My Go To Make-up Products

It's July, Summer is in it's prime, which is a rarity for us English lot who don't usually experience sunshine quite this much, so you'd think whilst sweating in 28 degree weather make-up is the last thing on my mind but well, you'll be surprised!

In actual fact, because this heat doesn't allow for a lie in, I have time on my hands to pack on the layers to make me look less of a potato. I've also found a few new products I am obsessed with so I enjoy applying, even if i do look a bit extra for work.

The first product is one of the biggest hypes of this year. I wasn't 100% convinced when I read reviews that a £5 foundation could be so flawless and full coverage but this Revolution Fast Base Foundation Stick is a gift from the gods. Not only is it obviously super inexpensive, It is perfect for my skin. Being Casper the ghost, I feel like most foundations only have limited shades where even the lightest can be too orange for me but having 18 shades suitable for everyone, I really have hit the jackpot. F4 is perfect for me as it's not too pasty on my skin like F1 but it's just the right colour to suit with or without a fake tan. It's so easy to apply and blends like a dream, what more could I ask?

Next up is highlight. I didn't think bargain wise, I'd find one that makes me shine bright like a diamond until I discovered this Primark beauty. The shade is Brunch Club and the glow is just right without looking like you're just sweaty. I feel like Primark has really upped their game when it comes to beauty products, the quality is amazing and at £2.50? Who needs an expensive dupe?

Recently, I've incorporated lashes into my daily routine. I know this seems very "Beauty Vlogger" of me but honestly, I love how much they make a difference to my look. I have long lashes naturally so it's more for the volume and intensity but I'm currently loving it. It doesn't even take much more effort now I've had practice and I always used to think it was an expensive craze but like everything quality isn't always pricey. Now, surprisingly my go-to lashes are only £1! Although Primark lashes are my favourite, most days I grab mine from Poundland and although the glue is shocking, pair these with Superdrug own brand lash glue and you're looking glam for a fraction of the price, not to mention they are reusable!

Finally, who doesn't love a good nude? I feel like I've been on the search for a drugstore dupe of Kylie's Candi K for so long and they've either been too light it looks like I've got foundation lips, or they're too warm toned, however, this Velvet Matte Lip Lacquer by MUA in the shade Tranquility is £3 and I am in love. It just glides onto my lips and dries perfectly without taking too much moisture away as I suffer from chapped lips, also the colour is so versatile for so many looks. So impressed.

Shop here:

Foundation Stick - Superdrug

Lip Lacquer - Superdrug

Highlighter - Primark.

Lashes - Poundland

OPINION: Naj Oleari Make-up *FAIL*

I am always looking for new make-up to try and test out because I just can't stick to one brand for anything, I believe there's always a better one around the corner whether it's foundation, concealer, lipsticks, I just have to try them all. 

Last week I was having a little browse through Fragrance Direct, which is amazing btw, drugstore and big name brands for a fraction of the price! And I came across a brand I genuinely have never seen before; Naj Oleari. Whilst looking through their products it was evident you'd be saving at least £3-£10 purchasing on the site so it much be a bigger well established brand than I thought so I did some digging and bought a few products to try. Turns out they are an Italian fashion brand that create clothing, accessories, homeware, umbrellas and more. Looking through their website their products have such a Cath Kidston vibe about them using fruity and floral prints to make it very cutesy. 

Anyway back to make-up. Let's start with the product I was most hesitant about; The "Perfect Look Kit". This includes a foundation and concealer stick but on the website there was no type of hint as to what shade the foundation was which was worrying, I even asked Customer Service and tried to Google it but it was nowhere to be seen, suspicious. but still, I decided to try it out as I can't really complain at the £2.49 price tag can i?

I had EVERY right to be concerned, just look at the colour! This was horrific. The most depressing thing was that the coverage and foundation itself was so nice against my skin and really easy to blend, but unfortunately, I don't work for Willy Wonka so the colour was a complete disaster and ultimately this is where it ended up.

So, that hasn't given me much faith in the rest of the products I bought! Next was the eyeliner and although I'm not the biggest fan of thicker applicators the precision and outcome was surprisingly good for a gal who can't get her flicks on fleek! This Easy Eyeliner retails for around £6.99 and Fragrance Direct sell it for £2.99, amazing.

So things are starting to look up for this brand. Last but not least were their lipsticks which I had high hopes for because I'm a sucker for a lippy. This one is the Deep Rouge 8hr Totally Matte Lipstick in the shade Orchidea which is a lovely dark dusty pink colour.

