The Lost Ones

At the bottom of my many makeup bags lie beautiful products long forgotten, neglected, forsaken. In my defense I don't necessarily relegate items on purpose... They just sort of end up lost among the many other products I purchase as the weeks roll by. Alas, no more! When rooting around for products to take to my fiance's this week (we're living together, alone, just the two of us for the next three weeks. No, we're not that traditional, we just both happen to live at home still, together really as we see each other every day, but I digress!) I stumbled upon some forgotten gems that I couldn't believe I'd abandoned over the past year or so. These babies are all amazing! I'm taking them out of retirement and giving them another hoorah. 

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation ~ £33

How I love this foundation! I think it ended up archived because there's only a teeny bit left in the tube and it's really quite expensive so I must have been saving it for a 'special occasion'. I wore this every day last Autumn and Winter after receiving a tube for my birthday, and it's just brilliant. It gives fantastic full coverage without looking at all heavy or cakey, and it feels so smooth and luxurious. If I recall correctly it does require quite a lot of blending as the palest shade ('Cream Ivory') is a little too yellow toned for me, but I can live with that. It also requires powder to set it, or you run the risk of mid morning shine, but again I can live with that, as the coverage and finish is incredible! I've now got my eye on a Laura Mercier primer and Laura Mercier Oil Free foundation as I reckon these might be a brilliant tag team for keeping me matte all day long. If you're looking for more of a luminous finish, you can't go wrong with Silk Creme. 

Revlon Photoready BB Cream ~ £9.99

This is definitely more of a Winter base for me, as it can make me a little shiny when worn during the summer months. It gives quite light coverage but is creamy enough to look and feel satisfyingly 'thorough', and when teamed with a good concealer this is a great option for when you want a healthy 'glow'. The colour ('Light') is perfect and not at all orange or too yellow, and it lasts well throughout the day when set with a light dusting of powder. I really like this for when I don't want to wear as heavy a base as usual, and after watching Lisa Eldridge's video on covering acne prone skin, I'm convinced that a lighter foundation paired with a targeted heavier concealer might be the way to go for faking flawless skin!

Seventeen 'Damson Wine' Blush Powder ~ £3.49

I'm usually a light pink or peach blusher kind of gal but this caught my eye after seeing it mentioned on a blog post (bad blogger here, I can't remember which blog... Sorry!) I've wanted to experiment with a darker blush for a while but didn't want to spend lots, so went with this Seventeen bargain. It's only now it's Autumn that I can see myself reaching for this more, and I was pleasantly surprised to test it out again recently. It adds a nice depth of colour without being too 'plummy' or chalky and it's been fun to discover that I can actually pull off colours other than your standard pinks and peaches! I find Seventeen makeup to be great quality considering the purse friendly prices and I may just have to have a peek at the other shades on offer. 

B. Glowing Shimmer Block Blush 196 ~ £8.99

Now, there is absolutely no excuse for letting this blusher brick slip through the net as it's super gorgeous and works like a dream at brightening up my tired, pale morning face. I haven't seen many reviews of Superdrug's B. makeup and skincare line but I've made quite a few purchases and the quality of every product has been brilliant. I love all of the five shades contained in this blusher compact, from the deepest pink for adding a pop of colour to the white shimmer strip for highlighting. Not at all overly shimmery, this gives a really healthy glow and works in every season. I can't wait to use this throughout Autumn/Winter, it really is a hidden gem and it's also so pretty to look at! The handy mirror is a nice touch, too. 

Sleek 'Storm' I Divine Eyeshadow Palette ~ £7.99

I went through a serious eyeshadow palette phase last year and one of the beauties I picked up, and then swiftly discarded, was Sleek's 'Storm' palette. Until recently I've been all about the neutral eye and never ventured into the world of colour, so I just didn't really get much use out of this beautiful selection. However! When I cracked this open a few days ago and saw the cranberry and pink shadows I was hooked! I'm absolutely obsessed with all things pink, pomegranate, cranberry and plum when it comes to eyes at the moment and I'm so glad to have rediscovered this. To be fair there are also quite a few nude colours in this and they're all shimmery which is my weakness! I'm loving the forest green shade as well. A successful palette all around!

