Makeup Revolution Haul

I've been wanting to do a big Makeup Revolution order for quite a while now and just couldn't help myself in the end! They have bought out some amazing new products over the past month or so and I didn't want to miss out any longer. I will warn you now, this post is quite picture heavy and quite long, but I bought so many beauties and I need to show them off! 

Here is what I bought:

I'll start off by going into more details about the Iconic Pro 2 palette which costs £6.99.

The palette comes in gorgeous sleek packaging, and the lid has a lovely matte finish which makes it look much more expensive than it is.

Inside you find 16 gorgeous, highly pigmented shades of eyeshadow.

There is also a really lovely super soft double ended brush, and a full sized mirror. This is everything you need to touch up your eye make up on the go.

The next product is one I have been lusting after for a while now! It's the I Heart Makeup Blushing Hearts bronzer in 'Hot Summer of Love' which costs £4.99.

The packaging on this is totally adorable and really cool. I love everything about this product. Not only does it look really cute, but the bronzer itself is fantastic. It is really pigmented and you get such a lovely shade by mixing the three colours together. This is going to be my new staple bronzer and I definitely want to try the blushers from this range too.

Next up I bought the Focus & Fix Eyebrow Shaping Kit in 'Light Medium' which costs £2.50.

Like the Iconic Pro palette, this also comes in lovely sleek professional looking packaging. It's also quite compact so will easily fit into your make up bag.

Inside you find 3 shades of powder which can be mixed together to find the perfect colour, and a setting wax. There is also a little brush for precise application, a pair of tweezers for removing any stray hairs and a full sized mirror. I'm so excited to properly try this out as I have been searching for the ultimate eyebrow product for a while now, and I'm hoping that this will be the answer to my eyebrow related prayers!

I'll move onto the lip products now.

First up we have the I Heart Makeup Lip Lava in 'Forgiven' which costs £2.99.

I've been intrigued by these ever since their release and have seen many beautiful swatches of them, so I'm excited to have my hands on one to try.

I went for a nude shade so that could use it for a natural look during the day, and I'm not disappointed with the shade at all. This liquid lipstick is highly pigmented and you don't need to apply too much. It also comes with a really handy flat sponge end which makes precise application really easy. The red version of this is now on my wish list as I can imagine that it will provide a really intense colour.

Next is Salvation Intense Lip Lacquer in 'More Than I Could Give' which costs £3.00.

Again, this comes in really nice packaging and you get a really generous amount of the product.

I must admit that I accidentally put the wrong shade of this into my basket, I actually wanted a really nice subtle pink, but there is no harm done as this shade is really pretty. It's a gorgeous nude like the Lip Lava, but this is a lot glossier and more subtle than the Lip Lava. It applies just like a lip gloss but is more colour intense than a gloss. I definitely want to try more of these in different shades, and maybe next time I'll put the right colour into my basket!

I was lucky enough to get some gorgeous freebies with my order as I ordered over Valentines weekend, and I was kindly sent the I Heart Makeup - I Heart My Lips collection of lipsticks which usually cost £2.49 each.

L-R: 'Racing Heart', 'Irregular Heatbeat', 'Rising Pulse' & 'Beating Heart'.

I absolutely love these lippies, they're adorable and such a great idea. They have a matte outer layer, and shimmery moisturising inner core.

As I'm already a fan of the I Heart Makeup - I Heart My Lips lipsticks, I was excited to get the final ones I needed to complete my collection. I already own two of them in a lovely deep red and bright pink. They are not pictured here as they will be going into my giveaway prize. More details about that will be at the bottom of this post ;)

Finally, I was sent a tester tube of I Heart Makeup Wow Gloss in 'You Go Girl'. The full sized version of this is currently on offer at £1.99, but usually costs £2.49.

You get quite a generous amount considering it is just a sample tube, and a little goes a long way. I put this on as soon as my order arrived and I got loads of compliments throughout the day on it. This definitely isn't a colour that I would choose for myself, but now I have it, I absolutely love it. The colour is quite pigmented for a gloss and it is quite hard wearing. I'll be getting myself a full sized version as soon as this has run out.

Onto the big news...I have decided to host a blog giveaway next month to not only celebrate the launch of my blog this year, but also to celebrate reaching 500 followers on Instagram :) More details about the giveaway will be coming very soon, but all the products in it will be from Makeup Revolution so you know they will be awesome ;)

Do you own any Makeup Revolution products? If so, which are your favourites? Let me know in the comments.

Sam x

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February's Glossybox

I have another review of the Glossybox for you today. These reviews seem to come around quick! So the theme of this month's box was Love, and it included 4 full sized products. It also came with a little pack of Love Hearts which was a lovely touch. Here is what I got this month.

First up is the Wilkinson Sword Hydro Silk Razor worth £9.99.

They've annoyingly classed this as full sized product, but how on earth are you meant to get a mini or sample sized razor? It comes with a handy suction pad so you can stick it to the shower door/wall, and it has 5 blades for an extra close shave. It seems like a decent enough product from a good brand, and let's be honest, razors are never out of the way.

