Monday 31 March 2014

Blog Sale Update

So a few posts ago I asked if anyone would be interested in a blog sale. Unfortunately I didn't really get enough response to go ahead with it. I think I'll leave it for a while and then come back to you guys on it.

If you would actually really like a bog sale then pleeeaaassseee let me know, I have so many items that will be at great prices, just to give you an idea, here's a list of some of the products I have for sale:

- LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub
- MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation
- L'Occitane Brightening Cleansing Foam
- Essie Sleek Stick Nail Stickers
- Nails Inc Piccadilly Circus
- Lancome Lip Gloss
 - MAC Pistachio Creme Nail Lacquer

Aaannnnddd and absolute tonne of other things including nail polishes, lip glosses, face washes, eye shadows, luxury samples, primers and sooo many other things!

As I say, I'll probably come back to everyone about this later on but if you are interested then please comment below :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

Friday 28 March 2014

Fixation Friday #6: MAC Paint Pots

I have been wanting one of these ever since I heard about them 1-2 years ago. I have had plenty of opportunity to buy one many a time but for some reason never actually have. I would probably choose the colour 'Painterly' which is a nude flesh tone, ideal as a primer or evening out the colour of the lid.

I always find that the thing about buying online (not MAC specifically) is that pictures online can often be misrepresented and the best way to buy for beginner is to go to a MAC counter or store because then you can actually see the product and swatch to see how it will actually look. I would only ever recommend online shopping with makeup if you are familiar with the product or it is something that you really want to try and it is not available where you live.

This is supposed to be an all over the lid style of product and creates the perfect base for shadows to give the most intensity. They do carry colours that aren't part of the nude spectrum which are great for creating smoky eyes to be able to get the most intense look possible and provide longevity for your look.

These do retail for £15.00 so in terms of MAC price ranges it isn't that bad especially if a) It does what it says and b) Last for a long enough time. So I think that if nothing else catches my eye then this may be my next MAC purchase but that won't be for a while because I am on a spending ban cos I'm off to New York!

What are you fixated on at the moment? Have you tried Paint Pots?

Again, don't forget to let me know if you'd be interested in seeing a blog sale :)

Speak soon,
Roo xx

Tarte In The UK And The Madness That Is Soon To Ensue

Lets face it, the blogging world is about to go mental with the upcoming and imminent release of Tarte on QVC. So with that being said I want to share my current and pretty colossal wishlist :)
Tarte wishlist!

So I hope you are all as excited as I am, happy shopping and I can't wait to see everyone's hauls!

Speak soon
Roo xx

Thursday 27 March 2014

Beauty Smackdown #9: Clinique All About Eyes VS Benefit It's Potent

A nice skincare post because as the weather is looking quite crap I think a good bit of skin tlc is in order. Today the weather has been miserable going from cloudy and dark, to tipping it down, to thunder and lightening and finally literally pea sized heavy hail. I had to go out as well :( But it's harsh on the skin and one area that really needs taking care of is the eyes. A lot of people neglect this are and think that using just a single moisturiser will cut it (sorry, it won't!). The skin around your eyes is so different to the rest of your face, it is more delicate and shows up a lot more wear - Ever have a heavy night and wake up thinking you look awful? It's your eyes that are telling you that, they're puffy and purple and it's not a good look. Eye creams are super vital to taking good care of your skin and avoiding the dreaded crows feet and under-eye bag combo. So here's a smackdown that's going to tell you what's what!

*Also, I never really look back to see how I wrote my last BS (hehe BS!) so if it all seems a little skittish then that's why. I'm just keeping you on your toes :P

 Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream
As it suggests, this stuff is potent! Don't be expecting miracles to happen over night though. It's said to be a brightening formula so that it reduces the appearance of dark circles and helps to keep the eye are hydrated.

Price?
£24.50 for 14.2g or 0.5oz

I only have the sample size but the price definitely is up there. I love this stuff and use it as a day time eye cream before applying any make up. It's very lightweight and is absorbed fairly quickly. I am going to be devastated when I run out and realise that I can't afford a new full size :(
Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream
Again, supposed to reduce redness, puffiness, dark circles whilst being hydrating.

