Beauty Empties #6

Hi!

 

I have yet another empties post for you today...these are actually empties from a little while ago but the photo just sat on my laptop for a little while until I remembered it was there!

Sorry for the very fuzzy image. Unfortunately I've now gotten rid of the actual bottles so I couldn't take the picture again...

 

 

1) Boots Essentials Nail Polish Remover

 

As you can probably tell I don't bother spending lots of money on nail varnish remover as I tend to go through it quickly and to be honest I don't notice a difference when I use a more expensive one.

This costs just £1 and works great..if it ain't broke don't fix it! :)

 

2) Boots Cucumber Moisturiser

 

I got this aaggees ago and finally used it up.
I've found that as a face moisturiser it can tend to make my skin look a little greasy even though it did moisturise...I didn't actually use this on my face for very long and I preferred to use it as a body moisturiser, for example to just use on my arms and legs in the winter

As a moisturiser this worked really well and was cheap, but I just prefer something a little less greasy for a face moisturiser.

 

3) Garnier Pure Active Anti-Blackhead Deep Pore Wash

 

I've done a review of this HERE if you fancy a read...

Basically this was a little drying and left little beads actually on my skin even after washing it off.

I probably wouldn't buy this again.

 

4) Garnier Simply Essential Ultra-Cleansing Wipes

 

I got three of these packets on offer a few weeks ago and they work well!

They can be a little drying but they basically work well so I'd happily buy them again.

 

5) Soap & Glory Supercat Liquid Eyeliner

 

This is the first and only makeup product I got from Soap & glory and I was impressed!

The felt tip applicator made this so easy to use and it became an everyday staple for me.

It also seemed to last ages and ages for me too which was good.

The only thing I don't like about this is it has a slightly strange smell to it which is quite strong...I think I would buy this again but I'd rather look around and see if I can find something similar that doesn't have the same smell...

 

6) Organix Penetrating Moroccan Argan Oil

 

I've done a review of this HERE.

Basically this stuff is like liquid gold and it gives an amazing shine to your hair.

I'm already working through my second bottle of this...and it's only £7!

 

7) Aussie Luscious Long Leave In Conditioner

 

This stuff smells DIVINE.

I love to spray some sort of leave in conditioner in my hair after showering as I feel that it detangles my hair well...I really liked this but it has a very weird spray which means that it doesn't distribute too well...

I may get this again just for the amazing smell.

 

8) The Natural Collection Pressed Powder in Sheer

 

I got this on a whim as I wanted to see how such a budget product would work..I was pleasantly surprised!

This became a powder that I reached for every morning just to take away any shine on my t-zone.

I'd happily buy this again and it's only about £2!

 

So those are all my empties...thank you for reading!

Libby x

*REVIEW* Bourjois Brush Concealer (Beige Clair)

Hi!

 

 

I have a review today for you of the Bourjois Paris Brush Concealer - mine is in shade Beige Clair.

 

 

It's difficult to find an exact price for this product but online it seems to be going for around £3-4 pounds.

 

I got this recently along with a Bourjois mascara from Tk Maxx and showed it in a recent haul.

 

This is one of those twist up products where it comes out of a brush at one end - the only thing I dislike about these types of products is that you seem to always have to spend ages at the beginning twisting to get anything out.

 

 

Once the product does start coming out it does work well and dispenses the right amount of product for me. The brush is also a good size and not too stiff for the delicate under eye area.

 

On the packaging it says:

"Unifying and illuminating texture.

Expert brush.

Apply over dark circles and eyelids for a radiant look."

 

Being a liquid concealer this is never going to give you full coverage, but I do like using these for touching up or brightening up the under eye area even if I do need something a bit heavier to cover up my bad dark circles.

 

Here's a quick before shot:

 

 

As you can see I have  a lot of darkness/veins around my eyes.

 

After:

 

 

The coverage isn't actually bad for a liquid concealer! It seems fairly thick in texture and I was worried the shade wouldn't match but it works quite well!

 

I have to add something else generally on top to get rid of any remaning darkness but by using this first to generally even out the skin tone it means I don't have to pile on loads of a stronger concealer which makes my under eye area a  lot less cakey by the end of the day.

 

 

I'm generally pretty impressed by this concealer and since I've bought it I think I've used it every day since.

It's no miracle product and seeing as it doesn't do anything special I probably won't buy it again, but that doesn't mean that I don't like it and I will probably use up the rest of it.

