Review | Kate Moss 'Lasting Finish' lipsticks.

Hello, lovelies!

I hope that you’re all well! I’m sorry that I haven’t been posting very much over the past few weeks – between uni and a few other things, I just haven’t really had the time to sit down and come up with new post ideas! How do you guys juggle having a job and going to college or uni with your blogs? I love to hear your advice!

So, today I’m going to be doing a review of the Kate Moss ‘Lasting Finish’ lipsticks from Rimmel! I currently own two of the lipsticks, one of which has turned out to be my perfect A/W shade, so I just had to share it with you guys!

The first shade that I purchased was the shade 01 – I bought this well over a year ago now and it’s still the best red lipstick that I own! 01 is a dark, almost vampy red, which is perfect for both elegant daytime looks and more dramatic evening looks. The blue undertones of the lipstick make it a flattering shade for both warm and cool skin tones – I’ve found that a lot of other red lipsticks that I’ve tried have more orange-y undertones which don’t suit my super pale skin! Despite having a matte finish, the lipstick is actually really hydrating which is great news if you suffer from dry lips like me! With a lot of other bright lipsticks, especially reds, I find that I have to keep reapplying them every so often as they tend to wear off pretty quickly, but I was really surprised by the staying power of this lipstick – I’ve only ever had to reapply it after eating! And, as if all of that wasn’t enough, even the lipstick itself looks and smells fab! The packaging is sleek and pretty, and instead of smelling like the typical, waxy lipstick, it has a lovely, sweet vanilla smell! What more could you ask for! (In the swatch picture below, 01 looks a really orange, almost coral colour – I think it was because I took the picture in really bright lighting! I promise that it comes out the same dark red on your lips as is it in the second picture!)

01 - left, 107 - right.

So, last but certainly not least, I have the lipstick in the shade 107. I purchased this a few weeks ago after it was recommended to me by a few lovely ladies on twitter and I’ve fallen in love with it! I’d been on the hunt for a berry coloured lipstick for A/W, but I couldn’t seem to find the perfect shade. After this shade was recommended to me by so many people, I just had to check it out. I was a little sceptical when I first saw it as it looks like a dark red/purple in the packing, so I was super excited when I swatched it and realised that it was exactly what I had been looking for! Shade 107 is a gorgeous, dark berry colour, perfect for this time of year. Like shade 01, it also has a matte finish which is definitely my favourite lipstick finish! It’s super pigmented, so it only takes one or two coats to achieve that lovely, rich colour! Shade 107 is a little more drying than shade 01, but I just apply a little lipbalm under the lipstick which seems to do the trick! The staying power of this shade is also brilliant – I apply it in the morning and after a full day of uni, it’s still going strong! Oh, and like shade 01, it also has the lovely vanilla smell – another bonus!

So, there you have it! I’d definitely recommend the Kate Moss lipsticks to anyone who’s looking for a pigmented, long-lasting lip colour. I’ve only tried these two shades so far, but they have a whole range of gorgeous colours – I’m dying to try out some of the pink shades! You can purchase these lipsticks at most drugstores, and at just £5.49, they’re a bargain!

What shades would you guys recommend I try next?

See you all next time!

Much love, 

     

Budget Beauty Blender!

Hello, my beauties!

I hope that you’re all having a lovely week! I can’t believe that summer’s almost over already, I’m so upset that I’ll be back at uni’ so soon! The past few months have just flown by, where does the time go?!

Over the past few weeks or so, I’ve seen a lot of you ladies asking about the Beauty Blender sponge on twitter. A lot of you guys are keen to know how to use the Beauty Blender properly, and whether or not it works as well as it claims to, but the most common question that I’ve seen being asked is ‘is it worth the money?’ I completely understand why so many of you guys are looking for an answer to this question - £16 is a lot of money for a make-up sponge, especially if you’re on a budget!

Not to worry – I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret! As a ‘budget beauty blogger’, I’m always looking for a bargain, and I certainly found one when I stumbled across this Beauty Blender Dupe! After reading a tonne of rave reviews, I’d had my eye on the Beauty Blender for a while, but as someone who had never really been into make-up sponges, I just couldn’t justify parting with £16 for one! So, desperate to get my hands on one, I decided to go on a little hunt for a dupe! (Apologies in advance for my sponge being a little dirty in the following pictures – I wash it after every use but it’s gotten a little stained because I use it so often!).

