New drugstore purchases

As if I didn't need any more products to try.

For the past few months I have been using Mac charcoal brown eyeshadow to fill in my brows. It's the perfect neutral medium brown, however since dying my hair dark (almost black) brown, I needed something new to use and after reading numerous positive to pick up the Sleek Brow Kit in dark. It comes with mini tweezers, two mini brushes, a dark brown wax and a dark brown powder making it perfect for on the go.

I bought a new mascara in the form of L'Oreal Miss Manga. I normally hate drugstore mascaras, but yet again, I got swayed by good reviews.

After watching this video, Kate spoke highly of the newly re-promoted Revlon Photoready Skinlights. They are marketed as face illuminators, yet can be used under foundation as a primer or over foundation to create a glowy appearance. I chose Bare Light - a beige, warm tone shade.

L'Oreal lumi magique is one of my favourite foundations, so I had to buy the new L'Oreal Lumi Magique powder. It appears to be a highly pigmented highlighting powder with a strong pink undertone.

New eyeliners! Rimmel Scandaleyes are one of my favourites in general and I use the nude colour religiously. Brown eyeliners are more subtle for daytime so I bought Taupe, a light brown. I also picked up a new liquid liner, L'Oreal Super Slim as I have been obsessed with a thin line of liquid liner on the upper lash line recently.

Xo

Review: Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry and Pop of Pink

First of all, I must apologise for the sh!t photo quality. I have no idea what happened. I have two cameras; one for blogging and one for photography and I think it may be time to use my Canon for blogging purposes now. My trusty Nikon has passed it's sell by date. In my opinion, however, the swatches are pretty accurate.

Now for the review. I saw these Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tints in Superdrug the other day and, with Rimmel being hands down by favourite drugstore makeup brand, and the fact you can never have enough blush products, I swiftly put them in my hypothetical basket. I have been using them on and off for the past three weeks and can safety say they are really great little products.

On offer are two shades, Sunkissed Cherry which is a vibrant coral, and Pop of Pink, a bright neutral light pink. You only need a little product (I'm talking less than a pea size) for both cheeks as the pigmentation, of both, is extremely high. The consistency is a little thick but blends out easily making it a swift, and non-messy, application. I recommend applying a little with your finger before thoroughly blending it out using a dense brush like the Real Techniques expert face brush. My favourite has to be Sunkissed Cherry. It's certainly the most unique offering and by far the most versatile and wearable for all occasions.

They are just £4.49 and can be found in Boots and Superdrug x x x

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer Review

I think primers are a must have - regardless of what skin type you have. There is a primer for literally every skin need. I saw this Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer in Boots and, as I was in need of a new primer, I thought I'd try it. It was only around £6.99 and definitely beats spending £28 on the Laura Mercier one.

The product has a lot of positive claims. It says it smoothes, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects the skin. A primer that mattifies yet also brightens is definitely a key unique selling point for girls with combination or oily skin. I had high hopes. And so far, I do like it. It does seem to keep my makeup in place for the same duration as the LM one, and does noticeably mattify the skin. It doesn't seem to brighten the skin however which is a disappointment. As for the smoothing and resurfacing, I think that's a load of rubbish - this primer isn't a miracle worker. But it does have some redeeming attributes such as the longevity is gives. It is a scented product so may cause some irritation if you are sensitive to fragranced products.

I do believe that you pay for quality and it is noticeable that the Laura Mercier is a better primer than this one. However it cannot be dismissed that, for the price of £6.99, this primer does the job well. Definitely give it a try!

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in True Ivory Review

Drugstore makeup is seriously on point recently. Every new product I've tried over the past few weeks I've really loved, including this new foundation from Rimmel that I picked it up as a part of a haul a few weeks back.

After trying this foundation via magazine samples I decided to purchase in full (and in the correct colour). I'm surprisingly really impressed with it. At first the whole "liquid mousse" aspect didn't appeal to me. It screamed cake face and just a nightmare to blend. However it is really nice. The coverage is medium to full and very build able. It will cover everything if you want it too which I love! Due to the thick consistency (it is a mousse, after all) make sure you blend well as it will become cakey and noticeable if you don't. I recommend using a dense stippling brush instead of your fingers or a sponge as it is quite thick. However it doesn't feel heavy or unbearable to wear - it's super lightweight.

