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Empties/products to re buy

26/4/2015

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Hi everyone!

Hope you've all had a lovely week - this post was meant to go up Friday, but I forgot schedule it, so I thought I would post it today for you all instead (something fun to read on a Monday;)) I thought I would go through the products which I have used up before in the past and have re brought again and again! I feel these types of posts will give me a reminder on what I should re buy when going out shopping. It will vary from makeup to hair products/all general cosmetics, enjoy!

1. V05 Cherish My Colour - shampoo and conditioner:

This shampoo and conditioner combo is a MUST for me now. I have tried many different shampoos and conditioners that are meant to protect my ombré ends, but I will always run back to these. It was the first set I used when I first got my ombré done (nearly a year ago!) and it kept the colour in for so long. I've recently been trying a new shampoo, but the conditioner I use is the Cherish My Colour from VO5 - my ombré is looking brighter than ever! So anyone with coloured hair - I would definitely recommend especially if you want the colour to stay for longer.

2. The Body Shop Foundation

I will always rave about this foundation, especially for the price it is and how well it performs. Although my current favourite is the Revlon Colorstay foundation, I will always go back to The Body Shop's Foundation especially when I want good coverage and no cakeyness (I feel like I'm making up words now...) The other thing that I love about this foundation is that there are so many different shades to choose from - bliss for me really. Since I'm pale, theres always the struggle of finding the perfect foundation - not too yellow toned or to pink , I dread to think how many times I've looked orange in my life (cringe.) Its always a struggle to find the right shade, but The Body Shop's shade 03 (I believe) is just right for my skin!

3. Rimmel London Nail Nurse

I've ran out of this for ages and you know when you go shopping for one specific item (i.e. this) and then forget it? Yep, thats me and this product. My nails are awful at the moment, so I definitely need to re buy this as it makes my nails somewhat wonderful (well better than they are now!) I have peeling nails and they're incredibly weak, but after following the 2 week guide for this nail varnish - they always end up stronger! I would definitely recommend this to those who have weak nails and a small budget, you will find this beauty anywhere!

These are currently the empties I will re buy - I'm hoping to have a post on the empties that I've used up but would not re - buy. Look out for that in the next few weeks! As always

See you in the next blog post,
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P.S. the birthday theme is going to stick around for a few weeks - its someones birthday soon (hint hint ;)) xo
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The starter makeup pack for beginners:

12/4/2015

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Hi everyone!

Hope you've all had a lovely week, I'm back to reality tomorrow (Monday) as I'm going back to college. Its been a busy 2 weeks of working at my new job but its been nice to earn a bit more money in all honesty (to spend it on myself...duh.)

Anyways, I have been thinking about this post for a while - and before anyone starts, no I am no where near a professional in make up and I'm not filled with lots of knowledge and that I know everything about make up. But, I would've loved to of had this little bit of knowledge even when I started out with makeup, so heres a guide to those who enjoy wearing make up or would like to know a little bit more about it. :)

Face brushes:

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Definitely, brushes for makeup is a total must! When starting out with makeup, I think everyone should own at least 2 brushes: a flat foundation brush and a powder brush. I would be so lost now without these two and I think they are vital! I started using brushes about a year ago and I started out with the Eco Tools mini face brush set. Personally, this was a great starting point of brushes and they would be great for those starting out too. I didn't use all the brushes for the required purpose (for example: the small powder brush to matte your concealed areas, I used that as a blending brush for my eyeshadow - double purpose really!) A mini brush set like this is a great starting point for anyone - but the Eco Tools one were especially good for the price, the brissles are extremely soft and they're so easy to use!

Eco Tools Fresh and Flawless 5 Piece brush set - £12 (Superdrug or Boots)

Eye brushes:

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Again, another vital piece of equipment for everyone in my opinion - a blending brush and a eyeshadow fluffy brush. This will enable there to be a full coverage look when doing eyeshadow looks. Like I said, I used a concealer brush from the Eco Tools set to blend my eyeshadows, but I would recommend getting the Real Techniques eye brush set. You get these two brushes as well as liner and eyebrow brushes too, they're great quality brushes for an affordable price!

