Benefit Haulage!

Recently I posted on this blog about a recent love affair that developed between me and a very famous primer from Benefit, The Porefessional... I had a sample size that I squeezed every last drop out of and decided when it was all gone that I was going to take the plunge and purchase the full size!
I was in Dublin recently with a couple of friends, so while doing a spot of shopping we ventured into Brown Thomas, as we all wanted to pick up a few bits and soak up the Christmas atmosphere..
So this is what I bought!!

So like I said I had intended on picking up The Porefessional anyway, but then the guy working at the counter showed me this little box set, and it seemed way better value so I snapped it up! For 55 euro I got a full size of The Porefessional, a full size of They're Real Mascara, a mini Coralista lip gloss, and a mini Sun Beam highlighter, (which I have tried and love by the by)... Considering the primer is 34 euro alone this is a great way of trying additional products without having to fork out!

One of my friends with me was also raving about the Coralista blush from Benefit, so I was going to try it, as I had been contemplating trying one of the blushes as they are so well known and raved about. However after a scathing look from the Benefit man and a 'You're far to pale for that colour love', I opted for this one that he picked up and tried on me instead. The one he chose was Dandelion, and to be fair he made the right choice, as its a perfect light mauve/pink colour that looks really pretty on the skin. This also cost 34 euro, so I have to admit I did feel slightly guilty walking out of Brown Thomas.. But oh well, its Christmas after all!

So far I am really liking the products I've tried from Benefit, so I won't say no to trying a few more!

Thanks for reading,

Alisha 

xxx

Make Up Monday

Ok so first off I know I am a day late with this and I apologise profusely for this, but it was hard to get it up when I got home from work after having dinner, going for a walk and getting a shower! But better late then never I guess!
So this week I've been trying to go through my make up bag and try a few bits that don't get as much love as they should.

So this week its the turn of my Rimmel Stay Blushed Cheek Tint!
To be honest I had previously considered cheek tints and similar products to be more for the Summer time, which is understandable seen as they are a cream product.

Rimmel describe this as a 'lightweight liquid cheek tint which blends instantly and seamlessly for a natural flush of colour'.

And it does exactly what it says on the tin! For the last week or so I've been trying to go for more of a bold lip, and so I  haven't wanted to go over the top with the rest of my make up. Which is why I pulled out this baby! 

I really really am impressed with this stuff. A little goes a long way, so a tiny little dot of this on my finger and blended in with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush leaves me with a nice flushed colour on my cheek that lasts all day. 

I have this in the colour Pop Of Pink, which is exactly what it is, just a nice natural pink colour! 

Its 6.59 and available from your usual Rimmel Stockists! :)

The Battle of the Lip Lacquers!

This year it seemed like the 'it' product was lip lacquers. Rimmel set the beauty world alight with the release of the much anticipated Apocalips, and since then many other brands have jumped on bored with their tuppence worth.
Recently I went into Boots, and after picking up two products that I had my eye on for ages, (more on these later), I had to find a 3rd item to make up my 3 for 2, (which is a harder task than you'd think in Boots believe it or not), I ended up choosing this Colour Pro Lip Lacquer from Collection, as I haven't tried much from the brand.
After having used both offerings from each brand, I figured it would be nice to do a post comparing the two, as considering they're both meant to be lip lacquers, they should both work in the same way, right? Well lets find out!

