The Latest From The Highstreet

Boots and Superdrug have both had 3 for 2 recently, which obviously spelt disaster. I took advantage of it to stock up on autumn lip products and one powder. I noticed a serious plum lip gap in my collection and went a little overboard filling it.

I picked up the L'Oreal Nude BB Powder, since I LOVE the foundation from the same line. This is a very light, finely milled powder, not much coverage but good as a setting powder. I personally think it's a little pricey, it's marketed as a BB Powder but it doesn't offer enough coverage for that. I probably wouldn't buy it again, despite the fact it's good, just because you can get the same thing cheaper (ahem, Rimmel Stay Matte).

Side note: I have no idea why my eyes are closed in all these photos. Sorry about that. Weird.

I loved the original Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks, so when they repackaged and reformulated them, I new I needed to pick a couple up. I went for Let's Get Naked, a coral peach toned nude, and Glam Plum Fullham. I thought I was going to prefer Glam Plum Fullham, but it turns out my favourite is Let's Get Naked. I don't own anything else like Let's Get Naked, but I've had so many compliments on this colour, a woman even stopped me in Starbucks to ask me what lip colour I was wearing. Glam Plum Fullham is nice but much pinker than I expected, but the creamy formula means it gets everywhere. I do quite like it as a stain though.

With all they hype when the Apocalips were first released, I was really surprised that a whole new set of colours filtered into the drugstores without much notice from anyone. I have a kinda love hate relationship with these things, but I loved one of the new shades, Eclipse, so I thought I'd try it. It wears a lot darker, and a lot redder than the packaging would lead you to believe, but I actually love this colour. It's very much a statement lip colour, but it doesn't look like too much, it's really wearable. 

I also picked up Nude Eclipse from the original colours, since everyone and their mothers loves it, but I'm not a fan. It looks so weird on me, like milky, and it just sits on my lips and doesn't really set like the others. It washes me out too, no matter how much bronzer I pile on.

I'm not a massive gloss girl, but I do like Revlon Glosses, because they aren't sticky at all. This colour 056 Embellished is from their new winter collection. In the tube it looks like a deep purple gloss with a lot of shimmer, but on the lips it's more of a dark red colour, with only a slight hint of shimmer. Very pretty, and much more wearable than a lipstick of the same colour for the day.

Again, nobody seemed to really mention the new shade additions to the Bourjois Colour Boost line. This is Plum Russian which I just love. You can build it up to a dark plum colour, or wear it like this for a more subtle look. This ones been in my handbag since I got it.

Have you tried any of these? What have you bought at the drugstore recently?

Loving Lately #3

 As you can probably tell, I've fallen out of the blogging swing, it's been a few weeks since my regular posting went down the drain, and as well as being ill/internet problems, I've been struggling to find the motivation and the inspiration to keep going with the blog. After a weekend up the bum I've given myself a stern talking to and a metaphorical kick up the bum, and I thought, what better way to get back into the swing of things, than some mini reviews of products I've been loving recently.

First up, two skincare products from Origins. Emerging from some very spotty teenage years, I now start to panic at the slightest sign of congestion in my skin. It's taken me years to get my skin better and the idea of going backwards terrifies me. However, I've taken to using the Origins Clear Improvement mask when I feel like my skin is getting a little iffy, and sure enough there has been a clear improvement (sorry, couldn't resist!). I use a hot flannel to open up my pores and then pop a little bit of this on my skin (you don't need much at all). Yes it's pricey, but when I bought this, the lady in the shop gave me a little sample to try first, so if I didn't like it I could exchange it for something else, and that tiny little 7ml sample gave me four and a bit uses, so I can't see me running out of this 100ml bottle any time soon. Also from Origins, I finally caved and bought the matching eye cream to my beloved day cream. The Ginzing Eye Cream is definitely more of a cream product than it's sister day cream which is more of a gel, but it's still super light in texture, and it really brightens up the under eyes.

After seeing lots of hype in the States around the L'Oreal Nude Magique foundation, when I saw it in Boots I had to snap it up and it's safe to say, it's love. If your poison is high coverage, then this is not for you, but I find that this evens out my skintone enough that I just need a little touch of concealer around the nose, on my undereyes and on any blemishes.  I love the way it feels on my skin, it looks totally natural, honestly like there's nothing there, but your skin feels ever so soft and almost matte wearing it. I haven't used anything else since I got this!

Being ill for the last few weeks has left me looking a little, well, dead, so I've been relying on makeup to perk up my complexion and leave me looking less like an extra from a Halloween Movie. The Bourjois Bronzing Primer has been a godsend in mousse form for this. I've just been taking a tiny amount of this on my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and popping it on my temples, and under my cheekbones, for a little colour.

If you follow me on Twitter of Instagram, you may have seen my excitement last week as Lush finally bought back my beloved Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser! You can read my original ramblings here, but really what you need to know is that this will keep your skin clear and glowy, and it smells amazing too.

