Lush Black Stockings Solid Body Tint [Review and Swatch]

Last year, when I first discovered Lush, I bought the Lush Black Stockings Solid Body Tint. I was hoping it would give me a gorgeous summery glow so that I could maintain my fast-fading natural tan after the holidays were over. I wasn't disappointed!

In case you didn't know, the solid body tints are buttery bars of pigment - a bit like the solid moisturisers they do! Instead of moisturising, the tints give you a lovely sheer lick of colour and a decent glow, too. There are two in the range, this one (Black Stockings) and its glittery, paler sister Shimmy Shimmy.

I feel the need to reiterate that I am extremely pale! While I tan very easily, my normal skin colour is like a sheet of paper. I have tried even the most promisingly subtle of 'gradual tan' moisturisers (yes, Dove and Garnier included!) and they have all turned me orange! I should really just be patient and wait for summer so I can develop a thankfully easy natural tan in the sun. But these sorts of products are worth a try, nobody wants to see my bare paper white legs in the winter months!

This product is not remotely orange! It has a lovely Nars Orgasm-esque tint to it, peachy but with enough red and brown undertones to create a fabulously natural looking tanned flush. You just rub the bar on your skin and then blend the tint in accordingly. I love to apply this to the muscle dents of my calves so that it looks like I'm toned - don't knock it 'til you've tried it, it really makes your legs look slimmer! Perfect for if your summer was more ice cream than it was swimming - like mine are generally!

As you can see in the swatch, it appears quite metallic but once rubbed in, it doesn't show. It has a peculiar clay-like scent, much like some of the face marks that Lush produce. This fades when applied and is not noticeable at all unless you pressed your nose directly into the applied area! As for the consistency, the bar is quite hard and I would recommend leaving it in the sun for half a minute before applying it as it can be quite hard to rub in evenly when it's at room temperature. This is definitely a buildable product. While I prefer one layer, it is not at all thick or clogging when on and I completely forget that I've applied it as it's so light!

This is well worth the £7.95 as it lasts for ages and doesn't go off very quickly as it is solid!
To any pale girls wishing they could hold a summer glow better reading this, I'd definitely invest in one of these, I don't think you'll regret it!

Have you tried this before? What's your favourite Lush product?

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Products I Wouldn't Repurchase (featuring Rimmel, Lush lip tint, Maybelline Baby Lips, etc.)

As with any beauty obsessive, there will be many hits and misses with purchases. And, unfortunately, many of these cosmetic misses are our own fault. Sometimes a product just doesn't sit with us. This is the case with the following products. I bought them for various reasons and they didn't live up to my expectations - sometimes because they are just genuinely disappointing, sometimes because they don't suit me.

I don't usually have many disappointing products as I'm very careful with what I buy. Wasting money is the worst feeling, especially when you can't even return the products afterwards!

Lush Santa Baby Lip Tint

Ah, a Lush special edition. Only available at Christmas, this coca-cola scented tint was a terrible waste of £5.50 for me. At the time, I was um-ing and ah-ing over whether to buy this or one of their famous lip scrubs (read: tiny jar of caster sugar with delicious tasting esters). I made the wrong choice. This dries my lips out like nobody's business! The tint is extremely matte and while it has decent staying power, it highlights every single dry patch or crack in your lips - not cool. It also needs warming up before you can put it on, which is a pain as you end up with a scarlet finger and a very grotty tin of product. It's ok, but it's definitely not on my April wishlist. 

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me
Don't get me wrong, I love the Baby Lips line. Ever since I heard they were bringing them to the UK at the beginning of last summer, I was gagging for one of these. I love it, it's a gorgeous sheer tinted and moisturising lip product. A pleasure to use. However, I love my Korres Lip Butter stick a lot more! I wouldn't repurchase Maybelline's Baby Lips simply because I have found something I prefer despite it being more expensive. However, if I end up with major cash flow issues, I'd have no problem returning to Baby Lips.

Mac Mineralize Eyeshadow in Frost at Midnight (part of the Apres Chic collection for December 2012) 
It's gorgeous, I know. As with most Mac Mineralize products, it's visually pleasing. However, I have no use for this colour! The formula is great, the finish is pretty.. I just don't use this sort of metallic purple very often! I wouldn't repurchase it based on that alone - and I don't think I'll ever finish it! But it's a lovely product and I can't fault it. The fact that I wouldn't repurchase is completely my fault!

