W7 In The Buff Eye Colour Palette || Naked 2 Dupe

 

 

 Aah, the Naked 2 palette. Arguably one of the most coveted  products in the blogging world that never fails to gain a positive review from each new owner. The fact that I don't own it and now feel no need to is all down to a palette I discovered only a few weeks ago, the W7 In The Buff Eye Colour Palette. Having read many a beauty blog, I've seen countless swatches of the Naked 2 which appears very similar to the W7 In the Buff despite it only being a fraction of the price at £4.99. The packaging and layout also have little difference, would you believe. Intrigued yet?

 From Left - Right: Buff, Camel, Sand, Dust, Chocolate and Topaz (Same Below).

 

From Left - Right: Earth, Storm, Silk, Wave, Thunder and Onyx (Same below).

Silk all over the lid with Chocolate and Camel in the outer third and Sand in the inner corner.

Buff and Sand (the two lighter colours) do not have as pigmentation as the others, particularly Buff which is matte. However the darker shimmers (particularly Thunder and Dust) are a lot less chalky and transfer well. Both Onyx and Chocolate are also matte and would work well lining the eye or in the crease.

 

Overall I think this set of Natural Nudes is a must have for anyone who wants the Naked 2 but without the price tag and is perfect for the Christmas season. Available from The Cosmetics House.  

❤️

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Review || The Porefessional by Benefit

 Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Sorry my blog seems to have taken a bit of a back seat at the moment, I seem to be having exam after controlled assessment after exam and I guess school work comes first. The ol' camera seems to have decided to go on it's own adventure and may not return for a few days so I'm digging out photos I took weeks ago. Anyway, today I thought I'd talk about one of my favourite primers, the Porefessional. It's obviously not a new release but as I love it so much I felt it needed it's own little spot on my blog!

Before I bought this in the summer I had my eye on it for about a year and finally made the purchase when I was up in Manchester. I have combination oily skin which also means I have larger pores and makes makeup application and wearability a nightmare. Cue Benefit the Porefessional. Benefit describe it as a 'PRO balm to minimize the appearance of pores,' which I couldn't agree with more. The silky finish is unlike anything else I've tried and definitely makes my skin appear smoother. The Porefessional doesn't claim to allow my makeup to last for longer (and doesn't) which is something I do look for in a primer and the only let down. However with a good foundation, think Bourjois Healthy Mix, and powder this works well. For the price (£24.50) I'm not sure if it'll be a repurchase though. Thus the quest for the perfect primer continues...

 

What is you favourite primer? Any recommendations?

xxx

 

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Review || Catrice Cosmetics Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette

 

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Hold your horses Ladies and Gents but I think that I've finally got a blogging schedule! I'm planning on posting on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with the occasional post here and there. With lots of exams coming up I don't want to neglect my blog so I need to be organised and maybe plan in advance for once. Anyway, today's post is going to be a little review of the Catrice Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette* which I won in Molly's giveaway recently.

Unfortunately the eyeshadows don't have names so I've numbered them from 1 through to 6. I'd also like to point out that the accompanying brush is much better than I would expect but I still prefer Real Techniques! 

Shade 1 works wonders as a highly pigmented, shimmery-but-not-sparkly, inner corner highlight or blended over the inner third of the lid. For an all over base colour, shade 2 works well, although I think it would have been better matte. Shade 3 is a deep warmed tone brown in the pan although doesn't transfer as well onto the skin. 

An alternative all over the lid colour would be shade 4 which works well with shade 5 in the outer third.  For real eyeball eyelid definition shade 6 transfers really well and is easy to blend.

 

Overall for only €5 this really is a bargain palette and something I would recommend buying if you can get your hands on one!

 

Thanks Molly!

 



xxx

 

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Review || Topshop False Lash Mascara

 

One Coat

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Now as you may (or most probably may not) know I'm a big fan of the Topshop makeup line, particularly their lipsticks and cream blushes which are much hyped about in the blogging world. However being a loyal Maybelline mascara wearer, Topshop's lash lengthening offerings never really caught my eye. At least that was until one shopping trip, in the midst of the sales, where the last items of clothing should have never been produced! I decided to head over to the makeup stand only to discover False Lash, which would later turn out to be my dream mascara. Cheesy, I know.

