My Makeup Wish-list

For me, makeup has been so much fun to do whilst in quarantine. Of course I have lots of no makeup days but I also have days when I do a full face just to sit in my room. I don't wear makeup to impress anybody, I do it because I enjoy the process. Having all this time, it has been fun trying different beauty hacks, looks and techniques. Since exploring beauty at home, my wish-list has grown and I thought I would share the products that I am really keen to try. There are a mixture of drugstore and high-end products, which I hope eventually I'll be able to purchase. If you want to know what is on my list, just keep reading.

Current "Everyday" Makeup Routine

With this lock-down situation, I've seen some pretty tragic reflections stare me in the face, in the mirror. My skin had a bit of a meltdown at the beginning, lack of makeup on many days has made my skin oilier than usual and overall, I just haven't looked too fabulous. HOWEVER, to prove to myself the potential I have (and also to give myself something to do), I like to do my makeup. I obviously don't sit in my house with a full face every single day, but on the days I do choose to, I've found I really love how it turns out. 

On some days, I like to copy YouTube tutorials and practice my makeup skills, but on days I just want to feel a bit more normal, I've been doing the same look and I thought I would share it with you. If you want to see what products I have been using lots recently, just keep reading. 

Too Faced Born This Way Concealer Review

I have been wanting to try Too Faced cosmetics for as long as I've been into makeup, but I was never in a position where I felt comfortable enough to spend money on luxury products. It wasn't until 2019 that I bought my first high end product (Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter). From there, I began to allow myself room to spend a little extra cash on luxury makeup to treat myself. In February I finally purchased the much loved born this way multiuse concealer, which has been raved about in the beauty community since its release. Although I am late to the train, I wanted to share my thoughts.

ELF Putty Primer Review

I love trying new makeup products. I find doing makeup so relaxing, so having new things to try and love is always great. After watching several JuicyJas videos, I became really eager to try the putty primer from ELF. It took a little while for me to see it in UK stores, but by the time I did, it was coming up to Christmas. Instead of purchasing it myself, I put it on my Christmas wishlist. My brother was kind enough to get it for me and I've been testing it out over the last few weeks. Here are my thoughts on the product.

Basic Information: 
Price: £8.00
Amount: 21g
Shade: Universal Sheer

You can get this product from the ELF website, Superdrug and Boots. 

This product has been compared to the Tatcha Silk Canvas primer as they are very similar in texture and purpose. I have not had the opportunity to try the Tatcha primer, so I cannot say from my perspective that it is a dupe.

This primer is a very different texture to what I expected. Although it is labelled as a putty primer, it's actually more solid than you would think. It melts like butter on the skin and a little goes a long way, but it isn't goopey or "squishy" as such. I like that, as it's mess free and I know it's going to last me AGES.

This product is specifically designed for blurring pores, so I don't use it daily. I wear it when I have slightly heavier makeup on or a full face. The areas I have larger pores are my cheeks, nose, between my brows and chin. It doesn't slip and slide around which is fab and because it is sheer, you cannot see it underneath your foundation or even on your bare skin, if you choose to wear it alone. It makes my skin look smooth and hydrated which is always a good in my books.

There is no fragrance in this product which is great as I am on the journey of going fragrance free in my skin care/makeup products where possible.

The product is pretty long lasting too which is a huge plus.

Overall, I have been really liking this product and I think it is going to replace my Maybelline Baby Skin Primer!

Have you tried this primer? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

Beauty Gurus I Trust

The YouTube beauty community has had its fair share of scandals over the last few years. From racist pasts surfacing and bloated egos to unacceptable quality, product releases. Despite that, we can't help but love watching makeup tutorials and beauty videos. For me personally, I find beauty videos super relaxing and therapeutic. There is something about watching someone apply makeup in ways that I'm incapable of doing, that brings me joy. Although the beauty industry is full of scandals, I have a few beauty gurus that I watch regularly and completely support. I thought I would share a few beauty gurus that I trust and believe deserve recognition.

J U I C Y  J A S

Jasmine is an American beauty guru currently at 610K subscribers. I have been watching her consistently for about 3 years. I remember subscribing when she hit about 50K subs and it's been so amazing to watch her channel grow. One of my favourite things about Jasmine is that she always produces amazing content. She is creative with her looks whilst making them wearable. I've even re-created a couple of them. She uses a mixture of drugstore and high-end makeup which is nice. Her reviews are also really great. I trust her opinion when it comes to foundations and base products. Plus she has incredible skin.

