Makeup Haul

Over the past few weeks, I seemed to have bought quite a few things so I thought I would comprise them all into a beauty haul. I didn't buy these all at once as that would be ridiculous, one was a gift as well as two being from New York, I also made quite a bit of money from eBay and some were free due to Boots 3FOR2 (love that!) so that's why there's quite a few things. That was my disclaimer-type things so onto what I got!

Urban Decay 'Naked' palette - I think you all know by know that I have recently received the 'Naked' palette bu Urban Decay. I love this palette! I won't say anymore as I am probably boring you know with the amount of times I am mentioning it! Instead, I will save it for a review in the near future.

Rimmel Apocalips: (top to bottom) 'apocaliptic', 'celestial' and 'big bang'- I realize I'm jumping on the Apocalips bandwagon a little late but after seeing a few reviews of these liquid lipsticks, I was on love. They have been on my wish list for a while now and I was after the shade 'celestial' in particular. Boots were having a 3FOR2 and since these colour looked most appealing, I popped them in my basket. Thinking about it now, I wish I would have spent a little more time thinking of a more neutral colour to get instead of 'Apocaliptic' as it's extremely bright and scares me quite a little. I have been looking for a red lipstick for a while as mine all contain either too much pink or too much orange and I think I may have found it. 'Celestial' is definitely my favourite as it's the most wearable colour. I will also be reviewing this in the near future.

Topshop 'morning dew' Blusher and 'Rio Rio' lipstick - I recently exchanged a item in Topshop and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try their makeup. I was on the verge of buying their lipstick in the shade 'Hazard' but then I saw a set containing this blusher and lipstick for the bargain price of £8.40. I figured I would get this instead as the lipstick alone costs £8.00! The blusher is a super pretty pink. I haven't actually used it yet so I'm not too sure what it looks on, I've swatched it and it looked lovely however it's a cream formula and I'm still a bit unsure about how to apply it. This photo makes the lipstick look quite pink but in reality it is a bright orange/red which will be perfect for summer. Bright lips scare me and yet I've bought quite a few lately.. I make no sense.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in 'NW10' and Rimmel Wake me Up in '010 Porcelain' -  I got this particular bottle of Studio Fix from Gabbie on her trip to New York as with the exchange rates, its only £16.00 and as I'm running out of my current bottle it seemed like a good time to get a new one. When in Boots, I was originally after Boujois' Healthy Mix however the shade range is limited and they were all too dark for me. I figured I would give Rimmel's Wake Me Up a go instead as I had also read quite a lot of reviews about it. A few said it was way too glittery however the majority of them were positive. I wanted this as Studio Fix is quite expensive so I didn't really want to use it on an everyday basis. I've only used it a few times and so far, I'm not blown away. I am going to keep trying it out though then I will do a review post!

Maybelline 'The falsies' - Another 3FOR2 buy.. I've heard great things (mainly from Instagram and Tanya Burr) so I'd figured I would give it ago as I dislike the wand on my 'Volum' Express' mascara by Maybelline. Maybelline has been the queen of mascaras for quite a while now and with all of it's rave reviews, I have high hopes for this. The only problem I'm having is that I can't bring myself to open it until my other ones (I have like 10 on the go!) run out and it's killing me!

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Elusive - This type of lip product - lipstick in a crayon form - have been extremely popular however I have never actually tried one. When browsing around boots, I spotted the pretty little Revlon stand with all their new releases and this particular item caught my eye. Although I'm not a massive lipstick person, I love matte lips on others. I chose this colour as it's a beautiful dusky pink colour (like 'celestial' however slightly lighter and matte) which I thought would suit me. So far I've only worn this once but I love it; the colour is gorgeous, it's not too drying, easy to apply and the staying power is pretty good. Oh and its smells like mint! Once again, expect a review to come!

EOS lip balm in 'Pomegranate Raspberry' - This is another New York item that Gabbie ever so kindly brought back for me. After hating baby lips, I was keen to find my perfect lip balm and I think I've found it! It made my February Favourites after only 2 weeks so obviously I'm in love.

That's it for the make up items I've recently bought! I've also bought some new clothes/jewelry and a few skin care bits but we'll save that for another time! I need to go to the shops tomorrow but I think I may just get distracted by the big 3FOR2 label in Boots again.. I just can't resist. Can you or do the offers just make you go week at the knees?

Megan xx

SUPERDRUG HAUL

Hey, so today I have for you another haul post! Like my other one, I won't review them all on here as I plan on reviewing them in the future so I have time to test them out properly and give a full review rather than just first impressions. Anyway, onto the things I bought!

Apologies for the similar and quite boring photos, I'm stilling getting used to photographing stuff - even though I've had Instagram for over a year(?!)

Bourjois Happy Light Primer in Matte - Link

I bought this primer after having a bit of trouble with the longevity of my Studio Fix Fluid. It was £10.99 so at first I was a bit weary about buying something that maybe a bit pointless but I'm so happy I did; I love it!

