Cracks in the Foundation

There's no such thing as perfect ... I know this !!! BUT I just want to find a foundation that I'm completely happy with because I absolutely hate shopping for foundations ... its probably the only make-up item I hate shopping for and probably one of the only make-up items I DON't collect tons of (as opposed to lipsticks, blushes liners ,e.t.c). 

For around a year I was using Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light Foundation, and despite having lots of positive things to say about it I just found the formulation too heavy for my skin... so when I heard Estee Lauder were launching a new foundation, the 'Fluid Make-Up' I knew I had to try it. 

 

It has had comparisons with Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua (the shade range however for this foundation is not great !) and aims to give you that 'no make-up look' with its very light, airy and 'invisible' formulation. Having now tried it I'm glad I only got a sample and didn't rush to get the full size version because I'm not a hundred percent sure how I feel about it...

In the mean time I'm in between using my Bourjois's Healthy Mix Serum and L'Oreal's Lumi Magique as Khila aka Miss Budget Beauty has mentioned that it has similarities to the Nars Sheer Glow. I've always wanted to try the Sheer Glow but have always been put off by the price AND because Nars don't give samples out I didn't want to risk wasting my money on something I may potential end up hating! Miss BB also has said if you like the Lumi Magique you may possibly like the Sheer Glow so I will see if L'Oreal's new foundation has some 'magique' to offer. 

 Like I said I hate collecting foundations so the most I ever have in my collection is two. I do need your help though, I need you girls to make some suggestions. Tell me what your favourite foundation is, and tell me what you recommend and I will head out and get samples because I want to find the ultimate foundation! 

I want something that is light but gives good coverage yet it still feels like I'm not wearing make-up. Looking forward to hearing your suggestions girls ... x 

Sleek: making me go Eau La La

Sleek have recently launched their new set of smudge proof, multi-purpose liners under the name of 'Eau La La' and as soon as I heard about them from Holly aka HollyYMBB (The Yummy Mummy Beauty Blog) I went down to Superdrugs to cast my eyes on them. There are 20 shades to choose from and are perfect to use on the eyes, brows, lips and even on the body. 

Shade's Available:

Venom, Moulin Rouge, Cobalt Blue, Sand Dune, Dragon Fruit, 

Raisin, Blue Moon, Cocoa, Melba, Nut Cracker, 

Canary Yellow, White Noise, Tonic, Bullion, Red Sky Night,

Molasses, Pumpkin, Satchel, Noir, Lingerie.  

The shade which most appealed to me was 'Lingerie' and I have been using it as an lip liner as well as an all over colour on the lips. I find it to be a very pretty, romantic and subtle shade and is one of those colour's that is 'your lips but (a lot) better'. I think I will find myself wearing this shade to work as the formulation is really, really soft as well as being waterproof so it means that I'm not having to reapply as much as I would do with a lipstick - these liners would also be really good for a night out because there so long lasting ! 

Realistically I wouldn't wear most the colour's in this collection as I don't really wear shadow or colour on my eyes anyway but if your someone who likes to experiment with colour or someone who is starting out in make-up these liners would be a great thing to have in your kit/collection because there so versatile ... you could be so creative with them. 

As always Sleek have delivered on choice, great pigmentation and at £3.99 your getting your money's worth as you can use this product for a multitude of things. The packaging is lovely a chic' and I highly recommend these liners... there amazing!!! Let me know what you think if you do try them and always please comment and follow. x

Revlon Lip Butters

The Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butters landed in the UK a few weeks back but I've only just had a chance to take a look at them. I've seen loads and load of reviews all mixed and most of them in  comparisons with the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks which I'm yet to have a look at. 

Colours Available in the UK:

Pink Truffle, Sugar Frosting, Raspberry Pie, Tutti Frutti, 

Peach Parfait, Candy Apple, Macaroon, Berry Smoothie, 

Cupcake, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake, Sweet Tart,

Creme Brulee, Cotton Candy. 

 

The shades have super cute names however I'm not impressed with the shade range itself from looking at them in person. None of them seemed to appeal to me apart from one; Raspberry Pie and even then I still have my hesitations about it...

All the Lip Butters are highly pigmented and are more like your  conventional, everyday lipstick. You definitely need a mirror for application where as the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks give you a nice wash of colour from what I've seen in reviews. 

From a personal perspective I think the Lip Butter shades aren't suited to my skin tone. I have very naturally pigmented lips and I don't think the colour I have looks right on me! If I'm being completely honest I think the shades are more suited to fairer skin tones but that's just my opinion.

