Wednesday 11 December 2013

Christmas Gift Ideas

The christmas season is once again upon us, consisting of sweet smells of cinnamon and huddles for warmth by the fire. It's one of my favourite times of the year and although it feels so soon, I'm defiantly going to be getting into the Christmas spirit. If you're like me, you'll have left some of your Christmas shopping until December (oops) because you were convincing yourself early in November that it's, 'far too early to be present shopping'. How time flies!

Here are a few gift ideas for those of us who are stuck for ideas. This is aimed at primarily women/girls as I've only ever bought for my Dad so I'd be quite useless in the male gift criteria. Most are purse friendly or affordable.

1. Topshop Lipstick and Blush set - £12 - The ideal gift for a best friend if she's into make up and you're on a budget. I haven't actually got around to trying their make up myself but I always read positive reviews. There are two different varieties, they both feature the same peach/coral blush but with one lipstick being Wine coloured and the other being your standard blue-toned red. I'd be better at describing this if they would have actually included the product names in the description but hey ho! The only thing I don't like is the cheapy looking neon pencil case it comes in.

2. Soap and Glory Good, Butter, Best Gift Set - £8 - This set features three different body butters in Original Pink, Sweet Lime and Fruitigo. I have the Original Pink one which I really like myself, and I love their Sweet Lime scent smells amazing. Honestly, it's delicious. These are smaller tubs than normal, but it'd be great for someone who's looking to find their perfect moisturiser. It'd make a great stocking filler if you have a daughter or you're making one for a friend.

3. Snapshot 3 x 4 Frames - £10 - I love vintage photography and the magic that is a polaroid camera. Impersonating polaroids, these little magnetic frames are perfect to decorate your fridge with. I think this is a pretty neat idea and it would be perfect for somebody who enjoys Photography.

4. Hershey Chocolate Bars Hamper - £9.99 - When I saw this I thought I've got to buy that! It includes five different Hershey chocolate bars/bags enclosed in an American flag box, very fitting. It doesn't give away how big the bars actually are, but I presume they're of significant size. This is defiantly a gift for people who are too hard to buy for or chocolate addicts. I just might have to hunt this down.

5. Urban Decay Naked 3 - £37 - The Christmas gift on everybody's list this year is of course the new Naked palette featuring rose hued eyeshadows. I can't wait until I get my hands on mine as I've been interested in having more pink toned eyeshadows. Perfect for most ages as it appeals to the masses! I have the Naked 1 and use it nearly everyday and I don't doubt that it'll be the same with the Naked 3. It's currently available from House of Fraser.

6. Marc Jacobs Honey Solid Perfume Limited Edition Necklace - £30.60 - This would be a good alternative to the standard run of the mill perfume as it's a bit different in the aspect that it's in a solid form. I've never used a solid perfume but it'd be ideal for those who travel a lot as it'd be lightweight and small enough to carry in hand luggage. Marc Jacobs make beautiful perfumes (I have Dot) which I'd say appeal to young teenagers and to young adults. The idea is that you wear it around your neck, or you could simply carry it in your pocket. Marc Jacob scents tend to be quite sweet, which should appeal to most.

I hope these suggestions helped your Christmas shopper mind block. If you have any suggestions for what I can buy my mother who is a mad baker, leave a comment down below :)

Thanks for reading!

Friday 1 November 2013

October Favourites

Once again another month has passed and left me feeling a bit lost.. It feels like yesterday that it was just the beginning of September or the middle of Summer for that matter. Time defiantly moves fast, which I'm in two minds about.

Alas! Here is my first monthly favourites, consisting of products I've been using a lot this month and products of course that I'm liking.

