Hello you beauties!
Before we start, I need to let you all know that this will be my final review for this subscription box. I love this subscription, but due to the fact I am moving to Brighton in 6 months time, I will not be able to continue with this subscription, as I do not want too much stuff to have to take with me, and also I need to be saving up some money. Cancelling this subscription will give me some extra money that will give me some more financial support in Brighton. I hope you all understand.
The box was pretty impressive this month though.
The t-shirt in this month's box was beautiful - a simple black t-shirt with the animals in the house colours representing each house. I'm glad this will be the final t-shirt I will be receiving from the company. They really do know how to impress me and this is a t-shirt I will easily be able to wear on an every day basis (unlike a couple of others that I would only wear at home, aka the bright yellow one I got once).
We got a figurine of Hedwig which I feel like will be perfect for display in my room. It is so detailed and so beautiful that I'm sure it will be the talking point of any conversation with anyone visiting. We could've got the gold or silver versions - I got the silver one but I am glad about that as it is more realistic than the gold version was.
Then there was a rubber Fantastic Beasts keyring. You could get 1 of 2 designs and I got the Magical Congress logo one. I'm going to add this straight away to my car keys, to go along with my metal Hogwarts crest keyring.
They also included a set of 4 metallic coasters - all with the colours of the 4 different houses. I don't have much use for coasters in my house in Nottingham but once I move to Brighton, I intend to use them then. They look so beautiful, so even if I don't really use them, they'll look great for decoration.
Badges are always something I love, so when I saw that they included the little button badges of Slytherin and Dobby, I fell in love. These are definitely going to be put on my bag straight away.
They included the cutest stickers too, cartoon versions of the trio, Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Hedwig. These are so cute but I never have much use for stickers. I might try and find room for them to decorate my new laptop.
Then there is the Owl Art Print, which features a very snowy Hogwarts. You all know I love these prints as they're amazing to have up on my walls all over the room. Something beautiful to wake up to in the morning.
The final item in this month's box is something I am very impressed with. It is the Elder Wand necklace, and it is very detailed, but the only thing is, it is slightly heavier than I'm used to. I'm looking forward to adding this to a very simple outfit, to show it off to people I know.
I'm glad I finished my subscription with this company on a high. I'll always be a massive Potterhead, and I am really upset that I'll not be receiving any more of their boxes (at least not for a while). But if you love Harry Potter as much as I do, make sure you get this box. It definitely is worth every penny.
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
Home / Archive for March 2017
GeekGear World of Wizardry Box Review March 2017
Pros and Cons of Moving Away from Home
Hello you beauties!
I know this isn't a beauty post but I honestly feel like it is important to include a post regarding this, because a lot of you like me will probably be heading off to university this September. And sometimes the hardest decision to make is; how far away are you willing to move?
I found this to be a major problem when trying to decide which university to choose. I live in Nottingham and applied for 5 universities; Nottingham, York, Chester, East Anglia and Brighton. Basically a spread around the whole country. And then I got all of my offers back, all with decent grades. So I had to then choose if I wanted to stay at home or move over 100 miles away. So what I decided to do was make a pros and cons list of moving away, and deciding if the cons were worth dealing with. And I'm going to share with you this list today.
Pros:
1. Independence
Moving away from home forces you to be more independent, as family will not be quite as close anymore. But sometimes this independence can really be a good thing for you as it helps you to discover who you are as a person and can help make you a really mature adult.
2. A fresh start
Sometimes people aren't always happy with their life where they currently live (I know I'm definitely not) and so moving away is a great chance for a fresh start - to create a new life for yourself.
3. New experiences
You'll get to do so many things you'd never imagined doing before and get to explore some really great cities. You can make so many great friends too to share all of these experiences with.
4. Chance to make new friends
As I explained in my previous point, moving away is a great chance to make new friends. You'll get to meet people from all parts of the country and will be in the same boat as them so will have a lot in common with them. You'll probably find that you'll become friends with people that you may have never spoken to if you hadn't met them at university.
Cons:
1. You'll be away from your friends and family
Moving away from the people you love most is obviously going to be very scary, especially as they won't necessarily be close enough to still see them quite a bit.
2. It will cost more
Of course, if you stay at home then you won't have to pay so much for your accommodation, but also some cities will be more expensive to live in than your home town, such as London and Brighton. Which isn't necessarily a great idea if you know you'll struggle with money.
3. Having to look after yourself
There may be so many skills that you'll need for university life, such as cooking (which I am hopeless at) which you may not feel like you have. You may not feel ready to look after yourself, without the support of your parents.
I finally decided that Brighton was the right choice for me. Yes it is really far away, and yes it will probably be more expensive for me but at the end of the day I just feel like I'd be really happy there. And I know I'll be able to cope. That's all that matters
Have any of you decided on a university yet? If so, how did you make your decision?
I'll be back on Saturday with a post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
Look Incredible Beauty Box Review March 2017
Hello you beauties!
I'm back again with possibly my favourite post of each month so instead of wasting time, let's get straight into it.
In this box this month, there were 6 items rather than the usual 5. However one was just a purple CC stick - no information on the leaflet, no brand on the packaging, so I feel like they had a lot of these spare to just throw in as a little something extra. It is quite a creamy product and very easy to blend out, so I do like it and will use it, but I just wish we had gotten more information about it.
The one item that I probably won't be using much is the Ciate Velvet Manicure set. Yes, I do love Ciate's nail products but I own so many now that it's actually getting quite annoying with the amount of nail polishes included in beauty boxes. I will use this at some point, but I just wish the company would include something other than nail polishes all the time.
Another item included in this month's box is the Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner, which is a brand I have never heard of before. It looks very red in the tube but when applied is actually quite sheer so very wearable on an everyday basis. It also is very moisturising and I am very impressed with this brand so far. I'll definitely be looking into their other products in the future.
