Keep Calm and Lip Balm

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the Maybelline baby lips, I have one in my bag, one on my desk, one in my car... you get the picture. I was really happy when they became available in the UK last year, even if they are very overpriced compared to the US ($1 in Target vs £2.99 in Boots!). It was only a matter of time before other brands released similar a product. Rimmel did just that.

Cleverly named 'Keep Calm and Lip Balm', Rimmel have tied the 'baby lips' phenomena to the very English slogan. I picked up a couple of these balms on offer in Boots quite a while a go and have really enjoyed using them.

Keeping with the theme, they are named Keep Calm and Play which is a coral colour and Keep Calm and Rock which is a dark fuchsia colour.

There isn't really much colour pay off with these, but they are very moisturising and give a tint of colour. They also contain SPF, so perfect for taking on holiday if anyone's planning on catching some winter sun. 

Rimmel have price matched these balms to the Maybelline Baby Lips, which definitely puts them up against each other. I really like these balms, and can see them selling well, but will they end up as a cult beauty product, probably not if I'm honest. However, they are perfect for travelling, and carrying around in your handbag, mine will be accompanying me over the winter for sure.  

May Glossybox

Once again, apologies for my little blogging break. Things have been so busy since Christmas, I haven’t really had any free time at all. Things are starting to look slightly quieter so I promise to upload more frequently.

What better way to end a blogging break than with a special edition Glossybox. There was a lot of speculation around this months box as the theme was kept close knit in the Glossybox office until delivery day. The box is a Superdrug special celebrating 50 years of Superdrug. I’m a big fan of Superdrug, their budget beauty brands are really great and some are sort after worldwide!

So on to the box... I love the design this month, and the best thing is there are so many products inside, most of them full size as well. Winner!

Max Factor – Facefinity All Day Primer

This couldn’t have appeared in my Glossybox at a better time. Ive just run out of my all time favourite Smashbox primer, and was looking for a replacement. The packaging of this product is fab for a drugstore brand. It comes in a glass bottle with a pump, which I think every beauty enthusiast is always pleased to see. I’m a big fan of Max Factor, and am excited to try this new launch.

Maybelline – Great Lash Mascara

I know this will shock a lot of people, but as long as this mascara has been knocking around, I’ve never tried it! It’s always been on my list of things to try, but new launches or recommendations have always taken over. For this reason I was super happy to see it this month, and can’t wait to try it. It’s in the colour Very Black, which is perfect for a dramatic lash.  

 GOSH  - Velvet Touch Eyeliner

I always check this counter out in Superdrug, but for some unknown reason have never purchased anything. I always wear eyeliner on a night out, but for me, it’s finding one that stays put that’s the problem. The write up on this product is pretty good, so I’m hoping for longevity as well as wearability.

B - Sheer Conditioning Lipstick

I love wearing these conditioning tints on my lips in the summer months. It’s nice to have a hint of colour as well as the moisturising elements banishing dry lips. The colour I received is Coral which is my favourite lip shade to wear in the summer, so perfect! The pigmentation is just right for a sheer tint. The only thing I’d say its missing is the addition of an SPF in the formula.

Vaseline – Spray & Go Moisturiser

This product is already a huge favourite of mine and I can’t recommend it enough to anybody looking for quick, easy moisturising. It’s compact, smells amazing and leaves your skin feeling great. I've been using this every day since returning from my holiday to prolong my tan and it’s been fab. I wrote a full post on this product a while back which you can read here.

Bonus Products...

Garnier – Oil Beauty Lotion

I really like the idea of this, a body lotion infused with argan, macademia, almond and rose oil, it sounds almost perfect. And at only £4.99 for a 250ml bottle, it’s a bargain as well. I can see myself picking up the full size version of this in the near future. Watch out for a full review! :)

Ghost – Eclipse

I'm a fan of floral scents, and this one didn't disappoint. In the past I have stuck to a couple of scents that I've favoured for years, but recently I've found myself branching out and buying more. This one may just make it in to my collection. 

And gracing the front of the Glossy magazine this month in the lovely Lucy Mecklenburgh. Her new website and training camps are proving very popular at the moment for people wanting to get fit for summer. My friend is currently using her subscription website 'Results with Lucy'. Maybe I can persuade her to do a cheeky guest review for your guys! :)

So that's it for this month, what did you all get in your box?

Maybelline Baby Lips finally in the UK!

I received the best email today, Maybelline Baby Lips are now available to buy online and instore at Boots. This is such exciting news!

