Makeup Starter Kit | Affordable Edition

Hello everyone, I thought I'd type up a makeup starter kit filled with ethical recommendations from yours truly. As 2016 draws to a close, you and I will be bombarded with fantastic deals and sales, so I hope this post is helpful for all, but especially for those of you who may not be too much into makeup, but just want to add a couple of bits to your collection. These items are all affordable and most of them you can purchase from the highstreet, however some I would recommend picking up online, because there are always great deals on them. These are also the items that I would repurchase if all my makeup disappeared, so I hope if you purchase any of them, you enjoy them as much as I do.  Apologies for the lack of photos, teacher training AND short days = no time!

To prime or not to prime?

Personally I only use a primer on a special occasion, because I tend to stick to my Soap and Glory (£14.99) SPF 50 as being a base, which is so important ladies! I have written a post on it before, but the basic jist is that it manages to get makeup to stick onto the face AND protect the skin. However the Topshop airbrush primer (£12.00) is fantastic for providing a smooth canvas if you have uneven skin. If your makeup melts away quickly, spritz your face with a makeup setting spray after moisturising, but before applying any makeup - the MUFE Mist and Fix 30ml (£8.00) is travel size and very affordable to try out.

Foundation

If we are talking strictly bases you can buy in the drugstore, I would recommend the Bourjois Health Mix Foundation (£10.00) which has a beautiful medium coverage and really leaves a healthy glow to the skin. However the shade range isn't fantastic...so I highly recommend the EX1 Invisiwear Liquid Foundation (£12.50), which I didn't love at first but I've grown to like it a lot. I find its quite versatile, though the finish is more on the matte side, if you mix it with some illuminator or even a tin drop of oil you can achieve a glowy finish. The coverage is great too, a solid medium but buildable. I tend to apply it with my E.L.F Stippling brush (£4.50) when I'm wearing it for 'everyday' as it sheers it out a little. They have actually recently released a bunch of new shades, so its no longer limited to just olive skintones. My new shade is 6.0 and I found their website quite helpful when trying to determine the perfect match here.

Correctors and Concealers

My all time favourite corrector is the Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer in Medium (£10.00), which IS pricy for the amount of corrector you actually get! This is a three piece kit and the good thing is, I can use each of the items just fine, however it is the corrector which I love the most. It is the perfect shade for neutralising my horrendous dark circles and works even better than a similar Benefit product! Pricy, but worth it...especially when theres a 3for2 deal on! In terms of actual concealers, the L.A Girl Pro Concealers creamy beige (£5.00) and Collection Lasting Perfection in 3 (£4.19) are my two tried and tested. The L.A girl one is more hydrating, yet has great pigmentation and manages to conceal and brighten at the same time. The collection one is thicker, creamier and if you have dry under-eyes won't be your cup of tea, but as long as I have colour corrected it works a charm.

Powders

Over the years I have liked powders more and more, because quite frankly I cannot wear makeup without a light bit of baking under the eyes these days! When I don't I notice the most awful creasing and melting of my undereye concealer. My favourite brightening yellow powder for under the eye is the Wet 'n' Wild Megaglo contouring palette in Caramel Toffee ($4.99), which I have a post on here. I like to bake with the Coty Airspun loose powder ($8.99) which works really well. I keep it on for about 50 seconds and then brush it off - works like a charm. I don't have a favourite face powder for all over the face, instead I just use the excess of the coty powder over my T-Zone which can get a little oily sometimes.

Contour, Bronzer, Blush and Highlight

For bronzing the face, Topshop's Mohawk (£9.00) is my all time favourite shade and formula from the highstreet. It is beautiful for those of you who have an olive medium skintone and provides the perfect warmth of the skin. Contouring wise, if you're looking for a really strong one which sharpens your features the Natural collection shadow in crushed walnut (£2.00) works a treat! I would advise you go with a light hand though. I have a few favourite blushers from the highstreet, the Sleek blush by 3 in spice (£10.00) is gorgeous for a medium skintone and I often will mix and match the shades. The value for money there is fantastic and so is the pigmentation! I also enjoy the Rimmel soft colour blush in pink rose (£4.00), which has been a long time favourite of mine and mentioned on my blog many times. It is a gorgeous natural flush and you are at no risk of looking like a clown. I have to say for highlight, I am a firm stickler for my highend ones - especially ABH! But when I think my collection and the one I would want to repurchase, I go back to the Topshop Glow Pot (£9.00) or their baked highlighter - either one is BEAUTIFUL. A little goes a long way and both of them can look very natural on the skin, or be built up for a more intense glow.

Brows, Liner and Mascara

Brows is a tough one because I am again so used to my ABH products, which are well worth the investment ladies! However if they're out of your budget, I would recommend checking out the Freedom eyebrow kit (£3.50) which I used to use all the time. It has a range of shades and even a gel in the kit, as well as a mirror, applicator and mini tweezers - the biggest bargain of all time! If you like a bolder brow and don't mind practicing, pick up their version of the ABH drip brow (here for a fiver). I don't think its quite as good as the ABH, but it does the job so long as you have a good spoolie. I am a real fusspot when it comes to eyeliner, but if I HAD to pick one I'd recommend The Balm's Schwing liner (£13.50). Not the cheapest, but by far the best you can pick up in superdrug or online! It is extremly black and lasts all day long. The applicator is thin and relatively easy to create cat eyes with, once you get the hang of it. When it comes to mascara, the only drugstore brand I ever spend money on is Essence! The 'I love crazy volume mascara' (£2.80) is a firm favourite and worth at least 4x the price.

