The £1.50 Boots Moisturiser

Hello, and a belated Happy New Year! For my first post of 2018, I thought I'd do a quick review of the Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Moisturising Cream, which, as you can see in the title, is only £1.50. You get 100ml, which is a very generous amount and should last a while.

Some people might be a bit sceptical of how good a £1.50 moisturiser is going to be - you get what you pay for right? In this case, though, I've been really pleasantly surprised by this moisturiser. I've been using it for a few months and noticed a big, instant improvement in dryness on my chin as a result of the cold this winter.

As you can see on the packaging, this is intended for all skin types, which is probably true unless your skin is very oily. It's quite rich, so I tend to reach for a different moisturiser if I'm having breakouts, just to discourage any new spots from coming through. I think this would be a good moisturiser for those of you with dry and/or sensitive skin, as it's fragrance free.

It works quite well under makeup, sinking in relatively fast and giving you a great smooth base for applying foundation. It does everything it says on the tin, making your skin lovely and soft, which kind of makes me want to touch it - which probably isn't a good idea!

Overall, this moisturiser is an absolute bargain, and I'd highly recommend checking it out next time you need a new moisturiser! I'll certainly be repurchasing when mine runs out.

Have you tried this product? What's your moisturiser of choice at the moment? 

Review: MAC Plumful Lipstick

Simply looking at my very low tube of Plumful by MAC can tell you that I'm a pretty big fan of this lipstick, but read on to find out more...

So back in 2015, I wrote a blog post about my MAC lipstick collection as it was looking at the time, and explained that I hadn't really reached for Plumful, despite thinking it was a pretty colour. But over the past year I've found myself using it more and more. It's a fail safe, especially for every day wear. I think it might be my all-time favourite MAC lipstick, even beating some of my other favourites like Show Orchid or Ever Hip.

Plumful swatched

It applies well, has a glossy sheen, and the colour itself is a beautiful plummy-pink (as the name would suggest). It looks much darker in the tube than it does when on the lips, and it lasts pretty well. It doesn't survive food and drink but if you went four hours without eating or drinking anything messy I think it would last.

I think the colour is really nice with my pale skin, but it's quite neutral so it would also look very pretty on darker skin tones. Plumful is a lustre finish, which are normally not that pigmented, but actually it's semi-opaque.

MAC Plumful Lipstick on my lips

All in all I'm extremely happy with this lipstick and think it's worth every penny, however if you're on a budget I do think this is quite a dupeable shade, so it's probably quite easy to find a similar colour on the high street (Glossypolish found some dupes here). I'm definitely going to repurchase it though, when my tube inevitably runs out - and I've never used up a lipstick to the end of a tube before.

MAC Plumful lipstick is £16.50, available on maccosmetics.co.uk.

Have you tried this lipstick? What's your favourite MAC lipstick, or lipstick from any brand?

My Number One Foundation?

Sorry for the clickbaity title, although it may not be too far from the truth!*

Although I haven't tried that many foundations, out of every single one I have tried I think I've found my favourite, and one that I'm happy to keep using until I feel like trying something new. It trumps even Bourjois' Healthy Mix Foundation and 123 Perfect Colour Correcting cream (reviewed here), as well as YSL's Touche Eclat Foundation (all three of these I still really like and would use). I've also recently repurchased it - something I never usually do with foundations.

Revlon's ColorStay Foundation is one that I'd heard great things about for years from various YouTubers and bloggers, but decided to put to the back of mind to try sometime. I ended up deciding to buy it in December last year, as my No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation (reviewed here) was running out and I needed a new foundation to suit my oily skin (as the aforementioned Bourjois and YSL ones are very good, but don't give me enough coverage or oil control when my skin is breaking out). I think it was also on offer at the time for £3 less than the usual £12.99 in Superdrug, which was a nice extra. 

Something I really like about this foundation is that it comes in two different forms depending on your skin type - normal to dry and combination to oily. When I was swatching the foundation in store back in December, I was trying to decide between the palest shade (which is what I usually am) and the second-palest. The swatch for the lightest shade, Ivory, came up very light - so I took a slight risk and got the next one, Buff. It's perfect for my skintone and it's great to see a foundation offer a good range of shades (13 in all) including one for truly porcelain skin.

But what I find unbeatable about Revlon ColorStay Foundation, compared to other foundations I've tried, is its staying power. Once it's on, it stays put all day - even though:

1. I might be sweating profusely due to a heatwave (sorry, TMI)

2. I have a bad habit of touching my face during the day (especially at work)

3. I rarely use primer or setting powder.

Of course, it does wear off a bit due to these things, as would any foundation, but it still stands to reason that with most foundations, there would be little to no product left on my face at the end of a long, hot day, whereas with this one, it lasts extremely well.

Shade 150 (Buff) swatched

It's also worth noting that it's not a good idea to apply several blobs of this foundation on your face and then blend in - it sets very quickly, so it's better to do a section at a time. Also, it has SPF 15, which means it's ideal for daytime wear - but not so much for nights out if flash photography is involved.

