No7 Colour Calming Primer

No 7 Calming Colour Primer - £11 

My Skin: I'm very pale and have combination skin. Dryness is definitely a problem with occasional oiliness 

I bought this product using one of those No 7 vouchers that boots give out. In all honesty, as intrigued as I was about this products I would not have paid full price for this but with a £5 off voucher in hand I decided to give it a go. 

I've said it before but I am definitely no beauty expert. In fact it's sad how far away from that I am. So my reviews of products are very basic and simple. 

I was intrigued about this product because I do have red patches and blemishes on my skin. Some days they are worse than others and it isn't something that constantly plays on my mind or anything but it would be nice to not have it cross my mind at all. The mornings are always the worst for redness for me and as this is when I do my make up, I obviously take note. 

I think this product is quite heavy which isn't something I'm used to. It takes a while to rub in completely and reminded me of a matte foundation in terms of blending it into the skin. I would often get told at school that I had "some green stuff on your face". This however may be down to my lack of beauty knowledge and technique. You definitely only need to use it in little blobs. The blob in the picture above would probably do for the whole face, it might even be a little too much. So If this is a product you like you'll definitely get value for money.

For me, I found this product to be a little hit and miss. One day I would think that it had worked pretty well and other days I couldn't really tell a difference. At no point did this really feel like it had holy grail product potential. I'm also not keen on the smell of it. 

This has turned out to be quite negative which is a real shame for me as I like my blog to be nice as positive. I would definitely not slam this product all together and I'm glad I have it in my make up bag. I will use it every now and again to sooth any redness but I just wont depend on it. I don't think I will re-purchase this product. However I do feel I should mention that I have tried other No 7 products and adored them, especially their nail varnishes. This product has by no means put me off the brand. 

We're all different though and these are just my opinions from my experience. If you've tried it and thought differently, do let me know! I love hearing other peoples opinions and thoughts. 

Have you tried this?

Hope you're all able to enjoy some of this sunshine!

Victoria x

Bourjois Paris Health Mix Serum Foundation

before

After

After - Flash

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum - £10.99 - Boots

Firstly, I feel the need to tell you that I am definitely no beauty or make-up expert. I don't understand half the words used to describe make up. So if you're expecting the scientific and experienced kind of review then this might not be the place for you. However, if you're happy with a jargon free, simple review then I think we're going to get along. 

The Basics/Facts:

Price: £10.99

Amount: 30ml

Available from: Boots, Superdrug ect.

Shade Range: Six shades 

What the Brand Says:

Give your skin a boost of radiance with Bourjois’ Healthy Mix Serum Gel foundation with a vitamin-rich fruit therapy formula for an even complexion and an instant anti-fatigue result!

Its fresh and instant blending gel texture blends and glides onto the skin for an even, natural finish with no mask effect. Imperfections are erased, signs of fatigue are smoothed and the skin’s radiance is boosted for up to 16 hours*.

Its instant anti-fatigue vitamin-rich fruit therapy formula is made from a fruity blend of litchi, goji berries and pomegranates. Available in 6 radiance-boosting shades.

My Opinion:

I've been using this foundation every day for about two weeks.  This is the first foundation that I have bought where I actually have a shade that matches my skin colour perfectly as I'm quite pale. I chose the shade 51 Light Vanilla. Personally, 

I never believe the claims of longevity given on foundations and I think I am right to do so with this foundation. I've found this foundation lasts me for a 4 hour shift at work (around fry-ups and grease) but not a day at school which is 6 1/2 hours. I haven't been using a primer or a powder to set it though so this may make a difference. 

 I don't really have enough experience or knowledge about foundations and the coverage they provide to comment reliably. However I've had a read around the internet and people seem to be saying light-medium coverage. From my experience of this foundations and others I would agree with this and the coverage is buildable. This foundation won't cover skin imperfection though (or at least, it doesn't mine) so I use the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer, £4.19, (bit of a blogger holy grail apparently, I'd recommend,) over this foundation and this does the trick for me.

My skin is quite prone to spots but this foundation hasn't broken me out (touch wood) and this foundation is the only thing I can think of that I have changed in regards to skin products. However, I apply this foundation with a sponge as apposed to my fingers like I used to with my old foundation so this should also be better for my skin. I find applying this foundation with a sponge very easy (I was actually a little apprehensive about it beforehand). 

One thing I do find it that occasionally (and I do mean occasionally, it's not very often) the foundation doesn't sit well on my skin or it's not rubbed in properly but I presume this is just one of those things that happens sometimes and may be to do with my lack of skill in application. I have some dry patches on my skin and I occasionally notice that this foundation is highlighting those but that is usually but he end of the day when the wind/school/time has had at it. This foundation is really smooth to apply though, presumably down to the 'serum' side of things.

