Spring Lip Edit

Spring is finally here! It's time to say goodbye to those dark winter shades and embrace lighter, warmer shades to match the slightly warmer weather we're getting. Normally I struggle with this edit as I've never really had a lot of spring shades but this year I was overwhelmed and struggled to confine it to just five select lipsticks.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Brown Sugar
I never thought I could get away with wearing a brown lipstick but when Maybelline release their shade Brown Sugar that all changed. It's just a straight up brown shade that doesn't have any undertones running through it but looks stunning on a variety of skintones. This creamy matte formula means that it just glides onto the lips and whilst it doesn't completely dry down it doesn't transfer or dry lips out. I'd advise using a lip liner with this because it's creamy formula means it can feather and smudge if touched.

Rosie For Autograph Lipstick in Silk Cami 
The Rosie For Autograph range has such a stunning collection of lipsticks and I could easily fill all five places on this edit with them but I've been restrained and got it down to two, this first of which is the shade Silk Cami. It's not a brown nude but it's not a peach shade either. It's a hybrid of the two but can look either way depending on how the rest of your make up look. I love pairing this with the Rosie For Autograph Lip Definer in Silk to give it more a brown look. These have a satin finish to them that don't budge or become uncomfortable to wear throughout the day and reapplication is easy and fault free as well.

Rosie For Autograph Lipstick in Rosie Lips
A lipstick I didn't think would suit me but has become one of my favourite Spring Lips is the new Rosie For Autograph shade Rosie Lips. It's a deep pink that doesn't look like it will suit paler skintones but in fact does and looks stunning with flawless skin and big fluttery lashes. These lipsticks are a sheen finish but once they're on the lips they don't budge, bleed or slide everywhere. I'll definitely be getting a lot of wear out of this during the Spring and Summer Months.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina
A liquid lipstick I find myself reaching for a lot now the warmer weather has decided to grace us with it's presence comes from Stila. It's their bestselling shade Patina, a muted mauve pink shade. Because it is a liquid lipstick it can be drying on the lips but with a bit of lip balm underneath it can feel more comfortable on the lips. The doe foot applicator makes application easy and one thin coat leaves lips with a highly pigmented, opaque finish. I always use a lip liner with this just to make everything look a bit more precise.

NYX Matte Lipstick in Whipped Caviar 
When I was choosing lipsticks for this edit I very nearly went with the Rosie For Autograph Lady Rose but then discovered this hidden in my collection. This is the NYX Matte Lipstick in Whipped Caviar, it's a brilliant dupe for Lady Rose and a fraction of the cost. If you haven't seen Lady Rose, it's a dusky pink shade with hints of mauve running through it. And Whipped Caviar is the exact same shade. It's a comfortable long wearing matte lipstick that doesn't transfer, ball up or bleed along the lip line. And if this shade isn't for you then there are another 40 shades in the range which you'll surely find one that you like.

Review: Garnier Moisture Bomb Water Cream

When Garnier first released their Moisture Bomb range I tried their night cream and it didn't work for my skin. So I dismissed the range and moved onto different products. Until I received a sachet of their Moisture Bomb Day Cream. I soon fell in love with the day products in the range including their Tissue Mask. And recently they've released a new day cream which I thought wouldn't agree with my skin but in fact has become a part of my skincare routine I can't go without.

The Garnier Moisture Bomb Glow Enhancer Water Cream is a gel based cream that claims to moisturise and nourish skin whilst simultaneously enhancing skin's natural glow. It's lightweight in texture and sinks into skin almost immediately, leaving skin feeling hydrated, nourished, soft and plump to the touch. It can be worn on it's own, under make up or even mixed in with your base of choice to add some extra glow to it. And because it's lightweight in texture it's not going to make foundation break up or ball up over the top of it like some other hydrating creams can do.

If you have combination/oily skin then this gel cream is definitely not for you. Whilst oily skin does need moisturising, this holds moisture and hydrates skin more than oily skin can handle. Normal/dry and even sensitive skin can definitely use this and enjoy it's results. If you're worried that this is going to make your face look sweaty instead of glowy then don't, this will not make you look anything like that. It'll just take any natural glow your skin already has from other products and enhance it to make skin look healthier and radiant looking.

