Essence Lash Princess Mascara - Reviewed!

I've been slowly trying some Essence products, although my local Wilko's doesn't always have to best stock available. One product I had heard really good things about was the mascara and how amazing it made the lashes look. Since it is such an affordable mascara I thought it wouldn't hurt to put it to the test. 

First off I will say I don't love the packaging. I like the black but I think the lace design looks a little cheap. I can see what they were going for but it's just not for me. I am willing to see past not so great packaging if the product is great. It is fairly slim so doesn't take space and it's easy to get a good grip on the handle. 

This is the false lash effect version of the Lash Princess mascara; they also do a volume version which i'm tempted to try. The brush is your classic bristle brush that is thinner to the end. I like the style as the smaller part of the brush is great for getting the smaller lashes.I haven't found that you get too much excess product on the brush and it applies really nicely onto the lashes. The formula has just the right amount of dryness too it so it doesn't clump up as you apply a few coats.  

From what I can see you can only get the mascara in black which I think will suit most people. The mascara gives some really nice length and definition to the lashes. It almost gives a bit of a lift to them making the eyes appear more open with a curl which is an added bonus. I've found it lasts pretty well all day and my lashes stay looking defined and lifted. It doesn't give lots of volume which is fine for me since it still makes my lashes look great. The mascara is also easy to remove and I haven't had it flake on me whilst i've been wearing it. 

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara retails for £3.30.

I honestly am so impressed with this mascara and I think it's become one of my new favourite since it makes the lashes look so good. I think most people will get along with this and for the price you really can't go wrong. Have you tried this mascara? What are some of your favourite Essence products?

April Beauty Favourites

I think i've got into one of those routines of using the same products all the time. I definitely plan on shopping my stash next month to shake things up a bit. This month I picked up a couple of new things as well as discovering some old favourites, including A Spring appropriate nail polish.

Dove Derma Spa Gradual Tanner - £6.99 - Now it's getting a little bit warmer i've been wanting to add a bit of colour, and glow to my skin. I used to use this a while ago and they've since changed the packaging to this which I prefer. It smells lovely and leaves a natural amount of colour to the skin. 

Rimmel Kate Contour Palette in Coral Glow - £6.99 - I think i've worn this everyday since I bought it. It's so easy to use having all the cheeks products you need in one which I love. The colours in this are so natural and the bronzer is cool toned so works so well with pale skin. This lasts well on the skin and is one of best drugstore products i've tried recently. 
Bourjois Quad Smokey Stories Eyeshadow Palette in Upside Brown - £7.99 - When it gets warmer I reach for the golden, bronzey shades so much. The golden shade in this quad I just love; I often wear it on it's own as it gives the perfect, subtle smokey eye. The texture of these shadows is so creamy and the blend so well whilst looking pigmented and long wearing on the eyes. 

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer - £7.99 - I've been using this for a while and this month i've been loving it even more. The texture of this is fairly liquidly consistency which I really like for using under the eyes as it blends well without clinging to any dry areas. It feels lightweight on the skin whilst covering well and lasting on the skin. 
Essence Longlasting Lipstick in 07 Natural Beauty - £2.30 - I've been wearing this lipstick most days this month. Although the packaging feels a little cheap the formula of the lipstick is the perfect, creamy not to glossy look. The colour is my favourite type of nudey pink that has a slight purple hue to it. I've been pairing it with the Rimmel East End Snob lip liner and the two work so well together. 

Maybelline Super Stay Nail Polish in Mint For Life - £4.49 - I loved this shade so much last year I thought it was time to dig it out again now Spring has arrived. I'm a lover of anything mint and this is the perfect, pastel mint shade. The other great thing about this is that it wears really well on the nails. After about 4 days there was only a few minor chips on the nails. 

So that's this months favourites. As I said, I plan on shopping the stash a bit more this month to dig out some more old favourites. I've also picked up some new products that i'm really looking forward to putting to the test. What have been some of your beauty favourites this month?

