MAC Star Violet Vs Cranberry

I bought MAC Cranberry eyeshadow in autumn last year, to branch out from my usual gold and bronze smoky eye colours I usually wear. I've absolutely loved using it, and it even helped me with a Bloody Mary costume once.

I bought MAC Star Violet eyeshadow just before this summer, to create pink/rose looks instead of buying the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. 

When I unpackaged it at home, I immediately noticed the similarity between Star Violet and Cranberry and felt silly for buying essentially the same colour. But then after using them both, and swatching them I realised they are in fact not the same colour.

Star Violet (left), Cranberry (right)

Star Violet (left), Cranberry (right)

Star Violet has a much more pink (bordering onto purple territory) undertones, and is a more subtle addition to a look compared with Cranberry.

Cranberry is more pigmented, and can often require a lighter application to avoid the 'I've just been crying look' that nobody wants.

So these two eyeshadows have their differences, but should you buy them both? The answer, I think, is no. If you're specifically looking for a red eyeshadow for autumn/winter and want to create generally darker looks then get Cranberry. If you're looking for an all-year-rounder red/pink eyeshadow that is more wearable then get Star Violet.

Disappointing Products #3

Trilogy Cream Cleanser

I had a travel size of this, so decided to take it on holiday with me. I ended up not using it because it didn't make my skin feel clean, and was bizarrely clogging on my face rather than refreshing.

Nair Brazilian Spa Clay*

I used this on my legs prior to going on holiday, but found the product to be utterly useless - my leg hair grew back faster than if I'd just shaved my legs!

Lancome Artliner

I feel a bit mean about this one, since it's not a horrible eyeliner, but the spongy tip makes it seriously difficult to get close to the lash-line or do any kind of wing/cat-eye. It's an okay eyeliner which lasts a few hours but it's not very opaque and initial application can look very grey instead of black. I really don't it's worth the high price tag, there are much better eyeliners out there for your money and I had much higher expectations for this one!

Beauty Blender
There's been a lot of hype that's surrounded the beauty blender. Unfortunately, to me it just seems like a glorified sponge. It applies foundation  okay, but nowhere near as flawlessly as if I use a makeup brush, and I find myself using more product as it gets absorbed.

Nars Sheer Glow vs Sheer Matte

L-R Glow, Matte (both Mont Blanc)

I first purchased Nars Sheer Glow back in March (I think), and it quickly became my favourite foundation. Lacking an SPF made it great for photos, and the coverage/finish was lovely. A few months and an empty bottle later, I was in need of a replacement! Being the middle of summer, I opted to try the Sheer Matte foundation instead.

Having now used both, I thought I would do a little comparison post!

Packaging
The packaging is pretty much the same for both - the iconic matte black that Nars use with bold lettering - although Sheer Matte has a frosted glass bottle so you can distinguish between the two.

Shade
I can't say if this applies to all the shades in the range, but Mont Blanc is very similar for both foundations with Sheer Matte pulling ever so slightly more yellow in tone, whereas Sheer Glow is what I would call a 'perfect neutral'.

Application & Coverage
The consistency of these two is very similar (not too thick, but liquid enough to blend easily), and both foundations provide a similar amount of coverage; although I would say that Sheer Glow blends just a tiny bit easier.

Finish
Quite obviously, Sheer Matte has a much more matte finish that Sheer Glow, but I find on my skin at least that Sheer Glow isn't massively dewy but just a nice natural texture. For summer, I would recommend Sheer Matte more, purely for the fact that you would need to powder a lot less.

Staying Power
Both of these have some great staying power. I can get a good 5-6 hours wear, and longer if using a makeup setting spray. Having said that, I do find my face gets shiny faster with the Sheer Glow if I'm on a night out and dancing a lot.

Overall, it's going to be down to personal preference as to which you think is better. For the moment, that's Sheer Matte for me but I might revise this when it gets to the colder months and I inevitably have drier skin!