Many people have said that they've had difficulties with applying their Lip Butters however I can't say I've had this problem, in fact I found the application very easy! One major thing I dislike about the Lip Butters apart from the shade range is that they're very sticky. On a more positive note the colour does last on the lips well and eventually when it does start to wear off, your left with a 'lip tint' kind of effect.

The Lip Butter is definitely a love / hate product for me, I suppose with the good comes the bad but I just feel like i've wasted £7.99 on a product which I'll have to work very hard with (i.e wearing a lipliner underneath) as opposed to wearing it effortlessly which is the point with Lip Butters right...?

What do you think of Revlon's Lip Butters ? x

Empties 2 #

It's that time of the month again, where I show you my empties. 

I may not necessarily do this every month, only because some months I may not have enough to put into a single blog post. Most of the products are skin care based with the exception of a hair styling product. 

Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser:

This moisturiser has a lovely light formulation yet it keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day and keeps my skin free from shine. I have repurchased this product on several occasions and would do so again, however with moisturiser's I do like to dabble and try new ones from different brands.

Sanctuary Brightening Facial Radiance Exfoliator: 

Sanctuary products have so far been a disappointment and this scrub is another product to join the list. As a 'luxury brand' I think Sanctuary products are over priced from the results i've seen. Although this scrub didn't irritate or interfere with my skin it didn't do anything amazing for my skin either. The texture was thin and runny and the scrubbing particles were too tiny. The results were poor and weren't good enough that I would go out and purchase the full size version. 

Boots Essential Style Mousse (for curls & waves:  

This product has been sitting on my make-up counter for the longest time, probably pushing it to about a year. I used to use it for times where I couldn't be bothered to straighten or even blow my hair, it perfectly kept hold of my natural curl and gave me that extra volume I always long for. Would I buy it again ? Probably not but only because I blow dry my hair now. I would definitely recommend it to mousse lovers and its also cheap as. 

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes:

I've done a separate review on these wipes(http://elefont-at.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/no7-quick-thinking-4-in-1-wipes.html), however No7 have rebranded their skin care line which makes me think they may have reformulated some of their products too ? I wasn't pleased with these wipes this time round ! They were less wet and I found myself using about three or four at one time, I noticed they weren't branded as '4 in 1 wipes' which is a bit of a bummer as there quite handy for traveling (the previous used to cleanse, tone and moisturise all at the same time). One thing I do like, is the hard plastic lid, but I'm sure there are better make-up removal wipes out there right?... Let me know if you have any suggestions.  

Sanctuary Body Butter: 

Out of all the products i've used from Sanctuary this is probably the best out of all of them. This body butter is lovely and luxurious on the skin - the only problem I have with body butters is that there too time consuming sometime in the Morning so I prefer a light formulation that will still give me the essential moisture I need. 

Lush Colour Supplement:

Initially I loved this product and was raving about it to anyone I could, however I'm not too sure now! See my original blog post:

http://elefont-at.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/lush-colour-supplement.html. I hate this product now but I'm glad I tried it. My main problem with this product is that it's a very hard to work with. When I applied it with my fingertips after moisturising I found the product would roll on my skin and when I used a brush it left my face looking streaky. Its a very time consuming product and I don't necessarily have the time to mess around in the mornings. The colour seemed to be a good match however I've photographed it and it looks awful. It collects around the nose and its not a product for those who want a heavy coverage, which is something I mentioned about in my blog post on it. If you layer this with the intentions of creating a flawless base think again! You'll just achieve a very uneven cakey like finish and thats not a good look. I shall not be wasting my money on this again. 

If you have used any of these product let me know what you thought and if you've done an empties post leave the link below and I will have a look. x

Primark Haul

I can't remember the last time I shopped in Primark until today! Whenever I have gone into my local Primark I haven't really seen anything I like or that stands out - its all just been a little 'blah'. Today however I managed to pick up a few bits...

This, I think is the most exciting thing I bought today ... don't you agree ? (lol) £2 for 7 pairs of sock? If you don't think that's a bargain then I don't know what is!

Primark Essential 7 Pairs Cotton Rich Shoe Liners: £2.00

I picked up this hoody from the Men's Department. I'm going to pair it up with a simply tee, black leggings and some Converse style shoes from that causal, staying in look. Its a nice burgundy colour and perfect for Summer evenings when it starts to get a bit chilly.

