The Review | Bourjois Aqua Blush

I'm really into blushes at the moment, I'm not sure HOW it suddenly happened. One minute I really wasn't bothered, and then suddenly BAM - give me all the blushes in the world. Oh yeah, hello blushes. For me summer blushes are all about creams, so when Bourjois bought out these little beauties I was right there.

The Beauty Post | Pamper Box

January is a bit ridiculous for birthdays for me. It's two of my best friends birthdays 4 days apart - so thanks guys, very considerate to my bank balance! Luckily we usually have budgets so it's not too bad and this year we seemed to team up on pressies. They got me a beaut butterfly Pandora ring for my birthday in November. For one of them, Amber, we decided to create a pamper box for her. She's recently moved into a house that needs a looooot of work doing to it and every hour she isn't working her and her partner are usually doing something house related. So we decided she needed a good excuse to just relaaaaax and what better way to do that then with a pamper box! It's such a good idea and so easy to put together. We had a total budget of £40 and here's what we put in the box...

Firstly let's all oooooh over this gorgeous box - i found it for 75p in Tesco - BARGAIN! Now let's get to the good stuff...

1. Yankee Candle: Amber Moon Small Jar

Although not quite as obsessed as me yet she is getting into her candles and no pamper evening is complete without one. We couldn't not get her this one as it has her name right there - AMBER moon! It's a lovely winter fragrance and I'm actually quite tempted to get myself one.

2. Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

She's always balming her lips or looking after them in some way and I know she's coveted these lip scrubs for a while. Bubblegum is my favourite but I did send a sneaky text asking for her advice on flavours and she said this one so - she got this one!

3. Lush Twilight Bath Bomb

I've falled head over heels for bath bombs at the moment, and if anyone knows how to do them well it's Lush! I love the design of this one, it's so cute and not only that but Ambs has always been a lover of purple - so what better bomb to get her than one that turns your bath purple?

4. Lush Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar

I've never actually tried one of these before but I LOVE the idea of one of these and this strawberry one is incredibly cute and oh my god it smells bloody amazing.

5. Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Removed

Every girl should own one of these. She was fascinated with my one of these when I first got it so we decided to pop on in. Not entierly sure if she already has one or not BUT you can always do with a spare!

6. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

She does like doing her nails but with all girls, hates how long they take to dry. Voila! I've spoken to her about the magic of this before but she refused to pay £9 for it (fair enough) so we got it for her, it's utter magic, I promise.

7. Soap & Glory Hand Food

As long as I can remember she's loved Hand Food so a handbag sized version was always going to go down well.

8. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream

This is my personal favourite S&G fragrance - and my absolute favourite body cream. She's smelt it before and loved it and I cannot recommend this stuff enough. This is a 50ml version so a mini size but good to test to see if you like it.

9. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash

I really hope she does like the scent of this stuff now... Teamed with the buttercream they do make the perfect body duo.

I now feel like we should have gotten something else to make it an even 10... Hmm. Oh well :( She seemed to love this box and I think it's such a nice idea as well. I'd love a little pamper box for a gift.

What would you put in your pamper box?

The How To | Natural Contouring

I've always been a little bit scared at the idea of contouring - and scared when I've tried it as well. It's never looked quite right one me and I end up foregoing it in the end. However, falling in love with youtube again lately I stumbled across a video by the Real Techniques ladies here that changed all that. I would highly recommend watching it! Since this video I have contoured my cheeks every single day and loved the look it's give me. So, how to contour for me...

Before I used to suck my cheeks in like a fish - so attractive! Not a good move for me, I just looked like I had two brown lines down my face, not so good! Now I start from the middle of my ear and in circular movements move down in a straightish line to the corner of my mouth. I make sure to stay darker need the top of the cheek, up near my ear, and keep it light near the mouth. This creates a more natural contour. I use the Real Techniques Contour Brush to achieve this and my favourite bronzer, Bourjois Bronzing Powder. The circular movements keeps it blended and natural. 

Next, again in circular motions brush blusher over the apples of your cheeks and up your cheek bones. Add any highlighter as well. Then, I use my foundation brush (hello Real Techniques Buffing Brush). This blends it in nice and naturally. Voila! Nice and natural contouring. I am in love with this. 

