The "I feel like rubbish" face

I always think there are two different types of makeup wearing ill people. There are the ones who can't be bothered and there are the ones that wear makeup in an attempt to feel a little more human. I an unfortunately the latter, sometimes I wish I wasn't bothered but I hate walking past the mirror and catching a glimpse of my sleep deprived grey complexion. Most will think me completely insane but thats just something I've got to roll with! 

Face wise I like to go for a fairly light but dewy base, Bourjois Healthy mix serum is pretty much perfect for the job as it has just enough coverage to tone down the gray. I then use a light concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes for this I really like the Maybelline fit me concealer. To finish of my face I added a little colour in with the Mac powder blush in Fleur power 

For my brows I used my new L'oreal Brow artist in Medium/dark as it is just so easy and leaves a very natural just a little more polished brow. For my eyes I used the Mac Bare study paint pot to brighten up my eyes and then I popped a couple of coats of the Gosh amazing length and build mascara on my top and bottom lashes. 

To finish everything off I reached for my favourite no fuss lip product which is the Clarins instant light natural lip perfector in 01. I love this when I'm not feeling so good as my lips get really dry and this is lovely and hydrating. 

A boots haul.

It's been months since I've bought anything from boots and I feel like I was very very restrained when I did go in. 

First off I bought three bits on the three for two. I was in desperate need of a new mascara, in the end I decided on the Seventeen Doll'd up mascara. I really like seventeen mascara's so I'm very excited to give it a go. I then picked up the brand new L'oreal brow artist plumper which I tried for the first time today and I really like it. It adds just enough colour without leaving my brows crispy. The final makeup purchase was the Seventeen Define and conquer contour kit. Again I'm yet to try this but I picked it up as it reminded me of the Nars contour and blush kit which I was meant to be getting for christmas but it's sold out everywhere! 

I've been getting bored of my hair being red for a while now. So while I was out on saturday I decided to bite the bullet and get some hair dye. In the end I went for the Garnier Olia hair colour in 4.0 Dark brown. I also picked up the Scott cornwall hair colour remover as I didn't want the brown to go red so I decided to strip it first. I then decided to get the L'oreal feria dip dye kit which I'm very excited to use. Finally I picked up the Provoke touch of silver shampoo which I wanted to put through the ends once they are blonde to add a little colour. 

Drugstore week - The best of Rimmel

Rimmel are one of those brands that are always bringing out amazing new releases. I love a lot of their products I didn't want to pick more than five but I also really love the Match perfection foundation (Which I don't have a bottle of at the moment) and the 60 second Nail polishes which are amazing. 

The blush in Santa rose was one of the first things that I bought due to hype on youtube and it's one of the products I always find myself reaching for when I am going for a face of favourites. It is a beautiful peachy shade with a little bit of gold shimmer which gives the most gorgeous healthy glow on the cheeks and looks amazing against tanned skin. 

Another very hyped up product is the Scandal eyes kohl in Black which is a gorgeous creamy liner which is amazing in the waterline, tight line and along the upper lash line and smoked out. The formula is very soft without it squishing everywhere and blending to easily. I find this to last all day along the upper lash line and a good 4-5 hours in the water/tight line. 

Next up is the Stay blushed cheek tint which is something I wasn't sure if I'd like or not but I actually adore it. The formula is so creamy and it blends into the skin beautifully without completely disappearing like some liquid blushes can do. The colour (Pop of pink) is a corally pink shade so I tend to gravitate towards this more often in the summer. 

Finally I have two very hyped lipsticks, the first is from the Kate moss collection and it's the shade 107. I think everyone in the blogosphere owns this lipstick. I recently dug mine out for the autumn/winter and I absolutely adore it. The formula is really hydrating despite it being a matte finish. The other lipstick is the Moisture renew lipstick in Glam plum fulham. I love the formula of this lipstick, it is so hydrating and despite it being glossy it is not sticky at all.  The colour is a more pinky purple version of 107. 

Drugstore week - The best of Collection

 Along with Seventeen, Collection is one of the best drugstore brands there is in my opinion. They offer a very large range of products for really affordable prices. 