Lips

Finally I'd recommend you pick up a good lip liner and the Rimmel 1000 kisses lip liner in spice (£3.00), is one I have back ups on, just in case they stop making it! My favourite affordable lipsticks are most definitely the Wet n wild mega last lipsticks ($2.00). They're very pigmented, beautifully creamy and ridiculously cheap - you can find a bunch of reviews for them on my blog by searching wetnwild! Liquid lipstick wise, The Balm's Meet Matte Hughes Liquid Lipsticks (£13.50) are fantastic. They feel comfortable, have a good pigmentation and aren't too drying. At the moment there is a cute little gift set available to purchase for the holidays, which contains 6 of the shades and is sold out everywhere, but keep an eye out, its a good one!

Final Touches...

How could I type up a makeup starter kit without my all time favourite Mario Badescu Facial spray (£7.50). It is definitely my go-to spray for before and after makeup, it hydrates the skin, diminishes any powderyness left on the face and just leaves me with a subtle glow. Although I am loving a more expensive version a little more, I'll always have a bottle of this in my collection!


I really hope this was helpful for you all! It was so nice to sit down and blog without worrying about my huge to-do list, I kind of despair when I see the lack of posts I've managed to get up this year :( But thankyou SO much for continuing to read and support my blog, I hugely appreciate it!

Thank-you for reading ♥

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Makeup Starter Kit | Affordable Edition

Hello everyone, I thought I'd type up a makeup starter kit filled with ethical recommendations from yours truly. As 2016 draws to a close, you and I will be bombarded with fantastic deals and sales, so I hope this post is helpful for all, but especially for those of you who may not be too much into makeup, but just want to add a couple of bits to your collection. These items are all affordable and most of them you can purchase from the highstreet, however some I would recommend picking up online, because there are always great deals on them. These are also the items that I would repurchase if all my makeup disappeared, so I hope if you purchase any of them, you enjoy them as much as I do.  Apologies for the lack of photos, teacher training AND short days = no time!

January Favourites 2016

This is the latest I have ever posted a favourites video, I do apologise! Again like I’ve already said in my January update post, I have to prioritise uni over this little area now and again…but anyway, without further ado lets get on with my favourites of January.

Starting with the bases I have been loving the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation in Y365 (£29) which I have been promising a review for over a month now, it is coming I promise! But to give you a quick summary, it looks like skin that I wish I had woken up with! Light to medium coverage and a formula which sits between satin and matte to me, it feels weightless on the skin and my favourite part about it is that the colour match is the most accurate I have ever found! 

January was the month that I finally got on board with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger (£22.50) which I have owned for a good few months, but as this shade is a great match for my skin tone and not brightening for the under-eyes I just didn’t find myself reaching for it that often. I should have picked up custard, but as I have this shade and can make it work I made myself pick it up more often and the creamy formula and delightful coverage that many a YT-Guru have raved about is lovely! I found that wiggling the applicator around the tube got a tonne more product out and although its not brightening or highlighting under the eyes, it worked well to conceal on a more low-key look y’know? It is also great for covering redness and blemishes on the days I didn’t wear makeup (which I’ll talk about below!). 

Finally from the bases I rediscovered and became slightly obsessed with the Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer in 3 (£5.49). It is a lovely peachy shade which corrects 80% of the darkness under the eyes in less than 5 seconds! A little goes a long way, which really minimises creasing and I can easily layer a brightening concealer over the top. It is an essential in my makeup bag and I will be repurchasing several backups in May!

The next favourite is perhaps a little controversial, especially being an Asian girl but I have absolutely loved it for more reasons than one so I had to share it; the Bareminerals Faux Tan Face Gradual Glow (£18.00). Before this I had only tried fake tan given to me at a blogger event and I had no desire or need to use it on my arms and legs. However for quite some time I’ve been wanting to wear foundation less often, but my face happens to be a good deal lighter than my hands because I always protect it from the sun, so without foundation I look so peaky and pale. I wanted to try a tanner which was gentle enough to use on my face and also not clog the pores. When I saw this on look fantastic in the December sales I couldn’t resist. So far I’ve used it about three things and the first two times were great, my skin was a beautiful olive shade (not orange in the slightest) and it matched my hands and neck really well. All I wore on my face was concealer and I LOVED it! This time I may have applied a little bit too much as it’s a tad uneven (I still need to figure out the best application for it, other than my fingers) and I would be lying if I said it didn’t smell at least a little like fake tan. However the fact that the colour looks naturally sun kissed and spares my skin from a full on base for at least three days I can get over the scent! 

I have also been loving the REN Vita Mineral Lip Balm (£9.00) which has been the fastest acting balm I have tried in a while. I totally agree with the description, it is deeply replenishing and any soreness and chapped lips were soothed literally overnight! I hate those balms that you have to constantly reapply and this is not one of them. It is also miles better than the NUXE one at actually doing what it’s supposed to do! I don't think I can be without this stuff and the fact that it is paragon, sulphate, mineral oils, fragrances etc free is yet another tick in the box for me. If you’re looking for a lip balm that actually works, spend a little extra and I’m sure you’ll never look back! 

The Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer (£29) has blown me away this month. When I initially got it in a Space NK goodybad, I felt pretty ehh about it, didn’t use it much and ended up putting it away. However since being on my ban I have had a good root through my stash and rediscovered this with a very different experience. It is actually hydrating, without being sticky or heavy on the skin, makeup goes on so much smoother…and the best part? It really does keep my base on for longer, which means previous foundations I complained about, for fading away quicker than I’d like (Bourjois happy light!!) will work so much better for me now.

