Lip Product Collection and Storage

I don't know when this happened. One minute I'm rarely wearing lip products, and the next I'm having to buy a third container just to fit them in! I didn't realise how many I had until I gathered them together for this post. I used to wear nothing on my lips because I thought I looked like a child playing dress up when I did. However, I wear very little eye makeup and have pale lips, so without some form of colour on them, I can look a little...  ill. The lipstick holders are from here, and I'm very happy with them. I'm able to easily see every shade I have, without having them scattered across multiple surfaces in my room. They're currently just £2.99, which is an added bonus. I'm not going to go through every lip product with you, but I'm going to link the posts and reviews to some:

My Lip Crayon Collection (with links to individual reviews)

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Fraise Remix

Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick in 1,2,3 Soleil

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms

Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colours

What lip products would you recommend I try? I have some slots to fill!

Decluttering My Makeup Basket #2

Before

After

The time has come to declutter my makeup basket again. If you didn't know, I have a basket on top of my beauty chest of drawers for my everyday products. Over time, this ends up being filled with much more! You can see my first Decluttering My Makeup Basket post here. Like I said there, no lip products are included here because they have their own section on my chest of drawers. They're organised in clear plastic lipstick holders, which I wrote a post about here. The eBay seller I bought them from has now lowered the price to just £2.87 including P&P!

So, many of the products that made the cut are actually the same as the ones in my first post (MUA's Cover & Conceal Concealer in Fair £1.50, The Body Shop's All in One Face Base in 02 £14, NYX's Cream Blush in Natural £5.50, ELF's Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light £3.95, Maybelline's Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze £4.99, L'Oreal's Perfect Slim Super Liner £6.99, and Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara £7.99). If you want to see my thoughts on them, just head over there. I'll be talking about the others here!

I'm currently using MUA's Undress Your Skin Flawless Primer (£5) because I've used all my others. This one has a weird silicone-y feel, which is different to the gel and cream formulas I'm used to. My concealer applies smoother, though, and I haven't experienced any creasing around my eyes. Still, I haven't been blown away by it, so am on the look out for others. I currently have my eye on the Revlon and Gosh ones, so if you've used them, please let me know your thoughts.

To warm up my complexion, I've been using The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer (£13, review here). It's soft, matte, and blends well. It's also light in colour, so you don't have to worry about going overboard (it does take some building up, though).

I haven't even opened it yet, but have NYX's Powder Blush in Taupe (£6) in there. I've heard it's a great contouring shade for pale complexions.

I'm still using my favourite NYX Cream Blush in Natural (£5.50), which I talk about in the first post, but am now also using Illamasqua's Cream Blusher in Dixie (£18, review here). It's not as creamy, but is still one of the best formulas I've tried. Beautiful coral shade, pigmented, blends well, and lasts most of the day.

I'm also still using my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light (£3.95), which is one of my all time favourite products, but I've started using MUA's Clear Mascara (£1) to set it. It's cheap and it does its job!

I'm currently missing some eyelashes (sad times), so have dug out my Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner (£7.99) to press into my upper lash line. I've had this for a couple years now, so was surprised it hadn't dried up! It's pigmented and lasts throughout the day.

What products are currently in your everyday routine?

Peaches & Corals

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Dixie, MUA Blusher in Lolly, NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler, Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick in 123 Soleil, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya, Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach

I'm so imaginative with my titles, I know. Shades of peach and coral are my favourite, so I thought I'd show you some of the best products I have in these colour families.

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Dixie - £18 - review here

This is incredibly pigmented, blends well, and lasts most of the day. It applies more pink than it looks in the pan, so the overall effect is warming and not in-your-face. It's not as creamy as my NYX ones, but it's still one of the best formulas I've tried. I bought this for £6.75 in the sale, so I'd definitely keep an eye out for their next!

MUA Blusher in Lolly - £1 - review here

This is the only orangey powder blush I own. It's a soft apricot with very subtle golden shimmer. It's soft to touch and blends well, but has a lot of fall out. Still, if you're thinking about trying an orange blusher, it's worth giving this a go first to see if the shade suits your complexion.

NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler - £5 - review here

My new favourite lip product. I normally dislike lipglosses, but this is something else. Pigmented, buttery, and lasts a few hours before fading evenly. I also have Apple Strudel, but don't like it as much. The colour is great, but it settles into the lines of your lips, which is a shame.

Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick in 123 Soleil - £7.99 - review here

The formula of this range is similar to that of the Revlon Lip Butters, which I've become a fan of. 123 Soleil is an orange shade, but leans coral, steering it away from being garish. The formula's light, balmy, and lasts a few hours before fading evenly.

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya - £7.99 -  review here

This is a lot lighter, and is more of a peach/apricot, so looks natural. The formula is like the others, which I'm obviously a fan of at the moment!

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach - £7.99 - review here

I wore this a ton last summer. The colour is beautiful, and, again, the formula is light and moisturising. You can see what I prioritise in the warmer months!

Models Own Nail Polish in Beach Bag - £5 

I have yet to review this, but you can see a swatch of it on my Instagram here. It's a neon pastel peach, which is difficult to photograph, and takes three coats. If it was more opaque, it'd definitely be one of my favourite nail polishes, ever.

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Papaya - £3.99 - review here

A bright peach that's opaque in two coats. It looks dull and dark compared to the others, but it is a beautiful shade.

Sinful Colours Nail Polish in Orange Cream - £1.99 - review here

This is the light peach in the photo, and it's one of my favourites. It has silver shimmer in, which I'm usually not a fan of, but it's very subtle and just lifts the shade. It takes 2-3 coats to become opaque.

Sinful Colours Nail Polish in Island Coral - £1.99

You can probably find a shade similar to this in every range, but I love it. Straight-up corals that change from orange to pink in different lights are my favourite. It takes two coats, too, which is great for £1.99.

What are your favourite peach and coral products?

Top 5 Under £5 - Eyes/Eyebrows

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze, MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 11, MUA Eyeshadow in Shade 1

I was going to do a 'Top 10 Under £10' series, but seeing as most of the products featured on Affordable Treats are under £10, I decided to lower the price! I haven't included mascara in this because my favourites are from Maybelline, which are around £8. I also haven't included liquid liner because my usual Collection one (£2.99) has dried up, and the one I'm currently using is a pricier L'Oreal one. There's also quite a few products in my collection that I've bought for less than £5 due to codes and discounts, but their retail prices are over £5, so it wouldn't have been fair to include them.

ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light - £3.95

This has recently increased in price, but is still affordable. I love it! I've been using the kits for years, but it wasn't until last year that I tried the shade Light. It's a much better match, and I use it everyday without fail.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze - £4.99

I don't wear eyeshadow on my lids, but do wear a little smudged along my lower lash line, and this is what I've been using for the last year or so. The colour is beautiful, it's still creamy, and it stays on all day. I also have Permanent Taupe, but I don't use it as often.

MUA Clear Mascara - £1

To set my brows, I use this. It does its job, and I don't fill the need to spend any more on something that will do the same thing!

MUA Eyeshadows - £1

Some of these can be a miss, but the shades above are buttery soft and pigmented. Shade 11 is a basic everyday neutral, while shade 1 is a nice inner corner highlight.

MUA Eyebrow Brush - £1.50

Another MUA product! This brush is thin yet dense, making it perfect for eyebrows and eyeliner. I used to use ELF's Small Angled Brush, but it was fluffier than this, meaning I couldn't be as precise with application.

What are your top products under £5?

My Lip Crayon Collection

MUA Power Pout in Runway, Revlon Matte Balm in Audacious, MUA Power Pout in Justify, Bourjois Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach, Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Peach, MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous, Revlon Balm Stain in Honey, Revlon Matte Balm in Elusive, MUA Power Pout in Broken Hearted, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic, Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Apple, Revlon Balm Stain in Sweetheart, MUA Power Pout in Irreplaceable, MUA Power Pout in Crazy in Love, Revlon Balm Stain in Crush, and No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Berry.

iPhone photo, natural lighting

Flash

I love lip crayons. I think it's because it was a lip crayon that got me into wearing colour on my lips (outside the house!). That lip crayon was Revlon's Balm Stain in Honey, which is one of my all time favourites. You can see that Honey and Bourjois' Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach are my most worn shades because the swatches are wider, and this is where I've completely worn down the points! I also love how balmy lip crayons are. Even the new Revlon Matte Balms feel comfortable on the lips, and I'm enjoying using them. I have yet to lip swatch these because of a pesky blemish, but will be doing so in the next week or so! You can find reviews and lip swatches of the others here:

