5 Blushers For Beginners

I've spoken of my blush phobia before... It's a cautiousness that comes down to the fact that my face is naturally rosy, prone to broken veins and just has its own blush - okay, flush - going on most of the time.

I certainly never expected to be writing a post about blushers when  I started Just Bananas, I can tell you that much!

There are however five blushers whose presence I generally enjoy on my face, as long as every inch of redness elsewhere has been buried under four layers of concealer. My logic on this one is if I like them, they must be pretty freakin' good.

To ease yourself into blush, a great powder formula is probably the easiest way to go: the method of application is reminiscent to applying face powder and is generally not too tricky. For complete blush virgins, I'd recommend Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso: it is a beautiful, corally option with subtle gold highlight running through it, making it really perk up the skin and and some brightness as well as some warmth to the face.

If powder blushes are definitely your thing, and you're feeling spendy, the Laura Mercier Second Skin blushers are really rather beautiful. I have the shades Heather Pink and Barely Pink, which are both stunning and apply wonderfully. Don't be put off by the vivid pink of Heather in pan as on the skin it translates to a really healthy, lovely looking natural rosiness; however, if you're really wanting to ease yourself in, Barely Pink may be the better choice, as it is a super soft and subtle hint of pink.

Now you've conquered the powder blush, let me convince you that cream is the dream: even if you're oily skinned, there are some cream formulas that are definitely suitable and beautiful and altogether cute-able.

Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet is a cream to powder formula that is nothing like the gross cream-to-powders of old: all you need is a quick swipe and an easy blend for a colour that's a muted coral kiss of loveliness. If you're ready to spend more, Stila Convertible Colour in Gerbera is a lovely creamy formula that stays put much longer than you might expect, and looks fresh and light on the cheek. Last up, and another budget option is the Sleek Pout Polish. It is intended to be a tinted lip balm, but I've been loving the look on my cheeks. The shade I have is discontinued but the formula itself is really rather decent and lasts nicely too... A rare two in one I can get behind!

That's my blush gush, of five cheeky chappies that I love even as it goes against my very nature. Now it's over to you: what blushes am I missing out on? Or are you a blush-phobe too (we can suffer together, BPFF...) I'd love to know!

Bloggers Made Me Buy It Tag

I love me a good tag - this one I saw over on Parisian To Be's blog and knew I had to get it on mine, not least because a beauty stash based 95% on blogger recommendations meant I would have heaps of material... Let us commence!

Who are your most influential bloggers?
Obviously, obviously Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup - a no brainer there! I also super trust the opinion of Siobhan from LetzMakeup and Sharon Farrell. Of course, I rarely watch a Lisa Eldridge video without my blogging notebook at the ready for some product recommendations. More recently, I have been swooning over That Grace Girl and some lush picks on her part!

Who are the ones you rely on for reviews and swatches?
I don't really have an answer for the swatches part of this question other than my old friend Google, as it's rare that a blogger I follow has the exact same skin tone/hair colour combination as I do, and I find this helps make a huge difference to how a product will look on me. In terms of reviews, Temptalia is probably my first port of call, followed by Makeup Alley too.

Do you buy a product solely as a result from one review of your favourite bloggers, or do you look for more reviews from others?
I want to say that I am a good girl and always shop around with a range of reviews from different sources but I would be lying to you. I hope that now I have learnt the error of my ways as there is plenty of evidence of the disappointment I have felt when I've just bounded from one blogger's rave review to Feel Unique/Space NK/Boots.com (delete as appropriate) without doing sufficient homework.
I'm not perfect guys (hard to believe I know!)

What is your favourite item you have bought as a consequence of blogs?
Right now I think it's got to be Effaclar Duo! As you will know if you saw my Skincare Update last week I am a big fan of this little white tube and it has really helped keep blemishes at bay now that my acne is too mild for my old prescription treatment. It's also true that the new formula is some how even better than the old one.

