Disappointing Products

There's nothing worse then shelling out money for a product that doesn't make the cut. As I read a lot of blogs and buy most of my products based upon recommendations, I don't come across too many products I really don't get along with.

First is the overly hyped up Korres Lip Butters. I have the pink one, which is jasmine scented, although this is very very subtle and almost non existent. This lip butter is supposed to offer 'deep hydration' but it really doesn't. I find because the texture is quite thick (because it is a butter) it just sits on my lips and actually creates dry patches within an hour or so! So it really doesn't hydrate my lips at all, a cheap lip balm would be much more effective. Also, because of how thick it is, I couldn't wear it under lipsticks to prep my lips. I heard so much about these, but for £6 for a 6g pot, I wouldn't repurchase one. 

My other disappointing product comes from No 7. I think No 7 have some great products out there, I especially love their hot cloth cleanser which I use nightly, but their 'Stay Perfect Smoothing and Brightening Eye Base' was an impulse buy, which doesn't work well for me. I have oily eyelids, so really need a primer to stop eyeshadows creasing. Now, once this has been applied, it created a fairly white base on my lids and didn't really adapt to my skin tone. It also didn't create a smooth and soft base, instead my lids felt quite dry as the product almost turns into a powered texture. Within an hour or so, my eyeshadows had creased, proving that this really doesn't work as a primer for people with oily eyelids. It may do for those with more 'normal' skin. Again, I wouldn't repurchase this item, and am glad I purchased it with a £5 No 7 voucher, so didn't pay the full retail price of £7. I would really recommend the Smashbox 'Photo Finish Lid Primer' instead, as this prevents creasing and pro-longs the wear of my eye makeup. 

Please be aware that these are only my views and opinions, and these products may work fantastically for other people. 

Have you been disappointed by any beauty products recently?

A Sneaky MAC Purchase

I've had my eye on Creme Cup at the MAC counter for a couple of months now, but for some reason it has never been in stock. Yes, I could have ordered it online, but with make up, I really enjoy going to the counter and picking it up myself. 

Creme Cup is one of MAC's most popular shades and is a cremesheen finish which is fairly hydrating, but I find that I still need a lip balm underneath and sometimes on top as well. The shade is beautiful. It is a classic nude colour with a hint of pink. In the bullet it looks more of a pink shade, but on the lips it is far more on the nude side. I'm really glad I finally got my hands on this lipstick as I think I will get lots of wear out of it this autumn. 

Have you made any purchases at MAC recently?

Fall Favourites: Nails

The colder months always make me want to paint my nails in rich, deep colours. Reds and purples are definitely my favourite and I always match them with a bold lip. Here are my favourite 6 polishes for this season. 

The first is my most worn polish from last winter, Essie's 'Bahama Mama.' I adored this colour last year, its such a rich berry toned purple and I used up nearly half the bottle, so I know it will be a continued staple this season. I love the formula of Essie polishes as they are so opaque, even with one coat, so they are perfect for those of you who hate sitting around for lots of coats to dry. The brush is also a perfect size for my nails, making application quick and easy. Wear time is also great, I roughly get a weeks wear when I use a top coat, so the staying power is great. You can pick this up at Boots for £7.99. 

The other Essie polish I really like for the colder months is 'She's Pampered.' This is a lovely shade of red, which isn't either orange or pink, its a very flattering shade. I don't actually think this is in the current line, as I managed to pick this up in the clearance section in Boots for £4, but I'm sure it's available on Amazon or EBay. 

My luxury pick is by OPI and is called, 'I'm Not Really A Waitress.' This was a sneaky airport purchase back in the summer, so I am dying to wear it! This is more of a metallic red, with a slight shimmer to it. It's a very festive red and one that I will probably wear a lot in the run up to Christmas. I only own a couple of OPI polishes and I find their forumlas to be ok, but nothing amazing. I'm hoping this will be opaque in a couple of coats and easy to apply. You can find OPI at Debenhams for £11.50.

