Revlon Photo Ready foundation

I bought myself a bottle of Revlon photoready foundation in 005 natural beige..I've never used the colourstay foundation (shocking I know!!) so can't give any meaningful comparison with that, but I was looking for a heavier coverage than the Boots No7 inteligent colour foundation that I had been using.

All in all....I really like this product. The colour match is very good for me...*BUT* there is a pretty limited colour selection tbh...

There is pretty much no smell (which was a criticism I had heard of the colourstay) and it dries quickly (but not too quick...I use a stippling brush and I've got more than enough time before it starts to dry to get it moving around my face!)

I've head criticisms that it has loads of glitter in...when I tried it on my hand in the shop it seemed quite glittery...but I haven't noticed it on my face and I've been using it daily for about 3 weeks now.

The coverage is really really great, and you can build it up very well.

Highly reccommended..!!

All my love...

Nude Nails

Nude nails is a trend that I've viewed with some suspicion....why on earth would I chose a skin coloured nail varnish when there are so many wonderful brights and pastels out there?

Well I eventually relented whilst out shopping for some sensible work varnishes and picked up Revlon in 030 Gray Suede (although I also bought an amazingly gorgeous tropical coral colour on a 2 for £8 offer at Boots on Revlon nail varnish just to counter balance the sensibleness of it all...!!!)

I've actually quite enjoyed my sophisticated nails. I also love Revlon polishes as they have a really great staying power and go on very smoothly.



I'm afraid the quality is very poor, but it really gives a lovely subtle colour, and is bang on the "mannequin nails" trend.

All my love...

NOTD

I find this a really great style to put over a colour that is a couple of days old and starting to get some tip wear, as the contrast colour covers it all up nicely giving you a couple more days out of it:)

I use sellotape to get the diagonal line and the colours I've used here are Models Own lilac as the base coat and Rimmel's "I love lasting finish" in 260 Green Grass.

All my love...

Model's Own

I've read quite a lot about Model's Own lately and it has recently been stocked in Boots. I picked up a lilac nail varnish and a "Disco Diva" duo eyeshadow which is a metallic purple and a dark grey/silver. Each cost £5 (all the items in the Model's Own range are priced at £5 or less) and at the moment you get a free nail buffer with any Models' Own nail varnish in Boots.



I really like the eyeshadow. You can build it up quickly to get a dramatic colour and it lasts pretty well for the price. This look below took me literally less than 2 minutes, with no primer, and I just applied it with my fingers:





As you can see it would be easy to layer it up and get a really smoky, dark look, and the silver would blend right up to the brow bone to give a really shimmery night time eye. The eyeshadow duo with loreal volume million mascara are the only products I'm wearing here and I think the eyeshadow stands up well. The colour even stays vibrant with the unflattering light provided by my camera!! I'm a huge fan of purple eye makeup as I have green eyes, and this lovely silvery look really makes green eyes pop and smoulder simultaneously.

Application was very smooth and there wasn't loads of glittery fall out all over my cheeks (which I do find with other cheaper shimmer shadows.)I really like this product and would repurchase, however: there isn't really another colour in the range that I would use (other than the "Night and Day" set which is a matt black and white duo.) There is a purple/teal looking combination called Summer's Day which I've seen on the website that I'd like to swatch in real life (my store didn't have it in stock)...so it could be that I'm making that judgement a bit prematurely, but to be honest there is only a few colours to chose from so in all likelihood most people will only suit one, or at most two from the range. Not that this is a criticism, but its a nice product so I'd like to be able to have more :)

The nail varnish went on very smoothly, and whilst the picture below is with 2 coats, one would probably do the trick absolutely fine. The smell is quite a strong chemical smell whilst you are applying, but I really lovely the pastel, matt finish and I will definitely be purchasing some more colours :)



I'm also really excited to try some of the Model's Own mascara which I've heard some great things about, and I will certainly be picking up some more nail varnish. All in all I'm very impressed with what I've seen of this range.

All my love...

Hitting the shops...

I had a lovely day in the shops yesterday picking up some suits for work. I also got a couple of bits and pieces to share..




I got this "dita" bag from Oasis. Its got a lovely big main compartment for files and all my junk!



This is an outfit I picked up in H & M



A close up of the cardi (it needs ironed!) I love the big shoulders that are in at the minute



I've been after some nude pumps for ages and I fell in love with these in Oasis. They really make your legs look lovely and long :)



I LOVE my big rings. This one is from Oasis in a gorgeous coral :)



Another big ring, from Primark this time...and only £1.50 :)

All my love...

Insta-Repurchase products

Generally I get pretty excited towards the end of a product bottle as it means I can buy something new to replace it. However, some items always make it back in to my life on a pretty much instant repurchase rebound. Here's my top 10 repurchase products...

