2014 Favourites: Part One

I wasn't planning on having this many favourites, so I've split them into a couple posts. As you can see, this one contains the makeup!

There's clearly a theme with the lip products, with them either being coral or red. The ones above are No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Berry Rose, L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Exclusive Reds Lipstick in Julianne, Maybelline Colour Elixir in Alluring Coral, NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler, The Body Shop Colour Crush Shine Lipstick in Sunset Romance, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Frambourjoise, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, and No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Geranium. Some are glossy, some are matte, some are sheer, some are opaque, but they are all absolutely beautiful.

Another lip product I've been loving is the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser. Hands down, the best lip balm I've ever tried. Unlike many, it doesn't just act as a barrier, but actually improves the condition of your lips.

I started wearing foundation in 2014, after not being able to get on with any for years. The No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation changed that. The packaging is practical, it's one of the lighter shades on the highstreet, it gives a full coverage, and doesn't feel heavy or look cakey.

The Body Shop's All In One Face Base in 02 is a product I've been using for a couple years now. It's silky and provides a little extra coverage. I've yet to come across anything better.

I don't like the handles of the Real Techniques Stippling and Powder Brushes because they take up so much room in my brush holder, but I've been using them nearly every day for the past year and they're still looking good. They've held their shape and haven't shed a hair, so I'm really pleased with them.

The No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter is just beautiful. It's the perfect candlelight shade and is easy to blend. 

The ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light. I've been through so many of these over the years. I used to use the Medium shade, but started using Light in 2013/2014 and find that it's a much better suiting.

I had a couple styes in October that lead to me pulling out my eyelashes (I know), and the Eylure Individual False Lashes saved the day. I only used the short ones to fill in the gaps I had, but they looked natural and weren't that difficult to apply. They didn't last more than a day because of cleansing, but they lasted through the day without any problems. 

Another product I started using for the same reasons is the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Black, and I now use it every day. It's jet black, easy to apply, and lasts all day, even on the upper waterline.

To my lower lash line, I smudge in the Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze. It's a beautiful metallic shade that lasts all day.

Maybelline really is my favourite brand for eye products! The Rocket Mascara is another favourite of mine that I've been using for years. I don't find it clumpy in the slightest, and it really lengthens the hairs.

The last products are cream blushes. NYX's Cream Blush in Natural is my favourite blush of all time, and I've just hit pan! So proud. It's pigmented, creamy, and easy to blend. The Illamasqua Cream Blushers in Dixie and Seduce are also great, although not quite as creamy. The shades, though, are beautiful.

Are you a fan of any of these products? What were your favourites of 2014?

Huge Boots Haul!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35

Boots staff double discount happened, and this isn't even all of it! I've removed some presents and doubles from the photo, and I forgot to include the No7 mirror and foundations (which I paid pennies for thanks to clearance and vouchers). In my defence, a number of items above are Christmas presents for various people. I'm just going to talk through a handful of things because we'll be here for a long time else!

I'm not one for false lashes, but I had a few styes and started pulling mine out (I know), so needed something to fill the gaps while they grow back! The individual lashes have been great, and while they don't last for days and days, they look natural. I remove them every night like I do with any cosmetic. This would be time consuming if I applied a full set every morning, but I only apply a couple. The Naturalites (10) also look promising!

I well and truly stocked up on the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner because they ended up being just £1.87 a bottle. It's definitely a range I'd recommend trying!

Original Source have brought out some body moisturisers, and I couldn't resist buying the peach and apricot lotion. It smells like a peach and apricot yoghurt! There's also a watermelon one, which I wouldn't mind smelling at some point.

29, 34, and 35 were on clearance in my store, so I ended up paying just 39p and 87p for them! Another exciting lip product purchase is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Exclusive Red Lipstick in Julianne. It's beautiful!

The Babyliss straighteners and Soap & Glory gift sets are for my mum for Christmas. She's only ever had mine and my sister's old straighteners, and her favourite colour is purple, so I thought the Elegance Pro would be perfect. She's not familiar with Soap & Glory, but after telling her a bit about the products and showing her reviews/swatches, she's excited to start using them!

Other points to mention: I'm excited to use the No7 makeup products (7 and 25-28) because they all have great reviews, I love the Laura Ashley kitchen accessories, and I don't know why I included the anti-blister stick and spray plaster. It must have been a long day!