I would and most likely will buy this product again. I absolutely adore this product, it's my favourite foundation I've ever had. I would recommend this to my friends.

Have you tried this product? If so what do you think?

Victoria x

p.s. Any comments about the structure/content/language used in this review are welcome as it's my first 'proper' one and so feedback is always helpful!

                                                                                                               {@Victoria_Wrote}

03 Breathless

Collection 2000 - 03 Breathless - Blush - £2.99 - Superdrug or Boots

I featured this product in a post a while ago about which make up I use but I hadn't used it that often and then lost it soon after I posted that so it's being re-feautured. 

Recently all I've been using on my face is moisturiser and foundation but no blusher and I began to feel like I looked a little ghostly, this is definitely not helped by the fact I am really pale. So, I headed out for a blusher to give my cheeks a little bit of colour. Now, I will tell you that I'm a very fond Googler, I love me some Google. This means I will google and research almost everything and the right colour blusher was no exception. I'd previously tried a pink-ish colour and it just didn't look right as it looked too harsh on my skin but Google told me that a peach coloured blusher should compliment pale skin. Enter my trusty Collection 2000. As I said, this was a re-purchase even though my first one got almost no use I went back to C2000 because of the price and the quality that I know C2000 offer. The colour is a really nice peach and can look really soft on my cheeks but enough oomph to add definition to my cheeks. It's also a little shimmery close up but not from far away which I think is nice.

What blusher to you use?

Victoria x

Avon Super Shock Gel Eye Liner

This is only one layer.

Before I begin, I'm going to warn you that I'm not a make-up expert. Seriously, I'm incredibly far from it, I know little bits but nothing big so If you wanted a fancy in depth analysis of the ingredients and pigments and whatnot then this might not work for you but if you want a jargon-free opinion then please carry on. 

I decided to buy Avon Super Shock Eye Liner in Blackened Metal the other week because if you ordered the eye liner and the brush there was a discount I think. Also, I decided to try it as a cheaper alternative to the Maybelline Eye Studio Gel.  

I like the brush, it's cute and it does it's job (I some know people can write a whole post on one brush but I really don't see what else I could say). The first time I used the gel I wasn't really that impressed. It's called Super Shock so I kind of expected something super shocking and I didn't think it was. It took several layers to get it to the colour I wanted. I gave the gel a bit of a mess around with my finger to soften it up a bit and re-tried. It looked better this time, it got to the dark colour quicker but If i'm honest it still isn't 'super shocking'. I actually think I look a bit more 'natural' when I use this liner, however I am comparing to this liquid and the colour isn't claiming to be the jet black i'm used to so maybe the change to a lighter shade takes a little getting used to. Also, It's glittery but not excessively so, just the right amount so you get that odd glisten which I love. Finally, I didn't feel I had to re-apply throughout the day as I didn't think it needed touching up. 

Overall, I do like this product, I have no doubt it will help me achieve a smokey eye very well one day, and I think i'll switch between this and my liquid eye liner. I still feel like I need to try the Maybelline Studio Gel Liner though, so when one of these runs out I think that's where I'll head. 

 Have you tried any gel eye liners?

Victoria x 

Primer: yes or no?

I bought this primer on a whim really (crazy, i know). I'd never used primer before and if I'm honest didn't really know what it did or was good for. I'm still not 100%. On the Maybelline website it says that this primer is to help with smooth application of foundation and make your makeup last longer. 

It definitely helps make applying foundation easier. I use a mousse because I find liquid doesn't go on well on my skin. I can definitely notice the difference, it really does make it easier to put my foundation on. I don't really know about the helping make up last longer. I'll probably take more notice of this when I go back to school. 

This cost something like £9.99 from Superdrug. The tub is 7ml. I'm aware that most primers are expensive and you don't need too much of this each time you use it, but a tenner for 7ml? I'm a cheapskate and also have no money so this seems a little steep to me for something that while does make applying foundation easier doesn't seem essential. I do like this product though. 

So, beauty people, primer users: what are your views on primer? Which is best? Worth the money? Do they do what they say?

Victoria x

Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Liquid Eyeliner

This cost £2.99 from Superdrugs Collection 2000 in Black 1. 

As you can see from the fourth picture it is quite a small pot but you don't need much so I presume this will last me quite a while even with the fact I use it everytime I have make up on. 

I have absolutely no skill with make up to be honest except for liquid eye liner. I feel I got the hang of that quite quickly. This eye liner is good for application because it has a long 'handle' (?). I apply liquid eyeliner from the outside - in as I find it easier and neater. 

The colour when applied to your lid is very strong and does not noticeably diminish in my opinion. 

Have you got the liquid eyeliner knack?

Victoria x

everyday make up.

This is going to be a make up post but first.. THE BRITS! Are you watching? Adele was amazing, she always looks gorgeous! Also, my netball coach is at the BRITS! So random and so jealous. Moving on. 