C H L O E  M O R E L L O

Chloe is originally from Australia but has recently moved to LA. She is currently at 2.6M subscribers. I have been watching her for a long time. I remember finding her whilst watching a Lauren Curtis video. Her channel was suggested and I watched a few videos of hers before subscribing. I love Chloe's channel because all of her looks are super wearable and realistic. She isn't like your typical beauty influencer in the sense of applying a million layers of makeup. She is all about "your skin but better". All her looks are very much focused on enhancing your natural beauty. If you like tinted moisturisers, cream products and sultry eye looks, you'll love Chloe's makeup looks.

J A Y D E.   P I E R C E

I have been watching Jayde since she was my age which is kind of weird. She was 18 when she started YouTube and I believe she was about to turn 20 when I started watching her channel. She is now 23. She is a UK beauty/fashion influencer with 406K subscribers and 1M Instagram followers. I love her looks because she has INCREDIBLE skin and definitely has good taste when it comes to complexion products and skin care. We have a pretty similar skin tone too so I like to use her as reference. Her usual look is quite glowy skin with a glossy or nude lip, which is definitely my favourite too.

H O L L Y.   B O O N

Holly Boon is a UK beauty guru with 671K subscribers on YouTube. She is definitely more adventurous with her makeup looks. She incorporates lots of colour and detail with her eye makeup. I'm not very creative when it comes to makeup, but I love watching her tutorials. She is really talented and I find her makeup looks very original. She has just started her own cosmetics line 'HBN Cosmetics' and I definitely want to try some of her products one day. She has had great reviews so far and she uses smaller influencers to promote her products and receive PR, which I think is so great. I like that she gives smaller makeup artists a platform to show their own work and be able to work with a brand.

I T S S A B R I N A

Sabrina is a UK beauty guru currently at 315K Subscribers on YouTube. I particularly love her one brand tutorials because she uses a range of products from brands, that may not be as hyped up as others within the community. I enjoy her makeup tutorials and reviews. All of her makeup looks are super wearable, therefore easy to re-create. She loves glowy skin (just like me) and simple eye makeup.

M A K E U P.   C H A R

Charlotte is a London based beauty guru. She is a smaller YouTuber with 2.5K subscribers on YouTube and 19.4K followers on Instagram. I found her through Pinterest maybe a year ago. Her eye looks are beautiful and she has a lot of skill. I'm really surprised she doesn't have more subscribers. She is just as talented as some of the big influencers with over 500K. I trust her opinions when it comes to product recommendations. She receives PR but with her being a smaller channel, she buys a lot of her makeup with her own money. I find that makes her more trustworthy as she doesn't have the fact that half her collection was free, to cloud her judgement. I also love that she uses colour, but makes it seem so easy to use. Whenever I see people like NikkieTutorials use colour, I think "wow that's impossible!". Charlotte makes using colour seem a lot less scary.

T A M M I.   C L A R K E

Tammi is one of my absolute favourite people to watch. Her makeup tutorials and reviews are so informative and her talent is insane. She is another woman who loves her colour! She is another UK based beauty guru, with 147K subscribers on YouTube. She has her own eye-shadow palettes with Revolution makeup (which are on my wishlist) and she has convinced me to put so many other things on my list too. I love that she uses a mixture of luxury and affordable makeup. She even tries brands that you may not know of or much about.

So these are some beauty gurus that I trust and love. Who do you like to watch? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

Barry M Feature Length Mascara Review

A couple weeks ago I ran out of my favourite mascara- Maybelline Lash Sensational. I took a stroll down to Superdrug to pick a new one up but something in me decided to try something new. I've been using Lash Sensational for YEARS now, so to randomly pick up a new product was quite big for me. I had heard some really great things about the Barry M mascaras and with them being so affordable, I thought why not.

I won't lie to you, alongside the good reviews, I mainly chose Feature Length because of the packaging. It is BEAUTIFUL and it feels so much more expensive. I expected it to be plastic but it's actually metal and has a little weight to it. I've been using this mascara for just over 2 weeks and I thought I would share my thoughts.

