E is for Empties!

Hi internet!

You know when you have one of those moments when everything seems to be running out at the same time? Well that just happened! 

I love using things up so I can discover something new, and seeing as I don't get through makeup very quickly, this is a very exciting concept. Everything I've used up has fallen into 4 categories: base, eyes, hair and staying fresh! So stick around if you want to read about what I thought of these products!

Starting with the base...

Garnier Miracle Skin Protector B.B. Cream

I bought this when the B.B. Cream craze started a year or two ago, and finally(!!!) squeezed the last out of this tube. My first impressions on B.B. Creams initially was that they'd act like a tinted moisturiser and do something good for my skin. I'm not sure if this one did exactly that, even if it did claim to be an 8 in 1 miricle cream. Once applied, it left my skin with a dewy finish, which got shiny very quickly. It also didn't help that even though the shade was in 'light', it made me look orange! 

I'm sure the whole concept of B.B. creams has grown a lot since their craze began, C.C. creams taking over the make-up stands. What's next, D.D. creams?? But in all seriousness, I would be interested to try a more recent release of one to see how they've changed.  

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation (Sample Size)

I don't get the chance to try many foundations, seeing as I like to stick to one and use it up before buying another one, but since this one was sample size, I could enjoy something different without having to neglect my other makeup. This foundation blended nicely, stayed on the skin, and the slightly tan colour has been good for transitioning from spring to summer. The finish isn't dewy or isn't matte, but a perfect mix of both, much like natural skin. 

I'm really glad I got to use this product, and would buy the full size if it wasn't for already owning another foundation which is in line to be used next.

(Tip for getting free samples, check out brands' facebook pages. Usually you have to like the page before you can apply for the samples, but it's all really simple to do!)

To make the eyes pop...

Maybelline Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara

I bought this mascara instead of buying the Rocket, partly because I didn't want to join the Rocket band-waggon. To be honest, I do regret not buying the Rocket then, because this wasn't as amazing as I thought it would be. I think it was the colour of the packaging that persuaded me, and that intriguing brush. It started out to be a good mascara, the brush was doing its job, but there was a point where it stopped doing its job. I thought initially that it was the brush, because the fibres on the brush are very thin, and maybe they weren't coating the lashes. Then I noticed it was becoming quite clumpy and not holding a curl. The verdict - it had dried up! I bought this just before Christmas, so lasted 6 months, which I know is how often you're meant to change mascara, but lets face it, not many people have a budget to do that and have a couple open at once!

Would I recommend? No. But I did try the Rocket for the first time today and am very impressed, so Maybelline hasn't lost its touch!

Model Co. Fibre Lashxtend Mascara

You know what they say about big mascara wands, lots of volume. This mascara had a really thin wand, and couldn't do length, let alone volume. I got this mascara free with Company magazine in March, and wasn't very impressed with it from the get-go, so saved it for when I was working down the pub and didn't need the complete makeup look. 

Then came the time when I was sorting through my mascaras, and it had to be binned! I got some use out of it, but considering it was free with a magazine, I wasn't too bothered. 

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara 

Keeping it short and sweet - I loved this mascara! After having it for a year and a half though it wasn't doing its job anymore! To see a full review, with some amazing pictures of it in action, click here! 

For the hair...

Tresemme Instant Refresh Volumising Dry Shampoo

This did exactly what it said on the tin. I've tried the Batiste Dry Shampoo and found it wasn't absorbing the grease from my hair, so then tried a superdrug coloured one and found it the same. When I got to the point where I thought maybe dry shampoos weren't for me, I was watching Miss Glamorazzi on Youtube and she mentioned this one. Though she's also recommended the Batiste one, I was really willing to try a new one considering I was going into hospital and wanted to keep myself presentable.

I would definitely recommend this, not only as a dry shampoo but for its volumizing qualities as well. It doesn't keep hold like a hairspray would, but gives hair a bit of a lift, like freshly washed hair but with a bit more texture. 

Schwarzkopf Got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protectant

Though I've stopped using heat on my hair so much now, I wanted to try another heat protectant other than the Tresemme one. This one was good, but I found that if I put it in my hair, then decided I didn't want to blow-dry it, it left a weird texture to my hair. Also, I didn't think it applied to dry hair very well before straightening, but then it's not meant to be sprayed onto dry hair in the first place!

For staying fresh...

Nivea Energy Fresh 48h Deodorant

I tried this because it was a pound in Poundland (featured in my Poundland Haul), but I really think there are much better deodorants. When I was at uni during term time and was having to walk to lectures, it really didn't do it's job. I've tried some of the other Nivea deodorants which worked fine for me, but there was something off about this one. It had to be finished, but I'll be moving onto fresher pastures!

The Body Shop's Love Etc. Perfume

Last but not last, a perfume by The Body Shop. I received this as a gift from my boyfriend, and wasn't disappointed. After reading the reviews on the Body Shop website, they said it smelled a bit like licorice, which had me really worried, seeing as I hate licorice. But it actually smelt quite nice. 

