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?

If I'm looking for a bold lip colour or simply a lip that will last all day then I almost always reach for a lip liner. Liners offer great lip definition, helps avoid any lipstick bleeding as well as prolonging the wear time of a lipstick plus they don't mean you'll end up with Kylie Jenner lips!I have a good selection to choose from at the moment but my favourite drugstore ones and some of my most used are the Rimmel Exagerate Lip Liners, particularly in East End Snob.

To celebrate the launch of Rimmel's new The Only One Lipsticks (more on them another day) they have increased their liner range and added five new liners. Apart from being really affordable at only £3.99 I love that these liners have a fine slanted tip and that their retractable as they're much easier to carry in your handbag with no need of a sharpener.

Every brand seems to be jumping on the liquid lipstick bandwagon, and Essence have released five shades of Liquid Lipstick and they retail for just £2.50 each from Wilko. The new Essence Liquid Lipsticks are described as being a 2 in 1 formula which combines the coverage of a lipstick, with the shine of a lipgloss. The packaging is very obviously inspired by the Dior Fluid Stick packaging, with a lipstick bullet shape within the centre. I really like the packaging, and that the lids are colour coordinated to reflect the shade inside which is perfect if you own multiple shades.

From the five shades on offer, I have three of the shades; 01 Colour Party, 04 Show Off! and 06 Make a Statement. Even though the shade range is pretty limited, I’d like to think they’ll add more shades in the future as Essence usually have really great shade ranges across their makeup line, but the shades do cover all bases with nudes, pinks and a couple of reds so there’s bound to be at least one shade that’ll suit everyone.

Each of the Essence Liquid Lipsticks have a doe foot applicator which is quite narrow rather than the rounded shape you usually get with a doe foot applicator, and I find this narrower shape makes for a much more precise application, and the middle of the applicator features a small well which holds extra product so you don’t have to keep dipping the applicator back into the tube for more product which again is similar to the Dior Fluid Sticks.

Colour Party is my favourite shade from the three that I own, and is a pretty light pink which looks a little bubblegum-esque in the swatch above but on the lips it’s a lot more muted I can assure you. Show Off! is a bright reddy coral shade which almost looks neon on the lips, and Make a Statement is a dark reddy brown shade which isn’t particularly flattering on my pale skintone, but I imagine it’d look lovely on darker skintones. They feel quite smooth on the lips, with no detectable scent whatsoever and the weartime is around one to two hours, with Show Off lasting the longest from the three shades that I own.

I’m not entirely sure I’d describe these as being liquid lipsticks, as to me they’re more of a pigmented gloss. I do have to do quite a lot of swipes to build up the colour for an opaque finish, and I’d definitely say even then they don’t give the coverage of a lipstick like they claim. Due to their glossiness, they are a little sticky but not uncomfortably so, but they’re not perhaps the lip product of choice if you have long hair on a windy day as it could get a little messy. I would recommend using a clear lipliner with the Essence Liquid Lipsticks as they all have the tendency to bleed a little; especially Make a Statement but for £2.50 each, I think they’re really nice glosses but don’t buy them expecting a full on liquid lipstick like the Lime Crime Velvetines or the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks, as I think you’d perhaps be disappointed.

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.

Recently, I’ve read many blog posts from the ‘Starting Off Project’ designed for makeup beginners. I really wish that I’d heard about it earlier, because I love the idea. Because of this idea, I have decided to share a selection of makeup and beauty products that I would advise you to begin with!

By no means feel like you need to use every single one of these products, it’s just a brief idea of the sort of things I think are good from the drugstore!

 

 

♡ Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in the shade 201 'classic beige'
♡ Nivea Tinted Moisturiser in the shade 'Natural'
♡ Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear concealer in the shade 3 'medium'
♡ Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 'transparent'

 

 

 

♡ Maybelline Falsies Waterproof Mascara
♡ Ardell False Eyelashes 'Demi Wispies'
♡ Maybelline Color Tattoo in the shade 'On and On Bronze'
♡ Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24hr in the shade 01 'Black'

 

♡ All Real Techniques brushes. My favourites (if i had too choose) are probably Buffing brush, expert face brush, blush brush and the deluxe crease brush.

 ♡ Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipgloss in the shade 'Candygloss'
♡ 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in the the shade 'Beehive'
♡ Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in the shade 'Kiss me Coral'

 

   

The lipsticks are all absolutely beautiful as they’re packaged within stunning rose gold metal casing, which looks so art deco and retro and I love it so much; who wouldn’t want to pull this out of their handbag? Bitch Perfect is a slightly warm toned pink which is my perfect nude. In some lights, I find it can look more browny nude than a pinky nude like in the swatch above, but it’s such a flattering shade that compliments practically any blush shade. Bitch Perfect is incredibly creamy with the formula being similar to that of a MAC Cremesheen or a YSL Rouge Volupte, and it applies smoothly and feels so comfortable on the lips. Due to the creaminess, it lasts for around two hours before touchups are needed and it’s not at all drying on the lips.

What I particularly love about the formula of the lipstick is how shiny the finish is, as it almost looks as if I’m wearing a layer of gloss over the top. I really do think that my lips look a little fuller when I wear Bitch Perfect which I’m guessing is down to the light-reflecting pigments. It’s safe to say I’m head over heels in love with my very first Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick, and I’ll definitely be adding some more shades to my collection very soon.. 

Have you tried any of the Charlotte Tilbury Lipsticks?