Hello Lovelies! 

Warning this blog post will be picture heavy. I don't think I've made it much of a secret on this blog that I loove Barry M nail varnish. They are so cheap (£1.99-£4.99), have a great colour and finish range, and last long on the nails (especially with a top coat). So I decided it was about bloody time I did a blog post on my collection, annoyingly I lost my nail wheel and favourite color pomegranate :( so have had to do the post without it and by swatching on paper but I hope you can excuse that..I tried haha.

So onto the nail varnishes, I've decided to sort them in finishes and collections instead of colours.

Aquamarine Collection:

This collection reminds me of a mermaids tail as it's so beautiful and shimmery. The green one has the tendency to look a bit mouldy on the nails and especially if you use it on your toe nails but the pink one looks so pretty on the nails as it's kind of a blend of shimmer, pink and yellow, which is really unique and would look lovely with the right outfit.I do like the blue one as well but it's not one I reach for as much but I do really like this colour on my toe nails, which sounds a bit weird but there are certain colours I just think are better for toes :).

The Glitters and Shimmers:

This isn't really a collection but more of just 3 of their glitter nail polishes. My absolute favourite is aqua glitter because it looks which you can view from my recent instagram post is a very pretty turquoisey blue glitter polish that reminds me of Elsa the disney queen in Frozen. I also love the other two and tend to put them either on their own or over plain colour's like white or black. These are so useful for making your nails look impressive and artsy when really all you've done it do a top coat of glitter. However, a cautionary tale is that the glitter sticks to your nails like no other an can be a right pain to get off so I suggest either getting a good nail varnish remover like the the pinks pots from Bourjois or just having patience.

The Shimmery Metallics:

I got these last xmas and had such a fun time holding the magnets over these and making these amazing patterns but they are soo much effort to do properly! holding the magnet over each individual nail as well as having to do a bottom coat is just that bit too much effort to me that I will only occasionally do when sat in front of the TV. Having said that the effect is so pretty and my crappy swatches really don't show them off at all.

The Pastels and Brights:

I did a little post on the ice-cream collection a while ago but basically these polishes are perfect for summer! Also I think a white nail varnish is really essential to any nail varnish collection, I know I know it can look a little like you've just tipexed your nails but it makes a lovely base for effect nail varnishes and glitters. I think in fact these all make really good bases for the glitter polishes and are so versatile in terms of creating patterns, such as doing a base of peach melba (The orangey one) and putting white stripes across it or pink dots. I always love to experiment with these whenever I'm feeling a bit creative. The only thing is that they tend to chip more than other Barry M nail Varnishes such as the effects polishes, so they need a top coat.

The Confetti Nails:

I'm not most keen on these if I'm being honest, I saw a blogpost when they were released sometime last year on ETCLLYMLRS and they did look lovely but I just don't find myself reaching for them. As the name would suggest, they are supposed to look like confetti and in that sense Barry M have done a really good job because I think they do remind me of confetti. Having said that I still don like them that much...  maybe it's the colour's I selected because I'm not really a fan of wearing green on my nails or maybe it's just the overall finish. I do still think that they are a really clever idea and can look lovely but I suppose they're just not my cup of tea really.

The Miscellaneous:

I didn't really know which category to put these in but their basically just a top coat (yes I felt the need to swatch a translucent nail varnish) it's an okay top coat, not the best but by no means bad. It prolongs your nail paint and makes them look finished and polished but I wouldn't use this if you're wanting matte nails because Barry M do a matte top coat instead. The next colour is kind of metallic blue that looks like is could belong with the aquamarine collection, a lovely colour but I find it is quite hard to wear because I don't have many outfits that would go with this sadly.