Have you splurged recently?

Empties #08

As I'm writing this, I already have three products for my next Empties. I could include them here, but that would mean taking the photo again!

I don't like to include every shampoo and conditioner I go through in these posts because it gets incredibly tedious. However, this one's worth mentioning. I even dedicated an entire post to it here! It's the Tresemme Platinum Strength Shampoo. I was skeptical at first, but it really did make my hair feel softer, stronger, and overall healthier. I've already bought more, and would definitely recommend giving it a go.

The Nivea Waterlily and Oil Shower Gel was something I bought ages ago because it was on offer, but only started using it recently. I usually prefer fruity shower gels which pack a punch, but enjoyed using this delicate number. I didn't notice my skin feeling any more moisturised, though. It's nice, but nothing special, so I probably won't repurchase.

I can no longer see The Body Shop's Vineyard Peach Body Mist (review here) on their site, and I'm kicking myself for not stocking up. It smells like a fresh, juicy peach, and it's amazing.

I also finished up another bottle of Superdrug's Colour Effects Conditioning Colour in True Chestnut (review here). I think I've mentioned one of these in nearly every Empties, and I'm starting to sound like a broken record! Just read my review or previous posts to find out why I like them.

I liked the Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (review here). It left my skin looking and feeling smooth, mattified it slightly, and made my makeup look better. I just wish the packaging was different because I had to pry the lid off and whack the bottle on my palm to get the last little bit out (which was actually more than a little bit).

The Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Intense Black and Colour Tattoo Gel-Cream Eyeshadow in On & On Bronze are not empty, but they are drying up (after having them for years, may I add). Both are creamy, intensely pigmented, and last all day. They've become part of my daily routine, and I've already repurchased both.

Have you tried any of these products?

Bargain Beauty Haul

I've bagged some great bargains recently, especially in the last few days, so thought I'd gather them together and have a little ramble!

The first product is the Nina Ricci Nina perfume. I was going to buy this from Boots, but found it on allbeauty.com for £31.80 instead of £54. Although it's still not the cheapest perfume out there, I thought it was a great discount.

On top sits a set of three Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butters in Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Peach Parfait (all shades I've considered buying in the past). I found this little gem in TK Maxx for £7.99, instead of £7.99 each. It's the first decent beauty item I've found in there! 

I bought the Maybelline Elixir in Mandarin Rapture in Boots yesterday. This retails for £6.99, but I used a couple of vouchers towards it. There's also a 3 for 2 on all Maybelline products at the moment, if you're interested. Apart from the slight shimmer (and it's only slight), I like this so far. It reminds me of the NYX Butter Glosses, in the sense that it's balmy, glossy, and still packs a punch of colour. Unfortunately, we don't have a huge shade selection over here in the UK, but there's still a couple of others I have my eye on.

The EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm wasn't a huge bargain, but thought I'd include it here anyway. I bought it from Amazon for £3.91 including P&P, but they've now changed the price, so I'd suggest looking around yourself. I wanted to know if these hyped little balls were any good before buying a big value pack for presents. So far, so good. I'll keep you posted!

The Witch primers were on clearance in Superdrug for £1.75, and they were buy one get one free. Two primers for £1.75? Yes, please! The Superdrug Colour Effects Conditioning Colours (£1.49) were also buy one get one free, so I picked up a couple more.

I definitely didn't need any more wipes, but had a £5 No7 voucher to use, so thought I'd pick up the No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes (£7). My staff discount on top made these just 42p. It would have been rude not to! I then bought the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm (£9.50) with another voucher I had, and ended up paying just £2.36 for this. Lastly, on the No7 front, I bought the BB Lips Beauty Balms in Geranium and Blush Coral (£9 each). I had a £3 off voucher, and because I bought two makeup products, I received a free gift box. It contains a mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and eyeshadow brush. The shades are ones my mum will love, so I'm going to give it to her as a present.

There's currently a 3 for 2 across all hair products in Boots, so I picked up the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor (£4.99), the Naked Rescue Intensive Care Shampoo (£4.39), and the Naked Rescue Intensive Care Conditioner (£4.39). I also had 25% off and double points vouchers, making these even cheaper.

