l'oreal lumi magique foundation

 

so i'm around four months too late to be reviewing l'oreal's lumi magique foundation but i thought i'd do it anyway! i really do try and cut my spending on certain products and foundation is one of them as not only are even the cheap ones quite expensive, but also if i like the way a foundation makes my skin look then i generally stick to it!

having said that, with all the great reviews i've read about this foundation i decided to give it a try as opposed to repurchasing rimmel's wake me up foundation when it ran out. so far, i'm impressed! it took me a while to work out which shade matched my skin tone - it seems the range only really covers various shades of light skin which isn't great for darker skin tones but also makes it a little trickier when trying to find a match! yellow undertones? pink undertones? arghhhhh!

i ended up picking 'gold linen' (after about 10 minutes...) and i've found it matches my skin well. lumi magique is quite runny in consistency (i didn't find this as much with rimmel's wake me up) although this makes it quite easy to blend. however for some reason i find i use more foundation than i usually would despite this - i can't blame lumi magique though, maybe it's just me wanting more coverage?! 

coverage wise i'd say that lumi magique is medium although is easily buildable. i've used it for nights out when i've wanted a heavier coverage and it's worked really well and stayed put all night.

about the 'as lit from within' claims - o.k it is a bit dramatic and i would really never ever describe someone's skin as being 'lit from within'. in l'oreal's defense though, lumi magique is illuminating and really does brighten your complexion. if you haven't already (i thought i was the only one..?!) then i'd give this a go :) even better, superdrug have a 3 for 2 offer on all l'oreal products at the moment and it's spf 18. yay!

boots essentials lipsalve: strawberry, tinted and spearmint

 

i ran out of my favourite nivea essential care lip balm the other day and went to boots to repurchase it. for some reason i got sidetracked by a classic boots deal - 3 for 2 - and so ended up with these instead! overall, i wouldn't say i'm disappointed that i bought them (i can never ever have too many lip balms and at 99p each you can't really complain!) but they definitely don't match up to nivea! i thought i'd do a mini review of each of them anyway, just in case anyone's looking for a cheap lipsalve :)

 

the strawberry lipsalve comes out clear which generally i like as it means i can put as much as i want on without looking in a mirror and don't need to worry about what i look like. the strawberry scent is really sweet but in a good way - think haribo as opposed to over perfumed. i'd say it moisturises my lips for around an hour which isn't so bad and the pink lid is a nice colour too!

 

 

i can't really get on with this tinted lipsalve. it's a really light pink and i'm just not sure who it would suit? it's pretty much scent free which can sometimes be a good thing but even one slick of this lipsalve is too much, especially when your lips are a bit chapped and colour builds in certain areas. a bit of a shame but i'll consider this as my 'free' lipsalve and so i'm not too disappointed!

 

this is probably my favourite lipsalve of the three. the spearment scent is really yummy and quite unusual i think (at least for me - i don't think i own any mint lip balms). like the strawberry it comes out clear so is easy to use and does the job of protecting my lips pretty well.

montagne jeunesse: passion peel off face mask

 

 

i don't generally use face masks. i think it's laziness really as i quite like using them but never seem to find the time! i bought this the other day though as i've seen a few reviews recently of the montagne jeunesse face masks and as i had a free sunday and i hadn't planned anything (apart from watching the last day of the olympics - can't believe they're over... boo!) i put it on in the morning before my shower.

i chose the deep cleansing pomegranate and passion flower peel off mask as my skin hasn't looked as clear as i'd like it to recently. it's a bright red gel and there's plenty in the packet - i'd say enough for two uses if you applied it in a thin enough layer. it smells lovely and fruity but i have to say it seemed to irritate my eyes a bit. not enough to make them water and it was probably my fault for applying it too close to my eyes (so don't let this put you off trying it for yourself!) but i do think it's always worth mentioning reactions like that as i know many users would rather avoid them!

