Barry M (available here)

One of the best brands to pick up whilst in the UK as it still isn’t too widely available everywhere else, their Dazzle Dust are quite underrated if you love shimmery shadow but their nail paints are a must try and very affordable. They offer everything from nail care to glitter and gel effect polishes.

Bourjois (available here)

Available quite readily in Europe Bourjois has really high quality products at great prices. Although their foundations break me out I think they are a great drugstore option for anyone that doesn’t have sensitive skin. Their blushers are some of my absolute favourites but their concealers and lipsticks are also worth a look.

Collection (available here)

Very affordable drugstore brand, I personally find the Lasting Perfection Concealer a little drying but it’s very affordable and highly rated by so many people that it’s a must try.

Gosh (available here)

Surprisingly this was the hardest brand for me to pick a top product from, everything is nice but there isn’t really anything I can’t live without. Other than the Velvet liners, the lipsticks and blushers are also both really nice.

L’Oreal (available here)

L’Oreal True Match foundation is an absolute must have with a nice colour selection but the liners, neutral eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks are also worth picking up.

Makeup Revolution (available here)

Known for offering affordable alternative to cult beauty products, their palettes and lipsticks are great alternatives to highend brands.

MaxFactor (available here)

Although I love the whole range, no other drugstore brand offers better volumising mascaras than MaxFactor, I don’t have a particular favourite but all the ones I have tried have been great.

Maybelline (available here)

Great all round brand but the Instant Eye Eraser is a great alternative to highend concealers and I would quite happily swap my usual cocnealer for it. I also really like Dream Flawless Nude Foundation, Brow Satin Eye Pencil and their Color Sensational Lipsticks.

Models Own (available here)

Models Own started by offering nail polishes and I still think it’s what they do best. My favourite colours are Beach Bag and Utopia although their Hypergel and glitters are generally great ranges.

MUA (available here)

Anther super inexpensive UK beauty brand, their eyeshadow palettes are also great value for money!

Real Techniques (available here)

Probably my favourite brush brand, their original collection is still by far my favourite along with their sponge, I would personally skip the bold metals collection (although they look beautiful) as they’re pricier and not as soft.

Revlon (available here)

Revlon is a great brand for almost everything and it has quite a makeup artist feel to it. If you like lip crayons then Revlon do the best affordable ones.

Rimmel (available here)

Theres so many great items from Rimmel, the whole Exaggerate range is excellent, I love their lipsticks and I reach for their foundations and concealers regularly.

Sleek Makeup (available here)

Has a special place in my heart as I use to blog about Sleek endlessly when I first started blogging. Palettes, blushers and Matte Me in Birthday Suit are all well loved in my collection.

Soap & Glory (available here)

Slightly higher price point in comparison for drugstore products but I adore their body products. Other great product include Brow Archery, Supercat liner and Thick & Fast Mascara

Topshop (available here)

Not strictly drugstore as it’s available only in Topshop stores but a great price point. All the lip products, blushers, bronzers and nail polishes I have tried have been fab but the glow highlighter has to be the best cream affordable one I own.

Would love to hear your drugstore recommendation in the comments, are there any drugstore secrets I am missing?

 

Nothing excites me more than a brand new Makeup Revolution release.. what can I say? I’m an addict. When I saw that they’d launched a collection of matte blushes, I was extremely excited to try them, especially as I don’t like shimmery blushes. The Makeup Revolution Matte Blusher Collection consists of six shades, with each shade costing just £3 which is insane as each of these blushes contain a very generous 8.9 grams of product.

 

 I really love the packaging of these blushes.. slim, circular plastic compacts with clear lids so you can easily see which shade is which. The packaging feels very sturdy, and has a nice and secure closure so I’d be more than happy to carry one of these in my makeup bag without worrying about it getting broken or opening and getting damaged.