Price?
£25.00 for 15ml (which I'm not sure what on earth that equates to but I think they're about the same)

I also like to use this in the day time before makeup and have found that it is very hydrating but I don't really know about brightening. Can feel a little greasy






I'll level with you all. I love both of these products - they are both similar in price so forget comparing that. As far as skincare goes I would almost certainly recommend Clinique to anyone and everyone but for what I will call a day time eye cream I'm going to have to make Benefit my winner this week but it is a personal opinion based decision. To be fair, the Clinique one is brilliant and if you feel more comfortable with tat brand then by all means go for it because it's great. However, when it comes to texture I really do prefer Benefit - It's slightly thicker and has no greasy-ness feeling at all, plus (I know I said I wasn't comparing but..) 50p of is better than a poke in the eye.

Let me know if you agree with my decision, what are your favourite eye creams?

Also, don't forget to check out my previous post - I want to know your thoughts on a blog sale :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Blog Sale Maybe?

I'm going to be super honest here.
I'm going to New York in August and in need of some money to go towards it. Would people be interested in a blog sale? This would include exclusively beauty products that I don't use. There wouldn't be anything unhygienic because that's just not cool. The prices regardless of whether the product is new or not will be super discounted.

If I get enough response about this then I will go ahead with it. So, let me know if this is something you're interested in :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

Violet Inspired Makeup Tutorial | Ruby Barton

Finally, a new video! I've decided to do a spring flower tutorial. My main inspiration was the Pantone Radiant Orchid theme even though this is violet! I might do more flower inspired tutorials for spring but not sure. Anyway, enjoy :)





Speak soon
Roo xx

The Drugstore Edit #10: Elf Cream Eyeliner

Happy Wednesday and happy 10th TDE post!

I hope you are all doing well and I apologise because I'm not sure if it comes across this way but I feel like I bombard you all with Elf products (Don't worry, it'll be over soon!)

Anyway, I'm hoping this post is a bit more interesting because it's about a cream eyeliner.


Firstly, I love the packaging. It's nice and simple and very clean looking. Nuff said about that.

You get a fair amount of product and I have never run out of gel/ cream eyeliner before - It usually dries out before that. You also do get a very fine, flimsy angled liner brush which I did try out but it took forever so I went back to my trust Ecotools Angled Liner Brush.

 I did three little lines to show you how it looks, it is very pigmented and probably more so than the Maybelline gel liner that I was using.

 After the three lines I wanted to see how far it goes and it goes quite far! I love this product. It is super inexpensive and well worth the money. Also this stuff doesn't smudge and (depending on your skin type) probably won't move - not sure about oily skin :S

This is available on the Elf website and I imagine Elf stockists :P

Have you tried this? Let me know your thoughts. Also, what are your favourite liners?

Speak soon
Roo xx

Friday 21 March 2014

Fixation Friday #5: Revlon ColourBurst Balms

I am still a ColourBurst Balm virgin! I'm not specifically talking the original formula but matte and lacquer formulas too!


I want to say that it was Clinique that originally had this format of lip product first (I could be totally wrong!) and I have tried their version and loved it so I still wonder to myself why I haven't yet bought on of these beauties?!

I love the idea of having these but I tell you what puts me off, every time I go to the Revlon stand it has been sadly very abused! That just doesn't inspire me to buy anything, not to mention the fact that they never have the full range and only give me the colours that really wouldn't suit me :(

I am going to have to buy these but I will have to wait a while because I am currently on a spending ban as I'm going to New York in August so my plan is to save up all my money and buy stuff over there instead, I'll probably get more for my money and have an amazing trip :)

Let me know, are these worth the hype? If so what colour do you like?

Speak soon
Roo xx

Thursday 20 March 2014

Beauty Smackdown #8: Elf St Lucia Blush Vs NARS Deep Throat Blush

This post is going up a little late, I've had stuff to do today but this is very much a high end against drugstore edition of Beauty Smackdown.

I'm comparing Elf St Lucia blush and NARS Deep Throat blush. I'm mainly comparing the formulas but I do think the colours are quite similar.



Deep Throat is a rosy pink blush with fine subtle gold shimmers throughout. I really love this blush because I don't feel that it's ever over kill, it's super buildable and just gives that beautiful winter morning flush of colour.

This is from the Elf St Lucia Bronze and Blush Duo. Honestly, I love this as well, it is similar in colour but leans slightly to the more coraly side but still with that gold shimmer.

Side by side (NARS left, Elf right) I don't think there is much difference in terms of pigmentation. They are both nice and buildable and quite similar in colour. There re a few things that set them apart from each other - NARS has a much larger colour selection, the feel of the blush is a lot more luxurious and the staying power is much higher.