If you have oily skin this will be perfect as it does mattify the skin completely. As someone with combination skin I didn't feel the need to set it with powder as it really does de-shine the face. The shine control aspect seems to work as natural oils weren't visible until the six hour mark.

Colour shades are limited however I do think if you mix various shades you'll get a good match. This foundation only costs £6.99 which is insanely cheap for such a good product. Drugstore foundations seem to be improving drastically recently. I haven't use my two high end favourites Esteé Lauder double wear or Laura Mercier silk creme in months. The dilemma of choosing which foundation to apply in the morning gets harder and harder...

Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer

I tend to use the MAC paint pot in "nubile" to prime my lids. But recently I've noticed it isn't keeping my eye shadow in place anymore. I've tried the Urban Decay primer potion before and loved it, so I was just gonna repurchase that. But, when in Boots picking up some other bits, I saw this Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer by Rimmel. A drugstore eye shadow primer, but does it work?

It does seem to prolong the wear of the shadow for a little longer than using just a paint pot. But I do still find some transferring and a little fading towards the end of the day. It does however work better if you use the prime as well as a neutral paint pot such as soft ochre (yellow based) or painterly (pink based). I don't think this will make any difference if you have oily eyelids as the product itself does feel a little oily regardless. Then again, if you have dry eyelids, you perhaps don't need a primer anyway, so it's a little redundant.

Overall, I think its okay but I still prefer more higher end primers like Urban Decay primer potion and NARS pro prime smudge proof eyeshadow base. They seem to make shadow last so much longer! x x x

Rimmel Beauty Haul

On a recent Boots trip I seemed to just pick up Rimmel products. I'm equally excited about trying all of three of them despite not hearing much about any by other bloggers.

Instead of repurchasing my beloved Laura Mercier oil free foundation primer which costs £28, I thought I'd try the Fix & Perfect Pro Primer which costs just £6.99! It claims to smooth, resurface, brighten, mattify and protect. If it works, I'll be very happy. Another base product I picked up was the Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in the shade true ivory. I received a sample in a magazine ages ago and enjoyed it, yet the colour was too light so hopefully this matches better. Finally, I picked up a Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in sunkissed cherry. I absolutely love the colour of this.

Done! Definitely expect individual product reviews for each of these in the near future :)

Current Beauty Favourites

I have discovered some amazing products recently that I have been using religiously. It's too late in the month to call them August favourites so I'll just call them my current beauty favourites. I recommend everything :)

theBalm Mary Lou Manizer
I've been really into highlighters at the moment and this is probably the most talked about and I can see why. It's a beautiful golden-champagne shade that is super shimmery. And very pigmented. A little goes a long way but it's so lovely. I've also been loving this as an inner corner highlight on my eyes and on the cupids bow. Just saying.

My everyday MAC eyeshadow quad
I've created the perfect quad here people. It contains Shroom, another great inner corner highlight, All That Glitters, shimmery peach champagne perfectness, Quarry, a muted purple crease colour and Charcoal Brown, for smudging eyeliner out and for them brows.

Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer
I finished up my Maybelline The Eraser and instead of repurchasing I opted for this and I love it. It's great for under the eyes as it has a reflective, anti-fatigue finish. Definitely not for use on blemishes as it will enhance them, but for dark circles under the eyes, it's a gem.

Covergirl Last Blast Volume mascara in very black
When will the UK start stocking Covergirl?! This mascara provides volume (finally, a product that lives up to its name) and crazy length and thickness and just everything you would want in a mascara. When it runs out I will book a flight to America. No joke.

Milani Baked Blush in luminoso
Another USA only product that I'm in love. This one probably won't run out as fast as the mascara but still. It's such a beautiful shade that will compliment literally anyone. Check my in depth review for swatches and stuff.

Barry M lip gloss in toffee
Ok, there are three amazing things about this lipgloss. 1) It actually smells like toffee, 2) it's under five quid and 3) it's pigmented and lasts ages. It's a nude/pink mix, just think of the lipgloss version of MAC Creme Cup lipstick.

