Botanics - Rosewater Toning Spritz

 This Botanics toner is a product that I'd picked up and forgotten about - mainly as I haven't quite got around to finishing my current toner. However, after running out of cotton pads to apply my usual toner with I remembered I had this toner spray in my little beauty stash! I've now been using this for the last three to four weeks and I've found it really refreshing and handy. 

You use this toner by spritzing the product over your face, you're supposed to wipe away with cotton wool afterwards but due to having a lack of this I've been skipping that step! After the hot evenings we've had during July I have found this a really welcome addition to my skin care routine. The cool toning spray is so lovely, cool and refreshing especially if you're feeling a bit hot and bothered. I have been applying this to my face - when clean and dry and after cleansing. Once I've spritzed this on, after letting the product soak in or patting my face with a towel, I apply my moisturiser or night cream. 

The consistency of this product is of course like water, one spray offers a nice distrubution of the rosewater toner. After it has soaked in to my skin- which doesn't take long at all, my skin feels slightly softer and is left with a faint rose scent. I don't particularly mind the scent, but I'm glad it doesn't really linger on the skin.

I like that there are minimal ingredients in this product, and that these ingredients are supposedly 100% organic. I also like that this toner doesn't irritate my skin and that it gives me a nice refreshing alternative to my usual dab and sweep toner. 

NARS - Ondine Eyeshadow

This beautiful NARS eyeshadow caught my eye a few months ago now. Although I have a couple of other NARS products lurking around in my make up bag, an eyeshadow isn't one of them. After spotting this gorgeous taupe/plum coloured eyeshadow I couldn't resist. Ondine is a single eyeshadow (2.2g). I find the packaging to be a handy and compact size, it isn't too bulky and holds nice amount of product. Ondine is lovely and pigmented, there is a slight shimmer in this eyeshadow but it's very subtle. When applying this product I haven't experienced fallout. I love how buildable this eyeshadow is, and how easy it is to work with. It's definitely a versatile shade that you could often use as it works well on its own all over the lid, blended in to the crease or for creating a smokey eye.

I pulled out MACs Satin Taupe just so I could compare the two. Ondine appears more softer and smokier in comparison to Satin Taupe, whereas Satin Taupe has a frost finish and is more cool toned compared to Ondine. NARS Ondine retails at around £17 so it's not the cheapest. Although this is quite pricey for a single eyeshadow it is a beautiful shade, it's also very versatile and a worthy opponent to your typical browns and taupes.

{L-R -NARS Ondine and MACs Satin Taupe}

Have you tried any NARS eye products before?

Clarins - Great Skin Kit

As mentioned in my October favourite's over the last month now I have been trying out some Clarins skin care products from the Great Skin Kit. This kit is priced at £15 for four products, which I've listed below. As I hadn't tried Clarins skin care products before, I thought this little set would be perfect. I also think it's an affordable way to try out products.

The Daily Energizers - Great Skin Kit contains the following;
-Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel 30ml
-Daily Energizer Wake-Up Booster 30ml
-Daily Energizer Cream 15ml
-Beauty Flash Balm 15ml

Clarins describes this kit as a "range of gentle yet super-effective plant-based skin care products exclusively for 18 to late 20's skin". I definitely agree that these products have felt very gentle and kind to the skin. For the price I think this is a great deal, as these are nice sized products. I've been using these products daily for three to four weeks now and they've lasted me well! Although I managed to get through the Energizer cream quite quickly, I still have a nice amount of the Cleansing Gel and Wake Up Booster left. 

All of these products have a simple yet lovely light scent. The scent is a fresh, clean one which reminds me slightly of Shampoo. The Energizer products overall are very gentle, easy to use and have worked very well with my skin. The Cleansing Gel in particular leaves my skin feeling very soft, clean and refreshed. It foams up slightly in to a nice lather, so a little bit can go a long way. I've loved using these products in the morning in particular as I find it helps to wake me up a little. 

The Energizer Cream is a nice consistency and works well in to the skin, making sure my face feels moisturised and soft. I can sometimes suffer with dry skin, particularly in this weather, but this hasn't been an issue whilst using this cream - bit of a shame that they didn't a 30ml instead of a 15ml as I seemed to get through this product quite quickly.