Vaseline


I love the original, aloe vera and rose tint in equal measure. To be honest I normally have one of each. I always keep an original in my bedside drawer to slick all over my eyelashes every couple of nights. It keeps them really soft and removes any stubborn mascara.

Aussie 3 minute miracle


Haircare is one of my favourite areas of beauty, which means I LOVE trying new shampoos/treatments/anything hair related really. However, whilst my bathroom is littered with half used products I always, always restock my Aussie 3 minute miracle. Its a staple intensive hair treatment that can double up as an every day conditioner and I can always be sure to love the results.

Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara


I've mentioned my love of this in an earlier post and had to reiterate it here. This really makes my eyes pop, and the great effects last to the very last drop of the tube.

MAC powder blush in Coygirl


This is a lovely pinky plummy blush that looks stunning as a contrast colour with a tan. It literally wakes my face up whatever state I'm in, and I can rely on it as an instant fix for a day or night time look.

Johnson's Baby Lotion


Mmmmm I ADORE the soft, clean smell of this as an all over moisturiser. I always have a bottle somewhere.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty


This astringent china clay based face mask isn't for the faint hearted. Firstly its super minty and really cleans very deep. Secondly it contains aduki beans which give a really deep exfoliation as you massage it into your face. This is an essential for me as I suffer from headaches and ten minutes with this on in the shower really seems to clear my head. It's also a life saver when you come in from a long day and need a quick pick up to make a turn around for a night out because it really refreshes.

Boots Sanctuary Classic Eau de Toilette


I like to have a choice of different perfumes, but there is something about this heavenly eau de toilette by Boots Sanctuary brand that has me reaching for my advantage card time and time again. Its a very sensuous, "womanly" fragrance that always draws compliments. It also only costs £15 for 30ml which makes it a very affordable staple to keep in my handbag at all times.

Benefit Hollywood Glo


Not the cheapest of highlighters at £13.95, but a bottle lasts for ages, and your cheeks/browbones look faboosh in photos, daahhling.

No7 Instant Radiance Concealer



Now I'm planning on doing a comparison post on cheaper alternatives to the hold grail of under eye concealer touche eclait at some point with swatches and what not (and believe me I've tried a ton)...but a quick cut to the chase will tell you that this is (in my opinion) the best rival. I have been blessed with very clear skin...other than it looks like I've been punched in the face by Mike Tyson most mornings which makes under eye concealer a desert island essential (I'd actually pick it over mascara.) It costs £11.50 and no.7 is so regularly on 3 for 2 offers that I usually stock up on a few. Which pretty much means I can get 3 for the price of 1 touche eclait. Bargainous.

Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel


I love the scent of mint (you might have guessed) and there's nothing that quite gets me going/cools me down/cheers me up like this shower gel from original source. Its also lovely and cheap....which just makes me love it more!

All my love...

Loreal Volume Million Mascara

This new mascara from Loreal was supposedly designed specifically for British women...so I took it upon myself (as a British woman) to try it out!

I got it for £7.99 on offer in Superdrug, but from what I can see that particular deal is off, but it is now on a 3 for 2 offer (the ordinary price is £10.99)

The brush is a new design with a mixture of short and long bristles, and the idea behind it is that British women want something they can just sweep on in one or two swipes.



The Good

It doesn't flake....very important because I hate getting all those little flakes around my cheeks!

It does only take 2/3 good sweeps and it really thickens and lengthens

It can be built up to provide a variety of looks. One good sweep makes a nice, natural day time look, whereas 3 plus and you get a sexy "night out" set of lashes

It doesn't seem to dry out you lashes- which is something I've found with other drugstore brands.

It comes off very easily with any cleanser or make up remover. Currently I'm using lush baby face and it comes off very very easily. No nasty morning after panda eyes! (Although I don't know the implication this might have for its durability....I haven't worn it in the rain, though I have worn it in a reasonably sweaty club and it certainly stood up fine.)

Here is a picture that attempts to show my lashes. I'm also wearing a slick of mac's liquid eyeliner.




The Bad

Personally, I found the brush a bit fiddly at first and poked myself in the eye. Also, because its such a big/strange shape I tended to hit the skin of my eye/beneath my brow a few times which leaves little black dots needing to be cleaned off!

Layering on more than a few swipes results in an overly clumpy "spidery" look...so beware of going too far!

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My ordinary "go to" mascara is Max Factor's masterpiece max, and the effect of this loreal mascara is a very similar look but with less furious arm pumping! I have to say I probably do prefer the long straight brush of the masterpiece max, but I think that is probably because I'm really used to it (I've only had volume million for a week or so.) I think the real test of a mascara comes about 3 weeks into usage though, because some seem to really lose the original effect...so I shall edit if I notice any problems!

All in all really worth a go (particularly if you see it on offer as I did!)

Anyone else tried millionising their eyes yet...??

All my love...