Aside from its great shade match, finish and staying power, this foundation honestly makes me feel a lot better about my face on those really bad skin days. It gives me fantastic coverage and a natural, 'velvet-matte finish' (as Revlon describe). Its packaging isn't anything too fancy, but has a pump dispenser and allows me to see how much product I have left, which I like.

Are there any negatives? Well, I do think it is a bit pricey for a drugstore foundation, at £12.99. However for me it's worth every penny because I'm extremely happy with it overall. I also think that every now and then if I have a dry area on my face (which isn't often) it can look a little bit cakey in that area. So obviously it's a good idea to stick to the normal/dry version if you get dry patches. It also has a relatively strong foundation-y smell, although this doesn't put me off using it at all.

Final thoughts - if you're looking for a new foundation for oily/combination skin that lasts all day, gives you great coverage and looks natural, I'd really recommend Revlon ColorStay. If the £12.99 price tag is a bit steep for you, there are plenty of offers to look out for at Boots/Superdrug throughout the year - for example 3 for 2 offers or a £3 off offer. 

Have you tried this foundation? What's your number one foundation right now? 

*I didn't want to say 'Holy Grail' because idk, it seems a bit cheesy haha

Review: Bourjois 123 Perfect Colour Correcting Cream

Hello! So...guess who's back, back again. I can't believe it's been three months since I last posted here. ('I have a few posts in mind' I said, before disappearing again...) But here I am, with a review of a 'colour correcting cream' (basically foundation) I've been trying recently. Bourjois 123 Perfect Colour Correcting Cream constantly receives positive reviews, and despite not really needing a new foundation, I gave in to the hype and decided to try it. Bourjois in general seems like a great high street/drugstore choice for foundations - I've mentioned before how I love the original Healthy Mix Foundation and have used up loads of it. I have heard that they're owned by the same company who owns Chanel, whose foundations are supposed to be pretty good, so maybe we're actually getting pretty much the same products in different packaging?

Anyway, like the Healthy Mix Foundation, it claims to contain '3 colour correcting pigments':

Apricot for radiance

Melon for hydration

Apple to protect your youth

The Boots website also says that 'it is also enriched with crystalline pigments to even out the complexion while letting in the natural light for that healthy looking glow.'

I don't really know what they're on about with colour correcting and crystalline pigments, but I can definitely agree that it makes your skin look radiant and healthy. As someone with blemish-prone skin I was concerned it wouldn't give me enough coverage, but it definitely gives you a decent amount - not too light but not full on either.

This foundation is gorgeous - it never looks cakey or unnatural, it just makes your skin still look like skin, but better. I've found that it looks a bit nicer blended in with my fingers than with a brush. It has an oil-free formula, which is great for people with combination to oily skin.

Another thing I've noticed about this product is how well it lasts - I have somewhat oily skin but the foundation stays on even after a long and possibly hot day, and even without a primer or powder. It doesn't really give any claims about longevity apart from that it will give you 24 hour hydration...which is tricky, because no one wears their foundation that long! But I have been impressed with the staying power - it may even stay on longer than my No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation (reviewed here) which claims to last 14 hours. 

As usual with Bourjois foundations, the shades on offer have a yellow undertone.

A swatch of the ivory shade

Luckily this doesn't translate into looking like a Simpsons character when you apply it. My shade (ivory) is the lightest and is unfortunately probably going to be too dark for any super pale ladies - I'm hoping I'll be able to get away with it in the winter, but for now it's perfect. I've already worn this foundation loads and can see myself reaching for it a lot more, although on days where my skin is looking particularly awful and I need a higher coverage I'll still use the No7 Beautifully Matte.

Overall, this is a great base for summer - lightweight, with SPF 15 (though you'll probably want to apply a higher factor on your face on really hot days) and natural-looking. Definitely worth the hype in my opinion.

Bourjois 123 Perfect Colour Correcting Cream is £9.99 from Boots/Superdrug and is often on offer with a '3 for 2 on Bourjois' deal. I got mine in a 2 for £14 deal along with Bourjois Volume Glamour Push Up Waterproof mascara.

Hope this was helpful for anyone thinking of buying this foundation! :)

Sabrina xx

Review: Nice 'n Easy Root Touch Up in Medium Blonde

I finally used this product the other day and sorted out my roots so I thought I'd share my thoughts on it! Nice 'n Easy Root Touch Up aims to match other leading shades including salon colours and provide 100% grey coverage, which I don't need just yet. ;)

As mentioned in this post I actually chose the Medium Blonde shade despite having dark blonde hair because I'd heard in reviews that it goes darker than expected. I left it on for 20 minutes just in case it would have been too light after 10 minutes and I got a great match!

The actual use was really easy - I followed the instructions, putting on the gloves provided then pouring the Colour Activating Lotion followed by the Permanent Colour Creme in the plastic tray and mixing them together with the brush until it was fully blended. I then used the brush to thoroughly apply over my roots including at the back of my head (I couldn't see what I was doing there but I think it mixed in alright!) I ended up with loads of mixture left which I was surprised by as I've heard some reviewers claim that they didn't have enough - I think this would depend on how thick your hair is. The brush provided was a little flimsy but it still did the job.

20 minutes later I washed it off and the water actually went bubbly rather than having a great deal of visible colour to it. 