I've always thought Garnier was one of the best affordable skincare brands around and this latest release just cements it in place for me. Affordable, readily available and with visible results this cream is perfect for anyone who's looking for something to give their skin that glow without clogging pores or weighing it down. I for one am especially going to enjoy this in the summer when I want that healthy glow to my skin without having to use more make up than necessary to achieve it.

Review: NYX Matte Lipsticks

Last year my local Boots finally got a NYX stand. And on that stand they had tons and tons of lip products. The first to grab my attention of course was the Soft Matte Lip Creams which you can find a review of  here.And from there I moved onto their Matte Lipsticks which after the Soft Matte Lip Creams are some of NYX's best lip products.

There are 45 shades in the range in total and so far I've picked up three of them, starting with Whipped Caviar. It's a beautiful dusky mauve shade which is a perfect dupe for the Rosie For Autograph lipstick in Lady Rose.

Then there is Alabama a gorgeous red shade that has a hint of brown running through it.

And finally there is Perfect Red which is pretty much the perfect red shade. It's got that classic blue tone running through it which makes perfect for every skintone.

These lipsticks are creamy and just glide onto the lips. They're opaque in one swipe and there's no need to build them as they're that highly pigmented. It's not an uncomfortable matte finish and they don't drag when you apply them like some drier matte finish lipsticks do. Once you've applied these you can press your lips together and they won't transfer or peel away like some matte lip products do. And once they're in place they do not budge. Like seriously don't budge. I ate a greasy burger wearing one and it didn't transfer or even look like I'd eaten anything at all.

I'd advise wearing a lip liner with these not because they feather or bleed but because they're so strongly pigmented they need to be really defined to stand out the way you want. And even with a lip liner these don't become dry or flaky looking like others have a tendency to do. These are the same price as lipsticks from Rimmel and Loreal but I'd have to say their a lot higher quality for their price tag than some others. I may only have three shades right now but you can guarantee I will be adding even more to my collection when I'm next at a NYX stand. If you're looking for a matte lipstick that is comfortable and long wearing then give these a swatch when you visit NYX next, you won't be disappointed.

Top 5 Products From Maybelline

Back in October I started a series where I took you through my five favourite products from some of my favourite brands. The end of the year and the beginning of this year has been busy with new releases and creating new content so it's only now I'm getting round to adding the second post to this series. Today I'm sharing my five favourites from one of my favourite make up brands, Maybelline.

The Eraser Eye Concealer 
Let's start with my ultimate holy grail item from Maybelline. This concealer is one that never leaves my daily make up bag because it never fails to amaze me. It's sponge tip deposits the right amount of product and is a lot gentler on the under eye area than some doe foot applicators. It may only come in two shades but they suit a whole spectrum of skintones and undertones. This one tube can last a good three months as you only need a small amount of this to cover the under eye area. I've gone through countless tubes of this already and know I'll be going through even more in the future.

The Colossal Go Extreme Leather Black Mascara 
Maybelline have a fantastic range of mascaras. Their Lash Sensational, Push Up Angel, Push Up Drama and Falsies Ranges are brilliant but there is only one mascara from Maybelline that I've repurchased more than once. And that is the Go Colossal Leather Black Mascara. It's tapered end, barrel shaped bristle brush gives lashes such length and volume with such little product. It's drier formula means you can layer this without clumps and without removing any exsisting product. One layer gives a stunning natural day look but a second layer gives lashes a bigger boost and even rivals the look of false lashes. I'm always recommending this mascara to friends and customers alike because it's just one of the best out there. And once it's opened and begins the drying out process it only gets better.

SuperStay Make Up Locking Setting Spray 
Maybelline do really well throughout their entire brand. Their mascaras are good as are their base products and this setting spray is testiment to that. A part of their SuperStay Range this fine mist setting spray locks make up in place for up to 24 Hours whilst allowing skin to breathe and keeping oil and cakey-ness at bay. Everytime a high street brand brings out a setting spray I'm quick to try it but I always find myself coming back to this one. There's something about it's lightweight fine mist that just really holds make up in place but doesn't feel like it's clogging pores or weighing down skin. A little goes a long way but saying that I've gone through about three nearly four bottles already and am in serious need of a new bottle.

