Make-up Haul And First Impressions

I was given a few store vouchers a couple of weeks ago and amongst the eligible stores to spend them on there was Boots and Superdrug so I decided to pick up a few things to try. A make-up was obviously a must alongside with some first impressions.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Concealer - this really is a mouthful! We all know everything about this holy grail, no presentations needed. I've used one before and decided it was time to stock up and bring this wonder back into my life. Still pretty damn good. Not really a fair first impression here. 

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix Foundation - I absolutely adored the Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation and this one is just as good. Gives you such a flawless glowing but yet natural finish and I love it. Great medium coverage; I barely conceal anything but my dark circles after applying this. I think someone has said that this is a dupe for the NARS Sheer Glow; you let me know as I've never tried the NARS one. 

L'oreal Color Riche Lipstick - pretty sure this is one of the satin from the range; I picked up the 266 shade which is Rose Saphir a very pretty slightly dark pink-mauve. Fairly long-lasting and nourishing. Comes in a very glam looking light gold packaging - very easy on the eyes.

Bourjois Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick - another lipstick crayon; got this in the shade Sweet Macchiato, a very pretty autumn shade - a dark red with brown hues. 

L'oreal Brow Artist Shaper - a duo precison pencil and setting wax which also comes with a brush for your brows. Not very happy with this, the pencil is far too soft and pigmented. I'll give it another try but so far, not impressed.

Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten - we all know this shade from the old Stila days and instead of the powder I got the hassle free smudge pot. Such a pretty colour; looks so beautiful on its own too. Love.

L'oreal Brow Artist Plumper - just a clear brow gel. I apply this very lightly as you don't want to get a wet effect on your brows. Does the job but no wow factor here. 

Bourjois Sun Cream to Powder Blush - I've been loving cream blushes lately and really want to get my hands on those convertibles that Stila does. Anyway, I was looking for something more brown but not a bronzer per se so I picked up this in the shade 05. It's a very pretty dark peachy shade and contains a tiny bit of shimmery to it. It's so easily to apply - swirl your fingers on the pot and blend it on your cheeks. 

Maybelline Brow Satin Eyebrow Pencil - more brow products - I'm on a roll here. I am so very pleased with purchase. The pencil harder than the L'oreal that I've mentioned above giving you a much more precise and in my opinion natural look to the brows. On the other tip there a smudge sponge with powder for a soft and easier application. 

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A Prime Combination

Oh primers. What a wonderful thing! So, I decided to share with you today the primers I am loving at the moment and why they work for me. I first discovered Stila One Step Correct through an advert on YouTube. You know those rather annoying adverts that delay the videos we are trying to watch? Exactly. In theory this was a miracle product. We all know that primers can have different colours corresponding to the concern they are suppose to target. Therefore, the beauty of this Stila product lays on being a 3 in 1 kind of thing. The pink tone brightens up the skin and helps reduce signs of hyper pigmentation/sun spots. Green hides blemishes, reduces redness and the blue gives you overall a more even skin tone. I apply this after my moisturiser and before foundation and definitely see how it improves my complexion even at its worst days. Skin looks clear, skin tone more even and fairly smoother.

However, to completely smooth out all the blemishes or any problematic areas I might have at the time, I use the Elf Poreless Face Primer after applying the Stila One Step Correct. This is my final step before moving on to my make up. The Elf primer is a beautiful product that gives you that very flawless airbrushed look. Foundation goes on evenly as the skin becomes absolutely heavenly smooth with this. I apply a really small amount of it as I find it to be quite concentrate. It does contain silicone but its texture is so similar to foundation that I imagine the traces of silica to be minimum. If you are looking for a affordable smoothing primer, I would definitely give this one a try as it is incredibly inexpensive and shows great results. 

This is my primer duo for a more flawless make up application. What's yours? 

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Beauty: Where To Splurge

Having a beauty blog, following blogs, watching YouTube videos or even being a girl for that matter, puts you in a place of great temptation to go out and shop. Oh if you only knew how much time I spend scrolling through the ASOS app ... It is not surprising that for most of us there is surely a careful consideration before spending our earned money on something. So today I decided to share with you where I normally spend a few more of my pennies and why. 

When it comes to beauty, skincare products are something which I normally won't budge on. There are great drugstore skincare ranges but given that my skin can sometimes be quite unpredictable, I often reach out for more high end brands to get the job done. If you have good skin then everything will look good on you (almost) - that's my motto. 

Foundation is another big statement when it comes to spend a few extra pounds. Again, there are great products for all skin types, coverage and purpose at the drugstore! Revlon ColorStay, Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, L'Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation are a few of my favourites. I  personally feel that a high end foundation will back you up even at your worst (skin) times. 

Eye-shadow palettes are for me a great way of having a variety of options all in one place. They seem indeed rather expensive however, if you think about the fact that a Maybelline Color Tattoo is about 5 pounds, a Urban Decay Naked pallete with 12 shades at 38 pounds works out quite well - just as an example. 

Primers. A good primer can perform so many miracles when your complexion is just not collaborating much. In this category I stay a little divided as I am currently loving some much less expensive primers from the drugstore. Although I can only say wonders about the more high end ones I've tried in the past. My love for the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch is still very much alive. 

And finally, brushes. These can be a hit and miss in my opinion. I reckon it is more a matter of brand rather than high end or drugstore. I mean, no one denies how great the Real Techniques brushes are. We all have a great love affair for them. 

What products do you normally splurge on?

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