Birmingham Blogger Haul

Following on from my previous post, I thought it would only be right to do a blogger haul of all the amazing goodies I received on the day of the Birmingham FABB blogger event. I can only say a huge thank you to all the wonderful brands who turned up to the event for all their hard work and contributions. It was such a brilliant day and I met some lovely people!

So to start the day off, we were all given a pink goody bag as we signed in downstairs which contained some amazing samples from some very well known brands. This was followed by a whole range of other goodies as we wandered around and mingled with all the different brands. This included a goody bag from Me Me Me cosmetics who gave us some amazing full sized products including a mascara, some of their gorgeous bronzing balls, eye-liner and foundation. I haven't actually tried any of the make-up yet but it looks amazing. A real up and coming makeup brand, I think Me Me Me cosmetics have a lot of potential. Along with this, for those of us who went and spoke to the other brands, we got given some full sized products from Anovia, another up and coming brand who sell some affordable but amazing beauty products in your local drug stores. Most of their products in fact are priced at only £1 which is unreal. I have been using their shampoo just lately and I must say I am very impressed. It not only smells divine, (something one of the creators of Anovia couldn't help but mention at the event), it also contains keratin, an ingredient that every hairdresser seems to be talking about just lately. 

During my mingling, I also managed to catch up with the creators of Bee Good, a brand I was already familiar with from the last blogger event. I also got my hands on one of Bodhi and Birch's amazing shower gels after testing about 10 different scents on my hand. I cant wait to use this, and just look at the cute little travel bag that came with it (below)!

Just some of the amazing goodies from the FABB Birmingham event including Skinnyboo tea, NKD skin fake tan, Benefit Porefessional and some luxury hair masques

Anovia spoilt us with their full sized treats including this BB Cream

I love the smell of the Bodhi & Birch shower gel

Not forgetting the amazing full sized Me Me Me cosmetics which we all got given

I really wasn't expecting the sheer amount of products we were kindly given on the day - there is just so many to talk about. On that note, if you do want a full review on any of the products listed in this post, then please let me know. I think Me Me Me cosmetics is a must once I have got round to sampling all of the products.

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Bloglovin

Real Techniques Brushes

I have been meaning to write this post for a while now and just never got round to it. I realise a lot of bloggers have probably already posted something very similar to this but I thought it would be nice to give my own  opinion on the brushes every beauty blogger seems to have. 

So like every female out there, I started off by purchasing the core collection of real techniques brushes which includes four key brushes; the foundation brush, buffing brush, detailer and contour brush. Even though each brush is designed to target a specific area, I don't tend to abide by the rules. The only two key brushes I use out of this collection in fact are the detailer brush and buffing brush. I never contour my face so there is no need to use this brush. However, this isn't to say it won't come in handy in the near future as this is something I would like to get better at. 

The detailer brush is brilliant for your concealer and applying liptstick/stains. It works particularly well with my current Benefit Erase Paste concealer which may I add is amazing. I am able to build brilliant coverage wherever needed with this clever little brush. The buffing brush is used to apply my foundation which some may find a bit strange. However, like some bloggers out there, I find the foundation brush to be on the small side when building coverage. I would like to purchase a larger foundation brush soon so keep your eyes peeled for a post feathering this.

My collection of Real Techniques Brushes

The newest addition to my collection

After being impressed by the core collection of brushes and in need of a new blusher and powder brush, I decided to build on my collection. One of my good friends recommended I tried the blusher brush something I must admit I was reluctant to do at first due to its size. As you can see from the images, it is quite large for a blusher brush, however it is perfect for building coverage. It is so light to the skin, ensuring your blush goes on gradually and evenly. However, my favourite brush by far has to be the powder brush. It's so soft and works brilliantly when setting your foundation. I use this alongside my Mac Mineralise Skin Finish powder. It is the perfect size when setting your foundation quickly and evenly.

