Freedom Pro 12 Audacious 3 Palette

Freedom Pro 12 Audacious 3 Palette | £4.00 | LINK

I love neutral eye shadow palettes as much as the next beauty blogger and I can never say "no" about adding a new one to my collection. After doing a bit of blog stalking, I came across this gorgeous looking palette by a brand called Freedom. I had heard about their products before but had never got round to trying them out. I was really surprised at how affordable their products are so on my next shopping trip I decided to pick up the Audacious 3 palette from my local Superdrug!

The Audacious 3 palette contains 12 decent sized eye shadows with a mixture of mattes, satin and sparkly finishes plus a sponge tip applicator. All of the shadows have a pink/ golden tone to them so I think this would be a lovely dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. Pinks have really been in fashion this Spring/ Summer so this would be a great palette to pick up to experiment with shades your not really used to. I'm someone who tends to stick to my normal brown/ gold shades so trying out pink toned shadows is something I'm not completely used to. However I've really enjoyed using this palette and it's nice to have a bit of a mix up with my makeup. Plus for just £4 these palettes are a great way to add some variety to your collection!

These shadows are lovely and soft and have a great colour pay off to them. Of course some of the lighter shades aren't as pigmented as the darker ones, but they're definitely buildable or can just be worn to add a slight definition to your eyes. I love that you can create so many different looks with this palette and just by picking a different crease or lid colour you can change your look instantly. This is definitely one of those palettes you can chuck in your makeup bag for a weekend away and know you're set with your eye makeup for both day and night!

Top swatches: Top row & first 2 from middle row | Bottom swatches: Last 2 from middle row & bottom row

It's a shame that these shadows aren't named as it would make it so much easier to say what shades are my stand out favourites from this palette! Obviously that gorgeous copper shade looks stunning on the eyes and I think would suit blue eyes amazingly! I find myself using shades 3-5 from the top swatch quite a lot for lid colours and then 2-4 from the bottom swatches the crease. I like that the highlighting shade in this palette is matte too as there's so much shimmer going on that it's nice to balance it out with a subtle highlight.

With a primer these shadows do last me all day but can start to fade in the late afternoon. However I'm thinking you could always apply these shadows wet as that will give them much stronger colour pay off and hopefully last longer! The only other thing that slightly bothers me about the shadows is that the lighter shimmery shades do have some fall out to them, but luckily as they are light I can easily blend that away. Considering this palette is just £4 I am really happy with the quality of the shadows and would definitely think of trying more products from them!

Thank you for reading today's post! Sorry I've been a bit hit and miss with blogging recently. I'm actually in need of a bit of a photography day as I'm slowly running out of posts to write! If there's anything in particular you'd like to see then let me know in the comments!

Have a lovely weekend!

Have you tried the Freedom Audacious 3 palette?
What products do you recommend from Freedom?

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Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge | £5.99 | LINK

Hey beauties! Sorry for the lack of posts last week, I was super busy and couldn't find a spare minute to sit down and write! My boyfriend turned 22 last week (and yes, we have sung said Taylor Swift song many a time) so I was either prepping presents or having a lovely time celebrating with friends and family for his birthday. But today I'm back with a new beauty post about a product I have read lots of reviews on and couldn't wait to try myself!

A few weeks ago I picked up the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge which you may have seen in this haul post. Being an avid fan of brushes, I'd never really tried using a sponge to apply my foundation and was really interested to see what sort of effect it created. I'm someone who loves a dewy, natural finish with my makeup and this little sponge is said to deliver that glowy look, so I was excited to give it a try!

So the idea behind this product is that it's meant to create a flawless yet natural look to the skin, even with heavy duty foundations. I think this is nice for the Summer time when you still want some coverage but at the same time want to allow your skin to breathe and look natural. I've found this sponge does decrease the coverage of my foundations quite a lot, resulting in ones like Rimmel Match Perfection and Revlon Colourstay looking more like a tinted moisturiser/ light weight foundations. It does however apply the product evenly and smoothly so you do get that natural no makeup look which is perfect for Summer.

This little egg shaped sponge feels really dense and is soft and squishy so feels really nice against the skin. The smell of it is a little odd, but after you wash it a couple of times it does start to fade. The different sides to this sponge also have their own functions, such as the pointed side is to get into smaller areas like your nose and under the eyes. I like to mainly use this sort of area of the sponge as I find it gives a nice finish - I don't really tend to use the flat side too much as it can feel like your wiping the product on to your skin as apposed to buffing it in.

