Beauty Buys

I find I buy beauty products on quite a regular basis. so, I thought I would keep you updated on my beauty picks. This way you get to see what I'm trying out, what colours look like via swatches and perhaps what I may be reviewing later on. (Sneak peeks!) Not all the products I show with be reviewed on this blog, but if there is something in particular that you would like to see more of, leave me a comment below.
On to the beauty buys.

Real Techniques - Miracle Complexion Sponge.
I've seen a few bloggers review this little guy, all of the reviews said how comparable it was to the Beauty Blender, and at a fraction of the price. I was sold from that mere sentence, I go through a few of the beauty blenders a year, if I can find another just like it at a snip of the original then I will be a happy bunny!
I've very excited to try this for myself; but trying not to expect anything from it, so that I won't get disappointed if it fails to do what I need it to. (Making people dazzlingly beautiful)
Fingers crossed, it will become a new favourite!

The Body Shop - Colour Crush Lipstick. 
(I bought the shade - 101)
I adore red lipstick. Red suits any one, any skin tone, any age, any lip shape! It's the one colour that I cannot live without. The majority of my lipsticks are reds, with other colours scattered amidst them randomly.
I saw this while I was in The Body Shop and I could never forgive myself if I had of walked out without it. (A strange fact about me - If I see a red lipstick, I have to buy it.)

This is what I like to call 'a day time' red, a lighter red with a cooler undertone. A colour that would look amazing in summer with some matte black sunnies. Great buy!

B. Rich Intense Colour Lipstick.
(I bought the shade - 194 Marilyn)
This brand as far as I am aware are exclusive to Superdrug. They are a company with beautiful ethics, all the B. range is cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It is also very fairly priced.
Again a red lipstick, I know - I know, it's an addiction! However, this one I planned to buy as it was compared to a high end brand. I love seeing if they are good dupes, I find it rather fun.
So far the packaging has won me over, it's so cute. To open the lipstick you press the bottom and it unlocks with a click and extended down so you can pull it out like a regular lipstick.
No more ruined lipsticks in my handbag because the lid popped off. Genius design!

Barry M - Natural Glow, Shadow & Blush Palette.
I had originally gone in to pick up some of the new 'Silk' Nail Paint collection that had been released, I came home with a few more items than a nail polish; this being one of them.
There was three different palettes, as I love neutrals I went for the natural glow. I've never tried Barry M cosmetic's before, I have only ever tried the nail paints. (Another fact about me - Barry M are my favourite polishes) I was interested to see what the cosmetics were like. They were all beautiful when swatched, the last three eyeshadow shades are on trend this spring (Metallic Eyeshadows) thumbs up Barry M, it has a nice amount of matte and shimmer shadows, which I really liked and the blush is amazing. The picture really does it no justice at all. In person wow! It was really inexpensive too.

Revlon - Colourburst, Matte Balm.
(I bought the shade - 205 Elusive Insaisissable)
I have been seeing adverts for these in every magazine, reviewed by many, many bbloggers and have been seeing it pop up in my twitter feed for days. I cracked and ran to buy one too. I absolutely love the colour, I'm not really sure if I can restrain myself from buying all of the shades.

Rimmel - Stay Matte Primer.
I have oily skin, so I am always on the look out for anything that will keep my skin mattified. I saw this and thought it was worth picking up as the cost was low.
Not really sure how this will hold up; who knows it could amaze me and change my mind about lower priced primers?
The texture is a gel/cream, a combination of the two in my experience with primers. Feels rather wet for a mattifying primer, the colour is white from the tube and blends to transparent on the skin. No scent to it, which is always a bonus. Fingers crossed this product will not make me break out.

Rouge Bunny Rouge - Lip Potion.
(I bought the shade - Devilish Nectar)
This is my second tube of this amazing lip potion. It's become my secret weapon for plump, voluminous lips.
I have a normal lower lip but the tiniest top lip, it seems to disappear every time I smile. This is incredible for making it appear I have a fuller, more plump top lip. If this sounds like something you want or need, I have a full review: HERE for you to check out the product in full detail.

Lancome - Hypnose Mascara.
(I bought the shade - Black)
My favourite mascara. I have repurchased this countless times over the year's. I have my own and I also have this in my kit. The formula doesn't dry out too fast, it's buildable without clumping and creates many looks with how many layers you apply; from natural to dramatic.