So here's the result:

Before and After - ignore the odd parting

Overall I'm really pleased with this kit, it did exactly what I wanted! It's very convenient and cheap for those times when your roots need doing but you don't really want to splash out at a salon just yet.
I'll probably next get my colour done at the same time as I next get my hair cut. I would definitely use this product again but I'm not sure whether I should try the Dark Blonde shade and just only leave it on for 10 minutes?

If you'd like to buy this I think it's usually cheapest at Savers, where I bought mine for £3.28, but it is currently on offer with £1 off at Boots right now so it's £3.99 there.

Sabrina xx

Review: Boots Skin Clear Oil-Free Mattifying Lotion

Hello! Today I have a review for a product that I've actually repurchased about three times, usually when it's on offer (although it's still quite cheap when it's not on offer!) This product has cleared up my skin really well in the past, and although I have been using an Avene moisturiser recently I still use this one when I have more breakouts than usual as the salicylic acid in the formula helps to get rid of them.

I don't find this all that moisturising but it definitely does what it says and mattifies the skin. It has a non-greasy formula so it effectively soaks up any oil on your face, just like it promises:

However this lotion does have one downside that is fairly annoying and does limit its use: it doesn't really leave a good base for makeup. You have to be careful how much you use as it can leave little white flakes on the skin, which especially annoying when you're trying to apply foundation! This is quite a shame really as it limits when you can use it.

Overall though this is still a great buy and it's definitely worth picking up if you suffer from breakouts/oily skin! If you have combination skin you may only want to apply this to your T-zone or wherever you're oily as you might find it a little drying otherwise. This is usually £2.99 but seems to be on offer a lot and is currently £2 available here.

Hope you enjoyed this review. If you're new and like my blog, please follow me here on Bloglovin, and it would also be lovely if you'd like to nominate me for the Bloggers Blog Awards! :)

Sabrina xx

NOTW - Essie's Tart Deco

Hi! I thought I'd do a little rave and review post about my latest Essie polish, Tart Deco, which you might have already seen me post a picture of if you follow me on Instagram. I was in love with the colour when I bought it but when I got home I wasn't sure whether to return it as it has very negative reviews on Makeupalley. I gave it a try anyway and overall I really like it!

I've had a few minor issues with the formula - same as Mint Candy Apple it is quite runny so you need to be careful not to let it go over the sides of your nails. If I do get any polish at the side where it shouldn't be then I find I can easily chip it off which is actually quite satisfying! However the formula and brush both leave you with a shiny and pretty look at the end. I think this one is also more opaque with one coat than Mint Candy Apple but I still preferred two coats.

I've also found that this polish chips a bit more easily than Mint Candy Apple - not that it completely chips off a whole nail, but more that it repeatedly chips at the tips of my nails, including the day after I'd topped it up and sorted out the chips, which was a bit annoying, but in fairness I had been busy doing stuff that day with my hands.

Overall I can get over any minor annoyances that I have with the formula because I absolutely adore the colours of Mint Candy Apple and Tart Deco. Tart Deco in particular is a polish that I think would be lovely on toes as well as nails.

There's actually since been a very similar coral colour released in their Summer Collection this year called Peach Side Babe so I definitely don't need that one as well but it also looks very pretty. If you're not sure which one to get, Essie Envy did a really helpful post here comparing the two and other shades in the collection. Right now I am really lusting after Chillato, a yellowy lime green shade which is nothing like anything I have in my collection. I wish I could buy and review the whole collection but I can't!

Also if you're a new reader and haven't seen it, I wrote a post about my 10 nail polish picks for Spring/Summer a while ago here. :)

What nail polishes are you loving at the moment? Will you be picking anything up from the Essie Summer Collection?

Sabrina xx

Review: Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk

Hi! Today I have another review, and you might remember a while ago in a little haul I bought Soap and Glory's Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk while it was on offer in Boots.

I've actually used this up at an alarming rate and the first thing I have to mention is the smell. It might not be to everyone's taste (not that you want to eat it) but I'm with Mikhila (Miss BudgetBeauty) on this one. I love it. It's quite strange, being peachy yet minty at the same time, but I find it really refreshing and maybe even relaxing!

I was a bit confused about this product at first. I normally use foaming cleansers but apparently they can strip moisture from your face so I thought this would be a good alternative, but I wasn't sure how I was supposed to use it. I mean, it is a cleansing milk, so should I use it as my makeup remover? Should I use it with a flannel? The answer is basically you can use it however you want, but it needs to be left on for at least 5-10 minutes or it won't have had a chance to do anything. I really like how it just gently tingles as I leave it to work. Sometimes I'm knackered and just want to take my makeup off, do my teeth etc and go to bed, so in that case I just leave this on while I do other stuff. Miss Budget Beauty has even said before that she's left it on overnight! So in that way it's sort of more a face-mask-that-doesn't-dry as opposed to a normal cleansing milk.

