After quite a few eBay Bargains posts I thought it was time to share with you what I've purchased from the products I've featured so far. Because, well it's always good to see a blogger put their money where their mouth is... well in this case fingers (hmm not sure that works).
I really am a huge fan of eBay for everything and anything, but especially cheap beauty related buys! You sure as hell can pick up a bargain. So below are just a few products I've purchased from eBay that I'm pretty pleased with.
1. Eye Brush Set x 8 - £1.78 here - I've purchased many makeup brush sets on eBay from China and always been impressed. The set of 8, above, are my latest purchase and instead of going for blending brushes I decided to go for this set to apply eyeshadow, use under the eyes and with gel eyeliner. There are a few that I'm not so impressed with (a bit too still or not soft enough) but on the whole for under £2 the set is great. If you are after some finer brushes then I'd suggest trying these out. However if you are after some eyeshadow blending brushes then this (only £1.46) set of 4 are the best I've come across!
2. White Flower Crystal Statement Necklace - £1.79 here - As I've mentioned a few times I love picking up statement necklaces on eBay. I probably have way too many now but at under £2 I just can't resist! Above is my latest purchase that I just love - perfect for over jumpers in winter.
3. Owl Jelly Pumps - £9.90 here - These are a pair of pumps that I've had for nearly a year now and as you can see are still in great condition, even after a lot of wear, which is why I have a huge love of jelly pumps - they really do last! This particular pair are very similar to a collaboration with Jason Wu for Melissa which cost £40 so this is a huge saving and with owning many pairs of Melissa pumps already can say they are of exact quality! A budget pair of shoes that I absolutely love!
4. Elastic Knot Hair Ties x 10 - multicoloured 99p here or single colours 99p here - A great bargain here that I was so pleased I came across. I ended up buying a set of the multi-coloured ties and also some brown hair ties to match my hair colour. These are great if you don't want to feel that tug on your hair or if you have thick hair to know they won't be snapping on you! Really comfortable to wear and just so much better than standard hair bands.
5. Plastic 24 Tiered Lipstick Holder - £1.97 here - I seem to bang on about this lipstick holder on a weekly basis but it truly is the handiest piece of storage I've purchased and the price tag is just ridiculously cheap! As you can see the holder is tiered so displayed all of your lipsticks really nicely and will look great on your desk or in the bathroom.
6. Tony Moly Jelly Graffiti Top Coat - £2.54 here - This was another recent purchase as I can't resist trying out Korean beauty brands via eBay. Tony Moly is one of my favourite Korean brands so I decided to try on this unique top coat. Jelly Graffiti looks great over dark shades and I really don't own anything similar which says a lot as I own over 400 nail polishes! So many other glitter shades in this listing that I want.
7. East of India Bookmark - £2.39 here - Last but not least I recently decided to buy an actual bookmark instead of using random pieces of paper. I love East of India stationary in general and love this specific saying. Maybe a bit pricey for a bookmark but I really do like it. 7 other sayings available in the listing.
What has been your favourite ever buy from eBay?
Normal eBay Bargains back next week with a bumper Christmas edition - woop!
Fee xo.
Along side eBay, Amazon is without a doubt the website I order from the most! It's reliable, easy to navigate and always has great beauty bargains.
So today I thought it deserved some love with a few beauty bargains that have been sitting in my wish list (a great way to watch to see if the price decreases - it tells you the % it's gone down by) and also a few products I've purchased in the past.
Real Techniques Starter Kit
£13.00 - here
Most Real Techniques Brush Kits (you can find them all here) are reduced on Amazon and cost around £13-14 which is incredible value for money if you ask me. I already have the Core Collection Kit which are some of my favourite brushes in my collection but now I have my eye on the Starter Kit! The set actually retails for £21.99 in Boots which is why I've always held off from buying it... but at £13.00 I've very very tempted!
Plastic 24 Lipstick Display Rack/Holder
£2.39 - here
This is a product I've featured many times but only mention buying it from eBay. However if you aren't a fan of buying from eBay you can buy it from Amazon for just as cheap! I've just purchased my second holder so I can have even more lipsticks out on display. The cheapest storage I've found that I love!
