Shopping My Stash September 2017

Shopping my Makeup Stash Sept-2017

Shopping my Makeup Stash Sept-2017

I have been reducing down my makeup collection for a good few months now & have found a good way to weed out products you don’t enjoy anymore is to rotate your makeup & shop your stash each month. That way you get to use more of what you have, discover products you may have forgotten about & also reaffirm why you might not reach for a particular product anymore & pass it on to free up space!

Doing this each month has helped me no end and it means at the end of the month I have condensed my collection down even further and It is becoming more manageable. I’m aiming to be left with only products I really love. #makeupgoals

Current Makeup Bag Contents

Mii Power Matte Lip Creme in Eternity

I think I will just have to accept that 9/10 matte lip products are just not going to be comfortable on the lips. This one from Mii Cosmetics isn’t too bad if I put a crap tonne of lip balm underneath to lessen the blow. I suffer through (slightly dramatic) because this shade is just beautiful and it is such an easy shade to wear. I love it and I am willing put up with the tight, dry feeling on my lips. I am sure that most people wouldn’t find it that bad but I don’t often opt for a matte lip, however I have fallen for this nude shade in a big way.

Essence Blush Palette in Play it Peach

I adore this cheek trio but it has found it’s way to the back of my drawer, so I am excited to use it more. The shades are nice and subtle and you get two beautiful blush colours and a highlight shade. I often use the highlight shade as an eyeshadow too – I just sweep it all over the lid to brighten up my eye look and it works a treat.

 Rosie for Autograph Cream Shadow Sticks in Feline Fox

I am going to be bold and say this cream shadow stick is my all time favourite and I don’t say that lightly. I have quite a few brands and shades in my collection but I always reach for this one. I took it away with me on my recent trip to Amsterdam and I wore it on a night out & my eyemakeup stayed in place all night long. This shade is a stunning deep bronze brown shade and you can either blend it out really well so it is quite light or go bold and wear it quite dark. Either way it doesn’t crease and it looks so good either on its own, under a powder shadow as base or worn as liner.

What Is In My Makeup Bag

Primer Plus Skin Adaptor Anti Pollution

This is a base that transforms to your skin colour to give you that fresh, even skintone. It isn’t going to give you the same coverage as a foundation but I like to wear this either under my base or alone as a lighter coverage. I would compare it too a tinted moisturiser, it gives you a nice amount of coverage whilst feeling hydrating and lightweight on the skin and it also leaves your skin looking smooth & beautifully radiant. I loved using it over the Summer so I am going to carry on using it as my everyday base. I love that it has helps protect my skin from the effects of pollution and free radicals.

Rimmel Brow This Way Styling Gel

This is the only brow product I have been using these past few months so it is no surprise that I am keeping it in my everyday makeup bag again this month. The brush is small enough that you don’t get product all over the place and are able to be quite precise with where you place the gel. It tames, enhances and keeps my brows in place all day so that ticks all the boxes for me.

Rimmel Wonderfull Mascara

Rimmel Wonderfull Mascara

This mascara helps to keep your lashes looking and feeling their best – it contains Argan Oil which is nourishing for your lashes and stops your mascara from going crispy and flaking. I have recommended this product to so many people this year and love how long and fluttery it makes my eyelashes look! My tube is almost finished so I wanted to keep it on rotation this month so I could use it up but spoiler, I am going to repurchase ASAP!

Current Daily Makeup

Essence The Cushion Eyeliner

I stopped wearing eyeliner earlier this year mostly because I am lazy but I think the colder months call for darker eye makeup so it is the perfect excuse to get my winged liner on! This Essence Cushion Liner is jet black and applies very smoothly, it isn’t as much of a phaff as you’d think, just make sure you have yourself a decent angled brush and take it slowly. Do not apply too much at once & I find I get the pointiest wings using this liner and it doesn’t bleed at all.

Rimmel Radiance Brick in Medium

I love these kind of multi-tonal powders & have a few in my collection from different brands and they are such so easy & effortless to use. I just swirl my brush through all the shades and sweep it across my cheeks & you get a lovely glowing, bronzed look. Think sunkissed & fresh faced rather than disco ball. I am not too sure how much I will use this in the colder months but I will apply it with a light hand – oh & I have used it as eyeshadow too, it works really well!

makeup swatches

Essence Blush / Rimmel / Rosie / Mii Matte

What products have you switched in & out of your makeup bag this month? I bought a new foundation whilst I was in Amsterdam so I have been using that all the time this past couple of weeks. I will be spilling the beans on what it is in the coming weeks so keep an eye out for that. Al I will tell you is it was under £5.