 

This really helped with my contouring and is the only method I use now!

 

What's your contouring method?

The Top 5 | Repurchased

I think it says a lot, especially in beauty blogger world, when we go and repurchase a product. I use so many new and different products all the time, sometimes it's hard to really pick our your favourites. A good way I think to see this is by looking at what people repurchase. With that in mind these are my top 5 repurchased items - the one's I've bought more than twice and will continue to do so for a long long time.

1 | Soap & Glory Whipped Clean
I use this as my shaving cream for my legs. Before this I got horrible shaving rash all over my legs but since they've stayed supple and smooth. I'm on my fourth bottle of this in the past year, as soon as it looks like it's about to go I'm out and down to Boots. At £8 a time it's not the cheapest 'shaving cream', but I couldn't be without it now. I class it as an essential.

2 | Chanel Intense Eye Pencil in Kohl
Again, not the cheapest repurchase by a long shot but I will always have this. On average it lasts around two years a pencil so it's not bad going really. I've tried others but none match up to this for me, no smudging, waterproof and is the perfect waterline pencil. At £17 it is pricey, but so worth it and I definitely want to try it in some new and different colours.

3 | Bourjois Magic Nail Varnish Remover
I have since found another that I do love more, but it doesn't seem to exist anywhere (boo.) This however is still amazing and I love it for removing normal varnish (not glitter or toes). So easy, simple to use and really affective. There are cheaper alternatives on the market but none I've found that I prefer using to this. £4.99 is it's usual price but it does last for a long long time. I think I've gone through 2 since it launched around 18 months ago, so not bad going really.

4 | Nivea In Shower Moisturiser
I bought my first of these in November and am now on my third bottle - I should really buy the 400ml bottle, may last longer. Anywho, I'm so lazy when it comes to moisturising my body - it's such a chose and let's face it, there's a lot of it so takes a while. This is perfect, I pop this on when I do my hair conditioner, wait a couple minutes, rinse and voila. Silky smooth skin without much effort. What's not to love?! Usually on offer, it's currently around £2 but is usually more around the £4 mark.

5 | Benefit Helo Flawless Foundation in Ivory Believe In Me
The first time I tried this was in a little trial pot when it first launched, and then I got gifted one from an event last year and it's been my go to foundation ever since. The colour is spot on, the formula is beautiful, it works perfectly with my oil prone skin and doesn't aggravate it. At £25.50 it is pricey, maybe I just have a knack for repurchasing the pricey stuff eek! I am now on my second bottle but will be buying again and again cause I love it.

I would love to know if you like these types of repurchased posts etc cause I'd love to do more if you like. Also let me know what you like to repurchase!

Which of these would you repurchase?

The Review | Bourjois Java Rice Powder

Up until recently I was just very blah about the necessity of powder. I just didn't really understand what it was meant to be used for or why I should bother adding it to my routine. But lots of people raved about different types so I decided to bite the bullet and get one. I'd heard loose powder was the one to go for and I fell in love with the packaging of this product so voila - it was now mine. At the same time I told myself to buy a proper powder brush as well so I went for the Real Techniques Powder Brush.

Bourjois Java Rice Powder is one of their "vintage" products which was re released last year as part of their anniversary. I love the packaging, it's so kitch and very cute. It smells like make up - if that makes sense. It's very heavily scented and really does smell like face powder. Luckily I don't mind it too much. It's an illuminating powder, but I find it's not too in your face, it just makes the face look like it has a really healthy glow. I actually love it. I was very worried it was going to bring my skin up in break outs but it's fine. It keeps my face looking nice and matte and my foundation stay in place.

For just £9.99 it's really not a bad buy and it's converted me completely to loose powder. You can get it here from Boots or your local Boots/Superdrug store.

What's loose powder would you recommend?

The Comparison | Boots v Bourjois Nail Polish Remover

When Bourjois released their Magic Nail Varnish Remover the entire blogging world went a bit crazy for it. Myself included - you can see my initial review here. Personally I loved it, raved about it and recommend to all of my friends and family. It really is a great little product and I've repurchased a few times since. However, when I went into a small Boots store the other day to get another one they didn't have it, just this little Boots number. If I'm honest I didn't read the bottle properly. I saw "Nail" and "Remover" and just assumed it was the same thing. However it was an artificial nail remover, but works amazingly as a nail varnish remover as well.

