It's the end of another month and time for me to give you the lowdown on the beauty products I've been loving, hating and trying out recently!
Favourites
Milani Conceal & Perfect Foundation | £11 | I held off trying this for ages but I'm so glad I finally picked it up! It's a lovely medium-full coverage with a satin finish that really gives my skin a flawless look. I'd heard a few people say it doesn't last well on them, however (although it isn't the one I reach for when I want something super long-wearing) I can't say I've had that issue. I don't think the shade range is great for very fair skin, however if you have medium to darker skin then this is one of the few affordable options out there.
Too Faced Born This Way Concealer | £20 | It does take me a while to completely decide on a base product but this has got the thumbs up! It has a very hydrating texture so I make sure to set this before it creases, however the finish is very natural. It's a good medium-full coverage however never looks caky and conceals blemishes, redness and dark circles.
NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Soft Spoken | £6.50 | I can't believe it took me so long to pick this up! It's just as comfortable on the lips as the Soft Mattes are but is more opaque and little more long-wearing. It's a gorgeous nude-mauve nude shade that's perfect for Autumn.
Too Faced Born This Way Concealer | £20 | It does take me a while to completely decide on a base product but this has got the thumbs up! It has a very hydrating texture so I make sure to set this before it creases, however the finish is very natural. It's a good medium-full coverage however never looks caky and conceals blemishes, redness and dark circles.
NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Soft Spoken | £6.50 | I can't believe it took me so long to pick this up! It's just as comfortable on the lips as the Soft Mattes are but is more opaque and little more long-wearing. It's a gorgeous nude-mauve nude shade that's perfect for Autumn.
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Walkyrie | £20 | I've been a fan of this formula for a while, though it's quite unusual and hard to describe. These pencils glide on easily and feel very comfortable on the lips, not clinging to dry patches but still lasting well throughout the day. This is a gorgeous burnt red-brown shade that I can't get enough of at the moment.
ColourPop Ultra Satin Lip in Calypso | $6 | This is a lovely rosy-mauve-nude shade that's the perfect everyday colour whilst still being autumnal. This is one of my favourite liquid lipstick formulas because it's just so comfortable to wear and despite the not-quite-fully-matte finish, it still has amazing staying power.
Sephora Pro Airbrush #56 | $32 | This is such a great foundation brush for a flawless, brush-stroke-free finish. I like to use it with a medium-full coverage foundation because of the tightly-packed bristles. I also like the small, rounded shape of this brush, making it easy to get into all the awkward areas.
Look Good Feel Better Multi-Tasking Brush* | £11.99 | I can't believe I haven't mentioned this in a favourites post before! I was very kindly sent a version of this brush with my name on it recently (though I've tried it before). I often get asked how I apply ColourPop's bronzers and this brush is my secret (though you can also use it with foundation for a similar effect to the Sephora brush). It just applies cream bronzer evenly and flawlessly, plus it's small enough to fit neatly under my cheekbones whilst not being too precise (so I can be done in a couple of swipes).
ColourPop Ultra Satin Lip in Calypso | $6 | This is a lovely rosy-mauve-nude shade that's the perfect everyday colour whilst still being autumnal. This is one of my favourite liquid lipstick formulas because it's just so comfortable to wear and despite the not-quite-fully-matte finish, it still has amazing staying power.
Sephora Pro Airbrush #56 | $32 | This is such a great foundation brush for a flawless, brush-stroke-free finish. I like to use it with a medium-full coverage foundation because of the tightly-packed bristles. I also like the small, rounded shape of this brush, making it easy to get into all the awkward areas.
Look Good Feel Better Multi-Tasking Brush* | £11.99 | I can't believe I haven't mentioned this in a favourites post before! I was very kindly sent a version of this brush with my name on it recently (though I've tried it before). I often get asked how I apply ColourPop's bronzers and this brush is my secret (though you can also use it with foundation for a similar effect to the Sephora brush). It just applies cream bronzer evenly and flawlessly, plus it's small enough to fit neatly under my cheekbones whilst not being too precise (so I can be done in a couple of swipes).
