Maybelline New York Color Tattoo 24 Hour (Shade #85 Light in Purple) REVIEW

At my prom, I combined my Maybelline Color Tattoo with my Rimmel London ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Paint [review here] and came out with perfection.

New York meets London - a winning combination?

 

 

The aim was to find two liquid eyeshadows that went relatively well together, and boy did I choose well. I applied this gel shadow with my finger, over a layer of the Rimmel Eye Paint. Not only was it colourful and eye-catching, it covered up every imperfection in the previous layer. It stayed where I wanted it to stay and set well, although you could possibly use it as blue glitter on other areas of your face if you wanted to. Although technically this product is supposed to be a shimmery light purple, I don't see a problem with using it as a blue - that's what I did! It's very pigmented so it doesn't really make a difference.

 

 

 

This product sticks to surfaces so well but you need a good hand-wash after! And although it sounds weird to say it, this colour really brought out my eyes and made them pop. You can buy it online here but I'd definitely recommend checking out the other colours first! They'll all be sensational, so go for it.

 

I have not been sponsored by Maybelline or Superdrug to make this post.

Rimmel London ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Paint (Shade #011 Mercury Silver) REVIEW

Right, well, where do I start with this product. For a night out, it's an absolutely great shade. It stays on well; once it's set it doesn't really smudge; it's reliable; AND it'll make you stand out.

 

 

 

As far as eye shadows go, this is really silver. I don't know if I'd ever use this product on it's own because it's rather metallic-looking so I don't feel the need to repurchase. So you might ask, why did I buy it in the first place? Well, I needed a silver liquid eyeshadow that would combine well with the Maybelline Colour Tattoo (review soon) in a blue-y shade I'd bought previously. I asked one of the assistants in Superdrug to help me find what I was looking for and she suggested this.

 

So when I had a trial run of this product, I felt that it was really smothering on my eyes, because you have to apply lots to get the effect that you want. If you rub it in well you should be okay but it's rather hard to apply, and some areas will always end up more covered than others no matter how hard you try. It must be something to do with the way it dries. Anyway, I was able to disguise this problem well with the Colour Tattoo, which filled in any problem areas. On the night, my eyes looked really cool. I'd definitely recommend combining the two for parties and nights out.

 

 

You can buy this product online here for £4.99. It's also worth mentioning that throughout the night, the eye-paint stayed on perfectly and preserved the Colour Tattoo. No creases appeared in it, and it never cracked! Pretty good I'd say. Go and experiment!

 

 

I have not been sponsored by Rimmel London or Superdrug to make this post.

Collection Killer Curves Mascara (Shade #17 Ultra Black) REVIEW

"KILLER CURVES AND VOLUPTUOUS VOLUME!" Well, it's that indeed. I remember when my best friend came around to my house to apply makeup and I was raving about how great this product was.

 

It brings shaping your eyelashes to a whole new level. All that fussing around you had to do before just to get the right angle? No more. This mascara brush is completely shaped, so that you can get a good eye without even trying. It's kind of as if it's been automatically done for you. No hassle. However, if you're going to try and apply your mascara in a certain way, good luck. This mascara can only really give you one look: long eyelashes, bent into a curl. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Which is a very nice-looking tin by the way.

 

 

I decided to buy this mascara in the shade Ultra Black, because I thought if I got a brown shade (my natural colour) it would just look... odd. Like someone had stretched my own eyelashes. Thinking about it, whichever colour hair you've got, buy darker. If you're blonde, a brown shade would probably suit you, and so on. Anyway, back to the point. I only really have black eyeliners (discounting any silver liquid eyeliners) and so I thought black would be the best option to choose.

 

 

 

The mascara spreads your eyelashes out, rather than clumping them together - that's true. But you have to be careful how many layers you apply, otherwise your eyelashes can become quite dry and irritating. The layers dry quite quickly, and I find a couple is usually enough for me. Don't apply any more than you need, otherwise clumping is more likely.

