Category: Reviews

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Clinique Cheek Pop in Peach Pop | Review

I am extremely late on the bandwagon with this one. The launch for the Clinique Cheek Pops was huge in the beginning of this year, and everyone in the blogging world was talking about them. I waited a while before I decided to pick one up and I’ve been using it a good couple of months and thought now was finally time to get my act together and dedicate a post to this beautiful blush…

The Clinique Cheek Pop in Peach Pop to me leans more towards a pinky-coral than a true peach. The shade really brightens up the face and is quite versatile and would suit a lot of skin tones. It is quite a sheer formula so it doesn’t punch as much colour as it looks like it may in the pan. I personally see this as a plus as I much prefer a buildable blush as opposed to one that is far too pigmented that deposits far too much colour with one dab of the brush. The texture is quite difficult to describe – it feels slightly creamy to the touch but not enough to be a cream blush, but it is nowhere near as dry as a powder. It looks so natural on the skin and as Clinique describe ‘virtually powderless’. 


Cue an incredibly unflattering close up of my face:























I pretty much love everything about this blush. The gorgeous flower design (which won’t disappear for a long time), the colour, the formula, the staying power… I could go on and on. It is definitely very unique, and whether you’re a powder or a cream blush gal, I have a feeling you might like this…

–RachelElizabeth
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Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Red Essential | Review and Swatches

When I was in Boots the other day (are we surprised?) I was browsing the Maybelline products and spotted something I had never seen before tucked away in the lip section. They was nothing to say they were new and I haven’t heard anything about these anywhere, so the blogger in me was very excited about this unknown potential treasure. When I read on the label Intense Velvet Lip Pencil, I instantly thought these may well be a dupe for the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, which I love (post on Red Square here). I am having a serious matte lip moment, so I had to try one of these out…

The Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Red Essential is a deep, slightly cool-toned red. It sits somewhere in the middle of the classic red lip and a deep vampy shade. I was very surprised at the formulation of this lipstick – despite it being incredibly matte, it was very smooth and creamy to apply and feels similar to the Nars offering. It isn’t terribly lightweight on the lips – it definitely feels like you are wearing lipstick – but I wouldn’t say that it is uncomfortable to wear. Although it isn’t hydrating by any means, it was not particularly drying compared to some other matte formulas. I was blown away by the lasting power of this formula; it wore incredibly throughout the day with no signs of awkward fading in the centre of the lips and even held up well through eating and drinking. 


I am over the moon with this unexpected purchase and I couldn’t recommend this lipstick enough! And I haven’t even mentioned the best part… they are an absolute steal at £4.99. I am without a doubt going to pick up some more shades to test out and review as I am completely blown away. Good job Maybelline.

–RachelElizabeth
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Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak | Review and Swatches

As I mentioned in my last lipstick-centric post here, I just haven’t been reaching for the bold lip colours as much these days. I have been all over the darker nudes and peachy pinks and some on the new shades I’ve been picking up have already shot up there with my favourites. This one in particular is becoming very highly valued in my collection…

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak is a warm toned peachy pink. Its quite a hard one to describe because its bright but very muted and wearable – almost a muted neon. As you may be able to tell, I had hit the fake tan bottle pretty hard before this photo was taken and I think this shade looks great when my skin is that little bit deeper. In terms of the formula, there isn’t much to say other than it is incredible. I have tried one other shade from the line, F-Bomb (blogged here), and it is just as good. They are so incredibly creamy, pigmented and long lasting, and I honestly cannot fault this range. 


Short and sweet, this stuff is amazing and you need at least one of the range in your life if you’re a lipstick junkie like myself. 

–RachelElizabeth
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No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser | Review

I realised one day when I was browsing the aisles of Boots (a.k.a my second home) that I hadn’t tried that much budget-friendly skincare. My philosophy has always been to invest in the products I use on my skin so I tend to ignore the more affordable options. Obviously this isn’t practical or feasible for everyone; admittedly I do wince when I fork over the cash for some high-end skincare, so I decided to try and hunt out the hidden gems on the high street…

Of course there is a reason why some products are cheaper than others, and there are some pretty dodgy ingredients lists in the budget skincare department but this doesn’t mean this is applicable to every cheaper option. When I was searching for a cleanser, I came across the No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser which had a promising list of ingredients. I try to stay away from any butters (Shea and cocoa in particular), mineral oil and fragrance as I know that these have aggravated my skin in the past. The No7 offering is free of those except fragrance, but it is quite far down the list. The texture is quite interesting – you would typically expect a gel cleanser to be quite drying but this feels quite nourishing on the skin. As with all cleansers, I remove my makeup first (Body Shop Cleansing oil post here) and then massage into clean, dry skin. I then rinse a flannel under warm water and remove the cleanser from my face. It leaves the skin feeling clean (but not that stripped and squeaky clean) yet nourished and hydrated. 


