A Working Week in Lipstick #2

Good evening everyone, hope you’ve had a nice start to the week! I thought I’d put together another working week in lipstick post after my first one here, so this is what I wore last week!

Monday

I was in a bit of a rush this morning and needed something quick and easy so went for Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Wrong Number (Sheer). This is pretty new to me and you might have seen it crop up on my Instagram here! Generally, sheer lipsticks are a big favourite of mine and this is no different! It’s a lovely medium pink shade with a nice gloss and although it’s not the longest lasting (which is to be expected) it’s so easy to apply and I know I’ll get lots of wear out of it!

Tuesday

I went for what it probably my favourite lip combo at the moment today and chose Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillowtalk and Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Bitch Perfect. Pillowtalk is the most perfect shade in the world in my opinion and I am completely obsessed with it! Its creamy, doesn’t drag on the lips, it’s long lasting and I just love the neutral dusty pink colour! I put Bitch Perfect over the top and love how they look together! Bitch Perfect on its own isn’t my favourite shade and it does have little glitter particles in it which I wasn’t expecting but I love how it looks over Pillowtalk and it lasts well on me!

Swatches l-r: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Wrong Number, Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk and Bitch Perfect 

Wednesday

Since buying Pillowtalk, I have a newfound love for lip liners and Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pink Venus was next on my list. It’s a lot more of a true pink shade on my lips but looks a little peachy in the swatch but I guess it depends on the pigmentation of your lips! It has the same gorgeous formula as Pillowtalk and I also sometimes pair it with Bitch Perfect but today I went for Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 38. I finally jumped on the bandwagon with this one and I’m so glad I did! It’s meant to be a dupe for Bitch Perfect but I find it a little lighter in tone and not as long lasting! Still a gorgeous shade with a bit more of a shine to it and it’s really comfortable to wear and a lot more affordable that the CT!

Thursday

My lipsticks are stored in a few different places and some tend to be neglected if I can’t see them as easily as others and this is what happened NYX High Voltage Lipstick in Flutter Kiss unfortunately! Not anymore though because I forgot how much I love this lipstick! It has a very lightweight balm feel to it but has really good colour payoff and the shade is beautiful! I love lipsticks with a thin nib like this too as I find them so easy to apply! Definitely need to show this one some more love!

Friday

It’s finally Friday and to celebrate the proper start of Autumn I went with a darker shade for today! MAC Lipstick in Plumful (Lustre) is the only MAC lipstick I have and it’s a really lovely, easy to wear shade! It’s not the longest lasting due to the lustre finish but it wears off evenly and I sometimes pat it in after I’ve applied to stain my lips a bit more! I’ll definitely be getting a lot of wear of this throughout the next few months!  

Swatches l-r: Charlotte Tilbury Pink Venus, Rimmel 38, NYX Flutter Kiss, MAC Plumful 

So that’s the latest instalment of my working week in lipstick! As I mentioned, you can see my first one here and I also did a working week in blush here! Do you own any of these lipsticks? What do you think of them?

Danielle xx

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Product Empties #9

Another month another empties post! I wasn’t actually going to do this for another few weeks but my box was overflowing so thought I’d go ahead and post!

Bodycare

Eucerin Intensive Lotion

I talked about this in a products I’m loving post here as it is the BEST thing for dry, itchy legs! I had random eczema patches on my legs a few years ago and this was the only thing that helped so I like to have a bottle of it to hand at all times! Already repurchased!

Nivea Caring Shower Cream Indulging Moisture Cocoa*

This shower cream featured in this post I did about the shower gels I currently have on rotation. Its creamy, moisturising and smells like cocoa! Cocoa isn’t my favourite scent but I love Nivea shower gels and already have another of their scents in my stash!

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff 3 in 1 Body Scrub

I haven’t had the best of luck with Cocoa Brown products unfortunately, the first bottle of tan I bought had a aerosol type pump for the mousse tan and broke off halfway through the bottle so I couldn’t finish it and this scrub I won in a giveaway was really runny and didn’t lather up so I ended up using it up very quickly! It’s pink in colour and I love the smell of it, it’s the same as the tan with the Tahititan scent but I wouldn’t purchase it for myself as I didn’t find it that effective.

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter

This shows up quite a lot in my empties post as its one of my favourite moisturisers. It’s rich, hydrating and dries in quickly. I love the smell of it and it’s so handy that it comes in a tub as you don’t waste any of the product when you are coming to the end of it! Already got a backup!

Skincare

Nuxe Gentle Toning Lotion for Face and Eyes

I bought this last year in this haul as I wanted a toner that was alcohol free and so I wouldn’t go through my Glow Tonic so quickly. This is rose scented but it didn’t irritate my skin and I ended up being really impressed with it. It didn’t dry out my skin and I would definitely purchase again in the future.