The formula is what really wins this mascara for me. Although the wand is nothing special, the mascara grips to my lashes, effectively volumising without the look of clumps or spiders legs (please no). The mascara doesn't fall or smudge throughout the day which is another plus. Packaging wise I can't fault Topshop, it's just so darn cute! Being priced at £10 this is slightly more expensive than my usual mascaras but I would say this is very comparable to Benefit's They're Real (when two coats applied) so justifiable!

 

Overall I really enjoy wearing this and would recommend it to anyone looking for volume from their mascara! Have you tried any Topshop Makeup?

 

xxx

 

p.s. thank you so much to the lovely ladies who have nominated me for a Liebster award over the past month or so. I found the posts were getting quite repetitive so have decided I wont be doing anymore (hope you understand), and instead be doing more exciting reviews and OOTDs!

♥
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Review || Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! It seems a long time that I've actually sat down and written a review however this summer I've been all over Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray* and I felt it essential to tell you lovely lot about it. I may have been late to catch on but hey better late than never! This highly coveted product is something that I've been uhhumming  and aahhing over for a little while so when I won the spray in Sophie's  giveaway I was really excited to give it a whirl! For someone who is a lover of volume, texture and more volume when it comes to the hair department, this product ticks all the right boxes.

Through different uses, I have found this is best applied to 70-80% dry hair and whilst blowdrying if 'm feeling wild! I then use a Zoella inspired movement of scrunching the ends of my hair to give a tousled, 'I've just come of the beach after a long morning surfing' look. A quick mist of my Theo Amplifying Spray seals the deal.
 

Retailing for £21.50 for 125ml this is definitely a middle priced product, not the most expensive but by far not the cheapest. Bumble and Bumble also offer a travel sized version of 50ml and both are available from Boots.

 

 Thus the love affair with Bumble and Bumble begins. If found gazing at the Foam Wash Shampoo or Thickening Spray (next on my list) please return me home before my purse is completely empty...

Toodlepip
xxx

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Review || Seascape Uplifting Body Wash and Les Petits Body Lotion

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Today I'm going to be reviewing some products I was very kindly sent to review for you lovelies!

Inspired by the natural charm, simplicity and beauty of island living, Seascape have a selection of products containing locally sourced ingredients, perfect for a morning shower. Seascape's Island Apothecary Uplift Body Wash* is something I've been lathering on over the past few weeks (a little goes a long way) and really loving. Containing 100% natural essential oils of Jersey Eucalyptus, lime and lavender, this is a very refreshing scent to wake up to!

Seascape also promise that their products are, 'Paraben, silicone, petroleum and SLS free and suitable for vegetarions. We are against animal testing and our bottles and packaging are recyclable.' On terms of packaging, the product is easy to get out and the bottle looks very luxurious. This retails for £16 for 300ml which ,although on the higher end, this product will last such a long time and would make a lovely gift. Available from the Beauty Expert website.

 Aimed at children, Seascape's Les Petits Body Lotion* is a naturally fragranced and dermatologically tested lotion which is great for my sensitive skin. Although a Soap and Glory lover, a lot of the lotions and potions I use are scentless and it was nice to find a product that my skin could handle as well as having a gorgeous lavenderesque (yep- it's a word) smell that lingers. The lotion wasn't too thick and had sunk into the skin in no time. That being said, I have very dry knees and elbows and I needed two layers of the lotion to hydrate them. This retails at a reasonable £12 and is available to purchase from the HQ Hair website. 

 

Overall, I was really pleased with these products and I would definitely buy the lotion again!

 

Toodlepip!

xxx

 

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Review || Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer

 Hello everyone, hope you're all well! With the hot weather I don't think anybody feels like a face full of foundation. Cue Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer. I bought this in shade 51, light radiance, which is also the fairest shade Bourjois do. On terms of packaging there are some negative and some positive points. The tube is clear so that you are aware of how much product you have left but the lip gloss style applicator makes it hard to control the amount of product that comes out and can be messy.

 The consistency is quite thick and I found that this creased under my eyes, although on other parts of my face, such as around my nose and chin, the formulation was perfect. This concealer was able to disguise any spots, blemishes or redness with ease and without looking cakey. I set this with Rimmel Stay Matte powder and it lasted near enough all day without looking patchy.

Overall I really like this concealer and think it is definitely worth the £7.49 price tag, available from Boots.

 

Au revoir mes amies

xxx

 

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Review || Kérastase Styling Lift Vertige

Oooh, a hair product? That's new. Kérastase Styling K Lift Vertige* Root Uplifting Gel (that's a mouthful!) is something I've been putting to all kinds of tests over the past week or so. If you want to find out what I thought, keep reading...

