Products on Trial #3

 

I've come to the conclusion that this series of blog posts is my favourite to photograph and write; I have so many products sat in my drawers waiting to be tried out, its nice to finally talk about them! I'm typing this post up in Starbucks with a white chocolate mocha (if you haven't had one, do it, this is an order), and life is feeling pretty good. Gotta love Sundays - although I think this is going up on Wednesday, so you gotta love them too.

 

Amika 'The Shield Style Extending Spray'

The first product I want to discuss I am SO excited about. In my Birchbox last month I received a small bottle of the Amika heat protectant, and I think I'm in love. You guys know that I have to adore a non-makeup item to write about it over here. First of all, the design of this bottle is so beautiful (some might say, groovy), and the design means that it sprays evenly, a fine mist. I subject my hair to a lot of heat, which means that I'm always on the lookout for a good protection mist - this one smells out of this world delicious, with notes of Sea Buckthorn and Berry, and can be used on dry or damp hair. When I used this for the first time I ran into my sister's bedroom so that she could feel the softness of my hair, I am literally obsessed with this. The full size is £20, but I would definitely be prepared to pay that for the results of this product.

 

Soap&Glory Mother Pucker Lip Gloss in 'Spun Sugar'

I've wanted to try this for a while now, since I heard that its a non-tacky formula and that this shade in particular, is a gem. This set me back £9 (but Boots always has some sort of deal running), and I have to say that this took me by surprise with how much I liked it. I've never tried a plumping gloss before, and it takes a while to get used to the feeling, but this is a beautiful sheer, shimmery gloss that makes your lips look super-kissable - just saying.

 



Benefit 'They're Real' Double the Lip in 'Lusty Rose'

These new lipsticks from Benefit are usually £16.50, but I received a smaller sample in my Birchbox to try, and for me, this isn't really up my alley. The lipstick claims to be a lipstick and liner all in one, but I feel like it just acts as a two toned lipstick. The shade is pretty, and I will wear it, its just that the liner isn't as 'liner-like' as a good old pencil, and I would struggle to justify paying so much for this had I been out to buy this myself. Maybe if I play around with this a little more I'll learn to love it, but it lacks the initial wow factor that I had set my expectations for.

 

Balance Me, Instant Lift Primer - £22

If you like the look of dewy skin, then this is 100% a primer that you're destined to like. It claims to be blemish and pore minimising, which I did notice to an extent, but the main thing I have to say about it is how anti-drying it is. I tend to go for the matte look with my foundation, so I'll most likely pass this along to my sister, but I won't pretend that this isn't a great product. My skin looked brighter and it kept my foundation in place all day, so I'd consider that a win. If you have super dry skin and want your skin to have a dewy finish, I'm pretty sure you'd do well with this product.

 

Sephora Blush in 'Heated'

I remember hauling this last year (or the year before, I can't for the life of me recall the exact date), but it hasn't been until recently that I've rediscovered it and given it a fair shot. I now remember why I adored this so much when I first picked it up - this blush shade is so similar to Orgasm by Nars, but without the overly chunky glitter look that I'm not the biggest fan of. Its a beautiful shimmer pink-peach that would look amazing in summer, and it takes a lot for me to admit that I like a blush considering my deep-rooted fear of clown blush syndrome (that I just made up, not a real thing.) This cost £11, and for Sephora I think that that is pretty great.

 

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