Boots No.7 Haul and Review!

Since doing the skincare tag it really hit me just how little I knew and cared about skincare. I decided it was time to start looking after my skin because I cared so much about what I was putting on my face but not my face itself. 

Over the summer I have gradually been buying skincare bits and I've really gotten into it, I have spent rather a lot but my skin has noticed the difference and has been dramatically better in such a short space of time. As you will know I love a good spend up in boots and before when they would give me £5 off No.7 skincare I would either throw or give it away and just keep the make up voucher, I've had a few of these vouchers and have put a couple to use and paired with the 3 for 2 offer that's been going on this month have managed to grab myself some bargains. 

I love buying 'maybe-products' on sale or with a voucher because then if I don't like them or my skin doesn't like them then I haven't spent much and it's not the end of the world! Here are the 6 items that I bought from No.7, I bought them a few weeks ago to give me time to try them out and review them for you!

Beautiful Skin Purifying Exfoliator

First up is the Purifying Exfoliator for normal/oily skin. As you will see throughout the post I buy different products for different skin types because my skin is the definition of combination skin. My cheeks are ridiculously dry especially in the winter but my T-zone can get quite oily especially if I leave make up on too long so I got this little gem to combat that. I've been using it every other day in the shower with my daily cleanser and I really like it, my skin doesn't feel oily and the beads are the right size that they don't hurt your skin but actually feel like they're doing something unlike other scrubs I've tried! To buy without any discounts this product is £8 and as I'm new to skincare I don't really know how much high-end products cost but for a drugstore product I'd say that's quite good. My skin has never been oily but I would recommend this for people who like me just have the odd day where they need it or certain section of their face that gets oily.

Protect and Perfect Eye Cream

Next up is the Protect and Perfect Eye Cream, I'm pretty sure this was in the 'Youth' section which I love because it is never too early to start taking care of your skin, it will be better in the long run. I love eye make up and I noticed since I've been back at uni that my tired eyes mixed with heavy make up have really had an impact on my skin. I bought this and I am so glad I did, it's really helped smooth out the lines where I had bags under my eyes and my skin is a lot softer and brighter around my eyes. I highly recommend this product to anyone who like me puts a lot of eye make up on because it really is a life saver! I also have very sensitive eyes so was so relieved when not only did this work but it didn't irritate my eyes one bit. It costs £15 for the teeny 15ml tube but you need the tiniest amount so it will still last a long time, definitely worth the money!

Beautiful Skin Rapid Spot Rescue 

I've always been really lucky with my skin in that I hardly ever had spots growing up and even now, if I ever get one it literally is just one or two. However, while I am grateful to have minimal spots the ones I do get are usually huge and very noticeable so when I saw this I thought I'd give it a go. I wasn't convinced that it would work but with the 3 for 2 offer it was free so I risked it and I am so glad I did. This really does reduce the size and dulls the bright colour of spots within about 2 days. I can have a spot last up to a week and a half so the fact that I had them go so quickly was so surprising to me. This product is £9.95 but you use such a tiny amount and only when you get a spot that it's going to last a very long time! Very happy with this product, I will definitely keep using it.

Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask

I bought this Hydration mask purely for the packaging. Not even going to lie I am a sucker for nice packaging. I love No.7 products because everything looks so natural and everything they sell is Hypo-Allergenic which is perfect for my ridiculously sensitive skin. I've been using this about once a week after a day at uni where I've been outside and travelling and my skin is particularly tired and worn. I apply this to mainly my cheeks avoiding my nose and brow area as I think this would cause it to be oily but it's worked wonders on my dry cheeks. It says to wipe off then rinse but I found it easier to just rinse off in the shower as it is really thick. I think it looks so pretty in the tube, layers of gel and cream but then when you pump it it mixes together and is a thick soft cream. You get 100ml for £12.50 and you only need one pump per use so again this is a really good price for what you get. 

Beautiful Skin Eye-Make Up Remover

Since February time I've been using Bioderma to remove my face make up and I hate to say it but it is really bad at removing eye make up, I never really thought to buy a separate one but I am so glad I did. I'd tried the Clinique one and was tempted to buy a full sized bottle but when I saw this at half the price I went for this instead and it is easily as good if not better. This removes eyeliner and mascara so quickly and is so gentle and doesn't leave a nasty residue over my eyes like the clinique one. My eyes feel so refreshed after using this. I also love the colour of the liquid and the seperation between the oils and the water in the bottle, it's so pretty. No.7 really do excel with their simple but effective packaging! This is only £8.50 for 100ml and while you will use this up quicker than the other products it isn't much to pay especially when you have a £5 off voucher making it only £3.50! This is so much kinder on the skin than make up wipes, I am converted and never going back!