It doesn't sting and it actually seems to moisturise a bit while it's there. I have used it both for normal cleansing and for makeup removal and I think it works well for either, although an important thing to remember is you shouldn't use this bad boy to remove your mascara - it will hurt your eyes. It's gentle, but not gentle enough for eye makeup. It will definitely help make sure every last trace of foundation/concealer/blusher/bronzer is gone from your face though. Soap and Glory claim it 'melts away makeup' and it does! I typically use face wipes or cotton pads to remove the cleanser, along with warm water.

If you're a regular reader then you'll know that my skin is usually pants, so I won't bore you with too many details! But yes, my skin is quite oily/blemish prone and the only reason I'm not quite 100% in love with this product is because it's not really done anything to help fight breakouts. To be fair, this product is aimed at all skin types so that tells me right away that it's not going to tackle a specific skin issue, though if you have dry skin I think you'll quite like the moisturising feel you get whilst you leave the product on. If you have very sensitive skin you might want to avoid this because of the glycols it contains. If you buy this and are nervous about whether you might react badly to it, maybe do a patch test on your neck just to be safe.

Another thing that was a downside and is more my fault than the product's is the fact that I couldn't work out how to lock the pump before I went travelling down south to see my boyfriend, so I wasted some of that peach-smelling-creamy-goodness in the little bag I put it in! Does anyone know how to lock the pump?!

Anyway, let's round up the pros and cons:

Pros:

The smell
Attractive girly packaging
Somewhat moisturising
Tingles but doesn't sting
Melts away makeup as you rub it in
The smell
For all skin types so universal

Cons:
You need a separate eye makeup remover
Might not be suitable for very sensitive skin
Can't lock the pump packaging
For all skin types so not targeting any skin issues

Here are the ingredients:

Overall, this is a great cleanser, even if you only want to use it for makeup removal and then use something else afterwards just to be sure. It's definitely worth trying. I would probably repurchase this for the smell for makeup removal and then use Micellar Water/cotton pads for getting rid of eye makeup. At £8 normally that's a bit pricey for a makeup remover so I'm probably more likely to buy it again when it's on offer. Speaking of which, it's in a 'buy one get second half price on selected Soap and Glory' offer at Boots right now.

Edit: I just realised that not only has the packaging changed again, but the amount of product has been increased from 200ml to 350ml which in my opinion makes this product great value for money! Hopefully Soap and Glory won't decide to increase the price soon to reflect that, but still it's great to see a brand increase rather than decrease the amount you get and not change the price.

I hope this post was helpful!
Have you tried this product? What's your favourite cleanser right now?

Thanks for reading,

Sabrina xx

Out, Damned Spot - Witch Blemish Gel Review

Hello, so I've mentioned before about how I have quite bad skin (which has actually got a bit worse lately thanks to a certain thing.) Obviously having bad skin isn't the end of the world but it does get me down a bit, so considering I have no control over my hormonal breakouts it's great that I've found (and many times repurchased) the Witch Blemish Gel, which has been probably the best spot-zapper I've used so far.

It's basically a clear gel with (as the brand name suggests) extract of Witch Hazel. You're meant to apply it at night so that it can get to work while you sleep but I occasionally use it during the day and it still works well - though not if you want to wear makeup over where you've applied it.

This product is especially good at helping to reduce the size of any large, red 'angry' spots (like the ones you might get during that time of the month) but it also helps with 'juicy' smaller spots. It won't make a spot disappear overnight but it still does an amazing job of soothing and reducing it and then hopefully making it go away sooner. I find that any large spots quickly dry up and form a scab after I've used this a few times..sorry if these details are disgusting haha. It can sometimes feel tingly as it works which itches and I have to resist the urge to touch the area!

At £3.29 for 35ml from Boots it's also really good value for money. I used to use Witch's Blemish Stick which was okay but I found it to be not very hygienic as you dab the stick onto your face or use your fingers, whereas the Blemish Gel is in a squeezy tube. Witch say this is great for all skin types but especially oily/combination skin and this is true - if you have dry and/or sensitive skin then I'd recommend only using it lightly.

Overall if you're looking for a new spot treatment I would really recommend this product, it really works!

Have you tried this? Do you have another spot treatment that you'd recommend?

Sabrina xx

Review: NARS Wonder Lip Gloss

Hello! So I'm normally really not much of a lip gloss-wearer. I went to Uni in Aberystwyth which, being by the coast, was often windy - so lip gloss wasn't really a good idea (unless you like having hair stuck to it!) Nevertheless a few years ago I gave in and bought this Nars lip gloss, pretty much because youtubers like Tanya Burr and Fleur De Force were always raving about them and how non-sticky and comfortable they are to wear!

As it's Nars, it's pretty expensive...I actually paid £15.75 for mine because I got 10% off the old price (£17.50) in 2013, but they now retail for £19. That 10% off was student discount at Asos, so if you're a student and want some Nars in your life, Asos is the site to get it. Also, every now and then Debenhams do 10% off beauty and John Lewis tend to do the same promotions as their competitors - hence you can get 10% Nars with them occasionally. Obviously it doesn't make a huge amount of difference but hey, it adds up!