The Sheer loose powder is one of those essentials I think everyone should have in their collection. This perfect for all over the face but I also use it a lot to dust over a tissue over my lips to set a lipcolour. There isn't really much else to say about it! 

The Shimmer shades block in Blushalicious is the perfect pinky slightly sheeny blush. I tend to swirl my brush around all four colours to create a medium pink with a little hint of peach. This is a brilliant blush for very subtle makeup days as it just adds a little bit of colour without being too bright. 

Collection do eyeliners amazingly both the Fast stroke eyeliner and the Glam crystals liner in rock chick are amazing. The fast stroke eyeliner lasts for such a long time and is a really deep black shade, I actually prefer the original to the waterproof version which I find stings my eyes. The Glam crystals liner is amazing for the festive season over a simple black liner, paired with a red lip. This again last for ages and I find the glitter stays where I put it rather than ending up halfway down my face. 

The final thing I want to talk about today is the Lip butter crayon in Vintage rose which is a gorgeous pinky nude shade which is perfect for everyday wear. The finish is very glossy but not sticky and tacky. The formula of these is brilliant they feel really hydrating on the lips and last a fair amount of time for a glossy lip crayon. 

From Left to Right - Rock Chick, Fast stroke liner, Vintage blush, Blushalicious.

Drugstore week - The best of Maxfactor

Maxfactor was a brand that up until christmas last year I didn't have much to do with, I thought it was overpriced and I just wasn't interested. However since I had my first taste I've been picking up the odd bit every now and then but some of my favourites are still those first products. 

The False Lash effect Mascara Waterproof was one of those first products (I've had a new one since then!) It is probably my favourite drugstore mascara and my second favourite mascara ever (It doesn't quite beat They're real) I love the fact the brush is plastic as I don't tend to get on with bristle brushes. I actually buy the Black brown shade as I find that it looks black. This is really waterproof and it can be a bit of a pain to get off but I have to wear waterproof as I have horribly watery eyes. 

 I got the Glossfinity nail polish in Colbalt Blue free in one of those boxes around christmas time and I wasn't sure if I'd use it but it has become one of my favourite shades and one that I reach for a lot! I find these are similar in formula to the Barry M Gelly paints but I find they last an extra couple of days. These a good one for if you don't change your nail polish up all the time.

Next up we have the Miracle touch creamy blushes which were recommend a lot by so many people not that long ago. These are so pretty and so creamy they are an absolute dream to work with, I love reaching for this when I'm having a natural makeup day and I just want a little bit of colour and a slight sheen on my cheeks. The last power of these is around four hours on my skin which isn't to bad for a cream blush as I find they usually last about an hour on my skin. I really want to get around to trying more colours of these!

I was talked into buying the CC cream by one of the ladies on the counter (In my local boots our maxfactor is a big stand with a MUA on it) She sold it to me as a full coverage product which it definitely isn't but I actually ended up falling in love with it anyway. It has the most beautiful satiny finish and leave the skin nice and evened out. It's most definitely a product for those good skin days. It also comes in a really light shade which is paler than any shade i've ever found in the drugstore.

Finally we have the Facefinity primer which is another quite hyped product, this is amazing if you have dry skin as it is really lovely and hydrating. It creates a really nice smooth base for foundation. In terms of lasting power it doesn't claim anything really apart from that it makes foundation last longer. There are no claims that it lasts 27 and a half hours. I do find it helps my foundation stick around for an hour or two longer but nothing overly crazy I just like how it smooths out the skin. I'm really hoping at some point they bring out a pore shrinking version of this as I really love it!

Soft Pink

Drugstore Week - The best of Essence

Essence have fast become one of my favourite drugstore brands as they are so affordable but they have such a wide range of products. I think I've liked 95% of the products I've tried from them. Before I start I'm just going to give a shoutout to their mascaras as they are also amazing I just don't have one at the moment. 

The Quattro eye shadow palette in Over the taupe is a brilliant combination of colours to create quite a light smokey eye which can be built up to be much more intense with a little work. The shadows aren't the most pigmented or creamy eyeshadows I've ever used but for the price they are a really nice quality and for once you get a very affordable quad were all the colours work nicely together. They blend nicely once on the eyes and they last a good amount of time with a primer. 