BeautyBlender Makeup Sponge
£13.87 - here
Another popular beauty product here that I was surprised to see so cheap of Amazon. I'm a huge fan of using a damp blending sponge to apply foundation - you really achieve such a flawless finish, and I'm quite curious to see how this iconic one compares to cheaper options. If you've tried out the Beauty Blender I'd love to know what you think of it!
Eye Blending Brush Set
£1.29 - here
Another purchased product that actually amazed me. Yes, you actually get 4 eyeshadow blending brushes for a mere £1.29 with free delivery, pretty amazing! All four brushes are incredibly soft and blend well. If you are after some super cheap brushes then I really do recommend these.
Revlon Marchesa Compact Mirror
£2.99 - here
A different product here that I stumble across last week. This must have been an accessory collaboration when Revlon teamed up with Marchesa for their range of nail wraps, but one I've definitely not seen in any high street shops. Magnified on one side and normal of the other this is just a small mirror to keep in your bag for touch-ups. Might have to snap this up before it disappears!
Hope you've found a few bargains here!
Fee xo.
When it comes to storing makeup it's easy to think quality storage means ££. However over the years with my own ever expanding collection I've discovered you can find storage solutions in the most unlikely of places and getting creative really can save you money!
So here are 5 storage solutions I love that are all under £2 - pretty amazing right?
Curver My Style Small/8 Litre Storage Box
£2.00 on offer - Tesco in-store (£3.00 online here)
First up a strong rigid storage box that would be ideal for body/bath products or even storing makeup in. The style of these would look great on a shelf as a pair or trio to separate makeup in categories. I will be making good use out of this storage box by storing all my hair products in it and keeping it next to my hair tools. The My Style range also consists of medium and large boxes, in both cream and brow, at very reasonable prices.
Popcorn Plastic Storage Box
£1.00 - Poundworld
This is maybe my most favourite storage option as it so fun and ideal for keeping large body products in. For only £1 the detail of the storage bucket/box is impressive with the scallop edging making it look a lot more expensive that what it is. On a desk, shelf or in your bathroom this is bound to look great!
Ikea Skurar Plant Pot
£1.90 - Ikea here or in-store
For the past year or so I've been using these wonderful Ikea plant pots to store my makeup brushes in and still love this storage solution idea. For only £1.90 each the metal plant pots are amazing quality and quite large in size. To make all my brushes stand up I've simply fill the pots half way up with uncooked rice. A simple storage solution that's practical and looks great.
Glass Sweets Jar
£2.00 - Matalan
A simply idea for storing lipgloss', lip crayons, mascaras and eyeliners is housing them in jars. These can be recycled jars, Kilner jars or even sweets jars like the one above. Pinterest is awash with ideas of how to jazz them up and even paint the inside of them.
Candle Holder
£1-2 - Various
Around my makeup room I have numerous candle holders to store anything from eyeliners to nail art brushes in. Candle holders are generally inexpensive yet decorative and look great on all surfaces. Highly recommend looking in Tesco, Primark and Home Bargains.
Hopefully this has given you a few new storage ideas and shown that you can find pretty looking storage on the smallest of budgets!
Fee xo.
After such a great response to my Under £3 Current Must-Haves post here, I decided to seek out some more great budget products, new and old to share with you!
I love products that cost so little but give great quality so here are 5 more that I think you will also love!
This eyeshadow palette from NYC was brought to my attention by my friend Maxi as she was so impressed with it and also knows my love of NYC products... I then had a light bulb moment that I actually had a few NYC palettes and low and behold I already owned 'Best of Broadway' and I hadn't even opened it?! Heavens knows why because the shades look stunning even without trying it!
The four shades in the quad palette are perfect for a soft autumnal smokey eye both day and night and hopefully you can see the amazing pigmentation... very impressive for under £3! The feel of the eyeshadows is also soft and buttery with not too much fall out. Since opening this my favourite shades have been the middle two for a simple neutral/smokey eye. Well worth picking up for Autumn.
Available - Superdrug here or in-store
An old favourite here and one I keep meaning to try more of from the range! Collection is a great low-cost beauty brand with some amazing products and this is definitely one of them, Collection Deluxe Lipstick in Talullah is the most creamiest and loveliest high street lipstick I've ever had the pleasure of wearing. The creamy texture just glides onto the lips leaving a light glossy sheen and not an ounce of sticky-ness.