With sponges it's also said to be best if you dampen them down before hand (totally up to you though as it can be used dry). At first I was using a bit of water but I found I wasn't loving the results with this. So I went out and picked up The Body Shop's Vitamin E Face Mist to dampen the sponge before use. I've really enjoyed this product as it's so nourishing for the skin but also helps my foundation blend out flawlessly with the sponge - definitely a great little duo!

I've really been enjoying this Miracle Complexion sponge and has now become a staple part of my foundation routine. Of course this is meant to be a dupe of the Beauty Blender, but for just under £6 this product is purse-friendly and does the job really well! A definite necessity for any makeup obsessive!

Have you tried the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge?

Do you prefer brushes or sponges for your makeup?

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Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Paints

Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Paints | £4.99 each | LINK

There's something about the Summer time that makes me really start to love nail polish again. I think that because in the colder months my nails are so much weaker, I don't see much point in painting them. But come Summer time I'm obsessed with trying new, bright and fun nail polishes. I recently picked up a small selection of shades from the new Barry M Coconut Infusion range. I've heard so many great things about these polishes and with my love of of anything coconut, I was really excited to give these a try!

The three shades I picked up were: Laguna which is a beautiful purple toned blue, Flamingo which is a bright orange coral and Surfboard which is a lovely pale muted pink/ purple. There's some really pretty shades in this collection but I felt like these three were shades that I'd wear all through Summer. What's special about this range of polishes is that they are infused with coconut oils and water to make them really hydrating and nourishing for your nails. Over time they're meant to make your nails healthier and stronger, which is always something I look for in nail polishes!

1 coat : Laguna, Flamingo & Surfboard

After a couple weeks of wear I have to say I'm really impressed with these nail polishes! They're super opaque and can easily be worn with just 1 coat, but I do like to build it up to 2 just so they look perfect. They also wear really well and without a top coat last around 3-4 days before any major chips start to appear. I do a lot of typing at work as well so it's great that my nails can still look great for that long!

The finish of these polishes is really shiny and glossy so there's no need for a top coat! They also say that you don't need to wear a base coat with these polishes as that allows the nutrients to go through to your nails and help make them stronger. I haven't noticed any staining with these polishes, but I would be careful with the brighter shades like Flamingo and Aloha (a bright hot pink).

I'm really loving these polishes at the moment and will definitely check out some of the other shades. I'm sure these will become a Summer staple product for me as the shades are so lovely and they last so well on the nails.

Have you tried the Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Paints?

What is your favourite nail polish shade for Summer?

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April Favourites

So I'm back today with another monthly favourites post! This month has flown by but I'm excited for it to start getting into the Summer months and being able to wear sandals and finally go bare legged - might even try and brave it this week! This month I've been loving a couple new beauty products plus I've fallen back in love with a few old ones so I thought I would share these makeup loves with you.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Normal/ Dry Skin in Buff | LINK

I have a new foundation favourite this month which is the classic Revlon Colorstay foundation. I've wanted to try this product for quite some time, but I was always under the impression it was a real heavy duty foundation with a matte finish. This month I thought I would finally give it a go and I was really surprised how lovely this foundation actually is! I picked up the version for dry/ normal skin which has a satin finish and I love how it looks and feels on the skin. It's definitely a medium coverage but is easily buildable and makes the skin look flawless yet still natural. This is a new staple in my makeup collection and glad I finally picked it up!

Yves Rocher Fixing Eyelid Primer* | LINK | Review

This month I've started to use my Yves Rocher eye primer again to help my eye shadows stay put all day. This is a really nice product, it helps conceal discolouration on the eyes as it's slightly tinted and keeps your eye shadow looking great all day long. It's nothing revolutionary but I've enjoyed using it this month and does the job well.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipstick in Naked Talent | LINK | Review

This is quite a new lipstick to my collection but since picking it up a couple weeks a go I've used it pretty much everyday! Naked Talent is such a gorgeous nude shade that's really easy to wear and looks lovely with any makeup look. I love the texture and formula of these lipsticks as they're really moisturising and smooth.

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter | LINK | Review

I've re-kindled my love this month with the MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter. This is a really gorgeous natural looking highlighter that gives a lovely glow to the skin. I believe there are some different shades of this highlighter available now so I'm definitely going to have a look at them! I've been applying it with my Real Techniques Setting Brush that I picked up this month. This is a great multi-purpose brush that's designed for setting powders but is also great for highlighting and contouring.

