Budget Friendly Makeup Brushes

When it comes to beauty buff, the question on everybody’s lips is ‘what are the best budget friendly brushes?’ Well I’ve collated down my collection to bring you the low down on my budget friendly tools that get the job done perfectly whilst keeping pennies in your purse.

Real Techniques

The online hype for the Real Techniques brushes is intense, and take it from me… they’re just great. I’ve had in-depth experience of using high end makeup brushes and nothing compares to this collection, the quality, the range, the price is just on point. I bought all my brushes in the collection packs (core, travel and eyes) from Amazon, but Boots and Superdrug also sell these bad boy tools on the high-street. Without further ado, here are my favourite brushes from the collections;

The Buffing Brush

My everyday go-to brush of choice. The buffing brush is perfectly puffed out on the top to create a large base that buffs liquid foundation onto your skin so it looks virtually undetectable. It creates a beautiful ‘second skin’ effect but you can also use this to layer up your foundation of choice if you want to go for fuller coverage.

The Expert Face Brush

The expert face brush is amazing for rushed mornings! The densely packed, slightly shorter bristles are rounded off to fit the contours of the face, making rushed navigation a breeze. Just dab your foundation of choice on the end, wiggle it all around your face and you have something that resembles a seamless complexion at 7:00am!

The Pointed Foundation Brush

Billed as the pointed foundation brush this is actually my tool of choice for getting rid of dark circles in the morning. The flat shape fits perfectly under the eyes and the tapered end smooth’s and pats product evenly. Creamy concealer blends away dark circles in minutes with the aid of this peeper perfecter.

The Multi Task Brush

Doing just as the name suggests, this brush works amazingly with bronzer and face powder. The fat fluffy end sweeps on just the right amount of product to give your cheeks that hint of warmth without packing on too much colour.

The Contour Brush

I use this tapered brush to sweep on powder highlighter. The tunnelled end fits the contours of the face perfectly so cheekbones, brow bones, noses and cupids bow get a dusting of shimmer that looks natural and healthy.

The Base Shadow Brush

Flat, yet puffed out then tapered at the end, this diamond shaped brush is amazing at sweeping on cream shadows. Use the flat of the brush to glide over lids then twist onto it’s side and you have an amazing angle for crease work.

The Domed Shadow Brush and The Deluxe Crease Brush

Slightly similar in shape and size, though the deluxe crease brush is slightly fatter, I find this brush duo work best with face base products. Used for emergency blemish coverers, precise highlighting duties and for the occasional crease buff these brushes are back-up essentials.

The Pixel Point Eyeliner Brush

This thin, pointed tool is great for gel eyeliners, just point, flatten and sweep across the lid as close to the lash line as you can for a smooth, precise line. The brush works equally well with lip colours, use the pointed tip as a makeshift lip liner then glide on your colour for a perfect pout.

The Detailer Brush

Dubbed by me as ‘the brush of wonder’ this little, precise pointed brush works amazingly well with concealers, highlighters, eyeliners and lip colours. A makeup brush essential.

The Other Good Stuff

Other notable purse friendly brushes include;

The Body Shop Eye Shadow Brush

The body shop cream shadow brush is my tool of choice to pack pigmented powder and cream shadow bases onto lids. The dense, packed brushes provide the perfect leverage for strong eye colours and applies product smoothly and evenly across the lid. I also find the flat point of this brush is perfect to use as an inner corner highlight.

No 7 Eyeshadow Blend and Contour Brush

My go to brush for crease work is the no. 7 fluffy brush. The long fluffy end fits into sockets, contours and smokes out shadows impeccably. The tapered end is perfect for that crease work detail and also for sweeping shadow under the eyes for an extra soft and smokey effect. It’s a good dupe for a MAC 217 brush.

So there you have my low down on my budget friendly brushes! What would you recommend?

The Autumn Colour Edit

Tis the season to wear bronze. Or it is in my opinion! I love autumn makeup that encapsulates the essence of the atmosphere…bronze lids with thick dark lashes and rose blushed cheeks finished with a muted pink or plum lip. Here’s the low down on my favourite autumn colour eye products.

