New In | Drugstore Edition

 Lately, I've been finding myself pulled towards the likes of Boots and Superdrug and steering away from the high end concessions.  Now, I'm not saying that my love for luxury has died completely, I just think the drugstore is having a moment right now.  Brands have been launching products left, right and centre and some have been too gorgeous to avoid.  I found myself perusing the aisles of Superdrug yesterday, looking to pick up some essentials and also to treat myself after finishing my degree (would you like a post on my university experience?) and found that all cosmetics were on 3 for 2, so I felt I should oblige. 

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover; £4.99 - Another essential I've been meaning to pick up was the Bourjois nail polish remover.  This will be my third pot of the gimmicky goodness and I just love it.  It removes nail polish almost immediately and leaves a gorgeous fruity smell behind - my only hang up is that it's not toe friendly (don't pretend you haven't tried!).  

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer; £4.19 - Unless you were born yesterday, you'll know this product is very much loved and raved about in the UK.  I picked up another tube as I'm currently scraping the edges of my old one.  It provides amazing coverage, it doesn't cling to dry patches or looks cakey on the skin and it's only £4.19 - bargain! 

Sleek Shimmer Blush in Pomegranate; £4.49 - Sleek's a brand I haven't really ventured into much, apart from a lipstick and the infamous contour kit but when I saw this blush I couldn't not get it.  It's slightly more plummy in real life and it's definitely more of an autumn colour but I'm going to try and make it work for the summer - it could even be a great crease colour on the eye.  I've just swatched it and the pigmentation is lovely so I'm excited to try it.  

Maybelline Colour Sensation Vivids in Shocking Coral; £7.19 - I passed the Maybelline concession without a second glance until the word 'Vivids' caught my eye and I remembered seeing some of the lipsticks on YouTube.  I spied Shocking Coral, a true coral shade and popped it into my basket.  I swatched this once I got home and the colour really is vivid, plus it has a really nice smell to it. 

Bourjois Cream Blush in Nude Velvet (#01) and Rose Tender (#03); £7.99 - Bourjois are famous for their Little Round Pot blushers, but they've just launched their new cream blushers, complete with that Bourjois rose scent.  Admittedly, this is the reason I wanted to go into Superdrug and out of the four shades on offer, these two stood out the most.  I've really been enjoying cream blushers lately and I'm excited to try these. 

Have you picked up any goodies from Boots or Superdrug lately?

Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Colour: The Kate Collection

Rimmel are currently the high street brand to beat when it comes to product launches.  Earlier this year they launched their popular Apocalips, not to mention their Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol Kajal liners, Kate Collection Matte lipsticks and now the new Salon Pro by Kate range.  The collection features 10 new shades, all picked by Mossy and there are some really gorgeous colours.  These had been on my radar for a while and I'd always look out for them whenever I popped into Boots or Superdrug.  I picked up Soul Session and Jazz Funk, although I have since gone back and purchased Rhythm & Blues and will probably buy some more in the near future.  

Rimmel claim that you can get up to 10 days chip free, thanks to the added Lycra in the formula. Whilst these polishes definitely last longer than some of my more expensive picks (I'm looking at you Chanel), I find they last around 4-6 days before chipping, depending on what I'm doing.  This is still pretty impressive for me, as I usually change up my nails quite often.  The Salon Pro Nail Colours also come with a wide brush, making application super easy, usually only needing one swipe per nail.  The product is pretty opaque and I very rarely go back in for a second coat, which is great if you're as impatient as I am when it comes to waiting for your talons to dry.  

As I previously mentioned, there are some great colour choices including gorgeous nudes (Soul Session has now replaced my beloved Models Own Pink Beige), Summer brights (Jazz Funk, Brit Pop and Hip Hop), a classic red (Classical Red) as well as some darker colours which would be perfect for the autumn (Rhythm & Blues and Punk Rock).  At £4.49 these aren't going to break the bank and with such amazing quality and colours, I'm not sure if I will be tempted by other brands for a while. Another triumphant launch, Rimmel.  

Have you bought any of the Kate Moss Salon Pro Nail Colours?

Barry M Nail Paint Corrector Pen

I was perusing the aisles in Superdrug the other day when I came across a new product from Barry M, a Nail Paint Corrector Pen.  Now, I know there are already a few of these on the market, the most popular one by Nails Inc, but Barry M's version came with a much better price tag of £4.99.  