I tried to a pick a more unique shade too so it's hopefully more special than a gloss I could just get for a fiver or so on the high street, as well as maybe having a nicer formula (not that you can't get great glosses on the high street; I quite like the Barry M ones.) I do love this shade:

As you can see, it's a very pretty reddish-orange, although it definitely shows up less orange on the lips. It also has some subtle pink and gold shimmer which adds to the prettiness. It comes in the typical rubberised and unfortunately dirt-prone Nars packaging which does look good. The formula is nice and smooth, it's comfortable to wear and not too sticky although I wouldn't describe it as completely non-sticky. It also lasts around 3/4 hours before fading. It doesn't seem to smell or taste of anything.

You get a doe-foot applicator which I find works quite well:

Nars actually describe it as sheer but I wouldn't say it was particularly.You can apply just enough to get a sheer look, or you can build it up to a more intense shade, which I love. Here's how it looks:

I don't think this is a shade that pale girls like myself would usually go for but it does work with pale skin! I also think it would look amazing with tanned skin. I almost feel like it works with my natural lip colour to come off a bit more pink than it does in the tube. Here's how it looks from a distance:

If my nose looks a bit red, it's because I managed to catch a cold in June! Wah.

(I'm actually not wearing the No7 Beautiful Skin Foundation which I reviewed recently, but instead I'm wearing the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream which I mentioned in that post. For some reason it came out looking really dark but thankfully it didn't make me look orange!)

Final thoughts: This is a gorgeous product, and the only high end lip gloss I own (and rightly so as I don't wear lip glosses a lot.) It is very pricey, but if you have £19 to spend on a lip gloss it's a great option. I think it might look quite nice layered over a lipstick like MAC's Vegas Volt.

Have you tried this lip gloss or any of Nars' other glosses? I've heard that Super Orgasm and Turkish Delight are good. I would definitely purchase another Nars lip gloss, despite the price, when I win the lottery.

If you know of any possible dupes for this product please comment below as it would be great if there was a similar alternative available on the high street!

Thanks for reading,

Sabrina xx

Review: No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation

Hey everyone! I thought I'd share my thoughts on No7's Beautifully Matte Foundation, which I bought at the beginning of April. This post is probably going to be quite long but I'm aiming to make it as thorough as I can!

This foundation doesn't get an awful lot of hype in the beauty world - but neither do many of No7's products. I do think No7 is a bit overpriced, but they do have some great products. It does get mostly positive reviews on Makeupalley and Boots.com though.

The No7 sales assistant used the Foundation Match Service device to match me to Calico, the lightest shade (big surprise) which matches me quite well but would be too dark if you're extremely pale. There are 14 shades to choose from which I think is pretty good.

Other things to mention:

• It's hypo-allergic
• It has an SPF of 15
• It has medium to full coverage
• It has a matte finish, as the name suggests!

I don't like to look or feel caked in makeup so I don't usually go for full coverage foundations, however this one usually feels light on the skin.

 I like how this foundation is less likely to aggravate any breakouts as No7 say "salicylic acid had been included in the formula to help unblock pores and improve the condition of the skin throughout wear." I also own the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream which contains 2% salicylic acid. The only thing with this is it means you can't apply either of these products very close to your eyes, or it may sting. 

Calico swatched.

It claims to keep you shine free for up to 14 hours (or 12 hours according to the website) which is quite tame considering there's a 25 Hour Foundation (by Rimmel) and the L'oreal Foundation I almost bought, Infallible Matte, promises a matte result for up to 24 hours. I don't know who wears their makeup that long but I think the staying power's quite good. I wouldn't say my skin is extremely oily and this foundation wears well for around 7 or 8 hours before I start to feel a bit shiny on my forehead.

I like to apply it over the Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily Skin (reviewed here) and use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush (from the Core Collection) to apply and blend. For testing it for this review I used no primer or powder. Although this has fairly high coverage I definitely still needed some concealer for those dark circles and blemishes...

Before, so no makeup:

After (just foundation):

Here's a comparison how my 'problem area' (i.e. where I always seem to break out) looked before and after applying this foundation, so you can have a closer look at the coverage it gives. That's right, I lost my mind and put pictures of my spots on the internet (my skin is quite rubbish at the moment.) Oh well!

^ As you can see it hasn't done much when it comes to covering the three active spots near my jawline, but it has done quite well at covering red marks which are healing old spots.

Here's how the foundation looks along with the rest of my makeup:

It might just be the lighting but if I wasn't avoiding powder for the purposes of this review I would definitely have powdered my T-zone with MAC's Blot Powder as I feel like my nose and forehead look a bit shiny.

In case you're wondering, the rest of the makeup I'm wearing is:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (reviewed here) applied over Seventeen Falsifye HD Mascara
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla under the eyes (reviewed here)
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair for spots
MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose under the eyes and on the brow bone
MAC Satin Taupe eyeshadow with a bit of Patina at the crease
L'oreal Brow Artist Plumper in Dark Brunette
NARS Gaiety blush
NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder Sunny (I never use bronzer but I thought I'd give this a go - not sure if you can tell I'm wearing it?!)
Seventeen Mirror Shine Lipstick in Belle (I've raved about this lipstick before but I don't think I've actually shown how it looks on the lips until now!)

Overall, I quite like this foundation, though I don't think it's 'holy grail' at the same time. The coverage is good, but what I think I like most about it is how natural it looks, as it doesn't feel heavy or cakey at all.