Product Information:

Colour: Black
Measurement: 7ml
Price: £4.99 (£4.49 with Student Discount)

Description:

Make your own show with Barry M’s Feature Length Mascara. Feature length does just what it says on the wand… delivering stunning, film star, long lashes. So, if you’re looking for winning performance and luscious, long lashes worthy of any premiere, look no further than Feature Length Mascara! 

Cruelty free.

My Thoughts: 

This mascara isn't as amazing as Lash Sensational but it's pretty darn good. It definitely lengthens and separates the lashes beautifully. The wands is super slim and the brush is plastic, which I like, as it grabs all the individual hairs. I found that although it gave me length, it doesn't add much volume, which is what I love about my Maybelline one. This is more of a lengthening mascara though so it definitely does what it claims. 

I love this on the bottom lashes as it coats them evenly and because of the thin applicator it is quite easy to use. 

The one thing I would say about this mascara is that it's not the easiest to remove. I had to question whether it was waterproof because I doesn't budge. I have to use makeup remover and facial wash TWICE to get rid of all the product. I suppose this makes it a great product in the summer but if you're someone who likes to just use a makeup wipe and be done, you may have to put in some more work. 

Overall I would give this product 3.5 out of 5 stars. I did like it but in comparison to my Lash Sensational, I just wasn't blown away. 

Have you tried any Barry M mascaras? Let me know in the comments below. 

Thanks for reading, 

Have a great day x 

The Ordinary Serum Foundation Review

It has been a hot minute since I have written a foundation review. I am always on the look out for good foundations, because a flawless base is very much important to me when it comes to makeup. I placed a Beauty Bay Order (no surprise there) when they had their 30% off January Sales. I needed to spend another £5 to get free shipping and decided to order 'The Ordinary Serum Foundation'. I had heard some good things about this foundation on YouTube and with it only being £5.75, I thought "why not?".

I have been testing this foundation out for about a month, and thought I would share with my readers, my overall thoughts on the product. 

Basic Information

Shade: 2.1Y (Medium with Yellow undertones)

Amount: 30ML
Coverage: Light

Price: £5.75

Finish: Semi-Matte 

This product has SPF 15 and is suitable for 'All Skin Types'.

Foundation Description

A serum-textured natural coverage foundation that softens undesirable hues and visibly reduces imperfections.

Glowy Makeup Routine

During the winter I prefer a semi matte finish with lots of neutral tones but during the summer months I look for super glowy and bronze skin. There is something about having radiant and tan skin during the hotter season that I adore. Recently my makeup routine has been exactly that. Today I thought I would share with you all my summer makeup routine.

Disclaimer:

I do not wear makeup every single day but when I do, this is most likely the outcome.

Skin Prep

This is a very important step to getting a natural and fresh face. Your makeup will only look as good as your skin underneath. Don't get me wrong, my skin is no where near perfect but I do try to look after it as much as possible. A couple pimples won't hurt but the smoother the base, the better.

I don't do too much when it comes to prep. I obviously wash my face in the morning and I moisturize. The only extra steps I have been taking lately has been using SPF and primer. A lot of the time I don't bother with primer but it does make a difference in the heat.

I have been using the Rimmel Lasting Perfection primer. It smooths out the skin and creates a long lasting base.

Foundation

When it comes to the foundation, I have been changing between two different methods. The main option is a mixture of two foundations to create a soft and natural base. I use a few swipes of the Revolution fast base stick foundation in F12 and a pump of Maybelline Super Stay in Warm Sun. The finish that you get from mixing the two is so beautiful. The revolution foundation is a dewy finish whilst the Maybelline is matte, creating the perfect balance.

The other option is to use any foundation with some moisturizer to make a tinted moisturizer/BB cream consistency. This is perfect for days where I want my skin to be evened out and cover where necessary. I usually use equal amounts of moisturizer and foundation.

Concealer

The concealer that I have been using is the Revolution conceal and define in the shade C8. It is FULL coverage and covers my dark circles. A little goes a long way in my opinion. I like to highlight between the brows, the bridge of my noses and chin. 

Powder

I don't have majorly oily skin however it does get oily during the summer, as you can imagine. To avoid my skin getting super greasy and creasing, I always dust a little powder over my face. In the day-time I just dust some Rimmel Stay Matte Powder all over my face however I sometimes bake under my eyes with some Airspun loose powder if I feel to. 

