November products I used & OOTD

Hiiiiii <3

I have been so, so incredibly busy this week working about 10 hours a day, I'm exhausted! I have the weekend off for the first time in forever and I'm so happy, I want to go dancing with my boyfriend tomorrow but I'm not sure where to go...

I have a lot of things going on as well... family, life, jobs. I feel so anxious and I'm not very happy at the moment but it's just so confusing the situations I'm in at the moment no one seems to understand, and I know it's not true but I'm feeling like no one cares, and no one wants to hear what I'm going through. As with jobs, I'm just so in the middle about what to do. I don't know if to apply for graduate schemes/graduate jobs, I graduated in the summer and have been putting it off and working casually in events since then. The thought of a graduate job just gives me the worst anxiety. It's a huge step towards a salary career and I'm just not sure if I'm ready, but I'm tired of people turning their noses up at me when I tell them that I'm only working as a waiting staff for events for £6.75 an hour when I'm a graduate. Bleh.

I have been using a lot of different products this month and last month I went on quite a few hauls, and this month I got both joliebox and glossybox, so I haven't got that many empties. So instead of empties, I thought I would just share a "products of the month"... all the things I have been using the most throughout the month, empty or not, I have been keeping in a little blue container so I can show you guys and review some of them for you. :) First off, I will show you my dress I wore today. It's so cute, I have a few of these in different prints and colours. They're very thick cotton with a velvety material by Hearts and Bows, I get them from Ark and LOVE them. So cute!!

November products!

Overall, this month I have been using some discovered old favourites as well as some new things I've been trying out for the first time. I won't go through everything because some of them I have mentioned before. It's a big mix, so let's dive in and see what is in there :)

Maybelline lasting drama gel eyeliner.

I've always, always used pencil eyeliners and this is the first time using a gel eyeliner. I've never got on with liquid eyeliners, my eyes are way too sensitive, and I've never had a steady enough hand. I got this as my free "3 for 2" from Boots on my last beauty haul (see here) and I've been really enjoying it this month. It's a tiny pot of what looks like thick, black matte gel. It's not moist like gel liquid, and really resembles paint. Because it isn't wet, it doesn't smudge when applying and it doesn't need time to dry which I love. It comes with a brush "pen" which is great for application, it makes it really easy and precise. It doesn't seem to last me the whole day without smudging so the "24 hour" promise doesn't really... happen, but it does last a LOT longer than any other eyeliner I have used before. I've been loving this, and even though it's such a small pot, only a tiny tiny tiny dap is needed because a little really does go a long way.

Revlon colorstay mineral finishing powder and MUA mega volume mascara (see my review here)

The mineral finishing powder by Revlon is a very old favourite. It's a gorgeous, silky powder that I use for contouring. I have been loving the MUA mega volume mascara because it is great for nice long eyelashes that are great for day wear.

Bourjois paris mineral matte mousse foundation.

This has been amazing. I have been wearing this on top of my Pure BB cream (review here) and those two are a match made in heaven! This mineral matte is nice and moist unlike some matte foundations which dry the skin out and leave a cakey look and applies brilliant with the kabuki brush which comes provided with it.

I know I'm disgusting and all my products have finger marks and foundation all over them. I blame this on the fact that I don't wear my glasses when I'm doing my make up so I can't see a thing!

I have been in love with this palette. SO cheap and the colours are amazing, not very very pigmented, but definitely worth the money and unless you've had your head under a rock I'm sure you've been hearing all about it. I've been using the top brown and cream shades during the day and for work... lovely. But I'm having a big problem with this product :(. I have milia spots and have had them for years around my cheeks, however since using this palette (and must be this palette, it's pretty much the ONLY eyeshadow I have used this month) I've had increasing milia over my eyes, even on my eyelid sockets which I've never ever had before. My milia already gets me really down so having even more grow around places I've never had them before is driving me crazy. At first I thought it was just my skin and these things happen, but the other night after I exfoliated I was looking at my skin close in the mirror and recognized milia spots right on my eyelids and I freaked out because I want them to go away, not to grow more! And I haven't used any other eyeshadow this month enough for it to give me milia. I'm not sure if it's not a coincidence, or if I should stop using this? (but I love the shades! :'(). Sob.

NYC highlight and contour kit. Found in my 10 products for £10 challenge haul here!

Love, love this! I've been using the brown for my eye shadows and the peach/pink for brow bone highlight. It's a perfect match and I love the little brush that comes with it. I'm so glad I found this little gem!

Nivea daily essentials refreshing toner and Pure BB cream.

I won't go into the Pure BB cream because if you read my blog you will probably be fed up of hearing about me rave on about this, lol but I have used... 3/4 this month? The Nivea toner I'm meh about. I won't repurchase it. It wasn't bad, it was nice and refreshing, but hasn't done ANYTHING for my skin this month so I may as well just use water. Can anyone recommend me a toner?

MUA pro blush perfection cream blush

This gives me a lovely dewy pink tint to my cheeks which looks lovely in this cold weather. I have been preferring this to powder blushes this month.