Dr. Botanicals Advanced Purifying Overnight Masque* | £39.99 | post | I've linked to Ocado in this post because at the time of writing (and hopefully still when this goes up!) it's half price! This is a fantastic overnight treatment with a lightweight lotion-cream texture that absorbs really well into my skin without breaking me out. It just makes my skin much softer, more hydrated and improves its overall quality and texture.
Roger and Gallet Aura Mirabilis Double Extract* | £40 | post | This is one of those overnight miracle workers! It's a dual-phase product that's somewhere between an oil and a water-based serum in texture. It does leave a slight tackiness on the skin but doesn't clog my pores. It smooths out my skin, seriously improving the look of any fine lines, leaving it looking healthy and radiant.
Hylamide Glow Booster Serum | £20 | post | I have been obsessed with this all month - it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing serum that gives my skin that little boost of radiance it always needs a this time of year. I've pretty much been using this every morning when my skin has been looking dull or lacklustre.
Hylamide Glow Booster Serum | £20 | post | I have been obsessed with this all month - it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing serum that gives my skin that little boost of radiance it always needs a this time of year. I've pretty much been using this every morning when my skin has been looking dull or lacklustre.
Pixi Nourishing Sleep Mask | £18 | post | It's so hard to find products that are nourishing but lightweight and don't leave me looking a bit spotty, however this is one of those rare finds that does it all! It has a cream texture that leaves my skin soft and hydrated by morning without any greasiness or excess.
Disappointments
Sephora Outrageous Eyeshadow in 03 Bodacious Brown | €12.95 | post | This looks like such a stunning, dewy, metallic brown shade - until you blend it out... Then it becomes a greyish mess that creases and fades. It's such a disappointment because it looked like it would be so gorgeous!
Formula X Sheer Strength Treatment Nail Polish in Energetic | $12.90 | post | Obviously this is a sheer nail polish, however I didn't find it strengthened my nails and it was basically see-through. Even with 3 coats I couldn't get any sort of colour out of this! It was just all-round pointless.
Although I have now sold or abandoned these products, I'm also giving a mention to the Kylie Lip Kits and Zoeva Palettes I tried this month. I've linked the posts to them so you can read why they didn't do it for me.
Products on Trial
I was kindly sent a few bits from Boots as part of their #FaceOff challenge. Not all of them worked for me but I thought I'd still share my thoughts and some swatches with you.
Rimmel Kate Moss Sculpting Palette in 02 Coral Glow* | £6.99 | As you can probably see, this really isn't for my skin tone - the only shade that kind-of works is the highlight, which is nice enough but probably a little frosty for me. I have actually tried the darker version of this and overall the texture and quality of the powders was really nice. In Coral Glow you're getting a white-gold shimmer highlight, a matte light pink-coral blusher and a warm, slightly sheeny bronzer.
Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Berry Boost* | £6.99 | This is more of a lip cream that sort of mattes down once it's had some time to set. It is quite comfortable but definitely transfers. It's a bold lip so it's definitely not my usual but if you like something bright then it's worth checking out.
Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Pink Fling* | £6.99 | I really rate the formula of these lipsticks - they're very creamy and easy to wear and have a slight sheen. They're not the most long-lasting but still don't require too much touching up. This light pink nude shade isn't for me but I'm sure it will suit most fair skin tones.
Sleek Goodnight Sweetheart i-Divine Palette* | £8.99 | Sleek palettes feel so nostalgic to me! Back in the day I picked up their original palette one year at the Clothes Show and it was my first 'real' eyeshadow palette. Yes, there are probably equally-good affordable options out there these days, however I still think these are great value for the money. Overall the quality is really good - as you can see the colour payoff is impressive and I think it translates to the lids. My only negative is that there could be one or two more matte transition shades. However overall I love the colours - they're a little cooler than my usual but somehow they work for me! It's a great palette if you want something to create a smoky eye with for the party season.
Look Good Feel Better Flawless Foundation Duo* | £17.99 | If you don't know about this brand; it was created by a charity that helps women undergoing cancer treatment to boost their confidence. They make absolutely fantastic brushes and some of the proceeds from their sale go towards the charity. So, if you needed any extra reason to try out these brushes: there it is! This is a set of two synthetic face brushes; one of them is angled and has tightly-packed bristles and the other is duo-fibre. Personally I use the angled brush for cream contouring because it's a bit small for foundation and I don't like to feel like I'm 'wiping' my base on. It fits neatly under the cheekbones and is nice and precise for a more dramatic look. The duo-fibre brush is amazing for light-medium coverage bases, especially products with quite a runny consistency. It gives such a natural, skin-like finish, which I love.
