MUA Primer Review

I've had this for what seems like forever, as id just use it now and then. However, before christmas I decided I had far too much makeup and needed to downsize - well this was put in my 'things to use up' make up bag.

Seen as I've nearly used it up - I thought id review it for ya'll,

enjoy! x

Good Points

*Price - at £4 this is one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) primers I own. Its a decent size so you're not getting seen off either

*It's good for dry skin - theres something about the formula of this thats moisturising, which means I can use it during the winter when my skin is slightly dry. If you're in a rush and don't have time to moisturise (naughty naughty) you're better off reaching for this as it is a bit of a double duty product

*Travel friendly - like i mentioned earlier, its a decent size however its not huge, so when i went away last year this was my primer of choice as it just fits nicely in my travel makeup bag

*Its refreshing - it feels quite cool on my face, perfect for these spring mornings where i want to feel refreshed and awake (or the dark winter mornings when i just want to look alive)

Not So Good Points

The formula - as you can see in the picture above the formula is a little uneven, almost to the point where I'm debating whether this has gone off..

*Cheap packaging - yes its a cheap product but i have many a bargain with packaging thats lasted me years - however the nozzle bit that controls the amount of product which comes out broke (such a technical explanation)

*You could spend a little bit more for a much better primer. For example - i love the Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer which is around £6.99 but has a lot more positive qualities than this one. ALSO the silicon based primer by MUA is a mere £1 more and so so much better (review to come)

*Is it more of a moisturiser? - my makeup ALWAYS lasts longer whenever i wear a moisturiser (which I of course do daily), so I'm unsure whether its the moisturising aspect of this product thats making my makeup last, or whether it is just an ok primer?

*Its just OK - it does make my makeup stay on longer depending what makeup i wear - funny how it only works with certain things but because of this i don't get the use out of it i should do

*It claims to 'flawlessly even out complexion' - I HATE it when a product claims something so exaggerated and doesn't even come close. Just incase you were wondering, it didn't make me 'flawless'

Overall, this is a decent budget primer, particularly if you have dry skin (i can't vouch for you oily skinned ladies out there sorry) - however i won't be repurchasing this purely because there are others i like more

You can buy this here

Have you tried this primer? What do you think?

justmejustsam

xxxx

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer Review

Usually when i splash out on a high end product, its something I've lustered after for a long time and saved up for. 

This wasn't quite that - infact i can't really remember why i bought it, its not like I'm ever low on concealers!

This is one of those products where theres a million and one reviews out there already, but as usual ill stick my two penneth in ;)

enjoy x

Good Points

*The formula - I love a good creamy concealer, and this is just that. You have to swirl your finger/brush round to 'soften' up the product (depending on how warm the room is) but once you've done that you've got a lovely texture to work with - particularly good for anyone with dry skin

*It's brightening - i often use this under my eyes because i feel it illuminates the skin but not too much

*It does conceal - after all its a concealer?! but i didn't want to leave that point out!

Not So Good Points

*The Price - £17.50 for a concealer is not something id ever pay (mine was in the sale thank goodness - perhaps thats why i bought it?) and when you consider all the brilliant drug store ones you can get for that, not forgetting the notorious Collection 2000 one that every man and his dog LOVES (apart from me i don't have it... yet)

*The packaging quality - The design rubbed off near enough straight away which i always hate, and it particularly annoyed me with this because of the price it was!

*Industrial strength? - It just wasn't on me, maybe I've got super mega beast spots that are impossible to conceal? I think not, but i did have big big expectations for this 

Overall, this is a good concealer, particularly for under the eyes and i would recommend it if you have the cash to splash,

however i won't be repurchasing purely because of the cost - i just keep thinking of all the other things from a drug store i could have got for that amount of money!

You can buy this here

Have you tried this? What did you think?

justmejustsam

xxxx

Lee Stafford Sea Salt Spray Review

I bought this after seeing someone sporting gorgeous wavy hair, and thought I too would be able to achieve this look. She kindly let me use some and I couldnt wait to look like id misplaced my surf board - Turns out not. 

