Sunday, October 30, 2016

Joan Collins Timeless beauty - Body polish and skin treat spray.


I haven't heard a lot about the Joan Collins beauty range so when I was offered the opportunity to try some products I jumped at the chance. I have to be 100% honest I didn't know the line contained anything but makeup so when I received some skin/body care bits I was a little shocked however I've got on really well with both products.
 
First off I'm going to talk about the I am woman Dry body oil polish £18.00*. I'm not usually a fan of body scrubs that are dry as I find they are really messy however because this one is so effective I don't mind too much. I have pretty bad eczema which makes my legs very sensitive so I find a lot of body scrubs flare it up however this one didn't. It has a really nice balance between scrub and moisture. I find it works so well to remove tan as it is quite a heavy scrub. I also find that when I use it my skin not only feels healthier but it definitely helps to give it a little bit of life and make it more glowy.
 
  My favourite product out of the two is the Ten effects Skin treat spray and makeup fixer £20.00* this claims to have 10 benefits to the skin and I will say some seem a little far fetched. Like the fact that it will apparently minimise pores however I do really like it. I do find that the spray is pretty thick so it does feel a lot wetter on the face than a lot of other setting sprays I have tried however it does a beautiful job of taking away any dryness and adding a little hydration to the skin. I think having dry skin this is perfect for me however I'm not sure how it would fare and whether it would add too much moisture to the skin. I'm not sure it particularly prolongs how long my makeup lasts however it does a really lovely job of making my makeup sit nicely. 

 
Overall I am really impressed with these two products and I'm definitely going to be looking into more of the range. 

Friday, October 28, 2016

Underrated products


Today I thought I would show you some of my favourite products which I think don't get enough hype. I actually found it quite difficult to whittle this down as it turns out there are a lot of products I love which aren't that well known. Some of these are mentioned by a few people however largely they are just products that I have picked up on a whim and fallen in love with.
 
 
Illamasqua powder blushes (Duo in lover and hussy) -
 
I love these blushes they are so pigmented however they blend out beautifully so you can get everything from a super intense look to just a slight hint of blush. I also absolutely love the two shades in this little palette!
 
Clarins Instant concealer -
 
This is possibly the most barginous high end concealer to ever exist, you get 15ml for £22.00 which is so cheap compared to most concealers which are usually around the 8ml mark. This is so beautiful, it has a very high coverage whilst still being thin and lightweight meaning that it sits really nicely on even my duper dry skin. I'm not sure how this would fare on oiler skin types however for me it's perfect.  
 
L'Oreal BB powder -
 
I'm pretty sure  that this has been repackaged since I last bought it as powder isn't something I use very often however when I do want a pressed powder this is the one I reach for. It offers a tiny bit of coverage whilst still looking completely natural on the skin. It is milled so fine that it is undetectable on the skin and I also find it doesn't cling to any dry patches like so many powders do.
 
 
Smashbox Brow tech matte pencil -
 
This was one of my Manic duty free blow out in March and I'm so glad I did pick it up. It's an incredibly fine pencil which is the perfect ashy dark brown. What I like about this is that it isn't too waxy that it makes the brows sticky but it also isn't dry so it doesn't just crumble up. I also do really like the spooly on the other side as it is nice and firm.
 
Zoeva Cocoa blend palette -
 
I absolutely love this palette, it is perfect for anyone who loves warm toned shades. I feel like the Zoeva palettes overall don't get a lot of press. I love this one the shadows are beautifully pigmented and creamy. I especially love the shade warm notes which is a stunning pink shade.
 


NYX Butter glosses (Crème Brule and Tiramisu) -
 
These glosses are my favourite of all the drugstore glosses I've ever used. I feel like a lot of other NYX products are getting so much hype at the moment but I have honestly seen barely anything about these. They aren't sticky smell amazing and have the perfect amount of pigment for a gloss.
 
No7 Precision lip pencil (Nude) -
 
This was another really random purchase which I had seen absolutely nothing about! These are so stunning and incredibly creamy. I feel like a lot of my lip liners are to dry and just really drag on my lips. This shade is a really lovely basic nude which works under pretty much any lipstick! I definitely need to get around to buying some more shades.
 
