Top 5 Things For Under A Fiver

Hey guys,

I saw Miss Budget Beauty do a video on her top 5 products for under a £5 so I decided to do my version. I think this is a great idea as I know most of us don't have a lot to spend on cosmetics and beauty in general, so it's good to see what other people really rate. 

You can see Miss Budget Beauty video here!

EcoTools 5 Piece Brush Set from eBay -£3.49

These have literally been one of my best buys, I pretty much use these everyday as they are great for touch ups midday. They are small enough to easily fit into your bag but big enough not to get lost. You can read my review here.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - £4.99

This was the first mascara I have ever purchased and I still love it. It lengthens, volumizes, curls, and adds definition which makes my lashes look absolutely stunning, but still natural. It also never clumps. The packaging is also really cute and bright which I like. Maybelline also does a lot of different brushes but I've only tried the normal one. Overall this is a really great product and it's not that expensive, so you should try it!

Carmex Tube Cherry - £2.59

I love how soft the Carmex lip balm makes my lips feel, it isn't sticky and doesn't leave any gunky residues or greasy feeling on my lips. It also has a fairly good staying power. You can read my review here.

I couldn't find my last two products so here's them off googles images.

MUA Matte Eyeshadow Shade 19 (in fact any of there eyeshadow colours) - £1

I use this everyday to fill in my brows and I don’t know what I would do with out it. It is a matt brown colour that goes with my hair without looking too dark or light. Really all the MUA eyeshadows are amazing for the price.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Powder - £1.99/2.99

This is another product I use pretty much everyday. I have bought many other powders which normally end up being too orange or dark, but when I apply this to my skin but it's perfect. You can read my review here.

I hoped you liked my post, and if you decide to do one like it leave me a link, I would love to read it <3

Leave me a comment too as I love reading and responding to them,

Emily x

17 Photo Flawless Primer Review

Hi everyone,

I have another review for you today, and this time it is 17's Photo Flawless Primer.

Now this has been my go to primer for a long time, on and off for around a year I think! I have bought quite a few tubes of the primer as I do really like it.

You can get this for £4.99 from Boots 

Now 17 claims that the primer will "not only will it ensure your make-up is even by minimising pores, it will create the perfect canvas for your foundation allowing it to glide on seamlessly.”

The formulation is silky and smooth, which I think must contain silicone, although I can't find any ingredients online so I cannot be 100% sure! The product blends into the skin so easily and settles within a few seconds leaving you with velvety skin, which I think matches the description of the product. My make-up I feel does lasts longer when I use this too. Normally I have to touch up midday but I can push it a few hours longer using the primer. 

Now the only thing that I think doesn't live up to the claim is the pore minimising as I don't think this primer does that at all. I mean I don't think I have large pores, but I still don't see any difference in the size of them. So if that is the main reason you are thinking of trying this, I would probably skip it!

I also have a small issue with the tube. The tube is squeezable, meaning it lets air in when product is squeezed out, which then causes the primer to fly out when you next use it. It literally explodes out of the tube when you put a tiny bit of pressure on it! This can be solved by depotting it, but tbh I would rather not need to do that!

So yeah, I really like how it makes my skin feel and how it makes my make-up last longer, just not the tube. Plus for the money, I think it is very good!

I think I am going to try Revlons primer next, as I have heard good things about it :)

You can read my MAC Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage review here and my Benefit POREfessional review here!

Have you tried this? 
Which primers do you recommend?

Leave me a comment,

Emily x

Review; Revlon Matte Lipstick in Stormy Pink

Hey girls,

Im here with another lipstick review today, it is another Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in the colour Stormy Pink. This colour was featured in the fall 2010 collection, Suede Rhapsody, however it is now been added to Revlon's permanent range. 

What Revlon says; "Revlon® Matte Lipstick gives suede-like application and maximum colour. Rich matte colour glides effortlessly across lips. Suede-like cushion without drying."

The colour of Stormy Pink in the bullet looks like a very vibrant candy pink, almost fuchsia with blue under tones. However when swatched the colour becomes more muted and doesn't look as bold. On my lips it looks it looks like a very toned down version of MAC's Pink Nouveau (comparison picture below) I do really like this shade and is a colour I didn't have in my collection.