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Stick in 003 Bad Girl Bronze
I'd seen many rave reviews about these, so I just went for it. Unfortunately, they're not for me. I thought this could be used as a thick eyeliner which I could then smoke out. I was wrong. I know they have other colours in the range that are lighter, but this was too dark to use as a base lid colour for me, and it didn't have the desired smokey effect. I can't really fault the product, I think this was just a poor choice for me.

Maybelline Megaplush Mascara
As my readers will know, I have very thick and short eyelashes - bad combo for a girly girl who loves a fat flutter! I had tried the incredibly hyped Falsies mascara and liked it, but I thought it made my lashes way too brittle. The advert for this claimed that it wasn't brittle and as that was my main problem with the Falsies, I was sold! This didn't deliver the length or volume I expected. However, I think this would produce a lovely subtle look for a girl with thinner or longer eyelashes. There's nothing wrong with it so to speak, it just doesn't suit me.

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?

Garnier Moisture Match Goodbye Dry Moisturiser Review

As with most months, a copy of Glamour was dropped onto my doormat today and with it was a sample of Garnier's Moisture Match Goodbye Dry moisturiser! I'm bad with sample sachets, they linger in my makeup bag for months on end before I realise they've gone off and finally chuck them out. However, considering that I'm already a fan of their Moisture Match range, I decided I'd go for it and use the sample immediately.

In case you didn't know, Garnier's Moisture Match line is five different moisturisers designed for various skin types eg. very dry, oily/combination, dull skin. They come in three different formulas - some are creams, some are gels and some are lotions. They all retail at £3.99 from Boots which I think is a very reasonable price for the amount (50 ml). I own a full size version of the one for dull skin as I like a boost of radiance in the morning, and it has lasted for far longer than I'd ever initially expected.

I probably shouldn't have taken such a macro photo, the high resolution really does show off my wrinkly hands - oh dear. Anyway, this is what the product looks like. It's just a fairly thick but not sticky white cream and it has a lovely fragrance. I can only describe the scent as like perfume! It's not floral or sweet, it just smells like any generic perfume might although you wouldn't notice it after you've rubbed it in. 

Speaking of, this is how the product looks once it has sunken in - barely there, just left with a nice glow. I used this on my chin, jawline, cheeks, the corners of my mouth and my nose. Seven hours later, my skin feels pleasantly hydrated - a first for me! I have to recommend this to anyone with dry skin, I can't believe how long it lasts in comparison to more expensive moisturisers! I will definitely be purchasing a full size version of this product. A moisturiser that does the job all day (especially for dry skin) is not something to be ignored! 

Have you tried any of the Garnier Moisture Match moisturisers?

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L'Oreal Nail Polishes - massive Essie Dupe for Fiji!

There are so many high-end nail polish brands out there that are well loved: OPI, Deborah Lippman, Butter London, Chanel, Dior... And there's dozens of high-street/drugstore polishes that are surrounded by hype, too - Rimmel 60 Seconds, Essie, Maybelline Colour Show, Model's Own, and who could forget Barry M?

For being such a large and popular high-street brand, L'Oreal's nail polishes hardly ever get talked about! Ok, so I'll admit I've heard a tiny bit about their Les Blancs collection, but apart from that there's been no mention! I find this outrageous as they are the best nail polishes I have ever used. The formula is second to none - not too gloopy and thick, but not too runny either. It only takes 2 coats to achieve a perfect opaque finish. With 2 coats, I go usually around 4 days chip free - without a top coat might I add! (I know, what a rebel)

Currently I'm wearing shade 201 Rose Paradis which is a perfect dupe for one of the most hyped colours in recent years - Essie's Fiji.
This is the only shade I've tried from L'Oreal which takes a few more coats to become opaque. I'd say at least three, but I haven't tried any other Essie dupes such as Barry M's Rose Hip so I can't really compare. I'd say it's the perfect "your nails but better" shade, brilliant for French manicures if you have a steady enough hand for that sort of thing - which I certainly don't!

At £4.99, they're not only amazing but reasonably priced, too! They are the best nail polishes I've tried on the market. I don't waste my money trying any other brands unless I particularly LOVE a unique shade or I've been recommended them by a person I trust.

What's your favourite brand for nail polishes?

April Wishlist (Mac, Hairtrade, L'Oreal, Nars and more!)

