Beauty Essentials and Beauty Regrets with Drugstore Junkie!

I'm doing a collab post this week with the very sweet and lovely Katy from the Drugstore Junkie Blog. I first came across her when randomly clicking through bloglovin one day and instantly loved her blog. We have very similar taste in make up and write similar posts so I thought it would be fun to do my very first collab with her!

We decided to write about 3 products we cant live without and 3 products we regret buying as all girls will have those staple go to products they can always rely on and we all have the beauty blunders where we go crazy in the local drugstore and buy everything we can get our hands on and some will inevitably end up in the bin for begin completely rubbish. I have done this many a times.

To start off both of our 6 beauty essentials are;

Katie: At the top of my beauty essentials list has got too be my Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. This is the best thing for chapped lips. For years I swore by Cherry flavoured carmex and I found this about a year ago and couldnt understand how I had never come across this! I like to put it on at night when my lips are feeling particularly dry or chapped and they are so smooth by the morning! Would recommend to everyone and you can find it cheaper on allbeauty.com! 

Katy: My top beauty need is a boring one which most people have it is the Mac Studio Fix foundation in a shade NW15, I've never ever found a foundation which matches my colour so well and has such a good coverage as I have some discolouring on my face which I hate. Also it lasts ages! I never ever throw it away without scraping every last bit out with the pump tube it might be more expensive than drugstore at £25 (if you order online with p&p) but you can't beat it. 

Katie: Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water is a product I find myself obsessing over when I run out. I always repurchase it when it gets below a quarter full now so i never have to worry but when I first used it, when I just wanted to see what the fuss was all about, I ran out and really noticed the difference when I had to go back to wipes for about a week (naughty me).
This lovely product just gets rid of all my makeup and all the muck that ends up on your face, I especially love it because it doesn't have a scent!

Katy: This is quite a recent discovery! The W7 In The Buff eyeshdow palette I don't think I can express my love from this if you love neutral shades and long lasting pigments but don't want to spend £38 on the Naked 2 palette this is for you and they range between £5-7 depending on where you buy it! I love the shades and its actually left my MUA palettes in sulking in the drawer, I reach for this everyday without fail!

Katie: I had to include Lancome's Grandoise mascara. I have spoken about this twice before so I wont't drone on about it but as I've said before its the best mascara I have used. I got my first one at Christmas and just repurchased a new one so it lasted pretty well! As a beauty enthusiast I managed to save all my Boots points from buying way too many Barry M nail varnishes and Rimmel concealer sticks I was able to afford the £27!

Katy: My last one is my favourite at the moment and its Mr Blanc whitening stripes these are amazing! I've even subscribed monthly I noticed a difference from day one and so did my boyfriend. I think they are so cheap compared to some whitening stripes which do nothing! These are £20 a month or they do different amounts for different prices.

And our 6 beauty regrets are:

Katie: No7 is such a disappointment for me and I will have a rant now... 

The brand as a whole is a complete let down and overly priced (sorry if you like No7). When I was looking for a new foundation one day I thought it would be nice to go to my nearest No7 counter and try their skin match device thingy. This was before I tried any of their products and to be honest I wish I hadn't. 

As I had been to the gym before I went my face was still quite flushed (I look like a beetroot when working out) so the very nice lady offered to do the skin match on my neck instead of my red cheek. The device done its thing and somehow assumed my skin matched the palest shade that they stocked. 

I am nowhere near as pale as the shade but the lady still pushed that I only buy in that shade so I felt pressured to get it! It ended up being the Essentially Natural Foundation in the shade Calico. It's terrible colour and consistency wouldn't blend onto my face properly and looked streaky and felt sticky. I will never buy or use anything from them again.

Katy: My beauty regret is the Schwarzkopf POWDER'ful volumizing styling powder. First of all this didn't work for me at all, all it did was matte my hair up and made me have to wash my hair every time I used it, it gave me some volume but really it went greasy and went flat again. This  wasn't cheap either it was near the £5 mark at least when I bought it. 

Katie: Another massive let down for me was the Rapid White Express Whitening Strips. These are a 7 day whitening process but I have had it in my dresser for the last 18 months. As I drink a lot of tea and coffee I thought i could do with some whitening strips just to brighten my teeth. I was excited to use them and they seemed easy to use but as soon as I applied the strip to my teeth I could immediately taste what seemed like a whole roll of aluminium foil in my mouth. They are meant to dissolve within 5 minutes and you shouldn't let your lips or gum touch the strip. After about 8 mins of sitting looking possessed by some teeth whitening demon it was obvious the metal tasting gel wasn't dissolving and I ended up spitting it out. I cannot describe the vile taste enough for you to understand not to buy these!