The Topshop Glow Pot in Gleam (£9.00) reviewed here has been another item I have rediscovered and it’s such a gorgeous cream highlighter against my olive skin tone! I love how quite and easy it is to use with the tips of my ring finger, alone or as a powder highlight base, it has been a firm staple in my makeup routine this month! I was going to post my LOTW on sunday, but I already has the update going up then, so I’ve decided to wear the Wet’n’Wild Mega Last Lipstick in ‘In the Flesh’ ($2.75) for the second week in a row because I have loved it that much. It is a medium pink, mixed with a tiny bit of dusty pink if that description makes any sense?! You’ll be getting full swatches this sunday, but this line of lipsticks are honestly one of my all time favourites. Creamy, pigmented, they last a good 3 hours and then they fade evenly. Highly recommend! 

Finally, last but certainly not least my final favourite of the month is the NARS And God Created The Woman Eyeshadow Palette (£40.50)! I purchased this in the summer of 2014, hid it away as motivation for my exams that year and quite honestly I totally forgot about it *inserts red faced emoji here*. I found it a few months ago and throughout January it was the only palette I used because the quality of the shadows are glorious. They’re all one-swipe wonders, which to be honest with you at that price point I would expect! The shadows last on my lids all day and the size of the palette is so perfect for travelling (although shockingly small if you’ve never seen it in real life before!). I don’t know how many of you have seen the beautiful customisable NARS palette (link here), you can create your own and I had a lot of fun playing with this feature and then wincing at the price! ONE DAY I would love to create my own, but not while I currently have so many products not in pan form, it would feel like a waste.  A lot of the shades that I had put in my custom palette online, I already owned in this little palette, so I’d recommend checking it out if you want some NARS shadows, a brush AND the pro prime (both of which I am yet to try out!).

Have you tried any of my January Favourites? What have you been loving this month?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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January Favourites 2016

This is the latest I have ever posted a favourites video, I do apologise! Again like I’ve already said in my January update post, I have to prioritise uni over this little area now and again…but anyway, without further ado lets get on with my favourites of January.

2015 Beauty Favourites!

Hello everyone! I know I’m a little bit late with this annual beauty favourites..but at least you’ve finally caught up on everyone else’s and you’re ready for the final one on your feed..am I right?! hehe.  I didn’t get exactly 15 products, but these are the items that I found myself reaching for over and over throughout the year. I have a feeling this is going to be a fairly long post, so lets begin..




The base

1. Currently my all time favourite foundation for when I want skin that looks great, as well as something that lasts a good amount of time is by far the NARS Sheer Glow (£31.00). I purchased it late in 2014 and its been my go-to whenever I need my skin to look real good, without a lot of effort. Its pretty yellow toned and photographs really well. Personally its a little heavier than I gravitate towards on a daily basis, but anytime I’m going to an event or my skin is playing up, a dollop of this with my trusty beauty blender has me covered. A thorough review will certainly be coming up soon!

2. My absolute favourite daily base is the Make Up For Ever Face & Body (£27.00) which definitely took a while to figure out, but its the most natural, glowy, long-lasting base I own. I love how buildable the coverage is, without looking cakey in the slightest. It’s also super easy to apply and blend with my fingers and it takes me under a minute to have it applied and good to go, which is perfect for busy mornings. It’s got a unique gel-like formula and is a cross between satin and dewy. I wish it were a little more yellow in tone but aside from that I am loving it!

3. The most expensive, yet most revolutionary addition to my makeup collection in 2015 was by far the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer (£36.50). This stuff is insanely pigmented and has many uses, with my favourite being as a highlighter and concealer. You really need to stick to the rule ‘a little goes a long way’ as you only need a tiny bit to achieve a flawless under-eye! I have two shades, SX08 which is a good match to my skintone and SX06 which is a couple of shades lighter, so mixed with SX08 its perfection for everyday. The formula is luxuriously creamy and it has seriously changed my makeup game for the better. My favourite way to blend this out is with this mini beauty blender dupe and I really cannot be without these!

**Honorary mention: the Rimmel Lasting Finish concealer in 3 (£5.49) which I have mentioned a couple of times on my blog! It is the only drugstore concealer which actually brightens and corrects my under-eyes pretty well. So many times I have used just this and a tinted moisturiser and I have been good to go, its a great 3-minute makeup essential of mine, but it also works well under other concealers too!**

The Powders

4. After a great experience at the Harrods Charlotte Tilbury counter this summer, I picked up the Air-Brush Flawless Finish Skin-Perfecting Micro-Powder (£33.00) because the MUA used it on my under-eyes and I was in awe at how smooth and literally flawless they looked! Recently my skintype has shifted from normal/dry to normal/combo and sometimes I find my T-zone getting a little bit oily throughout the day. Although this is a finishing powder, I find a light dusting instantly removes shine without removing glow. It is finely milled, has a light coverage and doesn’t look cakey at all. Also this powder beautifully erases the signs of my visible pores around my nose, which is why it is literally the key to success - and I don’t use that phrase lightly! Pricy? yes, but 1000% worth it and I will be repurchasing when I hit pan ^_^

5. The Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator (£21.00) is one of the most gorgeous golden highlighters I have ever seen. Despite the disappointing packaging for a high-end product, the product really makes up for it. With a fan brush I get a light application and that works well for everyday. With a more dense brush, such as the Sigma Tapered Highlight brush or the Real Techniques Setting Brush I can achieve the perfect highlighted look, with cheekbones glowing like no other. I love that it has no sparkly bits in it and the fact that its a true golden shade means it compliments my olive skin-tone perfectly. I have my top 3 golden highlights post coming soon, so keep an eye out!

