Drugstore haul!

I had a splurge on high end products, so I decided to hit my local drugstore and stock up on some new products.

My first purchase was my holy grail foundation...Revlon Colorstay.  I got this in the shade Early Tan, in the Combination/Oily formula, as I still seem to have a bit of colour from my holiday & the 'better late than never' Summer we had in the UK.  This seems a lot thicker in consistency than my usual 'Sandy Beige' shade, however, this doesn't bother me as I know the product works well with my skin & lasts for ages!!

While I was there I was drawn to the Revlon 'Nearly Naked' powder'.  I got this in 'Medium', again because of my slight tan, but I must say I LOVE this! I'm not a huge fan of the liquid foundation purely because of the longevity on my skin, the finish is gorgeous though so I thought I would try it again with this powder & see if I have any luck because I really want to make it work.  The powder is almost creamy & has the consistency of a real high end product...definitely a must have powder!

I finally try out the Revlon Lip Butters.  I have always been reluctant to purchasing these purely because of the price....£7.99 for a glorified tinted lip balm always seemed steep, but I gave in as these 2 shades really stood out to me.  The first is 'Wild Watermelon' which is a newly released shade.  It's a sheer red/coral with just the right amount of colour pay off for it to be extremely wearable. The second is 'Juicy Papaya' which is a coral and a good dupe to Benefit's Hydra-Smooth Lipcolor in 'Lip Service'.  These are gorgeous!! The colour pay off is amazing & really pigmented.  They are so moisturising & it literally feels like your rubbing butter onto your lips.  I love the packaging as I do all of Revlon lip products.

I have been after a new translucent setting powder for a while.  I have always gravitated towards my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte which I love but I just felt like I wanted to try more which available on the market.  I done a bit of research and 'One Heck of a Blot' by Soap & Glory came out top. This pressed powder is completely translucent with no colour to it at all, just a finely milled & pressed white powder.  It comes with a powder puff, however, I use my Real Techniques Powder Brush to apply this to my T-Zone to set my foundation.  It's phenomenal.  Whether or not it replaces my Rimmel Stay Matte is yet to tell, but this product is well worth the hype.

Lastly is a skin care item...'L'Oreal Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum'.  This is perfection in a bottle, literally! I apply this pink serum to my face morning & night and it has made my skin tone more even, reduced the appearance of my pores & has left my skin so soft! Its also a great base for make up if you don't need or don't like primers.  This is definitely a favourite in my skin care routine & I will definitely be re-purchasing this!

High end make up haul!!

I decided to have a splurge on some products I have been after for a while.  Debenhams had 10% off every item so I took full advantage!

I firstly hit MAC for two products which have been on my wish list for far too long...a loose pigment & a foundation.

MAC 'Tan' Pigment

I brought the loose pigment in 'Tan'.  This as I've said before has so many uses.  I love to sweep this all over the lid and use a soft/light brown in the crease as a transition color.  I will then add a small amount of pigment under the lower lash line and a light shimmery colour in the tear duct for a gorgeous subtle but glamourous eye look.  Another use for this pigment is to add a tiny amount to a few pumps of foundation to give a luminous look to your skin.  This wont change or alter the shade of the foundation, it simply adds a dewy effect which is perfect for the summer months.

The foundation I purchased was Studio Fix+ powder foundation.  I was undecided which to go for, the liquid form or the powder.  I went for the powder purely because of my oily skin & thought this could double up as a foundation on days where I don't want or need much coverage or use it over a liquid foundation to either add extra coverage or to set my foundation.  I got this in the shade NC35 as I still have a slight tan from the summer, however, I think I will go back and purchase this in the shade NC20 as so far I love it!!

The next concession I visited was Benefit. I absolutely LOVE this brand and it's the packaging that draws me in every time.

Benefit 'Rockateur'

I love the bronzer 'One Hot Minute' and couldn't believe it when a employee told me it was being discontinued! However, rather than stocking up on that I decided to try the new blush, 'Rockateur'.  This is simply beautiful.  It has the look of the perfect rose gold with lots of shimmer, however, the shimmer transfers onto the skin beautifully without making you look like a disco ball! I love applying this on the apples of my cheeks and slightly up along my cheek bones once I've applied bronzer, it looks amazing!  This blush, as always, comes with a mini brush which I usually dispose of, however, this one is slightly thicker & domed shaped which applies the product perfectly.

Benefit 'Lip Service'

The lipsticks have never caught my eye but while we were there my Mum picked up a 'Hydra-Smooth Lipcolor' in the shade 'Lip Service' which I just had to have! Was slightly in my comfort zone, and still in the summer trend, but it was a gorgeous wearable coral. The colour pay off is fabulous, but the finish is sheer & extremely moisturising, comparable to Revlon Lip Butters.  What is a little different though as like a foundation this can be built up to a medium-full lip coverage.  Again the packaging was spot on. It's a 'twist-up' bullet, like that of the Clinique Chubby Sticks.  The longevity isn't great and if you are on a budget then Juicy Papaya in the Revlon Lip Butter range is the one for you.

