JUST ANOTHER HAUL POST...

I don't know what it is about this time of year but it's always the time when I come down with a very strong case of the 'feeling spendy' flu. As much as I try to avoid it, I can't help myself. Normally I'm very good with money but this time of year just kills me and I end up wanting everything and some how justifying it (as you will see if you've seen my previous posts recently). I think this year is probably worse as I've now finished education (for now) so I don't have anything serious to focus on, so my mind is filled with pretty make up. The biggest stress in my life at the moment is deliberating over which lip liner colour I want to buy... seriously - not as easy as you'd think!

I justified all of these products on the fact I'd planned to buy them prior to going shopping, therefore there was no impulse buying, which I guess is a positive. Superdrug had a 3 for 2 offer on and I knew I really wanted to try Make up Revolution and especially their blush palettes. There is so much more from the brand that I want to try but it was too busy to really look so I just grabbed what I originally planned for. I chose Sugar and Spice as I love pink blush on myself. I'd also been planning on getting the new Sleek Del Mar Volume II eye shadow palette; I bought the first Del Mar palette last year and really liked it so I'm excited to use this one in the summer months. For my final product in the 3 for 2 offer I picked up the Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Powder. I knew I needed to buy a powder but hadn't decided on which one. I have never tried this one before and haven't actually heard anything about it so I'm intrigued to see how well it works. 

The next product needed no justification as I was able to use my loyalty points for the whole payment, which always feels so good. I chose to buy Urban Decay's Lip Liner in Manic. They are the best lip liners I have ever tried; they're so creamy and just glide over the lips so easily, sit well all day and still feel comfortable used all over the lips. Manic is a pretty rosy pink shade, that's just a richer shade of a natural lip colour so it's really complimentary and easy to wear. 

I also bought the Clarins Instant Concealer after hearing so many good things about it and the Clarins Aquatic Treasures Bronzing Compact. I loved the bronzer last year but didn't get round to buying it so I just had to this year as it is so beautiful! 

I'm looking forward to trying all of these products and I'm sure they will be featuring more on the blog, once I've had a chance to play with them. Have you used any of these?

EMPTIES: MAKE UP ITEMS I'VE USED UP

 As you can see, I nearly had a concealer crisis as I managed to use up every concealer that I owned, not too far from each other. I now feel that buying in excess is completely justified as that was a scary time, when I didn't know if I'd be able to cover those dreaded dark circles and blemishes. Luckily, we can all sleep easy again as I am now back to being well stocked and ready for anything - phew!

While on the topic of concealer, I ran out of an old favourite - MAC Pro Longwear. A really great concealer for under the eyes and other imperfections that lasted for ages! I did repurchase this concealer and it's one that I like to have in my collection, although the Urban Decay Concealer (review here), has now taken the favourite spot. Another good concealer was the Maybelline Eraser concealer in shade light; it's a really good product for brightening under the eyes as it's quite yellow toned. My issues with this concealer are that it didn't seem to last long at all and I am now left with what appears to be a lot of product in the tube that I cannot get out. One that I wasn't so keen on was the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer; I bought the lightest shade but it still wasn't very light at all and quite orange toned. It was disappointing as others seem to love this concealer. The MAC Prep & Prime brightener in Radiant Rose and Bare Minerals Stroke of light 1 products are both very similar. They are light pink in colour and are great for counteracting darkness and brightening the under eye area. I have repurchased the MAC one over the Bare Minerals, as it lasted so long with me using it every day. The Bare Minerals product seemed to run out a lot quicker. It must be something to do with the packaging as the MAC one only has 3ml of product, while Bare Minerals is 5.5ml. I trust the ingredients of Bare Minerals more but for how much longer the MAC one seemed to last, I have to favour it.

On to foundations both by Bourjois. I managed to use both of these foundations up as it was when I first started abandoning fake tan and gradually getting lighter and these two were the lightest ones I owned at that time. I think they are fairly similar in terms of coverage and longevity. I would say they are a light-medium coverage that evens out the skin tone completely, yet you would still need more coverage for bigger imperfections if you wanted it. They both feel and look very light on the skin. The only different that I can really think of is that the Happy Light foundation is obviously a lot more dewy and radiant looking than the Healthy Mix Serum. 