I think I have more lip products than any other beauty item and I was thrilled to find these bad boys hidden away in my stash. From the top we've got RevlonSuper Lustrous Lipstick 'Cherry Blossom' (£7.49), MUA Lip Colour Tint 'Crazy In Love' (£3) and Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Colour 'Pick Peony' (£19). 

Don't let the red bullet deceive you, as 'Cherry Blossom' is actually more of a fuchsia pink when applied. I like to blot this after applying to create more of a stain effect and it's going to be one I reach for frequently throughout Autumn. 

I picked up a couple of MUA's Colour Tint lip crayons a while back and forgot all about 'Crazy in Love' but I'm now head over heels for it. Again, I like to blot this one to give more of a stain, although it can be layered for stronger intensity. Colour wise it's a lovely raspberry red colour with touches of pink, and it makes my teeth look whiter which is a plus! 

I received 'Pink Peony' as a birthday present almost a year ago and it's so different to all of the other pinks in my collection. Bobbi Brown describe it as a 'medium toned pink' and it's a lot brighter and stronger when on than in the bullet, so I tend to prefer it to for evenings. It makes a welcome change to my current reds and berries obsession! 

I've spilled my stash, let me know what hidden gems you've found in yours! 

Baci e abbracci, 

                                                       

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Disappointing Products | Makeup

The suspects...

*Taking cover from die hard Apocalips lovers* I kid of course, as obviously different products suit and agree with different people, and where would we be without variety in the world? I thought I'd round up some of the makeup items I've purchased over the past few months that have unfortunately failed to impress for various reasons. I'm quite fussy with texture and colour, and so I'm sure some readers will absolutely love some of the products featured, but alas what suits some of us might not suit others and vice versa. 

MUA Undress Me Too eyeshadow palette £4

Generally I'm a huge fan of MUA palettes and I was so excited to give this one a go as I'm a sucker for neutrals and this collection looked promising. Unfortunately, having experimented with it a fair few times I've decided it just isn't for me. There seems to be quite strong silver/pale blue undertones to a lot of the shades in the palette which doesn't appeal to me and unfortunately some of the shades look a little bit odd with my complexion. I've also found that unlike other MUA shadows these ones don't seem as pigmented and I need to apply quite a few layers to achieve a strong amount of colour. Ah well, you win some, you lose some. 

Seventeen Brow Scultping Pencil 'Natural Brown' £2.89 & Eye Kohl Soft Smudge Pencil 'Mocha' £2.89

Oh man, was I disappointed in these pencils. I only bought them as emergency items when staying at my fiance's sans makeup bag one weekend, but I figured as Seventeen have lots of great quality products these would be OK to use. I was wrong. Firstly, the eyebrow pencil. I found this has a very stiff, dry consistency making it difficult to use, and it also has an ashy finish which is off putting. The colour looked extremely strange on my brows, with very strong grey tones and I hated it as soon as I put it on. It was near impossible to blend properly and it dragged and tugged like crazy. Not a fan. As for the eye liner, as soon as I opened this the tip fell clean off which immediately irritated me. What if I couldn't find a sharpener?! It does an alright job of lining the upper lid but it's also quite stiff and therefore drags along the eyelid. Not impressed at all. 

Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara £7.99

This mascara seems to divide opinion and I'm firmly in the 'I hate it' camp. I found the 'flexor-brush' to be a complete gimmick and a nuisance when applying to my lashes. The idea is that it 'flexes' and bends as you apply, to help you grip the lashes, but I found it did the opposite and made it extremely difficult to get a good grip. The formula was lumpy and flaked like crazy throughout the day, and it failed to really define or do anything that noticeable to my lashes. It smells good though. So that's a plus. I guess. 

