Mac and Elf haul

Two boxes arrived in the post for me recently!

Sometimes I forget that I've ordered things on line and get a nice surprise when they pop through my font door!

I love ELF so much! 

It's amazing that a lot of their products are only £1.50 and their products range from make up to brushes and brush cleanser.

Even their products which aren't £1.50 are great quality at a good price!

ELF orders come packaged really nicely and neatly, which may not mean much to most people but I love organised packing (and cutely packed parcels!)

I ordered these three quads, one for me, one for my sister and one for my mum.

£1.50 for 4 eye shadows! Bargain.

L-R Nymph Dreams, Teal Dream & Rocker

Finally from ELF I ordered 5 eye shadow brushes.

Top: Eye Liner Brush & Blending Brush

Middle: Lip Defining Brush & Defining Eye Brush

Bottom: Eye Shadow Brush

Click here to visit the ELF website and grab yourself some bargains!

Annnnd the other box is from MAC!

Right now MAC have apromotion on their website, spend over £30 and get free delivery.

I spent a little over £30 and got a few products which I know I'll get loads of use out of and have wanted for ages!

Another neatly packed box of goodies!

This is a frost eye shadow in the shade 'Miss Piggy Pink'. Its a nice pink colour with purple undertones.

This is a pressed powder in the shade Light Plus.

It comes in a compact with a mirror and a dusting sponge.

And finally a small bottle of Fix Plus.

I've never used a finishing spray before and have been really excited to try this!

Have you ordered any make up recently? Do you have an recommendations?

Bargain Beauty Bag

Make-up is so expensive!

However there are a few good bargains out there to be had! 

I know that when I was 13 and started wearing make-up it was a big luxury to be able to have a full make-up bag.

But recently some really decent cheaper brands have been popping up! And I have to say some of the products I'm about to show you can really rival some of the higher end products we all lust after!

Here you will find some of the cheaper products which I find myself reaching for on a day to day basis.

The best part is - no single item costs more than £5!

So there is my bag of bargain make-up!

When you first start to use make up or are on a really tight budget, products like face primers and finishing sprays are not the most popular. I mean they help, but when you just don't have the money, they're the first things to face the cut!

Here are my essentials:

Face:

MUA pressed finishing powder

As I'm sure you may be aware most  MUA products cost one english pound each! The quality of these little gems is amazing! I often reach for this pressed powder on a daily basis and I use shade 1.

Collection 2000 Ultimate fix foundation

£4.99 for a product which offers full coverage and acts  not only as a foundation but a concealer and powder? Well I don't mind if I do! This product is so versatile and just exceeded all expectations!

Collection 200 Lasting Perfection Concealer

For £4.19 this is the only concealer you will ever need. I have various different foundations, mascaras and lip products but I only own 1 concealer! This lasting perfection concealer does everything a concealer is made to do and will last for ages!

NYC Sun 2 Sun Bronzing Powder

This little baby has 2 different shades of bronzer in one compact! Its great for contouring and adding a nice golden look to the face! This costs £2.99 and has had a real impact on me! I used the darker colour the most but the lighter colour looks fab for a little warmth in the winter months!

ELF Shimmering Facial Whip

What a great higlighter! This can be used all over the face for highlighting and even on the lips for a natural shimmer! £1.50.

Natural Collection Blush

This blush has been in my make-up bag since I was 13! I always re purchase it as its just such a great colour and has amazing longevity for a product which only makes a £1.99 whole in your purse!

Eyes:

MUA Heaven and Earth Palette

A certified dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palette! And at a fraction of the price (£$ compared to £36) it is hard to fault!

Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner

£2.99 is how much this eye liner will set you back! It gives great lines and lasts for ages!

Collection 2000 Multiplier Mascara

This is the best mascara I have in my collection at the moment. It cost £4.99 and makes me look like I have 499 lashes! Its a brilliant product!

ELF Eyelid Primer

I know I said primers aren't a necessity but of you have oily eye lids, the help a lot! And at £1.50 its worth it!

Barry M Intense Black Eyeliner Pen

This is another product which has been constantly re-purchased for £3.99. It has recently been cast aside for my MAC eye pencil but that doesn't mean it's not a brilliant eye liner! I love it!

MUA Eye Brow Pencil

This is amazing for £1. I cant quite decide if I prefer this or my sleek brows kit! It has a handy brush at the end which I always use!

Lips:

MUA  Lip Gloss

This product comes in 5 different colours, all £1 each. I own all 5 of them and can't get enough! They smell amazing and last forever. The clear lip gloss is definitely a staple as it can just add that something extra too your lipstick.

MUA Lip Stick

I can not believe the quality of this £1 lipstick! It is so moisturising and lasts a decent amount of time. My favourite is shade 5 which is a lovely baby pink.

