Beauty ¦ L'oreal Infallible 24h matte foundation

I find it really difficult to find foundations I like as my skin is a mix of everything. It can sometimes be oily but it's also dry but I also have lots of blemishes. All in all to find a foundation that deals with all this is an almost impossible task. However I am pretty impressed with this one. I wouldn't say it offers a matte finish but more of a satin very slightly dewy finish. It has a really impressive coverage but it doesn't feel heavy and cakey on the skin. It looks really natural on the skin and I don't find it settles around my nose and between my eyebrows where my skin is driest and it doesn't disappear off my forehead or chin where my skin is oiliest.

Lasting wise this stuff is really impressive, I can get a good 10 hour day out of it before it begins to look really gross and weird. Shade wise I picked up 11 Vanilla which is a little dark at the moment but I feel once I have a little bit of a tan it will be better. I actually thought that this was the lightest shade but I now know that they do one shade lighter than this which I may just have to pick up after the summer. Packaging wise I find the little squeezy tube really handy and I also love the fact I don't have to worry about traveling with it as it's plastic.

 

 

Overall I highly suggest no matter what your skin type is that you give this a go. For £7.99 you can't really go wrong!

 



Beauty ¦ May favourites

 

 So you know it's the end of may, (incoming blogger cliché) where has this year gone. I've actually got a mixed bunch of favourites this month. My favourites are usually pretty makeup heavy but I've got a bit of everything this month.

 

L'Oreal Ever Riche No sulphates shampoo and conditioner.

 

I'm not usually one to bother about hair care, as long as my hair feels clean and smells nice I'm not overly bothered. However lately I've had a very dry and sore scalp so I've been on the lookout for a shampoo and conditioner that are a little more gentle. These are perfect they are super gentle but they still smell nice and make my hair feel really clean. I've also found since using these there has been a lot less build up in my hair.

 

Quick fix facials Mega moisture mask.

 

I've only used this a couple of times but I am so in love with it. My skin has been so dry at the moment and nothing seems to be fixing it. However I've found this has pumped some serious moisture into my skin. After two uses my skin feels much more hydrated and plumped and for £4.99 there isn't anything bad about this product.

 

Dove Summer glow nourishing lotion.

 

This is something that I use every summer without fail. It gives the most natural looking and subtle tan but if I use it a couple of times a week you can build up a really lovely and intense tan which still looks natural. However I will mention it does smell like fake tan so you can end up smelling like a barrel of biscuits if you aren't careful.

 

Maybelline Super stay 7 days Nail polish - Hot salsa.

 

I have had this polish on my toes all month as it is the most amazing summery colour. I absolutely love the formula of these polishes and on the toes they last a good 1-2 weeks before they need re-doing. This shade is just the perfect shade for summer and I seriously suggest everyone gives it a go!

 

Maybelline Colour sensational lip gloss - Glorious grapefruit

 

I've been wearing my hair up a lot this month so I've been reaching for lip gloss quite a lot. I'm not usually a lip gloss person however I really like these. They are a little stickier than my beloved Clarins Instant light natural lip perfector these are still pretty amazing. They pack a nice punch of colour and they last a really nice amount of time for a gloss. I find I get about 4 hours wear out of them before they have completely gone from the lips.

 

 

L'Oreal Colour riche eyeshadow - Café saint german

 

This was a shadow that so many people talked about last year however I've only just got around to picking it up. It's a really lovely pinky rose gold shade and I've been wearing it alone with lots of mascara for a really lovely pop on the lids. The formula is so creamy and it blends beautifully with other shadows.

 

Bourjois Rouge edition - Pink pong

 

My final favourite is something I am definitely regretting not trying earlier. I had heard so many things about these and I thought that they would be a bit overhyped however now I've tried them I'm so impressed. They are super matte however they don't feel drying. There lasting power is insane and I find it difficult to get them off at the end of the night even with a oil based cleanser. I love this shade and I have a feeling I'm going to wear it a lot more over the summer.

Beauty ¦ Illamasqua Velvet blusher - Flirtatious

I am slowly but surely making my way through reviewing all the products that I received for my birthday (If you'd like to see what I received head over //Here//) This product was one of the presents from my friends and I think they chose really well.

 

When I first swatched this is was really quite confused by the texture. It's almost like a whipped mousse, there are lots of little air bubbles in it giving the most amazing light texture. The formula isn't a cream to powder but neither is it a sticky feeling product. Once it's on the skin this isn't going anywhere and I find although by the end of the day the colour has faded it's still there.