The L'oreal Volume Million mascara was a repurchase as I used to love it but this time round it didn't impress me as much. The formula wasn't 'wet' enough for me to build the lashes well and get a lot of volume from it. I want to try other L'oreal mascara's as I have liked some of them but this one I wont be repurchasing. I now only use powder products for my eye brows as I don't actually own any pencils now that I have used up the Bare Minerals Frame & Define brow pencil. It's a very thin, twist up product so you only need to twist the tiniest amount up, otherwise the product snaps off pretty easily. It is a good product; great colour and really good at adding definition but it just seemed to run out too quickly for my liking. As I'm pretty happy with just powder products I don't feel that I need to repurchase this product but I'm definitely not ruling out brow pencils in the future! 

On the other hand, a product that lasted for so long was the MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage. It's a cream formula face priming product, with little shimmer particles to make your skin look more radiant. I found it really great for when my skin felt a little drier as it is so hydrating, yet very light weight so works great as a base for foundation. I've got a full review of the product 'here.' At the moment I don't actually use any face primers any more so I don't need to repurchase this product but I would still recommend it. 

The final product is MAC's Give Me Sun, which I repurchased even before I had run out of this one. It's an amazing bronzer, with so much pigmentation. It's a lovely warm tone so really works for making your skin  look more healthy and warm very quickly. It works on my now very fair skin really well and also when I have a dark tan so I think it's a good all rounder - as long as a lighter hand is used in times of the fairer skin! The bronzer lasted so long, even though I used it every day that I actually started to wonder why it wasn't hitting pan and wishing it would, in a strange kind of way. 

HYPED PRODUCTS THAT IM NOT IN LOVE WITH

Here goes - I'm about to do what us women do best - moan! Okay, I guess there are some saint women out there who don't, but there's also the 500 million that love nothing more than a good moan! With bloggers and youtubers having such an immense effect on how we view beauty products, it's often hard not to succumb to the huge hype surrounding certain products. Often it seems our own opinions and views on products can be bias from the start, just by a youtuber or bloggers opinion. These products are some of the many that have been hugely hyped in the beauty world and really, I'm not so into them. 

First is Benefit's They're Real Mascara.  At first I loved this mascara and it did make my lashes look really good, it lengthened, it thickened and it stayed put; maybe even a little too well! My problem with this mascara is that it dries up super quick, making it absolutely useless to apply. I made sure it was the only mascara I had on the go so I could get the most use out of it, yet it still only lasted a couple or few weeks maximum. At £19.50, I cannot be repurchasing every couple of weeks! 

Another mascara that I didn't love was Maybelline The Falsies. We all know that Tanya Burr loves it, but when I used it I felt it was a good mascara, but it wasn't anything special at all! I also found the shape of the wand to not be the best and easiest to apply. 

Another Tanya Burr favourite is Rimmel's Stay Matte powder. I tried it as it's a really affordable product so if it works well then my bank account would definitely love me forever. I don't even have particularly oily skin but I always find that this powder makes it feel like I haven't even set my foundation at all and my face does feel a little oily and definitely far from matte. 

The much loved Collection Lasting Finish Concealer just doesn't seem as amazing as everyone makes out. I don't think the coverage is amazing and I don't think it's longevity is all that great either. 

I used hydraluron every day for as long as the tube lasted me and I didn't ever notice any difference. I read reviews that it was only when people stopped using it that they noticed what a difference it was actually making. I've now not been using it for a month or so, as it ran out and I honestly haven't noticed any difference. I love the idea of it but as I haven't really seen any difference, I can't justify buying another. 

Last but most probably not least, are the Lush fresh face masks in general. I have tried pretty much all of the different masks and I never really see any difference in my skin, not even any tiny improvements. They disappoint me as they all sounds so amazing yet, seem to do nothing beneficial for my skin. 

Okay, that's my moaning done for now. Have you tried any of these products and were also less than impressed or actually loved them? 

WHAT'S IN MY TRAVEL MAKE UP BAG

I don't normally use a make up bag at home and prefer to keep all of my make up in my draws, as I just have far too much for any make up bag to handle. Last week I had the dreaded task of having to decide which make up products to take with me on holiday - which honestly felt like I was choosing which child I wanted to take with me. I was also terrified that things would get broken during the journey, so it took me a lot longer than I'd like to admit to choose between my beloved eye shadows. 

I did take quite a bit more than what is photographed but these were the only products that I used. First, I used MAC's Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage for my primer as it is really hydrating and spending all day out in the sun means you can't get enough hydration to your skin. For my foundation I used Bare Minerals Ready foundation as it's so quick and easy to apply, gives great coverage but still doesn't look or feel heavy on the skin. I set my foundation with Bare Minerals Mineral Veil to control any extra shine, so I didn't look like a hot mess in the equally hot weather. I used MAC's Pro Longwear concealer under the eyes and on any imperfections. I also used MAC's Prep + Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose under the eyes and as always MAC's Emphasize powder to set it. I used Bare Minerals Stroke of Light to highlight areas of my face, to look more glowy and summery. To bronze my face I used Bare Minerals The First Resort bronzer, there is also a highlight shade in there which I used as a blush and highlight. 