Thank you for reading today! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are looking forward to the beautiful weather ahead - fingers crossed it is going to be as warm as they say! I would love to hear about any beauty, fashion or hair favourites you've had this month in the comments below.

What have you been loving this month?

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Spring Hair Care

I love swapping up my hair care quite a lot and I'm always looking to try out new products. As my hair is pretty dry, fine and naturally curly I usually go for products that really hydrate it and make it feel soft and healthy again. Typically in the Spring, people tend to go for hair care that's lightweight and helps control oils to leave your hair feeling fresh, but as my hair is quite dry all year long I still stick to my super hydrating products. So with some new additions to my hair care routine I thought I would share with you what new products I have been loving recently! 

Superdrug Coconut & Sweet Almond Shampoo and Conditioner | £2.29 each | LINK
My shampoo and conditioner is one factor of my hair care routine that I like to swap up quite often. I feel that my hair gets used to them quickly so I always have a few different ones on the go that I can swap and change when needed. One range that I've been really enjoying recently is actually a Superdrug own line - the Coconut & Sweet Almond Shampoo and Conditioner designed for dry/ damaged hair. At £2.29 a pop (and sometimes just over £1 when it's on offer!) this bargain shampoo set is easy on the purse and works wonders with my hair!

I love coconut scents so this range is right up my street and with the added benefits of the coconut oil and almond extract this duo leaves my hair feeling really soft, shiny and smelling lovely! It's really gentle and doesn't feel like it's weighing your hair down, yet it still offers a lot of hydration and nourishment to your hair. I'm a big fan of Superdrug own products (I use quite a few products from their Vitamin E skincare range) and I love that they're cruelty free, suitable for vegans and amazing quality! I've almost gotten through a whole bottle of the shampoo and I'm halfway through the conditioner but I've already got my back ups of this product - a real winner with me!

Toni & Guy Reconstruction Mask | £6.39 | LINK
As my hair is really dry, I've recently starting using the Toni & Guy Reconstruction Mask as a deep conditioner in the shower. Even though it's designed as a mask and should probably be used once a week, I like to use this along side the Coconut & Sweet Almond Conditioner as a really deep conditioning treatment every time I wash my hair. I probably keep this on for just a minute or so but it always leaves my hair feeling so soft, sleek and helps tame frizziness - the bane of curly hair!

I've become a big fan of Toni & Guy products over the past few months and this had definitely been a stand out product for me. I feel like it's made the lengths of my hair much stronger and I can tell my hair has grown a lot since using it! This also has a really nice scent that lingers on your hair long after you've washed it out. Definitely give this a try if you're after a new hair mask or deep conditioning treatment!

Toni & Guy Leave In Conditioner | £5.19 | LINK
I think I may have mentioned this product on my blog before, but never gone into much depth about it. This is another conditioning treatment from Toni & Guy but one that you apply to wet hair and just leave in. I suffer with pesky baby hairs that never seem to go away so I like to use this product to banish any remaining frizziness and help smooth out those little hairs. Even though I use so many conditioning products on my hair, I always notice a difference if I don't apply this one in particular. It just adds that extra softness and sleekness that my hair really craves. This little tube has lasted me a very long time as well so I think it's great value for money and one that I'll keep on purchasing!

So these are a few hair care products that I've been really enjoying recently. I would love to hear what your favourite products are for perfect Spring time hair - like I said, I'm always trying new ones out! I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you all have a lovely bank holiday weekend!

What products do you use for your hair in Spring?

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New Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipsticks

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipstick | £9.00 each | LINK

Ever since trying my first Mother Pucker lipstick from Soap & Glory a couple years ago I have been pretty much addicted to their entire lipstick line! Over the years I have bought nearly every shade that Soap & Glory have to offer. My 2 favourite shades are The Missing Pink (review) and Perfect Day (review) and I swap between these colours pretty much everyday. I just love the beautiful formula, texture and scent of these lovely lipsticks. When I heard they were bringing out 24 new shades, my heart skipped a beat and I was so excited to try them out!

On a recent shopping trip I popped into Boots and took advantage of the buy one get one half price offer and treated myself to 2 of the newest shades available. I would have bought the entire collection then and there, but I thought I would try out a couple first and then slowly pick up some more - plus I don't think my bank account would have been too happy! The 2 shades I decided to go for were Naked Talent from the nude shade line and Pink Up, Girl from the pink line. There is also a red shade range which has some gorgeous shades in that I really want to try!

