Beauty ¦ Best of - Budget blushes

Along with lipstick blushes have to be one of my favourite makeup products so today I thought I'd share some of my favourite drugstore blushes with you.

Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink £6.99

They say good things come in small packages and this certainly fits that rule. This was a Vivianna does makeup inspired purchase as there was a period that she talked about them all the time. This is perfect for adding a natural flush to the cheeks. The formula is very creamy and it blends into the skin well and sets down into a beautiful muted matte pink.

Sleek Blush by 3 Palette - Pink lemonade £9.99

I'm not sure if you can buy this exact palette at this current time however this is just here to represent all of sleeks blushes. They are all incredibly pigmented and last so well on the skin. There is an amazing and the colour range is really nice and varied from peaches to pomegranates sleek have pretty much every kind of shade covered.

Rimmel Lasting finish blush - Santa rose £3.99

This is another really hyped product, it's the perfect peachy sheeny shade which just seems to make you glow from within. I tend to reach for this more in the summer as it just looks gorgeous on tanned skin and it really gives that perfect summer glow.

Essence Blush up powder blush - Pinky flow £3.50

I really can't stand the name of this product, it actually makes me want to be sick however I will push past it as I am so in love with the shade of this blush. It's a sheeny bright pink but what I really love about it is that it can be built up but it isn't major colour if you've dipped more than three bristles of your brush into the pan. I feel like i'm going to be reaching for this one a lot this summer.

Accessorize baked blusher - Sensation (I think accessorize makeup may have been discontinued which makes me very sad)

Now I'm not going to talk about this for too long as I think the entire range has been discontinued as I can't seem to find it anywhere online. But if you can get your hands on it this is such a gorgeous glowy blush and it really reminds me of the hourglass ambient lighting blushes (from the swatches I've seen) It's a great one for bad skin days as it really perks up the complexion and gives that beautiful lit from within look.

Topshop Cream blush - Flush £6.00

So to finish off I had to mention this blush, I think I would go as far to say that this is my all time favourite drugstore blush. I just find it so easy and it blends into the skin like an absolute dream. I love wearing it paired with a BB cream and lots of highlighter in the summer for a really simple base. I just find it works so well with any lip colour and any eye look without making me look overdone. If I could only recommend one of these blushes to you guys it would hands down most definitely be this one! 

Left to Right - Topshop, Rimmel, Accessorize, Maxfactor, Essence, Sleek

Beauty ¦ The nude lip rundown

I love a good nude lip so today I thought I would talk you through some of my favourites from the best gloss to the best lip liner if you are a lover of nude lips this is the post for you!

The best barely there nude - Clarins Instant light natural lip perfector - 01 

I adore these glosses they are so gorgeous, this is the perfect throw on and go shade. Non sticky and just adding a slight tint it's perfect for a barely there makeup look. 

The best budget nude - Natural collection Sheer natural lipstick - Sand castle 

For £2.00 I really can't complain, I actually really like the natural collection lipsticks. They are comfortable to wear and they offer a really nice range of shades. This is a really nice peachy nude which just adds a hint of nudeness to the lips. 

The best nude lipliner - Catrice Longlasting lipstick - That's what Rose wood do

This is a really pinky nude shade but I like to pair it with more orangey nudes to stop concealer lips. It works perfectly with the Essence shade in this post as it tones down the orange tones. 

The best matte nude - Essence Longlasting lipstick - OH so matt! 

This shade is a little orangey on it's own. If i'm especially pale that day I can sometimes wear it alone but I mostly have to pair it with the catrice liner. Together they make the most gorgeous nude lip which I just adore wearing. 

The best nude chubby stick - Revlon colorburst Matte balm - Elusive

This ones a little bit of a cheat as it isn't really nude it's more on the pink side of things but I love it so I had to mention it as I use it so often. It's a perfect shade for throwing on and forgetting about as the lasting power is amazing. 