Finally The Effects Nails:

Barry M are well known for their famous effects nails. From textured to gelly there's so many effects it's difficult to think what effect they could do next. I won't harp on about them all but they all do what is said on the tin really the gelly paints look like jelly and are very glossy (such a nice finish!!) the Matte's are a very true matte that I love to wear, especially the black one, which although might be considered Gothic can actually look very edgy, sleek and simple. I do remember when the cracked nails were all the range and in a way i'm sad their not anymore because I used to love using the purple and black ones I have..maybe I'll start experimenting with the over different colour's again.

Swatches in full

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my collection. I'm not sure whether to be proud or ashamed but to be honest I just love collecting them and don't think I'll stop! Have you tried any of these nail varnishes? what's you're favourite nail varnish brand? and are there any fellow collectors out there to make me feel slightly less guilty for this excess? Thank you for reading!

Love Becky xxx

Urban Decay Naked HD Liquid Foundation

Hello Lovelies!

It's no secret that Urban Decay's line of 'Naked' products have been extremely successful for them. From their famous eye shadow products and face products such as the naked flushed pallete. So when they came out with a HD liquid foundation (£27.00) and it was on offer at the time, how could I refuse at least giving it a go.I can't quite believe it's taken me this long to write about it as I've been using this foundation for nearly a year! and it's one that I use pretty regularly.

So lets talk a little about this foundation. It has medium to light coverage, demi-matte finish, feels pretty light on the skin and is supposed to look good in photo's because of it's 'high definition'. I apply this foundation using the real techniques expert face brush and lightly buff it into my skin, mostly in my problem areas to even out my skin tone. I love using this foundation on those good skin days whether it be during the day or on nights out. It has a good level of coverage that you can build up or use concealer with for fuller coverage. The finish is really beautiful as well, a nice blend between matte and dewy that looks lovely and glowy and glides onto the skin. Finally there is a pretty big colour range so you're definitely likely to find your colour, which I think is so important because if it's the wrong shade it will look bad even if it's a beautiful foundation.

However, as always there are a few gripes I have with this foundation in that it can feel greasy without a powder and doesn't last a spectacularly long time without a primer or powder and considering my skin isn't that oily that could be an issue for oily skin types! Another thing is that this foundation does have a smell to it, which I don't mind because I'm not bothered by strong scents in makeup products (as long as their not a bad smell!) , but I know some people find it too overpowering and makes them feel ill. Also, not necessarily a bad thing but it's somthing to be made aware of that it does have a very runny texture, which is why the packaging has a pump I think because without it application would be impossible or just very messy.

I hope this has been somewhat helpful or informative towards making a future foundation choice! if your anything like me you'll always on the hunt for a new foundation so maybe ask for a sample of this as I definitely think its worth a try. But I would like to know if anyone has tried this foundation or any other urban decay face products and what your thoughts are? Thanks for reading!

Love Becky xxx

Favourite Laura Mercier Products + 100 Followers On Bloglovin'!

 Hello Lovelies! 

Today's post will be on one of my favourite brands..that is rather unfortunate though as it is also probably the most expensive I use :(. However, it is blooming marvelous as a brand! their products all seem really well thought through and live up to expectation from my experience. So here I'm going to tell you about my 2 favorites, their Oil-free primer and Full Coverage Silk Creme foundation.

Their oil free primer is easily my favourite primer ever! it doesn't have that horrible silicone feel like most of them have, I'm sure that's good for some people and I don't mind it but in comparison this primer just settle's in to the skin like a moisturizer but this sinks in fast. It glides on the skin so well that you really can't tell it's even there (maybe because it's oil-free), plus it actually does it's job of keeping your makeup up without getting oily and siding of your face. This is coming from someone who has relatively oily/combination skin. So far it's not caused me any problems with my skin, which sometimes I can get if I use the wrong products on my face.Although being pretty expensive it does last long as in you only have to use a small amount and do get a decent sized tube that's lasted me a good while.

