Beauty Tag: If All My Make-Up Disappeared

Hello! Today I am going to do a tag as I think I need to try and do something other than reviews all the time! I've been attempting to film another video for YouTube but its not going so well, I don't think I'm a natural when it comes to being on camera! I've been trying to learn how to edit videos and get a thumbnail which I think will help a lot. I've also been struggling a little as I've been very concerned with a job interview I have on Monday, if I get it it will mean moving to London all on my own which is really quite scary... anyway enough of my boring life- onto the tag!

Today I'm going to be doing the 'if all my make-up disappeared tag' which is basically a list of my top ten make-up items that I would always re- purchase because i love them so much/ I'm overly reliant on them!

The ten items I would re-purchase if 'all my make-up disappeared'!

1) Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream: I have a full blog post on this CC Cream if you're interested, I haven't had this all that long but I am IN LOVE. I've tried going back to my other foundations but they just don't compare. Its a very light feeling on the skin but provides a really decent coverage, it doesn't make me looked caked up but isn't so sheer that its pointless. It also just glides over the dry patches that I have on my cheeks rather than making them stand out like so many other foundations do. I wasn't expecting much from this as I'm getting a little bored of the whole BB and CC cream craze but I'm completely sold. 

2) Real Techniques Buffing Brush: I wasn't sure if this tag was supposed to include brushes, I have many that I use daily and love but the buffing brush is the only one that I really couldn't be without. This makes applying foundation effortless and although you can apply the CC Cream with your fingers (it works very well) after experimenting the buffing brush is my favourite form of application. As a little comparison I also own the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and I can say I much prefer the Buffing Brush. I find that the density of the bristles on the EF Brush can leave things a little streaky. 

3) Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer: Foundation has a habit of wearing off on me, especially on my nose and cheeks which can leave me looking a bit like Rudolf by the end of the day! I've never tried higher end primers as I am very much on a budget but I have noticed a dramatic difference in the lasting power of my foundations when using this. At £6.99 I think its a bargain. 

4) Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot: Setting powder is a MUST for me as I get very shiny throughout the day. I used to use the Rimmel Stay Matte which is excellent but it did have a tendency to get cakey, especially after touch ups. I switched over to this when saw EssieButton raving about it. I find it to be a far finer consistency than Rimmel which means it never looks cakey. The price jump is quite extreme though, One Heck of a Blot costs around £10 in comparison to £4 for Stay Matte. However, I am happy and willing to pay for this as setting powder is such a staple for me.

5) Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer: I won't talk about this in detail as it is probably one of the most hyped up British products EVER but it deserves it. I have very dark under eye circles and this is the only thing that will cover it. I can't imagine me ever being without this in my make- up bag. 

6) Maybelline Mascaras: I'm cheating a little on this one as although the mascara in the photo is 'One by One' it really just represents Maybelline Mascaras in general. I love every single one of the Volume express mascaras with the exception of Mega Plush (I am severely allergic!) and I always have one on the go. 

7) MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher: I wanted to include a blush as its something I use every single day, and I am fast realising that I much prefer the finish of cream blush. For someone on a budget I really don't think that MUA cream blushes can be beaten, they have exceptional lasting power, a lovely colour range and are very easily bendable. The best news being they are only £2! The shade shown in the photo is 'Scrummy' which is probably my favourite. 

8) Rimmel Scandleyes in 'Taupe': I am very pale and so I find that black eyeliner can appear a little harsh on me, I also find that brown makes me look really tired. Taupe is the perfect happy medium for me and is a colour I wear pretty much every single day to line my lower lash line. I also love the quality of these eyeliners, they don't budge all day but still manage to be extremely creamy. 

9) Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain in 'Honey': For someone who loves lip products choosing just one was HARD. However, having thought about it Honey is definitely the shade I reach for more than any other. It is so easy to wear and just seems to go with everything! Being a stain it also means I can just slap it on and forget about it for a few hours. 

10) Stila in the Light Palette: Again, this is another product that I haven't had for long but I am so in love with it it had to be in this list. It is so versatile that if someone told me I could only use one palette I would be perfectly happy with this. It has the shades to create every look I could want from pretty day time looks to intense smokey eyes and the quality is amazing! I also think this palette is a complete bargain at only £25 considering the Naked Palettes now retail at £37. In my opinion the Stila Palette is far nicer and deserves way more hype than it gets.  

Hope you enjoyed reading this, If you want to subscribe or comment please do it makes me happy :)

Amy xx

 

An Overview of the Revlon Balm Stains, Lacquers and Mattes

Hello all! Today has been a good day as the sun is finally out and I LEFT THE HOUSE WITHOUT A COAT!!!! Happy days! Today I am going to do a bit of an overview on the Revlon Balm Stains, there are now three varieties- Lacquer Balms, Matte Balms and the original Balm Stains (previously Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains). I've picked out my favourite shade from each line, as you will probably gather I am not very daring when it comes to colour and therefore I own the most wearable (safe) shade from each!

The Revlon Balm family: L-R Demure, Elusive and Honey. 

First up I'm going to talk about the original Balm Stains. These were incredibly popular and I can see why. They are extremely hydrating and allow me to wear colour on my lips even when they're in awful condition (in Winter that's all the time!). They give really good colour pay off but not so much that they scare me.

 In terms of wear time they are also fantastic, the initial glossy look lasts for around two hours but after this time has passed you can still see the stain for another two or three. They are wonderful for when you can't (or can't be bothered) to top up your lip colour every hour. They really are just slap on and go. The shade on my lips below is Honey, this is a gorgeous pinky mauve colour which is my lips but SO much better! When I first got this I wore it constantly and it is still my go to colour for days when I just can't decide what to wear as it goes with everything.

