Review: The Body Shop | Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream |

The Body Shop - Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream - £8 - 40ml

The Tea Tree BB Cream is the first make up product I've bought from the Body Shop in years. The first BB cream that they bought out just wasn't right for my skin type so it was great when they bought a version out suitable for oily and blemish prone skin, and I decided to give it a go seeing as it was under a tenner.

A lot of high street BB creams are much more like tinted moisturisers and I tend to be a satin finish, medium to high coverage kind of girl. The texture of the product is a lot thicker but not stiff in anyway and blends out to be quite sheer and skin like while still evening out skin tone very well in addition to being buildable. I tend to use my fingers, a buffing or a stippling brush to blend this in depending on how heavy I want the coverage to be. You will need a concealer for extra coverage on blemishes and under eyes.

The shade range is pretty poor with only 3 colours - I picked up the lightest which I was afraid would be a little too pale but once it's blended out it adapts to your skintone, so even when I was more tanned in the summer this still suited me just about! Not only is the coverage impressive for a BB cream, I love that it is really long wearing too and also quite good at oil control without being drying. A lot of BB creams either oxidise or slip and wear unevenly throughout the day but I've never had any problems like that with this product.

I normally tend to mix all my bases with a liquid highlight, purely so my face isn't flat or dull. For the purpose of this picture I didn't do that so you could see the true effect of how it looks on the skin, but you can see this post here where I'm wearing it mixed with Seventeen Skin Wow.

I've used the Tea Tree BB Cream practically every day since the beginning of the year on both weekends and long work days in the office (think bright lights, air con etc) and it's been a really reliable base without being heavy or detrimental to my skin. If anything, the inclusion of tea tree oil has helped keep my skin as blemish free as possible.

It is one of the best BB creams and bases that I have used from the drugstore and I would recommend it to anyone who has the same skin type as me.

What kind of base to you like best - foundation or BB cream? xxx

Maybelline | Colour Drama Lip Pencil in '310 Berry Much' |

Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in 'Berry Much' - £4.99 - Boots

To be honest, when these lip pencils were launched I wasn't desperate to try them. Lip products are my weakness but after collecting many different types of lip crayons I thought these looked a bit lack lustre. First of all they are much smaller than the jumbo lip pencils you can get from brands such as Bourjois and Revlon and I thought the packaging looked a bit cheap, although I do love that the colour of the product is on the end of the pencil.

However, I absolutely love both the colour range and formula of the Colour Drama Lip Pencils. Berry Much is a deep red berry colour which I would compare to Revlon's Kissable Balm Stain in 'Cherish' but is darker, more intense and and a thicker, more opaque formula.  The application is a breeze with the pencil gliding on easily, there is no bleeding throughout the day and the staying power is amazing without being drying on the lips. I do top up with lip balm throughout the day now it is much colder but compared to other mattes it does a great job of hydrating your lips. They also smell quite fruity without being over powering. The product is also an actual pencil so you will need a chunky pencil sharpener to keep the point.

I'm super impressed with the quality of the formula and will certainly be picking up some more shades as soon as possible!

What shades would you suggest I pick up next? xxx

NOTD: Essie | Aperitif | + a dupe!

Essie // Aperitif // £7.99 - Barry M // Blood Orange // £3.99

A while ago I went to a fancy dress party as Alice in Wonderland and was in search of the perfect red nail varnish. I knew I had a few different shades at home but at this point I was (and still am) a little obsessed with the Gelly range by Barry M. I picked up their slightly misleadingly named 'Blood Orange' red shade and then realised once I got home and compared it to my other rouge toned varnishes that it was basically exactly the same as one I already had from Essie - doh! 

The main reason I didn't return it however is because of the different formula. While Essie's 'Aperitif' is a classic 3 shades and you're golden job, with the Barry M Gelly range you can get away with a one coat super glossy manicure. In both cases the shade is a slightly orange toned red and that isn't where the similarities end. They also have very similar brushes in width and design, with Essie's being just a little more square.

If you are on a budget or looking for a fuss free and quick mani then go for the dupe. But if you do have those extra pennies and time or are just a bit of a nail varnish snob then the Essie is fabulous too. There is something luxe and special about applying an Essie polish and I'm pleased to have it part of my collection. The formula is a little more easy to control as it is thinner and therefore means you can build up more layers and have in theory a longer lasting paint job. 