The texture of this 'matte' lipstick is very moisturising, especially compared to Revlon's Pink Pout in the same range -review here. I would still exfoliate and apply a lip balm before hand, but it was a nice surprise to find it didn't dry my lips. When you do apply it to the lips the colour is slightly sheerer than I would like, but it can be easily built up with out it caking. The colour is still bold even though it is sheer, but not in a 'in your face' sort of way like MAC's Impassioned. 

The finish of this lipstick is nice, I wouldn't say it was matte but more like a MAC luster or satin finish as it gives a little bit of colour but also has a small amount of shine in it. Like I mentioned before this is very different to the other matte colour I have in this range. The lasting power of this lipstick is on the shorter side of what I would like, lasting around 3 hours. With eating or drinking, it would wear quicker. The lipstick has a very faint smell that I can't put my finger on. The smell is nice, and once on the lips completely disappears.

My other pink lipsticks swatched against Stormy Pink;

T-B

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Stormy Pink
2. MAC Lipstick in Pink Nouveau 

3. MAC Lipstick in Saint Germain

4. Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout

5. NYX Round Lipstick in Strawberry Pink

6. NYX Round Lipstick in Narcissus

Like I said I believe Stormy Pink is a muted version of MAC's Pink Nouveau, below it is swatched between  Pink Nouveau and Saint Germain.  

I think Stormy Pink fits well between these colours, although its not as pigmented I think looks like a mixture of both MAC lipsticks.

Overall, I really like Stormy Pink and am looking to trying other colours in the Revlon Super Lustrous range.

You can find this lipstick at Boots for £7.49  or on eBay, I got mind from this seller for only £3.50

Have you tried this lipstick? Or another good one from Revlon?

Leave me a comment,

Emily x

Face Wash Series; Witch Oil Control Foaming Face Wash

Hey guys!

I'm here with another instalment of my face wash series, today I will be reviewing the Witch Oil Control Foaming face wash.

Firstly I love the packaging. It’s a simple plastic bottle with a pump nozzle, which allows the perfect amount of product out. The pump feels sturdy and is also very hygienic as no bacteria will be getting into the bottle. 

The formula is a little different to your normal wash. It is dispensed as a very light weight mousse, lighter than shaving cream or hair mousse. I like the foam as its different and simple to use. Just pump the wash out into your hand, massage around your face, and rinse.

The smell is another thing I like as the antiseptic smells of witch hazel, tea tree, eucalyptus make me think its killing all the bacteria and cleaning my skin. 

Although I have combination skin, this product works really well. I find that this product does in fact reduce the oiliness of my t zone but without drying out my skin. It also gets rid of any acne breakouts I have. The dry areas haven't become irritated or drier, but I do use a very moisturising cream afterwards. 

Overall I think this product is great from acne prone skin as well as combination and oily skin people.

Have you tired it?

Emily X

Whats In My Overnight Makeup Bag?

Hi girls,

As the title suggests I will be showing you what is in my over night makeup bag!

I love reading posts like these or watching videos because it's always interesting to see what products people are currently using/currently loving so I decided to show you mine. 


This is just my makeup I take if I'm staying over at someone's house, like last Saturday I stayed at my friend Sams and this is what I took; 

Make Up Brushes;

MAC Hello Kitty brush set - review here!

MAC 182 buffer brush - review here!

EcoTools blending brush - review here.

Make Up;

Review; MAC Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage - review here

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in Vanille Clair - mini review here

MAX Factor Lash Extension Effect 

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express - review here

Benefit BADgal lash - review here

MUA Shade 19 Eyeshadow (for brows)

MAC Crew Highlighting Powder - review here

MUA Pressed Powder Shade 4 (for contour)

MAC Viva Glam Nicki lipstick

Lip smacker in Fanta
17 Wild Metallics Eyes in Wild Nude (picture below)

Extra;

Lush's Vanilla Dee-Lite body lotion

Clean and Clear Spot Cream
Black Travalo with Katy Perry Purr in - review here

I forgot to include my eye shadow in the photo, so here it is;

I obviously took deodorant and things like that too!

What do you bring during a quick overnight trip? 

 Do you tend to over-pack, or keep it simple?

Leave me a comment,

Emily x

Face Wash Series; Lush Fresh Farmacy

Hi everybody,

Today I will be reviewing Lush's Fresh Farmacy face wash. 