You can buy this foundation only at Boots for £13.50, but look out for the £3 off No7 Makeup vouchers! There is currently a free gift offer when you buy two No7 products. There's also a 'Save £5 when you spend £35 on selected fragrance, No7 & premium beauty' offer which is only online.

Have you tried this foundation? What's your favourite foundation?

Sabrina xx

Rediscovery and Review: Soap and Glory Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder

Does anyone else occasionally just have a random play with their makeup collection, finding old favourites that you may have forgotten that you had? I remember there was a big buzz around Soap and Glory's makeup line when it launched a couple of years ago. One product that I would rediscover if only I could find it would be the Sexy Mother Pucker (lol) Gloss Stick in Nudist - I don't know where it's got to but it's a brilliant product and I may have to check out another shade soon!

Anyway, I happily rediscovered the Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder which is such a stunning product. It is a very light peachy pink which actually counts as a blush on my pale skin at the moment, although I usually use it along with a blush. I now use a mattifying foundation so I think this powder is a brilliant way to add a bit of a glow where you want it on oily skin (and possibly more suitable than using a liquid highlighter, like Benefit's High Beam.) Sorry that mine's looking a bit worse for wear, I've owned it for a long time!

As usual with Soap and Glory, the name is punny and the packaging looks good, although the cardboard/paper packaging is a bit flimsy. The good folks at Soap and Glory have actually recently repackaged it into a sturdier plastic compact which is a great improvement. This is quite expensive for a drugstore makeup product at £11 but it's currently in a '3 for 2' offer.

They say:

Use it to lift up your cheekbones or dust lightly all over for a 'moonlit' look. Featuring LIGHTSCRAMBLE™ Luminospheres Pigment Pearls and extended wear silicone technology.

Oh, Soap and Glory, you and your made up words. But yes, this does contain silicones, and S&G aren't shy about that, but if that helps this stay on longer on my oily skin, then I'm on board (she says, whilst googling silicones to try and understand whether they're good or bad.)

As for the colour, I'll let the pictures do the talking and show how gorgeous it is:

This is quite a heavy swatch, just to get the colour to show up!

Blended out. Sorry about the creepy vein!

As you can see, it is very radiant without being glittery in the slightest (which is the main thing that puts me off highlighters sometimes!) 

So basically...if you want a pink powder highlighter which blends well, adds beautiful radiance and a little bit of colour to pale complexions, then you may well love this as much as I do - I'm certainly going to be reaching for it a lot this Spring/Summer! 

Have you tried this product? What's your go-to highlighter?

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Sabrina xx

Review: No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream For Normal/Oily Skin

Hello again! So I am now completely sorted when it comes to moisturisers. Last week I revisited my beloved Uni town (Aberystwyth) and popped into Boots there intending to just get the Nivea Daily Essentials Sensitive Night Cream, having quite liked a sachet sample of it I tried recently. It's also currently half price - £2.24 instead of £4.49, which makes it extremely good value. I only use it every other night at the moment because it's quite rich and I don't want to overload my skin, but I'm really enjoying using it (I may do a full review soon!)

I spent over £5 getting other stuff (including reduced-but-still-tasty creme eggs, oh yes) and was given a £5 No7 Skincare / £3 off No7 Makeup voucher, which came out very soon after I missed the last ones! This particular batch expired last Sunday unfortunately but I'm sure it won't be very long at all until the next ones. I always like to take advantage of at least one voucher, even if it's just getting their £7 Face Wipes for £2, which are quite nice but definitely overpriced. At the time of writing, there's a 3 for 2 on selected No7 offer.

So, again having tried out a sample and really liked it - I bought the Beautiful Skin Day Cream for Normal/Oily Skin, so I now have a moisturiser for day and night. It is normally £13.50 but with the voucher I got it for £8.50, meaning I got another voucher which I actually didn't want because I didn't want to be tempted into buying anything else!

This is what No7 promise about it on the box:

It seems like a thick, rich lotion in the jar but when you actually apply it on your face it sinks in incredibly well (especially if you do a gentle patting motion) leaving skin smooth and happy, and you can't feel that it's there. This means it leaves a great base for makeup, which is my favourite thing about it. 

The SPF of 15 is also a big plus for me as I rarely wear an SPF out and about in normal weather unless it's in my foundation - the same factor is also in the No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation which I purchased recently and will do a review on soon. Does that mean than when wearing both I have a factor 30 protection?!

Anyway, this addition of SPF does mean that that's mainly what this product smells of. I find it an acceptable, inoffensive scent but if an SPF smell in your moisturiser bothers you then you probably won't like this. Also, part of the packaging warns that this isn't suitable for sunbathing so it might not be a good idea to rely on just this for sun protection.

It works quite well for me at keeping oil at bay and mattifying my skin but it doesn't mattify all day long and I don't think it would work for very long if you are very oily.

This product does have a few downsides - firstly there's the jar packaging. It does look good and I know this only really means you need to wash your hands before applying; which is something you should probably do anyway no matter what the packaging of your moisturiser is, but to me it's still a bit unhygienic and annoying. Please can we have a pump packaging, No7? 