As for the shade Talullah it's a very wearable pink that isn't too light nor dark that I'm sure would suit so many skin tones. Another must try! *note to self - try some darker autumn-y shades from the range*
Available - Boots here or in-store
Vivo isn't a brand I've tried much from but their range of cream blushers jumped out at me as I love, love, low cream products and cream blushers do tend to be on the pricey side even on the high street. The range is pretty modest with only 3 shades but hey ho. Pink Glow as you can see is a very natural peach cream blush and not in fact pink at all. The product does require some warming up under the fingertips but once you have this blends evenly over the cheeks for a natural warm look.
Slightly more creamy than the Bourjois cream blushers and for that reason a little less staying powder but very similar indeed. A bargain product!
Available - Tesco in-store or Vivo online for only £1.66 here
I featured Barbara Daly at Tesco in my previous Under £3 post as I always manage to pick up a bargain from the brand. This was my most recent bargain that I snapped up, I couldn't not as it's such a great colour to wear on the nails this coming season - it very much reminds me of hot chocolate!
I haven't tried much from Barbara Daly other than lipsticks and nail polishes but can definitely recommend both. In fact my nails above only required a single coat!
Available - Tesco in-store
Lastly a trusty repurchase of Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream mmm so yummy. I have a few other scents of this lip butter but Caramel Cream is just such a yummy addictive scent. The formula of this is beyond buttery and smothering this on is made much easier with the wide yet slim tin (I hate small pots were your nail presses into the product) also the tin is such a handy size for keeping in your bag.
I'm a huge lip balm fan and this may just be my favourite high street one... which says a lot! If you love yummy scented lip balms you will adore this.
Available - Tesco, Boots, Superdrug
Hope you've enjoyed yet more high street beauty bargains!
Fee xo.
With highstreet beauty prices often on the steep side it's sometimes nice to seek out a few beauty bargains and come home with change from £10!
That's exactly what I did last week and was so pleased with the quality of the products I picked up. So it really goes to show how I need to have more faith in cheaper beauty brands instead of feeling deflated by £14.00 high street foundations in Boots!
So here are a mix of new releases and older products that are certainly worth trying... all at under £3!
Nine neutral eyeshadows for £2.99 - I was instantly sold. This great medium sized palette was the first thing that went into my basket without any hesitation. I'm a nude palette lover and this budget offering of matte, shimmery and pearl eyeshadows really pleased me. So far I've been totally ignoring the step-by-step numbered guide but for beauty novices I could see it being really handy, my favourite shades as you may be able to see are numbers 1 & 2 of the middle row and number 3 of the top row... but really all the shades are so usable. Pigmentation is pretty good when used with quality makeup brushes and fall-out is minimal. The only downside is the cheap cardboard packaging... and the highlighter is too thick and a bit rubbish but them things really are by-the-by when everything else is spot on!
If you just can't resist more neutral eyeshadows then give this a go and I'm certain you will be surprised at how much use to get out of it. And if you are still fairly new to makeup then literally get this ASAP - you will love it!
Available - Boots here or in-store
Ahhh NYC, how you always do me proud! The Blushable Cream Sticks had been on my radar for the past month or so though I'd strangely not read any reviews but a cream blush for under £2 was a no-brainier for me... I'm actually wondering why I didn't pick up both shades in the range now. I opted for brighter and matte of the two and was totally blown away at the pigmentation... I mean just look at how vivid that single swipe is! As you can imagine a light tough is needed which can be blended out with either a buffing brush or just your finger tips. The finish is free from shimmer and a cream to powder so it lasts fairly well on the skin for most of the day. There's nothing to fault with this product... you even get an impressive 11g of product - crazy!
Available - Superdrug here or in-store
Whenever I'm food shopping in Tesco I make sure to check out the Barbara Daly stand for bargains - most products are full price but strangely there will be the odd one or two products priced much cheaper (without stating they are reduced). On my last trip I managed to pick up quite a few products priced at £1.50-£2.00 with the lipstick above being my favourite buy. I'm all about nude lipsticks so was interested to try out this slightly frosty looking neutral. Thankfully this isn't a frost finish but one with very subtle shimmer that makes the lips appear dewy, something I really like. I'm sure from store to store reduced Barbara Daly products will differ but if any of the lipsticks are around £2.00 then they are worth a buy.