 

 

 

If you're not really looking for a girly effect, I'd say don't buy this mascara - buy one that's gonna give you the benefits that you want. You can buy this mascara online for £4.99 (price correct July 2013) here. Looking back, I wish I'd bought the waterproof version, which comes in a packet much like this one does except blue. However, I purchased a Rimmel London Waterproof Mascara (review coming) in order to make up for my mistake.

 

Collection (left) vs. Rimmel London (right)

 I have not been paid by Collection or Superdrug to write this review.

Collection Pressed Powder (Shade #18 Ivory) REVIEW

I have to start by saying that Collection's Pressed Powder, specifically in this shade, is probably the best one I've ever used, sending my usual powder - Collection's Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Powder [review here] - packing.

It's just SUCH a good match for my skin! But I have to say, it niggles me a bit that makeup brands, like Collection, don't put their lightest products at the lowest shades (i.e. why is this really pale Ivory Shade number #18, when "Fair" Shade #1 is darker? Surely it makes sense to go lightest first? I don't know). That aside, there's nothing annoying about this product.

                           

Okay, maybe one thing. Even though it's such a good match for my skin and even though it goes well with my favourite foundation, and even though it leaves me looking flawless... it can itch a little when first applied, because it's quite tight on the skin. But that's okay! Such a small price to pay for beauty - and the feelings fade quickly anyway. Speaking of price, I can't really remember how much this was in Superdrug but I'd imagine it's under £5. On their website, you can buy it here for £1.99 (price correct July 2013) and if you're pale like me, I highly recommend that you do. I wore this product at prom, and I suspect I owe the fact that all my makeup stayed on so long to this little beauty.

It doesn't make me look more tanned than I am, nor does it distort the colour of my skin, it covers any patch of skin it's applied to, and it'll last for so long because you don't need much on at all. I absolutely adore this product (no exaggeration) because it helps me to embrace how pale I am and doesn't make me look stupid. Awesome!

Thanks for reading, guys! I'd just like to say that I was not paid by any brand to write this blog post, nor am I sponsored by Collection, Superdrug or any of their affiliates.

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Powder (Shade #1 Fair) REVIEW

Well, guys, as I've just reviewed the Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer [read it here] I thought it appropriate to review its sister, the powder, right away.

Up next - Collection's Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Powder

This product, like the concealer, claims to stay on for 16 hours. Again, I'm not really sure how true this statement is, because, having had this product for quite a long period of time (as you'll see soon in the pictures) my experience is that it comes off quite easily - especially when embracing other people. Luckily it washes off, but it does mean that I'd have to reapply my powder.

Chalk and Cheese - Collection's Ultimate Wear range

Now, I have the concealer and the powder in exactly the same shade (if you want to get technical) but in all honesty, they're as different as chalk and cheese. In my review of the concealer, I raved about how good a match it was for my skin tone. However, this powder is one I'd wear when I want the feeling of being tanned. It is actually quite dark for my skin, but that's probably because it's so pigmented. Although I didn't realise it at the time, it's also quite heavy on the skin. I've recently found a powder that I feel is a perfect match for my skin, which I'll be reviewing next. It's called Collection's Pressed Powder, which I purchased in the Shade #18 Ivory. Quite why the same shade of concealer and powder don't go together is something I will never really understand, but there you go.

New vs. Old - Collection's Pressed Powder (left) against the Ultimate Wear (right)

So yes, this powder does look quite orange on my skin. But don't forget that could work if you're going for a sun-kissed look. However, that said, when combined with other powders, such as bronzers and blushers, I'm not really sure it would go too well. You would look extremely powdery and people would know you've worn a lot of product. Another thing I want to moan about is the distribution of product across my face. I use a small, round, compacted brush to apply my powders and bronzers, which works perfectly across my cheeks. My forehead however, is a different story. I don't know why it is, but this powder never really appears to stick to my forehead at all. Maybe I'm not wearing enough foundation across there, or maybe you guys could give me some advice on how to make that work.