Bourjois Cream Blush '01' £7.99

I love cream blush so I was looking forward to trying out this little peach pot from Bourjois. It does seem like a very small pot for £7.99 but I thought I'd give it a go anyhow, especially considering the rather impressive stats given on the Bourjois website. 100% of 33 users found it 'very easy to blend', apparently. Well I must have freaky cheeks because I find the texture quite dry and not as creamy as I'd like, making it quite difficult to blend over foundation without sort of rubbing my foundation off in the process. While I quite like the peachy colour I do find it quite pale and in hindsight I think I prefer a slightly darker peach coral. So, a combination of the wrong colour choice and the wrong formula for me *sad face*

Rimmel BB Cream £6.99 & Match Perfection SPF15 Cream Compact £7.49

Two very simple reasons for disliking these. Rimmel BB Cream turned me into an absolute grease ball half an hour after applying, and I suffered a nasty allergic reaction to the Match Perfection Cream Compact. I actually really liked the texture of the Cream Compact but soon after using it I developed a horrible red rash all over my face that took days to calm down. I found that the BB Cream didn't deliver good coverage and it smells like old sun cream which I don't find all that appealing. I favour a base that keeps me relatively matte, so this isn't the one for me. I am, however, a big fan of Rimmel's Match Perfection liquid foundation which doesn't bring me out in a rash, thankfully. 

Maybelline Cover Stick £4.09

This was another emergency purchase and unfortunately it wasn't the wisest one. I really like Maybelline foundations so figured I'd like this stick concealer, yet it has a bizarre waxy consistency and it has a really greasy finish. It also has a very strong plastic soap smell which lingers after applying. While the coverage is decent it just doesn't feel comfortable and it doesn't have a matte finish, which is crucial for my shine prone skin. 

MAC Studio Finish Concealer £15

'Surely not?!', I hear you cry! There's no denying that the coverage this little pot delivers is superb, as is the initial consistency. I find it perfect for covering dark circles but it's when applied to blemishes that it all starts to go wrong for me. I've noticed that after a few hours the formula begins to break down, separating and leaving a strange film on my skin. If it happens to get wet at all it turns into a gooey texture which isn't very appealing! It also looks very shiny after a few hours and when touched up with powder it turns into a bit of a clumpy mess. While this pot has lasted me well over six months and while it's great for covering dark circles, I won't be repurchasing after it eventually runs out. Back to Benefit Boi-ing for me!

Bottom to top: Bourjois 'Peach on the Beach', Rimmel Apocalips 'Celestial' and 'Stellar'

               Bourjois Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick 'Peach on the Beach' £7.99

At first glance and at first swatch I loved 'Peach on the Beach' but I just can't get on board with the texture and finish once applied. It looks like a lovely juicy peach colour in the tube but I've found it too orange on my lips, which sounds silly but it just looks a bit odd with my fair complexion. Plus it really seems to cling to any dry bits and emphasises every crease on my lips which I don't like. I thought I'd love this but alas, once again, it just isn't meant to be. 

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer 'Celestial' & 'Stellar' £5.99 each

It's not so much a colour issue I've got with Apocalips, it's an application and finish issue. I love the idea of the rich, opaque, glossy lacquer and the colour range is really impressive, but I find it difficult to apply these neatly without colour bleeding like crazy beyond my lip line. I find myself constantly checking my lips when I'm out and about for colour control purposes, as I find that these smudge quite easily and never really feel that 'secure'. I've also found that colour constantly gets on to my teeth somehow which makes me feel very self-conscious! I'm constantly licking my teeth which makes me look strange and I worry about smiling properly in case my teeth are smeared with lipgloss. I really, really want to love these as I do like the colours and they have a unique texture but I'm just too nervous to wear them! The smell is also a bit of an issue as they have a very artificial sweet scent that is a little cloying. I'm still tempted to give some more shades a go but I'm worried I'll just end up with lipgloss covered teeth all the time! Waah. 

Have you tried any of the above? What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think!

Summer haul time!

I'm really loving the current weather we're having at the moment! I'm usually much more of a winter person but I grew so sick and tired of having to layer up every time I left the house that I'm fully embracing the heat and sunshine this week. I've even ventured out in shorts for the first time in about ten years, and I must say it felt quite liberating! Up until now I've always felt way too shy to get my legs out, even though I do actually like my legs a lot... Just in the comfort of my own home when in little PJ shorts. But I sucked it up, bought some £5 denim short shorts from Primark and now you can't get me out of them! 

As I was lounging in the garden this afternoon I thought it would be nice to write up a beauty haul post featuring some of the products I've been enjoying using recently. The sunshine provided some good lighting for photos and who doesn't love a haul post? 

