Getting into Lip Liner!

Hello!! So I have never really been bothered with lip liner in the past. To be honest I think I just didn't get how to apply them or what they were for! However I started to become more conscious that some parts of my lips weren't very pigmented and someone suggested to try lip liner to fix this!

As I'm a lip liner newbie I bought some fairly cheap drug store products. I'll briefly take you through them.

GOSH Velvet Touch Lip liner 'Cardinal Red' - £4.99 Superdrugs - Lovely cranberry red shade- I can see why they called it velvet as the application is so smooth! Added bonus - it's waterproof!

KIKO Ultra Glossy Lip pencil 'Shade 602' - £1 KIKO store - A pinky brown but the colour is more sheerer than the others (which is why it's harder to see in the pic!). It's also got a really nice buttery texture.

MAXFACTOR Colour Elixir Lip Liner 'Brown n Bold' - £4.99 Superdrugs - A dark woody brown with a much more grittier texture than the others mentioned above.

How I applied it!
I was going for a fairly natural lip so I used some clear Nivea lip butter (the Macademia one - yum!) with the MAXFACTOR liner on the top lip and the KIKO liner on the bottom lip. I don't know about most people but my lips are different colours so that's why I went for two different shades.

 Below is the finished look!

I don't know if it really comes across in the pic but I think the lip liner has made my lips look more fuller and defined. I really like this look for a work/school day. I do think the MAXFACTOR lip liner does the best job at giving that defined look. Both do seem to disappear after an hour so maybe waterproof is the way to go!

Thanks for reading!! Do you wear lip liner? What is your favourite brand? Do you wear it bare or with a bit of lippy?

Concealer Routine!

Hello!! Today I'm going to share with you how I get rid of my under eye baggage (basically my concealer routine!). Below is a pic of what my under eye area looks without concealer. It's quite dry and I have those under eye rings a lot of us get.

 I normally start my routine by applying the Olay Anti Wrinkle Instant Hydration Eye Cream which I got for £4.99 at Superdrugs. I think any hydrating eye cream will work but I like this one cause it's a light weight formula which really moisturizes my under eye area. I have some slight under eye creasing so I like the fact it's anti wrinkle too (although I haven't noticed any miracles!).

I normally just dab the cream into my skin and leave it for 30 seconds to get absorbed. I then apply the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Dark Peach. They retail for a pricey £19 but their great for getting rid of any discoloration you may have in your under eye area and a little tub lasts ages!  I apply and blend the corrector with my fingers as it makes it easier to blend into the contours of your under eye area rather than a brush.

I then use the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in the shade Amande. They are very pricey at £22 a pop but the formula really is creamy and blends like dream onto the skin. I'd say it's pretty good coverage too. The product comes with a wand which I use to dab the concealer onto my under eye area.

I then use my trusty Eco Tools Concealer Brush to smooth out the concealer and finish off with the Real Techniques Setting Brush to blend it out (this brush is amazing at blending!!). I also use the same brush to apply the Estee Lauder Translucent Pressed Powder in Medium Deep to set the concealer which retails at £26.50. I honestly have nothing special to say about this powder except it does it's job at keeping makeup in place. I do think any cheaper priced setting powder will do this though.


The finished look is this!

Thanks for reading! Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what your concealer staples are!

Got wrinkles?

Hello!! Today I will be looking at the Olay Anti Wrinkle Instant Hydration Day Cream which I got half price at Superdrugs for £4.99! Now, I'm 23 so I may a bit younger than this products target audience but lately I have noticed some permanent lines appearing on forehead so I wanted to see if this cream actually works!

Straight off this is a very light weight formula with a thin consistency which makes it perfect for day time although I also use it as a night cream. It doesn't make your skin greasy and the smell is quite pleasant (fresh and cucumbery). I find it does hydrate my skin really well and I've taken to using this as a primer in the mornings before applying make up. This little jar also lasts fairly long. I've been using it twice daily for a month and I still have 1/4 of the jar left!

Results
I started using this product just over a month ago (which is when the before pic was taken). These are the results!!

Sadly, no miracles! The frown line does a lot look fainter but as you can see it hasn't completely disappeared. I was pretty skeptical when I first tried this but I'm impressed it has made a difference. I don't think I would purchase it at full price for £9.99 but for now I will be sticking with it!

Thanks for reading! What anti wrinkle creams do you recommend? Any miracle wonders?!

Summer Favourites!!

Hello!! This is gonna be a post about item's I have loved this summer and find myself using quite frequently!

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets - £1.50 on Amazon  (Probably cheaper elsewhere)
For us oily girls (and boys!) this is a must! I have a full review & pictures here but basically these are blotting sheets which you just dab on the oily parts of your skin to get rid of any shine. They are very effective and small enough to carry around with you!


Body Shop Anti Perspirant Deodorants - £4 each
 I have these in white musk and aloe, both perfect for hot summer days! The white musk is more scented whereas the aloe doesn't seem to have any scent at all. They are both roll-ons and a great size for carrying in your hand bag. I found other brands like Dove didn't last too long on me but these are top quality and last all day.

Clinique Cheek Pops in shade 'Ginger Pop' - £16.50
This has been my summer go to for blush. I did a full review & pictures here but in short it's a beautiful coral shade that is quite transparent when you first apply. I love this because you can build it up for when you really want a bold look or you can apply it more lightly for when you want something more natural.

KIKO Kiss Balm in Blackcurrent (£5.90) and Carmex Moisterising Lip Balm (£1.50)
I've put these two together as I've fully reviewed them before. The Carmex Moistering lip balm (full review here) is great for curing dry lips. The KIKO balm (full review here) is a lip stick/ lip balm hybrid that gives a vibrant colour but still feels light and creamy on application. Most importantly, it doesn't dry your lips out!


Radox Bath Smoothies Spirit Booster - £1 at Savers (Bargain!)
This has got to be the most AMAZING smelling product you can put in your bath! It's like a fruity cocktail blend of pomegranates, raspberries and all the summer berry fruits! It's very intense and basically like the standard Radox foam baths except it's creamier in texture. Your bath will thank you for this!

Nars Brow Perfector in shade 'Suriname' - £16.50
Absolutely love this! I have a lot of gapping in my eyebrows which makes it look uneven and just really untidy. This product really transforms them into lovely full brows. It's got a really hard gritty texture and it's just great at faking little hairs on the brow line. It's one of those pencils that you just twist instead of sharpening so very easy to just take with you and touch up during the day.

I'll also add that the lady at the NARS counter, Milton Keynes was so helpful and really took her time to explain the product and how to apply it. Not trying to promote NARS but when you receive good service I think you should tell others!




Hope you enjoyed my summer favourties. Comment and let me know what are your favourites this summer!