April Empties

It's that time of month where I talk about my beauty rubbish. I've really been trying to use things up a lot more since I found I was running out of space. This month there is a good mix of product including two makeup favourites. 

BATH + SHOWER:

Imperial Leather Unwinding Bath Cream - I picked this up whilst it was on offer when I was doing the food shop. It has a really pleasant relaxing scent and worked really well to create lots of bubbles and calm me down at the end of the day. For the price, it's a great affordable find. Repruchase? Yes. 
The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream - I ended up also using this as a bubble bath as I found it didn't lather up enough for me as a shower gel. The scent is a lovely true coconut scent that lingers on the skin. I would prefer it as a gel rather as a cream though. Repurchase? No. 
Original Source Mango Shower Gel - This has such an amazing mango scent which is great to wake you up in the shower. It's a nice gel that cleanses but doesn't dry out the skin either. I really love these shower gels and plan on using more of the other scents. Repurchase? Yes. 
BODYCARE:

The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Honey & Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter - My feet can get really dry in the Winter and I discovered this last year and decided to get it again. It's a thick butter that smells lovely and softens the skin really well. It definitely feels like a spa treatment without feeling greasy on the skin. Repurchase? Yes. 
The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter - I love the coconut scent from The Body Shop and this might be my favourite product from the range. The scent is strong and lingers on the skin whilst the cream itself manages to be thick and non greasy. It so moisturising and the perfect product from dry skin. Repurchase? Yes. 
HAIRCARE:

Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo - Once again Batiste makes it way into another empties. I love this scent the most as I love anything coconut smelling. The product itself works well and making second day hair look so much better. Repurchase? Yes. 
MAKEUP:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara - This has become one of my favourite mascaras for the fact it lengthens, thickens and holds a curl really well. It gives dramatic lashes without looking to intense or false. I have found it dries up quickly but I think it's worth it for how good the product is. Repurchase? Yes. 
Smashbox Brow Tech Gloss Stick in Taupe - I was so sad when this came to an end as it has been my favourite brow product recently. The colour is a perfect match for me and the product makes my brows look neat and defined whilst still looking natural. It's not the cheapest product but it really is worth the money. Repurchase? Yes. 

I feel like this months empties shows that I really love The Body Shop products and anything coconut scented. There definitely is something satisfying in seeing a box full of products that i've managed to use at the end of each month. Have you used up any of your favourite beauty products this month?

NYX Micro Brow Pencil - Reviewed!

Yes, i'm back talking about another brow product. They are seriously one of my favourite products to test which is funny since for the longest time I did nothing with my brows. I made a Boots order a while ago and needed to get something so I had free delivery (this always happens) so I thought I would get something from NYX. I hadn't tried much but when I spotted this brow pencil it looked like the type of product I would enjoy. 

The packaging is very slim and comes in a black plastic with white writing. I'm all for simple packaging and it is so compact it takes up hardly any room. It claims to define and fill in sparse brows for a natural look, as well as coating even fine hairs with product. 

The product itself is a double ended pencil; one end being the pencil itself and the other being a brush. I always love this design and the brush is so handy to neaten the brows before you use the pencil and after to remove an excess product. The mechanical style pencil also means no sharpening or wasted product. The texture of the pencil is a little dry so you have to press on fairly hard for the colour to show up. This isn't a bad thing as you don't tend to apply too much product, but it isn't the easiest pencil i've used. 

The pencil comes in 7 shades. I have the shade Blonde which seems to be the best shade for lighter coloured hair. It is a little warm toned which is a shame as some of the darker shades are a lot more cool toned which I prefer in a brow product. When I first swatched the pencil I could tell the shade wasn't going to look as natural as I would like. If I look closely I can see the colour in my brows as it isn't as ashy as my natural colour. It is so noticeable but might be more on sparse brows. 