The main difference is the inside of the pot. The Bourjois version has a foam inside soaked in remover. You pop your finger in, swish it around and out your finger pops. The Boots version has soft plastic spikes pointing inward with a pool of remover. Again, put your finger in for a couple of seconds and the rub around the spokes and voila, all gone. Both work great a varnish remover. The Bourjois version is easier for transport, with the Boots one I'm worried the liquid will come out. However, the Bourjois foam holds darker colours which then goes onto your own finger. 

One big plus I've found with Boots version comes when taking off glitter nail varnish and top coats. The Bourjois version isn't the best, which I'm sure most people will tell you. However the Boots version is amazing. Th e spokes really help to dislodge the glitter from the nail and comes off within seconds.

As you can see! It really dislodges the glitter and is perfect for it. I would say the liquid is a lot harsher than the Bourjois one, but you can pop your own remover inside when this is used up/dirty. You can get both from Boots, the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover for £4.99 and Boots Perfect Finish Artificial Nail Remover for £3 I believe. I haven't been able to find it online but it was in the section of the false nails in Boots so if you look there you should find it.

Which would you choose?

Make Up | Bourjois Cream to Powder Eyeshadow

BOURJOIS COLOR EDITION 24HOUR CREAM TO POWDER EYESHADOW IN PRUNE NOCTURNE £6.99

I've been wanting to try this since it came out a few weeks ago. I love cream eyeshadows as I find they apply a lot nicer than powder, however they always seem to crease like anything, so when I saw they were a cream to powder finish I had to give these a try.

This comes in six shades, I chose Prune Nocturne as I don't have any other shade like it and thought it'd be perfect for the Christmas season. It's a gorgeous deep berry purple colour with flecks of rose gold through it and a subtle shimmer. It's so easy to apply, it transfers to powder really quickly but is cream in the tub so you do need to work quickly to blend this in.

It doesn't crease (woop) and lasts for a good few hours. I'm not entierly sure what this obsession is with 24hour make up - I'm not awake for 24 hours so I don't really want my make up to last longer than my waking hours but hey. It doesn't last 24 hours but it does last a good few. I will definitely be getting more of these, I love the range of colours and think I prefer these to the Maybelline Color Tattoo just because of the finish these give. 

Have you tried these eyeshadows? Do you prefer these or the Maybelline Color Tattoo?

Nails | Autumn Nudes

 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

For me autumns is all about the earth notes. All naturals and definitely full of browns. I'm one of those people that doesn't fine brown earthy tones boring, especially one nails and I full encourage all to embrace the brown and tan! Here is my top 5 autumn nudes from my collection.

1 | L'Oreal Color Riche Nails in Lady Chocolate

I bought this about two years ago on a whim when I decided I wanted chocolate nails. This is a teeny tiny pot of nail varnish, but to be honest when do you ever use up a full post? It's a thicker brush which is easier to apply and really nice, thick and creamy to apply.

2 | Barry M High Shine Gelly in Lychee

I'm a big fan of the Gelly versions of Barry M's nail paints, they are really long lasting and good quality at such a budget price. I love Lychee as it's a lovely caramel colour so a bit more subtle for the nude season and perfect as a base coat for glitter top coats.

3 | Essie in Glamour Purse

Not entierly sure if you can get this in Boots, but one of the older collections I got it off Fragrance Direct a while back now. It's a gorgeous almond type taupe. Unfortunately it has the old thin brush (ick) so not as nice and the newer colours, but still a lovely autumn shade (currently wearing it as I type)

4 | Bourjois Paris 1 Second Nail Varnish in Beige Distinction

More of a pinky nude, it's definitely the more girly of the five and one I really love. Again it's the perfect shade for a base coat for glitter/sequin top coats. These have a large brush so are super super easy to apply and a gel formula so really long lasting.

5 | Bourjois Paris 1 Second Nail Varnish in Taupe Classy

Very similar to the Essie shade it's a almond taupe but a little bit darker, more brown in it I think as well. This is incredibly long lasting. I can't fault these polish's at all. I'm not 100% sure if this shade is still available but there are some similar ones in the collection.