After I bought these (and annoyingly used my 25% off voucher), I noticed that the Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo and Conditioner bottles were on clearance for £1.75 each (down from £6.99). They also qualified for the 3 for 2 offer and discount, so I paid just £1.02 each. I think it was meant to be because there were just three bottles left, and two of them were shampoo (I go through more shampoo than I do conditioner).

Have you picked up any bargains recently?

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag?

After five years, I thought it was about time I did one of these 'what's in my...' posts. My travel makeup bag doesn't exclusively contain makeup, like the name suggests, but my travel essentials.

I'll start with the beauty products because they're more exciting. I rarely touch up my makeup during the day, but carry a couple products with me just in case. I have the Revlon ColourStay Concealer in Fair, which has a medium coverage and satin finish. It could be a little heavier for blemishes, but is great for everywhere else.

I then carry around the lip product I'm wearing that day, for when I want to reapply. Revlon's ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon just happens to be in there at the moment. It's a sheer, balmy, juicy, summer red, and I love it. I don't like reapplying some lip products, though, because they look best applied to freshly exfoliated, moisturised lips. In this case, I'll just wipe away any product left and apply a tinted balm like the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom.

For fragrance, I currently have the Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Rollerball Perfume in my bag. It's great for travelling, and smells beautiful.

Since starting my job, I've been using more hand sanitiser than ever before. I finished Bath & Body Works' Market Peach one last week, and am now onto their Sweet Pea scent, which is a light, sweet, delicate floral. These are more expensive than your standard bottle, especially in the UK, so I won't be buying them all the time, but they're nice to use while I have them. My hands and cuticles have also taken a battering since working, so I bought the Figs & Rouge Mango and Mandarin Hand Cream last week to use throughout the day. It's the perfect size for travelling, looks cute, smells amazing, isn't greasy, and leaves my hands feeling moisturised.

The other items in my travel makeup bag include pain and sickness relief tablets, tissues, plasters, mints, a flossing harp (for those lunch leftovers. What? I'm keeping it real!), hair accessories, a nail file, and a pen. I also carry a notebook, hairbrush, and wipes with me, but they're in my handbag because they don't fit in this one!

Oh, and the actual makeup bag is a basic one I bought from Boots the other week (RRP £5). I'm currently on the look out for something a little more pretty, though, so if you've seen any, let me know!

I'd love to know what your travel essentials are?

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!

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?

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?

Collective Haul

I handed in my last ever uni assignment yesterday and then panicked about my future, so today's shopping trip was much needed! I thought I'd also include some other bits I've bought recently. 

I'll start with the Primark T-Shirts dominating the photo. I mostly bought these for lounging around the house, but will probably wear them out, too. The two grey scoop neck ones were £2 each, while the rest were £3 each.

The Primark Beach Hut Pyjama Bottoms were £6. I've wanted them for a while, so thought I'd just get them today!

The Primark Cosy Socks were £2. Socks need no explanation.

The Primark Tights were £3.50. Expensive for one pair (compared to Primark's other tights), but they're the 'super silky opaque tights with 3D lycra for a perfect fit' ones which I love.

The Primark Pop-Up Laundry Hamper was £3. I also bought the Shower Curtain (£5) and Hand Towel (£3) in this design, but they're already in use! They add a pop of summer colour to the bathroom.

I then bought the Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer (£8.99, normally £11.99) and Revlon Colourstay Concealer (£6.99) from Boots. I'm running out of my current primer and wanted to try a new one. This has mixed reviews, but so do most products, so I thought I'd try it out for myself. I also wanted to try a new concealer because the two I currently have are at opposite ends of the spectrum and I wanted something in the middle. The shade (fair) looks like a perfect match for my skin and makes one of my other concealers look orange in comparison!

The mint green/light blue sweatshirt at the bottom of the photo is from H&M and was £9.99. I prefer to keep the tops of my arms covered, but now that it's getting warmer, I can't wear jumpers. This is perfect because it's very lightweight and can be thrown on over a vest top.

The black and white aztec high waisted shorts are from New Look and were £11 down from £20, I think. They feel like great quality and were the only thing I ended up keeping from my order.

The Boston Warehouse Large Tumbler was £4.99 from TK Maxx. More than I'd usually pay for such an item, but I'd been looking for one for a while (my Primark no longer stocks them) and I loved the print.

