Daily Makeup

Hi everyone,

I have tried and tested so many products over the years to try and get it down to a bunch of items that are great for an everyday, easy to wear look. I feel that after much trial and error I have now found the perfect combination of products for me that I can rely on to last throughout the day so I thought I’d share my favourite daily makeup products with everyone on here.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Fresco - £22

After years of trying I thought I was never going to find a foundation that would last all day on my oily skin, and then I found Double Wear! This is the only foundation that I have tried that hasn’t gone patchy on my skin after a few hours and I can truly rely on it to stay put all day long and not have to worry about touching it up. I would say this is my Holy Grail product that I really couldn’t live without!

Clinique Almost Powder Makeup in Neutral Fair - £22

I use this powder to set my foundation. It’s a bit heavier than some other powders I have used as it is more of a powder foundation but I like that it provides a bit more coverage and again stays put all day. You could also use this on its own if you want a lighter finish.

Nars Blusher in Lustre - £21

I love blushers from Nars in general but I think Lustre is the colour that I use most often. This blush is a warm peach/apricot colour with a subtle gold shimmer running through it. It is pretty pigmented and easy to blend and build up and I think it goes really well with the Topshop highlighter I’ve mentioned below.

Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam - £10

This highlighter looks really gold in the compact but don’t let that put you off! You only need a tiny amount but used sparingly this highlighter gives a great warm, golden glow. It is easy to blend so if you do find you’ve used too much to start with it’s easy to make it look more subtle without having to wipe it off and start again.

Bourjois Kohl and Contour Eyeliner with built in sharpener - £4.99

This eyeliner glides on easily and is highly pigmented for an intense black colour. I just always go back to this liner as it doesn’t smudge and the built-in sharpener is so handy!

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara - £21

This is my all time favourite mascara as it makes my lashes look so long and full. People have actually asked me if I am wearing false lashes when I’ve had this mascara on and have been surprised when I have told them that I don’t. I have tried other mascaras since I discovered this one but none of them have given the same finish.

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel - £2.99

Finally I can’t leave the house without filling in my brows and I find this eyebrow pencil is really easy to use and doesn’t break the bank. I find it quicker and easier to use a pencil rather than a powder and brush and this colour is perfect for me. I then just go over my brows with a gel to set them in place.

So there you have my list of products that I use on a daily basis. I do experiment with other products all the time but these are the ones that I always go back to and the ones that I reach for if I am in a rush.  Some of them are more on the pricey side but I think they are definitely worth spending a bit more on and they all last a fairly long time before you have to buy them again.

Do you use any of the products I have mentioned in this post? Which products do you always reach for on a day to day basis?

Thanks for reading,

BBx

Birchbox! January Review

Hi everyone,

I was given a three month subscription to Joliebox for Christmas which has now been rebranded as Birchbox and the first box arrived yesterday. I have subscribed to Glossybox and She Said Beauty Box in the past so I was happy to give a different brand a try and see how they fare in comparison.

Birchbox launched in 2010 in the US and each month subscribers receive a box of luxury beauty and lifestyle products to try out. This is the first box since the rebranding and here’s what was inside...

Révérence De Bastien Unguent for Nail and Cuticles

This nail treatment is used to help keep nails strong as well as soften cuticles. As I have acrylic nails I don’t think I will get that much use from it at the moment but I am thinking of giving my nails a break from the acrylic so this might come in handy when I do get them removed. The treatment smells absolutely delicious and feels quite smooth on the skin. This is a full sized product which normally retails at £15.50.

KMS California Add Volume Volumizing Spray

I always like trying out new hair products and as my hair is quite fine, hopefully this will be a good product for me. It’s a spray gel which gives hair a boost, provides heat protection and also removes excess oil. I haven’t tried any KMS products before but I have heard good things about them so I have high hopes for this product. This is a 30ml sample and the full sized bottle usually costs £14.85.

WEI Royal Ming Firming and Hydrating Cream

At £74 for the full sized product this is quite a pricey cream! I don’t usually use creams that are anti-ageing as I don’t want to overload my skin with unnecessary products. However, I have to say this cream feels really nice on the skin and also quite light. A small amount of product goes a long way which is good seeing as it is so expensive!

Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment

This is my favourite item in this month’s box as I get really dry lips and am always looking for new treatments that will help with this problem. This balm moisturises, repairs and protects the lips as well as providing a subtle hint of colour and I’m really looking forward to trying it out.

Teapigs - Chamomile

I don’t really drink tea but I will give this a try and see how I get on – you never know I might like it and become a herbal tea fan!

With Birchbox you also receive a magazine which contains more about the products, tutorials and beauty news. I’ve not had this in the other boxes that I have subscribed to and think it’s a really nice little added extra.

Overall I was really impressed with this first box and thought it was good value for money. I think the bright pink drawstring bag that the products come in is really cute and the products inside were all fab.

What did you guys think of the first Birchbox? Did you get the same products or something different?

Thanks for reading,

                                                              BBx

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub

Hi everyone!

I have been eyeing up this lip scrub from Lush for a while as I tend to get really dry lips and wanted a product that would get rid of dry skin and keep my lips soft. I had heard a lot of good things about this lip scrub so the last time I was in Lush I decided I would give it a try.

I really wanted the bubblegum flavoured one but they were out of stock so I went for the popcorn one after being advised by the assistant that the coconut and jojoba oil ingredients meant that this was the most moisturising out of the three flavours. I have used the scrub a few times now and I have to say I am really impressed. My lips were left feeling smooth and soft after use which lasted a good few days and my lipstick looked so much better without the dry, flaky patches! I really liked the taste which was salty and sweet at the same time and the scrub is edible too. I was advised to put lip balm on straight after using the scrub as it can be a bit drying if you use it regularly on its own and I think this has definitely helped keep my lips extra soft.

The only downsides to the Lush Lip Scrub are that it is a bit pricey for what it is (£5.25 for 25g) and I did find it a little dry which made it difficult to use without dropping bits all over the place. My lips were a bit red and plumped up after use but this is only to be expected with this kind of exfoliating product.

Overall I really like this lip scrub and would definitely purchase it again. I love wearing lipstick but hadn’t be able to wear it as much as it stuck to the dry patches on my lips and just looked messy. However, since using the Lush Lip Scrub I have had lovely smooth lips and have been able to experiment with my bright lipsticks again :)

The popcorn lip scrub is a limited edition one for this Christmas but they still had loads left at the Lush near me so hopefully you would still be able to get hold of it. If not I’m sure the other options will work just as well but will just have a different flavour. The sales assistant also told me that Lush have reformulated their lip balms so that they don't dry up as quickly and are easier to apply and they will be available in February. I am looking forward to trying these out and they will definitely be the next product on my Lush wish list!

Have any of you guys tried the Lush Lip Scrub and what did you think? Which other Lush products would you recommend?

Thanks for reading,

BBx

NOTD Essie Mirror Metallics - No Place Like Chrome

Hi guys,

I have wanted this nail varnish from Essie for ages and I finally got it in my Christmas stocking this year. I first saw it on Pinterest and it looked like a mirror effect in the photographs so I really wanted to give it a try. I was a bit sceptical that it would turn out as shiny as in the pictures as I thought you could only really get that effect from a foil but thought I would give it a go and see how it turned out.

I really love the finish of this polish and it has the most metallic effect of any of the varnishes that I have tried. I don’t think I would quite describe it as a mirror effect but the more light you shine on it the more foil like it appears. I used two coats and added a few diamontes for a bit of extra sparkle before finishing it off with a top coat. My nails dried very quickly which is particularly good for me as I tend to smudge them a lot when I am waiting for them to dry.

My only complaints are that the formula of the polish does make it a little difficult to apply and the metallic finish shows up any imperfections on your nails. Next time I might try using a base coat or ridge filler before applying the polish and hopefully it will make them look a little bit more even. There is a rose gold sort of colour (Penny Copper) in this same ‘Mirror Metallics’ range which is next on my list!

Have any of you guys tried this nail polish? What did you think of it?

Thanks for reading,

BBx