For my eyes I used MAC's Painterly Paint pot as a base. As I was on holiday I decided to experiment a bit more with some colour, so decided to bring Sleek's Del Mar Palette and managed to use the green, blue and the coral and orange shades.  I also used Urban Decay's Naked Basics palette to compliment the brighter shades and also used the dark brown and black on my brows. When I wasn't feeling too colourful I stuck with my trusty Make up Geek eyeshadows, in Peach Smoothie, Coco Bear, Creme Brule, Cosmopolitan and Mocha. For mascara, I like to bring a waterproof one as I'm one of those girls that does apply a little make up throughout the day, so waterproof is essential. I chose Maybelline's The Falsies mascara, as we all know Tanya Burr raves about it so I thought it would be a good time to try it. I liked it but I wouldn't rate it as highly as she does. 

I love a bright lip for summer but I didn't want to deal with applying lipstick and then worrying about eating and drinking at dinner, so I just used a tiny amount of Bare Minerals Go the Distance lipstick, by just dabbing it on my lips to give a slight stain of colour. 

Finally, The Urban Decay Chill setting spray came in very handy, both when setting my make up and to use just to refresh and cool me down throughout the day. 

Have you been away lately? What are your holiday make up must haves? 

AUTUMN INSPIRED EYE MAKE-UP LOOK

Hello everyone! 

I actually did this make up look around the mid-end of August, when the weather started to turn a little less summer like and a lot more like autumn. However, a couple of days after the summer weather came back again, so I didn't really feel like I could post an autumn make-up look, while sitting wearing my summer dress and flip flops! 

I had been craving those berry/red shades so I picked up Maybelline's  Metallic Pomegranate  24 Hour Colour Tattoo, that Hannah reviewed 'here.' Hannah loves the Colour Tattoo's, however, the first time I used mine, I really wasn't impressed. It seemed to clump up and then peel off really easy. I also couldn't blend eyeshadow on top easily at all. The second time that I tried it, I actually really liked it. I'm not sure what I did differently, but they worked really well. 

1. I used the Metallic Pomegranate all over the lid. I really like the colour, however, I wish it wasn't so shimmery! I then put the light beige/orange Sleek shade (labelled with a 1), through my crease as a transission shade to make sure all of the future blending would look smooth and seamless. 

2. I next blended another Sleek shade (labelled with a 2), through the lower crease, blending it into the Pomegranate colour on my lid. I also lightly patted it over the lid. 

3. I also took the Pomegranate shade under my eye in the lower lash line.

4. I then used the black shade in the Sleek palette (Labelled with a 3), lightly in the inner corner and heavier in the outer v/outer corner of the eye. 

5. I then blended the black shadow in the corners under my eye 

6. I added Rimmel's gel eye liner to my lash line and flicked it out.

7. I used MUA's Shade 1, single eyeshadow as an under the brow highlight and also to highlight the inner eye. 

8. I finished off the eyes with a few coats of Benefit's 'They're Real' Mascara. (That I'm not too impressed with any more, as mine feels like it's running out after just a few weeks of use)!

As the eyes are pretty heavy, I wanted them to be the main focus, so I've kept the rest of the face very natural looking. I used Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, Rimmel Match Perfection Powder, Bourjois bronzer, Benefit Hervana blush and Revlon's lip butter in sweet Tart. 

I'm absolutely loving Autumn make-up looks so far and I really feel like I need more Autumn colours! Are there any products that I need to try? 

GEORGIA'S AUGUST FAVOURITES

Last month none of my beauty products were really standing out to me at all. I'd also not been buying anything new due to my 'spending ban'/ trying to use up what I already own. However, during August, I found that I was reaching for particular products over and over again and really enjoyed using what I was choosing. 

Apart from the Baby Lips, all of these products are products that I already owned prior to the start of the month, but this month they really stood out to me.

