The Best Of Maybelline

Ahh Maybelline. There are a few products from Maybelline that I use all the time, if not daily, but I don't have anywhere near as many products from them as I thought before I sat down to write this post. I think that Maybelline was a brand I reached for in my early teens, when I was first starting to wear makeup, and now, there are a few goodies I reach for, but for the most part, if I'm going drugstore, I generally look elsewhere. 

THE HITS

Mega Plush Mascara: Maybelline do mascaras well. They have tonnes so there really is something for everyone in the line. They are cheap and cheerful and do the job well. I reach for this for everyday lashes, a little volume, a little length, separation and definition, without being too much.

Baby Lips: You guys know I love this. I use the Intense Care one every morning before applying my makeup, to prep my lips for colour, and I use the tinted ones on days when I want sheer colour. These are only £2.99, nice and moisturising and give a good pop of colour. I love the packaging too.

24h Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze: A sheer, but buildable true bronze cream shadow that is easily applied and sets all day. Great base for shadow, but also looks great alone.

Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner: I've tried a lot of gel liners, Bobbi Brown, Mac, Benefit, but this is my favourite. It doesn't dry out quickly, it's jet black and it sets and stays jet black all day. 

Colour Sensational Vivid Lipstick in Pink Punch: I love this colour, it's a bold, but very wearable bright pink. I like the formula of these, but I find all the other colours in the line a bit off.

Brow Drama: My current go to brow setting product. Great shaped wand that allows you to coat the hairs and not half your face, holds your brows in place for the day well, whilst adding enough of a tint to disguise any sparse areas.

Fit Me Concealer: Since I don't get on with the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, I went on a drugstore dash looking for a good coverage, reasonably priced concealer. I do like this, but I don't find it wears particularly well, and I do need to top up by mid afternoon. It's nice under the eyes though, but I still need to use a brightening concealer if I use this.

Dream Matte Mousse: I couldn't not include this, after it served my teenage skin so well. I don't use it anymore since I find it way too heavy, but for oily or blemished skin it's great, it's very high coverage and leaves a matte finish. Shade range is iffy but if your pale, it's great. 

Nail Polishes: I completely forgot to photograph these, but I have six or seven polishes from Maybelline, at least one of each different formula and I really like them all. The best by far are the Colour Stay 7 Day Gel Polishes, that are super pigmented and very glossy.

THE MISSES

The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara: I'm aware that a lot of people really like this mascara, but I really can't get on with it. I find it really clumpy, and way too thick, and I always end up blobbing it on my face. I did only buy it because of the name though.

24h Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe: I thought I would love this since I loved On and On Bronze, but this is a matte finish and just so dry and hard, it's almost impossible to work with. I also find that if I manage to get it on, it makes me look sick. Nice.

Fit Me Powder: I found this powder really chalky and it smelt funny too. I put it on my face and really just don't feel like it does anything at all. 

Fit Me Foundation: I ended up giving this to a friend since it really didn't work for me at all. The first problem is that the idea of this range is that there is the perfect colour match for everyone. LIES. I went for the closest match, but it oxidised on my skin and left me a rather fetching shade of Dorito. Also, this stuff made my skin really oily, and I have normal to dry skin. Weird stuff. However, aforementioned friend loves the stuff, and has repurchased it twice since, so it's definitely a personal preference.

What do you think of Maybelline? Did you love any of the products I didn't like, or dislike any of the ones I love? What do I need to try next?

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?

The New Thing: Maybelline Baby Lips

A
few months back, my lovely parents bought me a bunch of products back
from America, and amongst everything was a Baby Lips lip balm in Peach
Kiss, since peaches are my favourite scent.The hype around them was just
kicking off so I was really excited to try them. I absolutely loved it
anyway, and it's been used to death, the ends of it is now kicking
around in one of my many handbags. So when it was announced that they
were coming to the UK I was practically skipping with glee. These
arrived in the post Saturday and I couldn't be more thrilled with them.

I've been really busy this month with work and moving, and when I haven't been working (where I have to wear a full face of makeup) I've wanted to tone down the makeup a little, and these have been perfect. Super hydrating whilst adding a wash of colour.