First up is the Nivea Double Effect Eye Make-Up Remover which I'm now on my second bottle of already! It's a really good eye make up remover that hasn't irritated my eyes. I was previously using the Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover which I swear was leaving my eyes blood shot as well as not being very good at actually removing eye make up. This Nivea product though is really good at removing everything. It does leave an oily residue which doesn't both me that much as you can just wash that off with a bit of water. Before you use it you're supposed to shake the two different colours together which I keep forgetting to do, oops.
Boots | Superdrug

Next is another Nivea product which is the Oil Free Moisturising Day Cream. I bought this because I have acne prone skin, which I'm currently on medication for. One of the many woes of having acne prone skin is not only the acne itself but the greasy skin that comes with it. Since on the medication my acne has reduced dramatically and my skin has got less oily.. still I don't want to add any more excess oil to it when I don't need it. For me, this works well as a moisturiser beneath foundation and I don't think it's increased my breakouts. When you apply it, it has a cooling feeling which feels really nice and it also, makes the skin feel really soft. Although it's only 50ml it's reasonably priced at £4.00 and you can find it cheaper in Home & Bargains. Also, it is currently £3.00 in Superdrug.
Boots | Superdrug

Now for the lipstick that everybody has been taking about on the blogsphere, Rimmel Kate Moss in 107, a lipstick that I bought last year in Summer despite it being a Autumnal shade. It's a deep berry shade which has a red tinge to it. One of the things I like about it is that it's matte, as I think I suit matte lip products more than glossy. It is drying so make sure to use lip balm. It smells lovely though, I almost want to eat it. In my opinion, these are the best smelling Rimmel lipsticks. I defiantly need to buy myself more berry/purple toned lipsticks. Werdily, I always thought this lipstick didn't have a name but according to Superdrug the name is 'Wine', who knew eh?
Boots | Superdrug

Finally is something I didn't intend to buy, the limited edition Vaseline in Paint The Town. Now I bought this thinking it would tint my lips red, it doesn't it just makes them look a bit of a darker pink. I sort of bought this because of the packaging and the name which reminded me of the song Where The Lonely Ones Roam by Digital Daggers (featured on Pretty Little Liars, one of my many tv obsessions). I don't usually buy Vaseline because people tell me it's actually bad for your lips? Anyway, I think the best way to wear this is over another lip product to give a nice glossy shine. I've been wearing this a lot the past week and it does give a lovely look. Also it has a spiced berry scent which smells divine!
Boots | Superdrug

If you have any questions on any of the products mentioned, let me know :)

Thanks for reading,

Saturday 19 October 2013

Rimmel Moisture Renew: As You Want Victoria (New Formula)

£6.49 - Boots and Superdrug
As many of you will know if you've been around on the blogsphere lately, Rimmel have vamped up their old Moisture Renew lipsticks. I presume they've done this to draw attention to the line, as it's been dwindling in popularity and hasn't had the same sort of attention as the Kate Moss range (which I adore). They have completely changed the packaging and the formula is different which I'll get on to later.

I bought the shade 'As You Want Victoria', the shade that seems to (oddly) be the one they're advertising most, despite it not being a very Autumnal colour. It is a bright glossy pink, which I didn't realise in the store, as the lighting was pretty dim.. I actually thought it was a deep dark pink, oops? However, I only have one other bright pink lipstick so it is very much welcome to my collection. The shade seems to be the new version of Funtime Fuchsia from the previous line, that or it is just a similar colour.

I like the new packaging but I don't think there was anything from with the previous. I do like the long shiny tube though - reminds me of the Revlon Lip Butters. They also have the same smell as the previous line, which the more I smell the less pleasant it gets.

The formula to me is what's strikingly different, it is so much more pigmented than the previous line. With one swipe, you have full lips of colour, no building up required. The old formula is very sheer in comparison.

Here's a swatch comparing it to Pink Chic and Cherry-Licious, shades I have previously reviewed when I first bought them, read here.
Top to bottom: As You Want It Victoria, Cherry-Licious, Pink Chic (One swipe)
I do like the colour but I'm just not feeling bright pink lips with it now being Autumn. If anything I'll be wearing this as an evening look with a smokey eye. The staying power is average, don't expect this to last through eating.

To be honest I'm not completely sold on the formula, although the formula is light on the lips, many of the shades have too much shimmer and sparkle in, which I personally don't like and it makes me look ridiculous.

