Benefit Box O' Blushes First Impressions & Swatches!

I really just want to jump into this post and not waffle on too much but you may have noticed that I have been absent for some weeks now. This has been because I have been moving rooms in my house and reorganising my room which has taken quite a lot of my attention! Anyway, I think there's not much more to say than that so I am just going to crack on.

Benefits blush boxes are nothing new and to be honest, whilst I have wanted to try one, it's never been on the top of my list of things to buy but when they came out with their Christmas range featuring a blush palette with 5 blushes, a bronzer and a cream highlight I really just couldn't resist! These aren't full size products but I feel like they are going to last me an awfully long time so I will be excited to get my wear out of them. I also really feel like these are a great value deal especially if, like me, you've never tried their blushes before and aren't sure what might suit you as this palette costs £29.50 whereas a single full size blush costs about £23.50.

I am loving the look of their Christmas gift range this year, they've gone for a sweet shop sort of vibe which I think is just too cute! The tin itself feels really robust which is great for the not so careful make up lovers out there. The only downside to this packaging for me is the fact it doesn't have a mirror, considering most palettes include one, I was very surprised by this.

Te overall presentation in the box is really pretty, I love how they have the names are printed on the products so you know what each one is without having to consult the plastic protective film that covers the products.

From left to right (Hoola, Dandelion, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb, Coralista, Rockateur and Watt's Up)

Hoola is definitely one of the biggest cult products going and certainly one of the ones I was most looking forward to trying. I think the product I was least excited (but still very excited) to try was Coralista as I don't tend to go for coral/peachy colour but it's still a super pretty colour that will definitely come in handy.

Hoola - Matte, warm bronzer
Dandelion - Lightly shimmered pale pink
Bella Bamba - Shimmery, warm pink
Sugarbomb - Lightly shimmered, peachy pink
Coralista - Shimmery, warm coral
Rockateur - Lightly shimmered, warm rose
Watt's Up - Champagne pearl

I am very pleasantly surprised by these blushes as they are really nicely pigmented and also blend out really nicely. You might know about my love-hate relationship with Benefit and thankfully this falls onto the love side.

I am also really excited to create some looks using this palette and will probably give more in-depth individual review in upcoming posts.

I also wanted to say a massive thanks to my readers as I am now at 400 followers on Bloglovin' and that I will be holding another give away when I reach 500 followers :D

Speak soon
Roo xx

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner | The Review

Recently I posted on my Instagram that I was trying out Benefit's They're Real Push-Up Liner. It's been out for a while and because I didn't take to the mascara too well it didn't prompt me to buy the eyeliner.

Along with a fantastic issue of ELLE came a mini sample of the eyeliner. How could I refuse the chance to try it alongside the purchase of a beloved magazine. 

Firstly, this sample is so darn cute! It does seem to provie enough product for about 1-2 applications which I think is good enough to test out the product. 

Secondly, I am super impressed with the application the nib is very flexible and easy to use, it also manages to draw very fine lines which is great for cat-eye lovers. I did find that is was also quite pigmented and not patchy in the slightest. 

I am quite impressed with how this turned out and the application was so smooth and didn't drag on my eyelid which is always a bonus. However, this is where my praise for the product ends. 

I found that once it had set and I'd gone about my business for a while I'd forgotten it was there, like you do when you get so used to wearing make up. I accidentally rubbed my eye, now this is something I usually do and often with no make up consequences but as soon as I touched this liner, with little or no pressure I should add, it crumbled straight off my eyelid leaving them looking a little patchy. 

This is the exact same issue that made me not like the mascara, when I apply make up I don't want it to be fragile, I want it to go the distance and keep pace with my daily activities. 

I was initially convinced that I was going to buy the full size of this. Unfortunately I am a little disappointed but I do have an alternative! If you are on a budget or have even had the same problems as me then I totally recommend giving the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner Pen a go, its half the price and in my opinion does a much better job. 

Have you tried Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner? What do you think, also do you have any solutions to the crumbling issue? 

Speak soon

Roo xx

October Favourites

Did October ever even happen? I could seriously waffle on about how the month flew by but I am sure you'd rather hear what products I have been loving for last month. 

I actually feel like I am not repeating myself this time and I have all new products to share and I am so excited to tell you about them!

As per usual I have kept it to roughly a 5-item favourites, I just think it's easier this way otherwise I would be telling you a little about a lot and you wouldn't get to hear much about one product.

PURE COCONUT OIL
This stuff has been my saviour for a month or so. If you follow my instagram, which you all should @meplusmymakeup, then you ill know that I recently bleached the crap out of my hair. Bleach, obviously being very damaging, isn't great for your hair, you can help reduce the damage by doing a little prep work on preferably virgin hair. Thoroughly cover your hair from root to tip for around 8 hours to let it fully sink in, then leave the oil on when you bleach your hair. Apparently it reduces the damage by up to 80% (possibly not that much but it does help) and also help the bleach develop better.

