are to die for. Containing a lip liner and a matching liquid lipstick, these kits are highly pigmented, long wearing and easy to work with. I have several now but the one I've been reaching for a lot this month is the shade Go To. Now normally the packaging is a good match to the product inside but with this one it's a bit more decieving. What looks like a pale nude that wouldn't suit my dark hair and pale complexion is actually more a of a chocolate brown with a hint of greige running through it. And it wears so well. The lip liner is opaque in the barest of touches and the liquid lipstick is lightweight and highly pigmented, drying down to a comfortable matte finish.

Declutter: Make Up

Back in June I started redoing my bedroom, moving furniture, purchasing new pieces and purging through god knows how many things I didn't need or want anymore. And the one I've been holding on to for longer than others is my make up and skincare. But alas it can not stay and I thought that I'd give you look at what I'm going to be getting rid of either because I don't want it anymore or because it's run out or gone out of date.

I thought I'd be throwing away more primers than this as I've been on a bit of a primer journey but there are only three. The first I'm getting rid of is the Miss Sporty Insta Glow Primer. This is horrendous. A pale peach shade this doesn't prime skin, allow foundation to apply nicely over top and contains glitter particles that cling and highlight the wrong areas of the face. The next is the PUR Correcting Primer. This was actually an okay primer but it's too silicone based for my skin type and didn't allow any base product to sit nicely over top. And the last primer I'm throwing away is the Maxfactor Facefinity Primer. It's a nice primer but it's been in my collection way to long and needs to be thrown away.

For foundation/base products I have a lot to dispose of. A lot of them are BB Creams because they are the one base product I buy with high hopes and always end up bitterly disappointed. All the BB Creams you see are going because they don't match me. Either they come out of the tube darker than expected or they come out the same shade as my skin but oxidise horribly on my skin after a while. The B BB Cream is one of the better ones but it still doesn't look good after a few hours. The Loreal Nude Eau De Teint is a stunning lightweight foundation but is now too dark for me as I've stopped sunbathing a few years ago and am embracing the pale. The Maybelline Better Skin used to match my skin beautifully but it's been in my collection for a few years now and is now too pink toned for my yellow undertone skin. The Maxfactor Facefinity Foundation is just really old now and is too gross to put anywhere near my face. It's a lovely foundation and perfect for those who enjoy a light to medium coverage. And the same stands for the Bourjois CC Cream. I love this stuff and how it leaves my skin looking but it's been open way too long and I don't think it's sanitary to put anywhere near my face.

I don't do colour correcting so having these four MUA Pro Base Colour Correcting Creams sat gathering dust in my collection is a waste. I have literally only swatched these on the back of my hand and then put them in a draw and forgotten about them. Don't worry though, these aren't going in the bin, I'm going to offer them to my friends and family first to see if anyone wants them. And then I'm ridding myself of the Barry M Light Reflecting Concealer. I've had this for too long and it doesn't look very good in the tube. It's lightweight, light reflecting and doesn't contain a ton of glitter so I'm sad to see this go but for hygiene reasons I think it' best.

Powder time and there are just a few I'm getting rid of. Ones such as the MUA Pro Base Powder, Collection Sheer Loose Powder and the Boujois Healthy Balance are going because they've been sitting in my collection for far too long. The MUA Pressed Powder and the Maybelline Matte Maker are not horrendous powders but on my fairer skin it can oxidise on my skin. The Healthy Balance is a good powder but does have a tendency to shatter if dropped and when it gets to the end of it's life it can break easily which is why I'm throwing it away now before it ends up all over my carpet.

I did a cull of my setting sprays a little while ago but missed this one from MUA. It's nice but it doesn't wow me, unlike the Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray or the Collection Fixing Mist. It has a lightweight spray that doesn't mess up make up or leave those horrid white dots everywhere like some setting sprays can. It's budget friendly as well but that said there are still better ones on the market that don't cost much more.

Before I started getting my eyebrows tinted I used to fill them in and one of my favourite products was the Sleek Eyebrow Pencil. Now though I don't need it and had actually forgotten that this was sitting in the bottom of my collection. The spoolie on the end is gross to look at and whilst there is still some pencil left I think it's been too long for me to finish it off without it being gross and highly unsanitary.