Name five products you have bought recently based on blogger recommendations!
I am currently obsessed with the No7 Shade and Define Eyeshadow Crayons (I have 3 shades so far, for me that's a pretty big deal!). I also bought another Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet, this time in the shade 08 Grand Cru, whose colour is beautiful but the formula appears to be seriously dodgy. I have also bought the Body Shop Honey Bronzer, Origins VitaZing and Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Clearing Gel in recent times too.

And we will leave it for the tag there (I deleted some questions I felt were too repetitive!)

I hope this tag sparks you to get answering these questions too - if you do this tag please let me know so I can show some lovin'!

July Favourites

Well well well, what have we here? It's a favourites video folks, and it's just for you... enjoy!

Sunday Wishlist #2 The Brush Edition

I love, love, love me a good wishlist... They work to get out my spending itch in a more constructive and less bank-balance-bothering fashion, and if  I can afford to, reading other people's is the perfect spending inspo. 

This wishlist is a brush themed one as I have told myself many a time that you can never have too many brushes (or skincare... one for another wishlist!) Given that at the time of writing I am currently curating my favourite brushes from my present stash, I felt it was the ideal opportunity to give you the lowdown on what other brushes I have my eyes on...

The High End Heroes

Charlotte Tilbury's Powder and Sculpt | Louise Young's LY34 | Paula Dorf Sheer Crease | Suqqu Cheek

These lovely ladies have been on my wishlist for what feels like an eternity... Pixiwoo, Lisa Eldridge and of course Charlotte Tilbury are all responsible for the lust that I feel for these four. The Paula Dorf and Suqqu Cheek brushes in particular have been on my mental wishlist for a good couple of years now; I am thinking their purchase will have to be save for a very special occasion!

Sold On Rose Gold

Zoeva's Rose Gold Set

But of course! This particular pick has received arguably more blog coverage than any other set (with the exception of perhaps Real Techniques' Core Collection) so I won't bore you too much with its merits but good LORD it is GORGEOUS.

Bobbi Brown Beauties

Full Coverage | Face Blender | Blush | Eye Sweep | Eye Smudge

I'm a real fan of Bobbi Brown and her brushes are no exception... So far there is just one in my collection but I wouldn't say no to having a fair few more as the quality and look of these brushes is just fabulous...

Those are my choices, I hope you liked 'em - what are the brushes you are drooling over?

In Defense Of Luxury Makeup

Everyone has their vices.

For some it's smoking. Others gambling.

Mine is expensive-ass makeup.

Most people recognise that of the addictions I could have got hooked to, makeup really is a pretty harmless one - but there'll always be the odd voice that says, "But why?"

Today, I consolidate my reasons into one handy post, so that next time that voice pipes up, I can hand them a piece of paper with the URL of this page on it, and my troubles will (hopefully) be over.

1. I am pale. I have yet to find a cheaper foundation that has both matched my skin and my formula needs, so it means that when it comes to base, I am happy to pay more if it means I'm not orange.
2. The. Packaging. By and large, this is where high street brands really fall down for me and high end just sprints ahead: the frosted glass on my Giorgio Armani foundation bottle... the exquisite opening of a Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick... And Tom Ford. Oh boy, Tom Ford.
3. That stuff is going on ma FACE. I want it to stick around... Higher end products that really work justify their price tag to me, not least as their cost-per-wear works out as pennies...
4. Colours. Some drugstore shades are up there for sure, but when I think of iconic or unique colours, I'm thinking MAC Satin Taupe, Laura Mercier Sable, Nars Cruella, Clinique Black Honey... most of the time, it's higher end brands that have the shades I love.

That's me done for now... I could of course wax lyrical for months on end, but I figure you probably have better things to be doing! Are you a high end honey or drugstore diva? I am desperate to know as always!

Mini Budget Haul

Guys, I have a confession...

I may have gone to Boots and some accidental shopping may have occurred.

If I'm honest it felt like good deals were just fighting to be exploited.

I couldn't not.

Here you go my loves!

Optimal Prime

Is the title intended to be a Transformers pun? Yes, friends, yes it is...

