bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer Review

Hey!

As you may have already seen, the other week I went to a bareMinerals Bloggers Event (click here) where we learnt about and tried different skincare and foundation products. One thing we tried out was the bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer which I was also lucky enough to get samples of in my goody bag. I have been trying it out everyday since then and I have now formed a justified opinion of it to tell you guys what I think about it!

One interesting thing about this primer which I was told about at the event is that the primer isn't like other primers. Instead of having the ingredient silicone in it, it instead has silica in it. Furthermore, the primer claims to help 'enlarged pores,uneven texture and flaky dryness' along with having a 'seamless coverage'. The primer also won the QVC Beauty Awards 2013-Best Make Up Must Have.

So what is my opinion? Well, it feels much nicer and thinner than usual silicone primers. It doesn't have that tacky feeling and it applies very smoothly. It also doesn't seem to take long to set before you can apply your make up. Additionally, I have also considerably noticed the reduction of oil in my T-zone throughout the day. There is still some slight oil but only very minor that you cannot really see from afar. This has given me a better result than I have with my usual primer.

So what can I agree with from their claims? I do believe it provides a seamless coverage, help reduce enlarged pores and uneven texture. However, I don't have any flaky dryness on my face beforehand so I cannot answer if it helps that or not.

Overall I am really impressed with this primer. I have used my samples everyday since I got it and will continue to use them until they're finished. I like how the primer feels, applies and reduces oil in my T-zone. You can buy the primer in a bottle and pump form like you can see in the photo above for £22.00. As someone who always uses budget beauty this is slightly excessive for me but I do kind of think it is worth the money so maybe when I feel like treating myself I will purchase this!



What is your favourite bareMinerals product? Let me know!

March Favourites

Hello!

I haven't done a favourites post in a while, simply because nothing was my favourite. I have put myself on a spending ban for the past few months so I wasn't getting anything new in that I could put as a favourite: all my old favourites had already been in favourite posts!

But I finally have some favourites of the month!


1. Zoeva Graphic Eyes+ Eyeliner in Good Karma: For my birthday my wonderful friends bought me two of these eyeliners, one in Good Karma (a mermaid teal green) and the other in Mr Mavelous (a dark purple with purple glitter). However, my favourite is definitely Good Karma as the colour is stunning! They are so smooth, beautiful and waterproof. Reviews will be up soon!

2. BareMinerals Prime Time Primer Foundation: This is a generous sample I got from the BareMinerals Bloggers event which I posted about here. It is a lovely primer that controls oil. However, I won't talk about it too much here as I have a review coming up soon!

3. BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Break Away: This is also another sample I got from the BareMinerals Bloggers event. This lipstick is a beautiful nudey-brown lipstick great for when you don't have time to do a full on look or have bold eyes so want a nude lip. Review coming soon.

4. If I Stay by Gayle Forman: Because I've been quite busy this month this is the only book I have read. It is a good, short book to read that may bring you to tears. It has also been made into a film! I am going to start the second book soon hopefully. 



Have you used any of these products or read the book? Let me know!

BareMinerals Blogger Event

Hey!

Last Thursday I went to a Bloggers skincare and foundation event for BareMinerals in House of Fraser, Bristol with my good friend Emily. It was run by the lovely Ashton where I also met Mali. BareMinerals are a unique skincare and make up brand which have minerals for ingredients as you can guess!

This was the first event Emily and I had gone to so we didn't know what to expect but we were made welcome with friendly faces, amazing hot chocolates and rainbow cookies!

First we took our make up off which I found absolutely nerve-racking as I NEVER go outside without make up on but I felt calmer about it knowing everyone else was taking their make up off too and we would be putting on foundation afterwards. We used plenty of skincare products which all felt smooth and luxurious. We used the Facial Cleansing Oil, Eye Nourishing Balm, Active Cell Renewal Night Serum, Purely Nourishing Moisturiser and the Blemish Remedy. I think the favourite one I used was the night serum because it was nice to try as a serum as I don't usually use them in my own personal skincare.

Additionally, we tried out the Exfoliating Treatment Cleanser on our hands which I really liked as it was unique due to the fact that it is in powder form!

Next was my favourite bit: make up! We used the Prime Time primer first to prepare our skin and I chose the one that cancels out redness because I have a lot of that. I really liked the feeling of it compared to other primers as it uses silicona (is that how it's spelt? I don't know think it is) rather than silicone like most other primers. 

We then used the bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation with the Perfecting Face Brush for foundation. The brush is interesting as it feels exactly like velvet and has a dip in the middle to put the foundation drop in. The foundation was lightweight and light coverage but definitely buildable. Lastly I used bronzer and I was given great tips on how to apply bronzer seeing as I don't really use it myself!