 

Have you tried this concealer?

Thanks so much for reading!

Libby x

 

 

NYX Cosmetics Haul!

Hi!

A couple of days ago I ordered a couple of things from the NYX UK website (www.nyxcosmetics.co.uk/) and I thought I'd show them to you in a haul post!

 

 

 

I love the NYX tape around this little package...is it just me or is it REALLY exciting getting a packaging in the mail? Even though I know what is in it I still find it so fun opening packages!

 

 

I got 4 eyeshadows, 1 lipgloss and 1 blush.

 

Here's a closer look! :)

 

 

 

This is a lip gloss I got called True Star. I tried it on today and it looks a little frosty on the lips to begin with but after it's been on the lips a while it looks really nice and it smells nice too! :)

 

 

I got a blush in Natural as I saw this and just KNEW it was my kind of colour for a blush. I have very pale skin and this kind of baby doll pink colour works so well for me generally.

 

 

This eyeshadow is in the shade Asphalt - it's a very interesting copper colour with some gold specks in it! :)

 

 

This shade is called Fahrenheit and its a lovely pink shade...when I saw it I was immediately reminded of MAC's colour Expensive Pink and I think this would be a pretty close dupe but I can't swatch them side by side because I don't actually HAVE the colour Expensive Pink...

Nevertheless this is a very pretty colour!

 

 

Last but not least this is the shade Eucalyptus...it looks a lot more grey on the camera than in real life!

This is a shimmery light taupe colour which does have done grey tones.

I've used it a couple of times and it works well on the inner corner and also for blending purposes :)

 

 

So there you have it!

There's my NYX cosmetics haul, I'm so excited to try everything out more and reviews will be coming soon!

 

Thanks so much for reading!

Libby x

 

*REVIEW* Garnier Pure Active Anti-Blackhead Deep Pore Wash

Hi!

 

I have a review of a face wash today...simply because...well...I have things to say about it.

 

This is the Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Active Anti-Blackhead Deep Pore Wash....that is quite possibly the longest name of any beauty product I currently own!

 

 

I think I'll just list the positives and negatives for this product...

 

Positive:

 

This retails for jus £2.95..making it inexpensive. I don't like to spend loads of money on face wash as it's something I go through quickly so this price works well for me.

 

This isn't overly drying for me. It is still a little bit drying but not enough to cause a problem.

 

The small beads in this wash really feel like their scrubbing my skin and my skin feels clean.

 

Negative:

 

The biggest downside to this for me is the little beads that exfoliate your skin. For some reason no matter how well I rinse this off whenever I apply moisturiser afterwards I can feel that this face wash has left the little beads on my skin. It is just IMPOSSIBLE to rinse off properly; I've spent ages before washing it off and I still find little beads on my skin later on. This is annoying and I don't like the thought of part of any face wash just sitting there and remaining on my skin all day.

 

As far as the "anti-blackhead" claim goes...I haven't noticed any change at all. I don't have many black heads but I do have some on my nose and to be honest I don't think this has done anything at all to help them. As this is the purpose of the product, I feel that it has failed slightly.

 

 

Overall:

 

So overall whilst this isn't the worse face wash I've tried, it certainly isn't the best.

The fact that it leaves little beads on my skin really puts me off and whilst my skin does feel soft and clean it also can be a little harsh for my skin at times. I will use this up until it's done but I don't think I'll be repurchasing it as I can get another face wash that does the same thing AND doesn't leave bits behind.

Have you tried this face wash from Garnier? Did you have a similar problem?
Thanks for reading!

Libby x

 

Makeup Look: Galaxy Glam

Hi!

 

I have a quick makeup look for you today, using the new CID cream shadows that I got the other day.

 

I also used a shadow from Too Faced that I've always thought looks so nice in the pan but doesn't show up so well on the eyes. However with the new CID cream shadow as a base, it just really popped!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Products used:

 

New CID I-colour Cream Shadow in Zinc (outer half of the lid)

New CID I-colour Cream Shadow in Twilight (Inner half)

Too Faced Galaxy Glam Eyeshadow in Deep Space (patted over Zinc)

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Electric (bottom lashline)

Bourjois 1001 Cils Mascara

Bourjois Brush Concealer (under eyes)

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the Too Faced eyeshadow...isn't it pretty??

