Long Weekend in Edinburgh!

I've just got back from a long weekend in Edinburgh with my boyfriend, we were so luckily that it didn't rain! I loved Edinburgh, it's a great city to explore though next time I might catch the tourist bus to save my poor legs on the hills!!

Elaine

H&M Goodies & NOTD Miss Stone Heart

Thanks to a £5 promotion I received from H&M I bought all these goodies for a measly £5.95. I've had my eye on the blue polish (Blue My Mind usually £2.99) for awhile, its a soft purpleish blue and it's a colour which has been huge on the high street recently (Primark have shoes in this colour - but not ever in my size it seems) I also fell in love with a shirt this colour from the H&M gold label section but unfortunately again they didn't have my size :-( so this nail varnish will have to fill my lust for now.

The grey polish (Miss Stone Heart usually £2.99) is a really beautiful light grey with a lilac undertone and looks great in just one coat, perfect for rush jobs.

The brushes were a random pick up as I'm pretty lazy at washing my brushes so I was needing some back ups. The eye brush (£1.99) is lovely and soft although after trying the angled brush (usually £2.99) I'v found its a bit scratchy on my face, but it will do as a back up. So these brushes are okay but the quality is definitely reflected in the price - nothing to write home about. 

Rachel     

Lush Controversial Animal Testing Window Display - My Personal Thoughts

www.fightinganimaltesting.com     www.lush.co.uk

Lush Website Banner

I really wasn't sure if I was going to write this post as already there are a lot of posts, forums and articles offering their two cents of the controversial subject and I personally wouldn't like to think I have offended anyone, however after thinking about it I thought why not? I whole-heartedly support this cause and I'm fully behind Lush's actions, so I guess this post is just a way to show my support and discuss the backlash.

One point I'd like to cover is that many believe this stunt/performance was overly sexualised and are pointing out that the artist wore a 'sexy' bodysuit... hmmm who finds that sexy? It was up to her neck and made her look almost asexual, naked as an animal or alien-like, exactly their point. Also people have complained that the artist Jacqueline Traide was a pretty young female, I am in no way naive to advertising techniques and without doubt I count myself as a feminist but why should an attractive female artist NOT be used? if she is passionate and willing to support this fantastic campaign 'fat, thin, beautiful, normal' who cares?! Lush's main target audience and customers are female, so why not use a woman. The only thing I wish they'd done was use a female doctor, but then that's my personal view in hindsight and no doubt the media would have construed that as sexual too.

I've also seen a lot of comments regarding how this stunt/performance is not appropriate on the streets for children to see. To a degree I agree with this however, I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to hurry your child along and or explain that its 'pretend', 'art' or simply explain the cause (however of course I'm not a parent so perhaps my views would be slightly different if it were my child walking past I'm not sure.) I wasn't there but I have also heard that there were Lush staff stood before the window trying to highlight to people what they were going to see and trying to protect people who may have been offended from the sight.

I believe the people behind this campaign were doing it for the right reasons and I'm 100% behind their campaign, of course they are a company and at the end of the day they want sales but I feel if they were trying to increase sales they wouldn't have had the balls to back and produce such a shocking, thought provoking and controversial campaign. I work for an ethical retailer and I commend Lush on their courage to back this. Okay so bad press is good press right...hmm in this instance I'm not sure. I've seen countless comments of blogs saying they will NEVER buy from Lush again because of this and I'm sure Lush spent a LOT of time debating on how this might shock and offend a proportion of its customers. Lush are not strangers to controversy either: remember their mermaid window display in 2008?

I believe it's fantastic that this shocking display has brought this issue of animal testing in ingredients / products sold in the UK to the forefront of peoples' minds. Personally it has made me rethink about the companies I support regarding their animal testing policies and I hope if anything it has made you do the same, regardless if you support or buy Lush products.

Anyhow of course that is just my personal view on this controversial subject, and I will continue to follow this and hopefully learn more about this campaign. If you would like to read Lush's comments regarding the criticism please read their statement here.  You can also see some photos here, please note I hate the Daily Mail but they had the best photos I could find.

Rachel

Oh no Tyra... No

Image Credits: Craig Barritt/Getty Images

For all you die hard ANTM (America's Next Top Model) fans out there I have some disturbing news!

