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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Best Beauty Box Finds #1

Beauty boxes are probably my favourite way of trying out new products without having to commit to a full size or spend a lot of money on a product I don’t know will like. My favourite boxes are the kind that show you exactly what you are getting so although there are a few subscription boxes here, I don’t subscribe every month to a beauty box. I go for ones that show you what you are getting or at least give a spoiler of one of the products!

Origins Original Skin Retexturising Mask with Rose Clay from the Latest in Beauty Mix and Mask British Beauty Blogger Collaboration

When I got the email about this collaboration in July I hit buy then and there! I love the Origins masks I already have so was excited to try more and I have become obsessed with this one in particular! It’s a pink clay formulation with jojoba beads that dries in quickly and when I rinse it off I am left with much smoother, clearer looking skin! I have problems with texture on my skin anyway as it is scarred from acne when I was younger and though my skin is mainly oily I get dry patches too so this is the most perfect all-rounder and one I will definitely be repurchasing a full size of!

Vita Liberata Trystal Self-Tanning Bronzing Minerals from the Latest in Beauty Glamour Summer Edit 2015

This bronzer and kabuki brush were included is last year’s summer edit with Glamour magazine and despite the bronzer being one of the messiest makeup products I own because it’s a loose powder, it gives a gorgeous warmth to my face when I use it! The tan is meant to last for up to five days which I can’t say I agree with but I do use some form of chemical exfoliant on my face every day so maybe that’s why? The sample size has lasted me ages but although I really like the shade of this and am happy I got the chance to try it because of a beauty box, I wouldn’t repurchase it as it is so messy and the full size is £35.

MOA Aphrodite Oil from the Blogger Beauty Box

I was so happy to see this included the first time I bought the Blogger Beauty Box as I absolutely love my MOA The Green Balm, rosehip oil and it’s a full size product! I love applying this at night before I go to bed and my skin always feels so hydrated and nourished and always looks better the next morning! This is just as good as the Trilogy and Pai rosehip oils and perfect for those with acne scarring too! The Blogger Beauty Box is run by blogger Vix Meldrew and is only £10 a month!

The Balm Put a Lid On It eyelid primer from the Cohorted March 2016 Beauty Box

When I saw The Balm Nude Tude palette was the spoiler for the March box I subscribed to the Cohorted box (then unsubscribed before I forgot and got charged for the next month’s box) as I had seen it included the year before and was gutted to miss it! Now I’m the first to admit I have a lot of eyeshadow palettes and because of this and my love for mattes, the Nude Tude palette doesn’t get as much love as it should from me. The matching primer however gets used every other day on rotation with the NARS Smudgeproof primer and works great at mattifying my eyelids and making my eyeshadow last longer! The tube looks small but this will last forever because you only need a tiny bit for each eyelid!

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser from the Latest in Beauty Glamour Summer Edit 2016

Another pick from Latest in Beauty - can you tell they do my favourite boxes! I've had a few of these mini Aurelia cleansers now and they are always a selling point for me when I see them in beauty boxes! It’s a cream cleanser with eucalyptus, chamomile, bergamot and rosemary and very similar to Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. I apply to dry skin and buff it off with a muslin cloth and it does a brilliant job of removing my makeup and leaving my skin feeling refreshed and super soft. The mini is perfect for taking a bit of luxury with you on holiday too! The full size is quite expensive so I can’t justify buying it as I do have quite a lot of cleansers to get through but it would be such a gorgeous treat for someone!

So that is part one of my favourite beauty box finds! I buy beauty boxes quite regularly so I can imagine this might become a new series for me! I've linked the products on their own as the beauty boxes I've mentioned are sold out now but I’ve also linked the websites so you can see what’s included in their latest beauty box if they have one!

Do you like beauty boxes? What’s been your favourite product you’ve received in one?

Danielle xx

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Product Empties #12

I’m back today with another empties post! I've finished quite a lot of full size products and its Soap and Glory heavy! I’ve also slightly changed the time I post at which I’m not sure if anyone actually notices (I know I don’t) but I’m so busy with work at the minute it’s easier for me to promote the post in the evenings for the time being! Anyway, admin over, onto the empties!