My favourites are probably Glamour Purse and Beige Distinction. Lychee I wear all the time as well as it's very understated so perfect for the work place.

What's your favourite autumn nude?

Make Up | Orange Punch

BOURJOIS COLOUR BOOST LIP CRAYON IN ORANGE PUNCH £7.99

A couple weeks late with this hyped product but hey, don't shoot me?  I don't know about you but I LOVE lip crayons. It's one fad that I really do buy into. I find them so easy to apply, you get a lot of product for the price I just love the gimmick. 

The latest lip crayon is from Bourjois, who have introduced their colour boost crayon in four shades - I purchased Orange Punch, a glossy orange based coral shade. I find that these crayons are a lot closer to the original Clinique Chubby Sticks than others I've tried like Revlon's Just Bitten Balm Stains. Mainly because they have the same glossy finish and same amount of colour pay off. 

These are really nice, glide on smoothly and evenly. I wouldn't say it's very buildable if you'd like a bit more colour, this shade isn't anyway, but it's nice for an everyday product. These are also meant to be waterproof, as well as filled with SPF, so they'd be the perfect product for holiday and summer in that respect.

I know these have gotten a LOT of hype lately, and while I do like them I wouldn't say I love them. They are a nice product and I will definitely buy another couple of shades (I'm looking at you On The Beach) but I don't think it completely lives up to the hype. I was expecting so much more but I got something very similar to others I've tried.

What's your favourite lip crayon?

Favourites | July

Where the hell did July go?! Seriously, it's like I blinked and it's disappeared. Scary. Anywho, it's that time of year again so here we go - this months favourites! I have some oldies and some newies.. and most are due to my holiday - enjoy!

Mac Eyeshadow is Copperplate

This eyeshadow helps to create the most simple, yet gorgeous smokey eye. I love this colour and it's perfect for everyday. I love the matte finish as well. This has been gracing my eyes everyday along with another of my faves...

L'Oreal Super Liner Ultra Precision

Oh my god. This wins favourite of the month. Maybe even the year. It's the most incredible liner I have ever tried and I would highly recommend it to anyone who was looking for an easy, precise, bold liner. It's perfect, long wearing and my ultimate accessory.

Bourjois Cream Blush in Rose Tender

I wore this for the whole of my holiday. It seemed to be completely heat proof, and matched perfectly with my new tan. So easy to apply it was perfect for holidays and long lasting. The perfect summer blush.

Mac Coral Bliss Lipstick

I bought this at the duty free and then wore it every evening of the holiday. It's a gorgeous peach coral, cremesheen so not the longest lasting, but it's so pretty. The perfect summer colour and goes gorgeous with a tan.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

One I've had for a little while, but it's really come into its own in the hot weather. It seems to survive the hot sweats and oily patches of the face. It's also a little darker than my usual tone so it's perfect for a tanned face. It seems to survive the sticky heat better than most BB creams and other foundations I have.

L'Oreal LumiMagique Primer

Again, an oldie and one I hadn't used for a while, but it's graced my cheeks and nose as a highlighter for the past few weeks and it's made a huge difference in terms of longevity of my make up as well.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

And not for the reason you think. On holiday I forgot to take powder. So I tried this instead, close eyes and a quick spritz on the face after make up and instantly dried up any sweaty/oily patches and took away all shininess. Was actually perfect for this.

Piz Buin After Sun

A complete god send on holiday. I popped this on every evening and morning and any red bits soon disappeared into a gorgeous golden brown, and with minimal soreness as well. I also LOVE the smell. It's a great dupe for Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess if you're on a bit of a budget!

What's your July Favourites?

Make Up | Bourjois Cream Blush

BOURJOIS CREAM BLUSH IN ROSE TENDER £7.99

This was everywhere when it was launched, but I decided I'd be a good girl and hold off for a month or so and see if I still wanted it after the hype died down. Yes, I did, so I bought. First of all I wanted Healthy Glow, but then I decided I prefered Rose Tender after swatching. O the beauty of swatching.

