My Make up Bag #5

Some times with blogging you just find yourself not really wanting to sit down and write about the things you have but a quick refresh with some new bits from Boots and the odd blogsale and I can't wait to get writing again! Plus I had a crap week at school, lots of things went wrong so I a lot few new bits were obviously needed!

For this weeks base I've picked an old favourite, Maybelline's Superstay 24hr Foundation as I need a bit more coverage at the, more of a confidence boost then anything. Concealer not in the picture is the usual Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer although I am on the hunt for a new one as I'm finding it a bit cakey at the moment. Now spring has almost sprung, I want to add a bit of warmth back in before I start reaching for the fake tan so in my Boots splurge I picked up Soap & Glory's Solar Powder after reading lots of reviews. For a pop of brightness I picked up my first ever Tarte Amazon Clay blush from a blog sale, the aptly named Blushing Bride, it's my new love.

Onto eyes and this week I'm just going to play with Soap & Glory's Supercat black liner, I'm always trying to master the perfect black line. Eye shadow will probably be different each day, but I'm tempted to try out the Bourjois Colourband, I've picked up three so keep a look out for them. Lashes are from my latest newbie, Benefit's Rollerlash. I've loved using this since I used the sample from the Elle magazine last month so I had to pick up the full size. Not pictured is my Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade, can't live without it.

I'm sure these will get mixed up day to day as well, I've got a few other bits and pieces I want to use but I will report back.

Anywhoo, now to get on with some more blogging, its so nice to have my mojo back! 

What bits are you using this week? Have you tried any of my picks? Leave your comments in the box below! 

Sarah xx

My Make Up Bag #4

Hellooo lovely people, I hope you've had a wonderful week - I can't believe we're already back to another Monday already, it’s been a mad busy weekend but it's nice to spend some time being busy.

Make up this week is a lot of high street make up, it’s nice to use a lot of my old favourites.

Base this week is a combination of two Rimmel Lasting Finish 25hr Foundations in Soft Beige & Ivory. These two mixed together are the perfect tone for me at the moment, not too dark but not to ghostly for my current skin tone. Concealer is Wake Me Up from Rimmel, love this stuff! Cheeks are a combination of Rimmel Stay Blushed (sensing a bit of brand love!) and Collection Bronze Glow, I think this was from a Glossybox so I've not tried it but a quick swatch says it’s just enough to warm up my face a bit.

My love for Anastasia Dip Brow is still going strong, I think I need to review it soon really but I haven't stopped using it. Shadow this week is MUA's Heaven & Earth Palette; I forgot how good the shadows are in this. Liner is a black gel from No 7, this was my first foray into gel liner many years ago and it’s about time it got some love again. Lashes this week come in the shape of Benefit's They're Real mascara, after my love for Roller Mascara last week it's nice to be using my other favourite mascara.

Those are my picks this week, what bits would you pick out of my selection? What are you using this week? 

Sarah xx

My Make Up Bag #2

Finally I have my Big Girl camera back working and I got a tad snap happy this week but I have lots of lovely things I wanted to show you. My make-up choices this week really reflect how I'm feeling at the moment - I'm full of cold and so my skin is looking very sorry for itself and is not playing ball. 

This week I've picked two bases dependent on skin days. Benefit Porefessional teamed with Bourjois 123 Perfect foundation for days when I can be bothered to apply a proper base and have a little more time in the morning. For days when I just can't be bothered, Benefit You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser as it gives just a tint to the skin without full coverage, plus it helps my poor, dehydrated skin around my nose. Concealer is my favourite from Rimmel, the Wake Me Up concealer is amazing and perfect for bag and break outs.

Onto eyes and I'm using a mix of a palettes, I can't choose just one as I've got a few new ones to play with thanks to the boy. Brows are my new go to favourite of Anastasia Dip Brow as it holds and fills my brows without looking over done. Mascara is Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro for full lashes. When I can be bothered, I will try to us Collection's Fast Stroke liner to add a bit of line to the upper lashes but this will depend on time and laziness factor in the mornings.

This is what I've got in my make-up bag this week; I'd love to know what you're using this week. 

 Sarah Xx

Review - Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush

Boots - £5.99

For as long as I can remember I've envied those girls who make a winged liner look so easy - the way in videos they slick it on like its natural to them. So I'm on a mission to learn myself. I've tried liquid and me and that just don't mix, my eyelid are too oily (that's sexy I know!) So I've been using different gel liners and trying to teach myself - it appears I need to work on my technique, starting with the brush.

I picked up the Silicone Liner Brush from Real Techniques after reading a shed load of reviews on line. The silicone tip makes it easy to load up the brush with product as well as removing what you don't need. Application is made easier as the stiffer tip holds its shape rather then splaying out like a tradition brush. 