Clinique Lip pops (Poppy pop and Cherry pop) -
 
These lipsticks are so good and honestly don't get near enough hype. They are so beautiful and work incredibly even on super dry lips. They are glossy enough so that they don't look dry and gross on the lips however they also stay on the lips really nicely and don't smudge all over my face like some more glossy lipsticks do.
 


I'd love to know what your guys favourite underrated products are! 

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Happy 4th Birthday Coleoftheball

 
I cannot believe I have been blogging for four years, today I thought I would do a little roundup of some of the posts I have put up in the last four years! I hope you enjoy looking back at some of my older posts and didn't cringe as much as I am! Just before we do get started I just want to say a huge thank you for all your support whether you've been here since the beginning or this is the first time you have read my blog!

My first post - Top 5 Autumn nail polishes

We have to start off with my first post! To be 100% honest I feel like I've read far worse first posts, I feel like mine definitely went downhill from here before they picked up. The photos wouldn't be to bad but I was obviously a big fan of flash which washed all the colours out so overall it was a bit of a fail.
 


My first OOTD - Blogmas Day 16..... OOTD

I think it's so strange to look back on this and see how much I have changed I honestly don't think this looks anything like me! I have never done a lot of OOTD's on my blog and I feel like this post explains why.



My first FOTD - Blogmas Day 9...... FOTD Simplicity is key

Cringey title - Check
Bad camera angles - Check
Bad quality Photos - Check
Gappy teeth - Check

This post really does have it all!


First yearly favourites  and the time I sprayed batiste on my hand (Would definitely not advise you do this!) - 2012 Favourites

I find looking back on favourites so strange! I now don't use any of these products and I'm pretty sure the only one I still own is the natural collection lipstick.

 
 
I actually don 't mind this post, it isn't overly detailed however the pictures aren't too bad and it seems to have a little more structure than some of the reviews I had written before.
 
 
 
I can't believe the last OOTD I did was this long ago, I really do still love this outfit and I really like the photos from this post.
 
 
 
Looking back at all those old FOTD's made me realise how much I've changed and grown up in the past four years. This is one of my most favourite recent posts and it definitely shows how not only my photography but also my writing has improved.
 
 
 
Even looking back at last years favourites there are some things that have been replaced by other products and I just find them so interesting to look back on. Also can we take a moment to appreciate the improvement in my flatlay skills!
 
 
 
Even though I didn't mind my naked basics review I feel like this is so much better. It is better structured and just goes in to much more detail whilst I also offer an alternative. It definitely shows how much my collection has grown and how much more educated I am!
 
 
So that's it for today I really hope you enjoyed this post!
 
Cole x


Sunday, October 23, 2016

Natural collection makeup - Tested!


I'm back again with another makeup testing video and post for you today. Natural collection is one of those brands that really reminds me of when I first started wearing makeup so without further ado lets get on with it. If you would like to watch my first impression video on these products it will be at the bottom of the post.
 
Cover cream in Fair - £1.99
 
I actually didn't mind this, it isn't the thickest of concealers which meant I found it doesn't fall into any of my dry patches or look cakey. Coverage wise for me it is a little light however I have been enjoying using it for lighter makeup days. I can see this being a really lovely one for people who are just starting out with makeup as it adds a little coverage whilst still being natural.
 
Sun tint bronzing powder in Golden glow - £1.99
 
For me this was a little lacking, it isn't very pigmented however it is nice and finely milled and can be built up. I personally love a lot of bronzer so this probably isn't the best for me however again I think it would be brilliant for people who prefer natural makeup or are just starting out.
 
Blushed cheeks in Pink cloud - £1.99
 
I've loved these blushes pretty much since I started wearing makeup, it's a stunning medium pink shade. In contrast to the bronzer I do find this has quite a lot of pigment however it blends very easily so if I do go a little heavy handed it isn't a problem.
 