Creating a brow colour for blondes is always hard. I'm sure I would love this pencil more if I had darker hair as it would be easy to find a good match. Sadly, the warm tones of the pencil means I find myself reaching for other things on a daily basis. The texture also isn't as waxy as I would normally choose which makes the application a little harder. The wear time is good and I found my brows still looked in place and defined by the end of the day. 

It's a nice brow pencil that wears well and comes in a decent shade range. However, I wish the blonde shade was more ash toned; if it was I would prefer it a lot more. If you're brunette you may love this, if you're blonde it might be one to skip. 

NYX Micro Brow Pencil retails for £7.00. 

Have you tried this brow pencil? What is your favourite brow pencil for blondes?

The Face Mask Rotation

My bathroom cabinet is full of face masks but I have found i've been reaching for the same three masks over the past few weeks. Each of them do something different and in rotation they've really helped to keep my skin in check. 

DEEP CLEANSE:

I remember reading a blogpost on the mask so decided to pick it up as it was only £1.50. The tube is small but i've used it so many times and it's still going. It's the Boots Cucumber 3 Minute Clay Mask and as the name suggest it has a slight cucumber scent to it which I find to be nice and refreshing. Applied onto the skin, it's creamy and not as drying as other clay masks. You can leave it on for 3 minutes, or sometimes longer and afterwards my skin feels smooth and clean. It's a great quick fix, that is affordable and works really well. 

RADIANCE:

Speaking of quick fixes the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial is the quickest mask i've used. Left on for just a minute it makes the skin really so smooth. It gets rids of any little bumps I may have and makes my skin look brighter. The texture is a little grainy but it doesn't feel harsh on the skin. It's not the cheapest but works really well and if you have no time it's a great option. 

MOISTURE:

After using either of those masks I like to reach for something hydrating. This one is the Superdrug Vitamin E Moisture Mask which has a gel, cream consistency that feels light on the skin. It says it's for normal to dry skin although I think for the fact it doesn't feel greasy it makes it perfect for combination skin. I use this 2-3 times a week and it's stopped my skin from getting very dry this Winter. 

It's safe to say i'm a bit of a face mask junkie and they're one of my favourite skincare products to try. It's been a little while since I picked up a new one so if you have any recommendations for a good face mask I would love to hear it. What have been you most used face masks recently?

The Everyday Lip

I've been going on about the Rimmel lip liner in East End Snob so much recently but I seriously can't stop wearing it. I've also been looking for the perfect lipstick to go with it. The other week I came across this Essence lipstick that works perfectly so I felt I had to share it. 

So starting with the lip liner, Rimmel East End Snob is the perfect cool toned pink whilst still being some what nude. The texture is really great as it's creamy and easy to blend. It has a matte finish without being drying. I've worn this alone a lot until I found this lipstick. 

So onto the lipstick. I had heard there was some good Essence nude lipstick so I went to check it out. The stand was a bit of a mess but I managed to find one of these lipsticks that hadn't been opened. This is one of the Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks in the shade 07 Natural Beauty. The texture is very creamy which is rare for a long lasting lipstick. The shade is more pink toned than the lip liner but the two together work so well. The packaging does feel a little cheap but it's holding up well to say I use it so much. 

East End Snob, 07 Natural Beauty

I've worn both on their own but together they're such a nice combination. The lip liner makes the lipstick last so much longer and I find I only need to top up the lipstick if i've been eating or drinking. There some more expensive option when it comes to these sorts of shades but if you're on a budget I would highly recommend both of these. I definitely will be picking up some more of the lipstick as the formula of them are really nice. 

What is your everyday lip combination? What are your favourite nude, pink lip options?

Brand Focus | Bourjois Foundations

I've mentioned a few times that Bourjois do my favourite drugstore foundations. This has meant that i've tried most of the foundations from their range. I thought I might as well do a big review post on the five i've tried and tell you which are my favourites as well as which are best suited to certain skintypes. 