Real Techniques Eye brush set - £21.99 (Superdrug or Boots)

Beauty blender:

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Even if its a dupe or the real thing - these pieces of sponge are a LIFESAVER. Struggle with foundation lines? With this they will be a forgotten memory for sure! I got one for my birthday last year and it has been the best thing I've ever gotten. You simply dampen the sponge and apply your foundation! The best thing is that it can be used with powder or liquid foundation and I promise you will be given flawless results!!!

Beauty Blender (real) - £16
Dupe Beauty Blender - £3 - £9

See you on Fridays VERY special post...

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Revlon Colorstay foundation

29/3/2015

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Hi everyone!

Even though I have been extremely inactive with blog posts recently, it has given me a chance to spend my money in drug stores and buy lots of cosmetics and goodies! This time I will be reviewing Revlon's colour stay foundation!

Overview:

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So I brought this foundation in Cambridge at Boots because the local Boots to me doesn't have a Revlon part in the store. You get a 30ml bottle (usual size) for £12.49. This foundation comes in two different types consistency to suit your skin. Theres dry to normal combination or normal to oil combination. For this review I will be using the dry to normal combination to suit my skin.

Positives:

The foundation is extremely lightweight which is something I really love having when trying out a new foundation! Normally, with a lightweight foundation you get little or no coverage on blemishes. However, with one layer of this foundation you really do get high coverage. I have a huge problem area on the right side of my face at the moment and well the foundation covered them amazingly. You don't need to have a large amount of product either, a lot does go a long way especially for my face!
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Negatives:

The only negative for this product is that it doesn't come with a pump! So you have to spill the product out on the back of your hand to then put it on your face. Its a pain as you feel like you're going through so much of it so you have to use it sparingly! Definitely my favourite foundation so far which I've reviewed and I will definitely be buying it again!!!

See you in the next blog post,
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Bourjois Paris: Healthy mix serum/gel foundation

6/2/2015

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Hi everyone!

This weeks beauty based post is a little review on another high street foundation. I was running out of my Body Shop foundation and needed to get my hands on something new! As Boots is available to me nearby - I decided to take a visit there and see what I could get my hands on for a good price. I came across this - I haven't had a Bourjois foundation before, so I thought it was something to try out and see how my skin would react to it and if it was something I would buy again! (Btw, these images are very low quality - once again I ran out of time to sit down and take some proper images!)

Overview:

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As I've said you can buy this foundation from most Boots or Superdrug drugstores if they have a Bourjois counter there. I feel like its a very thin bottle - but you get 30ml like all foundations for a price of £9.99. Not too pricey - it's a normal price I would pay for a high street foundation so I wasn't too shocked at the price - if anything, I would've expected it to be a bit more!

Positives:

Firstly, this is something I always go on about - the smell is gorgeous! I hate getting foundations which have that really off smell and stinks up your sponges and makeup brushes - its nice to have something like this and have a refreshing smell when putting it on in the morning! I haven't had a foundation like this since Rimmel London's Wake Me Up foundation, however - as we found out that foundation was way to dark for my pale skin! The formula is very lightweight which is strange for a gel foundation. I don't feel as if I'm caking loads on my face with 1 - 2 layers however, any more layers I do begin to worry if its starting to cake up in areas. The foundation takes well to powder over the top of it - meaning that it soaks in the powder to give a matte finish instead of a dry skin look. The coverage is relatively good - I barely need to conceal my problem areas unless they're really red and irritated! Also, the foundation has a special formula which helps your skin with moisture and has age fighting effects. I wouldn't be able to see the age fighting effects that it claims to have, but I definitely think that it does give my skin a nice glow.