Left: Bronzer Topper
Middle: NYX Buttergloss in Madeline
Right: NYX Sandstorm Lipstick

Bronzer

To bronze my skin and add some warmth I have been using my Wet n Wild contour duo. I use the bronzer side on my forehead, cheekbones and my nose to balance everything. I am looking for new bronzers to try and hopefully I find the perfect shade, but this works for now. If I want that extra glow, I use the darkest shade in the Revolution Golden Sugar 2 Rose Gold Blush Palette as a bronzer topper. It looks beautiful when the light hits it.

Highlighter

I LOVE highlighter so this is always my favourite part when it comes to my glowy makeup routine. I have plenty of options but for this look in particular I gravitate to my gold shades. My favourite to use is the Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighter. I pretty much just go ham with it. I like to put it on my cheek bones, nose, above the brows and on the brow bone. I also like to highlight my cupids bow and chin. It sounds obsessive and unnecessary. You would be absolutely correct if you are thinking that.

Of course I always make sure to wear mascara and do my brows too.

Lips

Glossy lips are THE ISH during the summer. I think I am more of a gloss person over matte anyway but I love a glossy lip in the summer time. My current fave  lip combo is NYX Sandstorm with the NYX buttergloss in Madeline over the top. Sometimes I use Madeline alone too

So this is my general glowy skin routine. It's one of my favourite type of looks to do. When it comes to makeup I stick to quite natural makeup. Maybe I'll go more out of my comfort zone one day.

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x

Morphe 35O2 Review

EEEEK, my first Morphe Palette! So, if you saw my Christmas Wishlist last year, you would know that I wanted the Morphe 35P palette. My brother told me on Christmas day that he went to order it for me but it actually went out of stock, so had to buy me something else (which I was totally fine with). I thought I'd wait to be paid from work and then I would treat myself to it instead but it was still out of stock. I ended up falling in love with the look of the 35O2 palette and ordered that instead! I'm sure I'll still buy the 35P at some point, but I am so glad I got this palette. Today I thought I would give my own review of the palette.

Purchasing details:
Cost: £23
Retailer purchased from: Beauty Bay
Shipping: Paid Standard and came within 2 days

I always get amazing service from Beauty Bay and it came full packaged and protected, which is a huge tick in my books.

The packaging is really nice. If you are unaware, Morphe revamped during October 2017, including different packaging and a new logo. I think it looks really nice. The black makes it look really sleek and the new logo is very professional compared to the older one. This is my first Morphe product (but certainly not the last), so I have nothing to compare it with, however Morphe is all over social media, so I'm sure you can see the difference for yourself. The only thing I would say is that I wish the names of the eyeshadows were printed on the actual palette rather than on a plastic slip, just because I'm always losing things. So far, Its still in tact but I'm not sure how long that may last haha.

The actual product is AMAZING! The pigmentation is insane and the colours are so beautiful. I have become a huge fan of warm tones recently and this is a dream. If you love warm tones, YOU NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE. It has really pretty shimmer shades and some of the most creamy and buttery matte shades. I would say the matte shades are actually slightly better than the shimmers, in my opinion- which is actually amazing, since many brands tend to fail with the matte colours.

I took photos of a few swatches down below.

This is a palette that you could use for everyday or for a glam look. It has a bunch of neutral colours but also some bright and bold shades like the reds and that super intense black called Whiz. It is the most pigmented black I have ever used. You definitely need to take your time with it, because the pigment is so high with this one.

The colours work so well together and they blend so well.

Overall, I am loving this palette and if you're debating getting it, I say go for it. It is definitely worth the money.

 

My Top 6 Beauty Tips

I was inspired by Lauren Victoria a fellow blogger (that you should totally be following) to write about some beauty tips that I follow. She did a post called 10 Beauty Tips I Swear By and I enjoyed it so much that I thought I would share some of mine too! I have only been into makeup and beauty for about three years but in those three years I have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly. If you know me, you know my glow up was REAL. I definitely had an awkward phase haha and leading up to my love for beauty I have experimented tons.

I've made mistakes, I've been in denial of some of those mistakes, but I've also found what suits me and what needs to be a part of my beauty routine. So without further ado, here are my top 6 beauty tips.

1: Drinks Lots of Water!!