Beautiful Skin Night Cream 

The last thing I got is this night cream for dry/very dry skin. I apply this right at the end of the day before bed after I've taken all my make up off. This moisturiser is seriously a god send. I was using my daily moisturiser for about 2 weeks before I started using this and it was nowhere near as soft as it is now, the change is amazing! I don't put this on my T-zone as it is really super thick but it has helped clear up the dry skin on my cheeks dramatically. You need the tiniest amount when applying otherwise it does tend to go a bit greasy and heavy which is never nice especially just before bed. A 50ml tub of this is £13.50 which isn't bad at all! If you have dry skin I highly recommend this product.

All in all it was a pretty successful haul. I got all of this for £39 when it should have cost £67.50! I've found a few products that will become staples in my skincare routine and all of them have helped my skin so much. I wasn't expecting amazing things from the products because they are all quite cheap considering what you get but they have exceeded expectations by miles. Highly recommend all of these! I will do a follow up post with my daily skincare routine 

Bethan :)

The Skincare Tag!

I was Tagged by Maxine (www.theblondeonbeauty.blogspot.com) to do the Skincare Tag! Now I am definitely not an expert when it comes to skincare, I am very much a beginner and this is just a bit of fun!

Describe your skincare routine in 5 words...

 Quick, easy, no messing about!

What's your skin type?

I'd say it's combination but it is very prone to dryness especially in the winter months, it's also very sensitive. I always buy products for sensitive/dry skin.

Top blemish zapper?

I actually don't really suffer from blemishes luckily so when I do I just let them take their course and cover them with my favourite concealer! I use a gentle bead face scrub and a seperate cleanser regularly which seems to keep the spots at bay!

Face wipes - yay or nay?

I've always been an avid face wipe user, I always have the Johnsons ones at home because they're 'kind and gentle' on my sensitive skin but since I've found Bioderma I'm very loyal to that! I use face wipes after a night out when I'm tired and feeling lazy and I find they're better for getting all the eyeliner and mascara away from my lashlines but other than that I remove my make up with Bioderma and I love it!

Toner - yay or nay?

Being a beginner to skin care I actually don't have a toner(!) so I can't really comment, it is something I would like to try though.

High end skincare or high end make up?

DEFINITELY high end make up, not that I own any* :( but I'm definitely more drawn to the make up compared to the skin care! Make up is my favourite hobby and when I'm older and in a position to buy myself more expensive make up I most definitely will!

What's the most unusual skincare product you've tried?

Probably some concoction I've made myself! My friends and I made some horrific looking face masks once with things we found in the cupboards that were said to do some good (according to the internet), we just mixed it all together and applied it to our faces! It was fun even if it didn't do any good for our skin!

You're in a French pharmacie, you can only pick one product, what is it?

The product I went to France in search of and couldn't find, Caudalie Beauty Elixir! I'm dying to try it!

Tell us your top skincare tip(s)

For me it would just be treat your skin kindly, don't scrub it till it's raw and don't let it dry out that it flakes away, drink plenty of water and get some vitamin D 8)

This was fun, thank you Maxine!!

I tag

Bethan 

www.bethangrace95.blogspot.com

Amy

www.floralsandfreckles.blogspot.com

and Beki

www.bekilouisebeauty.blogspot.com

*I wouldn't class e.g MAC, Clinique or Benefit as high end brands, they are, in my opinion, middle of the range compared to high street brands like Rimmel and Maybelline and High End brands like Chanel and YSL.

Feel free to do this even if I have not tagged you! I stole the cover photo from another upcoming post but I didn't think you would mind! 
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it
Bethan :)

Summer Beauty Favourites

I cannot believe that it's September! Does this mean that summers over? It sure went quick but it was amazing and I've found some really good products that I've used so much over the past few months that I am going to share with you!

Shockwaves Curls and Waves Styling Mousse

At the end of July I went on holiday to my favourite place in the world, the South of France, I went with my family and we go hardcore camping when we go away so I leave my curlers and straighteners at home and go au nature. I have used this curling mousse for years every time I go away and this, combined with the soft water where we are my hair transforms from frizz to the loveliest waves! It says it's a curling mousse but I think anyone with relatively wavy or curly hair can use it, it also calms frizz so well. I've used other, more expensive, mousses but I always go back to this one, and it's only £2.95! Shockwaves also do a volumising mousse which I haven't tried but if it's anything like this then it's going to be good! highly recommend this for those wanting to ditch the heat and embrace the natural look. Below is 2 pictures of me, on the right I am on holiday with natural hair having used this mousse and on the left I am on a night out and I have styled my hair using my Babyliss curling wand.