The MUA Undress Me Too palette.

The colours in this palette are beautiful. Seriously, it’s like they collected all the beautiful jewel toned colours of the autumn season and collated them together in one handy palette. The formulas are soft and creamy, blending easily onto lids, into creases and under brows.

My favourite jewel tone is Fiery, this colour is gorgeous and looks amazing patted onto lids and blended softly around the crease. Winged liner and thick lashes complete this eye look. For everday appeal I’ve been using Naked as my base with Lavish smoked out in and just above the crease.  The matt, muted plum shade creates definition without the drama.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr in On and On Bronze

This hit cream shadow brings it in the bronze department. The dense, pigmented shade blends onto lids to create a shimmering bronze hue. I find one application is all you need for day time, patted onto lids with your ring finger and then lightly smoked out in the crease of the eye. The shade has a gold undertone warming up peepers in one quick slick and looks beautiful with a plum lip stain.

The Body Shop Colour Crush in Bronze Bliss

A soft, finely milled bronze powder shadow that is intensely pigmented for the ultimate orange bronze hue. Similar to MUA Fiery but a bit more subdued, this is a true bronze shade that is completely wearable for day time. This colour has very fine flecks of glitter that are almost undetectable but pick up the light to create a soft, glimmering effect. I love wearing a light wash of this shade all over the lid for daytime with a hint blended just under the eye. It’s an easy transition product, just pick up any flat shadow brush and pack on the pigment for an amazing, quick evening look.

Max Factor Smokey Eye Effect Eyeshadow in Bronze Haze

This duo ended product houses champagne cream and chocolate bronze in one. The first step is the pretty base champagne colour, easy to blend all over the eye but a little bit creasy so if you’re going to wear this one pat on your primer beforehand.

The best part of this duo is definitely the second step; the chocolaty bronze definer.

This end has been tapered, so tracing this along the upper lash line creates a thick, bronze brown liner which is smudgy enough to create an ‘undone’ every day look. The dense consistency doesn’t tug or pull at the eye so smoothing it on is quick and easy and perfect for morning routines.

The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette 06 Warm

Another Body Shop offering, the Shimmer Cube in Bronze is maybe the original cult bronze product! Individually housed complete with lids, each of the quads houses a shimmering hue. Perfect for travel… you get two chocolate and two honey shades of colour. Marshmallow is a go-to daytime shade which looks beautiful smoked out with a hint of Choc Chip. Honey is another true bronze. Packed on densely then creased with Dark Chocolate is the ultimate night time attire. Top tip, you can wet these shades to create a slick wash of colour on the lid.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Rich Russet

The final offering in the autumn selection, this wet cream formula glides onto lids to create a pigmented, cool bronze hue. The doe foot applicator navigates lids easily and ensures even distribution of the glossy product. Amazing with a thick winged eye, this offering dries with a cream powder finish and does not budge when it’s on your peepers. A great product for long days, the cool toned effect adds colour but allows for a warm cheek or lip. I love wearing this on both long days and long nights!

So there you have my Autumn Colour Edit! Stay tuned for the Autumn Lips Edit to match these beautiful bronze shades soon.

Do you wear any of these products in this season?

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

My friend has amazing skin. Seriously, it was her 30^th birthday last week and she looks incredible, literally glowing! At 22 I wanted to discover her skin secret and she told me it was all down to this product;

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion is a weekly treatment for dull looking skin. You might recognise it from my Surprise September Finds post and it also forms part of The Body Shop Vitamin C range of which I also have the Vitamin C Skin Reviver.

When I first applied this product I couldn’t get a feel for it as it felt smoother than a traditional, gritty exfoliator. You apply it to wet skin and then gently massage in circular motions and after I’d done this for a few minutes I realised how good the micro beads in this product are. The really feel like they open pores and remove the grime that’s lodged deep down inside them. My skins senses were heightened after I’d used this and felt quite tingly but really refreshed. My friend describes her skin as ‘feeling raw, in a good way’ after using the product which I think is a brilliant way of encapsulating how it feels!