My budget options come from Barry M. 'Raspberry' is a gorgeous pinky red, but far more red than the name would suggest. This is a really deep, rich colour and applies beautifully. I usually apply 2 coats for full opacity and it dries super quickly. The brushes with these polishes are fine for the price point, but are no comparison to the Essie brushes. Barry M Nail Paints are available from Boots and Superdrug for £2.99.

One other Barry M shade, which comes from a launch this year, is the Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in 'Pomegranate.' This is the pinkest of all the reds I have mentioned in this post, so has a berry tone to it. The finish is really glossy and perfect if you hate having to apply top coat, although I still do for extra shine. I have found the application to be really opaque in one coat, so they are great for taking on the go. The wear time is about 3-4 days. I would also mention, that a base coat is really needed as this polish did stain my nails quite badly. You can get your hands on these for £3.99 at Boots and Superdrug. 

My final selection isn't a red or purple shade..it's a nude! Yes, I know nudes aren't for everybody, but I think they can look really elegant and were a huge trend last autumn. The polish in question is 'So Simple' number 170, by No 7 (please be aware it is now number 6, but has the same name). This is a great nude, with a hint of silver shimmer, that you can only really see in the light. This shade doesn't make my hands appear dead, it just gives an elegant finish to my nails. It can also be nice to wear a neutral nail if you have a striking outfit or make up look, just to balance things out. This applies beautifully, but does need to be built up with around 3-4 coats. Although it is in the 'Stay Perfect' range, I would say it stays on the nails for around 5 days before any major chipping occurs. These are available from Boots for £6, but you can also get £3 off at the moment with the No 7 vouchers!

What are you're favourite nail polishes for fall/autumn? Are you tempted to try any of these? Why not get down to Boots as all cosmetics are currently on Buy One Get One Half Price, so you can stock up on new colours for less!

Empties #2

I seem to be on a spree at the moment of finishing up products and really having a good old clear out. Over the last week, I have finished 5 more products that I will share and review. 

The first product is the Vineyard Peach Body Butter from The Body Shop. This smells incredible and lasts on the skin for about 4-5 hours after application. I have been a huge fan on the Body Butters for a couple of years now as they aren't greasy or sticky, they are smooth and leave my skin moisturised and soft. I have also been pairing this product with the matching shower gel for a layering effect, which worked well. I would defiantely repurchase this product, probably over the warmer months as it is more of a summery scent and would highly recommend the Body Butters for anyone who's skin needs that injection of moisture. These retail for £13, but you can usually get them on an offer, such as 40% off.

The other product I used up from The Body Shop, was the Tea Tree Face Mask. I decided to try this as I have acne prone and blemished skin, but I can't say I saw any improvements in my skin. I used this once or twice a week and it did leave my skin feeling soft, but I couldn't say it 'lifted away impurities' as it claims. The forumlation is quite thick, but you only really need a grape sized amount, so this pot has lasted me around 6 months. If you read my Body Shop Haul post, you will have seen that I haven't repurchased this product, instead I have gone for the clay mask, which I have tried before. For £10 a tub, I really thought this mask would do more for my skin than it did, I wouldn't buy it again or recommend it. 

Perfume is not something I finish very often, so to finish two bottles in the same week is quite something! The first is Reb'l Fleur by Rihanna. This was her first fragrance launch back in 2011, which I picked up in New York when it launched over there. This fragrance has top notes of red berries, purple plum and peach. It has heart notes including Hawaiian hibiscus flower and violet, as well as base notes of vanilla, patchouli, amber and musk. This scent is rich and fruity, with a very feminine feel to it. I had the EDP and so it lasted really well on the skin, which is one of the reasons I purchased it. The bottle is very bulky and not really very attractive, but the fragrance really makes up for this, so I would definately repurchase it. I had the 100ml size which retails for £36.50 at The Perfume Shop.

The other perfume empty, which was featured in my perfume collection post, is Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift. I won't describe it in too much detail as that post contains all the notes and a more in-depth description, but it is a truly lovely scent. I have worn this as a day perfume and have recieved some lovely compliments. It is definately a scent I will repurchase once I have ran out of some of my other fragrances. I had the 30ml EDP which retails for £19.50 at The Perfume Shop.