Basically, I just thought I'd show you my daily make-up products. They're nothing too special and I'm not going to talk about them professionally because I'd be blagging it and it would not be convincing.  So here goes..

Rimmel London 'Hide the Blemish' Concealer. Honestly, I don't really find that concealer helps too much, it just seems to be sticky. But I don't like just leaving spots even though that would probably get rid of them quicker and layering concealer on top of them is very counter productive, it makes me a little more confident. I bought this concealer after I saw that my friend had it and it was really good, so I thought whats to loose. It was relatively cheap (as are all of the products here), something like £3 maybe. It's lasted me quite a long time but then I only use little bits at a time.

I can live without mascara to be honest. It seems to be most peoples 'always carry one with me' but I think I'd probably prefer an eye liner. Anyway, this is mine and practically all my friends go to mascara. It's a very good price and its a decent mascara. I think it costs about £2.99. I accidentally bought it in brown/black this time instead of black but can't tell much difference. Also, only available from Boots as its Boots' collection - Natural Collection.

 My Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse ♥
I use this everyday! I never really 'got on' with powder or liquid foundations when I first started using make up so I gave up with using it. Then along came mousse. I love it so much, its quite light on my skin and a little goes a looooong way. This has lasted me so long already and I've only used about half of the tub(?) Is it a tub? This is the most expensive piece of make up I own right now I think at something like £7.99. I have it in 040 - Fawn. 

I've literally only just started wearing blusher in the last few weeks and I've already picked up these two. They're from Superdrug's Collection 2000 (which I am a big fan of) and I have a (quite) pink one and a peachy one (warned you I wasn't professional). The peach one in the 03 Breathless pictured above shown on the right. It's already crumbled in the pot which is annoying as It's only been in my makeup bag for two days but it happens I suppose. The pink one's label has rubbed off but I think its in the shade Trouble. I often rub my blusher off because I'm not used to it yet and worry I look stupiddd. I'm a bit trial and error with it.  

My Collection 2000 Liquid eye liner pen. It so easy to apply, genuinely like a pen. It's called the Extreme 24 Hour Felt tip Liner. I've had one pen eye liner before, in black, and it came out green on my eyes. Safe to say I stopped using that rather quickly but this one is jet black when applied, which I love. It stays on throughout the day as well, which is always a bonus. I wear this almost without fail on my top lid every day. 

I also use a pretty standard black eye liner pencil on the bottom. I had a number 7 eyeliner a year or so ago that almost never smudged but it was quite expensive and I like cheap! I might invest in one again soon though, especially with this rain.

This is what I wear most days. I'm at school five days a week and there are obviously rules we have to stick to with our make up but I don't think I'd wear much too different if they said our make up could be as wacky as we liked.

This was wordy! Well done and thank you if you got to the end and managed to get through my rambles on what I wear. 

What are your make up dailies? 

Love Victoria xo 

love to the lashes

Hello Lovelies,
We're talking mascaras today..

I ran out of Maybelline's Falsies mascara. There was a lot of hype about this mascara and to be completely honest with you, i totally understood why. I loved Falsies! Literally lived and breathed it, i got compliments and everything, which is always a good sign. So, when i ran out of it, i didn't think twice about which mascara i wanted to buy. I toddled on down to the shops and bought it again. Howwwwwever, this time it didn't live up to the reputation i'd built up for it. It' safe to say i was gutted. But i needed a mascara that i liked. I mean i wear it every day, it should be one that i like. Anyway, I gave my mum the Falsies mascara, why not 'ey! Then I went shopping with the mother and she picked up a mascara that hadn't heard of before. It was Collection 2000's 'Big Fake False Lash Effect mascara' in black. I was slightly dubious because i'd never had any collection 2000 stuff except nail varnish, but theres a first time for everything, right. And i love love love it!

Photos below. :)

They are majourly cropped because i have seriously skank skin right now!

Before

After ♥

- hmm probably would have been nicer for me to not be staring RIGHT into the camera!

I always wear liquid or pencil liner on the top lid too :)

What do you think of this, and any opinions on Maybelline's Falsies?

Hope your all well,

Love V xx

Nudity always tends to be controversial.

They're back girls.

Yes, you heard me right. The flesh coloured lips are back. However we've long passed the days of using conclealer as lipstick. We're also now seeing a little colour in these nude lips, which, i know, is a tad contradictive but the best trends are. Some are calling these lips 'muted' but nude made for a much better title, dont you think? This all sparked when Pat McGrath sent CK models down the catwalk donning a very au natural look.

Marina does them best though.

Stuck for ideas? Check Barry M

Marshmellow

Palest Lavender

Peachy Pink

Pink Suede

Opinions?

Love V xx

PHOTOS: Models and Marina from Google Search & Lipsticks from Barry M