Makeup Review: Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner Black 001

Hey everyone, hope you're having a good week. I AM! But I think I'm gonna update you all with an actual proper post later this week, I'll see. 

Today I am reviewing Rimmel's liquid eyeliner, something which I've used for many years now and it's an old favourite of mine for sure.

First of all, the packaging is fairly simple but I like it. You don't need alot of product for your eyes so each bottle does last you a good while and it's a good travel size too. You get alot of product in each bottle so you have to be careful when you open them and scrape a little off the wand before you apply it.

The applicator is great, it is very sturdy and doesn't slide everywhere like other eyeliners. I know people often struggle with liquid eyeliner but this is the perfect to start with because you can press as hard as you like and it doesn't shift much. You have complete control and the applicator allows you create the precise and smooth look that you want around your eyes.

The product is a very pigmented liquid and it is a bold, strong colour which lasts on the eyes even when it dries. It dries very quickly so you have to be quick and precise with what you want on your eyes. It lasts for a good while but 16 hours that Superdrug state isn't very true. It smudges and flakes a little after about 9-10 hours but that's still pretty good by my standards. I don't usually have my makeup on for near 10 hours anyway! Plus, it comes off really easily with makeup wipes, cleansers etc.

You can get it here for £5.29

Have you used this? What do you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Skin Product Review: The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lipcare Stick.

Hi everyone, hope you're well and enjoying the weekend! I have another little review for you today and it is something a little new from The Body Shop.

This is the cocoa butter lipcare stick by The Body Shop and it's pretty small. But let me tell you all of the ingredients inside it before I tell you my own thoughts about it

What's in it?

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil (Emollient/Hair Conditioner), Cera Alba (Beeswax) (Emulsifier/Emollient), Olea europaea (Olive Oil) (Emollient), Candelilla Cera (Candelilla Wax) (Stabiliser), Theobroma cacao (Cocoa Butter) (Emollient), Aroma (Flavour), Prunus dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil) (Emollient), Tocopheryl Acetate (Antioxidant), Aqua (Water) (Solvent/Diluent), Propylene Glycol (Humectant), Chamomilla recutita (Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract) (Natural Additive), Ammonium Glycyrrhizate (Flavour), Calendula officinalis (Calendula Extract) (Natural Additive), Tocopherol (Antioxidant).

My Thoughts

This lip balm is easily one of the best products I've ever used. It is a very easy product to use and does not leave any mess and literally does the job. I don't suffer with dry lips that much really, maybe more so in the winter time but I never realised how much better my lips could be if I just took a bit of care with them.

I've been using this for a good few weeks now, I apply it in the day if I'm not going anywhere and I apply it before I go to bed so it can work overnight. My lips are completely clear of any dead skin and they're the softest they've been in years. What's more, it's all natural ingredients instead of stuff you get in Vaseline which isn't actually that good for your lips apparently. I would highly recommend this over any Vaseline lip balm for sure.

My only criticism is the size of it. It's £4.00 and it is pretty small for the price as it could easily be 1 or 2 quid instead. But I suppose for all natural ingredients and amazing results, it's well worth it. It's easy to travel with as well so definitely take it with you especially if you're going on holiday.

You can buy it here for £4.00

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Skin Product Review: T Zone Rapid Action Spot Zapping Gel.

Hey everyone, hope you've had a lovely Sunday so far. I have, it's been my first laziest Sunday that I've had in months! I used it to relax, watch a couple of films and chow down on some Chinese food! Heavenly! But, let's get into a review I have for you today. This is helpful for those who suffer with acne like me! Actually, it's still worth a read even if you're just interested in discovering different products. So, let's go!

This is the T-Zone Rapid Action Spot Zapping Gel. Not exactly the shortest or catchiest title for a product but I digress. With the warmer weather coming, it is worth looking and exploring different acne eliminating products in order to let your skin look its best. I suffer with spots on a daily basis. I am currently on prescribed tablets for my acne as I have tried multiple things and nothing seems to be working. But those tablets and a combination of this gel has had some results. So let's get into the review:

What's in it?

Alcohol Denat, Aqua, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Acrylates/C 10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Amino Methyl Propanol, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Salicylic Acid, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamol, Alpha Methyl Ionone, Butylphenyl Methylpropionol, CI42090 

My Thoughts

Overall, I like this product alot. The packaging is cute and easy to use. It allows you to control the right amount of product to use and it's easy to travel with if you're going on holiday or doing a fair bit of travelling. I do advise only squeezing out small pea-sized amounts for each spot as it spreads really well and too much can make it take longer to dry and make the area a bit crusty!