anyway, as the packet told me to i relaxed for about 20 minutes as the face mask dried. it didn't make my face feel tight whilst it was drying as many face masks do so it didn't feel too long to wait as originally i thought 20 minutes would be too much. after 20 minutes i went to peel it off - the best bit! as i said before, there is probably enough of this face mask for two applications as you can only peel off the thin layers. i ended up putting the excess on my cheeks and had to wipe this off with cotton pads - not as fun as peeling!

overall i'd say that my face does feel a lot fresher and cleaner than it did before. i'm not sure how much of the deep cleansing is visible but i'd be willing to purchase a few more of these to use weekly to see if it has any long term effects. plus, at 99p it doesn't cost a lot to feel like you're giving yourself a little treat!

nivea essential care lip balm

 

this has got to be one of my all time favourite lip balms. i started using it last winter as i suffer from really dry, chapped lips. i didn't read any reviews on it before i bought it, i just liked that it didn't mention any kind of scent. i do like carmex/lypsil/chapstick etc etc, but sometimes i feel that the added fruity scents can actually aggravate my lips and make them worse. as i hoped, this essential care lip balm is pretty much scent free so removes that source of aggravation.

the packaging isn't particularly luxurious looking but the blue makes it easy to find in a bag and i like that you don't have to apply it with your fingers as most of the time i find that too messy and impractical! 

the best bit about it though is the creamy formula. it really is soothing and isn't too sticky or too hard (sometimes i find that brands such as lypsil can be so hard that they're actually really difficult to apply). i have to say i get through them quite quickly though although this is entirely my fault as i probably apply it over 10 times a day! however, considering that it's only £1.65 in boots i don't see this as being much of a problem!

beauty forever - rose gold nail varnish

 

 

just a little post about a new nail colour i picked up the other day. it's called rose gold which i thought could be interesting as although lots of jewellery is rose gold nowadays, i personally haven't seen any nail varnish that looks particularly rose gold. it does look a little more bronze than i had hoped but it's still a pretty metallic shade that would go with a lot of other colours/outfits and best of all cost 99p! it's by a brand called beauty forever which unfortunately i can't seem to find online, but for any londoners, i got mine from pak cosmetics store which has stores all over the city.

NYC nail varnish - bubblegum pink

 

 

 

i'm really starting to become quite a fan of NYC nail varnishes. they're really cheap (around £2, and superdrug usually have a 2 for £2.99 offer on too) and there are quite a lot of colours which are bright and fun :) i'm sure i've got plenty of colours just like bubblegum pink (i know i do but i feel bad saying it) but this was too cute to resist!

the wear is quite good - i got a few days out of mine - and coverage is good too. in the pictures i'm wearing two coats. i like the bottles too, similar to M.A.C, no? definitely one of my new favourite cheap treats!

avene skin recovery cream - calming formula

 

 

this is one of my favourite moisturisers because of the amazing effect it has on my skin. it feels quite light and has no strong smell like the rest of the avene brand i've tried (it's aimed at sensitive and irritated skin which is probably why.)

i use about a pea-sized amount morning and evening and it doesn't leave a greasy residue as some moisturisers do. it also absorbs quickly and feels very soothing. in terms of how it makes my skin look, i'd say it was just a lot clearer and fresher than usual. in the winter i need something heavier (i usually use olay double action day cream) but this winter i'm considering just getting this moisturiser in the 'riche' version. howver, when it's not freezing cold, this works really well and as an occasional sufferer of dry skin i haven't seen any dry patches since i started using this moisturiser again!

you can purchase avene products from boots and this moisturiser costs £12.50 - well worth the money in my opinion!

models own ultra-waterproof mascara

 

 

of the five different models own mascaras, this is the second one i have tried. the first was the grow fast mascara which i reviewed here and love love LOVE. i have to say, unfortunately i don't love this mascara as much. personally, i like my lashes to look thick and very black. this waterproof mascara leaves a lot less impact and creates almost wispy lashes.