I've always felt slightly disappointed that it didn't look this pretty on the lids before now but I've found that it just works SO well over the CID Cream Shadow..it pops about 100x more!

 

I also thought the other creams shadow in Twilight looked pretty on the inner half and I wanted a nice pop of bright blue below the lashline :)

 

Thanks so much for reading!

Libby x

*REVIEW* HR Loose Eyeshadow (15 Plum Rock)

Hi!

I have  a quick review today of the HR (Helena Rubenstein) Loose Eyeshadow in 15 Plum Rock.

I spotted this at TK Maxx ages ago and when I saw it I just fell in love!

 

 

 

From looking online it seems that this retails for about £5-8....it is quite a small little pot of loose shadow but you don't need a lot of this so even though it is a bit pricey it's still worth it in my opinion...

It is a little tricky to get HR Cosmetics here in the UK...if you live in Europe you might have better luck!

 

Wait until you see the colour....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Sigh*

So pretty.

This is the most gorgeous plum/burgundy/wine colour with plenty of shimmer and when it hits the light just right it is so beautiful!

 

I like to wear this on the eyes with a dark plum coloured liquid liner for a really rich and sultry eye look.

 

I find that as with all loose shadows the best way to wear this is to tap a little bit into the lid and then use a flat stiff brush to pat this on the lid over a sticky base, I'd recommend something like the NYX eye shadow bases or the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils.

These types of pigments or loose shadows don't tend to work so well with just a primer like the Urban Decay one because they really need something to stick to.

 

I don't really have anything bad to say about this...it looks great on the eye, last ages on the lid...there aren't any bad points!

 

 

Have you tried any loose shadows from HR cosmetics?

Thanks so much for reading!

Libby x

Small Makeup Haul!

Hi!

 

I have just a quick haul today of a couple of makeup products I picked up today in TK Maxx - I find that you can discover some really interesting things in there for cheaper prices!

 

 

I got two of the New CID Cosmetics I-colours (cream shadows) that really caught my eye. I nearly got a duo that came with an electric blue and an olive green but I thought I'd get better use out of these shades.

I bought Zinc ( a sparkly black colour) and Twilight (a sparkly silver with a hint of taupe).

I know you can't properly see them from the photo but I plan to do a review so stay tuned for swatches etc!

 

I also got two items from Bourjois which I spotted.

I got the 1001 Cils 1001 Lashes Mascara...a new mascara is always exciting and this one has a rubber wand which I love.

Also that came with the Bourjois Paris Brush Concealer in Beige Clair which was the only one they had - its a surprisingly good match for my skin! :)

 

I put together a quick look using all of these products:

 

 

Reviews coming soon!

Thanks for reading!
Libby x

 

*REVIEW* Bourjois Paris Smoky Eyes Eyeshadow Trio

Hi!

 

I have a review today of a makeup product that I've had hanging around for a while - in fact it was one of the first makeup products I bought when I started really getting into makeup a few years ago! :)

 

 

This retails for £7.99 and from looking online it seems that there are loads of different shades that this comes in (around 13) but this one is in 1 Gris Dandy.

 

I mentioned this in my post about how to create a smokey eye which you can read HERE if you're interested.

 

 

 

This comes with 3 shades for a smoky eye and also a little eye shadow applicator which I don't use that often, but it's not actually too bad.

 

There is also a little diagram on the back which demonstrates the best way to apply these shades which is pretty useful and a nice touch.

 

It says:

 

"Silky easy to blend texture, 8 hour wear"

 

Here are some swatches!

 

 

 

These swatches are without any kind of base or primer and I didn't build them up a load but hopefully you can see that the pigmentation is pretty good with these.

 

The lightest shade is a little bit harder in texture and less pigmented and the darkest shade is definitely the best one in my opinion.

 

I can't help but feel that the lightest shade is still a little bit too grey to use as a highlight for me - it just looks a little bit muddy and not close enough to my actual skin tone.

It's still good to use to blend in the other shades, but I prefer using a separate highlight with this that is closer to my skin tone.

 

Also all 3 shades in this are pretty shimmery so the lightest shade may be a little too frosty for some to use as  a highlight shade.

Other than that the shades work really well together and do create a great classic smoky eye.

These shades work great together because they blend to create a gradient, making your eye look sultry and smoked.

 

I have no issues with these fading or creasing but I'd recommend a primer to get the best out of them.