Katy: Okay so this isn't a bad buy for £1.99, it's the Natural Collection Eyeliner. It's perfect if you want to experiment with eyeliner but I overall prefer felt liners, I think they are so, so much easier to apply as they are literally like a felt tip pen. I can't fault this at all though because it's £1.99 I just don't like the application and after getting into make-up I've found different brands I like. 

Katie: My last regret (although I could go on but must refrain) is the Schwarzkopf got2b Texturizing Salt Spray. I love the oil from this collection but the salt spray just didnt agree with my hair. Where it says beach matt it really means "MATTE" like matted hair, like really bad matted hair. I bought this for my holiday last year forgetting how my hair battles  with sea water as it is, I'm shocked at myself for wasting £5 on this. It is still full!

Katy:

My last beauty regret I've had for maybe even longer than a year or so, it should really go into the bin but it's here anyway before it does. It's the 2true Bronzing Powder this is only sold in Superdrug and it was when I was really getting into make-up on a cheap budget I can't remember how much it was but its literally orange on my face and does not blend whatsoever, I wish this brand was good but it honestly isn't, nothing I've bought from this range has ever been any good.

Katie

&

Katy

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Find me elsewhere:

Twitter- twitter.com/katie_hp

Instagram- instagram.com/katie_hp/

Facebook- www.facebook.com/katie.harperpenman

Pinterest- uk.pinterest.com/harperpenman/

Tumblr- www.tumblr.com/blog/kmhp

Find Katy elsewhere:

Twitter twitter.com/katykader

Instagram instagram.com/katykader

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kayteakadersyoutube

May Favourites

Last month I really did try to get a draft set up for an April favourites post but I just didn't get round to it, I thought instead that I would write a mid-may favourites as not to get behind on my blog.


Hair and Beauty Favourites

I have been obsessed with my Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick that I got from my sister at Christmas. I use a little bit of this every day to highlight my cheek bones and it gives such a gorgeous glow. Its even nice to use as an eyeshadow replacement for a golden goddess look! I get so many compliments when I wear this and really recommend it, trouble is it's a Christmas edition so they don't sell it any more! 

Speaking of golden goddesses, I am a fake tan fanatic much to my boyfriends dismay! I never like to look too dark though so whatever I buy I always get the light or medium shade, never go dark! This St Moriz Mousse is just the best! Its cheap, it lasts ages and gives me the best glow. I tend to reapply once a week and usually do it in the evening using a mitt, then I shower in the morning and all the residue washes away leaving a really nice glow behind.  I find if I use this method it wont give me splash marks if its raining or when I was my hands. The tan usually lasts a good 3-4 days.

This months hair favourite has been VO5s Strong Hold Hairspray. Where it is getting warmer outside I prefer to have my hair up in a bun instead of around my neck and shoulders and as I have a lot of layers I tend to get a lot of fly-aways and strands that fall out. This monster can of hairspray works wonders and keeps my hair in place all day long. It also brushes out really easily so I don't have to wash my hair that night and can wear it down the next day, I don't usually find that with a lot of hairsprays.

Favourite Food

I have been making sweet potato fries a lot recently. As well as being healthier than your usual french fries they taste so yummy! If you season them with a bit of spice and drizzle with olive oil before cooking they'll be crispy with a nice kick. I usually have these with chicken breast and veggies after I finish at the gym. I do want to do a recipe post on these in  the future but where I am moving house very soon all kitchen utensils are packed away and we're living off ready meals!

Favourite Book

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. 

   I picked this book up a few months back when there was a deal in WHSmiths. It was in the top charts so I thought I would give it a try as when I read the back it sounded very mysterious and exciting. The plot (without giving the story away) is a young woman, Nella (short for Petronella) moves to Amsterdam in 1686 to start a new life with her husband. As a wedding present her husband gifts her with a cabinet-sized replica of their home. Nella seeks out a miniaturist to help furnish this house but their creations seem to be predicting their future and somehow holds their fate. The book was gripping at times but the story overall was very slow moving, I personally feel the characters' relations could have gone deeper but all in all I did enjoy this book and it was a nice read.

