Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Before I was introduced to the masterpiece that is the foundation sponge, I would normally just apply my foundation with my fingers, or buff it in with a make up brush if I had more time on my hands. Sometimes, it would work amazingly, and my skin would look flawless, other times I wanted to bury myself in a hole and hide because I looked absolutely terrible. 

I was introduced to these sponges when I had my make-up done at the Dior counter in Debenhams. I've told you all about my Dior make-up experiences in my previous blog posts. I'd heard so many people speak about them, and rave about how amazing they were, but I just wasn't feeling it. There's just something about them that I didn't like; I guess I just thought they were pointless and I was very happy using my brushes, thankyou very much.

Well I can now say this sponge has literally changed the way I apply my foundation. I'm saying this like it's drastic, it's not really, and you probably all think I'm mad, but I can't believe that I'd never used these before. This is the Real Techniques 'Miracle Complexion' sponge. I got this for Christmas from my Mum in order to apply my new foundation. I always trust real techniques makeup brushes, every single make up brush I own has been made by them. In my opinion, they're the best. 

In terms of this product in particular, it's absolutely amazing. I use this to apply my Dior foundation only, and it applies it perfectly. It's perfect to cover the whole face and get into all the little places than a brush would normally miss. It also makes the foundation easier to blend, and build if that's what you want to do. I also particularly like the shape of the sponge. I use the flat end to apply my foundation, either by dabbing or stroking it on my face, and then I use the more pointed end to dab in my concealer under my eyes and over any blemishes I may have. It's really really soft too, so it feels lovely on the skin. 

I think one of the only doubts about this product is how I'm going to wash it. I feel like I'm one of the only females who finds washing their make up brushes quite therapeutic. Anyway, if you can help me with a solution as to how I wash and clean this product, please do let me know in the comments below. 

I'd definitely recommend checking out this product, and if you're like me and don't want to use a sponge to apply foundation, just give it a chance, because it will change your life...literally. 

Lots of Love
Meg

xox

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Dior Addict Lipstick

As you probably know by now, I got quite a bit of makeup for Christmas.

I recently did a review of the DiorSkin Star foundation, which you can find here. In that review I explained how I had gone into Debenhams, and had been given a lovely makeover by one of the ladies at the Dior counter. When she had matched my foundation, she re-touched the make-up she had removed and tried various different lip colours on me. 

Finally, she decided on the Dior Addict Lipstick in the colour 226 Delight. It's the perfect natural shade of pink, and it really suited my skin tone. At only £26, this was the cheapest product on offer, and I was very close to purchasing it, but Mum said I should probably wait until Christmas. So, on Christmas morning, it came as a surprise when I opened this lovely new lipstick from Dior. 

As I have previously said, this is the perfect shade of pink, and the best part is, it's wearable in both summer and winter. I'm quite a lipstick addict, I love trying out new colours and new looks, and I think having a natural shade of pink is always an essential for any make up bag. Although this is on the higher end of make up products, it's definitely worth the money if you're willing to pay the amount. It makes your lips look glossy and soft, really healthy and natural. I wear this to go shopping, or even to Uni, it's very subtle which is why I love it so much. 

The packaging of the lipstick isn't something I had previously seen, at first I was a little confused as to how I could open it, but I think this adds to the whole uniqueness of the product. When the lady at the counter was applying it to my lips, she told me that this is actually one of Jennifer Lawrence's favourite lipsticks, so there's some news for you! The application of the lipstick itself is wonderful. I apply it one of two ways; either with a lip brush or without. I think it just depends what kind of look you're going for. I also don't think I'd recommend using a lip liner with this product, just because I think it would ruin the whole natural look. 

Overall, this is definitely one of my favourite high end lipsticks available at the moment. There are so many other colours too, so I would recommend checking them out!

A five star rating all round!

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

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Jimmy Choo: Flash

Perfume. It's one of the many essentials in a girls life. I think it's always important to smell nice, even if you're just nipping down to the shop for some milk. I always take a lot of pride in what perfume I use, and I love to experiment. My mum has the nicest collection of perfume in her room, so I have been known to steal that from time to time. 

It's not often you see a lot of perfume reviews on the internet, so I'm going to change that. I was very lucky this Christmas, and got a lot of lovely things from my friends and family, one of which was this perfume. This is Jimmy Choo 'Flash' and was one of the perfumes in my mum's collection. I tended to use her Chanel, but she knew I just wanted an everyday perfume so she thought this would be perfect. I  received this as a wonderful present on Christmas morning, and my mum definitely made the right decision. 

