FOYD Interview Day

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Foundation

TBS Tea Tree Pore Minimiser

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer! in Medium

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Medium

Collection 2000 Sheer Loose Powder in Translucent

VIVO Baked Bronze in Healthy Glow

Collection 2000 Shimmer & Shade in Just Peachy!

Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Lipstick in 113

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Camisole  

Natural Collection Eyeshadow in Crushed Walnut

ELF Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara in Brown 

I would firstly like to thank everybody who wished me good luck yesterday for my interview - it meant a lot. I think it went okay but I won't know until the start of next week if I got the job or not. So fingers crossed! I felt that I wore a little bit too much make up, not that I had any spots to cover up as luckily, all my spots had cleared up. However, I felt that time was going by far too slowly so I spent time applying my make-up, making sure that everything was buffed in. I quite like the combination of Camisole and Rimmel's 113 together as Camisole gives a light glossyness to 113's matte which make's a really nice nude colour in my opinion.

Superdrug Mini Haul

I ran out of Dry Shampoo this morning and I didn't particularly fancy using the little bottles of Batiste that Sophia got me in my little bag of goodies (Read all about that here) as they're just perfect to keep round Liam's for whenever I stay round. So I popped into town to head to Superdrug primarily to get some more. Luckily, they still had their ridiculously amazing deal on - Buy 1 get 2 free on own branded dry shampoo for £1.99. How amazing is that?

Unforunately, they only had the two scents; Head in the clouds and spirit of the carnival which I don't mind too much about as I'm always up for trying new scents of dry shampoos. I really do like the smell of head in the clouds as it smells fruity but not overpowering, it's just a clean smell. Whereas spirit of the carnival to put it bluntly smells of a fruit smoothie which I'm not too keen on. I'm glad that I did buy two cans of the head in the clouds scent to be honest. Overall, I cannot complain as for £1.99 for three cans is a bargain.

Have you tried any of Superdrug's own branded dry shampoo?

Pure Daily All In One Blemish Balm

Blemish/Beauty Balm's have been around for quite a while but it's been this year, that they've really kicked off in the high street. Many brands have brought out their own BB cream from Garnier to Dior with all very different price tags. However, the main issue with many, if not most BB creams, is that they only seem to cater two to three shades; light, medium and dark. Which does not always suit the wearer as it can be too dark, too orange or in some cases too pink. However, I guess that's the probably with the Western BB Creams, as there are many different skin colours to cater for unlike the BB creams which you can find in the far East which are primarly the same colour almost.

Whilst browsing the aisles of Home Bargains, I noticed that Pure had brought out their very own BB Cream which come in two shades Light and Medium although they have since brought out an Ultra Light which I cannot seem to find! I thought it would be rude not to buy both shades and add them both to my collection. Just like with many BB creams, Pure claims that this can even out skin tone, blur imperfections, smooth fine lines, hides redness, camouflage dark shadows and be used as an eye contour treatment. That's a lotta claims! The formula of the BB cream also contains collagen, avocado oil, allantoin and aloe vera to help moisture and soften the skin. 

The packaging of this has a lot going on but in a good way. It's very informative and it tells you exactly what the ingredients are, what it claims to do amongst other things. It's neither too bright nor too dull, it's exactly what I personally would be looking for in a BB cream. I liked that these both had a foil seal on the cap to prevent it from leaking/exploding instead of not having one as I find that BB creams which don't have a foil seal on them tend to be used in the shop as a tester depsite it not being a tester.

Swatches of Light (L) and Medium (R)

You can tell that I accidently put a little too much of both on my arm but that wasn't my fault! You can already tell that both shades are going to be completely wrong for my skin tone however I'm sure that when I get my hands on Ultra Light, it will definitely be the right shade. You can definitely tell how thick these swatches were and just how creamy they look!

 Swatches of Light (L) and Medium (R)

I found that after blending and buffing them both in for quite a while, they did eventually sink in. You can see that the difference in colour of both, with Medium being slightly orange and Light having pink tones in it. None the less, I'm sure that if I mixed them up with some bronzer/lighter foundation then they will eventually suit my skin tone. Overall, I do really like them but right now, they're being put away until it's Spring/Summer time.