 

I really like the range of shades they’ve chosen for the collection, as they’ve not gone for the typical pinks and peaches.. there is genuinely a shade for all skintones, and as you can see from the photos above, there’s some seriously bright shades which you rarely see within the drugstore and certainly not at £3 a pop. I really hope they extend the shade range even more, and perhaps consider ‘duping’ some of the crazy shades within the new Urban Decay Afterglow Blush Collection.. I’d love to see Makeup Revolution create a purple blush like Urban Decay’s Bittersweet.

 

 

All six shades of the Makeup Revolution Matte Blusher Collection are incredibly pigmented and you only need to tap your brush into each blush very gently as the pigment is so strong. The blushes all feel really silky and smooth, with an almost velvety consistency which only kicks up a little bit of excess powder when using a fluffy brush which really surprised me, as cheaper blushes tend to be quite powdery. I find all six shades easy to apply, but the three bolder shades (New Rules, Dare and Divine) do need a little more extra work, but that’s the same for all brands with bright blush shades in my experience. The weartime is very impressive at a minimum of four hours across all shades, but I can clearly see them on my cheeks upto six hours later, albeit a little faded but for £3 you really can’t complain.

 

Until trying these blushes, Sleek were my favourite drugstore brand for blushes but these have definitely taken over.. they are incredible blushes, and the shades are all so pretty. My favourite shade from the collection is Beloved as I love a good peachy coral, but I really like how Divine looks against my pale skin. I have to admit I’m a little intimidated by New Rules as it’s almost red, and reminds me of a slightly pinkier version of MAC’s Frankly Scarlet Blush. I cannot recommend these blushes enough.. £3 is beyond amazing for blushes of this quality, and you can buy all six shades for £18 which is the price of just one MAC Blush, and the pigment and quality really does give highend blushes a run for their money. Even though I’m a real matte blush girl, I’d love to see Makeup Revolution release a collection of shimmery shades too, especially after being so wowed by their Matte Blusher Collection.

Soap and Glory is one of my favourite drugstore makeup brands, and I loved every single product I’ve ever tried from them so far. The Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer is a product I’ve loved after for quite some time, but was put off purchasing it incase it was too dark for my skin but I decided to bite the bullet and buy it as part of their 3 for 2 offer. The Solar Powder Bronzer is £11 and is described as being a multi-shade shimmering bronzer and highlighting brick and is available in just one shade. The packaging has just recently been changed in the last month to a plastic compact which is great news, but I have the original packaging which is made from cardboard which isn’t ideal as it gets very shabby, very quickly so the new plastic compact would be a lot better.

 

The Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer is divided into two sections, with one half of the powder being a dark shade of bronzer and the second half of the powder is a lighter shade. In the middle of the powder, there is a raise S&G which has a metallic pink overspray which makes the powder look stunning.. there’s no doubt about that, but I hate oversprays as they wear off so quickly so in my opinion, they’re completely pointless. The darker shade within the powder is completely matte, and is a warm orange toned bronze shade, whilst the paler shade is a light tan with golden shimmer. I was surprised by the shimmer in the lighter shade, as I’ve read so many reviews saying that it was a matte bronzer, but it definitely isn’t matte as you can see from the swatches so I’d perhaps skip this bronzer if you don’t like shimmery bronzers.

 

Both shades of the powder are very smooth and buttery soft, with the lighter shade being the softest.. they’re both so pigmented, and you only need to tap your brush into the powder lightly to pick up enough product for your whole face. Even though the darker shade is quite warm toned, I think it works well as an all over bronzer to warm up the complexion but I like to use a fluffy brush like the Real Techniques Blush Brush for a subtle bronzing. I personally don’t like shimmery bronzers as I don’t find them very flattering, so I use the shimmery pale shade as a blush rather than a bronzer, and it looks really pretty and reminds me of Benefit’s Rockateur. I think this is a lovely bronzer, and it’s such great quality for a drugstore product but I’d really like Soap and Glory to create a matte version, as it would then tick all of the boxes to be the perfect bronzer

So Velvet Teddy is pink toned nude matte lipstick with a slight brown hint to it. This lipstick holds the definition of 'your lips but better'. It lasts pretty well on the lips thanks to the matte finish, and is really the perfect nude lipstick. It's great for winter, as it doesn't have any peachy tones in it. It may be a little dark on paler skin tones, I prefer it on me when I'm more tanned rather than my pale days. I usually line my lips first with a  nude lipliner such as Rimmel's East End Snob and then fill in Velvet Teddy. To get the Jenner look, obviously paired with killer contouring and lots of lashes.