L-R: I Love... Coconut & Cream bubble bath & shower creme, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze,
Ultra Dry anti-perspirant, The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil. 

As soon as summer hits I crave coconut scented goodies, and I found this giant bottle of I Love... Coconut & Cream bubble bath & shower creme in Superdrug for only £2.05. My obsession with coconut is partly due to the discovery of an absolutely amazing hair treatment sold in Sardegna. It comes in a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) white tub with a big yellow/green lid depending on whether you go for the coconut version or the herb version. It smells absolutely delicious and makes your hair feel super soft, a real treat after spending all day at the beach. My fiance's mum is from Cagliari and she introduced me to it when I first went to Sardegna five or six summers ago. The scent of coconut instantly reminds me of Cagliari and happy memories, so purchasing this I Love... Coconut & Cream cream product was a no-brainer. It smells scrummy and should last a while. 

Last summer I became ever so slightly obsessed with Palmer's Natural Bronze Body Lotion and as it was on sale for half price in Boots (£2.67), and as the sun is shining, I thought I'd stock up. Out of all the gradual tans I've used this one gives the deepest colour in just one application. It's also very moisturising and has the famous Palmer's chocolaty cocoa butter scent- delicious! I've noticed that with the recent re-branded bottle there also seems to be much less of a fake tan scent which is brilliant, as after a few hours I used to be able to detect a subtle fake tan smell. Good work Palmer's! I usually apply this on alternate days, exfoliating and using a rich body cream on the 'off' days. You do have to be a bit careful around the ankles, knees and elbows though, or it can gather slightly and become darker than everywhere else. I'm really pale, as in 'mozzarella' pale as my Italian step-family like to remind me, and this is by far the best gradual tan to use when I want to go from milk bottle to tanned in record time. 

Everyone needs a good deodorant to see them through the summer, and this Sure Ultra Dry anti-perspirant spray (£2.10 at Boots) is really good at keeping me fresh and dry on sticky summer days. I absolutely hate deodorants that claim to keep you dry all day and do anything but (Garnier, I'm looking at you!) Sure's range not only smell lovely but also deliver great protection against sweat. Not the most exciting beauty item, granted, but an essential non the less! Sure and Dove have recently repackaged their cans, releasing 75ml 'compressed' bottles that claim to provide the same amount of sprays as their old 150ml cans, meaning less packaging, which is not only environmentally friendly but also handbag friendly!

I've been reaching for my little glass bottle of The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil to soothe my summer skin woes, as unfortunately the heat has caused my skin to break out even more than usual over the past week or so. This feels so cooling on spots and it really helps reduce redness without drying out the skin. As it's an oil it feels soothing and moisturising yet at the same time it works wonders at reducing spot size overnight when applied in the evening after cleansing. I love the 'clean' smell of tea tree, although it is quite strong and it does linger after applying. This little bottle (10ml) lasts ages and costs £7. 

L-R: Sleek Face Form 'Fair', MUA Blusher 'Cupcake', Seventeen Stay Time Concealer 'Extra Fair'

I've read so many positive reviews of Sleek's Face Form palette ('Fair', £9.99 at Superdrug) that I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss is about. I haven't really experimented much at contouring as such, but I have used the matt powder as a bronzer to add a sun kissed glow to my cheeks, nose, temples and jawline. It works well and has a nice matt finish which I tend to prefer in a bronzer. I've also used the shimmer highlighter on my cheekbones and brow bone, and the coral blush on my cheeks. To be fair I've only been using this for the past two or three days, so I'm still new to it... But I'm not overly impressed as of yet. I usually love Sleek blushers as they're generally so pigmented and have an excellent colour payoff, but this coral colour seems to take a while to build up properly on my cheeks. As mentioned above, I'm naturally very pale, so usually blushers show up instantly, but this one takes some time to get going. I love the shimmery orange coral colour and it swatches very vibrantly on my hand when using my fingers, but I haven't yet mastered how best to make it work on my face. I'm going to keep using it though as I love the trio of colours and it's such a summery collection. Perhaps practice makes perfect?