As the title suggests, you use this pen to tidy up nails after they've been freshly painted.  Although I've been painting my nails for years, I often end up with a splatter here or there on my nails and while it would be just as easy to dip a cotton bud (q-tip) in nail varnish remover, I find that the bud isn't as precise.  With the Barry M pen however, touch ups are a lot easier with the pointed nib allowing you to get into all the nooks and crannies.  The product itself is supposed to be melon scents, however I haven't really noticed that at all.  It's also acetone free and comes with two spare nibs to swap out as and when they dry out.  I know with Nails Inc pen, a lot of the problems came from the product drying up quite quickly, and whilst I've only been using it for two or so weeks, if the Barry M pen dried up quickly I wouldn't be as annoyed. 

Some might think it's a waste of money, but if you're forever changing your nail colour as often as I do then this might be a nice little beauty accessory to have.  I hear they are already hard to get hold of, so it's proving to be a popular product.  

Will you be trying this out or sticking to good old bottled remover? 

Tested: Eyeshadow Primers

I've long been a fan of eyeshadow primers. A good primer will hold your look in place all day, whilst still keeping the vibrancy of colour.  It's no secret that I love the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base but the price can sometimes be a bit off putting.  I was excited to see that high street brands were taking note, with Rimmel and MUA releasing their own offerings to the eyeshadow base world.  I've tested all three against each other, putting them all in the deep end, only using them when I needed my eyeshadow to stay put all day - birthday parties, 9 hour shifts etc. 

MUA Professional Eye Primer; £2.50 - available at Superdrug

The cheapest of the bunch, MUA's eyeshadow base comes in the smallest of the three tubes.  On the packaging, it boasts to be long lasting, smoothing and no creasing. This is the only primer out of the three which has any colour to it.  Similar to the Urban Decay Primer Potion, it has a beige, skin tone like colour to it.  It felt nice across my lids, not sticky but instead silky smooth.  Eyeshadows applied evenly on top and were easy to blend.  Unfortunately, the product didn't hold my look in place all day, after two hours, I noticed that my eyeshadow had started to slip and crease and by the end of the day, I had virtually no eyeshadow left.  I was left quite disappointed after hearing so many reviews and being recommended it several times.  I wonder if there is a colour chemical that doesn't agree with my skin as the Urban Decay Primer Potion also had the same results.  

Rimmel London Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer; £4.99 - available at Boots or Superdrug

Rimmel London have had some successful product launches so far this year, include their new eyeshadow primer.  The packaging guarantee's 18-hour wear, as well as being smudge and crease proof.  The product is silicone based, giving it that smooth and silky texture.  It's a white cream consistency that disappears once blended over the eyelids.  When applying eyeshadow on top, they went on easily and evenly and were still very blendable.  Whilst the product is long-lasting, it doesn't last the promised 18 hours.  After four hours my eyeshadow had started to move slightly and after eight - ten hours I had noticed some creasing.  In my opinion, this is good wear for an eyeshadow primer and I wouldn't need the product for much longer than ten hours. 

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base; £19.00 - available online or at Space NK

The most expensive of the three, NARS' offering has once again come up top trumps.  NARS say that this product is lightweight and wont cause your eyeshadow to smudge, crease or cake.  They don't give a time frame like Rimmel, only stating that it is long wearing.  Again, it feels silky smooth across the lids, the white cream fading once applied.  Eyeshadows apply smoothly on top, sticking to the primer but not so much that it cakes or begins to crease. Layering colour is easy and the primer allows you to blend colours seamlessly.  Whenever I wear this, I barely notice a difference after six hours and by the time I'm taking it off, it's still pretty much in place, how I applied it ten hours earlier.  

Overall, I still love NARS' offering but if you're looking for something for a quarter of the price, Rimmel's latest launch is the best bet.  

What's your favourite eye product to create a long lasting look?

Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer vs. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat

No matter how much beauty sleep us girls get each night, those pesky under eye circles just wont disappear.  Highlighting products are brilliant at disguising dark circles and the reigning product on the market has to be YSL's Touche Eclat.  Unfortunately, with luxury comes a hefty price tag, so if you can't quite afford £25 then read on...

