Louise Loves #12

Aldi Choceur Belgium Chocolate Waves

Do you remember those amazing Cadbury Snaps which were out a few years ago and discontinued?  Well I have rediscovered them in the form of Aldi's Chocolate Waves!  I bought these a few months ago and then forgot about them until I was in Aldi recently where I saw them again.  They are so tasty!!  I have had the milk chocolate, caramel and mint (which are dark chocolate) and I think they also do hazelnut.  My favourite is probably caramel but they are all so good.  Warning - highly addictive!

Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing

A farm shop and cafe local to me in Scotland uses Brianna's salad dressings which are all quite unusual and unique favours.  My favourite is the Poppy Seed and I decided to splash out and buy it for myself from the shop, but I have seen them in Asda before as well.  It wasn't cheap at nearly £4 but I decided it would be worth it because it keeps in the fridge unlike the ones I normally buy from Morrisons so even though they are only about £1, I use them twice then need to bin them after 5 days.  It has a really usually flavour, quite sweet and creamy but then the poppy seeds give it a kick.  Despite the creaminess it is actually vegan!

Orange is the New Black

[source]

I am definitely late to the party with this one!  OITNB wasn't something that really appealed to me but eventually so many people were talking about how good it was I thought I'd give it a try (after unexpectedly finishing OUAT on Netflix!).  It wasn't what I expected at all and am loving it, it's different from anything I have watched before.  I have just started season 3, oh my god, that season 2 finale!!

Public Desire Summer Boots

I only discovered Public Desire recently through girls at work and they have some amazing shoes at decent prices!  I am usually in a pair of chelsea boots so I thought I would try out something similar but more summery.  I went for Amira Ankle Boots in Beige and Priscilla Heeled Boots in Black which are £29.99 each but I got 10% off for signing up to their newsletter.  The higher heel was a bit of shock for me, and driving was a bit of a struggle (got some flats in my car now!) but they are pretty comfy in general, the black pair slightly more so.  I do find it quite amusing that although they both have zips on the outside, the actually functioning zip is on the inside ha!  I just hope the beige ones don't get too messed up, I have used Crep Protect on them so fingers crossed.

<3

The Q Collection for Women: Balance & Radiance

Q are a fine fragrance body spray specialising in high-end, high-quality products at a fantastic high street prices.  The idea behind it is to allow women to change their fragrance regularly without breaking the bank.  They come in at a bargainous £2.29 and are available at Tesco, Sainsbury's and Boots nationwide.

There are currently 3 fragrances for women available which are Awe, Balance and Radiance.  I was kindly offered the chance to try 2 of these and I picked Balance and Radiance.

Balance is described as being for those looking for a more fruity fragrance which is bright and flirtatious, opening with radiant bergamot and pear blossom, the romantic heart is conveyed with pink peony, stargazer rose, luminous orchid, on a sensual base of forbidden woods and creme de musk.

Whereas Radiance is a modern and sophisticated floral fragrance with top notes of champaka flower, mandarin and ivy, which leads into a heart of rose, violet and exotic orchid.  The base consists of wild plum and blackberry musk.

I think these are great idea as more grown up alternative to body sprays.  They would be perfect for keeping in your handbag for a quick freshen up on the go.  I know a lot of people carry their perfumes around with them but personally would never do that, I am far too clumsy and could see myself smashing the bottle somehow!  They - body sprays in general - definitely don't last as long as perfume but probably because you're not applying directly the skin, it's just more of a mist but when you can shove it in your bag I don't think this is too much of an issue.  I don't think they would ever replace perfume but they are handy for on the go and days when you don't want to wear a more expensive fragrance.

My favourite of the two is Radiance and to give you an idea of what sort of scents I like, the fragrances I have on the go at the moment are: The Body Shop White Musk, LGNS London Diamonds and Roses, Victoria's Secret Aqua Kiss and Jil Sander Sport. 

The third one which I haven't tried as I'm not a huge citrus fan is Awe, with its fresh aroma and top notes of bergamot and Sicilian lemon, followed by a green tea accord.  This light spray boasts freesia bouquet and a rich smooth background of cedarwood, amber and musk.

Do you ever use body sprays?