I
got Cherry Me, which gives a sheer wash of deep pink, Pink Punch that's
a pretty bright pink, but sheer enough to not be too much, and Hydrate,
which is clear but slightly more moisturising than the others.

I genuinely believe that these are worth the hype, and they're only £3.99 a pop.

Are you going to pick up any Baby Lips?

The Sunday Five Product Face

Ahhh Sundays. They might just be my favourite day of the week. To me, Sundays are a day of pure indulgence. Luckily for me, my Uni timetable means that I don't have classes on a Monday of Tuesday, meaning that I can do absolutely nothing on a Sunday, leaving all work til the beginning of the week. 

The perfect Sunday to me means a long lie in, followed by tea in bed, and numerous episodes of Man Vs. Food/Don't Tell The Bride/The Big Bang Theory/2 Broke Girls, or anything else that screams self-indulgent trash. Ideally, this would be followed up by a stroll through Hyde Park, or a market, picking up fresh fruit and something for dinner. A few hours cooking in the kitchen, then an evening snuggled up watching Pixar movies, eating something with beef in it, and hopefully a cupcake, whilst popping on a face mask and painting my nails. Bliss.

When it comes to Sundays, I like to embrace the idea of lazy, insert five product face here. The idea of spending hours priming, highlighting, contouring and blending makes my skin reel, so it goes as follows.

A light base goes on the face, ideally this would be some kind of tinted moisturiser or BB cream, but my milk bottle complexion doesn't match any of them out there, so this is where MUA's Undress Me foundation comes in. This is like the lightest foundation ever, barely there coverage that just evens out the skin tone, without looking like you're wearing anything. Pair this with a cream blush, I'm loving the pretty pink of this Topshop blush, in Morning Dew, which gives a gorgeous 'pinch-me-pink' english rose glow. For eyes, a little smudge of cream eyeshadow in the corner does the job, and I love the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze. A little smudge of that in the corner of the eyes is perfect. Match that with a flash of natural but full mascara, such as the L'Oreal Telescopic Lash. Finish off with a pretty pink lipstick, this weeks pick is Viva Glam Gaga.

Right, I'm off to cook a homemade version of a Wagamama dish, and watch the Lorax, enjoy your Sunday!

Maybelline Colour Show Polka Dots

 From left to right, Maybelline Colour Show Polka Dots in Shooting Stars, Maybelline Colour Show Polka Dots in Shooting Stars on H&M Blue My Mind, H&M Blue My Mind

From left to right, Maybelline Colour Show Polka Dots in Speckled Pink, Maybelline Colour Show Polka Dots in Speckled Pink on Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Dragon Fruit, Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Dragon Fruit

The high street has been going mad for nail art in the last year, and the latest trend they've swooped in on was inspired by the Illamasqua speckled nail paints. Now I'm not one for expensive high-end polishes, so these new Maybelline releases were right up my street. Retailing at a mere £2.99 each they are made up of different sized black and white matte speckles, suspended in polish. Whilst the polish is quite sheer, you can wear these on their own, or you can layer them on a similar base colour to really make them pop. I love these, I've been wearing them just on one accent nail, and on every finger, they're a super easy way to make your nails look a little more interesting!

What do you think of the speckled nail look?

Haul - The Birthday Beauty Edition

So here's the deal. Stop a shopaholic from shopping for a month, and when they do, it'll be bad. Add birthday presents and birthday money into the mix and it all gets a little messy.

I wanted to show you guys what I got for my birthday yesterday, but I got a fair bit since my relatives and friends are way too generous. So I thought I'd split it into beauty & other, you can see the beauty stuff today, and later on in the week I'll show you the rest! So here goes nothing...