Nivea Express Hydration Moisturiser

When I go to hot places my dry skin gets even dryer so I went in search of an affordable but good body moisturiser. I found this Nivea one at Sainsburys and was drawn in by the 'ultra fast absorbing' tag line because if there's one thing I hate doing, especially in a hot country, it's sitting and waiting for moisturiser to sink into your skin. I immediately fell in love with this after one use, it's more like milk than butter and when they say ultra fast absorbing they sure mean it, it probably takes 15 seconds for this to sink in and your skin be completely dry! It's SO good and it moisturises so well. I've been so impressed with Nivea just recently, they deserve more praise! This is a perfect every day moisturiser for those who need to moisturise constantly like me, my skin dries out so fast! It smells really nice, not too fragrant, and it's only £5.10 for this huge 400ml bottle. I've had it and used it a lot for over a month now and I still have at least half of the bottle left!

Herbal Essences Bee Strong Strengthening Cream

Back to hair care now, if you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know that I love trying new hair products and I particularly love those that are very inexpensive! After loving the Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends range I thought I'd try their new Bee Strong range which, in my opinion, is kinda the same thing right? I chose this strengthening cream because with the hot weather on holiday my hair was bound to go dry and brittle so it needed a bit of TLC and what a perfect time to try and review a new product. Now I don't really know if I agree that it strengthened my hair because I didn't really want to try breaking it but it definitely moisturised! I also really like how it's a spray bottle and not a pump, I hate getting my hands all icky and the spray nozzle is much more hygienic. I used a few hair products on holiday and this was one that I've continued to use since being home. If my hair was brittle and in need of a deep condition I wouldn't instantly reach for this but as a part of a healthy hair routine it did the job and I really like it! It's £4.79 at Boots.

Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser

I really want to branch out with my beauty routine and I decided I want to get into skincare and treat my skin the way I treat my hair, while in France I couldn't help popping into the Pharmacies and looking at all the beautiful french brands. Caudalie is a brand I really wanted to try and so after scanning the shelves and realising just how little french I know I picked up two of the Instant Foaming Cleansers, something I would deem to be a beginner product. I think they were 9 Euros each so not too expensive. I've loved using this since I've been home, I use this daily in the shower and then a couple of times a week I'll pair it with a face scrub. It's so soft and gentle and really makes my skin feel fresh and awake and like it's removed any leftover make up or oil. One thing that had me drawn to Caudalie is that it's advertised for people with ultra sensitive skin and while mine isn't crazy sensitive I do have to be careful so it was a safe option, I've had no troubles with it so far and that's made me really want to try more Caudalie products!

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon

This is a product I've been wanting to review since I got them way over a month ago. I cannot rave about these lip crayons enough, they are AMAZING.

 I've never really been a big lip product person, I find lip gloss annoying and because I have dry lips I have a difficult time finding a lipstick that doesn't dry out my lips and look disgusting. I was given some gorgeous Ted Baker lip crayons for Christmas and fell in love with them straight away which made me want to try more and the beautiful summery colours of the Bourjois ones pulled me in straight away. 

I've heard good things about the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (what a name) but after swatching a few of the Bourjois ones and the Revlon ones I came to the conclusion that the consistency of the Bourjois ones was nicer.

 I got two colours: Red Sunshine which is a gorgeous pinky-red and Orange Punch which is my favourite, it's a beautiful peachy-orange colour. I've worn these like they're going out of fashion, they're an everyday staple for me now and I want to buy more just so I can have one in my handbag and one in my make up bag. I would class the orange as a better daytime colour compared to the red, I'm not very daring when it comes to bold lip colours during the day so I save it for the evenings, they're both so glossy and moisturising. They say they last 8 hours which I don't agree with but without eating or drinking probably last 1-2 which is better than the 10 minutes some lip products I've tried last, and I'm fine with that because you use such little product each time you put it on you're not going to run out in a hurry.

 I recommend these to everyone, hats off to bourjois because they have done an incredible job with these. I hope they release more colours because currently there are only 4, the 2 I have plus a baby pink and a fuschia pink. From my pictures you can see how much I've loved these because all the writing has rubbed off the packaging. They're £7.99 which seems a little pricey but is standard for a good drugstore lip product and they are SO worth it. 

Sleek Blush By 3 - Lace

Here's another product that I've got nothing but good words to say about it. I'm a massive blush junkie, I love bold statement blushes and when I found this, a trio blush palette, for only £10 I couldn't resist. I am so glad I bought this they are so good. They have the most amazing colour payoff the pigmentation is incredible, easily as impressive as a MAC or Benefit blusher. I alternate wearing all 3 colours and some days I find it so hard to choose between them. I love the packaging as well it's so classy, I love the black case and the fact it has a huge mirror means it's great to keep in your handbag. Sleek do 4 other Blush trios for all different skin tones. This was the first product from Sleek I've tried and it's a great first impression so I will definitely be trying more and on the lookout for more blushes that are as pretty as these!

