The "Forgotten Make Up Bag" Haul | Beauty

The other week I did a very silly thing of leaving my make up bag at home, which meant that when I got to the gym to get ready after my workout I realised I had not a scrap of make up. What an utter nightmare. If I go to the gym in the morning I will do my liquid eyeliner and mascara before because it doesn't sweat off as I only do weights in the morning, so I don't get as hot. Plus doing liquid eyeliner can take a very long time to do. 

Whilst I was so annoyed that I forgot my make up bag in the Beauty Blogger in me squealed with joy because this meant I had to buy all new stuff, but my bank card was crying. I thought if I have to buy new make up then I should A) Buy something that I am definitely going to use again an B) Buy something new, or at least new to me. Now, I know what you're thinking, did I really need to buy two make up brushes? The short answer is no, but I hate putting foundation on without a brush. I was looking for a new make up brush anyway so I wanted to try out the RT one but the EcoTools Kabuki brush was just too pretty to say no to but a perfect brush for the bronzer ay? 

So the first product I bought was the Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 022 Sun Bronze, I use my contouring palette but sometimes you just wanna add a bit of a glow to your face instead of going contour crazy. This is a really nice shade, not orange at all and it's almost matte. I shone a bright light on it which did pick up some very small shimmer particle but it almost unnoticeable. I was quite surprised when I put it on, it's a very natural glow I just have to remember not to be too heavy handed with it! I also go the Sleek Make Up CC Cream, which you already know I love.

Next up we have another Rimmel product which is the standard Soft Kohl Kajal eye liner pencil, to be honest there's not much to say about this product, it's great, it works, I'm happy with it. The other product I was super excited to try out was the Soap & Glory Archery eyebrow pencil in Blondeshell. I'm very impressed with this product, sometimes I find it very hard to get a good blonde shade for my eyebrows but the main reason I love this is because the nib is so small you can get a very natural look, I don't like over done eyebrows especially on blondes. The little brush on the end is very handy too. 

Last but not least is the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche in J Lo's Nude, I actually really wanted Rimmel's Kate Nude shade but the selection was incredibly limited in the Boots I visited so I went with L'Oreal instead and I am so happy I did. This lipstick also smells amazing. I'm going to write a separate post about it. 

Have you ever forgotten you make up bag?

Rimmel Glam Eyes Quad Eye Shadow | Review

So Boots reeled me in like a little beauty fish with a 3 for 2 offer on make up, how could I refuse? You can see it in my recent Boots Haul.

I thought I would try out what Rimmel has to offer for eye shadows, I was drawn to this one because it's got 4 lovely, shimmery neutral(ish) shades that just look so nice. This little quad is the Smokey Brown one and on it's own costs £6.99

As you can see 1 and 3 are actually quite subtle but I love the fact I can wear all 4 shades or wear one on it's own. You can really work these together to creat a dramtic smokey brown eye or keep it subtle for an every day look. 

I really like the way they go on my eye as well, they look creamy but are not they are powder but you dont actually need to use a lot, they go onto the eye very well. 

I have been using the second and last shade in my swatch, together and I must admit I really like the look of them on my eyes. I have green eyes and the second shade has copper tone which actually makes my green eyes seem greener, it looks really nice on. They are all really shimmery so if shimmer isn't your thing then these definitely aren't for you. 

They also last really well, I'd say a good 5-6 hours without having to touch it up, but what I really like about this product is that when they do start disappearing they doesn't disappear in patches, the colour just seems to fade a little.  It annoys me when eyeshadows just disappear into the crease. 

Overall a really lovely product, I'm definitely going to try out more quads from Rimmel. 

What's your fave Rimmel eye product?

Boots Haul | Beauty

Oh yes, it's that time of the month again, payday has just come and gone in the blink of an eye and of course I've gone running to Boots I needed quite a few essentials so I though I would share with you what I picked up. 

Starting with my most needed things and probably a little boring for you guys but I had to get my shampoo and toothpaste. I only recently bought this Go Blonder shampoo and conditioner but I left it in the bathroom when I went to Brighton for a Hen Weekend, I was gutted because I had only just opened them as well, brand new and I bloody left them behind. I can't wait to start using the John Frieda shampoo and conditioner again. My blonde hair is starting to feel a little lack luster, I need my shine back. 