I probably will still wear this product before I hit pan, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing. If you're thinking of purchasing, you can buy this in store at Superdrug for under £5. Now that it's summer I'll try and avoid anything too powdery and embrace my paleness!

I have not been paid to write this blog post, nor am I being hired by Collection or Superdrug to advertise their products.

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer (Shade #1 Fair) REVIEW

Last week I purchased a new liquid concealer - something I've never ventured into before. Previously I'd stuck to the norm with my Collection Cover Up Stick [review here]; which wasn't really helping my skin out at all. Instead of leaving me looking fresh, the cover-up stick was creating orange rings where my dark circles usually laid - something I needed to rectify. I do admit that I perhaps bought the stick in a shade that was slightly too dark (or yellow) for me, but I was convinced that it would do a good enough job considering they didn't have any lighter shades in stock at the time.

Perfect? I adore Collection's liquid concealer

But, sticking with Collection products, I found a concealer that's absolutely perfect for me. And that product would be Collection's Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer (in case you hadn't guessed from the title). Right from the start it's more welcoming than, er, the stick, because the liquid is cool and more easy to spread across your skin - instantly giving you a fresher, brighter feel. I apply it under my eyes - which is really my prime problem area - but also on any red areas of skin, spots or scars. It helps with everything really. Another plus side is that you really can't tell you have anything on. This means that I would feel comfortable going out with just concealer on, if I was in a rush. No need for foundation, but maybe a sprinkle of powder just because I feel naked without it.



"Just white" - it's perfect for paler people without washing them out

As for spots, this product conceals wonderfully. I've never owned a product that covered up my spots completely, and especially not for such a long time! It really is a godsend and I'll be repurchasing it a hell of a lot I should imagine. How long the product stays on, I really can't guess at. The packet it's in claims that you will stay looking fresh for up to 16 hours. I actually wore this product to my year 11 prom, where I wore the concealer with my Miss Sporty So Matte Perfect Stay Foundation [review here] combined with my Collection Pressed Powder [review here] and came home feeling as beautiful as the second I left. I was at my prom jumping up and down for about 6 hours I'd say, so I tend to believe what the product claims.

Wow! A little bit of product kept me going for about six hours

Now for something very close to my heart. Ever since I was around nine years old, I've had a collection of small what I like to call "dents" in my forehead, which really are chicken pox scars. Previously I had no way of filling them in or making them look less sharp - and although I'm not saying that this product does the job perfectly, it really does help. Which is more than any product I've ever used before. Maybe liquid concealers are just my thing. If anyone can recommend any liquid concealers that you think might help with my scars, it would be much appreciated and I'd love to do a review for you.

Extremely pale skin but problems with spots? Maybe this could work for you too

If you're interested in purchasing this product, the Collection website states that it's unavailable to buy online - but I'm sure you could buy it from Boots or E-Bay if you can find it on their sites. If I remember correctly, in Superdrug store this product cost me under £5. Or, if you've tried this concealer before, let me know what you think in the comments below! Thankyou.

Miss Sporty So Matte Perfect Stay (#001 Ivory) REVIEW

Well, guys, it's been a while since I reviewed anything on here! But if we could just look past that for a moment... Lovely.

Today I'll be reviewing a recent purchase (something I hardly ever do) but I have to say, people - I'm in love. This happens every time I buy a foundation. I'll explain. As my skin is so fair, I struggle to find a foundation that has the right consistency and colour for my skin. As a result, I end up buying a foundation I think might be okay and convincing myself it's perfect... when it's not. Only today I've been looking through not-so old photos and thinking "oh my, that foundation wasn't right for me at all." I also get the odd blemish, which foundations have never really helped with.