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix Foundation - £9.99 for 30ml

• Packaging - The bottle comes with a pump which is always a bonus when it comes to dispensing the product. It's a glass bottle which is a little weighty but still not too heavy to travel with.
• Claims - Gives a healthy glow flawless complexion for up to 16 hours for hydrated and luminous skin. 
• Shade Range - This is the foundation that comes in the most shades, eight which go from pale to medium/dark. There isn't any very pale or very dark shades. I have shade 52 Vanilla. 
• Application - The foundation feels creamy and applies easily onto the skin. You only need around a pumps worth of product for an application. It blends easily without clinging to any dry patches. 
• Finish - The finish is very nice. It instantly gives a glow to the skin, has a medium but buildable coverage and doesn't feel heavy on the skin. The wear time is good and I can have this on all day without it looking patchy although there can be some fading where i'm oily. I can get a little shiny in the t-zone but nothing too noticeable. 
• Best For - All skintypes apart from very oily. It doesn't feel dry on the skin or greasy and would suit most people. 

Bourjois Happy Light Foundation - £12.99 for 30ml.

• Packaging - The packaging is pretty much identical to the healthy mix. It has a pump with coral detail as well as a glass bottle. 
• Claims - Gives a luminous and flawless complexion in any light. It corrects without masking, light enhancing with 8 hours of hydration.  
• Shade Range - It comes in five shades which all lean on the fair to medium side. I have shade 50, Porcelain. 
• Application - This feels like the healthy mix but when you apply it onto the skin you can see that it gives less coverage but does even the skin out. I find it to be a little drier and doesn't give as much of a glow although it does feel light on the skin. 
• Finish - The finish is more of a no makeup look, however you can build up the coverage. It feels very nice on the skin and does blur any imperfection. As the day goes on it can break down a little and I find I do get oily by the end of the day. 
• Best For - Normal to combination skin. This is good for natural makeup days where you aren't bothered if your base doesn't look flawless by the end of the day. 

Bourjois CC Cream - £9.99 for 30ml.

• Packaging - This one comes in a plastic tube with a fine point which stops you squeezing out too much product. 
• Claims - Has 3 colour correction pigments. Apricot for anti fatigue, green for anti redness and white for anti dark spots. It gives a luminous complexion, smooth skin, 24 hour hydration and an SPF 15. 
• Shade Range - This one has the smallest shade range with only four shades to choose from. All of them are fairly pale; I have shade 31 Ivory. 
• Application - The product is runny in consistency which means you have to shake it up before applying. It applies easy onto the skin and feels lighter than a foundation. It has surprisingly good coverage and evens out the skin nicely. It looks natural and doesn't really cling to any dry areas or get greasy by the end of the day.  
• Finish - I wouldn't say it's hydrating as it claims however it feels nice on the skin and can quickly be applied and looks pretty great by the end of the day with only slight fading and oil in the t-zone. 
• Best For - Normal or combination skin. If you have very dry skin you might find it clings a little but applying with a damp sponge will help avoid that. 

Bourjois Air Mat Foundation - £9.99 for 30ml

• Packaging - It comes in a thin tube. Out of all the packaging their foundations come in this is the most travel friendly as it is slim whilst giving the same amount of product. 
• Claims - Light as air giving the perfect coverage and a flawless complexion. Enriched with mattifying powders it eliminates shine with a no mask effect lasting 24 hours. It has an SPF 10. 
• Shade Range - This comes in five shades which lean to the light to medium side. I have the shade 01 Rose Ivory; the lightest shade. 
• Application - You can tell this is a matt foundation as it feels drier when you apply it. For me I find a damp sponge and a small amount of product can give a nice, flawless finish. If you apply too much it can look a little cakey and cling to dry areas. If you don't it gives a nice coverage without looking heavy. 
• Finish - The finish is definitely matt but it still as a natural look when on the skin. The wear time is could and it stays in place for most of the day without looking shiny. 
• Best For - Oily to combination skin. If you have dry areas it will cling to it and may look a little flaky. 