6. Blush wise I really struggled not to include NARS Deep Throat because I’ve used it so often this year too, but I went for the NARS Blush in Torrid (£23.00) instead. This is a shade that looks so gorgeous against my olive skintone and I love how its not a flat matte blush. The subtle gold shimmer looks so beautiful on the apples on my cheeks and the hybrid colour of pink/peach is perfect all year around. The formula of NARS blushers tick all the boxes for me, super long lasting, easy to blend and you only need a little each time - loooove them!

The Palettes

7. Picking out an eyeshadow favourite was kind of tough, because my palette collection grew even more in 2015, but if I had to talk to you about my most reached for palette its the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette (£39.00). I got this for my 20th birthday and it was heart-eyed emojis everywhere! The salted caramel shade is one I reach for at least four times a week and I love the range of browns too. To be totally honest I’m a bit disappointed with the large matte cream shade because I just expected it to be more pigmented. Aside from that though its a stunning neutrals palette and IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE NOM NOM NOM

8. The Kat Von D Shade & Light Contour Kit ($46 - £30) is THE BEST CONTOUR KIT EVER. Especially for medium skintones, because we finally have a contour kit which has 6 shades that are all useable and they have such a beautifully creamy formula. Pigmented? check. Easily blendable? check. Long lasting on the skin? Check. I mean what else could I ask for?? Well..okay if I’m being super picky, I wish the yellow shade was larger, but regardless I’m going to be repurchasing the shade and light this summer because I genuinely have never fallen so hard for a palette! It’s also SO multitask-able! I could literally take a concealer (Kevyn Aucoin OFC) and an eyeliner and this one palette away with me for a trip and I’d be sorted..its THAT good.

9. Finally the most glorious face palette from any of the holiday picks of 2015, the NARS One Shocking Moment Cheek Studio Palette (£45) is absolutely *struggles to find the right words here* AH-MAAAZING. Four gorgeous NARS blushes (and you already know how I feel about those!), a large sized Laguna and a pretty neat contour and highlight duo. I love all the blush shades and I adore mixing and matching them up. The laguna bronzer in this has a bit of a more shimmer on the skin, which I didn’t pick up at first and to be honest it’s a bit annoying, but it’s only really noticeable when you’re really close to me face - so all is not lost! Again I reviewed it in full, which I’ll link below, but this is limited edition so I suggest you pick it up sooner rather than risking it for later because this is a STEAL.

& the other stuff

10. Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara (£19.50) has been my absolute favourite throughout 2015, because it really does everything I want a mascara to do. I do always use another mascara first, but this is like the amplifier of any mascara and whenever I do two layers of this (seldom, but still) I always get questions on what I’m mascara I’m using and that has to be a good sign! I also feel like this mascara doesn’t dry out too quickly AND I don’t have to wait for it to not be dry enough either.

**Honorary mention: Essence I heart extreme volume mascara (£2.80) is so great at adding volume with very little effort. I normally use this stuff as the base for They’re Real and of course I will be repurchasing, which is something I rarely say when it comes to mascara**

11. Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Get Lucky ($5.00) is one of my most used shadows EVER. Its a one swipe wonder type of deal, because I love me some gold shadow and used lightly it works so well for everyday. I also adore the fact that you can pack it on for a more intense look AND also how it applies so beautifully with my fingers - no brush required! Although shipping prices are ridiculous from colourpop to the UK, I will simply have to place another order this summer for some more of these types of shades that aren’t matte because the formula is GORGEOUS. I want coppers, bronzes and different shades of golds (oh and OFC those liquid lipsticks!).

12. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow in Chocolate (£15.00) is actually a repeat product from last year, which says it all to be honest! I have been trying different brow kits, brow pencils etc. but I always come back to this pot of good stuff. Now I have a matching brush duo I feel like I can achieve great looking brows with very little effort. Also I just want to point out that this is the exact same pot that I purchased in 2014, so it is incredible value for money! I’m shocked mine hasn’t dried out (but I’m always careful when it comes to closing the lid tightly and ASAP..so maybe that’s why??).#

13. My bronzer of the year, although Ihave so many that I love, is the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in medium/deep (£25.00) which I gave the HG status to! Not only does it smell amazing, but its fantastic for both contouring and warming up the face and THAT is hard to find in bronzers! It lasts a long time on the skin, blends so smoothly, you get a decent amount of product and the packaging is so pretty! I adore Laguna and Hoola, but if I only had to pick one from these three it’s going to be the chocolate soleil one for sure.

14. The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal mini size (£34.00) has been in my makeup collection since summer of 2014 (from a wonderful Space NK goodybag), but I only actually opened it in the last three months and I am obsessed! It is THE MOST gorgeous liquid highlighter I have ever used, better than mememe and better than benefit. A tiny bit goes a long way and it literally gives you that lit from within look. I’ve worn it under makeup, over makeup and mixed with bases and I’ve loved each way I tried it. Its a light, peachy tone but still very highlighting and it works well with my medium skintone. I don’t think I’ll be needing to actually purchase the full size of opal anytime soon, but I want to swatch moonstone because it looks more golden and we all know that’s right up my street! I will definitely be doing an indepth review on this soon.

15. My favourite lip product has by far been the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bahama (£19.00) which has such an amazing formula, matte but not drying and super easy to apply and go. I love everything about this, from the packaging to the colour which works well for me for everyday! Read more on this in my review (linked below).