I've been thinking about doing a whole post about coconut oil and its uses and benefits. Let me know in the comments if tat is something you would be interested in reading.


SMASHBOX BE LEGENDARY LIPSTICK IN FIG
This was bought as a present for my birthday by my brother's girlfriend. I had never tried any Smashbox lipsticks until this point and I have to say that I absolutely love this! I have seen a few other shades of this lipstick and I am overall very impressed with the selection. The pigmentation is really good and the overall formula is nicely moisturising. I will definitely be buying more of thesse in future.

MAC PURE HEROINE LIPSTICK

A while back MAC brought back one of their lipsticks in the shade 'Heroine' and I was super excited because it was purple and Matte,  two things I really wanted. Suffice to say I didn't buy it because I just don't think it suited me too well. Then a few months ago MAC released a Lorde, who I absolutely adore, collection. This only featured a lipstick (Pure Heroine) and their penultimate eyeliner. I'm not a fan of that eyeliner as long time readers will know but when I saw the lipstick I fell in love! The undertones are much more flattering for me and the pigmentation is unparalleled. I can't wait to get my wear out of this during the Autumn and Winter. 

GOSH ANTIQUE GOLD EYELINER

Up until about 3 weeks ago I had never tried any GOSH products despite hearing great reviews. I finally took the plunge and bought some of their eyeliners and could not be happier with them. The formula is so creamy and smooth but doesn't smudge once set which is all I could ask for from an eyeliner. The pigmentation is also great and this seems to be carried across the line. Blushes are definitely next on my hit list.

(Pure Heroine TOP, Fig CENTRE, Antique Gold BOTTOM)

EYEKO EYELASH CURLER

I got this as a freebie and initially I was going to give it to someone else but then I never did and thought I'd give it a go. Despite thid not having finger loops it is still easy to control and gives a great curl, so far I haven't ended up with right angles in my lashes but I think that is something that partly down to practice but generally it is an excellent high quality curler.

So those are my favourites for this month and I am thoroughly excited to see what November has in store. 

Let me know in the comments what your favourites have been, link your blog if you'd like - I'd love to read it :)

Speak soon

Roo xx

#NoMakeup #NoFilter #NoProblem

It's a no make up kind of day for me. I get like this from time to time because my skin needs a bit of a break from all the make up and just needs a chance to breathe. I am undoubtedly a serial skincare abuser, I do try and treat my skin but I am lazy at the best of times and usually end up regretting the fact I have neglected my skin. 

This is me with no make up, I do have a few issues with blemishes and redness but my skin is having a day to recover. My skin has been treated to some exfoliating, spot treatments and I am also currently trying out the L'Occitane Divine Cream which was lovely to use.

I find looking at my no make up face very strange and as I have progressed with my make up usage I find it even more bizarre, especially when I have profile pictures like this, which I don't even think looks like me.

I do feel like I am becoming more and more of a make up chameleon and I am really curious to know if anyone else has this thought about themselves. Truth be told, If I was asked if these two pictures were of the same person I would probably say no.

I know this has been a total waffle and is probably incredibly confusing as a post but it was exactly what was on my mind and thought I would share it with you all :)

Can anyone relate to this? Am I weird? haha :)

Speak soon

Roo xx

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask | The Review

I think I can now be officially classed as a 'lip balm obsessive'. Occasionally I will post about a lip balm and mainly that is because I think they are so incredibly important to any beauty routine. I won't waffle on about it too much because you have probably heard me say it all before.

Bite Beauty are quite an interesting company from what I have read. All of their products are healthy enough to eat as they use food-grade ingredients. Definitely a brand to look into if you're particularly conscious of the ingredients in make up.

I picked up this little beauty in New York and had to go on a bit of a hunt to get it. The first Sephora were out of stock, the second only had the Champagne shade and the third, thankfully, had the original. 

This is quite an interesting products because unlike a normal lip balm this one is stored in a tube, a concept that I find strange but really it's pretty functional. This is hands down the most intense lip balm I have ever used and thought I use it virtually everyday, it is definitely my go to when my lips need some extra tlc. 

I would suggest that if you don't like anything sticky then you might want to avoid this but if you don't mind that then definitely give it a go.

I haven't yet tried any of their other products but I am really enthusiastic about giving them a go. If you are looking to try out Bite Beauty then I would suggest this as a starter product. 

Bite are a little pricey as this was about $21.50 (Sephora) but from my usage so far I feel that it is going to last me longer than any of the conventional stick balms.

Have you tried this? What do you think? What products would you recommend by Bite Beauty? 

Speak soon

Roo xx

My Experience At The No7 Match Made Lipstick Service

My readers in the UK may have seen the new service that No7 is offering. You may be familiar with their foundation matching service in which they use a colour picking device that looks directly at your skin tone to match to one of their existing foundations. This service is all about finding colours that will suit you skin tone.

