Drugstore Beauty Haul

Drugstore beauty hauls are some of my absolute favourite blog posts to read, so when I decided to pick up some new beauty bits I thought that some of you might appreciate it if I put together a blog post. I didn't go too crazy - I'm on a bit of a minimalist kick at the moment, especially as I'm supposed to be moving in a couple of months - but I did pick up everything that I've had my eye on. If you're into simple and easy-to-wear makeup then I think you'll appreciate all of these products!

Collection Lasting Colour Lipstick in Cafe Au Lait

Ten Party Makeup Picks for Under £12

Looking for some affordable new makeup for your Christmas or New Year's Looks? I've gathered together some of my highstreet favourites that all come in at under £12. I was planning on doing an "under £10" round-up but I just couldn't exclude the Revlon PhotoReady SkinLights in Bare Lights which comes in at £11.99. It's such a gorgeous highlighter that I love to use a primer when I'm going out for an evening, the bronze colour works really well at masking any redness in your skin. Anyway, here's my ten budget makeup picks for the party season.

Revlon PhotoReady SkinLights in Bare Light

W7 Liquid Eyeliner*

MaxFactor Creamy Touch Blush 

Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel Liner in Funk

Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Touch Lip Pencil in Red Essential

Seventeen Stay Time Concealer

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 111

Maybelline the Falsies Volum' Express Mascara

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze

BeautyUK Baked Blush in Halo

Do you have any affordable makeup recommendations?

Makeup Look: Wearable Metallics

I had my first mince pie last week and it completely switched on my Christmas spirit - and it's having an effect on my make-up bag. I've been really enjoying playing around with metallics, which are actually tipped to be a big spring/summer beauty trend. That being said, I still want a finished look that's wearable so I've been finding easy and subtle ways to update my look. It would be really easy for you to get on board with this trend too, you'd just need to swap out one of your existing makeup products for something with a bit of frost to it.

Lips

My two lip picks for this trend are Catrice's Ultimate Shine Lipstick in Good Nudes which is a warm, incredibly frosty, bronzed-nude. It's surprisingly pretty and easy to wear and works really well layered over other lipsticks for a subtle-but-not-too-subtle nod to the metallic trend. Alternatively, a really subtle way to wear this trend is to don Ilia's Lip Conditioner in the shade These Days. It's a rich, warm, bronzed nude that has the slightest frost to it that helps it catch the light and really enhance your lips.

Cheeks

Picking a golden or bronze highlighter is another easy way to wear metallic shades. Topshop's Glow in Gleam is a very pretty bronze highlighter (an alternative is Revlon's Illuminator in Bare Light). If you want something more full on then I'd opt for Illamasqua's Liquid Metals, I have the shade Electrum which is a yellow-toned gold that really packs a punch. It's all about blending this into a really sheer wash of colour and pairing it with a bronzer that suits your skin tone. It does look "different" bit it doesn't look clownish. Alternatively, you can add a bit of Electrum over the top of a nude lipstick to add a golden hue to your look. 

Eyes

Add some metallic highlighter to the inner corner of your eyes, and you could even sweep some across your eyelid for a sheer, reflective glow. I, personally, avoid metallic shadows for the daytime but I did see Eilish from Eyelash in Wonderland sporting Collection's Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel Liner and although it's a glitter liner it looks very pretty without being over the top. It also lasts incredibly well - we're talk all day - which makes it low maintenance and easy to wear. 

Collection Lasting Colour Lip Definer in Damson

Last winter I wore Rimmel's Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107 all the time. I loved the deep berry shade and how easy it was to wear. Now that we're in the depths of autumn I'm beginning to delve into my collection for all those dark A/W shades and it dawned on me that I don't own any lip liners to wear with them. Often I feel as though I couldn't possibly buy a lip liner for every lipstick I own (which says a lot about how many lipsticks I own) but when it comes to one of my most worn lipsticks I think it is definitely worth it. After a lot of swatching in my local Superdrug I found Collection's Lasting Colour Lip Definer in the shade Damson. I found that Damson was not only a fantastic colour match but it's really creamy and pigmented and because it is a retractable lip product I don't ever have to sharpen it.