 

The shade is such a gorgeous peachy pink which looks really natural on the cheeks. It's a pretty neutral shade so I find it works pretty well with most eye/lip shades.  I really like the packaging and the casing feels nice and sturdy.

 

These aren't the cheapest coming in at £21.50 but a little really does go a long way. If you're in the market for a cream blush that's a little more high end I think this is an amazing one to go for.



Beauty ¦ Top 10 under £10

 

I love drugstore makeup and as much as I've enjoyed investing in higher end bits and bobs as I've got more into the makeup world I will forever be a drugstore girl at heart. Today I thought I'd show you some of my all time favourite products under £10 a few of these are old favourites but some are also new additions!

 

Maybelline Colour tattoo's -£4.99 (Pictured are On and on bronze and Creamy beige)

I thought I would start of with something that regular readers will know I love around a year and a half ago these are literally all I talked about I was obsessed. I still love them and I think for the price they really are amazing quality. They are something I feel like everyone should have in their collection.

 

Topshop cream blushes £7 (Pictured are Flush and Head over heels)

These are something else I was obsessed with at the same time as the Maybelline colour tattoo's as you can see in the pictures I actually hit pan on one shade. These are the most gorgeous cream to powder blushes which work well applied with the fingers but also with a brush. I find these don't move any product around under them which is one of my biggest problems with cream blushes.

 

Collection Eyes uncovered palettes £3.99 (Pictured are Nude and Nude bronze)

I am so impressed with these little palettes. If you read the review of them I put up a couple of weeks ago (If you haven't it's //Here//) you will see how insane the swatches are. For under £4 these shadows trump the likes of  Mua and Makeup revolution shadows by a million miles. The texture is amazing and they blend like a dream whilst keeping a super intense colour.

 

Maybelline Instant anti age eraser eye £7.99

This was something that I put off trying for such a long time as the hype that surrounds it is just ridiculous but I am so glad I picked it up. It's the perfect texture for under the eyes as it isn't too creamy that it creases but it's easy to blend whilst still having a good amount of coverage. If you haven't picked this up yet because of the crazy amount of hype I seriously suggest you give it a go yourself!

 



Essence Long lasting lipsticks £2.30 (Pictured are Oh so matt! and All you need is red)

These are so affordable, if you want to try a colour but not splash out I couldn't recommend essence more. These lipsticks are really creamy and they feel really hydrating on the lips. The colour range is pretty extensive and lets face it you really can't go wrong with a lipstick that's only £2.30.

 

L'Oreal Glam bronze in Golden bronze. £7.99

This is one of the best dupes I've ever found, it is literally almost exactly the same as Nars Laguna it's perhaps a little warmer but it's perfect for bronzing the face. It even contains that tiny amount of shimmer that Laguna also contains. I love how easily it blends as it creates that perfect bronzey summer glow.

 

Seventeen Skin wow three way highlighter £5.99

This is another pretty impressive dupe. It reminds me a lot of the benefit liquid highlighters in terms of formula and the amount of radiance it offers. Shade wise it's most similar to High beam however it's not quite as pink. For me personally I use this mixed into my foundation to add a little bit of a glow. However it also looks lovely on the cheekbones and down the nose.

 



 

Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner £.3.99 (Pictured East end snob)

I actually picked this up as I've heard that it's a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk which is one of my favourite lip liners at the moment. Despite not thinking it was a great dupe I do really love it. It's much more of a 90's shade as it's a very pinky nude. It's really lovely and creamy and doesn't drag on the lips at all. I definitely need to pick up some more shades.

 

L'Oreal Infallible 24h matte foundation £7.99

This stuff is one of the best drugstore foundations I have ever tried. Every time I wear it someone says how good it looks or asks me what I'm wearing on my skin. It offers really amazing coverage without being super heavy and cakey. I personally wouldn't say the finish is a Matte it's more on the demi matte/very naturally dewy scale. I was a little worried it would cling to the dry patches on my face however I've found it sits nicely on both dry patches and oily patches.

 

Topshop Lipsticks £8.00 ( Rio rio, Hazard and Beguiled)

Topshop lipsticks in my opinion are some of the best on the market. The formula is seriously comparable to Mac's satin formula. They are highly pigmented with an almost matte finish but they aren't in the slightest bit drying. The lasting power of these is amazing and the formula is very creamy making application easy.

 

So that's it for my top ten under £10 If you got to the end of this post I will be super impressed but if you did I really hope you enjoyed it!

 



Beauty ¦ The pastel nail edit

I love a good pastel nail so today I thought I would share some of my current favourite shades!