The Oral B 3D White toothpaste is easily my favourite toothpaste, it tastes great and it actually keeps my teeth really white. I get so paranoid about my teeth and want to keep them, white, white, white. In Boots it was two for £5 or £3.49 each so you know I got two!

Now moving onto my favourite facial scrub, Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub. I have been running dangerously low on this stuff. I think because I have been using my Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix exfoliating pads I haven't been using the face scrub as much, but I do find it's good to have a little exfoliation at least once a week in addition to the NIP+FAB products. I think because I use the NIP+FAB products on concentrated areas of my face there are other parts of my skin that get neglected so this scrub just looks after the rest of my face.

Speaking of NIP+FAB...  

Oh boy am I happy to have these little pads of amazing-ness back in my life! I ran out of them and had to wait until payday before I bought some more but here I am and they are back, my skin instantly just looks brighter and my pores are reduced. Amazing brand.

And finally, it wouldn't quite be a trip to Boots without buying some make up. Of course I had to go in for the necessities such as eye liner and mascara but I thought I would try out the new mascara from L'Oreal. I'm a massive fan of the Volume Million Lashes Noir Excess and I have seen the So Couture one advertised I thought I would give it a go. I have started using it and I think I am going to write a review about the differences between the two mascaras, so watch this space. I'm also a really big fan of the L'Oreal Superliner, it probably isn't the most precise and no one makes a big noise about this eyeliner but I love it. 

I also found out that Boots was running at 3 for 2 offer across all brands (or most at least) of make up so I thought I would pick up something considering I was getting two items anyway. I picked up the Rimmel Glam Eye Shadow Quad, I'm not gonna lie I don't really need another eye shadow but I just loved the colours. I'm going to do a separate post for this eye shadow as well to include swatches. 

And there we have it, my little Boots haul. 

What have you bought from Boots recently?

Products I have been loving | Beauty

For today's post I thought I would share with you a list of products I've found myself reaching for more and more lately. Of course love new product and trying new things out but sometimes you just find yourself reaching for the same things all the time.

Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation

To be fair I have been using the Rimmel Wake me Up Foundation for several months now, but this time I got the wrong shade so it was a fraction darker than what I wanted but actually I have found this works really well. The shade I currently have is Ivory (which it's definitely not) but the foundation has little bits of shimmer in it and I find with the lighter shade the shimmer really comes through however in Ivory its much less noticeable. I do mix it with my Maxfactor foundation to create a better shade for me but I actually really love this product. 

It smells really lovely and lasts well, I think this is a really good base and tends to cover most blemishes and evens out my complexion nicely.

Rimmel Scandaleyes

Now this is another Rimmel product, I'm definitely a fan of the brand! But this Scanaleyes product in Rich Russet is just SO easy to use. I do love a bit of shimmer and eye make up but in the mornings if I'm rushing about a bit this is my go to product. I literally take two swipes on each eye lid, blend with a brush and its done. You can layer it up a little and play with it more, but just for my everyday look, this is the one.  

Check out my Rimmel Scanadleyes Review  

NIP+FAB Glycolic Fix serum 

NIP+FAB are fast becoming my favourite skincare brand I must admit. As you will know from previous reviews I think the Glycolic Fix pads are bloody flippin' amazing and do exactly what they say on the tub which is why I thought I would try out the Glycolic Fix Serum. 

This is an over night serum, which I must admit I'm struggling to remember to use every night, but when I do, I notice a difference literally the next morning. This contains a higher percentage of Glycolic Acid than the pads, it has 4%. It also claims to have visible results after 2 weeks if used every night. So I'm definitely going to get myself into a proper routine and will report back with a full review because I feel like this product will definitely deserve it's own post. 

Essie - Fiji

I literally cannot get enough of this nail polish. I mean it just goes with everything and always makes my nails look really nice, even when they are short.I have used other colours recently but I always end up going back to this one, it's just so pretty. They also almost look like gel nails when first done which is always a massive bonus. I know we are heading into the winter months but I refuse to give up this pretty shade for something darker...well not yet at least.

There we have it, just a couple of things I'm absolutely loving right now. 

