Baby Lips?

For months beauty bloggers in the UK have been waiting for the Maybelline Baby Lips to appear in our stores. I never really understood why they were such a cult product in the US, I mean they are just lip balms, so I had to pick up a couple myself, just to see what the fuss was all about.

Cherry Me and Pink Punch, two of the most gorgeous, colourful lip balms I have ever owned! I am starting to see what the fuss is all about. These balms glide on like a soft gloss rather than a sticky, thick balm. They smell amazing and give a lovely tint to your lips. I have been loving Pink Punch, which reminds me of cocktails in summer and I'm not usually a fan of pale pink lips, but this is just pale enough to suit me. 

For £2.99 these are well worth your pennies and I can see myself ending up with all six! They leave your lips feeling really soft and as they are lip balms, you can forgive them for not lasting more than a couple of hours. Plus they smell so amazing you will want to reapply!

I'm going to jump on the blogger bandwagon and say these are a must have! I can't wait to try some of the others.

A Budget Beauty Brand Discovery!

I love my bargain products and don't own anything make-up related which would have cost me more than a tenner. I just can't justify spending that much on something I will use a couple of times and most likely forget about or replace with something new and more interesting. I have been loving MUA over the last few months for their cheap as chips products which give you amazing value for money. I know they work under various different brand names but this post involves one of their brands which I had never seen before- Vivo. Vivo is stocked in Tesco, something lacking in my local city, which probably explains their absence in my life until now! They are currently holding a half price sale online so when I spotted them I had to give them a try.

This whole lovely haul cost me £14.88 including postage (£2.95) amazing yes? Nothing came to more than £2 and the nail polishes were about 50p, amazing bargain! The packaging isn't the best but I really like everything, the quality seems great for the price and the eye shadow palette will be getting a post of its own as it is amazing!

I love lip crayons so had to try some of these, the Colour Stay Lip Crayons in Sweet Dreams and Thing Called Love were £1.99 half price and the Laquer Shine Lip Gloss in Heavenly was 99p! The lip crayons look very similar to the MUA versions but with a better colour payoff. They also have the same minty scent. The Laquer Gloss is so pretty and a bargain for 99p, again it looks very similar to the MUA Intense Kisses. 

I also picked up a Blush and Highlighter Duo in Sweet Peach for £1.19. I LOVE this, the blush is such a perfect peachy shade without being too orangey, and the highlighter is a perfect shimmery match for the peach but isn't too glittery. I really want another of these, I love the idea of a matching blush and highlighter and who can go wrong for that price!

I wanted to try the Radiance Boost Highlighter as it was only £1.79 and I hoped it might work to cover up my dark eye circles. I doesn't seem to give much coverage and is a little pink for my skin but I will give it a go.

These lovelies were only £1.49 for the Nail Flare in When I Dance and an amazing 50p for the varnish in Funfair. I love the glitter polish and can't wait to try it. Funfair is the perfect pinky coral for summer.

Finally, the best product in the bunch, the 12 Shade Colour Block Palette in Unprotected, supposedly a dupe for MUA Undressed and the Naked palette. I can see the similarity between this and the MUA and I will be posting swatches soon but the colour payoff is sooo much better than you get from the Undressed palette so I will compare them. I love the look of the palette and prefer it to my MUA ones. I just think it looks more expensive and is a better shape to store. This was only £1.99 but even at the regular £3.99 it is still well worth buying.

I love the products I got and I'm really tempted to go back for more once the sale is over and they re-stock all the out of stock products. If you love MUA then Vivo are well worth a try and can be bought in Tesco or online at http://www.vivocosmetics.co.uk/ where everything is still half price!

Maybelline Superstay 10 Hour Tint Gloss

I had spotted these a good few months ago but after trying a couple of testers had got my heart set on Lasting Pink. I couldn't find it anywhere, every Boots I was in seemed to have sold out. I finally managed to get my hands on it a few weeks ago though and have been loving it ever since.

I thought these would be similar to the L'Oreal Stain Splash but rather than being glossy you get more of a full on colour stain. The five shades in the range are lovely but most are a little bright for my taste so Lasting Pink is perfect for me, bold but not too scary. 

I love the colour, not too red but not too pink. For me, its just bright enough to wear through the day but looks lovely with a smoky eye for a night out too. It last really well too although I wouldn't say it lasted the full 10 hours, 3-4 is probably more realistic depending on how much you eat/drink, but I don't think that's too bad and for the price I don't mind re-applying. It doesn't dry your lips either as I have found some other lip stains do. It smells gorgeous too, really fruity and is perhaps my favourite smelling lip product at the moment!