The first thing that struck me about these lipsticks is the new gorgeous metallic packaging. Each shade range has its own colour too, so the nudes come in a beautiful golden tube, pinks in a light metallic pink and the reds in a lovely crimson shade. The packaging is still really sturdy too and definitely feels amazing quality for the price.

Naked Talent was a shade that really stood out to me because I don't own many nude lipsticks in my collection. As I'm fair skinned, I tend to shy away from nudes as they can easily wash me out. But because Naked Talent has a gorgeous red/ brown toned to it, I find it suits me really well as it's one of those "your lips but better" shades. It's such an easy shade to wear and is perfect to pair with a smokey eye for a night out or just to wear everyday for a natural look.

Pink Up, Girl is a classic mid-tone pink shade that I think will easily suit any skin tone. It's not too bright so can be worn sheerly for a flush of colour or you can build it up for a more intense pink look. I love a pink lipstick as much as the next beauty blogger, so this will definitely be a shade I'll be wearing all Summer long!

Both of these lipsticks have a satin finish which is personally my favourite kind of finish. They give you the perfect amount of colour pay off, feel super comfortable and smooth on your lips and just give a pretty finish to your lips. There is also a choice of matte and shine finishes which I'm excited to try out!

I think my absolute favourite thing about these lipsticks is the gorgeous scent and I think that the scent in these new lipsticks is much stronger that the older ones - amazing! Each lipstick smells like chocolate and vanilla which makes them really luxurious and a real treat for your lips. I'm literally sitting here smelling the swatches on my hand like a weirdo because it's just so good!

I find that these lipsticks wear really well on the lips. As they are satin finishes, the staying power isn't overly strong but will definitely get you 2-3 hours of wear before you need to reapply. I reapply my lipstick all the time and because these are really moisturising like a lip balm, it's not something that bothers me. I can imagine the matte versions of these lipsticks will have a much better staying power, so if you're after something that will stay put longer then maybe give those a try!

I hope you have enjoyed today's post! I'm so over the moon with these new lipsticks and I can't wait to try out some more shades. If you've tried any of the new Mother Pucker lipsticks then let me know what shades you've been loving and I'll be sure to try them out!

Have you tried any of the new Soap & Glory lipstick shades?

What is your favourite brand for lipsticks?

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Tips To Help Overcome Blogger's Block

It may come as no surprise when I say I'm not a very consistent blogger! Like many others I sometimes find it really hard to motivate myself to pick up my camera and take some photos or open my laptop and write a post. In the past I have taken a couple of lengthy breaks from blogging as I had a case of "Blogger's Block", but in both cases I have come back to blogging as I honestly missed it so much.

I started my blog back in June 2012 (almost 4 years ago - jeepers!) and back then things were very different, both in the blogging world and my life. I had just finished Sixth Form and had the whole Summer free to do what I wanted. I could easily post everyday and as I was new to blogging, I had so many new ideas popping into my head all the time. Even after I started college the following September to study beauty therapy I still always found time to post whenever I wanted, plus as I was in the beauty field, I was always interested in talking about makeup! I also think I was super lucky when I started blogging as I received so much support in the beginning and my blog really took off. All those factors together really helped me stay in the blogging frame of mind and I don't think I ever missed a week of posting!

Move forward a few years and I am now in a full time job and a very different situation. My first break from blogging was due to a family problem which in turn lead to me moving house and being constantly busy. During this time I honestly had no interest in blogging as I was so focused on my personal life. I felt like I had a lot more responsibility so when I did have a day off, I'd much rather just chill in bed with food and Netflix! However, I really started to miss the whole blogging process; the creativity, the interaction and the fun of it all. So a couple months ago I gave myself a bit of a kick up the bum and decided to come back to blogging. I thought that I would share some tips with you today that I use to help motivate me and get me back into the mind set of blogging!

 

Let's go shopping

This was actually one of the first steps that made me really want to come back to blogging. As I'd been out of the blogging loop, I wasn't quite sure what kind of new products were out there. So one day I decided to do a bit of makeup shopping and ended up swatching everything and anything! Stumbling across products I hadn't seen really intrigued me and inspired me to want to try them out and write blog posts about them! If you're in need of inspiration then maybe take a trip to Boots and just see what products are out there, swatch lipsticks to your heart's content and possibly treat yourself to a couple new products. That way you can always haul and review them, a great way to ease yourself back into blogging!

