February Lip Library || Valentine Kisses

 

The month of February is a bit meh for me. There's nothing particularly exciting going on, no promise of a New Year or anywhere near my April birthday, but it is the month of Valentines. Isn't a day dedicated to that warm fuzzy feeling just the cutest thing? And one thing is for sure, no matter who you celebrate it with, its the best day of the year to wear a stunning pink lip. Whether its a deep fuchsia or a nude pink, that's what this lip library is all about. If you've got a Valentine's date coming up, or a girls night out, then this is probably going to be the post for you. 

 

The Toofaced Melted Matte liquid lipstick in 'Bend and Snap' is up there with my top pink shades. Its a gorgeous deep raspberry colour (doesn't that description just sound dreamy?), and for a matte formula these lipsticks are no where near as drying as I thought that they would be. One thing is for sure though - these lipsticks are the slightest bit smudgy, so I wouldn't be putting my faith in them for a February 14th kiss. I definitely want to pick up some more shades in this formula, Queen B is next on my list!

 

 

The Bourjois liquid lipstick in the shade 'Don't Pink of it' is the prettiest nude pink, and this formula consistently impresses me since it doesn't budge unless you want it to. These apply similarly to the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, but I prefer these as I think they're much more comfortable to wear. Trust me when I say that if you tried these lipsticks without looking at the brand name, you would think it was a luxury product.

 

My YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lipstick is pretty much my baby, and the formula is right up my street. I can't stand a drying matte lipstick, so the moisturising glossy finish of this range is 10/10. Shade 44 is a beautiful rosy pink colour that would look perfect any month, but particularly during Valentines (and moisturised lips are never a bad thing, wink wink.) If I was going to recommend a lipstick purchase to anyone, this range along with Toofaced Melted would be what would immediately pop into my head.

 

 

Last up is a bit of an odd one, since before receiving this MDM Flow lipstick in my Glossybox during December, I had never even heard of the brand. The shade 'Vamp' is one of the nicest pinky plum shades I've ever come across (and the perfect colour for a gals night out), and the formula of this lip product way surpassed my expectations. I have this habit of never expecting big things from items that I haven't seen before in the beauty blogosphere, but after trying this out I would definitely be interested in exploring the brand more. Beauty boxes may be on the decline, but they're still useful to discover some newbies!

Vamp, Bend and Snap, Don't Pink of it, 44

 

New Bourjois Picks

 

Anyone who's ever read a post about drugstore make up on this blog will know that when it comes to Bourjois, I think they've absolutely nailed it on all levels. Aside from a foundation clash, every single product I've tried has ended up becoming one of my favourites. When I went into Boots last week I couldn't resist picking up a few new bits to review here, and I wasn't disappointed.

 

The main feature of this post is the 'City Radiance' foundation in the shade Rose Ivory, which I absolutely, positively love. Trying foundations has never been something I've been interested in; I watched a Zoella video about Rimmel Wake Me Up about five years ago and haven't strayed from it since, but it's time to put my big girl pants on and explore the world of foundation on my own. Although I was definitely not a fan of Healthy Mix, I had high hopes for City Radiance due to my love affair with the Radiance concealer. Okay so number 1, this foundation was perfect for my skin tone - if you're a pale gal like myself then this will suit you to a tee. Another thing I adore about this product is that it does what it says on the tin and makes your skin glow, but it doesn't fall into the trap of a shiny finish (thank goodness.) I've used this a fair few times now to know that it's swiftly transitioning its way into my everyday routine; complete success on the foundation front.

 

 

The next item I wanted to try was another of the Rouge Velvet liquid lipsticks. I've raved about the shade 'Grand Cru' before on my blog, as its my go-to red lip and I'm obsessed with how comfortable it feels on my lips. The shade I picked up this time was much more subtle, 'Don't even pink about it' is (as you could most likely guess) is a pretty pink nude, which suits January lip trends. Although the lipstick had the same comfortable feel to it, I couldn't help but notice that the pigmentation wasn't as opaque as with Grand Cru. This isn't too much of an issue when it comes to nudes though, as its the kind of 'your lips but better' shade.

 

 

Bourjois blush pots have always stood out to me on the stand; they're an ideal size for blush and cute enough to pop in your handbag, and the shade range is huge. Even though I'm not much of a blush girl I'm slowly getting there, so I bought two shades - 'Santal' is a beautiful bronze shimmer shade that I've already used and loved, and 'Rose D'or' is a shimmery Barbie pink that I'm going to try and incorporate in the Spring make up season. The colour pay off in these blushes is the ideal balance, high pigmentation isn't needed with these types of products, and the colour is easily blended. Santal is my preferred shade of the two since it's more of a neutral shade, but I'm confident that both of them were worth the splurge. 