<3

The Lipstick Tag

I was tagged by Hayley!  I tag anyone reading this to do it, if you already have feel free to leave your link below in a comment :)

How many lipsticks do you own?

17 including stains and lip tars.

What was your first ever lipstick?
The first lipstick I can remember was a 17 one I got for Christmas, it was a sort of browny colour and I only wore it once. To school. Why, Louise?? It really wasn't pretty!

What is your most worn lipstick?
Ahh that is really difficult actually! I think Topshop Infrared, I love orange lips!

What is your favourite brand?
Probably Topshop but I only have 2 of theirs.  MUA are good too especially for the price.

What is your favourite finish?
A sort of creamy finish probably, not too matte as my lips get very dry but not too glossy.

What was the last lip product you bought?
I honestly can't even remember!  I've not bought one in ages, Topshop Inhibition maybe?

How many glosses and balms do you currently have in your handbag?
I just have one lip balm, I rarely carry make up with me!

What lipstick do you wear to rock a red lip?
Lime Crime Red Velvet, uch so pretty!  See this post for swatches!

How do you store your lipsticks?
I store them in a jewellery box on the windowsill in my bathroom.  I did a lipstick storage and collection post which you can see here.

What lip products are you constantly lusting after?
I really want to try some of Lime Crimes lipsticks, they have some great colours.

<3

Collection: Cleansers

I haven't done one of these posts in a while and seeing as I seem to built up a big collection of cleansers reecently, I thought I'd share it with you!

Neal's Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm

I've mentioned this product before in my night time skincare routine post and current beauty favourites video.  I was lucky enough to get this in my goody bag from a Neal's Yard Remedies event I attended last year.  The balm is so smoothing and lovely to use, I apply it to dry skin and wipe it off with a muslin cloth soaked in hot water.  It can also be used as a mask and as a intensive moisturiser.  I love this and I will definitely buy it again at some point, probably not immediately though as it's rather pricey!  Neal's Yard Remedies are cruelty free.
[£37/50g - Neal's Yard Remedies]

No7 Cleansing Lotion

I was sort of coerced into buying this when I bought the No7 Facial Brush!  I went to the till and she told me it was 3 for 2 and pretty much convinced me to go back and have another look, so I went to go and get a cleanser to use with the brush.  I was going to get some face wipes too but the No7 lady wouldn't let me (seriously! She said it was too much temptation...) and recommended this as a 'lazy option' for taking make up off.  I'm still not 100% sure how it you're meant to use it...  I think you just squirt some onto a cotton pad and wipe any make up off, but I feel weird not using water so I always rinse my face after just to get off any residue.  No7 are no longer cruelty free.

[£9/200ml - Boots] 

Avon Pure Porefection Self-foaming Cleanser

I only bought this because it was something like £1 in the sale section of the Avon catalogue a few years ago (yes, years... oops!).  I've been trying to use it up but I really don't like it, I think it dries out my skin, and according to Caroline Hirons foaming cleansers are evil anyway!  I will probably just chuck this out before I do my skin any more damage with it.

No7 Melting Gel Cleanser

I bought this to use with my facial brush and so far I do quite like it.  It comes out in a gel which you apply to damp skin, wet the brush and use it, then rinse it off.  When rinsed off it becomes more of a milk which makes it really easy to remove.  I don't like the packaging of this though, I find it really hard to get the gel out for some reason!  No7 are no longer cruelty free.

[£9/150ml - Boots]

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

I love Liz Earle, they are so generous with their samples!  I got this free when I bought my eyebrow pencil.  I also got a Skin Tonic sample when I bought the Skin Repair Moisturiser so I look forward to using these together.  I've not used this in a long time so I can't comment on it at the moment.  Liz Earle are cruelty free.

[£13.25/100ml - Liz Earle]

No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser

I've actually had this for ages, it's ridiculous!  I bought it when it first came out but it's just been sitting in my cupboard ever since, so bad!  Hopefully I will get round to using it soon after kick-starting my skincare routine this year.  No7 are no longer cruelty free.