The product is a gel with a blue-ish hue to it and it's fairly watery so just a small bit goes a long way. It does smell a bit actually which I'm not a fan of! Any spots that are near my nose makes the scent really go up my nose or any that are near the top of my cheeks, a.k.a close to my eyes, make my eyes water like crazy but this doesn't last long. But I'm not usually affected by these things or sensitive to such scents so I would keep that in mind if your skin/eyes/nose are more sensitive to these things than I am.

The results are not amazing, unfortunately. The product doesn't really "zap" any spots away completely and make you have clear skin within a day. But daily use does show some results. I noticed that my smaller spots went alot smaller and reduced the redness. The bigger spots were a little bit reduced and alot of the soreness and redness were reduced also. But it doesn't get rid of them, unfortunately so I would combine this product with any face wash you like and cleanse and tone. Just take care of your skin really and do it daily.

It was something different to try as I am always looking out for new things to try to help me get rid of my acne for once and for all. Anyone who suffers from acne or constant breakouts knows how much spots affect your confidence and how much it is annoying to spend money on numerous products in the hopes something will do the trick!!

Anyway, it was an okay product to use so it's worth trying out if you're on the look out for something new for your skin. Be aware of how much the scent will affect you if you are sensitive to those things! I got it at Home and Bargain (UK shop) for a couple of pounds so check out the links before if you want to buy it:

Buy it at:

Amazon - £1.99 (currently on sale!)

Ebay - £2.10 (excluding delivery)

Have you used this before? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Makeup Review: I Heart Makeup - Blushing Hearts Triple Baked Blusher

Hey, everyone!

I hope you're doing well and looking forward to this weekend. I have been mad busy with my dissertation so I haven't updated my blog much lately, sorry! But today I've got a quick makeup review for you. 

Today, I am reviewing I Heart Makeup's blusher in the shade Blushing Heart which is a fabulous little product.

I have been using this for almost a year and it hasn't even begun to run out at all yet! It is a perfect colour for Spring or Summer, it goes with anything if you apply the correct amount. I usually apply bit by bit to add a bit of subtle colour to my cheeks.

It is a lovely shade and it is very pigmented so you don't need alot on your cheeks. If you put too much on, it can look like you've been slapped!

The packaging is very, very cute but it is quite clearly a blatant copy of Too Faced's Sweetheart Blush, just at a very cheap price. I love using this and haven't found any other decent blushers just yet. I do think a few pounds should be knocked off the price because I wouldn't say it's worth a fiver considering the brand. But if you compare it to Too Faced, you're getting a hell of a deal and it lasts for ages! 

You can buy it here for £4.99

Have you used this? What do you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Makeup Review: MUA Eyebrow Pencil - Brunette.

Hi, guys! I've got another makeup review for you today. This time I am reviewing an eyebrow pencil from MUA so let's go!

MUA isn't the best brand of makeup I find but I have really enjoyed using this eyebrow pencil. I get the shade 'brunette' and it is only £1! To be honest, I haven't used any other eyebrow products, certainly not expensive ones.. for fear they won't work and I'll have wasted my money. But I think I'll try some others in the future. But right now, I really like this one.

For the price of it, it is very pigmented and works very well. I'd recommend it especially for those who are trying out eyebrow products for the first time. It's a great size as well. I kept my first one for well over a year and all for £1!

The brush at the end is great for blending out the pencil and making it look more natural and finish off your makeup look nicely. It's a little bit hard, bristle-wise, so I wouldn't press down too hard. Also, take care with sharpening the pencil itself. The product is fairly creamy and soft and does break off easily when pressed hard but it's great overall. You're always left with lovely eyebrows which is what everyone wants!

You can buy it here for just £1!

Have you tried this? Do you like it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Nail Varnish Review: Kiko Milano's Quick Dry Nail Lacquer in 809 Dahlia Purple.

Hi everyone, hope you're having a lovely weekend so far! 

Today I am doing a review of something new on my blog. Nail varnish! I actually like wearing nail varnish and all kinds of shades but I'm also very lazy and have to really be in the mood to paint my nails. Yesterday, I did my nails for the first time in months and loved the colour so much that I wanted to review it! It's going to be a quick, little review so let's get started!

  

This is the Quick Dry Nail Lacquer from Kiko Make Up Milano in the shade 809 Dahlia Purple. This was very easy to apply thanks to the large flat brush with extra bristles and it dries very quickly as its name states! 