Favourite Youtubers

I have been obsessed with watching Shaytards vlogs this month! They are just the coolest family and so entertaining. If you haven't watched any of their vlogs before I really recommend you do! Its about a family with 5 kids living their life vlogging every single day and they're completely mad!

Origins Event: Meeting Tanya Burr

Yesterday was such an amazing day for me as I finally got to meet the very lovely Tanya Burr. Myself and my sister were fortunate enough to win V.I.P tickets along with 49 others to attend an Origins event hosted by John Lewis. It was a rooftop event and although the sun didn't manage to stick it out for the day, it was a really beautiful event. They laid fake grass down and had cute little beach huts where you can buy Tanya's favourite origins products or grab an apple, strawberry and ginger juice! Yummy!

We were one of the first in the queue so they put us up in the lift and as we walked outside their were people taking pictures and waiters offered juices and natural granola bar snacks. First, we had a skin consultation where an Origins representative would ask what our daily skin regime is like and if we consider our skin oily, sensitive or dry. I got to try the Ginzing face scrub which smells lovely and also the Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask which smells like apricots and is super moisturising.

After our skin consultation we snapped a few photos in the selfie booth and then had a look at the view from the roof!

I then went to one of the little huts to purchase some products, I picked up the Ginzing scrub and the Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask I was recommended but the kind lady that gave me the skin consultation and they gave me a free copy of her book Love, Tanya! I thought it was really cool that you get a free copy of the book with any purchase.

Soon Tanya was introduced and the Origins general manager spoke to her for a little while about Tanya's favourite products and she gave us her top 5 tips for beautiful skin, some where drink lots of water and always take your makeup off. Classic rules any beauty guru will know!

And then it was time to meet Tanya! She signed the copy of her book I got with my purchases and had a little chat with me, unfortunately she was feeling poorly so her manager was quick to get her a lemon detox drink. She mentioned her new products coming out and she told me the packaging would be changing and she's going for a completely new look. (She also said I was the first she told about it, inside scoop!) I tried to ask what kind of products she was bringing out but I understood she may want to keep it a surprise, I did ask if she was thinking about doing foundation as I know she does love a good Armani or NARS foundation. She said she's not doing foundation YET and I told her she must do pale shades when she eventually does as I can never find one pale enough when I'm skipped the fake tan during the winter. I then snapped a few selfies with her and wished her the best for her upcoming wedding to Jim Chapman!

It was so exciting finally getting to meet her as she was the one who really got me into makeup. I have always loved experimenting but I never ventured out and tried different looks and I find whatever she recommends I'll usually go to the shop and buy it and LOVE it! She is my ultimate beauty inspiration and it was lovely getting to meet her in person.

While I waited for my sister to meet Tanya, I bumped into Dom, the gleam manager. Those of you who watch her vlogs will have seen him before a few times. He was really nice so we just stood and had a chat. He told me about the Louise Live tour that is happening soon but unfortunately the London tickets are already sold out even though I would love to go! 

After Cara had spoken with Tanya we decided we couldn't wait any longer for food and went to leave for a Wagamamas, upon leaving the Origins representatives gave us a cute little origins bag which had a few samples in it! 

It really was a fabulous little evening and we went home on such a high that we got to meet our beauty inspiration!

Katie

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Drugstore Favourites Under £10

There are always going to be those few bargain drugstore products that you repurchase again and again because you know the colour suits you, its good value for money and you get those beauty points every time you repurchase!

I love drugstore makeup, its so cheap, the quality is good and there's always a shop nearby. I don't have to worry about waiting for a trip to London or to the airport for a SpaceNK shop or Charlotte Tilbury counter where I would end up buying the cheapest product. I can just pop to the nearest high street or shopping mall and grab all I need!

Below are a few of my favourite drugstore items!

The Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation is my ultimate favourite foundation. Nothing makes my skin feel plumper and more refreshed! I use it in the shade Ivory on my pale days. On the days I wear fake tan I use True Ivory as it is slightly darker with an orange tone that doesn't leave me looking cakey.

My second favourite definitely has to be the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint. When I take a break from wearing acrylics I like to opt for a Gel paint as it is much more stronger and longer lasting that your everyday nail polish. The Barry M Gel Paint is quite thick and gloopy but doesn't go streaky while applying. My favourite shade of this is 'Pomegranate' but I have 'Sugar Apple' and 'Mango' on my wishlist!