* Good points *

Packaging - I love the fact everything from this range is pink - not only is it realllllly easy to find in Boots, but it also looks nice on my dressing table. Well it would if i kept it there but i don't.

Price - For a hair product this isn't to bad let's face it, plus theres always some sort of 3 for 2 or similar offer on so its actually unlikely you'd pay full price for this

* Not so good points *

I don't like it - it made my hair feel greasy straight away, and added too much weight meaning my naturally wavy hair dropped. After several attempts using different amount of product and different application techniques i realised this product just isn't for me. That doesn't necessarily mean this is a bad product, because as i said initially, i first discovered this after seeing my friend with gorgeous beach waves. 

What I will say is if you want to try this product, do use a friend's first (if possible) because I wasted £7.99 on something ill never use again.

I won't be repurchasing this, however there are still a number of things from this brand i want to try - the hair growth treatments in particular

Has anyone tried anything from this range that they could recommend?

You can buy this for £7.99 here

justmejustsam

xxxx

Maybeline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara Review

Erm.. I have a confession - This post has been sitting in my drafts for just over 18months… Oops indeedy!

 I initially reviewed this when it was all over blogs and youtube, so I'm sure this would have gone down much better then BUT there's got to be some of you lovely lot who haven't yet tried this? 

On the plus side of this being super late, you get to see how dodgy my eyebrows were when i used to fill them in with eyeshadow - enjoy :)

* Good Points *

The packaging - I'm a sucker for anything leopard print and lets face it this is enough to jazz up any makeup bag, especially since spring is here and summer isn't (hopefully) too far off. Another bonus is the design doesn't rub off which tends to happen when theres a snazzy design on something! Its also really sturdy and i travelled with this numerous times, safely knowing it would arrive in the same condition it left :)

The Price - £7.99 for a mascara which will give you around 6 months (if not more) use works out very cheap when you think cost per use. I also prefer this to other mascaras which were much more costly, i.e. Loreal, Benefit, PLUS theres always some sort of 3 for 2/ buy one get one half price etc offer on so its very rare you'd actually end up paying this price

Quality of the product - although this didn't make my eyelashes look super thick (which it does claim to do), it did lengthen and it did give me the cat eye flick on the outer edges. The shape of the brush also meant there was no need to curl my lashes, as this did the job just fine!

* Not so good points *

Excess product - as you can see on the photos, there was excess mascara, around my lid in particular, which meant I had to wait for the mascara to dry, then use a wipe to clean it - this is a problem A) if you're in a rush B) if you forget and enter the outside world looking as if you've been crying/were half asleep when you did your makeup.

Overall I definitely recommend this product, and once I've used up my current stash of mascaras this will be one of few I will actually repurchase. I also recommended this to my friend who has beautiful asian eyes and her eyelashes are very long and thick, but point down - if that makes sense? They made them even longer and did slightly curl them up despite the weight of her lashes working fiercely against this!

Have you tried this mascara? Is it a current favourite or am I talking about a product everyone forgot about? haha

You can buy this here for £7.99

Justmejustsam 

xxx

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Review

There are literally hundereds of review floating around the internet for this product, but as usual i want to put my two penneth out there.

I must admit i only bought this because of the reviews id seen, and as summer was coming up i thought a lighter foundation/tinted moisturiser type product sounded perfect. And i wasnt wrong. Id also recommed shopping around because its always on offer in Boots or Superdrug, so theres no need to pay full price!

Good Points

*If youre having a good skin day, this will make it even better. If your skin is clear this is a really complimentary product for that

*It brightens your skin and is lovely and light. I read a review which said something like 'it looks like my skin but better' and i cant think of a better way to put it. It covers dark circles and smoothes out bumps, but doesnt cover up your skin, which i absolutely love about this

*A little goes a long way - youll be pleased to know you dont need much of this product to cover your entire face. Ive had this for over 6 months, and i still have around half left.

