Maybelline Blush Studio Jelly Glow Blush Review

Ok, so this one is a bit of an odd one. Recently I went along to one of the local shopping outlet centres near my house, they've recently just opened a shop called The Beauty Outlet. It's one of those shops which stocks W7, really discounted big brands and also some brands you may never have heard of. Personally I love these types of shops, they may not have what you want by a certain brand but they are amazing for going 'treasure hunting'. 

Anyway, I managed to pick up a blush by Maybelline that I have never seen or heard of before. I believe this is a Japanese import down to the writing on the packaging. It is pretty unusual to find imports outside of these types of shops which make them all the more interesting.

Excusing the blurry photo, let's talk about the packaging. This thing is pretty small so I'm not too sure how that will affect the products lifespan, it did seem to go down quite a lot when I first used it so either it was just compressing or it's going to run out super quick. It is pretty cute but I some how get the impression that it's cheap because of the white and clear plastic packaging despite the fact of it feeling quite sturdy, granted I did only spend £1.99 on this so I'm not expecting the packaging to be top notch.

The texture is quite weird in that it's somewhere between a mousse and a cream and it's definitely something I've not come across before. I chose the shade '02' which is a fairly rosy pink which generally suits cool pale complexions but I personally think its a universal shade. They did one other shade in the shop I bought it from but a little research told me that there were a few other shades available. 

The picture hasn't quite captured the pigment so well but my general feeling about it is that it's easy to apply a nice natural sheer layer but tread with caution as it gets really intense with layering. I also found that this was super blendable and really easy to use. Specifically I like to use my BeautyBlender micro.mini because personally I just feel it give a more natural finish and also blends the colour evenly across my cheek. 

I'm definitely feeling this one and I think I love it even more because of how inexpensive it is! If you happen to come across this then I would advise picking it up without hesitation. I totally encourage you all to go for a little hunt around these types of shops because you really never know what you are going to find. 

Have you been in one of these shops? What did you find?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation Review

I'm not usually one to go for Maybelline foundations because they all seem to draw memories of the girls in my high school using the Dream Mousse Foundation and all looking completely orange and cakey. Sorry Maybelline, I know it's not your fault that young girls abused your products but ever since it's left a bad taste in my mouth. Suffice to say, I wanted to give them another chance and given their newest foundation release looks so interesting I just couldn't resist giving it a go. 

It's definitely unique in appearance. The tear-drop shaped bottle is something I haven't seen before in any company so it really feels like there has been a lot of thought that has gone into this. It also feels like quite a high quality product as the bottle is glass and generally feels quite sturdy. 

 One massive uniqueness is the wand. A lot of foundations don't bother with a wand but favour either no wand or a pump. Personally I don't really see the point in a wand as I much prefer a pump for sanitation purposes so there is that downside. According to Maybelline the wand is designed to deliver the right amount of product for a 'fuss-free' application. Personally I thought that coverage was too light and though it would work for others who have better skin to begin with I feel like I needed much more. I seriously recommend applying this to the back of your sanitised hand or to a palette before applying to the face.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this foundation but I actually really like it. The coverage is nice and lightweight and I prefer something like this for days when I don't need the extra coverage. It applies quite smoothly and really sits on the skin well. I do apply foundation with a BeautyBlender and I feel that it really helps to make the product look more natural. I did also find that the formula has a slight liquid to powder feel about it which I also like because it didn't leave my skin feeling sticky.

The only real complaints I have about this are the colour selection - I think it's well known that drugstore brands don't really cater for exceptionally pale or really dark skin tones and also the product size, this is only 20ml which is far less that what you would usually receive but if they recommend you use less then it probably works out about right.

This is only £5.99 in Boots and Superdrug at the moment so I seriously recommend giving this a go, especially if you want coverage that looks ultra natural. 

Have you tried this foundation out yet? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

February Favourites 2015

February has been so good to me with some exciting products. I would have expected that as it's the shortest month I wouldn't have had such a good month with products but I was dead wrong.

A lot of this moth I have been really changing the way I apply make up and also the way I have been treating my skin. I've been taking a much more natural approach to my make up and going for a less is more sort of look.


BENEFIT ROLLERLASH
You may have already ready my full review on this (here), in which case you will already know how much I like this. It was a total pleasant surprise as I hadn't really had much nice to say about the They're Real mascara. What I love about this formula is that it promises to lift your lashes without use of a curler. The simple fact is, it delivers. Though I use a curler anyway out of habit, I promise you that your don't even need one with this mascara. I will be purchasing a full size as soon as this little one runs out.


LIZ EARLE CLEANSE & POLISH
This isn't a new thing. We've all seen it and we all know about the tremendous reviews. I am currently using a No7 Hot cloth cleanser (which I love) but as I was running out and this was on a deal I though, hey why not?! The main thing I love about this product is the scent, it's so soothing and makes it excellent for removing make up at night. I don't really have much to say about the make up removing capabilities because I think that it is about the same as the No7 one, so for me this is a nice little treat when I need a little relaxation.


