A Try not to Buy Haul

I’ve been mentioning in different posts and on Instagram about my recent challenge to try not to buy beauty products so I thought I would gather a few of the products I have bought and give a little update as to how I’m getting on! I’ve been calling it a try not to buy as well because the word ban would have the reverse effect on me!

I started this just before Christmas and you will have seen my last big beauty purchase before trying not to buy anything last week with my custom ABH palette! This was a guilt free long time coming purchase as the single eyeshadows had been on my wishlist for the longest time!

Anyway, long story short, aside from being a spendaholic when it comes to beauty products, my hours at work have recently changed so I knew I would need to tighten the purse strings. I had been covering maternity leave for a woman and she came back a couple of weeks ago but wanted to job share so I’m still doing the same job just working part time now instead of full time. I knew it was coming and I’m still getting used to it, having days off is the best but I know I won’t be saying that when I see my pay at the end of the month!

I also started the process of applying for my Canadian visa/work permit late last year and it came through last month so I have a year to move to Canada and I will be spending my spare time researching and planning for that. I’ve always wanted to try living somewhere new and I know I won’t be able to job share forever so it seems like a good time to try it!

Ok, this is turning into more of an update/lifestyle post than I meant it to but basically, every year I am guilty of buying discounted gift sets and products in the sales so I thought late December was a good time to start trying not to buy. While it’s all well and good getting a bargain when you are a beauty addict, with boxes and drawers filled with new, unopened or back up products, buying more is pretty pointless when you are barely getting through what you already have and planning a potential move when you won’t be able to take it with you!

So, instead of snapping up the half price Soap and Glory Christmas sets (not necessary when you still have backups of backups from last year) or spending Boxing Day in the online Lush sale queue, I put my bank card down and man oh man do I feel all the better for it. I give into my greed way too easily; I can’t believe I haven’t taken this approach before. As you will see, I have bought some things but it’s nowhere near as much as usual and I don’t feel guilty for buying them!

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Secret Salma

This was my first beauty purchase of 2017. I had a £15 Cult Beauty gift card that I had received in my last GWP and although it wasn’t due to run out to the end of January, I’ll admit, I wanted new makeup to play with! I went with Secret Salma in the end, a Matte Revolution formulation which I hadn’t tried before - a fact made all the sweeter that I didn’t have to part with the full £23 myself (now increased to £24)! I ended up having to pay delivery with this too which I usually refuse to do (I will buy things until I reach the threshold for free delivery!). I’m so glad I have it in my collection now though, it’s a beautiful deep plum/pink shade that is long lasting and though it’s the CT matte formulation, it feels hydrating and doesn’t exaggerate any dry patches I have on my lips!

Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in My Digits

This lipstick shade had been on my wishlist for the longest time so I had been exercising self-control over this for quite a while already before getting my hands on it! I was planning on waiting for my Boots points to pile up to buy this but my Godson (or more likely my aunt!) got me a Boots gift card for Christmas so after unsuccessfully trying to use it online (who knew they don’t accept them?) I finally got my hands on this when I got to a big Boots. It doesn’t disappoint either - it’s the most perfect pinky/berry toned creamy lipstick that wears off evenly and leaves a gorgeous stain! I had tried the formula before and you can see my review and some more swatches of other shades here!

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillowtalk

I did cave completely when I saw this and had it ordered as soon as I got the email landed in my inbox but how could I not! Pillowtalk is my favourite lipliner so the matching lipstick had to be mine and the fact its limited edition meant it had to mine right now! Again, it’s the matte revolution formula and it’s a beautiful muted pinky nude with a hint of brown. I’d say the lipliner has a hint more mauve to it but I know I will get so much wear out of this!

l-r: Smashbox My Digits, Charlotte Tilbury Secret Salma, Pillowtalk 

Large Z Palatte 

You might have seen a few posts on my Instagram about me depotting my Benefit blush palette. I never reached for it because the packaging was so bulky so I spent £17.50 (I don’t remember them being so dear!) on a new Z palette to pop them into! I know not everyone is a fan of Z palettes and they definitely are an expensive option for what is basically a card and a magnet but I love that you can see inside them and the sticky metal magnets that come included to stick on pans are so handy for covering the glue that sometimes remains after depotting! Since depotting, despite a few crumbles, I have been getting a lot more use out of the blushers and bronzer in the palette and I ended up depotting a few mini Too Faced bronzers as well !

Anyway, hope you didn’t mind that little try not to buy/update from me! Also, don’t be shocked if I cave and make a splurge on Cult Beauty if they do another GWP offer soon, I’m good but I’m not that good! Let me know what you’ve been buying recently or if you are trying to cut down your spending like me!