Then there is the Spa Retreats Signature Softening Hand and Body Lotion. I have tried a few of their products before and have been very impressed so I was pleased to see a brand that I recognised and trusted. I'm always in need for a hand lotion too as I get very dry hands - and this lotion smells great too!
The penultimate item in this month's box is a repeat product from a previous box. This is the Fusion Beauty Primer. I got this in another one of their boxes but that was the lilac brightening primer whereas the primer in this month's box is the green anti-redness primer. I was very impressed with the previous one so I am looking forward to trying this one out - I can often suffer from very flushed skin.
The final item is also a repeat product from another one of their boxes, but again it is one I am very happy to receive (mainly because it is a different shade). It is the BareMinerals Eyeshadow Quad in 'The A List'. I've received one of these quads in one of their boxes before but that was a very black and grey based quad whereas this one is a lot of pinks. I hardly ever wear pink eyeshadows but I love the BareMinerals eyeshadows as I've always found them to be such good quality, so I am going to try out these pink eyeshadows in the future - I'll probably end up loving wearing pinks!
I am very happy again with this month's box and I am glad I will still be continuing with it for the next few months. They always include such amazing products in their boxes and the boxes are always worth the money. I would definitely recommend this box to anyone looking to start a subscription with a beauty box.
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
I'm back again with possibly my favourite post of each month so instead of wasting time, let's get straight into it.
In this box this month, there were 6 items rather than the usual 5. However one was just a purple CC stick - no information on the leaflet, no brand on the packaging, so I feel like they had a lot of these spare to just throw in as a little something extra. It is quite a creamy product and very easy to blend out, so I do like it and will use it, but I just wish we had gotten more information about it.
The one item that I probably won't be using much is the Ciate Velvet Manicure set. Yes, I do love Ciate's nail products but I own so many now that it's actually getting quite annoying with the amount of nail polishes included in beauty boxes. I will use this at some point, but I just wish the company would include something other than nail polishes all the time.
Another item included in this month's box is the Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner, which is a brand I have never heard of before. It looks very red in the tube but when applied is actually quite sheer so very wearable on an everyday basis. It also is very moisturising and I am very impressed with this brand so far. I'll definitely be looking into their other products in the future.
Then there is the Spa Retreats Signature Softening Hand and Body Lotion. I have tried a few of their products before and have been very impressed so I was pleased to see a brand that I recognised and trusted. I'm always in need for a hand lotion too as I get very dry hands - and this lotion smells great too!
The penultimate item in this month's box is a repeat product from a previous box. This is the Fusion Beauty Primer. I got this in another one of their boxes but that was the lilac brightening primer whereas the primer in this month's box is the green anti-redness primer. I was very impressed with the previous one so I am looking forward to trying this one out - I can often suffer from very flushed skin.
The final item is also a repeat product from another one of their boxes, but again it is one I am very happy to receive (mainly because it is a different shade). It is the BareMinerals Eyeshadow Quad in 'The A List'. I've received one of these quads in one of their boxes before but that was a very black and grey based quad whereas this one is a lot of pinks. I hardly ever wear pink eyeshadows but I love the BareMinerals eyeshadows as I've always found them to be such good quality, so I am going to try out these pink eyeshadows in the future - I'll probably end up loving wearing pinks!
I am very happy again with this month's box and I am glad I will still be continuing with it for the next few months. They always include such amazing products in their boxes and the boxes are always worth the money. I would definitely recommend this box to anyone looking to start a subscription with a beauty box.
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
My Beauty Hacks
Hello you beauties!
I've seen a lot of people doing posts like this recently and so I thought I should join in too and share my little tips and tricks with you to make makeup application quicker and easier.
1. Use white eyeliner on your waterline to make your eyes pop
It can just make you seem a little bit more alive and awake.
2. Add moisturiser to foundation to lighten it
It's perfect for those great foundations that are just slightly too dark for your skin tone and make you look slightly more normal. It's also a great if you want a slightly lighter coverage too.
3. Apply concealer in a triangle under your eyes
This helps make your skin look brighter and healthier
4. Use baby shampoo to wash brushes
It makes the brushes really soft, smells great and doesn't damage the bristles. Plus it is really cheap too!
5. Use a spoolie to separate clumped up eyelashes
I know a spoolie is supposed to be used for your eyebrows but I find it a really great brush to use to separate those lashes that clump together annoyingly after mascara application.
6. Felt tip liners are easiest to use
They're basically just liquid liners but a lot easier to control
7. Use concealer as an eyeshadow base
It gives you a blank canvas to start with, as it hides any prominent veins and blemishes you may have on your eyelids and make your eyeshadow colours pop
8. Heat up your eyelash curlers with a hairdryer
The heat helps to curl your lashes even more. Just be careful that you don't make them too hot!
9. Run your nails under cold water
I know that it's annoying when it takes ages for your nails to dry after you have painted them. I have found that running them under cold water almost immediately after painting them to dry them quicker.
If you have any of your own beauty hacks then please share them with me and the other readers.
I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
Look Fantastic Beauty Box Review March 2017
Hello you beauties!
So as you know, my subscription for Look Fantastic finishes this month so this is the last review I will be doing of one of their boxes. I'm so glad it finished on a high - their collaboration with Elle is something I love because Elle is my favourite magazine!
The first item in the box was the St Tropez Instant Gloss which, although it wasn't a massive bottle of it, I can see myself possibly using it a lot within the next few months. With the weather starting to improve, I will be in desperate need of a tan to look healthier than my normal ghostly 'glow', but don't want anything permanent in case it goes wrong. So this product will be useful to me - and I'll let you know what I think of it properly once I've used it more.