*It blends into skin well. I used this in March when i was pale as could be and it looked great. I used this after a week in Turkey (meaning my skin was considerably darker) and it still looks great.

*The scent - this smells gorgeous, and as with other Garnier products it smells really fresh and clean, which then leaves my face feeling the same.

Not So Good Points

*It doesnt provide much coverage, so if im having a spotty day, i dont usually wear this which means its use is limited!

*The price - its a lot cheaper than other foundations, but there are plenty of foundations on the market for a similar price which give much more coverage.


Overall this is a lovely product which I definitely recommend and will be repurchasing (probably when its on offer ;) ) 

Have a lovely weekend!
xxxx

Barry M Blusher Brush Review

Brushes are the hardest thing for me to review - they're like perfumes, hard to describe and unless one really stands out to me I forget to talk about it. Having had this for around two years i now feel in a position to be able to give you a bit more than 'its nice'…

Good points

*The price - these days you don't get a lot for £5 in the way of makeup brushes, but this really is a steal when you consider the quality

*Quality - the bristles are very soft and intact not at all 'bristly', and in the years I've been using it i can't remember one falling out, unlike many of my most expensive brushes!

*Appearance - I'm a sucker for anything pretty, and this does look lovely in my brush pot, although they've since changed the design which i must admit is even more cute

*Application - theres something about this brush that means I only have to use such a small amount of product (no matter what blush I'm using) meaning my blushes last a tremendous amount of time

*Even finish - even for the most unskilled hands your blush would still look flattering, this doesn't streak across your face, and is very good for blending, so theres no looking like a russian doll with this one

Not so good points

*The first time i washed this, understandably a little water got into the metal bit (such technical terms) and the head promptly fell off the handle, which was nothing a bit of eyelash glue didn't sort out but still its not ideal

Overall i do recommend this brush, particularly for beginners and those who like a bit of colour in their brush pot, you can buy this here for £4.99

xx

NOTD - Barry M Magnetic Purple

Magnetic nails were one of my favourite discoveries of 2012. They're so easy and so cheap, but they really don't look like that. Two years later, whenever i wear these, i still get compliments and its always a topic of conversation.

Since then, BarryM have brought out a whole host of colours, all winter shades i must admit but i still love them nonetheless! 

My only gripe is that for some reason the magnetic polishes have less staying power than the regular BarryM colours, but i truly feel its worth it just to have this look for a couple of days

Technique wise, these couldn't be easier to use and I've even been known to do these in the car on my way to a party before - they're THAT easy!

If you've followed my blog for some time you'll know that BarryM was one of the first even brands i got into, and i would regularly use my weekly pocket money to buy the brightest shade of polish i could find - 8 years later and not much has changed, I just now have a collection with enough nail polish to paint a country.

You can buy this for £4.99 here 

xx

NYC 16H Lip Stain Forever Freesia Review

You can buy this here

My excitment to try this product was ridiculous. I literally ripped it out the packaging as soon as i handed over my Superdrug beauty card. I must say i think its more of a winter shade as its a slight dark pink, but seen as there are no rules with makeup theres no reason why this wouldnt look lovely in summer.

Good Points

* You can get clean line around your lips because of the felt tip style applicator, which means its near enough impossible to smudge this.

*The price - at £3.99 you can afford to get a number of shades, and compared to other high end brands who do lip stains this is a steal

*The colour - the colour is a lovely colour, and you can layer it up so you can have it a lot more subtle (i.e during the day) or apply more product to give a really bright lip (i.e night time)

Not So Good Points

*Its drying - by the end of the night i find i have to apply vaseline over the top to stop my lips from actually flaking. This does however make the colour look quite nice!

*It feels like youre putting felt tip on your lips. The texture, the smell, the taste. Everything. Its a little weird.