I have to use primers to keep my make up from slipping as the day goes on.  There are a few I like such as Garnier's 5 Second Miracle Blur, however, I don't find this minimises my large pores as much as I would like.  So, i purchased the UK's No.1 primer 'Porefessional'.  This silicone product is a flesh coloured formula which glides on beautifully and leaves the skin feeling smooth.  I am very impressed with is product & it's fast becoming a product I can no longer live without. 

Bare Minerals.  I have such a love hate relationship with this product.  I've tried both the original & matte formulas and always preferred the original.  However, since having the children & my oily complexion becoming so much worse, I decided to give the matte formula another go.  I got it in the shade 'Fairy Medium' which I always felt was too pink for my skin tone, however, this is the colour I have been matched too on various occasions.
The coverage is medium to full, but I find that a lot has to be applied if you are after a full coverage look.  With it being a mineral powder I don't find that it goes cakey on the skin or blotchy as the day goes on, but I do feel like it fades after a few hours.  I'm going to try using a new brush with it & see if my experience improves but right now I can still say that it's not a foundation I reach for as my 'go to' product.

Summer proof makeup

This heat is my worst nightmare for my makeup.  Having oily skin & with the weather being so hot in the UK at the moment, it's a recipe for disaster for the staying power of my makeup.  If you have oily skin then you'll know my frustration that no sooner have I applied my makeup, the humidity has caused me to sweat, produce excess oils resulting in my blush ending up near my lips & foundation turning blotchy!!

I have decided to produce a quick checklist for all you oily skin gals or just anyone who wants to ensure their makeup lasts all day in this summer heat.

1.  After cleansing & toning, use an oil free moisturiser or mattifying lotion.  If you have dry skin don't be afraid to use these, just be sure to use one which doesn't dry out the skin even more.  Boots do an amazing mattifying lotion.

2.  Apply a primer.  Concentrate mainly on the T-zone area (forehead, nose & chin)  I find that during the day my make up starts to break up between my eyebrows, around my nose, around my mouth & on my chin so these are the areas I tend to concentrate on.  A primer will not only prolong the makeup, but it will also act as a barrier between the makeup & the skin & therefore will help protect the skin from breaking out if you have oily acne prone skin.

3.  Use an oil free, gel or waxed based foundation. Using an oil free foundation will have mattifying properties which will help to keep your skin shine free.  Using a wax or gel foundation will mean that as the day goes on & the makeup starts to move & separate on the skin, you can simply blend the product back into place for a longer staying power.  Alternatively, use a BB cream for a lighter, less heavy finish but again ensure its oil free for best results.

4.  Use a powder bronzer and/or blusher.  Adding cream products to the skin run the risk of making your skin look shiny & oily.  Also they won't hold up on the skin as long as a powder product.  For a sunkissed glow, apply bronzer to the highest points of the face where the sun would naturally hit.  This would be the perimeter of the face (forehead, temples & jawline) and on the cheeks either on the cheekbone up towards the temples for an all over glow or under the cheekbone to contour the face.  Simply add a blusher that compliments your skin tone to the apples of your cheeks.

5.  If you want to add dimension to the skin or add a dewy effect, simply add a powder highlight down the bridge of the nose, on top of the cheekbones, on the cupids bow (upper lip) & even on the brow bone (under the eyebrow).  Just be aware that if you have extremely oily skin this can make the skin look shiny & oily so just on the cheekbones & brow bone would be recommended.

6.  Finally you need to set the makeup to ensure it lasts all day.  This can be done with a powder either just on the T-zone, or all over for a matte finish and you can use a fixing spray.  A few squirts of this product and its holds the makeup in place...like a hairspray for the face!  This can be used in conjunction with a setting powder or can be used individually.

Touch ups may still be required throughout the day just to maintain a flawless finish.  Blotting papers are amazing & handy just to pop in your handbag when you're on the go.  Simply dab these over the face when you start to feel oily & they will remove any excess oils while keeping the makeup intact & in place.  MAC do an incredible blotting powder, along with Soap & Glory, which is a translucent compact, again ideal for travel, which can be used to blot on any oily patches throughout the day.  This may lead to the makeup becoming cakey looking.  A great product for that is MAC's Fix+ spray.  Although this doesn't prolong the makeup in terms of staying power, in my opinion, it does transform the skin back to a natural finish if it starts to become cakey.

I hope this has helped

Hannah xxx

Drugstore make up tutorial - Arabian Nights...bronzed & glowing

This look I think is perfect for a night out on a hot Summer's day or as an evening holiday look.

The bronzed sunkissed look can be a staple, and then you can experiement depending on how dramatic you want the look to be.