Highlighter stick in Rose gold - £1.99
 
This is one of the newer products to the collection, I was super excited to give it a go and I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Although it leaves a really pretty rose toned glow on the skin I found it quite difficult to blend and found unless I worked very quickly with the product I found it would set wherever I first put it down.
 
Brow pencil in Medium brown - £1.99
 
Out of everything this was the product I disliked the most, for a start the colour was absolutely awful it was so orange toned. I would normally go for the dark brown shade however they didn't have any left in my local boots. If it was just the shade that was awful it would be a little better however I just found it was so waxy and smudged everywhere.
 
Brow gel in Dark brown - £1.99
 
I also picked up the new brow gel which I really liked however I did find the brush was huge. Due to the gel being very pigmented and the brush being huge it did make my brows a little messy however if I am careful I can get this to works although I do have to wipe a lot of product off the brush.
 
Eyeshadow duo in Mink and sable - £1.99
 
This was practically no existent the shades look really pretty in the pan however I just couldn't get any pigment onto my lids at all. I think if perhaps a parent wanted a subtle eyeshadow for their child this would be really lovely however for me this doesn't even work for no makeup days.
 
Concealer, highlight stick, bronzer, blush, eyeshadow duo, brow pencil, brow gel, lipstick
Waterproof mascara - £1.99
 
I really like this it's a lovely natural mascara which adds a really natural curl to the lashes whilst slightly lengthening them. I would highly recommend this if you want a natural mascara and it's definitely my favourite product I have tried.  
 
Lipstick in Berry blush - £1.99
 
I really like the natural collection lipsticks they're very comfortable on the lips and are so hydrating. The shade of this is a stunning slightly metallic berry shade which isn't going to be something I'm going to reach for everyday however I think it will be a really lovely one for this time of year.
 
So that's it for today, I hope you enjoyed this and don't forget to check out this video.
 



Wednesday, October 19, 2016

A German makeup swap post

 
 
Hey guys, today I thought I would show you the lovely bits I recently received from my German friend Theresa. Every so often we do a makeup swap so I wanted to show you the products she got me and do little mini reviews of them all.
 
So starting off with the non beauty bits I got a pair of earrings and some raspberry and vanilla tea (All fruit tea lovers should go to Germany the choice is insane.) also it smells like melted drumsticks which is all I need in life. The other non-makeup bits where the Bibi loves you Vanilla cake pop creamy shower mouse. I've actually been using this as a shaving foam as I feel like it doesn't quite lather enough for me personally. It does smell incredible however it's not one for people who aren't into super sweet vanilla scents. The final non-makeup item was the trend it up Nail polish. This is a gorgeous matte polish which applies beautifully and isn't streaky at all which I find is my problem with a lot of matte polishes.
 
Moving on to makeup I'm going to start off with eyes. The first shadow is possibly the prettiest thing I have ever seen. It is the Rival de Loop young Metallic shade in the shade Vintage love which is a gorgeous rosy pink metallic shade. It is so pigmented and blends beautifully. The other eyeshadow related thing is a palette from the same brand as the nail polish. Trend it up is a new brand to DM (like the German version of Boots) and I have to say I am incredibly impressed with the quality of the shadows. The palette in question is the nudes selection palette in the shade 020. These shadows are insane, they are highly pigmented and wear so well whilst blending like an absolute dream. I also think the colour selection in the palette is really lovely! This one is a definite bargain.
 

RDL Vintage love
 
Trend it up first three shades
 
Trend it up last 3 shades
 
For my face we have the Catrice prime and fine palette. Catrice is 100% my favourite German drugstore brand. This contour palette is a lot warmer than I would usually go for however I really like using it as a bronzer/contour hybrid as it adds a little warmth but also really sculpts the face. The highlighter powder isn't obviously shimmery but instead is just slightly iridescent which means it leaves a beautiful natural highlight. I've used this loads for very simple makeup days and I have to say I really love it.
 