There are so many products that I naturally gravitate to while shopping but I like to save for when I need a pick me up or when I have more money. Here are my picks for April 2014!

The Body Shop Blueberry Body Lotion - £8.00

I love the new blueberry range from The Body Shop. Ideally I'd love one of everything, but as body lotion is the only thing I actually need at the moment, I went with that! 

ghd AIR Professional Hairdryer - £87.90 (down from £99!)

I recently discovered HairTrade.com and I think I'm in love! They have such an amazing range of haircare products and accessories - and the best bit is that quite a few things are quite a bit cheaper than they are elsewhere. And when I say 'things', I mean ghd products! I have wanted a ghd hairdryer for the longest time as mine is constantly breaking down whenever I need it most and ghd products are just generally gorgeous. Definitely going to be investing in one when my one kicks the bucket once and for all. 

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Cherub - £14.49

I've been desperate for one of these ever since I first heard of them. I've heard they're quite difficult to apply initially but once you're used to the method, it's simple and stays on for ages which is my biggest reason for wanting one. I always find myself needing to touch up my blush throughout the day which is a bit of a hassle. Hopefully this should solve the problem! This is also available from HairTrade.com

Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Bare Study - £15 

I have one of these in the colour Groundwork and I love them as there's no need for primer underneath due to their amazing staying power! I mainly use Groundwork as a crease colour and team it with a neutral taupe, but I'd love to try Bare Study as a base colour to brighten my eye makeup. 

L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splashes in 101 Lolita and 200 Princess - £7.99

I have one of these already in the shade Bonnie and I am obsessed. These are so underrated in the beauty blogosphere. They're surprisingly moisturising while giving buildable colour and not sticky at all which makes them one of my favourite lip products of all time!

Nars Cinematic Eyeshadow in Mississippi Mermaid - £18 

In my last post I professed my deep adoration of the Nars eyeshadows. I'm quite into champagne and peach coloured makeup at the moment so I'd be keen to add this to my collection.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in 306 Sex on the Peach - £4.99

If you ever talk to me about nail polish, I will always recommend L'Oreal's range. I won't go into it here but they are the BEST. Bar none. I've tried Chanel, OPI, Rimmel, Maybelline, the list goes on... and none were better than L'Oreal. I can do a review of some of these if anyone's interested?

Mac 217 Blending Brush - £18

Something a bit different for me here. Straying away from my beloved Real Techniques because I've heard that this brush is meant to greatly help when blending eyeshadows - something I'm admittedly rubbish at! 

That was my April wishlist! Have you tried any of these things before? 

Pretty in Purple Makeup Look/Tutorial (Nars Kuala Lumpur Eyeshadow Duo)

I've found that beauty blogging can be an expensive hobby as there's always a new product to try and review. I haven't done a tutorial yet and I thought I'd do one today as I was a bit bored and wanted to start using some makeup items I'd been neglecting more regularly again.

I haven't seen many purple themed makeup looks and tutorials - most are peachy or hot pink or nude. I thought I'd be a bit more adventurous than usual as I'm beyond guilty of just sticking to nude eyes!

1. Obviously moisturising, foundation, concealer, and eyebrows are done beforehand and I didn't bother documenting what I did as everyone's routine for the basics differs.

2. Use some primer on your eyelids if you want. Apply the peachier (left) colour of the Nars Kuala Lumpur eyeshadow duo all over your eyelid. Then, work the purple colour (I think it's a lot like Mac's Cranberry) into your crease. I used the Real Techniques Base Colour and Deluxe Crease brushes for this step. 

The Nars eyeshadows are the only eyeshadows I truly love. They're so finely milled and never ever look cakey. Plus they're so easy to blend, definitely worth the money. 

3. I like to pretend I have cheekbones by contouring with the Sleek Face Form Contour Palette in Light. I've tried every big makeup brush I own to apply my contouring shade, but there is NONE better than The Body Shop's foundation brush. It's so tightly packed with soft synthetic bristles and nothing gives a smoother contour in my opinion. Make sure you have a light hand when applying powder to the brush though, and make sure to blow on the brush or tap it against your hand before you apply to cheeks. I'm speaking from experience of having big bronze streaks down my face all day!