The next item is the Starskin Eye Catcher eye masks, which are a great addition to this month's box. I always look sheet face and eye masks as they're so much easier to use and not quite as messy as other masks can be. These are very soothing and very moisturising. I will definitely repurchase these again.
Then there is the SkinChemists 24Hour Aqua Repair Facial Serum and the Caudalie Vine Active 3 in 1 Moisturiser, but both of these are items that I will be waiting a while to use as I have a lot of serums/moisturisers on the go already.
Then there is the Redken Heatcure Treatment which is a strange idea for me, They're hair masks, supposed to de-frizz your hair and make it healthier. I'm definitely in need of these masks and I can't wait to try them out.
The final item in this box is the only makeup item this month, which is slightly disappointing. This is the PUR Minerals Disappearing Act Concealer in the shade 'Light' which is the perfect shade for me. However, I am very picky with concealers as I haven't found the perfect one yet, so I'm going to try out this product a lot before I give my genuine opinion on it.
So while this box definitely isn't the best one of theirs I have ever received, I am certainly not disappointed. In a way, I am definitely sad that I am no longer going to be receiving these boxes anymore, but I simply couldn't afford to carry on with the subscription.
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to follow/subscribe, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
So as you know, my subscription for Look Fantastic finishes this month so this is the last review I will be doing of one of their boxes. I'm so glad it finished on a high - their collaboration with Elle is something I love because Elle is my favourite magazine!
The first item in the box was the St Tropez Instant Gloss which, although it wasn't a massive bottle of it, I can see myself possibly using it a lot within the next few months. With the weather starting to improve, I will be in desperate need of a tan to look healthier than my normal ghostly 'glow', but don't want anything permanent in case it goes wrong. So this product will be useful to me - and I'll let you know what I think of it properly once I've used it more.
The next item is the Starskin Eye Catcher eye masks, which are a great addition to this month's box. I always look sheet face and eye masks as they're so much easier to use and not quite as messy as other masks can be. These are very soothing and very moisturising. I will definitely repurchase these again.
Then there is the SkinChemists 24Hour Aqua Repair Facial Serum and the Caudalie Vine Active 3 in 1 Moisturiser, but both of these are items that I will be waiting a while to use as I have a lot of serums/moisturisers on the go already.
Then there is the Redken Heatcure Treatment which is a strange idea for me, They're hair masks, supposed to de-frizz your hair and make it healthier. I'm definitely in need of these masks and I can't wait to try them out.
The final item in this box is the only makeup item this month, which is slightly disappointing. This is the PUR Minerals Disappearing Act Concealer in the shade 'Light' which is the perfect shade for me. However, I am very picky with concealers as I haven't found the perfect one yet, so I'm going to try out this product a lot before I give my genuine opinion on it.
So while this box definitely isn't the best one of theirs I have ever received, I am certainly not disappointed. In a way, I am definitely sad that I am no longer going to be receiving these boxes anymore, but I simply couldn't afford to carry on with the subscription.
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to follow/subscribe, comment and share with friends.
Byeee!
Big Haul Post February 2017
Hello you beauties!
I'm sure I'm not the only person who loves shopping but I did actually ban myself from buying more makeup until I had got through some of the stuff I already own. I tried sticking to this and I did a very good job at not spending any money for a while but then... I fell in love with everything I saw. So a lot of the stuff in this post I have had for a while (probably a few weeks or so) and I may have used them quite a bit but I wanted to make this post as big as possible and now because I've used most or all of these products means I can give you all an accurate review of the products. So let's get on with it, because we have a lot to get through!
The beauty items that I bought are all from 6 different stores/websites: Tam Beauty, Tesco, T K Maxx, Wilko, Primark and Boots.
Let's start with what I bought from Tesco.
Sometimes I like being in with the trends but sometimes I try to hold back a bit just so it doesn't seem like I'm copying everyone else. All of you must have heard of people using the Nivea men post shave balm, and many of you probably use it yourself. I've had other primers to use before so I didn't buy this product when all the hype was around it. But then I saw it in Tesco for £3.50 so I decided to buy it and try it. And it definitely is worth it. It's the only primer I use anymore and it is worth the money even more because it is so moisturising. I always end up using too much though because I underestimated how little of it I actually need to use.
From Tesco I also bought myself a new foundation and this one is the L'Oreal Infallible Matte foundation in the shade '10 Porcelain' (because yes, I am very pale). I've heard a lot of people talk about this foundation but I was worried to buy it because I thought with it being a matte product it might not be right for my skin type (which is oily and dry at the same time). However, for just £8, I was very impressed with this foundation and it is probably my favourite foundation now. It works great on my skin and only seems to stand out of the drier areas around my nose. But if I make sure to moisturise properly first then it's not a massive problem. It claims to be a full coverage foundation which I must admit is wrong as it's more of a medium coverage but it certainly offers better coverage than any drugstore foundation that I've used before. If you're looking for an affordable foundation I would definitely recommend this one.
Now let's talk about the one makeup item I bought from Wilko.
I'm running low on my favourite Collection concealer and I couldn't find it in my shade anywhere so I've been in desperate need of a concealer to use until I could repurchase my beloved Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. So I picked up the Essence Matte Concealer from Wilko for only £1 which I thought was quite a bargain. But honestly, now that I've tried it, I would not recommend it. It definitely is matte but it made it really drying and hard to blend out. The colour was a good match though and I think it may have worked if I could actually blend it out. Don't purchase it. I know it's cheap but it's not worth it.
Again I only bought one item from Primark so let's talk about that one now.