All in all I definitely prefer my NARS blush but if you aren't sure about spending a lot of money on a blush then I would recommend the Elf blush because it is very comparable to NARS and it is definitely a nice place to start :)

Which do you prefer, what blushes are your favourite. 
Let me know what you would like to see in upcoming posts.

Speak soon 
Roo xx

Wednesday 19 March 2014

The Drugstore Edit #9: 17 Liquid Liner

17 is a brand which I believe is full of hits and misses. I don't want to slate 17 as a brand because there are some truly wonderful products in there but this just isn't one of them.

I was actually handed this by my mum who knows that I like to do product reviews and she said I could give this a go (she had no idea about this but knew she wouldn't she it), I always see opportunity when I am handed a bit of make up. So the outer packaging is all right, it's nothing special but it's not bad - it's standard.

Here is where my issues begin. This brush is not fine, you don't stand a chance in hell of doing winged eyeliner with this because the brush doesn't allow it. The products feels super gloopy and thick which is so uncomfortable on the eyes. It also takes a lifetime to dry and you have to be very careful.

My last issue is that you can't remove this with any old make up remover, just ditch your Boots Essentials Eye Make Up Remover right now because it doesn't stand a chance. You are going to need something heavy duty - oil based, I know plenty of people who hate the feel of an oil based makeup remover on their skin, you might manage with a cleansing balm but I haven't tried it.

I'm not sure if they still sell this or if they re-branded it as a semi permanent liner but my rating is going to be 4/10 because I literally hate everything about it but the staying power. If they managed to put the staying power into a better formula and with a better brush then that would be prefect.

Sorry 17! I really don't mean to slate you :(

Have you tried this? Let me know what you think :)

Speak soon,
Roo xx

Saturday 15 March 2014

First Impression: No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

So I had a little spend yesterday so I thought I would share another first impression.


I only read about this the other day and how it had been compared with Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. I will admit, I tried Cleanse and Polish once when my mum bought it and I can remember really liking it (probably because I wan't used to a balm cleanser), I should probably give it another go to get an idea of how to compare both of these products.

What I did was clean the majority of my make up off with Bioderma and then went in with this. All you do is get 1-2 pumps of this stuff and massage it around your face, you can literally rub this into your eyes to remove mascara and it will not hurt in the slightest. It just help get the last scraps of make up off. I comes with a muslin cloth which you then dampen with hot water and put on your face to open the pores and then wipe away the balm. My skin felt slightly exfoliated because of the cloth and also really hydrated and clean.

If you're new to balm cleansers like me then I would totally recommend this. I would say that if you are in the UK and shop in Boots then try and get a hold of a £5 off No7 Skincare voucher, this isn't particularly expensive product in the first place at £9.95 but if you can knock off a fiver then it's an amazing value.

Let me know your thought on this.

Speak soon
Roo xx

Friday 14 March 2014

First Impression: Benefit Gimme Brow

It's been a very long time since I did a first impressions post so I think I owe you one.


The beauty world has been heavy with reviews on Benefits new brow offering. They already have quite a lot of brow products as it stands in the form of pencils, wax& powder duos and an already existing brow gel. However, the difference between Gimme Brow and Speed Brow is that Gimme Brow contains fibres and provides filler for sparser areas in the brow.


This is extremely small in size which did worry me a little. I did think well it's small and if I don't like it then I will have spent what I consider to be a lot of money on this. Conversely, If I do like this then it's not an awful lot of product you get for the money.


The wand is tiny which means precise to me. I love that it's so small, it means I can really work with it and though it might take a bit more time to fill in your brows it is worth it, your brows are important. You wouldn't but a beautiful window in an ugly frame (haha, I don't know if that's a saying so I'm claiming it!).


So, here I am pre-brows. The rest of my make up is done, so it literally is just brows left to do.


This just looks silly. You can totally see the difference this makes, my other brow looks almost non-existent!

Finally finished and I have to say that I think I am honestly in love with this product. I might as well ditch all my other brow products because this is all I need in my life. It's half the size of everything else (may be a downside later), the colour is spot on for me, the wand is perfect. The only downsides I have is that it costs more than I would like. Also, this is by no means a lightweight product, I can feel this on my brows which can be a little annoying for some people but I don't mind it. 