I wrote a whole post expressing my love for the Longlasting Lipstick range //Here//  The one in the picture above is On the catwalk! which isn't particularly my favourite shade it's just the one that came out of my draw first. I have four of these and I've found that each shade has a different formula and finish so if you'd like to know more I would highly recommend reading that post (Nothing like a bit of shameless self promo on my own blog hey) 

The Lash and brow mascara is an old favourite which I first tried when I went to germany for the first time in 2012. It is a really nice product, it's not to wet and doesn't leave the brows really sticky and crispy which I find can sometimes happen with a clear mascara. I find it keeps my brows in place all day and it's really affordable too! 

I had heard a lot about the XXXL matt lipglosses and I can now see why. Can we first address the name these are not lipglosses. Creams, lacquers yes but not glosses. These feel so creamy on the lips and don't suck all the moisture out like some lip creams can. The shade pictured above is Velvet rose and I also have silky red which is a very classic red which I've found myself wearing a lot. These are really lovely it's just such a shame the colour range is very small. 

The final product I have today is the Blush up powder blush in Pinky flow the name is awful ( pinky flow kind of makes me want to gag is it just me? ) but the product itself is absolutely stunning the mixture of the bright pink  and the baby pink mix together to give the most gorgeous blue toned but somehow subtle pink. On the cheeks it adds some colour with a little shimmer and it's one of those blushes that gives you that lit from withing look. It lasts really nicely on the cheeks and tends to stick around for a good 6-8 hours depending how oily my skin is. 

From Left to Right - Over the Taupe - On the Catwalk - Velvet rose - Pinky flow 

Drugstore Week - The best of Maybelline

It turns out my Maybelline collection is a lot more limited than I first thought, this is it bar a couple more shades of the colour tattoo's this is all I currently own. (I have had other bits but nothing too memorable) 

The Super stay forever strong Gel nail colours are something I hear so much about but up until I went to germany I hadn't tried. I am so glad I finally got around to trying them as they are absolutely incredible. They last about a week on my nails without a topcoat and that really is saying something as nail polish doesn't last two minutes on me. The colours above are Hot salsa and Mint for life which are both very summery shades but are the two I've heard the most about. There is the most gorgeous Dark green I have my eye on for my next purchase. 

My favourite under eye concealer has to be the Fit me concealer. This tube must be at least my 5th it's one of the only products I really miss when it has run out. It's a really lovely formula which doesn't dry on the skin or fall into any lines. It doesn't have the highest coverage so I tend to use it under my eyes and around my nose when I need just a little something more. It works nicely on blemishes that are beginning to fade but I find for me personally it's not quite enough coverage to use on current blemishes. 

If you are a regular reader you will know how much I love the Color Tattoo's. These are something I always seem to come back to and I actually used it for the first time in a while a couple of days ago and it's just completely rekindled my love for them. They are so creamy and blend like a dream. They also last amazingly on my oily eyelids. The colour range over here is a little limited but in the US the range is fairly extensive. 

The final Maybelline product I have is the Lasting Drama gel liner in Black chrome. This was something I bought by accident. I initially wanted the plain Black one but I accidently picked up this shade which is actually a black with little bits of shimmer. I actually really love using it when I'm going out to add a little bit of sparkle to my eyes. The formula is brilliant, I find it very easy to work with and I find it doesn't transfer onto the top of my lids.

Top to Bottom - Colour tattoo in on and on bronze - Colour tattoo in metallic pomegranate - Liner in Black chrome

Go red or go home.

I love a good red lip, so today I've put together some of my favourite red shades. I've got a mix of finishes and types of red so if you're also a red lip lover I suggest you stick around! 

Topshop Rio Rio is a very orange-y red shade which I got a lot of use out of through the summer months as I find for me it looks better on darker skin than my super pale casper complexion in the winter. The formula of this one reminds me a lot of the Mac satin finish as it isn't quite matte yet there is no glossiness. P2 Chilli lip liner is also a very orange toned red and I find it works beautifully under Rio rio. These lip liners are really lovely and they last for an amazing amount of time. Essence All you need is red is a fairly sheer shade which is very glossy on the lips. On first application it is quite sheer but it can be built up to pack a punch. The shade is a little bit pinker but it still has a more 

orange-y undertone. 