One of the things I really noticed after using is that my skin always feels really soft afterwards. I know that exfoliators do smooth out the skin but this makes my skin feel much creamier than any of the other exfoliators I’ve used before which I think is the result of the Community Trade Shea Butter the product is formulated with.

On a bit of a side note this product did lead to a mini under the skin break out that I’ve put down to the fact this exfoliator works deeper into the skin than any others eve tried. A few weeks in and my skin has cleared up and feels much fresher and brighter. It’s great to have a more ‘sophisticated’ scrub that will work really hard to give skin a deep clean.

I’m really happy to get into a routine with this, I only just it once a week (normally Sunday) and for my midweek scrub I’ve been reaching for my Benefit Refined Finish. Bright skin? Sorted!

Have you tried any of the Vitamin C range before?

 

 

The September Edit

I’ve blogged about a lot of products this month, but which ones have been the stand out stars? Time for the September Edit…let’s see who made the cut!

Skin: It’s got to be Origins GinZing moisturiser, no surprises there! A citrus scented, smooth gel texture that boosts brightness and soothes skin with its oil-free moisturising formula. Sad skin days are a thing of the past!

Complexion: The stand out in this category is the Nars Sheer Glow. I recently re-discovered my love for this product and I have to say it’s probably one of the best foundation formulas I’ve tried. Ever! It’s a light texture but highly pigmented so a little goes a long way. Blended in with fingers in the day time and my skin looks natural with a gorgeous, glowing undertone and buffed on with a brush in the evening creates a medium coverage that’s just the right side of airbrushed. The undertones in this foundation are perfect for my skin; Santa Fe is slightly yellow but has a hint of pink mixed in.

Cheeks: A  bit of a toss up with this category and I’ve got to announce that there are two winners. The stand out products have both been firm staples in my make-up bag but for very different reasons…

Firstly Benefit Rockateur. The product launch of the month and what a good one at that. The finely milled, pigmented rose gold blush that heats up cheeks in a second has been adorning my cheeks in the evening. The hue of this blush will complement each and every make-up look by adding subtle colour but lots of definition. Clashing combos are a thing of the past.

Secondly, The Body Shop Shimmer Palette which featured in my Surprise September Finds. I’m still impressed with this product and it has been my go to cheek choice for the day time. Sweeping the brush diagonally over the palette collects all three colours which highlight, contour and colour cheeks in just one sweep. Hello five minute lie in!

Lips: I think I’ve lost count how many times I’ve mentioned this lip product in posts. The Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayons are amazing. Glossy, smooth but pigmented and with staining/staying power they have to be one of the very best lip offerings out there. Gorgeous colours, moisturising formula, only £7.99… what’s not to love? I have the shades Red Sunrise and Fuscia Libre, I’ve never been one to wear a pink lip but this colour just works. Fuscia is the stand out star!

Eyes: Oh eyes, so tricky are you. One product can not suffice this category. Without choosing everything I own I’ve managed to edit it down to two things. Both Benefit, this brand brings it in the eye department.

Firstly, the Magic Ink Liquid Liner. I hailed this product as ‘The Perfect Liquid Liner.’ Yes, I was that confident in it to make such a bold statement. A formula that slicks on smooth, dries jet black with a hint of gloss and doesn’t dry, flake or crumble throughout the day. It’s perfect. The handle of this product has also been designed by the liquid liner fairies… it’s perfectly moulded to suit your thumb and finger and makes gliding on controlled and easy.

Secondly, the Tweezerman for Benefit Eyelash Curlers. Wow! What a difference a curled lash can make. I explain my teenage experience of lash curlers here which resolved in a near bare lash line so picking up a contraption like this again was a big step for me. But ever so comfortable with extra lash pads included in the box, the Tweezermans gently pressurise your lashes into standing into primped and curled attention. Anything that’s amazing at making the most of lashes and using less of mascara will always be a winner for me.

So there you have The September Edit. What’s made it into your favourite list this month?