I use this by sliding the edge along my top lash line. It fits easily against the lash line, leaving a smooth line which I have much more control over. Slowing I can create the line I want, however I haven't progressed to a cat flick yet - baby steps after all!

At £5.99, this is the cheapest of all the brushes from Real Techniques, but it is one of my every day essentials now - over the summer I hope to master the full flick so watch this space!

Have you tried the Silicone Liner Brush? Any tips for mastering the flick as I'm hopeless!! xx

Review - Benefit Big Easy

My love for Benefit make up is not something I hide, I use a lot of their products because I love them! Every new release is carefully tried out in Boots & John Lewis before I take the plunge to buy.  When Benefits Big Easy was released I read a lot of blog posts. You see, I love Hello Flawless foundation, to me it is holy grail material so any new base release needs to compare against that.

Big Easy is the new 'multi balancing complexion perfector' from Benefit that has SPF35 and comes in 6 shades. Looking at other reviews, it appears most people feel it's some what of a foundation/bb cream hybrid - offering build able coverage but letting your skin show through.

I have shade 02 Light. To me, this is almost spot in in terms of colour match, it is slightly yellow toned so it cancels out my natural redness which I love and doesn't leave me looking off colour. I've also picked up shade 03 for when I'm slightly more tanned. 

I tend to use my fingers to apply Big Easy for day to day as it give a nice, natural finish - giving a small amount of coverage and colour correction. I have used a brush with it but I find it can go a bit streaky with a brush. I put a small dot on to each cheek, one in my forehead and a small dot in my chin and blendwith clean   hands. I'm left with a not too matte finish, just natural. Add a touch of concealer and I'm good to go!

Lasting power is pretty good, it's still on my skin 12hrs later, some slight wear around my nose but that's normal for my oily skin. Depending on what moisturiser I've used in the am depends in how shiny I am, a mattifying one leads to slight 'glow' across my cheeks and forehead, a but more heavy duty and I do start to look a tad shiny - nothing a dusting of powder can't sort. 

Another plus is that it is meant to give you SPF35 protection, which is above and beyond any other foundation I've found, perfect now the weather is getting warmer - lord knows I burn the moment the sun starts to think about putting its hat on! 

The only negative I have is how much this clings to my eyebrows, I don't know if I've got very dry eyebrows but it can't get a bit orange under the old brows, no matter how much I brush it out I can still see it! But never mind, its something I've learnt to deal with, avoiding putting this on the brows - I think this would also cling to any dry patches as well.

Overall, for me this is my every day base product, I can't see myself falling out with it any time soon. You can pick it up from Boots for £27.50 or anywhere else you can buy Benefit from. Also, check out http://www.vouchercloud.com/boots-com-vouchers for futher discounts at Boots.

What do you think of Benefit products? Have you tried Big Easy? xx

February Empties

I've been on a mad mission in February to use up as much as I could, I will not move all this with us when the time comes! 

- Crazy Colour Semi Permanent Lavender - This wasn't finished this month but it's been laying around and needs getting rid of!

- Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo - Budget version of the Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo, I did enjoy this for a long time, it took ages to use up!

- Lush Olive Branch - Kinda cheating here, this is the boy's favourite, a new bottle every Xmas lasts him nearly a year!

- Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes - Having ombre hair means keeping the blonde non brassy, this is perfect for that.

- VO5 Give Me Texture Shampoo - A good shampoo, that's all I can say.

- Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo - I love this, a double wash with this and my hair is gorgeously soft.

- Soap & Glory Righteous Butter - A lovely tub of loveliness, great for the winter months and  great for keeping skin soft.

- Boots Extract Cocoa Butter - Another one of the boys bits, he likes this a lot because its thick and helps with his skin condition.

- Dove Summer Body - I need some colour at the minute so this is being used! I cut it up to get every last bit out of it.

- Privita Shower Gel - think this came from a hotel, its just a little bottle that the boy used so no idea if its any good or not.

- Soap & Glory Clean Girls - From my Advent calendar, loved this a lot, made my skin so soft after a shower.

- Garnier Moisture Match - A lovely moisturiser, kept my skin soft and clear. I would recommend this to everyone looking for an oil controlling moisturiser that leaves the skin matte.

- Nivea Stress Protect Anti-Perspirant - It does its job, what more can I say.

- Benefit You're Buffing - A really old product (oops) but it cancels out redness on the skin.

- Benefit Total Moisture - Lovely night cream, my skin has never been so soft, tempted by the full size.

- Caudalie SOS Serum - For really dry skin, this really has made the difference between waking up like a lizard, or with peachy soft skin - this is on the list.