 The Look Beauty Cherry bomb lipstick and liner are both very pink reds, the formula of the lipstick is very creamy and again reminds me of Mac's satin finish. The liner is quite hard which is something I really like as in my opinion it makes it so much easier to use. As with most lip liners the lips have to be well prepared before use to avoid patchy application. L'oreal's Colour riche lipstick in Scarlett creme is also very pink toned but it also has a slight blue undertone. The formula of this is very creamy and it leaves a little bit more gloss and shine than Look Cherry bomb. Out of all the shades I have today this is the one that makes my teeth look very white. 

The last two lipsticks I have are shades that don't really fit into either the pink or the orange category. The OCC Lip tar in NSFW is what I would describe as a blood red. It is the most amazing deep vampy red and I get a lot of wear out of it in the winter as it looks amazing against super pale skin. The last lipstick for today is the Rimmel Lasting finish lipstick in 107. This is the most amazing matte berry red. The formula of this one is amazing as it is a really matte finish yet it feels very hydrating on the lips. This is another shade that I use a lot in the colder months. 

Left to Right - Topshop Rio rio - Essence All you need is red - Look Cherry bomb - OCC NSFW - L'oreal scarlett creme - Look Cherry bomb liner - Rimmel 107 - P2 Chilli 

Catrice Made to stay smoothing lip polishes.

These were something I picked up when I went to germany and I have completely fallen in love. A cross between a lipgloss and a lip lacquer, they are what I expected the revlon moisture stains to be like. They go onto the lips so smoothly and they feel really moisturizing and comfortable on the lips. I've been reaching for the shade Jen and Berry's a lot as it is the perfect subtle berry shade for autumn. 

I really like the shape of the brush and I find the little well holds just enough product, I also like the fact that these can be built up. The first application is a very sheer and leaves the lips with a slight wash of colour which can be built up to a really intense pop of colour. They last a nice amount of time, the gloss lasts about 3 hours and then the stain tends to stick around for a further 3 hours after the gloss has gone. 

The only thing I don't like about these is the packaging. I really liked it at first but I've found that all the writing is beginning to rub off and that really irritates me. Apart from that I like the fact that the colour is on the lid as it makes it easy to tell which colour I want to get out! Overall I really like these and would highly recommend you pick them up if you live in/visit somewhere that stocks Catrice. 

Left - Strawberry's secret -  Right - Jen and Berry's 

This week... #11

                

This week was fairly uneventful as I'm back at school again. I didn't really do anything exciting in the week but on saturday we went over to my friend Claudia's for a little gathering for her birthday and we had a little bonfire and sparklers which was loads of fun!

Hopefully I will have a busier week next week. 

                

  

                

The Makeup collection post.

Disclaimer: I have far too much makeup and I'm fully aware of that, some people collect stamps I collect lipsticks! I am in no way trying to show off or brag about how much makeup I do have, if you don't enjoy these types of posts please just click off. 

Now that's done, let's skip to the good bit. 

I recently got some new makeup storage (which is actually my christmas present off my grandparents). I have the bulk of my makeup in the Malm dresser and then all my lip products in 2 sets of muji drawers. This is a very picture heavy post! 

Ikea Malm desk //Here//

Ikea Ingolf stool //Here//

 Ikea skurar plant pots - Eye brushes -  Small -  //Here//  Face brushes - Large - //Here//

Ikea Tysnes table mirror //Here//

Lauren conrad Beauty //Here// 

 Muji 2 draw wide acrylic storage //Here// 

Lady Gaga Fame //Here// 

Stodja Cutlery trays //Here// 

If you want to see any separate collection posts let me know! 

Essence longlasting lipsticks - Review and swatches

These are one of my favourite drugstore lipsticks. They are highly pigmented and feel really smooth and creamy on the lips. I have four shades, two nudes and two brighter shades. I love the packaging of these as the little band of colour just looks so pretty and makes them easier to find in my ridiculously large collection!  I'm going to go in depth with each colour as I find they are all a little different in texture. 

