Soap & Glory Reviews

So after getting my first wage from my new job I felt the need to head straight for boots and start ticking things of my never ending makeup wish list. First products on the list were from Soap & Glory and what kind of person would I be if I looked past the 3 for 2 offer? I decided to pick up the archery brow tint and precision shaping pencil, the one heck of a blot powder and the infamous kick ass concealer.

First up is the 'Kick Ass Concealer' which has been on my wish list ever since Lily Pebbles mentioned it in one of her videos a while back and I had just never picked it up until now. The concealer is in 2 different shades, a salmon coloured concealer to use under your eyes to get rid of those dark circles and a yellow toned one to counteract redness and cover blemishes. The great thing about this concealer is that it comes with a powder! So for £10 you're getting 2 concealers and a powder! What more could you possibly ask for. 

I must admit at first I really didn't like this concealer as I felt like it slid around my face due to it's creamy consistency particularly under my eyes. After experimenting with it I have learnt not to use it right under my eyes as my under eye area does crease quite a lot and this concealer creased like hell even when set with a powder. Damn my oily eyes! Now when I do use this concealer I use it in the non-creased areas of my eyes and set it with the powder. As for the yellow toned concealer I absolutely love it! the creamy consistency makes it easy to apply with your fingers or with a brush and its super easy to blend in and has a really good coverage and decent lasting powder when set with powder.

 

Next up is the 'One Heck of a Blot' powder which is a matifying powder which is actually quite similar to Rimmels' Stay Matte powder although I feel this one is a lot lighter on the skin and is longer lasting. Not very much to say about this powder to be honest its one of those products that does what it says on the tin.

 

Last but certainly not least, my favourite of the bunch is the 'Archery Brow Tint & Precision Shaping Pencil' I absolutely love this product and I have used it everyday since I got it. The pen side is great for filling in your brows and adding more colour especially if you have any sparce patches and the other end which is kind of like a waxy pencil is great for defining your brows and giving them a better shape. In my opinion this is the perfect brow product. The only downfall is the lack of shades as there are only 2 to choose from but luckily 'Brownie Points' is perfect for my brows.

Which Soap & Glory products would you recommend?

Aimee xoxo

Avon 8-in1 Eye Palette: Nudes

Believe it or not I used to be an Avon Representative and was lucky enough to try many of their products at no cost all of which I have been very impressed with. After months of not having an Avon book at my fingertips I contacted a friend who is still a representative and got a book just to have a browse when this palette caught my eye. This palette comes in 'Nudes' and 'Metallics' and as I am a nudist when it comes to my eyes I went for the Nudes palette.

 As you can see the colours in this palette look beautiful, there is only 1 matte shade which is the brown shade in the middle and the rest are all shimmery some more than others.

As you can see from the above swatches the pigmentation isn't amazing at all. The formula is actually very nice and the eyeshadows feel very smooth. I think for £12 you could buy a much better palette but luckily it was on sale for £7 when I bought it so I'm not too disappointed. I have read very mixed reviews on this palette some claiming it is the best palette they have bought in a while and others simply got their money back. I have only used this palette a handful of times and it is decent but I can't say I will be singing its praises. A good thing is that they don't crease but I am not amazed by this palette it is just ok. I really did have high expectations for this palette as Avon's Make-up is really underrated and I think some of their products are amazing but I have been really let down by this palette.

I suppose if you're just getting into make-up and you think you might make a mess of eyeshadow this little 8-in-1 palette might be a good way to go as they aren't overly pigmented so I think this would be good for a first timer.

This palette has disappointed me slightly however I will continue to use it but I wouldn't say I recommend it.

Aimee xoxo

First Impression: Oatifix Face Mask by Lush - Aimee

 

I went into Lush looking for something for my mum for Mother's Day for her incredibly dry skin and of course one of the lovely people in Lush approached me and asked if I needed any help. Usually when I go in Lush I know exactly what I'm looking for but on this occasion I was stuck on what to get so I took up the offer and told her what kind of thing I was looking for and she recommended Oatifix.

After getting 4 uses out of it and as the 'best used by' date was tomorrow my mum kindly let me use the last application. Firstly it smells good enough to eat and with the ingredients of bananas and oats it sounds like the ultimate breakfast however I did resist the temptation. I found the application quite difficult and found it applied best by working it in circular motions on my face to warm up the oils in the mask to help it stick to my face better as well as exfoliating. I then left it on for around 15 minutes although the tub says 10 I left it on a little longer, I then took the mask off using a damp face cloth. After taking the mask off my face felt incredibly soft and not at all greasy considering there are oils in the mask, my skin also looked a lot more radiant although there was still some redness the dry patches on my face looked and felt a lot better. 