The Beauty Flash Balm is a Clarins product I've heard much about so I was pleased that this was included within the kit. This balm is described by Clarins as being a radiance booster and a primer. After using this myself I can understand why. This does leave a really healthy glow to the skin, this also works very well as a primer. I noticed that my skin looked healthy after using this, even once I'd applied my make up my skin still looks radiant. The balm is a similar consistency to any face cream it isn't too heavy or too watery so it feels nice when applying this to the skin. The Beauty Flash Balm also has a clean, fresh scent to it, like a subtle baby powder smell which I quite like.

{L-R- Cleansing Gel, Daily Energizer Cream & Beauty Flash Balm}

Overall I've enjoyed using this kit. I think the Energizer products in general are very simple, fresh and gentle and I have loved trying them all out. I love trying out new skin care products, and sometimes these products can break out my skin but this hasn't been the case with this kit. Next on my list is the Liz Earle Essentials- Try Me Kit. I've been very patient and have waited to use up my other skin care products first. My boyfriend actually gave me this as a gift months ago, I haven't tried any Liz Earle products before so I'm really looking forward to it as I've heard nothing but good things :)

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend and enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I've had the weekend off due to being ill - so I think I'm going to have a nice lazy day today.

Balmi Lip Balm

I am a lip balm obsessive. I always struggle to resist picking up new lip balms - particularly those that are new or that I haven't spotted before. That is why it took me less than five seconds to spot Balmi in Boots and sling it in to my shopping basket. I hadn't heard anything about these lip balms prior to picking this up so had no idea what to expect. Although to be honest, I was expecting it to be a bit of a disappointment. Only because I have discovered how difficult it can be to grab a decent lip balm that actually does its job.

Anyway I picked up a Balmi - in Raspberry for just under £5 in Boots (for around 10g of lipbalm). The packaging and product is different to the standard lip balm tubes or little pots. Balmi is actually the size and shape of a bouncy ball and includes a little chain which you could easily attach to your keys. The product twists open to reveal a ball of lip balm. You can hold the bottom of the product and just apply the lip balm directly to your lips or you could use your finger. Due to the size of the lip balm ball it feels that it's not only going to go on to your lips but all around your lips - and on to your face. But this isn't actually the case.

The lip balm is actually quite moisturising and soft on the lips and also contains SPF 15 which is great. It isn't like some lip balms which are too dry or just sit on the lips doing nothing. Once applied your lips have a slightly clear glossy finish on the lips which I like. I also like the quantity of lip balm that is available as well as the quirky packaging. The lip balm itself smells gorgeous - like sweet raspberries. Overall I do like this product and was surprised by the quality. But as nice as it is, in my personal opinion I believe that there are other lip balms that work a lot better for me, so this isn't going to be a lip balm favourite for me. But I think this product is nice in itself. I do love that you have the option to attach Balmi to your keys as sometimes things can get lost in the bottom of your bag, so at least with Balmi you'll never lose it.

Have you tried Balmi yet? What are your favourite lip balms?

MAC - Soft And Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

Whilst browsing through duty free a couple of weeks ago I made a few purchases, one of those being MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle. This has been on my wishlist for a while now, so I thought I'd grab it in duty free seeing as it would be slightly cheaper. I own MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus and it's become a daily staple in my makeup routine.

This product just looks really beautiful both in the pan (I love the swirls and the colours) and when applied. Soft and Gentle is intended as a highlighter. MAC'S website describes this product as a "velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish" which is a pretty accurate description. I'd describe the shade as a pearly/peachy champagne - it's gorgeous! Once applied it doesn't feel heavy on the face and stays on for the best part of the day. Soft and Gentle gives a really subtle dewy highlight which I adore. I've also noticed that it looks very natural once applied, unlike some products which can look quite cakey. It's easy to blend this in to the skin and create the finish that you're looking for. Some have argued that this product covers you in glitter when applied, I personally haven't noticed any chunks of glitter being transferred on to my face once applied. There can be at times a bit of a shimmer but nothing over the top for everyday use but of course everyone is different so it depends on what you like I suppose.

Like most highlighters you're free to apply this in various places. I personally dust a bit on my cheeks and under my eyebrows. Although this product can also be applied pretty much anywhere on the body. It's very versatile and although it's not the cheapest, Mineralize Skinfinishes (MSF) are priced at around £21.50, I know that these products can last a very long time. I'm yet to hit pan on my MSF in Natural which I have been using almost daily for over a year now. 