I have gone for a gold , black & brown smokey eye, however, you can easily tone this down if you want a flawless, bronzed, everyday look.

Firstly, I moisturised and added a primer to ensure the make up lasts all day & also the primer acts as a barrier between my skin & the make up to help prevent any break outs occuring.

I then went ahead and started with my eyes.  I added a touch of concealer to the lids as a base for the shadow to stick too. Alternatively, you could use a cream shadow base such as a MAC Paintpot. If you have oily lids you may want use a primer to ensure it stays in place.

I used an Astor palette for the eyes which I brought from 'Fragrance Direct' in 'Smokey'.  I took the gold shadow and applied this all over the lid in a patting motion to pack the colour on.  I also put this under the lower lash line along the nearest half to the inner eye.  I then applied the dark brown, slightly less shimmery, shadow in a 'V' shape on the outer section of the lid and whatever was left over I applied in the crease to add dimension.

I used a clean fluffy blending brush to blend out the colours so there were no obvious lines as to where the colours started & finished & to create a seamless smokey eye.  I took the darker shadow again on the outer half of the lower lash line.  Using Maybelline's gel liner in 'Black Gold' i created a fine line along the upper lash line with a flick to emphasise the eye & to make it more 'feline' looking.  This is optional & you can still achieve an amazing look if you prefer not to use liner.  I also applied this to the top & bottom water line for a more dramatic look.  Again, this is optional.

I next moved onto my base.  Using L'oreal True Match foundation in 'W3 Golden Beige', I buffed this into the skin using circular motions with the Real Techniques 'Buffing Brush' which I love for a flawless finish.  I then applied Collection's 'Lasting Perfection' concealer in 'Light' to cover any redness or blemishes and blended out with my finger tip.  Due to my oily skin I have to set my foundation with a powder.  For extra coverage I used Maybelline's 'Fit Me' powder in 'Sandy beige'.


I filled in my brows using the Real Techniques Eyebrow Brush and my MUA 'Brow Kit' palette and mixed the dark & the medium browns for the perfect shade.
This palette is amazing and at under £5 it includes 2 brow shades, a brow highlight shade and a setting gel.  It also includes a travel pair of tweezers & a double ended broush one for brow filling & the other to set.

Using the Real Techniques Blush Brush, I contoured my cheek bones using Maybelline's Terra Sun in 'Tiger'. This is a lovely, almost matte bronzer, so ideal for contouring.  I sweeped this up my temples, down the sides of my nose, on my forehead & my jaw line.  Basically, everywhere where the sun would naturally hit & therefore to ensure a natural look.

I curled my eyelashes & added a few coats of Maybelline 'The Falsies Flare' mascara in black which is my favourite lengthening masacra & also adds a suble flare & helps the lashes keep a natural curl.

For an inner tear duct highlight, I used the white shade from the eueshadow palette I used on the lids.  This is very comparable to MAC's 'Nylon'.  I applied this to my brow bone, down the bridge of my nose, on the cupids bow & above the cheek bone.

For the lips I used 2 products.  I firstly applied Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick in 'Beige Trench' then to add a sultry look and topped with Revlon's 'Sunset Peach' lipgloss.

The look is then complete!

All these steps can obviously be modified to suit your taste and products can be altered depending on what you have in your make up collection.

Hope you love the look :-)

Hannah xxx

Summer Shade lipsticks

Winter is my favourite time of the year.  Snuggled on the sofa under a furry blanket, warming your hands on a hot mug of tea with candles as the only source of light...however, Summer allows us to experiment with colour & I love to wear natural, nude tone make up with a pop of colour by wearing a bold, out there lip product!
I think this trend is quickly catching on with the likes of Nicki Minaj & Rhianna developing bright, statement lipsticks for MAC.

Lipsticks can really change a persons mood, make an outfit more current or simply just a way to express your personality, tastes & just experiment.

Over the years, I have really started to drift away from the safe nude lips & venture into a whole new world of colorful lips & once our summer in the UK arrives, I cant wait to start rocking these lip colours :-)

Firstly is an MUA product which are cheap as chips! This lipstick will set you back a whole pound, yes, 100p! Its in shade 61, Nectar and it's a gorgeous sheen, orange, coral with a slight wet look.  The colour pay off is good, although the longevity of the product is not the best so this is definitely one you would need to pop into your handbag to top up during the day.


The second is a Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon.  This is a sample size which is why it's so stumpy! The colour is a very muted berry colour, with a hint of brown & would look amazing on mature ladies who wanted a pop of colour but for it also to be subtle.  This is so moisturising on the lips & tastes good too! It comes in a range of amazing colours, many of which are ideal for the spring/summer seasons.