Read and comment on other blogger's posts

When I need inspiration I just turn to my Blogger or Bloglovin' feed and just see what everyone else is up to! Finding a post that really interests you is a great way to get your brain whirling for some new post ideas. I also think it's great to leave genuine comments on the posts that interest you as interacting with other bloggers is good to boost your confidence with writing again. A similar place to look is Instagram - if I need photography inspiration then this is an amazing place to find it!

Pretty stationary

It's definitely a "blogger" thing to love cute stationary. I for one have countless notebooks, novelty pens and other bits and bobs I like to use for writing endless lists and notes. It's always a great idea just to keep a little note pad in your handbag for when you want to jot down post ideas you randomly get during the day. I feel like if my stationary looks pretty then I'll more likely use it regularly and hopefully help my blogger's block! My personal favourite places for pieces like this are Paperchase, Tiger and places like TK Maxx or The Range!

Get ready for the day

This is definitely one of the best tips to help motivate myself for the day. Let's be honest, even though it's great to sit around in PJs all day with no makeup and bed hair, I always feel like I'm not "ready" and could easily slip back into bed. If I'm feeling tired but need to blog, then I'll get up a bit early and have a shower, do my makeup and hair and put on some proper clothes - typically jeans as I don't find them too comfy haha! Then because I feel ready for the day, I feel more motivated to write and get my post done.

Blog for you and do what makes you happy!

My final tip is to literally write and blog for you. Write what ever makes you happy and what ever it is you want to share with the world. Don't think "oh, but that might not get as many views as this other post" - do what you want to do! This is one that kind of got to me a few months ago, I would put off writing posts that I personally wanted to share and instead wrote ones I thought readers would rather see. Blogging is all about passion and if you're not passionate about what you're writing then it makes the whole experience not as enjoyable. I recommend just writing what you want and have fun along the way - don't worry about what other people think!

I'm sorry that this turned into such a lengthy posts, I honestly didn't mean for it to haha! I hope you enjoyed reading my tips and tricks for beating Blogger's Block. I would love to hear what other tips you guys have so let me know in the comments!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I'll speak to you again next week!

What are your tips for overcoming Blogger's Block?

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Barry M Nail Treatments

Barry M Nail Treatments | £3.99 each | LINK

For as long as I can remember Barry M have always been a brand I've gone to for nail products. From nail colours, to nail effects and even treatments I've always found their range of polishes amazing and great quality. One of the newest ranges in their collection is a selection of nail treatments that are targeted to improve the condition and appearance of your nails. I've always suffered with really weak nails that are prone to snapping and breaking, so I love testing out different treatments to help improve them.

First up is the Super Mani which is a base coat treatment that you use twice a week to help improve the condition of your nails. This little wonder contains argan oil, vitamin E and keratin that strengthens, hydrates and nourishes your nails. This has become my go to base coat for when I paint my nails as it provides a smooth base for my nail polishes. I have found that if I wear this regularly it does help the appearance of my nails and they have been much stronger since using it. I've also found they're less likely to be flaky which is a big problem I have with my nails! This will definitely be a product I'll use all Summer to help strengthen up my nails and keep them looking healthy!

The other product I've been using is the Mani Mask which is a coloured nail polish with a hint of colour that also works as a treatment for the nails. I have the shade Bashful which is a beautiful blush pink with a matte finish that leaves your nails looking clean and healthy. I love simple shades like this as they're so easy to wear and go with every outfit. I was surprised how opaque this shade is as well, usually light pastel shades are very sheer but you can easily get away with just 1 coat of this polish! I haven't worn this polish enough to really gauge whether it's actually helped improve the condition of my nails, but I do love how this looks!

I'd love to hear if you've tried out these nail treatments and how you got on with them! I really can't wait to try the new Coconut Infusion polishes which also claim to nourish the nails whilst also offering a beautiful pop of colour - the shade selection looks incredible!

Have you tried the Barry M nail treatments?

What's your favourite nail polish brand?

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Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation in 100 Ivory | £7.99 | LINK

I've been on a hunt for a good foundation over the past few months and in turn, have become slightly obsessed with trying out new ones on a regular basis! I've always been a huge fan of my Rimmel Match Perfection and Wake Me Up (read my comparison posts here) but thought I should start to change it up a bit as I was getting quite bored of using the same product day in day out.I still really like both of these products, but I feel like it's nice to have a change, especially as we come into a new season!

Among other brands and formulas, I decided to try another foundation from Rimmel after hearing some really great reviews on the Lasting Finish foundation. I thought that if I liked my other 2 so much then surely this would be amazing as well? So a few months ago I decided to pick up a bottle from Boots in the shade 100 Ivory and give it a whirl!