MUA Undress Me Palette & Sleek Ultra Mattes

The MUA Undress Me palette is my 'back up' version of the palette as the current one that I use has been very well loved and isn't looking as immaculate as the one pictured. I've been really liking the two matte shades (3rd & 5th in the top row) and the gold shade (6th in the top row). I've really liked using shade 5 in the crease, the gold shade 6 all over the lid and then the black or brown shades in the Sleek palette in the outer corner of the eye and slightly through the crease. I've also liked using shade 7 all over the lid, with the red/brown shade (2nd shade from the left, on the bottom row),  from the Sleek palette through the crease. I've loved the Sleek palette ever since I bought it and will definitely be repurchasing when this one runs out. I've also liked the MUA palette, however I've been neglecting it lately, until the month of August when we were brought together again and completely reconnected. 

Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo & Conditioner

When I bought these a few months ago, I thought, oh lets just chuck these on the blog... I'm not sure anyone will be too attracted to the review but anyway...

I couldn't have been more wrong. My review of the Bee Strong range has been our most viewed post, by an insane amount and I genuinely cannot believe how many views it has actually got. It's no surprise that these are amazing products. If you want to read the full review, you can check it out 'here.'  I coloured my hair back to my natural brunette shade at the beginning of August and although I adore the colour, it left my hair feeling pretty damaged and tired. I was using another shampoo and conditioner but my hair didn't seem to be improving. I used the Bee Strong shampoo and conditioner one night and the next day my hair felt amazing; so soft, shiny and lightweight. I've been using it ever since and really love it. 

L'oreal True Match Foundation

Once again, I'd been too busy using other foundations that I had ignored the True Match foundation for a while. I started using it one day and fell back in love. I love that you don't need much product; one pump will cover the whole face really well. It's definitely a really good medium coverage foundation that can be built up if necessary. It's a great match for my skin (golden beige) and seems to last really well. I've been using this everyday before work, I drive for about 40 minutes in the car, then walk into work and then work and walk back to the car and the same journey home. It's also been really warm lately, but still by the time that I get home from work, my foundation still looks great and I wouldn't need to retouch if I was to then go out after work. 

Maybelline The Eraser Concealer

I've previously reviewed this product, so if you would like to read the full review, you can 'here.' 

I think this concealer must have got lost under my numerous others as I'd totally forgot about it and had instead been using the famous Collection concealer. I decided to hunt for it specifically during August and I loved it even more than before. It's so creamy and gives great coverage. I also really love the sponge aplicator as it feels extra soothing when you apply it under your eyes. 

Benefit They're Real Mascara 

I didn't start using this mascara until August as I'd been saving it until I'd used up my others. I'm not sure it's worth its huge hype, as I equally love some of the L'oreal mascaras that I have previously tried, however, it is an amazing mascara. What I love most about this mascara is how quickly you can build up length and volume. I love heavy impact lashes that do stand out and look really volumized, but without the clump, which this mascara does amazingly. It's definitely my favourite out of all of the mascaras that I have recently tried. 

MUA Eye Shadow Shade 19

This is a matte eye shadow and I've been using it on my brows and sometimes under my lash line and through the crease. It's so pigmented, builds colour amazingly and lasts all day. It's only £1 and it's great! It's probably as easily to blend, or at least very close to MAC eye shadows. 

MAC Lustering Lipstick

This has been one of my favourite summer lipstick colours this year and I've been wearing it a lot this month. It's so easy to wear and really brightens up your look. I've found two dupes for this lipstick which I wrote a post on 'here,'if you don't fancy forking out £15!!! for a MAC lipstick. MAC, just stop! It's not funny. 

Baby Lips Pink Punch

Pink Punch has lived in my hand bag all month and I've really loved wearing it while I'm at work as it's so easy to quickly apply and gives a great, quite strong hint of colour to the lips. The colour makes it look like you've applied a lipstick, when actually it's only a lip balm and it's nourishing on the lips. Another great feature is that the colour seems to stain the lips so over time the glossy look fades away, however the strong colour remains evenly. 

Hope you've enjoyed reading my favourites from August as much as I've enjoyed using them! Are any of my favourites the same as yours?

BABY LIPS FULL RANGE REVIEW UK | WORTH THE HYPE?!

Oh my gosh... really? Another Baby Lips post on a beauty blog?! How original...

Yeah, I think there's probably a fine line between the hype and the annoyance of the hype by now. 

Anyway, we embraced the hype with open arms as we wanted to know what the fuss was all about, so we bought them all. 

Cherry Me, Pink Punch, Peach Kiss, Hydrate, Intense Care, Mint Fresh

I had looked around in my local Boots and Superdrug, when I saw that they had been spotted in some UK stores, however, I never had any luck until last Saturday when I wasn't even expecting it! 

