Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation // Review

If you saw my recent Sephora haul you'd know that I picked up the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. Since then I've used it quite a few times and decided to share my thoughts with you. I picked up the shade 2.0 which is about right for my skin. It looks quite yellow toned in the bottle but once blended in these don't come through quite as much. It recommends that you shake the bottle before use as the product itself is fairly runny in consistency. The small pump though allows me to get exactly the right amount out to cover my face, and it's easy to add a little more should you need to. I buff this into my skin with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (which is my go-to at the moment) and it's very quick to apply, disappearing seamlessly into the skin without having to spend ages blending (unlike the Laura Mercier Silk Creme- I love it but it takes a long time to apply!). I think the coverage can be very varied, depending on how much product you use. Normally I like to build it up to a medium coverage for an everyday look, but if I'm not being too fussy I can just apply a very light layer all over to even out my skintone.

The main downside that I'd seen reviewers mention was the staying power of this foundation. I've used this quite a few times already to get a feel for it, including in very hot Florida weather. My verdict is that the staying power is not too bad. It lasts most of the day, but it does usually wear off first on my nose and chin. Obviously wearing a primer underneath helps to avoid this but really it's not a huge downside for me. If I want a super flawless, very long lasting look I'll always reach for my Tarte foundation as it claims 24 hour wear, but this works nicely for a normal day, if I'm just running errands and am not up to a huge amount.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this product and it's already become a staple in my make-up routine. As I picked it up from Sephora in America it was a little cheaper than it is here in the UK but it's available in Debenhams for £27.

Olivia Ellen XXX

L'Oreal Feria Dip-Dye Excess // Review

Yeah, I know- dip-dye is so last year! But I was feeling kind of bored with my hair and since I no longer have to go to school where there are so many rules about hair colour, I decided to try something fun. I originally wanted to pick up the Bleach London dyes but the Boots I was in didn't have any so instead I decided to try the L'Oreal Feria Dip-Dye Excess in the shade Pink Pop. It comes in 4 shades: 2 pinks, a red and a purple and I went for the lightest pink. They're semi-permanent and claim to last up to 10 washes. It comes with a resealable tube of dye (which is great as it means I can top it up if I want to) and a plastic brush for combing the product through your, all for just over £5.

It's been a long time since I used an at-home dye and I always used to get someone to do it for me (so it wasn't my fault if it went wrong!) but for this I decided to go it alone. I've watched enough tutorials on YouTube throughout the years to have a vague idea of how I was going to apply it. I put on an old black top and parted my hair into two sections which I tied into bunches. I then put in another bobble at the level that I wanted the dye to come to, making sure it matched on both sides. Wearing gloves, I squeezed the dye out of the tube and just began applying it onto the hair with my fingers, working it through and being sure to cover it all. The comb helped here as it separated the hair and showed any sections that I'd missed. While my hair has been bleached in the past so the ends are quite light, there are also some highlights through it and my hair wasn't as light as the box recommend, so I was intrigued to see what the final colour would be.

I'm actually really pleased with the intensity of the pink. While it's not as neon as on the box, it's still very pink so I'm happy. There's probably enough in the tube for a few more applications which is great so I'm looking forward to experimenting with different styles.

Bourjois New In

I've been trying to spend as little as possible recently which is why you haven't been seeing as many reviews as normal on the blog this month. However I was browsing in Boots and since Bourjois had a 3 for 2 offer on, I decided to try out a couple of new products. First up is the Colour Band eye crayons. I'm not sure if these are brand new but I haven't ever swatched them before in store. I picked up two shades- Beige Minimal, a shimmery champagne shade and Brun Dadaiste, a shimmery bronzey copper shade. Because they are chunky in size they are so easy to use. They are creamy and easy to blend so are perfect for a quick shimmery eye. I like to pop Beige Minimal all over the lid, then blend Brun Dadaiste through the crease. Equally they are great to use separately as a base colour, inner corner highlight or for a smudged eyeliner along the lashline. They are also pretty long lasting and affordable so I'm really glad I picked these up. 