The final and probably least exciting empty, is my current favourite toothpaste, Oral-B's 3D White Brilliance. As many toothpastes claim, this one also does to whiten teeth. Now, I have naturally quite yellow teeth, and so I wanted to look for a product that wouldn't bleach my teeth, but would help restore the natural whiteness. I really like this toothpaste, it has a nice taste which isn't too overpowering and has improved the colour of my teeth. No toothpaste is going to whiten your teeth properly, as only bleaching products can really do that, but I have noticed a difference. A good tip is to wear bright lipstick as that can really make your teeth appear white! Anyway, back to the review. Overall, this is a really nice toothpaste and the only one that has made a visable difference to my teeth. I have already repurchased this product as they were on 2 for £5 at Boots, instead of £3.49 each. 

Fall Favourites: Lips

Autumn, or fall is probably my favourite season for make up trends. The rich colours can really warm the face and make a statement. Here are the 5 products that I will wearing throughout the next couple of months. 

The Revlon Lip Butters are some of my all time favourite lip products. For autumn, 'Berry Smoothie' and 'Raspberry Pie' are perfect shades. 'Berry Smoothie' is more of a subtle berry shade and one I wore constantly last autumn and desperately need to repurchase. In contrast 'Raspberry Pie' is far more purple than red, as the name would suggest and is a deep plum colour. This is also one of the Lip Butters that is very opaque and does not need to be built up. I would recommend using a lip liner with this product, just because it is very dark and so is very noticeable if it bleeds. Wear time for this product is probably only couple of hours, and far less if you are eating and drinking, so is one that does need constant reapplications. You can pick these up for £7.99 from Boots. 

Another high street/drugstore favourite, is the Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipsticks, by Rimmel London, in number 107. This was very popular across blogs and YouTube channels last winter. This lipstick is a very deep, almost red wine colour. The formula of these lipsticks isn't the best and can be very drying, so using a lip balm underneath and even on top, can really help. Out of my 5 favourites, this is probably the one I wear least, just because I find it more of an evening colour as it is very bold. For £5.49 from Boots, these are a great buy and very inexpensive. 

A fairly new discovery for me are the Soap And Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks. The Chubby Stick dupes have been all over the market recently and after trying the Revlon ones that smelt terribly of mint, I wasn't bothered about trying any more. But hearing many YouTubers/bloggers taking about these products, I thought I would check them out next time I was in Boots. Now, as Soap And Glory are one of my favourite brands, I was quite surprised that I haven't really tried a lot of their makeup line. These products apply beautifully and are very easy to control the opacity. They also aren't sticky, yet have a really nice sheer, glossy finish. I have the shade 'Raplumzel', which is a lovely plum colour, but almost looks brown in the tube. I also have Bashful, which is a lovely pink, which I have worn constantly this summer. These products last well, but as they are like a tinted lip balm, they will not withstand eating/drinking. I would highly recommend this product, even for the slightly higher price tag of £8.

The brightest MAC liptsick I own and solely reserve for this time of year, is 'Girl About Town.' This lipstick is an Amplified finish and so is fairly moisturising, without sacrificing any of the colour pay off. The shade of this product is beautiful, it is a very bold purple-y pink and one that I always wear for nights out in the colder months. It is long lasting and so only requires touch ups, and usually can still be seen the next morning, showing just how well it lasts! If you like you're lip colour to make a statement, this is definitely one for you. It is also the most pink out of all the shades mentioned, so this is one for pink lovers. MAC lipsticks are currently priced at £15 and are available at any MAC counter. 