Have You Discovered...? Storage Ideas

Back to the Have You Discovered...? series, and I think this is the last category I'll be joining in with. It's been a fun collaboration to be involved with, and I've certainly been inspired to write more creative posts.

This week's theme is Storage Ideas, so I thought it would be appropriate to talk about a recent addition to my beauty products - this Roo Beauty Nail Polish Roll (£7.99-£16.99).

Personally, I think this is a genius idea. An organised way to store nail polishes for travel, that prevents them from getting damaged? I'm in! This nail polish roll stores up to 12 nail polishes, of various sizes, as you can see above. Thanks to each individual elasticated compartment, the nail polishes aren't bashing against each other during travel, so they're not very likely to smash and spill everywhere.

Because I like to do nail art, that means I tend to need a number of colours at one time, so this is perfect to roll up and take with me. Mine has a leopard print design, but they come in a range of patterns and colours to choose from!

How would you store your nail polishes?

xxx

Have You Discovered...? Beauty Tools

I've missed the last few weeks of this series (I'm blaming it on the busy life), but I'm back with this week's theme: Beauty Tools.

I had originally planned to talk about some of my favourite makeup brushes, but as I was washing my face this morning, I struck inspiration and decided to tell you about one of my favourite little skincare helpers instead!

Since this is a series about discovery, and I'm not sure how many people will have seen this, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to introduce it. This strange green thing you see above is a silicon exfoliating face disc.

It's the perfect thing to use for cream/balm cleansers, but you could use it with foaming products too. It's effective enough at exfoliation but gentle enough to use every day. I honestly can't imagine my skincare routine without this, and it's way better value than a Clarisonic (or other similar electric facial exfoliator thingy),  takes up less space, and won't get tangled bristles like a facial cleansing brush.

I picked mine up in Sephora back in February for about €5, but I've seen similar ones for a couple of quid on eBay, which is where my mum got hers after I raved about mine.

xxx

Have You Discovered...? Fairydrops Mascara

The Have You Discovered...? series returns! This week's theme is mascara, and like most females; definitely a product I rarely leave the house without!

It seems slightly cheeky to talk about a brand that isn't readily available in the UK, but I have found it on eBay, so you could always try it that way!

Even though it is a cult Japanese product, I got mine back in April when I was in Hong Kong. I'd heard about it on youtube I think, and I was certainly intrigued by the unusual wand shape!

I got the Long and Curl version and the combination of the 'bubbled' wand and the curved shape make it hold a curl really well (great for me because I have a weird fear of eyelash curlers). I would however, consider it to be more of a volumising mascara than a lengthening one. There's something about the thick formula that really sticks to the lashes - this stuff doesn't budge (until you want to remove it obviously). I do find that if you try and layer this up, there is a tendency to end up with clumpy lashes, but this mascara does the job in one go anyway so there's no need for lots of layers.

One other thing that definitely needs mentioning, is the packaging! Is it possible to be in love with a mascara packaging? Because I think this is so pretty, and all the variations of Fairydrops mascara are different colours.

Overall, I really like it. It has all the qualities I look for in a mascara, and does an excellent job.

xxx

Review: St Moriz Instant Face Tan

Recently I've seen a number of posts talking about the new Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster (is it me, or does it seem to be a competition between companies to get the longest product name possible?!). It even featured on my latest wishlist, but when sorting through all my beauty products (keep your eyes peeled for a blog sale soon), I found this little gem which I think is a great alternative!

The St Moriz Instant Face Tan* isn't an exact dupe, but applied right, I've found it to give pretty much the same effect; but for about a quarter of the price!

The instructions say to apply direct to the face as a wash-off fake tan, but I like to mix this in with my foundation, to add a light tan and glow. I also think it would work just as well mixed with moisturiser for makeup free days.

The other great thing is that you get a whopping 100ml of this, and you only need a tiny bit each time so this is sure to last a while!