Maybelline Baby Lips

Next is a product I've been waiting for for a LONG time. MacBarbie07 on YouTube has been raving about these for ages and they've finally found their way to the UK! I bought 3 straight away because I was just dying to try them! I bought 1 coloured one, 1 treatment one and 1 flavoured one. I love them all, they all have great uses. 

The Blue one on the left in the photo is the 'Hydration' one and it does do a really good job, I keep this in my pocket at work and it keeps my lips soft and not feeling horribly chapped all day. The pink one is somewhat like the lip crayons I love so much, it has a surprisingly good colour payoff which I wasn't anticipating but LOVE, I really want to try more of the coloured ones. The green one on the right is mint flavoured, it's delicious, I put this on in the morning before I start my makeup so my lips are hydrated and soft before I apply lip product.

 These are good for all age groups, I would have loved to have had these when I was at school, especially the coloured ones, because you can totally get away with them being a lip balm but still have the nice girly pop of colour. They're only £2.99 each and can (sometimes) be found at boots, there were very few left on the shelf when I went to get these so I was really lucky! Just shows how good they are!

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine - Blueberry

Last but not least is this beautiful nail varnish by Barry M. It's been my favourite colour of the whole summer and has been on my nails most weeks. Blue is my favourite colour and this is just such a happy summery colour, it looks so good with a tan! I love the Gelly Hi Shines as I've said in previous posts and I discovered this colour because of Zoella on YouTube who wore it in one of her videos and it gave me major nail envy that I had to go and get one for myself!

The fact that the summer is technically over makes me so sad, all these products remind me of happy summery times and I'm going to carry on using them into the autumn months. They can all be found in either Boots or Superdrug (Minus the Caudalie) and are very reasonably priced!

Bethan :)

My MAC palette!

If you've been following this blog for a while now you may know that I am addicted to YouTube and have been watching the beauty community for a long time now. One thing I really wanted to do when first getting into make up was start a MAC eye shadow palette, I would watch people such as FleurDeForce and my favourite Tanya Burr AKA Pixi2woo use their MAC eyeshadows in videos and give them such good reviews, my most-searched videos on YouTube are 'My MAC Palette' videos and now finally after all this time I have completed one!

I get a lot of people asking me what colours I have and which ones I like and would recommend so I'm writing this post to show what colours I have and why I love them! All of these colours are good for brown eyes and the look I go for which is usually quite a full, smoky look, with more neutral colours for the day and darker ones for night.

Sorry in advance for the bad photo's it was difficult to get a picture to reflect the true colours of the shadows!

Here is a picture of the palette itself filled with my eye shadows, at MAC you buy the empty palette case which is £14 and you can either buy a 15 eye shadow or 6 blush insert to go inside which are both £6.50. The eyeshadows in pan form are £10 or if you didn't want to buy a palette you can buy them in pots but they are more pricey at £12 each.

It's taken me a long time to build and set out my palette but I'm finally happy with the way it is, I have 3 rows of 5, the top is my pinks and golds that I use on my lid, the middle is my purples and taupes which are for my crease and the bottom is my multi-use browns and highlight.

I've numbered each one so when I show you the colour swatches you can match them up to see how they look in pan form.

Ok so here are the first 5 colours, this is the pink and gold row along the top.

1 is the much talked about Naked Lunch which is my most used and probably favourite colour in the whole palette, it's a beautiful shimmery soft pink/nude colour perfect to go all over the lid and can be matched with pretty much all my crease colours hence why I've hit pan on it, whatever eye shadow mood I'm in it almost always fits the bill. It's also good for all eye colours which is one of the reasons it's so popular.

2 is All That Glitters another YouTube famous one, it's a bit darker and more pink than Naked Lunch but otherwise very similar. It also has flecks of gold running through it. I love it!

3 is Honey Lust, I saw it in one of the MAC stores and had to have it. It's the perfect mix between gold and pink and is VERY glittery, perfect for those days when you just can't choose a colour!

4 is one of the first ones I bought and it's expensive pink. This is such a complimentary colour to brown eyes. I'm upset it's looking more gold in the picture but it's true to it's name it just looks so expensive! It's a dark pink colour with gold glitter, I don't wear this a lot because I like to keep it for special occasions because I love it so much.

5 is the last along the top row and it's Pink Venus, I couldn't have an eye shadow palette without a sparkly barbie pink now could I? It's just a soft shimmery pink that can look quite nice with a matte crease colour, I don't wear it often but fell in love with it and couldn't not buy it!

Next up is my favourite row it's the purples and taupes, my favourite colours to wear and those that I think compliment my eye/hair colour and skin tone the best. Apologies for the number ordering I don't know why I decided to put the number 9 on my arm before the number 8!