MUA Power Pouts in Justify, Broken Hearted, Irreplaceable, and Crazy in Love

MUA Power Pout in Runway

MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous

Revlon Balm Stain in Crush

Revlon Balm Stain in Honey

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bars in Juicy Apple and Juicy Peach

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic

Bourjois Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach

Let me just say, the camera really highlights freckles and hair! I didn't even know my lips had freckles on them until I started blogging. I also started waxing my upper lip after some of these swatches, so, uh, excuse the moustache ;) Oh, and on a side note, the MUA Power Pout lids are rubbish, so I wouldn't go trusting them in your bag! Also, the swatches above show just one swipe of each lip crayon, so you can see how pigmented they are.

The Makeup Brushes I Use

I have somehow ended up with three pots of makeup brushes, even though I wouldn't consider myself an obsessive. I have ones from ELF, EcoTools, Real Techniques, MUA, Models Own, and even eBay, but the ones above are the ones I use in my daily routine.

Real Techniques Powder Brush (£12.99 at Boots, £10.99 at Superdrug) - I've given the Boots and Superdrug prices because they're the most accessible, but you can get it cheaper online from various places. I paid around £8 for mine from Amazon, and I've seen the brand stocked on discounted cosmetics sites, too. Before this, I was used to paying ELF's price of £3.50-£3.75 for a powder brush, so this was a splurge. I've been using this nearly every day for 9 months now, and definitely think it's worth it. It's a lot bigger than any other powder brush I've used, and has maintained its fluffy and soft qualities for all this time.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush (£11.99 at Boots, £10.99 at Superdrug) - I bought this the same time as the other, and paid around the same price. I use my NYX Cream Blush in Natural on a daily basis, and use this to apply it. I have about 4 stippling brushes now, but always pick this one because the hairs are shorter and slightly more dense, allowing me to blend the product in better. It does mean it picks up more product if you're not careful, though, but I'm used to that. 

MUA Eyebrow Brush (£1.50) - I used to use ELF's Studio Small Angled Brushes to fill in my eyebrows, but haven't touched them since buying this. It's thinner, meaning it doesn't get clogged with product, and allows you to be more precise. It's a bargain, too!

ELF Studio Small Precision Brush (£3.75) - I don't wear eyeshadow on my lids, but like applying a little to my lower lash line to give some definition, and I opt for this brush to apply it. It's the perfect size.

ELF Eyelash and Brow Wand (£1.50) - After I've filled in my brows, I give them a brush through with this. I've had this one for years, and it's still going strong. It's cheap and it does the job!

I also love my eBay brushes, which look similar to the Real Techniques ones. You can find my post about them here. I've just had a look at the seller's listings, and they've put the prices of all the colours back down below £2. They range from £1.63-£1.99, and come in blue, purple, pink, red, and yellow/gold. The seller also has the EcoTools brushes and sets I've blogged about before for just a couple of pounds.

What are your favourite makeup brushes?

Empties #03 - I finished a body butter!

As I've already mentioned it in the title, I'll start with The Body Shop's Mango Body Butter! It's the first one I've ever finished, and I feel like I've accomplished something! I normally alternate between my products, so instead of finishing one, they're all half empty. The actual product was good (or else I wouldn't have finished it!). It sank into my skin well and left it moisturised for days. Mango is one of my favourite scents, too.

Let's head back over to the left. I finished two more Alberto Balsam Shampoos in Strawberries & Cream and Sun Kissed Raspberry. The Strawberries & Cream scent is one of my favourites, and I've already stocked up on a few bottles of it! The Sun Kissed Raspberry is nice, but very subtle. They perform well in my hair, and I can't complain for 99p!

I also finished a bottle of the TRESemme Naturals Conditioner. Again, TRESemme is a brand I regularly use and have had no problems with, so I've already bought another bottle of this.

The Body Shop's Banana Conditioner was okay. I liked the scent, but the conditioner itself was average, and I wouldn't pay the full price of £4.50 for it. I was surprised, actually, because it's a product so many people love. The bottle also made it very difficult to get product out.