Shadow Switch Brush Cleaner* | £5.99 | I've seen so many YouTubers use these in tutorials that I was really intrigued to give it a go. This is a dry brush cleaner that comes in this little tin. It's not designed to clean your manky brushes you've been doing a smoky eye with for the past month (hate to break it to you!) but to clean off your brush after you've used one colour so you can change to another. For that purpose this really works and you can't complain for the price! It's great for travelling if you're having a trip away and just want to take your MAC 217 as a do-it-all.
What do you think of this month's products? Which products have you tried, loved or hated this past month?
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*DISCLOSURE
PRODUCTS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK ARE PR SAMPLES/GIFTS.
ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.
PRODUCTS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK ARE PR SAMPLES/GIFTS.
ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.
PLEASE VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
I have really oily skin and can't get on with the Milani foundation, it makes me super oily after a couple of hours! I want to try the Rimmel Sculpting Palette the shades look lovely. I have been holding off buying any makeup for a few weeks as im going to NYC next week and my wishlist is huge haha
ReplyDeleteEmmysBeautyCave | Bloglovin | Blog Header Services
I saw a review of someone who broke out with the Milani foundation so I'm a bit apprehensive to get it, although it would probably complement my combination skin. I've got the look better feel better brushes, that I managed to get from TKMAXX a while back and they are amazing. Everyone and their mum keep banging on about NYX suede lippies, so I'm just gonna jump on the bandwagon and pop into boots and pick up a few! 💛
ReplyDeleteLaura | www.lauralivinglife.com
soft spoken is too nude for me so i think i'll try to find other shade. it looks lovely on the swatch! must've been looking gorgeous on you.
ReplyDeleteI own the Kate Moss palette, I think the quality is lovely. Also I am itching to try the Milani foundation xx
ReplyDeleteI love Nyx Soft Spoken, in fact I'm actually wearing it today, haha! I definitely need to get Colourpop Calypso, it looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about being nostalgic about Sleek palettes, the Oh So Special palette was my first bigger palette too and I still have it in my collection although never use it anymore as it's just too old :) x
Mummy’s Beauty Corner
It's so hard to throw out sentimental products :) xx
DeleteI really love all of the lip shades you've picked out. I can't get enough of brown nude lips at the minute (even though Autumn is telling me to wear ALL the berry shades) and NARS Walkyrie looks like my perfect colour! x
ReplyDeleteAlways, Alice
That brush cleaning sponge sounds really handy, I could do with one of those! I tried Cinema Secrets recently thinking it would do the job, but I hate it!
ReplyDeleteI love the Milani foundation & #56 brush too. I need to try the Too Faced concealer! xx
Beautylymin
I have had those NYX suade lipsticks on my list for ages, I think I'm going to have a little spend this weekend!
ReplyDeletewildgloss.com
I kept not getting round to buying them for ages but they're so worth checking out :) xx
DeleteI have one of these suede ones, I got the wrong colour so I haven't used it much and it feels kinda drying at the moment. Good night sweetheart palette has so many gorgeous colour, it would be handy for a night out makeup x
ReplyDeleteEla BellaWorld
Your posts are always so informative and helpful! Thanks for so many suggestions from different price points. There are definitely some things I'm adding to my list! Have you tried the Essie Gel Couture nail polishes yet? I love them!
ReplyDeleteI haven't but the shades look gorgeous! xx
DeleteLove the look of those Look Good Feel Better brushes, and the fact that some of the proceeds go to charity is always a winner! I'll definitely be having a look at more of their range. For my pale, winter skin, that Rimmel contour/blush/highlight trio looks ideal!
ReplyDeleteAlice / Alice Grace Beauty
x
The Sleek eyeshadows look so pigmented! Love the idea of the shadow switch too!
ReplyDeleteDanielle's Beauty Blog
I love all the details! So helpful!
