The Best of Drugstore Beauty

The Best of Drugstore Beauty

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Drugstore products are a huge love in the beauty world - who doesn't love picking up a dupe for the latest high end craze for more than half the price? Over the years of testing and trying many a drugstore product, I have collated a list of my favourite picks from the high street...

FACE

BB Cream : Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector

I always become a fan of light coverage products in the Summer as heavy makeup is a no-go for me in the warmer months. The formula is light and fresh on the face, creating a beautiful dewy look to uplift my dull,dry skin. This product balances out my red complexion and gives a glowing effect. I love how this works with my skin - the smell is heavenly too!!

Foundation : L'Oreal Infallible 24H 

My drugstore foundation go-to alters on a regular basis so you will probably see this for a couple months and something better will arise - I will be sure to let you all know. Anyway, this foundation is currently a saviour in my daily routine; giving me my desired sleek, full coverage winter face and not drying out my skin throughout the wear period. A wonderful addition to my makeup collection.

Concealer : Rimmel Wake Me Up 

Concealer is another area I like to change ever few months just to try something different. However, I always seem to come back to Rimmel. This concealer just has something that brightens, conceals and hides my horrendous under eye bags/blemishes the best. I couldn't recommend this inexpensive product enough!

Powder : Rimmel Stay Matte

A cult favourite. Unless you've been living under a rock your entire beauty life, you will have heard hundred and thousands of people talk about this so I won't bore you to death with the same repetitive comments. Just a powder that compares closely with most high end ones - great for achieving a flawless matte complexion.

Blush : E.L.F Baked Blush in Peachy Cheeky

One of my favourite drugstore blushes has to be one of E.L.F's stunningly formed baked blushes. The formula is incredibly pigmented with glimpses of peach, pink and glitter sparkling on the apples of your cheek. This is a definite product you need to get your hands on this spring/summer!

Bronzer : Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick

I always tend to purchase high end bronze/contour products as they are the only formulas that seem to work for me. All but this drugstore bronzer have left my cheekbones is a muddy, flaky mess! This shimmer brick has been compared to the infamous Bobbi Brown ones, with multiple glimmering bronze/copper shades perfect for warming/defining those cheeks. 

Highlight : Rimmel Wake Me Up 001 Flush of Pearl

My favourite highlight from the drugstore is this liquid formulated beauty from Rimmel, again. Rimmel seem to have some of the best facial products within the drugstore - shoutout to Rimmel!! These different colored highlights are suited for all skin tones and add a pop of sparkle to the tops of your cheeks and under the brow bone.

EYES

Brows : Beauty UK High Brow Definition Kit

Many people often dimiss Beauty UK, even myself if I'm honest, as I just don't hear anyone talk about their products much/at all. After being given the brow set from a friend, I gave it a try and honestly used it for an entire year. There is a powder, wax, setting powder and black shadow shade in the palette, along with a angled brush applicator. Hands down the best brow product from the drugstore....EVER.

Mascara : Revlon Lash Potion 

Lengthening and giving my lashes heaps of volume are something a mascara has to obtain to win me over completely. This mascara exceeds my expectations immaculately; I would completely compare it to my beloved Smashbox Full Exposure mascara, which is my favourite mascara of all time. It just does my eyelashes wonders without the horrible clumping effect mascaras can sometimes create.

Eyeliner : Rimmel Exaggerate

Eyeliners are always a hit or miss for me; I either 100% rate them or absolutely hate them. Rimmel Exaggerate has a fairly sturdy, nifty nib to create thin, winged liner looks. The liquid formula can sometimes get messy but the opaque, black finish is something you cannot miss out on.

Cream Shadow : Maybelline Color Tattoos

Another huge favourite in the beauty world are the Maybelline Color Tattoos; my favourite shade being 'On and On Bronze'. This sparkling copper eyeshadow base works a treat as a primer, lasting the entire day without any creasing on the lid. Also a fab product if you're in a rush and want to add some quick colour to your lid. 