Aussie's Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner has been part of my routine for years, and I've already repurchased. It leaves my hair feeling soft, and smells incredible.

I haven't been using them for the last couple of weeks, but you can see I used them a lot before then, and that's the Superdrug Colour Effects Wash In Wash Out Conditioning Colours. The shades I have here are Rich Warm Brown and True Chestnut. I love these, and have spoken of them many times before. I have three more bottles in my draw, and will purchase more in the future.

The Body Shop's Vitamin E Face Mist was a product I bought simply because I was trying to get to a certain amount to qualify for a code. I like how fine the mist is, and it is refreshing, but that's all. I don't feel like it helps improve my skin or the longevity of my makeup. I don't think I'll repurchase this - I'll just refill the bottle with water!

Superdrug's Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser is similar to their Vitamin E one. It removes all my makeup well, and leaves my skin feeling moisturised. I can't say my skin looked brighter, though. 

The MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer has been part of my makeup routine since the beginning of this year, and thought it was about time I ditched this one and bought another. For £1.50, why not?! It has a light to medium coverage and a dewy finish. I'm not the biggest fan of the dewy finish, but I apply powder over the top anyway, so don't find this a problem. It doesn't always cover blemishes well, so I use another concealer for this purpose.

I love Simple's Baby Moisturising Wipes, and have already stocked up because they're better than half price at the moment! 80 for £1.99 is good, but it's even better when they're 98p. They just do their job - They remove my makeup without stinging or drying my skin out, and they help keep my eye/eyebrow brushes fairly clean until I wash them. I don't see the point in buying more expensive wipes. Others may be more moisturising, but I don't buy them to moisturise because I have moisturisers for that!

I'm also finished with The Body Shop's Raspberry and Lemon Body Butters, but not because they're empty. They're actually almost full, but I've had them for too long and now they're smelling a bit off. This is why I need to stop buying new products and use what I have! I've learnt my lesson now. I even resisted buying more tubs of the Vineyard Peach one because I knew I wouldn't get round to using them. They were down to only £3, too, so it took a lot of strength to resist!

Have you used any of these products before?

Decluttering my Makeup Basket

I have this basket on top of my beauty chest of drawers, and it's supposed to hold my most used makeup (with the rest going in the top drawer). This just makes things easier to find and saves time in the morning. However, over time, more and more products are added to it, making it a cluttered mess! If I buy a new product, it'll end up in the basket. If I take something out of the top drawer, it'll end up in the basket. And yes, even hair ties end up in the basket.  So, after being strict with myself and having a good sort out, what has made the cut? 

No lip products have because they live in a lipstick container next to the basket. 

My MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer has, as well as a tube of Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer for blemishes. On a side note, how rubbish is the packaging of this? It's a new tube, and yet the black writing has already rubbed off! 

My chosen powder is The Body Shop's All-in-One Face Base in 02 because it gives a little coverage and a silky, matte finish. 

Moving on to cheek products (I'm going through this in the order I do my makeup!). I've decided to have NYX's Cream Blush in Natural in there, as well as two Dainty Doll Powder Blushes in You Are My Sunshine and Money Talks. You Are My Sunshine is a pinky peach with golden shimmer (it looks nothing like it does in the photo), and Money Talks is a cool toned brown. It's shimmery, so I don't use it as a bronzer, but it's a nice alternative shade for blush. 

ELF's Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light has also made the cut, which is no surprise! It's all I use on my brows. 

For lining my lower lash line, I've chosen a few products. NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha is very well loved, as you can see! And I've also chosen Maybelline's Colour Tattoos in On & On Bronze and Permanent Taupe. Permanent Taupe is matte, so I use this when I'm not in the mood for shimmer. 

I've chosen Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Nude for when I wish to line my waterline. I don't do this every day because it hasn't lasted well the last few times I've used it, but it's supposed to make your eyes appear bigger and brighter, and I'm all for that! 

Then, when I have the patience, I'll use L'Oreal's Perfect Slim Super Liner. I'm too lazy to use it on a day to day basis, though! 

Lastly, Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara is my current everyday mascara. I think I ended up with 6 in my basket! And although I used them all, I've decided to use one up at a time.

Do you keep your everyday makeup separate from the rest? If so, do you slowly add other products to the mix so it gradually becomes cluttered like mine?