  

The colour is really beautiful and when dry, the polish has an impressive, shiny finish. There are no streaks left which is always good! The first applied layer is a beautiful plum purple and when you add a second layer (which I did), it becomes a much darker shade of purple. Almost black, in a certain light. It's perfect for the autumn/winter seasons.

You can buy it from Kiko's site for £2.90 as it's currently on sale!

Have you used this nail varnish before? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Makeup Review: The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter.

Hey, everyone. I just realised I haven't done a review on anything makeup related in ages! But today I'm doing a review on The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer's highlighter. I've been loving this recently and I know it's been raved about by other bloggers so here's my review!

First of all, I absolutely love the packaging. It's very unique and shows a classy, pin up girl on the front jailed for looking fabulous! I forgot to photograph the back of it as well so I had to use someone else's but it looks like this:

(x)

It looks so cool and retro. I love it!

The Mary-Lou Manizer states that it is an "innocent honey-hued lumanizer that catch everybody's eye .. your skin looks softer and younger while adding a subtle glow".

The colour is absolutely gorgeous and it is really shimmery. You don't need alot on your brush or finger, it is very pigmented. Gradually add more and more until you're happy with the result. Too much and you can end up looking like a disco ball! Actually, I wore this last night and I don't often post photos of myself on here but I did like how I did my makeup. Have a look:

Hopefully, you can see that highlighter looking on fleek! It really is worth the money and for the price of it, I'd say you should use this for special occasions and nights out rather than for every day use. I got this on sale but it's a higher end product. Get a cheaper one for everyday use because this is one is really too nice just for every day. It is entirely up to you but personally, I don't wear alot of make up every day for uni and stuff but each to their own.

What's more, you can also use this lovely product as an eyeshadow too! It comes out as a lovely yellow gold shimmer and it's really nice to wear on its own or to add a bit of sparkle on top of other eyeshadows for your eye look. Plus it has a compact mirror so you can pop it in your bag for whenever you need to top up.

You can buy it at Superdrug or Amazon for £17.50.

Have you used this? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Skin Product Review: Lush Mask of Magnaminty Self-Preserving Face and Body Mask.

Hey, everyone. I haven't done a review of a skin product in ages! Today is the time to do a new one. Today, it's the Mask of Magnaminty face and body mask from Lush. I'll tell you what's in it, so you can see if there's anything harmful to you in it and what my thoughts were! Let's go!

What's in it?

Honey, kaolin, bentonite gel, talc, glycerine, organic ground aduki beans, evening primose seeds, peppermint oil, African marigold oil, fair trade vanilla absolute, *limonene, perfume, chlorophyllin. (*Occurs naturally in essential oils).

My thoughts

This is a lovely face mask! I haven't used many of Lush's face masks, I tend to use their bath bombs more than anything. But I bought this on a whim because I've heard great things about their face masks and I just fancied this one being my first one. I do suffer from break outs and my skin isn't in the best condition so I'm willing to try anything to calm it. 

The colour isn't very appealing and it smells very minty and you shouldn't scrub too hard when applying it or washing it off your face because there are little aduki beans within it that help exfoliate your skin. Also, people on the site have said it really helps with break outs and removes spots within a day. Personally, I don't feel like it did anything for my spots but I suppose it calmed the redness and soreness a little bit thanks to the peppermint and marigold oil as well as the chlorophyllin.

It's really good for when my skin feels like it needs brightening up or just a good exfoliating face mask. You definitely don't need alot when you're applying it, a little really does go a long way. When I wash it off, I tend to use a flannel because it becomes like a hard, clay mask and it's harder to wash off with just your fingers. Also use warm water! My skin is left feeling incredibly smooth and soft so it's good for that. I tend to use it to help me relax when I'm having a quiet Friday night in rather than treating my spots. It's also self-preserving so there's no need for the fridge for this one!

It's a decent sized pot but I do feel like it should £5-6 rather than almost a tenner. But I suppose when you're shopping in Lush, you must be willing to splurge a little!

You can buy it here for £9.95!

Have you used this before? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Skin Product Review: Origins Super Spot Remover.

Hey, everyone! I have a new skin product to review for you today. It's something a little new and nothing I've ever tried before. I've never tried anything from Origins so I was excited! I got this in the Black Friday sale amongst other things. I suffer from break outs all the time and have been particularly suffering from bad ones recently so I jumped on the chance of getting this, especially as it was on sale!