You're probably giving the dirtiest look right now but I'm telling you, its so important. Its one of the most cliché pieces of advice but will always be relevant. Water makes EVERYTHING better. Your skin, hair, body, mind. EVERYTHING. When I don't drink enough water in the day I definitely notice the effects. I feel more tired, my skin is so much more dry etc. Water is key. SO DRINK IT!

2: Wash your Face at least Twice a day

I know the feeling of not wanting to get out of bed when you go to fall asleep and realise you still have your makeup on. I know the feeling of being too exhausted to do anything let alone your skin care routine but YOU MUST cleanse your skin. Not cleansing your skin or taking off your makeup can lead to acne and build up of bacteria. Make sure to wash your face every morning because you actually sweat in your sleep and even resting on your pillow for 6+ hours will cause a build up of germs. At night, I know it is tempting just to grab a makeup wipe and be done but makeup wipes actually only take off dirt/makeup from the surface of your skin and you need to go deeper. Try to attempt cleansing your skin every night, even if you don't do any other part of your skin care routine.

3: Do your tail first

One of my favourite parts of doing my makeup are my brows. I have been experimenting LOTS when it comes to brows over the years. Shape, colour, products, you name it. I have found one tip I will ALWAYS live by. Outline your brows as you usually would, but when it comes to filling them in, start at the tail. By doing the ends of your brows first, you're left with only a small amount of product left on the brush. This makes feathering out the front and making hair-like strokes so much easier and it looks so much more natural. I don't remember where I found this technique or when but all I know is that ever since I have been doing it, my brow game has got so much stronger!

4: Use Foundation to carve the brows

Another brow trick I have is to use foundation to carve them out. Most people use a light concealer to carve out their brows but I'm not a huge fan of the highlighted look. It often just looks way too harsh and unblended. I only really carve out my brows if I have a full face of makeup on but when I do, I like to use the foundation that I am using that day. That way my brows look neat and clean but don't look too much. If you struggle with brows, definitely give this a go.

5: Highlight in circular motions

This is more of a recent technique that I have picked up but I know I'll definitely stick with it. I used to apply my highlighter straight onto my cheekbones in an up down sort of C shape but after a while, I noticed that it looked really harsh and unblended so I decided to try a new technique. I pick up the highlighter on my brush but instead of sweeping up and down, I start just above the apples of my cheeks and I use circle motions in a C shape. It looks so much more skin-like and blended. I have even been getting more compliments on my highlight since doing it, so clearly its working out.

6: LET YOUR SKIN BREATHE

This is one of those tips that I think is super important and kind of essential. Make sure you let your skin breathe. Not only from makeup, but skin care products too. By applying too many products on your skin and often, you can clog your pores. Have days where you wear no makeup or as little products as possible. I used to do a full face of makeup just to wear in my house all day (still guilty of this sometimes) but now I prefer just to wear moisturiser when I'm chilling at home. Even as I write this, I only have moisturiser on. I have had makeup on all week so today is my day to let my skin breathe. Let it replenish and heal itself after a week or few days.

What are your top beauty tips?

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

My Current Makeup Routine (Drugstore Edition)

As most of you all know, I love makeup! I enjoy doing it in the morning or before I go out. I don't wear makeup every single day, however when I do, I like to stick to a very similar look. In my opinion it is very simple and quite fresh faced.

I always do my makeup in the same order every time I do it. I guess I've just got into the habit of it.

The first thing I always ensure to do is moisturise my face. I use the Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream. I don't tend to use too much as it is quite a thick formula. I use it in the morning and at night as it really works well with my skin.

Straight after, I apply primer. The primer I am currently using is the Barry M Flawless Original primer. It smooths out my skin and creates a nice barrier between my skin and the makeup. It is matifying, which I feel helps my makeup to stay on longer, claims to minimise pores. I'm not a huge fan of this primer however I tend to go through primers and then change it up once its empty.

While I let the primer settle into my skin, I fill in my eyebrows with the Collection eyebrow kit. I always use the middle shade as it is perfect for my hair colour and skin tone. I use a sturdy angled brush to shape and fill them in. I use the Freedom brow pomade to outline my brow and sharpen the end if I want a bolder brow. Then I set it with the collection clear mascara. Sometimes I carve them out with the foundation I am using that day.
 
For foundation I am currently using the LA Girl Pro HD foundation. It's a fairly good match for my skin tone and has medium coverage. It adds a really natural glow to my skin without looking oily. It is my favourite foundation from the drugstore. I tend to either go for a sponge over a brush with this foundation as it blends in with my skin rather than sitting on top.