Rimmel Apocalips: Rimmel say that these provide 'The intense rich colour of a lipstick, enhanced by a satin smooth shine', and I have to say they do deliver on everything they say!  At first I wasn't very taken with these. Perhaps it was the unusual texture, or the fact they were very hard to use without making a mess, and because I bought them in all the bright bold colours, it always ended up that I left the house looking like I did my make up in the dark. Epic fail. However, after finally getting to grips with these, and figuring out how to apply them without looking like a bad drag act, (actually a drag act would probably still have done it better than me), I love them! So much so that I had bought 6 out of the 8 colours available at the time in them! The texture of these are real creamy, and packed full of pigment. They just feel so comfortable on the lips, and after the initial wet feeling upon application, they do dry to a nice glossy finish. I myself personally do find that they wear a bit after eating or drinking, but even so they do still leave a slight stain on the lips, particularly the stronger colours. My personal favourites of the bunch are Stellar, which is a fab coral red colour, and Apocalips, a lovely deep pink colour which I love for nights out! I have been tempted to wear it for work somedays, but I haven't been brave enough to do it yet... But someday! I'll pop in some swatches of these below so you can see the colours and texture's for yourselves!  The packaging of these is also something a bit different, Rimmel really made the effort to make sure it suited the name of the product! These released earlier in the year with just 8 colours in the collection, which isn't bad really, but now they've upped that to 13!! They are priced at 7.95 each and are available in Boots and your local Rimmel stockists!

Collection Colour Pro Intense Lip Lacquer: Collection is another drugstore brand that is well known with bloggers, probably most for its Lasting Perfection Concealer. I'm yet to try that however, so on a whim when in Boots the last day, I decided to pick up a product I hadn't heard much about from the brand, just to see were they a good all rounder brand. I picked up the colour 3, which first of all is a bit disappointing that they don't actually have names for these, personally I just think that the number only is a bit boring. Regardless, I picked up the colour I thought I'd wear most, which is a nice bright bubblegum pink, which strangely is something I don't have in my collection! Collection say that these leave a 'lacquer like finish for the evening or a subtle sheen for day time wear'. First of all, the texture is really really different to that of the Apocalips. Its sticky upon initial application, and just remains that way for the length it remains on the lips. I applied some about an hour ago, maybe more, and my lips are still sticky! Now I  don't have a problem with that, but its just something to note incase you don't like that in a lip product. Colour wise, they are pigmented, but nowhere near as much as the Apocalips, (or maybe its just the colour I chose, I don't know). Again I'll pop in a swatch below so you can see for yourselves. I also find it hard to apply these, not in the same way as the Apocalips, but more in the sense that the applicator on these nearly drags across your lips and doesn't disperse the product very well. Really to me, these are just a highly pigmented lip gloss. A lip lacquer to me should be somewhat similar to a lipstick, but in a liquid form, and I'm afraid to say that this doesn't meet that definition for me. Packaging wise, there's nothing very different about this product for me, it just looks like a standard lip gloss or lip product. Another downside with this is there's just 4 colours! They are priced at 6.49 from Boots.

Overall I was fairly disappointed with the Collection offering. I did have high hopes for it, and had imagined it to be a lot creamier than it turned out to be... It just is a big sticky thumbs down from me, but seen as I got it for free in the 3 for 2 I can't be too upset. If you are looking to try a lip lacquer from the drugstore, I think at the moment the Rimmel ones are probably the best ones to try! And there not expensive, so if at the end of the day you're not a fan there's no harm done.

                                        Rimmel Apocalips in Apocalyptic and Stellar

                                       Collection Colour Intense Lip Lacquer in Shade 3
So that's it guys, have you tried either of these?

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

November Favourites!

Here we are again, the end of another month! Am I the only one that feels like time is going way too fast and it should just slow down a biteen? I mean this time 4 weeks Christmas will have been and gone!
This month I'm back with another quick round up of things I've been loving and reaching for on most days.. So here we go!!

So there isn't really a whole lot of favourites this month, as generally I just keep reaching for the same thing over and over until it runs out and my hand is forced to try something else! 

Benefit The Porefessional: I did a brief post on this earlier this week, and I won't dwell on it again too much, but I can't believe how good this stuff is! It minimises the overly large pores on my nose instantly, and it has a really soft and smooth texture that you wouldn't even know you're putting it on your face! 