I've only ever owned two Primark makeup products before, a face sculpting palette and a red lipstick, which were both okay products but not something that stands out above other makeup I use. However, I've seen Youtubers hyping over the Primark Velvet Matte lip crayons and I bought one a few months ago in the shade 'Ballerina' which is a lovely pink shade. So when I went again a few weeks ago I picked up the shade 'Mushroom' (such a cute name!) which is a gorgeous mauve-y pink shade and totally wearable for during the day. These always last quite a while and are not usually too drying on the lips. If you don't feel like it looks perfect on its own then I would recommend adding a clear lip gloss over the top. Yes, it means it's not matte anymore but it still looks just as good.
Buying just one product at a time seems to be the way I build up my collection gradually, so let's see what I bought in Boots.
Usually I go mad in Boots but there was only one thing that I was actually looking for. I've been looking for a cream contour stick for a while but I didn't want one like the Clinique ones that were more expensive just in case I found out that they didn't work for me. So when I saw the Collection Precision Contouring stick for just £3.99 I immediately bought it. I've always loved Collection makeup so I had a feeling that this one would be good. I chose the shade 'Light' and I'm glad that I didn't go for one any darker as this one is only just the right shade for me. It wasn't the easiest to blend out and was very very subtle but it is definitely worth the money.
Now let's go onto what I bought from T K Maxx, which is honestly probably one of my favourite shops ever.
I love buying makeup from T K Maxx (if I can find something that isn't smashed or been tested by other people) as it has allowed me to add many high end items into my collection for a lot less money than I would've normally had to pay for it. The first thing that I picked up from T K Maxx over a series of visits is the Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish eyeshadow in the shade 'Metallic Lavender' (which as you can probably guess is a lilac shade). Normally you'd have to pay £18 for this product but I actually only paid £3.99 for it. I was really impressed with the price and although I haven't actually tried it yet, I already know this product will be amazing as I have never ever had any problems with Stila products.
On my second trip I bought something I had been looking at for a while but never had the chance to buy before. It is the BareMinerals 'The Beauty Upgrade' set in the shade 'Light'. It retails at £56 but I picked it up for £29.99. And amazingly you pay that for £160.50 worth of products! I was amazed when I saw this product in the store a couple of months ago. The only reason I didn't buy this set before was because they usually only had the darker sets such as 'Medium Beige' and 'Tan' which would've been way too dark for me. When I saw this in the right shade for me I didn't hesitate to buy it.
In this set there is the Flawless Face Brush (RRP. £19) which is actually a pretty good brush for applying powder foundation, the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush (RRP. £14) which is very soft and nice to use.
There is also the Lash Domination Volumising Mascara Petite Precision Brush in 'Intense Black' (RRP. £19) which is a product I haven't actually used yet as I have so many mascaras on the go at the moment but the little skinny brush is so cute.
Then there is the Pop of Passion Lip Oil-Balm in the shade 'Blushing Passion' (RRP. £17) which is described as a pink but it is more of a beige nude, basically your lips but better and is very moisturising and easy to apply.
Then there is the Prep Step Moisture Set Radiant Prep Cream (RRP £24) which is a brilliant primer which is very moisturising and not at all sticky.
Also in this set there is the Hydrating Mineral Veil Finishing Powder (RRP. £21) which I have always heard amazing things about and I will admit that it definitely is as amazing as people say it is! It's one of the best powders I have used, though because of the price I think I will just stick to my Rimmel Stay Matte powder rather than repurchasing this one.
The penultimate item in this BareMinerals set is the SPF 20 Concealer in the shade 'Bisque' (RRP. £20) which I think is one of the lightest shades they do. This product is slightly strange to use as it is a powder and I am actually only used to using liquid concealers and I am not used to applying concealer before foundation. But this concealer is surprisingly easy to use and offers great coverage. I wouldn't want this any darker though... as it is only just the right shade for me.
The final product in this BareMinerals set is their Original Foundation SPF 15 in the shade 'Light' (RRP. £26.50) which is definitely my favourite product in this whole set. It's a slightly darker foundation than what I would usually go for but it still is a decent shade and great for everyday wear. It was confusing working out how to use it as I have never used a powder foundation before but once I used it for the first time I was impressed with the coverage it gave, seeing as it is only powder. It's not completely full coverage but it's a lot better than I expected. The greatest thing too is that you really don't feel like you're wearing foundation. which is what you want with every foundation.
So overall I was really impressed with the BareMinerals set that I bought from T K Maxx and I am glad I finally bought it.
The final trip to T K Maxx was one where I surprisingly didn't buy any makeup. Instead I purchased Justin Bieber's Girlfriend perfume. It is retailed at £29 but I managed to save quite a bit of money on it and only had to pay £12.99! I own his 'Someday' perfume but have almost ran out of it because I used to use it all the time. I wanted to buy this quite a while ago but did not want to spend so much money on it. I knew I had to buy it as soon as I saw it at such an amazing price. It is 50ml too so a really nice size and smells great. I can see this becoming my everyday scent.
The final place I bought makeup from was the Tam Beauty, home to brands such as Makeup Revolution and Freedom. I only actually intended to buy 1 of these products but they had a sale on and also free delivery on orders over £30 so I just had to take advantage of this.
So the item that I actually intended to buy is the I Heart Makeup Unicorns Heart highlighter which only cost £5. I've been wanting this for a while as it is a beautiful rainbow highlighter but it's always out of stock on the Superdrug website. I was very excited to see it in stock on the Tam Beauty website and I am really impressed with the product. I mix all of the shades together and it does give you a blue-ish tinted highlight and it is very intense. I've been using this a lot since I bought it.