16. Finally, the lipliners of the year for me were by far the Make Up For Ever Aqua Lipliners in 2C and 3C (£13.00) long lasting, beautiful shades and the BEST formula of lip liners ever. The people at MUFE HQ hit the nail on the head by creating a lip pencil which is just firm enough to actually define the lips, but creamy enough to fill them in without drying them out! It’s also the only formula that really lets me get away with slightly over lining my lips and it looking totally legit, what is not to love? ^_^

LINKS FOR REVIEWS:

MUFE F&B

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer

NARS Torrid

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette

NARS One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette

ABH Dipbrow pomade in Chocolate

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

NARS VMLP in Bahama

MUFE Aqua Lip liners in 2C & 3C

PHEW! WAHOO, WE GOT TO THE END. I feel exactly like Dumbledore right now xD It took me a good couple of days to finish this post because I have been so busy, but also whenever I write one of these mammoth posts it does take an age (especially finding and including the links!).

Also I just wanted to address the fact that the majority of my favourites were high end this year..which came as a bit of a surprise to me when I was editing the photos to be honest! The way I picked these products was literally thinking..hmm which *insert type of product* really stood out to me? and whichever it was, I then put into my yearly favourites list. That is not to say that I haven’t loved high-street products, as my monthly favourites will show you - but I added a lot of high end products to my collection this year and they have really stood out to me. You may notice a theme in these favourites, a lot of these things I’ve praised for being long-lasting and that is a huge reason why I’ll really love a product, if it lasts well without much effort I’m happy!

So with that being said I hope that this collection of favourites can help you to decide on if you want to treat yourself, or add any of these items to a wishlist ^_^ be sure to check out the reviews, linked above as you’ll get a lot more information of each thing there.

 Also I didn’t want to add more than one of each thing, because this post would have been stupidly long, but if any of you do want me to do a specific drugstore favourites of the year, let me know and I’ll have one up for you!

Please let me know if you’ve written one of these posts, with a link to your blog - I’m getting behind on blog reading but I want to take out a whole evening and catchup, whilst making notes! ^_^

Thank-you for reading ♥

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2015 Beauty Favourites!

Hello everyone! I know I’m a little bit late with this annual beauty favourites..but at least you’ve finally caught up on everyone else’s and you’re ready for the final one on your feed..am I right?! hehe.  I didn’t get exactly 15 products, but these are the items that I found myself reaching for over and over throughout the year. I have a feeling this is going to be a fairly long post, so lets begin..

Top Three | Drugstore Concealers

Wooo we are back with another top three post! This time its my favourite concealers that are budget friendly and all three of these can be picked up easily from boots or superdrug. Before 2015 I would only swear by ONE concealer from the drugstore, so to find two more this year that I love enough to put in a top three post - is pretty darn awesome! Concealers are a key in my makeup routine and they always have been. Back when I first started wearing more makeup than just a bit of eyeliner, I stayed away from foundations because I didn’t see the need for it and I was always advised to protect my young, fresh skin. But concealer to cover those horrendous hereditary dark circles was something I just did not want to avoid! It almost became a comfort blanket in a way. There is NO was I could afford or justify a gorgeous little pot of the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer when I was 17!

So I turned to the highstreet and believe me  I’ve tried more concealers than any other makeup product (even eyeliners) so boy did I go through a LOT. These three had to be fantastic for me, in order to land themselves a position in this post and it is not often that I repurchase a concealer again because so often they don't meet the mark for me. But this trio will most certainly be repurchased over and over. As concealers are quite subjective, I’ll try to be as detailed as possible so you can get a good idea of if it may work for you.


1. Rimmel Lasting Finish concealer 03 Warm Beige | £5.50 | Review
I ADORE this concealer from Rimmel because I feel like the drugstore have finally come out with a corrector shade which is (just about) suitable for WOC, who have darker circles than those with fairer skin. Granted it is not the MOST peachy toned concealer on the market, however it really does work well for correcting the darkness and brightening up the whole under eye area and actually you only need a small amount. It is a cream concealer and because of its consistency, if you over apply this you’ll most likely get creasing after a couple of hours, however if you apply just the amount you need to correct you’ll be absolutely fine. I actually get a lot less creasing from this concealer than from my previous favourite, the benefit erase paste in 3 and is only when I stopped using the benefit version and switched it up, that I actually realised how much creasing erase paste was giving me! So the fact that this budget concealer corrects my dark circles practically as well as the much more pricy option AND it doesn’t give me issues with creasing just makes me ridiculously happy.

I also love how the consistency is just the right amount of creamy, where you don’t have to warm it up with your ring finger too much - you can pretty much just dab your finger into the pot and apply it. It’s also forgiving on dry areas and doesn’t sink into very fine lines. When I only have 5-10 minutes to do my makeup I’ll opt for this and then if I have time I’ll put a little concealer over the top to hide the peachiness and brighten up the whole area. However if I don’t have time it’s not the end of the world. I mean I  LOVE to have a flawless under eye but sometimes I just don’t have time to correct, conceal and set the area, so if it does come to that I’m quite happy to just use this for a normal day.

You’ll like this if: You have dark circles and need a peachy toned concealer to correct darkness which won’t crease like crazy and is also light enough to be a base for a brighter concealer over the top.

2. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer | £4.19
This is the concealer that not only took the blogging world by storm, but also stole me heart. I cannot tell you how many tubes of these I’ve purchased...at least 12 if not more because it is so fantastic. I also normally wait till there’s a 3for2 deal and stock up, I currently have two tubes of unopened lasting perfection!! Anyway this concealer is definitely medium/full coverage and I love that, because so many budget concealers lack of coverage and sometimes I find myself layering and layering and I still don’t get the coverage I want from them. This stuff though packs enough coverage with one swipe and the doe foot applicator is awesome too. I use shade three on a day-to-day basis, it is around the same colour as my skintone, probably a tiny bit lighter and it really brightens the undereyes whilst not compromising on covering up the dark circles! I do tend to still use a corrector underneath, as like I said, I adore that flawless under-eye look and because the formula of this concealer is a little thicker I find that once it sets it doesn't really crease on me. Some people don’t like this concealer for their under-eyes due to the formula being a little heavier, however I did notice when coming back to this concealer after using a high-end one for a couple of weeks that it does set and last.