My skin has been terrible this month. It's really gets me down, anyone else? :( Due to that, I had to crack out the good old heavy coverage, thick foundation that is Revlon Colorstay. This is one of the only liquid foundations I like and use. It lasts me a long time because my skin is usually fine so I only need light coverage, but during the bad skin times like now, I have to use this because it's the only thing that really covers everything up and matches my skin perfect.

 

I ran out of my St. Ives so I've been using a sample size (I have about 4 of these sample sizes for back up!). I've been using this on a panic because I've suddenly broke out and my pores are huge and my skin is just... bad times.

The dermalogica daily microfoliant I got in this months Glossybox. It's so cute and I love how you have to shake it to get it out like a sugar shaker!

I'm easily pleased... haha. I have nothing much to say about this at the moment because I've only been using this for around 2 weeks so I can't tell any difference in my skin yet. I don't like the smell though (smells like flour) and it's kinda weird how it turns into liquid from powder when you apply it but I've heard really good reviews about this so I'm going to continue using it in the hopes that soon I will be able to tell some sort of improvement to my skin.

Oops, I should have put this Nivea night cream with the toner. Anyway, this raspberry & blackberry body butter by Beurre Corporel is amazinggggg. It smells like a dream and makes me smell wonderful. The Nivea night cream is... a cream.... I havebeen using it every night and it isn't seem to be doing anything. I like the smell, it applies nice, and is very moisturizing. But it feels really heavy on my skin and in the morning my skin can be oily and I have to wipe the leftover night cream off my face which isn't very pleasant... but I love the packaging and I had high hopes for this because I love Nivea products so I keep using it :/. This wasn't a good month for my Nivea products...

Empty VO5 plump me up dry shampoo.

This was okay. It did the job and refreshed my hair like a dry shampoo does but it didn't give me added volume and that was really disappointing because I rely on Batiste dry shampoo, the volumizing one, usually because that makes my hair HUGE and really nice and thick! So this was a bit blah with volumizing. Due to the fact that it didn't work as well as Batiste dry shampoo I used a lot of it so it didn't last even 3 weeks whereas a Batiste can lasts me a month or more. It smelt okay, nothing special. I will probably just get the Batiste and won't repurchase this again.

I will stop there because this post is huge! I'm sorry if you got bored and if you're reading this, thank you for getting through it all! I'm trying to put together a review directory/product list so that I can track what I have reviewed or mentioned a lot so I don't repeat myself, so let me know if you want anything specific added to that list!

Please follow me on GFC and if you would be so so kind to leave my comments below about this post I would love to know what you liked from above, what your thoughts are, and any advice you have for products I should buy for december that could help out my skin. Thank you!

Love,

Dr Jart BB cream vs. Pure BB cream review :)

Hi everyone! My week was crazy, how was yours?

I worked two jobs tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday and yesterday I was finally off, but I was sick :( typical, right? I work today at plaisterers hall for a wedding 2-11, tomorrow 2pm-1am at The Roundhouse and tuesday - friday I'm back to double shifts again. I basically go to my first event, work that, and then dash off to my second event. It's really tiring and my days are long, I end up working 10/13 hours a day but I am hoping it all pays off when I get paid!

I was meant to post a review of Dr. Jart BB cream against my all time favourite Pure BB cream during the week but I was too busy so it is late. My favourite BB cream is only £1.99 and I found it on a whim whilst in savers! It's quickly become my favourite and you will have heard me rave about it through many posts here and here. I've tried other BB creams but I always go back to this one and at only £1.99, I keep stocking up, as the only bad thing about the product is that it doesn't seem to last long.

In my November glossybox I got a sample of the Dr. Jart BB cream. I was really excited because I had actually considered buying this the last time I went beauty shopping... I'm really into BB creams at the moment and the packaging looked gorgeous... I didn't end up buying it though.

From Boots, 30ml retails at £21.

Pure BB cream...

 

£1.99 from Savers.

 

Above is the Pure BB cream with Dr. Jart BB cream underneath.

So as you can see, the Pure BB cream is a darker shade than the Dr. Jart and it is still only in "light". The Pure BB cream definitely gives me more coverage than the Dr. Jart but it is not dark on the skin like a heavy foundation. Wearing just the Pure BB cream I feel confident enough to not apply any other foundation, because it evens out my skin tone like promised, and feels light and airy on the skin. If I am doing my full make up routine and add foundation, concealers, powders etc., then it acts as a primer and my make up stays on longer than it would if I didn't wear it.

When I wore the Dr Jart BB cream, my first impression was the texture. It is watery, thin and I couldn't rub it into my skin like a moisturizer even though it says that is a hydrating moisturizer, my skin didn't feel like it was being moisturized when I was applying this and instead it was just so sheen and light, it wouldn't soak into my skin and just sat on the surface which made my face look wet, greasy and it was very slippy - I couldn't apply any other make up before it had dried, and I was tempted to just take it off because it felt so wet, I didn't know if it would be able to hold my make up. It didn't cover my blemishes and uneven skin tone, I definitely wouldn't feel confident with just wearing the BB cream without anything else. I know this BB cream is not a foundation but it does say that it will cover my blemishes and uneven skin tone, and compared to other BB creams that is what I expected. 

