MAC Lipstick Collection

MAC lipsticks, need I say more? My weakness, my obsession, my one true lipstick love (beginning to think I have an unhealthy obsession if I'm honest and my wallet is suffering) I think it’s safe to say that most of us beauty bloggers and makeup obsessed people will have heard of, tried or owned one or two MAC lipsticks in our lifetimes. Some of you may own one or two but some of you might be like me and be completely obsessed with these beautiful black bullets of goodness and not be able to walk out of a MAC shop without a new one in hand. I hold my hands up, I'm one of those people, I am completely addicted and I'm being told more and more. The girls in college really think I have enough at this stage but I can’t stop. I just love them.  Yes they are quite expensive but I really feel they are an investment and are so worth it.

I still remember getting my first MAC lipstick a few years ago for Christmas from Santa (Candy Yum Yum) and I instantly fell in love. From the packaging, formula, name and the way it looked, I was hooked.  It was my first year properly getting into makeup and experimenting with it my parents felt if I was going to be wearing  makeup it may as well be a brand that they knew a little bit about and boy am I glad.  From that moment on you could say I've built quite the collection of MAC lipsticks, a grand total of eighteen in fact. I do have more but I decided to put a lot of them into my makeup kit which I sometimes regret.

I decided it was about time I shared my collection with you guys as I love reading peoples MAC lipstick collection posts myself or any MAC related post for that matter, I’m a real MAC girl, I would love to work for them one day. I find  reading other bloggers collection post helps me get an idea of which shade I'd like to buy next and I generally just like being nosy and seeing what shades people have in their collections. A lot of the colours in my collection have been bought thanks to the great reviews they receive from some of my favourite bloggers (So technically you guys could almost blame yourselves for my obsession.....)

 I've split my collection up into three categories below to try and make it a little easier, I really hope you enjoy it and maybe get some ideas for shades you'd like to pick up.

Nude/Peach

Left to Right: Plink, Coral Bliss, Myth, Hue, Shy Girl.

Pink/ Purple

Left to Right: Please Me, Media, Viva Glam Niki 2, Asian Flower, Mehr, Up the Amp, Candy Yum Yum, Pink Nouveau, Violetta, Snob, How Darling.

Red/Orange

Left to Right: Ruby Woo, Morange

Hopefully this will have given you some inspiration on a colour you'd like to buy next. Any one any recommendations on the next colour I should buy? 

MAC Haul

I recently picked up some new products from MAC. When I went home for the weekend my very generous boyfriend decided to take me shopping so I got some treats for myself. Some are repurchases and some are new products that I have been lusting over for a while now.

This is a repurchase. This is the fluid foundation from MAC that works best with my skin. So far I have tried, MatchMaster, ProLongwear & Studio Fix Fluid (SFF), and SFF is the best for me.

Stupidly I didn't pick up a pump this time. My only gripe with this foundation is the application, I feel for the price of the foundation it should really come with a pump.

I also repurchased my studio fix powder plus foundation, if I'm being entirely honest I use this as a blotting powder on top of my foundation, some people won't like this as it results in very heavy coverage.

MAC Paint Pot in Vintage Selection. I have had my eye on this Paint Pot for some time, and when I swatched it I fell in love. It gives a nice subtle glow that is also build-able.

MAC Crème Sheen Glass in Fashion Whim, I recently saw one of the girls in college putting this on and instantly fell in love and knew I needed to add it to my collection. I didn't do a swatch of Fashion Whim as its such a light colour and just wouldn't come out properly on camera.

MAC Pro Long Wear Lip Colour in Unchanging, This is completely new to me, I have never used one of the pro long wear lip-glosses before and I was really intrigued so I decided to ask one of the MAC girls which colour was they’re favourite and they said Unchanging. I’m really excited to give this a go.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Please Me, MAC Crème Sheen Lipstick in Shy Girl, MAC lipsticks are my guilty pleasure and I can’t walk out of a MAC store without buying at least one.

MAC Eye Shadow Pan in Swish, I have always loved the MAC eye shadows and have been trying to fill my new palette on 2 spaces left.

Have you tried out MAC? What are your favourite products, any suggestions on what I should try next?

Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo

Why it took me ages to finally try to the Maybelline Colour Tattoo Eye shadows is beyond me. Well actually no that’s a little bit of a fib, what actually happened me was I tried them when they first came out and everyone was raving about them and I just really didn't get along very well with them, but once I saw that the reviews of the product just kept coming and I didn't read any bad reviews I felt I should give them another go and I did. How could they be so awesome, yet stayed in my “I don't use” makeup bag without me feeling the urge to try them out again despite ALL THE RAVING on the internet about them is beyond me, I really regret not getting them out again sooner.

Seriously, when these babies came into the market, everyone from beauty professionals to girls with the slightest interest in makeup were talking about how these cream eyeshadows work like magic and were the high street dupe to the MAC Paint Pots “which I must admit are one of my favourite MAC products” they stayed on for hours, were creamy, blended and extremely pigmented.Let me tell you. All the hype is true.

Staying true to my nature of being attracted to nude/brown colours, I chose 4 of the neutral colours out of the shades available, on and on Bronze, Pink Gold, Eternal Gold and Metallic Pomegranate. And I love them all equally.

I love that you can quickly see the shade without having to open each of the pots, by just turning it over and looking at the bottom. Like most products it also has the colour name on the lid although, it can be quite a challenge to find the name among all the tiny writing.

The glass container  makes the whole thing a little heavy so it isn't ideal to bring it traveling with me which is a little annoying but if I know I want to use some I just depot it into a little plastic lip balm container (You can find these in Boots or Superdrug).

What they say is true. It’s hard not to fall in love with these Maybelline Colour Tattoos for their texture and pigmentation. Getting to the level of intensity you desire is really easy too. Sometimes I'll go with just one layer for a simple touch of colour or if I'm feeling particularly lazy with my eye makeup; sometimes I’ll build up to four, five layers to get a really concentrated coat or Ill blend them with my powder eye shadows for a gorgeous smoky finish.

Once you get them on, and let them stay on for a few seconds, they won't budge ever. So you've got the ‘long-wearing’ part ticked on your list and it means that you don't need to worry about touching up your eye makeup throughout the day (or night) which is always a bonus.

I really do love the colour tattoos, in saying that they will never replace my MAC Paint Pots but they are definitely a brilliant alternative and a great addition to my make-up collection.

Have you tried the Maybelline Colour Tattoos, any colours you think I should try?

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age the Eraser Eye Concealer

People have been raving about the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age the Eraser Eye Concealer but does it live up to the hype? Being released in the UK not long ago, I felt the need to get my hands on it straight away as all my favourite bloggers had been talking about it; its arrival was highly anticipated.

Much like the foundation from the Maybelline Eraser line the Eraser Eye Perfect and Cover Concealer comes in a typical plastic tube with a difference at the top instead of a dispenser we have a foam applicator that allows you to apply the concealer without the need of a brush. The idea is that the foam applicator blends the product seamlessly much like a foam beauty blender does. I have to agree that the little sponge does blend the concealer into the skin without compromising the coverage.

I really like the packaging. It looks like a much smaller version of the foundation (I must admit I obsess over miniature versions of any products), and feels solid and nice quality. It took me ages to get the product going and into the sponge but I find that happens a lot when it comes to these types of twisting applicators, in saying this after I got it going the level of product it releases with each click seems good.

As for the applicator, it seems like everyone has a problem with it due to the hygiene aspect of it or lack thereof. The sponge applicator is very difficult to clean as it is attached to the product, that aside, it does actually work quite nicely for the under eye area.

Speaking of the shade  Light it is a of course a pale neutral based shade that should be suitable for most light skin tones particularly as it is intended for under eye use. Technically speaking light is a little dark for me for my under eye area, I find that lighter shades of concealer are great to cover and highlight in one quick step, especially for people like me who suffer from dark circles, and this shade is just that little bit too dark (in saying that it hasn't stopped me from using it).

In terms of coverage Maybelline the Eraser Eye Perfect and Cover Concealer is pretty decent, it glides on the under eye area.

In my opinion I would deem the coverage level of The Eraser Eye Perfect and Cover Concealer to be moderate, it will cover most dark circles but if you suffer from extremely dark circles I don't think this is for you. I actually do get oily around the eye area and did find it made my eyeliner smudge therefore it requires setting it with powder. Still made my eyeliner smudge a bit at the end of the day. In general, a powder is required to set it as the concealer leaves a slight greasy feeling which isn't an oily girl’s best friend. You can of course use The Eraser Eye Perfect and Cover Concealer to conceal general blemishes which I do find it does rather well as far as pocket friendly concealers go this is a great option.