I was totally sceptical because I was expecting that they would choose one colour for you but this was going from a perspective of only hearing about it and not actually reading into it or experiencing it.

So I went along to the No7 counter because initially my plan as to visit 2 different counters to see if I would come out with the same lipstick colour. As I mentioned before, I literally had no idea what the process was of determining the colour.

After my first visit it was obvious that I don't need to go and visit 2 counters because actually the process was so simple that I feel a little stupid admitting to you all what I thought would happen - but hey, no secrets here.

So, you go along to the counter and they will do the exact same thing that they would when they are finding your foundation shade and from that they will give you a piece of card with your foundation shade and the list of lipstick shades that will suit you.

My shade came out as Calico (the lightest foundation shade they do), no surprise there, and the list of lipstick shades was quite amazing. There were a few that I didn't agree with on the list which featured some orangey/coppery colours that I would never gravitate towards but they might work, who knows.

I love the idea behind this because naturally I think it's common sense to buy a lipstick that compliments your skin tone but what this doesn't take into account is other factors like hair colour and eye colour which I think can play a massive role in determining a suitable colour. If your aren't sure what suits you and you want to play it a little safe then go for it because I think it's a service that we should all make use of.

Just remember that beauty is subjective and whatever you feel comfortable in will always be perfect for you. There is not wrong and right and you should just have fun and experiment with new products.


Have you tried out this service yet? What are your thoughts on it and do you agree with the selection you were given?

Speak soon
Roo xx 

September Favourites

So I have a lot of favourite things from September, it's to be expected since I was in New York for the first 4 days and have had plenty of make up goodies to get to grips with. I feel like I wouldn't be giving enough praise to every item and also would be sort of boring you all if I included everything that I enjoyed over September, my plan is to just select 5 items that I have particularly enjoyed and save some of the others for another month. 

HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING PALETTE £56

I feel like I have waffled on about this a little but it is so damn good! I have already posted a full review on this which you can read here but If you want the short but sweet version then here it is.

This palette has been an absolute joy to use. The way that these look on your skin is just magical - It really doesn't take an expert to use them and it is so hard to mess up! They apply really naturally and just give a soft glow to the skin. Personally, I like to use Radiant Light (Right) as a warming bronzer because I am so pale and it isn't that dark. This is a little pricey but it's totally worth it :)


BITE BEAUTY AGAVE LIP MASK $26
This was on my hit list for such a long time and I will do a full run down on this product some time soon but for nowhere is a little taster of my feelings. You may already know this but I am a lip care junkie! This stuff is so intense, it is quite thick and sticky so if that's not your thing then it might be something to stray away from but if that doesn't bother you then this is something definitely worth investing in. This will be a major feature in my winter beauty routine.


LANCOME GRANDIOSE MASCARA £24.50
This mascara is, quite obviously, like nothing I have ever tried before. This mascara features a plastic brush with a 'Swan-Neck' wand which is just unusual in itself. It is a little more pricey than other Lancome mascaras and I don't know if it's because it's a new release or if the price will remain that way but I do think that it is worth it. I am a fan of Lancome mascaras as it is so it's always nice to be impressed by new releases. My review here.


CLARISONIC MIA 2 £125
Of course you will have read me waffling on about this one. I had been dying to get this for such a long time and finally managed to pick it up on my first day in New York. This was such a major purchase for me because I have never spent so much on a single item before and really I have nothing to regret. I think you really do need to know your own skin before making the commitment, this isn't going to magically fix your skin but it will help prevent excessive breakouts if you are prone to suffer them. I usually get spots and whilst I still get them they haven't been as bad or as many because this gives such a deep clean. I would suggest that look into your skin type before buying this.


MAC Angel £15.50
It's a MAC lipstick, we know it's going to be good. I had seen Angel for a while but never picked it up because I didn't think I wanted it but you know when your on a spending spree and you think 'hey, why not' well that happened and I ended up with this gorgeous lipstick. I am not a fan of baby pink, shimmery lipsticks because I think they look very juvenile on me and I thought that this lipstick would look like that but I couldn't have been more wrong. I've said 'Your lips but better' about a few shades now but I couldn't have found a more perfect shade to apply that phrase to.



Those have been my favourites for the month of September and I wish I could have written about more but then I would have probably a small book about make up by the time I was done. I will, eventually get more into the products featured at some point if I have not already written about them.

Anyway, let me know what your favourites have been and if there's any products you would recommend :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

NARS Yachiyo Brush | The Review

I don't go much on buying expensive brushes, partly because I know I can get good ones for a lower price and also because it's a lot of money to part for something that I don't think is totally worth it. So when I bought the NARS Yachiyo brush I was a little nervous to try it given that I had put it on a pedestal and I really hope it would meet my expectations. 

It's a very unusual brush and it's like nothing I have ever seen before. The handle is a wrapped stem which also seems to hold the fibres of the brush. It's super lightweight which I like but it certainly takes some getting used to.