The next item I ordered from Tam Beauty is the Freedom Makeup London Pro Lipstick Palette 24 shades in the shades 'Naked'. I only paid £10 for this palette which is amazing considering the fact that you get 24 different lip shades in it - 14 are a glossy finish and 10 are a matte finish. These are very easy to apply too, are insanely pigmented and last for ages. They rarely transfer either.
I also bought another lipstick and this one is the Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro Lipstick in the shade 'Looking Ahead'. This is supposedly a dupe for MAC's 'Twig' and is a massive fraction of the price at just £2.49. I have used this lipstick multiple times since I bought it and I really do love it. It's a darker brown lipstick than what I would usually go for but is definitely very wearable for me. It is very easy to apply as well and is very creamy and lasts ages. I am really impressed with this lipstick.
I also purchased the Makeup Revolution Ultimate Matte Eyeshadow Collection 2017 palette and the Makeup Revolution Ultimate Eyeshadow Collection 2017 palette. I am obsessed with both of these eyeshadow palettes. The first palette contains 144 matte eyeshadow shades and the second one contains 144 shimmer eyeshadow shades. And both palettes only cost me £10 each (they were on sale - they should've been £20 each). I've always loved Makeup Revolution eyeshadows and these ones haven't failed to impress me. You could make any look with these eyeshadows as there is basically every colour of the rainbow in these. They're insanely pigmented too which makes everything even better.
So that's the end of my very very long haul. If you're still here at the end of this post then I am very impressed with you as I know this has been a massive post compared to usual. Most things in this post are things I would definitely recommend you all buy and I feel like some of these may be making it into a favourites post very soon.
Have you bought anything recently? Anything you would recommend? Anything we should steer clear of?
I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this very long post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeeeee!
I'm sure I'm not the only person who loves shopping but I did actually ban myself from buying more makeup until I had got through some of the stuff I already own. I tried sticking to this and I did a very good job at not spending any money for a while but then... I fell in love with everything I saw. So a lot of the stuff in this post I have had for a while (probably a few weeks or so) and I may have used them quite a bit but I wanted to make this post as big as possible and now because I've used most or all of these products means I can give you all an accurate review of the products. So let's get on with it, because we have a lot to get through!
The beauty items that I bought are all from 6 different stores/websites: Tam Beauty, Tesco, T K Maxx, Wilko, Primark and Boots.
Let's start with what I bought from Tesco.
Sometimes I like being in with the trends but sometimes I try to hold back a bit just so it doesn't seem like I'm copying everyone else. All of you must have heard of people using the Nivea men post shave balm, and many of you probably use it yourself. I've had other primers to use before so I didn't buy this product when all the hype was around it. But then I saw it in Tesco for £3.50 so I decided to buy it and try it. And it definitely is worth it. It's the only primer I use anymore and it is worth the money even more because it is so moisturising. I always end up using too much though because I underestimated how little of it I actually need to use.
From Tesco I also bought myself a new foundation and this one is the L'Oreal Infallible Matte foundation in the shade '10 Porcelain' (because yes, I am very pale). I've heard a lot of people talk about this foundation but I was worried to buy it because I thought with it being a matte product it might not be right for my skin type (which is oily and dry at the same time). However, for just £8, I was very impressed with this foundation and it is probably my favourite foundation now. It works great on my skin and only seems to stand out of the drier areas around my nose. But if I make sure to moisturise properly first then it's not a massive problem. It claims to be a full coverage foundation which I must admit is wrong as it's more of a medium coverage but it certainly offers better coverage than any drugstore foundation that I've used before. If you're looking for an affordable foundation I would definitely recommend this one.
Now let's talk about the one makeup item I bought from Wilko.
I'm running low on my favourite Collection concealer and I couldn't find it in my shade anywhere so I've been in desperate need of a concealer to use until I could repurchase my beloved Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. So I picked up the Essence Matte Concealer from Wilko for only £1 which I thought was quite a bargain. But honestly, now that I've tried it, I would not recommend it. It definitely is matte but it made it really drying and hard to blend out. The colour was a good match though and I think it may have worked if I could actually blend it out. Don't purchase it. I know it's cheap but it's not worth it.
Again I only bought one item from Primark so let's talk about that one now.
I've only ever owned two Primark makeup products before, a face sculpting palette and a red lipstick, which were both okay products but not something that stands out above other makeup I use. However, I've seen Youtubers hyping over the Primark Velvet Matte lip crayons and I bought one a few months ago in the shade 'Ballerina' which is a lovely pink shade. So when I went again a few weeks ago I picked up the shade 'Mushroom' (such a cute name!) which is a gorgeous mauve-y pink shade and totally wearable for during the day. These always last quite a while and are not usually too drying on the lips. If you don't feel like it looks perfect on its own then I would recommend adding a clear lip gloss over the top. Yes, it means it's not matte anymore but it still looks just as good.
Buying just one product at a time seems to be the way I build up my collection gradually, so let's see what I bought in Boots.
Usually I go mad in Boots but there was only one thing that I was actually looking for. I've been looking for a cream contour stick for a while but I didn't want one like the Clinique ones that were more expensive just in case I found out that they didn't work for me. So when I saw the Collection Precision Contouring stick for just £3.99 I immediately bought it. I've always loved Collection makeup so I had a feeling that this one would be good. I chose the shade 'Light' and I'm glad that I didn't go for one any darker as this one is only just the right shade for me. It wasn't the easiest to blend out and was very very subtle but it is definitely worth the money.
Now let's go onto what I bought from T K Maxx, which is honestly probably one of my favourite shops ever.
I love buying makeup from T K Maxx (if I can find something that isn't smashed or been tested by other people) as it has allowed me to add many high end items into my collection for a lot less money than I would've normally had to pay for it. The first thing that I picked up from T K Maxx over a series of visits is the Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish eyeshadow in the shade 'Metallic Lavender' (which as you can probably guess is a lilac shade). Normally you'd have to pay £18 for this product but I actually only paid £3.99 for it. I was really impressed with the price and although I haven't actually tried it yet, I already know this product will be amazing as I have never ever had any problems with Stila products.