Speaking of blushers, I picked up one of the new shades from MUA (£1 at Superdrug) and I'm really loving it. I chose 'Cupcake', a peachy pink matt, and as the formula is so pigmented it only takes one sweep with my blusher brush to add a wash of colour to my cheeks.  I've been using it in conjunction with my Natural Collection SunTint powder (reviewed here) and together they give a lovely subtle sun kissed look.  

Seventeen's Stay Time 18 Hour Concealer is another product I've heard good things about. I've been using Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer which is my all time favourite when it comes to covering spots and blemishes, but I'm looking forward to giving this a go and seeing how it compares. I chose 'Extra Fair' and it's a perfect match for my skin tone. I snapped it up for £4.49 at Boots. 

L-R: Maybelline Super Stay 14 HR Lipstick 'Ultimate Blush', Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick '16'

Top: Maybelline Super Stay 'Ultimate Blush', Bottom: Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate '16'

I love a good lippie and the latest additions to my collection are Maybelline's Super Stay 14 HR Lipstick in 'Ultimate Blush' (£6.99 at Boots) and Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in '16' (£5.49 at Boots) I'm not normally a fan of lipsticks with a pearlescent finish but I was drawn to the berry pink tone of 'Ultimate Blush' when having a swatch in Boots. It's a berry pink colour with a hint of silver, which sounds a bit weird, but it looks really nice with a bit of a tan! I'm not sure about 14 hours but it lasts for at least four or five without disappearing completely, although it does leave a bit of a predominately silver shimmer after the main pink colour wears off. I don't mind reapplying as it feels comfortable to wear and isn't at all drying, and it smells like berries which is nice! Rimmel's '16' is a pink toned coral with a matt finish, and the colour pay off is pretty intense when applied straight from the tube. I smudge it in slightly with my fingertip when I want a more subtle effect. For a long lasting lipstick it feels very moisturising and creamy, and although the initial creamy feeling wears off after a while the colour stays put for a good few hours. I'm loving vibrant colours this summer and these two beauties are currently sitting at the top of my lipstick list. 

That's all for now folks, the sun is still shining and the garden is calling! I'd love to hear what products you've been using recently and if you've used any of the above. Feel free to comment below with your top picks for summer! 

Review | MUA Trio Eyeshadow 'Pink Sorbet'

Lover as I am of beige, brown and bronze I also like wearing pink and plum shades on my eyes. MUA's Trio Eyeshadow in 'Pink Sorbet' offers a subtle, gentle collection of three shimmery pink shades that work well together in creating a beautiful pink-plum look. 

MUA Trio Eyeshadow 'Pink Sorbet', £2.50 

The trio consists of a light pale pink (middle), a slightly brighter pink (top) and a darker plum pink (bottom). They have an extremely shimmery, metallic finish, similar to the Undress My Skin pink pearlescent highlighter powder (reviewed here). Although metallic the three shades look subtle and brightening rather than garish. For someone still in the process of learning how to shade and contour properly (!) this little trio offers a foolproof three step application. I use the lightest shade to highlight the brow bone and inner corner of the eye; the brighter pink to add colour to the lid; and the plum pink shade to line and define the lash line. Et voila! Easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

Bottom-top: Light pink, bright pink, plum.

Top-bottom: Light pink, bright pink, plum. 

Pretty, no? The shades are rather romantic and are perfect for adding a shimmery, pretty effect to your eyes. While the eyeshadow formula isn't quite as soft or buttery as other palettes in my collection, and while it can take a while to build up a strong pigment when applying (and I'd advise chucking the foam applicator included) I really like the subtle pink colours and the shimmery, glowing finish. I'm a big fan of MUA products and for only £2.50 this is a welcome addition to my make-up bag. 

Browse MUA here

Points win prizes!

I love, love, LOVE my Boots Advantage Card and Superdrug Beauty Card. Nothing beats discovering you've built up quite a significant amount of points (hello, shallow side!) because of course, points mean beauty prizes! I decided to have a little spending spree in Boots and Superdrug today using points collected over the past few months or so, and I have to say it felt good to part with zero cash for once *pats self on the back* Yes I know, I know, I only had the points due to previous spending sprees but I may as well use them instead of spending even more cash. Especially as I'm not supposed to be spending anything at all at the moment. 

