Maybelline | Colour Drama Lip Pencil in '310 Berry Much' |

Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in 'Berry Much' - £4.99 - Boots

To be honest, when these lip pencils were launched I wasn't desperate to try them. Lip products are my weakness but after collecting many different types of lip crayons I thought these looked a bit lack lustre. First of all they are much smaller than the jumbo lip pencils you can get from brands such as Bourjois and Revlon and I thought the packaging looked a bit cheap, although I do love that the colour of the product is on the end of the pencil.

However, I absolutely love both the colour range and formula of the Colour Drama Lip Pencils. Berry Much is a deep red berry colour which I would compare to Revlon's Kissable Balm Stain in 'Cherish' but is darker, more intense and and a thicker, more opaque formula.  The application is a breeze with the pencil gliding on easily, there is no bleeding throughout the day and the staying power is amazing without being drying on the lips. I do top up with lip balm throughout the day now it is much colder but compared to other mattes it does a great job of hydrating your lips. They also smell quite fruity without being over powering. The product is also an actual pencil so you will need a chunky pencil sharpener to keep the point.

I'm super impressed with the quality of the formula and will certainly be picking up some more shades as soon as possible!

What shades would you suggest I pick up next? xxx

December Favourites | 2014

While picking up people's Christmas presents, I inevitably picked up a few presents from me to me (hopefully I'm not the only one to do this!) December's round up therefore consist of a few new purchases with one or two re-discovered favourites.

001. Soap & Glory Hand Maid Cleansing Gel - £2.50: This has been raved about by a lot of people, but I always thought how good can an antibacterial gel actually be? Well it turns out, pretty damn good. This sinks in quickly, is compact for your hand bag and the scent is delicious and lingers after application. It also looks cute too! This will be really useful when I start using the tube every day for my new job.

002. L'Oreal EverPure Intense Mask for Coloured Hair - £7.30: If you read my previous post you would see that I want to use more natural products when looking after my hair. I bought this back in November and it has proved to me that products free from sulphates do actually work. The main ingredients are rosemary and mint oils which gives the mask a spa like scent. Although the mask is thick it doesn't weigh down my hair at all while still giving me sleek, shiny and soft locks. I would love to try the shampoo and conditioner from this range too after sampling this. It is normally on offer too - currently at Boots for £3.65.

003. The Body Shop 'Glazed Apple' Shower Gel: A new purchase from one of their Christmas ranges along with the matching bubble bath. This smells so good - like apple sweets - without being overly sickly, although it isn't very moisturising. It is quite zingy so great for cold winter mornings when you need a pick me up and the scent is also uni-sex so great for sharing with Matt. I like the bright green of the gel too and the sleeker packaging than the original shower gel line up.

004. Lush 'Hot Toddy' Shower Gel: Another shower gel that I just couldn't resist! The Christmas products from Lush are always amazing and this is a refreshing change from Snow Fairy. The gel is bright red with flecks of glitter, so very festive, and the smell is amazing. It honestly smells like mulled wine and the scent is super strong and lingers like you would expect from a Lush product. I wish I had got a larger bottle because I will be really sad when this is over.

005. L'Oreal True Match Foundation in 'W1 Golden Ivory' - £9.99: This gives a light to medium coverage which is moisturising without being oily and blends out so well so it looks like your skin but better. I also found that it was quite luminous too and didn't sit flat on your face and was easily buildable for more coverage. I did find that my t-zone did get shiny more quicker but it is quite long wearing and great for evening wear.

006. Maybelline Colour Drama Lip Pencil in 'Berry Much' - £4.99: I'm planning on putting up a detailed review of this in the next week or so, but basically this is the perfect lip product for the colder months. The colour and pigmentation is gorgeous, as is the wear time and ease of use. A really great product which I will surely be getting in more colours.

007. Bobbi Brown 'Sand' Palette from the L.E. Surf and Sand Collection - £48: First of all, this palette just looks gorgeous. The packaging is weighty and great for travel and the pans of eye shadow are good sizes. The colour selection is fantastic, with a mixture of matte and glitter golden neutral shades that can create a variety of looks. A few of the lighter shimmer shades were a little disappointing with not a lot of colour pay off, but over all I love this palette for day and evening looks. Although it is a lot of money for a palette, I think the shades and amount  you get in the palette make it worth while. I've been reaching for this most days of December.

008. Molecule 01 Perfume by Escentric Molecules - £65.50: The scent of this is so different to anything else I own or would normally pick up. I got this for Christmas about two years ago and think its perfect for this time of year. In essence, the USP of this perfume is that it smells different on everyone by working with your skin's chemistry and is great to layer up with other fragrances. I'm not sure if the first claim is true as I have smelt it on other people and have known exactly what it is. However, the claim that everyone will want to know what you're wearing is valid. I always have compliments when I wear this scent and have convinced quite a few people to buy it! Reported fans of this fragrance are Kate Moss and Daisy Lowe which is always a good endorsement and it is very long wearing to boot.

