Graduation - What Did You Wear?

I'm graduating this year, and although the ceremony isn't until October, I thought I'd start keeping an eye out for dresses. I spotted this dress in Miss Selfridge (a store I never go in) yesterday, and liked the look of it. My dad thinks it's boring, but I'd say simple. I like the shape, the print, and the fact that it's black and white, so I can wear any colour accessories. This is just the first dress I've seen, and I won't be buying anything just yet, so am on the look out for other options. If you've graduated in the past, I'd love to see what you wore, whether that be in blog post or photo form. My Twitter is @Lou_AT and my Instagram is louuu20.

Also, my dad said he's buying me a graduation gift, which I wasn't expecting. I'm thinking about asking for a dainty necklace because it's something I can keep for years to come. If you've seen any nice ones, I'd love to know. I've seen a couple on Etsy, but don't really know where else to look! I don't want it to be more than £50.

Thank you in advance!

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colour Swatches

Left to right, top to bottom: LM3 Gossip (raspberry pink), LM4 Show Off (coral pink), LM5 Chatterbox (pink), LM6 Screamer (peach)

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours review here

P.S. These swatches look completely different on every screen I've viewed them on (four, would you believe), so keep in mind that what you are seeing is not 100% accurate. I also couldn't capture them in natural lighting for the life of me!

Getting Back Into Makeup - New Products & Mini Reviews

Up until recently, I hadn't bought any makeup for months. It didn't appeal to me and no new releases caught my eye. Then, within the space of a month, I go and buy the above. I don't know what changed, and I don't know if I'm back into makeup again or if this was a one off splurge, but I'm liking trying new products again! I thought I'd group them all together and tell you my thoughts.

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer - £11.99

I've actually already reviewed this here. The packaging looks nice, but it could be improved so no product's wasted. The actual product almost blurs fine lines and pores, while mattifying the skin. Makeup then applies better, and you can feel the smoothness throughout the day. I'd repurchase, but only when it's on offer!

Revlon Colourstay Concealer in Fair - £6.99

Before this, I was using the Collection Lasting Perfection and MUA Cover & Conceal concealers. The Collection one became a little too heavy for my skin, while the MUA one was a little too light (in terms of coverage) and dewy. I wanted something in between. This concealer is just that. It has a medium coverage and satin finish. It's nothing special, and rather average, but that's what I was looking for.

No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter - £9.95

I didn't plan on buying this, but had one of those vouchers and it swatched beautifully, so couldn't resist! It's a beautiful candlelight shade, creamy, and SO easy to use. The shimmer is very fine, so you don't look like a disco ball. I'd actually prefer it to be even finer, so it's more metallic, but that's just me. I'll probably be reviewing and swatching this in another post, so look out for that. If you know of any other cream highlighters, preferably under £10, let me know!

Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara - £9.99

Everyone's been raving about this. I love my Maybelline mascaras, but thought I'd try something different, so picked this up when it was on offer. It's clumpier than my Maybelline ones, and starts to look bad if I put on two coats. It's more dramatic and gives more volume, but I won't be repurchasing. It's okay, but I don't know why everyone's been raving about it so much.

The Body Shop Colour Crush Shine Lipsticks in 15 Fuchsia Flirt and 18 Sunset Romance - £10

I'll be reviewing and swatching these soon! They're light, balmy, and perfect for summer. They look quite bold in the bullets, but they're sheer and give a nice wash of colour. They can be built up, though. They're similar to other lip products that have been coming out recently, so they're not unique, but worth trying when there's a great offer on (which is always).

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours in Gossip, Show Off, Chatterbox, and Screamer - £3.99

I've already reviewed these here, but will be showing you them on my lips soon. I like them. They're pigmented, glossy, don't settle into the lines on your lips, and last a decent amount of time. You only need to use a small amount, too, so the 10ml tubes should last a while. I've read a couple people write that they're just pigmented glosses which don't last well. They're pigmented and they're glossy, but they're not glosses. I also don't know why they didn't last well for these people. Show Off lasted through three hours, a stir fry, and a whole lot of ice cream on me!

Do you go through phases of not being into makeup?

Primark Shoes and Paperchase Sale Purchases

So, I very nearly bought a black pair of pumps in New Look today for £15.99. I thought I'd have a look in Primark first before buying, though, and I'm glad I did! I found an identical pair for just £4. Then I picked up the coral and red pairs for £5 each, and the nude pair for £6. The nude pair are from the wide fit section. I don't have wide feet, but they still fit and feel really comfortable. I wasn't planning on buying four pairs of shoes in one day, but I rarely find ones I like, so have to take advantage when I do. I also nearly bought a navy maxi skirt for £12, which I'll probably get next time I'm in. I never wear skirts, but think I'd feel comfortable in a long one.

I also picked up a couple things in the Paperchase sale, which I'd actually had my eye on before. The memo block was £3.15 down from £4.50, and the magnetic shopping list pads were £3.50 down from £5. There's a few other things I have my eye on, so will probably get them when I get the skirt.

Have you bought any Primark or Paperchase items recently?