Mascara is something I have a tendency to hoard. For example I have about five on the go right now and will probably end up buying another one when I'm shopping this weekend. However there are six I will be saying goodbye because their either disappointing or they've dried up and need replacing. The Loreal Miss Manga Punky, Revlon Volume+Length and the Rimmel Scandaleyes Xtreme are going because they are just awful. The brushes leave a lot to be desired and the formula's aren't much better. The Barry M Showgirl Volume, Loreal Volume Million Lashes Feline and Rimmel Wonder'Full are brilliant and definitely on my repurchase list. They all have excellent brushes and their formula's whilst aren't the best of the best, they are some of the better ones on the market. They've all unfortunately dried up but I managed to get a really good amount of use out of each of them, something which is surprising considering how many mascaras I can have on the go at once.

Out of everything in this declutter there are only a few products I'd happily repurchase or even think about repurchasing. Out of the bases I'd happily repurchase the Bourjois CC Cream and the Maxfactor Facefinity, both have good coverage and give a skin like finish whilst still covering where it needs to. If they still sold the Loreal Eau De Teint I'd probably repurchase it but in a lighter shade as it's coverage and feel were amazing on the skin. Apart from that I'd probably only repurchase the three mascaras that I used to the point of drying out. All three do amazing things to my lashes and when they were usuable I found myself reaching for them constantly. Apart from those particular products I don't think I'd buy any of the others again. They didn't work for me but that doesn't mean that they won't work for you though, make up is always about personal preference.

Summer Lip Edit

Summer is well and truly here. Sunshine, clear skies and the distinct sound of an ice cream van are the only things you'll be finding in my local area and that is all I need to know that Summer is in full swing. And that can only mean it's time to break out those Summer Lips. So today I'm talking you through five of my favourite lipsticks for the Summer period.

Rosie For Autograph in Rosie Lips
A few years back I was really into bright pinks lips and the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Pink Pong was my go to shade. However since that Summer it's looked horrendous on me and no matter what I tried it didn't look like it did initially. So started the look for a new pink lip that I could wear not just in the Summer but all year round, that wouldn't change how it looked whatever the season. And that's when I found the Rosie For Autograph lipstick in Rosie Lips. This is more of a deeper pink that Pink Pong but it still has that wow power and never fails to lift my spirits when I wear it. It does have a sheen finish but that wears away to a semi-matte/satin finish that doesn't transfer easily or become unbearably uncomfortable the longer you wear.

Barry M Matte Me Up Liquid Lipstick in Paparazzi
When it came to choosing a red for this edit, it was extremely hard. Kat Von D does an amazing one as does Stila and Rimmel have just released a brilliant one as well. However I had to go with Barry M's latest lip offering. Paparazzi is a bright red shade that perfects skin, makes teeth look white and will garner everyone's attention. For a liquid lipstick it's very thin in formula and lightweight on the lips. Highly pigmented in one swipe, this take very little work to make it look good. It dries down to a comfortable matte finish and last long on the lips, with very little transfer when you eat or drink. And because it's so lightweight, it's easy to reapply or touch up without it balling up or cracking. Definitely a shade I'm getting a lot of wear out of.

NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in Exotic
A slightly more muted shade that still makes pop but isn't as bold as the first two comes from NYX. Exotic is more of a peach toned shade that surprisingly suits paler skintones without washing them out. It's slightly thicker in formula than the Barry M but it still sits and wears beautifully on the lips. It can be slightly drying and uncomfortable but that all comes down to not having prepped lips well enough before hand. It can last a long while on the lips but does transfer slightly when you eat or drink and touch ups can be a little haphazard to say the least. Too much product and it'll crack or ball up and too little will leave it very obvious where you haven't managed to reach.

Barry M Matte Me Up Lip Kit in Runway
I haven't spoken about this next lip product a lot because when they were first released they were limited edition but now are a part of Barry M's permanent line. Their lips kits contain a lip liner and co-ordinating liquid lipstick. Runway is a deep pink toned mauve shade that also has hints of raspberry running through it. The lip liner is creamy and glides easily along the lips making it a dream to not only outline lips but also fill in the entire lip. The liquid lipstick is the same formula as the shade Paparazzi. It's lightweight, highly pigmented and dries down to a matte finish that isn't cakey or powdery in feel. Sure it will dry lips out and can be uncomfortable if lips aren't prepped well but when done well it's a gorgeous shade that'll last ages on the lips and will definitely garner you a good amount of compliments.