It is definitely not a luminous concealer though, so if you’re lucky enough to not have dark circles I probably wouldn’t recommend this for the under-eyes. If you can get away with it, opt for something light and glowy instead. As for blemishes, this stuff works great as well, again like I said because of its formula, it sets and stays in place. For me lasting perfection is one of those concealers I can really rely on and know that it’ll pack a punch when I need it.

You’ll like this if: You need a high coverage concealer which’ll cover darkness whilst actually lasting throughout the day. You’ll also like this if you opt for light/medium coverage bases but want a reliable concealer to cover blemishes here and there. I honestly think that if you can find the right shade, you’ll find a use for this be it covering dark circles OR blemishes, it works well and there aren’t many concealers who tick both those boxes!

3. Barry M Flawless Light Reflecting Concealer in shade 2 | £4.49

This is the newest concealer in my stash and its definitely one of those ‘the blogger made me buy it’ purchases! After I read a certain review (which I’ll link below), I knew I had to try this stuff because I loved the sound of it! Although its not super high coverage which is what I normally go for, nor is it salmon/peach toned, this is one of the best highlighting concealers I have come across. Hence the name ‘light reflecting concealer’, because it does bring a subtle radiance to the skin, whilst feeling lightweight and brightening up the skin. The applicator is a brush style which I really like because it distributes less product that a doe-foot and for the lightweight consistency that this has it works well. The formula is creamy, hydrating and it does not cake! I love the shade 2 because it’s definitely yellow toned which can be hard to find in the highstreet. I personally think this concealer has a medium coverage, so I don’t use it for my dark circles. However I use this as a highlight all over the usual places (tops of the cheekbones, forehead, down the nose etc). It blends so easily into the skin and I love how it remains the colour that it appears when it is applied. I will be picking up shade 1 which also has a yellow undertone because when I wear lighter bases I’ll mix 1+2 together to get a brighter look and I know I’ll be repurchasing these over and over! It feels so good to know that I have finally found a brightening/highlighting concealer for a budget price because I have been on the hunt for one for at least a year and a half! Also I love how the packaging is totally transparent and ALL the product gets used up! The more you use it the more the product all goes down, so there is no wastage at all - a huge thumbs up from me!

You’ll like this if: You’re looking for a beautifully luminous concealer with medium coverage and you want a budget concealer for highlighting and brightening up the skin. If you’re lucky enough to not have dark circles you NEED to try this for under the eyes! But I feel like if you can find the right shade you should pick it up regardless ^_^

(here’s the review I was talking about!)

So those are my top three drugstore concealers, ones that have made me so happy because they work really well for me! I know I’ll be repurchasing each of these and I’m chuffed that I can take advantage of the great offers that the drugstore offer, which aren’t easy to find when it comes to highend makeup. I hope that you’ve seen something that might work for you and I REALLY hope that if you do end up purchasing any of these you’ll enjoy them just as much as I have!

Thank-you for reading ♥

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Top Three | Drugstore Concealers

Wooo we are back with another top three post! This time its my favourite concealers that are budget friendly and all three of these can be picked up easily from boots or superdrug. Before 2015 I would only swear by ONE concealer from the drugstore, so to find two more this year that I love enough to put in a top three post - is pretty darn awesome! Concealers are a key in my makeup routine and they always have been. Back when I first started wearing more makeup than just a bit of eyeliner, I stayed away from foundations because I didn’t see the need for it and I was always advised to protect my young, fresh skin. But concealer to cover those horrendous hereditary dark circles was something I just did not want to avoid! It almost became a comfort blanket in a way. There is NO was I could afford or justify a gorgeous little pot of the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer when I was 17!

LOTW | Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 11

Hello everyone! I hope you’ve had a great week. I am going to be totally honest with you, I have only worn the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in shade 11  twice because I’ve hardly left the house all week and when I have its mainly been for work. Personally a red lip is too much for my work environment (tuition company) but I do feel like I have already formed a solid opinion on this particular lipstick from those applications. Plus its my most reached for red lipstick so I was fairly familiar with it already! If you’re a regular reader around this site you’ll know that I am a big fan of this line of lipsticks and I’ll link the other reviews at the end if you’re interested.


Price: £5.49

Colour: A stunning true deep red which doesn’t lean on the blue or the orange spectrum. I love this shade so much! It is very autumnal as it’s on the darker side and it could also be a great festive lipstick too. Its a real glamorous shade and makes me feel ever so sophisticated haha! I feel like this would suit a lot of different complexions and I rarely see it on the blogosphere so do swatch it in store if you can!

Formula and Lasting time: This lipstick is creamy when applied and with one swipe you get all the pigmentation you need. However I like to apply two swipes of the lipstick just to get a totally even colour all over the lips. It does show the very dry bits on the lips which is more of a problem not that the weather is cold, so as always scrub and balm. As it is not matte, the lasting time is around 3 hours and then it becomes a stain. It dries down pretty nicely but I prefer the look of it applied opaque in colour.

Favourite Way To Wear It: I totally forgot to photograph this, but the perfect lipliner for this lipstick is the Lord and Berry Lipliner in Sienna . I have reviewed and swatched it here. For any red lip I would recommend using a lipliner to get sharp and defined lips, however as this isn’t matte it’s definitely the most fool proof way to wear this lipstick as the liner really prevents any feathering. Just a note on these liners, I reviewed them two years ago and they certainly aren’t an amazing formula, I couldn’t fill in my whole lip with them as it would most certainly dry them out, but it does the job well with this lipstick.