Burgundy Hoody from the Men's Department: £12.00 (in small)

 This gypsy style top caught my eye because of its lovely, delicate floral print. Its got simple buttons down the middle and is gathered towards the bottom to give your waist some shape. The sleeves are super cute and is perfect with the hot weather that England should hopefully have to bring! (Not holding my luck on that one though ... lol) 

Floral Gypsy Style Top: £6.00 

Prints will never go out of fashion, so when I saw this top I grabbed it immediately. This navy blue cropped top is super cute for wearing with leggings, shorts or skinny jeans, it has a scalloped edge at the bottom and like I said its parrot print is what caught my eye. 

 

Cropped Top with Parrot Print and Scalloped Edge: £4.00

I'm hoping that the weather will start to get nicer so I can wear these lovely new sandals. I fell in love with the bows because I love, love, love bows and I really liked the colour combination. 

Neon Pink and Blue Polka Dot Bow Sandals: £6.00

What have you guys bought from Primark lately ? Anything I should keep my eye out for ? x 

Soap & Glory: Smoulder Kohl

As i've mentioned before, I have recently adopted the 'lightly lined' eye look. I was getting bored with the old winged eyeliner and I just wanted to look more simple and natural - it was also a pain doing the whole winged liner because I could never get both eyes looking the same and I just felt it was a bit too dramatic for everyday wear. I wear eyeliner almost everyday so I like something that's creamy, but will last all day without having to reapply if possible, so when I heard Sara from SWalker make-up rave about the Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl I dashed down to Boots to get myself one.   

Soap & Glory's Smoulder Kohl is £5.00 

and is a waterproof eyeliner with an in-built sharpener.

This is not going to be a huge review because how much can you really have to say about an eyeliner? My impressions before buying this eyeliner was that it may be comparable to the M.A.C eyeliners, however seeing as I've never tried a M.A.C eyeliner I can't make this comparison unfortunately. 

For the price I think this product is an absolute bargain and is definitely worth trying. Its like no eyeliner I've tried before, its super creamy and soft , it lasts on the waterline for a decent amount of time and I've found it a lot easier to line my upper waterline because I don't feel like its scratching against my eye like some eyeliners have in the past.

As for the whole 'waterproof' thing I can't comment as I've not been in contact with water whilst wearing the eyeliner however when I did some swatches on the back of my hand it did take a while to wash them off! With this eyeliner you can really achieve a quick smoky eye, its very quick and easy to use and even can be used as an eyeshadow base for black or dark blue shadows. 

The only negative thing I have to say about this eyeliner which is not even a big negative is that it can sometimes be a bit messy if your not careful however I think I can get pass this because in general its such a good eyeliner. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for other good kohl liner, preferably drugstore as I don't fancy paying a hefty price for just an eyeliner ? 

xXx   

Time For The Chop ...

Lauren Conrad

Its that time again, where I need to get my hair chopped. Hairdressers advise you to get your haircut every 8 weeks but out of sheer laziness I always leave it until it becomes an unmanageable mess... I think from now on I'm going to get it cut every 3 months, which sounds like a long time but my hair takes forever to grow and realistically I'm not going to necessarily get the time to go to the salon as frequently as I'd like to. 

Elizabeth Olsen

My Grandma's always on at me to straighten my hair (because I wear it messy) but I hate it that way, it just looks flat, dull and lifeless. I prefer the more messy look and always ask for a mixture of shorter and longer layers to make it look textured, which is what I'll be asking for this time. The only problem is that my hairdresser is on holiday and I couldn't wait another week to get my hair done so I hope this new hairdresser can do wonders with my hair. 

I've been contemplating with whether I should get something completely new or stick to my usual hair do. I like Lauren Conrad and Elizabeth Olsen's simple approach to hair... I just don't know if I'm brave enough to sport a middle parting ... and should I get my hair shorter ... so many choices!!!

What Celebrity hairstyles do you like? Any styles I should have a look at? x

The Versatile Blogger Award

I am very fortunate to have received the 'Versatile Blogger' award for the second time running by the lovely 'Head Hunted'. Thank you ... 

www.headhuntedtoday.blogspot.com

If you haven't already, please check out her blog. She's a super sweet girl who has great tips on how to spruce up your wardrobe for work, advise on job interviews and gives general career advise. 

 So here is what you have to do:

1. Nominate fellow bloggers who may be new to blogging
2. Let them know you have nominated them.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Thank the bloggers who have nominated you.
5. Add the versatile blogger picture to your post. 