My favourite drugstore mascara is Maybellines The Falsies and it has been a favourite for a good 5 years. This is an everyday wear mascara for me that I can always depend on! I get long fluttery eyelashes with every use and it doesn't try out quickly!

My last favourite is Soap & Glorys Flake Away Body Scrub. This stuff is just the best, it leaves my skin feeling silky soft and I have repurchased this about 5 times. You get 300ml in one of their large pots of this and it lasts for ages. It has the fruity Soap & Glory scent that everybody loves, its good enough to eat! Though I wouldn't recommend it! It contains Grapeseed and Almond oils which is super softening for your skin and the scrub is made from grit salt. It is very chunky and rough so wouldn't recommend using it on your neck or armpits unless you want an uncomfortable rash but it is perfect for using on dry legs! 

These are all my favourite drugstore products which  are all under £10 and I would repurchase them again and again! What are your favourites?

Katie

x

Summer Glow Makeup Look

For ages I have been wanting to a makeup tutorial type post because I love doing makeup so much but I rarely get the chance to do other people's. So when me and my sister had a BBQ to go to this weekend we took advantage of the opportunity and the lovely summer weather to create a fresh summer glow. Here is how I created this look below.

I started off by applying Garniers illuminating light lotion to Cara's face. This moisturiser is brilliant to use when creating a 'glowing' look as it has built in light reflecting pearls. It is also fast absorbing so you can apply primer straight over the top. 
I used Benefit's The POREfessional to minimise pores and create a soft blendable base for Rimmel's Wake me Up Foundation in the shade 'Classic Beige' to go over. I used the real techniques face blender brush to apply the foundation and kept buffing it in circular motions to eliminate any streaks or patches and make the base look flawless. Then I used the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer to cover any dark spots or blemishes and a the collection concealer to brighten under the eyes. Along with the concealer I applied Benefit's High Beam by dotting it along the cheekbones, down the bridge of Cara's nose and on her cupid's bow, I blended this all in using a beauty blender. 
I then went onto contouring using Soleil Tan De Chanel which is a brilliant bronzing makeup base. I used a real techniques face blender brush for this too as it just has the right shape to get into the hollows of the cheeks. The easiest way to contour, I find, is sucking your cheeks in like a fish to pinpoint exactly where the dark shade needs to go. I also applied this base under the jawline and on the temples in the shape of the number 3.
I then set this all with Rimmel's  Stay Matte Powder using a large powder brush.

To add more colour and definition to her eyebrows I used Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette eyeshadow in 'Faint'. Using an angled brush I gently applied this eyeshadow in strokes to create a more defined and arched look and also filled in gaps. I always like to use Brow This Way Styling Gel to keep them in place while maintaining thickness.

As Cara has quite small eyelids we thought it would be better to go for one block colour, I used Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in the shade 'Pink Gold' for a dewy and shimmery look without being too heavy on the eyes, I applied this with my ring finger and simply blended it using a MAC 217 brush.
To keep the eyes simple I applied a very thin layer of eyeliner along her top lash line using Revlon Colourstay Liquid Eye Pen and then applied Lancome's Grandoise mascara for long fluttery eyelashes. I have raved about this mascara in a previous post you can read here. It is honestly the best mascara I have ever used and people always comment on how long it makes your lashes look.

For the cheeks we went for Max Factor's Creme Puff Blush in the shade 'Seductive Pink' for a slight pink glow and using a Real Techniques Contouring Brush I applied some of NARS' Laguna Bronzer into the hollows of her cheeks for a more defined cheekbone. To add extra golden glow I finished off with Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond. This was part of the Christmas collection so you can't buy it any more. But this gave such a gorgeous, bright, summer glow to Cara's face.

We finished off the whole look with L'Oreal's Colour Riche Extraordinaire in 'Molto Mauve'. This is a pink/nude creamy lip gloss, I wouldn't say it is very Mauve but it does have some dark tone to it. The colour just suited the look and eyeshadow perfectly, it's very simple and I didn't want anything to be dramatic and to just really let the golden glow speak for itself.


Below are some pictures I took and some from the BBQ later during the day.