I was shopping with my boyfriend and as I'm trying not to buy anything that I don't actually need, I completely ignored everything in Superdrug that I would normally lust over. We had only gone in to get something for my boyfriend, which was safe because man stuff doesn't interest me at all. When he went to pay I went with him so I could nab the beauty card points. This was when it happened... 

There sitting pretty at the till, were the Baby Lips, waiting for me to acknowledge their appearance and grab them up. I actually shrieked and mumbled, "I need them". I started to worry; the que was huge and I didn't want to just but in as I wasn't the one paying so I couldn't just add them with my boyfriends stuff. 

Luckily I have a lovely boyfriend and he said I could add one, (I don't think he realised one wasn't really an option. Come on, they're 3 for 2)! So I mentioned this to him and he said I could chose 3, YEY! The whole range wasn't there, so I had Peach Kiss, Hydrate, Mint Fresh and Intense Care to chose from. I quickly picked up Peach Kiss, Mint Fresh and Hydrate. 

A few days later I looked in Boots to get the others and nearly didn't see them as they were right at the bottom of the Maybelline stand, nearly hidden. Unfortunately they only had the Intense Care, which must be an unpopular one as the rest were sold out. I went to Superdrug and I nearly thought that they didnt have any either, but luckily they were all at the till and all of the colours/flavours were there too! I grabbed the remaining colours and also got some for Hannah too. 

Cherry Me, Pink Punch, Peach Kiss, Hydrate, Intense Care, Mint Fresh

So what do we think? 

Non-Tinted Baby Lips:

Hydrate (blue), Intense Care (yellow) and Mint Fresh (green) are the non coloured ones, so they are clear on the lips. These all contain SPF 20, which is a nice bonus for most, although I have heard of some people that say they can't use lip balms with SPF in. The balms contain aloe, honey and shea butter, which are popular in skin care. They claim to give 8 hours hydration to the lips. 

 We were really impressed with how hydrating and creamy the balms feel on your lips, considering they are hard sticks of product. Although they seem very similar, we are definitely finding favourites as we use them more and more. 

Hydrate, Intense Care, Mint Fresh

Hydrate (Blue):  Firstly I love the colour contrast of the pink and blue as it's very cute. The lip balm has a lemon scent to it which is subtle and pleasant. However, I'm not a huge fan of this one overall, as it leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth when you apply it. I'm not sure how to describe it; it isn't horrible, it's just that kind of not nice lip balm taste... 

Intense Care (Yellow):  This one doesn't have any smell to it and is the only unfragranced one out of the six that have been released in the UK, which may be the reason why it doesn't seem as popular. However, it's really nourishing on the lips and does everything you would expect. I'm not sure whether it's any more conditioning than any of the others, as it claims to be the 'intense care' balm but it's still a great product.

Mint Fresh (Green): This is my favourite of the non tinted Baby Lips. It has a gorgeous mint smell to it, which is pleasant and not overpowering at all. When applied to the lips it leaves a slight tingly effect, like mint products tend to do, so it feels like it's really working into the lips. I applied this balm earlier and it left my lips feeling really nourished and hydrated and around 5 hours later, my lips are still not feeling like they need any lip balm reapplied. I can't feel the product on them anymore, as you would expect...that would be pretty impressive, however, I do feel like I can still feel the effects, as I'm normally applying a lip balm every couple of hours. (My boyfriend just over read that last claim and said, "Every couple of hours?! More like every couple of minutes"). Well, there you have it!

Hydrate, Intense Care, Mint Fresh

Tinted Baby Lips:

Unlike the non-tinted Baby Lips, these three do not include spf 20, which doesn't really bother me... but now I think about it, it would be handy to have these when you're sunbathing on holiday as they would add a gorgeous hint of colour to your otherwise make-up free face and protect your lips from the sun! But I can get over that. 

We both love these three; they smell gorgeous, look so pretty & cute and also leave a lovely tint to the lips. They seem to give the same nourishing and conditioning benefits as the non-tinted Baby Lips and apply really easily and feel nice and creamy but light, on the lips. 

Cherry Me, Pink Punch, Peach Kiss

Cherry Me (orange): This Baby Lips has quite a strong gorgeous cherry scent to it as you would guess. However, it isn't over powering at all and once it's applied to your lips it's only a very subtle scent. It also adds a rose-pink tint to the lips, which is a lovely natural colour. Although not the strongest of colours, I really like this one for an on the go touch up as  it adds enough colour to brighten up your face but is still subtle enough to be able to apply without a mirror and you wont make any mistakes, like you might with lipstick. 