{I've layered this up a bit to demonstrate the shade and the lack of chunky glitter, this is easy to blend out to give a natural highlight to wherever you fancy}

If you're looking for a gorgeous highlighter to add a dewy luminous glow to your complexion this may be the product for you, I think it's beautiful product and definitely something I can see myself using on a daily basis.

Have you tried Soft and Gentle? What are your highlighter favourite's?

Stila - Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner

I've discovered a new eyeliner favourite! Whilst browsing through Boots a few weeks ago I spotted Stila's liquid eyeliner, in 'intense black', and was drawn in. What appealed to me was the felt tip style applicator, something I haven't tried before in a liquid eyeliner. Although I love the look of them, I'm always wary that it means that the product will dry up quickly! So I swatched this on the back of my hands... a lot, expecting to see the liner fade or something. The eyeliner didn't in any way fade but what sealed the deal for me was trying to rub the liner off the back of my hand. It wouldn't budge for anything, this really impressed me, I had to have it!

I'm definitely an eyeliner type of girl. I use liquid eyeliners occasionally, but more often then not I'm either using pencil or gel. I do have L'Oreal's liquid super liner in 'black amethyst' but it's a metallic dark purple shade, so I was in need of a black liquid eyeliner.

I started using this eyeliner whilst on holiday and I love it. It's extremely easy to use and I find it stays on very well. I found the felt tip pen applicator gave me a lot of control when applying the eyeliner, the tip is nice and thin so it's easy to apply a precise thin line if that's what you're after, but equally you can go for a more bold look with a thicker line. I found this eyeliner a lot easier then most for winging the eyeliner due to the tip. The applicator is gentle on the eyes and doesn't pull in any way, obviously the skin around the eye is very delicate so this is important. 

The liner itself comes out a lovely, slightly glossy, jet black. I personally found that the liner stays on very well with no smudging or creasing. I wore this almost every evening on holiday and so at times the temperatures could be quite humid but this liner stayed put. At the end of the evening it looked pretty much as if I'd just applied it, even near the tear ducts which with some liners seem to disappear.

Unfortunately I haven't properly tested how waterproof this eyeliner is, I haven't swam with it on. I have noticed that it doesn't run when water has been splashed on the face, like some mascaras/eyeliners. But it does come off nicely when using a hot, wet flannel to the face. To be honest it would annoy me if I had to rub my face raw to get this stuff off as it can be a bit of a pain.

Overall so far I'm really happy with this product, I'll definitely be repurchasing. I love how precise it can be, that it stays on very well and looks lovely on. My only criticism is that I can see that the writing on the product is starting to smudge off slightly. 

Do you wear liquid eyeliner or do you prefer something different? I'd love to hear what peoples favourite eyeliners are... I like discovering new favourite's!

Stila's stay all day waterproof eyeliner can be purchased online at Stila (link) or in Boot's stores for £13.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Hello lovelies. Thought I'd share my thoughts on Revlon's new balm stains. I've seen quite a few posts on these floating around and quite liked the concept behind them so thought I would check them out myself. After having a mooch around the Revlon counter I ended up with the shade Honey. I picked this up over a month ago now so bit late on the post front.

Revlon's new balm stains look very similar to Clinique's Chubby Sticks - in other words the packaging is rocking the chubby crayon look. I quite like this as it's different to your standard lipstick/balm packaging. Although some may find this a bit too bulky. By twisting the bottom you are able to push up more product. Revlon's balm stains have a minty/dental floss scent to them, but I struggle to notice this scent once applied to my lips as the scent quickly fades. Due to the crayon tip of the balm stain this product is so easy to apply especially if you're on the go and want to apply some colour quickly. It can be quite low maintenance in that respect. I found this product to have great pigmentation which is easy to add to and build depending on the look you're going for.  

On application these balm stains offer a lot of colour and a slight glossy finish. It feels very soft and moisturising when applying, not like some lip products which can feel quite dry. The lovely thing about this product is the colour really does stay on your lips. Although the gloss fades the colour/stain sticks around for hours.