The next is by my favourite lipstick brand, Barry M.  This colour I think is one of there most popular due to it's likeness to MACS's Candy Yum Yum and has been branded it's best dupe and its the shade Shocking Pink. Read my review on on this lipstick using the following link: http://allthingsbeautyxxx.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/sleek-lipstick-shade-52-shocking-pink.html)
This is a matte lipstick but not drying on the lips & it doesn't flake either.  The pigmentation is amazing & the staying power is also very good for a £4.99 lipstick.  This would look amazing with a slick of BB cream, bronzer, a few strokes of mascara, worn with a summer dress...summer perfection!

Lastly is a nude shade for you who want to add something to the lip but nothing to dramatic.  This shade is called Beige Trench.  The lipstick has slight blue undertones so it's not going to make your lips look dead or concealed.  Instead it's going to add a sheen of nude, lip colours just better!  This is great as an everyday lipstick & can be made to look more dramatic by lining the lips with a corresponding lip pencil to add definition for a night out.

I think this is a good range as there's something for everyone!

Let me know your favourite summer lip products :-)

Hannah xxx

Boots haul!!

I thought I would do a haul as there are so many amazing products in drugstores at the moment.  What was meant to be a mini haul soon turned into a BIG haul!!

I'm looking to do a high end haul soon so look out for that one on my blog!

Firstly, there were a few products which had caught my eye from Garnier.  Since trying there new formula BB cream & being very impressed, I have been desperate to try more of their skincare/cosmetic range, so I picked up 3 products.

Firstly was the new '5 Second Perfect Blur Primer'. It costs £12.99 for 30ml of product but currently has £3.00 off (making it £9.99).  It has a moose/foam texture so a little goes a long way.  Its pink in colour & instantly evens out my skin tone.  It also helps 'blur' the appearance of shine, wrinkles, fine lines & pores.  This primer is amazing! Literally within 5 seconds my skin looks flawless.  On good days I apply this, a touch of concealer where needed & I'm good to go which is ideal for lazy, on the go days where you don't want to wear foundation but want your skin to look polished.  With it being oil free, its perfect for all skin types.

The second was another new product launched recently by Garnier, which is the 'Skin Naturals Moisture Match' range.  All skin needs moisturising, whatever the skin type.  Garnier have consequently created 5 moisturisers to complement your skin type.  I have the green one 'Shine be Gone' which is a mattifying light cream.  These retail at £5.99 for 50ml and are also currently on offer as selected Garnier products are buy 1 get one free. Like the '5 Second Perfect Blur Primer', it has a whipped texture & is cooling on the skin without having a drying effect.  It's not greasy on the skin and is absorbed almost instantly and claims to mattify all day.  I am not convinced it does, but the length of time I need my skin mattified for, this product works perfectly!  The Green Tea extract it has protects the skin too which is always a bonus!


The other 4 in the range are:
- Goodbye Dry for dry skin to very dry skin
- Start Afresh for normal to dry skin
- Wake Me Up for dull skin (oil free)
- Protect & Glow for normal skin (oil free)

Lastly from Garnier was the 'BB Cream Skin Perfector Eye Roll-On' in 'Light' as I like to have a highlighted under eye area to brighten the skin.  This is £9.99 for 7ml of product but again has £3.00 off (making it £6.99).

I was so impressed with the BB cream that this was a must have!  It reduces the appearance of dark circles and bags, conceals signs of fatigue, blurs fine lines, illuminates & hydrates.  Like all under eye concealers, this will crease so you may want to powder over this once applied to help reduce and creasing.  This has great coverage and glides on & blends perfectly.  I have dark circles under my eyes and this does cover them instantly & has a good lasting power once powdered & set.  The product can be hard to get out sometimes so a good shake & squeeze is needed as the roll-on ball can sometimes get stuck.

Next, I brought 2 products from.  This isn't a range I would usually reach for as I tend to use & prefer Simple but I thought these products looked good.  The first was the 'Nivea Visage Tinted Moisturising Creme' which cost £3.65 for 50ml.  This has all the benefits of the standard moisturiser but with a touch of colour to give sheer coverage and to brighten the skin making it look more awake & radiant.  The colour 'Natural' seems to be the only one & is relatively dark & pinky.  If you have really fair skin then I would stay clear unless you mix it with a lighter shade foundation for more coverage or mixed with a regualr moisturiser to tone down the tint.  It states to be suitable for all skin types, however, I do add a bit of translucent powder over the top to set it & keep the shine at bay.

The second product is the 'Daily Essentials Hydration Primer' for normal/combination skin.  There is also a formula for dry/sensitive skin.  This retails at £5.99.  The packaging is a glass container which is the only downside as it's very heavy and not ideal for travelling.  It is a light gel cream which has the benefits of a moisturiser and primer in one. It absorbs instantly, priming your skin ready for make up application so is the perfect base.  I still like to apply and mattifying product over the top of this due to my oily skin.
I like to use this mainly as a moisturiser rather than a primer but if I want a make up free day this is lovely to wear alone to help maintain a shine free complexion.