Santal, Rose D'or, Don't even pink about it.

 

December Lip Library || Christmas Reds Edition

 

Happy December 3rd!

 

Sadly I know I wouldn't be able to hack Blogmas (major bonus points to anyone tackling that this year), but I have got some Christmas posts lined up this month, beginning with a seasonal version of my lip library series. Red lips aren't something I wear often, although everyone knows that if you're going to bring em' out, its got to be during the holiday season.

 

I chose a selection of shades and finishes, to the point where I really do think I've cracked it - the perfect selection of festive reds to satisfy those December lipstick cravings.

 

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in 'Dragon Girl':

To be quite honest, I bought this shade back in the day because it was Taylor Swift's go-to colour (and anyone that knows me knows that if Taylor has it, I've just gotta get my hands on it.) If you want a bright festive red that's going to be drop dead matte, this is the perfect choice. And who can resist a shade with a name as fierce as 'dragon girl'?

 

Too Faced Melted in 'Ruby':

Too Faced Melted lipsticks are without a doubt my favourite formula on the market; my collection is slowly growing and within it is a gorgeous red shade called Ruby. I was expecting this to be a deep red, but instead its vibrant, which is great for a Christmas party where you want to stand out. If you're looking for a comfortable red lip that sits for hours without drying out then I'd recommend this one, and there are also a couple more variations of red within this collection for if you want something a little less bright.

 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 'Grand Cru':

Hands down my perfect red, and ironically the only drugstore option in this library, Bourjois have nailed it with their deep red shade. I prefer darker reds with slight blue undertones for the maximum 'white teeth' effect, and this formula stays put on my lips all night, particularly with a bit of lip balm underneath. Not only is this shade 10/10, but there are so many other gorgeous shades in the range to try out as well. You guys know that my heart lies with Bourjois - they do everything right.



 

 

MAC 'On Hold':

Now we move onto the sheerer red shades; the subtle festive look without going totally bold. MAC is famous for its killer reds, but I never really hear much about On Hold, which is a pretty Cremesheen lipstick in a pink toned red. I love having a couple of slightly less wild reds in my Winter collection - sheer reds like this are ideal for work or school and have the added bonus of actually feeling very moisturising on your lips.

 

Benebalm:



Last but certainly not least is one of my favourite products of all time. Benefit's tinted lip balms are the best tinted balms that I've ever tried, and although they can be a bit pricey for what they are, you can never go wrong. The perfumed scent is right up my alley, and Benebalm is a go-to hint of red that makes a simple look tie together. I've not been wearing a lot of face makeup recently, and this has been a great addition to my easy make up routine.

I'm actually giving Benebalm (along with Benetint) away over on my Twitter, which you can enter by following this link and simply RT-ing my tweet. Good luck!

Left to right: Grand Cru, Ruby, Dragon Girl, On Hold, Benebalm

 

Four Products That Have Reignited My Love For Makeup

 

This year, shortly after I uploaded this post, I began to wear less and less makeup, to the point where I was really only putting foundation on and making an effort once every couple of weeks. Considering I buy so much makeup to review, it seemed like such a waste - over the past month I've been using products that make me feel excited to wear make up again, and they have reminded me why I love the creativity of beauty products. I would consider these to be more than monthly favourites, and would definitely add them into the 'holy grail' category. I thought it would be interesting to dedicate a post to these, and see if you guys love these products like I do, or any other items for that matter. 

 

The first thing I've been using absolutely non-stop is the MAC blush in 'Harmony', which I've talked about before on my blog. I use this as a contour product since its more of a brown toned blush, and I love the smooth formula and blendability (I've literally just made that word up. Who do I think I am?) of the product. MAC packaging is gorgeous as well; I feel so sassy just opening up that black compact. When I did a post a while back all about my favourite bronzers, I said that this one didn't compare to my NARS Laguna in terms of favouritism. I was very wrong - this is a million percent up there with my most loved and used products, and considering that its cheaper than Laguna by a fair amount, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new contour powder.

 

In duty free this year I picked up the NARS Multiple in the shade 'Orgasm' (I can't not cringe when I type that, I just can't.) I find pink powder blushes quite hard to work with; I don't think they suit me and I've always steered clear of that category in beauty because of it. This product is a cream blush/highlight, and oh boy, I am convinced that this is the perfect beauty creation. Pop it on your cheekbones and you are so good to go. Yay for time saving products that tick multiple boxes off the beauty checklist.

