My Top 5 Favourite MAC Lipsticks

I think I have about fifteen different MAC lipsticks in total, but I thought I would share with you my top 5. I would say that I like to experiment with lip colours and even though I like my pinks and nudes I do like to be a little more adventurous and go for more of a bold lip whenever I can. I tend to keep my eye make up quite simple and use very neutral browns and taupe-like shades so I think a bold lip can really help complete a nice make up look.

With that in mind, my first favourite lipstick is MAC's Lady Danger (Matte). This is a cult classic in the MAC world and a big hit with a lot of celebrities. I know the pop group The Saturdays love this shade and have all been seen wearing it at different events. I was lucky enough to get this shade by doing 'Back to MAC' (where you exchange six empty items of MAC packaging for a free lipstick) and I am so glad that I took the plunge. This is a bright red 'pin up girl' shade that really does get you noticed!  With a subtle eye make up this lipstick can make you glamorous and classy. I have worn this shade to a few weddings before and it looks nice in photographs.

My next favourite is MAC's Cyber (Satin). I know a lot of people will be going "What?!?" but trust me it is not as scary as it looks. Yes it is a dark lipstick in the bullet, but it doesn't have to be worn this dark. Make up artist Lisa Eldrige has a fantastic YouTube video (which you can view here) on how you can make scary looking lipsticks totally wearable by applying a thin layer or dabbing them lightly with your finger to create more of stain - and I totally agree. Lisa actually demonstrates this with a Tom Ford lipstick called Black Orchid which is very similar to MAC's Cyber. Believe it or not I have worn Cyber to work before (I work in an office in the city) but just as a wash of colour. As I mentioned earlier, I do like to be more adventurous and I have worn this straight from the bullet before too. It is a great dark cherry colour (not black like it shows up in the picture) and it is great worn in autumn/winter months. I actually think this was my second ever purchase of a MAC lipstick and I am still wearing it today!

Thirdly is a bright hot pink shade called Love Forever. This is Pro Longwear Lipcreme, so slightly different packaging to the others. The colour is best described as a fuchsia pink which has purple undertones. The texture is lovely and creamy and it makes a great shade for the summer.  I have quite a few other branded lipsticks similar to this shade, but I think this MAC one performs the best.

The next two lipsticks that I mention are my more neural go-to's. First up is MAC's Snob (Satin) which is muted baby pink colour. It is very wearable during the day and adds a nice pop of colour without being too much. If I have trouble in the morning deciding what colour to wear for that day, I normally reach for this as I know it will go with any eye look I have created. The colour does wear off a lot easier than the other lipsticks I have mentioned in this post but I am more than happy to re-apply ever few hours.

Last but definitely not least is MAC's Myth (Satin). Again another cult favourite in the MAC world as being one of the ultimate nude shades. I know some people dont like this lipstick because they do not like ghostly pale lips, but again I think it is how you apply it, and it depends on how pigmented your natural lips are to start with. I even like to wear this shade to blank out my lips and wear as a base coat before I apply a bolder colour. It's great to take products and just see how they work for you. That is the joy of make up - you can just play around until you are satisfied!

Top to Bottom: MAC: Lady Danger, Cyber, Love Forever, Snob & Myth

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. What are your favourite MAC shades? I would love to hear your lipstick recommendations (it may just spur on a MAC shopping trip soon...!).

Love and hugs
Caz
xxx

Haircare Favourites

Haircare Favourites

I have had this bottle of Kerastase Oleo-Relax Slim for about 3 years and it is still going strong! You need about a pea-size amount to cover the ends of your hair whilst damp and before blow-drying. If you have long hair that needs some controlling this product is really good to get that 'just stepped out of a salon' look. I cant remember exactly how much I paid for this (but I do remember it being a little pricey) however seeing as it has last me years I would rate it as a good investment. 

