The Repurchases

       

       

       

       

       

      

        

Occasionally I come across products that just work and those products will be repurchased over and over (and even sometimes over- I'm looking at you Collection 2000 concealor!) again. My safety products I know will work if all else fails. 

I'm slightly ashamed to even be showing you how many tubes of the Collection 2000 concealor I've accumulated over a short time (and I'm sure plenty have been thrown away as well!) but surely that just shows you how much I like it. It doesn't get much better than using a new tube when you've been scraping the edges for product. If I need a concealor with high coverage, that'll last all day and blends effortlessly ill grab this. The colour range is limited as with most drugstore concealors so I tend to mix and match between a couple depending on the time of year which works great. As you can see from the packaging the writing down the side comes off almost immediately but at £4.19 a tube I can see myself forever repurchasing just in case. 

If its a foundation that's budge proof, available in an array of colours with a high coverage you're after look no further than Estée Lauder Double Wear. If anyone asks for a recommendation my reply is always 'Have you tried double wear?!' Its best points for me are that I can apply it in the morning before work and it'll still be there by the time I get home 11 hours later which I can't say for many other foundations I've tried. I like to apply it with my Real Techniques 'buffing brush' to achieve a flawless base. A quick tip I've learnt is you've got to work with it fast or its staying where its been put! 

I only recently repurchased the Bourjois bronzer which I mentioned in my last post and its made its way firmly into my everyday routine. It's so quick and easy to use with a quick swirl of my Gosh Kabuki brush then a sweep over the face to give you that holiday glow in seconds. I also did a review of the Make Up Forever mascara in my 'Holiday Haulin' post from the summer. I've tried a few other mascaras since then but always find myself gravitating back to this to give my eyelashes that extra oomph. The extra black looks great for defining the lashes whilst lengthening and adding volume all in one, if only it was easier to get hold of in the UK.

What are your most repurchased products? 

L'oreal Gift Set

        

        

        

       

        

        

        

        

First things first I am not a gift set girl. I much prefer to receive an item I really want than a few items I'd use up but this L'oreal set I spotted during my weekly Tesco shop was an offer to good to pass up. All gift sets were half price making this one £5, the micellar water retails for £3.72 alone and the moisturiser £6.89 alone so you can see why I grabbed one! 

Micellar waters made an almighty splash onto most bloggers radar earlier this year with Bioderma. I've been a huge fan of Bioderma for the past year or so but it is expensive and hard to get hold of so when this similar L'oreal version was released earlier this year I'd been meaning to pick up. A micellar water is an alcohol free make up remover that contains water and oil. Although it contains oil its by no means greasy and no oily residue is left on the skin making them great for all skin types. The L'oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Micellar solution claims to do 3 things; dissolve make up, unclog pores and remove impurities whilst toning. I would agree with 2 of the claims but I can't say I've seen a difference in my pores. I use it by applying some on a cotton pad, holding it on my eyes for a few seconds and then sweep the make up away. Once all my eye make up in removed I then like to use another cotton pad with some on all over my face as a pre cleanse, you do end up going through a lot of cotton pads but in my opinion its worth it. Even though some eye make up removers have irritated my eyes in the past I've had no problem with this and it seems to remove even the most stubborn of waterproof mascara! For under half the price of Bioderma and being much more readily available L'oreal has defiantly won me over on this one, if only they did it in a bigger bottle! 

The triple active day moisturiser is something I've tried before and being included in the gift set made it a lot cheaper than buying it alone. As you can probably guess but the name 'triple' this moisturiser offers three key elements; hydration, protection and comfort. Hydrating it most certainly is, I almost find it too hydrating for the day time that my make up finds it hard to stay put on top so prefer to use it as a night cream. It's rich and luxurious texture could be mistaken for a cream of much more expense. The smell is my only criticism, its not the scent itself that puts me off but the amount it smells. I've always been skeptical with skincare that is strongly fragranced as I instantly relate it to being the cause of breakouts but so far so good with this one so fingers crossed! 