 



The Bourjois 'Radiance Reveal' concealer in Ivory has been mentioned several times recently over here, but I can't not include it since it was the start of a revamp within my make up routine. Changing up my concealer (I've been using Rimmel Match Perfection for yonks) has inspired me to constantly try new products, purely as this change in routine was such a success. I genuinely do not know how I lived without this before the last couple of months, its a wonder product for brightening and covering those pesky dark circles.

 

Finally, the Melted Lipstick in 'Chocolate Honey', has been a go-to for me lately, partially down to the formula and the beautiful shade, but mainly because of the scent. Who wouldn't get excited about applying a product that smells exactly like a bar of Dairy Milk to their lips? I'm obsessed with these lipsticks, and can't wait to add more to my collection (I reckon I spend 10% of every day watching swatch videos of these on Youtube.) I also own the shade 'Ruby', which is less of an everyday shade, but has the same seamless formula and staying power.

 

What products make you excited to put your make up on?



Why Bourjois Is My Favourite Drugstore Brand

 

When I go to Boots to pick up a few beauty treats, I always find myself wandering over to the Bourjois stand. As a 14 year old discovering make up for the first time, I used to gravitate to Maybelline or Rimmel, and on the odd occasion I still do, but four years later and I find that the brand that provides the most luxurious packaging and quality will forever be Bourjois. I managed to pick up some things about three weeks ago that have been on my wish list since I don't know when (the cult favourites always seem to be out of stock in my shade), and it didn't surprise me when they all lived far beyond my expectations.

 

The thing about Bourjois that constantly draws me in is the chic packaging; none of those whacky neon colours, just soft and classy products that are perfect for a girls girl like me. One item that I've had my eye on for months is the Radiance Reveal Concealer in the shade 'Ivory', because if I'm a magpie for sparkly packaging, I'm also one for some frosted glass. This concealer looks like it's just been dolled up by Cinderella's fairy godmother, and I for one was totally bought by the outside. The inside however, is just as brilliant. The shade is exactly the right amount of pale for me; often the UK version of a pale concealer shade is a slightly lighter shade of orange, but this one is stunning and brightens up my face just like it says on the tin. I've been using this every day and I can already see the difference in my skin when I look at photos that I'm in, and I can't wait to continue using this product for years to come. Holy flipping grail.

 









 

 

If you've ever read this blog before, you'll know that I would never pass up the opportunity to try a Bourjois mascara (Push Up Glamour you fallen angel). The Volume Reveal mascara doesn't have as sturdy of a wand as my other beloved Bourjois mascara, but it does pack on the volume, and the mirrored packaging makes it so easy to take travelling. I think the mascaras are so underrated when compared to other brands such as Maybelline, but if I had to choose one drugstore brand to cover this base, it would definitely be Bourjois.

 

Okay, I have to mention the smell of the products. Did you ever imagine that a concealer could smell good? Because it can. My particular favourite at the moment is the Mat Illusion Bronzing Powder, which smells so sweet and delicate that I literally sigh every time I bring it out of my make up drawer. Its a nosegasm, it really is. I've been using this one a lot lately too, mixed with my MAC Harmony blush to create my favourite contour shade. I haven't heard much talk about this bronzer, because its usually all about the Chocolate Bronze, but I much prefer this addition to the collection (less orange if you ask me.) You know a brand is doing well when it makes not only my favourite drugstore mascara and concealer, but also my favourite bronzer as well. Don't get me wrong, the brand has products that don't work for me, but I could easily buy most of my everyday make up routine from Bourjois.

 

 

I'm the first one to point out that yes, Emily, you are extremely late on the Rouge Edition Velvet bandwagon. I've wanted to try this product for a good year now, but constantly chickened out due to the £9 price tag, so treated myself on results day to the shade 08, which is a gorgeous deep red matte lip that I've worn on two nights out and so far, so good. I like that this is a comfortable liquid lip, compared to other ones I've tried, although it does need to be reapplied after eating. I can't say these liquid lipsticks are up to scratch with some of my favourite high end versions, but they are 100% the best I've bought from high street brands, and the colour range has such a lovely spectrum.

 

As you can see from these mini reviews, I think of Bourjois quite highly, and constantly peer into the stand at Boots to see if there's anything new to pick up. 10/10 for packaging and scent over the Bourjois collection, which, aside from the quality of the products themselves (which is also top notch the majority of the time), are the two most important aspects. In a post over the next month I will be mentioning a product that didn't go quite as well for me in terms of working well with my skin type, but I'll forgive the brand that minor hiccup and still crown it the 'Best in Boots' award (or Superdrug, whatever floats your boat.)

 

Which drugstore brand do you gravitate to?