Next is a product that's been on my wishlist for a while...'Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid'.  30ml of product will cost £15.50 and I purchased it in shade '25-Nude'.  There are 5 shades with Nude being the 2nd lightest.

This full coverage, but light foundation gives a gorgeous flawless finish without feeling like a mask.  It specialises in covering redness or scarring & can be sheered out to give a lighter coverage by applying with a dampened beauty blender or sponge.  Due to the pigmentation & coverage potential, this foundation is buildable & can double up as a concealer to cover blemishes & even dark under eye circles.  It offers 12 hours of wear, reaching 16 hours if used in conjunction with the Dermablend Setting Powder.  It blends beautifully and sets to a satin/matte finish giving a natural, flawless complexion.

I love La Roche Posay's skincare range & I've been looking for a natural setting spray suitable for irritable & sensitive skin.  I saw this 'Thermal Spring Water' spray which cost £7.50 for 150ml and saw that it helps to soothe the skin.  I spray this onto my face once my make up has been applied & I find that it diminishes the appearance of the powdery look that I get once I've set my foundation & restores the complexion to a natural finish.  It's fragrance free & leaves the skin feeling refreshed and revived.


Hannah xxx

Real Techniques brushes

One of my favourite beauty channels on YouTube is Pixiwoo, two sisters who have been in the make up industry for over 15 years.  One of the sisters, Sam Chapman, has her own range of make up brushes...Real Techniques.

They are available to buy in sets or individually online, or alternatively Boots & I think Superdrug now.

They are very reasonably priced, and are super soft & make applying make up easy & quick.  They are light weight which makes the managable but are great quality.  They are 100% cruelty free and are hand cut.

They are all colour coordinated corresponding to their main purpose.  

I will include a link of where to buy these at the end of this post so you can take a look.

Now, because I'm obsessed with foundation & powders, my favourite brushes are obviously the face ones.

The ones are own are (from left to right) Expert Face brush, Stippling brush, Contour brush, Blush brush & Buffing brush.  I have the Powder brush on the way which I'm looking forward to trying out.

 The Expert Face brush is amazing at creating a flawless, airbrushed finish.  The synthetic bristles are closely packed & dense so it really does a brilliant job of holding the foundation on top of the bristles rather than it being absorbed.  I swirl this brush in circular motions to give the desired full coverage effect I require.  I like to use this brush for both liquid & cream foundations.  This retails at £9.99.

The Stippling brush again allow you to create a flawless base expertly.  This is great at building the coverage gradually until you reach the desired look.  By using a stippling motion to apply the foundation (tapping & bouncing on the skin) its creates a high definition, complexion.  Again, I like this for liquid or cream foundations and also to apply cream based highlighters to the tops of the cheekbones.








The Blush brush is incredible!  Like the contour brush, the tapered bristles mean that only the tip needs to pick up the product as the others will buff on contact with the skin when used in circular motions.  I haven't received the Powder brush yet so I have been using the Blush brush for powdering.  It's so soft and blends product into the skin beautifully.

The next brushes are not available for individual sale but are part of a set called the 'Core Collection'...


The Contour brush is a small, domed brush which is incredibly soft.  It's perfect for creating contoured cheekbones.  Due to the way the bristles have been cut, you only need to apply the product to the tip of the brush as once its applied to skin, the tapered bristles surrounding the tip buff the product effortlessly making the process quick, easy & professional looking.

Next is the Buffing brush.  Ideal for buffing mineral foundations into the skin.  I also like this for liquid foundations though, as it buffs the product into the skin to give full coverage.  This can also be used to apply a powder to set any foundation.

The Pointed Foundation brush is also included.  This is perfect for precise application in areas which need more coverage such a cheeks if they have excessive redness.  I also like to use this to apply setting powder onto my under eye concealer or any concealing around the nose & hard to reach places.

Finally, the 'Core Collection' set includes a Detailer brush.  This has a number of uses such as applying 
lipstick, concealing problem areas or to apply a highlight to the inner eye, tear duct area.

I also purchased the 'Starter Set' which has everything you need to create the most fabulous eyes.  Again, these brushes cannot be purchased individually.

There are 5 brushes in this kit.  The kit contains a Base Shadowbrush, a Deluxe Crease brush, an Accent brush, a Pixel Point eyeliner brush & lastly a Brow brush.

The Base Shadow brush is comparable to the MAC 217 in that it's ideal for applying a base eyeshadow colour, for blending eyeshadows or for blending under eye concealer.

The Deluxe Crease brush can also be used to blend due to the shape & size of the brush it fits into the socket crease & blends seamlessly.  This is also my favoured brush for applyling under eye concealer.

The Accent brush is very small and ideal for applying highlight under the brow bone, adding a highlight to the inner eye, tear duct area or for adding a highlight to the cupids bow.  This is also amazing at smudging eyeshadows under the bottom lashes.