I figured my love for this trio was so strong that I needed to verbalise my feelings on my blog; having been a primer sceptic for the longest time, these three are my bros that I turn to when I need a look to last. Allow me to introduce you...

First up, and on its last legs, is my beloved Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray. This is a product I cannot wait to repurchase as he is a little champ at making my makeup last. I tend to spray him before anything else, as I find my face is a little sheeny when I spray this post foundation application, to act as a base for whatever I am putting on top. Other primers seem to make no difference or break me out, but I have a huge soft spot for this little pump: he's a real step up from the hairspray I had been using for special occasions before!

Then we move on to another friend that's about to empty, my Nars Pro Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base. At one point I was using this and my UD setting spray in every single Youtube tutorial, as my lids are some of the oiliest in town and there's not a hope in hell of this oustripping any other products. Now this is running seriously low I have been using my Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden but his lasting abilities are absolutely nothing to write home about. I will be very, very sad when Nars really does give up the ghost!

Last of all is MAC's Prep and Prime Lip primer. The newest to the bunch, this is also my least frequently used, but I definitely had to mention him as when I'm wearing a bold lip for a long time, this is my product of choice. I'm not 100% sure as to how much longer my matte lips last whilst wearing this (matte lips being pretty heavy duty in that respect anyway) but if your lips are chapped and uneven, Prep and Prime will magically mask the situation and create a smooth canvas for colour - well worth a look in if you're a lippy lover too!

These are my priming picks - I'm ever so curious to know what yours are! Has anyone found a traditional, non-dewy primer that works without causing breakouts? If so, let me know down below!

Beauty Rules I Should Stick To...

...but nine times out of ten, I so don't!

We've all got them. The things we're told again and again we should be doing, have read up on and know the benefits of, but fail to put into practice. I like a good ole confession (I was raised Catholic, what can I say) so today I am 'fessing up to my makeup sins.

1. Buy the smaller size first, and try before you buy. It sounds so, so embarrassingly obvious but it's a mistake I've made more times than I like to admit. I work out how much the smaller size of a product is value-wise, then look at its larger sibling and invariably it's the larger one that goes into my bag as I convince myself it's a bargain. This is all despite the fact that I know myself, and am perfectly aware that I am very, very likely to go off a product if it's not 100% what I hoped for. I have also made the mistake of buying two shades of a new beauty item only to get both and realise I hate the formula (Hourglass need to send me a personalised, ideally handwritten apology for their Opaque Rouges, of which I have for some reason got two.) Not. Good. 
2. Google thoroughly before purchasing/don't listen to the hype. How many times have a bought a product based off one blogger's recommendations and ended up crushingly disappointed, as well as out of pocket? Even with products that seem okay after a swatch in-store, it's always worth checking out their online reputation on places like Makeup Alley as you can always be left surprised... I would never have bought MAC's Club Eyeshadow had I read its Makeup Alley status first!
3. Go in with a little product, then build up if needed. When you think about it, the logic to this one couldn't be more sound: squirting out masses of your expensive foundation leads to waste and over-application; just because you're used to two pumps of your serum doesn't mean that right here, today, two pumps is what your skin needs. But more often than not I get a little squirt happy and end up wiping most of what I've got on my hand away. It's far better to work up. I wish my hands would remember this...
4. Be. GENTLE. Some makeup artists like to go in heavy-handed. I couldn't hate this idea any more if I tried. No one's face benefits from being tugged and pulled and even contorted for the application of makeup and I would encourage anyone reading to make a conscious effort to halve the amount of pressure they apply when doing their makeup. Your skin will thank you. I just need to keep remembering  - my eyes are hooded enough as it is!
5. Be hygienic with your makeup. Cleaning up palettes, washing my brushes, keeping things out of direct sunlight and actually paying attention to use by dates are all things that get chalked to the bottom of my to-do list, but I know they are worth doing. 

So that's me done - over to you guys: what are those good habit's that just won't stick? I'll be waiting, very, very much interested in what you have to admit to...

The Best of Space NK's Sale...