I adore the Batiste dry shampoos - you really cant beat them! I think I have tried the majority of different Batiste scents along with the blonde version which is great for hiding roots! I picked up this new 'Paisley' version the other day, and I really like the fruity scent it gives. It definitely helps freshen up 2-3 day old washed hair to see you through. It is really cheap too!

Another hair cult classic... L'Oreal Elnett Satin hairspray. This is the travel sized bottle that I find really handy as I don't tend to use a lot of hairspray that often. However when I curl my hair I like to spay this quite liberally before and after styling to keep my curls in place. It really does the job as I can usually go two whole days before the curls start to fall out. It gives firm hold without feeling sticky or hard to the touch and the hairspray can always be easily brushed out to give a softer appearance if necessary. 

This is Charles Worthington's new range of haircare available at Boots. I have used a shampoo and conditioner both from the range, but I particularly fell in love with the 'Shine Booster'. A few spritz's of this product on your finished hair style will give your hair a really lovely healthy shine. You can see the results instantly under normal light and it doesn't leave your hair looking greasy at all.

This is Redken Straight Lissage - which I think I got in one of my monthly beauty boxes a few months back. This is a cream product to use on damp hair, again before blow-drying into a straight hair style. Similarly to the first product, you only need to use a very small amount to get good results. Too much and you could experience more of a limp and greasy appearance, so keep the product to a minimum and just apply it to the middle of your hair down to the ends. I like to use this product if I know I am going to use my hair straighteners as it seems to lock my style into place for longer.  When I run out, I will look to re-purchase as it gets the job done with minimum hassle. 

Did any of these products catch your eye? Have you tried any of these products and like them too?

Love & hugs

Caz

xxx

Liebster Award - discover new blogs

A very big thank you to Rosey at Rosey Cheeks Fashion and Beauty for nominating me for the Liebster award. I am so thankful that people have started to read my blogs and follow me on my blogging journey. This tag will hopefully allow you to get to know me a little better and for you to find out how I tick!

For those of you that don't know the Liebster award is for bloggers with under 200 followers and its a way of getting to know a bit more about each other. The idea is that you answer the elevent questions set by the person that nominates you and then nominate eleven more people to do the same with the questions you set! - no tag backs! and don'f forget to mention the person that tagged you!

Ok, so here are the questions that Rosey set for me along with all my responses...

1.     Whats your favourite season?

Winter. For as long as I can remember I have always enjoyed wrapping up in warm chunky jumpers and scarves as soon as it starts to get colder. I absoulutely love it when it snows too!

2.      Whats the WORST product you have tried?

Nanoblur. Sadly the product did not deliver any good results for me and is way overpriced (in my opinion).

3.      Who is your style/beauty icon?

I love both Jennifer Aniston and Mila Kunis for their style and natural beauty. They appear to be very down to earth girls that would be great to hang out with. They would so get an invite to my dinner party.

4.      Whats your favourite accessory?

I am not too big on jewellery so I like to accessorise using scarves to jazz up an outfit. My weakness is shoes though, I own far too many!

5.      Whats your favourite decade style and why?

I really like how women dressed in the 1940s. They always looked elegant and very put together that oozed a sophisticated glamour.

6.      Fruity floral or sweet? Which scent ticks your boxes?

If I had to pick one of the two then floral over sweet, but I am more of a deep musk type of a girl. Alien by Thierry Mugler is my favourite perfume of all time.

7.      Which area do you neglect most e.g. Skin? Hair? Nails? Etc.

I like to think that I look after all three, however my nails never seem to grow very strong or long and they chip very easily. However I have grown to embrace my short nails and it doesn’t stop me painting them several times a week!

8.      Where do you buy most of your beauty products?

Boots!!! I don’t know what I would do if the shop ever closed down! I must go in there 3-4 times a week and I never get bored of finding new products that seem to magically appear on the shelves!

9.      Which is your favourite clothes store?

Probably the shop Zara. They have lots of items that look more expensive than they actually are and it’s a great place to buy smart pieces for work that are affordable.