The other product I went for is the new Brow Natural. What intrigued me about this was that it has a felt tip nib, something I've not tried before for my brows. I went for the darkest shade but even so it's not the best match for my brows and does need building up to really get it to match my natural brow shade. I'm a little disappointed to find that the amount of product dispensed means that it takes quite a long time to fully fill in my brows so I would say that this is not the product for you if you want a really intense look. That being said with a bit of tinted brow gel over the top, it does make a nice natural look which works well for me on no-makeup-makeup days. I wouldn't say that this will become a holy grail product for me but it is an interesting one to try. I've seen on Bourjois's twitter that they are bringing out some more brow products soon so I look forward to giving those a go when they are released.

Olivia Ellen XXX

MAC Brave Lipstick and Plum Foolery Blush // Review

Even though my birthday was back in April, I've only just gotten round to spending the MAC giftcard I received. I had enough to buy two products so I decided to go for a blush (since I've not tried one before) and a lipstick so I thought I'd do a little joint review for you. The blush I went for is the shade Plum Foolery and is a sheertone shimmer finish. It's a pinky-plum shade with a rose gold shimmer through it which is absolutely gorgeous. It feels lovely and buttery in texture and because it's a sheertone it can look really natural on the cheeks or you can build it up for a more intense colour. My most used blushes are ones that are a little shimmery or glowy as I just think they add extra radiance to the skin all year round so I know I'll be getting a lot of wear out of this.

The lipstick I picked up is in the shade Brave and is a satin finish. Most of my MAC lipsticks are mattes but as I was going for a nude shade I decided to give something creamier a go. It's a lovely dark pink-nude that has a little bit of shimmer running through the bullet, although luckily this doesn't really show up on the lips. I feel really bad as most of my MAC lipsticks are bold, matte colours which, although I love the shades, don't get as much wear as they should, so this one will be a great one that I can wear everyday as it will go with pretty much any look. It's a nice creamy finish but the colour still hugs the lips to it doesn't wipe away after a few minutes, and this matches really well with my Soar lip liner, also from MAC, if I want to really define my lip shape.

I'm super happy with both my purchases as it's not often that I have a spend in MAC, and I'm looking forward to getting a lot of use out of these products. Anyone a fan of either of these products?

Olivia Ellen XXX

Mii Brows Conceal and Contour Duo // Review

The salon where I get my eyebrows done have just introduced the brand Mii into their range of products. Although I haven't tried the full treatment yet (which includes brow wax and tint among other things) I was intrigued to try their products so I was a very lucky girl as my mom picked me up this Conceal and Contour Duo as a reward for finishing my exams a few weeks ago. The shade is Perfectly Peach which blends nicely into my skin and looks very natural. The product is a double ended pencil with a concealer on one end and a highlighter on the other. I was really pleased to find that the concealer is really creamy and easy to blend- I apply a thin line around my brows after filling them in and then blend it out with a small brush. It covers any mistakes I may have made with my brow gel and any hairs that are growing back through while just really enhancing their shape and giving them a super sharp finish. The highlighter is slightly shimmery and looks really nice applied to the brow bone and blended out. It's subtle but just finishes the look and enhances the arch. At £11.50 I think this is a great product and is perfect for someone that wants a sharp brow look in a flash.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Drugstore Beauty Haul

Today's post is going to be a little haul with some reviews built in of the things I've already tried. I'm going to start by going on a little rave about the Boots app. I've had my advantage card for probably 5 months now and have only just decided to get the app and it's great. You log in with your account and it suggests offers personalised to what you buy, such as "£2 off when you buy...." and lots of extra points offers which is great. You get an instant balance update and the offers are regularly updated so I'm always sure to check the app before I go to Boots to see if I can get myself some money off. Anyway, here's what I bought from both Boots and Superdrug!

I was rapidly running out of shampoo and conditioner so decided to repurchase the OGX Thick and Full Shampoo, along with the Root Boost Spray from the same range, both of which I love and think they really work. My hair was feeling a little dry though so I went for the OGX Coconut Milk Conditioner which is really nourishing, leaves my hair silky soft without weighing it down and smells wonderful.

Another repurchase is the Ambre Solaire Tanning Mist. I adore this tan- it's so easy to use and looks perfect every time. I went through my last bottle of it like water so I was glad to find it was on offer as I know I'll want to keep using this all summer to compensate for the lack of sun we've been having lately! I also picked up a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. My RT Buffing Brush has been shedding a lot of fibers lately and as I have had it a while, I decided it was time to replace it. While the Expert Face Brush is a little smaller and more oval shaped, the densely packed bristles have the same effect of flawlessly buffing products into the skin.

