Sunday 26 January 2014

Is it worth the hype? / Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation



When I first discovered the whole beauty blogger/vlogger world the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation was raved about by so many different people, but recently it seems to be spoken about less often. I've always been put off from buying it by people's reviews as it seems to have a dewy finish and not provide much coverage, whereas I prefer my foundation to be matte-ish and give me at least a medium coverage. However, if I saw this foundation in a sale then I would definitely buy it and give it a go. 

Another thing about this foundation that's stopping me from rushing out and purchasing it, is that it's only available in 6 shades. This isn't a deal breaker, but it will make it harder to find a perfect match for my skin colour.

I'm probably going to wait until spring when this foundation will once again be blogged about constantly, and maybe then I'll give in and try it for myself.

What do you think of the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation? Is it worth the hype?


Saturday 25 January 2014

Never Have I Ever


1. Never have I ever...been to Nandos
It's a shocker, I know, but I really don't understand why everyone is so obsessed with it. They serve chicken, what about it is so groundbreaking that people want to go every week? It's way too overrated and overpriced in my opinion.

2. Never have I ever...been to Subway
Again, I don't really understand what's so amazing it. I get that it's probably one of the only shops that enable you to personalise your sandwich, but a chicken mayo sandwich is enough for me, I don't need 3 different types of cheese and a huge bill.

3. Never have I ever...bought an OPI Nail Polish
What's the hype all about? No matter how good the formula is meant to be, I could never justify spending at least £10 on 1 nail varnish. 

4. Never have I ever...had my belly button pierced
I know so many people who have had their belly button pierced but it only looks good on a few of them. I think it's really difficult to make it not look cheap and it can get infected. The only time my stomach is ever visible is when I'm wearing a bikini, which isn't often, so for me there isn't much point.

5. Never have I ever...bought from Fragrance Direct
I really should buy from them as the discounts are so good, but I think it's a little too good to be true. I don't want to buy something from them and find that the quality isn't the same as if I'd bought it at full price. 

What is it that you've never done?



Sunday 19 January 2014

My Ideal Outfit

My ideal outfit <3


Club L pink top
$37 - nelly.com


High waisted denim jeans
$38 - owntherunway.com



This is an outfit I would love to wear if I was confident enough, but I have serious body confidence issues. I'm proud to admit that I did lose a lot of weight last year and have managed to drop down a size or two, but I'm sure I'll never be happy with the way I am. I know it's bad to think of outfits I'd wear if I was skinny, but its always nice to dream.

What's your dream outfit?

Saturday 18 January 2014

Foundation Brush Comparison / ELF vs Real Techniques


There are so many different foundation brushes made by so many different brands that in the grand scheme of things I really haven't tried that many. So even though I'm not experienced enough to tell you which brands to buy brushes from, although I am a big fan of the ones I use, I can tell you which types of brushes I prefer. 


First is a foundation brush by Real Techniques which you can purchase in the core collection. Personally, I would never use this brush to apply foundation as its too small and I don't think it blends well. However, I do use this brush daily to apply my concealer to both blemishes and my under-eyes. It's much better when used on small areas rather than my whole face. However if you like really precise foundation and are willing to spend more time on it, then this brush could work for you.


Next is the angled foundation brush by ELF and this is actually the first foundation brush I bought. It's definitely bigger than the previous one so it applys foundation a lot more smoothly in my opinion, and I've had no issues with it. I used this brush for a few months until I found one I preferred, so for starting off with makeup when you're not quite sure which style of brush you'll like, this ones a winner. Currently I use it to apply face primer so it's definitely a multi-purchase brush.


Finally is the buffing brush, which can be bought with the foundation brush in the core collection by Real Techniques, and it has changed my life. I love it! There's a lot more bristles on this brush than the others and its got a much larger top. It blends foundation in so well and I'm never left with any lines or uneven patches. I would 100% recommend this brush to anyone. I know this brush is spoken about so much in blogs and YouTube videos that I'm pretty sure that most people interested in makeup will own it, but if you don't you're really missing out. 

I feel like I own a range of foundation brushes, but are there any I haven't mentioned that you would recommend? Have you tried any of the brushes I've mentioned and have a different opinion? I'm always open to different views.



Wednesday 15 January 2014

ELF Mist & Set / Review


I have always wanted to buy the ELF Mist&Set but it forever seemed to be out of stock. This was only the first time when I've been placing my order that it hasn't been sold out, so I took advantage of the situation and purchased my first ever bottle. I'd recommend that you buy more than 1 bottle of it in your order, but it depends on how often you buy from ELF. 

The bottle that the spray is stored in, although the colour makes it look quite thick, actually feels very cheap and thin; however with a price of just £3.75, it's not the packaging that you're paying for. The bottle definitely looks a higher standard than it is. Honestly, I don't mind that it doesn't feel very expensive as it makes me think that all my money is paying for the quality of the product.

At first, I was a bit apprehensive about spraying a liquid onto makeup that I'd just applied but in the end I just decided to go for it, and I'm glad I did. I hold the bottle about 30cm away from me and spray it twice, which for me covers my entire face. For a few seconds it feels really unusual as its quite an odd sensation to wet your face after applying makeup, but it quickly dries and the makeup underneath doesn't look any different. 