I have been using this with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette and also with the MAC Lightscapade Highlighter. I find with the HG highlighter it applied it quite lightly and certainly gives it a more natural look but it is totally build-able. The fact that it goes on lightly works well with the MAC highlighter given that it would usually be a very intense highlight which is not what I am after.
It certainly makes the more intense products accessible to those with fair skin or who prefer something more natural.


Have you tried this brush? What do you think?

Speak soon
Roo xx

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick In Jilted | First Impression

I have been a little pre-occupied the last week but I am finally getting round to this review. Occasionally I have spendy moments where I know I shouldn't buy anything but I inevitably do. One of these moments happened at the Urban Decay counter and to be honest I had had my eye on something for a very long time.

The Revolution Lipsticks came out quite some time ago so I can't really believe that it has taken me so long to get one.

I remember being incredibly excited about this lipstick and truth be told I had my eye on the colour Native but I never expected that I would have chosen something as bold as Jilted. I love this colour because it is exactly the opposite of what I would choose, its a beautiful berry colour with a blue undertone. Also, because I didn't mention it to begin with, the tube is gorgeous! It's a wavy/dented metal looking case which I think is slightly gunmetal in colour.

The formula is so lovely and creamy too! This lipstick is known for it's amazing 'one swipe' pigment which I have displayed above. My lips really never felt dehydrated whilst wearing this which is something that I look for and admire in a lipstick and sometimes I find it hard to wear all day.

Like I said before, I would have initially picked Native, which is a pinky nude, so that will probably be the next one I pick up :)

These beauts are, in my opinion, reasonably priced at £15 (now cheaper than MAC) and worth every single penny :)

Have you tried these? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Orange Is The New Black - Morello

I haven't done an OITNB post in a while and I was missing it a little. I really enjoy these posts and I was looking forward to trying out Morello's look. 

Morello is easily one of my favourite characters. Of course I love the entire cast but there is something about her that is just so innocent and likeable. She was the first to extend any form of warm greeting to Piper when she goes to prison and I think it speaks volumes for her character. I think throughout the entire series so far she has always remained as the innocent one, she never has a bad word and always has the best intentions. 

I love her look especially, I think it's totally classic and, to me, her look seems very inspired by 30s make up with her naturally smoked eyes, rounded brows and brilliant red lips. Her hair also seems to have the same influence with the pinned sections and careful curls. 

I of course can't do the hair but I tried to fake a bob. I love this because it is so wearable, the eyes are so natural and the lips don't look out of place. I do think I look more like Piper than Morello in this though. I will be featuring a Piper look soon :) 

What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette | Fixation Friday

I would have posted something else today but I might do 2 posts, I haven't decided. Regardless of this I feel like I need to talk to you all about the upcoming release of the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette. 

I would be a liar if I said that I wasn't even a little excited for this. When they announced the original Ambient Lighting palette was becoming a permanent fixture I nearly had a heart attack out of pure excitement so I think you might be able to understand how crazy I went when I saw this come up on my Bloglovin' feed. 

This will be the same price as the original Ambient Lighting palette at £58 which is super pricey but personally I love the blush I have from Hourglass and I think it's worth the money. It's like you're buying a highlighter and blush in one and really it only works out at just over £19 a blush anyway! 

I think I will be dropping hints to my other half as this is (I think) released in October and my birthday is on the 18th. I will wait for it if I have to given that it's a limited edition item. 

Are you as excited as I am? Will you be buying it?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette | The Review

If you've been reading my blog for a while then you will have probably seen some of my Fixation Friday posts on a few of the items I have recently reviewed. It makes me super happy because I have managed to stop lusting after them and actually get them to use. 

I feel like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette is a big one for me to finally have gotten. I'm not entirely sure of when they first release this but I am sure that I have wanted it from the beginning and then they discontinued them (if I remember rightly), which was very saddening because it's so beautiful and I just wanted to hold it. Obviously they brought it back which was a total relief to me.

This contains 3 highlighters (from left to right) - Dim Light, Incandescent Light and Radiant

Light all of which are very pretty and so easy to use.

I do use this palette with the NARS Yachiyo brush which I will get onto in a later review but either way, I'm in love with that brush. 

I mainly use Incandescent Light all over because it suits my skin tone the best and what I particularly love about all of these shades is that they don't have any chunky glitter in them so they are easy to work with. It's very easy to build up and can be applied everywhere without fear of looking like a disco-ball. It is the nicest natural looking highlighter I have ever used. 

If you are thinking about getting a new highlighter and more specifically a natural looking one then I would really recommend this. It does carry a hefty price tag at £56 but if you have that much money to spare then this is definitely what I would call an investment. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx   

Maybelline ColorDrama Velvet Lip Pencil | The Review

I have been quite spendy over the past few weeks, which I have missed because I like to get new things. I honestly had no intentions of buying anything yesterday but there I was, in Boots, with a handful of products and covered in swatches.

