Drugstore Haul- Revlon

Heya! So yesterday I went down to my local mall and wandered into superdrug after seeing they had a 3 for 2 on makeup, but with the intention of saving my money and not buying anything. I came out ten minutes later having taken full advantage of that offer (Ooops!...). I figured that today I would share the haul that was very naughty of me and shows my complete lack of self control when it comes to shopping! ;)


These are the three items that I got in the deal, all from Revlon (my fave drugstore brand EVER!):

R-L: Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Vanilla 120, Revlon Colorstay Smokey Shadow Stick in  Flare, Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Trendsetter

I will test them out a bit before doing in depth reviews but all three of these are products are ones I have been eyeing up for a while so hopefully they were worth finally going out and getting!

First Opinions-

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Vanilla- Great yellow base for my olive undertones and from what I can see (after one day of use) long lasting but I do not like the dewy finish.

Revlon Colorstay Smokey Shadow Stick in Flare- The lilac color is not massively pigmented but the dark colour is nice, not as creamy as 'Torch' on the lighter end either.

Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Trendsetter- Great, bright colour. Very pigmented, but drying and although its not wet in the slightest has a dry sticky feel to it and rubs off in the middle of the lips after two or three hours- but overall loving it so far! My joint fave colour lipstick ever with MAC's Plumful.

So there is the result of my mini shopaholic meltdown...

Lauren xoxo

SIGMA MAKEUP BRUSHES (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED): http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=274059

Dove Summer Glow Gradual Tanner Review (Fair to Medium Skin)

Heya! So today I decided to review a product I purchased about two months ago, and have tried and tested since then. I have tried a few fake tans previously, some of those being gradual tanners like the one I am reviewing, but have never found one that I would repurchase. Until now! It may have its flaws, but the Dove 'Summer Glow' gradual tanner certainly does the job.

Sleek and Simple Packaging

I bought 'Fair to Medium Skin'

Swatch

As you can see above, I purchased the 'Fair to Medium Skin' version. I was a bit dubious about whether it would work on my skin and debated getting the 'Medium to Dark Skin' option which my friend of the same colouring (fair with olive undertones) uses. In the end I went with the lighter option because I would rather my tan went a little lighter than I wanted then to dark, as obviously to correct it you just need to add another layer! In the end I definitely made the right decision!

I applied the tan every day for about a week before the day I wanted to be tanned for (Leavers Prom) and I noticed a big difference after two applications, and then a subtle change from then on.
After just one application my skin (which can look sallow in cooler seasons due to the 'oliveyness'!) I had a subtle golden glow, and then on the second application I had a nice natural tan. After the full week of application I had a medium golden tan, and many people commented on how tanned I looked! I even used this on my face, and it gave a subtle golden glow.

The only issue I had was the occasional dark streak around my wrist, and although it practically doesn't fade at all in the shower, if water dripped on my arm a white line would appear. Using a tanning mitt does keep fingers from going orange, but like I said I did still get streaks on my wrist so I got rid of these by scrubbing at them, and any white streaks from water can quickly be solved by applying a bit of the lotion over top of them.


Drying Time- Not the best, about an hour.
Development- Overnight (about 8 hours).
Smell- Nothing Unpleasant.
Streaks- Only occurred on wrists.
Water Resistance- Good in baths/showers, but does show when water drips down your arms from taps e.t.c.
Colour- Golden, natural tan. Sun kissed.
Recommended Applications- 2+
Price- I paid £2.59 at Tesco (half price offer).
Rating- 9/10


Overall, I love this product for a natural and risk-free tan. I had the two issues mentioned above, so overall I was very happy with this product. I would certainly continue to use and repurchase this product!

Lauren xoxo

Benefit Box Blush 'Bella Bamba' Review

Heya! So today I decided to review one of my stapel blushes- Benefits 'Bella Bamba'. I have had this blush since summer 2012 and neglected it up until this spring, but I have now rekindled by love with it! I have done an in depth review, swatches and application method below, so enjoy!

Outer Packaging- So cute!

The packaging is adorable. I am studying Graphic Design at college next year, and this is the sort of thing I would love to create! I always adore benefits packaging, and the shimmer on this really made it stand out on the shelf to me.