Kérastase advise 'apply to damp hair at the roots and using a brush and blowdryer, lift the roots for a volumizing effect.' On evacuating the shower I left my hair to partly dry and then took a small pump and massaged it into the roots of my hair. One small singing session with the blowdryer and hairbrush over, my hair was volumized and ready for the day ahead! I have to say I was very impressed at how the gel left my hair, as usually gravity has the ultimate effect of leaving it arranged around my face in an odd limp manner.

On Sunday I mainly pottered about at home, and I was very impressed at how the ends of my hair stayed curly. On Tuesday I faced a hard day of endless shopping, eating at Wagamamas ( I had chicken raisukaree if you were wondering) and catching the train with my friends. My hair held out pretty well and better than expected considering the hot conditions.

 

Please excuse my odd facial expression in the picture above, but I was trying to show how well the product was at keeping my hair wavy and volumized!

 

Kérastase K Lift Vertige retails for £19.50 on the Look Fantastic website, which is the cheapest I've found it. Although this is quite pricey, I have to say this is one of the only products I've used on my hair that has actually given me volume, and a small amount goes a long way!

 

Toodlepip!

xxx

 

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NOTD #8 || Tangy Tangerine by Rimmel

 Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Todays nails feature peachy Tangy Tangerine #705 from the Rimmel 'I Heart Lasting Finish Collection', and well, let's just say, I may have found a new love. Now, it's not as if I have never worn a Rimmel polish before, just not in a while. And boy I'm wondering why I ever stopped! When I say this lasted seven days chip free, I really mean it! That is more than my beloved Topshop polishes! The brush is wide, allowing easy application, and the formulation dries quickly, which meant the three coats needed for an opaque colour took next to know time! I already have a few in my collection but I'll definitely be picking up some more next time I'm in Boots.

 

Which polishes have you been loving so far this Summer? Have you tried any from this collection?

 

Au revoir mes amies

xxx

 

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Review || Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Whilst browsing the magazine stand last week I spotted that Marie Claire's free gift was a mini version of the Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner, a product I had wanted to try for a while. So, as you may of already guessed, I picked it up!

The product arrives in a pretty little blue box and the eyeliner itself is silver.

 

Marie Claire is a reduced price of only £2.50 this month, making this a really great deal!

 Eyeko claim, "Whether you want bold drama or grown-up glamour, you can line and define your eyes in an instant with our easy-to-control Skinny Liquid Eyeliner. The preservative-free formula with key ingredient, Sodium Hyaluronate ensures that colour glides on and stays on for a long-lasting, glossy finish. It's a highly pigmented colour, it won't smudge or fade and it's easy to apply."
The felt tip is a medium size, allowing the user to apply a thin or thick line. The pigmentation is great although the product, I find, to fade throughout the day, occasionally flaking. My usual liquid eyeliner is Collection's extreme 24 hour felt tip liner, which I actually prefer as the colour lasts all day.



What is your favoutite eyeliner? Have you picked up any free gifts with magazines this month?

 

xxx

 

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Battle of the Healthymixes || Foundation Vs. Serum

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Today's post is going to be a comparison between the re-formulated and packaged infamous Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation and an old favourite, the Healthy Mix Serum.

First things first, the shade I have in both of the products is 51, Light Vanilla. I believe this is the fairest of the 8 shades for the foundation and palest of the 6 shades for the serum. Whilst this is a perfect match for me, anyone with a very pale skin tone would struggle. The foundations are also slightly yellow toned.

I bought the foundation about a month ago, and have given it lots of attention as I wanted to be able to do a fair review. The new packaging is a glass bottle with a red pump (Revlon take note- we want pumps), unlike the original foundation which was a plastic tube with a black pump. I prefer the new packaging because I think it looks more professional, sleek and  high end. As I don't travel a lot, thepackaging being glass isn't a problem but I see how it can be if you do.

Bourjois claim this is 16 hour wear and that the foundation gives a healthy glow and flawless complexion along with it being hydrating and giving luminous skin. That is a lot of promises that I'm afraid the foundation doesn't quite live up to. I don't wear makeup for 16 hours but this barely lasts 8! I put this foundation on at about 7 and by 2 it already needs a concealer top up. The finish is very radiant and dewy and the coverage is medium. I wouldn't call this a flawless foundation as it doesn't cover redness very well. However spots and blemishes are hidden without the need for concealer. My skin is dry in some places and oily in others, and although this doesn't cling to dry patches out of the two foundations this is best suited to a combination skin type ( don't be afraid of the word glowy just because your skin is oily).