My final pick was a purchase a few months ago in Bicester Village at the Cosmetics Company Outlet. I managed to find a beautiful Bobbi Brown lipstick, in the Rich Lip Colour line, in the shade 'Wild Rose,' which is number 26 (according to the website the shade is now called Rose Berry). I have the old square packaging, so it now comes in a cylinder shaped tube. I haven't gotten much wear out of this year, as I did purchase it this spring, so I am dying to get it into my make up bag. The formula is creamy and smooth, helping it to apply effortlessly on the lips. The colour is also very rich, I would describe it as a deep rose, verging on light plum. This is the first Bobbi Brown product I have ever tried and has definitely encouraged me to try more. I think I paid roughly £14 for this at the outlet store, but it retails for £19. 

From Bottom to Top- in the order mentioned: Revlon Lip Butter in 'Raspberry Pie', Rimmel No 107, Soap and Glory 'Raplumzel', MAC's 'Girl About Town' and Bobbi Brown No 26.

What are you're top lip products for autumn/winter? Have any of these caught you're eye?

My Holy Grail Product

I think the term 'Holy Grail' can be over used by beauty gurus. For me, it emulates my one ultimate product that I couldn't live without and would purchase instantly if I could only ever own one beauty product. 

My holy grail item is the Collection (previously known as Collection 2000) Lasting Perfection Concealer. Not only does this concealer apply beautifully, it covers everything. It doesn't sit in the fine lines or look cakey, it just seamlessly covers any blemishes or redness I have. The doe foot applicator also makes it very easy to apply. As an acne sufferer, my blemished skin is my main concern, so I always spend the bulk of my time prepping my base before adding blusher and bronzer. By doing this, it enables me to get a flawless base for the rest of my makeup. The concealer also stays put all day and performs better than any other high end concealer I have tried. 

Now good quality is usually linked to high prices, but this concealer will only set you back £4.19 in Boots!! It is also currently on Buy One Get One Half Price, so for £6.30 you can have two, making them £3.15 each.  There are 4 shades to choose from, so not the best colour range in the world and I use the shade Fair. 

Have you ever tried this concealer?

Micellar Waters

Recently micellar waters have gained a lot of press. As a new type of cleanser, they aim to remove make up and cleanse the skin, using fewer chemicals, leaving a water like feel on the skin. 

The first micellar water I heard about, was the hugely hyped Bioderma. So, does it deserve the hype? Definately. This product not only removes both face and eye make up brilliantly, but it doesn't dry out the skin at all. I find many cleansers can leave my skin feeling very dry, a result of many chemical ingredients. Instead, Bioderma leaves my skin feeling clean, smooth and soft, a perfect base for moisturiser. I now use Bioderma every evening, with a cotton pad, as my first cleanse, before washing my face with a foaming cleanser and it has made such a difference to my skin. 

As Bioderma is French, it can be hard to track down, unless you have relatives/friends in France, or you pop over to visit. I picked up two of the largest 500ml size on my trip to Paris in March and they cost about 10 euros each, which for such a huge bottle, is a great price, considering the first bottle lasted 3 months. If you don't get over to France very often, Bioderma can be sourced on the internet, but do bear in mind that this can be much more expensive. 

Another micellar water that I have tried is the Loreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. Again, I have used this too remove my make up in the evening and it does the job well. I still think Bioderma performs better, especially with eye make up, as it really breaks everything down and removes it. Also, with the Loreal product, I feel that my skin is slightly tacky feeling after using it, which I'm not to keen on. But once my face dries, this disappears. This is still a great product for the price. 

The Loreal micellar water is more readily available in Boots and Superdrug. It retails for £4.99 for 200ml, but is currently a third off in Boots, for £3.33. 

If you want to try a micellar water and you can't get your hands on Bioderma, then I would definately recommend the Loreal solution. But for those that want the real deal, Bioderma is a great performing product and truly deserves all the praise. There are also other micellar waters on the market that I have yet to try, from Vichy and La Roche Posay. These are both available in Boots. 

Have you every tried micellar waters? Do you agree with the hype?

Perfume Collection

Perfume is one of my favourite, most treasured, luxury items. I link memory to smell and so a certain fragrance can really remind me of a special memory. Here is the collection I have built up over the last few years.