Available from Amazon, Tesco, and Feelunique.com for £4.99. Or Fragrancedirect.co.uk for just £2.99! 

xxx

Review: REN Samples

A couple of months back, I was looking to overhaul my skincare routine and I'd heard good things about REN from other bloggers, so I emailed them asking which range would be best for my skin type. Their customer service was excellent and they offered to send me some samples to try. I should add, I never mentioned that I'm a blogger, they do this for anyone!

I've used them all up now, so I figured I'd share my thoughts.

The Clearcalm 3 Clarity Restoring Mask is a refreshing clay mask which was great at clearing my pores and brightening my dull skin, but didn't particularly do much for breakouts.

The Hydra-Calm Cleansing Milk is a lovely milky cleanser, which I found to be great for removing makeup as part of an evening double cleanse.

The Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel and T-Zone Balancing Day Fluid are a great day time combo for combination skin, with oily t-zones. I found my skin less oily than usual, without being too dry so I can see this range being good for summer.

REN have since changed the names of a few of these products but they're still all available on their website, as well as handy trial kits if you know which range you want to go for!

xxx

Have You Discovered...? So Susan

Hey! It's time for another installment in the 'Have You Discovered...?' series, and this week's theme is blush. I've also included a few other products from the same brand, because it made sense to review them all at once. Way back in December, when I attended the Clothes Show Live, I picked up a goodie bag of So Susan products for £5 (one of which was a blush), today I'm going to tell you what I think of them!

1. Water Based Pure Luminizer
This creates a lovely glow to the complexion if used under foundation, or as a highlighter over the top, applied to cheekbones, browbones etc. I wouldn't recommend mixing this in with foundation to create glow, because I found that to be too much glow; bordering on shiny/glittery.

2. 8-Hour Cheek Stain
I wasn't really sure what to think of this at first, because I'm not a huge fan of cream blushers but this is a lovely colour and very pigmented. I've actually found you can apply this the same as a powder blush, just with a slightly lighter hand.

3. Lip & Cheek Sublime
The title suggests using this for cheeks, but to be honest I haven't. It is however, a very nice spring/summer colour for lips. Perfect for days where you want a pop of colour, but nothing too over-the-top (say, if you have heavier eye makeup).

4. Intense Eye Shadow Palette with Coated Pigments
These four colours work very nicely together to create a smoky purple eye, but the top two could also easily be worn on their own as a wash of colour.

I've included a picture of a makeup look I created with all of the products. I think it's a ideal for an everyday fresh-faced sort of look, just in time for Spring/Summer!

Overall, I do think the packaging is quite cheap looking/feeling, but the products themselves are actually quite good. Have you heard of the brand So Susan, or used their products?

xxx

Review: Curlformers

Hey! Today I've got a review for you, on a product that's not widely talked about, but one that I love!

The Curlformers are a set of silicon-y spirals, which are hollow, and using the tool which comes with the set, you pull sections of hair through the spirals. (There are picture instructions in the lid which explain this much better than me). They come in a variety of widths to create tight or loose curls, and a variety of lengths for different hair lengths - all types shown here.

I have the Long Barrel Curls version (although I could probably do with the Extra Long version now), and as with all varieties; you can put these in either wet or dry hair. The quickest method I find is to apply them in dry hair then just give a quick blast of heat with a hairdryer, and leave to cool in the curlformers. Once removed (just pull them out) you are left with lovely romantic curls/waves. For a longer lasting look, apply to damp hair before bed, and sleep with them in as your hair dries (not the comfiest, but definitely possible) then in the morning, take out for bouncy beachy curls.

I personally think these are great, because I for the life of me cannot get on with rollers - sleep-in or otherwise. These are a great alternative and a heat(ish) free way of curling your hair! It's also much less time-consuming, and less of an arm-strain if like me, you have long hair.

 I thought I'd spare you a picture of me looking like Medusa with them all in, but here is just one.

And the finished look, after leaving in a set overnight.

