Rio Rio | Topshop - A New Favourite

Topshop Lipstick in 'Rio Rio' - Link

Hey lovelies! Sorry for my lack of posting lately; things have been really hectic lately but hopefully it'll start to relax again soon and I can blog more regularly. Today I have a post about a product I have fallen for recently. If you read my recent beauty haul then you'll know I recently bought my first ever Topshop makeup items! Ooooh, how exciting! In the set that I got there was a cream blush in the shade 'Morning Dew' and a lipstick in the shade 'Rio Rio'. Since buying the lipstick, I have been wearing it non-stop and is fast becoming my go-to shade. I'm definately not a bright lips girl as I'm more into lip balm however I think this lipstick may have converted me. I have been wanted to try a Topshop lipstick for a while as I've read so many rave reviews about the quality (some say it's similar to that of MAC - some say better!) so I though I'd give one a go!

Firstly, the packaging. Packaging is important and Topshop have certainly not let me down. The lipstick is cased in a pretty black and white tube that is quirky and cute due to the stripes and text font but still sophisticated due to the colour scheme. Also, on the bottom, the name sticker mirrors the colour of the lipstick which I love as it makes routing round for it so much easier. The size is also quite small making it handy for stashing in my handbag. Overall, I love the packing is one of my favourites for lip products.

Onto the colour.. 'Rio Rio' is a beautiful red shade with quite strong orange undertones. It is extremely bright and therefore not for the faint-hearted however it has converted me, maybe it could for you? As it is so bold, I've been loving wearing this on days were I don't have time to apply more than a coat of mascara to my eyes. I find that this lipstick instantly makes me feel more 'done' even without a tonne of eye makeup. The combination of a bold lip and simple eyes is one of my favourites. On the photos above, the colour in the actual tube looks way too pink (sorry, bad lighting!). It is just slightly less orange than the photo on myself shows. The colour is just perfect for summer and I think it would look gorgeous with a tan. I can imagine this on beautiful tanned skin with just a hint of tinted moisturizer, a coat of mascara and beachy waves. I am unfortunately not blessed with tanned skin or beachy hair however I still love it on my NW10 skin.

Finally, onto the formula. I hate lipsticks in that the majority of them dry out my lips however this seems to be an exception. It's a semi-matte finish in that it goes on quite glossy then after a while goes matte. When I first wore this, I was quite worried about it been matte (we do not get along! I'm talking about you Kate Moss 107!) however this is not drying in the slightest. One coat and my lips are beautifully moisturized and opaque. In terms of lasting power, it lasts a few hours then I need a touch up. I usually wipe off the remaining lipstick, add a coat of my EOS then apply a new coat of 'Rio Rio' just to avoid any flakes. If I'm eating (which I tend to do.. a lot!) the lipstick will obviously come off however I don't mind pulling out this cute little packaging. 

Overall, I absolutely love this lipstick! The packaging is cute, the colour is gorgeous, it lasts a long time and it doesn't dry out my lips - perfect! My only issue with this lipstick is that you don't seem to get very much product. I've never actually reached the bottom of a lipstick so this may be a minor issue. Topshop lipsticks retail at £8.00 which isn't too cheap however Revlon lip products retail at £7.99 so it's definitely drugstore. When comparing it to MAC's £15.00, it's a bargain considering the formulation is apparently extremely similar (I unfortunalty can't comment on that *sobs*). I am currently on the hunt for new colours to try so if you have any recommendations, let me know :)

Megan xx

Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit | MUA

Hey guys! Today's post will be a review of this wonderful little brow kit I recently purchased. I was looking through the MUA counter in Superdrug counter one day and when I saw this I got a little giddy. I have been after a brow kit for a while now and I am quite please with what I got. This kit was £3.50 which I think is extremely reasonable considering Benefit's Browzings retails for £23.50. Sleek do a dupe of Browzings for £8.49 and even though it is considerably cheaper, it's still a little expensive for a me.