[£9.95/200ml - Boots]

Wishy Washy Lemon & Lime Scented Nettle Complexion Soap

I was sent this in my lovely package of goodies from Alex at Wishy Washy!  It is a solid cleansing bar so I think this will last for ages!  I've been planning on using it in the morning as I only rinse my face, but I've been far too lazy and only used it a couple of times...  It has a citrusy scent and lathers up nicely even though all of Alex's products are SLS free!  I can't give a full review yet but I do find that it leaves a bit of residue on the skin so I need to use a flannel to remove it fully, I think it would be better if it was more water soluble.  Wishy Washy are cruelty free, and all products are vegan.

[£2.50/100g - Wishy Washy]

<3

Empties #6

This is quite soon after my last empties post actually, I must have been very busy over the festive period!  I've been working my way through some non cruelty free items which is good, also some samples I've accumulated over the years!  These will be in the next empties post :)

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover

Thoughts:  I really liked this, it worked pretty well.  It was a bit oily but this didn't really both me as I would cleanse or tone (or both) afterwards.  

Cruelty-free?: Yes, although there is some questioning about Boots own brands, however their statement seems okay to me.

Repurchase?: No, they have rebranded and it now has a different formula.

Bionsen Stick Deodorant

Thoughts:  I bought this in the hope it would be cruelty free.  Trying to find cruelty free deodorant is a nightmare, especially on the high street or in supermarkets!  It was average, I don't feel like it kept me dry all day.

Cruelty-free?: I emailed them and I got automated reply that they would "endeavour to respond as soon as possible".  This was in September.  SEPTEMBER.  I'm going to assume NO.

Repurchase?: No.

Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel Sensation

Thoughts:  I loved this!  It was so fun because it foamed (such a child!) and felt so soft and lovely on the skin.  It smells really good too even though it's got sweet almond oil in it and I hate almondy things!  

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: Definitely! It is quite pricey though but perhaps as wee treat!

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Thoughts:  This mascara was pretty good.  However I found that you would have to leave it to dry for a couple of days before it gets good, I hated it when I first got it!!  

Cruelty-free?: No, they sell in China.

Repurchase?: No.

Lush Ultimate Shine Solid Shampoo Bar (not pictured)

Thoughts:  You can see my full review here, but I just wanted to say how I really liked using this to clean my make up brushes! 

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: Yes, to share between my hair and my brushes!

<3

Empties #5

Here is my first empties post of 2013!  I've actually had these lying around for ages and ideally I wanted this post up on the 31st of December, but between one thing and another that did not happen!  Never mind, better late than never :)

Boots Provitamin Colour Radiance Shampoo

Thoughts:  Pretty average shampoo, but I do think it helped prolong the colour I had in my hair.  I was only using it to use it up though after a while so I really didn't need that as I was/am trying to get the colour out of my hair!!

Cruelty-free?: Yes, although there is some questioning about Boots own brands, however their statement seems okay to me.

Repurchase?: Unlikely.

Boots Provitamin Colour Radiance Conditioner

Thoughts: Not the best conditioner as I found it left my hair quite tangled. 

Cruelty-free?: As above.

Repurchase?: No.

Avon Foot Works Sugar Lime Mojito Exfoliating Scrub

Thoughts:  I did quite like this, smells really good and felt nice to use.

Cruelty-free?: No.

Repurchase?: No.

Neal's Yard Organic Facial Wipes

Thoughts: These smell really nice as they are camomile and lavender so perfect for bedtime.  They weren't much use for taking off eye makeup but seeing as that's not really what they're meant for I will let that slide!  They stayed nice and moist (gross word...) for ages too which is good, nothing worse than getting to the last few wipes to find they're dry as a bone!  The downside for me is the price, at £5.50 a pack it's not something that I could afford on a regular basis.    

Cruelty-free?: Yes, BUAV Approved and suitable for vegans.

Repurchase?: If they were reduced!

Montagne Jeunesse Strawberry Soufflé Moisturising & Purifying Masque

Thoughts:  I'm not a big face mask fan but I won this along with a white chocolate one in a giveaway so I decided to give it a go.  The cold weather made my skin really dry and dehydrated so I went for this one as it seemed the most moisturising of the two.  It smelled good but unfortunately it irritated my skin!!  I still left it on for the recommended amount of time (oops) as it wasn't that bad and it didn't have any last effect on my skin but it was uncomfortable.  I think my skin just became really sensitive because of the weather too?!