I have been using it for about a month, and my skin is in pretty good condition right now. My skin hasn’t shown any adverse reactions to this product and it is fitting nicely into my skincare routine as a good simple cleanser. I have normal to oily skin, and although this cleanser is targeted at dry skin it still works perfectly fine for me. For £9.50 I think this is a steal, and I can definitely see myself repurchasing this in the future. 

Have you tried any No7 skincare? I am now very intrigued about the rest of the line…

–RachelElizabeth


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Mac Velvet Teddy | Review and Swatches

I, just like everyone else right now, am loving Kylie Jenner, especially her makeup. She and many other celebrities are bring back the 90s in a big way, and these darker matte nude lips are everywhere at the moment. When Debenhams had the offer for £5 off any lipstick to celebrate national lipstick day, I decided to take the plunge and order this which has been the top of my wishlist for quite some time now…


Mac Velvet Teddy Lipstick is described as a ‘Deep-tone beige’ with a matte finish. It is definitely on the brown side of nude, and for my skin tone (currently around NC25) it is a dark nude. As far as the formula goes, it isn’t as drying as some matte lipsticks can be. It is in no way hydrating for the lips, but I don’t find that it dries out the lips particularly. It applies incredibly creamy and smooth, and is comfortable to wear. The great thing about a matte finish is the longevity; even though this is a lighter colour, the wear time is still very good. I would say that this lasts around 4-6 hours on me, depending on eating and drinking habits, and with lipliner, this will stick around most of the day. A lipliner I would recommend that is practically the same shade is the Kiko Precision Lip Pencil in 300 Caffe Latte.
























I’ve been gravitating towards lighter lips rather than my usual love for bold lips, so expect many more blog posts on all the new lipsticks I’ve been picking up! Are you into this dark nude trend?

–RachelElizabeth

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The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil | Review

If you read my evening skincare routine post you would know that I love the Emma Hardie Morninga Cleansing Balm for removing my makeup. I absolutely adore the product but I don’t love the price tag. When I was reaching the end of it, I was on the lookout for something slightly more affordable that I could use as my first cleanse. So I gave into the hype and bought this Body Shop offering…

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil retails at £10. I massage one pump into a dry fully made up face and work the makeup off my face and eyes. I then run a flannel under warm water and wipe off all of the product. I only use this product as a makeup remover, and I would then go in and cleanse the skin afterwards. This works amazingly for removing any sort of makeup, even waterproof mascara, and works in a matter of seconds. It doesn’t irritate my eyes at all, but bare in mind I don’t have particularly sensitive eyes. I do however have blemish-prone skin, and this has not made me break out whatsoever. For those of you with oily skin who run a mile from any product that mentions the word ‘oil’, do not be afraid to try this product. Using a flannel completely gets rid of the oily feeling on the skin, and it doesn’t leave any sort of greasy residue on the skin.


If you’re the kind of person who likes things to be quick and simple, this is definitely a product worth considering. It eliminates the need for a separate cleanser and eye makeup remover, which definitely gets a thumbs up from me. Have you ever tried cleansing oils? Which is your favourite?

–RachelElizabeth 
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L’Oreal Color Riche L’Ombre Pure Eyeshadows | Review and Swatches

Unlike many of the latest hyped beauty releases, I actually picked these up before I had heard anybody talk about them. Eyeshadows is one of the areas of beauty that the budget options just generally don’t perform that well. Of course there are exceptions, and the L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows are definitely the best I have come across. So when I saw that L’Oreal had released another line of single eyeshadows I was very intrigued, and couldn’t stop myself picking up a few to try out.

The L’Oreal Color Riche L’Ombre Pure Mono Eyeshadows are separated into 5 different categories: Nude, Smoky, Lumiere, Matte and Pop. The Nude and Smoky formulas feel much like a pressed pigment, and are quite similar to the Infallible shadows. They are both incredibly pigmented, buttery and shimmery. The Lumiere seems very similar to the formula of shadows like the limited edition Mac Extra Dimension Eyeshadows or the Estee Lauder Pure Color Gelée Powder Eyeshadows. They are very smooth and feel almost like a cream and are beautifully pigmented. As for the Matte and Pop shadows, I am yet to try them, although when swatching them in store, they seemed a little hit and miss.

Nude 204 Golden Nude is a light shimmery champagne shade, perfect for an all over lid shade or inner corner highlight if you have deeper skin. It has got a bit of glitter in but it’s nothing too chunky or overbearing. Smoky 202 Die For Chocolate is a gorgeous deep warm brown shade with a golden sheen. Warning on this shade – mine has actually crumbled when travelling, and this is because of how soft and buttery the shades are. It is still usable, but it is now irritatingly messy and I thought was worth mentioning. 500 Lumiere Gold Mania is a stunning true gold shade. 

Die For Chocolate, Gold Mania, Golden Nude

I would 100% recommend these to any eyeshadow lover, especially as they’re only £5.49 a pop! They are a great budget option, and I have honestly been reaching for these over some of my more expensive shadows. Have you picked up any from the range yet? 