So there you have it - all my main make-up brushes together. I am sure I will be adding to this collection as time goes on as I am always finding use for a new brush. But for now there's a round up of the brushes you need in your life if you haven't already got them that is!

What is your favourite brush? Do you prefer any other makeup brush brands?

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Bloglovin

August Beauty Haul

In search of a rosier blusher on my way through town the other day, I popped into Superdrug and picked up a few goodies. This included this gorgeous Bourjois blush which I have meaning to buy for a while now. Even though I love my Coralistic blush by Benefit as featured in one of my previous posts here, I have heard so many great things about this blush and had to see for myself. I know this is quite an old product but some of the classic products are often the best so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. There is a 3 for 2 offer on all Bourjois products at the moment but with so many gorgeous products to choose from, I found it difficult to limit down my search. In the end I went for some ultra black pencil black eye-liner, something I was desperately in need of and the new volume 1 second mascara which again, I have heard so many great things about.

54 Rose Frisson Bourjois Blush at £7.99

The fabulous 1 volume second mascara at £10

Ultra black Khol pencil eyeliner in ultra black at £5.99

All my beautiful goodies together including my free pair of sunglasses

The finished look before I got changed and headed out

As you can see from my pic, this blusher looks gorgeous on. I really love the colour; it's not too bright but you can definitely see it and it stays on much longer than my Coralistic blush which is double the price! However I can't really compare these two blushers as not only are not only different colours, they have totally different effects. The eye-liner I must say I wasn't too impressed with, but eye-liner generally has never been my best friend. I always end up smudging it half way across my face which is not the most attractive look! The mascara on the other hand is brilliant. I love trying new mascaras and usually purchase these when they are on offer, but I must say this one is well worth the money. The applicator brush is brilliant and allowed me to reach all my lashes on application which is the most important thing I look for in a mascara. I don't know if you are able to achieve volume in just one second however, but you will certainly achieve immediate results - I definitely recommend this.

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Bloglovin

Mac powder review

So last time I was in Nottingham visiting my friends I picked up this little beauty with my Mac gift card which I had left over from my birthday back in April. There isn't a Mac store near me so I always have to pay it a visit if I am in Nottingham - it would be rude not to.

This apparently is Mac's latest product - skin finish powder which is used as a setting notion over your foundation. Now I did originally plan on buying the studio fix powder foundation, something my good friend uses and recommended. However after speaking with one of the in-store consultants she recommended I try this product instead for a flawless finish. Unlike the studio fix powder foundation, this product is solely for finishing purposes and therefore less likely to clog up your pores I imagine. I was a bit hesitant at first to part with my gift card and an extra £3 as I was looking to build extra coverage but I thought it would be nice to try something new on the market for a change.

I must say I am rather disappointed with this product. Unlike my previous powder by Rimmel, you can't really tell you have got it on and my skin has been rather oily lately which is unusual. I definitely don't think its worth the money as I cannot tell the difference between this and my drug-store Rimmel powder which I have been using for as long as I can remember. I must say I am not a huge fan of expensive make-up, let alone powders. As long as the powder does the job and sets your foundation, who cares about the price tag. However, I must admit it was nice to spend that extra bit of money in turn for a better quality product and finish, or so I thought anyway. I was also getting pretty annoyed at the fact that my Rimmel powder kept smashing in my handbag as it reached the end of its days...

This powder may be light to the skin and add a nice sheen to the face but in terms of setting your foundation, I don't think it does a great job at all and I often find myself reapplying this throughout the day. I won't be purchasing this product again.

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Bloglovin

Beauty Haul | Wake Me Up

So my second beauty haul this month consisted of some real beauty bargains including the popular wake me up foundation by Rimmel which I have been longing to try for months, and the just as popular Bourjois bronzer. I also purchased a new powder brush, another one to add to my collection of real techniques brushes. As noted in one of my previous posts I will be featuring a separate post on these brushes solely so bare with me on that one.