Seeing as I’m a total eBay addict (seriously, I’m so obsessed with all of the super cheap auctions on there – please tell me that it’s not just me?!), I decided to start by checking for Beauty Blenders on there, and, within seconds, I found exactly what I was looking for! This little sponge is almost identical to the actual Beauty Blender. It’s the exact same hot pink colour, and the same teardrop shape – the only difference is the price! This little beauty only cost me £1.25, compared to £16 for the real thing – bargain!

It’s not just the price that’s fab either! The sponge itself is absolutely brilliant! Because of the super low price, I expected the sponge to be made of quite cheap, low quality material, but when I received it, I was surprised to find that it was actually really soft and smooth!

In terms of applying make-up, the sponge does a fantastic job. In all honesty, it’s become my favourite way to apply my foundation! Before you use the sponge, make sure to give it a little rinse under the tap and squeeze out any excess water. This makes the sponge expand to almost twice its normal size, which means that it has a greater surface area for you to apply your foundation with, and it also stops it from absorbing too much of your foundation, meaning that you won’t be wasting product! I like to pump a little of my foundation on to the back on my hand, dip the sponge in (make sure that you don’t get too much product!), and simply dab/bounce the sponge over my face and neck! Not only does the shape of the sponge make it super easy to use, but it also applies your foundation without leaving any unsightly lines or streaks and leaves your skin looking flawless!

As if all of that isn’t enough, the tip of the sponge is also fab for applying concealer! It really gets into all of those hard-to-reach places, such as under your eyes and around your nose and mouth. It really blends your concealer into your foundation, giving you a flawless complexion – it makes my skin look almost airbrushed! (Really!)

As for cleaning the sponge, it’s super simple. All you need to do is wash it in some warm, soapy water, and then run it under the cold tap, making sure you’ve squeezed out any excess soap. Then, squeeze out any left over water and leave it to dry! Voila!

I really hope that you guys enjoyed this review and found it helpful! If you’re interested in getting your hands on one of these ‘Budget Beauty Blenders’, you can check it out here! Let me know if you decide to try it out, I’d love to hear what you thought! Also, let me know if any of you guys have tried out the real Beauty Blender!

See you all next time!

Much love,

 

Review | MUA Lipsticks

Hello, lovelies !

Since I started my blog back in June and began reading all of your fabby blog posts, I’ve seen a lot of you guys raving about how great the MUA (makeup academy) lipsticks are ! Up until now, MUA was a make-up brand that I had never tried – I’d always have a little peek at their stand as I passed by it in the drug store, but I’d never stopped to have a proper look or pick up any of their products. I think that their super cheap prices made me question how good the quality of the products would actually be !

Anyhow, after hearing all the great things that you guys had to say about these lipsticks, I decided to pick up a couple whilst I was in Superdrug (at only £1 each, I figured that I didn’t have much to lose if I didn’t really like them !). I posted a picture of the two colours that I chose on my twitter, and the lovely Daphne from Peanut Butter and Chocolate Life commented saying that she’d love to see a review on them as she can’t buy the MUA products where she lives !

So, here you have it – a quick post on what I thought of the MUA lipsticks !

First off, there were so many pretty colours to choose from – I had a hard time picking these two out ! As you guys know, I’m a sucker for bright lip colours, so the first shade I choose was ‘shade 3’, which is a super bright pink colour. I’ve been on the hunt for a new coral coloured lipstick, so I also picked up ‘shade 12’, which, in the packaging, appears to be a soft pink-y orange colour. 

When I swatched ‘shade 3’, it came out as the perfect bright pink, as expected ! It glides onto the lips super easily -  the colour comes out very opaque and pigmented, meaning that you only need one coat, it’s not sticky, and it doesn’t smudge. Also, the formula is not at all drying, and so it doesn’t show any tiny cracks on your lips, which would leave them looking dry – this is a huge problem that I’ve had with a lot of cheaper lipsticks. The formula is actually fairly smooth and glossy when on the lips, making them look and feel hydrated.