Bourgois Color Edition Eye Shadow in 05 Prune Nocturne - Link

Superdrug were having a buy one get one half price offer on so I also bought this. These remind me of the Maybelline Colour Tattoos and since they've received rave reviews I thought I would give this ago. I haven't tried it yet but I plan very soon. First impression: pretty colour but ridiculously hard to get open.

Rimmel Scandeleyes Thick and Thin Liner in Black - Link

I was beginning to get bored of my usual liquid liner so I thought that I maybe felt tip would be better for me. I have used this product once since buying it and so far, I'm not too pleased. When wearing it, I started crying and I expected some slight smudging but no, this was all gone, none of it was on my eyelid but instead was half way down my face, I wasn't even crying that long either! The pigmentation isn't too good either as you have to draw the basic line first then go over it again to get a true black. I like the idea of the nib (is that the right word?) being able to be both thick and thin so I will have to give this another try.

Barry M nail varnish in 292 Navy - Link

I think everyone and their dog own and Barry M nail varnish and I am no exception. After buying my cousin Gabbie Essie's nail varnish in Aruba Blue for christmas, I wanted a similar colour for myself. I didn't want to spend £7.99 considering I'm not a massive nail varnish person - I bite my nails meaning my nails are forever a mess - and this colour seemed pretty similar so I got this instead. I've already worn it and I really do love it however it is quite a bit darker than Aruba Blue so I may have to keep my eye out for a perfect dupe.

Maybelline Colour Tattoos in On and On Bronze and Immortal Charcoal - Link

After seeing so many of these on both blogs and instagram, whilst Maybelline were doing a buy one get one half price offer (I love them!) I hopped on the bandwagon. I chose On and on bronze and Immortal charcoal as I figured I would get the most use out of them. On and on bronze would be perfect for adding extra depth to a brown smokey eye and I figured immortal charcoal would be good on nights out paired with lots of black eye shadow, eyeliner, false lashes and a nude lip!

Maybelline eye studio lasting drama gel eyeliner in 01 Black -  Link

I got this (also on offer) after being slightly disappointed with my Rimmel felt tip liner. It comes in a little pot with a separate brush however I think I will either use my RT fine liner brush or accent brush - both from the starter eye kit. I'm hoping to fall in love with this as I really am getting sick of using the classic liquid liner. 

Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express Mascara in Black - Link

After loosing my They're Real! mascara, I've been on the hunt for a new mascara as my Natural Collection one just isn't doing it for me. I've heard great things about this one on instagram (I say that a lot!) so hopeful it will become my new go-to mascara.

MUA eye shadow palette in Undressed - Link

I've been lusting after the original Naked palette but at £37.00 its waaaay out of my price range. I have the Undressed Too palette (a brilliant Naked 2 dupe) from MUA too which I love so I got this one as well. At only £4.00 and the perfect colour match for Urban Decay's classic, these are extremely popular meaning these are normally sold out, well not today! (well yesterday but shush!)

So, that is the end of my haul post. I hope you enjoyed it! I'm starting to get in the habit of blogging now hopefully you will be seeing me (well reading) every other day! :) 

Oh, on another note: turns out we never reached the end of Breaking Bad. The DVD set e have only went half way through the fifth series meaning we have 8 more episodes to watch. Hey, I love this show so I'm not complaining! 

Megan xx

18TH BIRTHDAY HAUL

Now, this post may seem a bit odd considering my birthday is in November and its currently January but I wanted to share it anyway! I got a few beauty items and I wanted to make a post putting them all in a haul-type post. Some of these were bought by myself however quite a few were gifts of my extremely generous family. I won't review these in this post as I plan on doing a few separate ones some other time. Anyway, on with what I got!

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW10 - Link

 This has to be one of my favourite things I got. My mum was ever so sneaky and found my 'beauty wish list' which this was on. The MAC lady recommended that she should just buy me a voucher instead of the actual foundation as she didn't know my colour. On my birthday, I opened a £30 gift voucher then a couple of days later, this was mine.. I've wanted it for so long - since I joined the world of instagram I believe - and it has definitely lived up to its hype. A lot of people say it has high coverage but I think it's more medium-high and is extremely build-able. It's thick but not cakey and the colour (I'm the palest one!) is accurate. I still have some money left on my voucher so what would you recommend I buy next? I'd love to hear your favourite MAC products!

Benefit They're Real! mascara - Link

I absolutely love this mascara! When it first came out, my mum asked if I wanted it and I stupidly said no.. big mistake! How have I lived without this?! At first, the plastic wand with the spikey ball at the end freaked me out. I'm used to big, fat brushes as I always felt they gave the most length/volume - I was wrong. I fell in love with this product the as my luck goes, I lost it. I've searched everywhere but no, its gone! As it comes with a pretty hefty price tag of £19.50, I unfortunately will not be repurchasing it as much as I wish I could. *cries*