7 Random Facts:

- I like eating Super Noodles uncooked.
- I am a very tidy person, bordering on OCD.    
- I lost two stones from just Skipping and doing Step Ups. 
- I am a British Indian (Hindu).
- I love, love, love Swedish House Mafia (Dance Act)
- I wish I was more confident. 
- I love eating burnt toast and marmite ... yummy 

The bloggers I have following lately are: 

The Chicrets Diaries

Glitter Sequin & Pearls 

Sweetaholic Beauty 

Laura Blogs Beauty 

Many thanks to Head Hunted again. 

Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip Cream

Lately I have had a slight obsession with lip products ... its all I've been buying make-up wise. I've been sporting the simple eye with a 'pop of colour on the lips' look, so I've told myself it's okay because we all need a bit of choice ... don't we ?

Collection 2000's Cream Puff Lip Cream is the latest product to join my make-up draw and having tried it I find myself having a love / hate relationship with it. 

In general I have been impressed with Collection 2000 products - with such low price points they are great at delivering what they claim to do unlike some high end products. 

The first thing I would say is that the shades aren't fantastic and with four in the range there's not a great deal of choice.

Cotton Candy, Powder Puff, Fairy Cake, Angel Delight 

Available from: www.boots.com 

'Cotton Candy' is the shade I felt suited me the best. Its a non-offensive, mid-tone pink that is perfect for work or everyday wear. It comes in a lip gloss type applicator, but in fact the finish is very much like a matt lipstick which I personally prefer ... if I had my way, ALL lip glosses would be band!

Worn on it's own the colour is not greatly pigmented and although the texture is creamy, I also find it to be quite greasy on the lips. However worn on top of Natural Collection's lip liner in Ruby Rose it looks more vibrant yet wearable, it also lasts a lot longer and becomes more matt, if that makes any sense at all.

One thing that is amazing about this Cream Puff is the scent. It smells like a sweet cupcake with lots of cream icing - almost good enough to eat! BUT NOT ADVISED TO DO SO !!! (lol) 

At £2.99 I think this product is great for on the go make-up. In theory it should be an easy product to use but for me, having to put on lip liner first can sometimes be a hassle in the mornings.  

I do like the concept of the cream puff and know that NYX and MINERS (talked about a lot on Miss Budget Beauty's blog) have very similar products so I may buy their versions of the 'cream puff' as their colour range I believe is much wider. 

Collection 2000's Cream Puff Lip Cream is something I encourage everyone to at least try, despite the colour range being a bit naff this product is great if you want a quick pick me up for dull looking lips. 

If anyone has tried the cream puff's or other versions of the cream puff let me know your thoughts x

A Little Q & A with Miss Budget Beauty

Miss Budget Beauty is one of my all time favourite youtuber's and bloggers. From the minute I watched her 'Not Your Average Guru' video I became a fan. Khila, otherwise known as Miss Budget Beauty seems like a geniunely lovely person, she's relatable, gives honest reviews, make-up tutorials, hauls and vlogs. As a busy Mum I find it difficult that Khila manages to run not only a youtube channel, a beauty blog but three other blogs. 

Beauty Blog: www.missbudgetbeauty.blogspot.com

Baby Blog: www.missbudgetbaby.blogspot.com 

Wedding Blog: www.missbudgetbride.blogspot.com 

Cooking Blog: www.khilaskitchen.blogspot.com

On a whim I contacted Khila to see if she would answer some questions for my blog and I was so pleased when I saw a reply from her in my inbox!

http://www.youtube.com/user/MissBudgetBeauty?ob=0

1.) How did you start out on You Tube / Blogging? I saw a video zoebella  made and thought ... 'I could do that' ! Blogging came shortly after. 

2.) Who are your favourite people to watch on YouTube / Favourite blogs to read? Dulce Candy and Mizzglamorazzi are my absolute favourite YouTubers and my favourite beauty blog has to be MakeupSavvy. I read a lot more but that's consistently my favourite.

3.) What's the best & worst thing from making youtube videos and blogging? The best thing has to be the people I've met through social networking and the worst is of course the horrible things people write ... I've become much better at dealing with that recently though.

4.) Would you encourage or support Ella if she wanted to follow in your footsteps?  That's something I've had to think about lately... she's becoming more aware and I'm trying to shield her from it a little. I would be fine with her 'you tubing' in the future but she'd have to be at least 16... there are some serious weirdos out there!