I'm not sure whether I'll be buying anymore Moisture Renew's for awhile, especially since I'm looking in to buying more darker lipsticks, specifically mattes with good staying power. Let me know if you have any recommendations!

So, what do you think of the new line and colours, anything take your fancy?

Thanks for reading,

Saturday 28 September 2013

Liebster Award!

Image not mine, credited to whoever created it

I was tagged by Kayleigh Wilkinson and Brodie White for the Liebster Award which was very un-expected but thank you both so much! I'd recommend you to check out both of their blogs :)

For those of you who don't know, the Liebster Awards are a tag question (sort of like a chain, but a nice one) were you nominate blogs to suggest to your followers to check out, in turn they answer questions you've set for them. It was created for us blogging 'newbies' who have less than 200 followers.

Firstly, according to the rules you have to give 11 facts about yourself, but since I'm awnsering two sets of questions I'll have to skip this otherwise this post will be ridclously long.

I will now answer the 10/11 questions that Kayleigh and Brodie has set me :)


Friday 20 September 2013

Cheap and Cheerful


Many of you will know that Poundland/Poundworld stock beauty items and these are a few I've found in my local stores lately. I just can't help myself when they're so cheap and you really can't go wrong when they're £1 can you?

Now the whole reason behind why they are so cheap is because it's from old lines or (I presume) the companies that sell the products had too much leftover stock. 

I picked up a Calvin Klein Sheer Creme Eyeshadow (Tempting Glimmer) in Cashmere Plumb which I was very uncertain was real but I think there's a good probability it is as I read a review which stated that it was from their first beauty line a few years ago which was unsuccessful. 

The colour is actually a rather medium toned pink with a lot of shimmer in it. The formula of these are sheer so don't be expecting a Maybeline Color Tattoo sort of pay off although the one I bought is quite pigmented. The texture of this reminds me of a lip balm, as it's quite light to the touch. I haven't wore it yet but when I do I'll be interested to see what the wear time is like.
As you can also see I've picked up two nail vanishes. The first vanish is Lilac Pastelle by Revlon Nail Enamel which is a pretty lilac and it is still available in Boots! So that's a saving of £5.45 which is quite sufficient! The shade needs quite a few coats to become opaque because it is a bit watery. It claims '10 days wear' but it did chip quite easily on me. 

The second is the shade Wet Cement by Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear range. As far as I'm aware these aren't sold in the stores anymore but are easily available online. I have to say, I was very uncertain about buying this as I was firstly put off by the name (not pretty!) and the colour which looked odd to me.
I have to say though I really like it and the formulation is great, you only need one stroke to get full opacity although I did use two in hope of it lasting longer! It leaves a glossy finish to the nails and my nails feel quite smooth, sort of like when you get Shellac nails and they feel soft. Of course it doesn't feel as soft as that but you know what I'm getting at. I've currently been wearing this for 3 days and it hasn't chipped yet - success!

Have you checked out your local pound store lately, if so have you found anything good? I'll be checking in again to look for more Sally Hansen polishes and also, they had a few NYC products in Poundworld last time I went in that I wanted to buy but the colours were not my thing.

Previously I've picked up Nivea lip balms and a Boujois lip tint in there. So it's always worth a look.

What can I say, I just really love a good bargain...

Thanks for reading!

Sunday 1 September 2013

An old favourite: Urban Decay lipstick in Requiem

Hey everyone, as you may know Urban Decay have recently brought out a new line of shiny lipsticks which really excited me as I love the brand. So far none of their products I have used have disappointed me in terms of quality and pigmentation. I can't wait to eventually get my paws on some of the shades!

