I thought I'd best hurry up with my June favourites as it is soon going to be August! Really can someone tell me how/why this year is going so fast?! I'm already thinking about Christmas!
I was actually tempted to skip over my favourites this month as even though I've had definite favourites nothing seemed that interesting to mention! Plus for the past week I've been thinking the macro setting on my camera was broke... when in fact I have the zoom on, which disables the macro!
Sleek Oh So Special palette - £6.49
Sleek seem to be producing their wonderful palettes thick and fast at the moment and I'm definitely not complaining! Some of course are too bold for liking but this is spot on. My favourite eye shadows from the top swatch are - Gateau, The Mail, Boxed, Bow, Organza, Gift Basket and Glitz. I like the mix of shades and finishes which strongly remind me of a few of their older palettes from the i-divine collection. Plus as it is so versatile I can see myself easily using this during the winter months as well. If you are tempted by this I would seriously just buy it now while it is in stock as it has already been going for over £10 on eBay! You won't be disappointed!
MAC Impassioned Lipstick - £13.50
This is such a perfect summer lipstick even when the sun isn't shining! Neither the swatch below or the image above do the shade any justice as it's such a juicy pink/red shade that looks perfect on tanned or pale skin with brown hair. It's also a pretty versatile shade that can be dabbed on and blotted as a pink stain, applied with a lip brush for quite a bold lip or worn under a nude shade for daytime, so 100% worth the slight splurge.
Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Honeysuckle - £5.99
Ahhh, finally a natural tinted lip balm! This is just perfect for me and my dry lips. With one swipe the balm is hardly noticeable on the lips but evens them out nicely. With a few more coats it becomes more of a subtle warm nude shade that is nicely moisturizing. Such a perfect lip balm to keep in the handbag for when you can't be bothered with lipstick!
For £2 this is such a great lip gloss. The scent is great - a lovely sugary toffee flavour. The shade is great - a light nude and the formula even though slightly grainy is not sticky, which is something not to be under estimated! I really wouldn't be without this.
Benefit Bella Bamba 3D Brightening blusher - £23.50
Before trying this I was a little pessimistic... I mean really, a 3D blush? I just wasn't buying into it. I'm still a little unsure of the mention of it being 3D but do understand why Benefit would say that, as it is such a multi-dimensional blush that seems to bring the cheek out in a way not a lot of blushers do! There is a swatch at the bottom of the post but if I'm honest it is on the feeble side, so I would do a quick Google search to see a true swatch and hopefully you will see what I mean. It highlights, it adds a glow, it brings out the warms of the skin and it makes the cheeks look perfectly flushed! My only criticisms about the product would be you do get less product than a normal boxed blush and the price is still the same. I still also don't love the cardboard packing... the design/aesthetics of the box are great but the second this is put with other makeup or in your bag it's start to show signs of wear around the sides... because it's cardboard! But to end on a more positive note it smells so good!
Before trying this I was a little pessimistic... I mean really, a 3D blush? I just wasn't buying into it. I'm still a little unsure of the mention of it being 3D but do understand why Benefit would say that, as it is such a multi-dimensional blush that seems to bring the cheek out in a way not a lot of blushers do! There is a swatch at the bottom of the post but if I'm honest it is on the feeble side, so I would do a quick Google search to see a true swatch and hopefully you will see what I mean. It highlights, it adds a glow, it brings out the warms of the skin and it makes the cheeks look perfectly flushed! My only criticisms about the product would be you do get less product than a normal boxed blush and the price is still the same. I still also don't love the cardboard packing... the design/aesthetics of the box are great but the second this is put with other makeup or in your bag it's start to show signs of wear around the sides... because it's cardboard! But to end on a more positive note it smells so good!
Homemade Makeup Remover
Okay, this is looking a bit grubby now, the toner I mixed with the olive oil and water has merged some what which is why it looks cloudy! However it's just as effective so I don't care too much. This is the only product I've been using to remover eye makeup for the last month and it's just so much better that any product I've tried and it costs virtually nothing. I've also being using this on 'lazy days' to remove all my makeup and this also works really well! It doesn't break me out, it only have three ingredients (two if you just want to make it with water and olive oil) and it lasts ages. No need to buy eye makeup remover again!
Okay, this is looking a bit grubby now, the toner I mixed with the olive oil and water has merged some what which is why it looks cloudy! However it's just as effective so I don't care too much. This is the only product I've been using to remover eye makeup for the last month and it's just so much better that any product I've tried and it costs virtually nothing. I've also being using this on 'lazy days' to remove all my makeup and this also works really well! It doesn't break me out, it only have three ingredients (two if you just want to make it with water and olive oil) and it lasts ages. No need to buy eye makeup remover again!
DHC Velvet Skin Coat -£14.50
I've been using the DHC silicone based primer for quite awhile now and really love it. So I had to take some before and after images of what it does to the skin and hopefully you can see the difference in the two images above (the left image being bare skin and the right with primer on). It is most noticeable when the light hits the skin really and you can actually see how it does create an invisible coat over the skin making it look a lot smoother. It also diffuses fine lines, blemishes and blackheads though I have found the skin has be free from dry patches or the primer with cling to them areas and make foundation look cakey.Another product I can see myself using for years and year!
Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation - £7.99
Max Factor foundations are on a par with Bourjois foundations for me and I seem to love every foundation both brands come out with as they are always so natural and apply a dream. I was a bit of a cheap skate with this and purchased shade 50 - Natural as it was only £2.99 in Tesco... such a bargain for any high street foundation. But being a cheap skate paid off and the shade matches my skin tone quite well! This definitely do have a smoothing effect and glides over the skin in a way that it is similar to a BB cream (good coverage so hides blemishes and has similar effects to a primer). So all in all a pretty nice foundation... though my favourite foundation of all is Max Factor Second Skin.
Max Factor foundations are on a par with Bourjois foundations for me and I seem to love every foundation both brands come out with as they are always so natural and apply a dream. I was a bit of a cheap skate with this and purchased shade 50 - Natural as it was only £2.99 in Tesco... such a bargain for any high street foundation. But being a cheap skate paid off and the shade matches my skin tone quite well! This definitely do have a smoothing effect and glides over the skin in a way that it is similar to a BB cream (good coverage so hides blemishes and has similar effects to a primer). So all in all a pretty nice foundation... though my favourite foundation of all is Max Factor Second Skin.
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| Swatches from left to right - Max Factor Smooth Effect foundation #50, Natural Collection lip gloss fondant, Benefit Bella Bamba 3D Pink blush, Mac Impassioned amplified lipstick, Burt's Bees Honeysuckle lip balm. |
So that is it!
Nothing amazing but all the products mentioned stood out to me this month.
My silly blogger reading list isn't showing up at the moment so feel free to link me to your own favourites this month as I do love to read every ones!
