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!

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.

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

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

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

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.