   First of all, I was very disappointed with the size of the bottle. I got it alot cheaper than it actually is but I still was annoyed. It's extremely small but you only dab the product on affected areas and it really spreads around so you don't need alot in one go. The original price is £15 and it contains all natural ingredients and essential oils.

 Origins state that this contains Salicylic Acid which apparently speeds up healing while their anti-spot technology helps "correct post blemish darkening". There is also "skin-calming caffeine and Red Algae" which relieves redness in your affected areas. It's apparently good for oily skin which I also have.

Personally, I don't think this product worked for me. I may not have used it daily enough for it to affect my skin though so I might give it another try. But for a 'super spot remover' it really doesn't do much. I think it may get rid of smaller spots or lessen their size a little but I find it doesn't affect the bigger, sorer ones or lessen the redness. 

The product does go a long way and spreads really easily so I have a feeling it'll last you a long time. But when the product actually dries though, it really dries my skin out. I do have oily skin as it is and when I dab it on my spots, it dries them out quite badly to the point where I can feel the dryness whenever I smile or move my face at all.

You can try it out if you want to and buy it here.

I may give it another try properly at some point but I'm not impressed at the moment.

Have you tried this out? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Skin Product Review: Lush Twilight Bath Bomb.

Hi everyone, I have a new Lush bath bomb review for you! This is one is called Twilight and it's very cute, don't you think? As always I'll let you know what's in it so you can see if there's anything you're allergic to (natural ingredients as usual) and what I thought about the product. Enjoy!

What's in it?

Sodium Bicarbonate, citric acid, cream of tartar, sodium laureth sulfate, lavender oil, benzoin resinoid, tonka absolute, ylang ylang oil, lauryl betaine, *coumarin, *linalool, perfume, colour 42090, colour 14700, colour 17200, colour 45410, lustre silver. (*Occurs naturally in essential oils). 

My thoughts

This bath bomb is so cute and very dusty! Beware of powder going over your hands and clothes before putting it in.

It's a sweet baby pink with tiny stars imprinted all around it. The scent is very light and not at all overpowering. It's great for a just-before-bed bath because it leaves you feeling very relaxed and chilled within yourself thanks to the lavender oil which is used in aromatherapy to treat insomnia and help you get a decent sleep. 

 As you can see from the picture, it fizzed away, revealing a lovely blue centre that lets out lots of silver sparkles that leaves the water all glittery and pretty. The scent is released even more but still remains subtle and likeable compared to other bath bombs that can overpower you. Lovely little suds come up and the water remains a gorgeous light purple that leaves your skin feeling soft and your mind at relaxation station.

I definitely recommend it if you've had a long week and use it to relax yourself before bedtime.

It's only £3.50 on their site which you can see here.

Have you used this bath bomb? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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7 Deadly Sins of Makeup Tag.

Hi everyone, hope you're having a good Sunday afternoon so far. All this turning-the-clocks-back-an-hour business has got me very confused as to what time it actually is. BUT I was able to sleep in without guilt today haha! 

So today, I have a little fun post for you all and it's actually a makeup tag. No one has actually tagged me in this (billy no mates over here *sniff*) but I thought it'd be fun to do. Enjoy! 

1. GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?

I think the most inexpensive beauty item I own is a Make Up Academy eyebrow pencil.  It's only £2.69 and it's really good for the price of it! I haven't really tried any other eyebrow products though so I'm using this at the moment but it's certainly good enough.

The most expensive beauty item in my collection at the minute I would definitely say is my Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette coming in at £37ish but I can't remember if I got in a sale or not.

2. WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love hate relationship with?

This is an odd question for me because any beauty item that I have a slight bit of dislike for, I just wouldn't use. But I'd say I LOVE my Benefit Roller Lash mascara but HATE the price, I do think it could be a lot cheaper.

3. GLUTTONY: What brand takes up the most of your collection?

I think it would probably be Rimmel because I have quite a few different shades of lipsticks from them. They're reasonably priced and their formulas are always so great.  

4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?

I think it would have to be any blushers that I have by Ted Baker, Kiko Milano or I Heart Makeup. I tend to not use a lot of makeup everyday because I'm usually only going to university for a couple of hours or hanging out at home. I only ever go all out with blushers, highlighters, eyeshadow etc. for meeting up with friends or nights out. 

5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most confidence?