Eyeshadow Sticks : Kiko and Rimmel Scandal Eyes

Super travel-friendly eye products are the ever growing ranges of shadow sticks drugstore brands are bringing out. I cannot stop raving about the pigmentation of the Kiko and Rimmel shadow sticks; the color payoff is exactly what you see in the tube and the lasting power is as equally impressive.

LIPS

Lip Crayons : Revlon Colorburst in Elusive and Standout

There are only a few drugstore lipsticks that I find moderately okay - they never seem to do me any favours. 1. They dry out my lips. 2. They are usually matte and sink into my lip lines. 3. The formulas are usually horrendous and they last for abuot 10 minutes. Due to my bad experience with drugstore lippies, I can only turn to lip crayons. Revlon have a fab range of matte and glossy crayons to hydrate your lips, making them feel/look gorgeous. Elusive is a pretty, natural pink whereas Stand Out is a bold, striking and deep red shade.

Liquid Lipstick : Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Parisian Passion and Rio Rush

Revlon have it in the bag from lip products. They also have these liquid lippies, which I must say have very mixed opinions, but nonetheless I absolutely adore these. The deep purple, Parisian Passion, is my favourite and complements Mac's Rebel a treat. I love glossy, non-sticky feeling it has on my lips, as well as a bold colour finish. 

PALETTES

Blush Palette : Makeup Revolution

Makeup Revolution have some incredibly cheap but good quality blush palettes. Some of the shades may seem slightly chalky but with a little bit of blending they create a pretty flush in no time. I love this palette as it holds the exact array of summer shades you could wish for. It also had two shimmer shades at the end, one being a fabulous cool-toned highlighter.

Eyeshadow Palette : Sleek Au Naturel

Sleek are definitely the best place to purchase drugstore shadow palettes. They have an insane amount of different palettes to chose from, covering absolutely anyone's taste. My favourite is the Au Naturel palette because it has gorgeous cool-toned, dark shades for the Winter months just passed. I will be planning to pick up a more summer-themed palette from Sleek for the upcoming seasons. Does anyone have any recommendations?

What are your favourite drugstore products? Have you found any dupes for your high end faves?!

Lots of love

The Cream Eyeshadow Edit

The Cream Eyeshadow Edit

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Are you ever in a rush to do your makeup? Are you ever stuck trying to create that perfect smoky eye in 2 minutes flat? I know I certainly can relate. That's why today's post is here to give you the lowdown on what to do when stuck in these dilemmas - use cream eyeshadows!

On school days or mornings where I have to wake up early, I just NEVER have time to apply my makeup the way I want it to look. Being only semi-okay at eyeshadow, I always find it best to stay clear of dramatic/smoky looks on these types of mornings. The product I will forever turn to are cream shadows; they sit comfortably on the lid, create a wonderful sheen/colour on the lids and are super easy! Majority of the time, I blend in the shadows with my fingers, as I believe it to be the simplest way to apply but using a brush would work just the same.

Below are a few of my favourite brands that have wonderful ranges of cream formulated and pretty eyeshadows :

Starting on the drugstore end of the spectrum, I'd like to give a hand over to possibly the most talked about eyeshadows from the lower side of the market - Maybelline Colour Tattoos. From the moment I started wearing ON AND ON BRONZE two years ago, I fell in love and have always labelled it as a holy grail makeup product. This particular shade is perfect for day and night occasions and make a perfect base for a warm, brown autumn eye look.

Moving on to a recent favourite of mine - the Kiko Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks. I can't get enough of the pigmentation, even the most gentlest swipe on the hand and you're left with a beam of colour. The shade I got is a mix between champagne/taupe; a great addition to any smoky eye look. Can't wait to be wearing more of this throughout the cooler months.

Another cult favourite of both mine and other makeup fanatics are the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. I have 3 shades; milk (white), Yoghurt (pink) and French Fries (bronze). Milk is absolutely incredible for a base or to brighten the eye. If you want to read an in depth review about these just click HERE. Personally, I'm a big fan of the stick-shaped cream shadows as they are less messy and simple to apply.