As for the staying-power of this lipstick… well, it’s pretty average. I found that I had to touch-up the colour every few hours, even if I hadn’t eaten or drank anything – a lot of it seems to wear off even just from talking! Ach, well – I suppose that you can’t expect it to check every box, in the end, it was only £1 ! I can definitely deal with having to reapply it every now and then just because it’s such a fab lipstick ! 

I was slightly less impressed with shade 12, however, I’m sure I’ll still find a way to put it to good use ! As I said, I was looking for a coral shade, and, from what I could see through its packaging, shade 12 appeared to be the perfect pink-y coral. There was no tester for the shade, and, being the silly, indecisive person that I am, I decided to take the lipstick anyway, instead of looking for another shade that had a tester – oops ! Anyhow, when I got home and actually opened the lipstick up, I found that although the lipstick itself looked to be the perfect colour, when I applied it to my lips, it came out as an almost transparent pink, which was a bit of a disappointment as I was looking for a more opaque colour. It also has tonnes of sparkles/glitter in it, which isn’t really my thing. Oh well – I only have myself to blame ! Despite all of that, it’s not all doom and gloom – shade 12 has the same smooth, glossy formula as shade 3, which was a nice surprise, so I’m certain that I’ll find a use for it, whether that be wearing it under a lip gloss, or using it alongside another colour !

As a cute little extra, each lipstick has a tiny pot of the product which unscrews from the bottom ! I actually noticed it completely by accident when I was fiddling around with the packaging ! I’ve not used either of these yet, but I think they’d be great for when you need to touch-up your lip colour but don’t want to have to take your mirror and lipstick out as you could just apply with your finger, like you would with a lip balm !

I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by these lipsticks. As someone with an interest in ‘beauty on a budget’, I’ve tried out a few lower priced lipsticks and been super disappointed with the quality of the product, but these lipsticks are definitely a must have for anyone – particularly those who are shopping on a budget !

Let me know what you guys thought of the MUA lipsticks ! I’m definitely going to try out some more of the colours and see what I think – what colours would you guys recommend ?

See you all next time !

Much love, 

Fifty facts about Sarah !

Hi everyone !
So, I’ve done a few posts now since I started my blog, but I feel like you guys still don’t know very much about me ! All of my posts so far have been centered around me showing you guys a product and letting you know what I thought about it – which I’ve loved and had great fun doing, don’t get me wrong ! -  so I thought it was about time that I told you all a little more about myself so that you can all get to know me better, and what better way to do it than to give you guys fifty fun facts about myself !

Let’s get started !

1. My boyfriend, Calum, and I have been together for almost three years. He’s my best friend and I don’t know what I’d do without him (awww).

2. I have two younger brothers. We were all born in June, and our birthdays are only a few days apart.

3. My favourite food is noodles. I could literally survive solely on noodles. I’m obsessed.

4. I am 5’4” tall. I’ve always wished that I could be just a little taller !

5. I’m left-handed, but I can only use scissors with my right hand.

6. I can’t swim or ride a bike.

7. I’ve been able to drive for three years and passed my driving test on my first attempt.

8. I am not a morning person. If I need to be anywhere before 10 a.m, I’m likely to be pretty grumpy about it !

9. My first name is actually Sarah-Louise, but I hate being called that – everyone has always just called me Sarah, even my parents !

10. I am terrified of moths. Like, the really big ones. They’re so horrible.

11. I hate having to repeat myself over and over, especially when the person I’m speaking to just blatantly wasn’t listening the first three times.

12. I only actually wear make-up a few days a week, like when I’m going to work. If I’m just running errands or going to the shops I won’t bother.

13. I’m a pretty fussy eater. There are so many foods that I won’t eat because I think that I don’t like them, even if I’ve never tried them before.

14. I would absolutely love to visit China.

15. I’m about to go into my third year of a Human Biology degree.

16. I always promise myself that I’ll start my coursework or revision for exams super early so that I won’t be stressed at the last minute, but I never do. Procrastination always wins !