The scent isn't too strong, meaning that it's perfect for both the day time and the night time. I always wear perfume when I'm going out so I go through them quite quickly. The smell of this is absolutely gorgeous, it's got an elegance to it, but it's also got a nice fruity smell. I've been wearing this quite a lot, and I've got a lot of compliments from people asking me what perfume I have on and telling me I smell nice. When I'm not wearing this, I'm literally like a walking talking Soap & Glory section of Boots. 

I really like the shiny packaging of this product, I think it's really eye catching and it adds to the elegance. I think some products you buy, such as some celebrity scents, can smell "cheap" and not very nice, but this is absolutely gorgeous. It's also the perfect size to just keep in your bag, so if you need a little spritz during the day, then it's always there. I always take this to work with me. I love it! 

If you're looking to try out a new perfume then I would definitely recommend this!

Lots of Love

Meg

xox

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Diorskin Star Foundation

I was browsing through Debenhams a couple of weeks ago in the makeup section. It's my favourite section of the store; it's just so pretty. My mum and I often take trips there to go and look at the new products and try out the new perfumes, it's like a tradition every time we go shopping. As we were walking through, a lady who worked behind the Dior counter approached me and asked me if I wore foundation. I said yes, and she offered me the chance to try out the new Dior Star Foundation. This offer came at the best time, because I was actually on the look out for a new foundation.

So, I headed over to the chair with my mum, who was very excited because she's always wanted to have her make-up done by a professional make up artist at the different counters you see around the store. The lady came along and started to take my make up off, this was because she was going to be matching the foundation to my skin. Once all the make up had been removed, she placed a little machine on my skin which then matched my foundation perfectly. And let me say, it really did. It made my skin look flawless, but at £36, it was a little too pricey for me and I reluctantly left it at the store.

On Christmas morning, I rushed down the stairs to see what would be surprising me in my stocking. Then, I found a little rectangular package. I'd told mum not to get me the foundation for Christmas because it was too expensive and I didn't want her spending a lot on me. But, when I opened the little package, there was the foundation I'd tried on, and loved, at the Dior counter.

Now, onto the review! I honestly love this foundation. It has a really natural coverage which is build-able if your skin is having a little bit of an off day, which lets be honest, is going to happen at some point this year. It has an SPF of 30 which is perfect if you're going to be wearing it during the day. The application itself is perfect, I've started to use one of those really cool sponges. I can't see myself applying foundation with anything else. Plus, you only need a few pumps of the foundation to cover the whole of your face, so I can see this lasting me quite a while. The packaging looks so professional, and as this is one of the first high brand make-up items I have owned, I'm going to be looking after it a lot. Although this is on the pricier side, I would definitely recommend it if you're looking to try out a new foundation. I would also say to get it matched to your skin before you purchase it, just so that you know you're getting the right colour.

I love how natural this makes my skin look. I wore it to a New Year Party and I got a lot of compliments about how smooth and lovely my foundation looked. It also provides the perfect base so add on bronzer, highlighter and blusher. And, here's the best part, it actually stays! My make-up lasted the whole night, it didn't even move; perfect! I honestly can't rave about this foundation enough. I'm still going to be using my trusty No.7 foundation during the day time, but I will be wearing this on special occasions and when I feel like having a good make-up day. Wow, I wish everyday was a good make-up day.

If you would like to know, the colour of my foundation is 012 Porcelain.

Lots of Love,
Meg
xox

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Rimmel 'Stay Matte' Powder Review

After seeing so many different beauty bloggers rave about this powder, I thought it was about time I tried it out. I've been getting bored of the powder I was previously using; it just wasn't working for me anymore and was making my skin look shiny within the hour. 

Because there was an offer on in Superdrug, which I raved about in one of my previous blog posts, I thought that I'd treat myself to some more new make up products. I'm all about trying new things at the moment, I know my student loan won't thank me for it later, but it's always good to treat yourself (at least that's what I keep telling myself). 

So, I picked up some of the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in the colour 001 Transparent. I love Rimmel powders, it's the only drug store brand I trust because they're so affordable and always so amazing. Also, because I'm quite pale, and go for a natural make up look anyway, I chose the colour transparent because it helps to enhance this feature. Plus, when you add on bronzer and blusher, your skin gets colour anyway so it makes no difference. I always choose transparent because it's that one colour you can never go wrong with. 