Katie 

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My Teenage Makeup

I remember being around the age of 14 when I started experimenting with makeup. In school I would buy the cheapest thing going and it always ended up being the worst. Around that time I was going for colours that didn't suit my skin tone, over-applied eyeliner and used so much sickly sweet perfume I was offending people's nostrils. Nowadays I'd like to think I have my makeup collection sorted and have more of an idea on what colours suit me. 

However, it's nice to reminisce so here's what my teenage self would use when applying makeup after school hidden away from the teachers to go hang out at the bus stops with friends. Cringe.

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse
I wasn't really one to know how to use foundation properly or even apply it right so Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse was the go-to base. I particularly remember buying it in the shade 'Nude' and it had a slight yellow tinge to it. The colour did not suit me at all and I had that very obvious line on my jaw showing just how terrible the colour match was. The consistency of the mousse was very cakey however drying on my skin, I definitely will never repurchase one of these little pots.

Bourjois Bronzing Powder
I still see some beauty bloggers raving about the Bourjois Bronzing Powder and I cannot understand why. I remember rubbing my brush against the palette with so much force trying to get some colour onto it. It's honestly terrible. Yes it does smell like chocolate but why do I went my face to smell like something I eat? I remember instantly getting fed up with this and giving it to a friend who begged me for it. Waste not want not.

Bourjois Blusher
I remember buying my first Bourjois Blusher in the shade 'Rose Eclait'. I had never bought a blusher before and during the big Bourjois craze I decided to go for the little pink pot. This product, like the bronzer, was still is terrible quality and the product just wouldn't go onto my brush. So after lots of hassle with the bronzer and blusher I would head out of the house completely yellow in my dream matte mousse. 

(slaps face)

Rimmel Max Volume Flash Mascara
For mascara I always opted for Rimmel's Max Volume Flash. I remember this mascara being particularly good for volumising my lashes and must've bought about 20 of these between the ages of 14 and 17. I had completely forgotten about it until I decided to write this post and had to cast my mind back. It makes me want to go to my nearest boots at lunchtime and buy one! The brush is very big and bristly so when it dries out it does go a horrible shape and you know you definitely have to throw it away but it is cheap so I will definitely use this again.

Rimmel Soft Khol Eye Pencil
Although I never went near eyeshadow as it was just too scary to me, I did think for some reason that eyeliner was the safer option and to just apply as much as humanly possible. This was before I mastered the impossible art of applying liquid eyeliner so I would just put Rimmel's Soft Khol Eye Pencil on my lower lash line and leave it at that. I cringe to remember it.

Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy Perfume
Lastly, I would spray half a bottle of perfume before heading out the door. I used to be obsessed with Britney Spears' Midnight Fantasy which I remember being extremely fruity and particularly sweet. Everytime I smell this perfume now it takes me back to spending all day at the park drinking cans of relentless and getting super hyper. I also remember having really dark brown hair with a massive side fringe and bright pink skinny jeans.

So there's some of my teenage beauty blunders it makes me want to go through my old myspace and laugh at myself!!

Katie 

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My Bath Essentials

I do love a good bath. It's amazing to come in at the end of the day from work, run the hot water and throw in a bath bomb and just let the stress float away. Add a glass of wine to the equation and I don't think there is anything better. As I am quite an anxious person, these stress relieving baths before a night out or in the morning really do me a world of good and put me in the best of moods.
Below are some of my bath essentials I use, these do change from time to time but I have been using these products a lot in the last few months.

First off, I always light a candle in the bath just for the ambience and to get the spa-like feel. I got this one in Primark recently, its coconut and vanilla scented which reminds me of the smells of holiday. If it's night time I'll light a few small ones and place them around the bathroom and turn the light off to properly relax and unwind.

I love the use the Radox Sleep Easy if I'm having a bath before bed time. It helps to unwind and the Chamomile and Jasmine scent is really soothing. I tend not to pick up a bottle of bubble bath and usually opt for a Lush bubble bar, but this bottle was for just £1 in Tesco and thought it would be nice to have one on the side for the evening. It's also not drying on the skin which I find with some bottled bubble baths.

I also love using Soap & Glory's Flake Away for a good scrub once my skin has had a good soak. Exfoliating is always important but I only use it twice a week to get rid of dead skin cells. This one just smells amazing and many beauty bloggers RAVE about this product and its number 1 in their best sellers!

