5 Beauty Products Worth The Price Tag

Sometimes, being a beauty addict is hard. Buying high end make up is a gamblers game; sometimes you hit gold, other times you don't. If it's the latter, parting with what seems like extortionate amounts of money for something that runs out, dries up or becomes abandoned in the abyss otherwise known as the beauty drawer because it didn't live up to expectations can be soul destroying. But when you hit gold and find that product you would sell your left kidney for, let alone £40, you know your make-up bag will never look the same again and all the risks would have paid off.

The following 5 products are, in my opinion, worth every penny and will repurchase time and time again...


Tom Ford Brow Sculptor

Since I bought this product, I have never had a bad-brow-day: bold statement, I know. When I use it, it is impossible to have a bad-brow-day as it just makes them perfect. I don't know how it does it; it is truly magical. At £35, this bad boy is pricey, but in my opinion, you can't put a price on great brows.
The sculptor has two ends: one a spooly, the other a waxy textured pencil-crayon thing (very bad description, sorry) and also has a pull out sharpener which keeps the tip nice and sharp. The 'calligraphy' tip means that you can use thin strokes towards the end of the brows, but wider and softer strokes towards the front. The formula is soft and waxy which makes the filled in brows look natural but also stays in place all day.


By Terry Ombre Blackstar

Over the last couple of years cream eyeshadow sticks seem to have been all the rage, and for good reason. Due to their popularity, the market is awash with what seems like 1000's of different brands, colours, textures and finishes but nobody does them quite as well as By Terry. I have two shades: Frozen Quartz and Misty Rock. Frozen Quartz is a beautiful pale shimmery pink, and Misty Rock a bronze/mauve-y brown colour. They apply ridiculously easily, literally swipe a bit on, blend it a bit with your finger or a fluffy brush, and your good to go. The formulas are incredibly long lasting and the packaging is simple and elegant. They are expensive at £29, but a little goes a long way and they last a fair amount of time before running out or drying up.


Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette

I did a full review on the Vintage Vamp palette last year (check that out here), but since then I have also bought the palette in The Sophisticate. If you are a neutrals girl like me, this palette is perfect for you. It has four matte neutral shades: a pale cream, a light brown, a dark grey and a dark chocolate brown. With this palette you can create a natural, barely there day look, or a dramatic brown smokey evening look. As with all Charlotte Tilbury products, the packaging is beautiful and the formulas and pigmentation are perfect.


YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick

YSL is my favourite brand for high end lipsticks. I love the packaging, smell, formula and colour range; I can't find a bad word to say about them. The shades I have are Rouge Eros (which I can not find anywhere, think it's time for a major make up tidy up - so you can read a mini review I did last year of this shade here) and I have recently got the shade Rose Stiletto (pictured). I find the formula really pigmented, moisturising and super long lasting.


Charlotte Tilbury Colour of Youth Lip and Cheek Glow

Sophie kindly surprised me with this blush for my 21st birthday. Before we go any further let's all just take a few seconds to appreciate the packaging... This cream blusher is part of Charlotte Tilbury's new limited edition collection which celebrates the work of famous photographer Norman Parkinson, the beautiful woman gracing the compact is Wenda, Norman's wife and muse. The blusher is a subtle and delicate rose glow, it is weightless and creamy and lasts all day.

What beauty products do you feel are worth the price tag?

Raiding My Sister's Make-Up Bag

 Don’t you just love going through other people’s make-up bags? This weekend I made a little spontaneous trip to London to see my sister and found myself riffling through her make-up bag to see what goodies I could find, the following are things that I would love to buy myself in my shade and other products I would like to sneak into my bag and take back with me…

1. Bobbi Brown Blush in Peony

This is the one I got most excited about as I had no idea she had it, it is Bobbi Brown’s much raved about blusher in the colour Peony. It looks a very scary bright pink in the compact but once applied it leaves a gorgeous, natural, healthy pink, matte finish.