having said that, it is nice to have a mascara to hand that creates more of a lighter daytime look and i have also started using it over my grow fast mascara as a sort of waterproof top coat. sadly, my reason for doing this isn't because i'm repeatedly jumping in the sea somewhere in the mediterranean, but it does give a bit of extra staying power to the grow fast mascara - much needed in this endless rain the U.K is getting!

the mascara is as waterproof as i'd hope it to be, it can deal with a few splashes so should be fine to swim in but excessive eye rubbing is likely to result in an under eye shadow. i have found it as easy as a non-waterproof mascara to remove with make up remover though which makes life a lot easier.

i think i'd be unlikely to repurchase this mascara as i'm sure there are other options out there that are waterproof and provide the look that i like, but also because i'm such a massive fan of the models own grow fast mascara that i'd be inclined to go for that one instead!

avène extremely gentle cleanser

  

 

i blogged about avene skincare a while ago (which you can read here) having received a couple of freebies after filling out their online skin diagnosis form. using the samples reminded me how much i loved everything i had tried from the brand so i went out a few days ago and repurchased the 'extremely gentle cleanser'. why i ever stopped buying it i do not know - at £8 it isn't exactly dirt cheap but it lasts for months and does wonders for my skin. after using a few cleansers that really didn't do me any favours the £8 seems a small price to pay!

the consistency of the extremely gentle cleanser is a sort of milky gel, but more creamy than a gel if that makes sense?! (probably not). i apply it using a cotton pad and tend to then use another wet cotton pad to wipe it off. the directions state that this isn't necessary and sometimes i wonder if i'm doing myself a disservice by washing it off but generally i don't feel i have properly cleansed without a splash of water!

i think this is my third or fourth bottle of this cleanser and for me it really does keep my skin clear and bright - well worth a go, particularly for those with sensitive or problem skin as it feels so gentle. i plan on making this a staple in my beauty cupboard from now on!

superdrug dry shampoo - buy one get two free!

 

any dry shampoo fans out there? if you are then have a look at this... superdrug currently have a buy one get two free offer on selected dry shampoos here and as they're only £1.99 each i found it hard to say no! that works out as about 65p each which is a bargain and they all smell different or are coloured to match your hair as well as being covered in different cute summery festival designs.

i thought i'd do a mini review of each of the three dry shampoos i picked up but i seem to have developed a summer cold in the past couple of days (i say summer cold... here in england it may aswell be november considering the rain and current temperatures!) so my description of how they smell may not be as accurate as i would've liked so i apologise in advance - feeling sorry for myself right now, boo!

 

anyway... 'heart on your sleeve' is a classic sweet floral smell and although it's quite strong it personally wouldn't prevent me from wearing it. i'd probably avoid wearing perfume on the day though just in case it clashed and you had to let out your dry shampoo secret as a result!

also, most importantly i have found that all of the dry shampoos provide good coverage and do their job effectively. i've only ever been able to wear it for a day as an i-woke-up-too-late-to-wash-my-hair pick me up and it lasted the full day so served me well. for those of you that use dry shampoo to cover up growing out roots (see chocolate brownie mini review!) or for styling purposes then i'm not sure that this would work as well as something like batiste as to me it feels a bit stickier than usual, but do let me know if this isn't the case!

 

chocolate brownie is a coloured dry shampoo and prevents the ashy look that can come from using dry shampoo (which is generally some form of white) on brunette hair. this was something i only recently discovered having been blonde and then dying my hair brown so wasn't something i was aware of but is in fact an issue! i'd say that in terms of colour chocolate brownie is a bit darker than my hair (i'd say it was light brown) but isn't unwearable by any means. 

the only thing you need to remember to do with coloured dry shampoo that doesn't necessarily apply to regular dry shampoo is that you need to take a bit more care with application and remember to check your neck, face and hands afterwards for any excess colour that may have found itself onto somewhere unwanted!

scent wise i'd say chocolate brownie was similarly floral to heart on your sleeve but not as strong.