You can buy Curlformers directly from their website, or on Amazon.co.uk

Ever heard of these before? Would you give them a go?

xxx

Wardrobe Update: Feat. Dylon Dyes Review

Hey! I've been meaning to get this post up for several weeks, but I've just had so much else to talk about, what with my birthday and trip to Paris! But finally here we are, and today I'm going to talk about how I went about updating my wardrobe without needing to buy anything new!

We all go through the phase where you open your wardrobe and think "I have nothing to wear" regardless of whether it is physically full or not. So a couple of weeks back, I had a bit of a clear-out, donated a bunch of things to charity, and some to the H&M clothes recycling scheme. Then with a few of the things I thought I'd wear again, but perhaps in a different colour, I dyed with the aid of Dylon Fabric Dye for Hand Use*.

before

after

As you can see, some obvious colour change! Some items didn't work as well, but this was more to do with the fact that I didn't read the part of the instructions that said it wouldn't work with synthetic fabrics or wool. However for the most part, it worked out great, and the whole process was pretty simple!

You can dye up to 250g of dry fabric per sachet, (I used two of each colour) and then you need warm water and 250g of standard table salt. You stir the clothes in your solution for about 15 minutes, then leave for another 45 minutes. I have to say, I got lazy and only did about 5 minutes stirring, but that didn't seem to have an impact.

What are your tips for jazzing up your wardrobe?

xxx

Mavalia Style Collection: Review and Swatches

Hey! Today I've a got a review of a collection I'm pretty excited about! Mavala, being my favourite nail polish brand, asked if I'd like to review their latest collection of lipsticks from sister brand Mavalia. Of course I said yes!

I didn't realise until this point that Mavala had a sister brand, but this is information I'm very happy to know now! The Mavalia lipsticks are described as "the perfect addition to your beauty wardrobe, comprising of a capsule collection of staple shades to suit any occasion and any lip." I have to say I completely agree, all of these shades are very wearable in my opinion, and quite appropriate for this time of year, transitioning from winter to spring.

In all above, left to right: 601 Velvet Peach, 602 Rose Vintage, 603 Glam Pink, 604 Mystic Violet, 605 Powder Rose, 606 Poppy Red.

And also some lip swatches, to show just how wearable all of these colours are!

Velvet Peach* (a soft peach) is definitely a true peach colour which will be perfect for spring. I also think it is an ideal shade for pairing with a heavy eye makeup if you still want a bit of lip colour.

Rose Vintage* (a rosy pink) is that stereotypical 'my lips but better' colour - it looks darker in the bullet than it does on the lips.

Glam Pink* (a full-on fuschia) is a colour I feel is going to take pride of place as my new 'going out' lip colour. There's something about it that just yells "party time!"

Mystic Violet* (a deep violet) I would describe as a more wearable version of MAC's Rebel. It looks quite intimidating in the bullet, but looks lovely on!

Powder Rose* (a nude pink) is a true nude which reminds me of Sleek's Barely There.

Poppy Red* (a popping red) as you may have guessed, is the classic red colour. I would say this is a true red, but with the barest hints of blue undertones - helping make your teeth look whiter!

I have raved about the application and lasting power of Mavala polishes, and let me tell you, I'm going to do the same for Mavalia lipsticks! They don't survive eating, (but then I've yet to find a lipstick which does!) but asides from that, they last so well! They have what I would describe as a satin-y velvet-y finish which makes them glide on easily - and there's no bleeding!

"Mavalia lipsticks are infused with the unique moisturising blend of Shea butter, Vitamin E and Aloe to ensure that lips look not only look on-trend but beautifully conditioned." My lips do indeed feel moisturised, it's a nice change from my matte lipsticks and to not have to apply lip scrub several times a day!