In the photo above I'm wearing Collection's Lasting Colour Lip Definer in Damson all over my lips and I was able to achieve an opaque lip colour very quickly and easily with defined edges. Damson isn't completely glossy but it is definitely not matte, so if you like the colour of Rimmel's Kate Moss Lipstick in 107 but don't like matte lipsticks then this is a great alternative - and really affordable too at only £2.79 (available from Superdrug).

Personally I'm sold on this lip product, I love the colour and the formula and it works perfectly with one of my favourite lipsticks. Have you tried any of Collection's Lip Definers? What do you think about this shade for A/W?

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A Budget Buy: Collection Eyeshadow Pencil in Hot Chocolate

I first bought into chunky Eyeshadow Pencils in the form of Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Sticks which I really didn't like. Since then I've given them a wide berth, until I swatched Collection's Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil in Hot Chocolate and noticed that it didn't budge from my hand all day. Eventually I returned to Superdrug and picked it up for what I think is a very reasonable price of £3.19 (and, remember, if you're a Student you are able to get a 10% discount with an NUS Extra card). All in all, I picked up a bargain product and I am happy to report that it hasn't let me down!

Collection's Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil in Hot Chocolate is a gorgeous, slightly metallic, mid brown. It is very creamy and blendable and once applied I find that it really doesn't budge. I use this on my lids in place of eyeshadow as well as under my eyes for a more dramatic eyeliner look - both ways work well for me and the product hasn't ever smudged or left me looking panda-eyed. Honestly, the formula is really impressive and the colour is very wearable. I know Collection also stock a pink, cream, navy, grey and a black version of this product but that is the extent of the shade range. If they offered more wearable neutrals I would pick them all up! For the price I really don't think you can find a better product of this sort. I'd definitely recommend them and you can find the shade Hot Chocolate online here. 

Have you tried these eyeshadow pencils? Do you have any other budget make-up recommendations that you think I should check out?

A Truly Fantastic Bargain Buy: Collection Shimmer Shades

I'm wearing the lightest shade as a contour along with the peach coloured blush on my cheeks

(also, please excuse my blotchy skin- my final exam is tomorrow!  The stress is not doing my skin any favours)

If you've been looking for a really affordable drugstore product to contour your face with then Collection Shimmer Shades is a product that should be on your radar. There are four shades, all of which I'm going to describe in relation to my skin tone- there's a very light contour  (perfect on very pale skin), a medium contour (perfect for a more dramatic contour on pale skin), a dark contour (unwearable as such for me, but great for me as an eye shadow) and a peach blush which is gorgeous used with the contour shades or alone.


I have fallen in love with two of the shades, the lightest contour and the peach blush! Together they work absolutely perfectly to shape my face whilst still being really subtle. I think as my skin gets a little bit more colour over the summer I can start wearing the medium contour shade more often. At the moment it looks a little bit stark if I wear it during the day but is great when buffed out to look more subtle and worn in the evenings. I can't make the darkest contour shade work on my skin, but I've worn this on my eyelids a few times and with a primer it lasts all day. On my cheeks I can apply the contour and blush in the morning and when I get home in the evening it's still going strong on my cheeks. The longevity of the product is fantastic!


Also, because there's a choice of shades it makes it perfect for a rage of skintones, so if you're not as pale as me don't worry! The medium contour is likely to work well for you (it isn't at all orange!) and if you're a lot less pale then the darkest contour might just be perfect for you! You could then use the lightest or medium contours as base colours for your eye lids. All in all, I think it's a really great product because it will work  for so many people in a lot of different ways.

You can find Collection's Shimmer Shades in Boots for £4.19 (link here).

Do you like the look of these shades? What do you use to contour your face?



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FOTD: No Brush Needed!

So the other day, after finally finding time to wash my make-up brushes, I realised that I had to go out and that  I wanted to apply some make-up. I've become incredibly reliant on my make-up brushes for applying my make-up, it's been a ridiculously long time since I applied make-up completely brush free! So I challenged myself to coming up with a simple, day-time look that didn't need any brushes.