Pink Punch (Pink): This has to be my favourite smelling Baby Lips, as it's a gorgeous summery bubblegum type scent. When I first applied this to my lips I was so surprised at how pigmented it really is. It gives a really bright but lighter pink colour to the lips, which I would say is more than a subtle tint, however, it's still just as easy to wear and apply on the go. 

Peach Kiss (Purple): Once again, Peach Kiss has a lovely smell to it and as you can guess, it's a peach scent. This one gives the least colour out of the three, as it's a nude colour in the stick. It gives a subtle nude tone to the lips and feels as lovely on as all of the others. 

So, are they worth the hype?!

Considering that the hype around these little things is probably compatible with the excitement that surrounded Will & Kate's babies birth, they probably aren't worth that hype. However, we both do really love them. Our favourite's are the tinted ones as they smell and look the best on the lips. I love that these are great for adding colour to your lips, without having to worry about having a mirror around to apply it and how they're going to last. I also really love the minty one as it is the one that feels like it's doing the most to your lips, as it gives the tingly feeling to them. I'm impressed with how well they seem to moisturise the lips and I've definitely noticed I don't need to reapply as much as I normally would. These have replaced our current lip balms; we both normally use Carmex and we much prefer these. 

I would recommend giving these a go if you're interested and love cute packaging and pretty scents. So far they do seem great for the lips too!

BEAUTY WISHLIST # 2

A couple of months ago, I wrote a post (that you can read 'here'), about my shopping problems that I'm sure we are all guilty of. You'll know that you also suffer from the same problems as me if you have enough beauty products, that you could probably survive without going shopping for at least a couple of years. Who really needs draws full of products when you can only use a few everyday anyway!? 

To slightly ease my intense desire to always be buying new products that I don't realistically need, I have decided to write everything down that I want to buy and keep wish lists, for when I have actually ran out of a particular product. Also, in case anyone decides that they just want to treat me then I'll have a very, very long list for them to chose from. Unfortunately for me, my birthday is the same month as Christmas, so I have to wait all year for the two best days when people just love lavishing you with presents. 

 1. Maybelline Baby Lips 

2. Lush Toner Water

3. Lush Big Shampoo

 4. Clinique 'Take the day off' Cleansing Balm

5. Mac Cranberry Eye shadow

6. Mac Sketch Eye Shadow

7. Tangle Teezer

1. Maybelline Baby Lips

When I first started to hear about Baby Lips from the American bloggers and youtubers I wasn't really too bothered about them. However, once every female in the UK started to crave them, I also started to think I needed to try them. They're so cute looking that I'm finding myself not being able to resist them anymore! 

2. Lush Toner Water

I really love how natural Lush products are and their toner waters look really lovely. I also watched one of Jaclyn Hill's Youtube videos and she said she used one of these toners, so if they're good enough for her, they're good enough for me! 

3. Lush Big Shampoo

I was given two little sample pots of this shampoo earlier this year and I now feel like I definitely need to get the full size product. The shampoo contains sea salt, so it seems really weird putting it into your hair, as it's a very different texture than we're all used to. However, it does foam up really well and a little amount easily covers your whole hair. It also has the most gorgeous smell to it. The first time I used the shampoo, I washed my hair in the morning and saw my boyfriend that evening. He told me that I smelt really nice and I said it was probably my perfume that I had JUST sprayed minutes before, but it wasn't and it was actually my hair that he could still smell! Amazing! 

4. Clinique Take the day off Balm Cleanser

I've really been getting into skincare lately and I've been trying to use up all of my face products as prior to this year, I didn't have much of a skincare routine. I've now hit the 20's and I'm sure I'm noticing wrinkles appearing, so I've now been trying to treat my skin really nicely, in hope that it will treat me well too in the future years to come. Also, balm cleansers have Caroline Hiron's seal of approvable so they must be good! 

5. Mac Cranberry & 6. Mac Sketch Eye shadow

I love the summer and if I could, I would happily move somewhere where it's always warm and sunny. I didn't think I would even miss the seasons, as people normally say they would miss the leaves turning colour and coming in from the cold, to a burning fire, cinnamon and christmasy smelling candles.. blah, blah... Recently I've been getting sick of the corals and bright pinks and instead craving autumn/winter colour make up; I've been longing for the chance to wear burgandy and cranberry shadows, like these two from MAC and dark lipsticks. I don't want the summer months to end, but I do want the autumn/winter make up to start!