I will definitely be purchasing this mask for myself as I can see an improvement after just one use and I would recommend this anyone with dry skin and also to people with sensitive skin as the ingredients are very natural and are unlikely to cause irritation.

My mum after using this mask 4 times has definitely seen an improvement in her dry patches on her face and I think she will definitely be repurchasing this mask.

Have you tried any of the Lush Face Masks? 

Aimee xoxo

 

First Impressions: Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms - Aimee

My first EVER Revlon purchases came in the form of the Colourburst Matte Balms and I have to say I am extremely happy with my choice of products from the brand. 

There are a lot of these Clinique Chubby Stick Style products on the highstreet now but I think Revlon had the widest variety in terms of colours and finishes. Although these are the first of these kind that I've tried I think they will be hard to beat!

 I opted for the shades 210 - Unapologetic which is a gorgeous bright pink colour and 245 - Audacious which is a very orange toned coral shade. Both are equally as nice but I do prefer Audacious out of the two just because I feel it is more spring appropriate whereas I think I would only wear Unapologetic in the summer as it is a very bright bold pink.

what your favourite Revlon Products are.
The formula of these is amazing I can't believe how moisturing they feel on the lip yet they are super matte and another thing I love is the minty scent but if you don't like the smell of mint don't be put off because the scent isn't at all overpowering.

Overall they are very matte yet very creamy, they last fairly well and the pigmentation is incredible I couldn't ask for a better lip product. I have also had my eye on one of the lacquer balms so I'll definitely be picking that up if not a couple more from the different ranges.

You can find these Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms here for £7.99 each.

What are your favourite Revlon Products?

Aimee xo

My Make-up Basics - Aimee

Hello again everyone!
So I thought I would share with you my everyday make-up basics and as you will be able to tell from the picture below I am definitely a drugstore girl! -although I am keen to try many high-end brands.

In this mix of products is the Avon Magix Face Perfector, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, Rimmel Scanaleyes Volume Flash Mascara, Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil, Garnier Anti-Dark Circles Roll-On and lastly the Sleek Contour and Blush Palette. You may notice there is no concealer in there; I am currently on the hunt for a high coverage concealer that doesn't dry my skin out like the collection one does. (any recommendations welcome)

Firstly we have the Avon Magix Face Perfector which acts as a primer as well as a pore minimising product and it also claims to illuminate your face with 'exclusive Optic Light Diffusing Technology'. It is white in colour and it has a sort of powdery soft texture to it and it isn't completely matte which I quite like. I apply this mainly around my nose area where my pores are more noticable and then apply a small amount around the rest of my face. This isn't a necessity in my make-up bag but it is good for days when I know I've got a long day ahead.

 Next is the Garnier Anti-Dark Circles Roll-on which I personally just use under my eyes to wake me up in the morning because of the cold roller ball but bonus it actually hides your dark circles aswell hence the name, but does it hide them well? Personally I think there are probably better eye products to disguise your dark circles but if you are just looking for a 'wake-me-up and add a little coverage' product then I think this is a good one to go for, especially for those who don't wear a lot of make-up because the coverage isn't amazing. However, I still love it.

My Foundation of choice is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum which is a semi-matte foundation with a light-medium coverage. I personally prefer a lighter coverage base paired with a higher coverage concealer for day-to-day and if you are the same this foundation is perfect. It is very much what it says on the tin 'Semi-Matt' and on a scale of 1-3 it is 1 on the coverage scale. This foundation just feels like another layer of skin, it is super light-weight to the point where I forget I'm wearing make-up and it blends really well (above image shows half blended). Basically this has become a staple in my make-up collection and I would 100% purchase this again.

Then I have the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder which just about everyone loves and I am definitely no exception. To be honest this is the first powder I have ever used because until last summer (when me and Mariam started our YouTube channel) I have never been overly bothered by wearing make-up but now I am more interested and I'm learning more about it I know that this powder really does make a difference. I generally use it all over my face but I target areas that get more oily such as my eye area and my chin, it definitely does keep my make-up in tact and my oily areas matte and it is so light weight and as I have it in 01-Transparent it doesn't add any extra coverage and is extremely light on the face.

Next is the Sleek Face Form and Contour Palette which is definitely something I use everyday mainly for the contour shade but this palette is great for on the go and saves you carrying multiple products and all three products are nicely pigmented and very wearable day-to-day. As well as adoring the contour colour the blush in this palette is gorgeous its a sort of coral colour with gold shimmer running through it, and if the subtle shimmer of the blush isn't enough the champagne coloured highlight is incredible on the cheek bones for a lovely glow. I  really don't have enough words to describe how much I love this trio and how I am looking forward to trying more sleek products!