Available - Tesco in-store
When I heard Aussie had come out with a range of dry shampoos I was there! I was kind of hoping for bubblegum scented like their 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner (I was let down) but was pleased to see them catering for different hair types. I decided to pick up the smaller size for fine, limp hair as my un-washed hair always seems to lack volume and I do have pretty fine hair at the roots. Personally I feel like this specific product combines two products in one by making the hair look fresh like any dry shampoo should but also working like a volumising hairspray/backcombing spray. This gives great effects by lifting and volumising the hair at the roots and staying like that but I find because it almost feels like a hair spray you definitely need to wash your hair the next day. Regardless of that I'm totally hooked because it transforms my limp and lank hair amazingly well. I'm sorry Batiste but I've definitely strayed.
Available - Boots here or in-store
Discovering such bargains has without a doubt restored my faith in budget high street brands.
I may have to make this a regular feature - super cheap product recommendations are very welcome!
Fee xo.
I'm back again with my round-up of the best products from all the high street make-up brands!
Here are my personal favourite products from Collection 2000, Boots No7 and Sleek.
Collection 2000
Collection 2000 to me is a true high street makeup line and hasn't changed in recent years like other brands. It's still cheap, fun and simple. But if you look closely you will find some real gems!
Hotlooks Fast Dry Nail Polish (8ml/£1.79)
The phrase 'hot looks' and the font do slightly term me of these nail polishes however I always have to put that aside as the shade range is so nice and fun. The shades definitely try to be on-trend and really as the best low cost nail polishes I have found aside from George at Asda nail polishes. They are all fairly opaque taking only two coats and looks quite shiny and even when applied. Just nice little nail polishes for such a small price.
Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19)
This is definitely the hidden gem of the brand, as for the price this is the best opaque concealer you will find on the high street! If you do suffer from spots and find your current concealer isn't doing a good enough job in covering them then really, try this! My go-to concealer for spots and even concealering under eye circles. Just a dream concealer that lasts!
Dazzle Me! Eye Dust (Around £3 each from eBay)
Forget Barry M Dazzle Dusts, these are were it's at! Okay... well maybe not as they have been stupidly discontinued by Collection 2000. But still, you can find these on a lot of websites, in pound shops and there are tons on eBay to be had, so at least if you want a certain shade you can get it still. The pigments come/came in such lovely shimmery pearlescent shades and I highly doubt anyone would be able to finish one of the pots as you need so little but you get so much product. The gold/pink shade above is Paradise and the green/gold is Lustrous.
No7
To me No7 are a mid-priced brand that quite a lot of people find over priced. But I do think the quality of the products do warrant the prices. There is nothing bold about No7 but if you want to look polished and preened then this is the brand for you. However it is nice that Boots do the £5 off vouchers so often - making No7 an affordable brand for anyone.
No7 Brushes (From £7.00)
These along side Eco Tools are the best makeup brushes on the high street. They may seem a little steep per brush but with the No7 £5 off vouchers they become very affordable. The best brushes from No7 seem to be their eye brushes with my favourite being the Blend & Contour brush for blending eyeshadow... I actually have 4! I also love the precision eyeliner brush, which I own two of - one for concealer and one for with gel eyeliner. These really are a staple of my brush collection and they have really held up well. Really nice brushes.
Stay Perfect Eye Mousse (5ml/£9.00)
These really as just lovely mousse eye shadows that glide onto the eyelids and blend easily even with just using the fingers. I think these are aimed at the over 40's so really won't stay for anyone with oily lids. But for anyone over 40 or anyone with normal eyelids these really do look lovely. Just the right amount of shimmer and they do come in some lovely tones. Very flattering for most eyes.
Quick Cover Blemish Stick (3g/£8.00)
I feel I'm becoming a broke record with these concealers now as I must have talked about them over 6 times on my blog already... but I do own 4 of the shades! This product just works wonders for oily spots... and lets face it, which over high street brand has a concealer that is focused towards oily skin and soaking up excess oil? None! So if you do have oily skin that breaks out a lot then this really is the concealer designed for you!