Negatives:

As I said before it can get cakey in some areas when too many layers are applied of this foundation. So when applying, I would suggest to stick to 1 - 2 layers at most! Another issue I've had with this foundation is that the pumps are very small. I need to use around 2 -3 pumps on a daily basis, and that seems like a lot to use up for one day of use. I don't think one pump would be enough to use for your whole face so you have to add more to suit to you and your skin! It states on the front that it would last 16 hours - but to be honest I don't think it would be able to. I'd say this foundation would last around 8-10 hours without having to touch up through the day. Again this isn't a bad thing - but false advertising! :)

Overall, it has been one of my favourite foundations that I've had to date and I will most likely be buying this one again when I run out! The shade is just right for me - and if you're pale like me you know that its a struggle trying to find a foundation that doesn't make you orange ;)

Again sorry for the lack of images in this post - I hate having no images in my posts but I've been so busy with work its been slipping my mind! 

See you in the next blog post,
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Along Came Betty: Pure Pores facial mask

12/12/2014

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Hi everyone!

It feels like such a long week, I feel like I haven't seen the blog in ages! So, I was arranging to have a DIY for you this week, but theres been so much going on I haven't had a chance to get the ingredients for it to upload a post (sorry.) But, Christmas is 2 weeks away(!!) and I thought this would be a great opportunity to review at least one product, which could act as a guide if you're stuck to get a gift for someone. 

This product was recommended by a friend, and it sounded like something I would enjoy to use. Its a face mask by Tesco's own brand Along Came Betty. I've had other products from this range before and I've loved them - so I thought this would be another product that I will love too. So, this product comes as a 50ml pot and its priced £3.99 online but I brought it for £5.95 in store. The directions say to place the product on trouble areas which build up with grease or spot prone areas, then you can either leave it on for 5 minutes or a full 15 minute detox. I like to place it on my nose for a quick cleanse or my whole face for the full face detox.
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Positives:

Firstly, it smells amazing! Its very fruity and has a hint of pomegranate in it as well. The scent isn't too strong either, so when you're wearing it you don't get sick of the smell! It feels like a cream when you place it on your skin, and it has little exfoliating beads inside the cream & you have to rub it in until the beads dissolve - which I think is pretty fab! It washes off easily which is one thing I hate about normal face masks is that you get so much residue left over all on your face! It basically does what it says on the tin - I can see a difference of my pores on my face and they don't seem to be so...clogged up? Thats a vile description but I can't really define it any other way!

Negatives:

It doesn't dry as quickly as I'd like it to! I'm one of those people who constantly check if somethings dry by touching it, I understand after the first few minutes it will be wet but after 5 minutes its still wet - which is a pain during the quick 5 minute detoxes. I also feel that it doesn't always clear my pores out on the side of my nose like it does on the top. I think if I left it a little longer to clear, they would be gone.

Overall, I really love this product - it works wonders for my skin and its definitely going to be in my favourites for a while. I recommend this product for those who enjoy having a bit of me time once and again and want a quick and reusable mask that will last for a while!

See you in the next blog post,
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Benefit They're Real mascara

7/11/2014

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Hi everyone!

Finally another review for this page (it has needed some love for a while!) and this was the perfect product to use. Also, as I mentioned a review in my October Favourites post, this had to become a thing! I'm writing this to share with you my thoughts and feelings of the Benefit They're Real mascara as some people (like myself) has never thought about buying it and if it is really worth the money. 

Overview:

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You can find this little beauty in the larger drugstores over the country. I know you can definitely find a Benefit counter at larger Boots stores in the UK and I happened to buy mine from John Lewis (surprisingly!) But if stores near you don't sell any of Benefit's cosmetics, don't worry there's always online shops which will definitely sell Benefit products! The price for this mascara does vary wherever you go online, but it store the retail price is £19.50 (so basically £20.) For that price you get 8.5g of the product (I couldn't find the amount in ml!)

Positives:

I agree with what the product description says: it does add volume, length and curl to my lashes. After one coat they do become extra long and it is a perfect mascara to last all day long! Also, the formula isn't too thick or too thin so you do get a nice even coverage over your lashes without getting lots of clumps and lashes sticking together after applying one coat (which does the trick!) The formula is good enough so I don't need to retouch my eyelashes throughout the day like I normally would feel I had to with my normal mascara.

Negatives:

I feel on the bottom lashes especially that the product seems to clump up the lashes together and makes them look pointy and horrible!  Also, the box says the end of the tip should separate the lashes, but when I do that it seems to clump them together even more and I get one thick eyelash! As a glasses wearer, I can't have this mascara on as the lashes seem to drag against my lenses and hurt my eyes (weird right?) but I think that I will have that eternal stuggle with whatever mascara I buy.
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Before and after shot!