To conceal and highlight I like to mix it up between Maybelline age rewind concealer in nude for a natural look, Collection lasting perfection concealer in the shade 3 or NYX HD in warm beige for a more intense highlighted look. These concealers have great coverage and are super easy to blend, although the NYX concealer definitely feels heavier on the skin.

To set all the liquids I use the Coty Airspun Loose powder in Extra Coverage Translucent if I'm baking and I use Rimmel Stay Matte to dust across my face to keep everything in place.

To Bronze I use the Wet n' Wild Mega Glow Contouring Duo. The bronzer is super warm toned, which is perfect for warming up my skin. For my contour I use the E.L.F Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder. I never use the blush as it doesn't have much pigment however I enjoy using the bronzer. It has some shimmer however it does not show on the skin.

For highlighter and I use either the Sleek Cleopatra's kiss highlighter palette or Maybelline Master Chrome in Molten Gold. Highlight is my absolute favourite part of my routine and I'm absolutely addicted to the glowy life. I highlight my cheek bones and nose.

My favourite mascara is the Maybelline Lash Sensational. It creates some volume and makes my lashes dark. The only other thing I wish it did was add length but no mascara I've ever tried has been able to do that quite yet. I hear the new L'Oréal one is good, so I may give that a go.

My favourite lip product currently is NYX lip lingerie in Ruffle trim. It's the perfect coral nude for my skin tone and has an amazing formula. It doesn't make my lips feel dry and doesn't transfer at all. I'm running out now and definitely need to pick up a new one.

So that is my makeup routine. I hope you were enlightened. It really isn't anything special.

Thanks for reading,
Have a great day x

US Makeup Haul

I'm back!! I got back from my holiday 2 days ago and I've been so tired and trying to get used to the regualat time zone but I still wanted to write for you guys. 

Today I'm doing a US makeup haul. This is all drugstore products. I did go to Sephora (which was magical by the way) but ended up deciding not to get anything, however I went to Target and Walgreens and found a few little drugstore gems that are so hyped up on YouTube anf by beauty bloggers that I had to get them. In total I think I spent $41 on all the products. Enjoy! 

Coty Airspun Loose Powder

If you've read my US beauty wishlist, you will know that this product was actually featured in that post. I've been wanting to get my hands on this for sooo long and I finally did! I did spend more than I should have but I wanted it so bad that I just got it anyway. It usually retails for about $7 but I paid 

$9! I got it from the walgreens right next to my hotel, which was probably a mistake. The prices of pretty much everything in there was higher than usual since its such a torristy area, so the prices were bunked up. I've been told that walgreens is one of the most expensive drugstores too but I'm glad it was in stock.

I havent had chance to use it yet but I opened it and it smells INCREDIBLE. It smells really fresh and has a cute little poof inside. Definitely excited to try it out.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (Translucent)

This was also on my wishlist. I managed to pick up the Rimmel stay matte powder for $4 at Target. I got it in translucent as all the other shades are way too light for me, and I've hit pan BAD on my current pressed powder. I have used this once already but it was for an evening out and I only wore it for a few hours so I'll have to give it a proper test when I wear it all day.

Wet N' Wild MegaGlo Contouring Palette (Caramel Toffee)

This wasn't on my wishlist, however after hearing Amy Macedo on YouTube rave about it and use it in her tutorials, I thought I'd give it a go. I mainly got it for the banana shade as I don't own a yellow toned powder and she seems to love this one. Although she isn't my shade, they had more than one shade available so I went for Caramel Toffee.Again, I haven't tried this yet but I can't wait to give it a go. From swatching it, first impressions is that its very silky feeling but also powdery. I don't know if they're all like this or if I got a bad one but its sooo hard to open. I broke a nail trying to get it open and everytime I open it, I have to use the back of my tweezers to push it up. 

Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter (Molten Gold 100)

I am a highlighter enthusiast. Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you. I like to glow, its just my thing. When I saw this highlighter in Target I just had to get it. It looks STUNNING and I couldn't pass by without it going straight in my basket. I kid you not, when I swatched it in my hotel room, I was gobsmacked. I can already tell that this is going to be my new go to. The formula is INCREDIBLE and it looks gorgeous. I have tried this and its insane. I tried it on a no makeup makeup day and it looks so stunning. It goes on like glitter but seconds later just transforms into this dewy, wet looking beauty. Its actually crazy how good this is. I only paid $7.99 for it but I would totally spend $17.99. Its basically a high end product with a drugstore price. YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE.