I have just read on Leigh Lopez that Tyra has fired Nigel Barker, Miss J and Jay Manuel as experts and judges on the show! I know that Tyra is trying to reinvent the show after nearly 18 seasons but I'd much rather see these three back and get rid of Tyra, what did the Jay's ever do to her!!?

Do you think she said that annoying monologue to them 'I only have one photo in my hand, the judges without a photo will have to immediately return to the house, pack their belongings and go home!'


Elaine

Evolve Daily Detox Face Wash

I was lucky enough to get this organic daily detox face wash free at work to try* normally £10.99 (more than I would personally spend on a face wash, but as it's organic and UK made I can understand the price) it's from Evolve an organic beauty brand for skincare and haircare, I'd never heard much about this brand before so was looking forward to testing it out. 

Evolve say... A delicately foaming facial wash to detoxify and rebalance normal to oily skin. Natural Sugars cleanse away impurities whilst African Moringa seed removes pollution. Organic Aloe Vera soothes and Goji berry protects against free radical damage. This effective organic wash leaves skin calm, soft and purified.

The great thing about this brand (other than the simple yet stylish packaging)  is that it is ecocert organic cosmetic certified;  the product is 99.6% natural, with a 100% recycled bottle, vegan and made in the UK, the face wash is also free from any nasty parabens, SLS/SLES and a whole load of nasty things including synthetic fragrances. So it's eco enough to make you feel good that you're doing your part!

I personally really liked this, it left my skin feeling really soft and cleaned within an inch of it's life, however the product is aimed at people with combination/oily skin so I felt that it stripped my skin of any much needed moisture and was too harsh for me, but it was brilliant at taking my make up off. So I decided to give this to Elaine to try.

Elaine: I really like the idea of this product but the first thing I noticed was the overpowering fragrance which I can only describe as a mix of floral and ginger... not really my kind of thing, I prefer my face products to have no scent at all. The face wash was brilliant at taking all of my make up off and left my face feeling really soft but I agree with Rachel that it felt harsh around my eye area and near my hair line where my skin is a bit dryer, so I don't think I would use this everyday.

The brand is really interesting though, we had a look on their website and they are offering 3 samples of your choice for a small delivery charge of £1.08, so it's worth a look to see if there is anything you are interested in, we ordered samples of their Gentle Cleansing Melt, Multi Peptide Double Cream and Perfect Radiance Facial Polish (hopefully these will be more suited to my skin type) They also have a really good info and tips section for people with sensitive skin which I think is well worth reading, you can see this here.

*I was given this to review by a colleague for work purposes and it's just a bonus that I can write a post about it. I am not in any way affiliated with the company.

Rachel

Hot Lights Review

Collection 2000 - £4.19

I was given this lip gloss as a present from my lovely friend Sophie when I got my new job last year, and I love it. It's a Hot Light Lip gloss from Collection 2000 in shade 6, it's a really nice subtle pink shade which is perfect for everyday or a night out, it has a hint of glitter which just adds to the gloss rather than making it look like it should be for a 10 year old.

But the best bit of the gloss, is that it comes with it's own mirror and light! When you take the wand out of the tube a bright light automatically comes on and it has a nifty little mirror attached to the side of the tube. This is a really great dupe of  Cid Cosmetics i-gloss that costs £16.

Not only is this a surprisingly good lip gloss (it has become my go to gloss) for a gimmick product but it makes a brilliant present too, I can't even tell you how happy I was when I got this, Sophie knows me too well!

Elaine 

Update

Source

Just a quick post to let you know we have updated our 'About Us' and 'Blogs we Love' pages, we are currently following over a hundred blogs so we will be updating the blogs we love page as often as possible.

P.S. If you click on the About Us page you will find we are not ginger blogging cats... sorry to disappoint!

NOTD: Matte Antique Coral

Antique Coral

I love this colour, I have had it for years but found it at the bottom of my nail polish box the other day and remembered how much I loved it especially when it only cost £1.89! It has a hint of shimmer flecks in the colour which is really pretty and quite similar to 17's new spring nail polishes. I have used my Rimmel matte top coat on top though, as you might of guessed we are both obsessed with the matte finish, I really think it adds an extra edge to any polish.