I absolutely LOVE this product and on my recent trip to America I picked up five of these bad boys. I could never understand why Maybelline hadn't released such a popular product in the UK. Well our prayers have finally been answered and here they are. 

I carry a Baby Lips with me all the time, I have one at work, in the the car, in my handbag and the list goes on. This is because they are such a great lip balm and perfect for just throwing on daily without the need for a mirror. These are a few of the Baby Lips that I have.

L-R - Pink Punch, Pink Wink (not available in the UK), Coral Crush (not available in the UK) and Peach Kiss.

Maybelline have initially released six in the UK, at the price of £2.99. I picked mine up in Target and CVS in the states for around $3, which works out at about £2. So in usual UK style, they are a little more expensive over here, but still a great price!

L-R - Pink Punch, Pink Wink (not available in the UK), Coral Crush (not available in the UK) and Peach Kiss.

The formula is amazing, they really hydrate and condition the lips and seem to last a long time for a balm. Some have a slight tint to them if you want to add a bit of colour. My favourite part is the smell. Oh my gosh, they smell absolutely amazing, a true fruit sensation. 

L-R - Pink Punch, Pink Wink (not available in the UK), Coral Crush (not available in the UK) and Peach Kiss.

I'm exciting to try the six released in the UK, I already have Pink Punch and Peach Kiss, but will definitely be picking up the others. I'm hoping they release all the Baby Lips range here soon. 

Anyone else tried these, are you as obsessed as me?

Recent Haul

My bank balance does not like me this month as I’ve not been able to resist the shops. I’ve seen so many beauty bloggers putting themselves on spending bans recently, and I think I may be next! Anyway, I thought I’d share with you some of the products I picked up on my recent shopping spree.

My first stop was at the MAC counter in Selfridges. I literally cannot come away from Mac without purchasing anything. I picked up a new Natural Skinfinish as the shade I have is too light now, an eye pencil in Coffee, a Lipstick in Coral Bliss and two eyeshadows for my palette, Mystery and Black Tied. I love all these products so far and been using them pretty much daily. I was disappointed with the lipstick though, as it broke the first day I used it. Unusual for Mac products. :(

Next stop was Boots. I think we’ve all had moments where we’ve popped in Boots to pick up some lunch and come out having spent a small fortune! I’m guilty of this most days. In this particular visit I picked up an Essie nail polish from the new range in Naughty Nautical, a Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Kiss Me Coral, a Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Bashful and a Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow in Taupe.

I also popped by Tophop to pick up one of their cream blushers. I rarely wear cream blusher, but I absolutely love these from Topshops range. They are so pigmented but blend really well. I got another colour to add to my collection in the shade Afternoon Tea.

The last few products I picked up online from Illamasqua. They had kindly emailed me a 20% discount code, and it would have been rude for me to waste such a discount (or that’s what I tell myself). I decided to try the Hydra Veil after hearing so many positive reviews on this product, so far so good. It definitely withstood the heat test last weekend with the gorgeous weather we’ve been having. I also picked up an eye palette called Complement. It features four eyeshadows, three powder shadows in the shades, Slink, Forgiveness and Queen of the Night, and then a liquid metal shadow in the shade Focus. I wanted to try the Skin Base Foundation, so thought no time better to give it a go. :) I used Illamasquas handy colour chart to see which shade to buy. I managed to match myself nicely using my Mac and NARS shades.

So lots of new products for me to try and test over the next few weeks. I’ll be reviewing any favourites I find out of these, I’m sure they’ll be a few. Has anybody tried any of these? Let me know your thoughts! :)

On a last note, it’s my blogs first birthday next week. I’ll be doing a BIG giveaway in celebration containing some of my all time favourite products. So make sure you keep posted for that!

Polka Dot Nails

I heard about these new nail varnishes from a friend recently when she'd picked some up in Boots. They are the Maybelline Color Show Polka Dot varnishes. They come in four great colours, and are super cheap and easy to apply.

L-R Shooting Stars, Speckled Pink and Rainforest Canopy

I popped in to Superdrug who were doing a 3 for 2 offer at the time and picked up three of the colours. The fourth colour which is a dark chalky colour has been sold out at all my local stores since these have been released. I'm definitely looking to get hold of that colour when I can.

L-R Rainforest Canopy, Speckled Pink and Shooting Stars

The above finishes were achieved with only 2 coats each. They are really easy to work with and didn't chip at all on me using a Sally Hansen top coat. I think they look great.

Overall, in my recent nail obsessions (seriously, I'm buying far to many nail varnishes recently) I really enjoyed using these polishes. They are a cute edition when looking for something a little quirky and different on your nails.