First up, Boots. My love for Natural Collection continues to grow! Underrated but awesome,  I can't get enough of their products at the moment and so I decided to treat myself to a neutral duo eye shadow and a pressed bronzing powder. 

Duo Eyeshadow 'Mink/Sable' £1.99 and SunTint Bronzing Powder 'Sun Shine' £1.99

I've also got a bit of an obsession with Sinful Colors nail polish, especially as Boots keep adding lots of amazing colours to the collection. I've wanted a pale creamy yellow for a while and I also like peachy white pastels so I went for 'Unicorn' and 'Easy Going'. 

Sinful Colors 'Unicorn 953' and Easy Going 300' £1.99 each

Over in Superdrug I had a browse of the Collection stand. Their Lasting Perfection Concealer has officially replaced my MAC concealer pot as my all time favourite blemish concealer EVER. Don't disbelief the blogger hype, as it really is a miracle product. With this in mind I thought I'd give their Illuminating Touch concealer wand a try. I also got a free Hot Looks nail polish due to a 'spend over £3.99' offer. I chose 'Milkshake' as you can't really go wrong with neutral nails and it was a little different to paler neutrals I've got in my collection. A proper freebie! Hehe...

Collection Illuminating Touch, £4.99 and Hot Looks 'Milkshake' usually £1.99

I couldn't walk past the MUA stand without a little peek at their new blusher shades and their eye shadow trios. I decided on 'Cupcake' blusher as I like a peach shade and it seems quite matte. I also popped the 'Pink Sorbet' trio eye shadow in my basket as I've wanted this for ages; I like a gentle pink shimmer and the colours compliment each other really well. 

Blusher 'Cupcake' £1 and Eye shadow trio 'Pink Sorbet' £2.50

I had to check out the Rimmel stand as I've been searching for their Scandaleyes eye shadow sticks for weeks. Every time I've found 'Bulletproof Beige' and 'Bad Girl Bronze' in other Boots and Superdrug stores they've always been opened and tested, which is so irritating. I finally found some sealed ones today so I snapped them up straight away. 

Scandaleyes eye shadow sticks 'Bulletproof Beige' and 'Bad Girl Bronze', £4.49 each

Having recently discovered Beauty UK and their absolutely brilliant lipsticks I picked up 'Candy'. I love the matte finish and the super bright pink colour; it's so summery and really brightens up my make-up look. I'll be reviewing this soon as I am head over heels in love with it! 

Beauty UK lipstick 'Candy 2'  £3.49

'Candy' swatch

I'm so looking forward to reviewing lots of these lovely items in depth over the next few weeks, but couldn't resist posting a little haul to show off my latest finds! Those points really do soon add up, and I think my prizes are really rather lovely. Have you tried any of the items above? I'd love to know your thoughts. 

Haul: Because you can never have too many lipsticks

Everyone, and I mean everyone, seems to have come across the wonder that is the £1 lipstick from MUA Makeup Academy. Smooth texture, highly pigmented and pretty long lasting, these lippies have become a bit of a collectors item. I've seen lots of blog posts featuring various lipstick bundles but thought I'd throw in my two cents and do a haul post of my own, featuring my MUA lipstick collection. Because you can never have too many lipsticks, and you can never see too many swatches!

Lovely £1 lipsticks! 

I've got a pretty modest collection of eight colours, ranging from nude to peach to pink to fuchsia. The finishes available range from cream to pearlescent to glitter, and I have two colours in particular that count as firm favourites. 

L-R: 15 Juicy, 16 Nectar, 11

L-R: 15 Juicy, 16 Nectar, 11

'Juicy' is one of my favourite colours. As you can see in the swatch above, it's a pale orange coral with hints of pink. Perfect for wearing with a tan, this is such a summery shade. The finish is creamy with no shimmer. 'Nectar' is a brighter, stronger orange, also with a cream finish. '11' is a lovely browny-pink nude, again with a cream finish. 