The infamous Touche Eclat comes in a gold pen with a velvet 'Y' to one side giving it an ultra luxe look.  It's important to remember that the Touche Eclat is branded as a highighter and not a concealer, which it is most commonly mistaken for.  If you have extremely dark circles, I would go in with a concealer first and then use the YSL over the top to brighten the area. The product is a salmon pink to help counteract the purple tones found under the eyes.  There's 10 shade variants depending on your skin colour. To apply the product, you click the button to the bottom of the product and run over the areas you wish to brighten.  Its a lovely creamy formula and blends well under the eye, but like most concealers or under eye products, it creases. I find that once I re-blend where the product has creased it looks a lot better.  You get 25ml of product and I've been using mine on and off for the past four months and have yet to find any tell tale 'running low' signs.  

Most high street brands have a dupe for the YSL Touche Eclat. My favourite of the bunch is the Collection Illuminating Touch Light Diffusing Concealer.  The big difference between the two products is that this is a concealer, so it has more coverage than the Touche Eclat.  I was worried that this would mean it would be quite 'cakey' looking under my eye, but this was not the case.  Although it has more coverage, it's just as light as the YSL alternative and blends just as nicely.  Collection have a limited shade range, only carrying three different shades for this product. The only problem I have is that the brush is quite stiff and drags on the eye, which isn't a good thing.  The packaging isn't half as luxurious, the lid comes off quite easily, but for £4.99 you can't really grumble.  

If you have some cash to splash, treat yourself to the Touche Eclat as it's an amazing product and really helps brighten the skin and under eye area. If you're a little strapped for cash however, I recommend the Collection alternative, which has slightly more coverage.  

How do you hide your dark circles?

Essie Diffusion Line Nail Polish

(L-R: Watermelon, Tart Deco, Sexy Divide and Fiji)

For years I've stuck to Barry M's Nail Paints, not really knowing any better until I discovered the world of beauty bloggers and vloggers. Since then there has been an unbelievable amount of talk about Essie.  I'd even read that the Queen's hairdresser had requested Essie's 'Ballet Slippers' - the only shade she would wear.  I'd never got round to purchasing any colours before it's Boots and Superdrug launch a month or so ago as they were hard to find and once you had they were around £11 each.  When I saw the stand in my local Boots, I gravitated towards it, knowing I wanted the infamous Fiji but also picking up a few more along the way.  

My Essie collection began with 'Tart Deco', 'Sexy Divide' and 'Fiji'.  As soon as I got home, I applied 'Tart Deco' to my both my fingers and toes.  I wore 'Fiji' which is a gorgeous pale pink shade, to my nephews christening.  It's a nice muted, sophisticated shade great for weddings, christenings and other special occasions.  I picked up 'Sexy Divide' as it's very much similar to my favourite Barry M colour 'Vivid Purple' which is slowly running out.  It's a shade that I will no doubt be wearing a lot over autumn and winter.  Watermelon is my latest addition to my collection. I was drawn to this colour over all the other colours as it's a bright pink but without being too fuchsia. 

Before the Boots and Superdrug launch the polishes formulation and brushes were changed as part of the 'Diffusion Line'.  The new formula is extremely thick, creamy and opaque.  I found that one coat is enough with most of the shades I have, maybe two with 'Fiji'.  The brushes have been re-worked and are now a lot wider making application a lot less time consuming with only one or two swipes needed per nail.  As for the staying power, I'm impressed.  When I first applied 'Tart Deco', I put it through the ultimate test - a shift at Tesco.  My nails always break or chip when I'm at work but miraculously this manicure stayed in place.  It did start chipping around 3-4 days after which I was really pleased with.  

Essie's Diffusion Line is available in most Boots stores (I have yet to come across them in Superdrug but you can get them online here) and are £7.99 each.  I'm looking forward to building up my collection with more colours.  

Which Essie shade is your favourite? 

Follow me on She Said Beauty here!

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in #16

The first time I ever used the infamous Little Round Pot Blusher from Bourjois was for my brothers wedding, way back in 2007.  Admittedly, I can't quite remember the shade but when I saw this pot peeping through my goody bag from More! magazine I was instantly taken back.  First milled in 1863, it's easy to see why this product has been part of Bourjois' permanent line for so long.  

The shade I got was #16 - Rose Coup De Foudre (or Love-Struck Rose to you and me) which is a beautiful coral colour.  Originally, the pot came with a small blush for on the go application, but I wasn't a massive fan of it so threw it away.  The first thing I noticed was the gorgeous rose scent when I opened up the pot.  Secondly was the pigmentation of the product - it's got some serious colour pay off! The blush powder is a baked formula which is finely milled and soft, making it easy to blend onto the apples of your cheeks.  It also has a slight shimmer, great for brightening up the complexion. 

