The Review | Budget Highlighting Blush

Baked blushes are absolutely beautiful, I mean just look at them. The way they look screams buy me to me. However, there is of course more to them than their looks! I feel like baked blushes are so much easier to apply and so much longer lasting then others I've tried, and they are also so much more natural on the cheeks as well.

Make Up | Max Factor Miracle Touch Blush

MAX FACTOR MIRACLE TOUCH CREAM BLUSH IN SOFT PINK £4.99

This is a little pot of fabulousness and I can't believe I haven't reviewed it sooner seeing as I've had it for months now. Whoops. Bad blogger. Anywho, this seemed to be everywhere a couple of months ago as THE budget blusher of the moment and I have to say I agree.

It is a tiny little pot, so perfect for holiday travels. I have had it for around three months and doesn't even look like I've made a dent in it. It is a gorgeous soft pink (hence the name) and looks really natural and lasts all day on the cheeks. I'm really very impressed by it. Not only that, but I went a little wild and popped it on my lips, and actually looks great on there as well. It's the first cream blush I've used that doesn't turn powdery on application so it's perfect for lips as well. 

I would definitely recommend checking it out. There isn't a huge colour range, but they have one for every shade you love.

Have you tried Max Factor blush? 

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?

Favourites | June

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Trends | Powder v Cream Blusher

I've been having this as an internal debate so I thought I'd bring this debate to you guys. Now, it's a big one and of serious importance... Powder v Cream Blusher...! I know, it's a dilemma... So let's get onto each side of the debate!

Powder

One of the reasons I like powder blush so much is that I get oily skin and powdered blushes don't tend to aggravate this or clog up those oily pores. Not all cream blushes do this, but it's definitely something to think about when trying to decide over a powder or cream blush.

I also find them a lot easier to apply and build on, it's just a matter of swirling your brush in and brushing across your cheeks, adding as much or as little as you like and you control where it goes. I find cream blushes are near impossible to apply with a brush, it's definitely a finger application.

My favourite powder blushes are Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush and also No7 Natural Blush.

Cream

I have found that cream blushes tend to last longer, as a product and on the skin as a blusher. I find it sinks into the skin a bit more, just clinging on that little but longer so you don't have to worry about topping it up every couple of hours.

Having said powder is easier to apply, I find cream blushes are great for on the go, as it's just a case of popping your find in and blending it. There is never as much control as with a brush, but it's a great just to carry around with you if you need a rushed top up.

I prefer the finish on a cream blusher than a powder blush. I think with a powder blush it's usually obvious that it's a powder blush (if that makes sense) whereas cream blusher is easier to blend into the skin and tends to look a lot more natural and for me just has a much nicer finish.

My favourite cream blushes are Topshop Cream blushes, Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush and Revlon Baby Stick.

Overall, both have some really great merits. I tend to prefer cream blush in the summer as it gives more a dewy natural look, which I love in the hotter months (which we'll get at some point, right?). But I also love my powder blushes. It's a hard choice - but at the moment I am definitely sidling towards my cream blushers. I'm using them a lot more than my powder ones and when I go shopping I always go towards the cream versions instead of the powder. So this one goes to cream!

Which do you prefer? Powder or Cream?