Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in 110 Ivory | Review + Swatches.

Time for another review! Getting through them slowly but surely. This review is about Revlons Nearly Naked foundation (£8.99). I'm sure you've heard about it by now, it's huge in the blog world at the moment, or it has been in the past couple of months. As usual I'm a little behind!

I bought one of the lightest shades, Ivory. There was another light one called Shell but I thought this one was better suited to my skin tone. It matches pretty well which was surprising as most drugstore brands don't tend to have light enough shades for pale folk. The only other one I've found is Rimmels Match Perfection in 010 (review here).

So straight away I liked it because it matched my skin tone, great start. It also applies easily and quickly when using my Real Techniques Buffing brush. My skin is still very, very dry at the moment and I found it accentuated it even more. The Rimmel foundation does this too, rather annoying. Even if I exfoliate my skin beforehand it makes little difference.
Other than that I really like the feel and look of Nearly Naked. It is light to medium coverage which I like because my freckles still show through a little. It also feels nice and light so you don't really notice you're wearing make up. I'd say it lasts all day, but I tend to have to touch up sometimes because of my dry skin.
The thing that most people have an issue with is that it doesn't have a pump, but I don't find that to be a problem. You just need to be careful when you're pouring it out.
To see me wearing it click here.

FOTD | Benefit, Collection + Accessorize.

Here's something I've not done in a while, a face of the day! This was from yesterday. I wasn't up to much, just hanging around the house during the day and I went out later at night with the same make up on. I only had to touch up my blusher and lipstick.

I used quite a variety of products and brands for this look. I do love to mix things up a bit. I think the coppery/brown/pink eyeshadows go nicely with the teal eyeliner and I wanted to keep the rest of my face pretty neutral so my eyes would be the main focus.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Black Cherry | Review + Swatch.

This lipstick was something I had my eye on for months but was always sold out! Until one day it was finally in stock and Boots just so happened to be doing a 3 for 2 promotion with Revlon products (£7.49). Good timing or what?! So it was featured in a little Revlon haul post a while back. You can read it here.
I decided this lipstick needed it's very own post though. It's love.

Revlon Matte Lipstick in Mauve It Over | Review + Swatch.

Revlon is a brand that I absolutely love! I've got a variety of their products and I've never been let down by any of them. Especially not their lipsticks, can you see what kind of review this is going to be? Ha.

Mauve It Over was a shade I was unsure of at first, it's not my usual colour but I eventually decided I needed it. Don't you love it what that happens? This lipstick is matte, although it's not completely matte and retails at £7.49. You can pick it up in Boots and Superdrug and there tend to be 3for2 offers on or similar promotions.

First off I really like the packaging, it's lovely and it's matte too, so it fits with the finish of the lipstick. Such a nice touch! The texture is great, it doesn't tug as much as some matte lipsticks - probably because it's not as matte as some others. I find the staying power is pretty good too, as with most mattes; around 5 hours without eating (who goes 5 hours without eating though!?)
I wore this to a job interview I had, I found it was the perfect nude type of shade without being too nude, it still has a nice hint of pink to it. Should I just say it's mauve, or is that admitting defeat? Wow, I'm awful at explaining colours! Let's just see the swatches shall we...

 

February Favourites | 2013.

Better late than never! Although I have seen quite a few of these posts popping up today which makes me feel better about the slight lateness.
Having an enjoyable weekend? I had work yesterday which was alright, a little busy as can be expected for the first Saturday after payday! Today was spent mostly in my bed. I didn't set an alarm and ended up waking at 2.55pm. Oops, must have needed it though.

Anyway, on to my favourites. This is my first monthly favourites post ever, exciting stuff right?!

Lipstick Tag | Revlon, Rimmel + MAC.

L-R - Back Row - Revlon Mauve It Over, Really Red + Black Cherry. Middle Row - MAC Shy Girl, Russian Red + Hang Up. Front Row - Rimmel 101, 111 + 107.

1. When you were a child, did you use your mother's lipsticks?

I did once or twice. My mum tends to wear brown lipsticks or dark ones and as a child they never really appealed to me. Saying that I do remember trying them on.

2. How old were you when you bought your first lipstick?

I must have been about 10, I got a little set of minis (no idea where from) that I loved and they were all different colours. I mainly remember there being a couple of frost finish ones.

3. Pink or red lipstick?

Red, hands down!