 

Maybelline Super stay forever strong gel nail colour - Mint for Life

 

This shade actually has it's own post //Here// because I love it that much! The formula of these is just amazing and they are such lovely quality for around the £5 mark.

 

Claire's Pastel neon nail polish

 

This bottle hasn't actually got a shade name just a number ( 29503 ) if anyone want's to know.  It's a gorgeous pastel neon coral (I'm sure you all read my blog for the outstanding colour descriptions!) I hadn't tried any polishes from Claire's but I'm actually really impressed with the quality!

 

Sinful colours - Cinderella

 

This is the most Disney nail polish I have ever seen. It's a gorgeous baby blue shade with lots of tiny rainbow shimmer particles. The one thing I will say though is that it's an absolute nightmare to et off as it leaves behind the tiny bits of shimmer.

 



Nails inc - Cambridge

 

I'm so fussy about lilac nail polishes as I like them to be quite grey toned rather than pink toned. Despite the fact this looks really pink in the photo's it's a fairly grey toned super pale lilac. As always with Nails inc polishes it's super high quality and it only requires 2 coats to get an opaque colour.

 

Barry M Gelly High shine Nail paint  - Huckleberry

 

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I love these polishes as the formula is almost as good as the Maybelline ones. This shade is a gorgeous super pale green-y blue. However it is still a blue rather than a mint green.

 

Models own Scented nail polish - Strawberry tart

 

I hate the fact that this is scented as it's so gimmicky but I do love the shade. It's a beautiful strawberry milkshake pink which looks amazing on tanned skin. I wore this one all the time last spring/summer and I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of it this summer too! 



Beauty ¦ The five minute exam face

I know not everyone will be prioritising makeup before exams but today I thought I'd talk you through the five minute face that I've been wearing Decide to wear makeup on exams days. 

I've been starting off with Bourjois's healthy mix which is a beautiful medium coverage really dewy foundation that looks natural. I've then been concealing my under eyes with the Maybelline instant eraser eye. I've then been putting the tiniest bit of the Stila convertible colour in fuschia on my cheeks and that's it for base. 

At the moment I'm back into using me Mac bare study paint pot all over the lids for a super subtle wash of colour. I've also found myself reaching for Soap and Glory thick and fast mascara as its a little less dramatic than my beloved benefit they're real. I've then been running a little bit of Benefit instant brow pencil through my brows and finnishibg up the look with a Charlotte Tilbury's lip cheat in pillow talk! 

Life ¦ GCSE'S and leaving school

As you're reading this I'll be preparing for my second week of GCSE'S. Exam season isn't easy for anyone so today I thought I'd do a little personal post as after all my blog is a diary for me to look back on in years to come.

 

At the start of this week I was so nervous, I was completely hyper however at this point i'm just tired and counting down the days till it's all over. It's completely odd to think that in less than a month something I've spent 12 years of my life on will be over and done with. I feel like I'm ready to leave secondary school but there are so many things I will miss. I've met some people who I will be friends with but also some that I fear I will lose touch with.

 

It's strange to think that in the next month I will never see some of the people that I've spent the last five years growing up with. I feel like I've grown so much over secondary school and I am so thankful for everyone that was there to steady me along the way. I will remember some of these days for the rest of my life.

 

Over the next month I'm pretty sure my posting schedule may go to pot a little bit however I've got 13 weeks of summer so I'm going to spend some serious time in making my blog the best that it can possibly be.

 

So to anyone doing their exams and leaving school I wish you the best of luck.

Beauty ¦ Nars Sheer glow

I am aware that there is about a billion reviews of this foundation floating around in the blogosphere but today I thought I'd stick my opinion in the mix. If you're new in these waters (hello for starters) you wont be aware that I have mentioned this in about a million posts in the last month and a bit so I finally thought I'd pop all my thoughts into one post.

 



 

I really don't know where to start with this one. I'd had it recommended to me loads on twitter when I asked for a good foundation for my upcoming prom but I was a little of put by the price. It's not cheap at £31 a bottle however in the end I bit the bullet and boy an I glad I did. I have a lot of issues with my skin, my pores are huge, I have lots of scarring and redness, patches of dry skin and I get a lot of breakouts (trust me it's a barrel of laughs)  so I really struggle to buy foundations that look nice on my skin. However this looks amazing all the time, one thing that really made me want to try it is how much people with dry skin love it. I find that it doesn't settle into any dry patches yet it doesn't make my skin feel greasy or make it look shiny.