Wear time was pretty average I usually re-apply my concealer a couple of times throughout the day regardless of the brand I’m using.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this, it’s much better than I originally expected to be when I first saw it, in saying this it unfortunately doesn't live up to my high expectations for it, I still haven’t found a replacement for my beloved Collection concealer.

Have you tried this concealer before and what were your thoughts, does the sponge applicator bother you?

Urban Decay Naked 3

I know when you read the heading of this review in your head you probably thought “please no not another naked 3 review” and I also know I am a little late with this one but I honestly am so in love with it that I really felt it was a must, and hey who knows maybe I will have something different to say to other reviews you've read.

Unless you've been living under a rock or in a cave you probably already know that the Naked line is not just Urban Decay's strongest offering, but it's a concept that has been copied duped by nearly every major makeup company out there so it's nice to see Urban Decay expanding it to fit a wider variety of preferences and skin tones (I honestly feel Naked 3 is especially for us pale girls).

Urban Decay Naked 3 eye shadow palette is the latest and greatest shadow palette in the Urban Decay Naked family. The Urban Decay Naked 3 eye shadow palette is packed with twelve full size Urban Decay eye shadows and includes a synthetic dual-ended eye shadow brush (blending and flat) which is quality and very much usable plus they even give you a week’s worth of samples of each of their popular Primer Potions.

To tell you the truth when I first heard that Urban Decay was making yet another variation of their Naked palette, I honestly couldn't think what nude shades they could possibly add that that they haven't already covered yet. With the first Naked palettes  warm, gold shades and Naked 2 (unfortunately I've lost my Naked 2, I've no idea where it has gone) taking the cool toned end of the neutral spectrum, Naked 3 is a collection of rosy/pink eye shadow shades.

Naked 3 is beautiful inside and out, it comes in the same metal pencil case that the Naked 2 came in but this time it’s a rose gold casing. I know many  people love the dual ended brush the palettes now comes  with but I must say that it kind of disappoints me as I really loved the dual  ended 24/7 Eyeliner that the original Naked 1 came with. I have so many brushes and really don't need any more blending brushes.

Strange is a very light, soft, cream-pink matte finish. The texture is one of the softest and most buttery in the palette, and I appreciate UD including a matte shade for highlighting, since I strongly prefer that look.

Dust is a super shimmery, light rose pink.  I wouldn't call this glittery, it’s very pretty, but needs special care to avoid fallout. The texture is super soft and silky.

Burnout is like Dust but more pigmented and  less shimmery. It's metallic without being super shimmery.

Limit is the next lightest matte shade in Naked 3. It appears as a soft, dusty rose in the pan, but swatches quite a bit darker- more of dusty mauve.  Limit is very soft and blends out easily. 

Buzz is a deeper, darker version of Burnout, and is also a metallic finish. It's very soft and very pigmented.

Trick is the "gold" metallic of the palette, it's much more of a rose gold.The texture is extremely similar to 

Buzz, except a little more pigmented.

Nooner is a mid-toned shade perfect for all over the lid or in the outer corner if you're going very subtle.

Liar is a metallic bronze shade with similar feel and pigmentation to Trick.

Factory is a brown/bronze metallic finish. It's slightly less metallic than Liar.

Mugshot is also a bronze metallic, but is much warmer toned. It's super soft and buttery.

Darkside is a taupe with plum undertones.

 

Blackheart is described as a "deepest matte black with red micro-glitter." I'd say that’s pretty spot on.

The shadows are pigmented with a soft, easy to blend formula and almost all of them applied and wore extremely well, the mattes are just as soft and buttery as the satins and shimmers and you have a great palette.

All in all the Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette is packed with soft, easy to blend shadows with plenty of pigment an absolute must have for fans of the Naked Collection.

Have you tried the Naked 3, which is your favourite colour?

Biorderma Vs L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution

I have been buying Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Solution since 2011 and in all these years, I had never been without a bottle of it in my collection until this year when I started college and moved to the UK. Before getting Bioderma wasn’t a problem for me because I used to just order a few bottles on the internet every time I was running low, but with starting college and moving into a new house I found myself needing to tighten my belt a bit and my online shopping was the first to go which meant my Bioderma (Sad I know but unfortunately true). The good news is recently my friend Tasha took a trip to Paris to visit a friend and the little diamond that she is she bought me two of the large bottles of Biorderma.