The new announcement of the lipsticks made me think about my good ol' Requiem which I've been neglecting through the Spring/Summer months. I've had this for around a year or two and I bought it in a discounted make up store for around a fiver, which is pretty good going. Although it may be old and an outdated formula now, I still really like it.
Requiem is a sheer dark muted red which is velvety to apply to the lips because it has a really soft texture. It doesn't have the best smell (to be honest I'm not even sure what the scent is) but it isn't horrible. What isn't pleasant however is the artificially sweet taste the scent leaves in your mouth but, this can be overlooked as I love the colour it gives to my lips. 

For me, this is sort of my, 'my lips but better colour' as my lips are medium pink in pigmentation. The wear time of this lipstick is short, especially since it's sheer to begin with, but I don't mind re-applying as it is a lovely texture. 

Last but not least: the packaging. I'm not quite sure what Urban Decay were thinking when they designed this. It's certainly unique with the little dagger and odd shape but not practical. One thing I like it the way the brand name and dagger is engraved on the lipstick itself.
I'm really glad they've re-designed their packaging, as although it is cute it is not very sophisticated.

Swatch:
First swatch is one layer, the second is with multiple layers. As you can see it is slightly buildable and it is a lot lighter than it appears in the tube.
Although this is probably nothing compared to the quality of the new lipsticks it is still pretty good if you're looking for an easy every day lipstick that isn't too loud and proud. If you do want to buy one of these old things you can find them on places like Amazon or a discounted make up store like I did (prices will vary).

What do you think of Urban Decay's previous line of lipsticks? If you have one of the new ones how do they compare to Mac lipsticks which are around the same price?

Thanks for reading,

Friday 30 August 2013

Can you afford not to? Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks

Hey guys! So I'm sure a lot of you will be aware with the website Fragrance Direct, which sells discounted make up, perfume, etc. Recently I picked up two of the Rimmel Moisture Renew for 99p each!! (BARGAIN ALERT) Which is a crazy price considering that they retail for £6.49 in the likes of Boots.
 I ordered Pink Chic (220) which is a barbie pink and Cherry-Licious (820) a cherry pink which unfortunately is frosted which I didn't realise when I ordered it.

These are quite artificially scented but not as much as the Rimmel Kate Moss lipsticks but there is still a rose taste/scent. This may be unpleasant for those of you who are not a fan of scented products - personally scents don't bother me as long as they are not sickening. They feel really nice and soft when applying and they are not strongly pigmented. The coverage of the lipsticks is probably light to medium as it is build-able. They are housed in a rather beautiful shiny purple packaging with the Rimmel logo on top like their other lipsticks. The plastic is quite solid, not flimsy and takes a bit of effort to take the lid off. These also obtain SPF 20 which is really useful and include vitamins and anti-oxidants.

In terms of the colours:

Like I said Pink Chic is a barbie pink, which looks brighter on the lips (at least on me). I don't really think this colour suits me much unfortunately but I'll give it a few tries. As you can see it has a fair bit of shimmer and looks glossy when applied to the lips.

Cherry-Licious is a wearable frosted lipstick although I still felt a bit unsure wearing it as I really don't like the frost look. This however has perfect coverage and sits well on the lips. I prefer this to Pink Chic as I feel it suits my pale complexion better.

Swatches:
Left to right: Cherry-Licious, Pink Chic
I'll defiantly be trying more as they seem perfect for College as they're not too bold. I've heard they're in Poundworld but knowing my look they won't have any in my branch. 

What do you think of the Rimmel Moisture Renew? Let me know below any shades you suggest!

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Recent Bargain Buys

Hey guys, hope you're all doing well. The weather here in England is currently very warm, 25°C to be exact! It's definatly starting to feel a lot more like Summer, although looking at the lack of bright colour in my wardrobe I don't feel at all 'Summer ready'. I'll have to get working on this!

I thought I'd share a few recent purchases with you guys, pocket friendly purchases to be exact.

£2.99 H&M
I'd heard a blogger mention about these, although I can't remember who as I didn't bookmark the post. All I could remember was that they were in H&M and so I popped in there and luckily found them.

They're stackable metal rings in different thickness and sizes, some sit above the knuckle and some below. The thing I like about these is that they're quite simple yet they have a twist. The idea of these is to wear them all on one hand but to me that feels a bit clumpy because of the thickness so I spread them out over two. But, for demonstration purposes I put them all on one.

