USA Haul: Part 4 - Drugstore!

Hey there Lovelies!

So here it is, the last instalment of my USA haul series! I had tried to film this many a time but i guess it just wasn't meant to be! My filming/video editing skills just aren't up to scratch and after many failed attempts i decided to just show you all in a good ol' blog post! Ideally i would have liked to pick up a few more Wet 'n' Wild bits but the displays were bare in every store i went to, sigh. But i did pick up a few too many other gorgeous bits on my (now not so) recent trip!

There is just something a little bit more exciting about drugstore makeup in the USA and i still find myself excited about all their new releases. I guess its just always wanting what you can't have... I do wish that Wet 'n' Wild and Milani would come to the UK they have some absolutely amazing products. Enough rambling, on with the haul!

 

Milani lippies get a ton of love online so i just couldn't resist adding a few more to my collection. These are seriously some of the best lower end lipsticks on the market and for around $5 a pop the value just can't be beaten! The colour range is phenomenal and they come in a variety of finishes and although it might not be for everyone, they have a gorgeous, sweet, watermelon scent!

Liquid lipsticks are possibly the hottest lip trend going right now with many a brand releasing their own versions. These got pretty darn good reviews online and I'm happy i managed to snag a couple! Fiery Coral and Pink Rave are absolute stunners!

I have to admit, the packaging got me on this Physicians Formula impulse buy. A blush with a pretty pink bow? Yes please! A lovely everyday, natural shade. Oh and the highlighter... My picture does not do this beauty justice! The pink and beige marbled effect is just divine. A little on the frosty side but for around the $5 is still a steal for the whopping 11.3g of product inside. I love you Wet 'n' Wild!

 

It wouldn't be a USA haul without a cheeky EOS lip balm, right?! The sweet mint flavour is my absolute favourite and is currently sitting on my desk just waiting to be opened. Yet another lip balm... I'd seen MakeupByTiffanyD positively rave about the Nivea Olive Oil & Lemon so i just had to pick a couple up. I've actually had one in my handbag for the past month or so and am absolutely loving it! And lastly for lips is a cult favourite Revlon Lipstick, Cherries In The Snow! Its an old favourite for many and one i just hadn't got around to trying, so as Revlon is SO much cheaper over there i decided to finally give it a whirl.

 I believe, once upon a time we did actually get the Loreal Infallible Eyeshadows in the UK but i somehow completely missed them while they were here. Another product that gets a lot of love online and another brand that is significantly more expensive in the UK. Dubbed as a dupe for the Armani Eyes To Kill the collector in me just had to pick up a variety of shades!

Top to bottom and left to right 

Continuous Cocoa, Iced Latte, Endless Pearl, 

Eternal Sunshine, Bronzed Taupe, Amber Rush.

 

Such a cliche of a haul... Milani blushes! I've had Coralina for a year or two now and adore it so i actually went out of my way to find a CVS that had these in stock. Milani do the best affordable baked blushes on the market and their colour range is impeccable! Dolce Pink is up top and looks like the perfect shimmery rose for Autumn/Winter. Luminoso could be in the running for prettiest highlight shade...ever. A beautiful corally/peach sheer highlighter that just brightens up the face like nothing I've tried before. And last but certainly not least is Dellizioso Pink, one of the newer matte editions to the range.

 

A girl can never have too many mascaras! I like to stock up whenever I'm away on holiday as these retail for $5-$7 each there rather than the £10ish they are here. Madness! I really do love how they display the wands inside the packaging there, it really does give you a better idea on how the mascara may work.

 

Dubbed as the inexpensive dupe for Mally's face defender I was dying to give this a go! Sadly i haven't even opened this yet... Bad Katie! But I'll be sure to let you know my thoughts on it all if anyone wants a review.

 

Phew! We're getting near the end! I was rather curious to see whether the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous was exactly the same as the Max Factor offering so i decided to pick my shade up for a comparison. I've blogged about Dream Lumi Concealers so so much in the past so i won't bore you. I've probably worked through around 10 of these babies now as the Radiance shade is perfect for brightening up under my eyes. Instant Age Rewind is another repurchase for me, a little bit sheerer than the Dream Lumi but you get a lot more product. An equally lovely concealer.

 

Heres a picture of my little woof Star for making it through this monster of a post! She decided she wanted to be in ALL the pictures today so i thought it would be mean not to sure a picture of this cutie!

If you would like any particular products reviewed please let me know, I'd be happy to post that for you!