I hope they bring out some more colours in the range, I'd love some more of these. For £5.99 I'm really impressed and can see this getting plenty of use.

Have you tried the Maybelline Tint Glosses? Do you prefer these or the L'Oreal, I'm not too sure!

 

Boots Discount Haul

I haven't worked at Boots since I started my new full time job, which has meant no discount for me (sad face). I had also been saving up my No7 vouchers so I could stock up when I could get my double discount on it. This meant a nice little haul when I was finally back in on Sunday and as it is my first haul in a while, I thought I'd share it! I may have gone a littler over the top but all make-up was buy one get one half price which was too tempting to resist!

The first bits I picked up were the No7 BB Cream (£12.95) and Essentially Natural Foundation (£9.95). I have been wearing the BB Cream loads recently and I love it. It gives me the perfect light coverage I want for work and feels lovely on my skin. The Essentially Natural is my daily foundation and I when I want it to last longer or need a  extra bit of coverage. I do only use light foundations as my skin isn't particularly bad and I don't like anything heavy and these two have been ticking all the boxes for me recently. If you haven't yet, go get colour matched for No7, their foundations are my favourite.
I also picked up another of the BB Lips in Belle Pink (£8.50) as I have been loving those after picking up a couple of other shades which I reviewed here.

Next stop, nail polish (obviously). I had seen the new No7 Gel Look polishes (£6.50) a few weeks back and fancied giving them a go, although I wasn't too impressed with the shade range. I did like the look of these bright ones though so picked up Summer Holiday (bright pink) and Mint Treat (turquoise). I have Summer Holiday on at the moment and it is gorgeous, so it will have its own post soon but first impressions- it is mega shiny and beats Barry M's Gellys in terms of looking like gel polish! I always stock up on top coat when I get vouchers so got another one this time (white top, £6.00) and also picked up the new Gel Look top coat (£6.50) to try.
These were all bought with the £3 off No7 vouchers and on buy one get one half price, so were a great bargain.

                                                                                       l-r: Revlon Lip Butters in Sorbet, Macaroon,

                                                                                    Maybelline Super Stay Tint Gloss in Lasting Pink.

I also needed a new primer as mine is running out. I still love the Seventeen Photo Flawless (£4.99) so picked up the same again. I can't bring myself to try another as this is just so good for the price.

I have been using Revlon Lip Butters (£7.99) almost constantly the last few months so decided to treat myself to another couple of shades. Sorbet is a bright pink which can be built up or left subtle like the swatch and Macaroon is a nude browny pink with a hint of glitter. I can see these two making their way into my daily routine along with my other Lip Butters.

Maybelline Super Stay 10 Hour Tint Gloss (£6.99) in Lasting Pink is something I have been trying to get my hands on for a while now but haven't been able to find. I wanted to try it after loving the L'Oreal Stain Splash and this colour is lovely without being too bright for me. They smell amazing too, really fruity. 

I may have spent the days wages before I even get paid but I am really happy with my little haul. I have lots of lovely new bits to try and I'm sure they will pop up in reviews soon. The No7 Gel polish will be first as I am already loving it!

I have just realised this is also my 100th post so a little bloggy milestone there for me! 

No7 BB Lips

No7 are one of those brands I think people either love or hate. I personally love certain bits. Their Essentially Natural Foundation is my absolute favourite foundation. Their Quick Dry Top Coat is something I rave about and have turned a few of my friends onto it too. I love their blusher and eye shadows. As for their lip products though, I have never been impressed. Recently though, I think they have stepped up their game and come out with a couple of new products which I have really liked.

Every brand going seems to have a BB cream now. I have never seen a BB lip cream before though! The No7 BB Lips claim to provide colour, nourishment and UV protection with SPF15. I don't usually take much notice of SPF in products, although I know I should, so this is a nice touch. There are six lovely colours available, although my tiny Boots only has four. I went for Blush Pink, a reddy toned pink and Blush Coral a lovely nude with a coral tint. 

The BB lips are like nothing I have ever tried before. They are quite glossy but go on like a balm so last better and aren't sticky. They really work like a balm and leave my lips feeling lovely and soft. Unlike a balm though, you get a good 2-4 hours wear depending on what you eat or drink. The paler shades aren't fantastic for pigmentation, although you can build the colour, but Blush Pink is better and is only a mid shade, there are two darker so I imagine they will give even more colour. For me though, they are perfect for the days where you just want a hint of colour.

They are very quick and easy to apply, you simply squeeze a little out, with the slanted tip allowing you to apply perfectly. I have been really impressed with the way these apply and how well they last!