These can be found on the website here. I like how affordable these rings are and I like the look of these ones here which I'll look out for next time I'm in store. Overall, I'm happy with this purchase, £3 well spent.

Around £14 in the sale - Urban Outfitters
So Urban Outfitters have a sale on, a really good sale actually. I think UO are some of the best on the high street as they do actually reduce things quite dramatically which is great for teenagers like me. 

I seen these on the website (they don't seem to be on there now) and I was doubtful that'd they would have any in store but they had quite a lot actually. They're not the ones I wanted (which were had more of a platform and seemed better quality) but they have grown on me and are comfortable to walk in. 

The sole is slightly worrying me a bit as it looks like it could ware down but I'll hope for the best. The reason I didn't get the other version was because they didn't seem to fit as well and felt lose. 

I do love the contrast though between the black and the metallic silver. They're from the brand Deena & Ozzy, I'd defiantly have a look in and see if they have any left as they're a bargain!

£5 - Asda
I was dragged to Asda the other day by my Mother and whilst milling around in the make up section I see that this had been reduced from £10 or so. I suffer from really bad dark circles and the fancy words on the box promise a solution. It is technically a concealer aimed to reduce the dark pigmentation of the under eye area through the caffeine and vitamins in it which apparently have been naturally sourced - whatever that implies.

In terms of the concealer it lightly covers up the dark circles in a creamy formula. Nowhere near the coverage of an actual  but it does do cover up fairly well. I don't find it offers me enough coverage so I do use Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer over the top.

In terms of it reducing dark circles, I haven't used it enough yet to notice an effect. I doubt it will actually make a significant difference although I've read it helps with puffy eyes - something I don't suffer with so I can't comment on unfortunately. 

I'll keep you guys informed if anything miraculous happens.

£4.99 - New Look
Recently, I've been losing and breaking my sunglasses (accidentally of course) and so I need some new pairs. I was browsing New Look and found these which are a similar style to the Ray Ban Clubmaster but of course minus the designer price tag. I really like the top heavy approach as I find it quite flattering to the face.

I really like the pattern of these - it's a floral print but it's not very obvious unless you look closely. Could you say it's abstract? I don't know but I love floral patterns so it's a win in this category also.

Major bonus is that they actually fit well! I often end up buying ones which are too lose or too tight.

And that's it for my 'mini' sort of haul! Let me know what you've bought recently this summer!

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Summer Wishlist ☼

Summer Wishlist ☼
Hey everyone! Just thought I post a quick polyvore of all the items I've been lusting over, specifically clothes for summer as my wardrobe is lacking - a lot!

The things which have arrows drawn to them are items which I hope to purchase very soon, these are the Motel Off The Shoulder Catalina Dress £38 which would look perfect dressed down in the daytime or up for a party. The River Island Coral pleated skirt which is £35, I love the colour and I currently don't own any maxi skirts so this is a must buy. Also, the Topshop Hanna Flatforms £32, not too sure of the white colour, might get them in black instead which would probably be more wearable with most  of my clothes.

Sunday 9 June 2013

Coral Lovin' Happened So Fast: Current Favourites.

 Hey everyone! Summer is once again upon us, and here in England it has been quite sunny this past week which has made me want to wear more summery make up. So, I've been in Boots and Superdrug looking for coral make up to buy and try out.

These are mostly recent buys and are thing that I have been loving over the past couple of weeks. Also, they're purse friendly!

Sleek Blush By 3 - Lace £9.99

(From the left) Chantilly, Guipure, Crochet
 I love the Sleek products I already use on a daily basis (Sleek i Divine Ultra Matte V2 and the Brow Kit) and I had heard good things about their blushes. So I gave in and bought this cute little trio of coral themed colours and they so far are not disappointing. I firstly love the colour range, Crochet and Chantilly are two fairly bright mattes and the middle colour 'Guipure' has little gold speckles in it - perfect for a blush/highlight combination and is similar to Nars Orgasm. I have currently only had the chance to use Crochet, a bright pink and it is well pigmented. You don't need a lot on the brush as I found when testing it out, I only swiped a bit on and my cheeks were quite bright already.