What I loved about this too is the packaging. The top and the box it comes in is matte so of course there's no confusion and the lipstick was so lovely to apply it wasn't dry against your lips or sticky and it felt and looks very luxurious. The retail price for the lipstick is £9.95 where I got it for £2.99, what an absolute bargain!

The final product I tested was the Affinity Lipstick which is creamy as opposed to matte which I got in this lovely deep plum shade. The colour looks a little different to the picture on the website but nonetheless I loved it. This is probably my favourite product of Naj Oleari which is different as I love matte lip colours but something about this I really loved! Again, retailing for £9.95 I saved £6.96 paying only £2.99 which is really inexpensive for such a good lipstick. Definitely comparable to MAC I think.

So all in all, not a complete disaster despite the foundation fiasco that I was not happy about, my hairline still has a orange tinge to it! Other than the Affinty Lipstick, I don't think I'd pay full price for any of this personally. The eyeliner you can easily get a cheaper dupe and the matte lipstick was good but didn't have everything to add up to the original price.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the products I'll leave a direct link down below.

Hope you have a lovely day! 

Katie x

Deep Rouge 8HR Totally Matte Lipstick £2.99 RRP £9.95
Affinity Lipstick £2.99 RRP £9.95
Easy Eyeliner £2.99 RRP £6.99  

The £5 Bag

If you read my post The £1 Shoes, you already know what an eye for a bargain I have so I just have to tell you about this bag I recently purchased for £5. It's from the website http://everything5pounds.com which I would see advertised all over Facebook but obviously the fact every item on the website is £5 {hence the title} i was a bit skeptical. 

It wasn't until my sister purchased some clothing that I was pleasantly surprised. The material was good quality, the items were true to size and looked the same as the pictures so it encouraged me to buy a dress which is my favourite to date, so flattering and lovely. 

Then I saw this bag, I wanted a cross over body bag that could fit everything in but wasn't as big as my "suitcase" of a handbag and this seemed perfect. It was advertised in red but when I clicked on it the white took my eye. It's faux leather with a buckle fastening and a zip inside to keep everything in aswell as a zip on the back to fit even more in. I thought, eh why not it's only a fiver but it did seem too good to be true so there must be a catch right?

Wrong. This was exactly what I wanted and more, the structure is simple but so pretty and elegant, perfect for Spring and I don't know about you but it looks far more expensive than what I paid for it and I've already got so many compliments on it. 

The most important thing is everything I had in my massive handbag I can fit into this one but it's not making my arm go numb.

Once again, another successful bargain buy for a very satisfied Katie.

Keeeeep Shopping!

Katie x

The £1 Shoes.

Yes m'loves, your eyes aren't fooling you and I did not make a typing error, last week I bought a pair of shoes that cost the price of 2 freddos! 

Bargain. And you all know how much I love my bargains, but not as much as my sister. I remember when I was younger I used to laugh at her being tight for money and how ecstatic she was when Primark arrived in Plymouth but I have grown up to have the exact same eye for a bargain and I love it! 

As you can imagine, my sister and I together can be lethal when out loose shopping and when we went wandering in Deichmann, we spotted these. Now, we are literally like magpies to shiny objects so were instantly drawn to them. 

These dolly shoes were so cute and I've never seen ones like this before and I love fashion staples that are slightly different to the trends. With a point, a more covered foot than normal dolly shoes, glitter detailing and a velvet bow, I couldn't say no. {even if I was questioning the comfort} And of course we got matching shoes, as true sisters do!

Like any sale item, I always think well there must be a catch for them to be sold at that price but I was pleasantly surprised. I wore them when we went out for a few drinks on Mothers Day and I found no faults and they were extremely comfy for me. However the same can't be said for my sister, they rubbed her a lot and didn't leave much room for her so I guess it depends on the type of feet you have? Sounds silly but mine are quite long yet skinny whereas hers are wider and shorter.

But you can't go wrong for £1 ey? Stick on some plasters and you're good to go! No pain no gain!

Have you purchased any bargains lately?

Katie x

REVIEW: Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes +

Today is going to be a beauty rave my loves since I haven't done one in a long time.

Have you ever wanted long lashes but absolutely loathe applying fake lashes? Then I highly recommend this product.

Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes + claims it increases your lashes by up to 400% with its micro-fibers and it couldn't be more true.

See I was lucky enough to be blessed with long lashes anyway so I was a bit sceptical as to whether it would be any good for me but it really does give that false lash effect and volumises amazingly. 

AND it's so easy to use;

First you apply your normal every day mascara onto your lashes, then you coat on the Transplanting Gel and then apply the 3D micro fibers straight away to create that lengthy look. It can be a messy job and you can repeat this step however many times you desire but just get a clean mascara brush and comb your lashes to remove the excess and seperate your lashes.