Packaging: When it comes to makeup, packaging is important. I know it shouldn't matter but lets face it, it does. If I don't like the look of a product then I just won't buy it so packaging really does make all the difference. Now, at £3.50 I wasn't expecting anything too special however I am pleasantly surprised. Firstly, it feels quite chunky and sturdy which I like as I don't feel like it will break any time soon. Secondly, it has a mirror inside which is the same size as the lid. This makes it just perfect for travelling! It also comes with a handy guide on the back which I thought was cute.

The brow powders: As far as I am aware, there is only one shade available for this set as it means that people with super light hair or super dark hair may not be sufficiently catered for. In this kit, there are two brow shades to chose from; a lighter one (the lighter shade is actually slightly darker than the photo shows) and a darker one so there is some choice even if it is limited. I have medium brown hair with bits of faded ombre meaning these two colours are perfect for me. On days were I want a stronger brow the darker one is great for achieving a bold look whereas for everyday, the lighter one achieves a more natural look. The two can be used together for an ombred brow look which I've loved ever since seeing it on Georgia's Instagram. Both powders are extremely pigmented so a little goes a long way. They're also extremely soft and smooth making application a breeze. I apply them with a RT's Brow Brush.

The highlight and the wax: The bottom two squares contain a highlight colour and a wax. I thought this was a lovely touch as it really 'completes' the kit. I apply the wax with a different angled brush to the one I used with the powder and apply a small amount (after powder) to set my brows in place. In the past, I've noticed that the mid-section of my eyebrows has been 'falling' and the shape has not stayed in place so this wax has become a god send to me. The wax can also be used before the powder to pick up more product and create a stronger look. Personally, I don't like the highlight shade. I like the quality but the colour just does not do anything for my skin. It is a peach-toned highlight that doesn't seem to have much shimmer in. I've been after for a more matte highlight for a while now so I was excited to see this however it has let me down and just sits there unloved.

The tweezers and the brush: At the bottom of this little set, there is a section containing a mini pair of tweezers and a tiny double-ended angled brush. I love the fact that there is tweezers as I always forget tweezers if I'm travelling or staying at a friends then I always seem to have a pesky little hair so this kit just solves that perfectly. I haven't used the tweezers yet as I prefer pointed ones over angled ones but from what I've gathered just holding them and taking off the little plastic thing, they seem stiff and hard to work with due to the size. I think they will come in handy in the future however I won't be swapping them for my regular tweezers anytime soon. I won't say much about the brush as I really didn't like it. I found it to be quite coarse and far too small to use. The bristles were also quite rigid meaning the brush gave quite an unnatural look to my eyebrows.

Overall, I'm quite please with this product. I love the brow powders, the wax and the packaging. However I don't think I will be using the highlight, tweezers (except for in emergencies!) or the brush any time soon. I hope this post has helped some of you in the quest for perfect brows as I do think they can make a massive difference to the shape of your face and I believe that without groomed brows, my makeup just doesn't look done.

Megan xx

Happy Light Matte Serum | Bourjois

Hey, so today I have a review of one of the the things I've been loving recently. I've never seen the point in primers as I figured they were just a bit pointless.. Oh, how I was wrong! After my foundation wasn't lasting as long as I was hoping for, I was recommended this by the lovely Abbey on Instagram so when I was in superdrug. I also bought a super pretty pomegranate cream shadow but more about that on a different day! 

In the morning, I wash my face in the bath, use a cleanser and toner, apply moisturizer then put this on my nose, my cheek/nose bit (what's that area called?!) and some on my forehead once the moisturizer has sunk in. 

Packaging -  I quite like this packaging as it looks quite luxurious due to the bottle being glass. This obviously isn't the most practical thing but ah well, it looks good! The clear glass bottle is also brilliant in that you can see how much you have left. I also love the shiny green writing as the colour/finish is slightly unusual but very pretty. This primer has a pump applicator which I like as it stops it from going everywhere whist dispensing the perfect amount from your face. I very much dislike the idea of dipping my hand in a pot for face things as I find it all a little bit unhygienic so I really do like the pump.