Overall: This is my all time favourite red to wear, its not too light that it clashes with my skintone and its not extremely dark where it verges on vampy (at least for me anyway). I wouldn’t wear this on a daily basis, its more of a ‘now and then’ kind of lipstick, but I’m thrilled to have a red in my collection that I really like wearing. I wish it was a little more forgiving on the dry patches, they sort of highlight a slightly darker reed, but its not as harsh as matte formulas and for the most part it is very comfortable to wear. It has a slight shine that is flattering and gives a slightly plumper appearance to the lips. Although the formula isn’t faultless, the price is great and I have to say (so far) this is my favourite red lipstick. Although I’m hoping the NARS VMLP which is coming up soon, will steal the spot because a red lippie that lasts longer than 3 hours sounds very agreeable to a relatively low-maintenance girl like myself!

Available from: Frustratingly I can’t find this anywhere online, however it should be available at your local drugstore!

Rating: 7.5

Repurchase? Yes, when you find a red that rocks for you, it would be rude not too!

Also check out the:
 shade 4 review, a super vamp one
shade 8 review, my all time favourite everyday lipstick!

Have you found your perfect shade of red lipstick?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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LOTW | Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss in 11

Hello everyone! I hope you’ve had a great week. I am going to be totally honest with you, I have only worn the Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in shade 11  twice because I’ve hardly left the house all week and when I have its mainly been for work. Personally a red lip is too much for my work environment (tuition company) but I do feel like I have already formed a solid opinion on this particular lipstick from those applications. Plus its my most reached for red lipstick so I was fairly familiar with it already! If you’re a regular reader around this site you’ll know that I am a big fan of this line of lipsticks and I’ll link the other reviews at the end if you’re interested.

Top Three | Drugstore Blushers

Hello everyone, I hope you’re having a good week so far! Todays top three is regarding my favourite drugstore blushers, the ones I reach for the most and the ones I recommend you check out. Now it is no secret that I am a HUGE fan of NARS blushers and I do wear them probably 70% of the time that I wear makeup, because that have the best longevity and I love all the shades I own! However I am quite the blush-a-holic and own two Muji drawers stuffed to the brim of single blushers, plus a couple of palettes too, so I try and rotate as much as I can. I know that not everyone can afford NARS (although they’re worth saving up for and picking up with ASOS have 20% off!), so I thought it would be helpful to put together a post of my favourites from the highstreet. This post should hopefully be useful to those of you who aren’t really blush fans and don’t want to spend more than a fiver on a blush you may not wear that often! Don’t worry ladies, I have just what you need!

1. Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Blusher - Loved Me The Best | £2.50 | 6g

This is the newest from the trio in my stash and I should add that I recommend most baked blushers, because they are some of the best formula out there! Loved Me The Best is a beautiful deep pink shade with a hint of berry, which probably explains why I have been reaching for it more in the past few weeks than before. The marble baked finish, not only looks pretty, but adds a swirl of a deeper pink and a light pink together. When I dip my brush in, the colour merge together and on the cheeks it looks ever so flattering. The kind of pink my cheeks turn when I’ve been for a brisk walk in the winter time - which obviously happens a lot(!). This shade doesn’t look delightful when swatched, but on the cheeks I cannot get enough! Decently pigmented and buildable too. Sadly it does have a few minor faults. Firstly the lasting time on my cheeks is about 4.5 hours. After this time it fades considerably and there’s about 30% left. So I tend to sweep this on before a 4 hour shift, or a short trip out because I hate the rest of my base being in place and my blusher fading. The second thing some people may not like, is that this has a sheen to it, the kind of sheen that means I advise you skip out on a lot of highlighting. Personally I don’t mind this, it’s a 2-in-1 kind of effect and great for when you’re in a rush because it adds life, colour and dimension all at the same time. However if you’re only a fan of matte blushers then swatch this in store first.Finally this blush is DELICATE! Despite what the tough looking packaging would have you believe, it breaks easily. All the little cons aside though, it has still landed a spot in my top 3, so again well worth checking out!

2. Rimmel Lasting Finish Soft Colour Blush in Pink Rose | £3.99 | 4g

This is the oldest blusher in my makeup collection, and that particular one in the photo is my second pan which says a lot. I rarely hit pan on makeup because I rotate so often, but when I finished my original Pink Rose I couldn't let it leave my collection for longer than a month. I have said many times that my favourite NARS blush is DT, now I’m not saying that pink rose is a dupe, however they are very similar. They both are on the lighter, more neutral side which means, firstly it is hard to over apply and a lot of blending out is not necessary (which cannot be said for a lot of Sleek blushers). Secondly they both go with pretty much any makeup look you wear, whether its barely there makeup, or full on smoky eyes. Pink Rose is a medium pink shade with a very subtle sheen, no chunky glitter bits at all, rather the type of sheen that translates as a glow on the cheeks. I love the fact that it’s not matte, because it adds a subtle radiance to the skin and also looks pretty natural. The biggest difference between this shade and NARS D.T is that this shade doesn’t have any peach tone to it. Also if you layer and layer this up, it will translate as a deeper pink, but with one sweep you can achieve a similar look. The quality of the powder in the soft colour blushers are comparable to high end, they’re very soft without being powdery and they blend beautifully onto the cheeks. I am confident that this is THE blush for those who fear clown cheeks, this is the one they’ll be able to use without breaking into a sweat. Also the lasting powder of this blush is comparable to NARS, it lasts almost the whole day on me and I really couldn’t ask for much more! I love it so much that I’m including one in an upcoming giveaway, so one of you can be just as pleasantly surprised as I was!