SuperStay Make Up Extending Primer
Whilst we're talking about their SuperStay Range let's move onto their latest release into the range. Their SuperStay Primer had to be one of the best primer releases in a while. This primer is ridiculoulsy lightweight in formula and texture. It's thin consistency hydrates the skin as well as prepping it for any base products you lay over top. It's skin coloured liquid blurs and perfects skin meaning you could get away with wearing this on a good skin day. It doesn't dry down but does leave skin feeling tacky which means it really grabs and holds onto foundation, concealer, etc. This was only released back in January but I'm already halfway through my second bottle it's that good.

Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks
And this last one I'm kind of cheating with. I couldn't chose just one shade of the Creamy Matte Lipsticks so I decided to do them as a whole. These lipsticks are some of the best on the high street. Opaque in one swipe, long lasting and ultra comfortable to wear these lipsticks give any look that bold punch it can sometime be needing. Whilst these have a matte finish they're not drying or uncomfortable and if you need to reapply then you can without worrying about having to redo your whole lip look. I can't pick an all time favourite but I have worn Brown Sugar, Burgundy Blush and Rich Ruby more than a lot of the other lipsticks in my collection. Definitely give them a swatch when your at a Maybelline stand next.

Review: Barry M Matte Me Up Liquid Lipstick

Recently high street beauty brands have been releasing their own versions of liquid lipsticks and Barry M is the latest to release their own version. The Matte Me Up Liquid Lipstick is taking the place of their Matte Me Up Chubby Sticks and whilst I enjoyed the chubby sticks I really love the liquid lipsticks.

There are five shades in the range; two nudes and three bolder shades, but so far I've only picked up the shade Paparazzi. It's a bright red that has a blue tone running through it so it really stands out on the lips and makes teeth look even whiter. As it does dry down on the lips it intially looks brighter on the lips before it dries and afterwards because of it's matte finish it will look darker. I was unsure on some of the shades but when I swatched them on the back of my hand I was happily suprised to see that they dried darker than they looked in the tube.

A lot of high street liquid lipstick releases are very chunky and thick feeling on the lips. And because of this they have a tendency to dry unevenly or not at all on the lips. These Matte Me Up Liquid Lipsticks are ridiculously thin in consistency and just glide onto the lips. One swipe of these leaves behind a thin layer of highly pigmented, opaque colour that dries down to a comfortable long wearing matte finish. Sure if your lips aren't in great condition this isn't going to sit well but if you pop a little bit of lip balm underneath then it will wear better than over bare lips.

Wear wise these can be worn for long periods of the time but depending on the condition of your lips depends on how it ends up looking. If your lips are dry then this could crack or flake but if you've looked after your lips beforehand then this will sit comfortably on the lips. There isn't much need for reapplication as these don't transfer when you eat or drink. And even if you do have to reapply, these are that thin that another layer isn't going to weigh down lips or make them feel heavy or gross with product.

If like me you love a good matte lip but find the high street lacking in liquid lipsticks or matte lip options then definitely give these a look and swatch when you're next at a Barry M stand. And the best bit about these liquid lipsticks is that they're under a fiver. So if you've had your eye on a higher end version then I'd suggest going and checking these out before you buy it, you may be very surprised with what you find.

Review: Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser

If you've been reading this blog for a while then you'll know I love a good cleanser and I also love the brand Pixi. And luckily for Christmas just gone my friend ever so kindly brought me the Pixi Travel set which included the Glow Mud Cleanser. And boy did I enjoy this cleanser.

This deep cleansing cleasner has 5% Glycolic Acid as well as Aloe Vera and Avocado Oil to nourish the skin whilst leaving it feeling purified and smooth to the touch. And because it's a mud cleanser it will dig deep into the pores and remove all signs of make up and daily dirt and grime. Because of it's mixture of AHA's and moisturising ingredients this can be used by every skin type including sensitive skin.

I thorougly enjoyed this cleanser. The combination of the mud and the AHA'S made my skin feel like it had really had a deep clean and felt soft and smooth to the touch. This is brilliant at removing all signs of make up but also works brilliantly on bare skin. On bare skin you can really feel it cleansing deep in your pores to clear out any dirt or grime that would otherwise stay in your skin and create blemishes later on. A little bit of this goes a long way so a full sized tube of this would last a good few months. If you're already a fan of Pixi's Glow Tonic then definitely give this a go, you won't regret and the combination of the two is heavenly for your skin. 

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.