Catrice Prime and fine contouring palette
 
As you can see T knows me incredibly well and sent me lots of lipsticks, the first shade is the Rival de loop young Matte lipstick in 02. This is a really gorgeous Berry toned brick red which I think is gorgeous. These are incredibly highly scented so not one for people who aren't a fan of sweet shades however I personally love it. Despite this being matte it feels incredibly comfortable on the lips and one I am going to get so much use out of in the next couple of months. Next up we have the Essence matt matt matt lipstick in the shade 07 again another berry shade which is incredible for this time of year. This another very comfortable matte lipstick and one I am very happy with.
 
Another Catrice product now, the Shine appeal fluid lipstick in Marry Berry is a stunning pinky purple shade. The formula of this reminds me a lot of the NYX Intense butter glosses. They are quite thick yet they don't feel overly sticky on the lips, don't get me wrong your hair will still stick to them in the wind however they aren't sticky to the point where they are uncomfortable. The final lipstick she picked out for me was Mac Stone which is a shade I just wasn't quite brave enough to by myself however I really do like it. As with most Mac Matte finishes it is very comfortable and wears for a nice amount of time however I will say that it doesn't wear very evenly so once it does start to fade you definitely need to reapply.
 
The final item in the box was a Manhattan Lip liner, I cannot for the life of me work out what the shade is as it isn't very clear however I love it. It's a very true brown nude shade which is perfect for using under a nude lip to either add more warmth or darken it a little. This has to be one of the most comfortable lip liners I have ever tried and I would highly recommend it to anyone who can get their hands on it!
 

02, 07, Marry Berry, Stone, Manhattan lip liner
 
That's it for today I really hope you enjoyed this post and a big thanks to Theresa for all my goodies!
 
Cole x 





Friday, October 14, 2016

Sleek Face form palette


This is one of those products that I had always wanted to try but just never really got round to it. I'm kind of sad I didn't discover it any sooner, the contour is very similar to the one in the contour kit but the addition of the blush just makes it the most perfect palette for travel. I wasn't really sure if I need this and the contour kit however I do find that the powder in here is a little bit lighter and a little more neutral toned as opposed to the contour kits slightly warm contour shade. I find the contour blends really well and leaves the skin looking defined but not muddy in anyway.
 
I really love the highlight, it's a stunning pink champagne shade which is perfect for everyday. It's not as metallic as the highlighting palettes and is a tiny little bit more chunky however it still gives the skin that beautiful glow and can be built up to really intensify it. Again it blends beautifully and can be really lightly used for a very subtle highlight but it also looks beautiful when it's been really built up. Finally my favourite product in the kit is the blush, I'm pretty sure it's the rose gold blush and it's stunning. It's a medium rosy pink which lots of gold shimmer. That being said like the highlight it doesn't look chunky on the face. Again this is beautifully finely milled and blends into the skin like a
dream.
 
 
All three of the products in this trio are really beautiful high quality, they all blend well and are nice and finely milled. I find with a primer under my foundation I can get a good 6-7 hours wear out of these before they completely disappear however I do find I get a little more wear out of the highlight. They are housed in the basic Sleek black packaging with a really brilliant quality mirror.
 
Overall I'd really recommend this palette especially if you want to build up your collection and don't want to spend a fortune.



Cole X


Wednesday, October 12, 2016

New in from Kiss


Recently Kiss have sent me over some of their newest releases so today I thought I would share them with you. I'm a really big fan of the Kiss nails. They are incredibly strong and durable and they stand really well to general everyday battering. A square nail isn't something I'd usually go for however I did find I got used to these ones and really liked the way they looked. After I'd been wearing them for about four days generally they looked good however one of the French tips did begin to peel at the corner slightly. The impress nails are a good choice if you don't want to destroy your nails with nail glue. They are also a lot less messy if you always end up covered in glue. The one thing I will say is that I find there aren't enough small ones in the impress nails so I can only get one set out of a packet.
 
Finally we have the Daisy lashes from the blooming lash collection, these are so stunning. They aren't too intense but at the same time they look incredible and add a huge amount of volume and definition. These lashes are really brilliant quality and I find I can get a good amount of wears out of them before they end up being super gross. 