If you've wanted to try either of these products I highly suggest getting yourselves down to Tesco and trying to grab this set as I'm sure it won't be around for long! 

  

   

    

    

   

     

Boots Hauling

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

After suffering with that dreaded Sunday feeling a few weekends ago I headed to Boots with an urge to spend money and forgot about the weekend nearly being over. Luckily (for my bank balance!) Boots had a 3 for 2 offer across all make up so it would've been rude not to! Here are the three items that have taken up place in my make up bag recently..

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr in 'On and on bronze' 

Not one to usually jump on the bandwagon just because of the hype, the Maybelline Color Tattoos are loved by so many I couldn't resist any longer. I opted for the shade 'On and on bronze' which as you may be able to guess is a neutral based, wearable, metallic bronze. It's super quick and easy to apply for those mornings when you're in a rush and just want a wash of colour over the lid, I like to apply it with my finger and then blend it out with a brush. I've heard they work great as a base for other eyeshadows too, they've been said make other shadows last longer and add vibrancy. I'm shocked at how creamy and smooth the texture of this is and haven't had any problems with creasing. Ill defiantly be looking to pick up more.

Maybelline 'Mega Plush Volum' Express' Mascara

I rarely leave the house without mascara so having a good couple is essential in my make up bag. I've been a big fan of the Maybelline 'Falsies' mascara for a while so thought it about time I try one of the new releases from the range. I think the turquoise and pink packaging sold it to me! 'Mega Plush' is Maybelline's first gel mousse formula that is light weight and leaves your lashes long and fluttery. I do think 'Volum' Express' is slightly miss leading, it does add volume and length but I wouldn't go to this for that specifically. I've been leaning more towards wearing this in the daytime for a wide eyed, awake look and my Make up Forever Smoky Lash in the evenings. My main gripe with this mascara is the flexi wand, I like the concept but for me it just doesn't work. When applying to your lashes the resistance you can apply is just far too low and the brush ends up wobbling around all over the place! I will persist with and continue to use it for work but don't think ill be repurchasing! 

Bourjois 'Delice de Poudre' Bronzer 

The infamous Bourjois 'chocolate' bronzer as known to most. This is a re-purchase I've been meaning to pick up for a while after smashing my last one into hundreds of little pieces. A good bronzer is a staple in my make up bag for achieving a glow i try to keep all year round. Its the perfect shade of bronze that adds a natural looking colour without leaving you muddy or dirty looking that applies smooth and evenly. I tend to apply it with my 'Gosh' Kabuki which is more dense than a regualr big fluffy brush to really work it into the skin to create an airbrushed finish. On first glance it looks matte which I like but if you look closely does contain subtle shimmer particles. I think i shall be adding  Nars 'Laguna' to my collection next, have any of you tried it? 

The Weekender #1

                  

       

       

       

   

      

      

      

      

      

Since starting work full time I seem to find myself with the same predicament each weekend, do I relax in bed all day dozing in and out of sleep or do I take full of advantage of having two days off and do as much as I possibly can? This weekend I did the latter. 

I spent the weekend exploring the city I've recently moved too, warming up with a hot chocolate (and piece of cake!) down by the quay and watching the fireworks over the river. Of course a cheeky trip to Primark happened somewhere in there where I picked up a skater dress I've had my eye on for a few weeks. I'm a sucker for monochrome and it'll be perfect for work layered with tights and a cardigan. We found an adorable independent coffee shop, complete with knitting basket next to the river where we sat out, laughed and were silly before wrapping up warm and watching the fireworks. We ended up at a little pub on the river where we cuddled up and enjoyed the bonfire despite the rain! Today I went camera shopping where I narrowed it down to a few but still have a lot more research to do, do you have any recommendations?

As the weekend winds down I I seem to be more tired than when it began so its time to get into my pjs and prepare myself for the week ahead. How was your weekend?