Boots 17 Blow Out Volumising Mascara // Review

Now it's no secret that I love mascara. I love the way it can lengthen and volumise my lashes, transforming my look with minimal effort. Mascara without a doubt would be the makeup item I would choose if told I could only choose one item. However, as much as I love my mascara I struggle to stay faithful to one brand. I often find myself trying out new brands, new formulas and new promises on the quest for perfect eyelashes. 

The latest contender in my quest was the Boots 17 Blow Out, volumise, sculpt, tease mascara in Blackest Black (why are mascara names always such a mouthful?!). Firstly I love the packaging - it's bright, chunky, playful and easily spotted in my messy makeup bag. Thanks for saving me time rummaging around trying to find my mascara in the morning Boots 17!

This mascara claims to 'blow lashes out of all proportion.' To me this phrasing is quite humorous as I am not sure anyone would want their lashes 'blown', but nonetheless it is quite a claim from 17. The formula contains vitamin E and Argan oil which supposedly boots lash body and creates long lasting lift. 

Despite the silly phrasing, this mascara does a fantastic job at volumising lashes. It makes my lashes look incredibly thick and full, certainly living up to the packaging's promises.

The brush is on the large side, but not un-user friendly. I find that the brush coats my lashes with just the right amount of product without excessive clumping. Two coats and I'm ready to go! This mascara lasts all day on me and I haven't experienced any problems with flaking or smudging, yet it can be easily removed at the end of the day. The product itself is unscented and incredibly pigmented, leaving you with lovely dark lashes. It is also comfortable to wear and doesn't leave your lashes feeling weighty or crispy like some mascaras can. 

So what's the verdict? I love this mascara. So much in fact, that I have already repurchased another tube, something that is very rare for my unfaithful mascara habits. Could this be the ultimate mascara for me? -- possibly. However I am not sure I'll be giving up my quest for perfect eyelashes just yet, so stay tuned! 

17 Blow Out mascara retails for £6.29 for 12ml and is available from Boots stores and online. Do you have a favourite mascara? If so let me know in the comments below as I am always looking for more suggestions!

Topshop Lipstick in Rio Rio // Review

This is my first Topshop makeup purchase. After hearing lots of good things about Topshop's makeup range for ages, I finally gave it a go! 

I picked up the lipstick in Rio Rio which is a gorgeous vibrant orangey-red shade. I do not own anything similar in my lipstick collection as I tend to opt for blue toned reds rather than orange toned, but I have to say that I am certainly converted! I never thought the bright orange toned reds would suit my casper-like skin tone, however I think that this particular shade would suit a variety of skin tones from pale to dark, and everything in between. The lipstick provides a bright pop of colour and is the perfect shade of red for summer parties, festivals and sipping Pimm's (we can be hopeful!). On my lipstick swatching spree I made an exciting discovery - Rio Rio is a very good match for MAC's  infamous Lady Danger. So if you are looking for a budget friendly dupe, Rio Rio may be the answer to your lipstick dreams!  

The lipstick itself has a matte finish which not only intensifies the pigmentation but also the lasting power. I wore this lipstick for approximately 8 hours and only reapplied it once! Although not as classically matte as Lady Danger, this could be seen as an advantage as Rio Rio did not dry out my lips as many mattes can and felt comfortable to wear.

Having heard rumours that this is one of Liv Tyler's favourite lipsticks, I have to say that I am not surprised. This is a truly lovely lipstick and has quickly become the favourite in my collection! I am thoroughly impressed with my first experience of Topshop's makeup selection and will certainly be trying out more of their products in the near future. I am already eyeing up their lovely looking cream highlighter!

Topshop lipsticks retail at £8.00 and are available to buy from Topshop stores as well as online. Have you tried any Topshop makeup products? If so please leave a comment with your recommendations!

Batiste Dry Shampoo - Fruity & Cheeky Cherry // Review

This Batiste dry shampoo claims to 'banish oily roots, giving dull lifeless hair the makeover it needs without any water. A quick burst revitalises hair, adds body and texture and leaves it feeling clean and fresh too.'

I don't often use dry shampoo, but in emergency situations where I don't have time to wash my hair or feel I need some extra volume, I find dry shampoo the easiest solution. I have used a couple of other Batiste dry shampoo formulas in the past but was drawn to the 'fruity & cheeky cherry' scent of this one. The scent is nice, albeit the standard artificial cherry smell found in sweets and fizzy drinks. I didn't find the scent too overpowering which was an added bonus. 

In terms of eliminating oils in the hair it does a good job. I found that the product left my hair feeling fresh without an overly powdery finish. The only downside of this product is that in my dark brown hair it can leave a white powdery cast - not very attractive! To over come this I would recommend using minimal product and making sure to brush it through thoroughly after applying. Though if you are blonde I'm sure that you would not have this issue. 