I always use a hair conditioning mask in the bath too as they are difficult to use in the shower as I leave them on for about 15 minutes. I always change what hair mask I use when they run out so this time I opted for the John Frieda Frizz Ease. I have a lot of the hair products from the Frizz Ease range as I suffer terribly from frizzy hair and it is nice to use products all from the same range with the same scent. This product does overuse packing as the container is quite chunky and the pot inside that holds the product is definitely smaller than the outside product. But all in all this product does work!

I am still using my Lush Hot Toddy shower gel, I bought 2 of these in the Boxing Day sales and as its getting to summer now the scent is quite inappropriate as it is very festive but it reminds me of Christmas and I just love the cinnamon, glittery bubbles it makes. However, I do want to repurchase Happy Hippy for a fresher summer scent.


Last but not least is my Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner. We use conditioner on our hair to make it silky and soft so why don't we do that on our bodies as well? That's exactly why Lush made this product. It's ingredients include cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond oil and argan oils all of which are known for their nourishing properties and is lightly rose scented. I like to use it for shaving as its a good replacement for gel or foam products.

I then love to stick my Ipad on the side with Netflix loaded (with the towel in case of any accidental splashes). I have just finished binge watching Orange is the New Black which I thought was hilarious and I'm now onto Suits. I'm usually not keen on programmes about lawyers or crime but I really liked Suits from the Pilot and so I have a new series to binge watch, yay!

My top tip is to make sure you grab a beverage for your bath, it could be a glass of Cabernet sauvignon or a cup of tea and just sink into the bubbles and relax!

What are your bath essentials?

Happy Bathing!

Katie

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Get Fuller Looking Lips Without The Kylie Jenner Challenge

Last week I saw the #kyliejennerchallenge EXPLODE onto my twitter feed with girls (and even some boys) attempting the ridiculous method of sucking on a shot glass to achieve plumper lips. As I could see in these pictures and videos, they all went terribly wrong. 
To be honest, I do not see the point in making yourself look like some massive fish has just tried to suck your face off to look like a celebrity who has definitely had lip fillers at the age of 17. 
For those who are not so fortunate to have a plastic surgeon on hand, here are some needle-less tips to use to get that larger lip look without looking like Pokemon's Jynx.


Befriend lip liner
A lot of people I know don't even use lip liner when applying lipstick. If you opt for a lip liner close to your natural lip colour then you are able to emphasise the size of your lips and fool everyone around you. It also helps guide you on where to apply for lipstick after wards. 
But for the Kylie Jenner look that is most currently desired, find a mauve coloured liner and just use that on your lips, Rimmel's Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner in Addiction is a really good shade for this and is only £3.99!

 Start with the angle of the cupids bow and draw a cross (see the below image) to mark the shape you desire and fill in from there.

Try Lip Plumper
A fool proof way to get fuller looking lips is to try a lip product that has a plumping formula. Most of these products will contain microcirculation-stimulating extract to make your lips look fuller. Soap and Glory do a very good gloss called Sexy Mother Pucker in 6 different colours including a clear gloss. It does give a tingling sensation when applied and they all have unique smells.
A more of a high end lip plumping product would be Dior's  Addict Lip Maximiser which contains "unique blend of hyaluronic and marine-based fillers that smooth, moisturise and leave lips irresistibly plump." At £23 it is quite expensive for a 6ml tube but the reviews are extremely good so really you get what you pay for.


Avoid Dark Lip Shades
If you wear dark or even vibrant shades and have thin lips, you will draw more attention to them and flatten the appearance of your mouth. If you opt for nude/pink colours with Hi-Shine or gloss, the reflection of the light can give the impression of larger lips.


Give Your Lips Dimension
You are even able to use two different lip shades to create a larger looking pout. If you apply a slightly darker shade to the centre of your lips and then apply a lighter shade along the outside ridges, the special effect will create more of a dimension for your pucker thus fooling those around you that you have fuller lips.

What are your tips for getting bigger looking lips?

Katie

x

My A-Z of Makeup

If you know me, you will know I am obsessed with makeup. There's nothing I find more exciting than arriving home with a bag full of new products to try, except if it was a huge lush haul. I know what colours work for me and what don't and it has taken years of trial and error, through the orange powdered foundations and purple eyeliner. Below is an A-Z list I have created which contains the best advice I could give on makeup and all the ins and outs. I hope it is helpful to those of you who also love makeup or to those of you who don't wear it much and are looking for some handy tips!

