Holiday Beauty with Bourjois

Happy Christmas Eve!
I can't believe the big day is almost upon us. As you're reading this, I'm getting ready to do my final shift at work, then I'll be getting home, snuggling into my pyjamas and watching the Vicar of Dibley Christmas Special - something that has become a family tradition over the years. I'm proud of how organised I've been this year - my presents are wrapped and under the tree, the food is ready to be cooked, my outfits have been carefully planned and my make up has been trialled. 

Recently, I was lucky enough to receive some complimentary products from Bourjouis and Influenster VoxBox, just in time for the festive season. They arrived perfectly packaged in a pink box and when I opened it up, I couldn't quite believe my eyes. I'll be honest, I've never tried Bourjois make up before but I was very excited to create some festive makeup looks with my new products. After using everything, and testing each product individually, I think it's time to share my opinions and the festive look I created.

The first thing I noticed was the product I was most excited to try. As you know, I'm very fussy when it comes to foundations. I'm always asking for recommendations on Twitter and a lot of you have spoken very highly about the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. This came along with the Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Concealer, and let me tell you now, these two are the perfect pairing. 

The Healthy Mix Foundation looks very natural and it's one for better skin days. The coverage isn't as good as I'd anticipated, however, it is buildable. It claims to last up to 16 hours and I can confirm that this is the truth - I wear this to work and my foundation looks exactly the same in the morning as it does when I come home at night. However, I have noticed that this foundation makes me have a really bad breakout - I'm not blaming the foundation because I know so many people who have no problem with it, I'm going to put the blame on my awful, sensitive skin. 

It's rare that I get a good night's sleep which is where the concealer comes in very handy. This is now one of my favourite beauty products of the year and I can't rave about it enough. The coverage is amazing and it does exactly what it says on the bottle - conceals dark circles and puffy eyes. I've always said that I'd never use anything other than the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer under my eyes, but this stuff is a complete game changer and it lasts all day. I'm obsessed!

Next up is the eyes. 

I'm very plain when it comes to my eye makeup and that boils down to the fact that I'm just rubbish when it comes to applying it. I'm forever watching tutorials by beauty bloggers who make the application look so easy, but when I come to do it, I look like I've walked into a door and given myself a black eye. When I received the Smoky Stories Quad Eyeshadow Palette, I was very apprehensive to use it, especially when I saw the colours in 'Brilliant Prunette'. However, I've promised myself that I'll be more daring with my make up looks and to my surprise, the palette looks absolutely gorgeous on my eyes. The shades are so pigmented - I use the lightest shade all over the lid, the purple shade in the crease and a little dab of glitter on the inner corner of the eye - just to create that perfect festive look. 

My second favourite beauty product (after lipstick) is mascara. Nothing excites me more than buying a new mascara and trying it out for the first time. The way it glides effortlessly onto your lashes and makes them look so fluttery and pretty - what's not to love? I've been using the Push Up Effect  Volume Mascara every day and it's one of my favourites. It makes my lashes look so effortlessly full and long - I don't even have to think about wearing lashes when I go out anymore. All you need is a few coats and then you're good to go. I'd never have tried this mascara but I'm so glad I've been introduced to it - I'm in love. 

What beauty blogger doesn't love a pretty pink blusher? 

When I first opened this, I let out a little gasp and ran to show my Mum how pretty the colour was. This is the colour Rose D'or. It's the perfect natural pink that I've been searching for and it's got a little shimmer so you don't have to go crazy on the highlight. I've been using this blusher when I oversleep and don't have a lot of time to get ready for work or Uni in the mornings. It makes me look like I've made an effort with my make up when in reality I hit the snooze alarm three times just to have that extra half an hour in bed. If you're looking for a blusher to use for a no-makeup makeup look then this is the one for you. 

And finally, my favourite item of them all - the lipstick. 

The Rouge Velvet Lipstick is part of Bourjois' new range and I feel very fortunate to have been sent three of the most beautiful colours - Magni-Fig, Berry Formidable and Brunette. I've worn them all but I find myself wearing the Brunette shade the most as it's the perfect colour for every situation. What do I love most about these lipsticks? The fact that they are long-lasting and rarely need topping up. I have a drink and my lipstick doesn't stain my cup, if that isn't the sign of a good lipstick then I don't know what is. It's a creamy, matte lipstick in an array of stunning colours which I will definitely be purchasing again. 

Now, let me show you the look I created with all these wonderful products. I was going out for brunch with my lovely friend Emma (who kindly took these photos for me) and decided to go for a subtly festive look. 