So far I'm pleased with this blush trio and I will defiantly be getting my use out of it in Summer. Can be found and bought on the Sleek website and at Superdrug.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (Shine Formulation) - 825 Lovers Coral £7.49


This I believe is one of the new 'Shine' formulas I believe, I didn't realise this when I picked it up as it was very much an impulse purchase - I didn't even swatch it! 'Lovers Coral' is a really, really sheen pinky coral that is really smooth and balm like. Since I didn't swatch it whilst in Superdrug, I had no idea it was a sheer formulation and was quite disappointed when I tried it on at home. However, I have came to love this lipstick for this aspect as it is so easy to wear because of it's lack of opacity and you can layer it up to build more colour intensity.

This is my first Revlon lipstick (unless the Lip Balm Stains count?) and I am quite impressed. My only gripe is that it oddly draws attention to my flaking lips so I have to pay attention when putting it on. Great balm like feeling though, and looks lip glossy on. Can be found at Superdrug who currently have a £2 off deal on and Boots.

According to both websites, this has an SPF 15? Which I don't think was on the outer plastic or label - although I could be wrong. Great bonus! (You can tell I'm a bit of a Revlon newbie eh) I'll defiantly be trying out more Revlon lipsticks.

Collection 2000 Cream Puff  Lip Cream- Fairy Cake £2.99


I bought this alongside Angel Delight as I heard great reviews and it is a pretty good for such a low price. I was surprised at how much I loved the colour of this, it is again a bright coral pink with orange under tones. It is matte, which I really like as I find it settles into your lips more and is very pigmented compared to the Revlon lipstick as reviewed previously. It leaves a sort of velvety feel to the lips which is non-sticky and it smells divine! I do have to blend this into my lips with my finger as it is a bit streaky which is annoying as I then have to wash my hands.

The only faults I can find with this is that it has little staying power and can draw attention to your lip condition but it is matte, so that is expected. It is also quite a small tube but then it is only £2.99

This is a nice little bargain and I think it is one of Collection's better products. Can be found at Boots  and Superdrug I presume although it is oddly not listed on the website. 

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Nail Vanish - 060 Hot & Spicy £2.99


This is a bright orange shade which looks a slightly different shade in various lightening conditions. That or my eyes are playing up on me, which is rather worrying. I find that this nail polish lasts averagely well for the price and it is defiantly a perfect colour for summer which I keep coming back to.

You can find this at Superdrug for a reduced price of £1.99 and at Boots. Oddly enough, I picked this up at a Rimmel stall in my local Primark while at the till last year. They don't seem to have Rimmel products in there anymore unfortunately, it must have been a temporary thing.

I hope you've enjoyed my little favourites post, let me know if you'd like any of the products reviewed further and also let me know your favourite coral coloured products, as I'm looking to expand my collection :)

Thanks!
Cora xxx

Sunday 2 June 2013

Battle of the 'dupe' chubby sticks!

Hey everyone, I'm back with just a quick comparison between the cheap and cheerful £3 MUA Power Pout and the £8 Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. The colours are Crush Beguin which is a deep berry colour (Revlon) and Rendezvous which is a light pink (MUA, not to be confused with the Revlon balm stain colour with the same name)

Firstly, they are both similar in size and shape. They look almost identical although the Revlon one is slightly larger in size and the MUA one has a wider top. They also both have a screwable end to get more product (hooray for no sharpening!)

The Revlon one has the name on the bottom, whereas the name of the MUA one is on the wrapper which you will inevitably throw away. This isn't too much of a problem but is a bit annoying.

The products both have the exact same minty smell. Which goes away on the Revlon one, however you can taste a sort of sweet chemical taste from the MUA one. It isn't the worst taste, but it certainly isn't the best.