I had to use three coats of the coral colour and one of the matte top coat as my nails are full of ridges so not all my nails had an even coverage, but it dried really quickly so it wasn't a hassle.

Natural Collection in Boots are currently on 3 for £5! Bargain!

UPDATE: Just a quick warning I took this off today and it had stained my nails yellow so you might want to use a base coat or just risk it!

Elaine

Topshop Infrared Lipstick Review

Just a quick post to tell you about one of my recent purchases, Topshop Infrared; the now famous bright orange lipstick. I’ve had my eye on a few orange lipsticks for awhile and finally settled on Infrared, it was a close call between that and Charmed from the Topshop Sisters of The New Moon range which is a softer more peachy orange. Personally although Infrared is bright I find it less scary to wear than Charmed as I have dark lips so for me a light colour is more tricky, I’m still tempted to buy it tho.

Anyhow back to Infrared, it’s a beautiful bright orange with a hint of red which really brings out the warm tones in your skin, perfect for summer! It also quite handily makes your teeth look ever so slightly whiter. I find it very pigmented and can be worn full on or quite sheer, I also think it looks great dabbed onto the lips in a slightly messy way. It wears well and has quite a matte texture, although it’s not the most moisturising of lipstick and it can highlight dry patches I'm in love with it, the colour is perfection.

If Infrared doesn't do it for you, why not try these other coral / orange Topshop Lipsticks - 

L-R Charmed £9, Fire Cracker £8, Hedonist £7

I’ve kept this review short as this lipstick has been well blogged, particularly by Zoella, I wasn’t aware of her blog until I showed Elaine this lipstick and she told me how much she mentions it in her videos, I then went over to have a look and now I’m hooked on both Zoella and Sprinkle of Glitter. Your probably thinking how did she not know about those guys... well just for a bit of a back story it was Elaine who got me into reading beauty blogs and watching the YouTube videos quite recently, Elaine had been addicted for ages but I was always more interested in fashion blogs and didn’t really know about the huge beauty blog movement, now I’m totally addicted and a few months ago I pushed Elaine into starting a blog...... and here we are now.

ps. I'm trying to get better at photography so please bear with me, also sorry I didn't take the photos when the lipstick was shiny and new. ooops.

Rachel

New Zara Bargain Bags

Just a quick post to show you two new bags from Zara, I already have the classic Zara plated shopper bucket bag that almost everyone has (although annoyingly this sets alarms off in some shops) and I absolutely adore it, however being so large and black it doesn't really say 'summer' so I've been on the lookout for some cheaper alternatives.

 I don't usually do many fashion shopping posts but I felt the need to show you these as I was amazed at the price..... £19.99 for the beige slouchy shoulder bag and £25.99 for the classic large black clutch (its pictured with a strap which it comes with although I don't like it worn with the strap) The photos really don't do them justice as I always look on Zara for bags and these didn't catch my eye at all on the online store but when I saw them in person I was in love. I think they look far more expensive than the price, however there are of course some things I would change, but for that price amazing! I've seen a few bloggers mention how much their loving Zara at the minute and I couldn't agree more.

Rachel

NOTD: Rimmel Beige Style & Matte Finish Topcoat

Since buying the Rimmel Lycra Pro Matte Finish Topcoat sometime last year I've been addicted, I know matte nails aren't as huge/on trend as they were last year but I still can't stop using it. I personally think it looks best on dark colours or natural shades like the one I'm wearing today - Rimmel Lycra Pro 365 Beige Style. 

These are two of my all time favourite nails varnishes and to be honest it wasn't until today I realised they were the same brand and make, I love the wide yet easy to use brushes and I find they only need two coats (only one of the top coat), dry fast and last really well.

PS. I've been wearing this all week and I was really shocked to see Elaine had blogged and was wearing her matte nails this week too - great minds and all that!

Rachel

SS12 Trend Monochrome Black and Beige

Maybe it's because of the influx of pastels all around but at the minute all I seem to want to wear on my nails and face is beige and black. I love experimenting with dramatic eyeliner (although very few times do I leave the house wearing some of my 'experiments') and at the minute I've been addicted to using my Bobbi Brown gel liner (coming back to BuyaPowa soon), wearing less blusher than usual and trying to nude out my lip with a bit of concealer - although this doesn't last long as I have dark red lips. 


