Pop lip Colour and Primer £16.00

I'm always one for a good nude lip, something you can incorporate into any look and apply with ease on the go. Clinique's Nude Pop is the prettiest and easiest to wear nude shade, an almost sheer pink toned nude with a slight pearlescent finish.

As this shade is slightly more sheer than the other two (Beige Pop and Melon Pop) that I own I do find I need to top up a little more often but this isn't a problem as the shade wears well and doesn't leave that obvious line of colour around lips.

Excuse the facial fuzz but how pretty is this colour?! Paired with the Clinique Nude Pop Cheek Pop this shade has been my favourite daytime lip since I picked it up.

Do you own any of Clinique's Lip Pop lipsticks, which are your favourites? 

Trial-Sized Tuesday | R+Co Moon Shine Shampoo and Conditioner

Last week I purchased some drawer organisers in a variety of sizes to help me tackle the dumping ground that is my dressing table drawers and I now finally have an organised sample drawer! These samples from R+Co instantly caught my attention, just look at the design, it's magical!

Moon Shine shampoo and conditioner is aimed at dull hair, giving it more sheen, contrast and dimension. The products contain Hibiscus extract which protects hair whilst conditioning and softening, Morninga-seed to protect against free radicals, Rhubarb to moisturise, Damson Plum to protect from discolouration plus rice extract which smoothes hair and retains moisture. Both the shampoo and conditioner smell amazing and I could still smell it in my hair a couple of days later, which is something you don't often get from hair products.

I love the squeaky clean feeling these products gave my hair and as promised it was left smooth and shiny, I don't quite know if I could stump up £22 for the shampoo and a further £22 for the conditioner, maybe a payday treat next month...

July Empties

Um where the hell did July go? Seeing July through is always an exciting one for me as birthday is at the beginning of August which mostly means new makeup! Last months empties were mostly the everyday essentials, how often do us beauty junkies actually finish a makeup product?!

Lets begin with a new favourite, Kèrastase Cristalliste Lait Luminous Perfecting Conditioner. This was actually a decent sized sample from My Little Box, I hadn't really heard of this conditioner before so it sat in my bathroom for a while but once I had tried it and saw what it did to my hair I was hooked! This conditioner is designed to be used on the mid lengths and ends of long hair, it helps detangle and leave your hair feeling light yet nourished. I have gone on to purchase the full size product as my hair can't be without it now!

Nivea In Shower Moisturiser is a product that I really love the concept of more than the product itself. I initially bought this moisturiser in the winter to save me having to stand cold and wet in the bathroom applying moisturiser after my shower, it didn't provide enough moisture for my dry skin at that point so I thought I'd put it aside for the warmer weather, alas even though I wear lighter moisturising lotions at this time of the year it still does not provide any decent level of moisture to my skin. This is one I shan't be repurchasing.

Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo has been my go-to shampoo for the last few years, it leaves my hair glossy and smelling great. I use a couple of different conditioners throughout the week but my hair washing routine will always start with this product and I always have a couple of spare bottle in my bathroom cabinet.

Unfortunately Maybelline Baby Lips  are another product that I love the idea of more than the product. Sure they're affordable and they come in a wide variety of shades and designs but they just don't moisturise my lips! Lip balm is one of those products I rarely like to skimp on as you can really notice the difference to the moisture levels in your lips and you then have to spend a week getting rid of flakiness and rehydrate them. This is another product I won't be repurchasing. 

From a bad lip balm to a great one with Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm. This is only a tiny 3ml sample but you need so little of the product it lasted and lasted, I applied before bed and my lips were always soft and smooth by morning meaning I need not worry about prepping for any type of lipstick, even matte shades. This is one i will be purchasing in the near future.

Soap and Glory Scrub Of Your Life was from a Christmas gift set, I have a regular favourite body exfoliator but I thought I'd give this a shot. I haven't used a Soap and Glory exfoliator in a couple of years, I used to love Breakfast scrub, not only did it smell divine but it did an amazing job of leaving your skin glowing, unfortunately Scrub of Your Life doesn't compare, it's more like a shower gel with a few exfoliating beads in it. 