Soap and Glory Speed Plump All-Day Super Moisture Marvel

I really liked this too even though I’m not the bniggest fan of Soap and Glory skincare (much prefer their makeup and bodycare range) It’s light and hydrating and sinks into the skin quickly leaving a nice base for makeup or primer. I would definitely repurchase this again in the future and I want to try the night time version too at some point!

Cult 51 Immediate Effects Serum and Night Cream*

I don’t normally include sachets in my empties as I don’t get enough uses out of them but I was sent 3 of these and they have lasted me ages as it’s an eye serum. It’s a lovely light gel like serum and I have found since using it nightly from around January the skin around my eyes is a lot smoother and I have less white bumps under my eyes. I don’t have many wrinkles so can’t say much for that and as it’s so expensive I won’t be repurchasing just yet but will definitely keep it in mind for the future when I do need more help! The night cream cropped up here and I love how it feels, it’s really hydrating, sinks in quickly and makes my skin so soft. Unfortunately it's £125 for the full size so I won’t be repurchasing but it was lovely while it lasted L

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm

I love this and talked about it in more detail here but basically it’s the most luxurious cleanser ever and so effective at getting makeup off (including eye makeup!) I already have a backup but I’m going to try to use a few others up before opening!

Cowshed Lippy Cow Natural Lip Balm

I got this in a beauty box ages ago and while I love the orangey smell, it wasn’t long lasting enough on my lips overnight so I wouldn’t repurchase! 

Caudalie Polyphenol Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum

This was a super tiny sample that again I got in a beauty box but I was only able to get a few uses out of it. It was nice and light but I couldn’t see any difference, I have a slightly larger sample from another beauty box I’m using at the minute but doubt I would repurchase!

Haircare

VO5 Plump it Up Dry Shampoo

This is another regular feature in my empties, I love this stuff! I have a more in-depth review here but basically it leaves no white cast, smells lovely and is really affordable!

L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray Extra Strength

I love having these size hairsprays and I think I got this in a beauty box too. I prefer hairspray with hold so probably wouldn’t repurchase as I think this is more of a finishing spray although it was lovely and lightweight and brushed out easily!

Makeup

Rimmel Lasting Finish Skin Perfecting Primer

I've written about this in another post here as I was so impressed with it. It’s a white cream that really made my makeup sit better and last longer and it’s so affordable. I will repurchase in the future but have too many primers to go through at the minute so will be trying to make my way through them first! 

NYX HD Concealer

I love this stuff and this is my second tube. It’s creamy, lightweight and gives such good coverage! I already have a backup in the same colour which I have started using but they seem to have changed their shade range so it’s much more orange and I have to do a lot more blending which I’m a bit disappointed with so will get the lighter shade next time!

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Blur and Brighten Concealer

Another concealer I love! I use this under my eyes before I put on foundation every day and it really brightens the area and offers good coverage! I have already repurchased but it’s broke so I need to return it! That’s the only bad thing about this concealer, if it gets dropped its very likely the crayon will break off from the packaging! Not having much luck with concealers at the minute!

Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holidays Waterproof Mascara

I got this in a free gift and I love it! It’s a drier formula than I usually go for but it gives so much volume and separates my lashes really well! Already have a backup!

Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray

I was so disappointed with this as you will see in this post as I usually love anything by Urban Decay! It did nothing to make my makeup last any longer but I’ve since found another more affordable setting spray that I love so I won’t be repurchasing this!

So there we have it, another empties! I can’t believe how quickly that box filled up and this post is still ridiculously long despite me trying to do them more often – sorry! Let me know what you thought of any of the products I finished if you’ve tried them!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.

Danielle xx

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Five things I’m Loving | January 2016

Some of these are new to me, some I have been using for years but I've been getting a lot of use out of them this month so though I would do a quick roundup!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer

I actually bought this way back last year and it featured in my first ever post (lol) here! At the time I still had a few other primers to finish up but I can’t resist a Boots offer so in my basket it went. I used to love the Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation but haven’t used it in about six months as I’ve gone off it so wasn’t expecting much from this primer. How wrong I was! This does such a great job at helping my makeup last all day and reduce shine and is a bargain at £6.99! It’s quite a thick white cream but it spreads easily over my face and feels nicely hydrating too! This and the Nivea Shave Balm are my two favourite primers available for under £10!

  

L’Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist

Towards the end of summer last year I took my first foray into the world of setting sprays and was left disappointed by the much raved about Urban Decay De-Slick! It did nothing for my oily skin and left me having to top up my powder at lunchtime as usual so when I spotted this L’Oreal Fixing Mist for £7.99 on Boots.com I thought I’d see if it would fare any better and in short, yes it does! Although it comes out as more of a thick spray than a fine mist it dries in quickly and does wonders for my oily skin all while making my makeup last longer! So impressed with this!