Revlon Balm Stain in 'Honey'

The next Revlon lip crayon that I invested in was the Matte Balms. These are HUGE on blogs and youtube at the moment and they seem to be far more hyped than the Lacquer balms. This is probably because they are fairly unique on the highstreet at the moment. Nearly every brand has brought out their own version of the chubby stick but I believe Revlon are the first to offer a matte version. The best thing about these is that they manage to be matte AND hydrating. They are extremely creamy but they still manage to last for a significant amount of time. I got about three hours of wear before I had to reapply. The colour is extremely intense which is why I only own one of these as the other colours are just too bright for me! 

The only criticism of  these I have is that I find that they can appear quite streaky once they start to wear off. I can almost see the lines where I drew it on my lips which isn't very attractive. I haven't seen anyone else mention this though so maybe its just me! The colour on my lips below is Elusive, its far brighter than I was expecting it to be and for that reason I haven't got as much use out of it as I would have liked. I was hoping that it would be like the matte version of Honey but its more of a bright, blue toned pink than a my lips but better colour.

Revlon Matte Balm in 'Elusive'

My most recent addition has been the Lacquer Balm in 'Demure'. At first I wasn't at all interested in these as they just didn't seem all that special. They're not a stain and they're not anything new, what's more they have bits of glitter in them! Yuck! However, I came around when I saw one of my favourite Youtubers wearing the shade 'Demure' and I saw how beautiful it looked on her. It is so incredibly easy to wear and its very pretty, especially seeing as Spring is just around the corner.

 The formula of these I find to be even creamier and more moisturising than the original stains, they remind me of the Bourjois Colour Boost crayons as they almost feel as though they are partially melted! The wear time of these is probably the least out of the three, I get around one to two hours out of this. The glitter is not noticeable in the way that I feared and is very pretty. I can't say that I would invest in any of the other colours of the Lacquer balm, I think that they are over priced for what they are and there are cheaper options out there, but I was happy to pay the £8 for this particular shade as I can see myself wearing it constantly. I know my photos are rubbish but the colour of this is like a peachy, nude pink with shimmer. It is very summery and so easy to pull off- I'm in love!

Revlon Lacquer Balm in 'Demure'

Out of the three formulas my favourite is the original, in my opinion they have everything you could want from a lip product. They're glossy, hydrating, long lasting and have fantastic colour pay off. If you like a matte lip then the Matte Balms are a great option. Personally I prefer glossy lips and the colour selection isn't really to my taste. I wish that there had been a more wearable pink in the collection. Complex looks like concealer to me and Sultry is far too dark for my skin tone. I would only suggest buying the Lacquer balms if there is a particular shade you really like. I think there are cheaper options out there and there isn't really anything new about this product. All three retail at £7.99 each, I think this is a fair price for the Matte and Stain versions but maybe a little steep for the Lacquer balms. I love the packaging, they are very sleek and show the colour of the balm inside. A lot of people seem to hate the smell of these (mint) and I have to say I much prefer Vanilla (or nothing!) but it only lasts for a couple of seconds so its really not an issue for me. 

I hope this was of some help to people! Lip crayons are by far my favourite lip products at the moment and Revlon were the first to provide a lower end offering, if you haven't tried them already I highly recommend them! If you would like to follow me that would be lovely, I try to post a couple of times a week. I would also love to hear your thoughts if you fancy leaving me a comment :) Until next time...

Amy x

February Favourites/My First Ever Youtube Video!

Hey Guys!
Today I uploaded my first ever Youtube video which is rather scary... here is the link if you fancy checking it out :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfXZFB8aJkE

I'm going to do a little blog post to go with it, here is what I've been loving throughout the month of February....

No7 Instant Radiance Highlight: I bought this about a week ago and have been obsessed ever since! Its a beautiful champagne coloured highlight that comes in an easy twist up stick. Its pretty difficult to mess this up and put too much on and it blends out beautifully! Theres not a hint of glitter just a lovely sheen that makes your whole face look more alive. This is currently on £3 off if you have a No7 voucher (you can get these by spending over £4 in boots) and better still all make-up is currently on 3 for 2! Who could resist?!

Bourjois 24H Cream to Powder Shadows: This is very similar to the maybelline Colour Tattoo except in my opinion they come in far nicer colours. I have a pink champagne colour which looks really natural and pretty. I haven't had any problems with creasing and they easily last all day on me. Great for those lazy days :)

MUA Intense Kisses Gloss: I have been searching for these for what seems like forever! They are ALWAYS out of stock but I am so impressed now I have finally got my hands on them. They have been compared to the Rimmel Apocolips but I don't see them as being that similar. They are far more sheer (although you do still get a fair pop of colour) but they are very long lasting and don't feel in the slightest bit sticky. Best of all they are only £2! Bargain IF you can get hold of them!

Bourjois CC Cream: I already have a full blog post on this so I won't go into too much detail but I am really impressed with this. It provides a lovely light base that lasts all day and I haven't worn anything else since I bought it.

Stilla in the Light: I couldn't love this more if I tried! A stunning selection of 10 shadows which in my opinion are far nicer and easier to work with than the Urban Decay Naked Palettes! It felt like a lot when I bought it but at £25 this is also fantastic value. I've loved every single look that I've created so far and its just one of those products that just makes me feel good about myself.

Pretty short descriptions as I ramble on for ages in the video so if you fancy checking that out please do! 

Thanks for reading :)

Amy x