Real Techniques Core Collection Brushes

I discovered Real Techniques brushes by watching Pixiwoo use them in their makeup tutorials on youtube. They looked really nice so I was excited to try them. 


I decided to purchase the Core Collection as it contains four brushes which I thought I would use a lot. These are a buffing brush, a contour brush, a foundation brush and a detailer brush. 

L-R: Buffing brush, Contour brush, Foundation brush, Detailer brush

This stand/case also comes with the brushes which is nice. It has about seven slots for brushes and you can have it as a stand, or you can fold it the other way and it becomes a brush case. I rarely use this to stand my brushes in, but when I am travelling I really like using it as a case to keep some brushes in.


The buffing brush is my favourite from this collection. It quickly became my everyday foundation brush as it gives a really flawless finish and it is so soft for buffing around the face.
I am considering doing a blog post on my foundation brushes and my favourite ones to use for different foundations, so please let me know if you would be interested in that!


The contour brush is the perfect shape to contour and highlight. The shape of this brush makes it easy to apply the product and then blend it flawlessly. As with the others, it is so soft and fluffy.


The foundation brush is pointed and quite small so I prefer to use it for applying my under eye concealer. It is a great shape for under the eyes as it is pointed so you can get the concealer right into the corners. This also makes it good to use around the nose. I have used this brush everyday since I got it.


Finally, the detailer brush is the only brush that I don't use on a regular basis. I use it to apply my lipstick as I found it is the perfect shape and size. Usually when I wear lipstick I just apply it directly to my lips, but when I want a more precise finish, this brush is really good.


Real Techniques brushes are available in Boots stores. Click here to see where else these are available.

Olay Complete Care Day Lotion

I was on the hunt for a new moisturiser and when I was reading through all the 'best beauty buys of 2011' earlier this year, I noticed this moisturiser just kept coming up. It's the Olay Complete Care Day Lotion SPF 30 for normal/dry/combination skin. I decided to get this moisturiser as it isn't that expensive and it came up a lot in the best beauty buys, so I thought it was worth a try!


This moisturiser claims to give the skin everything it needs to help maintain and improve the look of skin. It helps keep skin hydrated for up to 8 hours, protects up to 97% of the suns harmful rays and contains vitamins B2, B3 and B5.


Just to let you know, my skin gets slightly oily around my nose and chin and the rest of my face is normal apart from the occasional dry patch on my cheeks.


I have been using this every morning for about one month now and I absolutely love it! It is so moisturising and hydrating, yet it absorbs nice and quickly. It doesn't leave any greasy residue. I apply it and can apply my makeup pretty much immediately after. It's a lotion, therefore it's not really thick. Any dry patches on my face have completely gone after I used this for about a week which I'm really happy with. I would really recommend this cream. I says it is suitable for normal, combination and dry skin.


Olay complete care day lotion is available from Boots for £10.


What is your best beauty product? And what is your favourite face cream?

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

I bought the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation last year after hearing really good reviews about it. It was the first Chanel foundation that I had ever bought. It was also the first high end foundation I had ever bought. 

I would say the coverage of this foundation is light to medium. If you build it to a medium coverage, it still looks really natural. Chanel say this foundation looks like a "second-skin" which I completely agree with. It manages to even out my skin tone and make my skin look flawless whilst still looking like I have no foundation on. I occasionally get a few dry patches on my cheeks which some foundations cling to but this one doesn't. It is quite watery and light which I really like as I find it is easier to blend and means it looks more natural. Because it is water based you have to shake it before each use, to mix it all together and stop water from just coming out. The finish of this is quite dewy and glowy. I get slightly oily around my nose and chin, so I can be a bit sceptical about using dewy foundations, however this one looks great. I always use a primer and set my foundation with powder and this foundation lasts the whole day on me. I never need to touch it up during the day at all. 
The packaging of this foundation is quite nice. It is plastic, not glass like other Chanel foundations which makes it more compact and easier to travel with, however it doesn't feel as luxurious. It is a squeezy bottle rather then a pump which I actually prefer.


The only negative is the shade range. There are only 9 shades which isn't many so I would recommend having a look and getting colour matched before you think about buying this. This foundation is available from most department stores for £31.


There is a compact version of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation that has just come out which I am considering trying. Have you tried the compact version? Have you tried any Chanel foundations? 

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

I popped in to Boots the other day and I had a £3 off Revlon voucher, so I decided to buy my first Revlon lip butter! I have heard lots of good things about these and I have swatched them on numerous occasions, but for some reason I just never bought any, until now! I think the formula is really lovely - it is so creamy and moisturising whilst also being quite pigmented.