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in B20

I would love to be able to use this foundation but none of the Chanel shades ever seem to match my skintone, they are all far too yellow based for my pale-pinky skin.  My sister, Charlotte describes it as having a dewy finish with light to medium coverage, she says it's quick and easy to blend and leaves a nice natural finish. However, she does also point out that her shade isn't quite the perfect match and would benefit from having the shade B10 to mix in.

3. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer

This again is a very raved about product in the blogging world and I’m sure at some point in the near future I won’t be able to resist any longer and make the purchase. The unique product has two shades – one to match the skin’s depth of colour and the other to match the undertone. You can either mix the two shades together on the back of your hand to create your perfect shade or use the more pinky to counteract under eye dark circles and the more yellow-based one to hide any blemishes.  I think Charlotte uses her fingers to apply which is good as it warms the product up but I would then buff over with a fluffy brush to leave a super flawless finish

4. YSL Baby Doll Mascara

I actually recommended this to my sister after hearing Sophie’s great reviews about it and Charlotte loves it. It is quite a subtle, natural looking mascara perfect for everyday wear with a brush that easily coats every lash, making the more voluminous, longer and defined. Also – a mascara that actually smells nice, finally!

5. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact Highlighter in Pink Quartz

I am a big fan of these shimmer bricks even though I’ve never actually owned one myself, I’ve always just stolen a bit from my sister or Sophie! They are powder highlighters with 5 slightly different shades inside which when mixed together create a lovely natural looking pink highlighter – perfect for the top of cheek bones, on the brow bone and in the inner corner of the eye.

6. MAC Matte Lipstick in So Chaud

Now this is one statement lipstick! I’m surprised my sister has this as she is usually a very natural-looking-make up kind of girl. The best way to describe this colour is think of MAC’s famous Lady Danger Lipstick and add a bit more orange. MAC describe it as an intense reddish-orange, it also has the matte finish which I am really loving at the minute.

May Wishlist

It's time for the Monthly Wishlist and Favourites again! (see Jess' April Favourites here). There is no real theme to my Wishlist this month with a mixture of products, some of which I've wanted for ages and some I've only just discovered and want to try out. Here is my Wishlist for the month of May.

Ombre Blackstar By Terry - £28

On a recent trip to Space NK and after reading and watching Vivianna Does Makeup's blog and YouTube videos, I came across these eye shadow sticks from By Terry. After seeing more raving reviews I really want to try this product. I love a good eyeshadow stick, my favourite being my limited edition Chanel stylo in Moon River. I love the shades available but I think the one I'd like to try the most is Bronze Moon.

MAC Eye shadow and Palette - £20 & £10 

Now I've almost completed my MAC palette with only one eye shadow left to fill, I want a new palette as mine is the really old one with no see through plastic on top and it's covered in powder and eye shadow. I prefer the newer design so much more. I really want a small palette too, perfect for when I'm travelling and only need a few shades instead of carrying around my 15 slot palette. Also if I'm buying a new palette I might as well complete it so I want a new eye shadow too but I can't decide what my last one should be, any suggestions?

YSL Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain - £25

I love YSL makeup, it seems so luxurious and I love all of the products I have tried from them so far. One thing I paticularly love about YSL is their lip products. I recently bought a Lipstick in a beautiful berry/rose colour that I can't get enough of. Also a while ago I bought one of their famous lip stains from the rebel nudes collection (a review is coming soon!). I had completely forgotten about it until I came across it in my collection recently and I forgot how much I like it. The colour lasts a long time and I love the formula. Now I want to try one in a new colour and luckily YSL has so many great shades to choose from.

L'oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick by Color Riche - £8.99

After reading Vivianna Does Makeup's blog I came across a video on these L'oreal lip stains that are supposed to be very similar to the YSL ones but for a fraction of the cost. I'd like to try one of these out and compare it to the YSL ones. There a less colours available compared to the YSL ones but I like the shades that are available. I'm tempted to go for a bold one like a bright red shade called Rouge Soprano. 