The best long lasting nude - Soap and glory Sexy mother pucker lip lacquer - Charm offensive

Again not technially 

From left to right - Clarins, Revlon, Soap and glory, Seventeen, Catrice, Natural collection, Essence, Benefit

Beauty ¦ Born Pretty 10 Pan blush palette

When the lovely people over at Born Pretty  asked me about reviewing something of their site I was immediately drawn to this gorgeous ten pan blush palette* ($9.99) I'm having a little bit of a blush obsession at the moment so this was perfect. I will admit there are a few colours i'm not going to use very often. Some of the brighter pinks are far too blue toned for my colouring and the very pale shade is pretty much invisible on my skin. However the middle shade on the bottom row has been one i've used fairly often. 

The formula of these is really lovely and they blend really nicely into the skin. The pigmentation is strong in the swatches however they appear much sheerer on the face (this is a good thing for me as I have a habit of being very heavy handed) The only little gripe I have is some of the shades are very glittery so if you're not one for a little bit of glitter every now and then you might be better going for another of the blush palettes on Born pretty. Overall I think this palette is great for if you are starting out with blush as it has a nice mixture of shades to try out. It's not a palette I'm going to reach for really often but it's one that will be handy to have in my stash! 

Top row swatches

 Bottom row swatches 

This product was sent to me for review by Born pretty, however all opinions expressed in this post are my own and are no way influenced by the fact that this product is a PR sample. 

Beauty ¦ January favourites

I'll be glad to see the back of January this year, it's been a month full of mock exams and coursework hand in dates. Despite this I've found some real gems this month, some dug from the very depths of my collection and a couple of new bits. 

Revlon Photoready Primer, shadow and sparkle palette - Impressionist £8.99

I picked up two of these as Revlon were having a 2 for £10 offer on eyes and lips. I am so impressed with the quality of these and I'm really glad I picked up two. Impressionist has been the one i've been reaching for on a daily basis as it's a little more neutral and subtle than the other palette I picked up (Metropolitan). The shadows are incredibly pigmented and blend like a dream. Over a primer these lasted about 8 hours before they began to show signs of wear. There will be a full review of these with swatches going up sometime in february so keep a look out for that if you are interested in these. 

Nars - Virtual domination palette (LE) Review //Here//

I know this palette is limited edition so I wasn't going to talk about it but then when I thought about it my two favourite shades in the palette are Laguna and Deep throat which are both permanent shades. I have fallen head over heels in love with Laguna and I've worn it pretty much everyday since I was bought this. Deep throat is by far my favourite blush shade in the palette, it's the most gorgeous corally pink shade with lots of finely milled gold glitter. I've been reaching for this one most days so they've both had a lot of love this month. 

Essence Match 2 cover concealer - 10 Natural beige £2.50

This was something I picked up when I went to germany and it ended up getting left without me even trying it so when I dug it out I was amazed at how much I liked it. The product itself is so creamy and it blends into the skin like an absolute dream. I find it lasts well and works on both blemishes and under the eyes so it's the perfect little duo to chuck in my blazer with a little concealer brush. 

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip moisturizing stick £5.50 

I was so happy when I won this in a giveaway and I am so in love with it the pot version went straight on my birthday wishlist. It smells amazing but that's beside the point this is a little tube of miracles. I have horribly dry lips and this has just made them so smooth and I also find it makes them look much fuller and just healthier in general! 

Clinique Chubby stick Intense - Plushest punch £17.00

This was another Germany purchase that I didn't get much use out off and then I put it on a couple of weeks ago and feel completely in love with it. The formula of these is so comfortable to wear on the lips and it doesn't dry my lips out in any way. Staying power wise it lasts a good four hours with eating and drinking after this time it leaves a slight stain behind. 

Seventeen Doll'd up mascara £6.29

If you've been reading this blog for a while you will know my love affair for seventeen mascara's has been going on for about two years. I think they really are the cream of the crop when it comes to drugstore mascara's. They are so much more affordable than the likes of L'oreal and Maxfactor and the quality is incredible. This one hasn't let me down I love the arched shape of the wand. It leaves my lashes curled and volumised and has the lasting power of a waterproof mascara. I highly recommend you give this a go over your current mascara and see how it fares.