What brand/products are you loving at the moment?

My Makeup Essentials

I thought I would show you what makeup essentials I couldn't be without. I'm a bit of a creature of habit as in, when I find a product that I love I pretty much use it until it becomes extinct aka discontinued which is my biggest heartbreak. 

Most of the makeup tools are new because I've only just discovered my love for makeup brushes but I am on a strict spending ban now and some of the products are a new edition. I thought I would start with what I put on my face before I put my makeup on...

Olay Essentials double action cream is by far my favourite face moisturiser, honestly this stuff is a God send! In fact I did write a review out it and you can read it here. 

I also use the Garnier UltraLift anti wrinkle cream, yeah I know, I'm paranoid about wrinkles already. This product I actually only use on my forehead as I have quite deep frown lines between my eyebrows. I do think it has helped to lessen the appearance of these wrinkles in particular but lets face it, it isn't magic. I only use the smallest amount so it's lasted me ages.  

I got this Balance Me wonder eye cream in July's Birchbox and was quite pleased when I saw it. Does it get rid of fine lines? No. Do I still love the product? Yes. It's so refreshing to put on under the eye and reduces puffiness I shall definitely be purchasing this one. 

Once all my lotions and potions have absorbed into my skin I move onto my lovely skin primer.

This is a tiny sample of the Porefessional by Benefit. I bloody love this stuff! I only use a small amount and the sample size has lasted me ages and the best bit is I have another sample size one unopened for when this runs out so I won't have to buy the actual size for ages yet. 

Moving onto the face...

Foundation :- I'm currently using a combination of two, Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory, this was on a recommendation from another blog and I've fallen in love. I also use Max Factor Lasting Performance in Natural Beige, this one is actually a little dark for me but when I blend the Rimmel and the Max Factor together it makes for a really nice base. 

Powder :- Of course it has to be the Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Silky Beige. I think everyone uses this, it's a good all rounder, nothing fancy, it does the job - well. 

Contour and Blush :- The much talked about Sleek Makeup Face Form Palette in Light. I love having all three things in one little palette, you can actually read my review on this one here. 

Onto my favoruite thing, my eyes...

Eyeliner :- L'oreal Superliner I love this liquid eyeliner it's perfect and always shapes my eyes so nicely. I also use a pencil eyeliner along the lower waterline but it isn't in the picture as I don't actually use a huge amount it's all about the drama up top for me. 

Mascara :- It has to be L'oreal Volume Million Lashes right? I don't even need to say more just read my post where I gush about this product here.

Eyeshadow :- Lately I have been loving Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Paint in Rich Russet, the stuff is just so easy to wear. I also have been wearing from the Barry M Natural Glow palette the last to shades on the right hand side (not the blush) this is a cheap and easy palette for beginners, colours are super blendable but aren't exactly ground breaking they do a good job you can read my review here. 

Not to forget...

Eyebrows :- I have incredibly fair eyebrows and get them threaded every month or so. To be honest, I'm not very good at doing my eyebrows and like to keep them fairly natural, I'm blonde it's highly unlikely that my eyebrows are going to be brown or black so I'm not going to draw them on like that. I use the Max Factor Eyebrow pencil in Hazel because it just defines them nicely and they don't look over done. 

And that's about it! Sorry that turned into a massively long post, just look at the pictures. 

What are your makeup essentials?

Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint | Review

I've discovered a new product that I absolutely love and it's Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint. 

As usual I was wandering around Boots near where I work and found myself at the Rimmel stand. I wasn't really looking to buy anything but I had watched a couple of vlogs (Lily Pebbles and Viviannadoesmakeup, of course) and they had mentioned about these Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow  Paints. I was interested to see what it was about these paints that were different. 

There were only a few shades, about 5 and but I picked two.

The two colours I opted for were 006 Rich Russet which has been widely recommended by the two vlogging superstars but I also picked up 005 Golden Bronze. I kinda really liked the Golden Bronze as well and thought it could look really nice on if I had a bit of a tan or if I was on holiday. I think that golden tones work really well with my green eyes. 

To start with they are in a tube that looks like lipgloss and the applicator wasn't far off.