(LEFT) Maybelline Color Sensation Lipstick in Shocking Coral - Link

(RIGHT) Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya - Link

Firstly, the maybelline. I bought these lipstick after recognising the packaging from one of Gabriella Rose's youtube channel as she mentioned the colour 'hot plum' in one of her videos. I thought, why not give it a go? I got a different colour - shocking coral - as I felt it would suit me a bit more than hot plum. I really like this lipstick. The colour, I would say, is a bright pink with an orange tinge to it but I'm no expert and I'm just saying what I see.It's quite creamy and extremely pigmented. I can't comment on the longevity of it as my lips are extremely dry so I just tend to wipe away lipstick as it hurts my lips - that or I get too shy that people are staring! Ridiculous, I know. Onto the revlon lip butter. I noticed this after it being hyped a lot on instagram and I thought I'd give it a try. I've never really tried an orange lipstick and lipsticks in general seem to scare me a bit so I thought this sounded like a happy medium between a lipstick and a balm. The colour is a bright orange, on the lips its still quite bright but not too it's also extremely shiny. As for moisturizing, it's by no means drying but it is no were near as moisturizing as a lip butter or cream. Overall, I like these lipsticks, although I don't wear them that often, they're still extremely pretty and I think they would be perfect for summer. 

(LEFT) Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Consealer in 01 Fair - Link

(RIGHT) Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Peach Glow - Link 

These two products are both repurchases of products I love. The concealer is thick and creamy so is perfect for covering extra redness and any spots. For under the eyes, I would say its slightly too thick but with enough blending, it can work. The powder has been one of my favourites since I saw it in a Tanya Burr video. I bought the shade peach glow at first by accident and then when I repurchased it, I got the same as translucent was sold out. This colour is okay but I think translucent would work better. It sets powder brilliantly, feels so silky smooth and at only £3.99, it's a bargain!

Garnier  BB Miracle Skin Perfector in light - Link

I bought this myself with some left over birthday money and I must say, I'm not impressed. I don't really want to criticize a product that a company as obviously worked hard to produce however, I must be honest. Being a mother, I often have to get ready extremely quickly, as this BB cream promises to 'blur pores and imperfections, evens skin tone and boosts your natural glow' it sounds perfect for those rushed mornings. Firstly, the colour is far too dark for my extremely pale skin. I bought the colour 'fair' however this is not fair. It's a dull orange colour that left my skin looking dirty. Instead of improving the texture of my skin, this product actually accentuated the almost bumpy nature of my skin. I have many spot scars, general scares and large pores and I feel like this cream just made this even worse. In the end, rather than saving me time, using this caused me to take longer to get ready as I applied it then had to remove it. As I've only used it once, I don't want to completely disregard it as I feel that maybe with a bit of primer underneath and some moisturizer or Studio Fix Fluid added it may work.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette - Link

This was another gift of my extremely generous parents; my mum found it on my beauty 'wish list' and very kindly bought it for me. I wanted to try this out as I actually only have one blusher and I don't have either a contour or a highlight product so I figured this compact/palette type thing was perfect. I really love this but I won't go into too much detail as I plan on reviewing this nearer to spring/summer time as I think it would look perfect then.

Real Techniques - (L-R) - Powder Brush, Blush Brush, Expert Face Brush - Link

Firstly, the powder brush. This brush is huuuge! It's probably about the same size as my whole face. I was put of by the size at first but after using it, I love it. It's perfect for a light dusting of powder to set foundation.

Now for the blush brush. Like the powder, this brush is also on the larger side when compared with other blush brushes however I still love it. I bought this brush along with the powder brush in a buy one get one half price offer in superdrug meaning this brush was only £5.00!

The expert face brush has to be one of my favourites. My lovely boyfriend bought this for me as a gift along with the starter eye kit, converse and a beautiful coat from H&M, definitely spoiled!  From the moment I used it, it was love. This is just the perfect brush for applying foundation :) 

Real Techniques Core Collection - Link

I bought this brush set mainly for the blending brush and the contour brush and like I though, these are the ones I use mainly. I sometimes use the detailer brush but I never use the pointed foundation brush as I find the shape and size to be a little too awkward for me.

Real Techniques Starter Eye Set - Link

This set contains: the base shadow brush, the deluxe crease brush, the brow brush, the accent brush and the fine liner brush. The one I love would have to be the base shadow brush. Its extremely dense and makes applying concealer a breeze. This is closely followed by the accent brush which I love for applying eye shadow brush under the eye or adding highlight to the inner corner. 

I plan on doing a 'Real Techniques Collection' type post in the future as I know they are extremely popular! I also plan on writing a post on how I clean my brush as I think I may have found one gem of a tool. Not generally used for makeup brush cleaning but absolutely brilliant and dirt cheap too!

Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette - Link

The final thing in this extremely long post is my beloved Vice 2 Palette. For my birthday, I wanted a palette to start getting into eye shadow and after hearing great things about Urban Decay shadows, I picked the Vice 2. Orgininally, I wanted the Naked 2 but I felt it was a little too neutral for me. I wanted a palette that I could use both everyday and on nights out and this is perfect. I won't go into too much detail as I plan on reviewing this but I will tell you that I love it! It's from their 2013 Holiday Collection and unfortunately its' sold out however if you Ebay 'Vice 2' many brand new ones will come up :)

I love reading haul posts so I thought I would add mine into the blogosphere. That's all for now as I'm off to feed a very hungry baby :)

Megan xx