I'm an Avon lady! | Mini Avon Haul

So I became an Avon lady! It's was a tough few weeks finding customers in my area but I finally met the £80 minimum order mark for Campaign 13 and I'm very pleased to be getting out and about talking about makeup with other ladies in my area (which is a breath of fresh air as I live with three boys!). 

I followed my current obsession of eyeshadow crayons by purchasing the Avon Supershock eyeshadow crayon. This is the standard neutral option with a light shimmery colour and a matte brown. I actually found that the lighter colour faded almost immediately, and the matte brown isn't too bad. Unfortunately, this hasn't got the best staying power, even with a primer.
 

I then added the Forget Me Not Nailwear Pro + nail polish in a shimmery, denim blue colour. £1 (out of the £3 it costs) goes towards domestic violence charities. There is also a cute bracelet available, also for £3, supporting domestic abuse charities. The formula of the nail polish itself is great and I'm pleased with the colour too. 

All in all, I think I will be returning the eye crayon through the Avon Guarantee (which means that you can return items even if they've been used!). However, I'm loving the nail polish and the bonus of supporting a good cause x

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Wilko's New Make-up Brushes - Picture Post

I have only picked a few from the collection, as they've always been sold-out, but so far I'm loving these brushes, and for only £2-3 each they are a bargain! The face brush is soft yet dense, the eyeshadow brush is a little stiff but would be great for blending harsh edges, and the stippling brush makes a great all-over powder brush.

I've had no complaints so far, but what do you think? x

eBay Make-up Brushes: The Good and The Bad | The Good - Ovonni

Ovonni make-up brushes 18pcs £14.90Ovonni make-up brushes 26pcs £18.95 

I took a risk and tried another eBay make-up brush set from Ovonni. 26pcs: lovely purple colour, fluffy and the images generally appealed to me. These arrived quicker than the other brushes from eBay, as these were stocked in the UK. 

The 26 pieces come in a folding hot pink, faux leather case, with each brush individually wrapped in plastic. They all seemed clean, hygienic and looked very similar, if not identical, to the images on the listing.
I opened them up and tried them out and instantly fell in love!
The face brushes are amazing - soft, dense and pick up the product well. There could have been more choice for the eyes but I was very happy with what I received. A mascara wand, eyebrow wand and two mini retractable handbag applicators too! So cute!

All in all, would definitely recommend these to anyone on a budget looking for a quick, good quality set of brushes x

eBay Make-up Brushes: The Good and The Bad | The Bad

When I first started really getting into makeup, I knew that a good face of makeup required a good set of tools, but when on a tight budget my choices were limited. So I took to eBay and found this amazing value set. 28 days later they arrived and for a good couple of weeks they were functioning pretty well. They were strong handled, brightly coloured, soft and dense brushes (apart from the stippling brush of course). They were Real Techniques knock offs and I knew that, but I was actually surprised at the quality. Occasionally the odd hair would be only my face after application, but I settled on that being a compromise for the price.

But a few months into using them I found that the hairs were coming out when I was washing them. The glue was almost fading and the hairs were coming out in bunches. They were all falling apart in my hands so they had to be thrown away.

Long story short- don't even bother! They may be cheap, and you may be on a budget, but I would strongly recommend waiting a little longer to save that little bit extra in order to invest in some brushes that will last you for years to come. My posts over the next few days will show you some other affordable brands to choose from! x

Batiste Dry Shampoo and Conditioning Mist

Firstly, I had no idea what I had been doing for years actually came in a bottle! Let me explain...

Have you ever heard of Johnsons baby powder? Well I essentially used this as a dry shampoo powder overnight, and my hair would be less greasy than before, without any of the white powdery marks left behind. So when I heard about dry shampoos actually being a thing, I was eager to try them out! This was mainly due to the fact that with my method you had to leave it on overnight, whereas dry shampoo sprays are a more convenient, quick method to applying dry shampoo.

My first dry shampoo was the Batiste original spray, and I loved it. However, problems arose when I delved into new flavours, and in particular, Tropical. It's such a sickening scent that leaves the room over-perfumed and requires you to re-enter the room later on when it's all dissipated away. So I wasn't too pleased with this.
However, I recently bought the conditioning mist, with Argan Oil, and I with a generous coating my hair is slightly more softer and shinier. Plus, this doesn't smell too bad! But beware, if your bedroom is reasonably small like mine, all these sprays can become quite overwhelming, so make sure your room is well ventilated!