To me there is nothing better than washing your hair with regular shampoo and water, but I think Batiste's dry shampoos are a great easy solution at a very reasonable price.

Batiste dry shampoos are priced at £2.99 for 200ml and are available from both Boots and Superdrug stores as well as supermarkets. A full list of retailers can be found on the Batiste website. Have you tried any Batiste products?

Timotei Pure Shampoo // Review

I was looking for a new shampoo and as I am getting ever increasingly aware of the amount of chemicals that I'm using in my products, wanted to find one with no added parabens. Whilst supermarket shopping I noticed that Timotei (a brand that I have little experience with in the past) had brought out a new range of shampoos and conditioners called 'Pure'. On further inspection I saw that the range contained 0% silicones, parabens or colourants so I thought I'd give the shampoo a try!

Before using the product I was a little concerned that perhaps the lack of chemicals would make the shampoo un-foamy and leave my hair feeling unsatisfactionally clean. But I needn't have worried! This shampoo is lovely, really lovely in fact. It makes my hair feel really clean with a fresh organic green tea leaf scent. It is a clear liquid that foams wonderfully as any regular shampoo does and leaves my hair feeling really clean and refreshed. Overall I am thoroughly impressed by this shampoo and will definitely be keeping a look out for other products in the range. 

I would recommend this shampoo to anyone trying to avoid those pesky parabens, and those who aren't! Either way it is a nice clarifying shampoo that I would happily repurchase. The Timotei Pure shampoo is £2.99 for 400ml and is available from supermarkets and Superdrug stores.

Barry M Lipstick in 147 Peachy Pink // Review

This is a lipstick that I've had in my collection for a while now but never really worn. I re-discovered it the other day and thought I'd write a post about it as it's the perfect peachy coral colour for spring.

The colour is a lovely peachy pink (as the name suggests) and has a really pretty 1960s matte vibe to it. However, being quite matte this lipstick can be difficult to apply and easily highlights any dry areas on the lips. I found the best way to apply this lipstick is to pat it into the lips creating a stain with lots of lip balm underneath. 

Although not as moisturising as some other Barry M lipsticks this can be easily solved with a good lip balm. I think that this peach colour is quite unique and has great pigmentation for the price. The Barry M lipsticks cost £4.49 and are available from Boots and Superdrug stores as well as the Barry M website.

MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy // Review

This eye kohl from MAC is described as 'intense bronze'. It is essentially a warm dark brown with tiny flecks of gold shimmer running through it, very pretty and great for summer. 

As you can tell, this is a well-loved item in my makeup bag. Since purchasing this eyeliner, it has become my go-to brown for a quick and easy smokey eye. I often find myself wearing this on a day-to-day basis and I don't find the tiny shimmer particles too much for daytime wear. The kohl formula is creamy and smudges easily which is great for creating a smokey look, but it does have the disadvantage of poor longevity. I find that the liner does fade throughout the day and needs reapplying which is annoying as it is such a lovely shade.

Even though it may not last the longest time, I do still really love this eyeliner as it is just so pretty and easy to wear. The MAC eye kohls retail for £14 and are available from MAC stores and online. Have you tried Teddy? 

Garnier BB Cream for combination to oily skin // Review

Garnier have recently released a new addition to their BB cream range, one aimed towards combination to oily skin types. I avoided the original Garnier formula as I find BB creams tend to not last long on my combination skin and often look too shiny, but as soon as I heard that  Garnier had released this new formula I knew I had to try it!

The new BB cream formula claims 'Anti-shine, Blurs pores + imperfections, Evens tone + boosts glow, Moisturises and has SPF 20 UV protection.' It is also non comedogenic and oil free. From the claims and ingredients it certainly sounds promising...

After using this BB cream for a few weeks now I'm very impressed. I've used other BB creams in the past and found them unsuitable for my combination skin type, but this Garnier product has everything that I'm looking for! It lasts all day on my skin, has a light to medium coverage and gives me the sun protection that my skin needs - a perfect product for everyday wear, spring, summer and holidays. The only downside of this BB cream is the colour selection. Currently the product is only available in two shades - light and medium. I have the lightest shade which has the perfect yellow undertone for my skin but is still slightly too dark for my pale complexion. However, if it is blended into my neck I can still wear this colour but it would be nice to see more colours in the range. 

I feel that this BB cream is suitably catered towards my combination skin and I would repurchase this product as I feel it is the perfect all-in-one solution. The Garnier BB cream is £9.99 for 40ml and is available from both Boots and Superdrug stores as well as online.