Sleek
Sleek are still fairly new to the high street but have some A-mazing products that not only give you a lot for your money but are also really good quality. Sleek really are the only high street brand that caters for all skin tones and has the largest shade range of all the high street foundations! Just really impressive and a fun brand to use.
New Skin Revive Foundation (35ml/£7.30)
This is just a good quality foundation that I actually cannot see any flaws with. Like I mentioned above, this foundation has the largest selection of shades with 30 in total, plus for only £2.99 (here) you can purchase a tester kit that comes with 5x2ml shade samples with a choice of 5 shade ranges to pick from, so that you can find your perfect match. This definitely contains more silicone than other foundations I own, so it applies and blends very easily. The coverage is medium and the finish is semi-matte and is also oil-free. Not a hugely mentioned foundation online or in the media but definitely one to try out for the quality and price!
Eyeshadow Palettes (£6.49)
Now if you like eye shadows and haven't got at least one of these palettes then you NEED to, right now! These really are a lovely addition to the high street... though I think I may have enough now with my 6 palettes. Each palette contains 12 good sized eye shadows in mainly shimmery and frost shades with a few mattes in each palette. My favourites have to be either the Storm i-divine palette or the Oh So Special palette. Super pigmented, super smooth and just super lovely.
Sleek Blush (8g/£4.30)
These blushes are my favourites, ever! Yes, I said it and I do actually mean it... I think! I'm not a massive blusher fan, though I do wear it most days. However these blushers just come in some of the best shades and they really do complement the skin. Again like the eye shadows the blushes are highly pigmented and you only need the smallest of amounts, meaning one 8g blush with last you forever. If you don't trust me on this, have a quick swatch when you next spot a Sleek stand in Superdrug.
Should I make a Part 4? Or is that pushing it! I feel like I could go on and on with these posts but then really would I have anything to post about?!
Read Part 1 & 2 featuring - Rimmel, Maybelline, Natural Collection, Elf, 17 and Bourjois here.
Really hope you all enjoyed part 1 containing my favourites from Bourjois, ELF and Rimmel (see here) as I thoroughly enjoyed writing it.
So here is part deux following the same theme...
17
17 are just one of those brands that are fun and well priced! I love that they are always coming out with new limited edition ranges and also giving us products we need like the first lower priced primer and matte top coat. They are just totally on the ball and that is what makes them so good!
Wild Curls Mascara (9ml/£6.29)
This is my favourite mascara along side YSL Faux Cils mascara which is a pricey £22! This doesn't give as much volume as the Faux Cils mascara does, but it does give incredible results especially if you wiggle it at the base of the lashes and also add a second coat on the out part of the lashes for a really feline look. Is for it's curling claimed I'm not 100% sure it lives upto it however it does give a lovely fanned out effect on the lashes. Also the formula with this is just perfect. The best mascara in the whole 17 range.
Supreme Shine Nail Colour (10ml/£3.99)
If you have a love of super shiny nails that have a gel like finish to them, then this range is for you! The formulation and brush make for a super easy application and a lot of the bolder shade only need one thick coat to be opaque and the pastel shades taking 2/3 coats however. Also the clear Lasting Fix nail polish (£2.99) is another favourite of mine.
The 10-day wear claim is a tad bold but the polishes do last for around 4/5 days before chipping I have found.
Solo Eye Shadow - (£3.89)
You just need to read the reviews on the Boots website to see that these eye shadows are loved by many. For the price the shade range, texture and finish of these eye shadows are just outstanding. I have so many favourite neutral shimmery shades that I love in this range that really do remind me of Urban Decay eye shadows in texture. The texture really is the most surprising thing about the shadows at they are just so soft and creamy feeling. Again if you have never been tempted by these just have a swatch of a few of the shades when you are next in Boots and you may just be impressed!
Maybelline
Until the start of this year Maybelline hadn't been on my radar for quite some time, all their products seemed okay but they remained just okay. But suddenly this year Maybelline seem to stepped up their game and brought out some fabulous new products.