3. Sleek Blush in Suede | £4.49 | 8g

What would a top drugstore blush post be, without a mention of Sleek?? One of the BEST brands on the highstreet, which is filled with some winning products that are worth 4X the amount they cost! Okay onto the one I picked, which is the shade Suede (ohhh that just rhymed!). Suede is a ‘nudey’ kind of blush shade which is totally matte. Upon first glance it reminded me a lot of the discontinued NARS shade ‘douceur’, however according to online swatches this is a little less pink. Despite this slight difference, it does give a similar effect as far as I can tell. A muted, soft light brown with a touch of pink which is SUPER classy. It’s the blusher that I turn to when I don’t want anything remotely pink on my cheeks and it adds the right amount of colour on my cheeks. I have to say that I prefer wearing this shade when I have a slightly deeper base on, as it looks super flattering against my skin when I’m more olive toned. It also makes for a brilliant transition shade, which I discovered the other day. Its a gorgeous shade for the crease and instantly makes you look like you’ve spent a lot longer on your eyemakeup. I was so thrilled to make this discovery because I’ve been planning what MUG shadows I want to purchase in the future, and now I can cross crease shade off and save a couple of quid! When I have a smoky eye and nude lips, this blush shade is like the icing on the cake. Although sleek blushers are typically over pigmented, this one isn’t over the top in my opinion and I don’t need to spend as much time blending it out as others. Plus you get 8g which is double the size of your standard blush, B A R G A I N. Oh and it includes a mirror and is very sturdy, yet space saving ^_^

L-R: MUR, RIMMEL, SLEEK

What are some of your favourite drugstore blushers?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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Top Three | Drugstore Blushers

Hello everyone, I hope you’re having a good week so far! Todays top three is regarding my favourite drugstore blushers, the ones I reach for the most and the ones I recommend you check out. Now it is no secret that I am a HUGE fan of NARS blushers and I do wear them probably 70% of the time that I wear makeup, because that have the best longevity and I love all the shades I own! However I am quite the blush-a-holic and own two Muji drawers stuffed to the brim of single blushers, plus a couple of palettes too, so I try and rotate as much as I can. I know that not everyone can afford NARS (although they’re worth saving up for and picking up with ASOS have 20% off!), so I thought it would be helpful to put together a post of my favourites from the highstreet. This post should hopefully be useful to those of you who aren’t really blush fans and don’t want to spend more than a fiver on a blush you may not wear that often! Don’t worry ladies, I have just what you need!

LOTW | Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 04

Hello everyone! I cannot believe its been a whole week since my last post, I apologise! The amount of hours I took on at work, combined with a deadline last week just proved too much and I had to put my blog on the backburner whilst I dealt with it all. I just wanted to say a HUGE thankyou to ALL of you for helping me reach 1000 bloglovin’ followers! I am so incredibly happy with this milestone and I can’t wait to post my TWO giveaways (to mark two years of blogging also!) very soon.

So this weeks lipstick, as I mentioned on Instagram, was one of the most challenging ones to work with and I have to be very honest here...I didn’t do a great job at sticking to it. The Rimmel Lasting Finish By Kate Lipstick in 04 is by far the darkest, deepest, most vampy lipstick in my collection. I bought this a good while ago from FragranceDirect for around £2 and apart from the odd vampy moment in my room it hasn’t has a lot of use.

Price: £2-£5.99

Colour: A very deep purple shade, so deep that it could look black from a distance. Its the type of shade that really made me feel like I need a nose ring and a permanent scowl on my face. Smiling with this type of vampy shade just didn’t quite look right!

Formula and Lasting time: I really like the formula of the Rimmel lasting finish lipsticks, they’re comfortable and creamy enough to stay put for about 3.5-4 hours and they glide onto the lips with ease. It only takes two swipes for the colour to look complete opaque and its refreshing to see there is no patchiness with such a deep lip colour.

L-R: Topshop lip liner in Girl Bye, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 04, NARS VMLP Bahama with 04 patted over top

Favourite Way To Wear It: Like I said I found this far too intense to wear full on for day-to-day. Whilst I secretly loved wearing it at my desk, feeling like a super cool and  ~vampy~  I couldn’t bring myself to wear it alone when I left the house. If this type of deep purple colour is your cup of tea though, I recommend checking out the Topshop Lip Liner in ‘Girl Bye’ which has a burgundy undertone, but is very close to the dark purple shade. Determined to try and give it a go I found that my favourite way of wearing it is lightly dabbed onto of the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bahama (review) which still gets the purple vibe across but is a lot less intense! I do like that it can be worn as a stain as it is so pigmented!

Overall: 04 is a SUPER vampy lipstick that is not for the faint hearted. It is by far the deepest lipstick shade that I have seen on the British highstreet, so if you’re looking for an affordable vampy lipstick then this is a pretty good option! Due to the creamy formula a lipliner is highly recommended. It is very comfortable, just too dark for me!

Available from: I can’t find it online, but check out Boots and Superdrugs.

Rating: 6 (only because of the colour!)

Repurchase? No. I’ll probably be offering it to friends or chucking it out because realistically I won’t get enough use out of it to justify keeping it in my stash.

P.S If you would like to read my Rimmel lip liner collection then click HERE, I had the pleasure of guest posting on the amazing Jasmine’s blog and I’ve included swatches! ^_^

Have you tried the Rimmel lasting finish lipsticks? Which is your favourite?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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