Beauty on a Budget - Magazine Freebies!

If you are on a budget like me - don't forget to pick up InStyle for the Ren Hot Cloth Cleanser (with cloth).  Facials galore…

And of course Glamour for the Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner Pen (an old favourite of mine from the older blogging days!)

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Monday Makeup - Aldi Lacura BB Cream Review

Lacura BB Cream in Medium

I'd say if you buy one thing this week/month, this should be it.  That said, we all know that Aldi has stock in for the blink of an eye and then it's gone.  Go to Aldi now and buy this.  I've had it for a week and I am converted.

The picture of me above is having applied the BB Cream and concealer under my eyes, with a little bronzer just below my cheek bones.  I have no foundation over the top or powder and look how smooth my skin looks!

Now, I am usually a Estee Lauder Double Wear Girl, or MAC Studio Fix.  However, at this time of year, every year I go on a bit of a quest to find a lighter textured foundation so that I stop feeling as if I am wearing a mask. I literally cannot stand heavy makeup in the heat.

Hence why on my little trip to Aldi last week to buy toilet roll (yes, I am that glamourous), I saw this and thought for £4.99 why the heck not.  I was so surprised at how perfectly it blended in with my sigma flat top kabuki brush and it lasts throughout the day too.  I mean don't get me wrong, you will probably want a touch up around lunch time, but that is the case for most foundations so I am pretty impressed by it's staying power and I go to the gym at lunch anyway so my makeup always gets a touch up!

I would highly recommend this for summer.  I've tried a couple of other BB creams and HATED them so I've been really shocked by how this has already replaced my foundation in a week!

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Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm - Swatches and Review

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm - £2.99 (here)

I love a tinted lip balm.  They hold so much promise.  

Most of the time they are pretty rubbish in either pigment or tone and look rubbish against my skin tone.  I've had a fair few frosted ones in the past which has not been a good look for me!

That said, they are getting better.  Last year I had a bit of a Revlon Lip Butter obsession (still loving these) and this year I think I am heading toward obsession territory with Maybelline's Baby Lips.  I think a lot of it is the packaging!  It is also the fact though that the pink and red ones are such stunning subtle colours that they are perfect alone or on top of lipstick to give it a more creamy finish.  They are very moisturising and pretty on.

Here they are on!

*Pink Punch*

*Cherry Me*

See, nice and subtle. 

And did I mention the smell?? They are soooo yummy.  I think the pink one is peach but I can't be sure, the red is definitely cherry smelling though.  Delicious!

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Ambre Solaire Fake Tan Review - Let down product

Purchase at Boots here
£11.69

So disaster struck when I went to purchase my favourite fake tan last week.  They had sold out in Boots, I knew of no where else that stocks it and I had pretty much already over-run on my lunch break.  Oh and I needed to fake tan that night before Southport Weekender (which was amazing by the way.  Link to website here for those of you that like soul, RnB, or house music).

For the most part, none of the competitors were available either.  I must say - TIME TO STOCK UP BOOTS MANCHESTER! 

Anyway, I picked up a No7 once and then thought actually I will get Ambre Solaire - I used to use a tan by them back in the day, surely it will have improved by now anyway.  I purchased the dark version and hoped for the best. It wouldn't be the first time I had wasted money on a fake tan and in reality you tend to get what you pay for I have found in my experience. 

So off I trotted to the till and purchased. 

Mistake.  Unfortunately, it was what I can only describe as a massive let down.  I really don't like saying that either.  I hate product bashing - but I have to be honest. 

I exfoliated, moisturised my knees, elbows and ankles and applied as instructed.  I allowed it to develop over night and woke up… PALE and gutted. 

The moral of the story is don't leave your tanning to the last minute!  It will result in pale skin and wasted money. 

Needless to say I do not recommend this product at all.  Unfortunately, it didn't work at all on me. 

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FOTD - Wedding Guest Face

Attended an absolutely amazing wedding recently.  Good food, company and beautiful venue (West Tower in Aughton if you're interested).

I made the error of bringing an un-charged camera!  Was gutted but it's always such a busy lead up to weekend events isn't it!

So all the photos I got were using my trusty iPhone.  I was aiming for a natural(ish) look.  And one that I did not have to refresh too much.

- Foundation - Estee Lauder Double Wear in Fresco and Shell Beige mixed
- Blush - Nars Orgasm
- Eyeshadow - Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette in Various
- Eyeliner - Lancome
- Lipstain - Maybelline New York Super Stay 24 Hour Lip Colour in Plum Seduction (which is amazing)
- Highlighter - MAC Cream Colour Base in Shell
- Brows - Benefit Brow Zings
- Mascara - Revlon Fabulash

It was a bit of an action shot - hence the seatbelt!