17. I’m a massive science geek. I’m hugely fascinated by anything science-related.

18. I’m super easily pleased. I’m perfectly happy to spend my weekends watching films or playing the Xbox with my boyfriend instead of going out (party animal – not !).

19. I don’t like any type of hot drink, like tea of coffee. Everyone that I know thinks that I’m super weird !

20. My hair is naturally curly, but I usually wear it straight. It’s so unmanageable when it’s curly !

21. I never used to like the Lord of the Rings, despite never having properly watched it. Calum made me sit and watch it from beginning to end, and it’s now one of my favourite films !

22. I absolutely hate being lied to, especially when I know the truth. There’s nothing worse than someone who can be deceitful straight to your face.

23. I love horror films. I’ve watched too many to remember !

24. I have a six year old bearded collie named Milly. She’s my baby !

 25. I can’t do the dishes. I have a totally irrational phobia of the dirty dishwater (it’s ridiculously weird, I know).

26. I much prefer having my hair tied up to wearing it down. I think I suit having it tied up – plus, it never lies right when I wear it down !

27. I’m terrified of going to the hairdressers – they literally always cut off more than I want !

28. I live in my jammies. I hate sitting around the house wearing normal clothes, it’s so uncomfortable !

29. I absolutely love having my hair played with.

30. People think that I constantly diet or just don’t eat because I’m pretty skinny, but in reality I have a super fast metabolism and find it difficult to put on weight.

31. I’ve lived in the same house my whole life.

32. I love art. I used to be really into drawing, but since I became a student and got a job, I don’t really have enough free time to just sit down and draw.

33. My dream is to move to America after my boyfriend and I have graduated from uni’.

34. I have green eyes.

35. Green also happens to be my favourite colour !

36. I was a ballet dancer for thirteen years. I had to stop because I developed knee problems.

37. I constantly promise myself that I’m going to start going to the gym and get fit. It’s yet to happen.

38. I hoard totally pointless things such as old cinema tickets and little notes that people have written for me. I'm hugely sentimental.

39. I check my phone first thing every morning as if it’s the morning paper.

40. I’ve always been very self-conscious about the way I look.

41. I couldn’t live without concealer. I have horrible dark circles from lack of sleep !

42. I don’t tan - I just burn. I suppose it isn’t a bad thing, though – I’m one of the few people who actually don’t mind being pale !

43. One of the first things that I notice about people (apart from the obvious things like eyes) is their eyebrows – I have such an obsession with perfect eyebrows ! (is that weird?!).

44. I’m in love with strawberry milk !

45. My dream is to become a doctor.

46. Until I was around 13, I was –such- a tomboy. All I wanted to do was play football with the boys and I wouldn’t wear anything except joggers and trainers (cringe).

47. The first make-up product I owned was an Avon mascara.

48. I still climb the stairs on all fours.

49. My boyfriend lives a few hours away from home for around seven months of the year to go to uni, so when he first left, we got matching infinity bracelets as a cute reminder that we’re always with each other.

50. It took me well over a year to work up the courage to finally start my blog because I was worried that it wouldn’t be good enough. I’ve no idea why I waited so long, it’s been such a great experience and I’ve met so many lovely people !

So, there you have it ! Hope you guys enjoyed reading my facts, and that they didn’t bore you too much !  Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment if there’s anything else you’d like to know !

Have any of you guys done a ‘facts about me post’ ? Feel free to send me your links, I love reading these posts, they’re such a great way to get to know the person behind the blog ! See you all next time !

Much love,

My Birthday !

Hello my lovelies !

So, seeing as I celebrated my twentieth birthday on Monday, I thought I’d tell you guys about how I spent my day and show you the gifts that I received ! Just a little reminder that I’m in no way bragging by doing this post – personally, I love seeing all the lovely gifts that other people receive for their birthdays, so I figured that you guys might like to see what I got !  

Most of the gifts that I received are from my amazing boyfriend, Calum – my parents gave me money towards going on holiday (as well as a few little bits and pieces that I had been eyeing up) because there wasn’t anything in particular that I had asked them for, so they weren’t really sure what to get for me ! I won’t go into massive details about everything that I got – there isn’t really a great deal to say about some of the little things ! (How much can you say about a DVD ?!). So, with that out of the way, let’s get started ! 