The products I ended up picking to use were the following:

Etat Pur Radiant Complexion Care*

Collection Concealer

The Body Shop Brow Definer in Blonde & Auburn

MaxFactor Clump Defy Mascara

MaxFactor's 24hr Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze

Maybelline Dream Touch Blush in Apricot

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

Etat Pur's Radiant Complexion Care feels like a very thin tinted moisturiser, and on me it's a little bit too pink. However, with a good concealer to help with areas that need a little extra coverage, you can really blend it out with your fingers so that it evens your complexion while still leaving your skin looking really natural. The concealer I use is Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'light'- I really need the shade 'fair' but it is never in stock whenever I go looking for it! This is really easy to blend with your fingers which makes it really handy for on-the-go.  The Body Shop's Brow Definer is my go-to eyebrow product for natural looking eyebrows and I use it pretty much every day. MaxFactor's Clump Defy Mascara has been my mascara of choice for a couple of months now (it's almost time to bin this tube... sob). The colour is intensely black and the wand makes it really easy to build up volume in your lashes so it's perfect for both daytime and evening make-up looks. On my eyes, I also used a touch of Maybelline's 24hr Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze for just a little bit more definition. I prefer applying this without a brush anyway so this was one of the first products I thought about using. For a little bit of colour on my cheeks I dabbed on some of Maybelline's Dream Touch Blush in Apricot. I dab it on and then blend it out so that it isn't too stark, and the great thing about this blush is that it's pretty subtle but it is buildable so it's pretty versatile. Lastly, I applied one layer of Revlon's Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Honey to my lips. It's a couple of shades darker than my natural  lip colour which makes it a lovely subtle colour that's just makes my lips stand out a little bit more. 

The finished look....

You can see that the coverage of Etat Pur's Radiant Complexion Care is pretty light but it's perfect for days when you don't want to wear too much make-up- I'd just prefer it if it was a smidgen more yellow!

I hope you liked this FOTD, it proved to me that I don't NEED my make-up brushes but it also showed me how much I rely on them everyday. I think that if you do use your brushes lots and lots then buying good quality brushes is really important. 

Are you reliant on your make-up brushes? Do you think you could come  up with a FOTD without them?

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Beauty Haul: Setting myself up for summer

I finally caved! It turns out I can't resist Boots' 3 for 2 offer, and then once I was in town Superdrug and Topshop lured me in. I've actually never tried any Topshop make-up before so I'm really excited to try their cheek duo in 'Desert Sun'. Also, you can probably tell that a lot of my choices are ones that are going to prepare me for summer. I got a new set of base products- foundation, concealer and powder. Although I don't really need a new foundation right now (my two new Revlon foundations are really lovely!) I thought that I'd pick this Bourjois one up as my freebie after purchasing the Real Techniques brushes. I'm keen to try the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer as my Collection concealer is definitely on its last legs and the powder is a summer must have for keeping my oily skin in check! I've also picked up some gradual tanner as well as all the things I'll need for when I embrace instant tan (when it's warmer and I'll actually be able to go out with bare legs). In addition, I've picked up Collection's Shimmer Shades because I think all of the four colours will work really well on me for either contouring or bronzing and three workable shades for around £4 seemed like a good deal. The Mua lipgloss (in the shade Sienna) is a lovely orange colour which will definitely compliment bronzer and tanned skin. All in all this was definitely a hopeful shop, please please please can summer hurry up and get here, because when it does I am going to be ready!

Are you preparing for summer too? What summer-y products would you recommend?

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FOTD: My 'go-to' daytime make-up

On a day to day basis I tend to keep my make-up really simple. Usually I like to vary what make-up I usebut because I've been incredibly busy lately I've definitely fallen into a bit of a routine. This tends to include a very subtle eye make-up, a minimal amount of blush and some sort of sheer lip colour.