Two nail things, firstly I picked up the Stylefile nail file after breaking my nail and not being able to find a nail file in my room back home. It comes in at around the five pound mark but is worth every penny. It's much more resiliant than your average file, the curved shape makes getting an even nail shape easier, and it has two sides, a rougher side for shaping and a smoother side for finishing. My nail polish pick of late has been from the new Barry M Texture polishes that are somewhat Reminiscent of OPI Liquid Sands. I'm not really a fan of Barry M Nail polishes but I love this, a sparkly polish that is easy to remove, long lasting and so pretty! It makes me feel all wintery! This is the shade Countess which is my favourite, but I've been loving Duchess too.

And lastly, my Maybelline Baby Lips in Intense Care has been getting hourly love from me this week. When I have a cold I always get super dry lips, and as much as I love my Nuxe Reve De Miel, it's more of a nighttime thing, and not massively practical for in the day, so I've been reaching for this. I find this way more hydrating than Cherry Me, Pink Punch and Peach Kiss. It's apparently got a Cherry Almond scent but to me it just smells just like Battenburg Cake. I tend to go into a bit of a daze when applying this since it smells so good!

And that's it! If you've made it to the end of this post, I salute you! 

What have you been loving recently? 

Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win an Urban Decay Lipstick here!

Short Hair Don't Care

Once upon a time (read: a year and a half ago) I thought that if I cut all my hair off, it would be easier to manage. HA. I could NOT have been more wrong.

It's a total myth that short hair is less time consuming. Sure, I spend less time blowdrying and straightening it (and believe me, it needs to be straightened) but the amount of time I then spend plying it with product and oils and trying to make the damn stuff grow is unreal.

Once I'm out of the shower, I spritz in a bit of the Pantene Instant Nourishing Spray, which says it's for fine hair, but I ignore that. It's a mix of a leave in conditioner and oil based spray, which not only detangles the mess that is my wet hair, but also helps lock in some of the moisture, making it appear a little shinier. Then, I take my organic Argan Oil infused with liquid gold, and run it through the ends of my damp hair. I totally credit this stuff with saving my hair.

Blowdrying with a non-descript whatever-I've-got-in-the-house heat defence spray done, and I section my hair off for straightening. Each section gets a liberal dose of Catwalk's Sleek Mystique Haute Iron spray, which smells good and makes my hair silky soft and straight. When all that's done, it's time to volumise the sweet Jesus out of my locks. I start by spraying approximately 3/4 of a can of V05's Give Me Texture dry texturising spray (I can't tell the difference between this and my Oribe Dry Texturising spray, and Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish spray) into the roots of my hair, concentrating on my fringe and the top of my head to and volume. I then go in with either my L'Oreal Matt and Messy Spray, or my Bumble and Bumble Thickening spray (remember those mini's from Elle?) in the lengths (HA) of my hair, to make it a bit more...flicky. Then it's lots of jujjing with the hands, and set the lot with my beloved Fudge Urban Iced Raspberry and Vanilla hairspray, for sexy smelling hair that stays in place. Repeat process with day old hair, replacing V05 Spray with Batiste Dry Shampoo for dark brown hair, to refresh and revolumise.

And that's not counting all the pre/during shower treatments and masks I inflict on my hair! Maybe I'll do a post on those too soon.

What are your favourite styling products?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win an Urban Decay Lipstick here!

Top Five Mascaras

I feel like a lot of the beauty posts that hit my blog are individual product reviews, stuff I've bought and stuff I have in my stash, but I very rarely show you the products I use the most. So, enter here the Top 5 Series. Over the next few weeks I'm going to show you the products I reach for most, starting with mascaras, since I think I've got all of one mascara review on my blog! 

Maybelline The Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara: I'm not gonna lie, I bought this because it was new and it looked pretty. The lovely Daniella did a post on this a couple of weeks or so ago which I think really sums up this mascara. It's a good mascara, if you've already got good lashes, or you don't want anything massive. The tapered shape of the brush means that it grabs every lash really well, from inner to outer corner. The formula isn't too thick, so you never end up looking clumpy, and it means you can also use the tapered end for your bottom lashes without getting it all over your face. This has all the makings of a good mascara, but I really wouldn't say it's volumising. Maybe if there were a few more tightly packed bristles, but for now, I reach for this on a more natural day, when I want to define and lengthen my lashes, but I don't want too much going on. I really like the effect, even if it's not too volumising.