- Vichy Norma Derm - A two in one mask/scrub, this was nice, not something I would repurchase but still a nice product.

- Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Pore Strips - I love these, could used them weekly and stare at them for hours! They do the job and wont break the bank

- Tesco Cotton Wool - Need I say more?

- Asda Fish Oil - One a day and I thought I wouldnt notice any differences, but now I've stopped taking them I can tell, my skin is a lot drier.

- Lush Bubble Beard Wand - Working through my Xmas stash, lots of bubbles and loved using it, thankfully I stocked up

- Lush Candy Mountain - 3 baths of loveliness, another one from the stash :)

So there we go, 22 products used up in 28 days, its so nice to have a clear out, however I've already started the March bag! 

What bits have you used up this month? xx

Makeup - This Week #3

Hello, remember me? Yeah I know, I started the year off so well by blogging every day and then this week got a bit crazy after my birthday on Tuesday, and then a busy day of house hunting yesterday and a lot of sadness today, but blogging it getting me focused again. 

This week’s makeup picks:

Face:

- Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation (Nearly finished!)

- Maybelline Superstay 24hr Foundation

- L’Oreal True Match foundation

- Benefit It Stick Concealer

Eyes

- Benefit Browzing

- Maybelline Browdrama (Testing)

- SEVENTEEN Blow Out Mascara

- Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Liner

- Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara

Just a few bits this week, I'm also trying to use up some lipsticks as well, but that post will come up later in the week.

What bits are you using this week? Xx

Makeup - This Week #1

Back for the New Year, I'm changing things up with the photography on here, no idea what you think but I quite like how they're turning out, just need to work on the focus of things.

I've changed the name of the series because I felt like it, that’s all really :) Onto this week!

Back to school tomorrow, it’s been nice to be off school; however I am looking forward to getting back and seeing my lovely children again. I also need to get back into wearing make up again, I've worn next to nothing for the past two weeks and it’s been great, however I don't want to scare the children! 

Base - 

Benefit Porefessional Primer

Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation

Eyes - 

Benefit Browzing

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara

Urban Decay Naked Palette 

SEVENTEEN Tattoo Me Liner

Cheeks - 

Rimmel Stay Blushed Cream Blush

Bourjois Bronzing Primer

There are all my picks for this week; I'm hoping to get some of the bits finished soon so they might make regular appearances. What bits are you using this week? What do you think of the different backgrounds this week?

Xx

Advent Door 13 - Review: Rimmel Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara

 Mascara is one of those things that I'm always searching for the Holy Grail of - one that will give volume and length, as well as holding curl in my straight lashes!

Rimmel brought out their Scandaleyes Retro Glam mascara back in the summer and it has been one on my go to products every week. It claimed to give; a wide-eyed false lash look, Fanned out volume. No clumps, Lashes Up, out and over the top.

Big claims from Rimmel but ones that it does stand up to. I find with this mascara that two coats gives really full, black lashes that stand out and last all day. I feel more so than some other, this does help to give the appearance of wide eyes, maybe not quite false lash but still really well.

For me, I really need there to be no clumps as this leads to flaking! I think this is really good for no clumps; this is down to the brush shape I think. A nice, thick brush that drags through the lashes, leaving a smooth finish on the lashes. For a lower cost mascara, I can't really fault it!

Rimmel products always seem to be on some sort of offer, currently you can pick this up for £6.99 so a low-mid priced product, but I'm happy to pay that for the lash effect that you get! 

What do you think? Have you tried this mascara yet? Xx

Advent Door 8 - FOTD Christmas Shopping

So the Christmas shopping has been started, some gifts purchased and wrapped. I decided to brave the shops in Watford last weekend, and this is the make up I wore for the day. I wanted my make up to be natural-ish, but still with a flawless base and the focus on eyes.

I used Benefit's Hello Flawless foundation as the base, buffed into the skin with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. It's a good foundation that lasts well in the stressful shopping situation. On my cheeks I've got a light dusting of Bella Bamba, also from Benefit to give a nice rosy flush.

On the eyes I have MUA's Eye Primer, MUAs Undressed Too palette and Smashbox HyperLash mascara.  Topped off with Benefit Browzing, its just a quick look for those days I don't want too much make up but to still look nice and not scare the general public.

Just a quick FOTD, I tend to wear this a lot for work as well. 

What do you wear when you're out shopping? xx

Review - Collection Fast Stroke EyeLiner

I am the worst person ever when it comes to applying eyeliner but I love how it looks, it really does make a difference, however I never thought I would become addicted to wearing liquid liner - it’s all the fault of the Collection Fast Stroke Liner!