Now, the consistency of these products are completely different. The Revlon one is a lot heavier and firm when applying whilst the MUA is lighter and feels more balmy/lipgloss like. I find that the Revlon one has better pigmentation in terms of colour payout, which is partly due to the fact that it is a dark shade.

The MUA product does not mask my lip colour at all and instead attributes to it. I have naturally pigmented lips and was a bit disappointed to find that it makes them look a hot pink colour as other reviewers have found it gives them a nude look. On the other hand, the Revlon one does mask your lip colour.

They both stain, although the Revlon one stains more. I do find however that it stains more around the outside of the lips and shows flakiness which isn't the best if you have chapped lips often like me.

Overall, I do prefer the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in terms of colour payout and pigmentation although I like the light balm feel of the MUA one, which the Revlon one doesn't master as brilliantly. I'm not sure whether I'll buy another MUA one as some of the colours look terrifyingly bright. However it is only £3 which is an absolute bargain, so I may be tempted! I am however looking to buy another shade of the Revlon one in Romantic.

The MUA Power Pout is available at Superdrug,  and the Revlon Balm Stain is available at both Boots and Superdrug.

Let me know your favourite chubby stick type dupe, or which out of the two products mentioned you prefer?

Thanks for reading,
Cora xx

Friday 12 April 2013

Rimmel London's Apocalips in Celestial: Review, Impressions and Swatch

These have been very hyped up recently here in the UK and I felt like I was the only person who hadn't given these ago so I bought one. I've joined the craze - at last! If you haven't heard about them they're really pigmented lip lacquers. 

I bought the shade Celestial, which is a mid-toned pink shade because I've recently been buying various products in shades of red and I was looking for something a bit more subtle.
However, this isn't as subtle as it looks and it's definitely brighter than it looks when on the lips and when outside in the daylight. 

It features a similar scent to the Rimmel lipsticks, which is sweetly artificial. I've read that some don't like the scent, but as artificial scents go this one doesn't leave a horrible bitter taste in the mouth.

The formula is pretty shimery and shiny, however you could blot it out. One of the negatives about this product is that I do find it a tad bit sticky, not as sticky as a lipgloss but there is that element of stickiness
I love how pigmented these are and they're defiantly worth the £5.99, which is a pretty affordable price. A postive of the product is defiantly the brush which is a doe foot applicator which makes it easy to apply. 
For me, it's a bit streaky when applying it, but with a few coats you'll be fine.

Overall, this is a great product if you're looking for something alternative to a lipstick or stain. It doesn't have much staying power but it does leave a slight stain to the lips. I will definitely be trying out the darker shades as I think they'd suit me more.

It is currently £4.99 at Boots and £5.99 at Superdrug. Boots also currently have a 3 for 2 offer on Make up so it's worth heading down there for value for money!

Feel free to leave any questions or comments :)

- Cora

Friday 5 April 2013

Review: Bourjois Paris Magic Nail Polish Remover




When I first heard about the concept, I just knew I had to try it. For me, nail vanish is an absolute pain to get off and can be an effort. I bought this on a whim, and I'm pretty pleased!

It claims to remove vanish in '1 second', which isn't an exact fact, it takes around 5 seconds - although it could take more depending on how much nail vanish you have on.


It does smell quite 'nice' for a nail vanish remover and is acetone free which is what I was looking for.

The 75ml bottle, which retails for £4.99 in Boots and Superdrug, has an absorbent sponge like formula. 

The process is basically this: you rotate your nail in the sponge, which absorbs your nail vanish. It takes a few rotations to get the nail vanish completely off, especially if you have glitter nail vanish on.

I've had mine for around a month and it's lasted pretty well, despite me accidently tipping it and watching the nail vanish remover spill all over the floor... oops?!

I would highly recommend this, for those like me, who find removing nail vanish tiresome. 

Feel free to leave a comment, this is my first attempt at blogging beauty reviews, so I'm pretty much have no experience at this.