Application - The first thing I noticed when using this is how lovely it makes your skin feel. You know when you put a matte lipstick on and your lips feel soft and almost like velvet? Well my skin feels exactly like that after I've applied this. It sinks in super fast so there's no waiting around before you can put on your makeup which is brilliant for me as I'm forever in a rush. As the name suggests, the primer is super lightweight so I can barely feel it on my skin. Overall, this product goes on like a dream; its silky smooth, sinks in fast and you don't even know you're wearing it, perfect! 

Results - At first, I was a bit skeptical about whether this would actually work but I can safely say that I have been proven wrong. After a few hours without a primer, I was noticing that the oil in my skin was separating the foundation around my nose making it appear patchy but now I don't seem to have that problem. Today, my foundation even survived a sweaty 2 hour gym session and when I looked in the mirror afterwards, I was expecting an uneven blotchy mess on my face but instead I found my foundation was looking nearly as well as it did in the morning. Whereas previously, my foundation would last 3/4 hours it now last between 9 and 10 hours which I think is brilliant. 

Price - This product is currently priced at £10.99 which I think is fairly reasonable. It's not ideal but considering Smashbox's infamous primers cost a ridiculous £27.00 and MAC's Prep + Prime range costs upwards of £20.00, the Bourjois option is quite a bit cheaper. I've had my current bottle for around a month now and as you can see from the (not very good!) photos, I've only used about a quarter and that's with everyday use. At first, it may seem slightly expensive but trust me, its worth it and over time it's very good value for money. I mean, what's the point in spending £20.00 on a foundation if without a primer it doesn't last?

In Bourjois' ranger of primers there is this matte primer as well as an illuminating one. The matte one aims to mattify skin as well as refining pores (which I believe it does!) and is for normal, combination and oily skin whereas the luminous one is for normal to dry skin and aims to hydrate and illuminate skin. As you can see, I love this product dearly! I would definitely recommend it and will certainly be repurchasing when I run out :) 

Megan xx

LOOSING MY MAC VIRGINITY!

When I first joined Instagram, I noticed that a couple of brands were extremely popular, these included: Yankee Candle (which smell disgusting btw), Cath Kidston, Real Techniques and MAC makeup. After looking through countless Instagrams and seeing all their pretty MAC collections I figured I’d better give the brand a try. I used to be a complete MAC-o-phobe as the pretty sales assistants with their flawless makeup intimidated me and the prices put me off. Then I decided, after trying what feels like a million different foundations, I figured I would splash out and get myself a bottle of Studio Fix Fluid, as my 18^th  birthday was approaching, I didn’t mind too much about spending that much money on a foundation. Then, on the morning of my birthday, I joyously opened a £30.00 MAC gift card. My mum explained that she new I wanted Studio Fix however the MAC lady recommended that she should buy a gift card as I needed to be colour matched; I had a rough idea that I would be the palest colour – NW10 – but for that price, its best to check. A couple of days after my birthday, me, Joe and baby Charlie went to town and ended up in the MAC shop. I asked for help and the next minute, I was sat on a chair having Studio Fix Fluid in NW10 applied to my face. I knew it was love then and there so I decided to buy it along with a pump (which costs £4.00), I would recommend doing this as it makes getting the product out a million times easier and you don’t waste any. Whilst I was in MAC, I figured I may as well look around considering I still had £4.50 left on my gift card (if you have any products you love, let me know! I'm on the hunt for my next MAC product!), at first I wanted to buy a lipstick but then after trying on quite a few, I figured it wasn’t for me. I then left, smile on my face, MAC bag in hand.

The next day, I couldn't wait to try it out! I applied a small amount over moisturized skin using my RT expert face brush. I couldn't believe how easy applying foundation could be! Within minutes, most of my redness was gone, I didn't look as tired as I felt and you couldn't see my spot scars at all. Now, I don’t want you to think this foundation makes your skin look immaculate as lets be honest, none ever will. There were still texture issues with my skin and my really predominant redness was still visible. Reviews I had read had said that this foundation has a high coverage but for me personally, I would say it was more of a medium-high however it is extremely build-able. Compared with low-medium foundations like Rimmel’s Match Perfection, Studio Fix feels extremely thick and like it would be at the top end of high coverage, although on me, its not as I can still see some redness and more major spots. This may be me being picky but it’s just what I think.  However, this is not a problem as a little bit of my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer covers any remaining concerns no problem.