Application - this is important, there are so many ways to apply makeup eg. sponges, brushes or fingers. You need to choose whatever works best for you and what you're comfortable working with

Brushes - If you choose to apply make up using a brush, make sure you clean it regularly to avoid spreading bacteria and stop it from molting so much! I recommend the real techniques brushes!

Contouring is a woman's best friend. It can give you the chiselled cheek bones you've been looking for or the slimmer-looking nose you've dreamt of having. The key is to use highlighter where the light naturally falls on your face, and a dark shade such as a matte bronzer to sculpt where the shadows on your face are.

Don't ignore the shelf life of a product. Most products should have a symbol somewhere on the label that says something like "12M" on a tub. This means it has a shelf life of 12 Months and you shouldn't use the product after 12 months of opening it.

Eyelash Curlers are a great way to get extra volume before you apply mascara and helps to separate your lashes too, resulting in better application and no clumps.

Foundation is extremely important as it is a base for the rest your makeup. You must make sure you choose the correct shade for your skin tone and apply it properly to ensure full coverage and make your skin look flawless. If light coverage is more your thing then opt for a BB or CC cream.

Gel Eyeliner is very long lasting and much better than liquid eyeliner which can tend to look dry and flake off towards the end of a long day. Gel eyeliner is also good for the smudgy eyeliner look due to the soft consistency.

Have clear skin to ensure you are minimizing the spread of bacteria and it also helps make your foundation seem flawless without the bumps and red spots of the occasional pimple. Read one of my older posts on How to Get Clearer Skin.

Ignore what the media tells you what you should look like. Makeup is meant to be fun so don't be afraid to experiment and wear that daring colour if its your favourite.

Join boots/Superdrug/Debenhams point system. It's a great way to save money while spending. I have so many boots points I can now repurchase the Lancôme mascara that I LOVE and is a little pricey! 

Keep trying. You may not always get the desired look every time but never give up. You can find totally new things that suit you just by accident. 

Lipstick- When applying lipstick you need to decide what look you're going for. If you are choosing a bright red lip, then using lip liner will help with application and precision. It is also good to exfoliate your lips before applying a product to ensure that they don't chap or go dry and peel.

Moisturise your face daily. Keep your skin hydrated and your make up will look much better for it. Bye bye flaky skin!

No more touching your face. Your fingers are your worst enemy. Try to avoid this as much as possible so you do not rub off any makeup or worse, spread bacteria from a work surface to your face.

Organise your collection. I like to use little boxes, I have one for lip products, one for eye liners and mascaras, one for bronzer, one for foundation & concealer, one for eyeshadows and one for blusher etc.

Primer- Primer is an important step in applying makeup and a lot of people don't ever use it. Primer gives your skin the correct base to apply foundation onto and ensuring it wont come off! It's great for using on a night out where you want everything to stay in place.

Questions- Don't be afraid to ask people working on the beauty counter for advice or help choosing a product. That's what they're there for and they usually have some really good tips and will show you how to apply some makeup if you are unsure. 

Remove your make up properly. As  important as applying it correctly is, its very important to make sure you remove it correctly. Try using a cleanser that isn't harsh on your skin. I always like to purchase one that is specifically for sensitive skin so I know it will be gentle and not dry it. out.

Spare makeup always comes in handy, keep a spare lipgloss or concealer in your bag with you to top up during the day, especially if you're going out for dinner so you can reapply your lippy after the meal.

Translucent powder-  this will help to set your make up and make it even longer-lasting

Understand that products may work differently on other people. I have tried a lot of products recommended by some other beauty bloggers and while they work miracles on them I cannot seem to agree with it. E.g, my MAC eyeshadow in Brun, I saw another blogger use this to fill in their eyebrows but when I bought it and used it for the first time I just didn't like how it looked on me.

Vocalise, if you find a product that you absolutely love tell people about it. I love hearing about products people have been enjoying so I know to try it myself!

Wash your makeup brushes, as mentioned before, this is important as it minimises risks of spreading bacteria and helps make your brushes last longer. 

X I don't know any words that start with X! So here's some kisses xxxxxxx

You don't always need to wear makeup!  Take a day off every now and then to let your skin breathe!

Zzz - Get your beauty sleep

What are some of your best tips?

Katie 

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