I received this from a Glossybox, ignored it and threw it in my stash and forgot. It wasn't until I was at my parents for a party and realised that I had no liner that my mum gave me this - she's not really a liner fan. So I tried it and fell in love.

Collection Fast Stroke is a nice wet liner that is really easy to apply, it glides on thanks to the felt tip like applicator in a thin line that is really black, it can be built up into a thicker liner, plus it stays put all day.

I love the applicator, it’s made applying it a lot easier, I can use the narrow tip to get into the lash line, or use the side to make it a tad thicker. I do tend to go with a narrow line, it just opens up the eye and that's what I need.

I can't find this on the Boots website to say how much this is, but knowing Collection it won’t break the bank.

I'm still learning with liquid liner, but this is a good starter liner - any tips? What do you think of liquid liner? xx

Wishlist - Christmas With Smashbox

Incase you missed it, Xmas is officially 6 weeks away today! If you didn't care about that then this post is not for you. My inbox is slowly filling up with Xmas collections from my favourite brands, a lot of my time is now spent looking at them all and my letter to Santa is getting longer by the day.

Incase you missed it, Smashbox have released their Xmas Collection, the gorgeous Wondervision Collection. 

Wondervision LipGlosses Set - £19.00

"Get Glossed! A limited-edition set of our luxe, high-shine glosses in the season's most stunning shades. Include 5 shades of Lip Enhancing Gloss Shades: Pout, Radiant, Tease, Luster, Ruby" 

Smashbox Wondervision Brush Set - £48.00

"Our signature brushes dressed up in chrome, just for the holidays! Swipe, sweep and blend like a pro with this limited-edition set—all wrapped up in a super-luxe clutch."

Wondervision Eye Set in Cosmic - £35.00

 "See yourself in Wondervision! Bursts of color at every turn reveal a range of finishes from matte to metallic for eye looks that are all your own" Contains 6 Shades, Waterproof Eyeliner in Onyx, Full Exposure Mascara and a Zipped Makeup Bag

 Wondervision Eye Set in Sparks - £35.00

 "See yourself in Wondervision! Bursts of color at every turn reveal a range of finishes from matte to metallic for eye looks that are all your own" Contains 6 Shades, Waterproof Eyeliner in Onyx, Full Exposure Mascara and a Zipped Makeup Bag

Wondervision Mega Palette - £49.00

"Create multi-faceted looks from subtle to sexy! This mega palette is bursting with color—34 hues for eyes and cheeks, all in a range of finishes from matte to metallic. Contains 30 colours for eyes, 4 blushes and a Get the Look tutorial card"

I have fallen totally in love with the Mega Palette, if no one buys me this for Xmas, this may have to be a present to myself from myself! I love the whole collection, yes they are more pricey, but its Xmas so why not splash out! 

What do you think? Which bits would you pick? xx

Review - Rimmel Stay Blushed in Pop of Pink

Rimmel have been bringing out some awesome products just recently, with the re-formulation of their Stay Matte foundation there's also their first cream blush. I picked up Pop of Pink as I prefer pink blushes just generally.

In the little tube you get quite a bright pink cream, it can look very intimidating but it blends out to a really soft flush of pink rather then an in your face pink.

A little of this goes a long way, I dot this onto my check and then blend with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush to leave a soft finish. It lasted a full 12hrs, which is really good considering my oily skin.

For £4.49, I think that its a super little product and I quite fancy picking up Sunkissed Cherry. I hope Rimmel bring out some other colours, maybe even a darker on for contouring and a lighter one for highlighting as well.

What do you think? A perfect pop of pink? xx

Sunday Make-up Shake-up #17

After a hectic week last week at work, I've got a little more time in the morning to play so I've picked a few bits extra this week! Yay for more time and make up!


- Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation - an oldie but a lovely foundation, I like this as I'm losing the summer colour and it gives good finish on my oily skin.


- Benefit It Stick - its a concealer, need it at the moment :(


- Benefit Browzing - The perfect match for my brows, NEED to get this used up so I can purchase a new one!


- Maybelline Colour Tattoo Metallic Pomegranate - An item I've been waiting to use, I love all the other so I'm happy this is in my collection! Will feed back on my hopes for this!


- Rimmel Blush in Santa Rose - Tanya Burr loves it, I love it, everyone should love it!


- Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Liners - 3 to play with this week, can't wait to try out different eye looks.


- Rimmel Scanaleyes Mascara - I love this a lot, it rivals my love for Benefit's  They're Real, will review this soon! 


I'm very Rimmel & Benefit heavy this week, oh well, its what I reached for before realising.


What bits have you picked for this week? If you do these posts, please link me below! xx