Soap and Glory Thick and Fast Mascara: I have mentioned before that I'm not really that fussy on mascara, mainly because to me mascara is much of a muchness. But for some reason this one is a game changer for me! I got it in one of the sets Soap And Glory released at Christmas time last year, and finally I got around to using it, and so far I'm loving it! It just seems to coat my lashes really well, without getting excess mascara all over my face or in my eye, and it doesn't clump up either! 

Superdrug Face Masks: I picked up some of these little face mask sachets a few months back when I was in Birmingham for my cousins wedding, and I absolutely loved them! So much so when I ran out, I got my brother to pick me up some in Superdrug in Preston before he came home from college for the Summer! There's something for everyone in the range, depending on what type of skin you have. The two I've pictured here are the deep cleansing mask, and the berry exfoliating mask, but recently I've used up the yogurt smoothie mask for dry skin, and my skin is so soft after using it! 

Roger and Gallet Cedrat Fragrance: Roger and Gallet do some absolutely gorgeous fragrances, and if you haven't checked them out by now you seriously should! This particular Cedrat fragrance is not your typically citrus cent, as it has a slight musk to it also, which in my opinion makes it easy to wear in either Summer or Winter! 

Nivea Lip Butter: I'm kind of cheating with these, considering I only bought it like a week ago! But after using them I couldn't but mention them! They smell divine, which isn't really important when talking about a lip butter, but it helps doesn't it? But the formula of these is just as nice, as its so soft and supple on the lips, and it contains shea butter among many other ingredients to keep the dry lips that the dreaded Winter brings at bay! 

MUA Undress Me Too Palette: For such a long time I was dead set against trying the Naked Palettes from Urban Decay, mainly because of the price, (that has changed since seeing pictures and swatches of Naked 3, I need/want/must have that Palette). Then I found out that UK brand MUA had probably the most close dupes to the Naked Palettes, so I gave them a go, and I'm so so glad I did! This is the dupe for the Naked 2 palette, but I've been reaching for this every single morning this month without fail, because the colours in it are practical for every day wear, but at the same time could create a perfect smokey eye for a night out! 

Yankee Candle Wax Tarts: Ok this one is a bit random, but over the last few months I've developed a bit of an obsession with these little guys! When I'm getting ready for work or bed, I light my burner by my bed and melt which ever tart I fancy at the time, and the smell just fills up the room! They are so handy if you're not really into candles, because these pack just as much of a punch as the large jars from Yankee Candles do. I'm currently burning a vanilla scented one, (can't remember the exact name), but I'm dying to light Merry Marshmallow and Fireside Treats! 

So that's it for this month ladies! Not much in it, but as I said, I've generally been reaching for the same things time and time again so I don't want to bore you all! 

What have you been loving for November? 

Thanks for reading, 

Alisha xxx

Winter Essentials: Lip Balm

Hey lovelies!
So the Winter weather has really set in over the last few weeks, and the temperatures have taken a serious dip!
Which is why when the seasons change, we must change our routine to suit, as skin tends to dry out a lot easier when the cold weather sets in, well at least it does for me anyway!
I've decided for the next couple of week's to do a weekly blog post on some of the essentials we should all have in our beauty regime to make sure we're all at our best for the festive season!
And first up its.... Lip Balms!
A lot of people tend to suffer the dreaded dry lip syndrome at this time of year, and for some it may not be a huge issue, but for others its very uncomfortable and irritating, as lips can often be so dry and chapped that they tend to bleed!
Today I thought I'd show you the Lip Balms that I have in my handbag at the moment, (yes all of them are in my handbag together, don't judge me), and also some other lip balms that have had rave reviews that may be worth checking out!