All of these have cool undertones, making them perfect for those with pale complexions (although I reckon they'd look great with a tan too!) Overall, I think these are fantastic - especially for those looking to branch into brighter lip colours. It can be daunting sometimes choosing - 'which red is best for my skin tone?' is a question I often ask myself, but this collection seems to have been chosen cleverly to suit pretty much everyone (what a claim right there).

These retail for £11.95, so high-end but still more affordable than MAC (what exactly are MAC playing at?) and available at independent salons and retailers. This would be my one quip, that they're not so easily available online.

What do you think of these?

xxx

Disappointing Products #2

Hey! I don't mean to get all negative on you guys, but sometimes ya gotta get real. Know what I'm sayin'? But seriously. You can't love every product ever, and I think it's refreshing to see honest, negative reviews every once in a while.

The first thing is this Timotei Organic Delight Health & Nourishment Conditioner. In my January Empties post (here), it featured a fair amount of conditioners - well this is the culprit. I applied it to my hair once, and left the shower with hair that felt like straw. Not really what conditioner is meant to do. I gave it another chance, but again hair that felt like I had just bleached it, burnt it and backcombed it for good measure. (Okay, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic but still.) Just to rub salt into the wound, this smells unpleasantly like herbs. I'd get over that, if the product worked, but it doesn't.

The second thing is the Beauticology Strawberry Sundae*. Not sure how I feel about saying bad things about PR samples, but I feel I need to be honest. This doesn't lather. At. All. I contacted the company who tested a sample from this batch, and reported that theirs was fine. Maybe I have a dud, but I do know someone else who received this at the same event had the same problem. Who knows? I'm now using this in my bath to add a nice smell.

Finally, is the Anti Blemish Skinetica Toner*. For something that claims to be anti-blemish, I personally didn't find that to be the case. That's not to say it won't work for others; I've read many great reviews online, which I guess has further fuelled my disappointment. My main issue here though, is that it claims to have "no harsh chemicals" and then lists the second ingredient as alcohol. What?

What do you think of negative reviews? Promise my next one will be happier!

xxx

Nars Eye Paint: Ubangi

Hey! Did everyone have a good Christmas? I for one am STUFFED, for at least the next week... and feeling pretty lucky with my pressies! Anyway, today I'm going to share my thoughts on the recently(ish) launched Nars Eye Paint and also show you a look I've created with it!

After seeing this in a magazine back at the end of summer, and then waiting for the release date! This is my first Nars purchase and also my first 'cream eyeshadow' and I'm absolutely loving it. I got the colour Ubangi, which is BEAUTIFUL, a black based shimmery dark blue, with just a hint of purple in it. It's easy to apply (I use my ring finger), fast-drying and so so pigmented! It lasts really well without primer (I wouldn't recommend primer with this, as it actually tends to slide around more), and my only minor gripe with it is that because it dries so fast, it can be a bit trickier to blend.

And then the makeup look I've created is a blue smokey eye. This kind of reminds of a night sky, and I think it would be a perfect look for New Year's Eve! Because of how bold the eye makeup is, I've kept everything else very simple - just a bit of bronzer and highlighter, and a peachy nude lipstick (Sleek True Colour - Barely There).

Above I've shown all the products I used. I applied Nars Ubangi all over my lids, and then blended out the edges (doesn't matter too much how messy this bit is). To add definition to the look, I used all Urban Decay shadows: Blackout through the outer half of crease and the outer corner of my eye, Pistol through the whole crease, and then a touch of Rockstar just above my lashes.

I also used the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Ransom, which is a bright purple, as an alternative to black eyeliner on my bottom lashline. And then to complete the eyes, my usual mascara combo: Benefit They're Real and Clinique Bottom Lash.

And finally, a close-up of the look!

Have you tried Nars Eye Paint? Would you wear this? 

xxx

PS. Don't forget to enter my 50 follower giveaway here!

Dermalogica Products Review

Hey! A while back, the lovely people at beauty900.co.uk sent me some Dermalogica products to review. Unfortunately my skin decided to have a bit of a tantrum, and I wanted to wait until it had calmed down first before trying these out. So finally, I can now share my thoughts with you!