6 is a VERY popular colour that is also one of my first bought and most worn, it goes the best with Naked Lunch so I wear this combination A LOT. It's Satin Taupe and if you are just starting a MAC palette or are looking to buy new colours I highly recommend this one. It's a gorgeous dark taupe that can be blended for a soft smoky day time look or built to create a stunning dark evening look.

7 is shale and is a deep purple with a slight bit of shimmer to it, only really a night time colour but can be a gorgeous purple smoky eye, one of my favourite looks. A staple in my collection. I personally think this type of colour would only suit people with brown eyes.

9 is Quarry which is another of my favourites and most used in the palette I wear this with Naked Lunch when I want a bit more of a neutral look compared to the satin taupe combo. It's a really pretty Matte purple, I originally saw this online and had to hunt it down in the shop because I needed it so much, will definitely repurchase when I run out, it's already got a huge dip in the middle!

8 is Haux and is very similar to Quarry but it's more pink toned. Still matte but I wear this when I'm in more of a pink mood! Becuase a lot of my lid colours are pink and gold this one goes with more of them compared to Quarry and is good as a daytime crease colour so it's great to have if you like a shimmery lid but with a matte crease. Pink is also a more versatile colour so people with different eye colours can wear it.

10 is sable, this was the second MAC eyeshadow I ever bought because I saw Tanya Burr review it and just had to have it, again it's one of my favourites and most worn, it has the same effect as satin taupe but this is more of a cranberry colour, it's shimmery too but not glittery. I believe it's a 'Veluxe Pearl' finish which is my favourite one. Sable is to Satin Taupe like Haux is to Quarry but 2 are matte and 2 are shimmer. 

Finally is my bottom row and it's my browns and highlight colours. In the future I would like to fill up a whole palette just with browns but for now I have to settle for just one row!

11 is Mulch and I accidentally have 2 of these because I apparently love it so much! The other is in a duo palette which I use quite often. This is a very versatile colour, if you haven't guessed by now I LOVE SHIMMER. And this is the nicest brown with shimmer colour I've found yet. Use a little bit and it's a soft day time look and build it up (paired with no.12) to create my ultimate favourite night time look. It's gorgeous. It's a very warm colour so cool-tone lovers I wouldn't recommend this for you!

12 is Woodwinked. I usually buy the colours in 2's and this was one of the last 2 I bought and I do not regret it, it's a beautiful colour, a perfect blend between brown and gold, can be used in the crease for a really warm smoky eye or packed onto the lid for an intense brown smoky eye, I prefer to do the latter however I can't do this during the day without looking a bit crazy and this upsets me! Highly recommend this colour for brown eyed people it compliments them beautifully. Can't rave about this enough seriously just go swatch it in the shop and you will understand!

13 is a pretty boring colour but an essential in any neutral palette. It's Charcoal Brown and is just a medium/dark matte brown, good for eyebrows if you have dark hair (bit too dark for me) or perfect for a daytime crease colour paired with a nice shimmery lid colour! 

14 is yet another boring but essential, it's Omega and the colour I use for my brows. I don't have blonde brows obviously but they're not super dark either so I find this looks so natural just brushed through to make them look less sparse. I also use this in my crease for minimal colour but a bit of definition, on those days where I don't feel like wearing much but still want to put it on (beauty girl problems!) this is a good colour for anyone with fair hair or fair skin and with any eye colour.

Finally 15 is Shroom and it's the only highlight colour I managed to squeeze in and was the very last eye shadow I chose for the palette. I have other more natural highlights from different brands so wanted quite a bright shimmery one, I mainly wear this on a night out or with a matte crease during the day, otherwise it's just too much shimmer! It's a frost finish so the colour/shimmer payoff is amazing. I love this colour it's so pretty and really does it's job well!

I hope my mini-review of my MAC palette colours has been interesting or helpful to you, I personally am so nosy when it comes to seeing other peoples palettes! If you'd like to know any more about each of the colours then just ask either in the comments or on twitter or instagram both @bethanvickery and if you have a video or post about your MAC palette please send me the link!

I just want to say thank you for reading as my blog is almost at 10,000 page views and that just seems crazy to me so THANK YOU!!

Bethan :)

5 cult beauty products - worth the hype?

On YouTube there are a few certain products that everyone really raves about and as time has passed they've become 'cult' products that seem to be staples in a lot of peoples make up bags. I like to try many different products and if these were as good as I was hearing them to be then it was definitely something I didn't want to miss out on. I chose 5 products to review that I think are the most talked about make up items under £10 at the moment. So, are they worth the hype?

First up is the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation. I bought this foundation a while ago after people on youtube such as Pixi2woo and Fleurdeforce were raving about it, I'd never used a Rimmel foundation before but I ended up really liking it! I have used better foundations before but this is definitely worth the £8.99 you pay for it! 