Danielle xx

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Best Beauty Discoveries 2016

 

Happy New Year everyone! I thought I’d kick off the new year with my favourite beauty discoveries from last year! I’ve split it into skincare, makeup, bodycare and hair and though I probably could have done a separate blog post for each I’ve really tried to whittle these down to my absolute favourite newbies to my collection in the last year!

Skincare

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 1%

A blue liquid that maintains healthy looking skin targeting all signs of skin ageing including textural damage, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and a lack of radiance, this has quickly shot to the top of my favourite skincare list and I mentioned it here too! I finished a 15ml bottle a few months ago and kept my eye out for a replacement in the Black Friday sales but I couldn’t get a discount code to work! I then saw the NIOD bundle Deciem had on their website so for £60 I got this and 3 other full sized products – I only realised after I opened it that I had to the 30ml bottle which is priced at £60 individually so I was chuffed! This product does exactly what it says and more for me, my skin just looks and feels better when I use it and I don’t want to be without it again – I would love to try the 5% version too! It works very quickly on my areas of concern and evens out my skin tone and though it doesn’t say it does anything specifically for acne – I’ve had a cluster of spots on my jawline that wouldn’t go away and they reduced considerably after using this for a few nights! Magic! 

I’m going to talk about the next two products together because I mix them - The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% +HA works to reduce the look of spots and hyper pigmentation and The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a high strength vitamin and mineral blemish formula that reduces the appearance of blemishes and congestion as well as balancing sebum. As well as being super effective on my scarred, acne prone skin, The Ordinary caused a storm when it was released earlier this year due to the super affordable prices! Buying these two together will set you back a massive £12! As a side note, both NIOD and the Ordinary are brands under Deciem and though I have a soft spot for CAIS, the Ordinaries offerings are amazing whether you are on a budget or not!

Origins Original Skin Retexturising mask with Rose Clay

This is a 2 in 1 mask and exfoliator and I absolutely love it! It gives a real deep clean and my skin looks so much more refined and even toned when I rinse it off. I mentioned it here as well! 

Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser

This had been on my wishlist for the longest time but seemed to be out of stock forever! I finally got my hands on it though and I’m so glad I did! I like using this as a morning cleanser and it really refreshes my skin getting rid of dull skin cells and oil ready for makeup application!

Makeup

Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye contour palette

You all know I am a matte eyeshadow lover and this Kat Von D palette has been a major standout to me this year! There isn’t a shade in here I wouldn’t use (yes, even the warm toned quad!) and these are the most pigmented shadows I have in my collection!

Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte liquid lipstick in Serenity

This has got to be my favourite liquid lipstick formula! I don’t have many to compare it to but when a seasoned lipbalm addict like myself can put this on at 7pm and last through dinner and drinks all night without feeling the need to top up with anything then I know it’s good! That was when I was on holiday last month and I haven’t tried it since then in colder weather but really that was enough for me to know its good!

Gerard Cosmetics lipstick in Rodeo Drive

It was love at first swipe with this lipstick! It really is the most beautifully pigmented formula I have tried! It glides on so easily and feels so moisturising, I love it! I bought another shade in Vintage Rose but it’s nowhere near as easy to apply so I’m not sure why the difference in formula but Rodeo Drive is beautiful!

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillowtalk

I still can’t believe I only discovered this earlier this year! It quickly became a firm favourite and I bought another shade but Pillowtalk is my favourite! It’s the most beautiful muted mauve pink that goes with anything and the formula is so creamy and pigmented, it’s amazing! Worth the £16!

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch Perfect

Another CT standout for me and though I don’t love this lip colour on its own, along with Pillowtalk it’s a dream team! Super long lasting and comfortable to wear! Both featured here!

Smashbox Light It Up LA Lights Blush Mega Palette

I’m sorry to include a limited edition sold out palette in this round up but I couldn’t not! I have barely put this down since I got in in November! It has an amazing mix of matte blush shades plus a bronzer that I thought would be too warm (but somehow, it’s not) as well as a range of highlighters to the right-hand side! Full review here!

Bodycare

Bondi Sands Liquid Gold self-tanning dry oil

Another product I was so happy to find this year! I usually go for tanning lotions but decided to give this spray a try and man am I glad I did! Now, a negative to begin with – this is messier than lotions and I always lay a towel down when I’m tanning with this but the resuts are completely worth it! It gives the most beautiful streak free tan in the loveliest medium to dark shade that wears off so evenly! It has a lovely light coconut scent and dries in so quickly too! Love it! Also mentioned in this post!