Overall I'm going to give this a 10/10 for the product because it's a total winner for me. This does cost £17.50 which is a full £4.50 more expensive than their other brow gel but I'm guessing it doesn't do half as good a job. 

Have you tried this yet? Let me know what you think.

Speak soon

Roo xx

Fixation Friday #4: Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

I love eyeshadow palettes, I have too many as it stands but I can't resist the call of another.
This is another brown neutral palette to add to the market. I own both the Urban Decay Naked 1 & 2 so it's not really as if I even need this. My argument against this is that whilst you might have both of the aforementioned you might be like me and sometimes you think 'If only I had this colour, that colour would be perfect' and it's not that what you own isn't good enough because it does an amazing job but there are so many different shades out there that would do other jobs (please tell me if that makes sense haha). Just looking at this palette I can tell that some of the lighter brown/ nude colours could be used as a contour colour as well as an eyeshadow.

I especially love the look of the shimmery shadows that this palette contains, just take a look at that dark glitter on the top right, how gorgeous!

Not forgetting the brush. I favour palettes that come with a substantial brushes and not silly little sponges, so when I see one that's double ended it makes me very excited because you end up getting two brushes in the space of one.

This does cost £36 and you get 14 shadows, this is very competitive against UD whose Naked palettes run for £37 and give you 12 shadows. It all comes down to quality.

So have you tried this? Let me know your thoughts on it.

Speak soon

Roo xx

Thursday 13 March 2014

Beauty Smackdown #7: Revlon Photoready Primer Vs Becca Resurfacing Primer

I'm starting to think I have a problem, I appear to be obsessed with and hoarding primers, does anyone else do this? Anyway, with the one I have I have tried my best to pair up the most similar formulas.

So the packaging is completely different, Becca being a tube and Revlon having a pump. Personally I prefer a tube because the I feel like I can get everything out of it and that my money isn't being wasted. Sorry the Revlon one looks gross - I've had it a while and it gets thrown about.


On the left in the Revlon primer and on the right is the Becca primer. First off they are both super pale but Revlon looks a little pink and Becca looks a little yellow - not sure about the effects of this. 

The Becca formula is a lot thicker but they both have a resurfacing feel about them, I love this because I like feeling that I am starting on even canvas. 

As for lasting power I feel that the Becca has better staying power and certainly helps the longevity of your foundation. That being said, I do feel that Revlon has a good formula but you pay for what you get. 

You get 40ml/1.35 fl.oz of product in the Becca primer and 27ml/0.91 fl.oz in the Revlon primer. Again, you pay for what you get. 

As many of you know I got the Becca primer for an absolute steal at £9.99 but the usual retail price (which I would focus on because you're more likely to find it for the higher price) is £32.00. This is a bit expensive but if you're after a bargain then I would try the Revlon Photoready primer for £11.99.

My overall winner this week is the Becca Resurfacing Primer. I love the formula and the packaging is an absolute win. The only thing that lets me down is the price, I'm not sure I would buy it again knowing I would have to pay over triple the price. 

Let me know what your favourite primers are :)

Speak soon 
Roo xx

Wednesday 12 March 2014

The Drugstore Edit #8: Barry M Dazzledust

Happy Hump Day everyone! The sun is shining (at least where I am) and I hope you're all having a great day :)


This week it's all about Barry M's very own little pigment pots. We've all seen MACs pigments and how much they cost. Granted, the good thing about pigments is that they will last ages! So £17.00 seems less unreasonable. For some reason I cannot find out how much product is in the Barry M pots but I think it's probably about 1/3 of the size. They do retail for £4.59 so pound for pound they are a little more affordable. Like I say, they will last a very long time so if you're working with a budget then this may be the one for you.


Pigments are also known to be a little tricky to use, obviously with loose powder you run the risk of incredible amounts of fallout. They are also highly pigmented - what you see is what you get, this makes clean up all the more difficult.


These are available from Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and many other Barry M stockists. If you're new to pigments I would seriously recommend trying these little pots (I'd also advise having plenty of make up wipes at the ready).

Have you tried this? Let me know what you think :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Empties Time!

I love doing empties posts and it feels like spring cleaning when I finally get to get rid of all these empty bottles. It's been a while since I have done an empties something (video last I think) so I am more than overdue and I have a fair amount to talk about.

My pretty empties box! Upcycled from a Soap and Glory gift box haha! It's the perfect storage :)


Let's get to it!