One of the little goodies I picked up was one of the new Maybelline ColorDrama Velvet Lip Pencils. When I looked at the display there wasn't an overwhelming amount of colours to choose but I did find this gorgeous deep berry colour called 'Berry Much'. 

You will have to excuse the state of my hand, There will be upcoming reviews for the mess you can see haha! 

I think I'm a little in love with this colour, it applies really nicely and the colour goes on pretty evenly as well. The only thing I would say that is a downside to this product is the fact that I found it slipping a little whilst wearing it. I would use a lip liner and follow my dark lip guide here :)

*DUPE ALERT* 

I only realised this once I got home and had a look at my collection of lipsticks but actually I think this is a pretty spot on dupe for MAC Diva. They both have a matte finish and both apply quite smoothly. 

So if a MAC lipstick isn't in your budget then have a look at these beauts which are only £4.99 at Boots, there's also a 3 for 2 on Maybelline at the moment.

Have you tried these? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette | The Review

I feel like I'm a little palette obsessed but then again, who isn't? My obsession, I mistakenly thought, had been satisfied by 3 Urban Decay Naked palettes. I don't really think you can ever have enough neutral shadows so naturally my next palette choice had to be the Smashbox Full Exposure palette. 

The actual packaging is very understated, which I love because I think it looks better that way. Lets face it though, I'm not buying this for the packaging, it's the pure gold that's inside.

I do have a little filter on this picture but rest assured I did do some swatches with no filter. There are several things I love and also something I would change about the packaging but that doesn't affect the products to I'll live. Personally I would prefer a plastic case, I'm kind of over the cardboard-ish case as it doesn't feel particularly safe. I do, however, love the fact that the mirror is a decent size and also that it comes with a decent brush! Hallelujah! This brush is sooo good. I love my UD brushes but this has sides for both the matte and shimmer shades and the matte is a really well made blending brush that is like no other. 

 Let's get down to brass tax. I have just swatched this as it is shown in the pan. I haven't really used any of the shimmer shades but that is because I am partial to matte shades. The matte shades are definitely more pigmented than the shimmer shades but they are still very pigmented. 

Definitely something I love about this palette is that is has both cool and warm shades so that you aren't just pigeon-holed into having one or the other and I think it's great for experimenting with other tones too. I wouldn't necessarily choose warm shades for my skin tone but I use the ones in the palette quite a lot. 

Seriously give this a go because the shades are amazing and you truly can never have enough neutral palettes. This is the same price as a Naked palette at £37 and you also get 2 more shadows. 

Before I forget aswell! This does come with a sample size of the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara, which I love and you can read a Beauty Smackdown post I did sometime ago here.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx  

Lancôme Grandiôse Mascara | The Review

Hello lovelies! I'm back in the UK and eventually feel like I'm back in control. I have to say that a spending ban can really do a number on a blog, so glad it's over now! 

I had am amazing time in New York and I assure you that I have bought a whole heap of stuff to try and write about. Today I am talking about a relatively new release from Lancôme which I was very excited to get because I am a huge fan of their mascaras.

Lancôme Grandiôse has mad waves in the beauty world with it's innovative design and for once it's not just a gimmick.

First off lets just have a look at the packaging. This has to be the most beautiful mascara tube I have ever seen! It is a little different with the almost tear drop shape but the big feature is 'Lancôme Rose' in the clear plastic lid. If you don't fall for that then there might be something wrong with you.

   Initially I was sceptical but also torn with first impressions. I love Lancôme mascaras as a general rule, I haven't come across a better brand but I also don't really like plastic wands, in the past they've never really done it for me. I am really happy to let you know that this is a total hit for me! 

You may also be looking at the wand thinking 'What the hell is going on there?!', this has to be one of the most genius solutions I have used. I don't know about anyone else but I tend to have days where I'm a little haphazard with my mascara and it end's up on my eyelids and nose. The wand feels very instinctual to use, you can really get into the corner lashes with this and manage to avoid your skin. 

I have to say that this is a flawlessly designed mascara with an excellent formula. I really would recommend giving this a go, if you happen to have money burning a hole in your pocket. 

This is a little pricey and also a little more expensive than other Lancôme mascaras at £24.50 but this is seriously worth every single penny! 

Have you tried this mascara? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

August Favourites?!

This month, unfortunately, there will be no make up favourites. Down to the fact that I have only just bought make up at the end of the month and have not had a chance to test them out long enough - rest assured, there will be lots of reviews and tutorials coming up.

There is, however a non - beauty favourite to share! As cliché as it sounds and also super cheesey,  my big non beauty favourite this month is New York! I am seriously making it my goal to live here in the next 10 years, it will happen. I love the shopping, the atmosphere, the people and of course the food.