I defiantly use all of these products regularly and am surprised by their quality for the price you pay!

What are your favourite bargain products.

Also keep your eyes peeled because when I hit 100 followers of my little blog I will be including all of these products (in the shade of your choice where applicable) in a give away!

I know 100 followers is a great ask but I am thankful to everyone of you who reads what I post on this little space on the internet! I want to thank you all as well! 

I would greatly appreciate it if you could share this post with your followers too as I feel its a great little blog  post and am interested to find out about other amazing products at bargain prices!

x

How to make your own eyelid primer!

Eyelid primers can be ridiculously expensive so I thought I'd have a go at making my own and share it with you guys!

It's so quick and easy to do and you probably already have the products needed!

You will need

Foundation (Liquid is best)

Concealer

Body Butter (Preferably unscented)

A pot or container

Something to mix with

Step 1:

 Put a small amount of foundation into your pot.

Step 2:

Add roughly the same amount of concealer 

Step 3:

Add in roughly the same amount of body butter (make sure you use body butter and not lotion as lotion is too thin!)

Step 4

Mix the products together

You are finished!

This eyelid primer does not work as well as some of the higher end primers but is great if you are just starting to use make-up, are on a budget or have run out!

This will stay in place for around 5-6 hours depending on how oily your eyelids are.

Foundation love

Up until recently I thought Collection 2000 Ultimate Fix foundation, concealer and powder 3-in-1 was the cat's pyjamas. It is pretty awesome.

Then I discovered Maybelline's Dream Creamy Foundation and always reach for it!

It has a super light texture and a  nice creamy consistency. It doesn't feel heavy on the face and has such a natural look!

I use the lightest colour available which is 04 Light Porcelain and I've never found a better match for my skin colour!

Maybelline describe the product as 'specifically designed for normal to dry skin. Transforms from a solid to a liquid, blends seamlessly. Hydrates skin for up to 14 hours.'

I have normal to dry skin so this is perfect for me! I've had this on for about 8 hours now and it feels really comfortable. 

This retails for around £8 and is in Boots and Superdrug. It's available in 5 shades but the range doesn't go too dark so If you had dark skin maybe this isn't the one for you. 

It comes with an applicator sponge but I apply the foundation using my Real Techniques Stippling brush.

Also the foundation hasn't worn off in the time that I've been wearing it which I find most foundations do.

Overall I give this foundation a 9.5 out of 10.

If there was a compact mirror in the packaging it would be 10/10!

I highly recommend this foundation!

Beauty Haul

I love shopping! and I love make-up too! so I did a bit of shopping. I didn't buy the whole of boots or anything but I got a few bits that I needed or had wanted for a while and  heeerrrrreee (down there) is what I bought!

These are the make-up products I bought: 

Maybelline super stay 10 hour Tint gloss - Forever fuschia £8.99/ Rimmel Glam eyes Day 2 Night mascara - Black Brown £7.99/ MUA lipgloss - shade 3 £1/ Kiko eye shadow - 129 £4.90/ MUA 3 in 1 Extreme Contour Eye Pen - Black £1.50

Eye shadow 129 - Kiko 

Shopping in westfield a few weeks back I saw a shop I'd never seen before and all the pretty make up drew me in! They had these amazing eye shadows which just look like fairy dust! They had a few colours but I bought the beige and its a pretty good match to my skin tone and makes my eyes look so sparkly!

Real Techniques Blush Brush £9.99 / Real Techniques Powder Brush £12.99

Eco Tools Bamboo Angled Eye Liner Brush £5.49/ Barry M Concealer Brush £2.99/ Superdrug Eye Brow brush and comb.

Kiko Magnetic Nail Polish - 705 £2.50 / Kiko Nail Art Magnet £1 

Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat £6.39 / Kiko Nail Polish - 385 / Nail Polish Remover pot £1 (savers)

Charles Worthington Mineral Hair Rescue £3.49 / Denise McAdam Time delay hair serum (tesco) £1

7 Deadly Sins of Beauty

1. Greed:  What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?
Inexpensive: MUA lip gloss & Lipsticks. They retail for £1 in superdrug and are just amazing quality.
Expensive: I'm not really one for expensive make-up but my most expensive is Benefit's 'They're Real!'        mascara at £18.50

2. Wrath: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with?/ What product has been the hardest to get?
I have a love/hate relationship with lipstick! I love lip product so much but find that every single lipstick I try stays put for a maximum of 10 minutes!
The product of mine which has been hardest to get has to be my Collection 2000 Ultimate Fix foundation, concealer and powder 3-in-1. It's readily available - just not in my shade. I'm 01 Ivory but I can only ever find it in the darker shades.