So first up we have Carmex which is in the mint scent. This is in my handbag, but I can't honestly say I like it. Not because it doesn't work, because I have put it on my lips at night going to bed and my lips are noticeably softer in the morning, but because it tingles! Its like one of those plumping lip glosses that are available from Soap And Glory and the likes, but this to me is a lot worse! If you are a person that doesn't mind the tingling sensation, which I usually don't, then this is a good lip balm that also contains an SPF which is always good! Its in a squeezy tube which also allows you to control how much product you use which is great! I can't remember the exact price of this, but it was definitely less than 3 euro in Penneys!

The 2nd one up is a recent purchase, (2 days ago to be precise,) and boy do I like this one! This is one of those products that bloggers raved and raved about, and eventually it sucked me in! Its the Nivea Lip Butter, in Vanilla and Macadamia, and I seriously am in love with this stuff! First of all it smells divine, but most importantly it makes my lips feel so so soft! I cant find the exact ingredients but Nivea to me have always been advocates of gentle ingredients in their products and this lip balm is definitely gentle! The only downside to this for me is that the product itself goes on white, so you really have to apply with a lighthand, otherwise your lips will look a bit strange! If you fancy picking this up its on offer in Boots at the moment, 2 for 4.50! (I got the raspberry one as my second incase your
wondering)

Next up is a product that has a huge celebrity following, (Kim K is a firm fan apparently), and its the EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Raspberry and Pomegranate. I just bought this for the novelty factor to be honest, its such a cool shape! Besides that though it is a really moisturising lip balm! It contains Jojoba Oil and Shea Butter which help to protect and condition your lips! It also contains Vitamin E, and is 100 percent natural and 95 percent organic! Its available for 6.95 on Cloud10Beauty, and if your not a fan of Raspberry and Pomegranate, there's a huge range of other scents available, Lemon and Strawberry are but a few!

Last but by no means least is my Molton Brown Lip Balm. This is the most heavy duty out of the lip balms I've mentioned so far, and its the one I turn to if my lips are in dire straights. Its a thicker formula then the others, and when applied to the lips its more of a matte finish, which is great if you have dry skin around your nose possibly and you use this as you won't be left with noticeable shine around the area. I am having extreme difficulty finding any information about this online as Google seems to have shut down on me, (thanks google,) but when I do find said info I shall add it in to this post! I did get this a few years ago as a present off my mother, and as its Molton Brown, which is a fairly posh brand, I'm sure this cost at least 10 euro anyway, but its possibly I'm wrong!

If none of these are tickling your fancy, or else you don't think they would be heavy duty enough for your thirsty lips then others that are getting great reviews are:

• Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm: This product contains Acacia Honey and Shea Butter to nourish and repair dry lips, and also it contains no preservatives or artificial scent. It has a fairly thick texture, so this is one I'd imagine you'd use at night before bed, or else if you weren't venturing out of the house! Its available on Cloud10Beauty for 12.95!
• La Roche Posay: There was one particular lip balm I was searching for from this particular brand, but I can't seem to find it, but all I can say is if your lips are in a really bad state then maybe try any of the ones from La Roche Posay, as they are very well known for the sensitive nature of their products.

That's it women! Hopefully  you'll have found something useful in this post, and if not, well I'll try harder next time! 

Thanks for reading guys, 

Alisha! 

xxx

Make Up Monday!

I know I say it every Monday but seriously, where are the weeks going? Tomorrow 4 weeks is Christmas Eve!! Madness!
So the product I've been loving this week is a new addition to my collection, and I just can't believe I haven't tried it before!
It is the infamous 'Porefessional' from Benefit, and its every bit as good as it has been made out to be!