The Body Shop describes it as 'Our irresistible fragrance in a lasting eau de parfum: a heart-stopping fusion of jasmine, vanilla and sandalwood notes.'

I can't smell much vanilla, but the jasmine and sandalwood definitely come through. And maybe a bit of licorice... The size was an added advantage. It lasted a year and a half, and was small enough to throw in a bag or washbag to travel with. Bonus!

So there you have it. If you were able to stick around for the whole thing, congratulations, because it felt like an awfully long post. If there are any quicker methods of doing this type of blog post out there, let me know! 

Thank you for reading my first empties of many to come! x 

Travel Make-Up Bag!

What's In My Make-Up Bag: Travel Edition

Over the last week, we had our 'research week', basically a half-term for uni students to enrich our minds through research... or catching up on sleep. On the research side of things, we had the option to go on a field-trip, where I chose to go to Copenhagen.

When it comes to packing, I usually make a list and throw almost everything in my suitcase, doing my make-up before hand. However, because our flight was really early in the morning, I figured it would be better for my skin if I took the makeup and applied it either on the plane or in the airport when we arrived. I needed products that were easy and quick to apply to achieve a 'face of the day', as well as taking a few other things to wear in the evenings for dinner.

I'm always curious to see what things people take away with them, and when I travel I like to take the small products, but also get value for money out of them, instead of paying more just for a travel size version. So without further a-do, here is my condensed make-up selection for travel!

Step 1: Prime & Prepare

First, I have my lip balm, the Skittles Lip Smacker in Banana Berry. To be honest, it isn't the best tasting or smelling lip balm, but it works and I'm trying to use it up! 

Then, to prime my face, I took Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer. This is a sample size I picked up at a Boots when they had a free foundation sample promotion (look around the shops with Smashbox counters for promotional posters!), and the lady was kind enough to give me and a friend sample primers too. I don't think I would purchase it, simply because of the price of a full-sized one, but it creates a smooth film over my face and creates a barrier between my skin and the make-up, so it does the job! Plus it's the perfect size to take away.

Step 2: Coverage

                        

Instead of a heavy foundation, I took a B.B. Cream, specifically the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector, the first one to spark the 'drug-store B.B. craze'. This again is another product I am trying to use up, considering I've had it for quite a while. Even though the colour is #2:Light, I still feel it is a bit too dark for my skin tone, which I find strange considering I don't have the palest skin. Another bug with this product is the texture. It is quite thick, not what I would expect of a light B.B. cream. 

For any extra coverage, I took Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer. It's a great multi-coverage product, and I use it on my eyes and for any redness or spots. It is my first tube of this, and even though it is raved about, I still feel I can do better regarding coverage for under the eyes. That said, it works great with redness and spots, and I would continue to use it. 

                   

Step 3: Eyes

I recently bought Maybelline's 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in 'On and On Bronze', and have been trying to use it with different combinations of colours, finding it a very versatile product. It can be very understated with a beige neutral eye shadow packed on top, or more dramatic blended out with a dark brown. One problem I found with this was the creasing, however I'm not sure whether that was because I used too much product in one go, because it had never happened before. 

To pair with this I took the BeautyUK eye shadow pallet in #4. It includes some great neutrals, and also a black which I use for lining my eyes before applying liquid liner on top (if I'm in the mood for it). I don't use the green tones that much, because I have hazely green eyes, and find that my eyes blend in with my eye shadow when I wear it... not really the look I want!

 For liquid liner, I use Rimmel's Exaggerate 100% Black Eye Liner. This is the first ever liquid liner I bought, because I found that pencil liners weren't working well for me. The first time I tried this liner, I found it smudging everywhere and stinging my eye area. Over all, I wasn't impressed. However, more recently, I have been using it more, and found it working for me using a liner brush with shadow underneath first. I still haven't mastered it, but I look in the mirror half way through a day of wear and I'm surprised it still looks like it did when I first applied it!

 The current mascara I have on the go is the Mega Plush Volum' Express from Maybelline. I bought this because I was the next one released after their Rocket mascara, and hearing how good the Rocket was, I thought they might have uped their game. It is more volumizing that other mascaras I have tried, but the brush shape may be doing a lot of this work! I also finding it smudging under my eyes, and there being no water proof formula, I cannot find a solution to this. That said, I am yet to try the Rocket, so I know what my next purchase will be when this one runs out!

Step 4: Final Touches

 To add some colour to my cheeks I have the Revlon Photoready blush in Flushed Rougissant #002. The colour looks a bit scary when you pick it up in the shop, but i thought I'd try something different. It's a really great colour for spring and though it isn't the most natural it's a really flattering colour for those with fair skin tones! I use a standard blush brush to apply it, and have found when using my fingers I apply way too much, getting the Barbie doll spray-on-colour look. I also use it to add some colour to my lips, and all in all another great multi-purpose product.  