After a while I was noticing that my foundation wasn't lasting as long as other users of it were saying, as there were so many people saying how long lasting it was, I figured it was my fault. After asking the lovely Abbey on Instagram if she could recommend me a primer, she very kindly replied explaining how my awful skin care routine – baby wipes and any random moisturizer – was the issue. I took her advice and started to take care of my skin. I now remove my make up of a night and then, in the morning, I wash my face in the bath, cleanse, tone, moisturize then apply my Boujous primer to smooth out my pores and mattify my skin. Finally, I apply my foundation and my concealer. Taking the time to do all of these steps has really improved the look of my skin both with and without makeup. Overall, I would highly recommend this foundation as it's thick without looking too cakey, which makes it perfect for problem skin, and it's also matte which I like as my t-zone can get oily. As expected from MAC, the colour range is great so there really is something for everyone. I would also like to add in that you shouldn't be scared! If like me you're slighly intimidated by the MAC ladies, don't be! Seriously, they make me nervous what with being so beauiful and all but honestly, they're so lovely as well as being extremely helpful. When I was there, I felt like they genuinely wanted to help me rather that just sell me some expensive makeup I wan't going to like.

Now my next MAC purchase was something really special.. I know I didn't exactly loose my ‘MAC virginity’ with this as my Studio Fix Fluid had the pleasure of that but I still want to include it any; think of it like my mini MAC collection (if a collection can consist of two products?). For Christmas Gabbie bought me a Beauty Bizarre – a high end makeup shop full of MAC, Bobbi Brown Nars etc. set up by Harvey Nichols – voucher which went to extremely special purchase. And what is this special buy? The one, the only, the eye shadow blender of all eye shadow blenders, the MAC 217! I’ve wanted this brush for a while now but the £18.00 price tag has always put me off. Why must a brush be so expensive?!  I was watching a Tanya Burr video and she had suggested purchasing two. Two?! Anyway, I thought that, as I had the £10.00 Beauty Bizarre and the remaining £4.50 on my MAC voucher, now would be the perfect time to buy it. First thing, I ended up having to add £8.00 rather than £3.50 as apparently MAC vouchers can’t be spent in MAC as it’s a concession and part of Harvey Nichols. I think that’s rather stupid myself but hey ho. Anyway, it only cost me £8.00 so I’m not complaining too much. Whilst I was having a nose around in BB, I fell in love with the Copper Sparkle pigment but I think I’m going to find a dupe instead of paying £17.00.

After buying the infamous 217, I couldn’t wait to test it out and see if it really is as good as made out to be. At first, I was made up with it. Before buying the 217, I was using the fluffier end of my Urban Decay double-ended brush that came with my Vice 2 palette however this brush is terrible for blending – it’s better for applying highlight! I’ve been using it every day now since I bought it on the 27^th December and I’m so in love. For an everyday look, I apply a base colour (usually a pinky-champagne colour or if I’m feeling a bit bolder, a gold or copper colour) then apply a matte medium brown to the outer part of my eye using the 217 and then blend it in circular motions through the crease. If I want to deepen it and make it a bit smokier then I apply a darker brown and blend that too. Prior to owning this brush, I looked like a 10-year-old messing about with their mum’s makeup when I was going out; now (with my amateur skills) I look somewhat okay. I really love this brush but I will say, like with all eye brushes, if you use dark colours without washing it afterwards, these colours will transfer so I would recommend washing this brush after nights out. Oh, and thank you to Kayleigh (who’s blog is brilliant btw!) for the brilliant tip of painting over the MAC 217 writing in clear nail varnish. If you don’t, everyday use will rub off the label and that’s not good! I will wrap this extremely long post with a quote from the brilliant Gabbie (who is bringing back her blog so look out for a link soon!) who sums up the 217 perfectly in that “it changes lives”.