Now I don't actually have this size YET, but I am definitely going to pick it up in the coming weeks!
Benefit claim that this primer 'quickly minimises the appearance of pores and fine lines for smoother than smooth skin'!
I had people raving about it for ages, and really had no interest in trying it, but then I was cleaning out my make up a few weeks back, and I came across a little sample size that I had gotten in a magazine! Woohoo! I've been using it for the last week, and the first thing I've noticed is for such a small sample its lasting ages! I definitely have another weeks use out of it!
Its a really light silky tinted primer, but it goes on to the skin transculent. The first place I used it was my nose, because I have serious Rudolph issues with redness, and also the pores on my nose are huge, like its ridiculous!
Now it took away the redness for sure, and although I could still see them, they definitely weren't as noticeable as they were before!
I actually noticed that this made my make up look a lot more flawless than it had with previous primers, but I don't think it helped it stay on any longer, but I really wouldn't worry about that unless I was going out or something!
I've been in two minds over whether to purchase the full size or not, but I do think more than likely it will happen, as I've never been as taken with a product after one go as I have been with this!

The POREfessional costs 34.00 for 22ml, but its currently on offer on Debenham's website for 30.60, so if you want a bit of a saving then pop on over!

Thanks for reading,
Alisha xxx

My Sleek Blush Collection!

Sleek is a drugstore brand in the UK that is raved about for having amazing quality products, at fantastically low prices. The most raved about products of there's is without a doubt, (in my opinion), the blushes.
Everyone and their mother in the blogging world can't get enough of them, and its not difficult to see why.
Now its not a brand that we'll walk into Boot's here in Ireland and find, boo... It is available in Superdrug in the UK, so for those of you on the east coast of our fair emerald isle, you may be able to get your paws on it.
However there's no need to fear because Cloud10Beauty have saved the day for us and have a range of Sleek's most popular products on the website! Yay!!
So onto my collection.... Which has expanded quite quickly over the past few months... oops!!

So altogether I have 5, and each blush contains 8grams of product, which isn't bad considering the price!

First up are the shades Coral and Pixie Pink. I bought Coral under the illusion that it would be just that, a coral blush, but as you can see its not coral, nor does it resemble coral in the slightest. As a matter of fact I  think its a bronzer, or at least that's what I'm going to be using it for anyway! Pixie Pink was a shade that I found it impossible to get my hands on. Any time I went to buy it online it was sold out!

You can see why though, its a bright bubblegum really girly pink! One thing with these blushes is that they are really pigmented, so a little does go a long way with these, especially the brighter colours. (I learned that the hard way). Pixie Pink to me is more of a Summer colour, but make up is supposed to be fun and there's no rules so go crazy!! ;)

Next up is Rose Gold and Flushed. Both of which I'm using fairly regularly since we hit September. Have a look at Rose Gold..... Does it remind you of any other blush? Of the high end variety?? No? Well this is a dupe for the infamous Nars Orgasm. I don't own it but after watching numerous YouTube video's and reading various blogs I sure can see the similarities! Rose Gold is a beautiful peach toned blush with very fine gold glitter throughout, so it works as both a highlighter and a blush all in one!! Flushed is a deep red/berry toned colour, which is great for the berry trend gracing the catwalks this season. Rose Gold doesn't come up great in the swatches again, but you can see how pretty Flushed is!

Lastly is my most recent purchase, Antique. Its part of the Vintage Romance collection that Sleek have recently released, and it is gorgeous! In the pan it doesn't look much, in fact when I saw it first I was slightly disappointed because it wasn't what I was expecting at all, but when I put it on, wow was I wrong! Its a mauve/brown toned blush, again with very fine glitter particles throughout, but when it's on it just gives the nicest glow to the skin! Its very natural looking so this teamed with a bright lip or smokey eye is a great look for the party season!

 So at the moment this is my collection of Sleek individual blushes. They also do a blush trio which I also have two of (shame on me), and I will show you those at a later date, possibly along with the eyeshadow palettes, which again are great quality and a great price!
If you haven't tried out any of the products and are looking to try some the blushes are a great place to start as they are so inexpensive, not that any of Sleek's products are. Other well known products are the Face Form, which contain a bronzer, highlighter and blusher all in one palette, so that would be a great way to try out three products all at once.

Sleek products are available HERE at Cloud10Beauty,
Thanks for reading,
Alisha
xxx