10.  What is the beauty mantra/quote that you live by?

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” - Marilyn Monroe

11.  If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Canada – I have always liked the look of the country and it has intrigued me from a very early age. I have yet to even visit Canada, but I have a feeling I would love it there! Plus they love their ice-hockey (which I am a huge fan of!). I hope to go there for a holiday within the next couple of years just so I can tick that box.

Right...my questions to my nominated bloggers are as follows:

1. What is your favourite food that you could eat all day long?
2. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for and why?
3. If you could go back in time to any decade, when would it be?
4. What is your favourite film?
5. How old were you when you started to get into beauty and make up?
6. What relationship do you treasure in your life and who is it with?
7. How often do you enjoy reading blogs?
8. Is the glass half empty of half full?
9. What is your favourite beauty product of all time?
10. What do you do to relax and de-stress?
11. If you could shop for beauty or fashion products in any major city in the world where would you choose?

 I nominate/tag:

• Devon Twitchen - http://devotwitch.blogspot.co.uk/
• Sophie Court - http://thesoapybubbles.blogspot.co.uk/
• Amber Marie - http://whatambsloves.blogspot.co.uk/
• Elizabeth Breygel - http://liz-breygel.blogspot.co.uk
• Livs Love - http://listslifelovelivs.blogspot.co.uk/
• Jen Green - http://baroqueandrollbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/
• Caitlin Elliott - http://caitlinaaa.blogspot.co.uk/
• Natalie Jones - http://hazydays-and-lazydays.blogspot.com
• Louise Oats - http://kinderhealthandbeautytips.blogspot.co.uk/ 
• Erika Bradford - http://erikalovesbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/
• Izzy Talkz - http://izzyblogzbeauty.blogspot.co.uk

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze

I really wanted to try these products after watching the beauty guru Swalkermakeup (Sara Walker) talk about them in one of her YouTube videos. The products in question were the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Firming Body Lotion (Tan Optimiser) and L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Exfotonic Body Polishing Gel. I must say Sara did a great job selling them to me as I don't often find myself buying body products all too often, especially body lotion. However I wasn't left feeling disappointed.

As I have been using fake tan on my arms and legs quite a bit the past few months, I was a little tired of trying to get an even base before I reapplied my fake tan again. I was used to finding that a few areas had streaky patches of tan product still lingering to them and I wanted to scrub these away or at least fade them out a bit. I do like the 'exfotonic' (new word alert!) for helping with this purpose. The texture is gritty without being too harsh or abrasive on the skin. After showering you do feel very fresh and clean (almost like a minty fresh sensational) which is lovely to use in summer. I am pretty sure I have tried this product before, many years ago, but it used to come in a large tub. It also had a slightly different name too, but I am sure it is the same product as it was the same zingy scent that brought the memories flooding back. I am very much enjoying this in my shower routine and I would look to repurchase once I run out. I probably will stick to using this just in the summer months though as I become way more lazy in the winter!!!

The firming body lotion is a neither here nor there product with me. I guess I don't use lotion quite as regularly (due to laziness) and therefore have no way of knowing whether it helps with firming up your limbs, although I do love the concept of this though! I will continue to use this before I apply my fake tan to moisturise my body, especially my legs, but it doesn't scream out to be a must have purchase.  What I will say is that the lotion is light and takes a few minutes to rub in properly, so not the quickest absorbing lotion out there, but it is good that it comes in a large bottle with pump top as this helps with the application process.

These products can be found in the Sublime Bronze range at Superdrug here.