Cult 51 Night Cream*

This is a more recent discovery for me and one I’ve been so happy to add into my nightly routine! Since turning 25 a few months ago, fine lines and wrinkles are something I’m starting to worry about and I figured prevention is better than cure with the introduction of this into my skincare stash! It’s a thick cream that sinks in quickly to the skin and actually feels like it would be a good day cream/makeup base too. There is a whole scientific explanation for why this stuff works which you can read about here in an interview with the founder Richard Mears as science is not my strong point! In a nutshell, the ingredients in the cream raise ATP levels and increase oxygen exchange in the skin while working with the skins metabolism to make it look great! I’ve noticed my skin looks plumper, fresher and brighter in the morning after I've used this and just better all round. The one downside to this is perhaps the fact it’s billed as “the world’s most expensive anti-aging cream” therefore costs £125 for the full size 50ml pot. So, unless I win the lottery or get a better paying job it won’t be one I’m able to run out to repurchase just yet! Available at Cult 51, Cult Beauty and Look Fantastic! 

Smashbox #SHAPEMATTERS 3 in 1 Contouring Palette

I ended up buying this when Boots had it as their first star gift in the run up to Christmas back in October and I have been using it solidly ever since! I actually did take photos back when I first got it but never got round to posting, then it was sold out so I didn’t bother! Anyway I thought it was about time I gave it some love on the blog and while I love the eyeshadows and brow powders, it’s the contour powder I want to talk about because it’s perfect! It’s just the right amount of pigmentation, so finely milled and the perfect shade of cool toned brown! I choose this probably 9 times out of 10 when I go to contour and was so happy to get it for half price!  

  

Eucerin Dry Skin Intensive Lotion

Another old favourite of mine that I don’t think I’ve mentioned before but that I absolutely swear by! About two years ago I started getting random eczema patches on my legs and arms for the first time that would leave me scratching all night. I tried every cream under the sun including doctor prescribed moisturisers and steroids to no avail. I think it was my mum who had a sample of this and it worked so well I've never looked back! It’s quite a runny white cream that doesn’t have the nicest smell in the world but once it dries in there is no scent! It sorted my skin out completely and I hardly ever have to use it anymore apart from the odd time like over Christmas when a few patches cropped up on my legs but a few nights with this and they were away again! As I said, I don’t have severe eczema so I’m not sure how it would work on that but if you get patches regularly and haven’t found anything that’s helped then try this, it’s amazing! And it’s usually on offer as it’s included in the French pharmacy promotions most online stores do! I've linked a few here, here and here!

Have you tried any of the products I’ve mentioned? What did you think of them?

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.

Danielle xx

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Product Empties #7

Hi everyone, today I’m back with another empties post and hopefully a shorter one than my usual essays when I do these posts!

Body Care

Nivea Creme Care Shower Cream

I picked this up on offer in Boots for £1 a while back and really enjoyed using it and changing it up from my usual choice of Soap and Glory! It featured in this post and is a lovely creamy shower cream that lathered up well and didn’t dry out my skin. Would buy again!

Soap and Glory Butter Yourself Moisture Lotion

First off I hate the packaging of this! The pump is missing from mine as after using about a quarter of the product inside it becomes useless and isn’t able to pump anymore. I think because the cream is so thick it just stops working but I either have to squeeze this into an empty tub or leave it sitting upside down so the product moves closer to the opening! It’s not my favourite Soap and Glory scent but it is a lovely moisturiser when you can get it out! I have a few of these to use up from sets I’ve got but it’s not my first choice when purchasing a moisturiser!

Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish

I hated the smell of this and I didn’t think it was a great exfoliator as it didn’t lather up well. I think I received this in a beauty box last year but I wouldn’t repurchase!

Sai-Sei Mineral Invigorate Body Scrub

I probably shouldn’t even have bothered including this as the sample was so small but I think I got this free with an order! The sample did about one scrub but it smelt lovely and refreshing however I wouldn’t repurchase as the full size is £28 and there are other much cheaper exfoliators I prefer!

Skincare

Pixi Glow Tonic

I love this stuff! It featured in this post but in a nutshell it tones, smoothes and refines my acne prone skin and helps with my scarring!  This bottle has lasted me ages as I only use a tiny bit and I usually only use this either morning or night. I already have a backup of this and can see myself repurchasing it again and again!

Nivea Lotion

This has featured a few times in my empties posts and this post as it is a constant repurchase of mine! I love to use this as my first cleanse as it’s so gentle and really effective at removing a lot of my makeup!