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow Pigment in perpetual purple
I am loving the infallible eyeshadows at the moment, but my favourite has to be this dark purple with silver reflects. If you have brown eyes, it looks amazing on the lower lash line. I really hope this isn't one of their US-only shades as I know some are.

I hope you're having a great weekend!

June Beauty Favourites (+ randoms!)

I actually can't believe we're more than half way through the year. Before we know it it's gonna be Christmas, then new years, then 2014! I'm going to Dubai next week (ahh!) so expect a couple travel-type posts in the upcoming week :) Anyway, here are my June favourites - as always, links are at the bottom of the post!!!

NARS Powder Foundation (Fiji), Model Co Ultra Shine Lipgloss (Strip Tease), Urban Decay Naked Basics, Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Concealer, Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner, Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Kate Moss Lasting Finish lipstick in 113

I love nude lipsticks. My favourite is Myth by MAC and I'm always looking for a new dupe so I don't have to keep spending, what seems like the ever increasing price tag of £14 each time it runs out. I saw this one by the Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish collection in the shade 113. It's matte and has a slight peach undertone to it. I like the shade, it's nice. The only thing is the pigmentation isn't great. Especially for a nude lipstick I like them to be pretty opaque and this one unfortunately just isn't. For just under £5, I can't really complain. Guess I just gotta keep searching...

Suzanna x

Spring drugstore beauty haul

I love drugstore shopping! You can buy several things for the price of one high end product. It's good if you just want to trial a certain colour before splashing on a good quality version (despite most high street brands are on par with high end brands nowadays!). I thought I'd just show the stuff I bought from Boots and Superdrug as I haven't bought that much high end makeup this week.

I picked up a new foundation, L'Oreal True Match in the shade W3 for no reason. I'm perfactly happy with Revlon Colorstay and Esteé Lauder DW, but whatever. I got two Barry M Nail Paints, one in "Blueberry" and the other in "Strawberry" - I think you can guess which ones which :) As for lip products, I picked up three Revlon Matte Lipsticks in "Nude Attitude", "Smoked Peach" and "Stormy Pink" as Nicole Guerriero (aka my favourite YouTube guru) raves about them. I also got a Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in "Nude Eclipse". I went into Superdrug and bought two of their blushes: "Suede" (another Nicole rave product) and "Pixie Pink". Boots need to start stocking Sleek, asap. I also got one of those Tangle Teasers, but forgot to photograph it.

Here are some more pictures!

Left-right: Suede and Pixie Pink

Left to right: Strawberry and Blueberry (obvs)

Have a great week,

Suzanna xoxo

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

I bought this product simply because Tanya Burr uses it in literally every tutorial. That is all.

Rimmel are one of my favourite drugstore brands (their eye products in particular are bomb) and the Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder is no exception. I got mine in 001 transparent as I hate coloured setting powders (aside from the MAC ones) and I loooove it. If you want a fully matte look then I'd definitely pick this up - it leaves no shine whatsoever and lasts for absolutely ages which is great if you have oily or combination skin. It also smells really nice and fresh, it's weird, I like it.

The only thing I dislike is the packaging. I hate how the lid is separate to the product which makes it awkward when using it out places. However, it is only around £3.50 so it is understandable. Yet for the price it's a really great product and I highly recommend.

Suzanna xoxo

[Finding time to blog recently is really difficult because I'm getting towards the end of year 11 which means exams exams exams - most of them are final ones so I can't retake so the pressure is definately on. I'm coming up to Easter half break soon (2 weeks off, yay) so hopefully can blog loads and write lots of drafts that I can post when exams are on. Other than that I won't be able to blog fully until the end of June *sad face*. School first I'm afraid.]

All-time favourite pencil eyeliners

Out of gel, pencil and liquid, my favourite type of eyeliner is pencil. I find it so much easier to apply than the others and they are much more universal; you can use them to line your top and bottom lash line, waterline and tight line. I was going to do a post with all my favourite liners (gel, liquid and pencil) but I found that I had double the amount of pencils which says something! *I am still going to review the new LO'real gel liner by the way :)

So, without further ado, here are some of my all time favourites:

1. Avon SuperSHOCK Gel Eyeliner in Black
2. No7 Amazing Eyes Pencil in 10 Brown
3. Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in 061 Jet Black
4. Avon In A Blink Liner in Espresso
5. MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Stubborn Brown
6. MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating (full review here)
7. MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder

Swatches!