Forever Strong Pro Nail Polish
(10ml/£4.09)
The Forever Strong range really is my new found love as I just can't get enough of them right now! What I love most about the Forever Strong range is that the formula is strong and actually sets hard once dry. So no perfectly nude nails being ruined by opening a jar or catching them on your keys. Plus the polish actually does make your nails feel stronger whilst wearing it which I really love. Also there are some fab shades in the range from brights to lots of pretty neutrals.
Dream Satin Liquid Foundation (30ml/£8.19)
I have a feeling I'm pretty rubbish when it comes to describing foundations so you may have to bear with me and maybe not take the follow as fact! This is a medium to full coverage foundation which has a very soft, light feeling to it that is probably best for oily/combination/normal skin as it does tend to look cakey on dry skin. What I love most about this foundation is that it does give a really good even coverage and a slight dewy look to the skin without feeling heavy in the least! The only downside to this foundation is that is does look thick when applied over dry patches, so moisturizing pre-foundation is a must if you have dry/combination skin. But overall this is an understatedly good foundation.
Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner
(£7.99)
Ahhh, the most lovely low end gel liner you will come across! Without going into raptures about this, this is the most amazing gel liner I have tried on the high steet and does rival other more high end eye liners! The liner is opaque, it applies smoothly, dries quick, doesn't dry out in the pot, is the right consistency for a gel liner and the brush that comes with it is also pretty dam decent! The only thing now is for Maybelline to bring out some more shades!
Natural Collection
Natural Collection my first ever dabble with makeup (like many I'm sure)! Granted their packaging is cheap as... but they are a subtle confident brand with decent products that can't be faulted for theor low price. They aren't a brand I rely on as such but nor would my make-up bag be without them when I want a cheap tinted moisturizer that does the job perfectly or a pretty shimmery eyeshadow for in the crease.
Moisture Shine Lipstick (Boots £1.99)
For £2 you really cannot go wrong with these! As someone with dry lips these are just perfect for me and just the right side of being pigmented but also hydrating. These also come in some lovely, lovely shades like Pink Mallow and Candy Mist. I still have a lot more shades I want to try though as they are such fool proof lipsticks that you can't not like!
Solo Eye Shadow (£1.79)
I've been purchasing these solo eye shadow for many years now as they are just so soft and pigmented which is what I like! The shimmery eye shadows in the range are my favourite are they have some beautiful shades like Moss Shimmer and Asteroid (above - the swatches really does show how nice they are especially the green shade) however they also do some pretty nice matte shadows with Chocolate Milk springing to mind for being really soft and for being a lovely lid colour. The only thing you do need to watch with these is a bit of fall out but for the price you really can't complain when everything else is so good!
Nail Colour (8ml/£1.89)
I think this swatch of Hibiscus (here) just shows what you can expect from this £1.89 line of nail polishes. From all the shades I have tried in the past they have all given even application with no glopping and always pretty opaque in finish. Just lovely cheap nail polishes that don't feel cheap by being on the thin side which is what I really like and also that they are nice and shiny!
Make sure to watch out for part three next week! I'm thinking Collection 2000, N07 and something else!
When you accumulate so many cosmetics (sadly like myself) it can be hard to see the wood for the trees and which products you love by which brands. So to cleanse my makeup palette I thought I'd rummage through my makeup and pick out my personal favourites and then show you by brand!
Bourjois
Myself and Bourjois have a love/hate relationship. I love a lot of their products but sadly their prices are a bit steep for the high street. However it is nice to know their products are of great quality and do last a long time!
Bronzing Powder shade 51 (16g/£6.99)
This IS the best high street bronzer you will find, fact! This really is what a bronzer should be, it's so smooth, non-orangy, blends well, no shimmer, perfect for contouring, perfect for bronzing, smells heavenly and if that isn't enough... for just under £7 it contains a huge 16g of product which will last you literally forever!
Now this is more my love of Bourjois foundations in general as they are such good quality. My personal favourite is the Bio Detox as I like to use natural ingredients on my skin whenever I can but as it is so natural it doesn't feel as smooth and definitely don't blend as easy as other foundation (which is due to it not containing silicone) but I love that Bourjois have given me a high street organic foundation. But the best all round foundation by Bourjois has to be Healthy Mix (30ml/£9.99) which is amazing for oily/combination/sensitive or normal skin, just such a good quality foundation that is comparable to a lot of high end foundations.