 

away with the fairies is probably my favourite bottle of the three - i like the butterflies and the flowers! packaging aside, i assume that as this isn't coloured it is the same formula as heart on your sleeve and it has exactly the same coverage and effect on my hair.

although the scent is also floral i think it's a bit more subtle than heart on your sleeve - less roses, more other types of flower that i can't think of right now... oops! overall, i'd probably be most likely to repurchase away with the fairies or chocolate brownie but i'm glad superdrug's deal allowed me to test all three. for those of you who haven't yet used dry shampoo either, here's your bargain opportunity to find out what you're missing!

no7 'beautiful skin' radiance exfoliator

 

 

i have to say that this is my first experience of no7 skincare. i find it quite surprising really because i'm always in boots and i always get the £5 off no7 products voucher. i usually do try and avoid the no7 stand after making my purchases and receiving the voucher though, as generally when i'm in boots by the time i'm on my way out i've spent enough!

anyway, this time i needed some new exfoliator and thought i may aswell try this one partly because i quite like the simple yet pretty packaging, because after using the voucher it came to £3, and also because i felt like it was time to test something other than my usual st. ives invigorating scrub.

the scent is floral but not overpowering at all so is pleasant to use, and the formula is really creamy which is likely to work well for dry skin. my skin isn't particularly dry though, especially not in the summer (i say summer, it's so wet at the moment in the u.k we may aswell be celebrating christmas...) so i don't tend to look for additional moisture in my exfoliator. 

unfortunately, i found this exfoliators main downfall to be that it just isn't exfoliating enough! if your skin is sensitive or particularly radiant already then it may work for you, but right now i'm craving my ye olde faithful st. ives scrub! this just doesn't slough away my lumps and bumps enough so i don't get that fresh feeling i expect after exfoliating.

it hasn't put me off no7 as a brand though as it is still a nice, gentle product, and i do intend to at least attempt to use it up. this may be done by leaving it at the boyfriend's as a 'just in case' product though whilst i get back into my serious exfoliating routine with st. ives! next time i get a £5 off no7 products voucher i may have a look at the make up side of things instead... always worth a go!

primark tanning mitt

     

application side

back of the mitt

a while ago i blogged about my favourite fake tan, l'oreal sublime bronze but never got round to showing you my favourite tanning mitt. well here it is! it's my favourite mainly because it's only £2 from primark. personally, i really don't feel the need to splash out on a branded tanning mitt when after one use it's pretty brown and ugly looking anyway! 

the reason i use a tanning mitt is because i find it really helps with smooth application and avoiding streaks as well as protecting your hand from going as bright orange as the back of the tanning mitt too. i've heard of loads of other ways to avoid this problem - sandwich bags being my own desperate preference, an old sock being others' applicator of choice! - but for only £2 and countless uses (this is machine washable) i definitely advise a tanning mitt for those that don't already have one!

e.l.f cosmetics mineral moisturising lip tint - rose

this mineral moisturising lip tint in rose is the third and final lip product i got in my recent e.l.f cosmetics haul. only one product left to review!

it's marketed as a lip tint but to me it's more like a lipstick as although the shade is quite subtle, (it does look darker in person than in pictures though) it has a thick and creamy feel similar to a lipstick as opposed to a lip balm. however, it's still very easy to wear and the shade works for day and night.

it's from the 'mineral' collection which claims to be made up of the 'purest and refined ingredients from the earth'. not really sure what aspect of my lip tint was made 'from the earth' but i like the idea that with this range you will supposedly 'forget you are even wearing make up' and that the lip tint contains spf 8.

overall i'm really pleased with this purchase, especially with summer's current attempt at sticking around! it is a little more pricy than usual e.l.f products at £3.50 but i still can't complain as it is a great product. hopefully i'll be getting myself some more lip tints in the near future!