009. YSL Parisienne Eau De Parfum - £47 for 30ml: Another perfume I have been enjoying this month and that works well with Molecule 01. It is a deep floral scent which is rather long lasting and always brings back good memories for me as I received it for my 21st birthday.

What are your current favourite products? xxx

My Very Late September Favourites

Hi guys, sorry this post is so late I've been meaning to get it up for ages but was waiting for the weather to perk up a bit to take some half decent photographs of the products. They still aren't perfect but seeing as we are heading into the darker months it can't really be helped. If only I had the money for some studio lighting! Anyway, as you can see I have quite a few favourites from the month of September, which are basically all make up related products compared to last month's which were more hair orientated.

001. Bourjois Bronzing Primer: When I first picked this up I used it to warm up my complexion all over my face before popping over a lighter base during the summer. However, I've really started to enjoy using it as a cream contour. I'm no expert in contouring so I find this product makes it really easy to build up the colour and blend in to make a much more natural finish. It's a really handy little pot which has a lot of uses. You can read my full review by clicking on the product name above.

002. Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Metallic Pomegranate': I am in love with these paint pot dupes from Maybelline and have nearly all the colours now. I picked up this shade months ago and it has really come into its own now that the seasons have changed. A deep purpley pink with hints of glitter, it looks lovely all over the lid by itself or as primer for similar shades of eye shadows. I can't wait to do a full review of this soon and show you some swatches.

003. MAC MSF in 'Soft and Gentle': I'm already reviewed this in full a while back but it is still a staple in my make up bag. I love it most for evening looks but if applied with a light hand it is beautiful in the day too. A lovely warm toned highlight, it perks up my complexion and completes my look. After pretty much daily use since I got it, the dome has only just flattened so it is great value for money too. Highlighters are one of my favourite make up items (after lipsticks of course) and this is a must have for any collection.

004. Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayons: Another Bourjois favourite this month is the recent release of their lip crayons. The concept of these type of products in general is a winner for me, but what pleased me most about Bourjois' offering are the shades which, although limited, are all so pretty, and the super glossy finish. They also last really well and are perfect for day or evening wear. Again I will be putting up a full review with swatches in the near future.

005. Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush: Real Techniques are the perfect brand for affordable but fantastic quality make up brushes. While the buffing brush is the star of the core collection this brush in particular is amazing from the eye set as I find it so multi-functional. Not only is it fab for blending and all over colour, the soft dense bristles make it perfect for blending under eye concealer which is now its main use. 

006. Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation: A long lost favourite from last year, I pulled this out of my foundation box to replace the super light bases of summer. Full coverage that can be sheered out, blendable, matte and long lasting, this is definitley one of my favourite foundations ever. The only negative is the flash back face it gives but for days when flash photography won't be in use this is perfect for long, busy days.

What were your favourites for September? Do you like any of my picks? xxx

Review: Revlon | Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain | 'Crush'

Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 'Crush' // £7.99 //

My love for lip products is boundless, with three boxes full of the stuff and growing its surprising that I have done hardly any posts on them. So I'm going to try and rectify this and do a few more posts dedicated to the lipstick lovers out there. I thought I would kick off with a beaut colour suitable for Autumn/Winter, which is the shade 'Crush' by Revlon from their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain range. 

I actually bought this around a year ago now so that's why the packaging is looking a bit battered now! The JBKBS were the first 'dupe' high street range to rival Clinique's Chubby Sticks - I have a few of those too and will be popping up some comparisons soon :) A pinky burgundy with hints of glitter (which is a little darker than the swatches show), 'Crush' applies to a glossy finish which lasts well and is slightly tingly, and once worn away leaves a matte stain. Personally I like to build up a few layers of the colour to deepen it and make it more opaque. If you have chapped lips this colour will emphasis that so it would be wise to use a lip scrub prior. The stain lasts pretty well - during every day activity around 4 hours including drinking, however after a meal only a slight colour is left, giving a lip liner effect, which I don't think is too bad going. The best way to apply these to get a lasting stain is to apply a layer, blot and then apply again.

I'm not too fond of the smell which is kind of minty, but luckily this doesn't really translate to the lips. The application is lovely and smooth, although now the tip has become quite rounded it is a little bit more tricky to get precision. The formula is quite moisturising until the gloss has worn away and doesn't bleed at all, which is a big plus point. It is super handy to pop into your hand bag as if you need more product you simply twist the silver part at the bottom so no sharpener is required.

I'm a big fan of Revlon anyway, and these lip crayons are lovely. There are so many out on the market now but these ones are definitely one of my faves. I would love to try out Honey as my next shade. Have you tried these Balm Stains? What colour is your favourite? xxx