Suprise September Finds!

Now that September is nearly done I thought I’d blog about two products that I bought spontaneously but have become a bit of a hit in my make-up routine.The back story… a product recommended to me by a friend from The Body Shop led to a browse of the website, which gleefully informed me of 40% of EVERYTHING… which led to this;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oops! A bit of a spontaneous haul! You may recognise some of the products here, the exfoliator; the body wash and the body lotion have recently made headlines in my How To: Smell Like an Orange post and I have been loving disguising myself as a citrus fruit with these shower essentials.

The Microdermabrasion Exfoliator was the reason for the perusal of the purchases and I am still testing it out, stay tuned for the results from this;

But it was the two products that I checked into my basket at the end that have more than surpassed my expectations…

The Colour Crush eye shadow is exactly that, it’s pure pigment of colour and packs on your lids like a dream. You can use a fluffy shadow brush to lightly wash this over the lid for a hint of bronze which is perfect for day time, but flipping the brush rotation round and selecting a cream shadow brush works amazingly for packing this colour on. Cover the brush with product and pat down firmly to create an amazing, shimmering bronze hue that looks beautiful in the evening light. I went for the colour ‘Bronze Bliss’ and there are 29 other shades to choose from! I’ve been really impressed with this formula and at only £7 then the 40% discount this little pot on wonder worked out at £4.20. Wow!

The second product I purchased as a bit of a trial and error thing. I’ve heard great things about The Body Shop Shimmer Bricks but my love affair with Benefit Watts Up has meant I’ve shied away from highlighters in powder form. So finding this limited edition bronze Leona Lewis Shimmer Brick for only £5 seemed like the perfect way to test the pressed powder formula out.

It’s wonderful! The packaging is a bit ‘meh’ and the deer imprint on the inside is a bit odd but the colour from this product is great! It’s finely milled, has a slight iridescent glow and embodies three tones, gold, light brown and bronze. It’s definitely not solely a highlighter, the gold acts as an illuminator and accentuates cheekbones while the light brown and bronze act as a bit of a bronzer/blusher duo. Result? You end up looking contoured, glowing and fresh from just one sweep.

I have been pleasantly surprised with the products from this spontaneous online order and these two little gems are now staples in my autumn makeup bag. Also a quick heads up, The Body Shop have another 40% discount online event plus a free gift worth £13 on orders over £5! Someone hide my card from me!

Have you tried any of The Body Shop makeup range before?

How to: Smell like an Orange!

I’ve been testing out this little citrus scented combination and the results are in… it makes you smell delicious! When layering up these orangey scents before evenings out friends have commented on how lovely I smell… and they want to know the secret!

First up… The Body Shop Satsuma Body Polish. Use this deliciously zingy product first to slough off any dead skin cells and to smooth out and soften your skin. The combination of a good, grainy scrub and a tart citrus smell is also amazing at waking your skin up. First layer complete!

Secondly… The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel. Not an orange but hear me out. The mango essence is quite tart and it cuts through the orange layers to make sure you’re citrus fresh and not sickly sweet. Lather up and layer on, your open pores from the body polish will drink in this delicious essence.

Third layer… After you’ve showered off it’s time to apply The Body Shop Satsuma Puree Body Lotion. A really nice formula that’s smooth and light but packs a punch in the scent stakes. Layer this lotion on and let the scent sink in.

Finally… A good spritz of The Body Shop Satsuma/Clementine Eau de Toilette whilst your lotion is still dewy to seal in your citrus scent. This little guy is also small enough to keep in your handbag so you can spritz and refresh throughout the evening. Don’t forget to give yourself one last spray when you’ve donned your preferred evening attire!

And there you have my guide to smelling like an orange. I now actually realise that all the products are from The Body Shop, but let’s keep it real, they rule in the bath and body stakes! The only thing that would make this recipe even citrusy fresh would be an orange scented shampoo and conditioner duo… any suggestions?

I hope you like the post, smelling like an orange isn’t to everyone’s taste but I am quite partial to it as I think it smells light, fresh and clean! Do you use any citrus products?