Kate Moss for Topshop Scallop Shorts - £46

Kate Moss recently released a new collection of clothing for Topshop on the 30th of April (if you haven't heard of it already). I love the collection and most of the items have sold out online already but one piece that stood out for me, that was also reasonably priced and something I would actually wear was these Scallop Shorts. I love a good pair of shorts and these are quite a unique design and unlike any others I have. Unfortunately they've sold out in my size so I'm hoping they come back in stock soon!

Eucerin Skincare - £9.25 and £9.50

My favourite Dermalogica Moisturiser, Active Moist, is about to run out and seeming as it is quite expensive I thought I should try a cheaper alternative. One brand that I have heard that is good for skincare is Eucerin. I had a look on the Boots website and they have a category for my skin type, oily/acne prone skin. One of the products I came across was the Dermo Purifyer Adjunctive Hydrating Care SPF30 50ml. I like that this moisturiser has an SPF and is only £9.25 for 50ml. I also came across the Dermo Purifier Concentrate 30ml to help the overall condition of skin for £9.50 which I think I'll try too. 

What is on your wishlist for the month of May?

March Favourites

Is it me or do the months keep going by more quickly as the year goes on? I've loved so many things in March but I've selected some of my distinct favourites that I haven't written loads about before. Here are my favourite things from the month of March.

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers and The Falsies Mascara

I love this combo of my new Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers and The Falsies Mascara. They work so well together and make my eyelashes look so much better than before. I can really see a difference, my lashes look instantly longer and fuller. Although the eyelash curlers are quite expensive (£20) I think they are worth it because they work so well and I guess it's not so bad when you use a drugstore mascara (that's my excuse anyway). 

Real Techniques Brushes

I've had these for a while now, but they still continue to be my go-to makeup brushes and I've been using a wide range of the collection through March. I have 6 brushes in total (Expert Face, Blush and the Core Collection face set) but my favourites are the Expert Face Brush, the Blush Brush, and the Small Tapered Brush. I use the Expert Face Brush to apply my Nars Sheer Matte Foundation. I think it blends the foundation really well and allows a good, even coverage. I use the Blush Brush for blusher (obviously), but specifically my Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush because it's so big it's great for sweeping colour across the cheeks. I love the Small Tapered Brush for applying highlighter to my cheek bones and to highlight underneath my eyebrows and it can be used for contouring with bronzer too (who doesn't love a good multi-tasking product). Also the brushes are so inexpensive compared to most brushes out there and I think they are just as good. 

Essie Nail Varnish in Over The Edge

I love Essie Nail varnish and I went to Boots recently during their frequent 3 for 2 offers and decided to get this with the other 2 products I had chosen. This is a gorgeous dark silver/grey colour with a very slight sparkle. It applies really easily and is a great metallic colour for any season. It also lasts a long time with minimal chips which is why I love Essie!

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Rose in Tension

I absolutely love this lipstick! I can't get enough of it. It has been my go-to day lipstick nearly every day for the month of March. It's a really nice berry colour that just adds that extra pop to everyday makeup. I love that it's a sheer colour too so can be built up but is also moisturising. The packaging is also so beautiful, with the same colour as the product on the outside. I really want to try the Volupte Shine in some different colours too! 

Juicy Couture Earrings

I purchased these earrings a few months ago in New York and completely forgot I had them. I decided to wear something different as I always tend to wear the same Marc Jacobs studs everyday. These earrings are so cute though, I love the little signature Juicy Couture crown on them. I've worn them almost everyday in March because they are so easy and simple but pretty at the same time. 

Sex and the City

I think this is a favourite for both me and Jess this month. After many recommendations from Jess and us watching the first movie together (and loving it!) I decided to give the actual TV series a go. I can't stop watching Sex and the City! I'm obsessed. After a few weeks of watching it I only have 4 episodes left and I'm devastated that it's nearly over. I love the whole New York aspect of the show, seeing them in real places and restaurants and of course the shoes too! Me and Jess have actually figured out who which character is in our friendship group (I'm a Carrie). If you have some spare time or are struggling to find something good to watch that's easy and fun then definitely give Sex and the City a go!

