A Mini Haul - Haircare, Skincare & Make Up

Hi Girls! I must admit I'm not a fan of this weather. The fact that it is pitch black outside by 5o'clock means taking photos is an absolute nightmare! Apologies for not blogging this week, but it is merely impossible to get a decent looking photo without natural light. On a slightly brighter note, I used my day off to have some quality time to myself so of course I ended up at good old Superdrug. I rarely write 'haul' type posts, and although this is hardly what one would call big I still thought I'd share what I picked up. 

♥ Simple Facial Wash Gel - I love discovering a good new cleanser! If like me you're a fan of TOWIE, then you'll know just how amazing Lucy Mecklenburgh's skin looks (if you don't watch it think Millie Mackintosh-esque skin). I was reading an interview and she swears by Simple skincare. I have used the moisturising face wash before and loved it so hope this will be just as nice to use, and for a mere £2 it would be rude not to!

♥ L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist X Shampoo and Conditioner - If you're a regular reader of my blog then you'll know one of my weaknesses is trying new haircare products. I always use John Freida's Beautiful Brunette range but as I like to mix it up I went for this instead. It claims to strengthen hair from root to tip and nourish split ends and dead hair. Sounds perfect to me! Not to mention it smells gorgeous and the bottle size will last me a long while, even by my standards. 

♥ Superdrug Vitamin E Radiance Moisture Cream - Back in Summer I blogged about the Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser (read it here) and the Vitamin E SPF 15 Day Dream (read here). Both were so lovely to use, and since my usual day cream ran out I decided to invest in the Radiance Moisture Cream, which promises to deliver a glow to the skin whilst providing 24 hour hydration and sun protection too. For a measly £2.99 price tag it was a real bargain!

♥ Girls With Attitude Rock On Lashes - I wear false eyelashes almost everyday and Eylure can be pricey if you need to re-purchase on a weekly basis. I noticed these just above and they are so similar to the double lashes from Eylure and cost only £3.99 - not much difference cost wise, but I'll get just as much wear out of them. The band looks sturdy and strong which is essential. There is nothing worse than the end of an eyelash flapping around.

♥ Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - I've read countless rave reviews about this powder, many of which claim this to be a 'holy grail' product. I was reading the lovely Kayleigh over at CoutureGirl's most recent post and it managed to convince me to purchase it. I'll give it a bash and once I've had enough time to give it a proper review I will report back!

Have you picked up any great products recently?

♥

Review: Superdrug Deep Action Daily Exfoliator Wash

Hi Ladies, how are we? Just a quick post to tell you about Superdrug's Deep Action face wash. I came across this next to the blackhead clearing range by Garnier in my local Superdrug, and eager to save myself a few pennies in the lead up to Christmas, picked this up instead. And boy, do I regret that. I have never posted a review on a product which is negative, but I need to warn you ladies of its evil ways! 

When I first used the daily exfoliation wash I will admit I really loved it. It lathered up so well and I could feel it really working the exfoliation beads into my pores, not to mention it smelt great too. The fact that it says it is 'ideal for use on a daily basis' I wasn't worried that I was over doing the whole exfoliation thing. I have a combination to normal skin type, so I'm not as prone to spots and breakouts as I was in my teens. After two days of thinking I'd found a great new product, everything changed. Despite using my normal rich moisturisers, my skin begun to feel tight and I was really red and inflamed around my T-Zone, definitely not a good look. 

The morning after, I woke up and was horrified with the state of my skin. It was dry, bumpy around my jaw line and I had spots rearing their ugly head around my chin. I sound quite placid and ridiculous but I actually felt really upset only because I was off out for some lunch with a friend and no amount of make-up could cover it, infact it made things look even worse. My skin had a horrible stinging sensation when I applied my foundation but I soldiered on because au natural isn't for a girl like me! I know it may just be me who has experienced this kind of reaction to Superdrug's cleanser but if you don't want to risk what happened to me (believe me you don't, it's painful and dry beyond relief) then I'd steer clear of it. Luckily I got to the pharmacy yesterday and bought some anti histamine tablets with a strong cream and it is already starting to clear.  

Have you experienced a nasty reaction to cleansers? What have you used to clear it?

Mini Superdrug/Boots Haul

Hi gorgeous girlies! I keep seeing these posts on other blogs and always without fail never remember to do one of my own. I'm a complete product junkie, whether it's hair or beauty based and find myself having little mini 'sprees' about two or three times a week (yes really!), hence my absolutely huge collection of products! I'm a complete sucker for going out and buying a product which has been raved about, so today took myself into my local shopping centre to stock up slightly on some bits people were ranting and raving highly about. So grab yourself a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate/whatever floats your boat, this will be a long post...