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Reviver Update!

I recently blogged about a mini The Body Shop haul which you can read here, and the last product I chose was the Vitamin C Skin Reviver which was highly recommended by the sales consultant. She told me it was one of their best sellers and as it was 3-for-2 I thought I’d give it a go.

I love this product! I originally blogged that I didn’t know whether it would be best used as a serum or a primer due to the brazil nut oil, but the texture lends itself more to a primer type product.

It is the softest texture and is so lightweight it’s untrue. Despite the weight it smooth’s out skin like some heavy duty primers out there and it erases any shininess on my skin. It’s been formulated to give your skin a glow, and as there’s no bronze or glitter in this product it is undetectable on the skin. It also smells ah-mazing especially if like me you love a citrus scent.

Another great feature is that foundation goes on top of this product very well, it actually makes my base products look more polished and air brushed when worn underneath. I really can’t rave enough about this; I’ve even worn this instead of a foundation on good skin days.

Very happy indeed with this and at only £14 for 30ml it’s a steal! Have you tried this product before or anything else from the range?

The Body Shop Eau De Toilette

 

I can bet that if you’ve ever walked into The Body Shop, you’ve closed your eyes, inhaled and thought ‘I want to live in this scent.’ Well, I don’t know if I’m jumping onto the bandwagon a little late with this one, but The Body Shop now do Eau De Toilettes in all their iconic scents.

If you’re like me and you’ve scooped your full hand into your Body Shop Body Butter and smothered way too much of it all over your skin just because you like the smell you will love these perfumes.

The Eau de Toilettes come in 30ml sizes in scents to match their existing body products. Amazing!

I had a hard choice when I came to select mine. It involved lots of perfume cards and lots of spraying and lots of the ‘card wafting in the air’ thing we all seem to do! I finally narrowed it down to the Satsuma/Clementine scent and Oh wow, it smells delicious.

It’s a really fresh smell with a tangy, sweet orange scent. There’s not really any over or undertones here, these scents are just fruity and delicious. They remind me of when you’ve had a really good bath and you come out smelling all clean and feeling revitalised.

Granted, it doesn’t last for ages on my skin, but at £8.50 I’ve been stashing this in my handbag and using it to refresh myself throughout out the day.

Delicious. Which flavours have you tried?

Mini Body Shop Haul

I love a good 3-for-2 offer! So much so, I thought it would be rude not to take advantage of it during a spontaneous trip into The Body Shop. Three products purchased, check, and five new products to add to my beauty wish list? Check!

Eye Shadow Brush

This eyes shadow brush was one of the first things that caught my attention. The flat shape of the brush will lend its self perfectly to applying cream eye-shadows and the dense bristles also mean it can be used as an eyeliner brush if I want to use shadow under the lash line. At only £9 I thought this brush was a bargain as it definitely rivals some of the high end brushes I have seen!

All-In-One BB Cream

I have a confession to make. I have never used a BB or a CC cream before. But as my post-holiday glow has given me the confidence to just wear powder on my skin rather than foundation, I thought it was time to give an in-between product a go. This product comes in four shades, 00, 01, 02 and 03. The formula eeks out white and speckled with pigmented granules in the corresponding shades which show their colour once you begin to rub in the product. Giving a low coverage this will be reserved for great skin days, but I’m excited to try something lighter on my skin!

Vitamin C Skin Reviver

Let me start by saying this product has one of the most delicious citrus smells ever. It’s divine! And I dig a good orange scented product! Smell aside, the skin reviver is designed to give your skin ‘instant smoothing radiance’. Billed as being used after moisturiser I think this product is a bit similar to a primer, but the vitamin C Community Trade Brazilian nut oil could lend itself to more of a serum type product. Either way, the texture of this is amazing; the nut oil literally makes it melt into your skin. I’ll be trying this out both under and over my moisturiser and teamed with my GinZing moisturiser, I’ll be smelling citrus fresh all day long!

Have you tried any of these products before? Reviews to follow this post!