Cruelty-free?: Yes, BUAV Approved.

Repurchase?: No.

<3

Denman Tangle Tamer

I had been wanting to buy a Tangle Teezer for a while now as my hair is getting ridiculously tangly, especially at the back at my neck.  Literally, if I don't brush it for about 12 hours it starts turning itself into a dreadlock - nightmare!  However, I read Leanne Marie's review of the Tangle Tamer comparing it to the Tangle Teezer, and as it was cheaper I decided to go out and get it!  As I've never tried the Teezer this will simply be my thoughts on the Tamer with no comparison.

£6.20 from Boots

I still use the same technique as I do with my normal brush - yes I have a technique hahah.  So I split my hair in two (like bunchies), then taking one at a time I hold it at the bottom and brush, and repeat moving my hand up slightly until I get to my head, then just brush for my parting down.  I know this sounds really weird and complicated but as my hair is long, thick and gets very tuggy, this reduces pain and breakage :)

When using this method with a normal brush although it is less painful than normal brushing it can still hurt, but with the Tangle Tamer it is much less sore.  There was only once when I felt like it nipped a bit but this was when I first got it and I think I was being a bit rough!  So I will say it's not impossible for it to hurt!  Since then the worst I've felt is just pressure around where the tugs are.

I have found that it does work to de-tangle well but sometimes I feel like because the bristles are so soft it misses some bits underneath so I need to really push it in hard or tip my head upside down.  Another negative is that it can make my hair a bit static but it doesn't last too long.

It also works well on wet hair, I roughly blow-dried my hair using this brush and I found that it gave me a really nice smooth finish!

I would still like to try a Tangle Teezer just out of curiosity but I feel like it would go flying as it doesn't have a handle!

Has anyone tried both?  Do you have a preference?

<3

Empties #3

Once again I have accumulated 5 empty products, so let's take a look!

Boots Botanics Enriching After Colour Conditioner

Thoughts: I love this conditioner but sadly it only comes with the Botanics hair dyes.  It smells amazing, I tried to find a similarly scented Botanics conditioner one day but to no avail. 

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: I would probably buy the dye again, and I'd buy it individually if possible.

Naked Clear Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Thoughts: My scalp has become quite dry and flaky the past couple of years.  It only seems to be at the front, I think that it follows from my forehead as I get random dry patches there and around my hairline for some strange reason.  I really didn't find this helped at all.  I do like Naked's hair stuff but unfortunately this one did not do what it was meant to do!

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: No.

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Cleansing & Toning Wipes

Thoughts: This must be, what, my 20th pack of these?!  This is what I use to take my make up off every night (yes shocking I use wipes and not a cleanser haha!) and I really like them!  You're not meant to use them on your eyes but I do anyway, they're fine for me, which is weird because Simple wipes burn my face!  If I am wearing heavy eye make up then I use a separate eye make up remover first, but I usually only wear mascara and occasionally eyeliner for my every day make up. 

Cruelty-free?:  Yes.

Repurchase?: Yes.

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Basecoat

Thoughts: I liked this basecoat but it's quite expensive, and as you can see there's still quite a bit left in the bottom but it's too thick now to use and hard to reach with the brush!

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: I think I got it in a set with the top coat which I wasn't very impressed with it.  If it was under the £10 mark I'd be more likely to repurchase.

Mitchum Advanced Control Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant

Thoughts: I bought this because Mitchum are owned by Revlon and at that point I though Revlon were CF.  I didn't like this deodorant, I didn't really feel like it worked which is never good!  I gave up on it even though there is still some left.

Cruelty-free?: No, Revlon are no longer cruelty free.

Repurchase?: No.

<3

FOTD: BBQ & College Practice

This is the make up I wore to a family BBQ on Sunday - it rained obviously - and I also wanted to do a  trial run for the make up I would wear to college the next day.

I actually ended up forgetting to put on eyeliner the next morning, also my mum had told me that I was too pale so I darkened my foundation slightly but those were the only differences in make up!  Oh and excuse my hair in the photos, I'd clipped it up to do my face haha!