Next is their silk creme foundation, which I first discovered by watching a video by Tanya Burr entitled 'My Favorite Foundations' This was her top one for coverage, whilst she mentioned it had a lovely finish. I would honestly wear this foundation so much more if it wasn't as expensive but I absolutely love it! Like Tanya said it has good coverage, that is buildable so can be medium coverage, but it is still really light on the skin and undetectable on the skin too. It glides on like silk (see what I did there) and the finish is demi-matte I would say so not too matte but I definitely wouldn't call it dewy. It just has a really flawless finish basically, it's just the colour match you've got to watch out for because it can either be on point or not at all with this foundation because I found that when colour matched with a very slight tan came out with a different colour to when I was my natural shade of pale. Finally It doesn't sink into your pores and is pretty long lasting but I would add a powder on top just to make sure it stays put. P.S it smells lovely in my opinion :).

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my top 2 Laura Mercier products and I'd love to know if you've tryed or are thinking of trying either of these products? also what's your favourite high end brand? or favorite Laura Mercier products? Thanks for Reading!

On a side note I have reached 100 followers on Bloglovin'! I'm not really one to be that bothered about the amount of followers etc on anything social media (as mentioned in My Chapter One post) but to reach this milestone has made me very happy and grateful, because the way I look at it is that at least someone might read what I write and it makes me feel a bit more part of the blogging community as a whole. So thank you if you have followed, viewed or liked any of my blog posts I really appreciate it. 

Love Becky xxx

Product Empties

Hello Lovelies!

Now it may seem like a silly thing to do, showing you essentially what I'm about to throw in the bin..but what I love about empties posts are that you can see what the person actually uses and enough to use it all up. It;'s one thing to try a product then write a review on it but it's another thing to fully use a product up because you can properly comment on it and honestly ask yourself whether it's worth re-purchasing.

So my current empties are:

1.John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Simply Shine Mousse. I discovered this product as a result of my mum dying her hair brunette and having to change her hair products that said they were for blondes. As a brunette myself I had never tried the blonde version of this, but when she switched and I saw this on her bedside table I had to give it a go. I guess you could say the rest is history as I've been using this ever since and loving it! I have pretty long and thick hair so I find that this really helps with keeping my long thick hair looking nice and tamed instead of wild and poofy.

2.Batiste's Sassy and Daring Wild Dry Shampoo. Obviosuly because i'm so sassy and daring..okay it was just because I really liked the smell. For anyone that for some reason has not discovered the wonders of dry shampoo, this is basically a spray that you spray on gressy roots to get rid of that grease and 'clean' your hair, it can also be used for volume and to give your hair just a general clean feeling for those where you've either had not enough time to do your hair or been lazy, or forgotten to wash your hair. Not going to lie there have been times where I've had a shower and legitimately just forgotten to wash my hair. Anyway this is the most wonderful product but you have to be weary that it can make your hair have a grey tinge if you hold it too close (which is why I now use the tinted brown version). I've been through several of these! and think it's genuinely such a holy grail product that really would have come in handy had I discovered it in my early teenage years.

3.Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. Now I won't harp on about this because quite frankly..everyone does! This cleanse has been awarded so many awards and seems to be an amazing cleanser for everyone, this is only the first bottle I've gone through but I've allready re-purchased before I ran out so I didn't have a time when I was out of my favourite cleanser. I almost hate to say it's my favourite because it literally is so many people's number 1, but you really do notice the results apposed to other cleansers when I really don't.

excuse the chipped nails :/ oops

4.Stay Matte Powder. I've mentioned this in my festival makeup post briefly, but basically it was on it's last legs then cracked so I thought this would count as an empty. I've been through so many of these too. So affordable! actually works! and if you buy in transparent it doesn't even matter about colour matching, which is always a dread for me testing out in the highstreet/drugstore makeup aisle. Just all around fabulous product and a must have for long lasting mattifyed makeup.