So overall, Batiste Original, or Batiste Conditioning Mist, but not Tropical!
I've also heard that the new Aussie dry shampoo is good and smells amazing - have you tried it? Tell me what you think in the comments below! x

Better late than never...Supermarket Haul!

 I picked up a Maybelline Superstay 7 day nail polish in Rose for £2.50 on offer at Morrisons. The colour, brush and wear is actually as good as others have claimed,  including Amelia Liana who pretty much is obsessed with them, so thanks to her for recommending them! I also like the because they're a gel formula but aren't as thick and hard to apply as the Barry M counterparts.

I also picked up two Collection eyeshadow pencils, after loving the idea from experiencing the Rimmel eye crayon range. I can't remember if this was on offer, but they were only £3 each I believe, so bargain! Super pigmented and good wear, moreso than the Rimmel versions which were too creamy and less pigmented, but that means that the Collection crayons are slightly too hard too blend.

In Sainsbury's the Good Things range (amongst others) were on offer, with this face mask at around £4.99. It smells amazing and the ingredients sound promising. I've only used it the once but I'm very pleased with it so far!

Sorry it's a late one today, been super busy but posts will be coming back at midday from tomorrow, thanks x 

Feel Unique | Caudalie Moisture Cleanser and Toner

£8.55 each but reduced to £7.27 with discount code.

Items: 

Gentle Cleansing Milk and Moisturising Toner

I found these after searching for a cleansing and toning set on FeelUnique.com. I've heard great things about Caudalie and didn't want to pay the expensive price for the Decleor Cleanser and Toner duo set, so I decided to purchase these. I have quite dry skin, especially during the Winter. I have a feeling that our Summer is drawing to an end and so I thought I should start looking at more moisturising skincare products that will be kind and gentle on my skin. Having never tried a Caudalie product before I thought this was a a little gamble, as I usually opt for the Body Shop Vitamin E cleanser-toner duo and have never tested any Caudalie products on my skin. However I am excited to try these and believe that they will be a good duo for everyday use.
I will post an update below once I've tested these out for a little longer x

Pre-Wedding Haul at Wilkinsons & New Look | Rimmel, L'oreal Paris, Revlon, New Look

(New Look Clutch and Wilkinsons hair clasps)

 I had a wedding to attend on Friday last week and I did a little run around my local shops to get a few last minute items like cards and toiletries. However, as per usual, I became a little distracted and found a few bargains...
Firstly, I needed a clutch for the wedding. I know, a girl without a stash of clutches already? Luckily I have a new look just around the corner from me, so with my student card ready I picked up this simple black clutch for around £8 with a 10% student discount. It's roomy and will suit most outfits.
I bought some toiletries from Wilkinsons, but I wanted to mention the hair grips, as they are great for pinning hair when you're straightening sections. At a £1 for 4 clips they are super affordable and really useful to have around.
Wilkinsons also had 3 for 2 across all cosmetics, which is where I found a few Rimmel products I wanted to try and Boots had 2 for £10 on Revlon, so I just had to buy some of the new moisture stains that I had swatched in a previous post...

L'oreal Color Riche Eyeshadows £5.49 at Boots
Quartz Fume and Gold Mania 

 Everyone seems to be raving about these eyeshadows and now I know why! These are incredible pigmented and look even more so when wet. I picked up two shades and wore them to the wedding. They lasted all evening!

Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeshadows stick in Bad Girl Bronze
Rimmel Kate eyeshadow stick in 100 Rose Gold
(3 for 2 at Wilkinsons)

These Rimmel eyeshadow sticks are super creamy and actually look better without a primer. I wore these the evening before the wedding and these also last for hours. I'm slowly falling in love with eye crayons as I find them easier to apply and blend. Would definitely recommend giving these a try! 

Rimmel Scandaleyes waterproof kohl in 005 Nude
(3 for 2 at Wilkinsons)

 Rimmel eyeliner in Nude is a staple eye pencil to use as a inner corner or waterline eye brightener.