On my second trip I bought something I had been looking at for a while but never had the chance to buy before. It is the BareMinerals 'The Beauty Upgrade' set in the shade 'Light'. It retails at £56 but I picked it up for £29.99. And amazingly you pay that for £160.50 worth of products! I was amazed when I saw this product in the store a couple of months ago. The only reason I didn't buy this set before was because they usually only had the darker sets such as 'Medium Beige' and 'Tan' which would've been way too dark for me. When I saw this in the right shade for me I didn't hesitate to buy it.
In this set there is the Flawless Face Brush (RRP. £19) which is actually a pretty good brush for applying powder foundation, the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush (RRP. £14) which is very soft and nice to use.
There is also the Lash Domination Volumising Mascara Petite Precision Brush in 'Intense Black' (RRP. £19) which is a product I haven't actually used yet as I have so many mascaras on the go at the moment but the little skinny brush is so cute.
Then there is the Pop of Passion Lip Oil-Balm in the shade 'Blushing Passion' (RRP. £17) which is described as a pink but it is more of a beige nude, basically your lips but better and is very moisturising and easy to apply.
Then there is the Prep Step Moisture Set Radiant Prep Cream (RRP £24) which is a brilliant primer which is very moisturising and not at all sticky.
Also in this set there is the Hydrating Mineral Veil Finishing Powder (RRP. £21) which I have always heard amazing things about and I will admit that it definitely is as amazing as people say it is! It's one of the best powders I have used, though because of the price I think I will just stick to my Rimmel Stay Matte powder rather than repurchasing this one.
The penultimate item in this BareMinerals set is the SPF 20 Concealer in the shade 'Bisque' (RRP. £20) which I think is one of the lightest shades they do. This product is slightly strange to use as it is a powder and I am actually only used to using liquid concealers and I am not used to applying concealer before foundation. But this concealer is surprisingly easy to use and offers great coverage. I wouldn't want this any darker though... as it is only just the right shade for me.
The final product in this BareMinerals set is their Original Foundation SPF 15 in the shade 'Light' (RRP. £26.50) which is definitely my favourite product in this whole set. It's a slightly darker foundation than what I would usually go for but it still is a decent shade and great for everyday wear. It was confusing working out how to use it as I have never used a powder foundation before but once I used it for the first time I was impressed with the coverage it gave, seeing as it is only powder. It's not completely full coverage but it's a lot better than I expected. The greatest thing too is that you really don't feel like you're wearing foundation. which is what you want with every foundation.
So overall I was really impressed with the BareMinerals set that I bought from T K Maxx and I am glad I finally bought it.
The final trip to T K Maxx was one where I surprisingly didn't buy any makeup. Instead I purchased Justin Bieber's Girlfriend perfume. It is retailed at £29 but I managed to save quite a bit of money on it and only had to pay £12.99! I own his 'Someday' perfume but have almost ran out of it because I used to use it all the time. I wanted to buy this quite a while ago but did not want to spend so much money on it. I knew I had to buy it as soon as I saw it at such an amazing price. It is 50ml too so a really nice size and smells great. I can see this becoming my everyday scent.
The final place I bought makeup from was the Tam Beauty, home to brands such as Makeup Revolution and Freedom. I only actually intended to buy 1 of these products but they had a sale on and also free delivery on orders over £30 so I just had to take advantage of this.
So the item that I actually intended to buy is the I Heart Makeup Unicorns Heart highlighter which only cost £5. I've been wanting this for a while as it is a beautiful rainbow highlighter but it's always out of stock on the Superdrug website. I was very excited to see it in stock on the Tam Beauty website and I am really impressed with the product. I mix all of the shades together and it does give you a blue-ish tinted highlight and it is very intense. I've been using this a lot since I bought it.
The next item I ordered from Tam Beauty is the Freedom Makeup London Pro Lipstick Palette 24 shades in the shades 'Naked'. I only paid £10 for this palette which is amazing considering the fact that you get 24 different lip shades in it - 14 are a glossy finish and 10 are a matte finish. These are very easy to apply too, are insanely pigmented and last for ages. They rarely transfer either.
I also bought another lipstick and this one is the Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro Lipstick in the shade 'Looking Ahead'. This is supposedly a dupe for MAC's 'Twig' and is a massive fraction of the price at just £2.49. I have used this lipstick multiple times since I bought it and I really do love it. It's a darker brown lipstick than what I would usually go for but is definitely very wearable for me. It is very easy to apply as well and is very creamy and lasts ages. I am really impressed with this lipstick.
I also purchased the Makeup Revolution Ultimate Matte Eyeshadow Collection 2017 palette and the Makeup Revolution Ultimate Eyeshadow Collection 2017 palette. I am obsessed with both of these eyeshadow palettes. The first palette contains 144 matte eyeshadow shades and the second one contains 144 shimmer eyeshadow shades. And both palettes only cost me £10 each (they were on sale - they should've been £20 each). I've always loved Makeup Revolution eyeshadows and these ones haven't failed to impress me. You could make any look with these eyeshadows as there is basically every colour of the rainbow in these. They're insanely pigmented too which makes everything even better.
So that's the end of my very very long haul. If you're still here at the end of this post then I am very impressed with you as I know this has been a massive post compared to usual. Most things in this post are things I would definitely recommend you all buy and I feel like some of these may be making it into a favourites post very soon.
Have you bought anything recently? Anything you would recommend? Anything we should steer clear of?
I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this very long post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeeeee!