Has anyone tried these? What's your opinion?

August Favourites

So I realllly had to think about my monthly favourites, because to be honest, there's been so many! With the weather being so up and down, and I've had quite a busy month, which means I've been using and loving a lot of products. But I picked my essentials that I haven't been without this month to share with you. 

And here they are...

Origins Super Spot Remover

As I said, it's been a busy month, which means I've been breaking out more than usual, but this little bottle has been a saviour. You basically apply this on any blemishes or even on red areas left by blemishes and it helps to dry them out so they heal quicker. You can apply it as many times as needed, and I really do notice the difference after a couple of applications. It's pricey for a spot treatment, but the bottle lasts for ages!

Maybelline Falsies Flared Mascara

I bought this mascara a few weeks ago after watching Tanya Burr (pixi2woo on You Tube) use it in a tutorial. I have quite long eyelashes anyway, but this mascara really accentuates them. The wand is perfect to work with and it doesn't clog or clump my lashes as some mascaras do. I don't think anything will beat YSL's Shocking mascara which is my all time fave, but I'm enjoying using this at the moment. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Now, this is certainly one of my most expensive skincare items, but I just can't be without it. I apply this nightly as part of my skincare routine before moisturising. It comes with a handy pipette and the lady on the Estee Lauder counter in Selfridges suggested 3 drops would suffice daily. I find it really helps lock in moisture, smooth and even out my skin tone. This product also helps if you have any scars or discolouration of this skin.

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre

I love this moisturiser, it is a staple favourite of mine and I don't think I'll ever change. For a while I couldn't find anywhere online that shipped this product to the UK. This product is only available for purchase in France as far as I am aware. Then I hit jackpot and found it on a website called Love Make Up, I was so excited I purchased it straight away. Their delivery was excellent, arriving the next day!! I often use this moisturiser in place of a primer. 

Elizabeth Arden's Pure Finish Bronze Powder

This bronzer is part of Elizabeth Arden's Rose Aurora make up range, in which all the products are lovely. I have this bronzer in the shade, Soft Radiance. I've really enjoyed using this bronzer this month as I've been slightly paler than usual and it gives the most gorgeous hint of colour when contouring through the cheeks. I also love the packaging to this product, it really screams premium beauty and I love my bronzers to have a mirror. 

MAC's Pressed Blot Powder

When the weather is as warm as it has been (humidity wise, obviously we've had no sunshine), this product is my saviour! I literally cannot leave the house without this on, or else a few hours later my foundation will look oily and my face will feel awful. I powder this all over my face after applying all my face make up, especially when using liquid foundations and/or cream bronzers, blushers etc. This is a sheer powder, literally just to take that shine off the skin, although I think MAC say there is a small hint of colour. Mine is in the colour Medium/Dark.

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss

I have been wearing this lipgloss so much recently. It's so pretty, and glides over so many lipstick colours. This is in the shade Negligee Pink, which is a really light pink colour. It's so glossy and the packaging is gorgeous. The only thing I'm not 100% on is the applicator which is like a little brush, and can sometimes mean you get gloss overload on your lips. Regardless of that, I am a big fan of this product.

Maybelline Baby Lips

I wasn't sure whether to include this in my monthly favourite or not as it's not available in the UK, but I had to leave it in as I love it so much. This product is basically a coloured lip balm, but it is so moisturising, smells amazing and glides on so easily. This colour is Pink Punch and is a perfect 'every day' colour. This product is perfect for dry lips and really locks in moisture while giving off a gorgeous colour. Come on Maybelline, sort it out and release these in the UK! I want to buy more! :)

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

This is definitely my 'go to' foundation at the moment for day to day wear. I normally don't use pharmacy or drugstore foundations at all, but after trying this foundation I was pleasantly surprised. It's so cheap, and I actually got it even cheaper in Savers for £4.99! Cannot believe the value. This foundation promises anti fatigue and radiant glow and I honestly think it does what it says on the tin. When I started wearing this foundation I had so many compliments on how awake and fresh my skin looked. It has a slight shimmer to it, but you can't see this once it's on the skin. It also smells amazing, (is that strange?). I have this foundation in Soft Beige and have just repurchased a new one. No doubt I'll be back to my MAC Pro Longwear for the winter months, but for now, I LOVE this! 

So that's it for my August Favourites. I tried to keep the amount of products as low as I possibly could, but there are so many more I could talk about. Have you tried any of these products, what are your thoughts?