5.) What is your dream job? Something creative. I love video editing and I love writing ... I don't want to narrow it down but I'm hoping to just fall into something I really enjoy doing that pays the bills.

6.) What piece of make-up do you think is worth spending the most amount of money on? Tricky! I've been toying with finally purchasing a Chanel foundation since everyone raves about them and it's the one thing I've never found at drugstore and loved. My BB Cream's come close but have no staying power. I love my Nars Sheer Glow and am coming to realise when it comes to base ... you get what you pay for! One thing that's absolutely NOT worth buying high end is 

7.) Favourite make-up brand - if you had to choose one?  Ugh! So hard. If I had to choose one forever it would have to be MAC for their sheer volume and variety of products, however I could quite happily mix and match Maybelline and L'oreal forever.

8.) Any advise you can give on youtubing and blogging?  Start it as a hobby - not a business. People that start out with the sole intention of getting free stuff or making money will lose patience and flake out 6 months in. Enjoy it for what it is and if it becomes lucrative consider it a bonus ! 

9.) Who inspires you the most?  Blogger? Umm ... I'm going to say Kandee Johnson cause she's so positive all the time!

10.) What's your wardrobe essential?  Bagger t-shirts. My 'uniform' is skinny jeans and baggy shirts ... hides my post baby belly!  

Once again I thank Khila for taking the time to answer my question. If you've not already subscribed to Miss Budget Beauty I highly advise that you do. I'm hoping that I can get other youtubers and bloggers to do a Q&A and make it a 'once a month' thing - what do you guys think? x

Empties 1 #

This is the first time I'm doing a post like this, but I hope to do many others like this as it will encourage me to use products up before buying a whole load more. There's not many but it will give me a chance to do a 'mini review' on each of them.

Sanctuary Brightening Eye Gel: 

This 5ml sample was part of what formed the Brightening Facial In-A-Box Kit. As I have been taking more care in my skin care routine I thought it made sense to start looking after my eyes more by using a cream/gel-so this was the perfect product to start of with. Although this isn't an unpleasant product it didn't do anything great! I didn't notice any significant difference therefore I wouldn't purchase the full size as it retails at £10.29 (from Boots).

Mist You Madly Fragrance:

Mist You Madly is perfect if you want a quick squirt of something fresh, floral and sweet. Its a great alternative to a full on perfume and I found myself using it for work because its just an easy product to use in the Mornings. Although I love the scent I wouldn't purchase this fragrance straight away, its made me more intrigued to try other body sprays and body mists so

if anyone has any suggestions please let me know?

Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 make-up remover: 

Recently I've been really impressed with Garnier products and I think I may have just found my perfect eye make-up remover. I won't say too much about this product as I'm going to do a whole blog post on it but its absolutely fantastic. It can be used as an all over make-up remover however I use it just for my eyes. Unlike most eye make-up remover I've used there's no stinging sensation and it really soothes and nourish my lashes- at £2.99 its a steal! 

TRESemme'Split Remedy Split Mend Intense Recovery Masque:

HATE, HATE, HATE this product! In the past I have been really impressed with the TRESemme 'shampoo's and conditioners however the Split Remedy Split Mend Intense Recovery Masaque is absolutely pants!!! No matter how many times I thoroughly washed the product out of my hair, my hair felt sticky and hard to manage when blow drying. It made my hair feel dry and brittle, so for now I think I'm going back to the Herbal Essences beautiful ends Split End Protective Intensive Mask .

Clean & Clear Exfoliating Daily Wash 

I've done a full review on this product (http://elefont-at.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/clean-and-clear-exfoliating-daily-wash.html). For such a cheap product this daily wash is amazing. The exfoliating beads are really small so they really lift the dirt and excess oil from my face. My face is left feeling fresh and more awake and the great thing is a small amount goes a long way. I would say my skin has improved with using this product (in conjunction with other skin care items) and I would definitely repurchase this item again.

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner:

Yet another £5 off voucher put to good use. I have no complaints about this product. It's gentle on the skin like it claims and its brilliant for getting rid of the last bits of make-up on your face as well as just making your skin feel alive again after a very very long day. At £8.00 would I purchase it again? I think I would, even without the £5 voucher but not straight away as I would like try some more toners.

Have you guys tried any of these products out ? If so what are your thoughts ? If you have done an Empties post or a Monthly Favourite's leave the link below and I will have a look x