My all time favourite perfume, is Daisy by Marc Jacobs and I am currently on my second bottle. This fragrance has heart notes of violet, top notes of wild strawberries and base notes of white woods accord. This is a beautiful floral fragrance and can be worn both day and night, although it is slightly on the heavier side, so I reserve it for evening wear. As well as owning this fragrance in EDP, it is very long lasting as I can always still smell it at the end of an evening out. This is a such a unique fragrance and is one that always attracts compliments. The bottle is also adorable, and one that I always display on my dressing table. All of my friends are fans of this scent and rightly so, its beautiful. The 20ml bottle I have is £24.50 and the 50ml EDP retails for £53.50.

The most expensive and no doubt most prestigious of all the fragrances I own, is Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel. I recieved this as a gift and wore it for my graduation earlier this year, so it will always remind me of that special occasion. I always thought Chanel scents were more suited to the mature woman, but this one is very subtle and sophisticated. This fragrance is described as "Oriental-fresh, a floral jasmine-rose accord, as light as a petal" by The Perfume Shop and I would defintely agree with this description. This is a very feminine scent and a good comparison is the scent of the Soap and Glory 'Clean on Me' range. The bottle is not only elegant but a classic, and is one I love to display. This makes a lovely gift or treat and retails for £66.50 for the 50ml EDP.

Besides the Marc Jacobs and Chanel fragrances, my other higher end scent is YSL's Parisienne. This is a woody floral scent that I can only desribe as smelling like palma violets. This scent has heart notes of damas rose, violet and peony. Its has top notes of cranberry and blackberry, as well as base notes which include patchouli, musk and sandalwood, which is very similar to the Wonderstuck ingredient list. I find as this is more of a heavy scent, it is best suited to night time wear and it will last all through the night without a need for reapplication. The bottle is also very elegant and almost vintage looking with the golden cap. You can get your hands on this for £57.50 for a 50ml EDP. 

From left to right, YSL's Parisienne 90ml, Chanels Coco Mademoiselle 50ml and Marc Jacobs Daisy 20ml.

One perfume that I have adored for years, is Vera Wang's Princess. The first of her 'Princess' line of fragrances, this is a sexy and subtle fragrance, that has heart notes of pink guava, top notes of waterlily and base notes of chiffon vanilla. I always get through a 30ml of this in around 4 months as I use to wear it religiously, so I have gone through many bottles of this. The bottle is adorable, in a heart shape and the golden crown cap, can be made into a necklace or another trinket once you have finished with the bottle. This perfume retails for £44.50 for a 50ml EDP. I also own the Preppy Princess fragrance, which I am not as keen on, so I would definitely recommend the original Princess fragrance. 

Vera Wang's Princess in 30ml and Preppy Princess in 100ml

The newest addition to my collection is Ralph Laurens No 2 in The Big Pony Collection. I am not a huge fan of the bottle, but the lovely sweet scent really drew me in. The main ingredients in this scent are cranberry and tonka mousse, creating a very fruity and delicious aroma. This fragrance is only made in EDT and so is quite weak which I only find this lasts on the skin about an hour, so I use it more as a body spray (although it is very expensive for this purpose) and so regular reapplications are needed. If you are looking for a fragrance that lasts well on the skin, this isn't the one, but it is lovely, especially for the summer. You can pick this up for £36.99 for a 50ml bottle.

One of my more inexpensive scents, is Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift. Now I usually do not buy into the hype and marketing of celebrity fragrance launches, but I stumbled across this in Boots when the gift set was on offer for Mothers Day. This fragrance has heart notes of Hawaiian white hibiscus and honeysuckle, top notes of freesia, green tea and apple blossom, as well as base notes of amber, sandalwood and musk. I wear this as a day perfume and it is lovely, and it has great staying power for the price point. A 30ml EDP retails for £19.50 and even comes with a free charm bracelet. I would highly recommend this for anyone with a smaller budget who wants a great quality fragrance. I am also a huge fan of the bottle. 