I've found myself reaching for this product on a daily basis as I love how it really perks my everyday look up and it doesn't budge or oxidise on my skin.  With 12 shades to choose from and only costing £7.49 a pot, you really can't go wrong (they're also paraben free)! I've definitely got my eyes on some other shades.  Bourjois products are widely available in Boots and Superdrug stores.   

Which Little Round Pot Blush do you covet? 

New In: Recent Beauty Buys

After lectures today, I popped out shopping, mainly to buy my mum a present for Sunday.  I knew there were a few things I wanted to get myself from Superdrug and I also had to top up some of my skin care.  I also went into Primark, but if you've seen any of my latest tweets, you'll know I'm not happy.  To cut a long story short, I found THE shirt I had been searching high and low for only to have to go up FOUR (not exaggerating) dress sizes.  I'd already gone up three and thought that the next size up would surely be the perfect fit.  How wrong was I.  I've just tried it on and want to scream. I might be curvy but there is no way I am anywhere near a size 20 yet this still didn't fit - Primark, sort your life out! I wont be spending my money in there anytime soon.  Back to the goodies - beauty products never fail to disappoint me (unless they don't actually work...) so here's what I bought. 

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish 100ml and Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator

I've been pumping the last of my C+P for a few days now, and I know that if I don't use it. I'll experience some horrific breakouts.  I picked this up and also the Exfoliator which I haven't tried as I want to scrub away my winter skin.  I'll let you know how I get on with it, but if it's anything like my other Liz Earle products, I'm sure it'll be great!

Loreal Super Liner 24 Hour Gel Eyeliner, Loreal Lumi Magique and Loreal Super Liner Perfect Slim

I have wanted to try Loreals liners for a while now, as everyone seems to rave about them.  I took full advantage of the 3 for 2 offer in Superdrug and picked up the newest editions to the liner family.  

I've never tried a gel before but have been looking into it for a while so I will give this a go. I love my MAC penultimate liner but have been looking for a high street alternative.  

My Clinique highlighter/concealer completely run out this morning, so I picked up the new Loreal one to try.  I've swatched it and it seems exactly the same! 

Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

My most exciting product of the day.  I've wanted to try these ever since the American guru's have gone mental for them.  I got lucky with this as they weren't actually out on display, but I asked a shop assistant if she knew when they'd be out as they were released this week and she found them for me! I'm wearing it on my lips now and it is really pigmented and feels lovely on my lips.  I'm definitely going to pick a few more of these up - hopefully they will be on a 3 for 2 or something like that.  

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze

A surprise buy today as I didn't even know these had launched in the UK yet, I just happened upon them whilst wandering around the make up stands.  I wasn't sure which ones to get as I know the Taupe one is quite saught after in America.  I went for this bronze shade as these colours bring out my blue eyes.  This is going to be perfect for those days when you just want a wash of colour all over the lids and nothing more.  

Now we just need the dream bouncy blushes to launch here! What high street make up launches are you looking forward to most?

Trying Out: High Street/Drugstore Cult Products

As with the high end beauty brands, there is always a lot of hype surrounding certain products, including the high street brands.  Wandering round Boots and Superdrug the other day, I picked up a few 'cult' products, that have been raved about by fellow bloggers or YouTube gurus.  Without further adieu, the products in question are...

1. MUA Heaven and Earth Palette; £3.00 (Usually £4) - I have the Naked Palette, which I reach for on a regular basis, but feel it lacks the in between or medium colours.  I picked this up in Superdrug and it even had an extra quid off (super scrimper ftw).  I used it this morning and I'm impressed. It was a bit difficult to get some of the colours to pick up on the brush but I think that's just the first layer.  If it's still on offer (or even if it's not), it's definitely one to pick up - especially if you're a beginner! I didn't swatch these below, but if you would like to see any swatches, please let me know.  

2.  Natural Collection 'Peach Melba' Blush; £1.89 - I have been looking at getting MACs Melba blush for a while, but didn't want to splash out £17.00 incase I didn't like it.  After doing a little bit of research (watching Barbara over at The Persian Babe and Meg at meganisobel) I found this beauty for under £2.00.  I really love the colour, it has a good pigmentation and leaves a healthy glow to the cheek.  Definitely one to try at that bargain price!

3. Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Fuschia; £3.99 - I've been obsessed with bright lips as of late, not the usual pillar box red either.  I picked up this bad boy in Superdrug after hearing how ruddy pigmented they are and I wasn't disappointed (see picture below).  I really like the consistency and the overall colour.  I'd like to get 'Amped' next, which is a bright matte pink - I have MACs Viva Glam Nicki Minaj on the way though, so maybe not just yet!

4. 17 Lipstick in Beehive; £4.59 - Now, this product is nothing new to me.  I bought this a few months ago and loved it and one day it disappeared before my very eyes.  I have turned my room upside down looking for this lipstick, but to no avail.  This product is extremely moisturising and the perfect 'my lips but better' shade. The only downfall - it tastes funky!

Here are some swatches and what not:

Do you have any high street products you deem 'cult'-worthy?

Nail It

Last month saw my faves The Saturdays launch their nail polish range at the Sanctum Soho Hotel.  Yesterday, they were finally available in Superdrug stores and were on a 3 for 2 offer.  I picked up three, Mollie's Purple Me Up, Una's Ego Green and Frankie's Notorious Silver plus the magnet which gives the nails that wave effect.  

I decided to try Mollies first and was surprised at how easy it was.  The nail polish dried quickly which was an added bonus, and the magnet has a ridge which you sit on your cuticle, allowing the magnet to work without smudging your nails.  

I really like the finished effect, it's far better than the Barry M crackle polish, which I just think looks horrible.  

What do you think? Will you be popping down to a Superdrug near you?  I'm definitely going back to pick up Rochelle's and Vanessa's tomorrow!

A day out in London.

If you follow me on Twitter then you'll know that I went to London today to visit Oxford Street with my best friend.  It was a lovely day, we had lunch followed by a naughty cheesecake from Selfridges, washed down with a Starbucks during happy hour (half price fraps from 3-5pm, bargain!).  We got off the tube at Marble Arch and made our way down through the shops, until we eventually hit H&M and thought 'enough is enough'.  

Primark; £15.00

I've admired these dresses since I saw them in Grazia so I was excited to finally get my mits on one.  Miss Impatient that I am, I didn't want to queue for a good half hour to try it on, which would have saved some heartache doing so.  I'll be taking this back as I hate it on, I think i'm a bit too big chested for it to suit.  

Primark; £10.00

Bargain!  I absolutely adore these shoes, although I originally wanted some canvas wedges.  I thought these would be great for when I intern (although I will be wearing flats for the commute!).  On the label they were priced £14.00 so was pleasantly surprised to see they were actually £10.00. They have pretty floral detailing on the inside, which although you can't see when on, adds a nice touch.  

Primark; £9.00

I needed a bigger bag than my beloved Chiltern when I intern as i'll need to take a notepad with me for meetings and such.  I liked this faux leather bag, which was a bit different to all the other tan bags.  The green as a bit brighter in real life.  

VO5 Instant Oomph Powder; £4.07

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Starter Kit; £13.25

La Roche Posay Effaclar M; £13.79

I got some beauty products today.  I was most excited about the Liz Earle product as I've heard so many amazing things about it.  I've already used it this evening to take my make up off and on first thoughts it's incredible! My skin felt extremely soft after use and less red.  I also got a full size version of the Effaclar M moisturiser I mentioned here.  And in a bid to get big hair, I am going to try out another of the VO5's new range.  It's already had great reviews so I have high hopes.  

Purse - New Look; £7.99

Ring - New Look; £4.99

Belt - H&M £7.99

Bracelet - Primark; £2.00

I picked up some random accessories, including this purse which I immediately fell in love with.  It has a floral crochet pattern and it solid, a bit like a clutch.  I have changed all my stuff over into it and it's not as roomy as it first seemed.  

These are just the leftover randoms I bought/picked up.  I couldn't go to London and not buy some Nerds from Selfridges and I also wanted to pick up the new loyalty card from Superdrug.  I ended up grabbing a Costa clubcard because, well, I spend most of my time there or at Starbucks so...

Here are some more photos from the day, including a couple of sneaky photos from a small couture exhibition in Selfridges.  

Quite possibly the best combo!

There were some great McQueen pieces.

All in all a fantastic day, minus the dress hiccup.  It's an extra £15 to spend elsewhere...

How was your day?