Macadamia Oil Shampoo & Conditioner (Organix Hair) £6.99 each
In my opinion not the cheapest hair care, I usually don't spend a lot but I love these! They have an amazing smell and make my hair feel so smooth and soft. I have gone through 2 lots of this now and I still love it. I haven't had that 'Use it once and it' amazing, use it more and it just doesn't have the same effect' feeling with this so I am really happy with that. There are a lot of treatments in the line - they have coconut oil, argan oil, keratin therapy and so many more to try as well as serums and oils, so there is plenty to try! 
Repurchase? Heck yes! I've bought it twice and until I find something better I will keep buying this stuff.

Strengthening Polish Remover (Cutex) £2.20
To be honest, there's not a lot to say about polish remover, it's a constant need and this does the job. When it comes to polish remover though I always seem to stick with the Cutex brand, I don't really need any of their removers with a treatment because my nails are really strong and healthy but it doesn't hurt to have it. 
Repurchase? Yeah! I always need polish remover and this is always my chosen brand. 

Fix+ (MAC) £14.50
I use this a hell of a lot, this was my first bottle and I instantly bought another as soon as I was running low! I use this before I apply foundation (after primer) and I spray my foundation brush with the stuff, I don't know why but it gives me a flawless finish and I literally cannot apply my make up without it.
Repurchase? Come on now, of course! 

Anti- Blemish Solutions System (Clinique) £25.00
I am sure that this has come down in price! It was £30 when I bought it and the full size is £50! Regardless, I cannot get by without this, the clarifying lotion and all-over clearing treatment are so important in my skincare routine. To be honest I can live without the cleansing foam, it just runs out too fast and I prefer the liquid face soap, which I have numerous samples of!
Repurchase? Not as a set, I would do away with the cleansing foam and buy full sizes of both the clarifying lotion and the all-over clearing treatment. 

Anti- Blemish Solutions Spot Treatment Gel (Clinique) £14.00
I'm not sure what's happening with this product, I just tried to find the price and it's like it doesn't exist on Clinique's or Boots website. Maybe they are discontinuing it in place of the new clinical clearing gel, who knows :S. Anyway, I love this stuff, I use it along side the other Clinique products and it works wonders! Stings like hell though :(
Repurchase? Yes, if I can get my hands on it. If not, I'll have to try their new product :/

Take The Day Off Make up Remover (Clinique) £17.00
I only have a sample size and I loved it, it certainly did the job but I felt greasy and weird after using it which is not ideal for me. When I remove my make up I want to feel clean. 
Repurchase? No, the price is very steep and after trying Bioderma I would much rather buy a Micellar water remover. 

Quickliner for Eyes (Clinique) £15.00
Yet another sample size, I only really used this for tightlining, I'm not big on using pencil liner on my top lash line, I prefer gel or liquid. It was good to use and to try but there are others out there for half the price.
Repurchase? No, like I say, there are other, cheaper alternatives so I'm not too fussed by it. 

Zoom Fast Black Lash (MAC) £14.00
I got this as a birthday present and I was very excited to use it. It was great for a while but seemed to dry up quite fast and was a little clumpy. It's not the most expensive so that's not bad but I feel there are better mascaras for less money.
Repurchase? Well I never actually bought this, so I would never buy it for myself. 

Instant Brow Pencil (Benefit) £15.00
I love trying new brow products and anything that makes mine look groomed and full makes me very happy. This was an all right product, the colour was a little off and it was very soft. I burned through this so fast which makes me a little disappointed, I think if the product was a little more solid there would have been less waste. It does have a spoolie on the end which I love because they are such handy brow tools but it doesn't really make up for the product. 
Repurchase? No, the product was fine if you have money to burn but not if you want your products to last a decent amount of time. I also think there are better products with better colour selection out there. 

So that is all of my saved up empties! Let me know what you think of these products :)

P.S - Just a little note about MAC products, though I have finished mine I'm not throwing away the packaging. If you save 6 empty mac products you can take the to a MAC counter and as part of the Back 2 MAC scheme you can redeem 1 lipstick! 

Speak soon 
Roo xx 

Sunday 9 March 2014

February Favourites 2014

Ahh were a little while into March so I really needed to post my Feb favourites. Let's get into it!

