It has a really nice scent which is unusual for foundations and has good staying power. One thing I dislike about this foundation is that it doesn't blend very well into the skin. I use the Real Techniques expert face brush to buff this into my skin and it does take a while working it in to really make it look natural, especially when the colour is a little off your skin tone, which this one is for me. When you've buffed it in though it does give a really nice coverage and it's not one of those foundations that you rub in and it's too light like there's nothing there or worse, it's not too thick and heavy on the skin. Most people I know have tried this foundation due to the amazing reviews it's had online but if you haven't I highly recommend it, especially for younger girls. 

So worth the hype!

The next product is another face product and again it's by Rimmel. This is the Rimmel Clear Complexion Clarifying Powder, I originally wanted to buy the cult Stay Matte powder but at the time I had bad skin and this looked promising, I'm convinced it's a part of the Stay Matte range but it's translucent and obviously made to improve your complexion. 

For the past year I have used a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural every day without fail and it was because of this blog post that I bought the Rimmel powder, pricewise the Rimmel one is much better at £3.99 than the MAC one at a whopping £22! As results go I am sad to say, as a loyal MAC customer, that I much prefer the Rimmel powder! Good for my bank balance but not good for my love of MAC products. 

The Rimmel powder is a true tanslucent powder, I love the way it doesn't leave a dry film over your foundation. I only use this where I need it as I have real combination skin, very dry in places and very shiny in others. When swiping a brush across the powder you don't pick up much product and with most things this would be a bad trait but it works with this one because it makes it buildable and there's no way you can overdo it! I highly recommend this product and will definitely be repurchasing when I run out. 

So worth the hype!

Next up is yet another Rimmel product. Hats off to Rimmel for creating so many talked about products in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately I do not agree with the good reviews this particular product has got. 

It's the Apocolips, half lipstick, half lip gloss. I have this in two shades as I didn't know whether it was the colour I didn't like but it's not, I just hate the formula. I bought these because I saw Zoella on youtube wearing one in a video and thought it looked really pretty however I now wish I'd seen them on someone in person before purchasing because I majorly regret it. 

I am very picky with lip products because I like my lips to look natural and I hate products that just sit on them instead of sinking in. 

I have reluctantly added a photo for you to see what I mean, and this will be the last time I ever wear one on my lips, they smell and taste really nasty and the product just sits on top of your lips, which is so annoying! I haven't tried but I'm pretty sure it would be impossible to eat or drink anything without having to redo your lips straight afterwards. There are a lot of products out there that are way better and way more worth the money, I will stick to wearing either a lipstick or a lip gloss or a combo of the both, none of this in between business!

Sorry Rimmel the Apocolips are so NOT worth the hype!

 The next product has probably had the most people rave about it, it's the Collection (formerly known as Collection 2000) Lasting Perfection Concealer. I'm a big under-eye concealer fan and have luckily never really had problems with blemishes or acne so the concealers I buy are all liquid, brightening ones. 

This concealer really reminds me of the Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer which is £16 (but worth it) compared to this which is £4.19. They're similar in that they're thick in consistency, really great for brightening the under-eye areas and have really good coverage. 

The only problem I had with the Collection one was that it takes time to blend in, being so thick it tends to go a bit streaky, which is fine if you have time to blend it in but not so good if you're looking for a quick fix. I also find trying to blend this in with a brush is near impossible, it's like it needs the heat from your fingers to help it melt into the skin. I do really like this concealer it has a lot of great qualities and at the price you pay it's easy to look over the minor disadvantages of choosing this over a more high end concealer. 

Worth the hype!

Last but most definitely not least is the Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, I left this one till last so that I could end the blog post on a high with me gushing about how much I adore this mascara. I have, for a very long time, been loyal to the L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic and I still am but my make up bag will never be found without The Falsies in it again. This mascara is £7.99 compared to the Telescopic which is £10.99.

I put off buying this mascara for so long after hearing Tanya Burr (pixi2woo on YouTube) rave about it in the majority of her videos because I have previously tried Maybelline mascaras and not rated them but I finally bit the bullet and bought it and I can safely say I am never looking back. This is the most perfect every day mascara. 

I bought the colour blackest black because I have quite fair eyelashes and they need the colour, I apply it after curling my lashes and it thickens, elongates and defines each lash all at once. It does the job of 3 mascaras rolled into one. 

I have also tried doubling up this mascara with my L'Oreal Telescopic by using this as a base then the Telescopic to give them extra definition, the two mascaras combined really do look like you're wearing falsies they're incredible.

SO worth the hype, thank you Maybelline!

The worth the hype products I've mentioned here are really good for people just getting into make up and trying to build up a collection, they're essentials in my make up bag, the make up bags of make up artists and the make up bags of beginners, so perfect for everyone!

June Favourites!