I'm on about my third of fourth jar of Benefit's It's Potent eye cream, I love everything from the cute packaging down to the sparkle it gives back to my eye area. This will be a regular repurchase.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is a product I've heard so many people rave about, I've been using it for a couple of months and have to admit can't really see any visible improvement to my skin. I dispensed the contents of the jar in to a pump bottle (germ phobe!) and I still have a couple of weeks worth yet, I'm on the fence about repurchasing.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Overnight Purifying Gel Reveiw

Nip + Fab Overnight Glycolic Purifying Gel £14.95

I was really excited to see this new product from Nip + Fab launch, aimed at dull and oily skin helping to clear breakouts as well as reduce fine lines, revealing a more radiant and clear complexion. The perfect all-in-one product right?

The gel contains Salicylic Acid to help unclog pores and combat blackheads and reduce the size of existing spots. I have noticed in the last week I have been using the gel the pores on my cheeks seem less prominent and the dreaded blackheads on my nose don't seem as big. Another ingredient, one I've never heard of is Niacinamide, an anti-inflamatory which helps reduce production of sebum which causes pores to enlarge, ultimately reducing acne from forming on the skin. Of course we have the star ingredient, Glycol Acid which is the secret to reducing fine lines and wrinkles and help leave skin looking more firm and radiant. 

I really love the effect this product has on my skin, in the morning my skin feels firmer and pores appear tighter. The only down side to this product is application, i've not quite mastered this yet. The instructions for application merely state to smooth over skin after cleansing, I've tried applying before my moisturiser and after but the product seems to ball up and I end up with lots of dried bits of gel to rub off my face! 

Once I've mastered application this will be my favourite overnight treatment, for a mere £15 the results are fantastic. 

Benefit They're Real Beyond Brown Reveiw

They're Real £19.50

I've only ever worn black mascara, apart from a brief obsession with blue lashes as a teenager but we'll leave that where it is. Just lately I've been loving a natural look more than ever and I decided to put away my usual black mascara and eyeliner and go for a softer approach with Benefit's new Beyond Brown They're Real.

I've had a few sample sized They're Real over the years but never considered buying a full size, no real reason just favouring others more at the time of trying the sample sized. The release of new shades made the mascara more appealing than ever and I have to say its pretty good!

Beyond Brown definitely gives a softer finish to my lashes, the longevity is good and I don't find I get much transfer when wearing. I would like the formula to be a little glossier as the finish is more of a matte brown. As with the sample sized the bristles on the brush are quite a hard plastic and if you accidentally scrape it across the inside of your eyelid you certainly will know about it! Benefit say for the best result to hold wand horizontally and wiggle side to side for lift and then turn the wand vertically and stroke upward to curl and separate. Even using this technique I struggled to get a good amount of product on my lashes, not bad if you want to avoid clumps but not so greta on the volume side of things.

All in all I'd give this mascara 6/10, it certainly doesn't give me the volume and lift of others I have owned but it will see me through my brown mascara obsession this summer.

Dupe Alert! Purse Friendly MAC Patisserie Alternative

After finishing lunch at work last week I was rifling around in my bag for something to slick on my lips before going back to my desk, on my first reach in to my bag I pulled out two lipsticks and upon opening them to compare shades and much to my surprise I discovered that they are practically identical!

MAC Patisserie  is an old favourite for that my-lips-only-better look, the Lustre lipsticks are among my favourite lipsticks as they provide a fuss-free juicy wash of colour. Patisserie is just the most perfect rosy-brown shade which works with any look, be it natural or bolder. Anyway on to the fabulous dupe I have discovered...

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a couple of bits from the new Rimmel by Kate Nude Collection on a bit of a whim, I've not used a Rimmel lipstick in years but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! I favour the more natural looking makeup products for my daytime looks so a good nude is always welcome in my stash, I was drawn to shade 45 instantly as it reminded me of my favourite ever lipstick by MAC - Faux. On lips shade 45 is just like the lustre finish lipsticks in that it has a glossy sheen and a subtle amount of colour.

Comparing the two Patisserie leans ever so slightly more on the brown side and shade 45 more on the mauve side however they are very similar when wearing. At £5.49, a third of the cost of MAC's Patisserie you could throw this one on everyday and not need to worry about it running out!

Garnier Ultralift 14 Day Challenge - Day 7

So, I'm halfway through my 14 day trial of Garnier Ultralift Complete Beauty Day Cream and I thought I'd check in and let you know how its going. First off a nod at Garnier for actually making sample sized sachets that cover your whole face and décolleté, a lot of companies give you the tiniest amount of product to try and you can never really judge fairly how well it will work based on that. 