Overall I do like Velvet Teddy. The shade is a nice subtle nude and the matte finish helps achieve the ‘Kylie Jenner’ look. The colour can be worn for a minimal look during the day or paired with dramatic eye makeup for the night. So… is it worth the hype? I find this difficult to answer because it is a lovely shade that is a great addition to any nude-lover’s collection, but I guess it just didn’t WOW me as much as I expected.

Bene Balm is a rose colour.  It gives your lip a just bitten look with a bit of a sheen.  This colour can be worn on every occasion.

 

For those of you already a fan of the Benefit Tints, you will be pleasantly surprised how well these Tinted Lip Balms match the original tints.  The colours are spot on, however, they are very sheer.  They can be built to show up more on the lips, but you're not going to find intense pigmentation with these.  For my own purpose though, I can apply these while walking to work.  There's not mirror required.  I think all 4 colours can be easily pulled off by anyone because of how sheer they are, so in a way, it could be a good thing.As for the balm quality, it feels buttery on the lips, and my lips feel nice and soft after I apply it.  The moisture lasts for a few hours.  I usually would reapply when the colour is gone (mostly after eating and drinking).  I don't feel tightness on my lips unless I forgot to reapply.  I think they will be great for Spring and Summer, but I would use a more moisturizing lip balm to prep my lips during Winter time (although I might be speaking too soon).  The balms are rose scented, but the scent is not pungent and it doesn't last.  So for those who might be more scent sensitive, this could still work for you.

 

Posie Balm is a poppy pink.  Like its sister tint, I think this is the most wearable out of all of the shades (not that the other balms are not).  It a great every day girly colour.

 

For those of you already a fan of the Benefit Tints, you will be pleasantly surprised how well these Tinted Lip Balms match the original tints.  The colours are spot on, however, they are very sheer.  They can be built to show up more on the lips, but you're not going to find intense pigmentation with these.  For my own purpose though, I can apply these while walking to work.  There's not mirror required.  I think all 4 colours can be easily pulled off by anyone because of how sheer they are, so in a way, it could be a good thing.

As for the balm quality, it feels buttery on the lips, and my lips feel nice and soft after I apply it.  The moisture lasts for a few hours.  I usually would reapply when the colour is gone (mostly after eating and drinking).  I don't feel tightness on my lips unless I forgot to reapply.  I think they will be great for Spring and Summer, but I would use a more moisturizing lip balm to prep my lips during Winter time (although I might be speaking too soon).  The balms are rose scented, but the scent is not pungent and it doesn't last.  So for those who might be more scent sensitive, this could still work for you.

 

With brows being big at the moment (literally), a whole new market has been opened. There are now more brow products on the shelves of Boots and Superdrug than ever before, with most brands providing their share of make-up to brow power. Soap and Glory won me over with their body washes and moisturisers many moons ago, but I have never been that convinced by their make-up- especially after trying those Sexy Mother Pucker lip-glosses. Although I didn't know it then, this Archery brow pencil and tint was going to change my morning routine.

 

I was really sceptical when buying this product, not only because it seems you're essentially paying £10 for a brow pencil, but because I'd heard from some other bloggers that it wasn't all that. This product doesn't come without a few flaws, but I love it nonetheless.

 

I'll start with the positives; I absolutely love how the pencil end is quite chunky. It's not a pencil as such, but more of a thinner crayon in look and texture. It's really soft, but not in the way that kohl liners are. It has the perfect texture for filling in brows, provides a lovely natural colour, and you access the pencil through a handy twist-up mechanism to minimise waste through sharpening.