It also comes with a mirror- very handy.

As you can see, the blush does come with a mirror built in to the packaging. This is very handy for on-the-go touch ups and travelling. It does also come with a brush, but I did not include that in the review as in my opinion it does not get the best out of the product and most people prefer to use their own brushes anyway.

The Blush Itself- Rose Pink with Gold Shimmer.

I adore the colour of this blush. It is perfect for all year round and would suit any skin tone.

Application

I applied the blush with a 'Real Techniques Blush Brush' (let me know if you want a review on that brush range, I would be very happy to do one) in upward motions going from the bottom to top of my cheekbones. I will usually suck my cheeks in (the fish face!) so I can accurately place it on my cheekbones, as I'm not a massive fan of the 'apples of the cheek' blush application method and like a more sculpted look.

Final Result (Note: I didn't do a swatch on my hand due to camera issues!)

This is the final result- a natural warm, rosy glow that is also somewhat highlighting due to the gold shimmer.


Pigmentation- Buildable, I usually put about three layers of blush to get the colour I like.
Texture- Smooth, soft, very easy to work with.
Colour- Rose Pink w/ Gold Shimmer.
Finish- It claims to be a '3D Brightening Blush' and it does add a slight highlight without being OTT shimmer.
Smell- Nothing unpleasant.
Lasting Power- Stays on for about 3-4 hours but does begin to fade later in the day.
Price- I Paid £24.50 at Boots
Rating- 9/10.

I love the colour and finish of this blush. It is perfect for everyday wear and would suit any skin tone. The only reason it doesn't gain full marks and my complete seal of approval is due to the lack of staying power. If I put this on at the start of a 7 hour school day, it will hardly be noticeable by the end of it unless I layer it over a cream blush. I reckon you could improve this with a setting spray though, and when I finally get round to buying MAC Fix+, I promise to let you know if this improves the situation!


Lauren xoxo

Nails Of The Day- OPI Mermaids Tears

Heya! So today I decided to do a 'nails of the day' post on what I am currently wearing, which just so happens to also be my favorite polish of all time! I have images and an in depth review below, so enjoy!

The Polish Itself- OPI Mermaids Tears

Two Coats Applied in Both Images

So as you can see from the images, it is a gorgeous sea foam green colour, and I am in love with it. In the images I applied two coats, but if you were extra careful when applying you could get away with one. I have had this polish for a good few months now and it is still by far my favorite.

Application- The application is quick, smooth and easy.
Consistency- Not to runny, not to thick. Perfect.
Colour- A gorgeous sea foam green.
Coverage- One coat would be enough, but two is perfect.
Brush- Regular sized.
Price- I paid £10 for a set of two full size (it came with this and 'Come to Poppy') at TK Maxx
Rating- 10/10.




I really cannot fault this colour. It has everything I look for- a stand out colour, only needs two coats, brush not too big or small and not a horrific price. I highly recommend this colour for summer and spring seasons, and I may have also cheekily worn it in autumn and winter because I love it so much!


Lauren xoxo

My MAC Lipstick Collection with Swatches

Heya! So today I decided to talk to you about some of my favourite products and by one of my favourite brands of all time. MAC lipsticks. Love them or loathe them (not that loathing them is possible!) they are a classic makeup essential in my opinion. Priced at £14 they're not the cheapest of products, but compared to other high end brands they are very competitively priced like all MAC products. I decided to take you through my collection and give you an in depth review on each. Enjoy!

Overview of my collection:

 I'm going to go from lightest to darkest, starting with Myth.

 As you can see, it is a peachy nude colour. It matte, but has a very slight gloss to it when applied opaque.
Below are two swatches on my lips- one sheer (patted on) and one opaque (one full coat).

Sheer

Opaque

Although I'm not a fan of the colour on me personally, this is a very creamy and buttery lipstick.

Pigmentation- Brilliant colour pay off, and still nice when sheered out
Texture- Creamy and Buttery
Finish- Matte with a slight sheen due to the creaminess
Smell- Nothing unpleasant
Staying Power- Medium
Rating- 6/10

Although the quality of this lipstick is great, the colour is so light it makes me look a bit ill! That is why my personal rating is lower, but on a different skin tone it may work (just avoid if you have fair skin with olive undertones!).