L-R: 7, 6, 2

L-R: 7, 6, 2

'7' is a golden coral peach colour with a pearlescent finish. I really like the gold shimmer and love this when worn with a slick of clear lipgloss on top. I find the pearlescent finish a little dated when worn without gloss, but this is just my personal preference! '6' is a deep pink, again with a pearlescent finish, and '2' is a purple-plum colour with hints of violet, also with a pearlescent finish. I really like '2' for a dramatic lip look. 

L-R: 12, 3

L-R: 12, 3

I've got two pink shades from the collection, although I only intended on having one of these! I'd had my eye on '3' for ages and was waiting for my local Superdrug to restock their MUA stand. When they eventually restocked I went on a little MUA spree and in my excitement managed to accidentally pick up '12' instead of my beloved '3'. Disaster! '12' is a glittery bright pink, and to be honest I'm not a huge fan of glitter when it comes to lipsticks. Still, it gives a nice wash of colour and is a fun shade to have in my collection. You never know when it might come in handy! 

'3' is my absolute favourite from the collection. It's a hot pink fuchsia with a smooth cream finish, and it looks so gorgeous on! I'm loving bright colours at the moment and it's a great quality bargain addition to my lipstick stash. It applies easily and neatly straight from the bullet and lasts a long time if you blot your lips following the first coat before applying another coat to finish. 

Each lipstick comes in simple black and silver packaging, and they all have a pleasant sweet scent. Only a couple of the colours have actual names, hence the numbers referred to throughout, but as long as you know which number you're looking for you should be fine (although clearly I couldn't quite cope with only having a number to go by, hence my pink lipstick mistake!) It's pretty awesome that my stash of eight lipsticks only cost £8 in total. MUA might not have the colour variety of a brand like MAC, or the staying power of some other high street brands, but for £1 each and a good quality finish you really can't go wrong. 

According to MUA's website there are 16 shades available, so I've still got lots more swatches to come! 

Browse MUA lipsticks here

Weekly Roundup feat. Neutrogena, Maybelline and MUA

Wowzers, hasn't this week flown by? I found it quite tricky picking my top 3 products this week as I've been using and loving so many different beauty bits and pieces. I settled on the following as I've been reaching for them every day and I haven't got at all bored of them, which is always a good sign! 

First up is Neutrogena's Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Triple Action Cleanser 7 Day Rescue (what is it with long titles recently?!) It can be used in three ways: as a wash, scrub and mask. 

£4.49 at Superdrug

From what I can tell, this is a more concentrated version of their regular Blackhead Eliminating scrub and it's designed to provide intense, targeted action against blackheads with visible results apparent after only 7 days. On the back of the tube is the very impressive claim that '100% of users showed visible results after 7 days'. 100%?!! Well with a statistic like that I had to try it out! The percentage is based on 30 people using the wash twice a day for 7 days straight, which to be honest I'm not really sure my sensitive face can handle. I'm using it once a day on my t-zone (my chin in particular) and I will be reporting back in a future blog post to let you know if it really does have an impressive effect. 

What I can say so far is that, like all Neutrogena products I've used in the past, the quality of the  wash/scrub/mask is fantastic, from the fresh subtle fragrance to the way it makes your skin feel unbelievably silky soft after rinsing. The wash itself has a sort of very finely ground paste texture; it sort of reminds me of Arm & Hammer's baking soda toothpaste in that the scrub particles are very small and not at all rough. I'd forgotten how much my skin likes Neutrogena, and I've found this gives a lovely deep clean without drying my skin out at all. It's a wonderfully prep for make-up application and it has really been a joy to use so far. As for whether or not it actually eliminates blackheads? I'll let you know! 

My second pick this week is my current favourite lipstick, Maybelline's Colorsensational in '910 Shocking Coral' from the Vivids collection. Until discovering this and its sister colour 'Fuchsia Flash' which I reviewed here, I'd disregarded Maybelline lipsticks as 'not my thing'. This was based on never being able to find a colour to suit me, although in hindsight I think I was just looking at the wrong colour palette. Anyhoo, I picked up this bad boy of a lippie and I'm now a total fan of what Maybelline has to offer pout-wise. 

£7.19 at Boots

'Shocking Coral's is a very pink neon coral, which I really like as it's unusual compared to the more popular orange coral colours around at the moment. Super pigmented, super creamy, super comfortable, super easy to apply and super long-lasting, I haven't a bad word to say about it. Along with Soap & Glory's lipsticks, Maybelline's are now my faves. 