The next product up is got2be All Star 10 in 1 Styling cream worth £4.07.

 I am really not impressed with this. I took the time to fill in my beauty profile for Glossybox and I never once stated a preference towards hair products. This is the second time in 3 boxes that I have received a hair product that I won't use. What annoyed me more is that I saw some people received mascara or an Essie nail polish instead of this product. I made a point of stating on my beauty profile that nail polish is one of my favourite beauty items. I'm sure this product is great, but it will be finding a new home with one of my friends.

Next up is Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in shade 'Fifty Shades' worth £14.49.

I really don't know what to make of this product...I do love eyeshadow, and my collection has been steadily growing over the past few months, but I'm just not too sure about this. I think it's because the word 'messy' springs to mind when I look at it. It reminds me of the Barry M Dazzle Dust eyeshadows, and I know what a mess they can make. I haven't got a proper colour swatch to show you of this as I think, like the hair stuff, this will be finding itself a new home very soon. Another disappointing product.

Next I have So Susan Rose Quartet Lip & Cheek Palette worth £8.

This to me is total rubbish. When I opened my box and I saw a So Susan product I was really excited as it's a brand I've wanted to try for a while, however; as soon as I opened it up I wasn't so excited. This instantly reminded me of dress up make up that you give to a 6 year old. The packaging looks pretty cheap and the colours are awful. It's also really tiny and I fail to see how you could do anything decent with this product at all. I will be giving this to my 7 year old niece to play around with!

Finally I received Royal Apothic Tinties in 'Coral' worth $14 (£9).

Again, I am totally in 2 minds about this product. We were given a sneak peek of this item in last month's box and I was really looking forward to it, but now it's here my excitement has gone again. I adore the packaging, it's so cute and quirky, but I'm not too sure about the contents. Coral isn't a colour that I would go out and buy for myself, but it's a fairly safe colour for most skin tones so I guess thats why this colour was sent out. The product contains shea butter, argan oil, grape seed oil and almond oil so and is rumoured to be celeb favourite, but that doesn't really sell it for me. I think I will be sticking to my No7 BB Lips for now. 

So overall, this has been a very disappointing box. I might have felt differently about it if I had received the mascara or polish instead of the hair stuff, but it seems like Glossybox really haven't listened to me. The total contents of the box are worth: £45.55. So costings wise, you get a good pay out for £10, but considering on this occasion that I will only use the razor, I'm actually a penny worse off!

Did you get this month's Glossybox? Were you as disappointed with it as I am? Let me know in the comments.

Sam x

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No7 Pore Vacuum Mask

I treated myself to some more new No7 products the other week as I still had a money off voucher in my purse…It would have been rude to let it go to waste, so I decided to give one of their face masks a try. I'd heard good things about their masks so was quite excited to choose one. I had a chat with the lady at the counter and explained that I have been suffering with clogged up pores recently, and she said that she had just the mask for me. 

She recommended the Beautiful Skin Pore Vacuum Mask. This product costs £14 for a 50ml bottle, which is quite pricey for a face mask, but she assured me that it was worth the money…I couldn't agree more!

As with all No7 products, it comes in really nice packaging and looks really appealing.

You get 50ml which is a fairly good size, and you don't use a lot each time.

The instructions state that you should use this product once or twice a week, and that it should be applied to the nose and forehead. It recommends leaving it to dry for 10 minutes. It also states that you should not use it if you have very dry skin.

I decided to apply it to my forehead, nose, cheek area around the nose, and my chin. My main problem areas are my cheeks and chin so I thought it wouldn't hurt to give them some TLC. I would recommend leaving this to dry for 15 minutes rather than 10 as it peels off easier when it is fully dry.

The product itself is very thick and unlike any face mask I have use before. Tar came to mind the first time I used it!

You need quite a thick layer, similar to the swatch on my hand above. The thicker the layer, the easier it comes off.

Once you have let the mask fully dry, the fun bit begins…the peeling. Now it could just be me, but I love peeling things off. It's not quite as fun as peeling PVA glue off your hands as a kid, but it's close enough! I will give you a fair warning, this does make your eyes water! I'm not going to say that it doesn't sting, because it does. This will attach itself to any fine hair on your face and tear it out. AVOID THE EYEBROWS!! It doesn't come off all in one piece, and it does take some time to get it all off, but as long as you have done that thick layer as mentioned above, you should be fine.

I know that a lot of people will be put off by the fact that it's a bit on the painful side, but for me, the results outweigh the pain factor. After the first use, my skin looked clearer and more radiant instantly. After the second use the following week, it looked even better. My pores still aren't completely unclogged but they're certainly better than they were before. My skin is much smoother and brighter, and it feels so much cleaner. I'm going to continue to use this product once a week and I imagine my skin will get better and better. I would certainly only do this once a week, I think it would be too much for your skin to do it anymore.

You can buy this product online or in Boots stores.

Have you tried this mask or anything similar before? And would you use a painful product if it worked for you? Let me know in the comments.