The Pixel Point eyeliner brush isn't my favoured or most useful.  I prefer an angled brush to create a winged line on my lid or a thinner brush than this if I haven't got an angled brush to hand.  This is pretty unusable in my collection.

Finally, the Brow brush is great for applying a shadow to define & shape the brows.  This can be a tad thick so this isn't recommended for those who have thinner eyebrows.  I love this to fill mine though where they are more sparse.  

Let me know if you have these brushes or which brand you would recommend!

Hannah xxx

Expert Face brush: http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Expert-Face-Brush_1277695/

Stippling brush: http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Stippling-Brush_1253416/

Blush brush: http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Blush-Brush-1407_1252046/

'Core Collection 1403': http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Core-Collection-1403_1252038/

'Starter Set 1406': http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Starter-Set-1406_1252040/

My want list...

There are so many amazing products on the market, both high end & drugstore, at the moment which I really want to try so I have composed a list to share with you.

*My want list...*

• Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation - I've heard so many rave reviews on this foundation and this sounds perfect for my oily complexion

• MAC tan pigment - I saw a beauty guru on YouTube use this pigment as an eyeshadow, bronzer, highlight & even added a pinch in her foundation to give a gorgeously, subtle bronzed glow without changing the colour of the foundation...amazing!

• Vichy Dermablend foundation - OK, so I'm slightly obessesed with foundation & even though this is specially designed for covering scarring, acne or redness, I love the full coverage look so I really want to try this

• MAC Soft & Gentle - This is an absolutely gorgeous highlight but also can be used as an eyeshadow

• Bobbi Brown Corrector - This is amazing at covering under eye circles

• Urban Decay Naked 2 palette - This neutral palette will see you from day through to night

• Barry M Lavender lipstick -  A lipstick in a lavender shade may sound way out there, but the colour is gorgeous!

• Revlon ColorStay liquid eye pen - This is perfect for creating a gorgeous winged line

• Urban Decay De-Slick oil control setting spray - Eliminates the look of a cakey complexion while ensuring make up stays in place all day

• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Teint Corrective fluid foundation - More comparable to a tinted moistuiser with  very good coverage. A must have for days where foundation isn't needed but you want an even complexion

What products are on your shopping list?

Hannah xxx

Tom Ford Bronzing Powder '01 Gold Dust' review

I am lucky enough to have a very good friend who is a photographers assistant.  She is often assisting on Vogue front cover shoots.  In a recent conversation, I learned that she regularly works with Lisa Eldridge & I couldn't contain my excitement.  Anyway, some weeks passed & one day the post man delivered me a parcel.  Basically, my friend had told Lisa how much I admired her & as a gift she sent me the Tom Ford Bronzing Powder. I was ecstatic!!

Tom Ford make up is extremely luxurious & to own a product from this range is unbelievable!  From the lipsticks to the brushes, every part of the Tom Ford range oozes extravagance & this powder is no exception.

It claims to create a sensuous, bronzed face which is spot on. This bronzer does have a slight shimmer but its very slight & so fine that it wont leave your face looking like a disco ball.  It looks amazing sweeped on the top of the cheek bones & around the perimeter of the face to create a gorgeously bronzed complexion.  It simply enhances the faces natural colouring to give a radiant, healthy glow.   

This bronzing powder is exceptionally silky & lightweight. It has an exclusively formulated mineral blend of sunstone, amber and black tourmaline crystals combined with unique pigments, which as I said previously, flawlessly highlights the skin’s natural radiance or accents an existing tan. 

I tend to start with a small amount & build this up as the pigmentation is superb.  I love using this just as a subtle addition to my natural skin tone just to make me look healthier.

Tom Ford is extremely high end & therefore comes with a designer price tag! The product retails at £65.00 for 21g and comes in two shades '01 Gold Dust', the one I have, which i would recommend for light to medium skin tones & '02 Terra' for the deeper skin tones.  Both include the finely milled shimmer.

The packaging is exquisite.  The box itself is a deep brown, very subtly embossed with a small quilted pattern.  The writing is in gold & looks incredibly chic.
The product itself is in a small brown, velvet dust bag which oozes glamour & luxury & inside is the product.  This comes in a metallic brown compact with a gold rim with Tom Ford engraved on the opening clasp.

The compact includes a very large mirror (the size of the compact) with a simple mirrored gold base.  It's incredibly luxurious & quite heavy which shows the quality of this product.

This product is extremely high end & i would not have this in my collection if I wasn't gifted it so I appreciate it may be out of some people price range.  If, however, you have a special birthday approaching or you have been looking for a high end bronzer then I would seriously recommend looking at this one.  Its available to buy online from Selfridges & Harrods and I also believe House of Fraser stock it if you have one of these stores local to you.

Hannah xxx

What's in my holiday make up bag?