Next is Angel.

As you can probably tell, I have gotten a fair bit of use out of this one! The colour is a cool toned baby pink, and although I'm not the biggest fan of nudes, I can certainly tolerate this one!

Sheer

Opaque

 As well as not being an ambassador for the nude lippie, I also dislike most cool tone shades because of my skin tone (which looks white on the flash which is a very poor representative!) which like I said has olive undertones (in case you were wondering where I got that from, I am from England but my Mum's, Mum's, Mum is from france! What a mouthful!) so cool shades stand out on my skin. But this shade has always looked OK.

 Pigmentation- Good colour pay off, and still nice when sheered out
Texture- Creamy and Buttery
Finish- Matte with a sheen
Smell- Nothing unpleasant
Staying Power- Medium
Rating- 7/10

 I do like this lipstick, but it is not massively lighter than my natural lip colour so doesn't show up brilliantly.



Next up is..... Sunny Seoul.

 Another pretty pink lipstick, but this time with a warm, rose undertone. It really is a lovely colour and would suit practically all skin tones.

Sheer

Opaque

 The flash did not really do this lipstick justice and in my opinion it is more pigmented than that in real life, but here goes...

 Pigmentation- Medium, it's a creamsheen so more glossy than pigmented
Texture- Smooth and glossy
Finish- Gloss with shimmer
Smell- Nothing unpleasant
Staying Power- Low/Medium
Rating- 8/10

The staying power of this lippie is not great due to the glossy texture, but I love the colour and the fact you don't need a lip gloss with it.


Roll on.... Betty Bright

 A hot pink coral. As you can probably tell, its difficult to put my finger on the exact colour of this! :)

Sheer

Opaque

Overall a lovely lipstick, great pigmentation. It comes out a blue toned rosy pink, a bit deceiving from the bullet if you ask me! ;)

 Pigmentation- Brilliant
Texture- Creamy and Buttery
Finish- Matte with a sheen
Smell- Nothing unpleasant
Staying Power- Medium
Rating- 9/10

Nothing awful to say about this, I really can't fault it. The only reason it doesn't get full marks is when applied opaque it can look so bright I look almost clown like! >_<

And finally....... Plumful

 A beautiful pink toned plum, I saved the best until last. This lipstick is literally amazing, a must have!

Sheer

Opaque

My shoddy application skills in the second picture aside, this lip stick is my favorite of all time. I love it the whole universe and back, and would repurchase it in an instant.


Pigmentation- Fantabulous
Texture- Soft, silky, smooth
Finish- Sheen
Smell- Nothing unpleasant
Staying Power- Medium/High
Rating- 1000000/10

What can I say? This lipstick is faultless. Not only is it great sheer or opaque, its silky and smooth and I never ever want to add a gloss as its perfectly shiny on its own. Its a no brainer- everyone needs one! ;)



Lauren xoxo

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Revlon Colorstay Smokey Shadow Stick Review- Torch

Heya! So this is my first blog post, so I suppose it better be a good one....

I decided the best thing to start off with would probably be some sort of review, just to get things cracking. I decided to review something I purchased very recently and have fallen in love with. The Revlon Smokey Shadow Stick in Torch. It is AMAZING...



As you can see, the product consists to two ends- a deep bronze and a pale golden pink.



Note: The pink is less pigmented once rubbed in, and the brown lightens considerably.


Opinions:

Price- At £7.99, they're on the pricier side of drugstore.
Pigmentation- Very good when applied, poor when rubbed in.
Smell- Nothing unpleasant.
Texture- Smooth, creamy. Glide on effortlessly, don't tug on the eyes.
Overall Mark- 7/10

Pros:

Good initial pigmentation
Nice sheen in light
Very blendable
Don't tug on eyes

Cons:

Pigmentation lacks when blended.
Expensive for drugstore.


Overall I love the blendable creaminess of these shadows, and as pigmentation lacks when blended out they make great bases. Also good for lining the eyes with the brown, and the pink makes a great highlight. I would recommend and repurchase these.

Lauren xoxo