5.Revlon Colour Stay Foundation. Here we have the sad loss of one of my favourite cover up foundations. When I was having my stress and hormone breakouts last year, this was a real life saver! As much as I know piling on the foundation on top of blemishes is not going to help and is a very bad thing to do in terms of skin care, I needed to cover them sometimes when my skin got really bad. This foundation will stick through rain and sweat, it has a lovely matte but not cakey finish and hasn't been known to break me out. As you can tell I'm very sad it has run out so I'm just waiting for a deal on at boots or superdrug to buy it slightly cheaper as it is rather expensive considering Revlon is not a high end brand.

I hope you've enjoyed my empties post, All these products I actually love and am planning to or already have re-purchsed because I use them all the time! So have you tried any of these products? what are your most used up products? Thanks for reading.

Love Becky xxx

Origins Special Delivery

Hello Lovelies! 

Today I awoke to a wonderful parcel that read origins on the front. Now I'm not going to act like this was a surprise gift, I ordered it for myself, but it's still a lovely thing to wake up to :). I'm just going to start by mentioning I only ordered the Spot remover gel and the Charcoal face mask. However,in my package of goodies I received SIX free samples! SIX! and not just the stingey sachets but literal 15ml and above samples :O. I don't know if this is just something I haven't known about (as I haven't ordered from their website before) or if I ordered on an especially lucky day. I have ordered a few things before but not direct from their website so maybe that's why, either way I was so pleasantly surprised.

So in total, what did I get:
A cute little origins bag.
A perfect world AntiOxidant cleanser 30ml
A Dr Andrew Weil Mega Bright Skin Tone Correcting Serum sachet
A Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash 30ml
A Modern friction Gentle dermabrasion 15ml
A Dr Weil Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief 5ml
and the products I actually ordered:
Super spot remover 10ml
Clear Improvements active charcoal mask 100ml

I have only tried the charcoal mask before out of all the these products (and as you can tell from me repurchasing I like it!) but I'll be sure to do an update on what I think of all of the products, I've heard amazing and not so amazing reviews on the Super Spot Remover and the Modern Friction but I know little of the Dr Andrew Weil products. I know it's usually hard to go off of a sample as to whether you like a product but at 30 ml I'm sure that'll be more than enough for me to formulate an opinion. 

So as I sit here in my makeup free face looking lovely as ever (not) I can't wait to get straight to testing them out (without stripping my skin completely that is!). I hope you've enjoyed reading this mini post, I thought I'd just let people know of origins' generous samples and the future products I'll be posting about. I'd love to know if you've tried any of these products and your thoughts? so please leave a comment if you feel like it. Thanks for reading.

Love Becky xxx

New Mac Lipsticks!

Hello Lovelies!

One particular aspect of my makeup collection that I'm particularly proud of is my MAC lipstick collection...and one day I promise to do a full collection post when I have the time to do all the swatches!! But today will just be my two most recent purchases, Viva Glam IV (frost) and Retro (satin). One thing to note is that the price of their lipsticks has gone up again!! to £15.50, which I'm not best pleased with as they were expensive at £15 anyway and I know it's only 50p more but still I'm not happy about it, I mean it's not as if they aren't making enough money! (rant over) nevertheless I still love their lipsticks and still bought two :\ .

The first is Viva Glam IV, a frost finish lipstick that is a shimmering brownier version of New York Apple. As it's part of the Viva Glam collection for those that don't know it means ALL the proceeds are paid to MAC Aids Fund (registered UK charity number 1147222) and goes towards helping women, men and kids everywhere affected by HIV and  AIDS (which makes parting with £15,50 for a lipstick a lot easier once you know it's for charity). I'm generally not a fan of their frost lipsticks and I don't think I'm alone in that opinion. Having said that there are a few of the frost finish lipsticks that just look so nice and catch the light really nicely. They tend to be quite glittery and shine like a lipgloss which is why I think some people don't like the finish because the glitter can look dare I say a little tacky. 

However as I say this one looks really nice on the lips and has a redish tinge to it that too subtle to be a full on red lip but the hint of red with the shimmer can look really glam but still subtle. It's lasting power appears to be okay I mean I haven't had a lot of time to test it out but so far it's holding up well. 