What were your favourite things last month? 

February Favorites

I can't believe February is over already, this month we will be a quarter of the way through 2014! Here are my February Favourites including beauty products, fashion and a few other bits and bobs.


Tanya Burr Nail Varnish in 'Little Duck'

How gorgeous is this colour? I am absolutely loving this colour at the moment, as you will see there is a bit of a recurring duck-egg blue theme in this post. When I went to order a few bits from Tanya Burr's new range I really couldn't decide which ones to get - I wanted them all! But I chose this one and I am so glad I did. It has a really nice consistency and doesn't chip easily, two coats and you're good to go.  I would definitely recommend.



Liz Earle Instant Skin Tonic

I found a sample sized version of Liz Earle's Skin Tonic in my beauty draw and loved it so much I bought the full sized version. I love the smell of this and the way it makes me skin feel after using it. I especially like using it in the mornings as it makes me fell really fresh, bright and awake.


YSL Rose Crush Blusher

This was featured in my haul a few weeks ago and I love it so much! I want to use it everyday but I am rationing myself to once a week so it doesn't run out too quickly! I think I'm only going to start wearing it for special occasions as I will be devastated when it runs out - especially as it is a limited addition.



Charles Worthington Dry Shampoo

I wanted to try this out because I love loads of other products in the Salon at Home range by Charles Worthington, I'm not mad keen on the classic Batiste dry shampoo as I find it too chalky and makes my head itch so I only use it dire emergencies (i.e. when I haven't got out of bed early enough to wash my hair before a 9am lecture) but I do like this Charles Worthington one. It doesn't soak up grease as well as Batiste but that's not what I really use it for, I find it really good for giving my second day (third day if I'm lucky) a bit more umph or spraying it on the roots of freshly washed and straightened hair to give it a bit more volume. It also smells amazing, the smell actually reminds me of Marc Jacob's Daisy perfume.


Topshop Embellished Jumper

This also featured in the haul so I won't go on about it too much, but basically I love the colour, material and embellishments on this jumper. The only negative thing about this is it is a bit of a bitch to clean as it it hand wash only.

London Fashion Week

I big highlight of February was seeing the Autumn/Winter 14 collections, my favourite being London Fashion Week. My favourite show was Burberry, you can click here to see my best bits of London Fashion Week!

Pretty Little Liars

I am so behind with PLL, I started watching in October and pretty much haven't stopped watching it since. I'm in the middle of season 4 and have made it my mission to catch up before season 5 airs here in the UK. If I have a spare hour in between lectures I'll go home and sneak an episode in between. If I fail my degree, blame Aria, Spencer, Emily and Hannah.

What have you been loving this month?

Haul #2: Beauty

On Friday the 31st of January me and Jess went on a big day out to celebrate the end of our exams and to have a good catch up. We had such a good day in Nottingham starting off with some essential beauty shopping. Then we went to see The Wolf of Wall Street (which was so good!) and then we did a bit more shopping and then went out for a delicious meal at Piccolino's before going back to my house to watch The Great Gatsby on DVD. On our shopping trip we bought so many beauty products so both me and Jess decided to do a haul each (Click here to read Jess' haul). Here are the things that I bought:

MAC
MAC Eyeshadow in Retrospeck

The first product that I bought was a refill palette eyeshadow from MAC in the colour Retrospeck. I have a 15 eyeshadow palette and I had already filled 12 of the slots and I'm slowly building it up to complete it. Jess already has this shade and she recommended it to me so I thought I'd try it out. I absolutely love this shade, it's so glittery and I love a good neutral eyeshadow colour. It goes well with the other colours I have in my palette too, only 2 to go until it's finished!

John Lewis
YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Rose in Tension

After MAC we went to John Lewis which has one of the best beauty departments in Nottingham, in my opinion. I had been wanting a new lipstick for a while so I thought I'd treat myself to a luxury brand lipstick. I decided on a YSL one because I love the gorgeous packaging and the texture of the Volupte Shine Lipsticks. I also really love the colour Rose in Tension. It's a really unique pink colour that can be worn both in the daytime and at night. I haven't stopped wearing it since I bought it!