Primer - Collection Primed & Ready (Witch Hazel)

Foundation - Bourjois Healthy Mix (Light Vanilla)

Concealer - Bourjous Healthy Mix (Light)
Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection (Fair)

Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte (Transparent) 

Highlighter - Tanya Burr Illuminating Powder (Peonies Please)

Bronzer - Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Blush - Sleek Blusher (Flushed) 

Eyeshadow - Bourjois Smoky Stories Quad Eyeshadow Palette (Brilliant Prunette)

Eyeliner - Soap & Glory Supercat Liquid Liner (Black)

Pencil Liner - Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl (Black)

Mascara - Bourjois Push Up Effect Volume Mascara (Black)

Lipstick - Bourjois Rouge Velvet Lipstick (Brunette)

Setting Spray - Urban Decay De-Slick 

I'm extremely grateful to Bourjois and Influenster for sending me one of their lovely VoxBoxes and introducing me to a brand that is right up my street. I love how affordable Bourjois products are and they're available at all local drugstores and online. If you try anything, then please go and try the Rouge Velvet Lipsticks because I'm completely obsessed with them. 

Lots of Love,
Meg

xxx

Revolution Iconic 3 Eye shadow Pallet

Hello Everyone!

For a very, very, VERY long time, I have wanted the Urban Decay Naked 3 eyeshadow pallet. I really loved the natural pink shades, but it's around £30, and being a student, it's not something I can really afford. I'm not a massive wearer of eyeshadow, so I was unsure if I should treat myself to the pallet because if I don't use it a lot, it would be a waste of money.

I was browsing Superdrug a couple of days ago, just doing some makeup shopping, when I came across the revolution makeup collection. I found this beautiful eye shadow pallet, very very similar, if not identical to the Urban Decay pallet. Here's the best part, it's only £4! I immediately knew that I had to pick it up and honestly, it's the best decision I made. 

The colours in the pallet are absolutely gorgeous, they're perfect if you want to create a really natural look, or a smokey eye. They have a beautiful coverage and they stay on for a very long time. The pale pinks are perfect for the day time, and the darker colours are lovely to wear if you're going on a night out. A look I'm wearing a lot at the moment is the third colour (from the left) with the eighth colour (from the left). If you blend those two together, it creates a beautiful shade. The glittery shades when combined with matte shades create a bronzed, metallic look. I'm really really loving the variety of eye makeup looks I can do with this pallet, especially for autumn/winter.

The only thing I didn't really like is the brush that comes with the pallet. It's not amazing, and I wouldn't recommend using it. Instead, I would recommend to get the Real Techniques eye shadow brushes because they're some of the best on the market and they're not too expensive either. 

This is not the only pallet that the revolution makeup brand sell, they make a lot of other pallets, some of them mimicking the urban decay pallets. So, if you're on a budget or if you're unsure if you'll use the colours in the urban decay pallet then I would definitely recommend a purchase of this beautiful pallet.

Lots of Love

Meg

xox

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Zoella Beauty: Kissy Missy Lip Balm Review

Hello Everyone!

Recently, beauty blogger and YouTube sensation Zoe Sugg, known to many as Zoella, released some new products in her 'Zoella Beauty' range. This new range is available to buy in Superdrug at the moment. Whilst doing some retail therapy, I picked up one of the products in her new line and this was the 'Kissy Missy Lip Balm' for £3.

Before I purchased the product, I'd heard quite a lot of good reviews about it so I was expecting quite a lot. Firstly, I must say that the presentation of the product is brilliant. It's so colourful and bright therefore it really catches your attention. In her new range, Zoe's new products have the 'Tutti Fruiti' smell, and  I must say that this lip balm smells absolutely amazing. Sadly, I would say that this is probably only one of the good things about the product.

On application, the colour didn't even show up on my lips which meant that I needed to apply more than you would expect from a normal lip balm. When I had applied a suitable amount of the product, I found the colour to not be satisfactory. It was extremely bright and in my opinion, looked quite cheap. I don't know if it was the colour that didn't suit me as a person, but I really didn't think that it was up to scratch. I expected a bit more from the product, especially seeing as Tanya Burr's beauty collection is of such good quality.

I know I may get a lot of people who disagree with me because of this review, and please don't think I have anything against Zoe because I really don't. I'm just giving my honest opinion. Would I buy this product again? No, personally for me, it was a waste of £3.

I hope this helps some of you!
Lots of Love
Meg
xox

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