–RachelElizabeth
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L’Oreal Glam Bronze in Golden Bronze | Review

If there is one area that the high street hasn’t quite nailed on the head, it’s bronzers. There’s something about the budget options that is always a bit off. They’re normally too shimmery, too orange, too patchy… The list goes on and on. When I was browsing the aisles of Boots and spotted this new release from L’Oreal, I was very intrigued. From just looking at it from afar, I could tell that it was a gorgeous shade, and I had to pick it up. So prepare yourself, I may just have found the perfect budget bronzer…

The L’Oreal Glam Bronze in Golden Bronze retails for £7.99. There are two shades in this line, and this is the darker of the two (if you’re very pale, the lighter shade may be worth checking out!). It is a somewhat neutral bronzer; it is not overly red, orange or grey based, and sits somewhere in the middle of all of those. I sit somewhere between an NC20 and an NC30 and I find this too be a perfect shade of bronzer for me, particularly when I’m tanned. It is completely matte, which I love, and therefore can be used for both bronzing up the skin and contouring. 


It is quite pigmented, but not so pigmented that it becomes difficult to apply or blend into the skin. It applies beautifully and evenly to the skin and also wears incredibly well – longevity tends to be an issue for me when it comes to budget cheek products. 

This bronzer has definitely surprised me and is up there with my absolute favourite, Nars Laguna. If you’re in the market for a new bronzer, I would highly recommend picking this up!

–RachelElizabeth

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The Best Lip Glosses Ever? | Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss Review

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not the biggest lipgloss fan. For one, I prefer the look of a more matte finish lip product on me, but most of all, I don’t like the feeling of lipgloss on my lips. With most formulas I’ve tried, they are far too milky, separate on the lips and are way too sticky. However, despite my somewhat rocky relationship with lipgloss, I wasn’t quite ready to give up on finding the perfect formula. And I think I may have just found it…

The Revlon ColorBurst Lipglosses retail for £7.99 making them an absolute steal. I have four shades of the range (which is actually quite extensive), and the formula is pretty darn consistent throughout. Papaya is a bright coral shade, which leans more on the red side of coral than the pink, and has a subtle  golden shimmer running through it. Adorned is an extremely bright blue-toned fuchsia with pink and purple shimmer. Bordeaux is a deep wine shade, with the same subtle golden shimmer as Papaya. Peony is a peachy-pink with lots of golden and peach shimmer. 


The best performing shade of the four is by far Adorned. It is probably the most pigmented and smoothest lipgloss I have ever tried, and it wears for such a long time. The other three shades are still beautiful lipglosses. The formulation isn’t too sticky, but is still very long lasting. They smooth over any imperfections on the lips and just make your lips look very luscious and full. 























From left to right: Papaya, Adorned, Bordeaux, Peony

If you like lipgloss, you will love these. Because they are so pigmented you can wear them on their own, but I personally like to layer over lipsticks for an even longer lasting lip look. 
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Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream | Review

I never got excited by the BB/CC cream trend when it really boomed a couple of years ago. I had much oilier skin back then, and I honestly saw them as glorified tinted moisturisers, which some probably are. I was much more into matte finish, higher coverage foundations. However, recently my skin has become much more manageable and also slightly clearer, I have become more interested in dewy and light coverage bases. There has been a fair amount of hype around this one – I mean, Lisa Eldridge likes it so obviously I had to try it…

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream retails at £9.99 and is available in 4 shades. All Bourjois bases are very limited on their shade range, but comparing this to other BB and CC creams which sometimes only have one or two shades, this is actually quite good. I picked up the shade 32 Light Beige, which I find works well for when my skin is on the more tanned side (roughly Mac NC30). It claims to have 3 pigments of colour correction: apricot for anti-fatigue, green for anti-redness and white for anti-dark spots. It also claims to be extremely hydrating and contains SPF 15.


On first application, I was pleasantly surprised. I was mostly impressed with the colour correcting aspect as it seemed to even out my skin tone incredibly, particularly in terms of redness. It covers well but doesn’t look like you have a whole load of coverage. With other tinted moisturisers or BB creams I’ve tried, they’ve tended just to add a tint to the skin but did nothing in terms of coverage, but this really lives up to its claims of colour correction. I found that it was definitely enough coverage for me for day to day wear, with a little added concealer when I needed it. I also really enjoy it for using underneath other foundations as it creates a really nice smooth and even base. 

In terms of wear, I found this to wear reasonably well on the skin. Seeing as it claims to be a hydrating base, I wasn’t expecting too much in terms of longevity but I found that it hadn’t faded or creased throughout the day, although it does tend to get a little shiny in places. My skin does still get slightly oily, but is dehydrated around the nose, but I didn’t find that it got patchy in those dehydrated areas like a lot of other foundations. Setting this with a powder and/or setting spray seemed to fix the oiliness. 

All in all, I can’t say enough good things about this CC cream. The coverage, the wear and the SPF makes me think that this will be my go-to summer base, and I may even be tempted to buy a lighter shade for the colder months. I really love Bourjois bases and they haven’t disappointed, so if you are on the lookout for your perfect summer base, maybe this is a good option for you.

–RachelElizabeth

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