• I first used Two Faced Primed and Poreless mainly on my forehead and under my eyes.
• Then for foundation I mixed Illamasqua Skinbase in shade 2 with a little bit of Bourjois Healthy Mix in shade 51, on Monday I used slightly more of the Bourjois one to darken it.
• Under my eyes I used Mac Studio Finish concealer in NW20 (not CF) and powdered over it with Benefit Powderflage.
• I filled in my eyebrows with Avon eyebrow pencil in Brown (not CF).
• On my cheeks I used No7 cream blush in Rose Silk then went over it lightly with the Covergirl (not CF) blush I'm trying to use up, and highlighted using Physicians Formula highlighter that I love.
• For my eyes I just lined the upper lashline with Mac Fluidline (not CF) in Blacktrack and applied Benefit They're Real mascara.
• Finally on my lips I wore ELF Moisturising Lip Tint in Berry.

<3

Empties #1

 I've seen quite a few people doing 'Monthly Empties' posts and I've wanted to do it too but I don't actually finish anything quickly enough!  I will try do one every time I get to 5 empty products.  So to take a closer look at the first five items:

Boots Skin Silk Anti-Perspirant Deodorant

Thoughts: Trying to find a cruelty free deodorant is the bane of my life!  That and perfume!  I tried this Boots one because I don't like aerosols and thought I would try a roll-on.  I didn't really like it as it took ages to dry under my arms and I didn't feel like it worked all that well either.

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: No, and I think I'll avoid roll-ons in future, I prefer sticks but they're hard to find!

Naked Colour Protecting Conditioner:

Thoughts: I bought this along with the shampoo which I have stopped using for the meantime.  I thought it was okay but I found that my hair was still quite tangly after using it when usually conditioner detangles!

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: No, but I will try other conditioners from this brand instead.

Boots Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover: 

Thoughts: Really cheap, £1.25 I think, works well enough!  Only thing I dislike is the smell, it's bit sickly but I can deal with it!

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: Yes, already have!

Gosh Long Lasting Lip Marker in Pink:

Thoughts: It is okay but it feathers out around my lips, so then I would need to use lip liner with it. However this clogged up the felt tip and stopped as much product getting out!

Cruelty-free?: Yes.

Repurchase?: No, but I do like the lip markers so I'll maybe try a different brand.

Avon Perfect Wear Eyeliner in Black:

Thoughts: It was good to start off with but it suddenly just became really watery and blue rather than black.

Cruelty-free?: No.

Repurchase?: No, but I do need to find a CF felt tip liner, they are my favourite kind!

<3

Treating Myself!

Today was my first exam and it did not go well... I had expected this so I'm feeling okay, and more positive about the other 3!  We went to Boots afterwards and I had a wee list in my head of things I wanted to buy so I just took that opportunity to get them sooner rather than later as I'd thought.

I got the No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser as I've heard good things about about it, and that it is a cheaper alternative to Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish.  I had the Liz Earle one a few years ago but I was a bit young to fully appreciate it to be honest.  I did love their moisturiser but it just got a bit expensive as my mum would use it too!  So I thought I would try this as it is a lot cheaper at £10, and huge too!  However I got this as a sort of incentive to cleanse more (I am terrible!) and use up the cheapo Avon (not CF) one I have at the moment before I can use this one!

I also got the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation as I'm running low on the one I use normally (another Avon one, can you tell I used to be a rep? haha!) and thought I'd try this one.  It was £9.99.

I got the concealer to match as I've been getting a few more spots recently and I can't use my Mac Studio Finish (not CF) that I use under my eyes as it's the wrong colour, so hopefully this one will be good!  I got them both in colour 51 and the concealer cost £7.49.

So there you have it!  That's cheered me up a bit.  I also wanted one of those doughnut things for making hair buns but it was £4.69 - FOUR SIXTY-NINE?!  So sack that, I'm sure I can find it cheaper elsewhere!

<3

Look What I've Bought!

I was in Boots the yesterday so I thought I would look and see if Models Own had the full Hed Kandi collection available which they did!  It was also 2 for £8 so obviously I had to buy two, duhh!  I didn't really fancy any of the other Hed Kandi ones as I have some similar, so I just bought Ibiza Mix and then Mystic Mauve from their normal range.

