Makeup

Five products under £5

- Vicki 16 Comments

Five products under £5

Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitisers – I know these are quite hard to get hold of in the UK & I tend to stock up if I go to America or if anyone I know goes on holiday there I ask them to get a shed load of them because they’re 5 for $5 (bargain). I was down to my last bottle & there is no USA trip on the horizon so I bit the bullet & took to eBay, there are quite a few UK based sellers & although you won’t get them for anywhere near as cheap as US prices, they’re still so fun to have. I bought three sweet scents & I’m so pleased with them all. So if you’re looking to order a couple I bought mine from this

Collection Eyes Uncovered Eyeshadow Palette £3.99 – I just can’t say enough good things about these Collection Palettes you get 6 great quality eyeshadows in each palette & there are 3 palettes to pick from. I have 2 out of the 3 but the Nude Bronze is the one I have been using the most, if you love gold, bronzy shimmers then this is the one for you. This Nude Bronze palette is beautiful and for an affordable brand the colours are pigmented and very good quality. All the shadows in this palette have some shimmer in them, so if you want a more matte palette then the Nude Palette might be the one for you. I have used this palette so much since I got my hands on it. If you haven’t checked these out you really should!

MUA Sweet Sheen Lipbalms* £2 – These were released as part of their Spring / Summer 2015 collection there are 6 pretty shades available and these 2 colours are my current favourites. They give your lips a light wash of colour and feel hydrating and comfortable. These are handy to have in your handbag for applying a pinch of colour on the go. All 6 shades are perfect for the warm weather & look glossy and pretty on the lips. I have been alternating between these two colour this month and love them both.

Essence Gel Waterproof Eyeliner £2.30 – I wasn’t too fussed at first that these were waterproof, I initially loved how creamy, soft and pigmented they are. They glide on without any tugging and the colour is even and looks vibrant. If you want to smudge these out to create a smokey eye then you best be quick because after a few minutes the colour isn’t going anywhere. This liner will last all day on your lids & looks as fab after 8 hours as it did when you first applied it. There is no need for a pencil sharpener (they’re so 1999, these are twist up). Now on to it being waterproof, yes it might be a pain to remove but it means your liner won’t smudge, transfer or end up halfway down your face & if you need a liner for your summer holiday then this is a really affordable option. They come in 6 colour options & I have brown & black but if you’re looking for something more colourful then you can get blue, green & purple.

Origins Facial Brush* £5 – First off can we address how cute this is! Also it is so very soft, the bristles are not abrasive at all so if you’re worried about it being damaging or a little harsh on your skin it really isn’t. This manual hand held facial brush is perfect for gently exfoliating your skin, I have been using it mostly on my nose & chin & its the perfect size brush for those areas. You use it with a cleanser & I have been using the Origins White Tea Cleanser, this brush helps buff away the dead skin & build up of the days grime & dirt to reveal glowing healthy skin. Its so lightweight & compact that it would be ideal to take away with you on holiday & for £5 I think its a bargain. This gets two thumbs up from me, I love it.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Travel Makeup Bag Scotland Edit

- Vicki 8 Comments
Scotland Makeup Edit

I have just returned from visiting family in Scotland & I was there for almost 3 weeks. I thought i’d share with you the makeup I took with me. First off I love this makeup bag, it was a limited edition release from Origins last year & they teamed up with fashion designer Nanette Lepore. It is a beautiful design and it fits quite a good amount of products in. I do have my brushes packed separately so this just had my makeup in.

My Scotland Makeup Bag

I took my B. Prepared Illuminating Makeup Primer* this leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and doesn’t add any slip or shine to the skin but instead it adds a beautiful luminous glow to the skin without any shimmer or glitter. It is a really nice smooth base for my foundation to sit on top of & it helps my makeup last all day whilst adding a healthy glow to my skin. It also has Hyaluronic acid and vitamin E which are great at hydrating skin and helping reduce the signs of fatigue.

Talking about foundations I took 4 bases with me, sounds excessive but 2 are sample sizes & the other two are totally different options. The one I used most frequently was the Bourjois CC Cream* it gives my skin a light, natural coverage whilst counteracting redness and evening out your skin tone. I found it so easy to blend and wears really well throughout the day. I love this & I’m so pleased with it. If you’re looking for a Summer base this might be the one.

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation* – This was bought on a whim a couple of weeks ago & I have been blown away by it. It gives more coverage than the Bourjois CC Cream but it still isn’t heavy in the skin and I would say it gives a medium coverage. Its a very watery formula which I think is very easy to blend and it gives the skin a gorgeous satin finish, it makes my skin look incredible & I don’t need to powder unless I want it to last all day & into the night which isn’t often.

Scotland Makeup Edit

I took the Ginvera Green Tea BB Cream too and I like that its a light coverage and provides a natural touch of colour so my complexion looks bright & even. It has a lovely creamy consistency which I found very easy to blend, I did lightly powder but I don’t think thats 100% necessary. This BB Cream covers all bases it provides a SPF30, protects against free radicals, conceals imperfections & contains hyluronic acid for all day hydration. So you’re getting a lovely BB Cream with the added skincare benefits which Asian brands are renowned for.

