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

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 Skin-care: Is it worth it?

Roughly two weeks after purchasing The Ordinary Serum Foundation - review here, I decided to give their skin care products a go. I was looking for new skin care bits to try, since I was getting a little bit bored of my regime, and I was intrigued by The Ordinary. The brand focuses on keeping the products as organic and high quality as possible, without the extortionate price tag. Sounds great to me! When my package arrived, I decided to spend at least 30 days using the products in order to see accurate results. I feel that it takes more time to see if a skin care product works for you.

Now that I have used the products consistently for a good period of time, I can give my honest thoughts on the products. Carry on reading if you want to know the final verdict. 

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.

The Peony Planner 2018 Review

I asked on my Instagram whether people wanted me to review the planner I was using throughout 2018 and 98% said yes. I thought I would break down my thoughts about the planner and whether it is worth the money.

Disclaimer: I was gifted the planner by 'The Happiness Planner' however my opinions are 100% honest regardless. The company is not sponsoring this post (although I wish they were). 

The Peony Planner is a beautiful faux leather planner with metal detailing. It comes in several colours, however I chose Black with Rose Gold accents. It is possibly the most stunning planner I have ever seen. It almost looks like a clutch bag, which makes it so elegant and feminine. It's definitely made to sit as a centre piece for your desk.

The description of the planner by the company:

'The Happiness Planner is a planner like no other. Instead of focusing on productivity, it focuses on “your happiness”. It is designed to help you welcome more positivity, joy, and happiness into your life by applying the practices of positive thinking, positive affirmations, mindfulness, gratitude, and self-development. 

On top of the typical daily pages, this planner is packed with questions and guides that help you become a happier and more positive person.'

When you first receive the planner, it comes in a beautiful box (The same colour as your chosen planner), and the product is carefully wrapped in tissue paper. Not only is this great for keeping your planner in perfect condition, but it feels so luxurious when you open it up.

Things that came in the box:

• 1 Rose Gold Pen 
• 3 Rose Gold Paper Clips
• 2 Rose Gold Binder Clips 
• The Planner 
• Loose Sheets 
• Some Stickers 
• A Note from the Company 

I was so surprised to see how much came in the box. I honestly expected to just have the planner and a pen but it comes with so many worksheets that stimulate reflection and help to build a vision. I loved this throughout the year because it ensures that you always remember your goals. At the beginning of the year you are required to fill out some pages. Some of the things include writing your goals for the year, where you want to be in 5/10 years and your achievements so far etc. I honestly found it so therapeutic to sit down and look back at the past and focus on the future.

Every month you have a calendar, where you can write down any important events you have. I also decided to highlight the boxes where I knew I was working, so I could keep track of my shifts. This really helped me to stay organised. If someone ever wanted to make plans, all I needed to do was flip over to the calendar page and see if I was working that day.

Following this, you have a monthly spread where you can give yourself personal and professional goals, highlight things you can look forward to and write a quote or message of encouragement. I often wrote bible scriptures in this section. The planner also comes with stickers with quotes that you can use to decorate any of the pages.

Everyday there was a page to fill out. At the top you had a quote and 4 boxes. These were 'Today I'm excited about', 'Main Focus', 'Exercises' and 'Meals'. Then beneath this was a section for your schedule and To-do list. Finally, there were 4 more boxes at the bottom, that were labelled as 'Good Things About Today', 'What I'm grateful for', 'What I hope for tomorrow', and 'Notes'. I really loved having this as part of my daily routine, because it forced me to see the good in every day. Even when I had days that weren't so great, sitting down and having to complete the page prompted me to think positively. Looking back, I can definitely tell that doing this changed my mindset for the better. 

At the end of every month you have to complete a reflection page. I really enjoyed doing these as I was able to look back at the struggles I overcame, goals I met and memories of the month. The page includes a table where you must rank certain areas such as health, productivity and moods. At the end of the year, you add up these scores and you are able to clearly view how your mood progressed and changed throughout the year, as well as your habits. I found that happiness was my number one mood of 2018, which clearly indicates that the planner works, and my productivity was pretty constant. One thing I found interesting is that my energy levels were low throughout most of the year, so I know this is something I need to change in 2019. 

My favourite thing about this planner is that it always focuses on the positive. Although you may be required to write down your monthly struggles, it also asks you to write down how you overcame or will overcome them. It acknowledges that your year won't be perfect, but it focuses on the things that make us happy, by having daily focus on gratitude, areas to write down your happiest moments and what we can look forward to.

I truly believe that this planner has changed my life. At the end of the year I was able to see all the challenges I overcame, the memories I made and the goals I met. I met all my goals for the year, which makes me so happy. I definitely think this is an extraordinary planner that could help so many people. It gets you to evaluate every area of your life and come up with ways to develop. The planner itself is definitely not cheap. The 2019 planner is currently £54.00. HOWEVER, it is an amazing product. I actually bought the weekly inserts for this year, as I was so happy with it. I think it is worth the money, if you have it. I will definitely be buying new inserts every year, unless I find a new planner to try. 

I've found a new desire to find the best planner out there. I've always been into organisation and journals etc, but The Happiness Planner has really brought out a love for planning out life. Maybe you'll see more planner reviews in the future. 

Overall, I am extremely satisfied with this planner. Not only do I have the dates for all the BEST days due to documenting them, but I finished the year HAPPY. 