Haircare

OUAI Repair Shampoo* and OUAI Repair Conditioner*

You are all probably sick of me talking about these two by now but I had to mention them again! For super soft, swishy hair that smells AMAZING, you need these guys in your life! They are the most expensive shampoo and conditioner I’ve used and I have repurchased because I can’t be without them! Have a sniff if you spot them in Space NK, you wont be disappointed! Full review here!

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

So, there we have my best beauty discoveries of 2016! See any of your favourites here? Tell me yours!

Danielle xx

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Last Minute Beauty Lovers Christmas Gift Guide

It’s nearly Christmas, woohoo! I for one am counting down the days to getting off work and relaxing for a couple of weeks! I thought I’d put together a quick gift guide today for anyone who still has some last minute shopping or ordering to do! Heads up though – I’m a little last minute too so some of these sets are out of stock but there are a lot similar available!

Makeup

Smashbox Light it Up: Lipstick and Mattifier Set £25 and Smashbox Light it Up: LA Lights Blush Mega Palette £39

I've got a whole review on these two limited edition sets here but in short, I absolutely love them and they are perfect for anyone looking to start or expand their makeup collection! Both sets are beautiful quality and contain enough shades for everyone to do their makeup for the next year! I have to say I particularly love the blush palette and have been neglecting my other blushes since I got it and while I love the lipstick set too there are other longer lasting lipsticks on the market but for such a wide range of shades (doubled with the mattifier!) it’s a great price!

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Liv it Up £23

I think a luxe lipstick is a perfect Christmas gift – it’s not something you buy yourself every day and it’s that bit more special when you use it! This is my second CT lipstick and I absolutely love the K.I.S.S.I.N.G. formula! There are so many shades to choose from and I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be happy to see one of these under the tree! Unlike the Smashbox lipsticks, these are super long lasting!

Skincare

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Starter Kit £25

I picked this up for my mum for Christmas from Cult Beauty but Emma Hardie is available in loads of stores now! My mum loves this cleanser but uses it sparingly as it’s expensive so I thought I’d get her this set so she can try the face cream too! I've also noticed they have changed the lid to a sturdier one now – I always used to split the old plastic one so I’m glad to see this!

Pixi Gift of Glow £30

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this set on Marks & Spencer a few weeks ago and still can’t believe it was only £30! It is ridiculously good value for some cult Pixi favourites! I absolutely love the Glow Tonic and Glow Mud Cleanser already so I am glad to have backups. I have also been meaning to try the Rose Oil Blend for ages and so far so good, it’s a lot lighter than something like the Trilogy Rosehip oil but is lovely all the same! I haven’t tried the wipes yet and I don’t use wipes that often anyway but do like to have some to hand so they will come in useful!

This would make an amazing starter set for someone looking to get into skincare but because I am so unorganised it’s out of stock L Pixi have a few other sets on Cult Beauty and Marks and Spencer but I also think any of their single items would be a gorgeous present as the products are such high quality and so effective!

Haircare

OUAI Volume Kit £40

I fell in love with the OUAI haircare range earlier this year when I was sent the repair range as well as some styling products and as I’m nearly out of the shampoo I though I would treat myself to one of these holiday kits. Never did I think I would be so “into” a haircare range but I am completely in love with OUAI and its scent! They do these sets in a few different styles so as well as Volume there is Repair and Curl but be quick as most are out of stock (sorry)! OUAI is available from Cult Beauty, Space NK, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges as well as others!

Stocking Fillers

Bee Good Hand and Lip Treats £10

I've never tried this brand myself before but I've read good reviews and picked up a couple of these sets in the Black Friday sales from Look Fantastic for a few of my aunts. It contains a good size hand cream and lip balm and I think it’s a lovely little treat for someone and I know I always like to have both of these types of products in my handbag so think they make a nice little gift or stocking filler!

So there we have the world’s worst gift guide where almost everything is out of stock! None the less, if you do still have some gifts to get I hope you got some inspiration! I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I'll be back with another post on Boxing Day! 

What have you got on your Christmas list this year?

Danielle xx

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Smashbox Light it Up Christmas Sets – Lipsticks and Blush

Blush and lipstick are kinda my thing so when spotted these on Instagram I knew they would have to be mine! I love Smashbox eyeshadows and their contour powder but haven’t tried anything from their lipstick range or the blushes so these two sets are perfect to try the formula out or just add to your collection!

They have collaborated with California neon artist Meryl Pataky to bring these limited edition sets out and each is housed in a neon plastic container. I originally thought this was a drawer but it’s a container with a lid that's really hard wearing and bright and perfect for makeup storage! You can see the Neon packaging a little better in this Instagram photo!