I always take my MUA Undress Me Too Palette as its so slim & has 12 eyeshadows in, so lots of neutral options. I like that its affordable so I’m not worried about it getting damaged in transit & I think all the shadows are great quality and are perfect for wearing during the day.You get 2 mattes and a mix of metallic finishes and shimmers, so quite a varied selection for a £4 palette. I also took the Collection Eyes Uncovered Palette in Nude Bronze which is a more recent purchase & the shadows in this palette wear slightly longer & I love how pigmented and pretty they are. If you love gold, bronzy shimmers then this is the one. Again it’s such an affordable palette & I highly recommend checking it out. There are a few in this range & this one has more metallic, shimmery options. So perfect for the evening.

I took two cream eyeshadows & they were the Bourjois Colorband Eye Crayon in Brun dadaiste & Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sugar Frost these are my go to eye option for a lazy makeup day. they look pretty on the lids & they last all day. I also just blend them out using my finger, its so quick and easy.

Travel Makeup Bag

I am so in love with the Soap & Glory Supercat Liner that I had to pack it, its amazing at getting that perfect, precise liner that you can make look more dramatic if you want to. Wonderful deep black pigmentation and no smudging throughout the day. Try it if you like liquid liner, you will not be disappointed.

My Benefit Boiing Concealer is always in my makeup bag, I have repurchased it so many times because it just works. It covers everything and anything & it never looks cakey. Its quite creamy and you can blend so easily but once its on it stays in place for hours. Its heavy duty and a concealer that you can rely on. I also took my Bobbi Brown Corrector because I am trying to shop my stash & I hadn’t used this for a while & I knew that Scotland would be a lot of early mornings & late nights so this was going to be my product to counteract the dark under eyes.

Soap & Glory Solar Powder – This is my favourite bronzing duo, its very handy for travel having 2 shades. I think this bronzer gives me a sun kissed glow & a touch of natural colour. I must have used it everyday since I bought it. I do hate the flimsy cardboard packaging & the lid / mirror is about to rip off any day which is such a shame. Next up is Elf Pinktastic which is a baked highlighting blush with pink and beige marbling, it really brightens up your cheeks and leaves them looking flushed and glowing. The shimmer isn’t too OTT but looks fresh and is a beautiful highlight.

I took two blushers with me the first is the Max Factor Creme Puff in Gorgeous Berries* which is just beautiful, and it adds such a pretty warm rosy glow to your cheeks. The last blush I took is the Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll which it is a soft pink and I think quite a natural colour so it gives your cheeks a very subtle fresh healthy look.

Travel Makeup Scotland Edit

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot is a wonderful setting powder if you have an oily t zone, its keeps my foundation in place and from looking shinny after a couple of hours. I have hit pan on this too. I also took my Mac Select Sheer Pressed Powder NW25 this powder gives my skin a little more coverage & sets my makeup. I use it at night because of the extra coverage it gives, it makes my foundation look flawless and stops my skin getting oily. I have had it for ages & I’ve almost used it up. I always forget I have it but love it when I rediscover it, its just a great all round powder.

I only took two lip options and they were both lip crayons. The Origins KissZing Lip Crayon in Rosemance* this has to be my favourite everyday lip colour. Rosemance is a soft nude rose shade, it gives your lips a pinch of colour & looks natural and pretty. The formula is quite creamy and glides on effortlessly, feels hydrating on the lips but not greasy at all. I have it in my handbag ALL the time. I also took the Lord & Berry Twistick in Shut Up* which a deep plum shade & is my go to evening lip colour.

So thats what I took with me for 17 days in Scotland, do you think I packed light?

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

MeMeMe Create The Look Smokey Eye Collection

- Vicki 1 Comment
Smokey Eyes Trio 011

I have quite a few MeMeMe products in my collection & have blogged about their Eye Liner, Shimmer Stack and Long Wear Lip Creams and I think their makeup is affordable and very good quality. I have been trying out their Create The Look ‘Smokey Eye Collection‘* and think it’s a great introduction to the brand and it is a great selection of products to have. I wear mascara, and eyeliner almost on a daily basis so I can never own too many of those & the ones in this kit are pretty good.

MeMeMe Smokey Eye Collection

This beautiful collection includes Smokey Eyes trio palette, Dark & Divine mascara, kohl Eye Line Pencil in Coal & Eye Sweep Precision Eye Definer. Four full sized MeMeMe products and everything you need to create that sultry smokey eye. I must admit I don’t tend to wear my eyeshadow that dark but the good things about the eyeshadow trio is you can keep it quite light & still create a Vicki (neutral shadows only) friendly smokey eye.

MeMeMe Smokey Eye Collection

The Smokey Eyes Trio 01 has 3 wearable colours that are pigmented, easy to blend and they wear a long time too. You get a light creamy white shade white is good as a base colour & to brighten the inner corner too. The blue grey shade is stunning, not my usual go to colour but it looks really pretty on the lid and not too dark. The darkest shade is a charcoal grey with a hint of dark blue & the perfect shade to give the look that smokey edge. I want to try a few more of these baked shadow trios as the quality is really good.