Two new make-up products are the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish and the Max Factor Colour Intensifying Balm. The nail polishes have been out for a while in the US but have only recently made it to the UK. I picked up the shade Bare Dare which is a really milky nude. It has a small flat brush which is easy to work with but the polish did require 3 coats to make it fully opaque- whether this was just made shade choice I don't know- but I'm interested to see whether it competes with the Maybelline Super Stay nail polishes in terms of wear-time. The Max Factor balm is in the shade Exquisite Caramel which, although it looks like a very 90s brown in the tube, actually applies as a sheer wash of a lovely nude. It's very hydrating and pretty and I think it will become a go-to for a no-makeup makeup day.

The product I am most excited about is the Solait Shimmer Oil. Loads of high-end brands have brought out shimmering body oils this summer but they are all way out of my price range so I was thrilled to see that a drugstore brand has finally brought out their own. The idea is that you use it as a finishing touch moisturiser on your body before going out as it applies a hint of colour and a really subtle hint of shimmer. I love using this on my legs for nights out to just make them glow and gets rid of any dryness there might be. When I picked it up it was on offer for £5 so I'm super happy with this purchase!

Olivia Ellen XXX

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Moisturising Photo Edition Foundation // Review

The Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation is a product I've been wanting to try for years but never did due to the big price tag. When they re-branded it my friend picked up a tube and completely convinced me to take the plunge. Luckily at this time it was on offer in John Lewis so although it was still a lot of money to spend on one foundation, I got a slightly better deal than normal which made me feel a little more relaxed about it. You now have two options when you go to buy- the oil free or the moisturising which is what I went for. Buying foundation online can be risky in terms of shades but I did a lot of research on swatches and shade finders and luckily the shade Cream Ivory is perfect for me.

This has been sitting in my cupboard for a while now, as I was too scared to use in case I didn't like it or it didn't suit me as that would have been a massive regret. I finally decided to give it a go before a party and I'm glad to say I adore it! I squeezed a blob on to the back of my hand to begin with and it was more liquidy than I imagined it would be. I then blobbed it onto my face and buffed it in with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I really took my time buffing it in, making sure it was fully settled and even. As you can see in the before and after above, it has really great coverage, it also brightens and gives my skin a really luminous glow and it just glided over any dryness on my face. I hardly needed any concealer and I just used a little bit of the No7 Glow Stick highlighter to amp up the glow.

Overall I am so pleased that I finally decided to pick this foundation up. Due to the price it won't be something that I use recklessly but it's going to be perfect for formal events or for when I'm performing due to how well it lasts on the skin. You can pick it up from John Lewis for £35 here.

Olivia Ellen XXX

Maybelline Super Stay Nail Polishes

L-R: Crystal Clear, Surreal, Berry Stain, Rose Poudre, Porcelain, Golden Brown

If you had asked me a year ago what my favourite nail polishes were it would have been hard for me to give you a certain answer, but now it's an easy decision- the Maybelline Super Stay Nail Polishes are my favourite by far and I have tried a fair few to know this for sure. Firstly, there's a great range of shades so there's definitely something for everyone. Secondly, they're a really affordable price. The brush is a flat paddle brush making it so quick and easy to apply and while two coats makes them super opaque, you can get away with just one if you're in a rush. But the best thing about them is the staying power- nail polishes usually chip really easily on my nails even with a base and topcoat, but these are an exception to the rule. I use the Sally Hansen Diamond Strength as a base, apply two coats of the colour, then finish with the matching top coat and I can get 4-5 days wear before they look too messy. Occasionally there are small chips but they're not too noticeable so I'm happy to leave the colour on. 

At the moment I'm wearing the shade Berry Stain which isn't the most summery but I don't really feel like wearing neons on my nails when the weather is so dull! My favourites though are Rose Poudre, as it's pretty much the perfect nude shade for my skin, and Golden Brown which is a gorgeous metallic rose gold on the nails and I'm pretty sure would be flattering on anyone. If you haven't tried this range, what are you waiting for?! 