First up, the Quick Fix Facials Mega Moisture Gel Mask for dry and thirsty skin. I picked this up on a complete whim, purely because I wanted to try it out. It's got Vitamin E and Marine Collagen to rehydrate your skin. I'm gonna give it a whirl in the bath tonight, so I'll let you know how that goes. I've run out of foundation, so I picked up the Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in 100 ivory. I really liked the Wake Me Up foundation, but it wasn't quite light enough for my skin tone, so I thought I'd give this a whirl! The Percy and Reed Colour Shine conditioner came free with this months Glamour, I've used their styling creme before and really liked it, so I'm looking forward to using this! It smells lovely and fresh! My lovely little sister got me Vera Wang Lovestruck for my birthday, and I love it! I'm rubbish at describing fragrances, but this is a very light, floral scent, that is perfect for summer and wearing in the day! It literally has the worlds biggest lid though so I don't think it'll be in my handbag often! 

I picked up the Maybelline Fit Me powder when I got the Foundation, since they were on 3 for 2. I've heard really good reviews of this powder it's in a really cute compact with a mirror and a sponge, which I will probably never use, but it was a nice thought! I still picked up the Rimmel Stay Matte powder though, because it's just brilliant, and I've hit the pan on my last one! I think that's the first time I've ever hit the pan on anything! I did pick it up in Peach Glow 003 instead of Transulscent 001 this time, and now I'm really not sure why, it looks really pinky and my skins got more yellow undertones...so we'll see! 

Under the guidance of my boyfriend, my mum picked me up the YSL Shocking Volume Effect mascara, which I nearly peed my pants with excitement on opening. I got a sample of this mascara with my Touche Eclat last year and have been lusting after it ever since. THIS IS LITERALLY THE BEST MASCARA EVER. NO SERIOUSLY. HANDS DOWN. YSL are really screwing me over though, since the mascara came with a sample of foundation, and now I really want that too... I feel myself following a gold brick road of YSL love...

I've run out of Seche Vite and can't find it in Bournemouth any where, so I picked up the Maybelline Super Stay Gel Nail colour top coat. I've wanted to try a gel topcoat for a while so I'll let you know if it's any good after I've done my nails tonight! 

Next up is my naughty NARS purchase. I knew going into Space NK was a bad decision. When I've come to terms with that purchase, I'll tell you more. I feel a very long blog post coming up! 

Then there are two more hair products, The Living Proof hair primer which I got for free from Space NK since it was my birthday! And I picked up the V05 Give Me Texture Tousle spray, to see if I can make my hair look nice without extensions. Fingers crossed. 

Finally got my hands on the Real Techniques Face brush set courtesy of mummy dearest. Can't believe how long I lasted without them, these are amazing! I picked up another Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, because I ran out and it's another, I can't live without product! I picked up this months Look magazine, purely to try out the Jergens Ultra Healing Body Moisturiser that came with it, I love Jergens moisturisers, and I'm keen to try this out. 

Estée from Essiebutton has been going on about the Maybelline colour tattoos for so long that I just had to pick one up in the 3 for 2 deal, so I got On and On Bronze. It's a gorgeous colour which I can see myself wearing everyday! I picked up the L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Blush out of curiosity, since it's a really, well, weird product. I actually really like it and will be doing a post on it soon so keep your eyes peeled!

And lastly, not only did my naughty boyfriend pick me up the MAC Mineralize Lipstick in All Out Gorgeous, which I have been lusting after for ages, but he also got me a giant bottle of Police Woman, which is an amazing fragrance, in a seriously cool bottle!

After I took all these pictures, I actually went into Lush and I figured it would be rude not to mention these bits too! I actually went in to buy more Let The Good Times Roll but it's been discontinued, I nearly cried. I'm so gutted, it was my favourite cleanser! 

I'm embracing having a bath for the next month, so I picked up two bath bombs, Phoenix Rising (left) and Avabath (right). Phoenix Rising is my favourite, it's deep purple with gold glitter and I think it smells like coca-cola. Either way it's very pretty! Avabath is made from Avocado and Lemongrass, and it smells beautiful! Whilst I was queuing to pay I saw the A Million Kisses Lip tint, and picked it up to keep in my handbag. It looks super deep red in the pot, but you can wear it to just lightly stain your lips pink, or for a full flash of colour. This is going in my handbag for sure!

Phew, so there you have it!

What do you think of the products I picked up?