Here is the link to the website if you would like to purchase the planner or any other product from the company: 

https://thehappinessplanner.co.uk/ 

I hope you enjoyed this review. Let me know in the comments what blog posts you want me to write this year! 

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.

 

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 

My First Impreshunz

I was kindly sent a pair of Jeans by Impreshunz and I decided to give you a little review on them.

Impreshunz is a small UK brand that sell Jeans and Jeggings in all sorts of styles and colours. I came across the brand when they followed me on Instagram. They're a really lovely brand and are always active on Instagram so make sure to follow them!

The delivery was extremely fast and the jeans arrived in good condition. When I received them I put them in the wash straight away before wearing them (I prefer to wash jeans before I wear them). They were fine in the wash and the colour didn't fade at all which obviously means they are great quality.

I got my Jeans in a UK 8 and they fit perfectly. They are really comfortable and soft too. They're the sort of jeans I could wear on a flight and not feel uncomfortable.

The style I have are high rise and the style Jamie. I will definitely be trying the other products they release and already have on their website, as I really do like these Jeans.

You can get a discount on your first Impreshunz too with the code 'INSTA20'. The lovely team at impreshunz will give you 20% off everything on their site if you use this code.

I hope your first Impreshunz are just as great as mine!

Don't forget to follow Impreshunz on Instagram and also follow me too as I'm pretty sure you'll see me rocking these Jeans over there!

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day! x

Affordable Makeup Brush Set Review

Like I said in my first ever blog post, I really enjoy doing my makeup. It's something that just keeps me content. Besides the makeup itself, I am OBSESSED with makeup brushes. I don't know what it is but I just always seem to find myself wanting to have more and more! Some how whenever I am doing online shopping, it's one of the first things that I look for.
Makeup brushes make your look and application so much more professional and seamless. Of course you can use your fingers but I much prefer brushes. Anytime I buy new brushes, I just can't wait to do my makeup and try them out.

About 2 or 3 weeks ago I bought some really chic looking makeup brushes from Amazon. After reading a bunch of reviews, I finally decided to get them. They came the next day (thanks to good old amazon prime), and I was beyond excited when they did.
I have tried them out since I got them, and thought it would be a good idea to review them, for those girls who may be looking for some affordable makeup brushes to purchase.

The set cost £9.99 for standard amazon members, however I only paid £5.99 as I used prime! That is an amazing price for a brush set. What is even better is that I paid that price for 32 brushes! 32! They came in a range of different colours too. I got mine in black and rose red.
The other options were:

Black
Gold and Black
Rose (pink)

The set comes in a black faux leather roll. It has a really strange smell to it when it first arrives but washing the case (if you plan to keep it) usually gets rid of the paint kind of scent. The leather roll is super convenient for people who may be a makeup artists (which I am not). It makes travelling really easy too as it is all compact and secure.
The product was packaged really well and nothing was damaged when it arrived, which is always a positive. The brushes itself are BEAUTIFUL! They look really professional and generally appealing.

Testing out these brushes for the past few weeks, I have already identified my favourites from the set.

The small fan- I love this brush for highlighter. If you know me, you know that highlighter is just my thing. If i'm going to wear any kind of face makeup to school, it's going to be highlighter. I think this brush is amazing! It's a little thin and flimsy but there is no shedding at all. It gives your cheek bones the most radiant and natural glow. Before this set, I'd never used a fan brush before, so I thought it would be hard to use but it is so easy! I don't know how I ever did my makeup without it.

The large fan brush- The large fan brush is similar to the small one but larger (obviously) and much more dense. I would say it is just as good for highlighting but you can also use it for applying powder to set your base. It sets your makeup without applying too much powder. I much prefer dewy skin over matte skin, so using a fan brush to set my makeup makes my makeup look less matte. A large fan brush can also be used to contour. I've never tried to do it myself yet because I use another brush from this set for that, but I know that others have.

The Angled Blush Brush- This is my FAVOURITE blush brush. I no longer seem to use my other ones because I love this one so much more. It applies blush so evenly and doesn't pick up a ton of product which makes you look like a clown. (sorry that the image isn't as bright as the other images. The sun went down a little when I took it. Typical England) .

The small powder brush- I love this one! This is the brush that I use to contour. It makes your face look structured, but subtlety. It is perfect for contouring your cheek bones, temples and forehead. It is honestly very versatile. You can use it for setting the under eyes, T-zone, apply bronzer, blush and also highlighter.

The larger powder brush- This brush is amazing for blending out harsh lines after you contour your face. A sharp contour is great but an un-blended contour...not so much. I like to use this to blend out the harsh line and also bronze the face. It's not as soft as the other brushes but it works great and doesn't scratch my face at all.

The small precise eye shadow brush- This is my favourite brush for inner corner highlight. I don't always highlight my inner corner, but when I do, this is the brush I am most likely to be using. It is nice and precise, which allows you to brighten up your eyes.

There are 29 other brushes in the set, that I haven't used much or at all, but I am sure they're brilliant! I am really pleased with their performance, considering the price.The quality is amazing for the price and it's definitely worth giving it a go.

 Here is a link for the brushes, if you want to purchase them:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abody-Professional-Brushes-Cosmetic-Ferrule/dp/B00ORH5BYC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459446102&sr=8-1&keywords=abody+professional+wood+32pcs

Let me know if you like reviews and "beauty" posts and I will try to do them more often.
Thanks for reading!