The colour I decided to buy was Creme Brulee and when I tried this on when I got home, I didn't like it. I applied quite a lot because I wasn't expecting it to be very pigmented and it just made my lips look brown. However, when I applied less it actually looks really nice. You don't need much of this and it just leaves a lovely nude, glossy colour on the lips which I really like. It's quite subtle and natural. The colour is slightly more brown then I usually like, but I just apply a small amount so it's not too pigmented.


I know the Revlon lip butter and L'Oreal rouge caresse lipstick get compared to each other so if you want to read what I think about the L'Oreal rouge caresse lipsticks, I have a blog post here.


My only negative about these lip butters if they don't last very long on the lips. They are very creamy which means they come off quite quickly and I find I need to reapply this quite regularly.


Have you found a perfect nude lipstick? Do you prefer Revlon lip butters or L'Oreal rouge caresse lipstick?

Brightening Concealers

Brightening under eye concealers are a great way to look radiant and awake and I have been trying out two of these concealers - Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer and L'Oreal Lumi Magique Highlighter Concealer.


The formula of the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer is very light and thin. It is nice to use under the eye as the coverage is just right for me - it is enough to conceal any slight redness or dark circles, but it isn't too much so that it is cakey or thick and it doesn't crease. The concealer has a brush applicator and I use this to apply the concealer under the eye and then I use a brush or my finger to blend it in.

The Rimmel concealer is quite thick and I would say it is more coverage than the L'Oreal concealer. I do find it to be slightly too thick for me though, as it tends to crease slightly. There is a brush applicator the same as with the L'Oreal concealer and I apply it in the same way. 

The L'Oreal concealer is in the shade Medium and the Rimmel concealer is in the shade Ivory.

Left - L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer
Right - Rimmel Match perfection Concealer

As you can see, the Rimmel concealer is a lot more yellow toned than the L'Oreal one so I don't think it looks as brightening. I have been using the Rimmel concealer for quite a lot longer than the L'Oreal one and I never realised how yellow it looked until I compared them both!


If you are looking for a concealer to cover any discolouration and dark circles then I think the Rimmel one has better coverage, however if you are looking purely for one to brighten and highlight, then I recommend trying the L'Oreal one.
Have you tried any brightening concealers? And would you recommend any?

Spring Makeup!

When spring time comes around I love going through my makeup and picking out bright and shimmery shades and starting to use them in my everyday routine.


I have been through my makeup collection and picked out my favourite spring products.


To start with, my favourite foundation right now is actually a recent discovery of mine and it is Rimmel Wake Me Up. It is a lovely foundation for everyday as it gives a natural glow to the skin which is great for spring time.This foundation also contains an spf 15 which is good for when the sun starts to come out.

Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation is available here for £8.99.


I think an under eye concealer is a must have product as it brightens up the complexion and just helps me look awake. My favourite one is L'Oreal Lumi Magique concealer. I have a blog post coming up on brightening concealers later in the week so keep a look out.
L'Oreal concealer is available here for £8.49.


A bronzer is a must have product for me. Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Bronzing powder has been a favourite of mine for just over a year now. I absolutely love it as it contains a small amount of shimmer so I just sweep it across my cheeks and it adds a gorgeous warm glow. I can't actually find this anywhere now however there is a loose powder version available apposed to a pressed.

Elizabeth Arden Pure Mineral Bronzing powder is available here for £25.


My favourite blush for the summer months is definitely Mac Well Dressed and it has been for a couple of years now. I absolutely adore it as it is a lovely pure pink colour with subtle shimmer and it looks beautiful when the sun shines on it. This blush just adds a natural, healthy rose colour to the cheeks. You can apply it lightly which just adds a beautiful sheen, or build it up to a lovely pink shade.

Mac Well Dressed blush is available here for £17.50.


Mac Cream Colour Base in Hush is my favourite highlighter. I much prefer a warm shade of highlighter compared to a cool, icy shade. This highlighter is a lovely warm peach colour which just adds a natural glow to the cheekbones.

Mac Cream Colour Base is available here for £14.50.


I have quite a lot of lipsticks and I found it hard to choose just one favourite, so I chose two! In the spring and summer, I enjoy wearing bright colours. My two favourites are Jemma Kidd Hi-Shine Glosstick in Holders and Dior Addict lipstick in Diorkiss.


Jemma Kidds Glosstick is a hybrid between a lipstick and a lip gloss and it is extremely moisturising and glossy. The colour is quite sheer but definitely buildable to create a gorgeous red lip. The colour looks almost shimmery as it contains light reflecting particles that are very flattering in creating fuller looking lips. The glosstick also contains an spf 15 which is great for protecting your lips in summer.

