Dalliance in Duty Free

When we were off on our holiday to Turkey, upon arrival at the airport we were told that our flight was delayed for around 2 hours. I of course therefore spent the majority of that time having a look round duty free. I only got a few bits and bobs which were Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer, Erase Paste by Benefit, 17 Miracle Matte pressed powder and Max Factor Masterpiece Max mascara. All the products I bought needed to be replenished as they had been used up and they were also all different brands to the ones I was using before, mainly due to hearing good reviews.

Benefit Erase Paste: This product was a bit of a risk as it normally retails for £19.50 and even though I got it for around £15, I still think it is a lot to pay for a concealer, especially as it is a tiny pot. I had previously been using Rimmel's Hide the Blemish in Sand, but it was pretty rubbish especially under my eyes where it would wear off really quickly so I bought Erase Paste as an alternative due to it's claim of being a 'brightening' concealer and because of the thicker, creamy formula. It came with a little spatula and instructions of how to use it which I thought was great and is always an added bonus with Benefit products, however I never really used the spatula after a few tries as I think it is more of a marketing way to use more product than you actually need. Another plus was the cute pink packaging, which I am a sucker for anyway as I think the presentation of Benefit products is great. There are 3 choices of colour and I went with no. 1 fair which was the right choice for me. Overall, I enjoy using this product as it gives good coverage and will last a long time, although I'm not sure of it's claim to 'brighten' and I would recommend using this with foundation when you are looking for more coverage rather than with a BB cream or tinted moisturiser. I will have to use it over a longer period of time to determine whether the quality deserves the price tag. 

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer: After hearing loads of good reviews for this from my favourite bloggers and youtubers I thought I would give it a go, especially when it is the bargain price of £4.19. I have the shade 1 Fair and am pleased to say that I really like it too :)! Yay! The shade matches my skin tone and although it is a liquid formula, which I was a bit wary about, it gives really good coverage on blemishes and under-eye circles without being too heavy, and enables you to layer it if needs be without being obvious. I have been using it with my BB cream as for the moment I haven't been using foundation at all, so it will be interesting to see how I think it fairs with my regular foundation (Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse). I would definitely repurchase this and recommend it to others.

Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara in Black: I am a massive fan of Max Factor mascaras as I think they are really good quality for the price. The one I normally buy is Xperience as I recieved it for my birthday and loved it ever since, although it is meant to be volumising I think they are better for definition and length. I decided on the Masterpiece Max mainly just because it was a pound cheaper at £9.99 and I used to use it a while back. Since using it, I don't know why I ever stopped because I love it and is my new go to mascara. The Xperience is great for a more day time look, however I think the Masterpiece Max is great for day but can also be layered effectively for evening looks too without the aid of another mascara, therefore putting it above the Xperience for me. I would be interested if you have used any other Max Factor mascaras/products and what you think of them :)

17 Miracle Matt Pressed Powder in Ivory Porcelain: Previous to purchasing this I had been using MAC's Blot Powder in Medium and to be honest I was really underwhelmed :( It was my first MAC purchase in a while and I so wanted it to be better than the drugstore brands and worth the higher price, however I can't really tell the difference between the two powders (which is a good thing for 17!) This powder was £3.99 and for the quality and the packaging I thought it was a great price. It includes a compact mirror and a little sponge too which I thought were lovely added extras. One of the main features I like is that it is oil free, and as I have oily/combination skin this really appealed to me. The only downside is that it says up to 16 hours shine control but I don't think it comes near to this. I have been using it with a BB cream though which make me more oily anyway, so hopefully once I have tested it with foundation it will give me better results. Overall, I think for a drugstore powder it is great quality for the price and it does the job.

If any of you have some advice/recommendation on powders I would love to hear them! xxx