*This Post contains PR samples

Essence Cosmetics SS17 Releases

Essence Cosmetics Blush Sculpting Palette

Essence Cosmetics Blush Sculpting Palette

Essence Blush Play Sculpting Palette – Play it Peach

This has to be one of my favourite products ever from essence & I have tried quite a few over the years. It’s compact, travel friendly and the 3 shades included are just beautiful. You get one highlight and two blush shades. The swatch I did of the highlighter simply doesn’t do it justice, the powder feels finely milled, you get very little fallout and it just gives you that subtle healthy glow. I like that it is a highlight you can wear as part of your everyday makeup, it isn’t super dramatic but suits my makeup style and I’ve been wearing it most days.

The other shades in the palette are beautiful peachy blushers, the define shade has a touch of sparkle to it and immediately reminded me of NARS Orgasam. It has that peachy, coral feel with a subtle gold highlight (not glittery in the least). The middle sculpt shade is a darker peachy pink and is matte it adds a lovely pop of colour. So this palette is well worth checking out. I think it comes in another colour option too if this Play it Peach trio isn’t right for you.

Essence Blush Play Sculpting Blush Palette

essence makeup swatches

Essence The Cushion Eyeliner

I have tried a few cushion foundations and blushers this past year and it seems this Asian inspired beauty trend is set to stick around a little while longer. It is nice to see affordable brands releasing their versions and essence have added a cushion eyeliner to their range for 2017. I must say I was on the fence about this product because I’m very loyal to my liquid liner pen but I actually found this to be surprisingly easy to work with. It comes in a small jar with a sponge (cushion) soaked in the product and you dab your brush on to the cushion and viola you are ready to apply. It was so smooth and precise to apply and I managed to get a very neat cat flick without the product bleeding in to my creased eyelids.

The product was very moist (sorry if you don’t like that term) so just make sure you lightly dab your brush on the cushion, so it doesn’t dispense too much product. If like me you like your liner to be very black you will love this. It dries down to a semi matte finish and it has good staying power, it didn’t smudge but it isn’t waterproof so just be mindful of that. After wearing it for the day it did show a little wear and my flicks had worn slightly but it still looked OK and for an affordable version I am very impressed with how easy it was to apply and how well it lasted. This is currently only available in black but I am hoping essence release a brown & a fun vibrant purple too.

affordable essence products

essence volume stylist fibre mascara

Essence Volume Stylist 18h Mascara

I’d say the products I recommend the most from essence are mascara’s. They always have such a huge selection and they rival any high-end brands so I was excited to try this new release for Spring / Summer. It promises 18 hour wear and voluminous lashes, I love my lashes to look long and healthy and I have to say this mascara is ticking all the boxes. The wand is made out of synthetic hairs and is a great shape for coating every single lash and being able to get right into those shorter inner corner lashes too. Because this mascara has fibres it is so good at adding length and volume without looking clumpy or heavy. I didn’t experience too much fall out, I’m a nightmare for rubbing my eyelashes and this stood up pretty well. The pigmentation is very black and I have been wearing a single coat as my everyday mascara but you can add another if you want to build up a more voluminous effect.

There is also a curl & hold version of this mascara, which sounds great for creating more of an evening look. Like I said you can’t go wrong with an Essence mascara, so make sure you check them out.

essence shine shine shine wet look lipgloss

Essence Shine Shine Shine Wet Look Lipgloss in runway your way & red carpet starlet

These live up to their name & really have that wet look. They are very glossy and pigmented on the lips I wouldn’t say they are the most long wearing but they look vibrant and pretty. The applicator is a nice shape and tapers to a point which makes it easier to apply and get a neat finish. Due to them having such a wet look they don’t wear too long on the lips, I found 2 – 3 hours tops and then I had to reapply.

I’m not a massive fan of lipgloss but I can appreciate how pretty these are and how comfortable they feel on the lips. I do have two of the more vibrant shades but if these are not your go to colours fear not because these are available in so many shades, from subtle neutrals right through to more bold pinks and purple shades. I think I’m going to pick up more of an everyday shade like So Into It! and wear it over my favourite Urban Decay Lipstick in Back Talk, I think the two will make a gorgeous duo. Let me know what colour you have your eye on? Oh & I can’t believe these are only £2 each.

Affordable essence makeup

Essence Colour Boost 1 Coat Nail Polish in Instant Match

This is currently on my toes and looks perfect for Spring / Summer. All I need now is some warm weather so I can wear some cute sandals. This range of polishes promise to deliver vibrant colour with just one coat, I have to say I did apply two but that is just because I like my colour to be super vibrant and I am terrible at applying nail polish. I think I could have got away with one coat though.

The formula was easy to work with and applied streak free and dried very quickly too. I already have my eye on the mint shade from this collection too. You can’t go wrong with mint for the warmer months.

What do you think you will be picking up from the new Essence releases? Their range is available in Wilko stores and online at www.wilko.com

  • This post includes PR Samples