Benefit Hello Flawless! Oxygen Wow Foundation in Ivory (I'm Pure 4 Sure) Review

It seems as though I have gone on a foundation purchasing spree. First I bought (and have already reviewed) the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation, then in the same outing I picked up both NARS Sheer Glow and Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow. Today I'll be reviewing the Benefit offering and will most likely follow up with a review of the Sheer Glow.

First and foremost, I huge Benefit fan and I use their face products on an everyday basis - Hoola bronzer is my absolute must have and I am never without a tube of They're Real mascara. So I was excited to try out their first liquid foundation.

And so far I really do like it. The formula is super light-weight - more so than L'Oreal True Match which is very thin in consistency - which makes application so easy as it just blends into the skin. In my opinion the coverage is fairly light, but you can layer it up for a medium coverage and just use a little extra concealer on any imperfections. Hello Flawless evens out the skin and reduces redness all whilst creating a luminous and healthy looking complexion - and thankfully it does not cling to any dry patches, making it the perfect winter/spring foundation. I love to use it with either a Sigma F80 or Real Techniques buffing brush as it gives slightly more coverage, or if I want a light coverage using your fingers or a sponge makes it look super natural.

The foundation does contain an SPF of 25 so I would avoid using it in the evenings in case of major flashback. Also, it is only available in 9 shades - I have mine in the shade Ivory (I'm Pure 4 Sure) and, currently, it is way too light for me.

Overall, I really do recommend this foundation if you're in the market for something that is lightweight, provides light to medium coverage and creates a luminous, light-reflecting glow. I can see this being my go-to foundation during the summer, as well.

High End Beauty Haul! 2014

First of all I apologise for not posting since the start of the year - back to college has been a little stressful to say the least and I also have my mock exams coming up next week. Instead of a review I thought I would share some of my recent high end beauty purchases, especially as I haven't hauled in a while. I bought everything from a House of Fraser store in one trip last week, yes, I know, it is a lot for one trip but I haven't splurged on any high end makeup since last year. Here's what I picked up.

When I reviewed the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation I mentioned how I wasn't completely happy with it and how I was debating whether to purchase the other foundation I had on my wish list. Evidently, I decided to pick up the cult favourite NARS Sheer Glow in the shade "Punjab" and I am super excited to try it out.

Another base product I picked up was the Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturiser. This is a repurchase of mine as I absolutely adore this stuff. If I am having a bad skin day I love to apply this under my foundation for extra coverage and it doesn't look at all cakey. It is super lightweight, the shade matches perfectly (I have mine in "Nude") and just works wonders all year round. In the summer, it is my favourite base to use as it has a good coverage, looks natural and also has a decent SPF rate. Check my review for more details.

I picked up two Benefit products. The first, yet another repurchase, in the form of They're Real mascara - an absolute holy grail of mine and one I am sure I will never be without. It lengths the lashes, creates huge volume, doesn't clump and one tube seems to last a really long time. For a mascara it is expensive, but I think it is 100% worth it. The other Benefit product is Hervana blush pox powder. As soon as I swatched it I knew I had to have it and I can't wait to try it out!

Lastly I wandered over to the MAC counter, a place where you either have an amazing experience or a complete confidence-shattering one. Thankfully, mine was the first and I ended up walking away with what I wanted...and more. I originally went to get the Pure Zen lipstick because I saw a tutorial by Lauren Curtis who used it on a night out and, being a sucker for a nude lipstick, I immediately added it to my wish list. I also picked up a blush called Desert Rose which is a gorgeous deep rose/pink shade. MAC blushes are one of my favourites (Bobbi Brown's may be slightly better imo) and seem to last forever. I also ended up getting a Studio Fix Powder + Foundation in the shade C3. Looking back I honestly don't know why I bought this - MAC face products break me out like crazy and I have heard the Studio Fix line can look cakey on the skin. And it wasn't the cheapest of products! I will probably do a separate review on this when I try it out - I have to admit I am a little sceptical about trying it!

So they are the products I picked up and overall I am happy with my purchases. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will try my best to get up some more reviews. Lots of love!

Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in A-Lister Review

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May 2014 be the best year yet!

Benefit are definitely becoming one of my favourite brands. The packaging of each item is always fun and I adore their products just as much. I have tried their foundations, mascaras, blushers and Hoola bronzer is my absolute must have and love and use them all religiously. Surprisingly I have never tried any Benefit lip products, so I thought I would start my journey with a lipgloss - 'cause a girl can never enough...

The colour I opted for is called "A Lister" and is a part of the Ultra Plush Lipgloss collection. The range features six shades: Lollipop (a bright) hot pink, Kiss You (a deep fuchsia), Icebreaker (clear), Fauxmance (soft berry red), A Lister (bubblegum pink) and Poutrageous! (a bright pink/coral). First of all, I love the names! And secondly, I love the product. The one I have, A Lister, is described as a bubblegum pink and is most definitely that. The shade is an opaque light pink and, for a lipgloss, is surprisingly pigmented. What I love the most is that it isn't at all sticky. On it's own I find it lasts around 2-3 hours before I feel the need to reapply. I also enjoy layering it on top of a boring nude lipstick as it seems to bring it to life and give it a pink glossy finish. Overall, I am super impressed with these and I think I will be picking up some other shades. They cost £14.50 each, which, I have to be honest, is a little expensive for a lipgloss, but as you can see from the photo above, you do get a lot of product and you only need a little bit for a great colour payoff. I do recommend :)