I got a couple of sachets each of the Active Moist*, Skin Refining Masque*, and the Skin Hydrating Masque*. The first two I've actually used before and found to work well for my skin, and on trying the third I like that one too! The refining mask is clay-based which I always like in a face mask, but the nice thing about this one is that it's nice and gentle on the skin and doesn't strip away everything. The active moist and hydrating mask are both (as you would guess) hydrating, but not too much, which is important for my combination type skin.

The other set I received was the Daytime Radiance Kit*. I can't really say anything about the 'Age Smart' aspect of these products, since at 20 I'm glad to say I'm wrinkle-free! However, I have been using the Multivitamin Power Firm* as an eye cream to brighten up the area and I've found it helps reduce the appearance of dark circles. The Skinperfect Primer* has a similar texture to Benefit's Porefessional, and helps to apply my foundation more smoothly and look more flawless. It also helps my makeup last slightly longer in the day (although nothing significantly compared to other primers). Finally, the Dynamic Skin Recovery* I have been using as a general day moisturiser, which is handy because it contains SPF and my foundation doesn't.

Overall, I can definitely recommend Dermalogica products, and the beauty900 website has some great little kits depending on your skin type available, as well as free delivery and samples with every order.

Have you used Dermalogica before?

xxx

PS. Don't forget to enter my 50 follower giveaway here!

Sunjunkie Instant Tanning Mousse & Sunless Body Mist

Hey! Today I'll be reviewing a couple of products I was kindly sent from Sunjunkie!

Personally, I have only ever using gradual-tanning moisturiser before, and never fully fake-tanned. A fear of looking too orange I think! That said, lately I've been feeling really pale and ghostly, and it's a tad depressing when you're always the lightest or second lightest in foundation shades!

So when Sunjunkie asked me to review some of their products, I decided to finally take the plunge and have a go at self-tanning! (I also love the fact that they added some cheeky love hearts into the set).

So the first product I tried out was the Instant Tanning Mousse*. Thankfully, I was also sent a tanning mitt, which made application so much easier than I thought it was going to be. The first time I used it, I only left it on for 3 hours before washing off (paranoia about the orange-look), but that didn't really make much of a difference so I opted to reapply in the evening and leave on overnight. When I washed it off the next morning, I was left with a nice even all round tan - and not orange! (Which is always a win.)

please excuse my scuffed knees, I'm a clumsy fool who fell over the other day :(

The next product I used was the Sunless Body Mist*, to top up my new tan when it began to fade. I have to say, this product wasn't what I was expecting, it applied quite patchily and was trickier to make look even. That said, it was handy to have an instant glow again and with very little drying time.

I can't say I actually know what this 'biscuity' smell people often associate with fake tan actually smells like, but the Sunjunkie products had a pleasant smell (but not really of anything in particular). They're available here for very reasonable prices, especially compared to brands like St Tropez, and considering you get a nice, natural looking tan without the expensive holiday!

Do you like to fake tan in cold winter months? What tanning products do you use?

xxx

*Products sent for review. All opinions are still my own.

Everyday Haircare

Hey! Today I want to talk about hair. It's something I have quite a lot of, being both long and thick, and it takes a far bit of looking after to keep in good condition.

After having ombré hair for about 10 months, the ends of my hair were very dead, dry and damaged so I decided to return to my natural colour (albeit with a few cheeky highlights) and have a few inches chopped off, to improve the health and appearance of my hair.

Since then, I have made sure to regularly use conditioning and strengthening products on my hair to maintain it in its refreshed, healthy condition. The following are the products I like to use pretty much all the time!

After I've washed my hair (usually every 2-3 days), I like to apply a couple of serums to the ends of my hair - preventing them from splitting and/or looking thin. The combination I have been using regularly for a good few months now, which I've found works for me is the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum and Argan Gold Hair Vitality Oil (full review here). These are really good at nourishing the ends of my hair, without weighing them down too much as you only need a really small amount of product each time.