The final fragrance and a newer edition to my collection is Juicy Couture's Viva La Juicy. Now, this wasn't a fragrance that I tried for years as the bottle is hideous. I believe that if you are spending a lot of money on a fragrance, then it should be packaged nicely,especially if you like to display them like me, as nobody wants to splash out on a luxury item and then keep it hidden away in a cupboard! But after hearing so many people rave about what a lovely fragrance this is, I rushed out to try it and they weren't wrong. This is a beautiful floral fragrance, which has heart notes of honeysuckle, gardenia and jasmine. Top notes of wild berries and mandarin and base notes including amber, caramel and vanilla. This has great staying power on the skin and is perfect for summery evenings. This was a great discovery and is not far behind Daisy in my favourite fragrances of all. If you can get past the tacky bottle, this is well worth a try. This retails for £46.50 for a 50ml EDP and there are also 'Noir' and 'La Fleur' editions available. 

Juicy Couture's Viva La Juicy in 30ml, Ralph Lauren No 2 50ml and Taylor Swifts Wonderstruck in 30ml

All prices included are from The Perfume Shop's website, 50 ml prices have been included but most of the fragrances are available in a range of sizes. 

What are your favourite fragrances?

Empties

I absolutely love reading and watching empties videos and blog posts. There is no bigger testament to a good product than using up every last drop and rushing out to repurchase it. Here are a handful of products I have recently used up. 

Hands- I must say, now that it is getting cooler, I carry hand cream with me everywhere. I hate having dry hands and so I always have about 3 tubes of hand cream on the go at once- on my dressing table, in my handbag and on my desk at work. My all time favourite hand cream is the Soap and Glory Hand food. It isn't greasy and leaves my hands feeling lovely and soft, as well as beautifully scented, which has resulted in me buying it time and time again. For £5 for 125ml tube, this is a great buy and is definately one of my favourite products in the Soap and Glory line. I've already rushed out to buy another.

As well as hand cream, hand sanitizer is another product I always have in my hand bag as I am a serious germaphobe. Most hand sanitizers can leave your hands feeling very dry, from the alcohol content, but the Cuticura ones really don't seem to. At first I wasn't really to keen on the cucumber and garden mint scent, but once I got used to it, it was fine. Another benefit was that this bottle lasted much longer, as I find the tiny ones don't last long at all. I have repurchased this product already as I always pick it up on offer for £1 at Boots. Another good one to look out for is the Hand Maid by Soap and Glory.

Hair- Dry shampoo is probably my savior product, helping me to keep my hair looking clean between washes. Batiste is a great brand of dry shampoo, catering to all hair colours and types. The blush scent is lovely and really makes your hair smell as if it has just been washed. The product also sprays out really evenly, making it easier to rub in, to avoid those horrible grey patches, as well as creating lots of volume. I really didn't get on with the batiste brunette dry shampoo, as I felt it made my hair feel very dry, so I worried this one would be the same. But I would highly recommend the blush variety and have already opened my next can. I can really see why this brand is the UK's favourite dry shampoo, as for £2.99 a can, you can't go wrong. You can also buy miniature cans for your hand bag!

My other hair empty, is the Tresemme Platinum Strength Shampoo. Tresemme is a brand I have dabbled into over the years, I still use their Heat Defence spray almost daily, but started to go off the shampoos and conditioners a few years ago as I didn't think they were doing a great deal for my hair. But when the Platinum Strength line launched, claimed to repair 2 years worth of damage, I knew it was something I needed to try. Although I don't believe this claim, as you surely cannot repair the hair once it has been damaged, I thought a good injection of moisture is exactly what my hair could use, after years of straightening daily. Looking through the ingredients, this shampoo does contain silicones, which are very controversial as they essentially coat the hair to make it appear softer. But from the very first wash, my hair looked healthier, shinier and felt lovely.  I would really like to try the conditioner to see how they perform together. I have recommend this product to lots of friends and I will definitely repurchase it once I have used up some of my other shampoos.This range is priced at £5 each for the 500 ml bottles. 