Little Round Pot Blusher (2.5g/£7.49)
These are just lovely blushers for the high street. They come in such a good range of shades and seem to compliment every skin tone. As for pigmentation the baked blushers allow you to just have a sweep of colour or you can build up the colour for a more contoured look. Just really nice and very good quality.
ELF Studio line
Elf is another brand that I have a love/hate relationship with... but I do feel I am a little harsh with e.l.f as when they are good they are very good! But I can't forgot that when they are bad they are basically crap! So it's definitely a brand that you need to know what you want to purchase and then have a look at a few blog reviews before hitting 'checkout'. Which is exactly how I came across all their amazing quality products.
Cream Eyeliner (4.7g/£3.50)
Other than Maybelline's quite new gel liner the high street doesn't really do potted cream/gel eyeliners, so these fill the gap perfectly coming in 8 different shades! I have quite a few of these and have to say they apply well (even though on the soft side) and stay put all day. The brown is a favourite of mine as who else does a good brown not glittery cream liner for under £5! Just really great and they don't dry up!
Blush & Bronzer Compact (8g/£3.50)
Love, love, love this duo compact which is amazing value for the quality and amount you get! Just two pretty shades that will suit a wide range of skin tones - one being a pretty pink/peach with golden shimmer and the other a great bronzer with no noticeable shimmer or glitter on the skin, which even though is slightly too dark for very pale skin does make a great contour shade.
Powder Brush (£3.50)
This is my favourite brush from the ELF studio line which I have two of, one for using with setting powder and the other for sometimes applying my liquid foundation with. This just seems the most perfect brush for patting on translucent powder and then sweeping it off with the side of the brush. I've have minimal shedding with this and it has kept it's shape though washing it every week for the last year! Again, just a great quality product for such a low price. You really can't go wrong with this brush or even the studio line of brushes.
Lip Stain (12ml/£3.50)
Lip stains are known for being drying and this really is no different but what I love is that ELF have realized this and included a gloss with the product which make the stains a lot more lip friendly. Also I love the shade range with 'Birthday Suit' being my favourite shade. Just a great line for people that love stains but don't want to be spending £7+. Here are some great swatches from xsparkage.
Rimmel
Rimmel have been a brand that I've used for many years but I've never noticed how many products I rely on daily until now really! They are just there with their reliable products that just do the job which is what I love about them. Also it's one of the few brand that have good quality products but haven't increased their prices in recent years.
Colour Mousse Eye shadow (5ml/£4.99)
These mousse eye shadows seem to get no attention at all and I haven't a clue why as they are pretty damn amazing! These are the most beautiful shimmery, pigmented, long lasting eye shadows you will find on the high street and they will last you forever and a day! I literally have only good things to say about the eye shadows which I have to say are more liquid than mousse in texture, they feel so nice to apply with a lovely cooling effect and last on the eye all day (unless you have a problem with oily eyelids). If you don't trust me on anything else trust me on this and swatch a few when you next spot a Rimmel stand!
Stay Matte Foundation (30ml/£5.99)
This is my go-to foundation on really hot days as I know this will keep the shine at bay and will last all day on my skin however hot it gets! It is light on the skin but gives a nice medium to full coverage and just blends like no other foundation with no cakey-ness. A really good quality feeling foundation for Rimmel.
Stay Matte Pressed Powder (14g/£3.99)
I have been using this for many, many years now and cannot be without it! I use this daily down my t-zone and it keeps oily pores at bay all day long. Really finely milled and not at all heavy looking on the skin. Another really great product from Rimmel.
Of course these are just my own stand out products from each brand and I'm sure you all have your own favourites, so please do tell me if you don't agree/love something I haven't mentioned.
Also make sure to keep your eyes peeled for part 2 containing Maybelline, Natural Collection and 17!
Image - Will Whipple I cannot tell you how many products I have tried this winter due to my endlessly dry lips. I have applied them in abundance, I would even go as far as saying religiously. My purse is now a few pounds lighter and my lips are still annoyingly dry. So I have decided to go back to basics and give my lips a hopefully a new lease of life.