Below I've made a little mood board with a few of my favourite looks, I absolutely love the striped black nails by Pan Loves Polish, I think it looks far more classy using the black over a plain or natural coloured nail rather than against a harsh white. I tried to replicate this look but failed miserably - any tips anyone?

 If you want to replicate this dramatic Gareth Pugh SS12 look see the MAC guide below.

If you would prefer to try black and white striped nails like the Gareth Pugh look why not try these nails wraps from Nail Rock, they are available almost everywhere (Boots, Topshop, Urban Outfitters) however I would look for a bargain on Ebay or general cheap make up shops as I found some Silver nail wraps on a cheap makeup cart in Eldon Square (in Newcastle upon Tyne)

Rachel

Bargain Beauty Finds!

 We always nip into Wilko's to get some bargain products, as they always have amazing offers on Simple products, Garnier and lots of other beauty and hair brands, however neither of us have ever tried any of their own brands, so when we saw their new range reviewed on a few other blogs we were really looking forward to trying these out. We were thrilled when we were contacted and asked if we would like to try some products and of course we jumped at the chance, we've had these for a couple of weeks so here are our thoughts.

Fruity Tropical Hair Mist

We received the shimmer spray but there are also fruity sprays to add protection and hydration.

Prices in the fruity hair collection (including shampoo and conditioner) start from £1.48 each or two for £2.

Elaine's Review

I absolutely love the scent of this spray, they call it tropical but I would say it was more of a banana scent. I have been using this after I have washed and dried my hair mainly because I use  Batiste tropical dry shampoo on my other hair day and that already has a lovely coconut scent. I would spray this onto your hair at arms length as it can make your hair quite wet and I can't really say that I noticed my hair having any extra shine.

 I would buy this again as I like the idea of a scented hair mist, and the price is soo good!

7.5/10

Rachel's Review

Like Elaine I am in love with the banana/tropical scent of this shine spray, it really is one of the nicest smelling hair products I've tried. I don't usually use many hair care products but since getting it I've found my self reaching for it most days. I didn't find this added much shine to my just washed hair, however on hair day 2 I find it works wonders. I don't like washing my hair everyday so on the second I usually use a bit of Batiste and tie my hair back, now without fail once my hair is tied up I spray a bit of this over the top to mask the powdery Batiste smell and add a bit of natural shine back to the matt dry shampoo texture. I would definitely buy this again, its a bargain!

8/10

Fruit Berry Shower Smoothie

'Skin will be in for a real treat with these smoothing body scrubs. Each contains tiny grains of walnut shell, which gently polish skin, leaving it feeling silky smooth.'

Shower Smoothies are £1 each or 2 for £1.50 for 200ml.

Elaine's Review

Shower smoothies aren't really my kind of thing, I prefer to have a normal shower gel and separate exfoliator but I do love fruity shower products. I liked the scent of this product but found it wasn't long lasting unless you used a lot of it.

I wouldn't buy this again as it's not my kind of thing but I would be tempted to try their range of fruity shower creams especially at £1! 

6/10

Rachel's Review

I love fruity shower washes and as mentioned I'm in love with my Mango Body Shop gels, so I couldn't wait to try this product. The smell was deliciously fruity and I liked that it had exfoliating grains of walnut shell in, however I was a tiny bit disappointed. I found that this wash didn't exfoliate enough or lather up enough for my liking, so in agreement to Elaine I think I would prefer two separate products, one to lather and one to exfoliate. Like Elaine said the smell didn't last long once out the shower which was a disappointment, although I know many people don't like the smell of their shower wash to linger on them, however I am not one of these people. I wouldn't buy this wash again but I will be going out to buy some of the other products in the range as I loved the smell and at 2 for £1.50 how could I resist?!

5/10

Skin Therapy Face Wash

Skin therapy say 'for daily facial care, invest in the face ash which is pH balanced, fragrance free and dermatologically tested - skin will be left feeling beautifully clean, clear and fresh.'

Prices are from 98p!