Smashbox Light it Up: Lipstick and Mattifier Set £25

I actually first saw this while I was having my yearly flick though the Boots Christmas book and swiftly added it to my list then got it for my birthday a few weeks ago! I've wanted to try the Be Legendary lipsticks for ages now but a full size is £17.50 and I wasn’t completely sure what shade I wanted so this seemed like the perfect way to try the formula and a few different shades! I also think its great value – a full size lipstick is 3g but there are 6 minis in this set at 2.4g each as well as a Insta-Matte Lipstick Transformer. The 6 shades included are all in the cream formulation and the shades are Famous (a nude), Primrose (a perfect pinky nude daily type shade for me), Fig (a plum great for this time of year), Legendary (a bright red), Tabloid (a purple) and Inspiration (a bright pink).

Smashbox Be Legendary crema lipsticks in Famous, Fig and Primrose

I’ve only tried half of the shades as the last three I mentioned aren’t shades I go for normally and I might actually just sell them but I’m really enjoying the three I have been wearing, especially Primrose! I have found that these creams aren’t as long lasting as say the Charlotte Tilbury KISSING lipsticks which is a little disappointing as the full size are still quite a high price point but overall I do really like them. They feel very moisturising and give a good amount of pigment. Plus the addition of the Insta-Matte Lipstick Transformer to put over the top giving you a velvety matte finish is a nice touch although the matte does still transfer a little!

Smashbox Light it Up: LA Lights Blush Mega Palette £39

I tried and I tried to resist this palette but when a 15% off email fell into my inbox I gave in and boy am I glad I did! First off, I love the matte black plastic packaging with the red edging and the huge mirror inside. The closure is not the most secure – it’s not magnetic and doesn’t snap but I still think it would be safe enough to travel with. Inside are 9 pans of blush, bronzer and highlight – 6 mattes and 3 shimmers. The top row sticks to coral shades and the second row covers berry shades then down the way are the rich shades, true shades and the right hand side of the palette is the highlight side.

I have been using this nonstop since I got it and I love it! Matte blushes are my favourite so they have been in constant rotation. The palette is classed as a blush, contour and highlight palette and I think Rich Bronze is just a tad warm to straight up contour with but it’s lovely to warm up the face. As usual, I haven’t used the highlighters much but they are very subtle and would do great as a bush topper if you wanted something on top of the matte blush!

All the blushes have the perfect amount of pigmentation and are easy to build up and they last all day on my skin. I think this palette is exclusive to the Smashbox website as it’s not on Boots and like I said they always have great offers on if you did want to treat yourself!

Overall, I think these are two perfect gift sets for anyone looking to expand or add to their lipstick or blush collection and I’m so happy to have them in my own collection! Have you tried anything from Smashbox before? What makeup sets have you got your eye on this Christmas?

Danielle xx

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Five Things I’m Loving | November 2016

I can’t believe I haven’t done one of these posts since March! This is the reason I could never commit to a monthly favourites! Anyway, there are a mix of products here, some are new to me within the last month and others are on their last legs and I love them so much I thought they deserved to feature in a post other than an empties!

Revlon Volume + Length Magnified Waterproof Mascara RRP £9.99

I picked this up ages ago (definitely longer than I care to remember!) but it seems the longer its open the more I like it! I know mascara is a very personal choice but I’ve found this does exactly what it says and gives me both length and volume as well as separation and definition! I love that it has bristles instead of a plastic wand and it is impossible to get clumpy lashes with this! I've tried so many time to get close ups of my lashes but its impossible – if you have any tips please leave them in the comments!

Vichy Quenching Mineral Masque* RRP £14

Vichy recently came out with three new face masks and I was sent the Quenching Mineral mask which could not have come at a better time for my skin! Every year I have the same problem where my usually oily skin goes haywire with the change in weather and becomes dehydrated and patchy in places. This mask feels amazingly cooling and refreshing and has been helping to regulate my skin! It contains thermal water from the French volcanoes, vitamin B3 and glycerin which all work to soothe and hydrate my skin leaving it feeling plumper and smoother!

The mask itself has a non-greasy, lightweight gel texture that sinks in quickly. It’s scented of green tea, jasmine water and bamboo and smells amazing! I know some people are sensitive to scented products but I personally don’t mind! The mask is also allergy tested and paraben free. I've been keeping this on my bathroom windowsill to keep it as cool as possible and it is a real treat to apply! I use it over the top of my trusty Vichy Aqualia Thermal serum and the two are a dreamy combination! The Vichy Quenching Mineral Masque is available from Boots, Escentual and Feel Unique!