Two coats of Maybelline Colorsensational '910 Shocking Coral'

I had a bit of difficulty trying to get a good shot of me wearing 'Shocking Coral'... Sorry for the slightly bizarre beams of sunshine flooding the photo! It was the end of a loooong day and I didn't want to keep attempting to capture the colour in different locations around my house! I'd say it looks a little brighter in person but it does settle to a pinky coral as shown and I LOVE it. 

My final pick this week is MUA's Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter. I've had this for months and months, and went through a period of using it every day without fail before abandoning it to test out other highlighters. But, as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it; I've rediscovered it and I'm loving it even more than before. 

£3 Makeup Academy online store

The beautiful pearlescent silvery pink colour shows up really well on my pale skin and highlights  my cheekbones, temples, nose and browbones perfectly. It's subtle but can be built up in layers for extra impact, and I also use it as a brightening eye shadow. It's easy to blend and gives a lovely glow. Plus I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and the powder looks lovely in the pan.  

Quite an intense swatch, applied with fingers to show colour clearly

I apply it on top of blusher and it makes for a lovely finishing touch. I also use the matching under eye concealer which I've reviewed here, which is also great quality. I'm a big fan of MUA's Undress Your Skin range and am looking forward to trying the matching foundation at some stage in the future. 

What have been your favourite products this week? Share your Weekly Roundup in the comments below! 

Take 5: Pink summer lips

The sky is blue, the sun is shining, the birds are singing... Summer has *finally* arrived! I tend to wear lots of pink shades throughout the summer months and I've rounded up my favourite five lip products for you to have a peek at. As I was snapping away taking photos I realised I really do have a bit of a thing for pink, but surely you can never have too many lipsticks/lipglosses? Of course not! 

First up is Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede in 'Socialite'. I'd wanted to try one of the Suede lipsticks for a while but all of the ones I swatched in-store seemed to be quite pearlescent, which isn't really my thing. Then I found 'Socialite' in Superdrug (£8.99) and instantly liked it. 

It's a mid-pink colour with a slight golden shimmer and it feels so light to wear. It settles to a matte 'suede' finish and doesn't budge for hours. 

Revlon Ultimate Suede 'Socialite'

Next up is MUA Makeup Academy lipstick in '11 Lotus'. Considering this sells for only £1 I'm extremely impressed. 

A darker pink-brown, with a creamy texture and strong pigmentation, this is so easy to wear. Plus it smells like vanilla, which is an added bonus. As it's a darker colour I tend to wear this in the evening and although it needs reapplying every few hours I don't mind considering the overall quality and price. 

MUA Makeup Academy 'Lotus' 

I've been a fan of Revlon Lip Butters since their initial release. With this in mind I recently purchased 'Berry Smoothie' (£7.99) and it's by far my favourite shade. It's a gorgeous juicy raspberry shade and reminds me of raspberry sorbet, due to its glossy finish. Yum! 

'Berry Smoothie' stays put for a good few hours before losing it's glossiness and it feels so comfortable and moisturising. I've been wearing this pretty much every day as it compliments most outfits and helps brighten up my rather pale face!

Revlon Lip Butter 'Berry Smoothie'

While browsing offers in Boots recently I came across a 3 for 2 deal covering Seventeen cosmetics and decided to pick up a few of their Mirror Shine lipsticks. I've included 'Belle' (£4.79) in this post as it's such a pretty tinted mid-pink. 

There's a little mirror hidden in the side of the lid that slides out, meaning you always have a mirror handy which is a nice touch. I really like how sheer this is and how moisturising it feels. 

Seventeen Mirror Shine 'Belle' 

My final favourite is by MAC. I love so many of their lipsticks and am desperate to get my hands on the hot pink Candy Yum Yum, but for now I'll make do with the following little pale pink beauty, 'Creme Cup' from the Cremesheen range (£14).

This is my perfect pale pink: creamy with a slight gloss finish. MAC lipsticks smell gorgeous and the packaging is sturdy and sleek. I think this may a case of saving the best until last!

MAC Cremesheen 'Creme Cup'