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in Kiss Of Life
And the last lipstick in this edit is an old favourite which you can see has been loved a lot. Kiss Of Life is a bright tomato red shade that suits all skin types and really makes a look pop. It's a matte finish lipstick but has more of a powdery feeling to it. It doesn't really make wearing it unpleasant but it is one of those lipsticks you can tell your wearing. It doesn't transfer and can easily be touched up without going cakey or balling up. It can be slightly drying on the lips but that again all depends on the state of your lips when you first apply it. But apart from that it's a stunning colour and one that I'll be getting a lot of wear out of this Summer.

Make Up Starter Kit

 

It was only a few years ago that I really found myself getting into make up and skincare. I won't say I knew exactly what I needed straight away and I did struggle to find products that not only worked for me but were what I needed. And now it's a new year there may be some of you out there who are looking to create a kit or a selection of make up that'll get you started before you expand into trickier techniques, products and higher price ranges. So I've put together a kit of the most basic of make up products that will help you put together a look and help you gain experience as you use them. And the best bit, they can all be found on the high street.

Primer
Use: A primer is not always necessary when it comes to your day to day make up but does help the longevity of your make up and some can blur the appearence of pores and uneven skintone. They come in either a silicone gel like formula or a cream formula. Silicone based primers are best for combination/oily skin types and cream formulas are great for sensitive, dry or normal skin types.
Recommendations: Maybelline have recently released their Superstay Primer and it's brilliant. It's a very runny formula that sinks nicely into the skin. It leaves it ever so slightly tacky to the touch but that just means it's going to grab and hold onto the foundation easier. Barry M is another brand that does a brilliant primer. It also has that tacky finish that grabs and locks in foundation. It's a cream formula so it's a little bit more hydrating on the skin as well and this particular primer minimises the appearences of pores but with that slippy silicone feel.

Foundation
Use:Foundation is used to even out skintone and great an even base for other products such as concealer, bronzer and blush to go over top. It isn't used to mask the skin but to cover and even out the skin whilst still looking natural. Foundation usually comes in three finshes, light, medium or high coverage and each foundation is different.
Recommendations: A fantastic lightweight foundation that doesn't break the bank comes from Loreal. It's their Cushion Foundation which gives a light breathable coverage that still leaves skin looking bright, glowy and skinlike. A little of this goes a long way and can be built up for more coverage if necessary. Another breathable light to medium coverage foundation comes from Bourjois. It's their CC Cream which claims to colour correct whilst simultaneously evening the skin tone like a foundation. It can be built up to be quite high in coverage but personally I'd advised using a light layer of this and then covering any other blemishes or under eye circles with concealer.

Concealer
Use: Concealer is there for what foundation doesn't quite cover. It's great at disgusing dark circles, redness and blemishes. It's slightly thicker in consistency than foundation but can still be worked into the skin to make it look natural and skin like. Different concealers work in different ways and whilst some can both work under the eyes as well as on blemishes but there are some that only work in certain areas of the face.
Recommendations: Under the eyes the only one I'd personally recommend comes from Maybelline. It's their The Anti-Age The Eraser Eye. It's a light to medium coverage that covers the appearence of dark circles whilst still blending nicely into the skin. And for blemishes and other imperfections the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is perfect. It has a high coverage that blends seamlessly into the skin and keeps imperfections covered all day. It's not that great for under the eyes as it does have the tendency to disappear after a while.

Powder
Use: Powder is used to set everything into place. It's also a great product for on the go touch ups, especially if you have oily/combination skin. It can come in pressed powder or loose powder. Some pressed powders are thicker in consistency but you can find some that are lightweight on the skin. Loose powder is finer in texture and more lightweight. The high street doesn't do that great a selection of loose powders but they do have some decent quality pressed powders.
Recommendations: A personal favourite comes from Collection. Their pressed powder isn't too heavy or powdery on the skin. It's perfect for setting concealer under the eyes as well as the rest of the face. It comes in four shades and even includes an ivory for us ladies with a fairer complexion. MUA also have a good pressed powder. It contains Vitamin E so it nourishes and hydrates the skin whilst your wearing it. It's very lightweight and easy to apply. However it does have a tendency to crack and shatter easily so you'd be buying them more reguarly than you would the Collection Pressed Powder.