Makeup I Hardly Use But Should Use More
Hello you beauties!
Some of you are probably in the same boat as me with this, but there are certainly many items in my makeup collection that I have used before or I know are really good but I just don't seem to use them anymore. And I really should. So I've picked out some of my favourites that I am going to start using more of and have decided to tell you all what they are!
1. Nars Galapagos eyeshadow
I bought this from T K Maxx a while ago for £10 cheaper than it was supposed to be, so it was a real bargain but I am just too scared to use it. It's quite dark so I am worried that I'll accidentally put too much on and look stupid. I'm going to be more brave from now on though as it is definitely a great product and such a gorgeous shade!
2. Collection Lip Butter in 'Cappuccino'
I mentioned this product in my favourite nude lipsticks post and I really did use to wear this lip colour a lot but once I started becoming a bit more adventurous with my purple and pink shades, I just seemed to stop using this. I really do like this lip crayon though so I am definitely going to try and use it more from now on.
3. No7 Skin Illuminator
I was really excited about this product when I first bought it but since then I just seemed to stick to my powder highlights rather than liquid ones. I want to start using it more though as it is quite beautiful, so I am planning to start mixing it with my foundation more to give me that healthy and natural looking glow.
4. Any eyeliner I own
You all know that I have a love-hate relationship with eyeliners. I usually avoid using them as I do get really annoyed with it all sometimes, but then I really love how eyeliner looks on me. So from now on, I am going to start being a bit more patient and try to incorporate eyeliner into my makeup look a bit more.
5. Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette
I used to use this brow product ALL the time but then I discovered the Freedom brow pomade and stopped using everything else. This brow product is really great though and so I'm going to start using this a bit more rather than the pomade to help give a bit more of a soft and natural look to my brows.
6. Seventeen Define and Conquer contour kit
Contouring really isn't my strong point (then again, am I actually any good at anything to do with makeup) but I really found using this contour kit was a lot easier. I don't know why I stopped using it (probably to use my Benefit Hoola bronzer instead!) but I'm really going to start using this more for that subtle everyday look.
7. Makeup Revolution 'Hot Spice' blush palette
These were probably the first blushers I ever owned and they really are such great drugstore blushers as they are very pigmented and easy to blend out if necessary. Such a great range of colours too. I used to use them all the time but now I usually use my MUA or BareMinerals blushers.
So those were just a few things that I do feel like I need to use more and hopefully I'll stick to that. Are they any good products you feel like you're neglecting at the moment?
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeeee!
Some of you are probably in the same boat as me with this, but there are certainly many items in my makeup collection that I have used before or I know are really good but I just don't seem to use them anymore. And I really should. So I've picked out some of my favourites that I am going to start using more of and have decided to tell you all what they are!
1. Nars Galapagos eyeshadow
I bought this from T K Maxx a while ago for £10 cheaper than it was supposed to be, so it was a real bargain but I am just too scared to use it. It's quite dark so I am worried that I'll accidentally put too much on and look stupid. I'm going to be more brave from now on though as it is definitely a great product and such a gorgeous shade!
2. Collection Lip Butter in 'Cappuccino'
I mentioned this product in my favourite nude lipsticks post and I really did use to wear this lip colour a lot but once I started becoming a bit more adventurous with my purple and pink shades, I just seemed to stop using this. I really do like this lip crayon though so I am definitely going to try and use it more from now on.
3. No7 Skin Illuminator
I was really excited about this product when I first bought it but since then I just seemed to stick to my powder highlights rather than liquid ones. I want to start using it more though as it is quite beautiful, so I am planning to start mixing it with my foundation more to give me that healthy and natural looking glow.
4. Any eyeliner I own
You all know that I have a love-hate relationship with eyeliners. I usually avoid using them as I do get really annoyed with it all sometimes, but then I really love how eyeliner looks on me. So from now on, I am going to start being a bit more patient and try to incorporate eyeliner into my makeup look a bit more.
5. Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette
I used to use this brow product ALL the time but then I discovered the Freedom brow pomade and stopped using everything else. This brow product is really great though and so I'm going to start using this a bit more rather than the pomade to help give a bit more of a soft and natural look to my brows.
6. Seventeen Define and Conquer contour kit
Contouring really isn't my strong point (then again, am I actually any good at anything to do with makeup) but I really found using this contour kit was a lot easier. I don't know why I stopped using it (probably to use my Benefit Hoola bronzer instead!) but I'm really going to start using this more for that subtle everyday look.
7. Makeup Revolution 'Hot Spice' blush palette
These were probably the first blushers I ever owned and they really are such great drugstore blushers as they are very pigmented and easy to blend out if necessary. Such a great range of colours too. I used to use them all the time but now I usually use my MUA or BareMinerals blushers.
So those were just a few things that I do feel like I need to use more and hopefully I'll stick to that. Are they any good products you feel like you're neglecting at the moment?
I'll be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends.
Byeeee!
Monthly Favourites February 2017
Hello you beauties!
Can you believe it's March already! I can still remember Christmas like it was just yesterday and now 2 months of 2017 have already passed. So of course because it is the 1st of March, it means that today's post is all about what I was loving in February.
Let's start with the non-beauty items.
Something that hardly any of you know is that on the 3rd of February, I finally passed my driving test! It was actually my 5th time doing my test as nerves seemed to get the better of me and made the most stupid little things happen which meant that I would fail. So I knew this time I needed to do something to try and calm myself down. So I tried using Kalms tablets and these are honestly amazing! People said to me that these tablets are basically just a placebo and maybe they are but they really did work for me and even my driving instructor commented on how much calmer I seemed this time. And of course I passed so I plan to tell anyone who will listen about how amazing these tablets are! They're great to use if you suffer from mild anxiety with anything.