Excitement levels in our household generally rise when the words "sale" or "Space NK" are heard, reaching a peak when these two greats combine and our fave high end retailer announces that prices for premium products are plummeting... This time round I "limited" myself to "only" buying one thing...

..one thing that happened to contain about 18 smaller things. Sigh... But I'm pretty sure this is what overdrafts were intended for?

I treated myself Parks and Rec style to the fabulous Luxe Colour Wardrobe Double Decker for Lips and Cheeks, which is a nifty little palette that is as chock full as its name would suggest, reduced from £78 to just £39: and it's a complete bloody bargain. GET A WIGGLE ON because I just can't believe he won't sell out sharpish...

I've also had my beady beauty eye fixed on the Laura Mercier Mini Lip Glacé Collection, these Diptyque Mini Oval Decorations that may be meant for Christmas but I just don't care, these beautiful Shu Uemura False Lashes, and this By Terry Rouge Terrybly Lipstick. I am just crushed my spending habits mean I can't justify a purchase!!

Exciting News For Pale People...

It's not often that the drugstore caters to anything but medium skin tones; those of us with skin tones at either end of the colour spectrum are rarely catered to by cheaper brands.
I am planning a post about brands and products for paler girls, but I felt this couldn't wait: Rimmel have introduced a new shade, 10 Light Porcelain, to their Wake Me Up and Match Perfection lines. It's actually a match for my skin, to my shock, and while I didn't feel the need for another foundation I was still chuffed to see this addition.
The Wake Me Up Concealer hasn't come out with a paler shade, but I still feel this is a step in the right direction; let us hope other high street brands take note!

Raiding Momma B's Beauty Cupboards

I reckon if you guys saw the size of my momma's beauty stash, I am pretty sure you'd agree that my love for all things beauty-related is most definitely hereditary. Mum has been a very generous donor of products to review since I moved home from France, so here's a post of the bits I've been liking and loathing...

THE RATED
I was so impressed by the Clarins Hydra Drench Mask. It's perfect for the dehydrated skin on my cheeks as an overnight treatment and has only been beaten for this role by my lovely bottle of Origins Drink Up Intensive (which smells of apricots, so was only ever going to come out top...)
I also really got on with the Sanctuary Body Wash - to the point where I'm surprised it was less than £6 - as it's a really nice, somewhat hydrating little gel. I even got on with the smell of it too; I may pick this up for myself sometime...

THE HATED
A big name here - and not one I thought I'd be slamming given its price and reputation - is Glam Glow. Cashing in at around £40, I had hight hopes and I have to say, I didn't think it was all that... I'll save my thoughts for my more in-depth face masks comparison coming soon!
Also a serious no go for me was the Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile. This really doesn't stand up against my beloved Guerlain Super Aqua Lotion in terms of hydration and the smell... to me it whiffs of baby shampoo, not the most pleasant or luxurious of pongs I must say!

THE TOLERATED
They do the most beautiful, on point colours around (besides Essie - I love you Essie) but the formulas of Chanel's nail varnishes are just so awful. They sometimes really do chip within hours of application... it's just a hard pass for me. Mum has since said that some of the newer colours have better formulas - stay tuned for a Nailed It post when I let you know my thoughts! (They're saved from being in The Hated section as those colours... they're so good...)
A product I've read lots about is the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - and I think on this occasion, I just don't get it. It is another Clarins product whose sent reminds me of baby shampoo (curse you, Clarins!) but aside from that, I just think the claims it makes are a bit ridiculous... Brightening and tightening? Really?! Perhaps if you do have dry skin and you want a boost of hydration, you'll like it more than I do... as long as you can figure out how to make it work, that is...

I hope you liked this post - I am positive I'll be helping myself to more from Momma Bananas' collection in the future (sorry Mum!) but in the meantime, what products are you lovin'? I'm always down to know (and Mum is too!)

Sunday Wishlist #1

So, it's a Sunday and I am chilling in my pjs in bed, with a mild hangover and the cat.