Love and hugs
Caz
xxxx

Current Beauty Favourites

 1. Ambre Solaire Original Intense No Streaks Bronzer (Dry Face Mist) Light to Medium
I have recently fallen back in love with this product and it has worked its way into my easy day to day make up routine. It is so simple to use and gives such a great result. Once my face has been well moisturised and my daily primer has been applied - I work from left to right of my face (remembering to spray past the jawline and onto the neck), giving about 4-5 vertical sprays each time. I then repeat the step another 1-2 times, depending on how dark a colour I want to achieve. If you haven not used a product like this before, it can be daunting on the first try, but you cant really go wrong as you don't need to rub the product in after, just let it dry naturally. The result is a natural looking tan. I am not too keen on the scent of this, it is trying to produce a peach/fruity scent, but this still doesn't camouflage the fake tan scent to me. However, this has yet to put me off, as once dried (in about 1 minute) you can no longer smell the product. The golden tan has a great staying power, even after washing my face at night and again the next morning, I sometimes do not need to reapply and can go straight in with my foundation. A 75ml can of this costs £5.66 (Boots) or £5.47 (Superdrug).

2. L'Oreal True Match Foundation (N4 Beige)
I like to experiment with different foundations, and tend to mix different combinations from day to day or week to week. My current love of the moment is this foundation from L'Oreal in N4 Beige (which I admit is a little dark for my skin tone, but mixed in with a lighter foundation works really well). When used with the above Ambre Solaire face mist I tend to not need a lighter foundation mixed it with it and only need a tiny amount to cover my whole face and neck. The coverage is lovely. I would say it is a medium to full coverage, depending on how much product you use. The range includes many different shades so it was easy to find the one that worked for me. For the best results I like to use a Real Techniques Buffing Brush or my Beauty Blender Sponge. The L'Oreal True Match Foundation is £9.99 from Boots and Superdrug.

3. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
To set my daily make up in place I like to dust a fine amount of this powder on my forehead, nose and chin. The powder is very light and comfortable and doesn't get cakey on the skin. The trick is just to use on the areas where you don't like shine. Try not to use too much all over the face. A little of the product goes a long way. I have had this for almost a year now, and I have probably only used 1/4 of the pot. This is pricey, but definitely a good investment in my opinion. You can buy this at Space NK for £29.00.

4. Eucerin DermoPurifyer Cover Stick
I found this product on a complete whim about 6 months ago. I had run out of my favourite MAC Studio Fix Concealer and was desperate for something that would give a good coverage until I could go back to a MAC store and repurchase. Turns out that I loved this product so much I have still yet to return to the MAC store! This is now my second stick and I love it! As far as I know, one shade suits all. It does appear to look dark in the packaging, but once on the skin it blends right out. The best thing about this product is it claims to help clear up any blemishes whilst concealing them. I can honestly say it hides blemishes and redness well and hasn't made my skin breakout or made any existing blemishes any worse. I think I would be lost without this in my make up bag now! You can buy this for £9.50 at Boots.

5. Maybelline ColorSensational in Neon Red (916)
I am loving my bright lipsticks this summer and this is the perfect shade to wear when your are a little more bronzed and glowy. I always feel that little bit happier when I am wearing this shade (strange but true) and with a simple neutral eye make up it looks put together without being overly glamorous. I always wear lip balm underneath any lip colour I wear, but this doesn't dry out the lips and the colour stays put for hours! You can buy these at any Maybelline make up counter for around £7-£8. Superdrug currently have them for £7.19

6. NARS Foreplay Cheek Palette
Last but certainly not least is my cheek palette from NARS. I don't think a week has gone by when I haven't dipped into using this. It contains three blush colours (one being the famous coral shade orgasm). The other two shades are a matte coral (no shimmer) and a matte bright pink. There is also one gold highlighter colour which I don't like at all, as there is hardly any pay off whatsoever. However I love the other cheek blushers so much that it makes the palette worthy of buying. I already own the orgasm blusher as a solo blush, so I don't find myself using this quite so much from the palette version (but it is great that I have a back up!) Instead I gravitate to the matte coral and matte pink (the two smaller squares of colour on the left had side of the palette) every time. They look really bright but they blend lovely on the cheeks using a big fluffy blush brush. Again they are great for the summer months to give a bit of colour to the face without looking scary. This palette is still available from Space NK for £39.50.