The next product I like to use when my hair is still damp, is the TIGI S-Factor Body Booster Plumping Spray. This adds a bit of volume to my roots even when I don't blow-dry my hair (although it works better when I do), and also smells incredible; like strawberries and cream - I'd like to try other products in this range just for that reason alone!

The Paul Mitchell Super Strong Liquid Treatment has helped keep my hair in a healthy, non-damaged condition and helps my hair dry a little faster too, as I apply it all through my hair. Unlike other strengthening sprays I've used, this one doesn't leave a sticky residue either. I also find it helps to prevent breakage when I'm brushing my hair.

Something else which does this, is quite frankly my new miracle hair brush. The Elite Models Professional Detangling Hair Brush (at least I think that's what its called, I can't find it online!) has very thin, flexible bristles which glide through the hair without pulling. I picked it up in TK Maxx the other week for an absolute steal at £3! Hair-brushing is now a pain-free experience for me - this brush has even brushed out my back-combed hair without too much hassle! I've previously had the Tangle Teezer, but after using it I always felt like my hair still needed a proper brush through (if that makes sense?) with something like a regular paddle brush. The Elite Detangling Brush leaves me feeling like my hair has been properly brushed.

The final product I like to use as a fortnightly treat for my hair, is the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer. This is a pre-shampoo treatment which at first I found a bit strange, but actually makes it an easier part of the routine. Every time I use this, my hair is left feeling super soft, silky and has a lovely shine to it. I got this 40ml size free with a magazine a couple of months ago and only now has it almost run out so it gets a thumbs-up for lasting!

Quite a few of these products are fairly high-end (almost all of them in fact), so I'd love to know if you have any high street recommendations!

How do you keep your hair in good condition?

xxx

No More Pores!

Hey! Today I want to share with you a selection of the products I love for minimising pores and evening out my complexion.

I wouldn't say I have massive pores, but some days I do look in the mirror and think 'hmm I could really do with using something to smooth out my skin'. I do also think that it's important not to clog your pores during the process of trying to improve the appearance of them.

The following products are the ones I have found to work for me (I have combination skin):

The first product I've included is a face wash I've been enjoying using: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pore & Shine Daily Wash. It gets my face nice and clean, removing any dirt and rubbish from my skin, while not being too harsh and completely stripping my skin. I have also previously used the Pink Grapefruit range from Neutrogena, and for the price tag, they are great products! 

When my face is looking a bit oily, I like to switch up my skincare routine to include this Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic from Kiehl's. I find a little drying on my skin for everyday use, but when I do use it my skin always feels softer, smoother, and pore-free. This contains Amazonian White Clay, which means you have to shake it every time you uses it to make sure everything is all mixed, and I think this is one of the key ingredients which helps, since I often like to use clay-based face masks to improve my skin.

The next product is Benefit's the Porefessional, which I will add to my makeup routine if I think my pores are particularly noticeable. I don't really rate this as a primer, since I don't think it makes any difference to the lasting time of my makeup, but it sure does make my skin lovely and smooth! (And I like to use a makeup setting spray anyway.)

Finally, I have what I consider to be high-street version of the Porefessional: in the form of The Body Shop's Tea Tree Pore Minimiser. I would say this isn't quite as effective as the Porefessional - but it does indeed minimise the appearance of pores and at a fraction of the price you can't really complain! I'm not a huge fan of the smell of tea tree, but the smell doesn't last on the skin and it does feel more refreshing.

Do you find yourself with unwanted visible pores? What products do you use?

xxx

October Favourites

Hey! I know this is a teeny bit late for a favourites post (sorry!) and I think this is actually only my second ever favourites post, since I tend to rave about products I like as and when anyway. But lately there have been a few things I've been loving and using consistently and I feel the need to rave about them all at once!