The next non-beauty favourite for me this month definitely has to be Youtube. Who doesn't love Youtube!? I was ill for a week or so in February and so didn't really have much energy to do much, so I chose to just watch Youtube videos instead. My favourite Youtubers at the moment are obviously people who upload beauty videos, and a few of my favourites at the moment are sophdoesnails, Sophie Louise, Emily Canham and Just Jodes.
Any English Literature student will know that when you study novels, you kind of get put off of reading for pleasure outside of your course. But recently I've been trying to read a lot more to help me settle down properly before I go to sleep and I've been leaning towards the author D H Lawrence as he was born in the same city as me and his writing style is just amazing.
My last non-beauty favourite of February is a city, and this city is the beautiful Brighton! Everyone who knows me well knows how obsessed with Brighton and I have actually chosen to go and study there in September. So this month I went to visit the university and I also decided to look around the city while I was there. And I immediately fell in love and I really can't wait to move there in a few months time.
Now onto the beauty favourites.
I've mentioned this product in quite a few posts before, but I have recently starting using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish again. I used to use it all the time and then for some unknown reason didn't really use it at all. I've started using it a lot more recently and I use it now mainly to remove my makeup, as it just makes my makeup melt off of my face. And it leaves my skin feeling really smooth and fresh too. It's definitely worth the money.
The next is a recent discovery. I was in desperate need of dry shampoo and I usually use Batiste dry shampoo but couldn't find any. So when I was out at the shops one day I picked up the Girlz Only Dry Shampoo which is considerably cheaper than the Batiste dry shampoo that I usually use. I love the scent and it really does it's job. I would definitely recommend trying this out for yourself.
I was surprised when I realised I loved the Primark Velvet Matte lip crayons as I honestly was worried that they just wouldn't work for me because they're matte and so cheap at only £2 each. I have the shades 'Ballerina' and 'Mushroom' and they're the easiest shades for me to wear. Sometimes they do feel quite drying but if I get to that point then I will just apply a clear lipgloss over the top and then it feels perfect.
My final favourite for this month is again another rediscovered favourite. It is the Rimmel Stay Matte powder which I stopped using when I bought the NYX finishing powder. Not using it so much has made me realise how much I do love it and now I've started using it even more and I will honestly repurchase this in the future as it is perfect and so cheap. I have actually hit pan on it now, almost a year after purchasing it!
So these were my favourites for February! What were your favourites this month?
I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends!
Byeeee!
Can you believe it's March already! I can still remember Christmas like it was just yesterday and now 2 months of 2017 have already passed. So of course because it is the 1st of March, it means that today's post is all about what I was loving in February.
Let's start with the non-beauty items.
Something that hardly any of you know is that on the 3rd of February, I finally passed my driving test! It was actually my 5th time doing my test as nerves seemed to get the better of me and made the most stupid little things happen which meant that I would fail. So I knew this time I needed to do something to try and calm myself down. So I tried using Kalms tablets and these are honestly amazing! People said to me that these tablets are basically just a placebo and maybe they are but they really did work for me and even my driving instructor commented on how much calmer I seemed this time. And of course I passed so I plan to tell anyone who will listen about how amazing these tablets are! They're great to use if you suffer from mild anxiety with anything.
The next non-beauty favourite for me this month definitely has to be Youtube. Who doesn't love Youtube!? I was ill for a week or so in February and so didn't really have much energy to do much, so I chose to just watch Youtube videos instead. My favourite Youtubers at the moment are obviously people who upload beauty videos, and a few of my favourites at the moment are sophdoesnails, Sophie Louise, Emily Canham and Just Jodes.
Any English Literature student will know that when you study novels, you kind of get put off of reading for pleasure outside of your course. But recently I've been trying to read a lot more to help me settle down properly before I go to sleep and I've been leaning towards the author D H Lawrence as he was born in the same city as me and his writing style is just amazing.
My last non-beauty favourite of February is a city, and this city is the beautiful Brighton! Everyone who knows me well knows how obsessed with Brighton and I have actually chosen to go and study there in September. So this month I went to visit the university and I also decided to look around the city while I was there. And I immediately fell in love and I really can't wait to move there in a few months time.
Now onto the beauty favourites.
I've mentioned this product in quite a few posts before, but I have recently starting using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish again. I used to use it all the time and then for some unknown reason didn't really use it at all. I've started using it a lot more recently and I use it now mainly to remove my makeup, as it just makes my makeup melt off of my face. And it leaves my skin feeling really smooth and fresh too. It's definitely worth the money.
The next is a recent discovery. I was in desperate need of dry shampoo and I usually use Batiste dry shampoo but couldn't find any. So when I was out at the shops one day I picked up the Girlz Only Dry Shampoo which is considerably cheaper than the Batiste dry shampoo that I usually use. I love the scent and it really does it's job. I would definitely recommend trying this out for yourself.
I was surprised when I realised I loved the Primark Velvet Matte lip crayons as I honestly was worried that they just wouldn't work for me because they're matte and so cheap at only £2 each. I have the shades 'Ballerina' and 'Mushroom' and they're the easiest shades for me to wear. Sometimes they do feel quite drying but if I get to that point then I will just apply a clear lipgloss over the top and then it feels perfect.
My final favourite for this month is again another rediscovered favourite. It is the Rimmel Stay Matte powder which I stopped using when I bought the NYX finishing powder. Not using it so much has made me realise how much I do love it and now I've started using it even more and I will honestly repurchase this in the future as it is perfect and so cheap. I have actually hit pan on it now, almost a year after purchasing it!
So these were my favourites for February! What were your favourites this month?
I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you all.
I hope you all liked this post. If you did, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends!
Byeeee!
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