Stocking Up on Essentials

My essentials were running low, so thought I'd stock up while some of them were on offer! I either use TRESemme or Alberto Balsam Shampoo & Conditioner, with my favourite being the Strawberries and Cream scent. I couldn't find it on the shelves anywhere, though, so when I found it online at Chemist Direct, I bought 4 bottles (98p-£1.04). I did want to buy 8, but restrained myself. To make up for the postage cost, I also bought the Pomegranate, and Mandarin & Papaya, shampoos and conditioners, which are also difficult to find in stores. From Superdrug, I bought another tube of the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser because it was just £3.32! With this, I bought two more packs of Simple's 80 Baby Moisturising Wipes for 99p each (they're normally £1.99) and MUA's Cover & Conceal Concealer for £1.50. A few days later, I noticed that Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara was £3 off and buy one get one half price, so I bought two for just £3.74 each! It's one of my favourite mascaras, so I was pretty chuffed with that. Lastly, from eBay, I bought ELF's Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light for £5.99. It's normally £3.75 on ELF's website, but the postage makes it more expensive, and I didn't want to buy anything else, so bought it from eBay to save a little bit of money. I've been using the Medium shade of this kit for years because I thought Light would be too... light! But it actually suits my eyebrows more.

Do you stock up on your essentials? Or wait until you've finished them before repurchasing?

How much is my face worth?

I did this tag two and half years ago, with my total being £38.95. I thought it'd be interesting to do it again and see how much my face is worth now! If you're unfamiliar with this tag, you simply gather all the cosmetics you use on a daily basis and add up their prices. So, here goes:

MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer in Fair - £1.50

The Body Shop All-in-One Face Base in 02 - £14

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural - £5.50

ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light - £3.75

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On & On Bronze - £4.99

Maybelline The Rocket Mascara in Very Black - £7.99

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey - £7.99

Total = £45.72

Not too bad! I thought it'd be more than that. I'd also like to point out that I've given the full prices of items, but I rarely pay this. For example, I only paid £8 for The Body Shop All-in-One Face Base because I used a code, and the Maybelline and Revlon products were bought with my 10% off student discount. Also, the products I use day to day do vary a little, but the ones above are my most used. My blush and lip colour change often, but I use products around the same value. I also wear liquid eyeliner when I can be bothered!

How much is your face worth?

New Favourites

In order to write 'monthly favourites', you need to be trying new products (unless you wish to feature the same products every month!). My favourites usually stay favourites, and I don't buy that many new products, so had a hard time keeping them up! So I started writing 'new favourites' and realised earlier that I hadn't written one in a while. The products above are products that haven't been featured much on Affordable Treats, but I've been using them a lot recently, so thought I'd talk a bit more about them.

A couple months ago, I wanted a face powder with a little coverage, so purchased The Body Shop's All-in-One Face Base in 02. It's £14 full price, but I paid around £8 with a code. The Body Shop always has a great offer on, so you'll never have to pay full price for something! It gives me a little coverage and a soft, matte finish. For areas which need more coverage/mattifying than others, I pat the product on with my finger. I use this technique around my eyes the most because they tend to get quite oily and red. You can apparently apply it wet for even more coverage, too.

Sticking with The Body Shop, I've been loving the Mango Body Mist. I've loved this for months, and am running very low! £7.50 full price, but I've never paid that for my mists (I also have the coconut and berry varieties, which are also great). My sister also loves this and has about 4 bottles stored away!

Another fragrance I've been loving is Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine Edition. I was gifted this from the people at Fragrance Direct, wrote a post about it, and have been wearing it ever since. I've been wearing it even more than usual recently, though, which is odd for me because I'm more of a body mist kind of girl. I've been pairing this with the Mango Body Mist, actually. The light floral and fruity scents go well together. It's a nice, happy medium of the both.

I bought the Organic Surge Blissful Daily and Super Intensive Moisturisers during their sale for just over £2 each, and I'm so glad I did! They're both very moisturising, but light at the same time, and sink into the skin quickly. Even the intense one is suitable for the day, and I have combination skin! It has a light scent of rose, and the daily variety smells of lemon. They're £8.49-£8.99 full price, which is very reasonable, and I'd be happy to pay that.