I will speak to you all soon, don't forget to follow me on Instagram as I'm updating regularly @kittysmurf1993

Roo xx

Sephora Overload!!

So I've been in New York for about 4 days now and already visited Sephora 3 times!

I do have a little bit of a haul to share but that won't be until I'm back home. In the mean time, I'm going to play with my new make up and give everything a fair testing :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

Orange Is The New Black - Alex

A few weeks ago I started of a little series on my blog. I am super excited by this and if you hadn't seen my first post then you can read it here. I really think that OITNB has some amazingly iconic make up looks and this time I am focusing on Alex. 

I love Alex's look, it's so simple but it just says everything about her. If you have watched the show then you will totally get what I mean. The glasses are my favourite part really, the rest of her make up is definitely a part of her character but the glasses are her signature so I couldn't really do this look if I didn't have a handy pair of black frame glasses. 

Now granted I'm not wearing the glasses on my face I am still very happy with how this look turned out. Mainly I kept getting reflections from the glasses when I was taking pictures and to be fair she does wear them on her head a lot of the time. The only real issue I had was my brows, obviously hers are thinner, higher and more arched than mine but I tried to get mine to follow some sort of shape. 

The liner is a little different to what I'm used to as the wing part begins just before the outer corner of the eye. Generally I think I was luck with this one because she has a very similar shaped face to me, she's also naturally very pale and a natural ginger!

Anyway, let me know what you think of my attempt :) I'll be sure to post the next instalment soon haha. 

Speak soon

Roo xx

Update!

I like to do a little update now and again to let you all know what's happening in my life, you may have noticed this if you've been following my blog for some time. As you probably know, I am off to New York soon (11 days away!) so I have been a little absent from my blog but trying as much a humanly possible to still get content out for you all. 

I think I did amazingly in April/May but the past couple of months have been a little slow. I am in a busy state at the moment but I really do care about this blog and want to make sure it is still interesting for my readers. Essentially I am going to try and put out new stuff for you at least every 2 days and then after my holiday I am going to revert to pre spending ban blog posts including Beauty Smackdown, The Drugstore Edit and Fixation Friday. 

I really want to thank all of my readers for still sticking with me and I promise I will be a bit more regular from now on. 

Speak soon (I mean it :P)

Roo xx

The British Tag

I have literally just come across this tag and instantly wanted to do it. I found this on EmilyGrace and decided her answers were great so you should go over and check out her post. Anyway, onto my answers.

1. How many cups of tea do you have a day? + How many sugars?

At least 1 cup a day, I much more of a coffee drinker but I do enjoy a good cup of tea 

2. Favourite part of your roast

Either Yorkshire puddings or roast potatoes. All the carbs. 

3. Favourite dunking biscuit

Chocolate covered Rich Teas. Right, I know that these biscuits are virtually useless for dunking given the fact that they can withstand the hot tea/coffee for a grand total of 0.7 seconds but I still think they are the most delicious biscuits ever. That or that Cadbury's shortbread biscuits. 

4. Favourite quintessentially British pastime?

Took me ages to actually think of one but I guess my favourite is probably afternoon tea whilst watching Countdown, it doesn't get more British than that. 

5. Favourite word

I'll have to go clean here because I don't think it would be right to say my favourite word. It's difficult to come up with a word I like because truthfully I find numbers more satisfying (I'm weird, I know) because it's nice to find a good sequence but in the interest of the category then I would say that I like the word 'Synonym', it's nice to say and often gets pronounced as 'Cinnamon' which I also like. 

6. Cockney rhyme slang

I hate Cockney rhyming slang. I especially hate Ruby Murray which is slang for curry, but I hate it down to the fact that once in a while someone will notice my name and make a comment like 'Eeee do you like curry?'. 

7. Favourite sweet

I love liquorice especially those Catherine Wheels with the Spog in the middle. That sounds like utter gibberish. It's a long bit of liquorice that has been coiled around another sweet (Spog) which is like a liquorice flavoured jelly covered in hundreds and thousands. 

8. What would your pub be called?

The Cat's Meow.

9. No.1 British person

I can't pick one so I'll cheat and give you a list of my favourites. 

Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellan, Dame Judy Dench, Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Frankie Boyle, Dame Vivienne Westwood and so many more. I could go on forever.  

10. Favourite shop / restaurant

Favourite shop? Fenwicks, hands down - they have everything I want. Favourite restaurant? Don't have one. Anywhere that serves good food for a good price.  

11. What British song pops into your head?

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

12. Marmite?

Absolutely not.

Anyway, if you like this tag I'd love to know your thoughts and also see your answers! Leave your links below :)

Speak soon 

Roo xx

Small But Mighty | JULY FAVOURITES

I've left my July favourites later than I ever would for some reason but at least I am getting it out there :)

It's been a bit of a quiet month for me, despite getting the Glamour Latest In Beauty Box I don't really have an awful lot from there that is featured in my favourites. This is mainly down to the fact that I need further testing on some of the products and others are more seasonally appropriate so you will possibly be seeing them later on in the year.