Swatch of Viva Glam IV, in person it's a lot darker and redder.

The Next is Retro, this was a bit of an impulse buy but an good one at that! I don't really know what I was looking for when I went into the MAC counter in beals but I didn't expect to come out with a colour like this.It's a kind of dark, purpley brown colour in a satin finish. On the website this colour looks super dark and not very appealing at all! and there also aren't really many swatches online that I can find. I therefore think this is a really underrated lipstick in their collection! I absolutely adore this colour as the slight purple to it makes it a kind of muted version or Rebel or Diva, which is good for me because I'm far too scared to actually wear either of these outside as they're quite daring, not to mention they don't really suit me anyway. The satin finish to me means quite a matte look and feel, but slightly more comfortable to wear and with more sheen. 

Swatch of Retro looks pretty much the same in person.

I basically bought these in preparation for autumn/fall and I really think they'll come in handy as autumnal lip colours. So have you tried any of these lip colours? what are going to be your go to lipsticks for autumn or fall? Thanks for Reading!

Love Becky xxx

Festival Makeup: The Good, The Bad and The Just Plain Ugly

Hello Lovelies!

So I got back from reading festival the other day and as much as I loved it, it really did leave me looking a state and feeling like I physically couldn't move. So you'd think makeup would be the absolute last thing on my mind. But as makeup loving kind of girls will understand a little touch up of powder, lick of mascara and dab of concealer can make all the difference! and is something that I still care about even if my personal hygiene has gone down the drain or rather not near any form of a drain at all.

Anyway I took a small makeup bag with me that consisted of a few new products and a few old favorites so I thought I'd sum up in a blog post my thoughts.

  

First is The Good- Benefit They're real mascara. You may not think this to be a life saver when it comes to festival makeup but it really is! As you're getting barely any sleep and neglecting any form of a skin care routine for the weekend, your eye's are probably the one thing that are really going to be affected. Especially if your eye's are anything like mine and look small and puffy at the slightest thing (crying, alcohol or lack of sleep). So whilst mascara may not fix puffiness it can still make your eyes look a darn sight better and wider than without it. I only bought this mascara a couple weeks ago as part of a set and it's just I really amazing mascara. I can't really fault it, and in all honesty it just made me feel a little bit less crap.

The next is The Bad- Benefit's Push up Liner. I had really high hopes for this eye liner and as I say my eyes get badly effected by tiredness etc so I really wanted this to help make my eyes look better, and while they did eventually..This is so difficult to use! Whilst I'm usually good with gel liner, the push up aspect of this liner sadly ruins the whole product. Whilst the formula is very good and stays on like a dream, the actual line is difficult to create without wasting the formula. However, I would say by lining the eye with a pencil first it become easier. However, for a festival this is too much effort to go to I feel so that's why it's 'The Bad'. 

Now for The Plain Ugly- Bourjois Bronzing BB Cream. I bought this as I thought it would be like a foundation that will keep the tan I've got from going away to Bulgaria. I'm not going to spend to long on this product because it's really disappointed me but the only thing this is possibly good for is contouring..maybe. I put this on and literally it did nothing for me, had no coverage and just gave a kind of slight tinge to my skin that wasn't even a good colour for me. This may work for some people and pro-long your tan but for me this product really just doesn't work :( sad times when I had no other foundation or BB cream for the weekend.

Special positive mention to Stay Matte Powder by Rimmel. I absolutely commend this product as being a lifesaver especially on the warmer days but also just to keep all my makeup (all be it not a lot of it) where I put it. I get the translucent shade because I don't think it's so important for powders to have a shade because I don't use it for coverage, plus this will work even if i'm tanned or not so I don't need to buy different ones. This powder is so good at just mattifying the face, without blocking the pores and it's so cheap. Just an overall gooden I would say.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my festival makeup mishaps and miracle workers. What makeup would you bring to a festival? and have you tried any of these products, if so what are your thoughts? Thanks for reading! 

Love Becky xxx