I use ELF's Small Angled Brush to fill in my eyebrows, but find it too thick to apply eyeliner with eyeshadow. Enter MUA's £1.50 Eyebrow Brush. It's very thin and dense, making it perfect for eyeliner. 

Do you use any of these products? What products have you been loving recently?

Changing Concealer

I raved about the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer for years, and bought countless tubes of the stuff. I just loved its coverage. I don't look for much else in a concealer because I use a primer to help with ease of application and crease prevention. Then, in January this year, MUA were offering 50% off their entire range, so I decided to add the Cover & Conceal concealer to my basket for just 75p (normally £1.50). It's now been my daily concealer for 8 months, and I'm still on the same tube (it seems like it's never ending!). I tried the Collection one again a few weeks ago, and although great for blemishes, I hated it for redness and under my eyes. I found it so thick and cakey! I'm not used to it after using MUA's light-medium coverage variety. MUA's isn't perfect, though. Like I said, it has a light-medium coverage, so it isn't great at concealing blemishes. It also has a dewy finish, which I don't want around my oily eyes, so I have to set it with a powder. Both concealers have faults (in my eyes, at least), but they work well together. The Collection one for blemishes, and the MUA one for the rest of my face.

I do want to find that perfect all round concealer, though. One that has a high enough coverage to conceal spots, but not so high that it looks cakey on the rest of my skin. I'd also like it to have a normal/matte finish so powder isn't necessary. Do you have any recommendations? I've heard Bourjois and Maybelline have some good offerings.

MUA Power Pout in Runway

This is my last drafted post, and I haven't bought anything new recently, so need to go to the drawing board after this and think of new post ideas! This is MUA's Power Pout in Runway. You can see my swatches of the rest of the collection here and here. It's looking a little patchy in the photo above, but it wasn't in real life, I promise! Also, I rarely wear it to this intensity. I prefer to wear it as a light stain and create that 'I've just been eating strawberries' look. Runway is a warm, strawberry red which can pack a punch on my pale lips if desired. Like the other shades, it lasts for a good few hours before wearing away, leaving a subtle stain.

I really like the MUA Power Pouts, and hope they bring out more shades in the future. They're definitely worth more than their £3 price tag!

Summer Makeup Routine - Reviews and Swatches

The weather has clearly had an effect on my makeup choices, and without realising, I've changed my taupes and berries for bronzes and peaches! So, here's what I've been wearing over the last month or so:

I've been starting off using my MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer in Fair. I've actually been using this for about 6 months, and for £1.50, think it's pretty good! It has a light to medium coverage, and a dewy finish.

I've then been using my Look Beauty Mattify Me Powder to control any shine. I'm not fussy when it comes to powders; this is just the one I'm using up at the moment!

For brows, I use my trusty ELF Eyebrow Kit in Medium. In the Winter, I use the wax because it's darker, but in the Summer, I use the powder, which is lighter and warmer in tone.

To add some definition to my lower lash line, I've been using Maybelline's Colour Tattoo Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze. When it's colder, I tend to gravitate towards taupes and dark browns, but I've been loving this for the warmer months. 

Rimmel's Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Nude is what I've been using on my waterline. This just brightens and makes my eyes appear bigger.

Then, I've been using my new favourite mascara - Maybelline's Rocket. I love every Maybelline mascara I've tried, and this is no exception. It does everything a mascara should without clumping a single bit. Great stuff.

I've used the flash for this photo so you can see the shades better! I like to change up my blush a little, and these are the three I've been using the most recently. 

NYX's Cream Blush in Natural is an all time favourite, whatever the weather. 

Dainty Doll's Powder Blush in You Are My Sunshine is a peachy pink with fine gold shimmer running through it (super pretty), 

and MUA's Lolly Powder Blush has been my go to orange blusher. 

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Peach, Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic, MUA Power Pout in Justify, Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Coral Tonic, Collection (2000) Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in Fairy Cake, and Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom.

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Peach, Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic, MUA Power Pout in Justify, Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Coral Tonic, Collection (2000) Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in Fairy Cake, and Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom.

As you can see, I change my lip products up a lot more frequently! And you can also see I'm going through a peach/coral phase. How pretty are they all? I'm going to have some individual posts on a few of these because they deserve some attention!