Overlooked? The Miss Sporty collections looked lonely amongst all the Rimmel London and Collection products

But that all ends with this blog post! Or maybe it ended last Saturday when I was shopping in Superdrug for the perfect prom foundation, and discovered the Miss Sporty foundations amongst all the dearer, more commonly-used ones. Since I haven't really tested that many foundations, I was unsure whether to jump in at the deep end, with what I thought might end up being (sorry, Miss Sporty) rather tacky, cheap and generally not what I was looking for on one of the most exciting nights of my teenage life. But instead of going for Rimmel London, I decided I'd at least give Miss Sporty a go - and thank God I did! Also thank the lord that they were just in stock of the lighter shades. As I've stated in the title I bought this in Shade #001 Ivory, available for around £3 in stores.

The watery formula glides onto your skin, leaving you feeling refreshed and moisturised

As soon as I arrived home from shopping, I decided to have a "prom trial run" of all the products I'd bought and found that the foundation, despite being a tad watery, worked marvellously with the concealer I'd picked up at the same time (that concealer being Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer - blog post on that soon!). The foundation, to my surprise, glided over my skin - a complete contrast from the Collection 2000 "Colour Match" Foundation I'd previously been using which I found quite hard to stretch across my skin. Comparing them, I feel that although the Collection foundation was indeed light, the Miss Sporty foundation trumps it a million times over as a match for my skin tone. I felt so much fresher, prettier, and flawless even. A number of people told me that I didn't even look as if I had any foundation on at all.

Collection vs. Miss Sporty - it's what's on the inside that counts

I was worried that using such a liquid-y foundation would cause a breakout, but this wasn't the case. Days after use, not a single spot was in sight and I was loving it. That's probably when I knew this foundation was the one, although it does say on the packet that it includes "Vitamins A, C, and E" which is probably why my skin felt so fresh. As for the "Perfect Stay" aspect of it - oh my gosh it really was perfect. I chose to wear this foundation during prom, after the trial I've just spoken of, and it stayed on all night. There was no need to reapply, and I came home still feeling beautiful. Out of all the ones I've tried, this foundation is the one for me. As it's for "sporty" girls; it's perfect for nights out where you're going to be jumping up and down partying, but it's more than light enough coverage for everyday wear too.

The first foundation I've used that lives up to my expectations. Thank you, Miss Sporty

So I intend to wear it when I see my boyfriend tomorrow. If there are any other fair-skinned people out there - I'd love to know which foundations are your favourites! If you think you can recommend anything to me either for use or review, don't be shy and please please please comment below! Thank you.

I should mention that I have not been paid to write this blog post, nor am I sponsored by Miss Sporty, Superdrug or any brands affiliated with them.

Dressed to Impress!

Today was my first ever college interview... and I was bricking it. Some would argue that what you're wearing won't matter when you're surrounded by thousands of people that are only worrying about their own interviews - not your clothes choice - but at least knowing I looked nice gave me one less thing to worry about.

So, what do you wear when you're dressing to impress a college? My first port of call was to buy a nice casual (feminine) suit-jacket. I finally found one I liked for a decent price at Primark. If I remember rightly, this one was going on towards £20. Seeing it on the hanger, I imagined wearing my pink polka-dot playsuit underneath - and that was the original plan. But I couldn't find it anywhere, so I settled for my long River Island skirt (£22) and peachy-pink collared shirt (also Primark - £8 on sale). I liked it so much that I was willing to compromise on size (mine's a size 6, I'm a size 8) just for the open front. I actually like that it doesn't do up... but pockets would have been nice.

 

 

I wore this shirt really just to inject a bit of colour into the outfit. At first I'd considered wearing a black shirt with the skirt (once I'd realised my playsuit was nowhere to be found) but I didn't want to give off a "morbid vibe". Also, the buttons down the centre of the shirt, combined with the buttons down the centre of the skirt, makes it look like I bought them as a pair. It all just works. On my lower half I wore black tights and some simple black shoes. I didn't wear heels because I didn't want to be conscious of the clack-clack-clacking. As far as I saw, noone else wore heels.