As for long wear... well, my make up didn't last very long the day I wore the Dr. Jart BB cream. It didn't act as a primer (although it doesn't claim to be) and my make up looked very shiny and oily above it. I found when I applied my favourite foundation, Lumi Magique by Loreal, it was far too wet on top added with the BB cream, so I had to use Bourjois mineral matte foundation, Rimmel powder and Mac studio fix powder.

Compared to the Pure BB cream, I was disappointed but it may be a personal opinion. I am so used to my Pure BB cream and it works perfectly for me, it definitely gives me coverage whilst being incredibly moisturizing, my skin just loves it when I rub it in, and it doesn't break my out. It gives me a nice glow, it's silky but not shiny or wet at all, and it definitely acts as a primer with the rest of my make up - if I go a day without wearing it underneath, I can tell the difference.

I wouldn't purchase the Dr. Jart BB cream and I'm glad I didn't a few weeks ago. I even prefer the Maybelline dream fresh BB cream compared to this. I don't think I will be using it again even though it is just a sample. For me, there is no use for it... there's no point wearing it under my foundation because I can just use my Pure BB cream and I have to change my foundation routine because it is so wet and greasy. If I just want to wear something light and moisturizing, well I don't feel like this BB cream gives moisture or makes my skin look different. I may as well just apply a day moisturizer like usual.

I am disappointed with it because it does look so promising and it isn't the cheapest BB cream around so I expected more. Maybe I'm just addicted to the Pure BB cream, but I know that it ticks all the boxes for me, and if this Dr. Jart BB cream had been just as good if not better for the price of the product, I may have switched. This one just didn't live up to my expectations and I have no use for it in my make up routine.

What do you think? Have you tried the Dr. Jart BB cream? What BB cream do you use and what is your favourite one you've tried and tested?

Please follow me if you don't already on GFC, and check out my latest posts if you have time!

Three OOTD,  3 mini reviews, 10 for £10 challenge & last weeks Sunday Smiles :)

Love,

three quick OOTD

Hiiiii <3
I thought I would just share three quick outfits from last week.
I work a lot and my work uniform is black suit trousers, black shirt and black shoes, so most of the time this is what I'm wearing. I used to be much more into fashion as I was now which really sucks :( I just don't have the time to wear clothes that aren't my work clothes, how sad is that? And if I am wearing something that isn't my work clothes, it's usually pajamas... oh woe me, lol. Anyway! I'm no model or fashion expert, so don't expect anything super amazing :P

I've been thinking about posting OOTD's here my blog, but always keep putting it off.

 

Skirt - forever21

Shirt - urban outfitters (a long time ago)

Jacket - new look

 

Jumper - vintage fair <3 HOW CUTE!!!!

Shorts - bershka

 

Jumper - charity shop

White lace dress - market stall, portobello road markets

 

My trusty old boots. Topshop :)

What are your favourite things? Share with me your OOTD's!

Love,

3 mini reviews + swatches (revlon, miss sporty, £1 cheek stain)

Hiiiiii :) So, if you read my 10 for £10 challenge post (you should!!!) then you will know that I was challenged by my boyfriend to find 10 make up/beauty products for £10. It was difficult - and very fun - and I picked up some bargains and products I would not usually buy. I was asked by some to review some of the cheap products I bought so two of them are below and I threw in a Revlon review too ;)

Revlon colourblast lipstick in Soft Rose - I picked this up from a discount make up stall (which I loveeeee) for £3. I was very happy because I do love Revlon lipsticks so what better to add another one to my collection... haha. What do you think? I just love the packaging of these lipsticks.

Miss Sporty metallic liquid eyeliner 79p from The British Heart Foundation charity shop.

I was skeptic about this. It's very thick in the tube and I really don't like the application so I didn't use the brush. But when it's on, it's actually quite nice and reminds me of Maybelline colour tattoos (specifically "Bad to the bronze").

 

£1 Cheek stain by "Chit Chat" from poundland.

So I'm not going to lie but I was scared of this product, lol. I have bad pores and milia on my cheeks so I am a bit apprehensive when it comes to blushes anyway. They also have a cheek "gloss" which is a thicker texture in a nude, which is a highlighter so I haven't tried that one and would probably prefer that. This is obviously copying Benefits cheek stain/tint line (Benetint, Cha cha tint) but I'm not convinced. I don't like how it literally looks like blood, and it is very very runny, so applying it on the face is like dressing up for Halloween. I was just put off by that. It doesn't smell very pleasant, but it does give a light glow to the cheeks and not as dark as I imagined compared to the colour of the liquid. It's very watery so that's probably why. It does the job, and it actually looks okay when blended in, but I don't want it on my cheeks... I felt uncomfortable and took it off after taking these pictures, lol. Maybe I'm just picky...

These are obviously not high end or popular products but I hoped you liked these reviews anyway. Please check out my last blog posts and follow me on GFC, that would be lovely :)

Love,