The last things, in the top right corner, are from Poundland. I like the new Jane Asher range, so picked up the measuring cups & spoons, icecream/cake mix scoop, baking tray, baking sheet, and cake tin circles from it. The cake tin circles are so handy! I also picked up the oven glove and ice cube blocks. I already have some similar ice cube shapes and think they're so convenient. They don't dilute your drink and you can refreeze them.

What have you bought recently?

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?

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

After trying, and loving, Revlon's ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon (review and swatch here), I went out and bought Juicy Papaya not long after. It's love, again. The formula is light and moisturising, and it fades evenly after a couple hours. The peachy shade looks surprisingly natural, and suits my colouring well. It's also one of the few shades that I wear to its full intensity. I'm now looking at the other shades in the range in preparation for my next shopping trip!

Are you a fan of the Revlon Lip Butters? What's your favourite shade?

New Favourites #04

Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner - £15.95/225g

An in shower body moisturiser that leaves your skin feeling soft and smelling great. I found the rose scent overwhelming at first, but have gotten used to it now. It's expensive, and I don't think I'd have bought it if I didn't have credit to use, but it's impressed me. I think it'll be going on future birthday/Christmas lists! I'm reviewing this in the next couple of days, so look out for a more in depth review!

Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser - £6.95/45g

Removes all of my makeup, doesn't sting my eyes (so I can open them when I'm convinced someone's about to murder me in the shower!), and leaves my skin really moisturised. From other reviews, I was expecting to be left with a heavy film, but this isn't the case. Because I have combination oily skin, I go easy on the moisturiser after, sometimes skipping altogether (don't shoot me!). 

Naked Smooth Silky Conditioner for Straight/Longer Hair - £4.19/250ml

I've mentioned Naked conditioners in a few Empties now, but don't think they've featured in a Favourites before. Anyway, I love them. They seem to condition much better than other conditioners I've tried. I think my hair's becoming too used to them, though, so will stop using for a while, and then return.

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butters in Juicy Papaya and Wild Watermelon - £7.99 each - Wild Watermelon swatch and review here

Love! These are my first Lip Butters, and wish I'd bought them sooner. Juicy Papaya is a peachy shade, and looks surprisingly natural. It goes really well with my colouring. Wild Watermelon is a little more out of my comfort zone, but I've been loving this summery, juicy red. I'll be swatching and reviewing Juicy Papaya soon, so look out for that!

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Dixie - £18 - Swatch and review here

Creamy, pigmented, and blends well. On the cheeks, this translates as a peachy pink, and gives you a warm glow. It's not quite as creamy as my beloved NYX ones, but it's still up there. I paid £6.75 for this in the sale, and can't wait to pick up a couple more in the next!

What products have entered your Favourites recently?

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon

Let me introduce you to my first ever Lip Butter, and favourite product at the moment; Revlon's ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon. This admiration is unexpected. I've previously said how I prefer matte, staining lip products. I've also steered away from reds because I've never thought I'm beautiful enough to wear them. So, why I love this glossy red balm, I'm not entirely sure. Wild Watermelon looks like an orangey red in the tube, but goes on more pinky red. I think it's the perfect shade to ease you into the colour family. In terms of wear, it lasts a couple hours on me, and fades evenly. Since I've bought this, I've also bought Juicy Papaya. I think I wasn't interested in the Lip Butter range before because none of the shades appealed to me. These, however, are a different story. On a side note, Wild Watermelon notably shifts colour with different lighting and computer screens, so keep this in mind!

What's your favourite Revlon Lip Butter?

Recent Purchases

I wasn't planning on posting about these items, but was in the mood to blog, so here we are!

Primark bag - £12

I've never owned a formal bag, but with uni about to end and interviews about to begin (hopefully), I thought it was about time I did. I'd heard people talk about this being similar to the Zara Office City Bag, which I quite liked the look of, so decided to buy it. However, once in store, I wasn't sure, so left it. Then I found one I liked in H&M, but it looked very similar, and was £24.99 instead of Primark's £12, so thought I may as well get the cheaper of the two. It's smart, practical, and I like the texture of it. I've already taken the Atmosphere 'leather' tag off, though, because it just cheapened it.

Primark shopper bag - £1.50

Cotton shoppers are so handy to have around, and you can't complain for the price!