Bourjois City Radiance Foundation - £9.99 for 30ml

• Packaging - This also comes in a slim tube which dispenses the product well whilst being travel friendly. The pink, matt packaging looks lovely and surprisingly has stayed clean easily. 
• Claims - Skin perfecting with a brightening effect whilst giving a fresh and even complexion. It has an anti pollution screen, SPF 30 and radiance boosting pigments. 
• Shade Range - The shade range again doesn't have many options for someone with a darker skintone but does have six shades to choose from. I have shade 02 Vanilla. 
• Application - The application is very nice. It blends easily onto the skin and can be built up to a medium coverage. It evens out the skin well whilst feeling light and smooth on the skin. 
• Finish - It does leave a glow to the skin so I set it with powder. I don't find I get shiny if I do this, however it does break down an little on my chin and around the nose. It does however look very natural on the skin and will be a great Summer option as it is very comfortable to wear whilst having that sun protection. 
• Best For - Most skintypes apart from very oily or dry. If you like a light, everyday and natural looking foundation this is a nice option. 

Healthy Mix, Happy Light, CC Cream, Air Mat, Radiance Reveal 

So that's all the foundations. I'll also mention the Healthy Mix Serum foundation which I don't have at the moment which is also very pleasant and a great option for dry skin as it doesn't cling to dry patches and feels like a serum on the skin; it's a favourite of mine in the Winter. I think Bourjois do a really good range of foundations, all of which are nice to use. The only downside can be the shade range but if you can find a colour to match they're well worth trying. My favourite from the lot is probably the original Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix as it is a great all in one option that ticks all the boxes. 

I hope this post is helpful if you're struggling to decide which foundation to try. There is another two which I haven't tried but no doubt will at some point. What is your favourite Bourjois foundation?

Rimmel Kate Sculpting Palette in Coral Glow - Reviewed!

Contour palettes seem to be on of the things all brands seem to be bringing out their own versions of. I've tried a few, and when Rimmel brought there's out the packaging instantly caught my attention. What can I say, i'm a sucker for anything rose gold. I've been putting it to the test so thought it was time to share a review. 

As I mentioned I loved the packaging. The rose gold is a really nice detail that stands out. It's also sleek without too much excess packaging which is always something I like. The palette comes with three powder shades which can be used together to create a natural contour look. 

All the shades aren't shimmer and instead have more of a glowy finish. This helps to give that natural finish. The product comes in three shades and I went for Coral Glow as I find that sort of colour suits my skintone best. I tend to start using the middle contour shade which is one of my favourite things about this palette as it very cool toned. I lot of contour shades tend to be warm and can give an orange look to the skin. Instead, this shade has a very natural finish which applied to the skin. I then go in with the blush shade which is nicely pigmented whilst still looking natural. Then I use the highlighter to add glow to the skin where the light would hit the face. 

The consistency of the powders are really nice and don't look patchy of flakey on the skin. They apply nicely and give a really nice finish on the skin. The wear time is also pretty great. On a long day I did find the pigmentation of the colours did fade a little but nothing major. Although none of the shades are completely matte I find this helps to make it look more natural on the skin. 

If you have fair skin I think this will work really well. None of the shades seem to be created for a darker skintone which is a shame. If your are new to contouring I think this is also a really nice starter palette and the fact it's so compact makes it great for travelling. 

Rimmel Kate Sculpting Palette in Coral Glow retails for £4.99.

Have you tried this? What is your favourite contour palette?

Dove Derma Spa Summer Revival Body Lotion - Reviewed!

When I first started getting into the world of fake tanning the Dove gradual tanner was one of the first things I used. It gave me a decent amount of colour without looking fake, plus the scent was really pleasant. Recently Dove brought out a new range of body products including a gradual tanner, which I wanted to test to see if it was like the original one I used to love. 