Fun fact: I woke up to find I had drunkenly spent this week's wages on a Monki order (well done, last night me, well done). When that guy comes I'll probs do y'all a haul on here, because I've been buying but not hauling for a while now and I feel like you guys are missing out...

Anywho, I woke up feeling spendy despite being skint so here is what I am lusting after:

All Things Anomie

dumb and ugly tee | kelly jumper | seaglass candle | hammered stacking ring = all Anomie

Oooh God. I am planning a style heroes post soon (to go with my makeup heroes feature from a month ago) and I know that Chelsea from ChelseaWears is so gonna be in it. She is pale, she is edgy, she looks far cooler with roots than I do and her shop Anomie is da bomb. Dot and com.

Don't get shirty with me - oh wait please do

silk shirt | sleeveless striped shirt = Zara | shirt collar tips | cropped vintage shirt = Nutshell Vintage

I wanna get into wearing collared shirts. I had such a phobia of wearing them after school, but now I am just all kindsa loved up for 'em. I also love the idea of changing up some cool collar tips - all about makin' one garment look like it's actually five. Also Nutshell Vintage was started by one of the gals I was pals with back at school and it looks so cool (its FB page is full of some good chuckles). Desperate to go hit it up sometime!

Some Stylish Reads

Paris Street Style | Betty Cornell's Teenage Popularity Guide | Popular: Vintage Wisdom For A Modern Geek

You're all probably a bit fed up with seeing the Paris Street Style book so I won't dwell on it too much (other than to say I NEED IT) but the other two reads are ones I have been keeping an eye since reading about them in the Daily Telegraph magazine; they both sound thoroughly fascinating!

I'm gonna call it off hear and chow down on some form of brunch (Momma Bonanas bought bacon, the beauty that she is) so I will see you in video format on Tuesday, definitely not hungover I swear!

If you do one thing this month... Buy the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I know, a bit of an out-there statement, right? Last month's Do One Thing was a healthy walk recommendation, but this month I'm telling you, here and now, get thee to Boots and get thee that blummin' sponge.

Does it apply a base flawlessly and evenly? Check.

Is it good value? Check.

Is it a multi-tasker? Check.

Is it endorsed by one of the Pixiwoo sisters? Double check.

Whether it's cream blush, liquid highlighers, concealer, foundation or just about any other cream base product you can think of, this little orange sponge has got you covered. Literally.

To keep it real for a sec, sponges do absorb more product and stain like mad, but given this is £5.99 on Boots's website, I think it is totally worth it for the results it gives and the multi tasking properties it boasts.

I love dampening it so it swells up, wringing it out then using the flat side to apply my foundation and then rolling the sides to blend. It's frankly a lil bit amazing.

Barely There Makeup

Ever since I picked up Origins VitaZing a couple of weeks ago, I have been loving the idea of a less-is-more makeup. No flawless base and painstaking liner attempts here - just a quick way to perk up my face on the days when a full face just feels like far too much. This also has the added bonus of a guaranteed break-out free look - not usually the case I am afraid!

So to talk you through how this went down:

I started with Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, plopped mainly on my cheeks, and buffed my Origins VitaZing over the top of that. I felt my undereye circles needed some perking up with my Bobbi Brown Corrector in Extra Light Bisque, but I didn't want to conceal anything else. Through my brows I ran some of my newest love, Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Brown, and gave my lashes a good ole fashioned curl. I did pop a little Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Taupe along my upper lashline and smudged it for a soft touch of definition. On my cheeks I am wearing Stila's Convertible Colour in Lillium, and I went in with Topshop's Glow cream highlighter in the shade Gleam, applying that to my brow- and cheekbones. Last of all I slicked on some of Tanya Burr's lip gloss in Chic.

PS - Does anyone remember the scene from Bridesmaids when Kristen Wiig runs into the loo to slap on makeup before creeping into bed to pretend she woke up looking that perfect? This is SO the kind of makeup that I would have done in her stead (if I could be bothered that is - no man is worth that kind of sneaky action!)

Nars Contour Blush in Paloma: Reviewed

So, recently I've been rocking a bit o' contour. Shocking probably only to me, but still, let's share this moment.