LIZ EARLE INSTANT BOOST SKIN TONIC
This pretty much goes hand in hand with the Cleanse & Polish, but where's the surprise considering I bought them as a duo! I have really been loving this in the morning, there's something about it that really helps to wake you up and perk your skin up a little. Toners are something I am starting to see major importance in, they really help to remove any of the scraps of make up that decided to stick around. Personally I think it makes my skin feel extra clean.

NUXE REVE DE MIEL
This has been an absolute saviour this month. I don't know what's been happening but my lips have been feeling a little bit dry this month (probably because of the wind) and have really needed something intense to remedy the problem. Usually I would favour my Bite Agave Lip Mask but I felt like I had been neglecting Reve De Miel. I remembered why I love this so much. It probably matches up to Bite treatment wise but what is so unique about this is that it is so non sticky, it's very smooth and just glides on. I find it perfect when you want to do a matte lip as it doesn't interfere with the finish of the lipstick. The only downside is that if you don't like orange/honey scented things then you might want to steer clear, though it's a small price to pay for the other amazing qualities.


MAC ANGEL LIPSTICK
Finally I think this is the definitive YLBB (Your Lips But Better) shade. This is a frost shade so there is a little sparkle but really not even that much. I think this really does just even out lip tone and is so easy to just slap on and go if you're in a hurry. Obviously this is my own preference and you could have a totally different lip tone to me but if you are after an all rounder then this is definitely it.


ORIGINAL BEAUTYBLENDER
Was I cruel to leave this until last? I feel like I was but then again, the best things are always saved until last. I became hooked on BeautyBlenders around September last year when I bought the Micro Mini version, don't know why I chose to buy those ones first but I just did. I have really been umming and ahhing about buying the full size original because it was expensive (for me at least) and I didn't want to invest in it in case it didn't live up to the hype. So I did a bit of shopping around and finally took the plunge, go next day delivery too because I am so impatient. I honestly don't think I am ever going back to using a brush again. Ever. There is something about this which makes the make up sit on your skin better, in fact it's not even like the make up is a layer on top of your skin, it really blends it into your skin making it much more natural and effortless. I even think that it makes foundations better, there are some foundations that I have tried with a brush and then went back and tried again with the BB and found it infinitely better. I know I'm raving on a little here but this is some seriously good stuff that everyone needs to try! I'm tempted to do a full review with photos and comparisons but I think I'd end up writing an entire book on why this is such a great product.


What have been your loves for February? Let me know in the comments below,

Speak soon
Roo xx

Anastasia Beverley Hills Contour Kit Review

If you have seen my Instagram recently (@meplusmymakeup) then you will have seen photos of the Anastasia Beverley Hills Contour Kit in both the Light/Medium and Medium/Tan varieties. These were an amazing anniversary present from my generous boyfriend. Thought the Medium/Tan is supposed to be part of my pro makeup kit I couldn't resist swatching them and giving them a try out (as eyeshadows) .

Firstly, lets talk about the aesthetics of the product because, after all, it is what you see first. I am a complete sucker for sleek black packaging, which this definitely is. It's also very minimalist which, again, I really love, it just makes everything look more expensive. I love the letter printing and the metallic writing. The inside makes me so happy to look at, you'll see it in the next photos, but what I specifically like is the fact that the pans are removable but also replaceable. I know this isn't exactly a new concept to be able to repurchase pans but I still find it amazing considering there are so many palettes out there that don't do that (I am familiar with the marketing strategy behind this). It makes me dread using a shadow that I love in a particular palette knowing that I won't be able to replace it. 

The Light/Medium palette features 3 highlight and 3 contour shades. From left to right in the photo - Havana, Fawn, Java, Sand, Banana and Vanilla. 

This palette is more suited to my skin tone so I typically use this for personal contouring. Another thing that is particularly nice about this palette is that there is a mixture of both cool and warm undertone powders which makes it universally flattering. If you are struggling to make some of the colours work for you because the might be too dark, to warm, etc. try using them as an eyeshadow instead.

The Medium/Tan palette, I believe, has 2 highlight shades and 4 contour shades. From left to right in the photo - 10k, Macchiato, Havana, Nutmeg, Espresso and Peaches And Cream. 

Obviously this palette has darker shades but one thing I have noticed is that there is a duplicate from the Light/Medium - Havana. I don't particularly mind this because they are select for different skin tones and it's not as if they are expecting you to buy them all for yourself. The highlight does seem a little more intense in this palette but it pays to remember that it will work well with the darker skin tones. 

I absolutely love the formula of these powders because they are so velvety and smooth and also super blendable. Especially with contour colours you need the product to be really easy to blend because you want to make sure that the colour is fading naturally into your skin so that it isn't so obvious. 

As I'm trying to organise some studio work its going to be good to see how these actually work on camera and how easy they apply to others.

I will do some before and after shots soon (possibly when I'm at the studio) so you can really see what a difference these make. 

What contour/highlight products have you been loving lately? Let me know in the comments :)

Speak soon

Roo xx