Mask of Magnaminty (LUSH) £9.25: This stuff is amazing, I mean it doesn't compare to GlamGlow or anything but if you want a face mask you can use infinite times in a week then this is it! It's so refreshing and does such a great job at removing blackheads. It's not really an exfoliator but does have weird bits of stuff in there (not sure what it is). This has got a weird yet minty smell so this may put you off and is a little annoying to remove but it still does wonders for me. I use a foundation brush to apply this as to not waste product and get a neat, even covering over my face. Even then, this stuff lasts a long time!

It's Potent Eye Cream (Benefit) £24.50: I only have the sample size of this and it is my first dealings with anything skincare from Benefit - I wasn't even aware they did skincare until I found this. I love this in my morning routine, sometimes I feel like the skin around my eyes is tight and dehydrated and this just fixes it right up! I am seriously contemplating buying the full size of this once I've finished all my eye creams. 

Extraordinary Oil (L'Oreal Elvive) £9.99: I love to use this after I have washed my hair and before I blow dry. I just apply a couple of pumps to the ends of my hair and massage the excess into my scalp and leave it for about 30mins and allow my hair to partially dry. This allows the oil to sink into my hair and get to work. This has a pleasant smell and really does make my hair feel super soft and nourished.

Russian Red Lipstick (MAC) £15: This is my perfect red lip. I know that everyone loves Ruby Woo and don't get me wrong, I think it's a beautiful colour but it's a very stand out red. Russian Red is a little darker, still along the same colour family, but in my opinion less frightening. It makes your teeth look super white too!

Naked Gloss in Nooner (Urban Decay) £15: Relatively a new release in the beauty world and I had to jump on it! There so many shades to choose from and I took far too long in trying to choose which one I wanted because they all looked so beautiful. I eventually chose Nooner which is one of the glitterless glosses in the line. This is such a smooth non sticky gloss, it add dimension to your lips and doesn't dry them out. The only thing I would say it that the smell is a little strange, slightly minty but if you aren't big on fragranced products then this might put you off, but by all means go have a look at an UD counter. 

White Pencil Eyeliner (Natural Collection) £1.99: I got this because I wanted to try a white eyeliner, I've never used one before and finally gave in. It really just helps to brighten the eyes and although this possibly isn't the best one going it certainly was a bargain at just £1.99, so I'll probably end up trying another one in due course, but this one is doing just fine so far. 

Expert Face Brush and Powder Brush (Real Techniques) £9.99 and £12.99 respectively: Now I didn't actually pay those prices for them, I got them for £6.49 and £8.04 from ASDA which is a total bargain! I had wanted to try some of the face brushes from this line for a while so I am very happy that I now own some. The expert face brush is nicely packed and applies foundation flawlessly and the powder brush helps to not apply too much powder and stops it from looking cakey. 

Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat (Hourglass) £28: I had to save this one till last. This is taking the beauty world by storm and I have only heard rave reviews. This combines a blush and their face powder to create a beautiful glow. This is very pigmented so a little goes a long way and you'll have to tap of excess. Asides from the product being amazing, the packaging is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! It's very sleek and uber expensive looking (well it should be for the price)

I hope you have enjoyed my favourites for this month, let me know your thoughts on these products and tell me what you have been loving over the month of February. 

Speak soon, 

Roo xx

Friday 7 March 2014

Fixation Friday #3: Bare Minerals Foundation

Foundation is a big thing for me. I have a bit of a love hate relationship with the stuff. It's like I need the coverage but then I feel like it might be making my skin look worse :/ This would be solved by a Clarisonic (hint hint!). Anyway, I haven't tried any mineral foundations which is what draws me towards Bare Minerals so much.

Bare Minerals claim to have all natural ingredients, this seems so perfect to me because it wouldn't clog my pores or cause any break outs. I am also excited to try this because I'm hoping it would reduce shine and also not melt off my face.
As far as I'm aware the original foundation also has a matte formula counterpart, which is preferable to me. - hopefully this would also eliminate the need for a setting powder too.

Let me know if you have tried the Bare Minerals foundation, what do you think of it.

Speak soon,

Roo xx

Thursday 6 March 2014

Beauty Smackdown #6: Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss Vs Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer

Over the course of 2013 I really got into lipgloss, before that I wasn't fussed by the stuff. I love lipgloss, I think it's an important part of everyone makeup bag :)

This week I'm a putting Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss up against Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer. I like both of these glosses but I know that they wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. I would probably say that if you don't like gloss with glitter or cannot abide even the slightest amount of stickiness then these both won't be for you.