7. Tangle Teezer

I'm so obsessed with make up that I really feel like I neglect my hair. I like the idea of doing lots of glamourous styles, however, I take so long with my make up that I normally run out of time. I've recently been trying to make more of an effort with my hair and I feel that I need the tangle teezer in my life. As I have very thin hair, it does tangle very easily and often tangles itself up, for no reason whatsoever. I think the tangle teezer will be good to carry around with me, so that I can untangle my hair easily and not have to carry a huge bursh with me. 

Let me know what's on your wish list as I'm sure I'll be needing to add stuff to mine too!

MAYBELLINE COLOUR TATTOO 24 HR | REVIEW + MAKE-UP IDEA

Maybelline's Colour Tattoo 24 Hr  cream shadows aren't exactly new anymore, however it wasn't until a few weeks ago that they caught my attention. This happened when I was trying to find something in my makeup bag to apply to make my eyeshadow more vibrant, allowing for a much more intense and true representation of the shadows colour. I found MaXfactor's Smoky Eye effect eyeshadow . The cream texture of the shadow almost acted like a primer base, giving the eye the perfect texture for eye shadow staying power! Seeing as I dug this out of the bottom of my bag, you should see it soon in an empties post, and so I came across these Colour Tattoo's that have the same creamy texture I was looking for.  

 

They're easy to apply using Real Techniques stater set, and as the name suggests, they stay on perfectly all day! After reading some other reviews there has been complaints of them staying on a little too long, however I didn't experience this after using a general make-up remover.

At £4.99 each I brought them on Boot's buy one get one half price deal. Regardless of the deal, I think their £4.99 price is extremely good, considering how much product you get and the price of make-up these days!  I soon became addicted. I have to admit I was slightly worried about using the black due to the Tattoo name, however I have found it works great to line and define the eye and will no doubt be buying some more colours soon! 

There is a variation of mattes and more shimmery  colours, which means that all ages and styles can use them, the only downfall I can say, would be the lack of colours here in the UK, after finding some great lighter colours that would highlight well, on the internet available in the USA I can only hope they will make their way here eventually. 

With flash

Above are the colours, Metallic Pomegranate and Pink Gold, that I used to create the make-up look, however I also used MUA's Undress me too palette  on the crease of the eye to add definition and depth to the look. 

WEDDING GUEST MAKE UP

Hey!

On Saturday I went to my boyfriend's mum's wedding. However, I wasn't just a guest, I was also doing the brides and brides maids make-up. I will be posting some photos of the bride's make-up very soon and chatting about how it went. I'll also post some other wedding photos and my outfit once I get my hands on the wedding photo disc!

Unfortunately my photographer (AKA Hannah), decided she wasn't going to bother doing any close up shots of the eye make-up so this is the best we have. I did my make-up myself and wanted to do something quite... well, natural isn't really the word, but I wanted it to look pretty but not too much or too dramatic as it was a wedding and I think fresh and pretty is the way to go for weddings, rather than dark and too 'in your face.' As I am a make-up lover and aspiring make-up artist, I couldn't just wear minimal make-up, especially for a wedding! So I decided on neutral colours and created a smoky eye.

 I set my alarm for 6.30am to make sure that I had enough time to get ready as I didn't want to be late going over to do the bride and brides maids make-up. Luckily, everything with my hair and make-up went really smoothly and I was really happy with both. Hannah used the Babyliss heated rollers in my hair and I left them in for over an hour and the curls stayed in all day. I wasn't necessarily wanting my hair super curly but it's so flat and thin that any volume was much welcomed. 

 I decided against wearing false lashes as it was going to be a long day, it was boiling hot and my hayfever is still pretty horrible, so they would have definitely just aggravated me.

All products used will be listed after the photos.

 

 

And the final look, with hair and make-up finished...

Hair

- TIGI Bed Head Style Shots Epic Volume Shampoo & Conditioner
- TIGI Bed Head Superstar Queen for a day Thickening Spray
- L'oreal Heat Styling Spray - Volume 
- Babyliss Heated Rollers 
- L'oreal Elnett Hairspray
- TIGI Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream 

Make-up

Face:

- Primer: Benefit Porefessional (cheap dupe here)
- Foundation: MAC Stufio Fix Fluid NW25
- Powder: Rimmel Match Perfection Soft Beige 200 + Rimmel Stay Matte transparent
- Bronzer: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Give Me Sun
- Blusher: Benefit Hervana
- Contour + Highlight: Sleek Face Form Kit in Light (review here)
- Concealer: MAC Pro Longwear NW25 + Maybelline The Eraser (review here)

Eyes: 

- Sleek Ultra Mattes Palette
- Rimmel Gel Eyeliner Black
-  MAC Woodwinked 
- MUA Brow Kit
- Benefit They're Real mascara
- MUA PRO Base Make-up Fixing Spray

Lips:

- LUSH Sugar Scrub (Review here)
- MAC Viva Glam V
- Soap & Glory Sexy mother pucka Lipgloss

EMPTIES #1

If you've had a look around our blog, you'll understand when I say a regular clear out of our makeup bags is necessary to fit in all the new purchases that accidentally force their way into our lives -  this addiction is not my fault, I swear! 