006 Rich Russet

005 Golden Bronze

The tube is going to get quite messy, there is a fair amount of suction with the product so if you're a little OCD with your beauty products then this may cause a little stress. 

When I was swatching these in the store I got in a right mess. They go on exactly like paint, I then smudged it out over my hand to see how well they blend after doing this I thought great, I'll rub a little harder just to get it off my hand. Oh how I was wrong. The stuff has a fantastic ability to stay put. I was getting shimmer everywhere and the entire back of my hand was covered. 

I've done a little swatch for you but this one is far less messy. 

Wonderfully pigmented aren't they, however what this doesn't show you is what the look like with a little smudge and blend. 

I find you have to work quick with this product, when you put it on your eyelid, get your brush and start blending straight away, because this stuff dries pretty quick so it's just easier when it's slightly wet still. 

I haven't worn Golden Bronze yet however I have worn Rich Russet on numerous ocassions and it's easily become a firm fave. Not only is it a gorgeous colour to wear but it's just to easy, it doesn't take every long to put on and it lasts bloody ages. This claims to be crease proof, however it is not. Though I am starting to wonder whether I just have massively creased eyes? Who knows? Though to be honest it isn't really that bad, yes it goes into my eye creases, not any worse than any other product. 

As I bought two Boots had a special offer - Buy one and get the second half price on selected Rimmel products. They're only £4.99 anyway so I definitely think they are worth trying out. 

Have you tried the Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint yet? What colour are you loving?

Shop til you drop...again

After I had my nails done I thought I may as well just do a little shopping and came home with these treats... 

Starting with the clothes, I bought this gorgeous coral/pinky jumper from New Look! It's really soft and super light so it'll go nicely if I just want to throw it over the top of something. Plus it adds a little bit of colour to my wardrobe. 

Plain black jersey dress from H&M's Basic range. Now the thing I love about their basic range is that they are simply basic! Cheap price, easy to wear, can dress it up or dress it down. 

Tights from Dorothy Perkins - always get mine from there 80 denier pretty standard, they do the job well. 

Loads of thin little rings that I can play around with, these are from H&M as well. I'll be honest I never really buy costume jewellery so thought they were a little pricey for what they actually are but hey, why not give them ago. 

Moving onto the beauty purchases... 

Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, I bought this after reading another blog who reviewed the product. I've bought the Light Porcelain shade because I have a very fair completion and I've been feeling rather dissatisfied with my other liquid foundation because it was slightly more orange than I like. 

A new make up brush (another I hear you question...yes another) a Real Teachniques brush. This one is a little closer to a stippling brush which should blend the foundation a little better on my face. Immediately I love the density of the brush so I have high hopes for this beauty! 

What treats have you bought this weekend?!

My eye essentials

To give you an idea on my make up regime, I think it's rare you'll get to see my entire face so I think it's best to focus on areas of my face. Today I'm going to focus on my best feature...my eyes

My eye essentials consist of these 4 things above, nothing more, nothing less. 

•Eyelash Curler from superdrug 

•L'Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes mascara (Black Excess) 

•L'Oreal Paris Superliner liquid eyeliner 

•Rimmel pencil eyeliner 

The naked eye...

Now you will see that I have a fair complexion and my eyelashes are pretty non-existent and let's face it, my eyes are pretty bug eyed so I always have to wear make up to make them look just a little normal. 

But once I put make up on you will see, I actually have pretty long eyelashes if I don't put on mascara you'd never be able to tell. 

The dressed to impress eye...

Step by step

1. Use eyelash curlers to gently curl the eyelashes into shape. 

2. Use liquid eyeliner on the top lid, starting with a thinner line at the corner then gradually making it thicker towards the outer edge.

3. Use the eyelash curlers once more.

4. Add mascara, my technique for this is to blink it on, I think it gives a better all around coverage

5. Add pencil eyeliner to the lower lid and we're done!

Two things I never do...

1. I never use eyelash curlers on my eyelashes once they have mascara on them. I think it could be quite damaging to the eye lash because it could make them stick to the actual curler so when you release it, it'll pull or tug on the lashes. 

2. I never put mascara on my bottom eyelashes, this is just personal preference, I like having all the drama up top. 

Just remember if eyes are the window to your soul then shouldn't they always be dressed accordingly?