For £8.50 they are a little on the expensive side for what is essentially a tinted balm, although there are £3 off vouchers going round at the moment along with No7 cosmetics being on buy one get one half price, which makes them much better value. The two I bought would come to about £10 with the deal and a voucher which isn't so bad (mine were cheaper with my discount)! 

The six shades are available here. Would you give these a try? I like the look of Berry Rose!

MUA Power Pouts

My post today is going to be probably exactly the same as every other review of these that has been gracing the blogging world in the past month or so, but I had to show a bit of love for them. By them I mean the MUA Power Pouts. I love the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, so I had to get my hands on a couple of these for £3 a go. They work in the same way as the Revlon Balm, a beautifully packaged chubby pencil which can be twisted up from the bottom. I love this idea, they are so easily applied and can be built up for a more intense colour.

I picked up three colours, Rendezvous, a pinky nude, Justify, a pinky coral and Broken Hearted, a true pink. I was hoping there would be a little more difference between the shades, but once worn they look very similar (perhaps I need to build them up a little more). The formula is gorgeous though, they aren't a stain like the Revlon, but won't disappear as quickly as a lip balm. They are also glossier than the Revlon alternative. I do find they last really well though and you won't be constantly reapplying, although at £3 a go, reapplying can be forgiven.

  Bare lips                                                            Rendezvous

       Justify                                                           Broken Hearted

I have been reaching for these loads in the past few weeks as my lips are still a little dry and these don't show that and are really moisturising. I love Justify although Rendezvous is a gorgeous shade which goes with anything and is perfect for work. 

I love the chubby pencil style lip products, I find them so easy and quick to apply. I have heard rumours of a Seventeen version hitting stands soon so I'll be on the hunt for that one to compare, but all in all another win for MUA in my opinion. I have a growing collection of their products, all of which are fantastic quality for the price and they are fast becoming a favourite brand despite many accusing them of lacking any originality in their products. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Power Pouts are available in six colours from the MUA website here.

Have you tried these? They don't quite match up to my Revlon favourites, but at less than half the price who can complain?

April Glossybox

I had a sneak peek at a few early reviews of this months box (I know half the fun is the surprise but I just can't help myself!) and was seriously looking forward to getting mine. I think this is the best box I've had yet! There were a couple of other bits I'd spotted which I would have liked to have got too, but I'm really happy with everything in my box! Anyway, onto the un-boxing (de-boxing? I don't know!).

First off, how gorgeous is the box? The design was created by Pearl Lowe, who is also featured in an interview in the free booklet. I use my Glossyboxes for storage so this will make a lovely addition to my growing collection. The theme for this months box is Spring Fever, products to get you ready for Spring. I think this is a really nice idea with the weather just starting to pick up! The total value of this months box came to about £27. 

My sample products, 3 full size and a nice mix of make-up, body products and a cute little fragrance sample.

Surprisingly, the Essie polish (Full size, £7.99) was the sample I was most excited to see in my box! I had seen a few colours in other bloggers boxes and was hoping for the lilac but to be honest I have lots of purples and nothing like Rosebowl so this will make a nice addition to my collection.

I was also really excited to see a Sleek blusher (full size, £4.49), I hadn't seen these in anyone else's box but I have seen plenty of good reviews on different blogs and never tried one myself so this was a lovely surprise. I received Suede, a gorgeous natural pinky brown. I love the colour and this will be perfect for a natural look. I always tend to go for pinky blushes so this is a nice change. Plus how lovely is the compact? I'm really impressed with this one!

I had seen a few boxes with the pistachio version of this, but I love fruity fragrances so I was so happy to try the mango version! Nip + Fab Mango Smoothie Body Butter (50ml, full size 200ml £9.95). I tried this out straight away and it smells amazing! The tiny amount on the picture has made my hands feel so soft. This will definitely be getting used!

This is something I had not heard of before, A-Derma Intense Repair Lip Balm (full size, £7.95). It contains Rhealba Oat Milk (seriously? I think they make these things up :/) to soften and protect your lips. I have loads of lip balms as I do suffer badly with dry lips, so I'm always on the look out for something amazing and  my first impression of this is good! I have it on at the moment, so I'll see how well it works!

 Finally, a nice touch as I hadn't had any fragrance samples before, a sample size Yves Rocher So Elixir Purple (5ml, full size 50ml £44). The box it comes in is so pretty! I wasn't expecting much as I am quite picky with the perfumes I like but surprisingly I actually like this one! Its a little strong but quite fruity and really lovely.

