Bits and Bobs from Boots...

Basically someone made me go into Boots and forced me to buy this stuff...well that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Here's what I though of what I bought:

Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush

I have always loved cat eye flicks. However I'm an absolute perfectionist when it comes to make up and I can never quite get it right...ones always seems to be higher or thicker than the other. So unless I have hours to get ready (which is never) I don't even attempt it. Until I tried this brush...it's like flicks for dummies. I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of it for doing liner on my lid because I don't feel like I have enough control over the brush. But for flicks it works so well...I used gel liner  (I should probably have used liquid) and while pulling my eyelid to the side slightly (you know what I mean) I ran it along the lash line and flicked it out at the end...I then went back over it, joining the point of the flick to the lid line about a quarter of the way back in to thicken the line and make it more precise. They are available from Look Fantastic for £5.09. It's also available from Boots but Look Fantastic are currently offering it at a cheaper price!

Eyelure for Boots 'Lash Pretty' in LP5

I love false eyelashes, and since the disappearance of Mister Mascara (where did he go?) I've been looking for a new favourite. I think I might have found it, these are so pretty. They give lots of volume but don't look too over the top because they aren't too long. They are a really nice curved shape that makes application easy, they sit nicely on your lash line with minimal need to poke them about to fit. They are exclusively available at Boots and cost £6.50.

TIP: Glue your eyelashes on normally, once you are happy with them dot a few blobs of glue along the band and pat in gently with your finger. This will reinforce the original glue and make your eyelashes less likely to fall off. Wait for the glue to dry and then apply eyeliner (carefully), this will let you cover up any messy bits and also means if you mess up in the first place you won't have eyeliner everywhere.

Models Own Hyper Gel in Pink Veneer

First things first...look how pretty the colour is!! This is an easy way to nail the pastel trend if you are usually a lover of dark clothes (like me). The consistency of the nail polish is slightly thicker than Models Owns normal range but it applies just as easily and dries quickly. It took me three thin coats to build up to an even all over cover and after around 20 minutes I felt like they were dry enough to go about my life again. Pretty good so far right?...but this nail polish claims to be a gel like polish. Give it it's dues it does have a really pretty high shine finish but I found that after around 2 days I had chips and what looks like cracks all over the ends of my nails. Not what I expect from gel. I probably will buy this in other colours but I wouldn't expect much more from it than a normal nail polish. Available from Boots for £5.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Soothing Gel Cream Wash

The Skin Perfection range is my new favourite. I've been using the serum, day moisturiser and eye cream, I love it all so far so I thought I might as well try the face wash! I'm not a big believer that face washes have any impact apart from removing dirt but since I started using this I have noticed that my skin has been clearer than normal. It's soap free and is designed for dry and sensitive skin so it doesn't have a fragrance. It has a really nice gel like texture and lathers up well so you only need a blob about the size of a 5p. Overall I think I will be sticking with this for a while...it's available from Boots for £2.99.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair

Not the best photos but you get the idea...

I suffer from pretty bad dark circles under my eyes so finding a concealer that hides them well is like finding the holy grail. This one definitely lives up to all of the blogging hype that surrounds it. It's quite thick which gives fuller coverage and means you don't need as much because it also blends really well. I use my Real Techniques Pointed Foundation brush to blend it once I've applied it around my eyes and down the sides of my nose. Considering it only costs £3.99 it definitely beats a lot of more expensive alternatives. Get it from Boots!

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in 220 Showy

Serious pout...

Generally when you think of matte lipstick, you assume it will be drying right? Not this one! Not only is this super pigmented it's also really moisturising and has a nice minty smell. It doesn't give the most matte effect but it does the job without drying. Which is really good news for my already dry lips. The colour is so bright and cheerful it livens up any outfit. It's a perfect way to wear a lip colour through the day. I'm going to have to physically restrain myself from buying every shade. Available from Boots for £7.99.

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February Make Up Haul.

1. MAC Lustre Drops - 'Pink Rebel'

MAC is a brand that I've always been a little scared of, I find the shops and their massive array of products a bit daunting. However I got my hands on a few bits and pieces and I'm hooked. Lustre drops is a liquid highlighter. Either used as part of a contour or with a little mixed into your foundation it leaves you with a healthy dewy glow. I think Pink Rebel is a great colour for paler skin tones, bronzed tones can often look fake. Available from MAC for £18.

2. Calvin Klein Ultimate Edge Lipgloss - 'rose' and 'rich&famous'

I'm not a big fan of lip gloss, it brings back teenage memories of feeling like I had glue smeared on my lips (pointing no fingers...Juicy Tubes) and my hair constantly being stuck to my mouth. I converted to lip balm and lipstick years ago. However these little pots aren't lip gloss as we know it. They are light and moisturising while still giving a subtle wash of colour they also last a good few hours. The brown shade is called 'rose' and the pink is called 'rich&famous' which is my favourite. These are available from Fragrance Direct for an absolute bargain at £1.99.

(Left - rich&famous Right - Rose)

3. MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint - K-Wow

I love this product, it doesn't feel sticky or heavy like other lip glosses. It just gives a subtle wash of colour and a high shine to you lips. The colour is a very natural pink, it is slightly lighter than my natural lip colour but apart from that an ideal everyday shade or to balance out a strong eye look. Unfortunately this is being discontinued by MAC though, so I can't get too attached! 

(L-R - MAC Eyeliner, Lipliner and Lipglass)

4. MAC Lip Pencil - Vino

I am a massive fan of a dark red lip so this lip liner is perfect for me. It is perfectly named and reminds me of the colour your lips turn after one too many glasses of red wine. Dark lip liners can be daunting but this one is easy to apply and glides on smoothly. Use this as a base for your lipstick by lining your lips and then filling them in with the pencil then applying your lipstick over the top, it will stay put for hours. It is also an amazing colour to use to create an ombre lip with a bright red lipstick or liner. Available from MAC for £12.  

5. MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliner - Strong Willed

Because I'm blonde I often think that black eyeliner for an everyday (kicking about uni) make up look can look a little bit harsh, this colour is perfect, it's a sort of deep browny purple shade which also helps to compliment my green eyes. This definitely lives up to the name 'longwear' it doesn't budge once it's on, it lasts all day and night (I fell asleep with it on...sorry I know it's naughty). In fact I had to work quite hard to get it off. I can't seem to find this in the UK...so here is the link to the US MAC site.

6. Real Techniques - Powder Brush

From my last Real Techniques post you will know that I absolutely adore this brand and this brush is no exception. As usual the bristles are so soft and dense making it feel far more expensive than it actually is. It is the perfect size for all over powder, bronzer or mineral foundation. Which is exactly why I bought it, to go with the bare Minerals foundation. It blends product in seamlessly and because it's so big it takes seconds to cover your whole face. Can't fault it! It's available from Look Fantastic for £10.99.

7. bareMinerals Matte Foundation - Fairly Light N10

I've been eyeing this product up for a while now and I finally took the plunge and invested. I'm not a massive fan of wearing foundation daily, I generally wear concealer and powder as my base. So I thought as a compromise between the two this would be perfect. However I was a little disappointed with bareMinerals. It has such a massive hype behind it that I think I was expecting big things and it just didn't deliver. I bought the matte version, when its first applied it looks lovely and even with no dry patches. However I find that it needs reapplying through the day as I've become shiny again. The coverage is not what I would expect from a foundation, it is more like a tinted moisturiser. I don't mind this too much but I wouldn't recommend buying this if coverage is what you need. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it didn't dazzle me like I had hoped. Choose from 20 shades at Feel Unique. 

8. Kent Angled Eyebrow Brush No.1
If you want a sharp clean line on your brows this brush is not for you. In my opinion the brush is slightly too big and not blunt enough to create a defined brow. However it would be good if you were doing a quick natural look where definition isn't too much of an issue and you just need a bit of filling in. It's available from Look Fantastic for £6.65.

9. LUSH Liquid Lipstick - Laugh Out Loud

That's a bit of a mouthful! I took a wander into Lush to kill time the other day and saw the amazing colours of these lipsticks, I couldn't resist. My friend had one before and the colour was incredible so I was keen to buy my own and try it for myself. They definitely do not disappoint! The colour is a beautiful two tone pinky orange colour...almost like a shimmery coral, it's so intense when applied. They don't feel heavy or sticky however they do stay wet which takes a little getting use to. I need to buy more of these immediately...get yours for £14.50 at LUSH.

10. LUSH Lip Scrub - Bubblegum

Continuing with my Bubble theme I also bought this little wonder. I suffer with really dry chapped lips, I've tried almost every lip balm/treatment there is, with little joy. I mainly bought this because it smells amazing and I thought I might as well give it a go. But when I tried it out, it works wonders...a little rubbed over lips and rinsed off makes lips so soft and smooth. I use it before bed with a moisturising lip balm or before a night out to make sure my lipstick goes on evenly. Cannot recommend enough. Clearly I need to try out more LUSH products if these two are anything to go by! Lip scrubs are available from LUSH for £5.50.

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Real Techniques Core Collection Review

I've never really been a fan of make up brushes, I've always preferred using my fingers or a sponge to put on my foundation. But after hearing the buzz about the Real Techniques brushes many million times I decided to see what all the fuss was about. So here's my review of the 'Core Collection'.

The set of four face brushes comes in a black carry case which double up as a holder with the pull of a toggle. The elastic that holds the brushes in is a little tight and I often find if I'm in a rush that I don't bother to put them back in because it's too fiddly, but for travelling purposes the case is a great extra! The set costs just £20.99 from Feel Unique.

The Detailer Brush

This brush is probably my least favourite of the four but that's not to say that I don't like it. It has a very small head which makes it good for focusing on detail (like the name suggests)...covering spots, small areas etc. but apart from that I prefer to use it as a lip or eye shadow brush.

Pointed Foundation Brush

I love this brush, but I have no idea who has time to put their foundation on with it. For me it is far too small to use as a foundation brush. Instead I use this to put on my concealer, it blends it in so well and has the perfect pointed shape to get around your eyes and down the sides of your nose.

Contour Brush

Perfect sized brush to contour and highlight the whole face. It blends the product in beautifully and doesn't leave harsh lines. Although I would say it is slightly too big to contour my nose precisely as I would like.

Buffing Brush

I have no idea how I ever lived without this brush. It has completely changed the way I put on foundation. After I have 'painted' my foundation on I use the buffing brush to blend the product in making it look flawless. No tide marks, no streaks! I also feel like my make up stays put a bit longer when I've used this brush. It's also a really good brush for buffing on mineral foundation or powder.

Overall I'm an absolute convert to brushes...they are definitely worth the money and I've even started to build my collection. I would definitely recommend you invest in a set of Real Techniques brushes!

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Nail Me...

I haven't done my nails properly in a few weeks...which is really not like me. So tonight I cracked out the big guns and went for not one but two Barry M nail effects (I know...I need to calm down)...silver chrome and black crackle.

Base coat (nobody likes stained nails), two coats of silver and one of black...can't get much easier than that!

I really liked the way it turned out. Sometimes the crackle polish gets lost or dulls down other colours but this works really well with it. Next time I'm going to try something a little more creative...promise.

On a totally different note, the lovely girls I work with gave me these awesome pressies today to say bye bye (I'm transferring to a different shop). I definitely DID NOT cry...ok maybe a little. I'm going to miss them loads! 

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