I like the texture of these but they are a little bit on the dusty side sometimes; I've found that the two darker shades have managed to dust off and flake onto the lightest shade, making it even more grey sometimes.

 

I do like the packaging because it doesn't feel cheap and its relatively sturdy, but it is round which may be a problem for some as it makes it difficult to store if you don't have a lot of space for your makeup.

 

 

I definitely like these shadows and I think at some point I might have to try another one of these trios!

Have you tried these shadows from Bourjois yet?

 

Thanks for reading!

Libby x

 

Makeup Look: Smokey Red & Black

Hi!

 

Today's post is just a quick makeup look that I was trying out the other day...I've been really into wearing red and black recently together...I even bought some red and black shoes the other day! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Products used:

NYX Eyeshadow Base in White
Barry M Dazzle Dust in Cherry Red 84

Barry M Dazzle Dust in Gold 96

The Natural Collection Eyeshadow in Sea Shell

Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette (Black + matte taupe shades to blend)

Stila Fibre Optics Mascara

Borjois Khol & Contour Eyeliner

 

I patted the matte black shade over the NYX shadow base and then blended in the inner corners with a matte skin tone/taupe shade from the Coastal Scents palette. I then blended out the crease with the red Dazzle Dust and buffed the Natural Collection eye shadow below the brow bone to blend it out.

I then just added a small amount of the gold on the inner corner on the bottom lashine.

I then just added eyeliner and mascara!

 

The effect is very smokey but striking with the pops of red and gold!

 

Thanks so much for reading!

Libby x

 

*REVIEW* Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

Hi!

 

My review today is for the Maybelline Great Last Mascara - one that seems to have become the marmite of mascaras as people seem to either love this or hate it!

 

 

My shade is called Blackest Black and this retails for around £4.99.

This also comes in just plain black and also waterproof black and brown.

 

 

 

This mascara has one of those traditional bristle wands with quite big spacing between the bristles.

 

Before:  

 

 

After:

 

 

 

The formula for this is a little too wet for me as a person who prefers drier mascaras as I feel they don't clump up my lashes as much.

 

I feel that this mascara does clump up quite a bit and I think its because there are such wide spaces in the bristles.

There is a decent amount of length that this mascara gives but I feel that instead of volume, this just tends to stick several lashes together and makes them pretty stiff and hard. I generally prefer a mascara that makes my lashes just feel a bit softer.

 

This lasts well on my lashes but I never have a problem with smearing with mascaras anyway.

 

So generally OK length....mediocre separation and clumps instead of volume.

 

I have to say that generally I don't agree with all of the hype surrounding this famous pink and green tube...I don't hate this mascara, I'm just not in love with it. I imagine I'll use it if my current mascara runs out and I need something quickly but I won't be rushing out to repurchase it when it runs out.

 

Oh. I forgot to mention a major downside to this mascara:

Maybelline tests on animals. I'm actually refusing to buy any products from Maybelline anymore so even if I did like this mascara I'd never go out and buy it again because I'd rather buy a product from a company that doesn't smother it's products over rabbits.

It's a personal thing but even if you don't have a problem with Maybelline I still wouldn't say this mascara is that great.

 

What do you make of this mascara?
Thanks for reading!

Libby x

*REVIEW* NB Mineral Blush in Pink Petal

Hi!

 

My review today is for the Pink Petal mineral blush by NB (Naturale Beauty) which I got in a set from Tk Maxx with a mineral "booster" and a foundation.

 

 

 

Unfortunately I can't find much information about this online but I think the whole kit that I got was around £12.

 

 

 

As you can see this is a really pretty peachy pink colour that I really have come to love.

The pigmentation is really good; for some reason I have a deep seated misconception in my brain that things that are loose powders tend to not be as pigmented as pressed powders but I was really impressed with this.

 

Another thing I noticed with this was the texture was really soft and smooth, not chalky at all so I really liked this.

 

For me this works well as a quick flush of colour because the peachy pink colour works well with my skin tone.

 

I just wish that this didn't actually come as a loose powder as they tend to be really messy containers.

Mine is hard to apply because there is permanently a load of product on top of the sifter jar and it just tends to explode everywhere. I'd prefer it if this was pressed.

 

However other than a few packaging issues I'm pretty impressed with this!

 

Have you ever heard of Naturale Beauty or tried any of their products before?

Thanks so much for reading!

Libby x