Primark white face cloths - £1.50, and duck egg 'luxury' face cloths - £2.50

I've started using Lush's Ultrabland cleanser, so was in need of some face cloths... there's nothing else to say here!

Superdrug Face & Bikini Wax Strips - £4.29 or 2 for £5

The only wax strips I've ever used were some ones I won in a giveaway a few years ago. I finally finished those recently, though, and was in need of some more. Lack of variety and mixed reviews left me undecided, but then I came across these. I'm hoping they perform well, but if they don't, I haven't lost a great deal of money.

Real Techniques Blush and Expert Face Brushes - £5.87 and £5.29 from Asda Direct

I use the Powder and Stippling ones every day, and wanted to try these two next. I couldn't resist when I saw the prices; so much cheaper than Boots. 

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya - £7.99 from Boots

After falling in love with Revlon's Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, I wanted to get my hands on this beautiful peach shade. There's currently a huge 3 for 2 going on in Boots, but I'm ever so indecisive, so just left with this. Will be kicking myself later, no doubt.

Do you have any of these products?

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.

Haul - Primark, Revlon Matte Balms, and More

Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Audacious, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, and Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Elusive.

Birthday money in hand, I decided to do a spot of shopping this week, and then thought I'd combine the other odd bits I've bought this month to create a haul!

The majority of the stuff above is from Primark, so we'll start there! I bought yet another men's jumper for £12. I love them. They're comfy, warm, and easy to wear. I then picked up some coat hangers to store my expanding collection of jumpers, which were £4. I've always been a little reluctant to spend money on coat hangers, especially because I store most of my clothes in chests of drawers, but the colours of these persuaded me! The giraffe pyjama top was £4 and is incredibly cute. They also had matching giraffe print bottoms, if you're interested. I then picked up another one of their reed diffusers in Red Berries and Orchid for £3. It's along the same lines as their Juicy Blueberry and Blossom one, which I love. The socks at the top were £3.50, and are knee high and extra thick. They're more expensive than the ones I normally buy from Primark, and are just as expensive as Topshop and Accessorize ones, but, I suppose, they are extra long and thick. The last things from Primark are the tweezers. Both the floral owl and black polka dot ones were £1 for 2. They're not the sharpest I've had, but they do the job!

I bought a fair bit of bedding from Tesco Direct a couple weeks ago, and while most of it was fitted sheets and pillow cases, I did buy the pretty, floral, fleece throw you see at the top. It was £10, and I bought it to spruce up my plain bedding sets. I also bought the bedding you see everything on, which was £15 (now £12). I wasn't sure about it at first, but it's warming on me!

A couple weeks ago, my friend and I had some time to kill, so decided to venture into Next's home section. We came across the Apricot Blossom scent, and just had to buy something from the range. I'm not allowed to burn candles under my dad's roof, so opted for the reed diffuser, which was £5. If you're interested in the candle, it was £3.50. I'm tempted to get it just to smell it whenever I can! I love apricot/peach scents.

Birthday money, not buying makeup for ages, my love of lip crayons, and a 3 for 2 offer all contributed to these next buys. I walked into Boots and headed straight to the Revlon stand, knowing they'd have the new Matte and Lacquer Balms. I wasn't expecting there to be a 3 for 2 offer on, so that just pushed me to get swatching even more. I decided on the Elusive and Audacious Matte Balms, intending to sheer Audacious out to make it more subtle. I also wanted Unapologetic, a really bright, warm pink, and also intended to sheer it out, but it was out of stock. At 9am on the day of release. No extras in the draws underneath. The Lacquer Balms were okay, but most had shimmer in, so decided to swatch the lip butters. I've never owned one before because the colours didn't float my boat, but then I came across Wild Watermelon, and a spark ignited within. Okay, a little dramatic, but you get my drift. In the tube, it looks like an orangey red, but when swatched and sheered out, it turns in a light, pinky red. I also want Juicy Papaya now! All three retail for £7.99, but the 3 for 2 offer meant I received one for free.

I'm also going in town tomorrow to get some workout clothes because I've started exercising (only a little, mind!), but will no doubt end up in Boots again. Back at the Revlon stand. Have, or will, you be buying any of Revlon's new releases? Lip crayons got me into wearing lip products, so they'll always have a special place in my heart!