What a pretty collection

First off, let's start by having a look at the fairly new wake me up foundation by Rimmel. After using this foundation for over a week now, I must say I am not really impressed. A rather thick foundation, this I feel can look quite heavy on the skin. At just £6 though you can't really complain (original price £8.99). You are able to achieve all over coverage with just a few pumps which is great if you're in a hurry. 

Now I must say, I am not usually one for trying new brands of foundation after I fell in love with Clinque's anti blemish solutions foundation a couple of years ago. However I think it is good to experiment especially as you get older and your skin alters. Unfortunately this foundation wasn't for me and my oily combination skin so it looks like I will be reverting back to my old ways. Saying that, this foundation may be worth investing in if you have dry skin as it certainly gives your skin a glow as promised on the bottle. In terms of offering anti fatigue effects I am not so sure. 

This foundation I felt only clogged my pores making me break out in an array of spots which is quite unusual for me these days. It also wasn't very natural on my skin, which is something I love about Clinique's anti blemish foundation. Even though Clinique's foundation is much higher on the price scale, it allows your skin to breathe and prevents you from developing any imperfections. This I find it something this wake me up foundation doesn't do and reason one I probably won't be purchasing this again. 

                  

                 

Now on to the Bourjois bronzer which I have heard many great things about from my friends in particular. Again this was on offer at the time of purhcase and as I love a good bargain, I decided to purchase this chocolatey delight to add some extra colour to my cheeks during these summer months. Bronzer is not something I use a lot of so in terms of knowing which ones are the best ones on the market, I can't say I am an expert. However this bronzer did not disappoint. Even though this is quite a subtle bronzer, it's a great colour nd adds instant sheen to your skin or in my case, somewhat pale face. Definitely great for everyday use over the face and neck area. 

Inside your Bourjois palette 

In my next post I will be talking about this brush and more...

Thanks for reading and again remember to keep your eyes pealed for my next beauty post which will be featuring all my real techniques collection of brushes.

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Bloglovin

My Beauty Essentials Continued

I love the Simple range and have numerous different skin products by this brand. This moisturiser (below) in particular is one of my ultimate faves: Simple kind to skin hydrating light moisturiser. It does exactly what it says on the tin; it keeps my skin hydrated all day long. After using numerous different moisturisers over the years I think Simple offers an unbeatable price on its products for the impeccable value you receive. This beauty comes in at just £3.99 and is well worth every penny! All their products use natural ingredients and are designed to suit a range of skin types (oily, dry, aged etc). Remember ladies getting the basics right is very important if you want long lasting make-up throughout the day. It couldn't be simpler…

Silver shampoo and conditioner. Now those of you who know me will realise that I have had my fair share of hair colours over the years. However my hair in its current stage is probably at its driest due to all the peroxide I have used over the past year or more. If you are a brunette (or have any other hair colour) then feel free to skip this section, but if you're blonde like me, please listen up! I absolutely cannot live without these products. Not only do they bring out my colour every time I wash my hair; they keep my hair looking radiant something I feel blondes often struggle with. Nobody likes a dull blonde, so let your colour shine through with this beauty! This product is very cheap (£2.00) and you can purchase it from any local chemist including Boots and Superdrug. Don’t fork out on expensive blonde shampoo and conditioners when you can achieve the exact same result with these products.

Dove moisturiser with a hint of self tan. I have been using this product for many years now as an all over moisturiser product and I absolutely adore it! People are always commenting on the colour of my skin and this is exactly what helps me achieve my natural looking olive complexion. My skin is naturally quite dark anyway (father's genes) so I always use the medium to dark shade, however you can also purchase this product in a lighter shade too. It is very easy to apply and NEVER causes you to get any streaks like most tanning products often do. You will need to keep applying this product to build up the colour but after a few applications you should start to see a change in your skin tone. I recommend this to anyone who is afraid of using fake tan or the sunbeds or maybe you just want to keep a healthy looking glow all year round. At just £3.33 this is absolute bargain!

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - Bloglovin