4. The most expensive lipstick you have ever bought?

My Chanel lipstick, it was £25, but I got it on sale for £22.50.

5. And the cheapest?

Any of the ones from MUA or the BC ones from Bodycare.
You can see the cheapest ones I own in the photo below. None of them cost more than £2.50.

6. Do you use a lip brush to apply your lipstick?

Nah, I'm too lazy for that. I've always meant to try it though! It would really be a good idea though as I don't have the steadiest hand.

7. If you had to recommend a lipstick, which brand would you recommend and why?

Probably Rimmel or Revlon, they both have a great range of colours and finishes. The quality is brilliant, the price is affordable and they tend to be on offer in Boots of Superdrug.

I tag everyone! :)

2012 | Beauty Favourites.

Here are my favourite products of 2012. I've been getting into make up and beauty a lot more this year, eventually! I've never really been one of those girls that takes ages to get ready, or to spend money on beauty products, but I'd really like to take more pride in my appearance for many reasons. Mainly because it makes me feel more confident and lifts my mood!

I've split everything into categories, each category has winner (or two, I'm so fickle!)

Foundation.
Rimmel Match Perfection - Shade 010.

I just love this foundation, it's everything I've been looking for; a decent price, nice packaging, medium coverage, a shade that actually matches my skin, a nice smell, and is readily available!
Full review here.

Lipstick.
Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Collection - Shade 111.

I'm in love with matte lipstick, especially red matte lipstick and this one is gorgeous! I think this whole collection is perfection and I hope that they bring out more colours this year!
Review here.

Mini Revlon Haul.

Something I really love about Christmas time is the special offers certain shops have on! Boots and Superdrug tend to have them all year round, but they have more around this time of year. 

I popped into Boots a couple of weeks ago and I noticed that it was 3 for 2 on all Revlon cosmetics, this caught my eye straight away as there are a few things I've been looking to buy from them for ages. Here's what I got.

Beauty Blogger Tag.

I feel like doing something a little different so it's time to answer some questions!

Why did you start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?  
Well I've had this blog for about 3 years and I was originally sporadically posting my photography here, but I neglected it for a couple of years but I'd say I'm back for good this time! I still occasionally like to post my photos here as it's one of my main passions. I enjoy having something structured to do as I'm pretty lazy most of the time so I find it motivating to have something to write about.

Whose blog did you fall in love with first?  
The first beauty blog I followed was Beauty and Baggage. Seonaids blog is fantastic, so many interesting, honest reviews that I find really helpful. Along with beautiful make-up looks, photos and fantastic style. Ok, I think I'm finished gushing now!
On YouTube it was Grav3yardgirl or Bunny Meyer, she's just so inspirational in so many ways. I guarantee she'll make you laugh and she makes me feel better no matter what mood I'm in. 

What was the first blogosphere hyped about product you bought and was it worth the hype?
It was probably the Naked palette, although it was a gift from my boyfriend I did ask for it. I think it's totally worth it! See my post here.

What are your favourite five things about blogging and being a beauty blogger? 
1 - Being able to review things and helping other people find things that work for them, for example I have very pale skin and I like to share when I find a foundation that actually matches! It works both ways too obviously.
2 - It's nice to find people who are passionate about similar things.
3 - I love going out and buying new things to write about, that's an obvious one I think. It does make it easier to justify buying things! 
4 - It gives me something to do other than waste my time perusing the internet randomly. I feel very productive when I'm blogging.
5 - Speaking to new people and as cheesy as it may sound, making new friends. :)

What have you learnt from being a beauty blogger? 
So many things, even just in these past few months! I used to just watch YouTube videos about make up and things. I then found the blogs of the YouTubers. I've learned lots of tips and techniques for applying my make-up properly, I'm getting much better at applying eyeshadow. I've also learned to swatch things a lot more before buying. I usually swatch things a couple of times before I commit to buying now, I like to think about it and know I'm sure. Saves a lot of money not impulse buying all the time. Another thing is that just because something it hyped up or expensive it doesn't mean it's the right thing for you specifically. There's probably a lot more things.

Have you changed anything since being a beauty blogger?
I've changed the way I apply make-up as I mentioned before. It does take me longer to get ready if I'm putting make-up on though! I take better care of my skin, I only used to mosturise when I really had to. I do spend more money on beauty products now, but I'm not really buying clothes any more so it's alright I suppose.