Benefit Porefessional

Ok, so if you haven't ever seen this before then you clearly live under a rock. I am more than likely going to be purchasing a full size of this in the near future. I mainly like the apply this over my T-zone and any areas that need a little smoothing. The formula is quite thick but is perfect for holding your make up down. The only thing I would really have to say is that you should try not to use an awful lot and just spread out a small amount over a large surface otherwise I think this could be quite slippy. 

MAC Prep+Prime Skin

I got a little sample of this a while back when MAC were giving them away via their Facebook page. Naturally I jumped at the chace and have seriously fallen head over heels for this. I tend to use this and the porefessional together but I would apply this everywhere but the T-Zone. The consistency is different to the porefessional as it is a bit more moisturising and has a thinner feel but not by much. I, again, will probably buy the full size because I really think it's one of MACs best products. 

Elf Small Stippling Brush

I got into applying my foundation with a stippling brush just under a year ago and loved it - Then I found the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and have never looked back. My poor little stippling brush has been neglected ever since until I got a hold of the Bourjois Cream Blush and these two are just a match made in heaven! I knew that this brush would be perfect for this and it really is, it manages to apply the blush in a really natural finish but also ensures that you aren't going to go overboard with colour. This brush was also super affordable at no more than £4! I seriously recommend having a look at the Elf Studio line because I think there is some serious value to be had. 

Bourjois Cream Blush

Of course I couldn't talk about the stippling brush without mentioning this bad boy! I have wanted to try a cream blush for so long so when this arrived at my doorstep I was elated. I was a bit concerned however as this particular shade is straight up peach, I've never used a peach blush before and really didn't think it would suit me but in all honesty I think this is one of the most flattering blushes I have ever tried. This has made me rethink my entire make up application - for the better of course. This blends amazingly over the top of foundation and just give a nice flush of colour without being obvious or to heavy. I am excited to try more shades of this blush and really encourage everyone to give them a try!

And of course...NON-BEAUTY FAVOURITES!!

Orange Is The New Black

Come on now, you must know I'm obsessed. I'm even doing a make up series based on the show! 

I love love love this show and I really think everyone should start watching. Season 2 has come to an end and now I am having withdrawal waiting for season 3 to make it's entry. My OTP? Bennett and Daya.

That is everything I have been loving for the month of July! I may not get a chance to to my August Favourites until quite late on given that I will be away at the end of this month. I will try my best to get it done asap but I don't really know what the situation will be. 

What having you been loving?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick | LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

I'm having a little revamp of my reviews here on Me & My Makeup. I find that sometimes people are after a definitive yes or no when it comes to products and whilst you will still get all the rambling there will be a bit more of a structured format to my posts. Let me know what you think

I have seen reviews of this around a lot lately. They are a new release from Illamasqua and were recently featured in the Glamour Beauty Edit Box (Where I got mine). 

I have never tried an Illamasqua lipstick before, let alone any of their products. I have really wanted to try their products for some years now and obviously snapped up the chance of getting one and also a great bargain!

I almost feel like I spent far too long on this photo but I think it looks nice. I really just wanted to display how cool the packaging is. I was a little anxious to try this colour given that I am super pale and I don't really have anything like this in my very limited collection haha.

This was literally after one swipe. I am so impressed with the pigmentation again a little hesitant to try this but It's seriously beautiful. Also this has a very strange smell to it, not a bad smell at all but a bit like a sweet pastry or something. Does anyone else know what I mean?

I really love the application of this lipstick,  it's moisturising enough and it isn't super glossy. I wouldn't have chosen this colour for myself but that's what I love about this box, it's given me things to try that I never would have. I more than likely will buy another in a colour I am more suited to.

This lipstick is around £18.50, so it's super pricey but I think they're totally worth it. 

Have you tried this? What do you think? 

Speak soon

Roo xx

Orange Is The New Black - Red

I have become obsessed with this show, in fact I am so upset because I have to wait for season 3 now. Because I love this show so much I wanted to do something a little different on my blog, I'm going to try and recreate some of the iconic make up looks of some of the inmates. This isn't going to be a particularly long series but I have a feeling it's going to be good. 

So far I plan on doing looks for Red, Morello, Nichols, Alex, Sophia and Piper though if there is someone I have missed who clearly needs to be on this list then let me know :)

This week I wanted to focus on a Red inspired look, she has one of the most iconic looks in the entire show. She is cast as the hard-faced Russian matriarch who is not to be messed with, personally I think that her make up reflects her status within the prison. 

She is always seen with her trademark red hair, lipstick and some very bold graphic liner. To me this represents someone brave and definitely a leader.

I look incredibly tired but here's my attempt anyway. I really enjoyed the eyeliner, I love a good challenge and as I don't really ever line my lower lash line then it was a pretty good one. I also love the fact that it didn't have to be perfect, after all Red is in prison.