Vitamin E Skincare Hot Cloth Cleanser 

£5.99 Superdrug

I am a complete skincare freak, especially when it comes to cleansers. Its strange, I get excited about shampoos and not conditioners and excited about cleansers rather than moisturisers. Weird. Anyway, I stopped using the infamous Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish a few years back as it broke me out in spots. I thought it was from the product, however it turns out I was actually allergic to something I had eaten that week, so I've never repurchased it. My mum owns the Liz Earle cleanser and really recommends it, but I'm too worried incase it does something similar to my skin. Muslin hot cloth cleansers are spoken so highly about, so I'm starting more at budget end brands for the time being to get my head around them before splurging. I've never tried any products from the Vitamin E range so am hoping it is lovely. For a 200ml bottle for under £6.00 where is the downside to it so far? The product promises to remove dirt, oil and make-up effectively which is just what I need over these Winter Summer months. I'll post a full review in a few days once I have used this a few times and let you all know how I'm getting on. Shop here 

MUA Blusher in Shade 4 & Models Own Powder Blush in Peach Blush 

£1 Superdrug, £6 Boots

Not a fan of blushers whatsoever. In fact, I may just surprise you all reading this by saying I've never ever used a blusher before in my life. Shock. I only ever use my trusty Boujois bronzing brick as I'm so in love with it. Something inside me just screamed to try them, so I opted for these two to start with! I hear alot said about cream blushers, and quite frankly the thought of that scares me a bit. I like powders and anything put over my foundation to be smooth and velvety rather than feel tacky. I picked up MUA's blush in a blunt pink colour for just one measly pound in Superdrug. Bargain. For its price I'm not complaining, its fairly pigmented however its staying power is probably nothing special, we shall have to see. Models Own has been one of my favourite brands as if you know me at all well, then you will know I am in love obsessed with their nail polishes. I tried the lipgloss a few months ago which I loved, so am hoping the blusher surprises me too. I picked a colour which was more of a bronzer so I did cheat a bit, but it still falls under the blusher category! Again, I'll post a full review ince I've got my head around replacing bronzer with blusher. *sobs* Buy here. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 200 Soft Beige

£8.99 Boots

I have religiously been using my Revlon Colour Stay Foundation for the past few months after I stopped using my regular MAC Studio Fix back in April after it randomly broke me out in a rash (what is it with me and rashes?!). Since then I've heard absolutely nothing but good things about Rimmels new Wake Me Up foundation, which 'reawakens and illuminates skin with a radiant glow and flawless, natural looking finish'. First things first have you even smelt this product? I love the smell of everything Rimmel has to offer especially the lasting finish lipsticks. The foundation smells really fresh and floral which is great if you're sick of the usual stench of other foundations (MAC Studio Fix, I'm looking at you!). The other thing which is great about this is that it comes in a pump bottle, so no more applying to the back of your hand! Yes, the bottle may look a little cheap but in a way I think the fluorescent orange lid brightens up my dressing table and takes away from the usual sleek black packaging almost everything seems to have. So far I love this, and I haven't even tried it yet! For £8.99 it will be no big deal if I repulse it but fingers crossed it's another new beauty find this year. Of course, I will be reviewing this properly in due course. Buy here

Cosmopolitan Powder Brush

£4.99 Superdrug

I have well and truly completely ruined my old powder brush. I was drunk and put it into my clutch bag before I left for a night out (what the hell) and when I was in a club I just offered to do everyones make-up. Big mistake (I'm surprised girls even agreed knowing what state I was in). The morning after my brush was malting badly, I had foundation colours I never even knew were invented and no matter how much I scrubbed it just wouldn't budge. So I picked up this baby today, for a bargain of £4.99. I've never heard or read anything about Cosmopolitan brushes so this is a complete random choice for me. At the touch the bristles feel so soft, and above all I love the overall thickness of the brush. It cuts no corners. However as I'm always completely truthful when it comes to talking about products I will admit that a few strands did fall out only when I brushed it lightly on the back of my hand. Not a happy bunny so far but I will see how it pans out! Buy here

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light

£4.19 Boots

As I mentioned in my previous post (Collection 200 Sheer Loose Powder read it here) I've never been a person to really try the brand as a whole until I stumbled on some blogs which absolutely swore by the stuff. I suffer with horrendously dark circles underneath my eyes so was hoping this would be my new holy grail product. It promises a full 16 hours of coverage which if I'm honest doesn't seem likely. However I've heard that it's got fantastic coverage and when I quickly swatched it on the back of my hand (yes, bad I know. You're supposed to apply to your actual face) I realised it's great. I'm still optimistic as I still haven't found a concealer which completely hides everything so I'll keep you all updated! Buy here

 Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 006 Pink Blush

£4.99 Boots

Yes, it's another lipstick! And yes it's another pink. I am really starting to fall in love with Rimmel lipsticks; the Kate Moss lipstick I purchased last week (read my blog post here) really did put the icing on the cake. As with the foundations I also find that all Rimmel lipsticks smell absolutely delicious and this is no exception. It glides on so easily and is such a buildable colour. I may opt for this when I go to work tomorrow, the girls always seem really interested in my lipstick choices! I'll again review this fully probably tomorrow after a day of wearing the stuff so will let you know how it looks/feels/lasts. Buy here.

So there you have it, my first mini haul from Superdrug and Boots from my blog. Let me know what you think!

Do you have any of these products? What did you think and what would you recommend?

☮