Now I'm going to just state that I don't like this face wash. Its just not for me at all and lucky I just have a sample.

What Lush says; "To make this soap gentle enough for use on the face, we cut down the amount of soap in it and replace it with other ingredients to help the skin. This makes a mild soap that is great for both face and body."

First off the soap its self smells funny, like herbs and generic soap. At first it didnt bother me, but now when I smell the soap it makes me not want it going anywhere near my face let alone on it!

Next is that it doesn't lather like a soap, it doesnt lather at all! You have to scrap the product agsints your face to get any of the soap on your face. Lush says "we cut down the amount of soap in" so I'm guessing that's why. But I don't understand why they did it, surely a soap has to lather?

Those small bubbles were a result of rubbing my hands together with the soap for about 3 minutes!

Another thing is that it doesn't even clean my face! I always remove my makeup with a baby wipe then wash the remaining off with a face wash but this doesn't do it, I end up washing my face at least 3 times to get rid of the make up. Then immediately after use, it dried my skin and made it tight and uncomfortable. 

I also noticed no difference in my spots, blackheads or redness so I would say this is waste of money.  For me it did nothing. However if you do want to try it out and if you live near a Lush you can pop in and ask for a sample.

Do you like this cleanser?

Leave me a comment,

Emily x

Face Wash Series; Lush CoalFace Cleanser

Hey Guys,

Im sure I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion that I love Lush, I like to try their range by getting samples when I buy sometime and that's how I found out about the wonderful Coalface. 

Coalface - the beautiful charcoal grey bar of loveliness makes your face squeaky clean! 

Lush says; "Coalface includes liquorice infusion for softening and charcoal which absorbs grease and gently exfoliates the skin" 

I started to use this last summer when my face was super oily and it really, really did help! After using this product for a few months, my face had become clearer and I noticed less oil was being produced. However as I mention in other posts my skin is crazy, so once my skin started to become dryer in the autumn/winter I had to stop using it as it was too drying :( 

The soap lathers easy, into a bubbly cream which when rubbed on to your face is refreshing and cleansing. There is also tiny grains of real coal that gently exfoliate as you wash, which creates a fresh contrast with the soft lather. You can feel your face becoming clean and soft, but not tight and dry as you rinse it off, 

The smell of Coalface is quite strong. It smells to me like liquorice, which I normally hate, but in this instance love! Its really unique as it is sweet but also has the 'generic Lush' smell. I could see this either being a love or hate type of smell. 

Since the wash comes as one big chunk, I cut mine into smaller chunks and use them one at a time. I store the remaining pieces in a Lush massage bar tin to stop them from melting in the heat of the shower. You could just store them in another room or in a plastic bag. 

Overall, I would really recommend Coalface for normal to oily skinned people. I would also suggest asking a Lush employee to give you a sample before buying a full slice to make sure it works for you! 

Have you tried Lush's Coalface? 

Leave me a comment, 

Emily X

Face Wash Series; Clean and Clear Morning Energy Face Wash

Hey guys,

This is the first post in my face wash series, and today I will be reviewing the Clean and Clear Morning Energy face wash. I have been using this since before Christmas on and off, and I have really been liking it! I am on to my 3rd bottle.

The Clean & Clear Morning Energy smells so zesty! It really wakes me up in the morning and is a great pick-me-up because it is so fresh. It is quite strong when you take a sniff straight from the bottle, and it is a little strong while I wash my face, but once rinsed off there is no fragrance left behind.

The wash is a cloudy yellow runny gel-like cleanser that has a unique shimmering effect, which looks really pretty. The bursting beads are yellow and green, that dissolve when you foam up the product, releasing the 'awaking' ingredients of the formula. 

While washing my face, the gel feels smooth and it is easy to lather up into a bubbly foam. It rinses off easily, leaving no residue behind, or that tight feeling. Once you are done your face has this cool fresh feeling, refreshing really. 

I had no new blackheads or spots while using this cleanser, but I don’t feel it made my skin any ‘brighter’.

Overall, I really like the 'awaking' feeling and it didn't break me out so positive!

Have you tired this?

Leave me a comment,

Emily x 

Face Wash Series

Hey guys!

Since my skin has been going crazy the past month, I've decided to do a mini collection post on all the face washes I've recently used and how they worked! 