I had read an awful lot about the Nars Contour Blushes and was very eager to try them (I am too far from a Space NK to try out the Kevyn Aucoin Contour Powder... gutted). I went for the shade Paloma, the medium shade, as Olympia was too pale to do anything whatsoever on my face and surprisingly pinkish in hue. With only three shades, I'd say these contours are pretty darn limited in terms of who can wear 'em - I reckon if you're darker skin-tone-wise, you may well be disappointed.

Paloma is actually quite warm in tone (now that I've looked at a million other contours out there) and while I do think I was able to "make it work", I also think this is probably not a Holy Grail, be all and end all product, and I would urge you to do more research than I did before picking this up.

As you can tell from my little swatch on my arm, the pale shade really, really doesn't do a lot - truth be told I've now stopped trying to use it as I've yet to notice a difference from it. The swatch of the contour shade looks very warm, maybe a touch warmer than it did in real life, and on the cheeks it is cooler still -  you can see me wearing it here:

So the long and the short of this one is that Nars Paloma is a bit of a meh product for me. I think I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and get my hands on Kevyn Aucoin's version when I get fed up with this guy.

My Makeup Heroes: TV edition

Hey gang, so the premise of this post is a very simple one: an ode to the ladies that rock makeup almost as gorgeous as they themselves.

This idea came about through watching an episode of The Good Wife, leading me to the first Makeup Hero of this post: the character of Alicia Florrick, played by the beautiful Julianna Margulies. Let's take a moment to swoon in silence:

To me she is the queen of the smokey eye; nobody wears it better. She looks stunning in a berry, red or brown-toned lip and THOSE. EYEBROWS. Need I say any more?

Next up is an obvious one and the reason why I have been craving red hair for so long: the incomparable Joan Harris/Holloway. I'll be honest and say that I stopped watching Mad Men a good while back, but when I did, I could barely get through an episode without wanting to lie down because Joan was giving me Attractive Person Fever (Jason Mamoa is the worst offender for my serious affliction).

Those beautiful lashes and her legendary lips are what strike you most about our Joany's makeup (let's not get on to her figure in this post), but let's give a shoutout to her luscious skin and rosy cheeks too. Just such a beauty.

Made in Chelsea's Binky is my favourite person ever for about a million reasons but up there among them is her gorgeous, slightly grungy makeup; to be fair, everyone on MIC looks stunning in my view but Binks has the edge in every sense, rocking kohl liner and clumpy lashes in a way I doubt I'll ever suit but wish I could.

Clarisonic Review

Bonsoir gang, I hope you are doing well! In case you missed it, here is my review of my Clarisonic (only a month later than I thought it would be), I hope it is of interest to any of you considering getting one!

Anna xxx

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils: Review and Swatch Fest

Oh man, do I love a bold matte lippy. I know glosses are meant to be the next new trend and we're meant to be downing lipsticks and rocking all things sheer and shiny from here on out, but I am so not ready to embrace the trend yet, especially with the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils chillin' in my makeup bag.

Just look at them:

I currently own all the shades I am likely to purchase from the line (I also own one of the Satin Lip Pencils in Yu, which I actually don't think is anything special) so it felt like the perfect time to flex my beauty blogging muscles with a good old fashioned swatch sesh.

I mean, swoon. Love love love. Let's get on to the swatches, then I'll be back to chat you through my thoughts at the end...

Cruella

This one is oft described as a berry red, but for whatever reason on me I looks like a slightly darker, blue based red. Possibly it's my skin tone doing its thing, who knows, but I am still on my quest for the ultimate berry red.

However, this is possibly not necessarily Cruella's fault but rather my own expectations? Who knows.

Damned

My first Velvet Matte purchase and my first Velvet Matte love, Damned is a super flattering and easy to wear berry shade that I imagine would suit most skin tones. This guy, you may be able to tell, is now a little drier than its younger siblings but I still consider it one of my favourites and is joint first for the most worn of the lot. I used it in my Parisian Chic Look and you can check that video out here.