What is your favourite drugstore makeup item?

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xo Katie

Current Favourites: Summer Edition!

Hello Lovelies!

As summer is looking well and truly over here in the UK (waaaah!) i thought I'd share the products I've been absolutely loving over the fast few months. I've decided rather than popping a current favourite post up every now and again I'd make it a seasonal affair, giving me lots of time to try out new things and rediscover things in my collection. This little bunch are all rediscoveries except for one cheeky Boots purchase from earlier in the year I've yet to blog about. My no buy is still going strong since June, but do not fear! I've still got a ton of products from my spending frenzy beforehand to share with you lovely lot!

Bourjois - 123 Perfect CC Cream

This is the only "newer" addition to my collection and shockingly the first Bourjois base product I've found that isn't too dark for my skin tone. I hadn't seen a lot of reviews online but really fell for the texture when i swatched it in store. Its an extremely light weight, runny texture with light to medium coverage and a satin finish. It blends beautifully and wears like a dream and has been my go-to foundation for the past few months. (£9.99, Boots)

Maybelline - Dream Lumi Concealer in Radiant

I'm not sure how many favourites this little beauty has made it in to but it has remained my favourite highlighting concealer for near on two years. Sadly this shade isn't available in the UK but i like to stock up when i visit the USA. It is the perfect pinky toned concealer to brighten under the eyes and use on the high points of the face without looking heavy or cakey. I'd put this as one of my holy grail products. (Other shades, £6.99, Boots)

Skin79 - VIP Gold BB Cream

Wait, what? This isn't the pink one?! I decided to give my beloved Skin79 Pink BB Cream a bit of a break this summer and try something (kind of) new. Their VIP Gold version BB cream is more targeted for dryer skin types and is a shade or so darker than their Pink edition. I find this to have a smidgen more coverage and colour than my old favourite and as I've had a little more sun this year has been perfect for my ever so slightly darker skin tone. With light coverage and a dewy finish, this with a light dusting of powder has been perfect for summer! (£8, eBay)  

Dior - Amber Diamonds Highlighter

 I really am ashamed to say that this has been sat unloved in my collection for over a year. I'm not sure why it wasn't love at first use, it is gorgeous, but for some reason I was firmly set in my MAC Soft and Gentle ways for quite a long time. This is an absolutely stunning peachy gold highlighter which I've been reaching for for my more goldy/bronzey eye looks. It adds a touch of glamour to the cheeks in the most beautiful way. I'm sorry Amber Diamonds, i promise to love you forever! (£32, Debenhams)

Elf - Peachy Keen Studio Blush

About a month ago or so I came to the realisation that i have a lot of Elf Studio Blushes that haven't seen the light of day for over a year or so. So i decided to crack them all out and Peachy Keen was the clear favourite for me. If you're not a fan of shimmer, then I'd steer clear of this one I'm afraid! I use this on days where I'm in a rush and use this as both a blush and highlight. Its a gorgeous soft, warm peach with a fine gold shimmer throughout. The shimmer is definitely noticeable but not in an obnoxious way. I really have been enjoying this hidden gem of a product! (£3.95, Eyeslipsface)

Elf - High Definition Undereye Setting Powder

Another product I tried once and threw in the back of my makeup storage. I'm running low on my beloved Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder and I just don't know if i can stomach paying £18 for it again so decided to try and find a cheaper alternative. While the Elf option isn't quite as finely milled and has some pesky pink glitter in i find it does do an adequate job. While it isn't quite as nice as the higher end offering I've really been enjoying it. Luckily the pink glitter doesn't tend to grab to the under eye area and just leaves my concealer nicely set. Sorry guys, after contacting Elf for the link to this i have found it has been discontinued in the UK! Looks like I'm still on the hunt for a drugstore concealer setting powder!

 

MAC - Lovelorn Lipstick

My lipstick collection was getting a little out of hand, considering the fact I am rubbish at wearing lipstick on a daily basis. So i made it my mission to crack out more of the wonderful lippies i own and Lovelorn has been a clear favourite this summer. Its a lovely semi sheer mid-tone pink in a Lustre finish that has pretty much stayed in my handbag for past three months. I've been cheating on matte lipsticks lately and opting for a more glossy finish lip and this has been just perfect for this. Its my no brainer lippy, great for just adding a touch of femininity and giving that "put together" finish on a look. (£15.50, MAC)

Well this post was longer than i anticipated, I'm glad i managed to narrow it down to just this set and not the other five or six products i was considering including...