Body care

Soap and Glory Butter Yourself Moisture Lotion

I have quite a few S&G products to get through so I'll try and do them quickly! This isn't my favourite scent but it's lovely and moisturising! I'm a fan of the packaging until it gets to about ¾ of the way down then the pump stops working and to get anything out you have to keep the bottle upside down and squeeze it out or stick your pinky in which becomes a hassle! This is one I always seem to get in gift sets but not one I would go out to buy!

Soap and Glory Shower Jelly Clean on Me

This is one of the newest lines in the shower gel range and after being a bit disappointed with it on its own, when used with exfoliating gloves it works really well to scrub the remnants of my tan off! The formula is really refreshing too but it’s more expensive than the standard S&G shower gels that I love so I won't be rushing out to repurchase! 

Soap and Glory Mist You Madly Body Spray

I am obsessed with this, it's probably my favourite scent in the entire world, it's so musky and understated and I absolutely love it! It also lasts all day on me and it's only £6.50! I already have a backup open and a mini in my handbag! Give it a sniff if you get a chance!

Soap and Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream

I feel like everyone has probably tried this at some point, it's a lovely foot cream but I do get a bit bored of it by the time I'm finished mine because it lasts so long! Again I probably have about 5 of these stashed away from various gift sets so won't need to repurchase for a while!

Soap and Glory Hand Maid Hand Cleansing Gel

I love this stuff and always have one in my bag! It smells so much better than standard hand sanitizers and doesn't dry my hands out at all! Already repurchased!

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

This is probably my least favourite body scrub in my least favourite scent! I don't find its effective at scrubbing my tan off (if you are just using it to scrub dry/dead skin it's probably OK) and I waste so much product scooping it out! I’m glad to be finished and can't wait to get back to my favourite Pulp Friction scrub!

White to Brown Body Wash

I got this in a gift set along with the tan last Christmas, it has the same scent of the tan which is quite nice but I didn't find it optimised my tan like it said it would and I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again!

Nivea Invisible Anti-Perspirant

I usually use a roll on but I won this in an Instagram competition and loved it! I took it on holiday with me and it was so handy to just spray and go without having to wait for anything to dry in and it worked really well too! Will repurchase!

Skincare

Garnier Express 2 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover

I won’t go on about this again but it really is one of the best eye makeup removers I've ever tried and works brilliantly to remove my waterproof mascara and eye makeup! I will continue to repurchase!

Pixi Glow Tonic

I absolutely love this toner! My skin always feel much clearer and looks smoother when I use it, its gentle enough to use every day and I have already repurchased a full size! It was also included in my forever repurchased post!

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

I couldn't wait to be finished these pads. I love the concept of the pre-soaked pad but I really didn’t see a difference any night I used these and I don’t think they were strong enough for my skin! I won’t be repurchasing!

Eucerin AQUAporin Active Hydrating Care*

I have a whole post on this moisturiser when it was included in my skincare saviours but in short it is a lovely rich hydrating cream! I actually switched to using it at night even though it has SPF because it was too much for my oily/combo skin this summer but I think this would be great for dry skin types for the daytime! I have used a few different Eucerin moisturisers now and will definitely come back to them after a break to try some new products!

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

I don't use these often but I like having a pack at home for when my nose just feels too bumpy and clogged and nothing else will work! I love these for getting rid of blackheads and they work so well on my nose! Definitely a repurchase for me!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

I use this daily and it gives me the perfect base for lipstick! It’s an absolute essential for me and I already have another one open!

REN Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel

I got this in a little try me set and really liked it, it was very cooling around my eye area and I loved using it in the morning to reduce any puffiness. I prefer the Eucerin one that was included in my last empties so I will probably repurchase that over this REN one when the eye cream I’m using at the minute is finished.

Hair care

VO5 Plump it Up Dry Shampoo

I love this stuff and like the eye makeup remover, it features heavily in my empties so I won’t bang on about it! It leaves no white cast, smells lovely and gives a little volume to my usually lank hair! I bought four the last time I spotted it in a shop because it's so hard to find!

L’Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Shine Shampoo

I bought this hoping it would be a replacement for my beloved Nutri-gloss light shampoo that L’Oreal discontinued but this isn't sadly :( The light version made my hair so shiny but I just don't get that with this version. It smells basically the same but there is something missing so I won't be repurchasing!