£5.99 from Chemist Direct

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara: Normally I'm averse to plastic wands, with one other exception you will see in a minute, but I quite like this one. Now one thing to bear in mind with this mascara, it's really impressive for the first three or four weeks, but after that it just gets a bit meh. But, I really really like the look when you first get it, so for that reason, I will continue to purchase it. It's supposed to contain fibres that attach to your lashes and make them look longer, but you'd never know. The plastic bristles grip your lashes individually really well, seperating and lengthening them. The formula is thicker than the Maybelline offering, meaning you get a lot more volume, and it layers well. My boyfriend always compliments me on my lashes when I wear this mascara, so if he notices it looks good, it must be good! It's on the pricier end of the drugstore, but it goes on offer all the time. Also, I've tried the waterproof version of this mascara, it's shit, don't bother. (EDIT: My mother has just told me off for writing that. I am to tell you instead that it's not even worth a mention. Sorry mum!)

£10.99 from Boots

Yves Saint Laurent Shocking Volume Mascara: The eagle eyed amongst you will notice this is the only high end mascara I've included in this post. The drugstore is filled with incredible mascaras, and I've never been impressed with high end mascaras enough to warrant their equally high price tags. However, a very generous birthday present from my boyfriend last year led to a love affair with this mascara that even an extortionate price tag couldn't break. This mascara does everything right, volume, length, no clumps, holds a curl, stays put all day. This is hands down the best mascara I have ever tried. Spectacular, long thick lashes, perfect for a night out, or a striking daytime look.

£23.50 but on sale for £16.10 from Debenhams

Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara Waterproof: I've tried a fair few mascaras from Max Factor and I've liked them all, but I always come back to this one. It's definitely my favourite after the YSL offering, and definitely the best from the drugstore. The wand is simillar to YSL's Babydoll, but there are more bristles meaning it does more for volume. This is the only waterproof formula that made the cut, I seem to have an aversion to waterproof mascaras, normally because they tend to do little for your lashes when compared to the standard formula, but this one is nice because it does the exact same thing, but lasts longer. A++! 

£9.99 from Boots

NYC Big Bold Mascara: The only mascara that has had a full review grace my blog. The cheapest option of them all, it's pretty good at length and volume, but can flake off if you get hot and sweaty. Can't grumble about the price though! Read my full review here.

£3.99 from Superdrug

So there we go, the lowdown of my favourite mascaras. All of these feature in my daily rotation regularly, and I love them all!

Have you tried any of these mascaras? What is your favourite, holy grail mascara?

Testing, Testing.

There are a few products that have made it into my regular rotation recently, that I'm not ready to offer a full opinion on yet, but that I wanted to mention, maybe give you some first impressions. Some of these are newish purchases, others have been found in my stash, or in my box of pr samples that haven't been tried yet.

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Conditioner: I love the Lee Stafford For Hair That Doesn't Grow Past A Certain Length mask, and I've been using it for ages. I ran out recently and needed to repurchase, and the Lee Stafford range was on buy one get one half price, so I decided to pick up the matching conditioner. I've used this twice, it's a nice conditioner, smells lovely, and is pretty thick, which I like in a conditioner. I'll reserve judgement on whether it makes your hair grow or not for a while though!

Vichy Purete Thermale Cleanser for Normal/Dry Skin: My skin has been a little less combination/oily than usual, and I was finding my Body Shop Seaweed Cleanser a little too stripping for my skins current condition. So I went on a search for something a little more hydrating to use. I picked up this Vichy number and so far have been loving it, it's hydrating and leaves my skin feeling soft and supple.

L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray: A lot of people rave about this hairspray, but I had never tried it. I picked this mini up to keep in my handbag on my work lunchbreak when my hair kept falling all over my face, and it stopped that, without making my hair too crispy.

Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo*: I really love my V05 Give Me Texture spray for volumising my locks, but I'm still searching for a dry shampoo that gives my hair an extra day's wear, without leaving a grey powdery residue in my hair. So far, so good.

No 7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser: I've wanted to try this forever, so when I found a No 7 voucher floating around in my purse, I decided to pick it up. I really like using this in the shower, it's great at taking off makeup, even stubborn waterproof mascara, but I do like to follow up with the Vichy cleanser, just because it can leave a residue. 

Lush Fair Trade Foot Lotion: Wearing heels for nine hours a day at work without sitting down is ruining my feet. I've been through the last of my Body Shop Peppermint foot lotion, and although I liked it, I just found it a bit...meh. A few people recommended me this on twitter, it's the same price but actually a lot bigger. It smells and feels the same on application, but I actually find that my feet feel moisturised for much longer. 

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser: I picked this up after a sample left me feeling still quite undecided. This is never going to replace moisturiser, but it's nice in the mornings when you want a little moisture in your skin, but don't have time to hang around waiting for moisturiser to sink in.

Also in the testing rounds at the moment is the Lush Shampoo Bar New, which has a pretty overwhelming cinnamon scent, but is supposed to help your hair grow, so could just be worth it. I'm also trying out the new YSL Youth Forever Light Radiance Serum, which I am absolutely in love with, so expect some more info on that very soon! 

Have you tried any of these products?

*PR sample