The shade I picked up - Honey - is a rosy pink/nude shade. In my opinion it leaves quite a natural dark pink finish when on the lips, so when the stain does fade it still looks lovely on. I'm not too sure what the other shades would look like on the lips after an hour or two. 

I'm really impressed with this product. I love the longevity and the colour pay off that you can achieve with these lip stains. I think they're affordable and great if you want a bit of colour but don't want to have to keep applying every ten minutes. I love how soft this feels  when applying on to the lips. But once on the lips, after a while I did find my lips felt quite dry, but as the stain stays on well I just popped a lip balm over the top which did the trick for me. Overall I think the colour pay off and longevity is brilliant for the price.

Have you tried Revlon's new kissable balm stains? Will you be trying these balm stains?

Revlon ColorStay Eye Shadow Quad

                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                 

As you may or may not know there have been many little 3 for 2 deals floating around in certain drugstores across all beauty items (Superdrug & Boots). So a few weeks back whilst picking up a few bits I decided to grab a Revlon Eye Shadow Quad as they really appealed to me. I went for the quad 500 - Addictive, which includes four neutral shades. I have to admit I don't often pick up eye shadows from Revlon, although I do quite like the brand, so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

I have to say I've been quite impressed with this little quad. The shades included work lovely together, they give a lovely soft finish on the eyes and they have fairly good lasting power (Revlon claims 16 hours - I'd say around 7/8). All four shades included are not shimmery so it's easy to achieve a soft, flattering look. These eye shadows aren't hugely pigmented which may be a problem for some people, but personally this doesn't bother or affect me - I think it adds to the softer daytime look. It also looks lovely when blended together due to the softer consistency. 

I have found these eye shadows are easy to blend and I have had no problems with creasing or smudging. I'm a big fan of the texture of these eye shadows as they're nice and soft. 

This quad comes with your standard little double sided sponge brush. The packaging is basic, but nice and sturdy. I like that the lid is mainly see through so on quick glance I'm able to see what shades are in there. These eye shadow quads are priced at £7.99. I have noticed that both Boots and Superdrug have a £2 off deal at the moment - so at the moment this can be picked up for £5.99. There is quite a variety of quads to choose from, so there is definitely something for everyone.

Overall I personally really like this quad. I love the shades and the soft finish these can achieve. I love how well they work together. It's not the best eye shadows that I've ever used but I definitely find myself often reaching for this during the day. Something about it really appeals to me - possibly as it gives the look/finish that ticks many of my boxes. I often find myself using the bottom right brown shade as an alternative to brown eyeliner - it looks lovely. The 4 step look demonstrated on the back of the packaging is also a look I often opt for with this quad - love it :)

Have you tried any of Revlon's Quads? 

Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Brick Compact

So I very recently picked up a stunning beauty product which I think is genuinely beautiful. A few weeks ago my friend showed me her Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick and I fell in love. The colours and the packaging really stood out to me, but I was sold after she applied it to my cheeks. It wasn't long before I picked up my own in the same shade, Rose. I adore this product I really do. 

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in ROSE

I haven't tried many Bobbi Brown products in the past, except for the corrector and creamy concealer (both of which are now firm favourite's of mine!). However, after trying and loving the corrector and concealer as well as the Shimmer Brick I think Bobbi Brown is definitely a brand that I'm growing more and more interested in. The Shimmer Brick was a product that I hadn't really heard much about. Although after picking one up myself and doing some research I have discovered that it's actually a best seller of theirs.

The Shimmer Brick comes in a nice, sturdy black compact which includes a mirror and a combination of five beautiful shades are lined together to create the Shimmer Brick. This product intends to add a highlight and a glow to the cheeks. It can be used as a blusher/highlighter on its own or over a blusher. The shades can also be used individually or together as an eye shadow. If used over the blusher the idea is to sweep your blusher brush through all five shades and dust lightly onto the cheekbones.

L-R - In order of top to bottom from the Shimmer Brick 

                                                                                                                                                                        

The Rose Shimmer Brick, which I picked up, gives a lovely rosy glow to the cheeks which I absolutely love. Each of these five shades are really beautiful and slightly shimmery. The combination of these shades together creates a really stunning finish. I love the versatility of this product, it's wearable throughout the day and in the night. I'm so glad I stumbled across this gem I LOVE it. Now to resist picking up all the other shades!