4. Next step is blush. Apply a blush with purple or blue undertones - avoid hot pinks, peaches, reds, etc. Mac's Desert Rose blush was destined to be paired with a purple eye look. I don't use it that much because it's a tiny bit too dark for my very pale skin, but it's lovely for evening looks. Apply it to the apples of your cheeks with a light hand. I chose to use a Mac 150 brush. 

5. More Mac in this step - sorry if you're not a Mac fan! I applied Mac's Private Party but other shades like Heroine, Rebel and Up the Amp will also suit this look. I know I've consistently been saying no hot pink throughout this tutorial but the Max Factor lipgloss in shade 60 Polished Fuchsia. It's so sheer that it makes a perfect slight tint to your purple lipstick and it's not sticky at all. Private Party is a satin shade so I like to add the lipgloss to perk up the finish. 

6. Add eyeliner and mascara of your choice. Again this differs from person to person. I didn't use mascara for this look as I like to give my eyelashes a break if I'm not going out or seeing anyone that day. I just did my basic default eyeliner look with a tiny flick at the end using L'Oreal Superliner Ultra Precision liquid eyeliner. 

Here's the finished look! I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I'm rubbish at blending my eyeshadow but the blendability of the Nars shadows really helps!

Have you used any of these products before? What did you think?

Max Factor Haul - Whipped Creme foundation, Miracle Touch Creamy blush, False Lash Effect mascara, and more!

If there's one thing I love more than Boots' 3 for 2 deals, it's when they give a little box of free things if you spend a certain amount on a specific brand. Max Factor is currently sporting that wonderful deal and needless to say I went for it!

While I'm here, I can't neglect to mention that this is my first experience of any Max Factor products besides gazing in awe at the range of cute little duo-chrome nail polishes they do in Boots. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the high prices piqued my curiosity.

Firstly I picked up a Whipped Creme foundation (in the shade 45 Warm Almond). It's more for my mum than me as I don't like to wear foundation, but I know I'll be using it if I have a very bad skin day in the future (which I guarantee I'll have). The consistency is gorgeous and once it's blended in, you wouldn't know that you wear wearing it! A little of this goes a very long way.

As the foundation was only £9.99, I chose a Miracle Touch Creamy blush for myself (in the shade 3 Soft Copper). I'd been lusting after this product since they first came out! I'd always thought £6.99 was quite a lot for a minuscule pot of cream blush, but it is again a case of a little going a long way. It's not easily worn down either. While the pot is tiny, the cream is tightly packed together. Perfect for holidays due to how compact it is!

Now onto the free bits and bobs! I was so pleased that the products they'd included in the gift box were full size! It's always a let down when those gift boxes just contain a travel sized product and a random sample sachet of anti-aging lotion that I'm not going to need for a few decades. Max Factor's box did not disappoint!

First was the False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara in Brown Black. I was so excited about this! Max Factor mascaras are usually about £11.99 and I've always been intrigued by them but never bothered to buy one - why take the risk when my beloved Mac Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara is only two pounds more? I wasn't let down by this, it built lovely subtle volume for my stumpy thick lashes. While it was great on me, I think the silicone wand would be absolutely perfect for someone with thinner lashes. I wouldn't use this for a dramatic night look though. For me, it was very "my lashes but MUCH better". I think I'll be repurchasing this once it has run out!

I think the last two free bits go hand in hand. (And are also special editions for the free gift set!)
I haven't tried the Glossfinity nail polish (in the shade 119 Forever Glam) yet as the colour is a very hot pink and suited more for summer than this weird fickle Sprinter season (Spring-Winter) that we're having at the moment. I've heard lots of good things about these nail polishes but I've never tried them before as my nails are really brittle and flakey so I'm not really the biggest fan of nail polish. But I know this shade will be making a pedicure appearance this summer.

Then there's the Colour Elixir lipgloss (in the shade 60 Polished Fuchsia). I have to admit that I am SO impressed with this! I don't like lipgloss most of the time. It's pretty windy where I live and my hair is very unruly so my face ends up looking like a toddler's craft project if I walk around wearing lipgloss! The shade also frightened me, too - I'm much more vampy reds than I am Barbie hot pinks! However this gave the most subtle pop of colour and it wasn't sticky at all. In consistency it felt no different to my regular lip balms. It was so lightweight for a gloss and stayed on for a good four hours without requiring reapplication. I'm so pleased with this! Next time I'm looking for a lipgloss, I know I'll be nipping to the Max Factor counter!

Have you tried anything from Max Factor?