The first gift that I received, which I’ve wanted for the longest time, is the Tangle Teezer ! I have fairly fine hair, which means that it gets damaged easily if I’m not super careful when I’m brushing and styling it. The Tangle Teezer is a god-send – it glides through wet hair and untangles it without pulling, tugging or breaking it. I have pretty long hair, so protecting it from damage, particularly when it’s wet, is my main priority, and the Tangle Teezer does this effortlessly – amazing ! 

Next, I received the Real Techniques ‘Core Collection’ brushes. I’d had my eye on these brushes for so long but I’d never gotten around to buying them, so I was super excited when I opened these ! The kit contains four brushes:

          · The detailer brush, which is ideal for applying concealer.

          ·  The pointed foundation brush (speaks for itself !).

          ·  The buffing brush, which can be used to apply liquid or powder foundation for a flawless look.

          ·  The contour brush, which can be used to apply highlighter, as well as contouring.

The brushes also come in a case, which doubles up as a stand ! The brushes are super lightweight and the bristles are lovely and soft – I can’t wait to try them out and let you guys know what I think !  

I also received the Rocket Volum’ Express Mascara from Maybelline ! I’d read a lot about this mascara so I was happy to finally get my hands on it! The new ‘Supersonic Brush’, which is fairly chunky and coated in tiny, soft bristles, promises sleek, voluminous lashes with zero clumps – I have to say, it definitely delivered on that promise ! The mascara made my lashes look super long and defined, with no clumps in sight ! Despite the name, I wouldn’t say that the mascara provides much volume, but the length that it adds to your lashes definitely makes up for it !

I’ve been looking for the perfect highlighter for so long, so I was super grateful to receive High Beam by Benefit ! I like to apply the formula to my brow and cheek bones, which gives me a radiant, glowing complexion ! High Beam is definitely a pricier product, but a little goes a long way – perfect if you’re looking to treat yourself !

I also received these super cute t-shirts ! The ‘I love NY’ t-shirt is a crop top from River Island, the Batman t-shirt is also from River Island, and the Wonder Woman top (my personal favourite !) is from an online brand called Junk Food.

I’d been looking for new jeans for the longest time – I had a specific colour in my head that I wanted but I couldn’t find a pair anywhere ! Anyhow, my boyfriend eventually found this pair in River Island – finally, the perfect colour ! I’d describe them as being a dark, faded denim colour, and they have some tiny stud detailing on the back pockets. I can’t wait to wear them !

So, to finish off, I’ll show you guys a few little bits and pieces that I received. I got Wreck-it Ralph on blu-ray, which I was super excited about (how good is that film ?!). I also got Spirited Away, which I had wanted for a while – I’d seen it on T.V a few times and loved it ! And last but not least, I received The Hobbit on blu-ray – I loved seeing this at the cinema, can’t wait to watch it again !

So, you’re probably wondering who these little guys are from my first picture. I’m about to go into my third year of a Human Biology degree, so I’m a bit of a self-confessed science geek… So, if like me you love all things science-y, you’ll love these ! These are the ‘Giant Plush Microbes’ from an online company called Think Geek. These little fellas are small, cuddly toys in the shape of MRSA… With capes ! I warned you that I was a geek…

So, there you have it ! I had a great day, and I received so many lovely gifts, which I’m super grateful for ! And, to top it all off, my boyfriend and I went out for dinner at night –I finally had my first ever Nando’s (jumping on the bandwagon late, I know !). If you guys would like to know more about anything that I received, just let me know ! I’d be more than happy to chat with you guys.

See you all next time !

Much love,

 

Bloglovin'

Hello my lovlies !

Just a quick post to tell you guys that I signed up to Bloglovin' today, seeing as Google Friend Connect is shutting down. So, feel free to follow me ! Just click on the Bloglovin' button in my sidebar. :)

Much love,

Revlon | 'Just Bitten' lipstain.