Two reds for two different occasions - which would you pick? xxx

NOTD: O.P.I & Models Own | Pink upon Pink |

O.P.I. // 'Be A Dahlia Won't You // £11.50  // Models Own // 'Hot Stuff' // Mirrorball Collection // £5.00

As you probably already know, I am a huge fan of the colour pink. Teamed with pink sparkles, it is pretty much the best combo out there. The base shade of this duo, O.P.I's 'Be A Dahlia Won't You', is one of my favourite nail varnishes in my collection, which I received as a gift a few Christmases ago from my sister. A deep shimmery hot pink, it adds dimension and depth compared to my other opaque polishes. I love both kinds of finish, but for this time of year I think shimmer looks a bit more festive. I love the look of O.P.I bottles, and the wide brush makes application easy and quick. The formula is also lovely and thin which makes it easy to build up layers and an opaque colour in max 3 coats. Minimal tip wear occurs in 1-2 days - not the best but there is no major chipping which is a plus point.

To jazz it up a bit more, I chose Models Own 'Hot Stuff' for an accent nail which is featured in their Mirrorball collection, that in my opinion one of their best launches. A clear polish, it features large chunks of gold, pink and iridescent glitter. I also like the colour coded top makes it easy to pick out of my ever growing nail varnish stash. In order to get a good coating this needs a few layers but it looks so nice once layered up. The only annoyance is that it is such a pain to get off but I suppose that is the case with all glitters. 

I think these nail varnishes together make such a good pairing - even the lady who served me in the Body Shop said how much she liked it, which is always a good sign! I also have a lip product which matches this perfectly which I will be popping up a review of soon. It is annoying that the colour hasn't come out as well on camera but I'm blaming the gloomy lighting! What is your favourite pink nail varnish? xxx

Review: Clarins | Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector |

Clarins // Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector // £17 // 12ml

When it comes to the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector range everyone and their mum seems to rave about them, most notably the lovely Vivianna. A hybrid between a gloss, tint and balm, this moisturising gel is a perfect choice for fuss free make up days when you don't want to wear a full lip. Not only does the nourishing formula smell and taste amazingly sweet, the inclusion of shea butter and wild mango help to repair and soften while vitamins A and E help to protect. The packaging is also simple but feels luxurious, with a squeezy colour coded tube and soft doe foot applicator for easy application. I own pink shade '01 Rose Shimmer' and peachy '02 apricot shimmer' with the latter being my favourite by just a little. I love how glossy the product is without feeling heavy or sticky and that the repairing and protecting claims are true.

Wear time is quite good for a gloss, but only if you are not drinking or eating, but that was to be expected. I've also found the colour pay off to be quite weak - on the lips you can barely tell a difference between these two shades, and the little bit of difference didn't pick up on camera and that is why lip swatches seemed redundant in this post. For someone who loves a bright bold lip I was underwhelmed with the lack of colour, but I suppose it sticks with the natural theme and although it is only a slight tint, I must admit it does help to perfect your lips. Clarins have recently added 3 new shades to the line up which seem to be darker and have more colour pay off so I would be interested in checking them out and seeing how they compare to their lighter counterparts.

I really love Clarins and think these products fit in well with the theme of the brand. I think the Lip Perfectors would make a lovely gift or as a treat to yourself if you have the money. At £17 a pop (Clarins seem to be hiking up the price) I wish they had a bit more colour payoff but I definitely think they are more than just a glorified lip gloss. If 'no make up' make up is your thing then these would be a perfect addition to your collection.

What are your opinion on the Natural Lip Perfector range? xxx

NOTD: Barry M | Gelly Nail Paint in 'Dragon Fruit' |

Barry M // Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint // £3.99 // 

There have been plenty of posts already where I've harped on about my love for Barry M, and I've been steadily adding to my stash of their latest release of Gelly polishes. This particular colour has gained a place as one of my favourites of the moment. Dragon Fruit is a perfect Barbie pink, with the tiniest hint of sparkle giving the polish more dimension, which you can see the best in the bottom picture. I think this colour looks best on finger tips as on my skin tone it looks a bit dull on the toes unless you jazz it up with some glitter.

The texture is thicker than normal polishes but took around two layers to become streak free with this particular shade. I also really like that the shine doesn't dull after a few days wear and I was chip free until around the 3/4 day. These version of nail paints have been really hyped up with people either loving or hating them, but I am most definitely on the love side! I've got my eye on a few darker shades for Autumn and Winter so am looking forward to picking them up and testing them out.