So the colours I have aren't exactly the same but I think the formulas are comparable. The top one is Chanel which is full size and the bottom one is Smash box which is a sample size I got from a set of all Smashbox's best sellers.



They both have similar applicators, they aren't anything special but they get the job done. I think this is actually a good thing sometimes because occasionally having a fancy applicator can distract from an awful product and just going simple shows the product for what it is. Though this isn't the case all the time.



The Smashbox gloss is 'Illume' which is more of a champagne colour and the Chanel gloss is 'Seashell' which is much pinker. I think the glitter in the Smashbox gloss is a bit chunkier which can be annoying, especially as the gloss dries out, so in that respect the Chanel gloss is superior.

When it comes to fragrance and I know that this can be both a bad thing or a good thing depending on how you feel about it. The Chanel gloss has virtually no smell which doesn't bother me because I like fragrance but if it's not there then I really don't mind. The Smashbox gloss has quite a lot of scent, it's is very vanilla so if this isn't your thing then I would steer clear.

Price point are quite different, Smashbox being the budget luxe of the two.
Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss  - £15.00
Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer - £21.00

I know that both of these can be very pricey for a lipgloss depending on your budget. My personal preference of the two is the Chanel Gloss, that just does it for me. It's smooth and not chunky, it glides on better and there is a much bigger colour selection. I think you totally pay for the quality. I love the Smashbox one because the scent is amazing and the colour is great, the formula could be really make or break for some people. So my winner for this week is Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer.

I always encourage readers to get out there and try things for themselves. My reviews are my opinions and you might totally disagree with me. The only way to know is to trial and error. If you are interested in trying both of these products then you can find them on www.boots.com or in most larger Boots stores (UK) I assume that any stockist should carry both of these products.

Speak soon,

Roo xx

Wednesday 5 March 2014

The Drugstore Edit #7: Revlon Color Stay Eyeshadow Quad

I know 7 isn't a massively significant number (well to me it isn't), but I can't believe I am one my 7th one of these posts. I really enjoy doing them and I hope you all love reading them :)

This week I am focusing on the Revlon Colour Stay Eyeshadow Quad in 212 Adventurous.
I've probably mentioned this quad a few times but never gone into massive depth about it.


These are the colours that you get in the Adventurous quad, A frosty white, pearl finish dark green, pearl finish dark bronze and a matte deep brown. This does come with the double ended sponge applicator but I never use them unless I don't have anything else. This also doesn't come with a mirror, which doesn't bother me too much but if I'm on the go and I need a little mirror then it's nice to have it all in one. I'm not sure how I feel about the size of the colours because I know they have set them so you get more of what you would use most and less of what you use least of but I might have preferred them in equal sizes.


Swatchy time!
I love doing swatches, how else would you know the pigment and true colour of the product?!
From left to right - frosty white, pearl deep green, pearl deep bronze and matte deep brown.

Frosty white - I love this for the inner corner, you could use this for a brow bone highlight but I think it's a little intense unless you are going full on glam. I also love patting this in the centre of the lid with my finger because it comes out super pigmented and just adds extra dimension and makes your eyes look bigger.

Pearl deep green - Green isn't everyone's cup of tea and can be a little frightening to use but this heavily borders on being a near brown neutral so it's not as threatening. It also works great on brown and hazel eyes, let's face it though - I never follow those eyeshadow/ eye colour pairing thingies, I have blue eyes and I love rocking some green shadow!

Pearl deep bronze - This is super rich and lustrous, I love using this all over the lid but if it's a little dark for your liking then you can just use this in the crease.

Matte deep brown - my most work colour in this palette, I don't really ever use this for eyeshadow but for filling in the ends of my brows. I use the flat brush on the Naked 2 brush duo because it is honestly the perfect brush for picking up colour and it is the right thickness/ width for precision. This can also be used as an eyeliner if you want to go for less intense liner look.


If I had to rate this I would give it an 8/10. The colours are super pigmented, have a great texture and are super blendable as well as having great packaging but I would have probably replaced the deep bronze with a lighter version. It's great if you want a dark smoky look but doesn't give you an awful lot of versatility because it's all a bit too dark.

This is also super affordable at £7.99 so you get great value for money. If you are interested in trying this palette then you can buy it at Boots or your nearest Revlon stockist.

Let me know what you this of this quad :)

Speak soon,

Roo xx