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser

This wasn’t what I was expecting to begin with and I didn’t like it at first but I didn't mind it once I got used to it! It’s described as an airy cream on the back of the packaging and I would agree with this as its quite creamy and light. I used it as a second cleanse and then wiped off with a muslin cloth and it did a good job at removing the last traces of my makeup but I have other balm cleansers I prefer so won't be repurchasing.

Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

This is a cleanser with oatmeal particles and I found for everyday use, this was a little too much for my skin. I did feel like I got a good exfoliation using this, especially round my nose but again I have other face exfoliators I own that I prefer so I won’t be repurchasing!

Hair Care

L’Oreal Ever Strong Conditioner

I love this! It made my hair so soft, the bottle lasted ages and the scent is really minty and fresh! I will definitely repurchase this soon as I have a full bottle of the shampoo and its one of the best conditioners I've ever ueed!

Garnier Ultimate Blends 1 Minute Treatment

I really liked this, again it made my hair feel soft and I like that it's a quick one minute treatment although I sometimes just used it as a conditioner. I did a full post on the Garnier Ultimate Blends range here and this product along with the serum are definitely my favourites. The smell isn’t too overpowering and it’s on offer a lot so I will probably repurchase at some point in the future!

Makeup

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25Hour Powder Foundation

I seemed to have run out of all my powders at once starting with this one! This was a powder I was impressed with for lasting power although I didn’t test it out for the full 25 hours! The only powder I ever hear raved about from Rimmel is their Stay Matte powder and I did go through a few of these back in the day but I hated it! I can’t even remember why but I would not pick it up again so when I saw this come out I was excited to give it a go! It lasted well and controlled my oil and I will probably repurchase in the future again!  

Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder

This used to be one of my favourites but I found towards the start of December it wasn’t working as well for me and I would have to touch up at lunchtime. I think this works best for me when it’s spring and autumn as opposed to winter and summer or the extremes of the seasons if that makes sense! I have already repurchased because it’s a lovely lightweight powder that doesn’t look cakey but will wait a while before using!

No7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder

This is my favourite powder and one I don’t have to touch up at all through the day! I raved about it in this post and in a nutshell, if you have oily skin you need to try this!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

This was probably the most hyped mascara of 2015! I jumped on the bandwagon as Maybelline do some of my favourite mascaras including Colossal and Falsies but this did not knock them off their pedestal! While it did give me length and volume I hated how messy the opening/lid became and it was a little more clumpy than I like! Still a good mascara but I have others I prefer so probably won’t repurchase!

So that’s rounds up another empties! Thanks for reading! I’d love to know if you’ve tried any of the products I’ve mentioned and what you thought!

P.S. Off topic but if I still have your attention and you’re any good at the technical blog stuff maybe you’d be able to help me! Any idea why my LinkWithin widget isn’t working at the bottom of my blog posts for related content? I reinstalled after getting my new blog template in December and its in my layout but doesn't show up anything on my blog! Any input would be much appreciated J

Danielle xx

Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick in #700 Naughty Nude Review

Hi guys! Short and sweet review today on a new Rimmel release, their “The Only 1” lipstick! I picked this up on Tuesday after spotting it in a local chemist and armed with a voucher one of the girls I work with gave me, swiftly bought it at half price! Couldn’t let the voucher go to waste now could I?

I think there are meant to be fifteen shades in the new range but I had about six to choose from and after a swatching session decided on #700 Naughty Nude. Now I’m no nude lipstick fan but I find this to be quite a pink shade! Rimmel describe this as a no compromise all in one lipstick that provides long lasting, high impact colour, comfort, moisture and wear. All in all, I would have to agree!

The staying power is great with this lipstick, I’ve applied it at 8 o’clock the last two mornings and it has stayed on my lips through copious water and tea drinking to around 12 o’clock. I’ll then top it up with a bit of Carmex lip balm to extend the wear a little further as the colour which starts out opaque wears off very evenly and leaves a tint behind!

I find the Rimmel lipstick scent so nostalgic; I think I maybe got given the end of one of my mum or aunts lipsticks when I was younger so it always reminds me of that! I personally like the smell but if you are sensitive to scents this may not be for you!

The lipstick has a slanted bullet unlike the usual Kate Moss etc. versions which have more of a tip. I find I have to take a bit more care when putting on this lipstick just to make sure I don’t go horribly over the lines but it’s nothing major!

These are priced at £6.99 which is slightly more than the Lasting Finish and Moisture Renew lipsticks so if you were thinking of getting one I would definitely wait to get them on offer, Boots currently has buy one get second half price on their makeup!

I think Cheeky Coral could be next on my list! Have you tried these lipsticks? What was the last lipstick you bought?

Danielle xx

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