You can purchase these from Home Bargains for £3.99 each. 

Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in Satin Bow

Collection, formerly known as Collection 2000, has really been improving itself over these past few months and have brought out many items which are almost as good as high end products in some cases. I've been a keen lover of Collection and I use quite a few of their products daily, some of which I simply couldn't live without! Their products vary in price but they're all really good quality and definitely worth a look in.

Many moons ago when in Superdrug, I noticed that they had new lipsticks in the Collection range which hadn't been swatched (Oh the thrill of ruining new tester lipsticks!) and I got busy swatching away. I fell in love with a lipstick but unforunately they didn't have it in stock so instead I settled for this one called Satin Bow.

Satin Bow is from Collection's Volume Sensation range which is the range which looks rather pink and tacky. However, despite the packaging, this is quite simply one of the most beautiful pink based nudes I've ever laid my eyes on. It's a rather milk looking peachy-pink which is just perfect to wear during the day time. This apparently contains up to 40% volumising ingredients which makes your lips look more plumped or so Collection claims! It's a very creamy and moisturising texture which feels almost like a Revlon Lip Butter. I personally found that this didn't last too long on my lips, roughly about an hour or so until it faded almost completely. I found that this didn't have a particular over powering scent, apart from your usual lipstick smell which will definitely appeal to most people. One thing that I didn't particularly like about this lipstick is the fact that it highlights any flaws that may be on yours lips which kind of reminds me of Barry M's lip paints although no where near as drying.

Swatch of Satin Bow 

Overall, I really do like this lipstick and I can definitely see myself wearing more of it when Spring comes around as right now, I feel this colour just isn't right for when it's cold and foggy. I cant wait to get my hands on more lipsticks from this range!

Have you tried any lipsticks from Collection's Volume Sensation range?

ELF All Over Color Sticks

ELF is a brand that is starting to make a huge name for its self over here in the UK with many of their products being compared to some high end products. ELF's philosphy is that beauty comes from within and that it's their goal to enable every woman to look and feel her personal best through the perfect blend of both the inner and outer person. ELF have two ranges which are Essential and Studio and within those ranges are many products with many different price tags. I've only known about ELF for a handful of months but I've definitely acquired quite the collection of their products.

ELF All Over Color Stick is a dupe for the infamous NARS Multiple apart from that ELF's version is just a fraction of the price for £1.50 each instead of NAR's £29. The idea behind the All Over Color Stick is that you can use it for either your eyes, lips or face. In reality, I'm not sure many people would want a colour on your lips that is meant to be a highlighter for your cheeks. I currently own four of these in the shades Golden Peach, Pink Lemonade, Persimmon and Spotlight.

Golden Peach is orange with peach and brown undertones running throughout in amongst the glitter. This is most definitely a highlighter to use with caution as too much can make your face look like a glitter ball. I would like to think of this as a more orange based dupe for NARS Orgasm except I've never tried NARS Orgasm. This shade is definitely buildable and would probably suit most complexions.

Pink Lemonade looks daunting in the bullet but on the application, it comes across as a bright-ish dark pink which is very true to colour. It doesn't contain any glitter at all which is a good thing. However, I would definitely apply this with a brush to blend it out and buff it in as too much will definitely look far too much. This is more of a blush than a highlighter which would most definitely suit most people.

Persimmon is one of my favourite's as it's a very light brown with pink undertones which feels very gritty when swatching it. None the less, it's the perfect highlight colour as it's more white than gold when the sun hits it which is what I prefer personally.

Spotlight is the stick version of the blush in Gotta Glow (review here) and the shimmering facial whip in Spotlight, both by ELF. Spotlight is pure white with silver tones which on application feels and look slightly chalky.  Once it has had time to blend into the skin, it comes across as a really nice white-ish highlighter with a little bit of glitter to it.

Swatches from L-R is Golden Peach, Pink Lemonade, Persimmon and Spotlight.