ELF Makeup Mist & Set (Clear)

I put this in my wishlist post because I've never tried setting spray before and didn't want to spend a crazy amount of money before knowing if I even like using one. I've heard some fairly decent reviews on this one which was only $3 so I decided to try it. I've only used it once but again, I only had it on for a few hours so I can't say much. What I will say though is that i'm not a fan of the actual spray bottle. It comes out really harsh and makes your face super wet and I had to use a beauty sponge to pat it in.

NYX HD Studio Photogenic Concealer (Biege) 

I ended up purchasing this concealer because I've heard great reviews on it and it was super inexpensive. It was like $4 which is incredible, especially when its NYX. I got it in the shade biege which will be the perfect highlight shade for my normal skin tone, however I am SUPER tan and bronze right now so I won't be able to try it until I go back to normal. Hopefully it works for me as I've heard great things about nyx face products. 

Victoria's Secret Liquid Colour (Femme) 

Finally, I picked up this liquid lipstick from the bowls they keep near the cashiers in Victoria's Secret. I was shopping in there with my mum and they had a bunch of liquid lipsticks in heaps of colours for only $5! I saw this colour in particular and really liked it. I have worn this and its really nice. It doesn't dry down matte like I thought it would, its very glossy but I like glosses regardless. The pigmentation is great and it feels and smells really nice.I will definitely get some wear out of this. 

So those are the products I got in America! I hope you enjoyed this kind of haul.

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x

LA Girl Pro Coverage HD Illuminating Foundation Review

Hey guys! Today I am coming at you with ANOTHER foundation review. This time I am reviewing the LA Girl Pro Coverage HD long wear Illuminating Liquid Foundation (longest name ever haha). I got this foundation about 2 weeks ago and spoiler alert...I'M OBSESSED. But you have to read the rest of this post to know why.

What I look for in a foundation:

• Good Coverage (Medium-High)
• Long Lasting
• Satin/Dewy Finish
• Light/Medium Texture

Foundation Claims: 

• High Coverage 
• Illuminating
• Long wear

The shade I got in my foundation: Warm Biege 

Amount of product: 28ml 

The foundation claims pretty much match what I look for in a foundation, straight off the bat. I had my eye on it for a good few months before I purchased it. I decided to use up my L'oreal Lumi Magique before buying it. I saw this foundation being featured a lot on YouTube by beauty gurus and it looked so amazing on their skin that the more I saw it, the more I wanted it. I even watched a couple beauty gurus who compared it to the Makeup Forever HD foundation. 

The foundation claims to be long wear, and I've definitely noticed that it lasts. I expect it to be melted off by the evening and its still stuck on my face. It isn't the way it first looked obviously, but it is definitely there. I would say it lasts about 10 hours, which is pretty good in my opinion. I'm at school for about 7 hours and hopefully it will last throughout the day. I'm on summer break right now so we'll have to find out when I go back. It also claims to be illuminating, which I can say is 100% true. I love the finish of this foundation. It gives the skin a beautiful radiance and makes the skin look super healthy. For someone who has combination skin and can sometimes get a little dry, it is the perfect finish. Oily skin babes may not be too into it as its quite dewy but if you get a good matifying primer and setting powder, it may work for you. 

The coverage is really nice. With one coat is covers most of my blemishes and looks really smooth on the skin. Any areas that need more coverage, I just apply a bit  more as it doesn't cake up too easily or I'll use concealer. 

 When it is first applied, I can definitely tell that I have makeup on, however after  a few hours it feels super light weight and you kind of forget that you have foundation on. 

.  Extras: 

Pros: 

- It's affordable. 

- There is a fairly wide shade range available. 

- It has sleek packaging. 
-It has a pump

Cons: 

- The foundation has a strange smell to it. It kind of smells like weak paint.  

- It oxidises a little bit.
-It transfers quite easily (one thing I'm not too fond of about this foundation) 

Overall, I am really loving this foundation. It could potentially be my favourite drugstore foundation. I've only had it for 2 weeks so I'll have to give it a month for a final statement on that but it's looking good. 