L'Oreal True Match - N4 Beige

Maybelline ColorSensational in Neon Red

Eucerin Cover Stick (One Shade Suits All) 

NARS Foreplay Cheek Palette


Have you tried any of these products? Are any of them your beauty loves? Let me know what you think.

Love and hugs

Caz

xxx

Nanoblur

I remember when Nanoblur first hit the shelves, I was intrigued! However I resisted the temptation of purchasing for quite sometime... well up until now! I finally caved in and parted with £19.99 (from Boots) and decided to give it a whirl. This little tube of product claims to give 'correction of the appearance of skin ageing, including the look of lines, wrinkles, crows feet, sagginess and enlarged pores'. Admittedly I don't have too many of those problems just yet, but anything that helps enlarged pores is surely to be my friend...?

Sadly...no. For some reason I just could not get on with this product. The promise of looking up to 10 years younger in 40 seconds is probably a bit ambitious. That aside I did not like the feeling of it on my skin.
The product does claim it 'is based on advanced optics technology and is not make up' and should be used as a last step in your regime, i.e. if you wear make up such as foundation then apply this over the top. I tried this out on a couple of different occasions and applied after my foundation step all around my eyes and nose area. The result I got was a tacky feeling on the skin that left the area feeling uncomfortable and a bit cakey. I do keep meaning to give this product a third try (on the hope it is third time lucky) and perhaps apply it to my skin directly on a no-make-up wearing day, but I cant bring myself to do it. As for the pores... they still seemed visible (through the cakey mess!).

It is possible that I am doing something very wrong here... i.e. using too much product or applying too soon after my foundation. I would be very interested to hear from anyone else that has bought and used this product and how they got on with it. If you love it and have a technique on how best to apply then do let me know, I would love to hear from you!

Love and hugs
Caz
xxx

Make-up London Academy Serum & HD Powder

A few months ago I was lucky enough to attend a 3 hour MAC make-up course at MLA (Make-up London Academy). The course was an intro into learning the basics about make up products and how best to apply them. The course was led by a lovely lady who had a professional career as a make up artist and was used to working with celebrities and doing events such as fashion and TV shows. Our class was made up of  8 enthusiastic make-up lovers. After our 90 minutes of tutorial we partnered up and were let loose to try and create the perfect smoky eye on one another. Here are a couple of a shots I took of the make-up studio...

Whilst I was there I had the opportunity to purchase a couple of items from the MLA shop. I decided to pick up their 'Xctive (Anti-Aging) Primer - PRO' and 'Mineral HD Setting Powder'. The product descriptions from the MLA website are as follows:

Xctive-C is a unique hydrophilic formula. Its phospholipids and vitamins A, C & E act as sponges attracting and retaining moisture to the skin. This reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and it is Silicone based.
This primer is suitable for normal - dry to  combination skin types.

HD Setting Powder is a light-reflecting loose powder that’s invisible once the brush hits the face. Its oil absorbing properties create a visibly smooth look and reduce the appearance of fine lines. As the last step in makeup application it gives the face a glow and leaves 3 skin with an even toned, flawless finish. 
The perfect weapon for Make up artist for a long lasting beautiful Make up.

The primer has been my saviour ever since, as it creates a fantastic silky base before applying make up to my skin and creates a 'barrier' between my skin and make-up so my pores do not get congested. As a result my make up stays in place all day and doesn't need any re-application. The make-up artist also said that she uses this product before going to sleep at night, so that is what I have done as part of my evening routine and I can honestly say I have really seen an improvement in the fine lines around my eyes and just the overall condition of my skin. 

The HD powder has also re-vamped my daily make-up routine. This was my first time ever using HD powder (up until now I have always just used regular coloured powder to set my make up) however now I am a HD powder convert! The texture is like air because the powder is very finely milled, making it so much lighter than other loose setting powders. You can not feel this powder on your skin at all making it extremely comfortable to wear. In my opinion it is the final step of making your make-up look lovely! The MLA HD Powder has been compared to Make Up Forever's HD Powder, but as I have not used the MUFE version I can not draw this comparison myself. What I do know is, I will definitely repurchase this once I have run out, as I think it is excellent value for money.