 

The products I used:

I first apply some of The Body Shop's Moisture Foundation in Shade 03 with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush (and I use The Body Shop's Tea Tree Pore Minimiser as a mattifying base). I think this foundation lasts really well, the colour match is very good and it strikes the right balance between keeping my skin from looking too oily without being too drying. Under my eyes, I use some of Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer in Shade 01 and for the price I think it is just a fantastic product. For my my eybrows I've found myself  using my HD Brows Palette a lot recently and then adding a bit of extra definition with A La Carte Cosmetic's Brow Ink in Taupe.

 At the moment I'm finding myself only ever wearing MaxFactor's Clump Defy Mascara as I just love the formula of it and think it does a fantastic job of adding both volume and length; I tend to only apply it to my upper lashes in the day-time. On my eyelids I use my Darling Girl Eye Shadow Primer followed up by two layers of Mac's Electric Cool Eye Shadow in Superwatt. Even with a primer, this eyeshadow doesn't last particularly well but I absolutely love the colour of it so I've still been using it a lot (probably more than it deserves).

On my cheeks I've been using Look's Make Me Blush in Sculpt which is a lovely pink/brown colour, perfect for a really naturally bit of definition. I've been applying it with my Real Techniques Contour Brush which maybe isn't the perfect brush to use, but I've lost my blush brush (cue a shopping trip) and I don't dislike the look the contour brush gives. Lastly, I applied some of 17's Mirror Shine Lipstick in the shade L.A. which is a really wearable red/pink that I've totally fallen in love with.

The finished look:

So, voila! More often than not this would be the sort of look I'd be wearing if I'm in a rush (which is pretty much always) or if all I'm doing is going into university to go to the library or to a seminar.  I manage to make this particular routine take pretty much no time at all to apply so it isn't exactly as 'perfect' as I'd want it to be if I was going on a night out or anything like that.

I'd definitely like to start doing more posts like this so do let me know if you like reading FOTDs as I personally really enjoy seeing the products that people actually use on a day to day basis!

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BLUE LASH TIPS: Collection 2000 Extreme Coloured Lengthening Mascara in Blue

This might seem like a little bit of a weird purchase, but I'd read an article (for the  life of me I can't remember, I think it was in Elle..) about making blue mascara more 'wearable' by only applying it to the ends of your lashes. I wanted to give this a try especially as I'd fallen in love with a Body Shop blue mascara but I couldn't justify spending £10 on something that I wouldn't use that often, so for me this Collection 2000 mascara is standing in as a dupe for the Body Shop one. Luckily for me it turns out that the quality of this mascara is really good, especially considering that it only cost me £2.99.

First off, get a look at that colour! That is a seriously cobalt blue mascara right there, exactly what I was looking for. Secondly, I don't know what you think about the brush but it is really good at creating length when used on all of the lashes and it isn't too tricky to just get it on the ends either. I haven't had any problems with it running or smudging, but I've only worn it for long periods of time on the ends of my eyelashes.

If you're interested in exactly how I wear this I'll just quickly tell you how I would apply this. 

1. First off, I curl my eye lashes and then apply an everyday (usually a black) mascara. 
2. When this is completely dry I would apply some white, eye-lash primer just to the ends of my lashes but sort of holding it against the ends and wiggling until I can see that there's white primer on them. 
3. I then wait for this to completely dry before I apply the blue mascara on top of the primer in a similar way- small brushstrokes followed by sort of wiggling the brush across the tips of the eyelashes.
4. If it has clumped at all just use an eyelash brush to comb the clumps out. I completely forgot to do this in my photos (sorry!) so don't worry if you think they look too clumpy, you can brush the clumps out.

If you do it like this then you get the benefit of curl, length and volume from your regular (and probably more expensive) mascara but then applying primer means that the blue tips will still be noticeably visible. I find that the blue isn't too crazy a colour choice and no-one will look at you like you're mad but it does visibly brighten up your entire eye area.

I've probably worn my mascara like this five times over the last fortnight and I really like how it looks. I don't go overboard with the blue but I think it would be easy to layer the blue to make it more vivid, or to apply primer across more of the lash if you want it to look more noticeable. But yeah, if you're looking for a cheap and easy new way to wear mascara do give this a try as I think you might like it :)

Have you got any tips or tricks about applying mascara that you could share with me? I'm sure I'd love to give them a try!

Angelica