Overall, while it would be sweeter if it cost a bit less than a tenner, I will still definitely be re-purchasing this at some point. It's so easy to use, so great if you're a brow beginner. I would also recommend this to anyone suffering forms of hair-loss who are struggling to draw on or create brows, as this Soap and Glory pencil does make them seem very natural. Soap and Glory Archery brow pencil comes in dark ('Brownie Points') or light ('Love is Blonde) and is available online or in Boots.

If you are travelling, you can use the felt tip as an eye liner. You could also use it as an eyeliner for a natural everyday look (i.e. school)

 

WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE BROW PRODUCT??

I have a combination skin type, and this scrub works perfectly for me, removing dry skin and eliminating blackheads and blemishes! I've been using this product for around about two weeks now and I have got to say it's the best face scrub I have ever bought! I find it to be quite a deep cleansing face scrub and I feel when I use it, it does what it says on the bottle!

 

It's such a beautiful scrub and always leaves me feeling clean and refreshed, not to mention it smelling absolutely divine! I don't like to use anything harsh on my skin and this scrub is perfect for that as it is very gentle and easy to wash off. However as much as I love this scrub, there is one downside :( it tends to leave my skin a little more dry than usual-but nothing that using a good moisturiser wont fix! ( I would recommend any nivea day creams, they're very lovely, and you get get them for all skin types. )

 

So, to wrap this up, I find this product to be very fresh and simple, it does what it says it's supposed to and I love it, especially the scent, it's absolutely gorgeous!

I also use the facial wash in the mornings, as I don't have to remove any makeup. The facial wash also has the same sent as the scrub, and still leaves my face feeling soft.

 

 Leave any comments, or yours/or your favourite blog URLs down below and I'll be sure to have a look!

 

The other day I got the foundation which I really have wanted for a while. After reading some outstanding reviews on it, and seeing some YouTube girls do beautiful make up tutorials with it, I got it and I thought that I'd do a review for you guys to tell you my opinions! So here goes...

To start off with I just want to say this foundation explains itself in its name-perfection. As I said above there has been so many wonderful reviews on this foundation which I have read to persuade me into purchasing this foundation. This foundation has an oil-free formulation with semi-matte finish. Having a decent coverage and evening out skin tone very well, it also covers any red pigmentation on the skin. Although, not covering blemishes as well as I first expected- but nothing that a good concealer wouldn't fix! ( I use Mac Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer ) It lasts all day long, from early in the morning until late at night AND without touch-ups. It claims to be long lasting and I would 100% agree as it lasts very well!

When applying it I found that it dries fairly quickly which does mean that it's more difficult to work with than most foundations. To make it easier for myself I apply it in sections (cheeks, forehead, neck, chin etc ) which means I can blend it more effectively and not use as much of the fluid. The fluid itself blends out thinner than it appears and you can build it up to a higher coverage if you desire. I wouldn't apply it underneath my eyes as I personally think its too heavy and emphasises the tiny lines which we all unfortunately have! It feels so smooth and weightless on the skin and I just love it! The smell of the foundation is just devine, it's got such a beautiful scent and whenever wearing it I get complements on how good my skin looks. (my skin really isn't that good) You can tell it's a high end foundation because it's so luxurious. The price is quite high coming in at £36 but I think it's so worth it, and it makes me feel amazing! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who was looking for a foundation with good coverage and a non-dewy finish.

If you have any post requests, leave them in the comments section below and I will check them out, hope you've enjoyed reading this review guys:-)

I don’t often buy makeup from Dior, but as soon as I saw the limited edition Nude Tan Tie Dye blushers from their new spring/summer collection I knew I had to have one.
 The limited edition Tie Dye blushers come in two colour options, with each one made up of four complementary powder shades.

 

At £40 each, these aren’t exactly cheap, but they do come with a cute little brush which actually seems reasonable quality, plus they’re Dior, so they were never going to be a bargain buy. The outside of the compact is almost as pretty as the inside and it’s surprisingly heavy, which adds to the luxury feel.