Megan xx

SUGAR CRUSH REVIEW.

Hey, welcome to my first ever review! I know I said I would try to post every other day but things can get slightly hectic for me so I shall do one now. Charlie is having a nap and I'm watching Jeremy Kyle whilst eating peanut and banana on toast; perfect time to blog!

Anyway, for my mum's birthday last year, I bought her a set of the body scrub, body wash and body buttercream whilst they were on three for two. The other week when I went to my parents house (I live with Joe) I figured I'd give them a try as they're a bit too expensive for me to buy then dislike them. I then went there again and tried them for a second time so I'd figured I'd do a quick review.

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Collection - Link

Sugar Crush Body Scrub - I must be honest as I would hate for you to spend £8.00 and then dislike it as I had not been 100% truthful; I didn't think much of this. I had read such good reviews so I was slightly disappointed when I used this. I liked the smell of it but the grains in it were a bit too soft for my skin. Maybe it's me and my super dry skin off the cold winter weather but I just didn't think that it removed all of the dead skin on my legs. With that opinion in mind, I won't be buying this for myself and instead I will remain on the hunt for my perfect exfoliator. They all seem to gentle for me - any recommendations?

Sugar Crush Body Wash - Now, after I used the scrub, I shaved my legs using this body wash as a shaving type foam. I know probably isn't the best thing for my skin and some of you readers who are really into body/skin care will be shocked but hey ho, it works for me! After the disappointment of the scrub, the body was was a really nice surprise. When it comes out, it looks like yoghurt then lathers up to a ridiculously soft foam which leaves you feeling squeaky clean. I love this stuff! It smells amazing and does great things to my skin.

Sugar Crush Buttercream - Finally, once I'm all done in the bath/shower, its body butter time. First, I must say that I really love the name of this; buttercream is my favourite cake topping so this is perfect for me! When I first used this, on one leg, I applied far too much so in the hot, steamy bathroom, it just wasn't sinking in. However, on my second leg - once the window was open and I'd cooled down a bit - I applied about a third of what I previously did which was the perfect amount for me. This time, it sunk in super quick leaving my legs feeling baby soft as well as smelling delicious.

The packaging and smell - This may be a bit weird but I just wanted to dedicate a little section to the colourful packaging and delightful scent of this collection. As I was spending £18.50 (I got the body wash free on 3for2), you naturally expect to get a little more than your average soapy smell and bog standard packaging and Soap and Glory really do deliver on this. They do on all of there packaging! Somethings I find a little cheesy but not there range of Sugar Crush products. The packaging is fun, bright, cute and will perk up any bathroom! The reaon I chose to buy the Sugar Crush products over things like the Breakfast Scrub and The Righteous Butter is due to the flashes of green on the packaging and the beautiful smell. I remember seeing a Tanya Burr video and she was discussing the Sugar Crush Body Wash in a favourites video, she was in love with the smell and since I'm obsessed with smelling things (slightly weird) I knew I had to try it! Soap and Glory say 'wake up and smell the citrus! Soap & Glory's utlra-rich body buttercream is loaded with shea & cocoa butter, almond & coconut oil and a super-refreshing double-citrus whammy of uplifting lime oil and smoothing lime tree blossom extract.' and boy are they right. This collection is perfect for those 6:00am showers where we so desperately need a little boost. The smell is citrusy without being too strong like the Original Source citrus ones (I love their raspberry and vanilla one though!) can be which means that it's fresh but at the same time it's comforting due to the shea and cocoa butter. Basically, I just really love the smell. If Joe ever reads this, its 'delicious' ;)

So, that's the end of my review and I hoped you liked it. I'm hoping to properly establish a blogging routine in the up and coming weeks so fingers crossed! I hope your all having a nice tuesday; I'm now off to put on my makeup and try and look somewhat decent for college later :)

Megan xx