You can purchase both these products from the MLA online shop here.

Love and hugs

Caz

xxx

Soap & Glory Skincare

I decided to pick up a few products from the Soap & Glory range the other day as I had always wanted to give them a go and as Boots was running its 3 for 2 offer I thought now would be a good time to bite the bullet.  I had seen the Ultimelt Hot Cloth Cleanser (£10) before in store (although I believe they have recently changed their packaging but rest assured it is the same product as before) however the other two product were completely new and exciting to me. 

I was particularly interested in the Scrub Your Nose In It Facial Scrub with 'special pore refining formula' (£12). My cleansing routine currently consists of a cleansing oil to clean my face and remove any make up, followed by a micellar water to cleanse my skin thoroughly before moisturiser, but sometimes I do miss a facial scrub that has some grit to it to really get down deeper into the skins layer. The easiest way to describe this product is toothpaste for your face! It looks, smells and feels very similar to toothpaste (even the packaging resembles a toothpaste!). 

As you can see from the above photo, the consistency is quite light and thin and also doubles up as a quick mask treatment. The usage instructions recommends you massage into the skin and then leave for 2 minutes. There is a slight tingle sensation on application, but nothing uncomfortable or tight feeling. The product is gritty to the touch and you can give your skin a proper massage/scrub leaving your skin fresh once the product has been fully removed. I have used this about 3 times now and I really like the way it leaves my skin feeling, especially when I follow it with the next product... Fab Pore Moisturising Lotion (£9)...

I was on the hunt for a good moisturiser (another reason why I thought I would take advantage of the 3 for 2 Boots offer) as I like to swap my moisturiser from time to time, and I am almost coming to the end of a couple of higher-end moisturisers that I accumulated from a previous GlossyBox and Birchbox. When I saw this product, that claims to help reduce the appearance of pores, I was all over it! Again I have now used this about 3 times, after my cleansing routine before bed time and again in the morning. I really like the way it applies as it feels very light and sinks into the skin within seconds. The product does not contain any SPF and Soap & Glory recommends you apply your own SPF after application. I tend to do this by applying a light BB cream over the top of the moisturiser (Dr Jart) which has SPF 40.

The Soap & Glory Fab Pore Moisturising Lotion does do a great job of 'smoothing' out the skin before foundation application, but I still prefer to use a primer to ensure my foundation lasts all day, but I am sure if you use a light coverage foundation or BB cream then you can skip this step. I will continue to use this moisturiser to see if I notice a difference in my skin over a couple of weeks especially if there is any reduction in pore size - but so far I think these two products together are a winner.

I have yet to use the Ultimelt Cleanser so Im unable to give a full review just yet, but I will be interested to see if I like it as much as the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, which is the exact same concept, full with muslin cloth.

I have been a big fan of the hot cloth cleansing routine over the years but I've had bit of break from it of late, so it will be good to give it another go with a new product that is straight off the high street and a little more affordable. The above products range from £9-£12 each (cheapest is free on the 3 for 2 Boots offer).

Love & hugs
Caz
xxx

The Balm INSTAIN Blusher

I am completely new to The Balm products. They have always interested me though, especially from watching US bloggers rave on about them to their hearts content. So when I got a tiny sample of one of their blushes featured in this month (July) Birchbox I was more than a little giddy. OK so the sample was very small, but on closer inspection you actually get more blusher than first thought and more than a months supply for sure! The colour I received was 'Swiss Dot' - a lovely matte coral/peach shade.

The Balm 'Swiss Dot'

Apart from the colour being lovely, I was mostly impressed with the longevity once applied. A tiny amount of product on my blush brush was used and the blusher stayed put all day! Pretty impressive when the UK is experiencing a freaky heat wave at the moment. Lets say I was more than ready for the product to disappear into nothing after just a few hours. Once over the shock of having peachy cheeks for a whole day without re-application I decided to bite the bullet and order a full size version. Luckily I had enough Birchbox 'points' to warrant £20.00 off of a full size product from their online shop, making my blusher just £1.50 to pay in total. Result! 