For powder I chose to take Sephora's Mattifying Foundation Powder in Fair. The product is great, but I also took it because of the mirror inside, therefore meaning I didn't have to take another mirror in my make-up bag! I enjoy the product so much, I wanted to buy another when I was in Copenhagen, however I couldn't find the same product in the Sephora we went into. Therefore I have resorted to stretching this product as far as it will go, because it will be a long time before I have the opportunity to go abroad and find another Sephora! 

Last but not least, I have the Boot's Natural Collection clear lip gloss, which I either use on its own, or on top of the Revlon Blush. By keeping the colour simple, I can use it with more looks.

Application: Brushes

From left to right:

Foundation brush

Marks & Spencers 

Used to apply the Sephora Mattifying Foundation Powder

Blush brush

Marks & Spencers

Used with the Revlon Photoready Blush

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Used with my Garnier B.B. Cream

Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush

Used to blend colours into the crease 

Real Techniques Eyeliner Brush

Used with a black shadow before applying liquid liner

Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush

Used to place colour over the lid

Real Techniques Accent Brush

Used to place colours in the crease before blending, 

or used with white shadow for highlighting

After that extremely detailed post, I hope this will help someone out there gather the make-up basics on a low budget. Or if you are going on holiday, maybe it could help you organize your stash and decide what to take. After all, half term is upon us.

Happy Saturday, whether the sun is shining or the rain is pouring and winds blowing!   

Review: Real Techniques Brushes

REAL TECHNIQUES

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Expert Face Brush & Powder Brush

Hello Internet!

On this lovely Saturday morning, the sun is shining, there's not a cloud in the sky, and I'm still in bed, wanting to make up for a lack of posting since I started this blog.

The Real-Techniques brushes by Samantha Chapman (one half of Pixiwoo on Youtube) are raved about by everyone and anyone who have tried them, and my opinion is no different. Though I don't have much to compare them to (cheap H&M make-up brushes and an M&S set), on first view, the brush looks professional, and the bristles look thick and full, which is definitely enough to make me take it off the shelf and have a look!

When I opened the packaging on both of these, the first thing I noticed was the softness of the bristles (it was just difficult not to touch them!). However because they are used for different purposes, I will go into detail about each.

POWDER BRUSH 1401

As you can see from the first picture in this post, the size of this brush is considerably larger. For me, this is great for the amount of product it picks up and spreads evenly over my foundation. It doesn't make powder look cakey and thick, like if you were to use a more dense brush, but leaves a micro-thin layer, producing a much more natural look. 

I use this brush to apply setting powder, however it can also be used for a sweep of bronzer all over the face, and for a light mineral foundation (if you're not looking to build up coverage). 

The bristles are synthetic, though I'm not sure what the difference would be between real-hair bristles and these. They definitely don't feel like real hair at the base, but the end of the brush feels nice to the touch, and not itchy like my H&M 'budget brush'. 

I've used this brush with 3 different powders so far, and as long as they are the right shade (I bought a powder in a hurry... don't out to be a bit orange!), it produces great results and is easy to work with.

EXPERT FACE BRUSH

 In comparison to the powder brush, the bristles on the expert face brush are much more firm, and densely compact. This makes it good for applying any liquid based foundation or BB cream, because it is able to pick up a substantial amount of product, but then blend it out well with the tapered edges. 

The size of the brush is much smaller than the powder brush, which allows the user to focus on areas, and apply in all the nooks and crannies on their faces (or at least that's how it works for me!).

When applying foundation though, one thing i found was that you have to work with the brush, then it will blend seamlessly. I used to not spend a lot of time blending my foundation, haphazardly using my fingers, thinking a brush would hold too much bacteria, and just make my pores clogged. When i first tried this brush, foundation was still 'streaked' across my skin, (clearly not applied properly), but it definitely produces better results with a bit more time spent. 

Overall, both of these brushes provide quality and value for money. They fulfill their purposes, and have improved my understanding of how to apply foundation minus the use of fingers. 

I read some reviews on these brushes before I bought both of them, and I saw one comment about the bristles falling out after washing them, however this hasn't happened with me, and I've washing them both plenty of times. To wash them I use a facial cleansing soap bar, and basically scrub all the dirt out of them! I could be a bit more gentle to them, but I like knowing that I've tried my best to get them as clean as I can, and it definitely hasn't changed the quality of the bristles from when I first opened the box. As for drying time, I usually thoroughly ring them out before leaving them, and then they'll take about a day. I also leave them next to the window so they've got a bit of a breeze (don't know whether that helps or not).

 I know we've only just got into November, but they would be great as a Christmas gift for a girl just getting into make up or someone looking for good quality brushes to expand their collection!

Another added bonus, they stand up on my dresser, great for displaying them in all their glory!

Prices at Amazon

Real Techniques Powder Brush £10.99

At the moment on Amazon they are £8.66, which is a great bargain  then you could go on to use Super Saver Delivery if you went and bought another brush and spent over £10!

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush £9.99

On Amazon at the moment at £6.66, so another bargain there!

Prices at Boots

Real Techniques Powder Brush £12.99

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush £9.99

However Boots sometimes have Buy One Get One Half Price deals which apply to these brushes. It's all about getting the good bargain at the right time and doing your research!