This is such a simple look yet it is so bold and makes a great statement.

What do you think of this look?

Speak soon
Roo xx 

The Glamour Beauty Edit Box

I'm a bit far behind on getting this box but as soon as I saw it I knew I needed it. This is actually the first time I have ever bought a beauty box but I couldn't honestly resist this one. 

So what is actually in the box?:

Velvotan Tanning Mitt

I've needed a new tanning mitt for a while actually. I have loads of product to use but had nothing to apply them with so this couldn't come soon enough. This mitt claims to give you a streak free tan and leave your hands unstained. I think a lot of how good a tan develops comes down to a persons skill at applying the product in the first place, I'm not awful at it but I do need practice! 

Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection Sun Lotion SPF 30

Hallelujah! I ran out of this a while ago and this is my favourite sun cream. It smells absolutely gorgeous and is nice and hydrating. It is only an SPF 30 but I would recommend that you use 30 or higher to get high protection. 

Tony&Guy Glamour Volume Pumping Whip

It's been a long time since I have used anything Tony&Guy but I am very excited to try this. You apply this to the roots before blow drying to get a volumised effect - which I am all for. I can't say that I have ever seen this before but I suppose that's what these boxes are about!

Magnifibres Brush On Lashes

This is one of the two main reasons I bought this box. I haven't ever tried anything like this before but given that I have quite short lashes then I am always looking to try products that will enhance them without being as heavy as false lashes. You are supposed to be able to gain an extra 5mm of eyelash length using this, that doesn't sound like a lot but on your eyes it is massive!

Crabtree& Evelyn Nail Lacquer in Petal Pink

I am familiar with Crabtree& Evelyn as a brand but I can't say that I have ever tried any of their products nor would I have even associated them with nail polish. I think that this is such a pretty, inoffensive colour so I am very much looking forward to trying this out to see what the quality is. 

Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector in Light Matte

More tanning products to try! I haven't ever tried a BB Tan cream before so this should be interesting. Mainly I like the fact that I was given the Light Matte formula because I am pale and I don't think shimmer looks good on me. I had never tried Rimmel tanning products before and usually I wouldn't have even looked at them so it will be nice to see if I have been wrong to dismiss them. 

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

I haven't tried a cleansing oil yet so this is something else I am intrigued about. I do currently use a cleansing balm but obviously this is a different consistency to work with. I do get concerned with how my skin might react though so I will have to report back on that.

Bourjois Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet

As much as I want to try a cream blush I have to say I am not massively enthusiastic to try this because of the colour, it is very peachy so I really don't think it will look that nice on my skin. I will be trying this anyway because you never really know until you try the product and also I do want to see about the formula of the product itself, it might encourage me to find one in the right shade. 

Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Minx

Finally, this is the real reason I bought this box. I have want to try an Illamasqua product for sooooo long. A few years ago the Illamasqua counter in the Fenwicks near where I live disappeared so I haven't been able to try anything without ordering online. The shade isn't something I would ever pick but I do think I have been in a bit of a lipstick rut lately so hopefully this will break me out of that. 

Tat was everything that came in this box. I was so incredibly impressed with this because I paid just under £17 for the box and the actual value was something like £86. I will be updating you all on every one of these products in future posts so please keep an eye out for them because I am really excited to share my thoughts. 

Speak soon 

Roo xx 

New CID I-Crayon Review

Within the past few weeks or so I seem to have been paying close attention to magazines again. As you may (or may not) know I am an avid beauty magazine reader, in big part this comes down to samples. Many magazines offer samples of (sometimes quite pricey) make up from brands that are current and very hot. 

Recently Cosmopolitan have been offering some items from New CID. This is a brand  have heard of and one I hear to be worth the money. Cosmo gave readers the choice of 3 different shades of lip crayon or a mascara. All 4 of thee choices would have excited me so I wasn't disappointed with any outcome. 

I managed to get a hold of the I-Crayon in the shade Strawberry Souffle. I do love me a good red and I love to put them to the test. I'm not so sure of the packaging on this. I don't know if it's because it's a freebie or that's how it normally is but it just feels very cheap not well made. Don't get me wrong, it fills it's purpose but it's not something that I am going to get pride from taking out of my bag. The writing has also rubbed off but I almost expected that. 

Packaging aside the colour is a nicely pigmented blue based red which suits me fine. I do enjoy a crayon style product because I think they're handy and somewhat easy to use. 

My thoughts on the actual product? I love this stuff! This is such a wearable red, usually if I am going to wear red then I will have to really be in the mood for it but this is just something else. There is just a quality that makes this so accessible. I could easily do my brows, put on some mascara and this lipstick and I would be set. The finish feels glossy but after a while of wearing (and repplying) it looks more matte. 

From what I have researched this product comes is a set of 3 along with the other colours available with the magazine and costs around £21.50. 

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Speak soon 

Roo xx