The foundation also blends really well, and I use the Real Techniques Expert Face brush with it.

 I also have a FOTD with this on which you can see HERE.

Available from Boots for £9.99 (although there is a buy one get one half price offer on selected cosmetics at the moment) and £9.99 from Superdrug (although there is currently a 3 for 2 on Bourjois products)

 Now onto the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation. The packaging for this is plastic with a white, prone to looking messy, pump and red lid. I equally like the packaging for both the serum and foundation and I actually quite like the pictures of fruit showing that vitamin rich fruits such as pomegranates and goji berries that are some of the ingredients.

 I got on with the serum straight away when I bought it back in April and I still really like it. The coverage is light, although buildable, and blends really nicely. Bourjois again claim that the gel foundation is 16 hour wear and gives a radiance boosted, even, revived complexion. And again I think these claims are exaggerated. The serum lasts a mere 6 hours on my skin, when applied lightly, but the foundation is very glowly and radiant whilst not making my skin look sweaty or shiny. In the picture below you can see how natural it looks.  

I can't seem to find the Serum on the Boots website but it is available for £10.99 in Superdrug which again has the 3 for 2 offer.

 

 Overall, I really love both of these bases, but the Serum definitely wins it for me. If you have oilier skin I would recommend the foundation but the Serum, in my opinion, is definitely one of the best foundations I've tried on the high street.

Have you tried either of the foundations? Which do you prefer?

Toodlepip
xxx

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Review || L'Oreal Micellular solution

If you haven't heard of Bioderma, then where the hell have you been. It is literally one of the most talked and raved about cleansing products in the blogosphere. However, I really can't deal with the bother of trying to find places that stock it online and just the whole hassle of it all. So when I saw this L'Oreal alternative in Boots, I just knew I had to give it a try. This retails for £4.99 from Boots (although at the moment there's a 1/3 off all L'Oreal facial skincare) and Superdrug ( there is currently a 2 for £6 offer on L'Oreal cleansers). This works out to be A LOT cheaper than Bioderma and A LOT less hassle.

 L'Oreal claim the water is a 3 in 1 solution saying that it, 'Dissolves makeup, unclogs pores and removes impurities, and tones and soothes skin.' The product, I find, was great at removing base but not so good when it comes to eye makeup. I also found that it didn't do much in the way of 'unclogging pores', which was quite disappointing. It was also kind on the skin, which was great as my skin can be quite sensitive.

I use this as a pre-cleanse before using a foaming cleanser, such as Soap and Glory Face soap and clarity (review soon) or Simple's moisturising facial wash, when I'm in a good skincare mood or as a quick cleanse when I just want to go to bed (this is still better than wipes). Overall, I really like this micellar water, not having tried Bioderma- I can't compare, but I would highly recommend this as a good High Street alternative.

Have you tried any micellar solutions? Which are your favourites?

 

Toodlepip

xxx

 

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Review || Butter Yourself by Soap and Glory

Hello everyone, hope you're all well! Following my Heel Genius blog post, I promised that I would do some Soap and Glory inspired reviews. About two months ago, there was an offer on at Boots which meant that if you spent £10 you would get Butter Yourself Moisturiser completely free. Not to miss an S&G bargain, I quickly snapped it up.

 

 Let's begin with the smell, something which attracts me to all Soap and Glory products. The Frutigo Fragrance is the same as Pulp Fricton, if you are familiar, and lingers for hours after application. Containing fruitliquid fig and peppermint oil, it is a gorgeous distinctive, fresh, fruity, scent which is absolutely perfect for the summer months.

I usually apply this after a trip to the bath or shower, as recommended by S&G. The body butter also sinks in fairly quickly, limiting sitting in towel time quite drastically! The packaging is the usual pretty pink and holds 300ml of the fabulous thick creamy product which works wonders on my dry knees and elbows.

As you can probably tell, I love this body butter very much and have been using it constantly all month. I even have a sneaky feeling that I may prefer this to the Original Righteous Butter on the grounds that the formula is more exfoliating and softening whilst taking less time to sink in.
 

Available from Boots for £10.50, although S&G is currently on a 3 for 2.

Which is your favourite body butter? Any other Soap and Glory recommendations?

Until next time Soap and Glory lovers...
xxx

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