Collection - Lasting Perfection Foundation.
(I bought the shade - Porcelain)
Again this was a purchase because I had heard good things about it. So far it seems easily blendable, matte, has great staying power and the shades almost adapt personally to your skin tone. I really like this swatched, I'm hoping that this is the same after a few hours of wear on my face.

I hope you enjoyed 'beauty buys', if you would like to see more of this type of blog post comment below and I will keep you updated with purchases I make!

B. Stunning - Vibrant Eye Shimmer

£6.99/ 1g.  www.superdrug.com

• Suitable for vegetarians & vegans.

• Available in 10 different shades.

• Shade shown: 057 - Copper.
• Dermatologically approved.

B. are an exclusive range available at Superdrug. The range includes skin care and cosmetics; all are suitable for vegetarians/ vegans and are paraben free. None of their products are tested on animals, they are a 100% cruelty free company.

'B. Stunning' is a range of luxurious cream eyeshadows, that give a metallic finish. They can also be used as a cream liner, so it's a multi-purpose product. I really enjoyed using this for both shadow and liner, as a liner it gave a beautiful shimmer underneath the eye that really opened up the area and made it brighter. As a shadow this is really easy if you're in a rush to get out the door, you can just blend this over the lid and you instantly look put together.

The cream is super blendable and does not drag or pull when you're working with it, I find it similar in formula and usability to M.A.C paint pots. This, like the paint pots lasts all day without creasing or balling.

I think that both ethically minded people and paint pot lovers will enjoy this product, it performs like a high end product with a low price tag. It's versatile, and the colour is buildable, They offer a range of colours to suit any look and have a beautiful finish.

I will be adding more to my collection and I would highly recommend them.

E.L.F - Essential Lipstick

£1.50 each /3.5g each
www.eyeslipsface.co.uk
Tailored for all skin tones.
Available in 12 different shades.

E.l.f (Eyes Lips Face), do a whole range of different lip products at different prices. The cheapest version is the Essential range.

The shades I chose were: Charming - A dusky rose, Flirtatious - A soft baby pink, Fearless - A classic pillar box red and Seductive - A mauve.

The formula is smooth and creamy, making it easy to apply and leaves lips feeling silky soft, hydrated, and supple. They all have a glossy finish.

They are highly pigmented, so a couple of swipes and you have a nice opaque colour. The lipstick has an even wear and doesn't dry out on the lips. However, the colours only lasted for a couple of hours before a reapplication was necessary, shorter if you have been eating/ drinking.

The packaging does have some problems and this is my only complaint about the lipsticks; the lids tend to fall off in your purse and the twist body is fairly flimsy. For the price I can look past these small flaws though. You get a product that is brilliant value for money, hydrating on the lips, has a good opaque colour and you get a good selection of colours to choose from.

I would highly recommend these to younger people who are perhaps just starting out with cosmetics, who have little money but want to try a selection of colours to see what suits them the best.

Collection - Work The Colour, Eyeshadow Pencil

£3.19 each.
www.collectioncosmetics.co.uk
Tailored for all skin tones and eye colours.
Available in 6 shades.

The shade that I purchased was Vanilla Sky, as you can see from the swatch it is a beautiful pearl shimmer. Brilliant as a highlight colour for the tear duct and brow bone area.

It has a velevty soft texture, that glides on the eye smoothly without dragging or pulling. It is super blendable and easy to work with.
The colour lasts all day (even on my oily eye lids) and has mininal creasing.

It has a low price tag, meaning that it's great value for money. I normally expect much less from something that costs this little but you really do get a product that works and works well.

I will definately be repurchasing the other colours, I would recommend this to anyone looking for affordable products that work well, who are perhaps trying to find a pretty highlight colour with a little shimmer to it.

Avon - Supershock Gel Eyeliner

£6.00 each.                   www.avon.co.uk
Tailored for all skin tones and eye colours.

Eyeliner is one of the most fun items of cosmetics that I think pulls a whole look together. It frames the eyes, making them bold and beautiful. For this reason I hold eyeliner high up on my importance list, also meaning that I want the most from it.



Avon produced Supershock to tempt me, after trying this I am a firm fan. It was soft and gentle on the eye, easy to apply and glided on like a dream - no dragging or pulling.

The colour was rich and intense after one swipe, leaving me with opaque bold colour. A nice true colour formula that transferred exactly the same from pencil to eye. On sharpening the pencil I found that it did not crumble at all, perhaps this is down to the gel like formula.
The liner did not dry out the eyes, but contact lens wearers may need to take extra care as it can irritate the eye after a few hours.