Overall, I really liked these apart from Pink Lemonade and Spotlight as they're either too bright or the consistency isn't right. However, they all smell of sugar orange which varies in strength from stick to stick and the writing on the packaging rubs off very easily which is a bit of the pain. However, for £1.50 you can't really complain!

Have you tried any of ELF's All Over Color Sticks?

Looking after your lips is just as important as looking after your skin

If there is one thing that I've noticed since blogging about things related to beauty is that I seem to spend a lot on make up. Whether that's buying that new shade of lipstick that's just come out that everybody and their nan seems to be raving about or those cult makeup brushes that I should most definitely have and be using daily. This then means that I've accumulated quite a lot of products which I'm sure many people have done. It's gotten to the stage where I really don't need anything else because I have plenty of it yet I want it because of the packaging/smell/cult product/prettyness ot the product. One of these categories of which I've accumulated a lot of is lipbalms. Personally to me, I think a lip balm is just as important as skincare. Because lets face it, who fancies going out with fabulous skin but yet have dry, cracked lips?
 
I've recently asked on Twitter how many lipbalms people own and the majority have said between the 10 - 15 mark with some having over 20+ which is a lot! But out of their collections, they only use a few daily/weekly as they do different things i.e. for chapped lips or when their lips are feeling a tad dry. I believe that people should be using atleast six lipbalms weekly along with a lipscrub. Now, this may seem like a lot but take into account what we use for our skin - Cleansers, toners, moisturisers, exfoliating scrubs, serums, eye creams, spot treatments, face masks etc. So why cant it be the same for our lips?

       

Before you get a lip care routine in place, the first thing that you will need which is vital is a good lip scrub! Exfoliating your lips regularly with a lip scrub means that you're removing dead skin from the surface and thus exposing healthier skin underneath which is softer and more even-toned. Exfoliated lips help to retain moisture better which is helpful to lips! The benefits of exfoliated lips are endless - you'll have lips which are less prone to chapping, lipstick stays on better and you'll even have softer lips which is better for kissing your other half with. You can buy lipscrubs from all kind of places but I must admit, Lush do make some rather nice lip scrubs which will last you quite a while. Right now, they've got their limited edition Popcorn Lipscrub which would do rather nicely throughout December. Or if you don't fancy splashing out for one, you can always make your own. I've done a post all about how I made my one (which is the big tin above) here.

Whenever applying lipstick, always make sure you use a lipbalm as base! More so if you have cracked or dry lips. As lipstick is very drying which means it will dry your lips out even more so without a lipbalm underneath as base to moisturise your lips as the day goes on. Make sure you apply a very light coating of lipbalm underneath so that it has time to sink in before you apply your lipstick. I like to use Aldi's Lacura lip balm as I find that it's just the right consistency for applying lipstick over it. If you're going away on holiday, take a lipbalm with SPF in it! A lipbalm with SPF in it will help protect your lips from the harmful rays of the sun as well as keeping it moisturised. If you do the same for your body then why not for your lips as well? I preferably use Maybelline's Baby Lips in Quenched as it's got SPF 20 in it and I know that my lips will be safe whilst I sunbathe.

When I apply a body butter, I like to do the same for my lips and use a lip butter! The difference between a lip butter and a regular lip balm is that the lip butters are thicker in consistency meaning that it takes longer to sink into your lips thus leaving your lips more moisturised for longer. I love using my Wild Cherry by The Body Shop as it's one of my favourite scents ever and it's just perfect for when I feel my lips need a little TLC. 

We all have days when are lips aren't looking their best so why not invest in a lip treatment? I like to alternate between three in particular as they all do different things. At night time, try to use a lipbalm which has a thick and sticky consistency. Whilst you're sleeping, it's getting absorbed into your lips at a slow pace meaning in the morning your lips are really moisturised and you can still feel it on your lips. I like to use The Body Shop's Aloe Lip Care which is just perfect for night time use! I like to think of this as a dupe for Lanolips 101 Ointment as it's very similar, despite me not personally trying the Lanolips.