I took a risk and opted for a different colour in my full size purchase. I decided to go with 'Toile' - described as a 'strawberry' shade. I must say I was very happy with the colour when it arrived. Again, it was another matte shade that on first looks appeared to be another coral but on closer inspection and after a few swatches you could definitely tell this shade had redder undertones than 'Swiss Dot'. 

The Balm 'Toile'

As an aid for comparison I took a photo and swatch of this blusher next to Nars 'Orgasm' blusher - as this is a cult peach/coral shade that most could probably relate to.

Bottom: The Balm 'Toile', Top: Nars 'Orgasm'

As you can see Nars 'Orgasm' has more gold reflective particles and creates much more of shimmery effect, where as The Balm 'Toile' has no shimmer or glitter and is an all over rich shade. 

Bottom: The Balm 'Swiss Dot', Middle: Nars 'Orgasm', Top: The Balm 'Toile'

From the above swatches you can make out the Balm blushes are much more opaque and give fantastic colour pay off. Some perhaps wouldn't warrant owning all three shades because they are close in colour, however, a make up artist once told me if you are ever in doubt about what shade of blusher to use, pick a coral. It suits the majority of people, so it is very difficult to get it wrong!

These blushes would be great for a night out, as they really would last all night without the hassle of regular touch ups. These babies have staying power!!! I must admit these have had such a great impact on me that I now have my eye on The Balm's 'Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer' - described as a highlighter for cheeks and eyes. Once again, this is becoming quite the cult product throughout beauty blogs and beauty YouTube videos, so I am sure I wont have to wait too long till I cave in and splurge!

If you are a sucker for pretty packaging and love a 'girly' product, then you will love The Balm blushes (and most likely their whole product range.) I bought my product from the Birchbox shop online, however you can also find them online at Feel Unique.

Enjoy!

Love and hugs

Caz 

xxx

Sleek Pout Paints

I am slightly addicted to the new Sleek Pout Paints that have recently hit the shelves. You can find them in larger Superdrug stores priced at £4.99 each. They are small tubes of highly pigmented lip colour that are very opaque but give just as much shine as a gloss. I am simply in love with these! They come in a range of different colours and seem to be very popular as I have encountered many stores being out of stock! Luckily I was able to pick up three of the shades - 157 Pin Up - a gorgeous bright red, 873 Lol-Lip-Pop (part of the summer limited edition 'Candy' collection), and 155 Lava - a bright orange hue.

Here are a few swatches on my hand taken without flash...
bottom = Pin Up, middle = Lol-Lip-Pop, top = Lava

And a few pout shots for you to see their true divine-ness!

Pin Up

Lol-Lip-Pop

 Lava

I am hunting the shelves now for a few more of the colours that Sleek have on offer. 'Peachy Keen' and 'Minx' look like lovely natural/nude shades that would look great with a dark brown smoky eye - right up my street!.

If you are in doubt, the Sleek website (here) gives great swatches of the pout paint range on fair, medium and dark skin types which you can select from the individual tabs. The pout paints are also supposed to be mixed together to create your very own bespoke lip colour - what a great idea!

For the price, I cannot recommend these lip products enough. These are definitely up there with the higher end lip colours such as those from Illamasqua except for about a third of the cost!

Have you seen or tried these pout paints? What colours have you enjoyed trying and recommend?  Or will you be off to check them out? I would love to hear from you.

Love and hugs
Caz
xxx

L'Oreal skincare range

Hey guys

I realise these products have been out for a little while now, but I have yet to read that much about them and so I thought I would give my views.

The products in question are the L'Oreal skincare, more specifically, the 'Absolute Make-Up Remover - Eye & Lip', the 'Skin Perfection - 3 in 1- Micellar Solution' and finally the 'Skin Perfection - 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil'.