What advice would you give to a beauty blogger just starting out?  
Well I'm still starting out, so I'll just talk about what I'm doing at the moment. Write about what you like, what you know and what interests you. Chances are there will be other people out there with similar opinions and beauty likes. Don't worry if you don't have many followers, it doesn't mean you have a bad blog or that no-one is reading it. As long as you're enjoying what you're writing, that's what matters! Also, you don't have to go out any buy loads of new things, you could start by writing about your Holy Grail products and things you've maybe overlooked in your collection. Reply to all comments you get, be friendly and comment on other peoples blogs too!

Name your top five brands!
Rimmel, MAC, Elf, MUA and Collection 2000 probably. Bit of a weird mixture, but I have a wide variety of brands, they're the ones I have most products from I'd say.

Recommend your top five favourite beauty products!
1 - A classic red lipstick - my favourites are Really Red by Revlon, 111 by Kate Moss Rimmel and Russian Red by MAC.
2 - Naked palette, really does live up to the hype if you like a nude or smoky eye.
3 - MAC Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation in NC 15 - best foundation I've used so far.
4 - Any Aussie hair product, be it shampoo, conditioner or styling products. They are all fantastic and smell so yummy.
5 - Batiste dry shampoo in the scent Boho - if they ever stop making this I'll actually cry. It smells amazing and works wonders on my hair.

Yup, so that's it. I tag everyone because you should all do this, it's interesting and I want to see your answers! Comment if you're going to do it or if you already have :)

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Favourite Matte Lipsticks.

As you may have noticed by now I absolutely love matte lipsticks. I don't think that I suit shimmery lips, a bit of sheen at night is enough for me.

These are some of my favourite matte lip colours (minus MACs Russian Red, which will have it's own post soon).

Please excuse the grody state of the packaging!

First one is by e.l.f, it was mentioned it in my haul a couple of weeks ago. It's a lip pencil in the colour Tea Rose and it cost £3.75. It's a lovely cool pink colour, something that is a little odd for me, but this is pretty much the only thing I wear other than red. I do find it to be a little more drying than the other two I'll be writing about, but it is beautifully opaque.

The next one is from the Kate Moss for Rimmel matte collection. It is in shade 111 - Kiss of Life. I was actually looking for shade 107 when I was looking at them as I wanted to try something a little darker for Autumn, but it was sold out. So I went for yet another red! I'm very glad I did, it's a beautiful colour which I have worn several times. It's a slightly deeper red than a classic red, so it's different from anything I already have. Bonus points for it being matte! This is a long lasting colour and it's not too drying on my already dry lips.
I will be keeping an eye out for 107 though as my mum has it and she loves it! These cost only £5.49.

Lastly, this is my absolute favourite, it's Really Red by Revlon. Revlon is a brand that I had never really paid much attention to before this year. The first thing I bought was their Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie, I was looking to try something a little different and I was pleasantly surprised. From then on I kept an eye on the stand and tried a few different things out. I also saw many blog posts and review raving about their lipsticks so I thought it was time to try one. I bought this about a month ago from eBay, for £5.99.

L-R: Tea Rose, Really Red and Kiss of Life (111).

Do you like matte lipsticks? Any suggestions?

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Revlon Really Red Matte Lipstick

Ello!

For the past couple of years I've been in love with red lipstick, and recently I've been trying to spend a little more on them. Trying to look at them as an investment as red lips are a classic look. As I've mentioned in past posts I don't spend that much on beauty products, mainly because I spend a lot of money on clothes and food! So it's about time I start looking for some (slightly) more expensive products.

I'm not saying that cheaper brands aren't good, I have had some pleasant surprises with MUA and elf lipsticks. Namely, Posh by elf and one of MUAs deeper reds (which has no name...). I also like some of Bodycares' own range, Poison is a fantastic deep berry colour, I'm sure they have a bright red as well. I will do a lipstick collection post in the future I'm sure.

So, on to the main point of this post. I ordered a Revlon matte lipstick last week from ebay. I was initially looking at the Smashbox Be Legendary range - Infrared Matte in particular after seeing it in the October Issue of Look magazine. But it costs £15.50. So I started looking for other matte lipsticks and I came across the Revlon one, so I went to ebay and managed to find it for £5 so I jumped on it. The lipstick arrived just in time for our flat-warming, so I wore it that night. I was eating and drinking all night, and it lasted! I would say I got around 6 hours wear out of it before it faded in the centre of my lips.