ELF claims that the spray will 'keep your makeup in place all day' which for the most part I would agree with. This product does help your makeup to last longer, but it depends on your definition of all day to whether that's how long it lasts. What I will say is that my makeup lasts significantly longer when I have sprayed this on my face than when I haven't. It blends well with my makeup and doesn't create a separate layer on top so I will continue to wear it until it runs out and then will probably be repurchasing it.

Have you tried the ELF Makeup Mist&Set Spray or any similar products? What's your opinion?




Sunday 12 January 2014

ELF Mineral Blush / Review


I purchased this Mineral Blush in one of my first ever ELF hauls, which must have been Spring/Summer 2013 and I still don't need to repurchase it; it's actually the only ELF Blush I own. I bought it in the shade 'Bliss' and its such a cute peachy pink colour. I find that this shade gives me enough colour to brighten my cheeks, without looking really obvious and unnatural. This is definitely my staple blush. I wear it everyday for school to give me that slightly flushed look, and to add some colour to myself as the uniform I have to wear is very dark.
Because I love this blush so much, it's very rare that I ever wear any others, however I might repurchase this in a darker colour so I can just swap between the two.

When I bought this blush there was a 50% off sale which is what convinced me to spend the money on it, but at its full price of £5 it's worth it. After having it for at least 6 months and there still being over half of the product left, it's a bargain! It's available in 6 other shades and I'm hoping to buy most of them in my next ELF order.

Have you tried the ELF Mineral Blush, or any other blushes by ELF? Which shades would you recommend?

Saturday 11 January 2014

Pretty Pink Nails / Tutorial

I love having my nails painted. It's probably because I used to be a constant nail-biter until a few years ago when I suddenly developed a worse habit and completely forgot about chewing my nails down to the skin. So considering I never used to paint my nails, I love having them done now. To many people my nails definitely wouldn't be classed as long, but to me they're amazing.

I decided to start the year off with a pale, spring colour instead of a dark colour like most people are wearing at the moment. I'm so excited for the weather to stop being cold, I would Jane said that I'm excited for the warm weather but in England that's a very rare occurrence.

Anyway, on with the tutorial...


I started off by removing the nail varnish I already had on. As you can see, it's badly chipped, but I'd had it on for the whole of the 2 week Christmas holidays and couldn't be bothered redoing them until now. 
I'm not a big fan of the nail varnish remover that I use, and although it says its for sensitive nails, it leaves mine feeling very dry and uneven as you can probably see in the picture below.


I then apply a base coat to stop them looking so dry and strengthen them. The one I've just started using is by Collection and I would really recommend it. I don't see the point in spending a huge amount of money on nail polish, and why would I need to when this one does the job. Hopefully you can see the difference between these 2 photos so you can appreciate how much better this base coat makes my nails look and feel.


I next apply my chosen nail varnish. This one is by Collection and is in the shade Candy Floss. I definitely would not recommend this product, it needed 3 coats to make it opaque and I could already see it beginning to chip after 1 day. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as its only cheap, but when the base coat was so good I didn't really expect the actual nail varnish to be so rubbish. If you just needed your nails painting for 1 night then this might be a good choice as the colour on your nails at the end is true to the colour in the bottle, but if you're wearing it for a longer period of time then don't get your hopes up. 


I finish by applying a top coat to each nail to add a shine and attempt to make the nail varnish last longer. This top coat is by Rimmel and is ancient. I'm sure there are better top coats, but just like the base coat it does the job that its required for. And we're left with the finished product...



I am most certainly not a professional when it comes to applying nail varnish but I hope I've at least given you some advice as to which brands not to buy nail polish from.

Please let me know any tips you have for painting your nails.

The Top Coat is no longer available. 


Wednesday 8 January 2014

Wonka Nerds Hamper / Gift Review


I received this gift as a Christmas present from cousins who I rarely see, and I was pretty impressed. I know it must not be easy to buy a present for a teenage girl who you don't know much about, so when I opened this, along with a £25 boots giftcard (oh yeah!), I was positively surprised. 

In my hamper I received: 3 original sized Nerds, a small variety of LaffyTaffy, and some other small American candy which I have never tried before. Please note, my sister and I both got a hamper but the sweets inside varied, please don't be worried if yours doesn't contain the same amount and types of sweets as mine.


I have tried Nerds before, and I was quite impressed. However, there are not many places that I am aware of that sell them so if you do come across them in a selection box like this, I would definitely recommend purchasing it. I haven't opened these yet as I'm still working my way through all the chocolate and other sweets I was gifted at Christmas, but by this time next month I will have a follow up post with my detailed thoughts. I already know that there will be a few flavours that I won't eat, such as the apple flavour as I don't eat any sweets that resemble green in either taste or colour. But I will volunteer my sister to taste them for me so I can give you an unbiased opinion


Also in the hamper were Everlasting Gobstoppers. Wow. I'm so excited to try these, I'm just slightly worried about them changing flavour and colour in my mouth, but I'll definitely give them a go. 
There were a few others sweets, such a LaffyTaffy which I have never tried before, but I'm slightly unsure as to what it is. Is it just flavoured toffee? I might have to do some research before I go munching all these American sweets. 