I cannot believe a whole month has passed since I did my last monthly favourites! That went so quick and we are now over half way through 2013, crazy! I am so glad the summer is finally here and that England is actually getting hot for once. I chose 5 products that I have really been loving the past month and want to share them with you now :)

1. The Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail varnishes! (what a mouthful)

I actually bought the blue and orange polishes very recently but the minty-green one has been one of my favourites this month, I've had it on my toes for three straight weeks and have had it on my nails twice. When I first tried this nail varnish I didn't really know how I felt about it, they have a funny consistency and can go gloopy very easily. After giving it a second try I realised my first impression was wrong and the problem was that I wasn't applying it correctly! For those who I spoke to who agreed they found the consistency hard to work with don't panic because I've found out the trick to making it look good. Don't treat it like a real nail varnish, it's thicker and therefore you need LESS product (what a bonus!). Instead of putting lots on and smearing it around and then adding a second coat, just simply add one coat quickly and carefully and that's it, no need to carry on trying to perfect it, the formula does that on its own! These nail varnishes are £3.99 each and can be found at superdrug. You get 10ml of product and this really will last you a long time, especially seeing as you don't need to use much each time. The collection has some amazing colours, the ones I have above are 'blue grape', 'greenberry' and 'satsuma'.

2. Nivea in-shower body moisturiser

Nivea should be proud of their advertisement for this product because it really made me want to go out and get it. There's nothing I find more boring than smothering yourself in body butter after a shower, especially when it's hot outside and you can feel it melting off your skin instead of being absorbed in. This seemed like my dream product and I am so happy I tried it because it is fantastic! I am on my second bottle and I got it the week it was released so a bottle lasted me about a month. It retails at  £3.56 which really isn't a lot for a 250ml bottle. I have dry skin so I got the one suited to my skin type but they also do one for normal skin. The product itself is lovely it's silky and makes your skin feel hydrated and  so, so soft. I love the smell also as it is almond scented. It takes  less than a minute to rub this in and rinse it off so is a lot more practical than a full  body moisturise  after a shower! 

3. Rimmel sun shimmer instant tan

It got to the point a few weeks ago where tights were unacceptable attire outside, which makes me very upset because I LOVE tights, and seeing as it's been almost a year since my last holiday I was feeling rather pasty and in great need of a quick sun fix! I usually am not a big fan of fake tan, I like the way it looks when done properly and isn't too OTT but I am not very good at making sure it's not streaky or patchy so I usually avoid it. I was recommended this product and I am so glad I started to use it, it's perfect for those people who don't want a proper tan but more that healthy summer glow you get from a day in the sun. I bought this product for £6.99 in boots because I bought a new white dress and didn't want my skin to match it! It's a gel formula and just adding a pea-size amount at a time and rubbing it into the skin using a mit just feels like rubbing in moisturiser, it blends with your skin tone and it's so easy to ensure your skin is patch/streak free! I wouldn't recommend this product if you're a tan junkie, it really isn't made for that. I bought the 'light' colour as I really am quite pale at the moment but they also do a medium shade which is significantly darker. I think the name of the product is also misleading, it doesn't shimmer and it should be called 'instant glow' not 'instant tan'. In the picture to the right the leg on your left is the one that I have applied one layer of the product to and the one in your right is the one left bare. As you can see there is not a big difference but I love this product purely for the fact you just feel a bit more confident in yourself, it's very natural and SO easy to apply. There's been a lot of hype over this product and rightly so, it's a revolution in fake tan! It's also a one day only thing and washes off so easily in the shower.

4. Real Techniques Core Collection

I'm actually only adding half of the collection to my monthly favourites because they are 1000x better than the other two brushes you get in the kit. I chose the buffing brush (larger one) and the contour brush (smaller one). I bought these pretty much on a whim after eyeing them up for literally months. I couldn't bring myself to spend the £22 even though when you think about it that is an amazing price for 4 GREAT quality brushes. The brushes themselves are a really great size and are so soft, they feel amazing on the skin. I and most others I know with these brushes use the buffing brush for foundation and the contour brush for contouring bronzer. I love the buffing brush, if you apply your foundation in circular motions it really helps it blend with your skin tone and looks so natural and, more importantly, flawless. The days of applying foundation with my fingers are finally over, I am never going back. The contour brush is the perfect size for applying bronzer to the cheekbones, it fits in the hollows of your cheeks perfectly and blends it to look so natural. These brushes are definitely worth the money and I can't recommend them enough, they're brilliant!

5. The Babyliss Boutique Curling Wand

I've had this curling wand for a few months now. For the past year I've worn my hair curly pretty much every day, styled using a pair of very old straighteners! I thought it was time to invest in a curling iron and after some research I decided on this one. Oh how glad I am I bought this. It creates the most beautiful soft waves. It's designed for long hair which I have and I love how quick and easy it is to do the curls. I watched 'ViviannaDoesMakeUp' do a tutorial on it on youtube only once and mastered the art of curling straight away, it's so easy. I have had many compliments on my hair when I've used this, it's so quick and simple and only costs £29.99, an all round brilliant product.