To finish off, we did a quiz to test the knowledge we were taught and there was a prize at the end. I didn't win but it was fun all the same! We were then given goody bags full of samples of mascara, lipstick, perfumes and primer. There were sweets too! Then it was time to say goodbye.

I had a great time at the event and it has given me confidence if I were to attend anymore. I always knew of BareMinerals but never really thought about them so now I have lots of knowledge about what they do and their ingredients! 

Reviews on the products I received in my goody bag will be up in the upcoming week or so. :-)
Have you ever been to a Bloggers event? Let me know!

Boots 3 for 2 Mini Haul!

Hey all!

I needed to go to Boots this weekend to replenish my usual foundation. When I was there, I saw everything was 3 for 2! I've been on a spending ban since the beginning of the year as I am not in a job at the moment and I'm trying to save for my gap year so I thought I may as well treat myself. I haven't had any new make up in ages!


So first of all, I bought my holy grail foundation which is the Collection Lasting Perfection foundation (review here). I like it because it' inexpensive, full coverage and lasts all day.


Next, I picked up the new Barry M Flawless Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit. A review on this will definitely be coming up soon! I have been eyeing this up for weeks now and after watching/reading reviews on it I finally went for it and bought it. I am a beginner when it comes to contouring so hopefully this will teach me a thing or two!



The last thing I got was on a complete whim. I had never seen it before but when I was looking for something I'd want for free out of the 3 for 2 deal this caught my eye. I have been wanting some bright coloured eyeliners for a while so when I spotted the Bourjois Contour Clubbing Eyeliner in 'Purple Night' I knew I had to try it. It is an absolutely stunning bright, deep purple with slight purple shimmer in it. It's gorgeous and I cannot wait to review it for you!


So there we go! Have you used any of these products? Let me know!

Nails | Max Factor Glossfinity 'Burgundy Crush'

Hey!

I haven't done a nail post in a while! Usually I enjoy doing nail art on my nails but this week I didn't have time so I thought I would use a nail polish that I haven't used yet. 

This is the Max Factor Glossfinity in shade 'Burgundy Crush' and it claims to be high gloss. I got it for Christmas in a set of make up for Max Factor and this was the first Max Factor nail polish I have ever tried.

Eh, I have mixed reviews on this one. To begin positively, it does exactly what it says on the bottle. It is the most high shine, glossy nail polish I have ever used to the point wear I can see my reflection on my nails! In addition I love the colour as it looks different in various lights. Sometimes it looks red, sometimes reddy brown and sometimes purple.

The downfall? It chips like no other nail polish I have ever tried. I applied it Sunday night with a top coat I always trust and it chipped a little bit that night. In just under 24 hours pretty much every single nail had chipped quite a lot and it looked like I had the nail polish on for a week! I filled in the chips on Tuesday night and by Wednesday morning the entirety of nail polish on my index finger was gone with chips on other nails and by night time they were all, once again, chipped to some extent.

I have never used a nail polish that chips so easily and quickly! I usually like to make my nail polish last two weeks before I take it off but I am not sure I can even make this last a week. I know it doesn't claim to be long lasting but it has got to have some sort of standard! Plus I guess it says 'glossy nails for up to 7 days' so it is sort of implying it is going to last a week. I am super disappointed as I really liked the colour and probably won't buy a Max Factor nail polish ever.

Have you had a similar problem with Max Factor nail polish? Let me know!

Body Confidence | Say Yes to the Dress

Hey!

I have made a little bit of a achievement in my life and style recently and I wanted to share it with you.

Since about 11 years old I have not felt comfortable enough with my body to wear dresses. I mean I was never a super girly girl to want to wear dresses anyway but as I got older I realised how I actually wanted to wear them but just didn't feel comfortable enough.

I've always thought I've got the body of a boy and that dresses just emphasised my boy-like body. This was all because I have very small boobs. I always knew this was irrational- me being flat chested does not mean I am any less of a woman. But because of this I always refused to try dresses just because I felt like a pre-pubescent boy. In fact, this was one of the main reasons why I didn't go to my Year 11 prom when I finished secondary school: I didn't want to wear a dress.

The past 6 months I'd say I've been having a bit of a weird relationship with dresses. I decided I wanted to try and start wearing them for special occasions but it was going to be a long journey. First of all, I couldn't find dresses I liked. I am not a very girly-girl and love the gothic/alternative/rocker style so I couldn't find one I actually liked. But then when I did find one, it just wouldn't fit me! Because of my figure a usual size for me would fit my waist and length but would be baggy around my small boobs. Yet if I tried to go down a size, it would fit my boobs but not the rest of me. All of this was very embarrassing and humiliating for me and I stopped trying for a while.