What are your opinions on the Gelly range? xxx

Illamasqua | Lipstick in 'Sangers' |

Sangers // £16.50 // 4g //

Illamasqua are a company that I've always loved for their original concept behind their products. I've never had the opportunity to try anything from them before, but when the 50% twitter code came about I couldn't resist purchasing a few bits which had been on my wishlist for a while.

I'm a massive fan of lipstick, in particular red, so this product is right up my street. I wish the packaging was a bit more weighty to make it feel more luxurious but the design of the packaging itself is nice. This lipstick has a creamy formulation, although its not that pigmented and needs a few swipes to build up a nice opaque colour. It leaves a matte finish without being drying in the slightest and stays put for most of the day. The classic red shade (desribed as 'blood red') means it is perfect for all year round and fits in nicely with my other red lip products which are all on the darker side of the spectrum. The pictures I took for lip swatches didn't come out well so I've put one from a recent event I went too instead and my instagram.

I really love this lipstick as I think the quality and the colour are lovely and its been a regular occurrence in my make up bag. I already have more on my list! What is your favourite product from Illamasqua? Would you try this lipstick? xxx

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Review: Barry M Lipstick in '101'

I've been meaning to put up a lipstick review for a while as I have quite a few to share. From now on I will accompany these posts with lip swatches, rather than just on my hand as I find the former the most useful. I've been putting it off though because although it seems silly I'm a bit scared to put up zoomed in pictures of my lips! The swatches below are my first attempt so please be kind :)!

Anyway, onto the review... I received this lipstick in my stocking at Christmas which was a nice surprise as it was something I had wanted to try for a while. I love Barry M nail varnishes, but was yet to delve into their make up range. The rubber packaging is rather basic but I don't think its anything to complain about as it is sleek and simple. The formula isn't too bad either for a budget lipstick, although I did have to apply a few coats to get an even colour. 

By itself, the colour of this lipstick is nothing like how it is in the bullet! I thought this would be a peachy nude, but it comes out as a really milky pink shade, which washes me out completely and looks like I've coated my lips in concealer! The swatch down below doesn't show how white this looks in person, but as I have to apply quite a few coats to make it opaque as I have naturally pigmented lips I end up looking a bit ridiculous. 

I've found the best way to wear this is with a light pink lip gloss over the top to brighten it up a bit (like this one), dabbed onto my lips as a colour corrector before a brighter lipstick or the way Lisa Eldridge showed in a recent video like I did in this post - dabbing a favourite bright as a stain onto your lips then applying this over the top to stop it looking so 'dead'. I  used the Kate Moss for Rimmel lipstick in 107 in the swatch below. 

Overall, the quality of this lipstick isn't bad but the colour is just awful for me! Luckily I've managed to find different ways to make it wearable - next time I will have to swatch them in store to make sure the colour matches up to that of the bullet!

Lipstick on its own.

Lipstick with pink gloss over the top

Lipstick over the top of Rimmel's shade 107

Have you tried anything from the Barry M make up range? Do you have any suggestions for a nice peachy nude? xxx

Review: Stila Eyeshadow in 'Oasis'

Stila Compact Eyeshadow in 'Oasis' // £12 // 

For months now I have been lusting after Stila's 'Kitten' shade as both a regular eye shadow and smudge pot. However, while I was perusing Boots and came across the Stila stand my eyes were drawn to this particular shade instead called 'Oasis'. A complete impulse buy, but oh my gosh I had to have it!

For some reason I'm always attracted to shimmery golds, taupes and bronzes and even though I already have similar shades to this in my stash, this peachy gold is a welcome addition. As a Stila novice but Urban Decay eye shadow lover, I was suitably impressed with the buttery texture of the shadow, high pigmentation and lack of fall out which definitely matches the quality of the latter brand. The shimmer is quite subtle and translates as a lovely gilt sheen rather than large glitter particles. As an individual shadow its great for travel and has become a staple in my make up bag. The colour is very versatile suitable for a variety of looks - for day time you can have a wash of colour (no where near as opaque as the swatch pictured) or layer it up with a darker shade in the crease paired with a statement lip for night. You could also try it wet for a bolder shade or eyeliner.

Overall, I am so impressed with this eye shadow compact and would love some more shades into my collection. I have the 'In The Light' palette on my wishlist so hopefully I will be lucky for my birthday! 

What is your favourite eyeshadow from Stila? xxx