Body and Face- The Body Shops Satsuma range has been a new discovery in the last few weeks. Having received the 60ml shower gel in a gift set, I had only just got round to using it. And what a lovely product this is. Not only does it lather well, its sweetly scented, but not in an overpowering way and it lingers on the skin long after you step out of the shower. As you will know if you saw my Body Shop haul post, I have already rushed out to buy the larger 250ml size, which for £4, is a bargain. 

Tea tree oil is a product I have always read about as being great for your skin. With oily, acne prone skin, I decided to give it a try and I was immediately impressed. Applying it onto areas of redness and active breakouts each night, I woke up to find reduced blemishes that had started to heal. Also, when you apply this, it has a tingling effect, which I didn't mind as it felt like the product must have been working! I haven't repurchased this yet as I am currently using the Super Spot Remover from Origins, which is stronger but also around double the price, so I will definately use it again in the future as it is great for such an inexpensive product. This 10ml bottle came in a tea tree set from The Body Shop, but is priced on its own for £7, but you can also pick them up at Boots and other pharmacies

My final empty is a huge 500ml bottle of the Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk by Soap and Glory. I have raved about Soap and Glory in many posts, this one included and the body range is defiantely my favourite, but this product didn't really meet my expectations. I found the scent quite sickly, I can only describe it as smelling like biscuits once applied to the skin, as the ingredients include almonds, yoghurt, cocoa and oats. Some might like this kind of scent, but for me, it was just too much. It also was quite greasy on the skin and took quite a while to dry, leaving that sticky feeling when I dressed. This has not changed my opinion of the Soap and Glory body care line, as I love some of the other, more fruity scents, it's just this product was not for me. This product is priced at £10 and lasted around 3-4 weeks with daily applications. 

Have you tried any of these products?

Boots Haul

Pay day weekend would not be complete without a spot of beauty shopping. As well as homeware shopping, I also managed to browse Boots and pick up a few treats!

I was in desperate need for a new gel eyeliner, after my trusty Maybelline one had completely dried out. As it had lasted a couple of years and is such a pigmented black colour, I decided to re-purchase it. It’s in such a handy little pot which makes it really portable and it also comes with a great little brush. One thing I will say about the brush is that it must be washed after every use otherwise it will dry and clump all the hairs together. For £7.99 for both the eyeliner and the brush, this is a steal.

As Maybelline was on 3 for 2, I also decided to pick up the recently launched in the UK, Baby Lips. These have been out in the US for a good year or so and they have finally landed in the UK.  Although I have read mixed reviews about these, I really wanted to try them for myself. Out of the 6 shades available, I chose Pink Punch, which as the name suggests, is a vibrant pink. The packaging is a little childish, but as a lip balm doesn’t make an appearance out of my handbag very often, I wasn’t too bothered. Now, the colour pay off was better than expected, this shade is very similar to Revlon’s Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish. But even though this is supposed to be a lip balm, it isn’t very hydrating, for £2.99 I did expect better.

My final Maybelline pick was the Colour Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Eyeshadow in On And On Bronze (Bad To The Bronze in the US). Again, there was a lot of hype around this line when it launched and seeing as I’m only just starting to dabble in eye shadows, I hadn’t jumped at getting my hands on these. But swatching them in store, they are lovely.  They are highly pigmented, rich and creamy in texture and are packaged similar to the MAC Paint Pots. They can be used as a base for eyeshadows or just on their own for a quick and easy wash of colour. For £4.99 I will definitely be picking a few more of these up.

My other beauty selections were 2 of the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paints as they were on buy one get one half price. This range has a lovely colour selection and I decided to go for Papaya and Pomegranate, both of which are vibrant and eye catching. The price point on these is brilliant for the great quality of Barry M polishes, as these will only set you back £3.99 each.

The last item I grabbed was a Radox Fresh & Fruity Berry Burst Shower Gel as this was on offer for £1 and I needed a new shower gel for my gym bag. This product smells incredible and truly feels like you are washing yourself with a fruit smoothie! They usually retail for £1.99 which is still a great price for such a lovely scented treat for the shower.

Have you picked up any beauty products lately?