Sliding smoothly onto the more expensive cream shadows, we have the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows. I've been wearing RSVP for a year now and it is the ONE to wear on a 'no-makeup, makeup day'. It gives a glowing, awakened look to the eye as well as creating a pretty pink/champagne sheen on the lid. Oh, and the packaging is to die for!!!

Finally, here come my favourite of all - MAC PAINT POTS. I'm sure you've heard a lot about these are it is constantly talked about all over the blogger community. The easy-to-blend formula makes these cream shadows a dream to apply, not to mention the extensive colour range Mac has to offer. The shades I have are bare study - a classic champagne/cream colour which works fabulous as a base or primer, and rubenesque - an orange, metallic shade that is very autumn appropriate (the various colours it shares when it reflects is beyond gorgeous!)

ARE YOU A FAN OF CREAM EYESHADOWS? WHAT ARE YOU FAVOURITE EYESHADOW CLASSICS?

Love

Drugstore Dupes for those Highend Holy Grails

Drugstore Dupes for those Highend Holy Grails

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What could a beauty blog viewer love more than being introduced to a bargainous version of their fave product(s)/one they've been longing for for about 13 and a half years?! Take a wild guess at what I've got in store for you all today? I'm thrilled to announce that I'm back to beauty (finally!!!) - I've missed this too much. So...what other way can I make up my insane lack of makeup based content than a cheeky deal for you all to get your hands on - it's a good 'un! It get's better...I thought I really owed it to you so I've made sure to find a few dupes for some all time favourite highend beauty products.

Mac Studio Fix NC15 VS Bourjois 123 Perfect 51

In terms of colour, both in the bottle and on the face, these foundations are identical. They are both cool-toned, which is fabulous to counteract my blotchy red areas and are the closest matches to my skin colour I've ever found. When it comes to coverage, these are the ones I go to for that medium-full, flawless finish. Each dry to give a satin/matte finish, which you may think is strange considering I have dry skin. However, neither cling to dry matches or focus on any rough areas I may so have. The only problem is, the MAC one can become very cakey looking on the face so to avoid that, apply thin even coats on top of each other making sure to buff lightly into the skin. Onto lasting power now, I must say that if you like your makeup to last all night, I advise to pay that little bit extra and purchase the MAC option. This is because it last roughly 4 hours more than the drugstore one.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer VS NYX HD Photogenic Concealer

For those looking to eliminate dark circles, imperfections and redness, don't hesistate to carry on reading! Not only do these both give an insane full coverage (a fundamental feature in my case - when choosing a concealer to hide those dark, zombie undereyes) but they both glide effortlessly onto the skin without dragging or irritating my skin. I've found in the past that some concealer wants can be quite rough and make my eyes red/sore. The only difference I can state about these two is that the NARS one feels much more luxurious and fulfilling on the skin, the formula is heavenly and sinks perfectly in places you wish to be rid of and correct. Finally, both concealers have a great tendency to last the entire day without creasing - HUGE BONUS! Grab your hands on either of these if anything above ticked your concealer hunting list.

Benefit Rockateur VS Bourjois Jasper Rose

In the photos, we can see that there colours look slightly 'off' - Rockateur has minor peachy tones whereas Jasper Rose is just plain pink. Despite this colour mishap at first glance, when applied to the cheeks, I kid you not, they give off the same healthy, rosy glow. A little goes a long way; each product being so high on the pigmentation scale means only a sweep on the brush can give you your desired look. Anyone who is still unsure of splashing out £24 on a single blush, I suggest you go down to boots and get your hands on this before purchasing. 

Benefit They're Real VS Collection Lenthening Mascara

The couple claiming to both lengthen and define are neck and neck. Using Collection's mascara sincerely surprised me - I was not expecting it to match that of Benefit's infamous They're Real. With alike wands, the formula is applied in the exact same way. Bottom lash application is also simple as the wand ends are very slim so are able to get in there without being too messy. Honestly, I cannot fault the Collection mascara in any way; the final look on the eyes are very very V E R Y similar so similar I may do an in depth review on these two just to prove how much. The only things I could mention, if I was to be really picky, is that the Benefit one is easier to remove and overall slightly lengthens the lashes by 1mm more. THE BEST DUPE OF THE POST!

Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss Liar VS Barry M Toffee Ligloss

Urban Decay's Naked collection is an evergrowing love of every beauty fanatic nowadays. More recently, I have seen people purchasing the beautiful rose gold lipgloss tubes, which I have to say I'm in love with deeply. In my collection, I realised I have a lipgloss that can be compared quite closely. Regardless of the differentation in colours (seen in swatches above) the Barry M lipglosses have a dupe-like formula to that of the Urban Decay lip products. Both with a smooth glossy finish, you would not be able to tell the difference on the lips aesthetically and personally - a great bargain if I do say so myself. The only downfall is that the UD ones have better pigmentation and the Barry M ones can become rather sticky after several layers of applicance. 

Chanel Coco Rouge Lipshine Satisfaction VS L'Oreal Collection Privee Cheryl's Nude 

My all time favourite nude is Chanel's Satisfaction - not too pale, not too dark. Personally, I believe this to be a very sophisticated and flattering colour regardless of skin tone/preference. L'Oreal's nude collection could mirror that of this gorgeous Chanel shade; with 6 colours in the range, you can find your perfect nude for a cheaper price. In my opinion, Cheryl's Nude strikes drugstore Satisfaction to a T - I'm really into a nude lip this Summer. If you want that more luxurious feel and richness on the lips, you can go all the way and pay £25 for Satisfaction! Equally, each have a very subtle finish and pigmentation on the lips which makes it evermore the classier - I'm just in love with this lippie!

Mac Lady Danger VS E.L.F Velvet Rope

Hot, orange goodness to brighten up your Summer, Mac's Lady Danger and E.L.F's Velvet Rope can help you make a statement this season. Despite the different finishes, you can save £12 to get an exact colour match. As Lady Danger is has a matte finish, it is therefore longer lasting and can honestly stay on your lips for an entire day/night. On the other hand, E.L.F's moisturizing formula has a slightly glossier finish so can end up rubbing off in a couple of hours. It's down to you to decide - moisturzing, cheap but not long-lasting or matte, long-lasting but expensive?

Nars Audacious Charlotte VS Rimmel Kate Moss 107

Colour - With Rimmel's Kate Moss 107 shade being the Autumn craze over the last few years, I would like to inform all you owners of this berry beast that it mimicks that of the Nars Audacious Lipstick collection. Deep berries are my go-to every Autumn/Winter, like most beauty bloggers, so I thought I'd share this good lil dupe. The shades are very alike in the swatches above, as well as looking identical on the lip. Lasting power is 10/10 for both but the formula can become very drying and flake with the Rimmel option. To avoid this from happening, all you need is a little bit of lip balm to apply beforehand and your flaking nightmare will be over. 

Mac Rebel Lipstick VS Maybelline Colour Drama Berry Much

Colour - I won't declare this as the classic 'save the best till last' but this dupe comes close to one of my faves. Being a huge fan of the Maybelline Colour Drama pencils has become no surprise to me, the easy application, the rich colour, the variety in colour range and longevity of the product has been a massive YES from me! I would totally compare the darkest shade, Berry Much, to one of my Mac holy grails - REBEL! Similar in both satin finish, formula and intense berry colour you cannot go wrong with this dupe. For a third of the price, I would totally recommend all of my viewers to get your hands on this, especially before Autumn approaches.

What are your favourite dupes? 

Lots of love

Pedicures in Hisaronu | Turkey Day 12

Pedicures in Hisaronu | Turkey Day 12

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Another day relaxing by the pool went by and again we were welcomed by two lovely towel swans back to our room. It completely fascinates me how they decorate our bed so lovely; the flowers are my favourite. Also, the maid came into our room to say 'hello' and gifted us with two cute roses - how sweet!