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stains in 015 Barcelona Nights and 005 Parisian Passion
2 for £10 at Boots

 I've worn the Revlon moisture stain in Barcelona nights and weirdly found the consistency a bit sticky, but I think these are best applied on dry lips, and I think I was wearing a lip balm underneath, so that's something to bear in mind. However, these lip stains are great for a medium gloss and good staying power, as the colour remains once the gloss is gone.

I love Rimmel eyeliners, especially the thin liquid eyeliner pen in the Scandaleyes range. I wanted to find a thicker nibbed pen for when I attempt a bolder eye look, so I found this: the Scandaleyes Thick and Thin liner in Black. Closer up you can see that it's slightly angled so that you can reposition the pen to either draw a thin or thick line. I'm hoping, like the Benefit gel liner, that this angle will also help me draw cat flicks - we'll see! 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Thick and Thin eyeliner in 001 Black (waterproof)
(3 for 2 at Wilkinsons)

Cosmetics Company Outlet Store, Portsmouth | Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisture Foundation

#04 Natural

So I found this mega bargain in the Portsmouth's Cosmetics Company outlet store! I recently picked up the Bobbi Brown stick foundation at a John Lewis and wish I had known about this store before I paid full price for it.
This foundation is hands down the best foundation I have ever used! It's moisturising, silky and blends unbelievably well and matches my skin tone perfectly, and you only need one pump of product!
So now my base routine is to use the liquid foundation all over my face and then the stick foundation to blend over blemishes as a concealer.
What do you think of the Bobbi Brown foundation range - any recommendations for my next product to try?x

Bargain!

Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays Haul | Cosmetics Company Store, Whittards, Body Shop, Cadbury!

The past few days have been spent down in Portsmouth for a wedding, but of course there was time for some shopping the day before so I went down to Gunwharf quays to see what bargains I could find.

I popped into the Body Shop outlet and bought four bodywashes for £9.60 - which is a huge saving! Plus I haven't tried any of these "flavours" which is a bonus!
I also found a Whittards of Chelsea outlet, where I bought huge tubs of hot chocolate (choosing two from a huge selection of flavours available), some coffee and vanilla  syrup. This was great as I then found a Cadbury outlet store and bought some chocolate misshapes to have with my hot chocolate that evening!

There was also a Cosmetics Company Outlet store, where I must have spent hours browsing the huge selection of high end makeup and skincare! I managed to control myself and bought just one item....see what it was in tomorrow's blog post! x

 

B. Cosmetics BB Cream - better than the Urban Decay Beauty Balm?

As this was half price and vegan I had to try it! I got the shade medium, and it's neutral in tone, perhaps slightly warm. However, this blended out very nicely on the skin and I was very impressed with how it looks! Obviously it's sheer enough so that blemishes will need concealing, but weirdly I actually prefer this to the Urban Decay Beauty Balm! Although the U.D. BB cream has a higher SPF and nicer packaging, it smelt funny and wasn't as silky and blendable as this one. Another BB cream that I liked but had a heavier coverage was the Garnier BB cream.
Perhaps I will focus a whole post on the comparison of the two. I know for sure that this is my favourite BB cream at the moment, but I'm also loving the L'oreal Nude Magique CC Cream (in anti redness).

My current BB Cream wishlist: The Body Shop Vitamin E BB cream, Sanctuary Spa BB Cream, Dr Jart +

Therapy Massage Bar | Lush

The Body Shop Haul!

A quick haul post today! I took advantage of the regular offers on the Body Shop, using the "5 products for 40% off" deal. I'm on a tight budget this summer but was in desperate need of new skincare, as my skin had fluctuated so much these past few months, so Lush, Body Shop, B. Cosmetics and Caudalie (post soon...) have been my recent go-to natural-as-possible brands. I say natural, but I really just want as few chemicals on my skin as possible. It's bad enough that I have to deal with fluctuating hormone levels, illness and an (improving) bad diet, so my sensitive,combination skin needs as little as possible to deal with right now!
So here are some of my picks:

• Foot file (because the pumice feet scrub is amazing, but also quite expensive)
• Coconut oil (because it's weirdly the only oil I don't own at the moment and great for dry patches and hair)
• Vitamin C Skin Reviver (to help my acne scars fade)
• Vitamin E Overnight Serum-Oil (for my dry skin)
• Seaweed Pore Perfecter (trialling this as a primer for when I'm combating blemishes)

So that's my haul! Reviews on each of the items will pop up over the next month as always, thanks x