I have a feeling these are going to be a very quick sell out, so nab one quick if you like what you see.  I’ll be staring at mine lovingly while working up the nerve to actually swatch it...

 

The limited edition Tie Dye blushers come in two colour options, with each one made up of four complementary powder shades. (001 Pink Sunrise) and (002 Coral Sunset).

For me, Real Techniques have always been one of the best makeup brush brands on the high street. Not only are they affordable but they're great quality and last incredibly well. After the launch of their more premium collection, Bold Metals, I was wondering if the core collection might take a back seat but I'm glad to say I was wrong as they've just released the fantastic Sculpting Set.

 

Contouring has been a massive trend over the past couple of years and the Sculpting Set is going to be your new brush BFF if you're looking to highlight and contour. It's a three brush set - two are new and one is a reissue - with a setting brush, fan brush and a sculpting brush.

My favourite of the three is the Sculpting Brush which is the perfect shape and size to help get a chiselled cheekbone look. It has short, densely packed bristles which allow you to work with creams and powders, blending the product in for a natural finish. Because of the bristles, it does work a little better with cream products than powders, and it fits perfectly in the hollows of your cheekbones.

The Fan Brush is great for when you want a very light application of any kind of powder product. The shape and density of the bristles means that this only picks up a light amount of product each time, so if you're worried about over-doing things then this will be a great brush to have. Sweep it over cheeks for a natural blusher flush or for applying highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones.

While the Setting Brush might be a reissue, I think it's a great brush to have. It's the perfect size to apply a small amount of powder to help set your makeup and it's soft enough not to disturb your foundation underneath when you use it. The shape also means you can easily get in to smaller areas around your nose without any issue at all.

Like the rest of Real Techniques' brushes, these have all been colour coded to help make finding the right brush easy; the Sculpting Set all feature pink metallic handles which definitely makes them stand out from the rest of the brushes in my collection! The bristles are the usual cruelty free synthetic hairs which really seem to wear well and last forever so although these might be a more budget option, there's definitely no scrimping on quality.
The Sculpting Set is available now from Superdrug and costs £20.99. 

The stick design and cream formula makes these a great bet for people in a hurry or for those who aren't quite sure where to start with contouring. The Sculpting Contour is the perfect size for the under cheekbone area - suck those cheeks in and run the Chubby Stick down from the middle of your ear to about halfway down your cheek and blend upwards using your fingers. 

Inside the drum inspired packaging there is a mirror within the lid, but there isn’t an applicator as Benefit recommend applying the blush with your fingertips. The compact closes shut with a magnetic mechanism which is strong enough to not have to worry about it opening accidentally in your makeup bag. The blush itself is domed, with a pretty sunburst pattern embossed into the blush. One of Majorette’s endearing qualities is that it’s Peach and Pomegranate scented which smells amazing.. just like a tropical smoothie. If you have sensitive skin that reacts to scented skin or makeup products.. fear not, as the scent doesn’t transfer to the skin.

The cream to powder finish description is spot on, and you get the best of both worlds – the easy application of a cream blush, but the longevity of a powder blush. In terms of shade, Majorette looks like quite a bold orange in the pan, but on the skin it’s a much softer pinky coral that I imagine will flatter all skin tones. You can choose to wear Majorette as a subtle flush of colour, or you can easily build it up for a bolder effect. Application is so quick and easy, by dabbing my fingertips or my beauty blender into the blush and then onto the apples of my cheeks until I’ve got my chosen colour intensity.

Benefit have marketed Majorette as being a Blush Booster in that it can be used as a base for other blushes to ‘amplify your flush’. At first I did think that it was probably a gimmick but it really does add depth and dimension to other blushes by applying Majorette as a base with your chosen blush layered over the top.  By wearing Majorette layered under a powder blush, it helps to lock the blush in place all day long with absolutely no fading and when worn alone it lasts for around five hours.