The Body Shop Mango Body Sorbet

I've been loving The Body Shop recently, and when I heard that they were bringing out a range of light body moisturisers just in time for summer, I wanted to try one. Of course, I went for the mango, which smells incredible.

It's not greasy in the slightest, absorbs quickly, and leaves my skin feeling refreshed. It gives my normal skin a little hydration, but I'd prefer it to be more moisturising. It'd be a great product to apply in the mornings because it absorbs so quickly, meaning you can dress straight away, but it's very, very light. I don't think it'd do anything for those with dry skin.

It's £7/200ml full price, but The Body Shop always have a code floating around, so you're likely to pay even less. I paid £4.20 for mine. The sorbets aren't yet available online, but I found them in my local store, so it's worth having a look in yours, too.

Have you tried The Body Shop sorbets yet? Or will you be?

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours in LM3 Gossip, LM4 Show Off, LM5 Chatterbox, and LM6 Screamer

Up until recently, I hadn't bought any makeup for months. I was happy with the products I was using and no new releases appealed to me. None of the Barry M products even caught my eye, but then I swatched these in store and ended up with four. At just £3.99 for 10ml, I didn't even wait for an offer! 

So, the Barry M Loud Mouths (hate the name) are similar to the likes of the Sleek Pout Paints and OCC Lip Tars, in the sense that they're a pigmented liquid lip colour. They smell fruity, a little goes a long way, they're glossy, last at least a few hours (on me), and fade surprisingly well. They don't seem to settle into the lines of my lips, either. I simply put a little on my finger and dab them into my lips, but you can also use a lip brush. When I first used one of these (Show Off), it lasted through three hours, a stir fry, and a bowl half a tub of ice cream, and was still visible, albeit very faded. They may separate as time goes on, like my Sleek ones did, but just try and shake them up or get rid of the excess oils with a tissue.

Gossip is a deep raspberry pink, Show Off is a warm coral pink, Chatterbox is a straight up pink, and Screamer is a peach. There's also two reds (LM1 Diva, LM2 Tease) and a nude (LM7 Tell-Tale) in the range.

I'm sorry I don't have lip swatches for you right now (pesky blemishes), but I'll try and get some up in the near future! UPDATE: swatches here.

Do you like the look of the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Lip Colours?

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer

Before buying this last month, I'd had my eye on it for a while. At £11.99 with mixed reviews, though, I was apprehensive. Then it was on offer for £8.99, so I decided to just buy it and see for myself!

I was left disappointed after the first use because it went flakey. This hasn't happened since, though, so I don't know what happened there!

The packaging is nice enough, but the product at the very top of the pump dries out (even with the lid on), so you have a little hard ball amongst the rest that you have to discard. It's only a small amount, though, so it doesn't affect the product. I'd also prefer it to have the type of pump that pushes all the product to the very top so none is wasted.

This makes my skin look and feel smooth, while mattifying the area slightly. Little lines and pores appear almost blurred. I tried to capture this, but couldn't. It's not a significant difference that others will notice, but you can certainly see the difference yourself. Makeup then applies smoother and doesn't crease around my eyes. I don't know if it makes products last longer because I only wear a little concealer and powder, but I can still feel the satin finish hours later.

I like this primer, but would like it even more if the packaging was improved and the price was more affordable! Saying that, I think I'd still repurchase (when it's on offer).

Have you tried the Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer before?

The Body Shop Haul

The Body Shop products have been featuring a lot on Affordable Treats lately! Many are in my routine (see here), but I still wanted to try a few more, so took advantage of the 40% off online and in-store code currently making the rounds. Full prices given.

Bath Lily - £2

I always have a couple of these in my stash. I find TBS ones are softer and create a richer lather than others, so like to pick one up when I'm buying other products.

Mango Body Sorbet - £7

This isn't online yet, so I bought it in-store. My first impressions are that it smells amazing (obviously), isn't sticky in the slightest, absorbs quickly, and leaves you feeling refreshed. I don't feel that moisturised after using it, though, so don't know if it's actually doing anything for my skin. However, I have normal skin, so don't need an intense moisturiser.

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10

This is a repurchase because I'm down to the last third of my current bottle. You can read my review here.

Vitamin E Moisture Serum - £11

I've never tried a serum, so thought I'd give this one a go. I've read mostly positive reviews, but will let you know how I get on with it personally in the next few weeks!

Colour Crush Shine Lipsticks in 18 Sunset Romance and 15 Fuchsia Flirt - £10 each

I wanted to try a couple more things from the makeup line, and these were calling my name. They're apparently similar to the likes of the Revlon Lip Butters, in the sense that they're light and balmy. You'll no doubt be seeing these again soon!

Have you made any purchases from The Body Shop recently?

New Things

I used my iPhone for the photos above because my camera and I aren't getting on at the moment. I may use my phone for future hauls, too, because it's a lot quicker! This week, I've received my dissertation and final assignment grades (all good, thankfully), updated my CV and applied for a job, finished watching Chuck, watched the first season of OITNB, started watching Prison Break, and shopped. All in all, it hasn't been bad!