Elaine's Review

I was really pleasantly surprised by this product, I normally prefer foaming face washes as gel face washes can feel heavy on my skin but after using this my face felt really clean and it managed to take all my makeup off in one go even my eye makeup (although it does advise you to avoid your eye area). I would never have picked this up normally as the packaging makes it look very cheap so I would be worried it wouldn't be good for my skin, but I would definitely be using products from this range again. I prefer foaming face washes so I would probably try their range of deep cleansing pore strips.

8/10

Rachel's Review

I tend not to use gel face washes as I have really dry skin and I find they strip too much oil and often leave my face feeling quite tight, however I was pleasantly surprised with this product. It was really soft on my skin and left my skin feeling thoroughly cleaned without leaving my skin feeling tight or dry at all, I also liked that it didn't have much of a scent. I've been using it quite a lot (every couple of days as not to dry my skin too much) and I'm still impressed. I agree I would never have picked it up as the packaging looks like all other cheaper face washes, however I would buy this again.

7.5/10

Thermal Defence Protection Spray

The Thermal Protection Defence Spray promises to protect your hair from temperatures up to 220 degrees, the heat protection agent works to improve smoothness and reduce friction.  

The spray is £1 for 200ml.

Elaine's Review

Firstly I love this spray bottle, it has a small little tap at the neck of the spray that you just twist to lock the bottle so you could easily transport it without worrying about any product leaking all over. The spray itself covers your entire head in 1 - 2 sprays, so it's great to know that your all of your hair has the same level of protection. I found after using this my hair felt really healthy and soft (I've also been using L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss shampoo & conditioner), and will definitely be getting this again.

9/10

Rachel's Review

I cannot tell you how much I love this spray bottle, its the best I've ever tried! I also think Wilkinsons have got the packaging design spot on with this product, it looks sleek, modern and technical. I haven't noticed too much difference with my hair since using it but its great to feel reassured that I'm protecting my hair and unlike others I've tried it doesn't leave any residue on the hair at all. I can't wait to try more of this range, including the dry shampoo which I've heard great things about.

8.5/10

Overall we are really impressed with this whole range, there are points we'd like to change but for the price points these products are all fantastic and we really don't think you'd find better for the price. We will without doubt be trying more of these products and as always we will let you know our thoughts. 

NOTD: Matte Rimmel Blue My Mind

Please excuse the state of my nails!

I originally bought this because it looked like a really vibrant royal blue with a hint of purple, but when you apply it it's actually an in between of royal blue and navy... oh well I still love it. I have used my Rimmel Matte Top coat as well, I love matte nail varnish I use it as often as possible, it can give an ordinary nail varnish a really great edge! 

Free Duo Eyeliner with Company Magazine

Another great magazine offer, this month if you buy Company magazine you get a  free  Company branded eyeliner duo which has both a kohl pencil and liquid liner, you can get the magazine for a bargain £2. Rather randomly you also get a free Mentos Fruity Fresh chewing gum.

Company magazine as mentioned in an earlier post underwent quite a transformation and I'm loving the new mag, I think its aimed at a much younger audience than the older magazine and it's fantastic for high street fashion. I'll let you know if I think the eyeliners any good soon but I just wanted to tell you about this offer asap.

Get £5 off at H&M or 35% off with email

If you buy anything at H&M this week you get a £5 off voucher to use during from 16th - 21st April! Some shops have been handing out £5 gift cards but if you don't get one then the voucher should still be printed on the bottom of your receipt, we only figured this out when nobody gave me a £5 gift card when I was there at the weekend, so if no one mentions it to you when you make your purchase this week ask a staff member or check your receipt!

Also if you don't get emails from H&M sign up now! I got an email for 35% off any item of your choice to use in store, which could be used as much as you want - AMAZING. I'm not sure of the expiry date but if your a follower of ours and want this email let me know and I'll forward it.

My Wish List!

Here are a few things that I'm lusting after this month, they aren't really expensive things but I'm trying to cut back on my spending!

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti, I really want to try an orange lipstick and I think this would be a great way to try the colour out as it's a sheer lipstick. I went to go buy this the other day but this shade wasn't there, so I bought L'Oreal Caress in Dazzling Coral instead which is more of a pink shade than orange (I will do a review post soon), I really like the L'Oreal lipstick and have heard mixed things about the lip butters, but in my head I'm dying to try the lip butters out but there is no way I can justify buying another lipstick until I get paid again.