I'm so excited to be going to Turkey for 2 weeks with my husband & our two children!

It's a stressful time at the moment as we are moving again due to my husband's job so a holiday is definitely needed!

I love watching beauty bloggers on YouTube show what they have packed in the make up bag for their holidays/vacations, so I thought I would do one on here!  I will include a full product description at the end of this post :-)

I love my make up bag (I have one for my toiletries too!) which I brought recently for a sale price of £2.00 (originally £4.99).  The dark pink detailing is a PVC type material which will be easy to wipe clean, and the main part of the bag which is a gorgeous baby pink is a canvas material so I think this would be fine to go in the washing machine if it got grubby.  The bag is also lined with a waterproof lining.  Its a zip bag with a little gold heart dangling from the zip, very girly!

First thing I packed was my essentials...tweezers, lipbalm & eyelash curlers.  Although I may not use the curlers as I have individual eyelash extensions (I'm going to do a review on these before I go on holiday) and the curlers may tamper with them.  I haven't included mascara either as the extensions are full of volume & length so mascara isn't needed.

Then for the face.  I haven't packed any liquid foundations.  When I'm on holiday I love my skin to feel fresh & because I have oily skin I feel like a powder is essential.  I have packed powders which are three different shades as my skin will darken over the 2 weeks.  They are also powders which give light coverage but are buildable so if there are any areas which need extra coverage I can achieve this with the powders.  I have also packed a creme foundation which is a medium coverage which I will use for extra coverage or as a concealer in any areas which its needed.  I have packed my holy grail concealer but due to this being a light shade, as y skin darkens this may not be the best to cover any blemishes that may appear.

There is also a corrective powder compact which includes green, yellow, blue & pink powders to correct any redness on the skin which I will need as I can go a tad red when I'm exposed to the sun!

I have packed two types of bronzer, a matte one & a shimmer one.  I then have a shade to contour with & a shade just to apply on the cheek bones & apples of the cheeks to give a gorgeous, shimmery, sunkissed glow.

The neutrals palette is a MUST.  This will allow me to even out my eyelids over the 2 weeks & also the matte colours can be used to fill my eyebrows (I have brought two eyebrow pencils too just as back up as I'm hitting the pan on my two brow shades) If I want to dress up for a few evenings then this also contains the shades for a gorgeous smoky eye.

My make up brushes allow me to powder, fill in my eyebrows, contour, blend & add detail.  I rely heavily on my face brushes as although all my powder foundations include a sponge or puff, I prefer to apply with a brush as it's easier to control the amount of product you want.

I love wearing bright lips on holiday as I think it looks gorgeous with a tan.  My favourites are in my handbag which I'm using as hand luggage (Sleek no's 147 & 52) so I've only included one other shade which is a gorgeous sheen blue toned pink.

Coral is a massive colour this spring summer so I couldn't go on holiday without my Coralista kit.  It includes a blush, cheek tint, highlight & a lipgloss all of which are gorgeous & suit all skin tones which is perfect for taking on holiday.

These are obviously my choices, people may want to obmitt some of these products & include others.  This is just my preference and I hope you found this helpful.

Hannah xxx

Full product list:

- H&M make up bag 
- Superdrugs The Little Soothing Tin Lip Relief
- Maybelline FitMe powder 125 Nude Beige
- Maybelline FitMe powder 210 Sandy Beige
- Revlon ColorStay powder Light/Medium
- Revlon New Complexion creme foundation 03 Sand Beige
- Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 2 Light
- Estee Lauder Chic To Cheek Tone Correcting Powder 01 Highlighting Powder
- Bourjois paris Poudre Bronzante Delice de Poudre 51 Peaux Claires/Medianes (matte)
- Benefit One Hot Minute (shimmery)
- MUA eyeshadow palette Undressed
-MUA eyebrow pencils Brunette & Blonde
- RealTechniques Blush Brush
- RealTechniques Buffing Brush
- RealTechniques Contour Brush
- RealTechniques Pointed Foundation Brush
- RealTechniques Deluxe Crease Brush
- RealTechniques Base Shadow Brush
- RealTechniques Brow Brush
- RealTechniques Pixel-point Eyeliner Brush
- Sleek lipsticks Shade 147 & 52
- MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick Insanely It
- Benefit Go Tropi Coral kit

Superdrug haul & mini product review!

I needed a new eye make up remover but a trip to Superdrug to get this ended up in a mini haul!

A few of these items I have heard raving reviews about, and with '3 for 2' on Bourjois products, I thought this would be an ideal time to try out these items for myself.

The first item is the Simple 'Kind To Eyes eye make up remover'.  This was on offer for just £2.00 for 125ml of product.  It literally feels like water as it is fragrance free.  Its also oil free so perfect for my oily skin & contains multi-vitamins to help cleanse while removing eye make up, even waterproof mascara.