*You cant rub your lips together - this might sound strange, but when i put a lip stick/gloss on i like to rub my lips together to make sure its applied properly and i like the feel, but with this the formula is so dry you cant do that.

*16 HOURS? 16 HOURS? Id like to hear from this person who wore this for 16 Hours! This didnt even last a couple of hours for me, and i wouldnt even like to enterain the thought of eating as this would come straight off. Id have to give this a thumbs down for endurance.

*Having said that, when i took my makeup off, my lips were slightly stained from this, which is what the product is right? Not a good look when the stain is mostly left around the outside of my lips, making it look like ive applied dark lip liner. Id recommend exfoliating lips with a toothbrush to get this off completely.

*It doesnt last very long. Being a felt tip, i could already feel this drying out after only a few applications, so if youre looking for something a bit more economical, id go for a lipstick.

Overall, although im glad i tried this product, and i will still wear it occasionally, i wont be purchasing any other colours, as it just has much more cons than pros for me. What i will say however, is that this may work better in a more subtle nude colour, as the fading and staining may be much more subtle.

Thanks for reading!

xxxx

Clean and Clear Morning Energy Review

Clean & Clear Morning Energy Skin Brightening Daily Facial Moisturiser

£3.99

here

Good Points

* The price - 75ml has lasted my around 6 months, and the fact that i only need 1 or 2 pumps per use makes this really cost effective - and i love it when a little goes a long way!

*The smell - I can only describe this as something that wakes me up the right way on a morning. The papaya and lemon makes this really zesty, and its not one of them smells you get sick of

*The consistency - its thick yet thin. I know that doesn't make sense but basically it comes out quite thick (meaning you only need a little) however when its spread over the face it doesn't create a layer - it sinks into the skin nicely

*Its good for my dry skin - If you follow my blog you'll know I've been at my wits end with  my dry skin, and this is the first time in over a year my skin hasnt been dry. I haven't changed anything else so I'm assuming it must be this! 

*Brightens my skin - the 3rd picture down just about depicts the slight sheen this product has, which makes my skin look much more awake on a morning than i actually feel! Its perfect for this time of year when my skin is at its dullest

*It didn't break me out - I'm always anxious before trying a new product as i never quite know how my skin will react, but this was a dream! 

*Would repurchase - This is definitely one of my favourite face products for all the above reasons

Not So Good Points

*Its a pump bottle - i don't like the fact that ill get so far down this and ill no longer be able to get anymore out of it despite there being like a quarter left - i hate waste!

*If i was in a rush and just left this on my face would be shiny - obviously it depends what other products you use but i always find i need to use a light powder with this

Overall, id recommend this for someone with slightly dry skin, on a budget, and looking for something that will brighten up your skin at this dull time of year!

Id love to read your comments :)

xxxx

Benefit Lemonaid Primer - Review

You can find this here

Good Points

*I LOVE This - This is one of my holy grail products and something i reach for all the time

*Like other Benefit products, it lasts forever. Ive had mine over a year and granted I've hit pan, but I'm nowhere near running out

*No matter what eyeshadow i apply over the top, no matter how expensive or cheap it is, it does not budge ALL day. Whenever i have a dance show, i use this and it stays on ALL night, not matter how much i sweat

*Its compact and has a mirror which means its perfect for travelling

*It makes eyelids sticky, so eyeshadow just sticks onto it and stays there

*The packaging is sturdy, with a sleek design

*It doesn't interfere with the colour of your eyeshadow - I've used primers in the past where its made the eyeshadow look lighter or darker. With this, your eyeshadow transfers exactly the same as it is in the palette.

Not So Good Points

*Cost - £16.50 is a ridiculous amount to spend on a primer in my eyes. But. I. Just. Cant. Help. It.

*Benefit claim you can use this alone to brighten up your eyes - Hell no. When applied eyelids look really pale and yellow, not a good look.