I really loved last months box but this one has topped it!. £27 worth of products is really good value and it will all get used! I have been really impressed with my Glossyboxes so far and I know a lot of people have had bad experiences, but I am quite happy to keep getting them, I love the little surprise treats every month! I have been saving my Glossydots too, meaning after next months box I can have a freebie!
Have you had this months box? Were you as happy as I am?

MUA and Barry M Haul

Not working full time is deadly for me. I can't stand sitting around the house doing nothing so more often than not I end up going for a wonder round the shops. So that's what happened today. I didn't buy much, just a couple of bits, but I thought I'd show you them anyway. My MUA order also arrived today (yay!) I have been waiting to get my hands on the Power Pouts since MUA announced their release and I finally gave in and ordered some (and a few other bits).

I have mentioned before how much I love the Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stains, so had to try MUA's bargain £3 versions! I chosen Broken Hearted, a gorgeous pink shade, Rendezvous, a lovely pinky nude and Justify, a shimmery coral shade. I haven't tried these properly yet but judging by the swatches, and how well they stained my hand, these are going to be amazing for the price! Another win for MUA!

I also picked up one of the new Merged Baked Eyeshadow Trios in Legendary, again £3. These look like perfect shades for a day-to-day look. I love blending shades like these to give a shimmery smoky eye. I can't wait to try them out!

I also couldn't resist trying out one of the new style nail polishes in Pistachio Ice Cream. I don't own many green shades and this is a gorgeous pale minty green which will be perfect for Spring. How pretty are the new bottles? I was really impressed with the old style for £1, so hopefully the new style will be just as good. I hope they will bring some new shades out soon though, there aren't many on the website, a lot seem to have been discontinued.

Finally, something else I have been waiting to get my hands on- the Barry M nail art pens. These were on 3-for-2 at Superdrug, so all 3 were only a tenner! (£4.99 each). I have seen some amazing reviews of these so I'm going to give them a go as I don't have the steadiest hand and find nail art quite tricky sometimes. I can see these colours working well on an Aztec style design which I have been wanting to try, so watch out for that one!

So there we go, I did buy a couple of other bits but nothing interesting just essentials like tights. I also realised I forgot to include the MUA Undress Your Skin Illuminating Foundation which was on offer for £3 instead of £5, and I can't find it! I tried it today though and really like it, so I'll review it soon, if I find it! I was in a rush this morning so it could be anywhere!
What have you been lusting over recently? I know the Power Pouts and Nails Art Pens have been on a lot of bloggers wishlists this month! Have you tried them yet?

Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butter: Wild Watermelon and Juicy Papaya

I posted a while ago about one of my favourite lip products at the moment, Berry Smoothie Lip Butter. I have been wanting to get another shade for a while so was very happy to see the lovely woman turn up to update our Revlon stand as this always means new products! Lucky for me, our stand has three of the four new lip butter shades, all but Pink Lemonade. I had to pick up the two I had been wanting, and got a nail polish free, with the Boots 3-for-2 deal on at the moment!

Wild Watermelon is a gorgeous subtle red, which isn't too bright, so perfect for people like me who don't tend to go for bright reddy reds. You can build these up for more colour but they look lovely as just a subtle wash of colour too.

Juicy Papaya is amazing. I am totally in love with this colour and can see me wearing it right through to Summer. One sweep gives a lovely subtle peachy coral tint, but this can be built up for a more full-on coral lip. I am really impressed with this shade and love how it looks. I think this will be a popular one as it is the kind of colour which will suit everyone!

Both colours are really moisturising as with the rest of the lip butter range. That makes them perfect for the long Winter we seem to be having, if like me you are suffering from dry lips. You do have to re-apply during the day for the balm effect although I do find I am left with colour for a good few hours after the balm has gone.

Have you tried these? Which of the new shades do you like best?

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

This is another lip product I have been loving recently - the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey. Like most of my other lip colours this is a "my lips but better" kind of colour with a little shimmer, maybe I need to be brave and go for some more colourful shades but I don't think they suit me as much as nude colours.

The Balm Stains are exactly what you would expect, a lip stain with a moisturising balm mixed in. I didn't realise until I looked online that so many shades are available, Boots only sells 7 so I might have to go on the hunt for some of the others as I really love this.

These colours come packaged as gorgeous chubby crayons, which I love as you they are so easy to apply and you can just twist it up as it runs out. They do smell a little strongly of mint, although this doesn't last after applying.

As for staying power, the balm doesn't last that well, it will loose its gloss and balmy feel after a couple of hours or when you eat/drink. The stain however, lasts really well and after applying at 9am I still have colour left at 4pm, although it has faded a little from bits of my lips.