The first thing I need to mention is the Urban Decay b6 Vitamin Infused Complexion Prep Spray; I use this almost every day at the moment as an incredibly lazy primer - just a few quick spritzes (if that's even a word!) and I'm all primed up! This has a great deal of claims: absorbing oil; minimising pores; reducing redness; hydrating, softening, and refreshing the skin. I have to say I don't 100% agree with all of these, but it DOES help with any redness and is certainly the lightest and most refreshing of all the primers I've used.

The next couple of things go hand in hand really, as recently I have getting into contouring my face to stop it looking quite so one dimensional. I have been using Benefit's Hoola Bronzing Powder and lightly brushing it under my cheekbones (and even more lightly in a 3 shape down the sides of my face) with MAC's 168 Large Angled Contour Brush. I only bought this the other weekend, but I am so impressed with the ease of application it gives, and to be honest it puts some of my other brushes to shame!

My next October favourite is the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (I have the shade 15). This is perfect for concealing both blemishes and dark circles (not needing two separate concealers is a win in my book) and has a lovely creamy-but-not-too-thick consistency. I actually rate this higher than the coveted Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (*gasp*) for it's formula, colour range, less cakey-ness (making up words again...) and generally being a better concealer.

And finally for beauty favourites, is one I really didn't want to fall into the hype of... and that's Benefit's They're Real! Mascara. This is every bit as good at lengthening and volumising lashes as you've read everywhere else, and despite being more than double the price of my previous go-to mascara (Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies) and not having a curved brush (which I tend to prefer with mascaras) I am absolutely won over by this mascara.

A couple of other favourites I want to quickly mention for this month, are my current top 5 songs I have been listening to basically non-stop. I thought I'd share them with you all now before my playlist becomes entirely Christmas songs... (now it's November that's entirely acceptable right?)

1. Capital Cities - Kangaroo Court (listen here)
2. Work Drugs - Digital Girl (listen here)
3. Bastille - Of The Night (listen here)
4. Smallpools - Dreaming (The Chainsmokers Remix) (listen here)
5. The Magician (ft. Newtimers) - When The Night Is Over (listen here)

What have you been loving this month?

xxx

Review: Unii Palette

Hey! I feel like I haven't properly reviewed anything for ages, so today I'm going to do just that!

At the beginning of summer, I demolished my Urban Decay NYC Palette as it was bulky and impractical, and opted to depot the eyeshadows into something easier to travel with.

The concept of most custom palettes involves using a large magnet on the base of the palette and then sticking magnets to the bottom of your depotted products and when placed in the palette the magnets will attract and keep them in place.

The first custom palette I found was actually the Z Palette, and I was going to get the small version and fit all 16 shadows in snugly, but the dimensions were just a teeny bit too small to fit them all. It was then that I found the Unii Palette, and decided to get this instead, because it had the added bonus of a huge mirror!

So, onto the palette itself! I chose the Midnight colour, which is black with hints of gold shimmer running through (which my camera hasn't picked up very well). As I said before, I wanted this for travelling with so does it do it's job?

PROS
It is a nice size palette for depotting a wide variety of products into, I only had eyeshadows to depot but the space would allow for blushers, bronzers or maybe even a pressed face powder! (I've put some mini eyeshadow brushes in mine) The huge mirror is a massive plus in my books, particularly if its purpose is to travel with. There is also a handy thumb grip, which I don't personally use, but I can see that some people would find it beneficial.

CONS
Unfortunately for me (and four eyeshadows), my palette didn't survive my journey back to uni. The palette itself is fine, but some of the eyeshadows had shifted and got smashed. I can however say that their customer service for this was very helpful, and I was offered a partial refund while being reassured this isn't usually the case with their palettes.

So overall, this is a great palette for depotting shadows and saving yourself some space. I can't say that I myself would risk travelling with it again, but if this was a one-off then it should be ok for other people.

If you'd like to purchase your own Unii Palette, you can buy them here.

xxx