The Shimmer Bricks retail at around £30.50. However, there have been a lot of 10% off deals at stores such as Debenhams and John Lewis so at the right time it can be picked up for a bit cheaper. It's not the cheapest of products but it's a product that can be used in various ways and is versatile enough to be worn every day. I think it's worth the price tag. I picked up the shade Rose but Bobbi Brown also do the shades Rose Gold, Nectar, Beige, Bronze and Rose Quartz. Although some of these shades are only limited edition.

If you want to know more about these products - click HERE

Have you tried any Bobbi Brown products or the Shimmer Brick? What are your Bobbi Brown favourite's?

L'Oreal Caresse Lip Butters

I've been meaning to write a blog post on this for quite some time. Over the last couple of weeks I have accumulated a handful of L'Oreal's Caresse Lip Butters. I had heard lots of different things (mainly good) about lip butters in general and decided that I wanted to try some! Lip butters, if you didn't know, are said to be a cross between a lipstick and a lip balm. Therefore offer colour and moisture to the lips. Over the last few weeks I've been tempted by the selection of lip butters from L'Oreal - and have somehow ended up with 5 of their lip butters (I blame the offers that seem to be floating around in some stores!). The shades that I own include; Fashionista Pink, Aphrodite Scarlet, Tempting Lilac, Sweet Berry and Nude Ingenue.                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                     

L-R - Fashionista Pink, Aphrodite Scarlet, Tempting Lilac, Sweet Berry and Nude Ingenue.

L-R - Fashionista Pink, Aphrodite Scarlet, Tempting Lilac, Sweet Berry and Nude Ingenue. (2/3 coats)

                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                                                  

Now where to start... the packaging is sleek and makes identifying the lipstick very easy.  This is really handy as it can be a bit difficult sometimes to remember what is what, so it's a bit of a time saver. The lip butters themselves have a slightly sweet scent to them which is always nice. They are lovely to apply and feel soft and moisturising on the lips. You can achieve a nice colour on the lips as these lip butters are very buildable. One light coat adds a little bit of colour and shine, but after applying more coats you can build a more opaque look. I find the finish is more glossy and gentle on the lips than your regular lipstick. 

Personally I quite like the look you can create with these lip butters as I often shy away from bright lipsticks as I feel that they don't particularly suit me. But with these lip butters a softer finish can be achieved, so colours such as Aphrodite Scarlet do not come out on the lips as a bright matte red, as oppose to other red lipsticks. Instead it comes out as a more subtle red which is buildable and glossy... and for me, more wearable. I adore these lip butters, they're lovely and lightweight which is great for the Summer months ahead. The only flaw is that due to the formulation of lip butters they do not stay on the lips as long as a regular lipstick would. I have found that colouring the lips with a lip pencil beforehand does help in giving the lip butters something to cling to which helps with keeping the colour on for slightly longer. But other than that I can't fault them. I absolutely love all of the shades that I have picked up, I think they look lovely on - tempting lilac has to be one of my favourites! 

These are priced at around £7.99 and can be purchased in places such as Boots, Superdrug and many larger supermarkets. 

Have you tried any lip butters yet? - Have you got any favourites?

The Big Cover Up - Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer

I had to write this post to share my love of two recently purchased beauty items! Both of which are Bobbi Brown products. One of which is a creamy concealer, the other is a corrector. After hearing nothing but good things about Bobbi Brown's creamy concealer I thought I would try it out... well that I had to try it out. I really am a concealer person as I do feel that I need a bit of cover up under my eyes and many of my previous concealers don't really do the job to be honest and I have tried a fair few. To begin with I did put it off but in the end I gave in. I must say I am glad that I did give in as I truly do love it, to me it is well worth the money!

Bobbi Brown Corrector: This costs around £17 and it aims to neutralise and brighten the skin tone before applying concealer. It's pinky peach and colour and is a lovely creamy but thick consistency it stays on well and I genuinely notice an improvement with my under eyes when applying this. I haven't found this to crease either!

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer: This is also priced at around £17 also. It's similiar sort of consistency to the corrector and very easy to blend. This gives a nice strong coverage. 

I'm also a fan of their packaging, it's sleek, simple and compact. I also like that there is a mirror attached so it can be used on the go! I will definitely be repurchasing these when I'm finished with them.

Bobbi Brown UK website: Click Here