Dragon Girl

Dragon Girl was the one that I originally felt the least enthusiastic about but has recently become my go-to red lip. I've not got any other reds quite like it: it's got a real pinkiness to it that makes it stand out and looks best with a really minimal eye. Love.

Red Square

Orange for wusses is how I would describe Red Square - it's a lovely mix of red and orange that makes it so much more flattering than some of the more catwalk, bold shades that have been hyped up of late. For me it's as orange as I'm willing to go for the moment and will probably be my bold summer lip for this year. If you want to see me using this bad boy, I used it as one of my lip options in my Fresh Faced Spring Makeup look here.

Train Bleu

Oh Train Bleu, Train Bleu, Train Bleu. It's a lot darker even than how it looks here, a real deep deep purple shade that walks the line of chic and gothic incredibly well. This is one that will turn heads for sure and the one that I turned to last winter when I wanted to look über cool without that much effort. I love this guy. If you'd like to see my tutorial using it, you can do so here.

So, on to the review: you may have guessed I am a fan of these guys. At £17.50, they are anything but cheap - but here's some beauty blogger maths: if I were to buy a decent lip pencil and matte lip stick, say from MAC, it would easily cost almost as much of two of these so... you're basically saving money.

Basically.

Amazing logic here gang.

They are long lasting - not particularly moisturising but hey, they don't really dry your lips either - and they are so convenient, so easy to chuck in a handbag and apply on the go.

I think these are a lovely luxurious splurge for those of you that really do love matte lips; but bear in mind they are wasteful little pains thanks to the need to sharpen them.

But I love them. That's what I am trying to say.

I hope you liked this review - are there any shades catching your eye at the mo?

Bridal Makeup with Jen

Hey beauty boffs, here is a bridal makeup look I did on the beautiful Jen, I hope you enjoy!

Bioderma: A Love Story

Me and Bioderma.

I thought it was never going to happen, I really did. No, beauty blogging world, I said. I am set with my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. I am good. I don't need a water that requires the use of wasteful cotton pads in my life. No thank you. Stop poking me with the bottle, cheers.

And then came the whole "double cleanse" routine, courtesy of our Goddess, Caroline Hirons, and that was it.

The facial equivalent of shampoo's legendary "rinse and repeat" genius move, the double cleanse is essentially the action of removing one's makeup with one product (like, for example, a micellar water) and doing a slightly deeper, generally muslin-cloth based cleanse with another.

It really does make sense: you don't want to be pushing makeup into your skin with heat and muslin, no sir. A micellar water just makes things feel so much cleaner, letting you go deeper with your proper cleanser. Great stuff.

And now on to the micellar water in question: Bioderma.

Having spent four years consuming beauty blogger- and vloggerdom (mmm good start to this sentence, not) I remember the first people I ever heard mentioning this stuff was the Pixiwoo sisters and from there Bioderma seems to have spread like wildfire.

It really does look like a water, doesn't seem to have much of a smell to it and does a very good job of taking off your maquillage.

It beats all other eye makeup removers I have tried in terms of how little volume is needed to get the job done, but what I will say is that it still doesn't trump my old fave, Liz Earle, in terms of effortlessly removing everything, and I mean everything - with Bioderma, I find it looks as though my face and particularly lashes are squeaky clean but I wake up with tell-tale panda eye that means things clearly weren't quite as makeup free as I thought.

So why the love fest? And why have I just bought the biggest size?!

(To clarify, this is the travel size, repurchased for convenience on the road)

The answer is that it's just bloody useful to have around. It halves the amount of rubbing I have to do with my Liz Earle, which doesn't necessary irritate my eyes but rather fills them with white cream; it's also great for if my skin is feeling a little sluggish mid afternoon but I don't feel the urge to properly wash it again; and I think it's best for makeup boob recovery - the nozzle is perfectly sized for sticking a cotton bud in it, making sorting out mascara mayhem and liner lunacy a walk in the makeup park.

So, yes, I never thought it would happen, but four months on, and it really does feel like love.