If you'd like to know any more about the products I've mentioned just ask on here, twitter or Instagram @bethanvickery

I love these products and have particularly enjoyed them throughout the month of June! :)

My Top 5 Hair Care Products for combatting dryness!

So recently Britain's weather has been pretty unpredictable, one thing it has not been lacking though is wind. It's been crazy and my hair really does not like it. I've not had hair this dry in a long time and I'm putting it down to this lovely weather we're having! I needed ways to give my hair life again so I went on a bit of a hair care spree... I chose 5 products to review, some new, some old favorites, all that I think are great and deserve a mention!

1. The least exciting and obvious favourite out of my list is the TRESemme heat defence spray. It RRP's at £4.69 which is so cheap for the amount and quality of product you get. I've used this product for a long time now and know that if I didn't use it my hair would be in a lot worse condition than it is now! I use heat on my hair almost every day and, especially as my hair is prone to dryness, would be stupid not to use this. It promises protection up to 230c and I definitely think it fulfills its promise. I've read reviews of other heat defense sprays and this is at the cheaper end of the market but still does what all the higher end sprays promise. Another great thing about this product is that it's frequently on sale. I got mine at Sainburys where it is currently being sold for £3.50

2. The next thing I bought was the Vo5 'Miracle Mist'. I hear mixed reviews about Vo5 products, I personally think they're pretty awesome and for the price you pay they're perfect for those of us on a budget! This product costs £4.28 and like the heat defence spray is a good price for the amount of product you get. It's advertised as a leave in conditioner and is a really watery formula so when sprayed does come out like a mist so to evenly distribute itself through your hair. I use this every time I get out the shower and can definitely tell just by the feel of my hair afterwards. I didn't use this once a week or so ago so that I could give an honest opinion of it here and I really did not like the feel of my hair when it had dried without this in. It just locks in the moisture and gives shine to hair. I love this and will carry on using it until I find something better!

3. I bought this product a long time ago and actually forgot I had it! I went away not long ago and where I went was very WINDY, my hair is affected by the elements so badly so after a few days of being exposed to strong winds the ends of my hair were very damaged and dry. I found this when I got home and decided to use it to see if it would sort out my horrible ends! It's the Herbal Essences 'Split End Protection Cream', it comes in a nice sized bottle with a useful pump so you don't use too much at one time. You can either use it on damp or dry hair which personally I don't like. I would never use a product like this on dry hair but I will happily add a couple of pumps to the ends of my hair when it's damp after a shower. It's a really thick and shiny formula that feels like it will hydrate your hair instantly. It costs £4.39, in the same price range as the others. Lets just say after a couple of washes and applying of this product my split ends had VANISHED. Whoever says you can't repair split ends is lying. This is a great product your ends feel nourished and full of moisture. HIGHLY reccomend.

4. Next up is another Vo5 product I bought on a whim because it was on sale and looked interesting! It's the Vo5 'Hot Oil Moisture soak'* and is just 4 little sachet type things filled with 15ml of oil in each. What you do is hold the oil in your bath or under the tap or shower head to heat it up then apply to wet hair BEFORE your shampoo. I was intrigued by this as I'd never seen anything like it but was pleasantly surprised as after one use I could instantly see a difference, my hair was glossy and just had the boost of moisture that it so desperately needed! This product is £4 but it's one of those that you use weekly/fortnightly so you won't be forking out £4 every single week. I really recommend this product and it's just nice to use as it feels like you're really pampering yourself which we all need from time to time! *They have since changed the packaging of this hence why the name is different on the box I've shown. I personally prefer this packaging to the new one!

5. Last but definitely not least is another pamper product which I swear by. Pretty much all of the products I've shown here do the same things one way or another so it is a bit excessive to have them all. The last product I want to tell you about would be the one I would choose if I could only have 1. It's the Herbal Essences 'Beautiful Ends Intensive Mask' and is just a deep conditioning hair mask that you use after you've washed and conditioned your hair as normal. Like the Vo5 hot oil this is a pamper product that you need to use regularly but not that often, meaning it'll last you longer and therefore save you money. It costs £4.39 per tub and you get 200ml so quite a large amount for such a small price. I like to apply a small handful from root to tip once a week or so and it just keeps my hair feeling healthy and full of volume rather than dry and limp. I highly recommend this to anyone that has dry hair or damaged ends.

All of these products can be found at Sainsburys and Boots and watch out for deals as they're constantly on sale! I hope if you buy any of these products you like them as much as I do because combined they truly have saved my hair from terrible damage over the winter!