Like most Rimmel foundations, the Lasting Finish Foundation comes in a sleek glass bottle with a red pump and lid. The quality of Rimmel's packaging is really good, considering you're paying just £7.99 for the product yet there are other brands out there where you pay way more but don't even get a pump!

The Lasting Finish foundation is designed to offer a full coverage look that is meant to last all day, even during in the heat of Summer, whilst still being comfortable on the skin. Enriched with "comfort serum" this foundation basically claims to last all day without turning cakey or patchy and give you that flawless finish! I must admit the coverage on this foundation is really good and helps cover blemishes, redness and discolouration. Compared the the Match Perfection which is quite light weight, this does offer a much fuller medium to buildable coverage. I'm not someone who loves a full coverage foundation as I still like to see the texture of my skin through my makeup and have more of a natural finish. This foundation offers me the best of both worlds, it gives me a good amount of coverage yet isn't heavy on the skin and leaves it natural looking.

The formula of this foundation is also slightly thicker which is good as it feels nice and creamy to blend out with my Expert Face brush. I also find that with a beauty sponge you can also get a much lighter finish with this foundation, so it's really up to you on how you apply it to suit you! What's also great is that the Lasting Finish contains SPF 20 which is perfect at keeping your skin protected from the Sun's rays all year long - especially in the Summer. I always apply a moisturiser that contains SPF anyway, but it's nice to know that this foundation does as well.

Apply directly from bottle | Fully blended out into skin

The colour match of this foundation is quite good, maybe just a tiny bit darker than my natural skin colour. I think it's quite strange how the same shade across 3 foundations of the same brand can be so different. I always buy 100 Ivory from Rimmel, but I've found the Lasting Perfection to be slightly darker than the Match Perfection, yet lighter than Wake Me Up!

As for how this foundation wears on my skin, this is where I become unsure on the product. It looks great when I apply it and my makeup's fresh but once the afternoon rolls round it does start to cling to drier patches on my skin and go slightly patchy. I'm not someone who bothers to touch up their makeup throughout the day as I don't really have time, but maybe if you are this might work a bit better for you. I feel like this might be a product I will use for evenings out where I'm not going to wear it for a huge amount of time - which is slightly annoying since it claims to last 25 hours!

Thank you for reading today's post, I would love to hear your opinions on this foundation if you've tried it!

Have you tried the Rimmel Lasting Perfection foundation?
What's your favourite everyday foundation?

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Real Techniques Bold Metals Brush Collection

If you have been reading my blog for a while now then I'm sure you're aware that I'm a massive fan of Real Techniques brushes! Pretty much every brush I own is Real Techniques and over the years I have created quite a collection! I just love how affordable they are and for the price you pay, you get such amazing quality brushes that last you a long time.

A while back Real Techniques launched a new collection of brushes called the Bold Metals which included a variety of face and eye brushes with gorgeous metallic handles. Of course, these took the blogger world by storm and everyone wanted to get their hands on these beauties! However, as they came at a much higher price tag (some of which being double the price to the normal range) I did have to restrain myself from purchasing them all.

I was lucky enough to be sent a brush from Real Techniques back when they first came out and since trying the Pointed Crease brush I really wanted to pick up some more! You may have seen in a recent haul that I did finally cave and pick up one of the Bold Metals sets from Look Fantastic, so I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the brushes that I do own from this amazing collection!

All of the Bold Metals brushes are super soft and have long, pointed handles which really add to the "bold" look of these brushes. As the handles are a metal finish, I do find that they can easily get grubby looking with makeup and finger prints, but of course that's nothing a makeup wipe can't fix! I really like the fact they've colour coordinated the brushes too; the rose gold ones are for blush/ contour, silver for eyes and gold for base products. These brushes also wash really well (I just use Johnson's Baby Shampoo) and maintain their shape and softness once dried.

Tapered Blush Brush 300 | £24.00 | LINK

Starting with the prettiest brush of the bunch - who can't love a bit of rose gold?! Their blusher brush from this line is very different to the one from their normal collection. It's much smaller, dense and is tapered to provide a more accurate and sculpted finish. I find this brush pick up a lot more product as well which is great as you can get a better colour pay off with less amount of product! I also think this brush would be great for bronzer and contouring due to it's defined shape.