I love this River Island dress (£30) I always look at it when I go into town, hopefully I will have enough extra money to get it next month, or there might be a cheaper dupe out there...

Babyliss Big Hair, I love the idea of this hot air brush, I ummed and ahhed about whether to ask for this for my birthday last year but asked for the Babyliss Root Boost instead (which I love) but I keep looking at this and reading/watching reviews, so I might end up getting this too the next time it's on offer, I am obsessed with getting some volume in my hair.

I love the look of the Model's Own Beetlejuice collection, I don't own a Model's Own nail varnish and I'm not sure why as they seem pretty reasonable at £5, I like the look of the coppery brown varnish in the pictures above.

Bit of a random one, but after seeing a post by the Pixiwoo sisters about blue eyeshadow for brown eyes I would love to get the perfect blue eyeshadow, I love the looks in these pictures! I have seen in a recent post by Raspberry Kiss that Vivo has a blue smokey moods eye kit for £4, so I might give that a go, I've never tried any Vivo products before but I have heard good things!

Elaine

Poundland Hair Care Find

I picked up a bottle of this Australian Bodycare Argan Oil Shampoo last week in Poundland for well a pound, I wasn't expecting much for a few reasons, firstly I'd never heard of Australian Bodycare before, secondly it was in Poundland and finally the packaging is truly shocking. I really only tried it as I needed to spend over £5 to pay on my card and it had argan oil in, whats the worst that could happen?!

Well as you can see from the picture above I now own a few bottles, I was so impressed with how healthy and shiny it left my hair I went straight back and bought the last 3 bottles on the shelf (fingers crossed they get more in) Honestly I couldn't recommend this product anymore, its the best hair product I've tried in awhile, it even nourished my bleached out ends leaving my hair shiny and not at all greasy on the second day. Unfortunately I can't find very much information on the web about this product; maybe its discontinued, but this is what the bottle tells me -

This shampoo with Argan oil is rich in vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant and together with ProVitamin B5 repairs and protects the hair leaving it smooth, shiny and healthy looking. This nourishing shampoo contains both conditioner and Silsoft Shine which leaves hair smooth, shiny and healthy looking.


Did they mention it leaves the hair smooth, shiny and healthy looking!?!?

Rachel

Red Magazine Freebie - Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

Just a quick post to tell you about a great magazine freebie this month.

Red Magazine are giving away a 30ml sample of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - Hot Cloth Cleanser - if you haven't heard about this product where have you been! Its won numerous beauty awards and is blogged about constantly, as soon as I saw this in the shop I had to ring Elaine and tell her as we've both been wanting to try this. I don't ever buy Red magazine as it's aimed at a more mature target market than myself but I was pleasantly surprised with the magazine and over the moon with this freebie. We will both review it soon.

Red Magazine costs £3.90 and a 100ml pump and the Liz Earle starter kit (with cloth and instructions) costs £14.25. Other sizes are available with and without the kit which I think is great.

Uk Elle magazine are also giving away an amazing free £15 Whistles voucher and a not so exciting freebie Marie Claire have free Pantene 75ml samples on the front of their magazine.

UPDATE - I've seen Red magazine sold without the free gift which I find odd, this means you might have to hunt it out as only a small amount of the magazines may have the free cleanser.

Not So Favourites

Bit of a random post but I wanted to let you know which of the products I have bought and have decided to give away or stop using and the reason why, I always get new makeup or beauty products on a whim love them in the shop then get home and realise they aren't for me, I've lost count of the things that I have given to Rachel! So here are a few of the recent ones!

Aveda Shampure Shampoo and Conditioner

I normally love Aveda products especially their gorgeous scent, they are pretty pricey for a shampoo and conditioner so they are normally presents. I like this shampoo but I found that I was using it less and less, as my hair seemed to get greasy more quickly than normal so I would have to wash my hair each day or use a lot of dry shampoo to eventually just tie my hair up. I think this is better for people with normal to thick hair which isn't mine, so Rachel got this!