 

The coverage is also amazing, I find about a pea sized amount will cover up my redness and scarring but I can build it up to cover my blemishes almost perfectly. As for the way it looks on my skin I can honestly say I've never tried anything like it. It makes my skin look healthy and dewy without looking greasy and it gives my skin the most amazing subtle glow. I also really love the way it photographs as it manages to make my skin look almost flawless. Lasting wise I find this wears for a good 7 hours before it begins to look a little rough round the edges (settling around my nose and slipping off the high points of my cheeks)

 

Overall I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a foundation for a special occasion. I for one cannot wait to wear it for prom.

 

I'd love to know what your favourite "special occasion" bases are!



Fashion ¦ Orelia London

I'm not one of those girls that has a massive jewellery collection and I tend to wear the same pieces all the time. I was recently scent these two beautiful necklaces from Orelia London and I am so in love with them. The first is the Geometric statement necklace £18* it's just enough to add a bit of something to a plain outfit without being heavy. I am completely in love with it. Something I wasn't 100% about was the mixture of white chain and gold crescent shape  however now I have it I think it adds something a little interesting to the piece. The second is the Double Triangle row necklace £18* which is exactly the kind of thing I would buy, it's very delicate and it looks so beautiful paired with a plain white t-shirt. I feel like this is the one that I'm going to get a lot of wear out of.

Both necklaces are well made and feel high quality and overall I'm super impressed with everything about them. I'd seriously recommend having a look on their website as everything is really reasonably priced.



Beauty ¦ The everyday face #1

I don't normally have an everyday routine however recently I've found myself reaching for the same products day in day out, perhaps changing my blush and eyeshadow or sometimes the lip colour but for a daily Monday to Friday if I've been wearing a full face this is what I've been reaching for.

 



Primer wise I've been loving the L'Oreal Infallible primer as an alternative to Benefit porefessional, I find it works well to blur any imperfections and pores whilst mattifying and leaving the skin super smooth for foundation. For foundation I've been loving Nars sheer glow which is something I hadn't tried up until last month and I don't know how I've managed to live without it. Then I conceal any dark circles and redness with the Maybelline Instant anti age eraser eye and any blemishes with the Seventeen stay time concealer. To finish off my face I've been popping a little bit of Mac Fleur power or Illamasqua flirtatious (Not pictured) on my cheeks and a little bit of Illamasqua gleam in aurora on my cheek bones.

Then moving onto my eyes I first off fill in my brows with the Illamasqua Thunder brow cake then I prime my eyes with the Urban decay Eye shadow primer potion. For shadow I've been using the Stila in the light palette, some of my favourite combinations are Kitten and Sandstone and Bubbly and Glided gold. I then finish off my eyes with lots and lots of Benefit's They're real. The final thing I do is apply my lipstick, this changes on a daily basis however it's very often Charlotte Tilbury Bitch perfect.





Beauty ¦ Rimmel Scandal eyes eyeshadow pencils

A couple of people commented on my April favourites (//Here// if you haven't seen it yet)  last weekend saying how much they liked the look of these so today I thought I'd put up my review with some swatches.  

 

I'm having a bit of a cream eyeshadow moment, I love the convenience and the fact that there is just no worry about creasing. The fact that these are sticks just makes life even easier. These aren't the first shadow sticks I've tried but they are definitely the best. They are really creamy without being slippy and they blend like an absolute dream. I love to wear the darker shade (Bad girl bronze) really blended out for a super simple smokey eye. It's an amazing mix between a copper and a coffee brown shade, it's also amazing for smudging along the lower lash line. The other shade I have which is Bluffing is the perfect everyday natural taupey shade which I've found myself reaching for a lot in the past month.

 

I love the fact that these aren't packed full of shimmer, they are more metallic. As for lasting power I got a good 7 hours without an eye primer and no creasing at all for an entire day when wearing a primer (Urban decay primer potion for reference). Packaging wise the lids fit on well and don't fall off in a makeup bag or in my draw (One of my biggest pet peeves) The only thing I would say is I wish they were twistable instead of needing sharpening.

 

Overall I really love these and I highly recommend them especially at the bargainous price of £4.49

 

If you have any other cream shadow recommendations I'd love to hear them! 

Top - Bad girl bronze Bottom - Bluffing 

Beauty ¦ Spring pinks

 

I love a good bright pink lip but in the autumn and winter they tend to take a backseat in favour of deeper plums and reds. The sunny weather we've had recently (which seems to now be long gone) had me digging out some old favourites from my stash and giving some new shades a go!