As they are a stain they won't dry out your lips or cling to any dry patches, which is why I prefer them to lipsticks. They aren't the cheapest thing ever, but seen as you aren't reapplying all the time they will last ages!

Revlon Balm Stains are available here for £7.99. Is anyone else loving these? Any other shades you would recommend?

L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash

I haven't seen many reviews of these yet, although they seem to be appearing on many wishlists, so I thought I would get my thoughts out there! I only noticed these a few days ago and had to try them! I'm not a massive lipstick fan, so something that gives me the colour without drying my lips out is always a winner for me and these do not disappoint!

There has been a little confusion over the name of the stain, so I have gone with what is advertised on the L'Oreal stand in my Boots, Stain Splash. L'Oreal describe it as a stain which acts like a gloss and stays put for up to six hours without drying your lips! There are currently six shades available but I chose Romy, a gorgeous natural pinky "my lips but better" shade.

I love the doe-foot applicators which seem to be appearing in more and more products lately. They just seem to make it easy to get a perfect coverage in one sweep, with this one being no different.

When you first apply, the stain feels like a normal gloss. As it settles onto your lips it does change and goes a little tacky (this is all I can think to describe the feeling as I have never had anything like it, but it isn't sticky). I think this is what makes it really stay put, and stay put it does! I applied as I normally would onto bare lips...

I think I should have gone for a darker shade to test the wear, as it isn't really obvious I'm wearing it, but too late for that, and I love this shade! As you can see after 2 hours and having lunch it was still going strong and still glossy. After 4 hours and another cup of coffee, the gloss has gone but there is still a little colour left. No clinging to any dry patches either! I am in love!

Finally, just a quick mention of the packaging as I really love it. I think they look stunning and far more high-end than they actually are! They also have a lovely watermelon scent, although this disappears once applied. L'Oreal Stain Splash is available here for £7.99.

Has anyone else tried these? Are you loving them as much as I am? I might have to pick another colour once my spending ban is over as this was a naughty purchase I shouldn't have made!

Another Midweek Haul

So, it would seem I can't even survive one day off work without having to go out and do something to stop me getting bored. Today that involved a trip to the White Rose centre, so I thought I'd show you what I bought...again!

The first stop for me always has to be New Look, I am loving their stuff at the moment, so much of it is similar to Topshop but half the price and better quality. They have 25% off jeans at the moment so I had to pick up a pair and have been eyeing these up for ages. They also had them in 34" length which I usually struggle to find (I'm 5'8) so I took it as a sign to buy them! (Pulled the pics from the website as its pretty dull today and my pictures were rubbish!)

I am currently living in plan/striped long sleeve tops as they are nice and warm and go with anything so picked up another colour, there seems to be a theme here, loving burgundy at the moment!

I finally gave in and bought the bag I have been wanting for ages, I really wanted the Topshop version but it was £40 and having just bought a Marc B bag, didn't want to pay that much so settled for the Primark £12 copy. This will be perfect for chucking in everything I need when I am working.

I then made the mistake of going into Superdrug. To be honest, I intended to treat myself to a few new bits as I am taking part in a spending ban on make-up and beauty products throughout March and this was my last chance to shop before March begins! 

After reading lots of good reviews I thought I needed to try the new Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation, on offer for £6.99 (usually £8.99). I don't like using heavy foundations and don't really have any problems with my skin so this seemed perfect for me. I went for shade 150 Nude so I'm hoping it will be a good match.

I have been wanting to try the new range of moisturisers from Garnier which contain different ingredients designed to tackle different skin problems. I debated getting the dry skin one but in the end thought I'd go for the Wake Me Up formula for dull skin. I am hoping this will be really good to use on a morning to brighten my skin up and set a good base for my make-up. £3.99 at the moment (usually £5.99).

I have been suffering with chapped lips all Winter so have been trying all sorts of lip balms  and as Palmer's is one of my favourites, I had to try the new formula - Dark Chocolate and Cherry. It is gorgeous!! It has a slight red tint to it which looks lovely on and for £1.99 you can't go wrong.

Finally, I wanted to treat myself to a few new make-up bits. In the end after deciding I really don't need or want any new nail polishes, I chose some more lipsticks from MUA. I really liked the three shades I got in my 50% off haul so chose a few different colours. These are shades 2, 6 and 11. I'm particularly liking shade 2!

So there we go, my last haul before Make-Up Free March. I'm really not looking forward to this now, I wish I'd never said I'd do it, but hopefully it will save me some money to go towards a deposit for when I move out. What have you all been buying this week, I love reading haul posts.