Oval Shadow Brush 200 | £15.00 | LINK

The first out of my 2 eye shadow brushes from this collection is this big fluffy oval shaped brush. This is perfect for applying base eye shadows and buffing them out as it's large, soft and fluffy! I've really enjoyed using this brush since I bought it and have been using it every time I apply my eye shadow. It doesn't pack on as much colour as a flat shader brush would, but for simple everyday looks this is a winner with me!

Pointed Crease Brush 201* | £12.00 | LINK

This was the first brush from the collection I tried around a year ago and as you can see it's kept its pointed shape really well. I love using this brush to apply my crease colour for my eye shadow, so this brush works hand in hand with the Oval Shadow Brush to create a lovely eye look. This is a super dense brush so helps apply lots of shadow but as it's also soft, it does help blend it out slightly. This is also a nice brush to apply shadow under the eye as the tip is small and tapered.

Angled Powder Bush 103 | Exclusive to Spring Collection Set | LINK

The final brush in my Bold Metals collection is exclusive to the Spring Collection set, however there is a very similar brush called the Arched Powder Brush which I'm sure would be almost identical minus the shape. This brush is designed to apply loose powders flawlessly to the skin. Unfortunately I'm not 100% keen on this brush for applying my powder and find my Body Shop Face & Body one much better! I'm planning on using this for bronzer in the Summer as the angled shape should apply this beautifully to my cheeks.

So they're my thoughts on the beautiful Bold Metals collection by Real techniques. If you want to read more on their brushes I have reviews of: the Eye Brush Starter Set, the Travel Essentials Set and my Real Techniques Brush Collection which includes the Core Collection Set!

Have you tried any of the Real Techniques Bold Metals brushes?
What are your favourite makeup brushes?

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Next Strawberries & Cream Room Fragrance

 

 Next Strawberries & Cream Candle | £5.00 
Next Strawberries & Cream Reed Diffuser | £6.00 | LINK

Hello lovelies! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying that Friday feeling - I know I am! I thought I would do a short post today about a couple of new products I've been using this Spring to fragrance my bedroom. I'm a massive fan of sweet scents so whilst I was on a recent trip to Next I came across their room fragrance range and was instantly drawn to the strawberries and cream line.

I've never tried Next candles or reed diffusers before so I wasn't too sure what to expect, but oh my gosh, this scent is beautiful! Usually strawberry candles can be quite artificial smelling but this one is really lovely. You can definitely smell the sweetness of the strawberries but the creaminess also comes through which is what I really like about this scent. The reed defuser is obviously much stronger smelling than the candle but I find it fills the room up with the perfect amount of fragrance.

So far the reed diffuser has lasted just over a month and is now on its last legs so I will be needing to repurchase this again quite soon as I absolutely love it. I also feel like it's quite good value for money and may even pick up the larger size next time! As for the candle, I was slightly disappointed with this. The scent itself is lovely, however I've found mine hasn't burnt down evenly and there is now quite a large hole around the wick - annoying! I'm not sure if this is a fault with mine or just a design flaw but I don't think I'll be picking up another candle from them! The scent from the candle is also quite subtle, not as strong as a Yankee Candle, but enough to give a light fragrance to the room. I do still light the candle from time to time to give my room a boost of that lovely scent, but I think from now on I'll be sticking with the reed diffuser!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I will speak to you again next Tuesday!

What are your favourite candle/ reed diffuser scents to use this time of year?
What is your favourite room fragrance brand?

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Bourjois Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer

Bourjois Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer | £10.99 | LINK

I feel like using a face primer definitely helps make or break your entire makeup look. With just a small amount, these wonder products can help smooth out pores, wrinkles and even help mattify or brighten your complexion - and of course not to mention help your base products last much longer! For years now I've been a fan of both Benefit's Porefessional and Soap & Glory's Feel Good Factor. Whilst these both work really well for my skin, I wanted to change things up a bit for Spring and find something that will give me a boost of radiance and give me that sought after glow.

On a recent trip to Superdrug I spotted this little bottle at the Bourjois stand. This is the Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer that is said to help give your skin a lovely dewy glow whilst also keeping your makeup stay put all day. There is also a mattifying version of this primer which would be great for oilier skins, but as I have drier skin I'll always go for something that will brighten and hydrate my skin!

The Happy Light Primer comes in a sleek glass bottle with a pump and a cap. At £10.99 I would expect lovely packaging like this and it definitely is a pretty product to have sitting on your dressing table. I also love the fact its pink, so it was an instant winner for me!