Micellar waters are used to remove makeup and other nitty gritties that lie on the skin’s surface, which prepares skin for a deeper and more effective cleanse. Everyone who wears makeup, lives in a city, or cares about their face could benefit from this step.

I still believe Biorderma is brilliant, but I needed to check out the (cheaper) alternatives on the market to find something to replace my beloved Bioderma and I purchased L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. I've been using it for about 4 months now and it feels so similar, basically the same as Bioderma, so I wanted to see if it also performs the same and I did a little test.

 I set on removing a full face makeup by using Bioderma on one side and L'Oreal on the other. Honestly I felt like I was back in secondary school doing a science experiment. Only difference I had no control experiment, could have used someone else’s face for that I suppose.

Both Bioderma and L'Oreal feel the same just like water. There is no residue left, just clean and refreshed skin. Neither of them breaks me out nor irritates my skin in any way, which I honestly find incredible because I have such sensitive skin and normally find it very difficult to find stuff that works for me and doesn't end with me having a sore red face. There was no difference between the two when removing the make up with the first cotton pad. Honestly biggest difference was with the second cotton pad.

Bioderma's second pad was basically clean with only a bit of eye makeup on it which is quite normal as I always wear waterproof mascara and I really don't like rubbing my eyes very much as I find the cotton pads irritate them. There were no traces of any foundation or blush any more. It removed everything.

L'Oreal's second pad had loads of foundation on it, which proved the first didn't even remotely clean as effectively as Bioderma. I needed three cotton pads to have the face completely clean. Again as with Bioderma it did not completely remove waterproof mascara; however, it removed less of it.

Bioderma is available in some pharmacies but is quite difficult to get a hold of here. As I say I have to buy it online which I don't find too expensive but adding on postage and packaging as well, it’s just not really feasible on a student budget. The packaging is a simple clear bottle with a flip top. A bottle can be opened for 12 months. It has no particular scent which is nice because I’m like most people and don't enjoy having anything with a strong scent on my skin.

L'Oreal is sold in every good pharmacy (I buy mine in Boots). The packaging is the stupid new renovated one with a square top that spills product everywhere (Really not great considering I have to travel so much and need to pack it in my suitcase). A bottle can be opened for 6 months. It has a faint chemical scent but nothing overpowering; it’s honestly barely even noticeable.

As I said, the texture is remarkably similar, essentially a dupe. However, I don't find L'Oreal's nearly as effective as Bioderma. You will use a lot more product and cotton pads to remove everything, but yes, it is cheaper. Having said that, I do think L'Oreal's micellar water is a really nice product and definitely worth the price. It's a great makeup remover if you can't get a hold of Bioderma or if like me you find it that little bit too expensive.

Bioderma is a clear winner for me. I've purchased numerous bottles over the years and I will continue buying it whenever I can but honestly L’Oreal is a wonderful dupe and I will continue using and enjoying it.

Have you tried Biorderma, do you know where to get your hands on it?

The Body Shop Lip Butters

So as a lip product lover and a confessed lip balm hoarder when I see a 50% sale I can’t help but be pulled in, especially when that sale sign is in the window of The Body Shop.

I like a lot of other people absolutely love The Body Shop and almost everything they do so when I know they are having a sale I take full advantage of it, especially when it comes to they're lip butters.

These lip butters are not a new purchase for me, they are a re-purchase I have been using them since I was about 13 and first discovering the beautiful world that is makeup and I am still as madly in love with them as I was from the first time I used them.

As I said there was a 50% sale in The Body Shop which meant that all of their lip products were 3 for 2 so I was lucky enough to get 3 lip butters for £8 (who could honestly say no, it’s an absolute bargain). I bought two of my old faithful’s Mango and Shea butter and one newbie to my collection Pink Grapefruit.

Some info about their Shea butter:

Our Community Fair Trade Shea butter comes from Ghana. Local women hand-harvest Shea nuts, dry them in the sun and crack them to extract the kernels. These are roasted and ground into a paste to make the butter. Our trade with the Tungteiya Women’s Shea Butter Association has helped to fund three medical centres and 10 nursery schools.