3. Gluttony: What are your most delicious beauty products?

These lip products are just so yummy! On the left is Lancome's Juicy Tubes in Toffee. I got this from a Glossy Box so it's only a sample size. I don't use it too often as I don't want to use it all up to quickly!

On the right is Lush's Bubblegum lip scrub. I could literately just eat this out of the tub! Its main ingredient is sugar and I use it before I apply lipstick.

4. Sloth: What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?

Primer. I don't always need primer (depending on the foundation I use) but I just always over look it!

5. Pride: Which product gives you the most confidence?

Make up doesn't really give me confidence but if I had to choose the one which I feel makes me look a lot better it has to be foundation.

6. Lust: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Physically I'm very attractive to guys who are taller than me (around 6 ft), dark hair, light eyes, full lips and a nose that's a bit big! I know that sounds weird but I like a face with character and I just don't find teeny tiny noses attractive!

Personality wise I think the main attributes are a selflessness, a genuine and good heart and affectionate.

7. Envy: What item would you most like to receive as a gift?

Perfume. I don't often buy perfume for myself as I just don't like spending that much money on myself and it takes a lot for me to spend loads on one thing but I don't mind giving perfume as a gift and love receiving it.

Current favourite make up products!

So here are my favourite make up products of the moment. I use all of these nearly everyday and I just cant get enough of  them at the moment!

So from the top:

 Tesco Cucumber Cleansing wipes/ Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer/ MUA Lip gloss/ Real Techniques Stippling Brush/ Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation

Natural Collection Blush/ Benefit High Beam Highlighter/ ELF All Over Colour Stick/ Luch Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Sleek Brows Kit/ Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Tesco Cucumber cleansing wipes - these are such a great bargain! They cost 49p from Tesco and are great for my skin. Cucumber based skin care products have always been good products for me as I have dry skin and I find they work best. I use these to take off the bulk of my make up and they are a lot more user friendly (and easier to remember to use) than a cream cleanser.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - I use shade 1 - Fair and this product definitely deserves all the great reviews it's received. Its great at covering the redness I get in my chin and last all day. I use it all the time (as you can see the print of the packaging has completely worn off!).

MUA Lip Gloss - Shade 3. Mua Lip Glosses are my new drug store favourites! Firstly they're super cheap - £1 each! There are some great shades (I own 3!) and oh my god, The smell. They smell absolutely divine!They are sticky, but not as sticky as most lip glosses. As soon as I get to superdrug next I will be purchasing more! 

Real Techniques Stippling Brush - This is another product which deserves all the positive reviews. Before I discovered the stippling brush I used my fingers or a regular flat foundation brush to apply my foundation. But now I can honestly say I will never use anything else. This brush is so easy to work with and gives such a flawless finish no matter what foundation you use or your make-up skill level. I even use this brush to buff in my cream blusher.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - Shade 100 Ivory. I really love this foundation as it gives such a light, yet buildable coverage. My make up style is very much the barley there look and this foundation helps me to achieve that.

Natural Collection Blush - Pink Cloud. Now this product isn't very pigmented but it's perfect for me. It helps to achieve the no make up look and is a great colour against my skin tone.

Benefit High Beam - Highlighter. This is another very popular product and I can see why. It's so versatile. I use this under my brow bone and around my eye socket bringing it down onto the cheek bone as well as in the corner of my eyes. This is a miniature which I got in a set with 2 other Benefit products for £14.

ELF All Over Colour Stick - Pink Lemonade. When I originally bought this product I was looking for it in spotlight but it was all sold out so I bought this along with the shade toasted. I'm so glad I bought this! It works great as a base for my blush and blends incredibly well. I've yet to use it on my lips, but I'm sure I'll love it more!

Lush Lip Scrub - BubbleGum (apologies for the upside down image!) If I could just eat this product, believe me I would! Its purpose is to scrub off the dead skin from your lips making them soft and lovely, and it definitely serves it's purpose. It's also bubblegum flavoured and edible! It's main ingredient is sugar so yes you can eat it! You rub it over your lips and then lick it off!

Sleek Brows Kit - Light. This brow kit is super easy to use and gives natural looking results. On the left is a powder and on the right is a wax. I just fill in the thicker part of my eyebrows for day time but fill them all in for a more dramatic look when going out at night. Also the brushes provided are rather good but the tweezers are crap!

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara - The first thing I noticed about this was the smell. It smells gorgeous and is so versatile on my lashes. The formula is also very wet and the brush is such a good shape for getting full looking eyelashes.

MUA Heaven and Earth Pallet - Now I've heard this is a great dupe for the Urban Decay Naked pallet, for literately a 10th of the price! Obviously the colours don't have the staying power of the Naked palette or aren't as pigmented but this is a great neutrals pallet. They can be used in lots of different colours for different smokey eye effects as well as highlighters or liners.