Makeup

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

This mini lasted me absolutely ages! I loved it at the start but the older it got the less well it worked on my oily lids which is no surprise! Still, I wouldn’t buy the full size because I’d never get through it and the mini lasted so long and is great value for money!

So that's another empties done and dusted and I have a box half full ready for another one! Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

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

Danielle xx

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A Working Week in Blush #1

Hi everyone! I recently did a working week in lipstick post so thought I would follow up with a blusher version! I mentioned I like to try and change the products I use on my lips and cheeks every day if I can as they are the products I have most of and it lets me get better use out of my makeup! Here’s what I wore last week!

Monday

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour blush in Supreme

I had wanted to try the Tarte blush formulation for months so when I saw a set of four mini blushes on QVC at the end of last year I couldn’t resist! Some in the set are a little glittery for my liking but this matte coral shade is just the right amount of pigmentation and stays on all day!

Tuesday

NARS Orgasm Blush

I got this mini cult classic in the NARS Modern Minimalist Box a few months ago as I had a code for £15 off a £60 spend and I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do! As you can see from the swatch below it has a lot of gold glitter in it but on the skin this translates as a gorgeous sheen!

Wednesday

Laura Geller Baked Gelato Vivid Swirl blush in Rosewater

This is probably the prettiest indentation in a blush ever! I’ve found there are two ways to apply this – a little dip in the centre with your brush to build it up slowly or if you are going all out, follow the pattern of the swirl and watch the pigmentation increase! I’ve dipped my brush in blushes before and looked like a clown because I haven’t realised how pigmented they were so this is one I like to build up with maybe 3 or 4 swipes over each cheek. It has quite a noticeable glitter in it which I normally don’t go for but there is something about the formulation that works with this and it translated to a subtle glow on the skin.  

Thursday

Soap and Glory Made you Blush in Rosy Chic

This is quite a recent purchase as it only came out at the start of summer and out of the three shades they released I went with this one as it was matte and less pink in tone than the other two! This is definitely the most pigmented of the blushes in this post so I have to be careful when applying and you really only need the smallest tap of the brush in the pan for it to show up! The packaging is a little deceptive and there isn’t as much product as I originally thought – the blush flips up and there is a mini brush underneath but other than that I have nothing bad to say about this and I might go back for the other matte one!

Friday

The Balm Down Boy blush

I *think* this is my all-time favourite blush. Big statement but when I think about it, it comes with me when I travel anywhere (even if I take something like the NARS Virtual Domination palette which has four blushes with me), I wear it on occasions I know there will be photos because it shows up, it doesn’t fade or go patchy and it’s the most perfect pink colour. I love the packaging, the size of the blush pan is generous and it’s well worth the £15.50!

Swatches l-r: Tarte Supreme, Nars Orgasm, Laura Geller Rosewater, Soap and Glory Rosy Chic, The Balm Down Boy

Brushes

I am a massive fan of using angled brushes to apply my blush so I thought I’d add in a quick note here about my favourites!

First up, the Zoeva offerings - I have a few Zoeva brush sets now and these two are definitely up there with my most used! I love using the luxe sheer cheer brush with my Hourglass brushes especially and use the Bamboo cream cheek brush with powder blushes as well. Both are super soft, pink up product easily and blend like a dream!

I got the Soap and Glory blush brush in a Christmas set last year and I wish they would bring out a permanent range because I am so impressed! The bristles are so soft, it’s the perfect size and the handles are nice and weighty! I’d buy the whole set if they brought a range out!

I bought a set of Spectrum brushes a few months ago to see what all the fuss was about and honestly, for me, they don’t beat the likes of Zoeva or Real Techniques. I found the eye brushes far too big (I have hooded eyes) and hard to use however I do love this AO5 brush and a few others in the set I got! It has a longer handle than I’m used to but again its really soft and blends blush easily!

Anyway, that wraps up a week in blush for me and as you can tell its peachy pinks all the way!

Do you change the makeup products you use every day or stick with the same ones? Have you got any blush recommendations for me?

Danielle xx

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