Okay, so this is gorgeous. It glides on so easily, really smooth and really natural on. It's a lovely natural pink that just looks like a really healthy colour on the apples of the cheeks. It lasts for ages and doesn't aggravate my oily skin. Yay! Also it smells really yummy.

Overall, really like this blusher and accompanied me on holiday and is so far my absolute holiday blush. It's not too heavy, so perfect for warmer climates - yes France I am talking to you! (No really, was up to high 30's on Tuesday) but overall this is the perfect cream blush.

What's your holiday blusher?

What's your summer blush staple?

Trends | Top 10 under £10

I got the idea for this from Fleur's channel (video here). I loved the idea of this and considering most of my make up is drugstore this would be fab to try and do. I have tried not to use any of there Top 10 to create a big of variety! I actually found it really really hard to whittle some of these products down. I've tried to use products for every kinda face part as well (if that makes sense...) so let's take a peek!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation £9.99

A cult classic really, or it's turned into one anyway. I really love this foundation. It's a medium weight foundation that has fantastic coverage and is really long lasting. For me as well it doesn't clash with my oily skin which is always going to get a thumbs up in my book.

Max Factor Miracle Touch Cream Blush in Soft Pink £4.99

A gorgeous cream blush, incredibly easy and quick to apply. Small packaging so perfect for travelling, yet lasts for a while. Again, really good quality and very long lasting and I love the colour of this. It looks really natural on and as it doesn't go powdery on application it's great for lips as well.

Essie Mini Collections £9.99

Essie polishes are normally £7.99 from Boots, so these mini collections are a great way to nab three of the current collection and work out at around £3.34 each - so not bad at all! Yes they are mini, so not as much product, but they still have the same Essie quality and the ones I have so far are fab.

Bourjois Bronzing Powder £6.99

A bronzer I've had for about a year now and still not touched the pan. It's a gorgeous subtle matte bronze that's perfect for us paler types, but helps to warm up the complexion and is a dab hand for contouring as well. Great price and it smells like chocolate. They know how to market to us girlies!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks £6.29

Probably one of the best quality high street lipsticks I've ever tried. Really pigments, great coverge and good longevity and a wide range of colours. I love these and I'm always reaching for them. A really good price and something I think is quite overlooked in drugstores - needs much more hype then it currently has!

L'Oreal Micellar Water £3.33

A really fab drugstore version that I've been reaching for continually. It's calming on the skin and amazing at removing make up. It's a very watery version compared to Bioderma, but it's such a good price for the quality of product that you get. I've fallen head over heels for it. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Pencil £4.49

I love these crayons. So so easy to use and apply and really long lasting as well. Great product for such a small price, and a fab dupe for the Clinique Chubby Sticks. Not a huge range of colours, but I love the champagne and bronze colours - great for everyday wear. 

Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter £8.00

My ultimate favourite shower cream/gel/wash ever. It's amazing as a shaving cream - it keeps the legs moisturised instead of dry and flaky and is actually just amazing on the skin. Pricey for a shower product, but definitely worth it for me as I really struggling after shaving.

L'Oreal SuperLiner in Black £6.49

My perfect eyeliner. It's got the easy to use felt tip applicator and fantastic pigmentation. It's really easy to apply over eye shadow and doesn't transfer onto the top of the lid, and is really long lasting. A great price as well for a liquid liner.

No7 BB Lips £8.50

A new addition to my routine but one I absolutely love. They are so comfortable on the lips and also protect really well against the sun. I love the subtly of the colours as they are perfect for everyday wear at work as well and they are just altogether fab to me.

I have literally rewritten this so many times. I did notice that there isn't a lot of skincare on this... Unfortunately I tend to go for the higher end bits for skin care - make up however I have found you can get some amazing bits for a low price. I'm sure I've forgotten something... O well, here is my top 10!

What's your top 10 under £10?

Trends | From Cheeks to Lips

So cheeks are different from lips. I know, shocker. You learn something new everyday. Well, it seems one of the latest trends has forgotten the different. Or I have for a little bit anywho. Cream blushers appear everywhere now and it has become custom to pop this on your lips as well. So I put it to the test. I have four cream blushes (hold on lemme recount... yes four) so how did they get on with my lips? Let's take a look see...