What have you been loving this summer?

I for one am hoping the warmer weather here in the UK makes a late appearance this September! 

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xox

FOTD: Girl About Purple!!

Hi there Lovelies!

This week i had a bit of a fail with my normal hair dye... Long story short i got a little fed up and decided to slap some purple on! While the purple was short lived due to being extremely high maintenance, I thought I'd share my favourite makeup look from this week! Even though I'm back to boring ol' blonde now I am still adoring Mac's Girl About Town lipstick, how was i this late on the bandwagon? Anyways, onto whats on my face!

Eyes

MUA - Eye Primer

Makeup Revolution - Waterproof Eyeliner

Urban Decay - Naked Basics

Smashbox - Hyperlash Mascara

Anastasia - Ash Blonde Brow Duo

Lips

Nyx - Edge Pink Lip Liner

Mac - Girl About Town Lipstick

Face

Smashbox - Photofinish Primer

MAC - Studio Fix Foundation

Nars - Laguna Bronzer

Maybelline - Dream Lumi Concealer

Nars - Light Reflecting Loose Powder

MAC - Dame Blush

It's not even been a day back blonde and I'm already missing my bright hair. Sigh. Next time I'll invest in some actual light purple dye rather than my slightly shoddy DIY hot purple and conditioner creation!

What has your favourite lipstick been this week?

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xox

FOTD: The lazy "no makeup" look

Hey Lovelies!

We all have those days where we want to do a full face of makeup, but then you really can't bothered, right? I have those quite a lot and more often than not my laziness wins over and all i end up doing is smearing BB cream across my face and sloppily apply mascara. Today i did things a little bit different, well the sloppy mascara is still there, but i actually put a smidge more effort in for a lazy Sunday. 

I'm really into a lot of new "drugstore" makeup bits lately so I'll have some more affordable reviews coming up over the next few weeks. My favourite of the bunch is the Bourjois CC Cream... Finally a Bourjois foundation shade match for me, its a bloody miracle! I'm also loving my little Bite Lipstick duo, no review of this as it decided to snap and break my heart a little in the process on the way back from the USA. Little sidetrack over, I'll get on with the products i used! 

Eyes:

Maybelline - One by One Mascara

Laura Mercier - Secret Brightening Powder

Maybelline - Master Shape Pencil

Lips:

Fresh - Lip balm

Bite Beauty - Lychee Lipstick

Face:

Maybelline - Dream Lumi Concealer

Maybelline - Dream Matte Powder (DC)

Bourjois - CC Cream

Bourjois - Bronzing Primer

Nars - Laguna Bronzer

Milani - Corallina Blush (applied lightly)

Okay that's quite a few products for a "lazy" day, but oh well! Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

What's your must have product for lazy days?

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xox

 

January / February Favourites!

Ello Lovelies!

I'm not one for monthly favourites but this year I'm making an effort to make them a bi-monthly occurrence. And the first one would be a tad late... Ooops! I've been changing up my daily stash every week or so to make sure i work through the unloved gems in my collection and these are the things I've been loving the past 2 months!

L'oreal Lumi Magique Foundation - Rose Pearl

This was a new purchase and I reached for it quite a bit over the last month or so. I don't generally have much luck with "drugstore" foundations, but this one is a beauty! Medium coverage with that lit from within glow, really beautiful! I'll be posting a full review soon.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment 

A long time ago, i managed to snag the Sephora birthday gift that included two mini Sugar lip balms and I've been hooked ever since. On my trip to London in January I dragged my boyfriend on a mission to find the Fresh store just so i could pick another one of these up. Priced at £18 they are extremely expensive but are honestly the best lip balms I've ever tried!

Benefit Hello Flawless Powder - Shell

I used up a whole one when they were first released and never got round to repurchasing due to having far, far too many powders in my collection. I was lucky enough to get one for Christmas this year. Its a fuller coverage powder that really does give a flawless finish, its up there with my MAC Studio Fix Powder as an all time favourite.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer - Brightener

Sadly, we can't get this shade in the UK (just like the Radiance shade of Dream Lumi, HMPH!) but i absolutely love it. Perfect for brightening under the eyes and highlighting the face. MAYBELLINE! We need this shade in the UK, K?!

 

Tarte Emphaseyes Brow Pencil - Taupe

This has been so well loved that all the writing has rubbed off. Priced at $19.50 this isn't the cheapest of brow pencils but i absolutely adore it. Its the perfect taupe shade for my blonde hair and has a great little spooley brush on one end for taming them. I'll be interested to see if QVC gets these and their pricing because i fear this is getting near the end.

Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara

As you can see, i love me some Tarte. I was lucky enough to be sent over one of the QVC Tarte TSV's at the end of last year by a lovely lady in a makeup group i am in and it included two of these babies. Like all mascaras, i wasn't a fan at first. But after a few days it really grew on me. It can go clumpy if you aren't careful to wipe off the excess on the brush but it gives amazing volume!

Nars Guy Bourdin Blush Palette

Rather than tease you with something that's no longer available, I'm actually loving one of the permanent shades in this palette. Deep Throat (giggles). Childish behaviour aside, it is a beautiful blush that I've been wearing most days for the last month. A subtle peachy pink that just gives a fresh looking wash of colour!

It was hard to narrow down to just these 7 items but i don't think I've featured any of them in previous favourites so a win for me!

What have you been loving this month?

Let me know!

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xox

FOTD: Spring Greens

Ello lovelies!

It might be snowing out, but today i've cracked out the good ol' salt spray and experimented with some colour! I'm a sucker for buying greens, after neutrals they are probably that colour I'm drawn to most. But as many as i buy, they are not reached for often, so with the weather *hopefully* getting a tad warmer soon i thought i'd give wearing some colour a whirl! And lets not forget, Emerald Green is Pantones colour of the year for 2013, so hopefully we'll see a lot of it around!
Eyes:

MUA - Eye Primer
NYX - Rocky Mountain Green Jumbo Pencil
Inglot - DS498, DS477, Pearl 418 shadows.
MAC - Dazzlelight
Collection - Extreme Felt Liner
MUFE - Smoky Lash Mascara
Anastasia - Brow Powder Duo

Lips:
Revlon - Peach Parfait Lip Butter

Face:
NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation
Maybelline - Radiant Dream Lumi Concealer
Laura Mercier - Secret Brightening Powder
Maybelline - Stay Matte Powder
Tarte - Glisten
NYC - Sunny Bronzer

What colours are you looking forward to cracking out as the weather gets warmer?

Next stop for me, orange/corals! Me and MAC's Vegas Volt are going to be best friends this summer.

xox

FOTD: My typical smokey eye!

Hey lovelies!

If you follow me on Instagram you may have already seen this look, sorry! But if not, here's my "go to" smokey eye for nights out. Its the look that if i don't have the time, effort, or I'm just being plain lazy I go for this one. My bronzey neutral Inglot palette gets a hell of a lot use purely on this look, i love it!

Eyes:
Inglot - Shine 43, AMC Shine 42.

Urban Decay - WOS, Crave.

MAC - Phloof!

Elf - Black Liquid Eyeliner

MUA - Primer

MUFE - Smoky Lash Mascara

Anastasia - Brow Powder Duo

Lips:

MAC - Hue

Face:

Estee Lauder - Double Wear Foundation in Shell

Maybelline - Dream Lumi Concealer in Radiance
Laura Mercier - Secret Brightening Powder

Maybelline - Dream Matte Powder
MAC - Sculpt Powder
Nars - Orgasm Blush

MAC - Soft and Gentle


Whats your "go to" evening look?

xox

  

FOTD: Malted Milk Ball

Hey lovelies!

A quick little FOTD for you today!

I've been absolutely loving my new Too Faced palette so i thought I'd attempt a full face with it. I'm still on a real neutral kick and have been experimenting with more day time wearable smokey eyes. I've also been on a mission to shop my stash more often and I'm glad i did because I've fallen back in love with my Skin79 BB Cream. I'm a foundation whore and fall in and out of love with sheer and then full coverage foundations and I'm definitely favouring the sheer option at the moment.

Eyes:

Too Faced - Shadow Insurance
Too Faced - Marshmellow, Malted Milk Ball, Black Sugar, In The Buff and Lovey Dovey Eyeshadows.
Elf - Black Liquid Eyeliner
MUFE - Smoky Lash Mascara
MAC - Omega (Brows)

Face:

Skin79 - Hot Pink BB Cream
Maybelline - Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in Radiance
Laura Mercier - Secret Brightening Powder
Maybelline - Dream Matte Powder
Nars - Laguna Bronzer
Too Faced - Papa Don't Peach Blush
Too Faced - Candlelight Glow Highlighter    

 

I'll be posting a full review of this little beaut of a palette soon!

Have you rediscovered any of your stash lately?

xox