So here are some of the empty products that are out of our lives, some for good, and others will require a trip to Superdrug to repurchase!

1. Body Shops Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion is £8 for a 50 ml bottle. I got this for my birthday and it's lasted 4 months, which would mean that you'd only have to purchase three bottles and it would last the whole year, which is pretty cost effective. I use the lotion every night to give my skin time away from makeup to refresh and sort out any little problem areas.  The lotion has a more watery texture and does not leave the skin feeling oily which I have previously experienced with other lotions. It leaves the skin feeling fresh and the tea tree helps combat skin issues  and so overall I would recommend this product although if you have extremely dry skin (my forehand is always slightly dry) a thicker application is required meaning it would not last as long.  

2. Rimmel match Perfection, is a fairly low to medium coverage foundation. We've both had this foundation and really didn't think much of it. It's very watery and just looks sooooooo shiny/oily on the skin, so maybe it would be a nice foundation for really dry skin. We don't even have majorly oily skin, we have combination skin types and it wasn't any good for us so I would definitely stay far away if you do have oily skin.

3.This is my third pot of Benefit's Erase Paste at £19.50 in the last three years, so I can confidently say that I am a fan of the long lasting, thick elastic texture. Like all Benefit products, it comes equip with instructions as to where the product should be applied which is always helpful, however I use the concealer more for spots than to brighten however both would be achieved. The only slight downfall is that I use an alternative under eye concealer as I feel this product is too thick to apply in such a delicate area. 

4. Benefit's they're real! I really love this mascara as it gives volume as well as length with the end of  the wand allowing maximum coverage of all the lashes in the corners of the eye, making the eye really stand out. The false look is better achieved with multiple applications which means if you are in a rush and as mascara is one of the last products I apply it can become pretty tedious. Although I love the shape and result at £19.50 it is not worth the price and I would much prefer to pick up a L'oreal or Maybeline introductory offer mascara. 

5.Please excuse the wear on the box but this is an empties post! Benefit's Coralista is undoubtedly my favorite blusher and has lasted me over 2 years (explaining the condition of the box!), using it almost everyday which is incredible! The product has an amazing smell and great pigmentation, although I do not use the brush supplied, opting instead for Real Techniques blusher brush. In addition, the mirror is slightly too small to use. Overall £23.50 seems extortionate however due to the fact it lasts such a long time and looks so lovely on the skin with a slight shimmer I will be replacing this soon!

6.   Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl, is a highlighter/complexion enhancer. It's a really pretty pearly pink colour and gives your skin a gorgeous glow. It was a nice product to use however, It's unlikely that I'll be repurchasing as it's pretty expensive at £24.50!! 

7. Rimmel's Stay Matte foundation is not a favorite of mine.  It gave okay coverage however I didn't notice that it left me looking any more matte than normal, or controlled oil better or worse. I just wasn't wow'd by it at all. There are also only 5 shades available which does limit the consumer range substantially. 

8. Max factor xperience foundation, this foundation lasted ages! It looks like there isn't too much product inside it but it really did last a long time. It's a medium coverage foundation and looks really natural on the skin, but still really enhances your complexion. It's also very light weight so won't clog your pores. I did like this foundation, however I probably won't rush to repurchase as there are so many others which I'd like to try.

9. Maybeline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner is long lasting and comes in black and brown shades. I will be repurchasing this again when Superdrug has a three for two offer on as at £7.99 it is more justified to be getting something free! With regular washing and upkeep the brush is easy to apply without being too thin, making it fidley to apply. The liner stays on well all day, however I have experienced some fall down throughout the day but solved this by applying extra powder under the eye. 

10.  I bought Bourjois' Healthy Balance powder on a three for two offer along with the matching foundation and concealer. All together, the collection gives your face a fresh and radiant feel while giving high coverage meaning not as much is needed and so they have lasted well. However I will only buy the foundation again as I find Rimmel's Stay Matte powder to be just as effective and flawless for a much less price. It also smells soo good!