Jemma Kidd is available here for £13.


Dior Addict lipstick contains a reflecting gel which makes the lipstick amazing because it hydrates the lips and provides vibrant colour. The colour is build able to give a vibrant, long lasting pink. It also offers incredible shine. This lipstick is definitely one of my favourites for the spring and summer time because the colour is lovely and very flattering.

Dior Addict is available here for £24.


This seems quite a long post but I hope you enjoyed it!


What are your spring time essentials?

Nars Deep Throat Blush

I have never tried any Nars products before. I have heard numerous great things about them, however they are pretty expensive so I have never allowed myself to buy anything.


Nars Deep Throat blush is one of those products that I had saved on my laptop and was constantly looking at, trying to justify spending £21 on. Then about a month ago it was on Buyapowa!


Buyapowa is a website where people co-buy products. There is a limited number of products available and the more people that buy the product, the lower the price goes. Click here to go to Buyapowa where they will explain it better!


Nars Deep Throat blush was on Buyapowa for £15.50. Shipping was £1.50 so I got the blush for £17. I know it isn't a massive saving but it was enough that I couldn't resist it any longer.

The blush itself is a gorgeous, shimmery rose pink colour. I absolutely adore it, especially now it is summer. I am not a huge fan of shimmery, glittery products, but the shimmer in this blush is just right. It just adds a lovely radiant, glow to the cheeks.

I don't know if these photos really do it justice and pick up on the gorgeous shimmer, so I would definitely recommend having a look at it next time you pass a Nars counter.


I have worn this blush every single day since I got it and I absolutely love it.


This blush is available here for £21.


What is your favourite blush?

Dior Diorshow New Look Mascara Review

I absolutely love trying out mascaras and I picked up a sample of the Diorshow New Look mascara about a month ago, so I was really excited to try it!

This mascara is named a 'multi-dimensional volume and treatment mascara'. It claims to capture and separate each lash with the nano-brush to enhance volume. The serum treatment thickens and lengthens lashes.

I have never tried a Dior mascara before, so I was looking forward to trying this out.

The brush is plastic which I quite like as it separates each lash effectively. It is quite a small brush which is really nice to use as it is great at catching the shorter lashes in the inner corner and coating the bottom lashes. 

It achieves amazing length and volume and the colour is the blackest of blacks. It is quickly becoming one of my go to mascaras, which is a big statement considering I own quite a lot!

This mascara is pretty pricey at £23 - the most expensive out of all my mascaras, however I would definitely recommend giving this a look next time you pass a Dior counter and see if you can pick up a tester of it because I absolutely love it. Have you tried this mascara? What do you think?

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick Review

I believe the L'Oreal rouge caresse lipsticks are quite a new release to the UK. I haven't heard much about them, however I spotted them the other day in Boots and was immediately drawn to them! The packaging is really nice and good quality considering the price. 

These lipsticks are available in 10 shades, and they are all really lovely. The shade that I bought was Impulsive Fuschia, 202 - a gorgeous, bright fuschia colour which I think will be perfect in the summer. 

The colour is definitely buildable which I like. In the day I wear it quite sheer and then build it up to a brighter, more intense colour in the evening.

They feel very glossy and moisturising on the lips and the staying power is actually pretty good. I only need to re-apply this a couple of times in the day to keep the colour bright and glossy.

I am definately going to go back to Boots and buy some more. I absolutely love the one I have and all the other colours were lovely.

They are priced at £7.99 which I think is a really good price. (And currently there is a 3 for 2 offer on in Boots!) I would definately recommend giving these a look when you next pass them.

New Origins Dr. Weil Serum!

I have never owned any Origins products before, however I have heard several amazing things about them so I was eager to try their products. I popped in to my local counter the other week and the Origins lady gave me a sample of their new Dr. Weil mega-brightening skin tone correcting serum. (What a mouthful!) This serum claims to even out your skin tone by helping with discolouration, damage and blemish marks.

I have had this for 4 weeks now and have used it approximately 3 - 4 times per week and the sample is still going strong! I absolutely love it.

I have never had any problems with serious discolouration so I cannot be certain how much this would help, however I do get slight redness on my face and this has definately helped and evened out my skin. I apply this before my foundation in the mornings and it makes my skin look amazing! My skin looks radiant and natural.

This is priced at £46 for 30ml which may seem a lot but my sample is only 5ml and has lasted me a very long time.

Currently if you purchase this from Origins you get a FREE Vitazing 30ml moisturiser and FREE delivery!! How exciting.