ReplyDeletewww.thegoldenkate.com
I'm really tempted by the Too faced concealer. I love softly spoken, its such a pretty and Calypso has been on my lips pretty much all month. I'm not a huge fan of the Rimmel contour palette or the Maybelline liquid lipsticks, i found that they weren't matte at all. I agree Sleek need more matte shades, i'd like their palettes so much more if they did xx
ReplyDeleteLPage Beauty
Your skin is quite dry right? I think you'd love the Too Faced! xx
DeleteI really really want Walkyrie, I'm obsessed with shades like that at the moment!
ReplyDeletewww.beautyfromkatie.blogspot.com
I really want to try that Shadow Switch! It'd be sooo helpful for doing complicated eye looks with lots of shades instead of dirtying a ton of brushes!
ReplyDeleteOlive & Ivy
Maybellline Pink Fling is so pretty! It looks very glowy and soft. Perfect for fall! I'll have to see if I can find it. http://www.lipstickisalife.com/
ReplyDeleteYour lip swatches always make me want new lipsticks in my life, I love NARS Walkyrie too it's one of my favourites. I don't have NYX Soft Spoken but feel like I need it in my life now!
ReplyDeleteGemma Louise
It's a great everyday shade :) xx
DeleteNYX Soft spoken is my absolute favourite! I was actually thinking of picking up Calyso by Colourpop just yesterday with some other stuff. Loved the swatch here! x
ReplyDeletewww.wildfirecharm.com
I've heard so many great things about that Milani foundation, totally need to check that out. It sucks that they don't have too many shades for fairer skin tones but I'm excited that there's actually a range for medium to darker skin tones! That sleek palette is absolutely gorgeous. I also am not usually a fan of cooler tones but this palette is just so beautiful :D The colors are so perfect for a smokey eye.
ReplyDeleteMili | Sharmtoaster
This is an awesome post with so many products! You are always putting your best effort when it comes to blogging :)
ReplyDeleteLaila from Townhouse Palette
That Sleek palette looks gorgeous. I really highly rate Sleek, their blushers are amazing, I should definitely try more from them! I love the NARS lip pencils and I've been thinking about a new shade for a while, this one looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThe Makeup Directory
They really do some great products at very low prices :) xx
DeleteI´ve always wanted to try the Nars velvet lip pencils put I’m scared they will be too drying. How do you get along with them?
ReplyDeleteVanessa x | www.springlilies.com
I really want to try the Too Faced concealer! love the look of all the lip products you chose as well xx
ReplyDeletehttp://claresloves.blogspot.com/
There are so many gorgeous products in this post! I love the look of the NARS lipstick it looks stunning :)
ReplyDeleteKeen to try Colourpop's products!
Great post :) xo
www.shehearts.net
Walkyrie is one of my favorite shades, glad to see it in your roundup! NYX Soft Spoken is also such a gorgeous color, I have it and this reminds me that I should pull it out and use it. Shadow Switch is such an interesting concept, I can see how that comes in handy when using multiple dark shades!
ReplyDeleteCindy | www.cindyhyue.com
Can i just take a second to appreciate your amazing flatlay - seriously its so well styled!
ReplyDeleteAnd that brush cleaner - woah looks awesome I just checked out a tutorial that used it and it looks so good! Plus it's marble so it looks good too
xx
Lizzie | Takeoffs & Landings
Aw thank you! xx
DeleteYay! You finally have Soft Spoken...the formula is so much better than the Soft Mattes in my opinion. I'm loving the sound of the Too Faced Concealer not that I'm on the hunt for a new one as the UD one has pretty much ticked all the boxes, but still, good to know in case I want a change xxx
ReplyDeleteSal | UmmBaby Beauty
Thank you for your comments everyone :) xx
ReplyDeleteCalypso is sooo stunning! I'm really glad I picked it up in my last order^_^ and yes I totally feel the same nostalgia towards sleek palettes, they were my first proper e/s palette too! Glad to see they're still coming out with creative colour combinations!
ReplyDeleteIqra | The Blushing Giraffe x
I recently brought myself the latest Sleek eyeshadow palette 'Diamonds in the Rough' and it's just gorgeous! Great shimmery shades for the festive season.
ReplyDeletewww.upyourvlog.com
I love my new Sleek palette and that brush cleaner looks good!
ReplyDeletewww.upyourvlog.com