 

 

I like to think that my makeup was subtle, although thinking back... my lips probably did look a little too pink. That's probably me being too pedantic though, because I didn't get any funny looks while I was there. If you're wanting to go all out, I'd suggest that you put your hair up - in a messy bun or something. As you've seen, mine's down, just for comfort. Sadly, I didn't keep very calm and although I did very well in the screening test and got in, I was absolutely terrified. So it's true what they say: your best accessory is your smile!

 



 

Don't worry, I didn't have my button undone all day

 

 

On my face I wore slightly more foundation (by Collection) than I usually would, and generous amounts of concealer (also by Collection - read the review here). Also, I applied my (you guessed it) Collection powder, and quite a bit of my Rimmel London bronzing powder. On my eyes, I wore a tiny amount of red "Sunkissed" powder eyeshadow and applied a little bit of gold liquid eyeshadow over the top. Hopefully, I'm right in saying that the colours didn't clash and that it was a stroke of genius. I actually didn't wear any eyeliner, but I did wear my favourite mascara - Collection's Killer Curves mascara (hopefully a review'll be up soon) which you can buy for £4.99 on the Superdrug site. On my lips, I wore a coat of MaxFactor Angel Pink and a top coat of MUA Shade #11.

 

I made a big change to my life today and I'm really proud of myself.

 

 

 

 

Make-Up Academy (MUA) Lipstick (Shade #11) REVIEW

Today's blog entry is going to be a review on Make-Up Academy's Lipstick in Shade 11, a lipstick that I ordinarily use every day and repurchase often. Personally, I think that MUA should make the numbers on the labels more recognisable. I saw 'Shade 11' as 'Shade II' because it was written like Roman numerals, and consequently spent about an hour in Superdrug searching for "Shade number two". But that's not important.

 

 

 

All in all, it is a very ordinary, effortless lipstick. I mean, when I just want lipstick on, but nothing too special, this'll be the one I pick up. I even wear it to school. The great thing is that it's quite a good match for my lips so it doesn't look as if I'm trying too hard and I don't stick out like a sore thumb.

 

 

 

Shade 11 is actually a very subtle colour, and perfect for a quiet day out. Application is quick and easy and leaves your lips feeling smooth. It does tend to dry out quickly though (within about an hour or two) so I like to add a little something to it. Usually I'll apply my MaxFactor (Shade #610 Angel Pink) to my lips first, then add the MUA lipstick on top. The more product that's on my lips, the less time it takes to dry up. This creates a lovely pink-red which I'm told is very flattering for my skin tone. The pictures below are of the MUA lipstick, with no combination of other lipsticks.

 

 

 

 

You can buy this lipstick here for just £1.00 (price correct April 2013). I'd suggest checking out Shade #13 though; that looks awesome.

Sorry guys for the state of me yet again! So much going on right now! Anyway, just letting you all know that all opinions written in this blog in mine and I am not being paid by MUA, MaxFactor, Superdrug, or any other cosmetic stores/brands mentioned in this article. 100% fun.

Kate Moss for Rimmel London Lipstick (Shade #1) REVIEW

Recently Rimmel London lipsticks have been on offer at Superdrug Derby for around £5 each, so I happily bought a few and gave one to my sister. Today's product review is on Kate Moss Rimmel London Shade #01 (Lasting Finish) but I shall be reviewing the others very soon. So, here's what I had to say:

 

 

It has to be said that I absolutely adore the packaging. At first glance I thought it was smaller than other lipstick tubes, perhaps compared to Max Factor and MUA lipsticks, but it appears I was wrong and there's essentially just as much product inside. The Kate Moss lipstick that I gave to my sister (Shade #107) is the opposite of my packaging - red case with black writing - but it's just as pretty. As far as I've seen, that's as much as the packaging varies.

 

 



 

At the time of purchase, I was just completely in love with red lipsticks and tried to find the darkest one I could find as I was looking for makeup for a funeral. In the shop I swatched a lot of testers on my hand and this did seem to be the darkest one in collection; but obviously it isn't the brightest around. However, it's more than stand out on my snow-white skin.