I must say, I really do love this powder. It lasts for so long. I've worn it for my 9-5 days at University and my make-up has lasted all day. It's like maximum strength or something, my make-up just doesn't move and there is no sign of shine, which is the best thing. I've also just realised that that rhymed! The powder doesn't clog up pores either, which means no more blocked up skin and no more horrible spots popping up when you really don't want them too. Anyways, here's a random little fact for you, the one thing I love about this powder is the smell. It smells like summer, like sun-cream. I was applying it onto my face the other day and I was thinking "oooh something smells nice, it smells like summer in here" and when push comes to shove, it was actually my powder. I think this is why I like applying it so much, just plainly because of the smell. I know, how weird. 

If you're looking for a cheaper, alternative powder then I would definitely give this one a try. It's only £3.99 in the Rimmel sections of the drug stores which is a bargain if you ask me. Being a student on a budget, I just love products that are absolutely amazing, and work wonders, but don't break the bank. They save my life. 

What's your go-to powder?

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

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Garnier Ultimate Blends: The Strength Restorer

Hello Everyone!

Today I'm going to be talking about all things hair. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that my hair is like my child. It's probably the thing I'm bothered the most about when it comes to my appearance. I used to have really long hair, but then I got it chopped off and I started to heat style it a lot. It lost a lot of it's strength and now I have very fine, very thin hair. 

I've been looking to try out a new shampoo and conditioner for a while now. I wanted something that would leave my hair in good condition and feeling a lot stronger. However, I've never been able to find anything, there's nothing that's good enough for me to use and everything I have tried has left my hair feeling sticky or just hasn't worked. That is until I was introduced to the Garnier Ultimate Blends range.

My friends have raved about this collection for such a long time, but I've always been hesitant to try it as I thought the natural products would make my hair look greasy. Recently, they've been on offer in Superdrug so I decided to purchase some and give them a try. I bought the 'Strength Restorer' shampoo and conditioner 'Honey Treasures'. It's made for fragile hair which is prone to breakage, perfect for me! It also contains royal jelly and honey propolis which helps to strengthen hair and leave it soft and smooth.

I can truly say that this is now my favourite range of hair care products at the moment. The shampoo and conditioner smell absolutely gorgeous, I've actually had people complimenting on the smell of my hair which is really nice. After the application of the conditioner, your hair feels so silky soft and smooth, and then when you blow dry it, it looks so shiny and healthy. It also made my hair a lot more manageable when it came to styling too which was a huge bonus! As for the strength and condition of my hair; I didn't really notice much of a change within the first few days of using it, however, after two weeks of using the products, my hair feels a lot stronger and in really good condition. It's reduced the appearance of my split ends and my hair just feels a lot healthier so overall, I'm really really happy.

The Garnier Ultimate Blends Collection do a lot more products for all different types of hair and if you're looking to change your hair care routine a little bit, then I would definitely recommend trying these out because they are AMAZING!

Lots of Love
Meg
xox

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Simple Micellar Cleansing Water

This is the beauty craze that seems to be on everyone's lips. Every night, I see an advertisement for some form of micellar cleansing water, and I've always wondered if it would ever do the job for me. If you don't know what this is, it is basically a water that you put onto a cotton pad, wipe gently across your face and it will remove your makeup whilst cleansing your skin. Sounds perfect right?

I've always been a girl to use make up wipes, and until now, I never really had a facial skin care routine. I'd been very reluctant to try this water, because I'd been hearing mixed reviews and I wasn't going to pay a lot of money for something that wasn't going to work for me. Recently,I plucked up the courage and went to buy some of this water. Immediately I went to the Simple brand. I live by Simple, the majority of my skincare comes from the Simple range as I know that I can trust them to use all natural products and really look after my skin. 

I have to say, I am very very impressed with this water. It is like my holy grail make-up remover. I didn't think it was going to work, I'm not going to lie, but when I applied it to a cotton pad and wiped  it across my skin, my make-up came straight off; no questions asked. I loved the way that it didn't leave my skin feeling dry and sticky like most make-up wipes, instead my skin felt cleansed and revitalised. There is no better feeling than taking your make-up off after a long day. 

After trying this water on both heavy and minimal make-up, I can now say that it removes literally anything. Yesterday, I was applying mascara, and I sneezed (you probably know what's coming) which made my mascara go all around my eye. I simply got a cotton earbud, dripped a few little specs of the water onto it and gently wiped around the area where things had gone wrong. You would never have known that I would have sneezed. Not only is it perfect for removing make-up all together, it's also perfect for correcting those little mistakes, especially with eye make-up. 

Would I recommend people to get this? If you're looking for an affordable brand, then yes definitely.

Lots of Love
Meg
xox

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