Tah-Dah, here it is, my new miracle dry lip cure. Well fingers crossed. I achieved this strange green concoction using sugar granules and Sensodyne Toothpaste.
Tah-Dah, here it is, my new miracle dry lip cure. Well fingers crossed. I achieved this strange green concoction using sugar granules and Sensodyne Toothpaste.
The Product - If you are wondering, the small plastic container use to contain a free sample from Benefit that I have long since used up, so I thought I would recycle it as it was the perfect size.
To be honest the sugar and toothpaste mixture didn't seem all that great when I was mixing it up with a mini paint brush. However after about 3 minutes, the mixture seemed to stiffen and had a more 'Lip Exfoliator' consistency.
The Taste - As for the taste - I went all out and dipped my finger in it and had a taste - If I didn't like the taste I wasn't going to be applying it morning, noon and night. To tell you the truth, I was surprised... I didn't know toothpaste and sugar could taste so good! ha. No, really it pretty much tasted like a shop bought product.
Overall - So far so good. I have used it twice so far, and have really rubbed it into my lips as it isn't as harsh as you would expect. It does leave them slightly red and a bit plump but I have noticed it is removing the dry skin on the inside of my bottom lip.
Once I have used up all of the exfoliator I shall review this again I think.
Images - Taken by myself(Jumbo Eyeshadow pencil in Bronze)
Firstly let me tell you about the price - £1.49, yes you heard me right. I bought this from the Tesco no frills cosmetic range and now I'm wishing I had bought a few more things seeing as there was a promotion of 3 for £3.00.
The Product - The shadow pencil came in either bronze or silver, though I thought the latter was a bit GaGa-esque, so I stuck with Bronze as it seemed quite a rich colour from inside the packaging. The range is a lot bigger than this with concealers, nail polishes, lipsticks etc and everything is £1.50.
Colour & Texture - As you can see from the swatch above, it's a lovely solid bronze colour which was better than I expected. It's also surprisingly light reflective so it looks like it has a hint of gold in it. When it comes to the texture, it's advertised as crease-free, which isn't the case if you don't apply a primer to the eyelid before hand. The pencil almost glides on, like a heated up kohl liner really, which I quite liked.
Overall - I was more than happy with the product, it looks rich and is really pigmented. As for the feel, it did lack a bit and felt greasy towards the end of the day. But for £1.50 what did I expect! However on the whole I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely be trying out more from this range.
Out of curiosity do you like to
try out budget brands/lines?
try out budget brands/lines?
Image - Taken by myself(L-R; V05 Moisture Soak Hot Oil, Tesco branded Olive Oil)
I have used V05 Hot Oil for about a year now and they do work especially when my hair is dry from using hair dye. However I wondered how it would fare against normal everyday Olive oil which is obviously cheaper with a lot less ingredients, so here are the results:
Heating Up - I firstly measured out 15ml of Olive oil - which is the same amount as VO5 provide, then poured both products into two glass pots which I placed in a sink of hot water - probably hotter than normal because the dishes were made of glass.
The Vo5 Hot Oil before heating actually seemed thicker in consistency and had a more powerful smell, however when the Olive oil was heated up, the consistencies matched, both being quite thick.
Of both smells I actually preferred the Olive Oil, it had a slight sweet smell to it where as the Hot Oil had a more chemical smell.
As for applying it, I decided to part my hair down the middle and used both products at the same time so I could see the different in texture after I had rinsed it.
Also both oils applied exactly the same, other than the Hot Oil being a bit overly pongy.
The Results - After I washed both oils out, the olive oil side of my hair seemed a little less tangled. I then shampooed & conditioned my hair as normal.
When my hair was finally dry I really tried to see if there was any difference in texture or frizzy. However there was no difference! The tips of my hair felt a lot more hydrated than prior to the applications.
On the whole I liked both oils as they did the job.
The Maths - So for the boring part. I bought the Vo5 Hot Oil as a set of 4 x 15ml for £3.20 from Boots - which makes a 15ml application £1.25.
The Tesco Olive Oil cost £1 for a 250ml bottle which actually makes it 6p for a 15ml application and a full bottle would give you just over 16 applications for £1!
Talk about bargain central.
I think this will be my new hot oil treatment from now on.
Fee x
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