Did you receive any cool gifts like this at Christmas? Come back in a month when I will have a follow up post with my first impressions of this American Candy




Sunday 5 January 2014

Slouching Sunday / OOTD


Today was the last day of the Christmas Holidays, so there was no way that I was going to miss out on the last opportunity, until next weekend, to be comfy. I spent the afternoon at my grandma's house eating a Sunday roast, which I'm sure everyone will agree, you don't want to eat in fit clothes that you can't breathe in.

I am definitely not the most fashionable teenager around (just ask my sister) but I dress suitably for each occasion, which is why I'm sure that other people will find these posts useful. Of course, I couldn't find the exact clothes I'm wearing, but the basic idea and style is the same.

Slouching Sunday



Dickins Jones stripe top
houseoffraser.co.uk

The top I'm wearing is from Primark and is available in a range of colours and sizes
The leggings I'm wearing are from New Look and were bought in a two-pack.
Dorothy Perkins socks
dorothyperkins.com

The socks I'm wearing are from BHS and were bought in a four-pack.

I hope you like these more personal posts and please let me know if you'd like me to continue posting OOTD's, and if so how often I should do them.

ELF Cosmetics Haul / January 2014

I'm not usually the type of person who gets caught up in the Boxing Day sales, in fact I usually hate the whole concept, but I have to admit that this Christmas I was definitely looking forward to the ELF Cosmetics Boxing Day sale. 

I've recently started being more adventurous with my makeup by experimenting with a smokey eye look, but in order to do it well I needed some eyeshadow brushes, which is where this haul comes in. I've heard mixed reviews about the ELF brushes so I was reluctant to pay the full price for them, even if that price is only a few quid each, and this sale came at just the right time. 


The first thing I needed to buy was 2 blending eye brushes (here), they're pretty much a staple for anyone who is interested in eye makeup. I am yet to try any of the things I purchased, but I'm sure these brushes won't disappoint as they feel a lot more substantial than I was expecting them to. 

I also bought a defining eye brush (here) which, although it is thinner than I had anticipated, it makes it the perfect size to fit in the crease. It could even be used to apply eyeshadow in the place of eyeliner to create an even smokier eye look. 

The final eye brush I bought was the eyeshadow 'c' brush (here). It looks like it will be great for packing colour onto the lid, but it also seems soft enough to be used for subtle blending. 

All of these brushes will be amazing to use, to the one I was most looking forward to receiving was the small stipple brush (here).


I'm not sure if a brush can be classed as cute, but if it can, this one definitely is! It's the perfect size for applying blusher, bronzer, a highlight, or maybe even foundation. I wouldn't recommend using it to powder your face as in my opinion you need a bigger brush to dust your face, but this brush really is multi-purpose.

I did purchase a few actual makeup products in this order, but I will write a post on them after I have used them and feel I can give a more in depth review. I will also be posting a follow up to this when I have used the brushes I've mentioned and can give a more personal opinion.


Saturday 4 January 2014

Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation / Review

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Rimmel is undoubtably my favourite drugstore makeup brand so in autumn 2013 when I saw an advert for their new foundation, I immediately felt the urge to add it to my collection.

I would say that I have combination to oily skin, and although recently it has become significantly dryer, I'm blaming that on the cold weather so for the most part I'm joining the large percentage of the country with oily skin. Due to my skin type, I was increasing interested in purchasing the Stay Matte Foundation to see if it could do just that, stay matte. Even though my skin isn't the type that needs powdering on the hour, every hour, any product that claims it can reduce the amount of shine on my face at the end of the day will always be welcome in my collection.

So onto the product...


Initially when I bought the foundation, I was unsure about how much product there actually was, as although the packaging says that it contains 30ml, it's quite a small tube compared to foundations I'd bought previously. However, on applying it for the first time, I realised there was more than enough product as only the smallest amount is needed to cover your face and jaw/neck line.



This foundation makes many claims about its strong ability to give 'lightweight shine control' and I was extremely interested in seeing how well it lived up to these claims. The first thing I noticed when applying the foundation was that its definitely not 'feather-light'. Being a mousse it's automatically thicker than any normal liquid foundation, which puts it in the medium-high coverage category, so unless they are referring to it not being cakey on your skin, rather than the thickness of it, I'd have to disagree with Rimmel on that one.

However, it's shine control is definitely worth raving about. I'll admit that at the end of a school day my face does have a slight shine to it, but I'll put that down to the fact that I don't powder my face throughout the day like most other people. I'm sure that if I added another dusting of powder half way through the day, there would be no shine at all.


Hopefully you can see from this picture just how thick the foundation is, but you really shouldn't let that put you off it as by blending it well you can end up with a medium-or even light- coverage.

Overall, if you're looking for a foundation that is slightly thicker than others and is significantly better at battling shine, you should definitely considering purchasing this one.