Smashbox Photo Matte Eyes palette RRP £38.50

Another all matte eyeshadow palette, I know! But it’s another palette I love and after giving all the attention to the Kat Von D Shade + Light and Urban Decay Ultimate Basics I thought it was time to talk about this one! I adore the shade range in this and there isn’t a shade I wouldn’t use – even those couple of pinker shades! It has a great range of cool tones as well as a few warm and the shades can be used wet or dry and as shadows, liners or brow products. The brush that came with it is probably one of the better brushes I've received with a palette!

Clockwise top l-r: Desert, Heirloom, Dune, Vanilla (large pan), Canyon, Suede, Earthy

Clockwise top l-r: Wheat (large pan), Grounded, Rosehip, Haze, Blackout, Ditch, Jolt

I would say that this palette isn’t just as pigmented as the Kat Von D or Makeup Geek shadows I’ve tried but it’s of the highest quality, the shadows don’t fade and they last all day on my oily lids with a primer. Smashbox do mattes really well, they are never patchy and there are no disappointing shades in this palette! I ordered directly from the Smashbox website and they always have discount codes available! I can’t get enough of Smashbox at the minute and have a lipstick set on my Christmas list!

Bed Head Small Talk RRP £9.50

Another oldie but a goody and this has actually featured in a post before! I always come back to this when my hair starts looking a little straggly and I'm trying to hold off going to the hairdressers. It makes the ends of my hair look so much thicker and healthier and helps seal my split ends until I wash my hair again. It also acts as a thermal protectant and just generally makes my hair easier to blow dry and straighten! I’m not normally a fan of fruity scents but I love this and even though it’s a cream it doesn’t add oil or weight to my fine hair!

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita RRP £24

This is one of the newest lipsticks in my collection and one I can’t believe took me so long to get! The Audacious line is very hyped within the beauty blogging world and now I can see why! This lipstick is so creamy and opaque with great lasting power! I struggled to pick a shade but eventually went with Anita which is a rosy pink and I definitely don’t think this will be my last! It also has quite possibly the most satisfying magnetic lipstick closure!

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

Have you tried any of these products before? Tell me what you’ve been loving recently!

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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Duty Free Haul ft. Smashbox Full Exposure palette and Benefit Lip Lovin’ Tinted Lip Balms

Hi everyone, I have a little duty free haul I picked up last week when I was on the way to Spain for a few days for my birthday!

First off is the Smashbox Full Exposure palette which includes fourteen eyeshadow shades and a double ended brush. Now I remember when this first launched and I saw all the reviews, I though it looked amazing but then heard the formula of the top row of glitter/shimmer eyeshadows wasn’t great so I didn’t want to part with nearly £40.

Fast forward to last week, I was sat on the plane reading the magazine with all their offers in and saw the palette advertised for £29.50. Now this was still a little too dear for me so I put it to the back of my mind until about halfway through the flight when they announced they were having 20% off all cosmetics! That was the little push I needed to decide it would be mine! I also got the Smashbox #Shapematters palette back when it was star gift in Boots and have been loving it so knew the quality would be great!

I do have to agree with other reviews I’ve read of the glitter/shimmer row in the Full Exposure palette, I used the second shade from the left on the top row one night on holidays and the pigmentation wasn’t great and the fallout was awful with it. The shades toward the middle and right hand side of the top row seem to be a little better though!  

The mattes on the other hand are what I mainly bought this palette for and they have a lovely formulation with the shades being right up my street! I particularly love the three shades on the bottom right hand side for an all over wash of colour, deepening my crease and as a liner!

I had also heard really good reviews on the brush included with this palette but I still need to give it more of a test, I love the Cruella De Vil-esqe half while half black brush head but both sides are a little more rigid than I usually use so it will take me a little more time to get to grips with it!

As well as the palette, I picked up the set of three Benefit Lip Lovin’ lip balms while I was on the plane because I have the full size Benebalm and Posiebalm and love them but hate taking them out of the house in case I lose them (it’s happened one to many times with other products in the past) so this way I won’t be too heartbroken if they do get lost! They also give a gorgeous tint to the lips and last a fair amount of time too! I think these were down to about £12.50 then had a further 20% off!

L-R: Benebalm, Posiebalm, Chachabalm

All in all I’m so happy with my purchases! Did I need them – no! I’m still glad I have them though but I think I will need a serious spending ban soon (after Christmas – too many cute Limited Edition sets and offers to attempt to stop spending before!)

What do you think of what I picked up? Have you tried anything or got any good bargains on board a flight?

P.S. I finally upgraded my blog template last night! Still need to add a few bits in but I'm really happy with it and installation was unbelievably easy!

Danielle xx

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