 

You can see from the swatch on my hand above that your lips would have to be really hydrated before you introduce the lipstick, otherwise they'll appear chapped. You really do have to apply a generous amount in order for the entire lip to be covered, even though it is very pigmented. I find that the biggest problem with the product is that no matter how much I apply, there's always that pink natural-tone line where my lips meet. Sometimes this isn't as visible, like when I'm looking down, so for day-to-day use I suppose it's fine.

For me, though, it's a pretty bold red to wear and so I'd really only apply it for, say, a party or something. But it is nice to add some more colours to my makeup spectrum just so that I have plenty of options for prom. I had difficulty applying it though, and in my opinion you'd need a makeup artist with you just to get this completely right. It's extremely easy to smudge and therefore very difficult to shape your lips without messing up. Maybe you could use a lip-pencil for that, I don't know.

As for the 'Lasting Finish' aspect, it is true to some extent. I was able to drink a couple of mugs of Irn Bru without it rubbing off on the cup so much, but when you eat obviously the colour diminishes and you'd need to reapply at least a little. Without eating or drinking I do think the product would stay looking bright for a good few hours. I might not repurchase one of Kate Moss' darker lipsticks -  although I do love this one - but I have heard good things about the nude colours from fellow YouTubers so that will be my next stop.

Look out for more Rimmel London reviews soon and you can catch Tiegan and I's latest video online at www.youtube.com/teewithmeg. Thankyou!

Please bear in mind that all opinions expressed are 100% mine and 100% honest. These articles are fun for me to make and hopefully informative for my readers to read.I have not been sponsored by Rimmel or Superdrug to make this post. Also, sorry if I look terrible in my pictures - the light was being indecisive through the window and I decided not to reapply my makeup for the photos. But I definitely will next time!

Collection Cover Up Stick REVIEW

A few months ago I bought Collection's cover-up stick in shade #13 "Natural Beige" for £2.99 at my local Superdrug store, and I love it... for all the wrong reasons. 

At the time of the purchase, I knew that Natural Beige was too dark for my skin, but only slightly. If there had been a lighter shade available in the store, I would've bought it - but sadly there isn't much choice for paler people such as myself in many high street stores. In some ways buying the darker shade worked to my advantage; for I like to drag the stick under my eyes and rub the product in with my ring finger in order to hide my dark circles, and this is where the shadows would naturally fall on your skin. So you would want that area to look a little bit darker than the rest of your face anyway; just to ensure that you're looking as natural as possible.

I do try to use it to cover up my spots, but the only thing it really works on for me personally is my dark circles. This is because - with the product being a tiny bit too orange for my pale skin - it doesn't cover blemishes. Usually, it just creates an orange ring around/over the spot that is really hard to remove. I also find that it makes my skin look streaky in the places where I've tried to hide spots, so I am of the opinion that a liquid concealer would work a lot better on my spots. Here's a before and after shot...

Without Collection Cover-Up Stick

With Collection Cover-Up Stick

Sorry for the no-makeup shots guys but I really thought this was needed! So, today I only used the product under my eyes and over the spot that has developed just above my nose. You can see in the bottom-most picture that my skin appears fresher just by adding a miniscule amount under my eyes, and I even look a little less tired. This is great for me when I'm getting ready for a day at school. As for the spot - it does appear reduced, but only slightly. However, I suspect that, had I used my camera for the photos of my face, the spot would appear slightly more visible. I would say that with the Cover Up stick over my spots, you can tell (even with the slightest amount) that I've used a product. And it does make my skin tinge with orange.

Having said that, when I combine this product with my Rimmel foundation and Collection powder, some spots are hardly visible at all. I'd recommend this product for covering dark circles, but not much else. I would suggest paying a little bit more for a liquid concealer if you're going to hide your spots.

I would have taken more photos today guys - if the batteries in my camera hadn't died! Poor planning. Anyway, if you have any questions about this product please feel free to tweet me at @HUNT3RMUNT3R on Twitter. This article is not sponsored and all views are 100% mine.