It originally is a bit on the pricey side if you purchase from the Younique website for £23 but you can get it for an absolute bargain price from £4.99 (sometimes cheaper if you bid!) on Ebay and it's the actual legitimate product.

If that doesn't persuade you, what will?

Katie x

Day 9 of #Blogmas | DIY Decs

So I put my tree up at the end of November but I've been so tied up sorting everything else out for Christmas, I'm slacking in putting up actual decorations!

I always love the thought and that personal touch of doing DIY decs (how many times did you make paper snowflakes at school?!) that I picked up these cutesy packs from Wilko for £1. Bargain!

Here we have paperchains, make your own star and "glass effect" (but actually just tissue paper) decorations. Each pack comes included with everything you need and instructions. It's such a good idea to sit down and create if you have younger children or not! I'm the youngest in my family and I still enjoy it just as much (with the odd stress and swearing) however they aren't straightforward to do. They are so fiddle and time consuming but they add that perfect touch of DIY to your Christmas, it's worth it!

I also picked up this gingerbread bunting it's absolutely adorable and the easiest thing out of them all, very therapeutic. I couldn't resist them!

I'm nowhere near the most creative person in the world so making these make me feel like I'm not completely useless!!

Oh and you can never have enough tinsel everywhere can you?!

Do you have any DIY decs this year?

Hello, Avon Calling.

There is honestly no happy medium with me when it comes to skincare; I either don't use anything and get breakouts and rough skin or I decide to try every beauty product out there to cure it. I think you can already guess I'm in the middle of the latter stage so I have a few reviews coming up but todays post is about AVON.

I highly recommend Avon to anyone. If you've been living under a rock it's basically a beauty catalogue where normal everyday people become representatives to try and sell their products. The prices are ridiculous, everything is so affordable and every issue they have a new bunch of offers on, loads of gift sets and the quality is so good. For example what I'm about to talk about was 4 products for £5 (Absolute bargain!) Honestly, it's incredible. I personally haven't had any reason to complain, they're brilliant. Although I do wish I didn't have to wait a week for it to arrive and wish they didn't discontinue some of my favourite products!

Avon Care: Royal Jelly Face Cream For Very Dry Skin. 100ml.

Okay, so I wouldn't say my skin is that dry but the more suitable option for me was in Cocoa Butter and the smell of coconut just reeks and completely puts me off anything that includes it; shampoo, creams, food, ice tea. Yuck! Anyway I chose Royal Jelly. As I haven't used a cream in a long time I can already tell the difference in my skin, it's so much more hydrated and glowy like girls my age should have! FYI it's smells amazing.

Avon Care: Royal Jelly Hand Cream. 100ml.

I mean it only makes sense for me to go all out and purchase the hand cream in the same formula and scent. I've always been quite funny about my hands because I've always thought they were wrinkly and not very feminine and soft compared to my friends so there is no harm trying cream to see if it makes a difference. At first I wasn't sure, it made my hands felt a bit greasy but it's actually softened them and personally can see/feel a difference which is all that matters! Plus working next to a hospital I need something to keep those unwanted germs away!

The last 2 products I bought in the offer was:

Avon Naturals Hair Care Winter Nourishment Shampoo + Conditioner. 250ml (each)

Now, at the best of times my hair is very fussy with what products I use but even more so now I've cut my hair short, I'm much more paranoid about keeping it in a good condition. My hair mood changes and becomes victim to extreme weather conditions and with the wind and rain approaching I need something to protect it. Before even applying the products I tell you now it is the most amazing smelling shampoo and conditioner ever. The Vanilla and Pear scent is far from overpowering but it also doesnt have the after smell of soap and chemicals you usually get, it definitely reminds me of the colder months, I love it! I also love the condition my hair was left in without having to use half a bottle to make it at least that little bit smooth.

Avon products are generally my Holy Grail, because as I've said before I'm not a fan of spending extortionate amounts on products that aren't always worth it. I buy most of my lipsticks from there and can be on par with MAC for half the price, the nail polishes are instant dry and generally only need one coat usually costing from £3? How can you say no ey? Every issue there's at least one thing I want and I will rave to anyone who asks.

Happy Bargain shopping!

Just a pointer, Avon offers and prices do vary every issue but eventhough these were 4 products for £5 even seperately you can buy them all half price in Brochure 17. (Oct 2015) for under a tenner!

                                      

All of these opinions are my own, and I am not an Avon rep.

Katie x