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick | 04 Natural

Probably the worst impulse purchase of the week coming in at £29 at my local John Lewis. However, I must say....it's totally worth it!
I went in wanting a foundation match and some advice on covering blemishes, in the hope of finding a Bobbi Brown concealer. (after finding out how expensive a Chanel concealer is!). However, the SA recommended the Skin Foundation stick as it has a good enough coverage to be used as a concealer or as a foundation - 2 in 1 product win!
 I've never used a stick foundation before, but it's so much easier to apply. Just a few swipes or a dab on the area to be concealed and then blend easily into the skin (because of its mega creamy formula- which also means it's very hydrating!)
I love this and I'm glad I picked it up, as I've had such a natural looking base with this and I'm sure this stick will last me a long time! I'm already looking up reviews for the liquid foundations, which I'm also eager to try! x

B. Cosmetics Haul | Superdrug's Half Price Deal

Superdrug half price on all B.cosmetics!
I couldn't resist buying some more B. products after my sister bought their Micellar water for £2.50 (which is amazing) and a lipstick for £3! I had to see what else was in the range, especially as I am loving the BB cream at the moment!
I picked up the contour kit, which came in 4 shades (I chose Medium). This has a brown contouring powder and a white cream highlighter. So far I am loving the cream highlighter, but not so much the contouring powder as it's maybe too subtle? So I'm switching between this and my Sleek palette!
I'm also going to try the B. blemish gel and night serum, as I'm always on the lookout for new products to try! These pesky blemishes leave awful scars too- they just won't budge.

Reviews to follow x

Birchbox July 2014

Products:
- Benefit Pore-fressional: all-time favourite primer
- Whish body butter: citrus-y creamy body butter
- Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream: tried it last year and loved it, but too expensive for my budget
- N4 High Performance Hair Care, Jour' D'automne hair spray: really nice hair spray, smells lovely too
- Chia Seeds: heard good things about this and waiting for the right opportunity to try it
- Laqa Co. Lip Lube (!?): Interesting name but swatched very nicely - pigmented and smooth

Swatch: Laqa Co. Lip Lube

Overall, a great selection of products of great value. Some old favourites and some new products I have been loving! x

Benefit They're Real Push Up Gel Liner and Mascara Sample Set | Birchbox July 2014

*(Products received as samples with the July Birchbox.)

Everyone pretty much knows what the Benefit They're Real mascara is like as it's pretty awesome, so I'm just going to focus on their latest product: the Benefit They're Real Push-up gel eye-liner.
The liner itself comes in a plastic wrapper and you really have to squeeze the product up the tube in order to get any of it out, but when you do you have to be careful as it's very easy to push too much product out. I was quite annoyed at this and thought it was silly to have to push the product out of the pen. However I believe that the full size product is a click pen, which obviously makes it much easier to dispense the product.
The product claims to allow gel liner to be applied "with handcuffs" i.e. very easily. I must say this was mostly true! I'm awful at applying eyeliner as I've got shaky hands and slightly uneven eye shapes which makes symmetrical cat eyes very difficult! But with my first application I had achieved a fairly symmetrically look, which didn't budge and was not streaky. It stayed put all day and was fairly easy to remove with my Garnier micellar water.
The only downside is the price: £18.50! I also like to replace eye products regularly for personal hygiene, so £18.50 every two or three months is quite expensive for an eye product. So it's a decision between investing in an awesome, easy to apply eye liner pen...or find a dupe!
I have heard that Maybelline were the first to produce a flexible nib gel eyeliner, but I've heard too many bad reviews to try it myself. However, after picking up an Avon catalogue I have noticed a possible dupe, so I will try to order it asap and post a review in the near future...

Overall, would definitely recommend the whole range, if you are willing to invest!

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation | Start Getting Naked Set

I love the look of the foundation - light, dewy and blends incredibly well! Initially I tried the foundation at a Urban Decay counter and at first I didn't like how it looked on my skin- it looked heavy and unnatural. However, as the day progressed I found that the foundation looked great and more and more natural, so I went back to purchase it! Debenhams U.D. counters currently have an offer for the Start Getting Naked set at £32 for the full size foundation (which can I just add is massive!), a mini kabuki brush and a travel size setting spray (which I also recommend).
Overall, it's a pretty cool kit and I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of it! x