Sunday, October 09, 2016

Monthly Makeup - September


So I didn't manage to get out my monthly makeup post for August however I am back today with my September post. This month I've been reaching for lots of berry tones and digging out my more heavy coverage bases.
 
The first thing I've dug out is Nars Sheer glow foundation this is one of my favourite bases for winter. It's a little heavier than my Naked skin foundation however it packs an insane amount of coverage. It isn't the most hydrating of foundations however used over a nice thick moisturizer it looks stunning, it has a beautiful satin finish and I would highly recommend it to everyone. Concealer wise my skin pretty much played ball for the entire of the month so I was just using my NYX HD concealer under my eyes and a little bit on the tip of my nose. This shade is super pale which I find hard to find in the drugstore. It also has a beautiful full coverage finish without looking thick or cakey on the skin.
 
Brow wise I've been using the NYX Micro brow pencil which is a brilliant dupe for one of my favourite brow pencils which is the Smashbox Brow tech matte pencil as it is so super fine and a fab ash dark brown shade. For my bronzer I'm still using my Urban Decay Beached bronzer in Bronzed as it is just my favourite bronzer, I think it may have to go away now unless I tan as it is the darker shade however I may still be able to get away with it with a super light hand. Laura Geller's Glided honey has been my highlight of choice this month, it is a gorgeous gold shade that compliments the tiny bit that is left of my summer tan. Again I think this is probably going to go away until next spring now but I thought it deserved one last hurrah. Finally for my face I've been using Essence's Matte blush in Berry me up is the perfect transitional blush. It is a muted rosy berry shade which gives a gorgeous flush to the skin.
 
Eye wise I've actually not been using the Urban Decay primer potion as I have been testing out the Essence I heart stage eye primer and I have to say I'm impressed don't get me wrong it doesn't make my shadows last as long as Urban decay's offering however it still helps massively with my oily lids. For shadows I've been using Sleek's Goodnight sweetheart palette which is a stunning mix of pink, berry and brown. I really feel like this is a fab drugstore palette for this time of year. Finally for eyes I've been using Lancôme Hypnose mascara again as it just does something magical to my lashes. Lip wise I've been really mixing it up so I haven't actually included a lip colour but pretty much as long as it's berry toned I've been wearing it!
 
Cole x

Friday, October 07, 2016

A few recent beauty purchases

 

I swear I am going to stop buying stuff now, I've made a promise to myself that all I am going to buy beauty wise from now till Christmas is things to go in my Christmas gift guide. So today I thought I would show you the final haul until after Christmas.
 
First off I picked up the John Frieda Radiant red shampoo and conditioner. I have finally dyed my hair back red after having wanted too forever so I picked up this in the hope that it will keep the colour looking vibrant for a little longer. Also from John Frieda I picked up the Frizz ease serum. The shampoo and conditioner were on three for two so I thought I would pick this up and see if it can tame my super frizzy hair. Next up I went to The Body shop as my favourite moisturizer is almost finished turns out they were also on three for two so not only did I pick up the Vitamin E Intense moisturizer I also picked up the Aqua boost sorbet and the Hydrating toner water.
 
 
Also at the till in the body shop the lady (who was so lovely) Showed me the new Matte lip creams which were also on three for two so of course I had to pick up three shades, I'm actually wearing one now and I am definitely impressed. I'll be popping up a full review in a couple of weeks but so far I am really loving them. I knew the minute the new sleek highlighting palette began to pop up on blogs I wanted it and was actually really shocked to find it in stock in my local Superdrug. Sleek was actually on two for twelve pounds so I also picked up the Storm palette which is something I've wanted for such a long time. Finally there is now a NYX in my local boots so I had to pick up a couple of bits. I picked up another of the Prismatic shadows, this one is Firestorm which is an incredible burnt orangey colour which is perfect for the autumn. I then also picked up two new liquid liners, the first is the White liquid liner which is something I have wanted for a while. I then also picked up the Vivid brights liner in Vivid fire which is a bright red liner which I feel like is going to be perfect for Halloween.
 



Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Macmillan Coffee Morning

 
So on the 29th of September me and a load of girls from my sixth form took to the food rooms to bake up a storm for a Macmillan coffee morning for our school. Today I thought I would share some of the photos that we took on the baking day (as it got far to manic on the Friday and I managed to get no pictures at all) Also a huge thank you to my lovely bestie Rachel who took most of the pictures whilst I baked and tried to keep everyone organised. Macmillan is a charity so close to my heart and I really enjoyed both organising and fundraising for them. In the end we made just under £250 which was such a huge achievement for us all.
 
 I really enjoyed doing this as my first task as head girl and have lots of ideas for other stuff we can do so if you liked this post and would like to see more pictures from charity things we do as a sixth form let me know! Also if you would like to donate to Macmillan head over here.
 
So without further ado here are the pictures!  
 


 




Sunday, October 02, 2016

The autumnal smokey eye


So first off I'm sorry for being such a crappy blogger in the past couple of weeks. I managed to get myself completely out of my routine which meant I wasn't writing posts and getting them up when I wanted too. However I'm back my thoughts are collected and I'm hopefully going to be getting out three posts a week.
 
So I've been doing the 100 days of makeup challenge on instagram and today I thought I would show you this look as I am so in love with it. I love a good smokey eye especially when it's bronzey and warm toned. I think that this is just the most perfect autumnal eye look so without further ado lets get on to the products I used.
 


L'Oreal Infallible Primer -
I love this primer and I'm pretty sure this is about my fourth tube of it. It is a really nice smoothing primer and even though it describes itself as matte I don't find it dries out my already dry skin.
 
Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation -
If you are a regular reader you will know I absolutely love this foundation. It is incredible for dry skin. It has a really pretty dewy finish with a medium coverage finish. I just find this to be the perfect everyday base.
 
Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer -
I love this concealer for under my eyes. For a change I actually find that I am able to slightly highlight with this which is something I don't come across very often. This is again very hydrating and I wear it a lot.
 
Essence Soft Touch Mousse Concealer -
I haven't quite made my mind up about this yet. It is such a strange texture for a concealer. I don find that it offers a really nice high coverage however it can look a little dry so I definitely prefer using it under my foundation.
 
NYX Micro Brow Pencil -
This pencil is such a good dupe for the Smashbox brow tech matte pencil which I love. It is very fine which makes it super easy to draw in little hairs in any sparse patches. I have the shade Brunette which is a little bit on the warm side however I can get it to work if I use a light hand.
 
Rimmel Scandal Eyes Shadow Pencil in Bad Girl Bronze -
These shadow pencils are so handy. Even though this is a super dark shade it stills blends out really beautifully, for this look I used it all over the lid and underneath the eyes as a base for the other shadows.
 
 
Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro 1 -
Okay so I have no idea if the shadows from this palette have names so I'm super sorry about that but for this look I used the 6th shade from the right on the bottom row which is a stunning red-brown all over the lid and then I used the 7th shadow from the right on the top row which is a stunning chocolatey matte brown in the crease and under the eye to smoke everything out. Then finally I used the 2nd shade from the right on the top row to highlight my brow bone.
 
No7 Extreme Length Mascara -
This mascara has a super small wand so I tend to use it for my bottom lashes however for this look I also used it as a base for my other mascara.
 
Lancôme Hypnose Mascara -
I am so in love with this mascara, it gives the perfect amount of both length and volume. It honestly gives me the perfect almost false lash effect.
 
Sleek Solstice Palette -
Oh my golly this highlight palette is the best, if you are a fan of a super intense highlight then you need it. For this look I used a mixture of the bronze and the lilac shade.
 
Benefit Hoola Bronzer -
Again another one of my all time favourite products. This for me is the perfect bronzer for lighter skin as it isn't too orange but still does a beautiful job of warming up the face.
 
NYX Liquid Suede in Soft spoken -
Finally I finished off the look with one of my favourite products at the moment. This is just a beautiful dark nude shade which although I have worn it pretty much all summer I feel is a fab autumnal nude.
 
So that's it for today, I'd love to know what your go to autumnal look is!
Cole x
 


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