Now I have been getting spots and blackheads since I was around 13, so for 5 years I have been trying to find products that actually work. I've never really been that bothered by blackheads more whiteheads as they in my opinion look worse - especially if they are the red and sore type! 

My skin type -freaking all over the place! I have dry cheeks and jaw line, oily t-zone, spot prone, blackhead prone, red patches and moderately sensitive. But this could all change tomorrow! Seriously one day my skin is dry as the Sahara desert, next oilier then the BP oil spill -____- Its a nightmare.

These are the face washes I will be reviewing

I will be reviewing;

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub

Clean and Clear Deep Action Cream Wash

Soap and Glory Greatest Scrub Of All

Garnier Pure Anti Black Head Deep Pore Wash 

Lush's Coal Face

Lush's Fresh Farmacy 

and 

Clean and Clear Morning Energy Face Wash 
Witch Oil Controlling Foaming Face Wash


I have already reviewed the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant so you can check that one out already :)

Throughout the reviewing I will be using the same moisturizer and will be using my facial exfoliator brush - review here!

If you can recommend a face wash for me to try, that's under £5 , I will check it out and probably add it to the collection posts.

Leave me a comment,

Emily x

MAC Dupe; Revlon Matte Lipstick in 002 Pink Pout

Hello everyone, 

I feel being pale is hard - especially when trying to find a foundation or a 'nude' lipstick! So when I fell in love with MAC's Snob lipstick I decided to look for a similar 'drugstore' version, as I know we all can't afford MAC.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 002 Pink Pout

Well I got one, and a bloody good one at that! I was browsing the web for reviews on other dupes when I came across a blog -I can't remember who's- and it said  Revlon's Pink Pout was a dupe for Snob, so off I ran to Boots and picked it straight up!

The packaging, although different, looks sleek and professional

What Revlon says; "Revlon® Matte Lipstick gives suede-like application and maximum colour. Rich matte colour glides effortlessly across lips. Suede-like cushion without drying."

Snob is the top
Pink Pout is the bottom
Side by side the colours look identical. 

Pink Pout is a very "me" shade, a pale light pink with mauve undertones -just like Snob! Its a matte lipstick which I love as I'm not too crazy over glossy lipsticks. The lasting time is pretty good too, I feel you have reapply around 2/3 times but that's normal and happens with Snob anyway. The price of this lipstick was £7.49 in Boots, which is still pricey for a 'drugstore' lippy, but still well cheaper than Snob at £13.50. Plus it's 3 for 2 on Revlon in Boots so I highly recommend you add this product into your chosen 3!

The Revlon lippy looks huge in comparison

I feel this colour is perfect for pale skin as it's a neutral mauve shade rather than a beige/neutral so it adds a bit of colour to your face, its a 'my lips but better' colour for me!

Pink Pout is at the top, Snob is the bottom
On this swatch Pink Pout looks slightly yellowish, however on the lips you cannot tell!

I can not find fault with this lipstick at all, I think it's so wonderful and such a good dupe! The colour goes with everything and is my everyday lipstick. I highly recommend buying this if you are pale and are looking for a pretty pale mauvey lippy. I highly recommend trying out the Revlon matte lipsticks!

Do you think Revlon lipsticks are a dupe for MAC ones? Do you have any dupes?

Leave me a comment,

Emily x

Updated; How much does your face cost?

Hello everyone!

Well, since I did this post way back in February lots of things have changed in my everyday routine. So I thought I would do an updated version, plus it was really fun last time!

Here is the February version.

Moisturiser: Vaseline Intensive Rescue Moisture Locking Body Lotion £2/3

 Primer: MAC Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage - £18.50

Foundation: Revlon Photoready £12.99

Concealer: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer £13

Powder: Collection 2000 Pressed Powder £1.99

Eyebrows: MUA eyeshadow - £1

Blush: MAC -HEY, SAILOR! Collection- Crew £21.50

Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express -£7.99 and Maybelline One By One Volum' Express Mascara - £8.99

Eyeliner: Bourjois Clubbing Eyeliner £6.99 

Lip Balm: Carmex Cherry  - £2.00 

Lip Stick: MAC Snob - £13.50

Total; £110.45, Ive actually increase by £5! But technically lost one product, I used to use 12, now 11...

Right I TAG everyone in the world who wears makeup! *Yes you too!*

Leave me a comment, and a link if you do the post!

Emily x