Then in January I finally had a breakthrough. On an impulse I bought a dress from Blue Banana as it was on sale. I tried it on when it arrived and I nearly cried tears of happiness. It actually fit me! Not only did it fit me but it also didn't seem to emphasise my lack of breasts or figure in general. This may sound like nothing special to anyone else but to me it was great. I finally felt a bit more like a woman and I had found something I genuinely liked. At 17 years old I FINALLY wore a dress!

Since then I've managed to find another dress that fits me which I am going to wear around my birthday.

I still struggle with confidence about my boobs but now I have become more confident that I can pull of dresses like any other woman and that I do not look like a boy. I am as much as a woman as anyone else who identifies as a woman and I shouldn't feel put down.

5 Tips for Surviving Sixth Form

Hey!

I am in my final months of Sixth Form now (thank goodness!) so I've decided now I have had pretty much the full experience I would now pass on some tips to you on how to survive Sixth Form (which can also account for college). Going to Sixth Form can be exciting when you realise you'll finally be leaving secondary school and feel a bit more like an adult but it can also be a super stressful time. 

1. Keep a folder for each subject right from the start. One of the mistakes I made in my first year was not having a folder prepared for my subjects. Then when I did, I kept forgetting to keep up with it and would end up with months and months worth of paperwork on my desk not organised into folders. Have a folder prepared and put your work in their daily or weekly.
2. Find a space in your house, whether in an office or your bedroom, where you can do your work quietly and keep everything organised. I don't mean to scare you but you will have a hell of a lot of work and essays to keep up with throughout Sixth Form! Having an office to store all your work and a desk to do your work at with all your necessary textbooks and stationery would be ideal but if that isn't possible then having a desk in your room will be good. It will make things a lot more difficult just doing work on your bed when you have books and paper everywhere.
3. Don't let anyone pressure you in to going to university. One of the main things that really angered me about Sixth Form, or maybe just my one in particular, was the immense amount of pressure to go to university. My Sixth Form always went on at us to go to University and barely gave us any information on other routes such as going straight to work or taking an apprenticeship. This is your life and you can what the hell you want with it. If going straight to work or doing an apprenticeship is what's best for what you want to do then do it- don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Not going to University isn't going to make you 'fail' or whatnot like some Sixth Forms give the impression of and it's just as good to do other things in life.
4. Don't stress about mock exams. I have witnessed everyone in Sixth Form stressing about mock exams and I just don't understand why! To me it seems unnecessary stress to put yourself under and it doesn't represent how well you will do in your actual exams. Use the time to relax, do any coursework if you do coursework subjects and make the most of the time you have before real exams. I got E's and U's in my mock exams because I didn't want to stress myself out for no reason but I still did as well as I wanted to in my real exams. Mock exams do not represent reality. 
5. Make time for yourself and for socialising. It can be so easy to get caught up in your work and you'll wonder where on earth you'll ever find the time to just relax. Through all the stress you need to remember to just be you and do things that you enjoy like watching YouTube videos, going out with friends and just getting outside in general. You don't want to spend all your time cooped up inside studying- go out and get some fresh air! You don't want to lose you.

My whole Sixth Form experience was a mix of things for me. I absolutely hated secondary school and I was glad to do something new, do subjects I enjoy and feel more like an adult. I wanted more freedom, free periods and to think about my future. However, it has also been the most stressful thing I have been through. Sixth Form forces you t o think about your career and make decisions for yourself which will affect the rest of your life. Sixth Form can get so caught up in grades, numbers and statistics so it is important to remember to just be you and take decision-making one step at a time.

What are you tips for getting through education? Let me know!

Nina Ricci Nina Eau de Toilette Spray

Hey all!

I have never talked about perfumes on here before as to be honest, I am not really a perfume fanatic. I've never been able to justify to myself spending lots of money on a smell. However, this perfume I received for Christmas which I have used before as I always used to steal some spritz from my Mum's one!

This is the Nina Ricci Nina Eau de Toilette Spray. The bottle is beautiful with the shape and colour of an apple with the lid as the stem and leaves on it. It looks like a beautiful ornament which is nice to have out on your dressing table. It is also sturdy because I've dropped this a few times and it hasn't smashed!

I find it way too difficult to describe the smell but let me tell you that I absolutely love it. It smells quite grown up and sexy which I like to use on evenings out. I researched it some more and found that it has notes of Lemon, Lime, Datura, Praline, Peony, Apple, Musk and Cedar. In all honestly I don't know what half of those things are but you guys might understand it better than I do. 

One of the greatest things about this perfume is that it is incredibly long lasting. You know those perfumes that smell great but only last for like half an hour? Well, this isn't one of them. I can use this perfume and still smell it all night. Furthermore I always get compliments whenever I wear it and it is actually my boyfriend's favourite smell on me haha!