I also got the Starter Set from Real Techniques.  I've been saving up my Boots points for ages and I finally had enough to buy this, so pleased that I basically got them for free!  I have the Core Collection and Stippling Brush which I got when they first came out and really liked them, love that they are synthetic!

The main reason for getting this set was that I really want to find a synthetic version of the MAC 217 brush and Sam tweeted me saying that the Base Shadow brush (second on the left) is quite similar so I will need to do a wee comparison and see if it is!

<3

Day 10. If you were given $100 to spend on makeup, what would you spend it on? List products and their prices.

First things first let's make that £100 not $100!

So I decided for this one to go a bit crazy.  You saw on Day 3 a few things I wish I had and they add up to just over £50, but for this challenge I thought I'd just pick one big thing and see what's left over...

[photo from Love-Makeup no copyright infringement intended]

This is the Something Bright Yaby Palette and it is £74.99 (their pearl palette is £89.99 eek!).  I saw this used by Sam from Pixiwoo - I've mentioned them quite a lot during this 10 day challenge! - and I just thought it was gorgeous!  It is really small actually, smaller than a Mac eyeshadow palette which fits 15, and this one holds 40!  I have no idea if they are cruelty free or not as I just had no intention of buying one because of how expensive they are!  However I am going to try and find out because like Mac palettes you can just buy the palette (available here) and pick the eyeshadows to go in, which are only about £2.75 each.  So at only 9.99 for a 20 piece palette and 10.99 for a 40 piece one I think it would be perfectly reasonable to slowly create a palette!  The only downside I'd say would be that you would need to pick the colours online without seeing them in person so perhaps some research beforehand would be required.

That leaves me with £25.01 and with this I would like to get the Real Techniques Starter Set which is £20.99 available from Boots and Love-Makeup in the UK.

[Image from Love-Makeup no copyright infringement intended]

I mainly would like to get this to try out the eye brushes from her, I have a few of the face ones which I love but as I mentioned in Day 5 I really want a synthetic equivalent of Mac 217 and she said that her Base Shadow brush is similar - the one on the far left I think in the photo.

So I'm now left with £4.02...  Hmm I think I'd just donate that to charity or something haha!

<3

Day 9. Your Nine Step Daily Makeup Routine

I'm going to be honest... I am terrible with routines!  So, hmmm, this will be interesting!  Okay so let's assume that this is a day where I have enough time to do my make up - minimally - but properly i.e. not on the train!

Rinse face (I don't cleanse in the morning... or at night - BAD!)

Apply Origins VitaZing Moisturizer and leave for 5/10 minutes.

Foundation: Avon Cream-to-Powder foundation in Ivory - I don't love this product but I did a big clear out so this is the only foundation I have left, it is nearly finished so I'll be getting a new one soon.  Hopefully Illamasqua Skin Base!

Concealer: MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 under my eyes.

Blusher: At the moment I am just trying to use up and old Covergirl one (not cruelty free) to get rid of it!

I then fill in my holey eyebrows using No7 Beautiful Brows Pencil in Blonde.

Lastly I apply my Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect mascara. 

 
but if I've got time... I like to put some liquid eyeliner on, I'm using MAC Penultimate Liner in Black, but NYX also do a really good felt tip one too.

Powder!  I am trying to use MAC Blot powder as I smashed it so it's just in a wee tub now all loose and I'm trying to finish it!

Yasss I think I managed to fudge 9 steps there!  Proud!

<3

Day 6. Six Favorite Makeup Brands

Barry M: 
Love their nail varnish!  Loads of great colours.

Nars:
Very expensive but they have gorgeous blushers and eyeshadows.

Urban Decay:
Most of their products are really good, wide range of eyeshadow colours.  Amazing primer obviously!
 
Lush:
Not make up as such but they do count themselves as selling cosmetics.  I love their soap and also especially Dorothy bubble bar, mmmm!

E.L.F:
With a price range of about £1.50 to £3.50 they have such a huge selection of products.  Some aren't so good but some are sooo good for the money.
 