And their beeswax:

The organic beeswax in our Shea Lip Butter is supplied by our Community Trade partner, Northwestern Bee Products. Produced in the remote tropical rainforests of north-western Zambia, the traditional beekeeping methods ensure the preservation of the forest and the beekeepers’ way of life. The 6,000 beekeepers receive a fair price for their beeswax and honey, which can be used for necessities such as salt, soap, clothing, medicine and education. It is also providing more women with the opportunity to become beekeepers.

As I have already mentioned The Body Shop has long been a favourite of mine, and this product is no different. Their Lip Butter is a lovely product, with a lovely, creamy consistency. Most moisturising lip products I've tried (including my much loved Balmi) tend to feel slightly greasy on the lips; however, with just the right amount of lip butter applied, this is the exact opposite. As with all Body Shop products, it smells incredible too, with a fruity scent that lingers long after application (some people can find the smell a little sickly after a while, but I honestly never have this problem)

The best part of this product is that, along with other moisturising products, this really does seem to have improved my lips for the better. Not only is there instant relief from chapped, sore skin, but in the long run, it does actually seem to smooth any sore areas.

 The packaging is great, they come in cute little pots that are different colours, depending on the flavour with the corresponding picture on the top. The little tubs contain 10 ml (0.29 fl oz) of product. I find that it takes a long time to run out and I use it very regularly so I honestly feel it is well worth its price tag.

 I would recommend these to anyone, they are so moisturising, so if you have dry or cracked lips, go and pick one up.

What’s your favourite flavour lip butter?

The Liebster Award

Hey Guys, it’s awesome now being able to say that and know that I'm no longer speaking to myself. Yay for followers, I’m honestly doing a victory dance as I type. Hope everyone’s weekends are going well and if you're like me and your holidays are over and you're back to college I hope it wasn't too painful for anyone.

Anyways moving on, so I got home this evening to an email from the lovely Caithlin, the email was her letting me know that she had nominated me for the Liebster Award, honestly I couldn't control the excitement, I let out a very girlish scream before having a little run around my house. I'm honestly absolutely ecstatic, I haven't been blogging for very long at all and this is the first blogger award I have ever been nominated for and I really wasn’t expecting it which makes me all the more grateful. The Liebster award is designed to promote new and small blogs and to give bloggers a chance to get to know each other which I absolutely love because I absolutely love getting to know other bloggers and especially other newbies that are in my position.

So here are the rules for the Liebster Award:

1. You must link back to the person who nominated you.  

 2. You must answer the 11 questions given by the nominee before you. 

 3. You pick 11 nominees with under 200 followers to answer your questions. 

 4. You cannot nominate the person who nominated you.

 5. You must tell the nominees that they have been nominated by you.

The little diamond who is kind enough to have nominated me is Caithlin over at http://bloggingthroughthemirror.blogspot.co.uk  I’ve been reading and loving her blog posts for a while now and never expected us to get in contact but we have and it’s lovely, she’s a little gem and her blog really shows it, it really is brilliant, be sure to head over  to her blog and have a little look and if you’re feeling  generous give her a  follow to get her followers up as I know there is nothing nicer than knowing you’ve some new followers.

Here are the questions from Caithlin’s blog for me to answer:

1.       Heels or flats for everyday wear?

I know I should really be answering heels but honestly I am flats girl, I'm on my feet all day in college as I'm studying to be a professional makeup artist and hairdresser and I think if I were to wear heels all day my feet would hate me, in saying this I do love wearing my Chelsea boots and they have a mid-heel and that isn't too bad.

2.       What’s your favourite thing about blogging?

This was a toughie for me, but honestly I think it’s being able to talk about products that I’m loving and knowing people who care about the same things I do are reading it, I normally talk to my boyfriend about beauty products as he tends to be the only one that listens to me anymore (bless his cotton socks he really tries) but I think most of it goes in one ear and out the other.

3.       Nail colour you wear most often?

My all-time favourite nail colour to wear is mint green but as this is my favourite colour in general so this doesn't really come as a surprise.

4.       One beauty product you can't live without?

Beauty product I can't live without has to be my sudocream skin care cream this really is a staple in my kit and I never leave the house without it in my handbag.

5.       Drugstore or high end beauty kind of girl?

I would love to be able to say high end but it’s definitely drug store, I’m a student and I definitely can't afford to have all high end beauty products, that being said if there’s something I really want I tend to scrape and save until I get it.