Sam x

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Effiena's Nail Polish Review - Part 1*

The lovely Effiena of Effiena's Nail Polish very kindly asked me to be her permanent swatcher at the beginning of the year and I was super excited, so of course I had to say yes! Effiena is a new UK indie polish maker, making a range of colours and finishes. Her polishes are all completely handmade and are 5 Free. I will put links to her Etsy shops and social media pages at the bottom of this post so that you can check her out. Right let's move onto the good bit...the polish!

Effiena sent me 4 polishes to begin with that vary in finish and colour. Here is what I was sent.

L-R: Fire, Destiny, Bewitching & Cherry.

I'll start by talking about Fire as that is the one I was desperate to use first. It is a gorgeous gold-pink duochrome and the colour shift is really beautiful. I used 3 thin, really easy, coats of this to get full coverage. I wore this polish for 2 days and it didn't chip, and I had minimal tip wear. I got quite a few compliments on this one while I was wearing it, and I know that it is one I will keep going back to in the future.

Here is Fire in in gold state.

And in it's pink state. As you can see, it is pretty in both lights.

Next up is Destiny. This is a really interesting polish as it can be used in many ways. I used 3 coats of it to get a really nice light purple shimmery colour, but you could also use just 1 coat to give a really nice natural sheen. What I like about this polish is that it is so versatile. I also layered this over a dark purple, almost black, polish and it created a really stunning effect.

3 coats of Destiny, no undie.

And here it is layered over the dark purple.

When I opened my package of polishes from Effiena, Bewitching jumped out to me straight away. It is such a gorgeous rich polish and the colour is really intense. Like with Fire, I used 3 coats of this but you can definitely get away with 2 coats. The colour is so unusual and I don't own anything like it all. There is also a really lovely shimmer running through it which gives it that extra depth and makes it a little more special. This was my firm favourite of the four.

Finally we have Cherry. This is a really great gelly polish. It is very similar to the OPI Sheer Tints and Sally Hansen Triple Shines that were popping up in Poundworld a few months ago. I was initially really unsure what to do with this polish and how to swatch it to show if off properly. I decided to swatch it over my naked nails to show off the pretty colour, and then again over white. It has a completely different finish to it in both swatches, so hopefully you can see what can be done with it. This would also be great for leadlighting when stamping, but I am yet to try that.

Cherry over my naked nails, no undie.

Here is is over the white base. It turns it into a really cool neon pink!

Effiena has an Etsy shop to sell her polishes, which are priced at just £3 each. Bargain! You can find the shop here.

You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Sam x

*These products have been sent to me for review*

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Top 5 Polishes

Hello my lovelies,

I was recently tagged on Instagram to show off my top 5 polishes, and this inspired me to do a blog post on it to elaborate a little bit more on each polish. I had a bit of a hard time choosing, and a couple of polishes didn't quite make the cut, but here is what I narrowed it down to.

I picked; Barry M 'Bright Pink', Mint London 'Embargo', Filthy Gorgeous 'Prism', KIKO '530' and Barry M 'Gold Foil'

I'll start by talking about Mint London 'Embargo'. This has to be my favourite lilac polish. Everything about it is perfect. Easy application, quick drying time, highly pigmented, and the colour is beautiful. I bought this polish for £1.49 off eBay and it was well worth the money! This is my go-to purple polish. I have put a couple of pictures below of some nail art I did with this polish.

This is once of my first attempts at nail art, so do excuse the bad cuticles and poor picture!

Next up is Barry M 'Gold Foil'. This has always been my No1 polish, and is my most used up polish. My bottle is nearly at the end of its lifespan so I'll need to be replacing it very soon. This was my favourite polish before I really got into nail art. It's a great all rounder. It works well as a stand alone polish, but it works even better as a stamping polish! I've listed some pictures below of stamping that I have done using this polish :)

 Sticking with Barry M, my next choice was 'Bright Pink'. This is one of the 1st Barry M polishes that I ever bought and it's fab! It's the ultimate Barbie Pink and having it on my nails makes me happy! I haven't used this as much recently as I have so many untrieds to get through, but when I do use it, I remember how good it is. Here is my most recent mani using this polish on my thumb and middle finger.

Next is KIKO '530'. I was torn between this and an Essence one, but I find this one slightly more exciting. I only bought this polish at the beginning of December last year, but its beautiful. The colour shift in it is amazing, and the application is spot on. It is a really sturdy polish and pretty much refused to chip! I picked this one to put in as I know that I will be using it time and time again. Below you will see a plain swatch of it, and then a picture where I have stamped over it using Barry M 'Silver Foil'.

Finally, I chose Filthy Gorgeous 'Prism'. I had been lusting after this polish for so long, and when someone very kindly sent it to me, I was made up! It's a beautiful holo glitter topper and works perfectly over so many different bases. The glitter is so fine, but it's super sparkly, and is one of the best glitter topcoats I have ever used. I don't use it as often as I should, but now I have dug it out, I'll make a point of using it more.

So that sums up my favourite polishes :) 

Have I mentioned any of your favourites here? If not, then let me know what your faves are.

Sam x

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