Would I buy this again? Most probably! I hope you enjoyed reading and this gives fellow non Benefit mascara holders an idea what they could be paying for and if its worth it. I think that mascaras work differently for everyone, for some people this mascara works amazingly and for others not so much. Let me know in the comments if you would consider buying it or if you do have it, what are your thoughts?

See you in the next blog post,
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High street foundation reviews

5/9/2014

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Hi everyone!

This is the first official review on my site and I thought I would do something that most girls would use as a guide! I usually like to buy foundations that don't break the bank but work just as effectively! These are the foundations that I've kept back that I have brought from drugstores/pharmacies that haven't cost me a lot of money! Lets start:

L'Oreal True Match:

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Price: £9.99 (Boots)
Amount: 30ml

Positives: This foundation is extremely lightweight when applying and wearing the product. It blends extremely well and it can cover all of my face in 2 - 3 pumps. The foundation will change to suit your skins texture and colour so overtime you will notice that you have full coverage without any streaks so your skin as it has all soaked into your skin!

Negatives: When placing on the back of your hand, it is so liquidy that it sometimes falls off the side of your hand! Occasionally, you will have to powder quite a fair bit on top of this foundation to ensure you have full coverage for the whole day.

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Seventeen On the Spot:

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Price: £6.99
Amount: 30ml

Positives: On the Spot claims to help prevent breakouts on the skin from occurring like it normally when applying foundation daily and it is true, that it does just that! For my skin, it helped tame my breakouts that I would get from applying foundation everyday. The bottle itself comes in is extremely handy as well since all the product will get to the pump and there won't be any moments when you're constantly pressing the pump to get product out.

Negatives: It is a very thick foundation and it does go on extremely cakey when applying. It doesn't feel amazing on skin either, its like you can feel the foundation on your skin when wearing it!

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Rimmel London Wake Me Up:

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Price: £8.99
Amount: 30ml

Positives: Firstly, the smell of this foundation is GORGEOUS. It smells fruity and doesn't have that dull smell/no scent that other foundations have. It is certainly nice to breathe in when putting your make up on in the morning! Usually I would use two pumps for my entire face but for this product I only need one pump to cover my whole face! It is a light foundation which means you don't feel as if you're wearing a mask when the product is in use.

Negatives: This foundation doesn't last a full day in my opinion. I think you could get around 3 - 4 hours of full coverage but after than you will need to touch up in places where it has come off. Also, in areas such as your T section (between your eyebrows) it does clog up leaving you with a lump of foundation in the middle of your face! Sometimes it is hard to blend it out really well and I have ended up with gravy lines at the rim of my face! Other than that it is a great lightweight foundation.

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The Body Shop: Moisture foundation

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Price: £13.00
Amount: 30ml

Positives: This foundation is extremely lightweight and blend able! When applying it is so easy to move the foundation around into the correct places and it doesn't clog up in any unwanted areas. Also, this range of foundation has a variety of shades available. Since I am very pale, I usual get the lightest shade possible that they have in the range and that is always too dark for my skin! The shade I brought was 03 and that suits my skin perfectly, so it definitely has a wide range to suit all shades!

Negatives: Unfortunately, it doesn't have the fruity scent like Wake Me Up does and I so badly wish it did! Also, I don't think it would stay on for long if you're an active person who may perspire when doing so! So you may need lots of powder to ensure it stays on if you're active!

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Information:

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The foundation was applied to my face by hand. I put one streak along my: upper cheek, lower cheek, chin, side of nose and forehead. My skin was moisturised by a simple moisturiser and all foundation was blended with a Beauty Blender. I also had two pumps per foundation on the back of my hand, a usual amount that I would use. The second image shows you what my skin is like with no foundation applied

And there was my reviews on high street foundations that I have owned in the past year or so! I hope this little guide has helped you out for future reference and let me know what I should review next in the comments! 

See you in the next blog post,

Grace x

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