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Drugstore Concealer Review - Sleek Corrector and Concealer Palette and MUA Conceal and Brighten Concealer

If you are anything like me you might just burn the candle at both ends and find yourself in need of some under eye concealer to cover the obvious signs!  Unfortunately for me though, even when I have early nights, drink lots of water and eat well I still suffer from really bad darker pigmentation around my eyes.  It's more a reddy brown than anything.  And then purple practically right in the corner near the nose.  Fit. 

This is nothing new for me and as a result I have spent a fortune on concealers over the years.  In an attempt to save money, I didn't repurchase the standard Bobbi Brown Corrector and Concealer I use when it ran out.  I then used illamasqua for a while, which was great for staying power but definitely too light a shade (despite being colour matched I might add).  

So, in an attempt to find something slightly more appropriate, I headed to Superdrug and purchased a corrector and concealer palette from Sleek and MUA.  

Unfortunately, neither worked too well on me and I am back to Bobbi Brown!

Sleek Corrector and Concealer Palette (£7.99)

Purchased from Superdrug

I found that the coverage was firstly too light with this product.  Light in texture and coverage.  The Lighter shade (left) corrector was actually a good colour.  The problem is that as soon as you put the darker shade on, it undoes all the work the corrector has done and draws attention to your dark circles!  This is probably down to shading, but you are obviously limited in terms of what you can choose within the palette.  This combined with the fact that the texture is too light makes this a no for me and sadly a waste of money as I will never use it.

MUA Conceal and Brighten Kit (£3.50)

Purchased from Superdrug

Similarly, the texture is too light with this concealer also.  However, by this I mean way to light, as in pointless.  Now I feel bad hating on an MUA product as generally I like their makeup, but this is a prime example of when drugstore just doesn't work.  The texture and colours are totally off.  Texture wise I can only describe this as greasy.  And the colour just highlights any flaws and lines etc.   It's a definitely no from me I am afraid.


The only time I could say these products may work are if you barely have dark circles - but if that is the case I would say stick to foundation and some touché éclat!

Has anyone else tried these successfully?

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FOTD - Wedding Fayre Makeup

It's been a heck of a while since I have done one of these posts!  Yesterday I went to the Tatton Park Wedding Show (review coming up soon).  I don't know why but I just wanted to try and look like I was semi groomed, rather than my slightly unkempt usual self haha!  I suppose I wanted to look a bit more grown up as getting married feels like it's a grown up thing to do!

Although my makeup looks pretty natural (I hope), don't be fooled!  I've got loads on!

Used:-

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Shell Beige mixed with Fresco (£28.50 each)  My perfect shade.
MAC Mineralise Skin Finish (£22.00) Powder in Medium Dark
W7 Honolulu Bronzing Powder (£2.25)
Topshop Bronzer and Blush mixed (discontinued)
MAC Lipstick (£15.00) in Hue
Benefit Brow Kit (£23.50) on eyebrows
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (£37.00) in Bootycall and Tease
No7 Stay Perfect Amazing Eyes Pencil (£6.50) in blackest purple

Also used Bobbi Brown moisturiser on face and eye cream and Bare Minerals Primer.

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Maybelline Baby Lips - Amazing

Maybelline Baby Lips Pink Punch and Hydrate

Let me talk to you about my best beauty find in a while.  I am sure that quite a few of you have tried these by now.  I've been meaning to since a colleague mentioned how good they are, but just have not got around to it.  Until now!

I was going on (again) about my lips at work and the same colleague asked if I had tried these yet.  I made it my mission to try them as she was saying how good they are!  So off the Asda I trotted yesterday and headed straight for the Maybelline stand.  Could not believe they were only £2.99 so I got one of the coloured ones too (pink punch).  It's super pretty and subtle.  Think it will suit most girlies!

My lips have been a mess recently - you might have even seen my tweet about lip scrubs earlier this week because they are literally dropping off.  Or should I say were.  Past tense.  They are now super soft and back to being nice and soft.  Rather than old lady lips haha!

I am super impressed - it's only taken a day!! And I've been to the gym and out for a walk today which usually results in them getting all chopped.

All I can say is if you haven't tried these you must.  They are a steal and better than any of my expensive lip balms or lip glosses!

Get purchasing now for super soft non winter feeling lippies!!!

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