I'm not sure why No7 added Fragrance as it pretty much smells like sun cream!

My other bugbear is the fact that this has alcohol denat. This moisturiser, as with all No7 products is hypo-allergenic and it doesn't irritate my skin at all, but I'm still not keen on the inclusion of this irritating and drying ingredient. 

My skin is quite oily but on less oily days I find myself applying quite a bit to make my skin feel thoroughly moisturised. No7 also do a Day Cream for Normal to Dry Skin so if you have combination skin you may well feel unsure as to which one's best suited to you. I'd say that it would be a good idea to try a sample out of the one you think you're more suited to. I don't think this would be suitable for someone whose combination skin leans more towards being dry.

Overall, this moisturiser is really good (despite the dodgy packaging) and I'd recommend it!

Have you tried this product? What's your favourite moisturiser?

Sabrina xx

Review: Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Hi! I've been trying Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara out for a while now and I thought I'd share my thoughts on it.

As you can see it has a curved wand and has actually been classed as a potential dupe for Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara for that reason. I haven't tried Roller Lash to compare them but the last mascara I tried that had a curved brush was 17's Doll'd Up Mascara, which is a great lengthening mascara. This mascara's brush is bigger and fatter than 17's mascara but I don't think it's too big.

I've noticed that the brush tends to pick up a lot of product, hence the lid of mine is getting a bit dirty due to me using it to get rid of excess mascara.

Maybelline say it has a 'lash multiplying brush' to give you 'a sensational layered, multiplied look.'

Cue scarily close shots of my eyes... (I didn't curl my eyelashes)

Before and After

I think my favourite thing about this mascara is how well it lasts, particularly in holding a curl. Some mascara's curling effects tend to drop but this one lasts all day.

However it can be a little on the clumpy side sometimes so it might take a bit longer than usual to achieve the look you want. I'm also not super keen on the very wet formula but it does dry quickly.

Overall, I think this mascara is really good! It builds nicely, gives me excellent length and volume, and is capable of giving you a beautiful fanned out look. I'm really enjoying using it! I wonder how Roller Lash would compare to this?

Have you tried this product? What's your favourite mascara?

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara is £7.99 available from Boots and Superdrug.

Thanks for reading!

Sabrina xx

PS: What do you think of my new blog design? :)

Review: Garnier Pure Active Micellar Cleansing Water

Hi! You're probably well aware of the micellar water craze (if not, where have you been?) which started off with everyone raving about Bioderma (which used to be hard to get hold of but is now easily available here) to Garnier being the first (I think) drugstore brand to release their own version. Props to Garnier for being first in the race to launch these things, as I believe they were first in the BB cream craze too.

I would love to try Bioderma sometime in the future and see if it's worth the hype, but that stuff is pretty expensive (£10.20 for 250ml! ouch) so for now I'm definitely happy to keep using drugstore ones - to compare with Bioderma, Garnier's Micellar Waters are usually £4.99 for 400ml.

I tried the original pink-capped version of Garnier's Micellar Water and really liked it, so when that was running out I thought I'd try the one aimed at combination to oily and sensitive skin. I don't doubt that the original is fine for oily-skinned ladies like myself as it's super gentle, but this one is formulated especially for oilier skins. The ingredients of both products are extremely similar except there's Alcohol Denat in the oily-skin version.

In terms of makeup-removing, both products work quickly and easily. I used to use face wipes to remove my makeup, so this has been a good change for me as it gets the job done just as quickly and does a more effective cleanse. I've heard that some people have found Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara difficult to remove, but using this to take it off I've had no problems! If I've been wearing a lot of eye makeup I like to hold the soaked cotton pad over each eye for about 10 seconds to help get as much off as I can with one swipe.

However a few days ago I used this product to take off just a small amount of makeup (mascara and concealer) and my face seemed to go quite red, making me wonder if the addition of Alcohol Denat might be irritating my skin. I was confused in general about whether alcohol in skincare is harmful or not, so I googled it and Paula's Choice's opinion is that it is harmful unless it's fatty alcohol. If this is true, then why did Garnier add alcohol but still describe this product as suitable for sensitive skin?

Overall I still quite like this, but I think I prefer the original as I think it's gentler so more suitable for suitable skin. I also prefer the packaging of the original version as it's pink! I think when this runs out I'll probably repurchase the original, or try a micellar water from Simple or Nivea.

Garnier's Pure Active Micellar Cleansing Water is available from Boots here - both this and the original are on offer at the time of posting for £3.33 instead of £4.99.

Have you tried this? What are your thoughts on micellar waters?

Thanks for reading!

Sabrina xx

Review: Sanctuary Spa 'Deep Cleanse Facial' Routine - Cleanser, Toner and Moisturiser

Hi! So today I'm going to share my thoughts on three skincare products in the 'Deep Cleanse Facial' range by Sanctuary Spa, aimed at oily skin. I actually tried this routine a while ago but I now only really use the cleanser for reasons I'll explain in this post!