Brows
Use: Brows when done correctly can frame a face perfectly. And not everyone's brows are the same, when you fill them in don't worry if they don't look indentical, they're meant to be sisters not twins. There are so many ways to fill in your brows, powders, pencils, crayons and brow mascaras. Each one brings a different look and feel to the brows and choosing the right product is all down to personal preference. And if you don't want to fill in your brows then you don't have to, it's all down to personal preference and if you want to make time for it.
Recommendations: Two products that come from the high street and work wonders on brows are these from Barry M and Maybelline. Maybelline's Mirco Brow Precise Pencil. It's very remniscent of the Anastasia Brow Wiz with it's thin nib pencil. It's very light in texture, feel and appearence. It comes with a spoolie so you can brush out the brows to make it look more natural and to help reduce any product build up. Barry M's It's a Brow Thing is a very light powder that adds natural yet defined look to the brows. It's only downfall is that it only comes in two shades so it can be hard to match to your own brow shade.

Eyes
Use: Mascara is the simplest thing part of any look. Most mascaras just add definition to the eyes and can be used without any other product to give a little something extra to a bare face. There are two types of brushes, bristle and plastic. Yet again this is all down to personal preference but both can give you the same effect if you chose the right one for you.
Recommendations: Loreal's Miss Hippie Mascara is a bristle brush that has a ton of micro bristles which gives fanned out volume that looks natural yet defined at the same time. It doesn't smudge or flake away whilst your wearing it. Another brilliant bristle brush mascara comes from Maybelline, it doesn't have as big a brush as the Loreal but it still gives lashes big defined, volumised lashes that still look natural during the day but can be built upon for a more dramatic evening look.

Lip Liner
Use: Lip liners can be used to not only define the lips but can be used as an indvidual lip colour. They again come in two forms, mechnical wind up pencils and standard wooden pencils. Both work very well on the lips and both come in various colours. If you have slightly thinner lips and want to add a bit more definition then lip liners are very handy. They can help overdraw the lip liner or just add some definition to them. They also stop lipsticks/lip products from feathering, bleeding and generally just add a bit more longevity to the lipstick itself.
Recommendations: A mechnical pencil that works wonders is the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner, these wind up pencils are creamy, pigmented and can worn under a lip product or on their own. The shade shown is Eastend Snob and works well under a multitude of lipsticks. Barry M don't do mechanical pencils but they do have a brilliant range of standard pencils that are creamy, pigmented and opaque in one swipe. Shade 03 is one of the better red shades that the drugstore does and it really makes any red lipstick or lip product pop.

Lip Products
Use: Lip products can be used to pull together a look or to be the centre of a look. There are so many different lip products and finishes but a big trend at the moment is the matte lip. Matte lips come in either a standard formula or a liquid formula that means they last longer on the lips and work brilliantly with bold colours. They do require more work than other lipsticks but when they work, they work well.
Recommendations: The best matte lipsticks on the market at the moment comes from Maybelline. Their lipsticks are creamy, opaque, highly pigmented, comfortable and easy to wear. There are a whole range of shades from neutrals to bright bold shades. Two personal favourites are Brown Sugar, a stunning brown shade with a hint of grey running through it and Rich Ruby, a gorgeous blue toned red that suits a multitude of skincare. Revlon and Rimmel also do really good matte lipsticks but personally the higher end brands are the ones that really nail matte lips.

Setting Spray
Use: Setting Spray are used as a last step, their main purpose is to set the make up and lock it into place for as long as possible. They also help remove any look or over powdering or the dreaded cake face. They are becoming bigger on the high street but make sure you read them carefully as some are not designed to work with every skin type.
Recommendations: Barry M do a brilliant setting spray. They come in two finishes Dewy or Matte and they both work with different skin types. This is a very lightweight spray that doesn't feel heavy or pore clogging on the skin. It locks make up into place and can be used over the top again as a refresher throughout the day. Maybelline are another brand that have gotten the setting spray right. This one may not be suitable for people with oily skin but dry to normal skintypes will enjoy this. It's a very lightweight fine mist that doesn't leave the skin feeling too wet and locks make up into place without it looking fake, cakey or mask like. Plus it allows the skin to breathe and stay hydrated throughout the day.