Oh so Matt! - No.15 

This is the most matte of the shades I have, I've been wearing this one a lot recently and I'd go as far to say it's my perfect nude lip. It's the perfect mix of pink, peach and brown. It's dark enough so I don't look like I've smeared concealer all over my lips. This is the most drying out of all four but is still very soft and creamy. 

All you need is red - No.02 

This is a really lovely bright red shade. It's pretty classic and isn't too blue toned or too pink toned. The formula of this reminds me lots of the Mac satin finish. It's neither drying nor very glossy. This one lasts for so long and I really love it for going out as I just don't have to worry about it. 

On the catwalk! - No.04 

This is the perfect wintery berry shade, I've been reaching for it a lot when I haven't been feeling a nude lip. This one is a little more glossy therefore doesn't last quite as long. I think this will be one I'm going to get a lot of wear out of this one in the next few months. 

Natural beauty - No.07 

The final shade I have is this one. It's the perfect your lips but better shade (Gag!!) This one is very glossy and the colour has to be built up a little more than the others. 

From left to right -- Oh so matt! - All you need is red - On the catwalk! - Natural beauty

Currently reaching for - Everyday makeup

So I've recently revamped my everyday makeup routine and today I thought I would show you what I've been using. A lot of this stuff was bought in germany and I hauled it //Here// which if you love crazy massive hauls this ones for you. 

So starting off with the Maxfactor Facefinity primer I put that all over my face and leave it about thirty seconds to sink in. Then I start off my base by putting the Catrice Camouflage cream on any patches of redness or blemishes and blend it in. Then it's foundation time, for this time of year I love the L'oreal True match as it is fairly matte but doesn't leave my skin looking flat and dull.  To finish of my base I've been using the Catrice Light reflecting pen under my eyes to add a little coverage and brighten my eye area. 

Next up is eyebrows, the Benefit Instant brow pencil is my current favorite as it's the perfect shade for me. All I do with this is run it through my brows shaping them slightly but trying to stick to the natural shape. I then curl my lashes and add a little colour on my lids, firstly I use the Mac Bare study paint pot as a base and then add a dusting of the Catrice single eyeshadow in Ooops...Nude did it again to set the paint pot. To finish off the eyes I put on lashings of the Gosh Amazing length and build waterproof which isn't my favourite mascara but after managing to lose two in Germany it's the only one I have. 

I then finish of my face by adding a dust of the contour powder from the Sleek contour kit underneath my cheek bones, on my temples and down my neck and a little bit of highlighter from the same kit of the high points of my face. I then add a little bit of colour by popping some of Mac Fleur power powder blush on my cheeks. Finally I use the Catrice lip liner in What would rose do to line my lips and put some of the Clarins instant light natural lip perfector in 01 on top and I'm done. 

This week #10

This week has been crazy busy due to it being half term so I've done lots of exciting things! Let me know what you've been up to this week! 

On Monday me and my friends went to Frankie and Bennys, the picture above is my dessert and it was sooo good. We had a really lovely time and I highly reccomend going there as the food is delicious. 

On wednesday my nana and grandad took me to ikea to get my christmas present, which I've actually had early so a post will be up about it one sunday #ohthesuspense 

I think I've finally found my prom dress, it's from asos and I am head over heels in love with it! 

On saturday night me and my friends went to the bonfire in our local town we were all freezing but the fireworks were pretty! 

Big blogger, little blogger, cardboard box

Recently there has been a lot of talk in the blogosphere about "Big bloggers" Can I just ask the question here, what is a big blogger. Is it the amount of followers they have, or the number of pageviews they get on a daily basis. Or is it the amount of events they go to and how many PR samples they get sent. We can all get a little down about it sometimes it's only human. 

Let's face it at the end of the day we are all in the same boat whether you have 5 followers or 50,000 we are all swimming in a rising sea of thousands and thousands of bloggers. Would we not all be best just helping each other out. So a little word to "Little bloggers" perhaps you will be were the "Big bloggers" are one day and perhaps you won't but as long as you enjoy what you're doing never give up!  I'd really like to know your opinions on this! Let me know in the comments or tweet me @Coleoftheball