So, that's the makeup I'm currently wearing. I have swatches of the blushes, Colour Tattoo, and Scandaleyes eyeliner on my blog already, so just search for them in the search bar to your left :)

MUA Blushers (New 2013 Shades)

Cupcake, Lolly, Bubblegum, Bon Bon

Cupcake, Lolly, Bubblegum, Bon Bon

Cupcake, Lolly, Bubblegum, Bon Bon

Hello! So, I decided to pick up some of the new MUA £1 blusher shades during their 3 for 2 offer. I've never tried their original blushers, so can't compare them. I do know that the packaging is different, though. It's nothing fancy, but it does the job, and I can't really complain for £1! The powders are really soft to touch (more than most blushers I've tried), pigmented, and blend well. However, when I dip my brush in, there's a lot of fallout, so a lot of product is wasted. The shades I have aren't shimmery, so give a natural looking blush. In the pan, Lolly has some subtle shimmer, but this doesn't translate to the skin. My favourite would have to be Cupcake because it's a soft peach which suits my freckled skin tone well. I also like Lolly because I don't have a matte orange in my collection. Bubblegum is pretty, but not a unique shade to me, and Bon Bon is a subtle, natural pink. The two other shades in the 2013 collection are Marshmallow, a cooler toned pink, and Candyfloss, a shimmery pink. Overall, for £1 (or less if you bought/buy them during an offer), I think they're pretty good. The powdery fallout is a shame, though.

Recent Beauty Buys

I wasn't planning on posting another beauty haul, but then I kept buying bits and bobs here and there. So, let's get cracking!

Alberto Balsam shampoos and conditioners are currently 4 for £3 in Superdrug, so thought I'd stock up. I used to use the brand a couple of years ago, but then moved on to TRESemme. I've recently gone back to them though because they're affordable, work well, and smell amazing! I bought 3 shampoos because I'm already stocked up on conditioner.

I also bought the Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Gel Cream with Peach for £2.99. It's just a simple, light moisturiser that absorbs into the skin quickly.

The Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes are normally £1.99, but they were down to £1 in Lloyd's Pharmacy, and my sister had staff discount, so I got them for 80p each - Yay!

Going back to Superdrug, I bought the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair for £4.19. I've gone through tubes and tubes of this stuff, but for the last couple of months I've been using MUA's Cover and Conceal Wand in Porcelain, which has been working fine (especially for £1.50). I thought I'd go back to this to remember how good it is, though.

I often forget to look at the Feel Unique website, but it's actually great. Free delivery, discounted products, and you currently get 10% off your order. I bought Maybelline's Rocket mascara for £6.79 (before the 10% discount). I didn't buy the waterproof version because the last waterproof mascara I bought (Maybelline's Falsies) would not come off, no matter what products I used. You could see that as a good thing, but I want to keep my lashes, not pull them out trying to get the stuff off!

Also from Feel Unique, I bought Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe for £4.99 (before the 10% discount). I don't wear eyeshadow on my eyelids because I look ridiculous, but I like blending them into my lash line to give some definition. I've been using On and On Bronze, but wanted a matte shade.

I then placed an order with MUA because their products were 3 for 2. I picked up 4 of their new £1 blusher shades - Cupcake, Lolly, Bubblegum, and Bon Bon (will be reviewing these in the next couple of days). 

I then bought the Hide & Conceal Stick in Porcelain for £1. I normally use liquid concealers, but thought this would be good for blemishes. It's actually really creamy, which I wasn't expecting! 

I also bought the Power Pout in Runway for £3. I have all the other shades, so thought I may as well get this one too! It's a coral/red, and I'm going to wear it lightly (I also look ridiculous with bright lips)

I thought I'd also show you what I've just ordered from Superdrug (free delivery until the 17th). I bought the Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner and Aussie Dual Personality Heat Protection & Leave In Spray for £6. They're normally £4.49 and £4.69 each. These are both repurchases (they smell amazing!).

Then I added the Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover to my basket for £2.15. This is my favourite nail polish remover and smells nice, considering (like vanilla).

Then I thought I'd stock up on my trusty razors seeing as they're currently better than half price. I bought the Bic Lady Soleil ones for £1.51, and the Bic Miss Soleil ones for £1.48. Bic Soleil razors were the first ones I ever used (about 7 years ago), and they're the only ones I've used since. I do want to try a battery operated one, though, but don't know the good from the bad!

And that's everything! For now, anyway...