Although I've been sampling a day cream I've actually had to use it at night as the cream is quite rich and my oily skin just can't take something that heavy in the day so I've been applying last thing at night, they say lotions and potions work best when we're sleeping right? The cream has a quite thick and almost oily texture to it, it does sink in well although I do wake a bit shiny but this isn't an issue as I cleanse first thing in the morning. The cream has that generic cream smell to it that most high-street creams have, you know that part baby wipe and part botanical smell? The pack comes with a 'wrinkle-reader' which is not much use to me as I don't have wrinkles anywhere as deep as the example pictures, we're just talking a few fine lines around my mouth and forehead. At present I can't see those lines have faded at all, but hey we're only on week one right?

I'm looking forward to seeing if there are any noticeable changes to my skin once the trial is up, I'll check in next Tuesday to let you know!

If you want to put Garnier Ultralift to the test click here for your 14 day trial pack.

Keeping Skin Clear | Yes To Tomatoes Cleanser

Yes To Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser £6.99

You know when you discover a product so good that you want to tell everyone about it yet keep it a secret at the same time? This is that product! Yes To is a brand that I've found a little hit and miss in the past, this cleanser is a straight up hit in my routine. 

Yes To Tomatoes Clarifying Cleanser is 98% natural which already gains points from me, it's SLS and Paraben free and also cruelty free. This cleanser helps to maintain your skins PH level, remove excess oils and impurities and keep skin clear. The cleanser is kinda runny meaning you have to be quick getting it to your face after squeezing on to your fingers, I prefer applying a small amount to my konjac sponge and massage into my skin. The cleanser has that clean smell to it, if you know what I'm talking about? 

My skin definitely looks brighter since using this cleanser, it's refreshing to find a product aimed at problem skin that isn't full of alcohol and other skin damaging products. If like me you suffer from oily, blemish-prone skin I really recommend this one.

B. Skincare Favourites

If you've not heard of or tried Superdrug's B. range then you are seriously missing out, all of the products I've tried to date have rivalled some of the highend skincare products I own. Here's a few of the products I repurchase every time they run out. 

B. Revealed Glycol Cleanser £7.99

We all know the general rule of using cream products on dry skin but despite me having oily skin this cleanser works so well! The cleanser comes with a muslin cloth, the idea is to either use daily or apply a few times a week for up to 3 minutes and buff off, I found the best results doing the latter. The cleanser contains Glycol Acid, Shea Butter and Cocoa, I've noticed a huge difference in my complexion over the last few months of having this product in my routine. 

B. Pure Micellar Water £4.99

This is THE best micellar water I've ever used, I've lost count of the amount of bottles I've been through. I use this micellar water to remove last traces of makeup before cleansing, it does an amazing job of removing even long wearing makeup in one swipe.

B. Quick 4in1 Cleansing Wipes £3.50

I use these wipes to remove the majority of my makeup, before fining with a swipe of micellar water. The wipes are soft and not at all scratchy as some I've tried can be and they stay moist right until the end of the packet, I've lost count of the amount of packets of wipes I've bought that have dried out before I've had a chance to finish them! I use the wipes specifically for makeup removal but they do cleanse, tone and hydrate in one swipe.

B. Vitalised Eye Cream £10.99

This product is quite new to my skincare routine and is aimed more at at ladies in their 30's but I'm enjoying it so far. B. Vitalised is a gel eye product that helps refresh tired looking eyes and smooth fine lines. The product dries quickly but leaves my under eye skin more hydrated and fresher looking. I'm looking forward to seeing the long term benefits of using it.

The B. range has a line for any skin concern, be it anti-agin or acne and they often have deals of up to half price, have a look next time you're in your local Superdrug, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Two For Tanning Your Face

I thought I'd follow on from last weeks post on my favourite tanning products for body with my current favourites for your face. Both products are completely fool proof and provide a natural, build- able tan.

First we have an old favourite, Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster. This is a concentrated serum type tanner which you can customise to the depth of tan you want. One drop every day to give a light tan or keep your tan topped up and two or three drops for a deeper bronze. I mix a couple of drops with my night cream and wake up with a nice natural glow about me. I don't tend to use fake tan on my face as they generally break me out, I've never had any skin troubles with using this gentler alternative.

James Read Sleep Mask Tan is a product I've had in my stash for a while yet for some reason never tried, how stupid was I?! Sleep Mask Tan as the name would indicate is a product best applied before bed, it has all of the ingredients of nourishing skincare with the added benefit of tanner, ensuring you wake looking rested and with a natural glow.

If you're looking for facial tanning products which are both easy to use and give natural results, I couldn't recommend these two products enough.