Throughout the day on those days when my lips aren't looking their best, I like using lip balms that are medicated to some sense. Medicated lip balms are good for your lips when they're cracked/dry as they help soothe them whilst providing moisture at the same time. My all time favourite medicated lip balm is Carmex purely because it's cheap as chips, does the job and has been in my life for 10+ years. If you're not a fan of the original smelling Carmex, then it's worth looking into their other flavours as they do strawberry, cherry, vanilla and lime. Lastly, when I feel my lips need a little extra TLC and nothing else is cutting it, I like to apply Motives Vitamin C Treatment*. This contains Vitamin C in it which we all know is good for the body so it will be good for the lips also as well as providing moisture to the lips where it's needed.

Swatches to show the different textures from L-R: The Body Shop Aloe Lip Care, Carmex, The Body Shop Wild Cherry Lip Butter, Lacura Lip Balm & Lip scrub made by self.

I hope I've highlighted just how important lip care is and hopefully you'll start caring for your lips just so much as you do for your skin. I would love to hear what you use to look after your lips!

  

Wet n Wild Mega Blast Lipsticks

Wet n Wild is a brand thats infamous throughout the US but no so much here. It's only been recently that they've started making their way in the UK through eBay, Amazon and cheap makeup selling sites. I've never been interested in the brand personally as their products didn't appeal to me. It was only until a quick dash in Walmart back when I was in America, that I fell in love with two of their products, two lipsticks to be exact.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that these lipsticks are from their staple range of cosmetics which means that they'll always have it. To me personally, this is like America's version of MUA of cosmetics except Wet n Wild have been around much longer than MUA. I believe these were either $1.99 or $2.99 each which is dirt cheap for a lipstick on the current exchange rate. The two shades that I picked up are 901B "Think Pink" and 903C "Just Peachy". I like that these have names as it adds a nice touch in my eyes.

Think Pink (901B) is most definitely a shade of Pink that you can expect Barbie/Nicki Minaj to wear as it's so vibrant in the bullet. It's a light bubblegum pink which means that it's perfect for everyday use. I find that this washes me out slightly as it's too pale for me. I think if I use a lipgloss, it would make it look slightly better.

Just Peachy (903C) is a gorgeous rosy peach shade with a slight hint of orange to it. It's definitely a lipstick that would be more suited to those who have tanned complexions rather than my pale complexion as it just looks slightly too bright on me. I find that when applying this, I have to apply it quite a few times as it is so sheer but looks so vibrant in the bullet! I also find that the formula of this particular one is ever so similar to Barry M as it's so drying and it shows off every imperfection on the lips - even when wearing with a lipbalm!

L is Think Pink and R is Just Peachy.

Overall, I do like the pigmentation of both as they're so true to colour and I also like the fact that they're matte lipsticks. The only downside I have is that they tend to show off any dryness/cuts that I may have on my lips, more so with Just Peachy which means I can only wear these two shades when my lips are in perfect condition as it were. However, for the price I cannot complain as in this case you really do get what you pay for. It's worth looking into these as well as the other lipsticks in the range as I'm sure there are many more which are ever so slightly better than these.

You can buy these from eBay or Amazon for my UK readers.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm

I remember when I first started using Pinterest, I came across a few pins of a particular lipstick by L'Oreal which unfortunately you could only get from the US unless you fancied paying a few pretty pennies to get it shipped over to you from the US. Whilst browsing the aisles of Walmart with my Grandma in the US, I finally found it and another nice shade which accidently fell into my basket.

The shade that I had been lusting after for quite a few weeks is 819 Caramel Comfort which according to the pins on Pinterest is the perfect nude lipstick. The other shade I got a few shopping trips later was 118 Pink Satin as I really liked the look of it and you can never have enough pink lipsticks, right? If you ask me, the packaging of this is like Revlon Lip Butters meets a YSL Lipstick as it's pretty but not tacky either.