Like I said at the beginning, I always used to use my Mum's one of this. This perfume is a favourite of my Mum and my sister's and they have been using it religiously for years. I have always liked using theirs so it is good I finally have my own to use!

So overall, I love this perfume and I can find no faults in it. It smells great, looks great and is long-lasting. It is sexy, flirty and great for a night out. I have seen this perfume in various places selling from £30-£50 so it is around that price mark. It makes a great gift to others as well as a great treat for yourself.

What's your favourite perfume?

Empties #2

Hello! 

I finished a few products recently so I thought I would share them with you. This is only my second Empties post- to see my first one, click here!

1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Wash- This is my holy grail face wash that I have gotten through numerous bottles of. I love this face wash as it works wonders for my acne prone skin and I've got plenty of back ups!
2. Neutrogena Visibly Clear Grapefruit Moisturiser- Another holy grail product for me. I love this moisturiser as again, it does wonders for my acne prone skin. It also smells beautiful and doesn't take long to sink in so you don't have to wait ages to apply your make up. To read my review of it, click here.
3. Carmex Lip Balm- I used to be so attached to this lip balm and wouldn't try anything else but now I have allowed myself to try some other lip balms. This is absolutely great for your lips and gets rid of chapped lips quickly. I have been through many of these and will probably buy another in the future. To read my review of it, click here.
4. Soap & Glory The Scrub of Your Life Body Scrub- I always use this scrub in the shower before I shave and it works super well. I will use other body scrubs I have after this but if I ran out of body scrubs I wouldn't hesitate to repurchase this. I have been using this since August so it has lasted quite a long time! To read my review of it, click here.

What products have you finished so far this year? Let me know!

Lush | Let The Good Times Roll

 Hey!

Many Fall Out Boy fans such as I will recognise that 'Let the Get Times Roll' is a lyric from the famous catchy song 'Thanks for the Memories'.  But in this case, it is a face and body cleanser by Lush.

The ingredients of the cleanser include maize flour and polenta to gently exfoliate with cinnamon powder to leave you feeling fresh and revived. It is a gentle cleanser that also works as a scrub to soothe and soften your skin. 

This has got to be my favourite smell of all the Lush products I have ever used. It smells like a mix of cookie dough and popcorn, with the look of cookie dough too.

To use this cleanser you take a very small amount (a little goes a long way!) and rub it in to a paste between your hands with water. You then proceed to massage it in to your skin (I always used it for my face) where it feels like it is exfoliating your skin and getting rid of all the dead skin cells.

It certainly feels amazing. As a fan of the smell it pleases me that the smell lingers on your face and it leaves your face feeling incredibly soft!

I have nothing bad to say about this product. It looks amazing, feels amazing and leaves your skin feeling wonderful.

I first bought this a year or so ago but then it got discontinued which made me so sad. However some months ago they brought it back and I was more than excited despite for the price increase.

I would most certainly buy this again and recommend it to others. I would even buy it as a present for someone.

You can get 100g for £6.75 and 250g for £16.88.

Have you used this cleanser before? What do you think? Let me know!

Make Up Revolution Wishlist

Hey!

Over the past months the brand Make Up Revolution are becoming more and more well known for their cheap prices, amazing dupes and for being a brand who seem to have multiple releases each and every month.

I have been eyeing up a lot of their stuff for a while now and their brand are one of my favourites to stalk on their social media sites etc. Their make up is just so pretty and affordable!

I am on a spending ban right now to save for my gap year but when I eventually give myself permission to treat myself I am going to be sure to get these!

1. I Love Make Up I Love Obsession- Pure Cult

 
Apart from the annoyingly long name, this palette seems amazing. What is extra great about it is that it is a near perfect dupe for Naked 3 palette but only at £3.99! I have seen swatches of these eyeshadows and they look so beautiful...definitely at the top of my list!

2. Mermaids vs Unicorns

I have been admiring this palette for months now but due to my spending ban I have been reluctant to buy it. The colours are absolutely stunning! I like wearing blue eyeshadow as I think it is a great colour for my blue eyes so I would really like to try these ones out. Such beautiful colour combinations!

3. Icon Pro 2

I think you can guess straight away what palette this is a dupe for. Of course, it is the Lorac Pro 2 palette! Not only is this immensely cheaper than the Lorac Pro 2, the Lorac Pro is also extremely difficult to get in the UK which is also why this is amazing. The colours look lovely and I would really like to try it out seeing as I will never get the chance to own the Lorac Pro 2.

What is your favourite out of these 3? Do you own any Make Up Revolution products? Let me know!

[Photos taken from the Make Up Revolution Website]