 

Topshop Sheer lips in Lolly -

I picked this up in the sales around Christmas time and I really love it. The shade is a very bright but very sheer tint which leaves the lips looking slightly tinted but most of all super glossy and healthy. I don't find the formula sticky and it feels very hydrating. This is definitely the bright for people who are afraid of brights.

 

Clinique Chubby stick intense in Plushest punch -

This was something I picked up in Germany with the summer in mind, I have worn it a fair bit but I feel like I'm going to wear it a lot throughout the summer. This seriously packs a punch colour wise whilst still feeling light and hydrating. The only slight problem I have with it is that the lasting power is quite short however due to the hydration it gives I can get over it!

 

Revlon Matte balm in Showy -

One of the two very bright shades in this line up this is definitely not one for the faint hearted. It's a very blue toned almost neon purple. These balms last a ridiculous time of time on the lips whilst still being creamy and hydrating (I'm sensing a pattern with this one)

 

Maybelline Colour sensational in Shocking coral -

The other almost neon shade in this line up is this absolute beauty. A very orange toned neon pink it seriously makes a statement and I love pairing it with a very toned down face and lots of bronzer. I feel like this is the one I will be reaching for when I have a tan!

 

Gosh velvet touch lipstick in Yours forever -

This is just a pretty standard fuchsia but I really love the formula and the lasting power. It feels super velvety on the lips (as the name suggests) and it last for a crazy amount of time.

 

Bourjois Rouge edition velvet in Pink pong -

I can't quite believe it has taken me this long to give these a try. This shade is a blue toned fuchsia with some serious lasting power. They don't feel drying on the lips despite the lasting power. This has definitely made me want to try more shades. I have my eye on Hot pepper!

 

 

Topshop Lolly, Clinique Plushest punch, Revlon Showy, Maybelline Shocking coral, Gosh Yours forever, Bourjois Pink pong. 

Beauty ¦ April favourites

April has been a massively hectic month for me, I've spent most of my free time revising and I haven't had a lot of time to do much else. I've found myself not doing any base and just doing a quick wash of colour over my lids, mascara and brows so I haven't actually got that many favourites.

 

 

If I have worn base and worn some blush this month it's been Illamasqua's velvet blush in flirtatious it's the most amazing spring pinky peach shade and I just adore it. The texture is so strange but it blends beautifully into the skin without moving what's underneath it.

 

Eye wise I've been reaching for my little Mac quad for powder shadows especially All that glitters and Woodwinked which are both amazing shades for just chucking on the lid and going. All that glitters offers a pinky peachy sheen over the lid whilst Woodwinked seems to look darker in the crease creating a very quick slightly smokey eye.

 

If I've fancied a cream shadow I've been reaching for the Rimmel scandal eyes eyeshadow sticks in bluffing and bad girl bronze. Bad girl bronze is a really deep brown copper shade which looks amazing really built up and smudged under the lower lash line and Bluffing is a very pale minky taupe which is perfect for wearing everyday.

 

I actually painted my toe nails for the first time this year a couple of weeks ago and I've been loving Nails Inc Brook street which is a slightly coral pink shade, I love the formula of nail inc polishes and I find they last a really good amount of time.

 

My final favourite this month is something that if you are a regular reader of my blog you will know I absolutely adore and it's the Soap and glory Sugar crush body scrub which is something about this time of year that I can't shut up about. It smells absolutely delicious and it's quite harsh so it really makes a massive difference to the skin without making it sore or red.

 



Beauty ¦ Urban Decay - All nighter makeup setting spray

I really thought this was going to gimmicky but curiosity killed the cat and all the palaver I bit the bullet and put it on my birthday list. How wrong I was, I'm putting it out there this stuff is incredible. I am so impressed and I seriously think everyone should have a bottle in their stash.

On first application I was terrified I sprayed 2 sprays on my face as directed and it felt like my face was dripping. However after a 30 second panic period I realised it had actually dried in about 10 seconds and much to my surprise all my makeup was still intact. Over the course of the day I expected my makeup to do what it normally does and settle around my nose and practically disappear off my cheeks. However when I looked in the mirror when I got in it was pretty much exactly the same. I had a little oil get through but it was more just a natural dewiness. I have found that this works beautifully with all my foundations and it doesn't change the overall appearance on the skin.

This isn't something I'd use everyday however if you need your makeup to last this is definitely something that would be super handy. I've also heard some people use it as a primer however I'm not sure so I haven't given it a go yet. If you haven't tried this I highly suggest you give it ago. You can purchase 30ml for £9.00 or 100ml for £21.00 from all Urban decay stockists.