Boots and Superdrug
Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Celeste

I bought the Apocalips Lip Lacquer because I had heard so much about these lip glosses and I've heard a few good reviews about them so I thought why not try one of them out? (I think they were on offer too which helped me to decide to get one). There were so many colours to choose from but I thought I'd go for a more natural colour and ended up choosing Celeste. I love the pink colour and the wand is such a good shape for application too. The Apocalips Lip Lacquers have some gorgeous shades but the smell of them is quite distinct so if you don't like strong smelling products I wouldn't recommend these.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

When we were in Boots I picked up the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent because my current one has smashed and the lid had broken too so it was impossible to carry it around with me on the move. I decided to get transparent because I use the powder to set my foundation and minimize shine rather than using it for coverage. I love this powder because it looks light and natural on the skin and works so well for the amazing price of £3.99!

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I am such a mascara lover, so love experimenting and trying new ones out all the time. I love trying both high end and drugstore mascaras and I've had many favourites over the years including the YSL Babydoll mascara, Diorshow mascara and Lancome Drama Hypnose mascara. I have to say that the Maybelline The Falsies Mascara is among those favourites. It really elongates and separates my lashes but also thickens and volumizes them at the same time and it is relatively cheap at only £7.99. If you are looking for a new mascara then definitely try this one out!

Essie Nail Varnish in Shearling Darling

I have blogged before about how much I love Essie Nail Varnishes from how long they last to the colours, I can't get enough of them. I also love the limited edition shades that Essie releases on a regular basis. The most recent limited edition collection was the Winter 2013 collection. I loved all the colours from a sparkly pink to a lilac colour but I decided on a dark purple called Shearling Darling (I also love the names of Essie Nail Varnish). This nail varnish is so pretty and it dries really quickly too.

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser

I bought this moisturiser from Boots because I love the idea of a moisturiser you can use in the shower and wash off without having to apply moisturiser once you've gotten out of the shower. Although I love some normal moisturisers like various Soap and Glory and Laura Mercier ones, I hate having heavy moisturiser on my skin that I have to wait for ages to dry meaning sometimes I have to not bother at all when I'm in a rush, however this Nivea moisturiser is the perfect solution! I got the one for normal skin and when I got out of the shower my skin felt so smooth and silky after just one use. It was also on offer in Boots with a third off the original price for the 400ml bottle. The scent is sea minerals and isn't very strong or distinct but it is a lovely fresh smelling moisturiser. Overall I would definitely recommend this product for those who are always running out of time in the mornings like me!

Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask

Recently I have been having problems with my skin and even though it has been clearing up I've been trying to discover new products to help clear my skin and keep spots away without spending too much money, as I already use a few Dermalogica products that can add up to quite a bit of money. After watching Youtuber Fleur De Force, I came across the No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask which intrigued me. The formula heats up when applied and turns blue when you apply it to the skin. You can feel it working as soon as you apply it and my skin felt clean and refreshed after one use. Also Soap and Glory was also a 1/3 off in Boots which encouraged me to try it out.

House of Fraser
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

I didn't buy the products from House of Fraser on our shopping trip but I thought I'd include them in my haul anyway because I ordered them online around the same time. I bought these eyelash curlers because I'd lost my previous ones and I've heard so many good things about the Shu Uemura ones. Although they are a little pricey at £20 they are supposed to be THE eyelash curlers to have and my first impression of them is that they are amazing! I can't wait to carry on using them and trying them out, especially with my new The Falsies Mascara.

Jo Malone Perfume in Peony and Blush Suede

This has to be my favourite purchase from the entire haul. I have wanted this perfume ever since I first smelled it in Selfridges over Christmas and I haven't stopped thinking about it since! Finally I decided to stop obsessing over it and I actually bought it, and I'm so happy that I did. The fragrance is floral with notes of Peony, Suede, Apple and Rose and it is the perfect spring fragrance. It is one of the most recent fragrances from Jo Malone and has had some raving reviews since its arrival. It came in such a cute box with a nice bow and black tissue paper inside too. I will proudly display this bottle on my vanity table!