 To fill in my brows I use the Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil which is so cheap yet so good. When doing my make-up my eyebrows are definitely what I spend the most time on because without filling in my brows I would look brow-less. This product is so easy to use because it is a pencil it is very precise so you can get the bold brow look or with lighter strokes you can also achieve very natural yet fuller looking eyebrows. I think this has now become a staple in my make-up routine so although I do switch to using a brow powder this will always be in my collection, and it even comes with a handy little brush on the end.

I have used the Rimmel Scanaleyes Volume Flash Mascara for the longest time and I always go back to it even though I hate it when its brand new. This mascara is definitely on the volume side hence the name 'Volume Flash' but it does add some length, as I have naturally quite long lashes my aim is to make them look fuller rather than longer and this does the job. I feel like I stay in the safe zone when it comes to mascara and stick to what I know because I always hear very mixed reviews, on mascaras in particular (a reason why I would never buy a high end mascara) and this is a good mascara so at the moment I am happy sticking to this. 

Do you have any 'must-haves' or staple products in your make-up collection?

Aimee xoxo

NARS | Sheer Glow Foundation Vs. Radiant Cream Compact Foundation - Mariam

Hello beautiful people,

I've been lucky enough to experiment a little with foundations since late last year. I've since trialed and tested three everyday foundations, two of them being in the title of this post. Today, I'm going to compare and contrast the two products both by NARS and tell you which product has won my heart as my everyday foundation.

Nars Radiant Cream Compact Foundation

Price = £34
Refill - £28
Compact - £6

I was very reluctant to try this product for many reasons. It was my first ever NARS founation and my first ever cream foundation. The packaging is convenient and the product is sold with an application sponge, however, NARS sell the compact separate to the actual product, for an extra £6. The consistency is indeed very creamy, I applied the product with the sponge for full coverage or my Chanel foundation brush for lighter coverage. The product blended well but required a lot more time due to the nature of the foundation, I wasn't used to the creamy consistency or the sponge applicator and I was worried about a patchy/ un-even finish. Additionally, it had a very sheer finish, so a little didn't go a long way. I always applied this product in natural daylight to avoid the easy-to-obtain patchiness. This was the first thing I disliked about the product, mainly because it made my foundation routine harder after dark. Another thing I really didn't like about this product, was its performance. It genuinely did not last over 4/6 hours (at a push). Now, I'm not sure if this was because my application process was off, or because I didn't apply enough but my days are very long and this wasn't ideal for me as an everyday foundation. For the time, effort and money put into this foundation, I expected more. I have now resorted to using this as a base for a really heavy makeup look for a night out/concert, where I need the extra coverage.

The swatch is almost un-noticable due to the sheer consistency of the product

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

Price = £33.50

Foundation = £30.50

Liquid Foundation Pump = £3

 

 

 

 

Personally I felt this foundation had a medium but build-able coverage. It's generally for normal, normal-to-dry and dry skin types. The natural 'glow' would not work well with oily or combination skin. The product was great at leaving me with an even and healthy looking skin tone. I was reluctant to use this as my everyday foundation, because of the intense coverage, however, this foundation is recommended for everyday use on the NARS website. The best thing about this foundation for me, is the fact I can use it for different purposes, for instance, I can work with achieving sheer coverage (college/day-to-day wear) by blending little product. Yet, for more medium and full coverage I can build the product and again, achieve my desired look. Also, the product blends better than any foundation I have ever used. I was also amazed at the performance, the foundation withstands my long 12 hour days and even performs well on nights out- the foundation did not develop an oily finish.  Additionally, I've received a shed-load of compliments every since my first wear of this foundation!

Liquid consistency (left) - Medium coverage (right)

I'm sure you've all guessed by now, but my current everyday foundation is the Nars Sheer Glow, it has truly out-done all other foundations I have used. I think my motivation for this post was to show how two products can have such contrasting performances yet be from the same brand. The radiant cream foundation has not at all influenced my opinion on NARS as a makeup brand - I think it's fantastic. 

 Hope this comparison was helpful!

Music pick of the week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOW3CBUBlVE

Quote of the week: 'The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful and rare of them all' - Mulan 

NEW VIDEO | TMI TAG

Hey beautiful people,

Here's our brand new youtube video - not beauty related as such, but something fun. Hope you guys can get to know us a little better through random Q&A/Tag videos we will do every so often.

Have a lovely weekend,

Take care and stay happy xoxo