Boots own brands:
This is just my go-to brand for make up remover wipes, hair dye... just anything I'm not sure where to get it from I know I can trust them for being cruelty-free.  They have lots of other brands so have so many things to choose from and of course you earn boots points, which you can use to spend with later!

This is a very boring pictureless post so here is a photo of my cat Theo :)

<3 

Day 5. Five Favorite Makeup Brushes

I found this one quite hard because there are a lot of brushes I like!  I decided to go for five brushes which have quite different uses like eyeshadow, blusher etc... you'll see!  They probably look a bit funny in the photo as I had just washed them!

From left to right:

E.L.F. Eyeshadow brush:  This is so good for just applying eyeshadow on the lid and it is only £1.50!  What a bargain!  I've got a couple of these.  I'd like to try their Studio equivalent of this, the c brush.

Mac 217:  Best brush I've used for applying and blending eyeshadow into the crease.  I would really like another one of these but they are made using goat hair and I am only buying synthetic brushes now - also it's by Mac who I've stopped buying from!  However Sam from Pixiwoo tweeted me (I was so excited by this!) saying that her Real Techniques Base Shadow brush is very similar, so I am going to get the set which includes this when I have got enough Boots points!

Real Techniques Buffing brush:  I use this for powder but it can also be used for foundation and I find it good for wiping away any fallout from under my eyes.

Real Techniques Contour brush:  This one is what I've been using for blusher recently.  It is nice and precise!

Real Techniques Stippling brush: Love this one for liquid foundation!  It is also good for blusher too.

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Day 4. Four Makeup Products You Can’t Live Without

Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect:

I've mentioned it before in Day 1, so I'll just say again, I use this every day and I love it!

E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit:

Any eyebrow product really because I got chicken pox a few years ago and being a teenager I was completely aware and just scratched them all... So now I am covered in scars!  I have one in my eyebrow so there is a hole and I always need to fill it in.  For everyday I just tend to use a pencil (mentioned in day 2) but as I don't like that one, for nights out etc. I use the E.L.F. eyebrow kit which is a pigmented cream and a powder.

Oilatum Natural Repair:

This was recommended by the pixiwoo girls and everyone went crazy trying to get their hands on some!  It is sold in Boots and it was sold out for ages but now it has settled down and is quite easy to get hold of!  It's a really nice moisturiser but because I have combination skin verging on oily, I don't use it every day - I have my Vitazing for that at the moment - I mostly use it if I'm giving myself a facial or after a shower before an important day/night make up wise!  Unfortunately I don't know if this is cruelty free or not, since it is a less common brand it is harder to find out about.  I'll try to find out before I repurchase and will post the results on here!

Mac Studio Finish Concealer:

I'm very lucky in that I don't get too many spots, but I really need concealer for under my eyes, I have such dark circles!  I've been using this one - Studio Finish in NW20 - for a while now and it is quite good.  I wasn't going to repurchase it, but now I can't because of Estée Lauder testing on animals anyway!  Not sure what one to get next, maybe Nars?  Any recommendations are welcome!

P.S. I had to use my top in the background of the last 3 photos because I was in my room and I usually just do it against my duvet but my cat sleeps on my bed and it was soooo hairy and disgusting that I just couldn't do it... haha!  But I think it looks quite good actually!

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Day 2. Two Makeup Products You Would Not Recommend

NYX Glitter Cream Palette:

My auntie brought me this palette back from when they went to Florida. I've just never been able to find a use for it, there is no way to stop it creasing because of the formula, even if you apply it over an eyeshadow or base, it just melts that eyeshadow and makes it crease too! Also although there looks like there is a lot of glitter in them, some of them are quite sparse when applied. I'm not sure why I'm keeping them, they are just so sparkly I don't want to bin them! Maybe one day I will find a use for them!

No. 7 Eyebrow Pencil:

I bought this after my Une pencil ran out as my friend had got it and said it was quite good. However the actual product in it is quite hard (it actually hurts my head 'cos I need to press it so hard to apply it!) and instead of being 'blonde' as it says, it is more of a gingery colour instead of being ashy as you would expect. I am going to try and use it up, grudgingly! One thing I do like about it is the wee brush on the end! Cost £8.


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