6.       What’s your favourite make up shop?

This is going to sound like such a contradiction after the answer to my last question but my favourite makeup shop would have to be MAC I’m completely MAC obsessed.

7.       If you could visit anywhere in the world where would you visit?

I’m lucky enough to have amazing parents who really spoil me and bring my family on holidays so I have been able to visit many GORGEOUS places around the world but my favourite would have to be Dubai and I would absolutely LOVE to go back.

8.       What is your dream job?

As I have previously mentioned I'm studying hair and makeup in college and my  dream job would be anything to do with makeup but if I could choose I would love to go into fashion or editorial makeup as is so fast paced and constantly changing.

9.       Joggers and jumpers or dresses and heels?

DEFINITELY joggers and jumpers, that one was easy.

10.   Who is your beauty and fashion icon?

It would have to be Alex Box her work is absolutely incredible, I absolutely idolise the woman and everything she does.

11.   What is your best memory of 2013?

I know everyone is expecting me to say starting my blog but honestly that is second, I do absolutely love my blog and blogging really has become a huge part of my life but honestly my best memory of 2013 was meeting my wonderful boyfriend because honestly without him none of this would have been possible he really has given me the confidence to do this and I love him dearly.

Here are my Nominees:

1.       http://penniesforapound.blogspot.co.uk

2.       http://wishesandtea.blogspot.co.uk

3.       http://meetmeontrend.com

4.       http://ahintofbeauty.blogspot.co.uk

5.       http://beautiegirl.blogspot.co.uk

6.       http://youwishyou.blogspot.co.uk

7.       http://gemstrends.blogspot.co.uk

8.       http://ellieloves.wordpress.com

9.       http://letmegoxo.blogspot.co.uk

10.   http://www.mascaraandcakes.co.uk

11.   http://ashhmakeup.blogspot.co.uk

The 11 questions that I want my nominees to answer are:

1. Who is your beauty or fashion icon?

2. How long does it normally take you to get ready for a night out?

3. What's your favourite item of clothing to wear, and why?

4. What’s your dream job?

5. What's your favourite thing about blogging?

6. If you could meet anyone in the world (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

7. What is your favourite beauty brand?

8. What is your favourite perfume?

9. Favourite colour nail polish to wear?

10. What are your guilty pleasures?

11. What was your favourite memory of 2013?

Hope you all have fun answering these questions and choosing your own nominees.

Kisses,

Becky

Soap and Glory Powders

Firstly before I start I would like to apologise for my photos, both of my soap and glory powders are very well loved and the packaging will show that but Christmas has left me a little broke so I wasn’t willing to go out and buy new ones to take photos, so I have broken a blogging rule of using the product and then taking photos and for that I’m sorry and I hope you can forgive me. That being said it’s time for the review. Drum roll please…….

Since moving to the UK I've developed something bordering on an obsession with Soap & Glory brand. We do have it at home in Ireland but there really isn't as much of a hype around the products at all which I really don’t understand because It really are fantastic. The more of the brands products I try, the deeper I fall in love and the powders are my most recent discovery (thanks to a push in the right direction from my dear friend Tash)

I was going to review each of them separately but knowing me one will probably end up not getting published so I've piled them into one post, bit of a squeeze but we'll manage.

Firstly I would just like to touch on the packaging, I've heard a lot of people complain about the packaging with the product, I have no idea why as I really think it is just perfect. Yes, it's not in a plastic container, but who cares? I love having something a little different. It features a vintage pin up girl (Pin Up is another love of mine) on the cover and opens to reveal a full size mirror which always comes in handy and really impresses me when a brand adds this touch, the packaging simply dazzled me and if I'm honest I probably would buy the product just for the packaging anyway. I love it and it's not something you see very often and it really stands out from a lot of powders in my already overflowing makeup drawer and I love my makeup storage looking pretty and these little beauties really add to it. All that said we'll move on to what really matters.

Thanks to my Irish skin and being ridiculously pale I find it pretty difficult to find any makeup to match my skintone but especially a bronzer that doesn't look too orange or dark and muddy on my skin. Solar Powder by Soap & Glory is a bronzing duo which comes with a light brown shade with a hint of shimmer and a darker brown bronze which is matte. I use the matte colour as a contour and the shimmer as an all over bronzer and I love how this looked on my skin; it's very flattering and it didn't look too overdone. I love that you can build up the colour as much as you want as this means it’s great for everyday use but also on nights out when you want that extra bit of colour I also love that there's two colours in the pan as this means you can use one on its own or choose to mix both colours.