The liner lasted all day, even on the waterline; I had no need to re-apply until late in the evening. Very easy to smudge out to create a stunning smokey eye. It did not move or budge, once the liner is on it stays put without any blurring, transference or flaking.

Great value for money; I like that Avon have regular money off savings on this item, meaning you get it even cheaper. It is easy to find online or from an Avon agent (ordering through an agent the item can take a little longer to reach you).

Overall I really like this product, I will repurchase it and will be trying the other colours in the range. I would give my recommendation for this, I think anyone looking for bold, dramatic, long wear liner would love this.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick

£7.49/ 4.2g                     www.revlon.com
Made in the USA.
Suitable for vegetarians.
Tailored for all skin types and skin tones. 

Revlon create fantastic lip products, in a huge range of colours and finishes. The 'Super Lustrous' range has 33 shades that I personally know about.
The shade I love is 'Cherry Blossom', it is a beautiful red with blue undertones; so it shows up on photographs as you see it in the bullet. 

The stay true colour wears evenly, lasts for hours, never dries out on the lip, and tends not to feather. 
It glides on the lip effortlessly and is a pleasure to wear.

It's LiquiSilk formula contains mega-moisturisers, vitamins, Avocado oil, and Vitamin E to condition, soften and ensures lips stay looking fabulous all day long.

The formula leaves no tackiness; it has a silky smooth, creamy texture and contains an SPF 15.

For a low price tag you get a high price tag product, which I really enjoy. The quality is high and the packaging is clean and sturdy. It has a clip top so there is no chance of the lid coming loose whilst in your purse and the lipstick being spoiled. 

I would recommend the 'Super Lustrous' lip colours to anyone looking for hydration, opaque one swipe colour, a large range of different shades, and long staying power.
This probably encompasses everyone, they are a great lipstick for all skin tones and all ages.

 I have added a swatch of '028 - Cherry Blossom', my skin tone is very pale with pink undertones. The colour as you can see is a classic red that is opaque in one layer.

I will repurchase more colours and I would recommend trying some of the shades out for yourself.

What's your favourite shade, let me know?

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher

£7.99/ 2.5g              www.bourjois.co.uk
Made in France.
Tailored for all skin types and all skin tones.
Ultra fine and easy to blend powder blush.

"The baked texture transforms when applied to the skin into an ultra-fine pressed powder, which is easy to apply and blends impeccably. One stroke of the brush reveals the irresistible aroma of the rose scented powder. Its built-in mirror and brush is perfect for touch-ups on the go!"

A perfect pink blush! These are hard to come by believe me (think unicorns), I have one other favourite perfect pink blush in my kit which is a M.A.C and this is all I had until I picked up this little pot. It suits any skin tone, any eye colour and has a natural 'blushing' look, which is what you're aiming to achieve by using a powder.
It blends out like a dream, it looks seamless and very natural; you can add a simple sheer layer or for photographs/ or darker skin tones you can layer it to make the colour bolder and brighter.
The powder is very finely milled which makes it blend in evenly and smoothly, leaving no cakey looking chunks on top of your makeup. Massive thumbs up for the little pot, I have already added some more to my beauty shopping list and will test a few more to see if all the pots are a hit with me. I am fast becoming a fan of Bourjois cosmetics. ( A little bird told me that the company also own 'Chanel' cosmetic's; not sure if this is correct, let me know? )
I have added a swatch; my skin tone is very pale, almost white and this is swirled and wiped via finger, so this is a lot of product.

As you can tell the formula of the blush is creamy/ matte looking, no shimmer, no caking. Once blended out this colour is just divine. I highly recommend picking one up and having a try, brilliant value for money, highly pigmented and they have a large colour selection to choose from.
Perfect for Valentine's Day!

Soap & Glory - Lid Stuff in 'What's Nude'.

£10.00/ 4x 1.5g (6g Total Product)         www.soapandglory.com
Made in Italy.
Tailored for any skin tone and eye colour.
Available in What's Nude, Smokey Dokey and Off The Wall Flowers.

4 shades of fabulous flawless - finish, super colour, 8 hour wear eyeshadow (that won’t flake, won’t fade and won’t crease). Amazing, intense second- skin-like colour finish in matt or metalic shades plus a superior creamy finish.