First column: MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating
Second column: No7 Amazing Eyes Pencil in 10 Brown, MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Stubborn Brown and Avon In A Blink Liner in Espresso
Third column: MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder, Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in 061 Jet Black and Avon SuperSHOCK Gel Eyeliner in Black

Best black liner: Avon SuperSHOCK Gel Eyeliner in Black
Best brown liner: MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Subborn Brown
Best neutral liner: MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating

If I had to choose an overall favourite, it would have to be the SuperSHOCK by Avon. It is incredibly pigmented and is exactly like a gel but in a pencil form which I love! It is super inexpensive (around £6) and lasts a long time.

What's your favourite liner?

Suzanna xoxo

Eye makeup removers

The more make up you apply the harder it is to get off, right? Yes, depending on the eye make-up remover you're using. I've only just started getting into gel eyeliner which I have found is tricky to remove. Before I was just using a makeup wipe and soap with water - bad, I know! When I found how hard it was to remove eyeliner I bought several types of remover and was in a search to find my favourite.

After weeks of testing them out, I found my favourites.

They range from low end to high end which is a good thing as I can buy the cheaper alternative knowing it gets me near enough the same results as the more expensive ones!

So, here are my favourite four eye makeup removers:


MAC "Pro Eye Makeup Remover"
Price: £13.50
Pros: It takes every scrap of eye makeup off. It leaves nothing behind. A bonus is that it's really refreshing and has a cooling sensation which is nice.
Cons: It's rather pricey for what it is and does have a weird scent.

Rimmel London "Gentle Eye Make Up Remover" 
Price: around £6.50
Pros: Reasonable price and removes all makeup including waterproof mascara which is tricky to get off. It takes of my eyeliner perfectly.
Cons: It doesn't come of instantly, you need a good few pumps to make a difference.

Clinique "Take The Day Off Makeup Remover" (*)
Price: £15.00
Pros: The smallest amount get's rid of everything, even waterproof mascara and gel. Not only can it be used on your eyes, but your lips as well. Personally I haven't tried this and I don't think I will, but it does a  very good job on removing eye makeup!
Cons: Too expensive. £15 is ridiculous and I know there are way more expensive removers out there. I wouldn't spend more than £10 on a remover to be honest. Additionally, it makes my eye lids really greasy afterwards which isn't nice.

Avon "Conditioning Eye Makeup Remover" 
Price: £4
Pros: It's really cheap which is always a good thing when it comes to removers! And it works (even better!) but it does take some getting used to because...
Cons: ...it has the weirdest texture ever! It's like a cream and once you apply, it stays on your eyelid! It feels really odd as it sits on your eyelashes and makes them stick together which isn't very nice. The first time I use it I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to rinse it off and it did get everything off in the end. It's a hassle but works.

Overall these are all really good eye make removers, but if I had to choose my absolute favourite, it would have to be Clinique. Even though it leaves a greasy residue and is bloody expensive, it removes every trace of makeup instantly. It does last a while too!

-

Talk to you soon,

Suzanna
XOXO

Recent purchases at Westfield

Westfield is definitely one of my favourite places to shop. It has everything. Literally. Two floors of shopping amazingness. If you live in London, or near, go to Westfield at White City.

Anyway, I just got back shopping and I wanted to show you what I got!

Left to right:
1. Umberto Giannini Salon Straight Blow Dry Cream (review coming soon)
2. MAC Pro Eye makeup remover (*)
3. Rimmel London makeup remover
4. LO'real Paris gel eyeliner in black and brush
5. Maybelline the Falsies volume express flared mascara
6. Revlon lip butters (review coming soon) (*)
7. Garnier eye roll on
8. E45 cream
9. Carmex lip balm
10. Soap & Glory Hand Food cream
11. Barrel hair brush

Left to right:
1. Marie Clare magazine
2. InStyle magazine
3. Glamour magazine
4. The Big Bang Theory season 1-3
5. Maze Runner by James Dashner

and the most exciting purchase...