Ooh, that is a tough one! It would have to be my Benefit Roller Lash mascara because it makes my eyelashes so much longer with just a few coats. Either that or my lipsticks from Kiko Milano in Passion Red and Dark Berry - these are such beautiful colours, perfect for autumn/winter right now actually. They look matte when dry but they are so creamy and stunning.

6. LUST: Which beauty item is at the top of you wish list?

I have had my eye on The Balm NUDE'tude Nude eyeshadow palette, the colours in it look incredible and I haven't had anything from this brand before. But I don't think I'm going to buy it at the moment because it's pretty pricey at £29.99 and I have a fair few eyeshadow palettes right now. 

7. ENVY: Which beauty items looks good on others, but not yourself?

I know this straight away! Literally any contouring products! I haven't tried contouring yet and I'm a little hesitant on where to start. So if you have any recommendations for cheap, decent contouring items for someone who wants to start practising right now then please do leave your suggestions in the comments!

So there we have it - my seven deadly sins of make up.  I hope you enjoyed reading this and do feel free to do this on your own blog.  Feel free tagging me in any posts if you do!

Thankyou for reading.
Laura.

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Organise your makeup!

Happy Sunday afternoon, everyone! 

Now I don't know about you but I feel so much better when everything is organised and clean. However, I am a lazy person and I leave everything in a mess everywhere! But once I get round to it, I actually love having everything sorted and organised. Especially when it's things I use everyday like make-up!

Now, usually I have eyeliners and lipsticks all over the place.. in my bags, boxes, on a table somewhere. I didn't have it all in one place and that needed to change!

So I got my act together and sorted through all of my make-up. I had a massive clear out and threw out make-up that was years old or not used anymore. If anyone has any recommendations on what to do with make-up that has been unopened, then please let me know. I'd love to donate make-up if directed to the right place (in the UK). 

I went online and found this lovely little make-up organiser on Amazon. 

It is made from clear acrylic and it's actually pretty good quality. It's small enough to neatly fit on your make-up table or chest of drawers. It comes with 12 lipstick holders and different compartments big enough for your foundations, powders, primers etc. It also comes with three drawers that fit most things in it, such as:

 Eyeliners (both glitter and normal), stick eyeshadows, eye pencils.

Mascaras, single eyeshadow and eyeliner pots.

Lipliners, lipglosses and lipsticks that don't fit in the holders.

It really is handy for keeping all of your everyday makeup together but it doesn't have much space to fit bronzers or contouring powders which I don't use. It also doesn't fit big eyeshadow palettes like the Urban Decay Naked palettes or anything that size. Small, single eyeshadow pots or anything like that are okay if you arrange them correctly. 

  I also bought a small pot for my brushes to keep those together as well. 

You can get the make-up organiser for just £25.99

& the pot for £3.90. 

Have you got something like this? How organised are you with your makeup?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

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Skin Product Review: Lush Fizzbanger Bath Bomb.

Hey everyone, so I have a different review for you today and it is for the Fizzbanger bath bomb from Lush which I used last night. I'll list the ingredients first just in case there are any hidden things that you could be allergic to if you wanted to try this out before giving my thoughts on this item.

What's in it?

Sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, popping candy, cream of tartar, cinnamon leaf oil, petitgrain oil, ylang ylang oil, lauryl betaine, sodium laureth sulfate, oak moss extract, *citral, *cinnamal, coumarin, *geraniol, *limonene, *linalool, perfume, colour 42090, colour 47005. (*Occurs naturally in essential oils).

My thoughts

This bath bomb was an absolute cracker, it really was.

It is a fairly large bath bomb compared to the others and I thought it wouldn't have much of an effect to be honest. Although I used it in one go, you can easily break this up and use it a few times. As you can see, it is isn't just yellow, it has a few other specks of colour mixed inside which really intrigued me.

As you can see from the pictures, there was an instant reaction as soon as it hit the water. At first, it started fizzing into a yellow colour but once the water hit the centre of the bath bomb, blue and green started to leak out. In the end, the entire water was a beautiful emerald green and it was so lovely to look at. It smelled very subtly of apple pie actually!

 Once the bath bomb melted away, it left a tiny piece of paper with the word 'BANG' on it and I could hear the popping candy this time unlike the other ones. It really was an entertaining bath bomb and really created a special effect to my bath.

I don't think it moisturised my skin as much some other ones may do but it left me feeling and smelling very clean. It was a very relaxing bath with a little show at the beginning. I would highly recommend it after a long day or week to relax you.

You can get it here for £3.35!

Have you tried this one? What did you think of it?

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.