Hands down my new favourite eyeshadows. I adore these colours, you can mix the shades to create a new colour, brush on for a sheer colour, or build up layers for a bigger, bolder lid colour. SUPER blendable, long wear (all day) and a beautiful array of finishes and colours.
These rivaled my pro shadows and cost the same price for one pro shadow to four in this quad. So brillinat value for money considering the quality is so high.
I swatched the shades in 'What's Nude' once, so you could see the sheer start, another layer and the colours are more intense, bolder and richer. Highly pigmented, so a light dab on the colour will be more than enough.
The texture is creamy and fine milled, soft and on applying has minimal fall out.

I would highly recommend these palettes. Brillant quality, low price (in comaprison to shadows of same quality), last all day - even on oily eyelids, beautiful finish and colours. I will be repurchasing these!

I have all the Eye Lid shades; so if you would like to see all the eyeshadows swatched, just let me know and I will start swatching and photographing for you.

Make Up For Ever - HD Blush, Spring 2014, Sneek Peek.

Shades: (in no particular order)
Pink Sand, Cool Pink, Flamingo Pink, Peachy Pink, Peachy Beige, Coral, Tangerine, Light Rust, Fawn, Brown Copper, Indian Rosewood, Rosewood, English Rose, Rosy Plum, Raspberry, Blackcurrant.

An ultra-blendable blush with a natural look and finish. The new MUFE HD Blush is available in a range of 16 shades.
Formulated with the perfect balance of oils, waxes, and powders, HD Blush combines the second skin look of a cream with the ease of a powder. Created for HD technology, this formula blends into skin with no visible texture for a truly natural flush of colour. It’s completely weightless and can be worn over or under powder to flawlessly sculpt and highlight cheeks.
Set to be released: February 2014.

Rouge Bunny Rouge - Devilish Nectar, Lip Potion

£19.89/ 3.5ml         www.rougebunnyrouge.com
Made in Italy.
Suitable for vegetarians.
Tailored for all skin types and tones.
Use to get full, plump, flushed lips; on it's own or over your favourite lip colour.

This shiny and fragrant gloss boosts your lips to make them fuller and flushed with colour. The secret is the blend of spicy essential oils they use; Clove, Chilli and Cardamom, which instantly start working to naturally increase blood-flow. Frequent re-applications will further intensify the effects.
Softness is aided by the use of Jojoba and the micro mica particles give it a beautiful shimmer that looks fresh and natural.

I have a full pouty lower lip and a very thin upper lip, so over the year's I have tried every single brand and product available to boost and/or plump my almost invisible top lip. I was expecting another gloss that looked pretty but didn't do a whole lot; like the various I have tested.

This WORKED and worked extremely well, I saw immediate visible results; my lips were pinker, fuller, and far more pouty than usual. Others also commented on my lips, which I smiled about all day.
This may not be everyones favourite as I know some people dislike the tingle sensation on their lips. I personally like the sensation, as I know it's working. This product definitely gives that tingle!
It smells spicy and exotic, but not overpowering. It's not too tacky or sticky. I enjoyed it both applied on it's own and over my lip colour. It didn't alter the colour of the lipstick at all but did give it a lovely shimmer.

I recommend this product to everyone, if you have sensitive lips and dislike the tingle sensation then this may not be a product suited to you. However, if you don't mind that, this lip potion is a miracle in a bottle for big, full, flushed lips.
I will be repurchasing this as soon as I start running low; it's become this year's must have beauty item for me.

Welcome to Exploration Beauty!

Hello and welcome to Exploration Beauty. 

I have been in the hair and beauty industry for over 14 years. In this time I have picked up lots of knowledge about the business and used a whole heap of different products. 

The most important factor to anyone in the industry, novice or expert is if the products you use actually work; if they don't it doesn't really matter how good or knowledgeable you are, the look you're trying to achieve will not turn out the way that you desired it to. 
So, with this I am embarking on a journey to find product's that do what you need them to do. If the product fails the test this will be in the results. All the opinions on the product's I review are my own and 100% honest.

I will update content on a daily basis of tried and tested products, on each day of the week I will review a product giving details of:

• Price
• Amount of product
• Where it is made
• Who it is suitable for
• Information about the product
• What it is for
• If the product worked
• Is it value for money
• The end results

On Sunday, I will be doing a Sunday Special. This will be the featured product of all the products tested in that entire week and why it was my favourite.
This will give a spotlight to products that I personally think are great and give fantastic results; making looking beautiful quick, easy and correct - for your skin tone/ skin type/ hair type.

Vegetarian and vegan approved products will also be included in the testing; so hopefully there will be something for everyone.
(If you are curious on how I test products, please read the 'About Me' section.)

Have a great New Year and again welcome to Exploration Beauty!