Hey everyone ! I wasn't sure what my first proper blog post should be about, so I decided to tell you guys about a product that I picked up on a whim and ended up falling in love with – the ‘Just Bitten’ lipstains by Revlon !

I love wearing bright lip colours when I’m out and about, whether I’m going out to dinner or to the cinema, or just meeting up with some friends – I feel like a bright lip colour instantly brightens up my face and livens up even the simplest of make-up looks. However, I hate having to constantly touch-up my lip colour and worry about it smudging or transferring on to my teeth while I’m out – nightmare ! So, I began my search for a longer lasting lip colour, and that’s when I came across these lipstains !

I had never tried a lipstain before, but after trying the Just Bitten lipstains, I've no idea why I waited so long ! For starters, there were so many pretty colours to choose from – I literally had no idea where to begin ! In the end, I decided on the shades ‘Victorian’ and ‘Crave’.  

Going by the packaging, ‘Crave’ appears to be a bright purplish-pink colour, whereas ‘Victorian’ looks to be a dark pink. However, when I swatched the colours, both were a little darker than expected. This wasn't a problem though – both colours were still gorgeous !

'Crave' - left. 'Victorian' - right.
.

The product itself looks a lot like a felt tip/marker pen, which I thought was rather cool ! It also has a lip balm on the end to keep your lips feeling moisturised whilst wearing the stain. It’s super easy to apply – I like to exfoliate my lips and apply a little of the balm before I apply the lipstain, otherwise the stain creeps in to all the tiny cracks on your lips and leaves them looking very chapped – never a nice look ! Then I like to line my lips with the stain, just to make sure that I don’t go outside my lip line when I’m filling my lips in – it’s very difficult to get off of your skin ! Finally, I simply fill in the rest of my lips, and, voila – beautiful, bright lips! You can also apply a little of the balm after the stain has dried to keep your lips from feeling dried out.

The lipstains are extremely long lasting – just what I wanted ! I wore the shade ‘Crave’ out to dinner a few weeks ago and didn't have to reapply it at all, even after eating ! The balm is also a great part of the product – with certain bright lip colours, particularly lipsticks, I find that my lips get very dried out and cracked, but the balm really helps to keep your lips hydrated (and it doesn't take away from the matte effect of the lipstain!).  The only downside to the product is that it’s fairly hard to remove.  I mean, it is a lip stain after all! I find that leaving Vaseline or baby oil on my lips for around ten minutes then removing with a make-up wipe helps to remove most of the product, but it’s definitely still visible on my lips the next day. Nevertheless, I still absolutely love this product ; it’s bright, vibrant, and long lasting – precisely what I was looking for ! 

I can’t wait to try out some different lipstains – let me know what your favourite lipstain is, I’d love to check it out ! You can buy the Revlon ‘Just Bitten’ lipstain for around £7.99 from any high street drug store, such as Superdrug or Boots, however, I got mine online from Fragrance Direct (http://www.fragrancedirect.co.uk/) for only £1.75 ! I purchased mine a few months ago now so I’m not sure how many colours will be left in stock, but if you’re interested in this product, you should definitely check it out – great deal !

See you all next time !

Much love, 

Hi there !

Hello everyone ! So, after many years of convincing, I've finally plucked up the courage to jump into the world of beauty blogging... Where to begin ! I'm Sarah, a twenty year old student from Scotland with a passion for all things beauty related. I've spent a huge amount of my time reading other beauty blogs, and on my travels I've discovered so many brilliant blogs written by witty and charming people like yourselves, and without those people, I never would have been inspired to start my own blog.
I like to think that I have a keen eye for a bargain (being a student does that to you...) and so my goal is to try out something a bit different. Instead of just showing you all the latest, expensive products on the market, I've decided to show all you lovely people how to look and feel beautiful - on a budget ! Of course everyone has a few bits and bobs from high-end beauty retailers - everyone needs to treat themselves now and then ! - but I'm here to prove that you don't need to spend a fortune on pricey make-up when you can find great similar products for half the price !
I have plenty of ideas for future posts to keep you guys entertained, but let me know if there's anything in particular you'd like to see, or if you have any advice on how to get started - I'd more than appreciate it !

Much love,