Eye Sweep Precision Eye Definer is the ideal felt tip liner for achieving that defined cat flick. The tip is very precise which makes applying your liner quick and easy. The formula is black and long wearing, I like to go over twice just to give it the deepest colour but this is a great everyday liner & it doesn’t transfer on to my upper lids or smudge throughout the day.

MeMeMe Cosmetics Smokey Eyes Trio

Kohl Eye Line Pencil in Coal – This is great for smoking out the eye as it is really easy to blend out & its quite soft & creamy to apply. I used to wear khol liner all the time but I tend to over look them & reach for liquid liners more often. I have been enjoying re discovering the simple khol liner & forgot how less harsh it looks & how you can transform your eye makeup by smudging it out.MeMeMe Smokey Eye Collection SwatchesMeMeMe Dark and Divine MascaraDark & Divine Mascara – I love the big chunky plastic wand, it helps coat each individual lash and separate them making your lashes look full & fluttery whilst the fibre enriched formula gives them volume and length. The formula isn’t too wet and after two coats there is no clumping or spider lashes and its easily removed with Micellar Water & a Hot Cloth Cleanse. I have been wearing this as an alternative to my beloved Roller Lash as an everyday mascara. This is the stand out product in this kit for me.

I think the Create The Look ‘Smokey Eye Collection* £17.50 – would make a lovely gift for someone that is starting their makeup collection because it comes with 4 really good useable products. Or if you like creating a smokey eye then you might want to snap this up too, its very good value for money.

Let me know if you have used any of the products I have mentioned or if you have any other MeMeMe product recomendations.
Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

5 From L’Oreal

- Vicki 6 Comments
five products from loreal

I own quite a few L’Oreal products so it was hard to narrow it down to just five but after much deliberation I have decided these are my current 5 favourites. Let me know in the comments what your favourite / most used products from L’Oreal are.

5 Products From L'Oreal

L’Oreal True Match Foundation in the shade Vanilla £9.99

This is the first ever L’Oreal Foundation I’ve tried and I have been so impressed with it. I would say it gives a medium coverage, you can still see all my (hundreds) of freckles which I like so it looks natural and wears really well. It doesn’t oxidise on me and my oily skin seems to only start looking shiny after about 6 hours wear & then I lightly dust some powder on and its good for a few more hours. I think it looks really good on & it feels lightweight on my skin and doesn’t break me out. Its one of my most used foundations & I have quite a few.

L’Oreal Glam Bronzer £10.30

This is a two toned bronzer, you get a lighter highlighter shade & a deeper brown shade.  Its the same concept as my much loved Solar Powder but the brown / bronze shade in this duo is a little darker which is perfect for Summer. This duo gives the skin an illuminating glow – I wouldn’t use this to contour as it does have a pearlescent sheen, I think its used best as a bronzing highlighter. It gives the skin a little warmth and a subtle glow. The packaging is great too, very travel friendly & it has a mirror too.

Five products from L'Oreal

L’Oreal Color Riche Smoky Quad in Rose Memories £7.99

Hello my perfect shades, these are so pretty and very me. I have been trying to shop my stash every week & I forgot I had this quad, I bought it last year & used it all the time then like most makeup items it was forgotten about. I am so glad I’ve rediscovered it because it is gorgeous. This quad isn’t for matte eyeshadow fans because all four colours have shimmer in them, its not disco ball glitter but they have a hint of shimmer / frost finish .I love the darkest plum colour & think it looks so pretty worn alone all over the lid. The packaging of this is slim and compact it looks and feels quite luxurious.

L'Oreal Quad

L’Oreal Superliner Black Lacquer £5.50

When I wear eyeliner 99% of the time it is black liquid eyeliner & I have tried a few amazing ones & even more terrible ones. I have to say that as a rule of thumb the L’Oreal liquid liners are some of the best I have used. Their pigmentation is so good – jet black, they wear all day without wearing off unevenly and they never transfer on to the upper part of my eye (I hate it when eyeliner does that). I also find L’Oreal liners last months without drying out. I’m currently using the Superliner one and love how flexible the nib is & how precise you can make your winged liner look!

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche La Palette Nude Beige L'Oreal La Palette Nude Beige Swatches

L’Oreal La Palette Nude in Beige £14.99

I have the original Rose palette too but I was so happy when L’Oreal released this one, I had to have it. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you will know that I love a neutral palette & this one is sleek & has a great sized mirror too. You get 10 neutral eyeshadows, 6 mattes and 4 shimmers so a good mix. 9 of the shadows have really great pigmentation the first lightest shade is the only one that is a little chalky but the other 9 shades are beautiful. You get a pretty selection of wearable colours, ranging from champagnes, bronzy browns, golden browns to some beautiful darker browns & a blue / grey shade to finish off the palette.

I love the shade range in this palette & think this is a very handy palette to travel with. I never deviate from a neutral eye so I know this has every shade I would need. The shadows are easy to work with and there is very little fall out. So this gets two thumbs up from me & I am so happy I managed to track one down.

Do we share any of the same favourites from L’Oreal?