Pink Satin is a bright barbie pink in the bullet but when applied, it's a very sheer delicate pink. I find that the texture of this when compared to a Revlon Lip Butter is better as it doesn't feel too slippery on the lips when applying it. This is the perfect shade for days when you don't fancy wearing too much colour on your lips but you fancy a slight pop of colour with a nice glossy effect to it.

Caramel Comfort may look a little intimidating to some as it's light brown in the bullet with a slight glitter running throughout it. However, this is not the case on the lips! It is pretty much a my lip colour but better shade but just ever so darker with a glossy finish. Just like with Pink Satin, this would be a perfect lip colour for days when you want a slight pop of colour on the lips with a glossy effect.

L is Pink Satin and R is Caramel Comfort.

Overall, I really do like these two lipsticks. They're good shades which are neither too bright nor too dark, they're just right. The staying power of these however is really poor, they last roughly about an hour or two on the lips before I feel the need to apply it again. On the plus side of this, it does leave my lips feeling really moisturised ever after they're gone - that's probably the Shea Butter but hey ho!

Unforunately, these aren't available in the UK so you're gonna have to hunt them down on eBay or Amazon.

NOTD 003

I'm finding myself being drawn to nude nail varnishes to match my obsession with nude lipsticks so I couldn't resist picking up Nails Own Utopia. Utopia is a nudey grey with lilac undertones which would be very flattering amongst all skin tones. It applies true to colour on the first coat but I can't help but apply another one just to ensure that I haven't missed any places. I love the brush on this as well as the formula as it dries so quickly! Overall it's definitely worth £5 and is worth investing in!

You can buy Models Own nail varnishes from Boots or from their online website.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip/Balm Stain

They're compared to Clinique's Chubby Sticks with a near on identical appearance and a similar combination of both a stain and balm, these Just Bitten Kissable Lip/Balm Stains from Revlon come in seven shades (twelve if you're living in the US) and posses a sweet peppermint scent. The crayon application has a soft, rounded tip which gives you complete and utter control for an easy and precise application.

When these were released in the UK, I wasn't overly impressed with them. It wasn't until I started reading reviews of shades that we couldn't easily get over here, that I started wanting a few. I waited until I went to America to buy my first one three and then I bought two more at a car boot sale a few months later. Altogether, the shades I have are Honey, Cherish, Sweetheart, Rendezvous and Precious.

Honey is a dusty pink-mauve shade in the bullet which is just slightly darker than my natural lip colour. On the lips, this translates to an almost berry like apperance which is very welcoming for Autumn. This would most definitely suit all skin types. This shade has been talked about being a "my lips but better" shade which sometimes is not always the case.

Cherish is a light blue toned pink which is a very light Barbie pink in my eyes! On the lips, it applies a very sheer pink which I find not to be very buildable. It does soon deepen into a rather nice shade of pink which is a little bright to my liking.

Sweetheart is Cherish's bigger sister, a hell of a brighter pink. This is definitely a shade that Barbie would wear! This translates on the lips as a very bright pink which then builds into a more brighter, dark pink as it settles on the lips. Once again, this a too bright and out of my comfort zone.

Rendezvous is the brightest of them all, especially in it's bright orange packaging. Rendezvous is coral orange on the bullet which on the lips, applies as a bright orange. This too gets brighter on the lips when it settles. I think this looks better on other skin tones than on me, as personally it's too bright.

Lastly, Precious is a light beigey brown with a slight pink tone to it. I find that this applies a very sheer light pinky brown colour which has an almost pearl like effect to it. This is definitely my favourite out of the lot as once it's developed after a few seconds, it's a my lips but better shade.

Unforunately, I find that the balm effect disappears after about an hour but the stain lasts for a good few. Which is not bad considering that it's effectly a tinted lip balm which leaves a stain. I've noticed that these do stain and can take a lot of scrubbing to get rid so let that be a warning to you!

L-R is Honey, Cherish, Sweetheart, Rendezvous and Precious.