Haul #1: Beauty + Fashion

On Friday, Sophie and I had a bit of a post-exams treat shopping spree in our university city of Nottingham. I spent far too much money on stuff I probably don't need- but it was all in the name of fun! Sophie will also be doing a haul of what she bought, but she is just waiting on some online purchases to arrive first.

SpaceNK 

Nude Oil Based Cleanser

I have recently been looking for an oil-based cleanser to replace my Bioderma micellar water to use as a pre-cleanse to remove all my make-up in the evenings. Although I find the Bioderma to be amazing at taking off eye make-up, when I use it all over my face it does tend to leave it feeling a little dry. After reading some reviews and blog posts I decided to go for this Nude one, on first impressions I really like it but will do a full product review in about a month.


Laura Mercier Long Lash Mascara

I got a sample of this mascara in a Birchbox a few months ago and loved it so bought the full sized version. I won't go on about it for too long as I go into more detail in my post a few weeks ago about my favourite Birchbox products (click here) but I think this is a great, more natural looking everyday mascara. 

MAC

Lipstick in 'Mehr'

This one was a bit of an impulse buy, I originally went into MAC for an eyeliner and some eyeshadows to build up my palette but I couldn't decide which colours to go for. I felt that an eyeliner wasn't enough to satisfy my MAC-craving so I went over to the lipstick counter. Surprisingly, I only own one other MAC lipstick which I bought when I was about 14 and never wear as it is a god-awful colour, what was I thinking? But when I saw this one, 'Mehr', I fell in love with the colour and had to get it. The colour is sort of a deep dusky pink with a very matte finish, nothing like I already have.


Eye Pencil in 'Coffee'

This is what I originally went into MAC for, the eyeliner in 'Coffee'. I wanted a brown eyeliner to wear when I want to go for a more natural look as black can often look a bit too harsh and dramatic. I used it today and the pencil feels nice and soft on application and create a deep warm brown colour. It looks nice on the waterline and well as smudged across the upper lash line.

John Lewis

YSL Flower Crush Palette - Rosy Blush 

Is this not the most beautiful bit of make-up you have ever seen? This was the biggest splurge on the shopping trip. I've wanted this spring limited edition blusher since it was launched, there was a lot of umming and aahing at the YSL counter as it is not the cheapest item of make up in the world (I'm not saying how much it was incase my mum reads this blog post) but after a bit of gentle persuasion from Sophie and the lady at YSL I decided to go for it and I am so glad I did. I've only used it once so far but the colour is a perfect shimmery peachy-pink and the texture is like a creamy-powder. 

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Soufflé Body Crème

This was another cheeky little splurge, but I have wanted it for ages- its nice to have a little bit of luxury sometimes! This body cream smells amazing, I could smell it all day, in fact as I'm sat here typing I'm smelling it. It feels good on the skin and the smell lasts for ages on your skin; if I put it on in the morning, it will still be able to smell it when I go to bed.


Origins GinZing Eye Cream

This little baby has been a life saver recently, I actually bought this a few weeks ago but thought I would sneak it in here anyway. I bought this before my January exams as I was a bit sleep deprived, a little stressed and there may have even been a few tears, but this little eye cream brightened up any tell-tale dark circles and puffiness. I use it every morning after my face moisturiser and have really noticed a difference.

Topshop

Knitted Crystal Stud Jumper in Duck Egg

When we went on our shopping trip, I saw the jumper Sophie was wearing and absolutely loved it... so I bought it. Although I am not a complete copy cat, Sophie has the dark grey version and I picked up this lovely duck egg blue colour. I'm a bit obsessed with this colour at the minute and I love the embellishment around the neckline. The material is so soft, it's not itchy and super comfortable to wear.