The formula of this little beauty is spot on as well. The powder is not chalky at all and it feels very soft and creamy to touch. It applies very smoothly and blends really easily into the skin. I also find that it has a lovely staying power and it wears on me for good 6 hours(8-10 if you choose to have a cheeky top up during the day), which I think is amazing considering that I have oily to combination skin and bronzers and blushes are usually the first things to disappear on me.

Glow All Out is a pink/champagne highlighter with a really good level of pigmentation. It doesn't leave you looking like a shimmering disco ball but picks up the light and gives a beautiful glow to the skin. I apply this little beauty along the cheekbones, under and above the brow bone and lightly dust it down my nose. It is subtle enough but then it's still really shimmery and actually highlights your features. Its staying power just like the Solar Powder lasted a good 6 hours on my skin and would last even longer with a few little touch ups here and there. For a highlighter to still look good on my skin after 6 hours is a pretty big achievement.

The versatility this has in comparison to my liquid highlighters such as high beam and moon beam is beyond belief, it's much easier to blend and less pigmented so you can't go overboard which I find people tend to do a lot with highlighters and end up looking like one of the Cullens with their “Sparkling” skin.

Both of these powders have been a go-to product in my makeup bag since I bought them and I can see it sticking around for a very long time. 

I haven't swatched either of the powders on my skin in the photos as they really are so subtle, and I found them almost impossible to photograph and do them justice. I would highly recommend taking a peek at this in boots to understand what I'm talking about and see how beautiful they really are.

Have you tried any of the Soap and Glory powders, what do you think? I’d love to know if they suit darker skin tones.

Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butters

I have been very excited about writing this post. I had to share with you all a gem of a lip product I have recently started using again, this is a product that got lost in my makeup collection and I had forgotten about (I’m never letting this happen again)  which your lips are sure to love especially during the winter months.

As you all know I am a lipstick & lip product obsessive (you may have noticed this from previous posts) I have lost count of the number of lipsticks I own. These lip butters are a very popular product within the blogging community, and I almost feel like everyone has already reviewed them, but I love them so much that I needed to review them myself (One more review of them can’t hurt, can it?). I can barely control my excitement about these beauties. I love them that much.

For those of you how don’t know, the Revlon Lip Butters are pretty much 50% lip balm and 50% lip stick.

I absolutely love this product, it’s become one of my winter must haves, the texture of the lip butter is smooth, it has a similar feeling to a lipstick mixed with a lip gloss and it leaves your lips feeling lovely, soft and moisturised. It also has a nice sheen finish which I absolutely love.

Firstly, I absolutely love the packaging. There have been mixed feelings and reviews about the colour coordinated, sheer plastic lipstick tubes, but I am a massive fan, they have clear caps, so you can see the product through the top (I love this because I hate having to rummage through my lip products to find what I want).

I also find that most of the colours are true to how they look in the tubes which is always a massive bonus, when buying new colours I don’t feel the need to swatch them which saves a lot of time and saves my hand from ending up looking like a messy colouring book and ending up in a sticky mess.

The shade selection is fantastic, ranging from really pale pinks and lilacs, to darker browns and deep reds.

They glide on really nicely and evenly and what make these little beauties even better is that you don’t need a mirror to apply them which means they are perfect for on the go. (I don’t leave the house without having at least one of these in my handbag, especially now in the cold winter months where I find my lips getting really dry).

Some of the newer formulas are a little less buttery than the originals, but they feel the same on the lips. One or two shades have a slightly gritty feeling, but this is only because they have little particle’s of glitter in them, but in saying this it doesn’t make them uncomfortable to wear (I barely notice it at all, but I have heard some people complaining about it).

You really don’t need a lot of product to get an almost opaque colour. Some of the darker, more intense shades will fade to an almost matte stain on the lips, which I think is absolutely beautiful.

The only downside to the lip butters is how long they last; obviously they don’t last as long as a lipstick, but then again I don’t think you would expect it to be considering the formulation, they are very shiny and not as pigmented, I find that they move around on my lips a little, but in saying this they do last at least an hour or so before I feel the need to reapply.

So basically, loads of cute colours, cute names, great product, stunning packaging, I really feel that you can’t go wrong.

Have you tried the lip butters yet? What shades are your favourites?