Attire of the evening was more casual tonight as I knew we were going to take a trip to town to have a girly pedicure night. My outfit involved a white off the shoulder crop with my denim dungarees (big mistake when the salon had no air con :'(!) Jess kindly let me borrow her black triangle necklace and I applied some of my Maybelline Colour Drama Lip Crayon in BERRY MUCH to match; I battled for perfect thick&dramatic winged liner too and that went semi-okay.

Hisaronu is our local town, closest to our hotel; luckily it is only a 5 minute walk away so that was advantageous, especially for the evening (everything seems so much better at night?!) Jess, her mum and myself had a pedicure at one of the salons in the town. Our feet were in need of some TLC due to walking around a lot and having to wear gross, tight shoes on Day 9. After some filing, cutting, washing and scrubbing we each chose a colour and had our toenails painted. I went for a pastel blue, Jess went for sparkles (as always) and her mum went for a deep maroon. 

I hope you are all having a fantastic summer <3

Until tomorrow...

Everyday Natural Makeup Starter Kit

Everyday Natural Makeup Starter Kit

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 Products:

~ 'C' Makeup Bag - Primark

~ Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector - Light

~ Maybelline Anti Age Rewind Concealer - Light

~ Too Faced Sweethearts Blush 

~ Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - Dark Brown

~ Revlon Lash Potion

~ Mac Prolongwear Paint Pot - Bare Study

~ Benefit Posie Balm

You know them days when you can't be bothered to cake your face in endless pretty products?? Yeah, I get them days. So..here are a few handy little products, both highend and drugstore, for those days when you're feeling that little bit lazy!

Personally, I would opt for a BB cream when I'm not going full frontal with my makeup; this gives a slight coverage, evens out my skin colours and makes me feel a lot more confident than leaving the house with no facial makeup at all. Although, if you do feel comfortable with your natural skin, then you could just pop a bit of concealer (the Maybelline one mentioned above is incredible) under your eyes/over blemishes and you're good to go! Finally, facewise, you could add a subtle warmness to your cheeks by applying pinky-toned blush - I love this one from two faces, the little shimmers are perfect for a natural glow.

Moving on to eyes, I will go very minimal with days like this. However, I cannot go anywhere without my brows filled in (comment below if you have really sparse eyebrows like me and know the struggle:(!) With a few strokes of the inexpensive Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil your brows will be looking on fleek (I'm sorry) in no time. If I want to balance the tones on my eyelids, I will just pat a small amount of the beautiful champagne coloured paint pot from Mac in Bare Study. Lastly, I will apply a single coat of the Revlon Lash Potion for a bit of volume and length on my lashes.

Last but not least, is lips - and 100% I will always go for lipbalms on natural makeup days. I love the small 'eos'-liked balms from Boots called Balmis or for a wash of colour, I will go for Posie Balm above ^. The colour is so flattering with simple face makeup and it totally completes the look.

I hope you enjoyed today's post and I will see you all soon.

Love

Pink Lips, Winged Liner & Simple Shadow

Pink Lips, Winged Liner & Simple Shadow

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Products used:

Primer - Smashbox Photofinish

Foundation - Mac Studio Fix Fluid NC15

Concealer - Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser in Light

Contour - Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess (Temples and Cheekbones)

Blush - Mac Fleur Power 

Highlight - Benefit Watts Up

Eyebrows - Rimmel Pencil in 001 Dark Brown

Eyeshadow - Naked Basics 2 palette (Stark on lid and Cover in crease) 

Eyeliner - Soap and Glory Super Cat Liner

Mascara - Revlon Lash Potion

Lipstick - Mac Lovelorn 

I thought that today I would upload a pretty simple makeup look because I haven't in a while and lot of people enjoyed them previously. I love how gorgeous the finish is of the Mac foundation - I luuurve high coverage. The lipstick adds a lovely pop of colour to the look, as I decided to do simple eyes for those, like myself, who haven't yet mastered the art of eyeshadow-ing! I've also been really into winged liner recently and it fits perfectly with this little daytime designed face. 

Hope you all have an amazing weekend!

Love

P.S. Hoping to upload tomorrow too if I get the chance (Hint - It's all about concealers)