I can suffer with occasional sensitivity on my eye area so this ticks all the boxes for me.  I simply put a little on cotton pads, place over my eyes & very gently wipe away the make up.  The eye area is so delicate its important not to rub and to treat the skin with                        extra TLC! 

It works amazingly!  I placed the cotton pad on my eye for 10 seconds, and when I removed the pad, the make up had lifted.  After a few gentle wipes, the area was completely cleansed.  There was no stinging or irritation or tacky residue left behind.  The product was absorbed quickly and left my eye area feeling really refreshed.

The second item was Superdrug's 'The Little Soothing Tin' lip relief.  My lips can feel dry

& chapped and I find this works wonders.  This is the second tin I've purchased and it's the same size as Vaseline so ideal to pop into your handbag in case your lips need a some help!  In fact I keep one in my make up bag which I put on my lips before applying make up & the other I keep in my handbag for on the go care.

It smells & tastes like menthol as well as containing camphor.  I find that it really moisturises and soothes and leaves a lovely cooling effect on the lips.  It's £1.49 for 20g and just a staple in my make up collection.

I couldn't pass on this next product as it is meant to be better than most high end concealer, and that is the Collection (previously Collection 2000) 'Lasting Perfection' concealer in shade 2 Light.  This is a very durable concealer which is amazing at covering under eye circles & any imperfections on the skin.

The dome foot applicator allows easy application & it blends perfectly.  It has a creamy texture and is relatively thick so is a fairly heavy duty concealer which I need for my under eyes circles which have darkened since having children!!

This was currently on offer at £3.69 (usually £4.19).  It states to have 16 hours worth of coverage while being transfer resistant.  I don't think any product is 100% transfer proof but this was pretty close.  I love this and is now my holy grail concealer.

The next product is a bronzer that I have heard a lot of positive comments on.  It's the Bourjois 'Delice de Poudre'.  What I love about this is that it looks and smells just like chocolate!! I got it in the shade 51 peaux claires/medianes which I presume is light to medium, however, there was a darker shade there.  This retails at £6.99 for 16.5g of product.


Its a matte bronzer so perfect as a contour or just to apply a slight bronzed glow to the face & body.  Its a good shade too, not too orange & a decent matte bronzer is hard to find in drugstores.  It has great longevity & a little goes a long way.  I tend to apply a minimal amount of bronzer to begin with anyway and build it up to get the look I desire to prevent looking too OTT.

The next item was Bourjois 'Intense Extrait' eyeshadow in shade 01 - Beige Dore.  This cost £6.99 for 1g of eyeshadow but this is so pigmented that a little goes a long way.

It is available in 10 exclusive shades but this one really attracted my eye.  It is a goldy/beige baked shadow with gold shimmer & silver glitter particles.  It claims to last 16 hours but due to me not wearing make up this long I can't comment on whether this is true or not.  However, after 10 hours of wear it still looked amazing.  Not quite as vibrant as when first applied, but still looked incredible.  It's hypoallergenic & paraben free so suitable for even the most sensitive of eyes.  This can be used dry and sweeped all over the lid, used simply as a tear duct highlight or can be used as an eyeliner when applied with a damp brush.  One layer of this gives amazing pay off and even though it seems expensive for 1g of product, this will last a very long time.

Also from Bourjois to take advantage of the '3 for 2' offer they currently had active, I purchased one of the new 'Rouge Edition' in shade 02 - Beige Trench.  There were 17 shades at my local Superdrug to choose from, however, there may be more available.  These shades ranged from nudes to bright colour block shades.

This has a lovely glossy finish and is a perfect 'your lips but better' shade.  It goes on so smoothly & really feel moisturising on the lips.  It lasted very well and my lips felt really hydrated & protected which I think could possibly be due to the orchid blossom extract.

I paid £7.99 for 3.5g of product.  On reflection, this isn't worth the money especially after testing my next buy.

This was a lipstick from the MUA range.  I have reviewed some of their eyeshadow palettes previously which I will link below.
http://allthingsbeautyxxx.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/mua-make-up-academy-eye-shadow-palettes.html

I purchased this in Shade 14 'Bare' and was just £1.00 for 3.8g of product! Not only that, where the colour is shown at the bottom of the packaging, this unscrews to reveal a corresponding lipgloss.

This is more of a peachy nude than the Bourjois lipstick which has darker blue undertones.


This applies sheer with a lovely finish and feels moisturising and for £1.00 the colour pay off is great.  There are 16 shades including nudes, pinks, plums & reds.  Considering a single MAC lipstick is around £14.00, you can basically buy every shade in the range for the same price...crazy!

I also saw MUA have brought out a fixing spray, concealer palette, BB cream and a gorgeous highlighter which looks like a possible dupe of MAC's 'Soft and Gentle' so I think these may be on the top of my 'To Buy' list.

Hope you enjoyed!

Hannah xxx