Simple Moisturising Face Wash

I love the Simple range, and I bought this over the winter as my skin was feeling a bit raw from the cold, but I haven't really used it as I find it's a bit thick for my skin type and I could never be sure I had washed it off 100%. It does leave your skin feeling lovely and would recommend it to people with dry skin (so Rachel's getting this). 
I now use the Simple foaming face wash and love it!  

Clarins Day and Night Moisturiser
I got the sample sizes of these moisturisers in the Febraury (I think) Glossybox, everyone seems to rave about Clairns, but I found that these moisturisers were too thick for me and I only used them a couple of times and gave them to Rachel, and she wasn't that impressed with them either.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation Shade 51 & Healthy Mix Foundation Shade 52

I bought the healthy mix serum foundation first and initially loved it but found that it seemed to white out all the colour in my face so thought I would just get the next shade up... simple right... wrong, it was far too dark and even too dark for Rachel! Despite the colour disaster I'm not that impressed with either foundation the coverage at the start of the day is good but by the end of the day at work it had completely gone and my face was really shiny. I know that the claim is 16 hour raidiance not 16 hour coverage but 8 hours would have been good! 

17 Matte Foundation in shade Natural

I talked about this in a Boots haul a few posts ago so I won't go on about it. I haven't really used it since I bought it and tried it out for a couple of weeks, it's that bit too dark for me but the main reason I don't think to use it is the sticky consistency I just find it hard work to put on, and if I don't spend time on it I end up with streaks. 

L'Oreal Magique BB Cream in shade Fair

I loved this when I first got it, and I still really like it, but after using it for a couple of weeks I have just seem to have stopped picking it up, because I just never think to put it on. I love the 'nude' feel that you get from this BB cream but I have to admit the light shade is far from that and the lack of coverage isn't good for me at the minute as my skin is awful.

This product is definitely for people who dont like wearing foundation and even find BB creams like Garnier or No7 too much. I really like this product but I am debating whether to keep it for the summer or give it away to a friend with darker skin...

As you may have guessed from the amount of foundations I have abandoned I have trouble getting the right foundation, I have oily skin but I am also pale, but a pinky pale so find that when I get the lighter shades they take away all the colour I have and I look a bit ill! So when I think I have the perfect shade in the shop it very rarely is when I get home... 


We will be doing a drugstore foundation review soon!

Do you have any products that you have abandoned recently?

Elaine

March Favourites!

Here are a few things that I have been loving this month!  


Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara

I had been dying to try this since it's launch last year but could never bring myself to spend £18.50 on a mascara. 

But my lovely friend Sophie got me the travel size version of the mascara from Sephora when she was in New York, and it's soo cute, I really wish companies in the UK sold smaller versions of their products I would be more likely to try out a variety of their products.

I really like this mascara and have been using it all the time, it really adds length to your lashes and the plastic brush adds definition to each individual lash with the spikey end of the brush allowing you to reach your smaller lashes. I love mascara that adds volume and this manages to do this whilst adding definition. I will definitely be buying this when this one runs out!

Topshop Lipstick in Innocent

 I have mentioned this lipstick before so I won't go on about it, but I absolutley love it! It's the first Topshop lipstick I've had and I will definitely be getting more, the lipstick feels really nice on and the colour is really pigmented. For some reason my camera isn't picking up the lipstick colour very well, it's actually a really nice subtle barbie-ish pink!

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in shade 12 

This is a really nice orange/red lipstick, I love it! The lipstick was only £5.49 so a bargain too! This was my first bright lipstick so I was a bit unsure about the colour, but it's really easy to wear. 

Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick in Kiss Me

This looks very much like the Kate Rimmel lipstick but it's not! I had just bought the the Kate lipstick then saw this on a blog sale and had to have it, this is one of Rachel's favourites too as she has had it for over a year. This is more of a neon red than orange/red. I got this for £1 but you can get it in Boots for £6.29.

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Bee Hive

I've mentioned this before and I still love it, it's only £4.59 from Boots. This lipstick is a perfect nude lipstick with a lovely pink tint (which the camera hasn't picked up again...!), it's more of a sheer lipstick which is perfect to wear during the day.

As you can see I've gone a bit lipstick mad this month, but I'm trying to be a bit more adventurous with my makeup, especially with my day makeup and I think lipstick is the easiest way to do it.