The Dupe | Benefit Hoola v Topshop Mohawke Bronzer

It's always a good day when I think I've found a dupe. I do love my Benefit Hoola bronzer - so much I've actually hit pan. Which fills me with joy for the fact that I never do this, and also dread because it means I'm close to have to repurchasing - which at £23.50 isn't a cheap re-buy. So when I started using a new bronzer that basically looked identical? Well... 

The Review | Create A Summer Cheek with Topshop

For me my cheek make up always changes with the weather. When it gets colder my blushes get more berry-toned, highlighter gets forgotten and bronzer is only for contouring. However, now it's bloody hot again in the UK I've changed it up again, and Topshop make up is a big big hit this year.

The Review | Maybelline Fit Me Powders

You may have seen in my recent mixed beauty haul video that I purchased two products from the Maybelline Fit Me range - the pressed powder and bronzer. Now I used to stay away from Maybelline products - thanks dream matte mousse foundation - but recently I've fallen so in love with so many of their products so when I was looking for a powder and new drugstore bronzer I decided to give them a whirl. So how have they faired?

The Review | Benefit Hoola Bronzer

BENEFIT HOOLA BRONZER

So, another little beaut from my little Benefit haul the other week and this is one that I don't think I can ever live without again. I'm ridiculously picky with bronzers, they can't be too shimmery, too orange toned, too dark, too obvious... The list goes on and on. So when the benefit lady asked if I'd used it before I was like hmm.. no and didn't feel over enthused. But then she put it on my cheeks and I suddenly had beautifully sculpted cheeks. Sure, probably helped she was a make up artist but I was sold.

I took it away and had a play and yup, I have cheek bones! It's breaking news people! It's incredibly easy to use, pop it on the Real Techniques contour brush, suck in the cheeks to locate your cheek bones and just blend in from the hairline until you're happy with the colour depth. I also blend in a circular motion up to my forehead and alone the chin line. 

The tone of this is beautiful, I can't compliment it enough. it's very natural but very effective and the lasting power is definitely impressive. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a natural colour and an easy contour partner. Parfait!

Have you tried Benefit's Hoola?

Make Up | ELF Contour Kit

ELF CONTOURING BLUSH & BRONZER KIT IN ST LUCIA £3.75

Probably my favourite out of everything I got from ELF is this little kit here. I have wanted to try the Nars version of this for a while but can't really justify the price, so when I saw this at the price I jumped feet first. Mine!

It's got two lovely creamy shades, one for contouring and the other for blush. Both perfect for my skin tone. The contouring one is quite dark so apply sparingly or you end up with huge patches of brown on your cheeks - not pretty trust me. Both blend together really easily and nicely creating a nice natural contour. I'm not an expert on contouring, or that bothered most of the time, but this makes it so easy and pretty.

I use the brown in the hollows of my cheeks (very little bit and blend up) and then the blush on the apples of my cheeks and blend up to the hairline.

A really nice product - one that will be on my repurchase list when I run out! A bargain product at such good quality.

What contouring kits do you like?

The Review | 17 Instant Glow

17 Instant Glow Gold Bronze Shimmer Brick £4.80

This is meant to be a near dupe for Bobbi Brown's shimmer brick, now I haven't used the Bobbi Brown one so I can't compare buuut I do quite like this little product.

I used the middle two colours to contour my cheeks or to create the above look, and the top one to do a bit of highlighting. I found the bottom colour a bit too dark so haven't really used that one much. I will say the top two together are a bit too shimmery for everyday use (for me) but the middle two are perfect. As you can see above, it's still quite shimmery, but it's bearable!

It lasts a couple of hours, nothing incredibly long, but as long as you'd expect with a cheaper brand like 17. It's a nice product and I have been using it everyday, it's nice to add a bit of tan to the face with this awful weather!

I would buy this again, it's a really nice cheap product, and a lot better quality then I expected so well done 17!

Have you tried the Bobbi Brown version? How does it compare?

Bourjois Bronzing Powder

I faced a dilemma the other day - I was running out of my bronzer! And when my local Boots didn't have my usual No7 bronzer I may have cried... (I'd had a VERY bad day!)

So I asked Twitter for recommendations and it came back with this:

This is Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder which you can get from Boots at the moment for a scrummy £4.99 - not bad considering my usual has gone up to over £11!

I love the idea of the packaging, I think it's really unique and it's just like a little book. However, if I'm honest I'd worry so much about it getting damaged in my bag or if the bronzer itself broke I can image it'd go absolutely everywhere...

Onto the product however. I have to say I'm really impressed. I've never really used Bourjois products before but I'm willing to give them a go after this...

It applies so easily and gives an instant glow. I apply a light layer to my whole face, neck and bust and then another layer to my cheeks for emphasis.

I was slightly worried it made me look more orange then my No7 bronzer but I have been reassured otherwise by many people! After using it for a few days I have to agree with them, it's a gorgeous colour. I just look lovely and sunkissed and tanned which I love.

One of my favourite things about it though? It smells of CHOCOLATE. Not even kidding, I apply it to my face and I actually want to eat it. I shouldn't be surprised really as (as you can see above) the bronzer itself is display like a chocolate bar and when I was recommended it I was told to "get the Bourjois one that looks like chocolate".

So I did, and I'm glad and I really do love it. It's a great product for the price - sorry No7!

What Bourjois products are you loving at the moment?