Olivia Ellen XXX

Clinique Pop Lipstick // Review

As you may have noticed a few weeks ago was this blog's third birthday (I did a little birthday post here if you're interested). I went shopping that day and decided to treat myself to a little high-end beauty product and I went for the new Clinique Pop Lipstick in the shade Fab Pop. It's a gorgeous pretty pink that I thought would be beautiful for summer and a shade I'll probably get a lot of wear out of. Although the range of shades was fairly substantial there were a lot that I wouldn't wear, but if you're into really bright pops of colour of the lips then there's a lot you'd really love.

Anyway onto the formula- I'd read a lot of reviews of these so I was pretty sure I'd like them before I took the plunge. They feel so creamy on the lips and look smooth rather than having a glossy looking finish. The colour really shows up and applies evenly but what I really love is that even when the balmy finish has worn off you're left with a nice tint on the lips so you don't have to be checking every 5 minutes to make sure you're not left with that awkward ring of colour lining your mouth- it just wears off naturally leaving you with a bit of colour.

I also really like the packaging- it's simple and sophisticated and I love the soft close lid because you're less likely to scrape or squish the lipstick when putting the lid back on. If you're after a really gorgeous summery lip I would really highly recommend picking one of these up!

Olivia Ellen XXX

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue // Review

When I hear the phrase 'tinted moisturiser' my mind completely glosses over the 'moisturiser' as I haven't found a tinted moisturiser that has been particularly hydrating. That was until I tried the Bare Minerals Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream- bit of a mouthful but it really tells you all about the product. As the product is pretty expensive (around £26) I made sure to read loads of reviews first to really work out whether it was worth it before making the splurge (I actually had a gift card that I was able to purchase this with which made me feel better!). I was so excited to apply it for the first time because I really didn't know what to expect after hearing different people saying different things about coverage levels.

It comes out of the tube in a very liquid form but as I dotted it onto my face for the first time I could already feel how lightweight it was. As soon as you start blending you can feel how hydrating it is- it glides over any dryness and my skin and just gives this absolutely gorgeous glowing finish. I went for the shade Vanilla although I could probably go a shade either side and it wouldn't make that much difference as the coverage is very sheer and it really blends in to suit my skin.

As I say, the coverage is sheer when I blend it in with my fingers, but I find that after this it's very easy to layer up with a buffing brush to add a little extra coverage should I need it. It doesn't cover major blemishes and I still like to go in with a little concealer in places but it really evens out the skin tone and has a lovely radiant finish- I really feel like I've found the perfect 'my skin but better' product.

What's also great about this product is that it has SPF 30 meaning it'll be perfect for on holiday. Often when it's warm I don't want to put on a full face of make-up but I feel like if I just pop a bit of this onto my face if I'm going out it'll just brighten my skin and make me look at bit more alive. The bottom picture is after about 8 hours wear and as you can see it's still looking pretty good- glowy but not sweaty and shiny (and this was in fairly warm weather with me being active) and the coverage is still almost all there. I can really see this becoming my go-to product in the coming months and am so pleased I took the plunge!

Olivia Ellen XXX

New MAC Lip Products

My birthday was last week and I was lucky enough to receive a couple of MAC lip products as gifts so I thought I'd do a little joint review of these today. First up, a lip liner in the shade Soar. This is probably one of MAC's best selling products at the moment as it's a brown toned nude perfect for creating the 90s Kylie Jenner look. Now I'm not a massive Kylie Jenner fan but I think it's a really nice colour and I was surprised to find that it actually looks pretty good on me. It's a nice little nude that goes with any make-up look and what I really like is that it's a really matte finish which is long lasting so it's great for a night out and if I want to dress it up a bit I can just add a bit of gloss on top.

Secondly is a lipstick from the latest Philip Treacy collection in the shade Cardinal which is a lovely red shade. It's a satin finish which means it's not quite matte but definitely not too creamy which means I feel happy wearing a bold colour without worrying that it's sliding around on my lips. I feel like it's a red that would work well all year round as it's bright enough for me to wear in summer. It's such a nice shade and something a little different as it's limited edition. I know I'll get a lot of wear out of both of these products so I'm really pleased with them. I also have a MAC giftcard and am wondering what to get so if you have any suggestions let me know!

Olivia Ellen XXX