Overall, i can not recommend this product enough, I've already repurchased for when this runs out. Its the perfect base for any eyeshadow, and one of the many reasons why i love Benefit!

xxxx

Kylie Minogue Sweet Darling Perfume

You can find this here

Granted this is the empty bottle. But thats the perfect time for a review isn't it?

Good Points

* The scent - this is a sweet, girly scent which can be used for both day and night time

*The scent lasts really well - if I've worn this the day before, when I'm putting my clothes in the washer i can still smell it

*The packing is simple and sweet, and the bottle has a really lovely iridescent tone to it

*Its travel friendly, you can purchase this as small as 30ml, but even the 100ml i had is perfectly handbag/suitcase friendly

*Its economical - yes its not the cheapest, but considering I've had this for so long, I've got a lot of use out of it and its lasted me an age!

Not So Good Points

Its a little outdated - I've had this probably around 5 years, and when someone asks what you're wearing, and you reply 'kylie minogue' it doesn't get the same response as 'marc jacobs' or 'chanel' does it?

*Cost - considering this is a celebrity fragrance which has been released for a considerable number of years, its still £33.33 for 100ml. Yes there are perfumes far more expensive than this, but there are also perfumes for less. Luckily this was a gift, but if i were to be spending that sort of money on a fragrance, id rather pay that little bit more (or the same) and go designer.

Overall, i totally recommend this perfume, and i would possibly repurchase this in the future if it came down in price or was in some sort of offer. If you like sweet girly smells, you'll definitely like this, and its perfect to wear anytime, whether you're at work, going on a date, or a night out!

xxxx

FAB Body Moisturiser Review (Glossybox Product)

You can buy this here for £10.27

Well. This is a really hard review to write because i really can't think of that much to say. I was neither wowed or severely disappointed. Rather than write a paragraph which most people will just skip over i thought id set this out a little different and easier to skim over.

Good points:

*This particular size is perfect for travel or to put in your handbag (i sometimes use these as hand creams - they're for your body right?)

*I could wear this then perfume on the top, because this lotion has no scent so there wasn't a clash of smells that i sometimes find with other products

* The formula is really creamy and feels nice applied to the skin

*It soaks in really quickly which is good for people on the go

*Jennifer Aniston is said to use this brand - if its good enough for her!

*Considering its a travel sized product, it lasted me a good few weeks

Not so good points

* Price - although £10.27 isn't going to break the bank, there are other moisturisers which i absolutely love that cost a fraction of this price

*It didn't leave me moisturised for longer than a day

* It didn't moisturise my dry areas, so if you have dry skin i wouldnt recommend this

*The packaging means you theres product left in the bottle even when you can longer get any out - i hate waste!

*There was no scent - this is something i always notice first about a body product, and i have to say i was a little gutted there was no scent!

Overall this is an average product, but i won't be repurchasing this body moisturiser as i think there are far better moisturisers on the market which are a little more purse friendly!

See my FAB Face Cleanser Review here

xxxx

Yankee Candle Tea Lights Review

This may seem like a strange thing to review, but they weren't really what i expected.

I actually won these at a local bingo night (haha!) and i LOVE yankee, so i couldn't wait to try them out.

They claim to smell of 'Early Sunrise' - there was no scent whatsoever to these. They may aswell have been plain tea lights. They burnt for a couple of hours before going out, which surprised me because i thought seen as they were Yankee they'd last much longer.

I can't understand why A - there was no scent and B - they lasted for like 2 seconds. Maybe the scent of Early Sunrise was so subtle it was just really hard to smell - afterall, have you ever smelt an early sunrise?

I have tried a fair few Yankee products and i can't rave about them enough, but these just didn't cut it for me I'm afraid, and i wouldn't repurchase these. I think ill just stick to my trusty tartlets instead!

If you are still interested however, you can buy these for £6.25 here

Id love to hear you're thoughts on these!

xxxx