I featured the necklace in my New Favourites #05 post. It's from Accessorize and was £6, which isn't too bad for them. It's small, sits on your collarbone nicely, and goes with most things. I also have my eye on another Accessorize necklace, but it's £15, so I'm going to wait and hope it's in their next sale!

Even though my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light is still going strong, I wanted to buy a back up. I bought it here for £4.99 including P&P. Now that it's gone up to £3.95 on ELF's website and P&P is £2.95, it's cheaper to get it on eBay. I know ELF often have codes floating around, but I didn't want anything else.

I bought the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter yesterday for £6.95 because I had one of those £3 off vouchers to use. I wasn't planning on getting it, but loved how it swatched. Also liked the BB Lips Beauty Balms, and wish I'd picked one up now!

I then bought the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colour in Show Off for £3.99. It's a warm, coral pink, which is very pigmented and similar to the Sleek Pout Paints. I tested it out yesterday evening and it was still present after three hours, a stir fry, and a bowl of ice cream (half a tub, really...). It had faded, but it was even. I then went ahead and ordered another three shades, so look out for reviews and swatches soon!

The mug is from Wilkinson and was £2. The print is nice, but the main reason I bought it was because of its size. It's like a small bowl, fitting two normal sized cups of tea in!

The tins were from TK Maxx and cost £2.99-£3.99. I'm always on the look out for tins because they're great for storing my baking bits (and anything else).

The yellow satchel was from Primark and cost £6. I've only ever used bags for school/uni, so have never owned a small one. I loved the colour of this, though, so just had to get it. They also had it in mint and pink. This is probably my favourite item I bought yesterday because it's so different to anything I have!

The knickers were also from Primark, and were only £1 each. They have a nice shape and look good on, so I'm happy.

The last three photos are of boring items, but they're items most of us use. The lint rollers were from Primark and were £1.50 a pack. Lint rollers are a must in an animal filled house! The Bic Soleil razors were from Superdrug and were down to £1.83 from £3.69. I already had a couple packs stored away, but couldn't resist a couple more. They're something I'm always going to use! The Mitchum deodorant sticks were £1.48 and £1.66 from £2.99 and £3.35 (this offer isn't online, though). I started using Mitchum deodorants earlier this year and they seem to work better than others I've tried. 

I use Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes for removing makeup before cleansing, spot cleaning my brushes, and freshening up. They're normally around £1.99 for 80, which is great in comparison to standard facial wipes. However, I usually get them when they're 99p or 6 for £5 at Lloyds Pharmacy. My sister also happens to work at the latter, so gets staff discount. 67p for 80? Yes please!

The last photo shows my inner age. My new net curtains arrived yesterday and I really like them! It's surprising how much a new pair of net curtains brighten your room. I'm mentioning them because they were a bargain from eBay. For my large window, I paid £5.70 including P&P. You can find the listing here. You can probably get nicer ones, but for the price, these are great. They also look better than others I've had in the past.

What have you been buying recently?

New Favourites #05

I've written positive reviews on most of the products above, but realised that they haven't been in a Favourites yet, so here we are!

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10/200ml - review here

I love both this and the Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, but have been reaching for this more often because it's quicker. Instead of unscrewing a lid and scooping, I can just pump. It removes all of my makeup well and leaves my skin feeling really soft. 

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Mist - £7.50/100ml - review here

I have quite a few of The Body Shop body mists, and this is my new favourite. It smells like a fresh, juicy peach. Amazing.

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser - £2.59/5g at Superdrug, £2.63 at Boots

I have yet to mention this on Affordable Treats. Blistex were giving away 500 of these on Facebook a few weeks back, and I was lucky enough to win one. I wasn't expecting it to be anything special, but was blown away when I first used it. It feels like it moisturises your lips right the way through, instead of just the first layer of skin. I apply this at night, let the menthol do its thing, then wake up to moisturised, plump lips. I rarely have chapped lips, so cannot comment on if it helps to that extent, but it seemed to help my sister's. I'll definitely be buying another tube!

NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler - £5/6.5g - review here

Like I said in my review, I'm not usually one for gloss, but this is something else! It's not as orange as it looks in the tube, and it's not as pink as my swatch suggests, but a beautiful coral. It feels buttery, like the name suggests, but in a good way. It's also pigmented, lasts a few hours, and fades evenly. I also have Apple Strudel, but that shades tends to settle into the lines on my lips. Peach Cobbler doesn't.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream - £10.50/300ml - review here

My sister bought me this from eBay for just £4.69 including P&P. It smells like lime cheesecake, absorbs into the skin quickly, and leaves it feeling moisturised. Couldn't ask for more!

Accessorize Daisy Necklace - £6

I normally include my non-beauty favourites in my Currently Loving posts, but thought I'd just include this little item here. I like jewellery, but don't wear a lot of it because I always forget to. I went into Accessorize with my sister the other day because she wanted a ring, and she picked out this for me. I was surprised it wasn't more than it was, and love daisies, so decided to treat myself. It's small and sits perfectly on my collarbone, going with most of my tops. I could have bought a lot more, but will probably wait for their next sale!

What have you been loving recently?