You can purchase these from any Superdrug/Boots for £7.99

Revlon Lip Butters

When the Revlon Lip Butters were finally released in the UK a few months ago, I think everybody and their nan went crazy for them especially after the raving reviews of them from those lucky people across the pond in America. I know that there are many, many reviews of these across the blogging world but I thought I would write my two cents about them and what I personally think about them. One thing that I would just like to point out is how cute the packaging is! It's a quilted design on see through coloured plastic which just draws you in. Every shade has it's own colour packaging to match which automatically makes you want to collect them all.

I currently ones five shades which only one I bought here in the UK when it was at an introductory price of £5.99. I then bought the other four in America and with the exchange rate, I probably paid the same price for them as I did for my first one. I own Sugar Frosting, Gumdrop, Creamsicle, Strawberry Shortcake and Sweet Tart.

Sugar Frosting is a very pale pink with a rather strong white and blue undertone which has an almost frosty/shimmery finish to it. On the lips, it gives a white pink peal like finish which doesn't look to flattering on the deepest of skin tones.

Gum Drop is a very pale lilac with just a hint of subtle pink tones running through it. Gum Drop is one of those shades that anybody can wear as no matter how many times you apply it, your lips won't turn a vivid lilac colour as it's so sheer but yet so noticeable. I found Gum Drop to be very moisturising on the lips when compared to the others.

Creamsicle is one of my favourites as it's a muted peachy orange shade which looks so beautiful in the bullet. It applies almost a nude on the lips which I quite like. Although, I think this would look a tad better on those with darker skins than on myself as it washes me out slightly. Regardless, it's a very wearable shade and a definite to invest in.

Strawberry Shortcake is a warm pink toned lipstick verging on a very light barbie pink. I'm still not altogether sold on this shade as I'm not sure if it quite suits my complexion. I'm sure that this would look absolutely lovely with a tan but at the moment, I'm not sure. This applies very sheer but it's also very buildable, getting more brighter with each application.

Sweet Tart is a warm mid pink which is neither too bright nor too pale. It's just the right shade of pink that would definitely suit all skin tones! Just like with Strawberry Shortcake, with each application it just gets brighter and brighter.

Overall, I find that the consistency of those are very creamy and they apply onto the lips super easily too. It's a very moisturising formula which just feels so comfortable on the lips. Although, I find that they don't last too long on the lips. I would say between 2 - 3 hours before it needs re-applying again which is rather poor, especially for the price.

L-R is Sugar Frosting, Gum Drop, Creamsicle, Strawberry Shortcake and Sweet Tart

You can purchase the UK shades from Superdrug/Boots and the USA shades from eBay if you're lucky!

Superdrug Naturalhigh Radiance Balm

Superdrug has quite a few own-brand ranges, with Natural High being their natural range. The idea of Natural High is that the cosmetics are forumulated with a high amount of natural ingredients which includes organic extracts. This being so that you can look after your face and give it the attention that it deserves - naturally!

The Radiance Balm is naturally high in three ingredients - Organic Olive Oil which helps to smooth, soften and tone skin; Witch Hazel which is a smoothing anti-inflammatory and also helps fight spots and Elderberry which nourishes and tones the skin to improve radiance. It's also dermatologically tested - it contains light reflective particles to give an instant, illuminating lift to the skin whilst leaving it smooth, soft and looking radiant.

The smell of this can only be described as a fruity yoghurt scent which can either be right up your street or not depending on if you like the smell of it. The consistency of this is rather like a light moisturiser but takes a little while longer to soak in. It's got a light sheen to it which is the result of the light reflective particles in it which is just perfect for highlighting the cheekbones. I personally like using this after I've applied my primer as I find that it gives a nice glow which doesn't look too overdone nor too greasy. 

Overall, this definitely does make my skin look radiant whilst leaving it smooth and soft. It even moisturises my skin as well which I can't complain about. I just personally think it's one of those items which doesn't do that much apart from boosting up my skin's radiance. It's one of those item's that I believe only the user of it can see the benefits of as it's more of a skincare item than a makeup product.

If you've been lusting after the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm but the price has put you off, then it's worth looking into this product as it's a cheaper alternative to it! This will only set you back £4.99 and in my eyes, it's definitely worth it.

What do you use to boost your skins radiance?