It's my Dad's birthday on Monday so we decided to treat him to the new iPad! Let's hope he likes it.

-

Have a great Easter weekend.

Suzanna
XOXO

Ps. I've been watching Bertie's YouTube videos on his recent trip to New York. It makes me want October to hurry up so badly. It looks breathtaking! Check out the videos here: BertiebertG.

OOTD: Saturday, 17th March

Hola/bonjour/ciao! How are you all today? :)

I didn't know what to talk about on today's post so I thought I'd so a short outfit of the day, including a "face of the day" if that makes sense! My outfit today was simple and casual as all I did today was shop - I bought a card for Mothers Day. I've already got her present but I forgot the card, ha-ha. I got her this beautiful silver necklace from Tiffany & Co - I really hope she likes it!

Anyway, let's get started...

An overview. Omg, that is the most awkward pose EVER. I didn't know whether it took the picture so I was just about to get off the bed - yes I'm standing on bed - to check and...it went off. Oh well. 

Today I'm wearing some dark blue jeans from Gap, silver pumps from New Look, a baggy grey sweater from Gap, a gold necklace from Ernest Jones, a long chained silver necklace with a heart on from Accessorise and a white DNKY watch which isn't visible.

More pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Face of the day!

- Garnier BB Cream in Medium

- Benefit The Porefessional primer

- Random brown shadow for brows

- MAC kohl eyeliner in Smolder

- Rimmel London eyeliner in Black

- NARS bronzer in Laguna

- Vanilla EOS lip balm

- MAC lipglass in Underage

- Benefit "High Beam" highlighter

----

Sorry that it's a short (and boring) post - I haven't had much time to prepare. There won't be a post tomorrow so, I'll see you mid-week. Have a great day!

Suzanna

XOXO

Top 5 Eyeliners For Your Waterline

Different eyeliners work for different people. Your friends absolute must-have might not necessarily work for you and vice versa. It takes a long time to find the perfect eyeliner that suits your specific needs, whether it be tight lining, for your waterline, lower or upper lash line etc. 

Today I'm going to talk about my top five favourite - black - eyeliners that are waterline safe. Please remember that these are just suggestions for you to try, not everything works for everyone. 

*These are in no specific order*

1. MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder

Described as an "intense black", for me this eyeliner has a slight green tint to it. Despite this, it's one of my all time favourites for the waterline. It's too draggy for the upper lash line however it's the perfect consistency for the waterline. It's creamy but not so that it smudges once applied.

-

2. MAC Kohl Power in Feline

Another MAC eyeliner! As a cult favourite, this eyeliner is commonly compared to Smolder yet they are different. Feline is much more creamy and more black that Smolder. I find that this one lasts slightly longer than Smolder but does take longer to settle. If it's used on the upper lash line I wouldn't recommend closing your eyes fully to prevent smudges. However, it's a great eyeliner.

-

3. Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero and Perversion

Zero is decried as black whereas Perversion is described as the blackest black. It's all down to personal preference when it comes to the UD eyeliners. Personally, I find the Zero more natural (well, for black eyeliner anyway) and less harsh especially for day time. Switch to Perversion if going out as it is much more vivid and in-your-face. They are both great, and last for about 6 hours (on me).

-

4. Chantecaille Kohl Pencil in Black

This is probably the most expensive eye-liner in the world (slight exaggeration? maybe), yet it is amazing. If you want to define your eyes with a creamy, rich black colour then definitely choose this. Chantecaille are known for their luxurious products and their eye kohl's are no exception. They are available in many colours, but the black is my favourite.

-

5. Rimmel London Soft Kohl in Black

For a drugstore/high-street product, this eyeliner is brilliant. It doesn't drag, doesn't smudge and doesn't leave those annoying lines on your eyelids after application like some eyeliners do. I use this probably more than my high-end eyeliners simply because if it runs out, then I can repurchase without making a huge dent in my wallet. It's around £7 in Boots and compared to the £32 Chantecaille and the £14.50 MAC eyeliners, it's worth it. 

----

I hoped this helped! Leave me a comment and don't forget to follow my blog!

Suzanna

XOXO