Here are a few links to where you can purchase it: 

http://www.beautybay.com/makeup/lagirl/procoveragehdlongwearilluminatingliquidfoundation
https://www.lagirlusa.com/products/pro-coverage-illuminating-foundation?variant=21095238405

Thanks for reading, 

Have a great day x 

L'oreal Infallible 24h Foundation Review

Hey guys! So today I'm coming at you with another review. Today I am reviewing the L'oreal Infallible Foundation. I have had this foundation for about 2 months now and I've just started to test it out properly, so I thought I would give you my thoughts.

For the past 2-3 weeks I have been obsessed with having a flawless base. My Go-To look this week has been a fresh, glowy and bronzed base with minimal on the eyes and lip balm. I just find it really appropriate for summer. Due to gravitating to this type of makeup look, I have been on the hunt for a good foundation for the perfect base, so expect more foundation reviews in the future.

What I look for in a foundation: 

• Good Coverage (Medium- High) 
• Long lasting 
• Satin Finish
• Light-Medium Texture

Foundation Claims:

• Medium Texture
• High Coverage
• Matte Finish
• 24hr wear 

The shade I got in my foundation: 30 Honey

Amount of product: 35ml

As you can see, these foundation claims tick a lot of boxes, bar a few, however they're still great for the summer time. Although I tend to love more illuminating and satin finishes when it comes to foundation, in the summer having matte foundation is actually a good option as it is easy to get oily and sweaty throughout the day. I have combination skin and it gets more oily in the summer time. 

(Thursday)

This foundation claims to be 24hr wear which is a very bold claim. I like a long lasting foundation so it will be interesting to see how long it really lasts. I'm going to keep a timer on my phone all day to see how long the wear is. As I write this, it is Thursday evening but I will be writing the other half of this post on Friday evening just before I publish it, to tell you my actual thoughts. 

One other thing that I notice is that it claims to be medium texture, so I am intrigued to see if I can feel it resting on my face or if it isn't all that noticeable. I hate heavy feeling foundations as it feels like a mask and its not the most comfortable, especially in the summer, 

(Friday)

Evening guys! So I am back to tell you my thoughts on this foundation, after wearing it all day.

I finished applying my makeup at about 7am this morning, including primer, the foundation, cream contour and highlight, powder, bronzer and highlighter. The foundation was slighty too pink toned so I added half a pump of a more yellow toned foundation so it would match. Because of how little I added, It should not have affected the wear time or finish.

I applied the foundation with a sponge. My base looked really nice and smooth. It definitely had a matte finish and It didn't feel heavy on the face.

My first check in was 11:15am. At break I went into the toilets and checked to see how everything was looking. My base looked pretty much the same but some of the product on my chin started to fade away. I expected this as this is always the first place that my makeup rubs off as I tend to rest my hand there a lot. It was no surprise and I do not blame the foundation.

My next check in was 1:57pm. I had a quick look before I ate my lunch. This time I started to get slighly oily and more of the product began to slighty fade. This included my chin, nose and right cheek. My nose began to get oily which again I suspected as this is the first place that gets oily on my face, however I did have high hopes due to the claim for it being matte and 24h wear.

My third check in was at 4:24pm. By this time, my whole t-zone was looking kind of shiny, which was disappointing. The foundation also started to cling to some dry patches and into my smile lines. I applied a little bit of sheer powder to control the shine (which worked) however by doing so, my makeup looked a little more cakey, regardless of it being a sweep of product. I feel like it just clung to the dry patches even more so it didn't look so smooth anymore.

My final check in was at 6:30pm. For the most part it was still in tact. It didn't look as smooth as it originally did but the coverage was still at a medium I would say. Some blemishes came through but thats expected after 6 and 1/2 hours.

I took all my makeup off at about 7pm.

Overall the foundation for me was a 5/10. It isn't terrible and the coverage was there, however it isn't the sort of foundation I personally would be obsessed with. I would say the foundation could probably go 15h but not 24h. I wore the foundation for a total of 12hrs. I wouldn't repurchase simply because I'm not that into matte foundations and the shade wasn't right for me. On the other hand, if you have really oily skin and you have a pink undertone then why not give it a shot. It only cost me £4.99 which is so good and its pretty decent.

I hope you enjoyed this in depth review.

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x