REVLON BABY STICK

A lovely little pigmented stick that glides easily on the cheeks, and is made specifically for lips as well. I find it quite hard to apply onto the lips as it's quite a large face. It's a very pale pink colour when it's applied, that does show up every flaw, but actually looks really nice. Not my favourite formula for lips, but also one I wouldn't throw away.

BENEFIT BENETINT

Benefit's first product, and notorious for cheeks and lips. Cheeks it's incredibly long lasting and I love it, however on the lips it doesn't seem to do an awful lot to me. It tastes a bit ick. It does leave a small tint, enough to make my lips look healthy which is nice, and it's very long lasting. But the taste lingers and I'm not a huge fan.

BOURJOIS CREAM BLUSH IN ROSE TENDER

This goes onto the cheek like a deep rose and is really natural and lovely. it is your typical cream to powder finish so when it's applied onto the lips it's not the most comfortable. it's surprisingly peach-ish on the lips considering the colour on the cheeks, but the powdery finish isn't very comfortable and means it doesn't last very long on the lips. Not great.

MAX FACTOR CREAM BLUSH

Okay so this is definitely my favourite. Probably the one cream blush that doesn't pop over to the powdery side, it stays creamy and I love this on my cheeks and lips. A gorgeous colour on the cheeks, and a light pink on the lips that's very long lasting and comfortable to wear. Definitely my favourite cream blush thus far and also my favourite C2L product (cheeks to lip) as well!

TOPSHOP CREAM BLUSH IN HEAD OVER HEELS

Another blush that goes from cream to powdery on application. On the cheeks it's a gorgeous coral colour, one that usually lives on my cheeks day in and day out (until recently). Unfortunately it won't be on the lips, it's quite cakey and uncomfortable. The colour is gorgeous, a lovely coral peach that's perfect for summer, but the consistency just isn't comfortable.

So although it seems to be talked about a lot, I don't think it's a winner all around the block. We have a couple of great product, but where a lot of cream blushes go to powder on application it doesn't make for great lip products! So maybe this is one trend I won't be continuing with...

Will you be partaking in the latest cheeks to lips trend?

The Favourites | My Lips but Better

I work in retail, to be specific a stationary shop, which means that make up wise I can't be too adventurous, which is no fun. This also means that I have acquired a ridiculous amount of lip products that all look like my own lips, just that bit nicer. So I thought I'd pop my top five up on here to show you all. Now, in no particular order...

17 MIRROR SHINE ON LIPSTICK IN BELLE £4.79

I love this lipstick. It's completely natural, the perfect neutral shade with enough gloss within the stick to forgo added gloss, but not too much that it looks over ick. It's so affordable and really long lasting. Definitely one of my faves and I would recommend any of the mirror shine on lipsticks.

BOURJOIS ROUGE EDITION LIPSTICK IN SHADE 04 ROSE TWEED £7.99

More of a matte everyday shade, a yellow toned pink that applies gorgeously, lovely coverage and really good lasting time. This is definitely in my top two I think. It has quite a chalky finish, so alone or with a slick of gloss it's perfect for work.

RIMMEL APOCALIPS IN CELESTIAL £5.99

The toast of the blogging world this year, Apocalips are incredibly pigmented and glossy, long lasting lip lacquers that are affordable and actually great. This colour is probably the most neautral out of the lot and great for a long day at work if you don't have the chance to top it up.

MAC CREMESHEEN LIPSTICK IN FAN FARE £14.00

The priciest of the five, and probably my favourite. A truly gorgeous yellow toned pink that lasts for hours, has a lovely natural sheen to it. This is currently my most worn and recommend it to everyone who wants a natural colour for Mac. Go buy now!

L'OREAL GLAMSHINE SPLASH STAIN IN LOLITA £7.99

Definitely a gloss as opposed to a stain, and one I wear a lot with the Bourjois beauty above. Not a huge fan of the wand by the gloss itself is very comfortable and long lasting, not too sticky thankfully. For a natural gloss, this is perfect.

Looking through all these it has occured to me that they all start to look identical. Opps. This is definitely my most worn colour and I think it's the perfect way to get into lipsticks if you're not brave enough to try the bold colours. Hope you enjoyed!

What's your favourite lips but better product? Have you tried any of the above?