Overall I love this range. I have gone through two of the cleansing oils already and have re-purchased my third bottle. Three pumps of this oil and applied onto dry skin (over your full face of make-up) is a dream to remove all of the days impurities and of course your make up! My firm favourite oil used to be the Lancome Huile Douceur Deep Cleansing Oil-Face & Eyes, but at £20 a pop, I could not keep up with the costly re-purchasing. The L'Oreal version gives just as good results at a fraction of the price of around £6.99 (usually Boots and Superdrug do amazing frequent offers on this range too so keep your eyes peeled, I picked up my oil from Boots today at around £3.50 with the offer that was on! bargain!!!)

The eye make up remover is a two-tone liquid that is non-greasy and a little goes a very long way. A few swipes and my mascara is gone (and I use several coats of mascara on a daily basis so this really stands the test). Again I picked mine up from Boots for around £3.50 and I am thrilled that I do not have to worry about running out!

Finally the 3 in 1 solution is probably the most talked about with its similar properties to the Bioderma micellar water. I have tried and loved the Bioderma version, but again it can be around the £10 mark, and for a product that I use twice daily, I get through quite a bit, so a cheaper alternative is always welcomed. I feel the L'Oreal version really does help remove any make up after you have properly cleansed your face, so I tend to use mine as the 'toner' step. It helps remove any last traces of make up and I feel that my skin is clean and soothed after every application. I am almost out of my current bottle, but I will not hesitate to repurchase again - especially as my bottle of Bioderma just became an empty!

Have you tried this range and loved it too? I am not sure if this range is readily available in the US or Canada, but I am sure it will not be long until it is on your shelves!

Until next time...

Love and hugs

Caz

xxx

Ardell Demi Wispies

Hello everyone!

I wanted to kick start my new blog with a trend that I have recently got back into. That trend being false eyelashes. I remember the big hype that hit every fashion magazine a good few years ago when they became all the rage, and I eagerly picked up about ten packs thinking that my beauty life had changed forever. Sad to say, I found that all lashes I tried way too difficult to apply, and even when I got them sitting on my eye line they would never stay there for very long. **Big Sigh** However, some years later I am giving false lashes another whirl (I will not be defeated!) especially by a craze that really has grown to become even more popular as the years have gone by.

My lashes of choice were the Ardell Demi Wispies which I picked up in Superdrug for £5.49 - click here to view.  The reason I opted for these ones was the fact they had graduating lashes, starting shorter in the inner corner and then working to a fully beautiful lash on the outer corner giving the eye quite a dramatic, but natural look. A good tip I picked up before applying false lashes was to remove the lashes from the box and wrap them around my index finger for a few seconds to give the lash band a bit of a curl. This helped the lashes to sit on my natural lashes much easier. I used the Duo eyelash glue (and not the glue that comes with the actual Ardell lashes) simply because I like the fact the glue dries clear after application. I was lucky and didnt have to cut the lashes to size as they seemed to fit my eyes perfectly, but I would recommend checking this before you apply the glue.

Here is a close up image of one eye, to show you the effect the lashes gave after application.

I chose to wear these lashes during a lazy Sunday, but I think you could wear them with a nice smoky eye for evening and they would look lovely. The overall comfort level of the lashes was pretty good too. It is always handy to keep a tube of lash glue in your make up bag, just in case the edges start to creep up from your natural lash line, but lucky I didn't have any problems with that. I can honestly say that this time around my experience with false lashes has been much happier and successful. I have got my eye on a few other types of lashes that happen to be a bit bolder in style that I want to try, but I may hold off until I have a night out on the tiles to put them to good use. Hopefully I will be going to a 1920's themed party in September so I have a few months to experiment some 1920's make up looks! Perfect! 

Here are a few additional shots of the lashes after application:

What lashes have you tried and would recommend? I would be interested to get your thoughts and suggestions! 

Love and hugs

Caz 

xxx