As you can see, all three products come in simple blue packaging which is quite practical - the cleanser comes in a squeezy tube, the toner sprays out and the moisturiser has a pump. You can't really see how much you have left in any of the products but just going by their weight I know I've used up a fair amount of the 50ml moisturiser despite not liking it and I still have a lot left of the 150ml toner.

Firstly the Fresh Faced Purifying Wash promises to 'melt away even stubborn mascara while also leaving skin feeling conditioned, smooth and soft.'

I really like this cleanser, it foams up well and does the job of cleansing my oily skin nicely. It can sometimes leave my skin feeling a bit dry though and it hasn't really done anything when it comes to spots - although I can't really expect it to! It smells a bit strange but I neither like or dislike it.  I'd probably give this cleanser 7 out of 10.

I've actually repurchased this twice despite not really loving it if that makes sense - once simply because my first one ran out and I simply had no time to look at loads of reviews to find the right new cleanser, so I went with this one again because I know it works quite well for me. Then I recently repurchased it again in the travel size to take when I went to stay with my boyfriend. But after this one runs out I will probably try a new cleanser, so if anyone has any recommendations that would be great!

Secondly the Pore Refining Toner is just okay - it doesn't seem to do anything positive or negative. It can be quite refreshing to use but I honestly can't tell if it's doing anything whatsoever when I use it.

It promises to 'help to balance skin’s pH levels and minimises the appearance of open pores without stripping or drying skin.' but I haven't noticed any changes in the size of my pores.

I used it again today for the first time in ages and it did seem to make my moisturiser sink in a bit better but other than that it did nothing much! I don't know, maybe it is balancing my skin's pH level after using the cleanser and I just can't tell? I'd give this 4.5 out of 10.

Review: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Hi! So as promised, here's my review of the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I know this product has been reviewed a million times now on blogs, but I thought I'd express my thoughts on it anyway as I expected amazing things from it! Also, I'll compare it with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer which I raved about before on the blog here.

First things first, I know packaging doesn't really matter but the packaging of the NARS concealer is definitely nicer, being in a glass tube with a rubberised lid (this rubberised packaging NARS products have is stylish and all, but attracts dirt quickly!) while the Collection one is pretty simple. Both have a sponge applicator which I like.

The text on the Collection concealer always rubs off quite quickly but that doesn't bother me, the only slight issue I've had with its packaging is that sometimes if you put the applicator back in while it's still got a lot of product on, some product can come out and clog in-between the lid and the concealer colour part of the packaging, which means that it gets dirty and wastes a little bit of product, but it's not a huge issue.

Shade wise the Collection's lightest shade (Fair) is perfect for me and on swatching, I thought the NARS shade 'Vanilla' might be a little too dark, but it looks fine when applied on my face. In this swatch on my hand you can see that the NARS one definitely has a pink undertone while the Collection concealer is quite neutral:

Top: Collection. Below: NARS.

I've applied different concealers under each eye so I can compare them on coverage. I think it's pretty close! (I know I've applied quite a lot, but that's because my dark circles are pretty bad!)

In the first picture I'm not wearing any makeup but have cleansed and moisturised. I also had some redness going on in-between my eyebrows that I concealed - some of it is actually just a very faint v-shaped birthmark that I have. I also applied the Seventeen Falsifye HD Mascara which I repurchased recently!

When I'm in a rush and don't have time to apply a full face of makeup I always like to wear at least concealer and mascara, it makes me look so much more awake!

Overall, I love both as they both give me great coverage but I think the NARS one is ever so slightly better - it has a more radiant and therefore brightening finish and is less drying under the eyes that the Collection one. So I'll probably be using the Collection one for concealing spots and the NARS one for concealing my dark circles (adding radiance to spots doesn't sound like too much of a good idea!)

Although this concealer is great, I don't think there's necessarily any need to splash out £22 on it. I've heard about a few other concealers from the high street being really good - both by Maybelline (Fit Me and The Eraser concealers) so I'd be interested to know if any of you have tried one of those or have any other favourite concealer? 

If you have any other thoughts on this post, please feel free to comment :)

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is available here for £22 and Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is available here for £4.19.

Thanks for reading!

 Sabrina xx

Ten Makeup Favourites Under £10!

Hi! So I thought since I've mentioned high end brands in my other posts so far that it was about time I balanced it out a bit and talked about really good affordable products (I'm sticking to makeup, because it would be hard to talk about skincare as well and fit into a list of ten products!) They're all available at your local Boots or Superdrug unless stated otherwise, and they're all in no particular order. For each product I'll mention if there's a high end product it compares to and if I have any minor gripes with it. Enjoy!

1. Collection Ultimate Wear Lasting Perfection Concealer, £4.19

I'm starting with an obvious one! I mentioned this in my last post as I'm currently trying out the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and I'm curious to see how it compares with this. This concealer is really, really good - there's a reason it gets so much hype in the beauty community (blogs and YouTube.) It gives you a high coverage and doesn't look cakey. It can sometimes be drying and settle into fine lines under my eyes, but other than that this concealer is amazing. I've repurchased it many times.

Here is a swatch along with the NARS one. The NARS concealer is making the Collection concealer look kind of orange but it's not! The fairest shade is a good match for my skin tone.

Top: Collection. Below: NARS.