I picked up the Happy Light Luminous version of this primer so this product offers to illuminate your complexion, hydrate the skin and provide a smooth base for your makeup. The product itself is quite light weight and slightly runnier than I expected. As this is a serum primer and the fact it offers to hydrate your skin, it has more of a moisturiser consistency rather than a thicker primer like Benefit's Porefessional. It does blend into the skin really nicely and leaves it feeling soft and supple.

 

I find that once I've blended this primer into my skin, there isn't a massive difference in how radiant my skin is. I was expecting this product to give me a really lovely glow, but as there's no shimmer in the primer, so the effect it leaves is just a fairly dewy moisturised look. On its own this would look lovely and does give you an illuminated complexion, but once I apply my foundation the affect is kind of lost. The best way I've found for this primer to give you glowy skin is if you actually mix a small amount into your foundation when you apply it. It helps lift my satin finish foundations into more of a dewy/ glowy finish, which is great when you fancy a change!

 

I wouldn't say it makes any massive difference with minimising pores or filling in fine lines so I wouldn't recommend this if that's what you're looking for. I would say this is a product for someone who wants a nice moisturising base that can offer hydration, smooth skin and a bit of radiance.

Applied directly from the bottle | Fully blended into the skin

As this primer does smooth out my skin and make it feel softer, it allows my makeup to apply nicer and I can definitely see that it helps keep it in place for most of the day. I don't feel like this is a miracle product but it is one that's nice and lightweight for the Spring and Summer to help boost your skin's appearance. I do wish it had a bit more "grip" to it so that it could help keep my makeup looking amazing all day (like the Porefessional does) as the wear time isn't the best. I will continue to use this in my makeup routine as I have been enjoying it recently, but I don't think this is something I'd repurchase!

I hope you enjoyed today's post! I will speak to you again during the week!

Have you tried the Bourjois Happy Light Serum Primer?
What's your favourite priming product?

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March Favourites

Yet another month has come and gone so it's time to share with you what products I've been enjoying in March. I've really enjoyed this month, I love that the weather's started to get warmer, I loved spending Easter weekend with my family and having a relaxing couple weeks off work! As we've been slowly creeping into Spring, I have been using more products that help give me a healthy glow and a fresh-faced look. I love creating these kinds of makeup looks so quite a few of those products have found themselves in my monthly favourites!

Vera Wang Princess Eau de Toilette | LINK
As we go into the Spring I like to swap up my perfume to something sweeter and fresh. The one I've been reaching for most days is Vera Wang's Princess, known for being a sweet girly scent that's perfect for this time of year! This has been a staple perfume in my collection for many years now and it's always one I repurchase over and over again. This fruity, floral perfume is really lovely and I always seem to get compliments when I wear it!

BareMinerals Bare Skin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation in '03 Bare Linen' | LINK
A few weeks ago I picked up a little sample of this foundation and since then I've been using it nearly everyday. I love the lightweight consistency and that it really doesn't feel like I'm wearing any makeup at all! I decided to go for it and purchase a full size bottle rather than the Bare Skin kit that I featured in my latest wishlist post as I love how this foundation looks with my Expert Face brush and Stila powder, so thought it was worth saving a bit of money. I think this will be a great foundation for Summer as it's brightening, has SPF 20 and is super light on the skin.

Makeup Revolution Focus & Fix Eyebrow Kit in 'Medium Dark' | LINK | Review
I've really been enjoying the Focus & Fix Eyebrow Kit from Makeup Revolution and it's taken a firm spot in my everyday makeup routine. This is a great product to create fuller, natural looking eyebrows that last all day. It's also much cheaper than many brow products on the high street and I think it's completely worth trying out if you're looking for a new brow product!

Danial Sandler Brow Groomer Brush | LINK
For years now I've been using those small disposable mascara wands to brush out my brows, but after a few weeks they just end up breaking. I thought I would pick up something more durable whilst placing an order with Escentual and decided to try the one from Daniel Sandler. This little comb is super light weight and has sturdy bristles that work really well at combing and neatening up my brows!

Bourjois Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer | LINK
One of my final favourites from this month is the Bourjois Happy Light primer. I love products that illuminate my skin and I've found this has been nice addition to my routine that helps achieves this. I think it works better if you actually mix the product into your foundation rather than applying it to your skin, as this gives you more of a glow. I will be reviewing this very soon, so keep an eye out if you want to know more!

So these are a selection of products I've been loving recently! I hope you enjoyed today's post and I would love to hear what beauty products you've been using this month.

What have you been loving in March?

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