I love the new packaging. It looks so sleek and more high end that other Dove products. The product claims to give a healthy looking Summer glow as well as moisturising the skin. It can be used daily to build up the colour you want. The smell is very pleasant, it's florally without being overpowering. The scent lingers on the skin but never develops that notorious fake tan, biscuit scent. 

The product comes in two shades; fair to medium and medium to dark. I went for the lighter shade which is perfect for fair skin as it doesn't look too dark. The lotion applies nicely and sinks in to the skin without feeling greasy. After one application the skin feels soft and moisturised. It leaves a natural looking, light tan to the skin which really does look like a natural glow. If you build the product up with 2-3 applications it gives a really nice tanned look. 

I haven't found it goes patchy as it wears or after showering. This is a great product if you're not into fake tanning but want to give a bit of a glow to the skin. It's also good if you want to prolong you real or fake tan a bit longer. 

Dove Derma Spa Summer Revival Body Lotion retails for £6.99.

I've had a decent amount of applications out of this bottle and there's still around half of the product last. This has become one of my favourite body products that i've loved especially in the colder months but I can also see myself using it a lot in the Summer. Have you tried this Dove gradual tanner?

Five Brow Products, One Review

I think I have a bit of an addiction when it comes to trying new brow products. I've mentioned before how i'm always on the hunt for the perfect brow product for blondes. I've got five which i've been using for a while, so I thought I would do a post comparing and sharing my thoughts on each of them. 

Collection Eyebrow Definer in Blonde - This was one of the first brow pencil that I found actually matched my brows well. It's a great, cool toned shade which works well to make it look natural. It has a waxy texture which blends really well and defines the brows. This is a mechanical pencil and the point isn't as fine as I would like so you have to be more precise when using it. For the price though you really can't find something better than this. 

Kat Von D Tattoo Brow in Blonde - This one is a little different from the others as it's a felt tip applicator. It isn't the first one i've tried but it is the best one i've used. This is the perfect, true blonde colour without being warm toned. The tip is very fine so this is so good and drawing in individual hairs. I love it most for filling in the ends of the brows. 

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Taupe - This might be one of the most talked about brow products and one most beauty lovers have, or want to try. The shade taupe is a little darker than the other products here but it still matches well. If you're a darker blonde, this shade is perfect. This is also my favourite type of pencil; it's mechanical, has a fine point and comes with a brush. The texture of this one is a little hard so you can press on harder to make the brows look bolder. The fact you can brush the product out helps to give a more natural look. The shade range for this is also great; everyone should be able to find a shade that matches which is definitely the best thing about this pencil. 

Soap & Glory Archery Brow Pencil in Blondeshell - This one has a very similar packaging to the Anastasia, and for me, the affordable version of it. It does come in less shades but I think Blondeshell is an even better match for blondes. The texture is a little softer which gives an easier application. It also has a brush which I find I miss in other brow products since it really makes a difference to the finish in the brows. 

Smashbox Brow Tech Gloss Stick in Taupe - I mentioned this in my most recent favourites as for the past from months it's been the one i've been using the most. This one is different as instead of having a matte finish, it's glossy. That may not sound like a good thing but it actually makes for a more natural finish. The pencil isn't as fine but it's still easy to fill in the brows and the brush works well the remove any excess product. 

L-R Collection, Kat Von D, Anastasia, Soap & Glory, Smashbox

When it comes to brow product you tend to find more shade choice, especially when it comes to blondes. The best, affordable find is definitely the Soap & Glory. If you are looking to spend a little more money i've been really impressed my Smashbox as the colour and consistency is perfect. All of these are really great and depending on what my hair is like, I reach for different ones and even use them together. 

Although i've found some great products i'm still loving trying out new ones. What are some of your favourite brow products?