17 Wild Metallic Cream Eyeshadow!

I love cream eyeshadows, especially for this time of year, but know a good one can be hard to come by. I've bought many that look great in the shops, and when I actually go to use them their promises of being 'crease free' or 'longwear' seem to fade pretty rapidly. Nevertheless, I was browsing some of the 17 range in Boots recently and was really drawn to the Wild Metallic Cream Eyeshadows.

I really liked the colour range, although not being the most extensive with 6 shades to choose from. However, the colours that were available all looked gorgeous, and I'd probably have bought them all to try if I could have afforded to. They have the metal shades (silver and bronze), bolder colours (purple, navy blue and green), and a more muted taupe colour (Wild Nude), so there's something for everyone.

I chose Wild Nude. I really liked this taupe shade and thought it would be adaptable and buildable for a wash of colour for quick daytime looks and more dramatic evening looks. It's also a good middle ground between the silver and bronze, as it has warmth but isn't as bold as the bronze. 

The product looked really metallic and pigmented in the pot, and I was really excited to try it. The formula was slightly more like a mousse than I would normally go for. I used to love the Rimmel Colour Mousse 8 Hour Eyeshadows, which despite their name, were less like a mousse, and would apply like a cream then almost set on the eye. A thin mousse is unlikely to stay put and crease-free without some powder shadow on top, I find. 

I really liked the application of this product. It gave a beautiful metallic wash of colour to the lid and stayed looking good for a couple of hours. However, if the weather was warmer I'm not sure they'd have this staying power. I liked that it could be built up nicely for an evening look without going too cakey or lumpy as some cream shadows can do when you build them up, but if I was going to wear this for a night out I would definitely set it with a similar colour eyeshadow (the shade is so pretty, it would be a shame to cover that completely). 

I really liked this product, so am hoping that I can give it a try when (hopefully!) the weather gets better, as I think it would be a really good eyeshadow for summer, providing it lasts, as it gives a gorgeous wash of colour which would be really good for quick makeup, or a natural, tanned look.

I'm tempted to buy another one of the 17 Wild Metallic Cream Eyeshadows, particularly the Wild Purple, however I am going to try and resist and test out the Wild Nude in a few more makeup looks or situations!

Let me know if you've tried this product and your thoughts! Also let me know if you know any good cream/mousse eyeshadows.... I love them!

xxx

17 Wild Metallic Cream Eyeshadow - £3.99 from Boots - http://www.boots.com/en/17-Wild-Metallic-Cream-Eyeshadow_1228312/

Collection 2000 Pressed Powder!

As I said in my previous Collection 2000 posts, I popped into Superdrug recently and they had 3 for 2 on the whole range, so I picked up the Lasting Perfection Concealer, the Fast Stroke Eyeliner and the Pressed Powder.

I bought the Pressed Powder in Translucent as opposed to one of the coloured ones as I don't tend to wear a lot of powder, so I'm never trying to really build coverage with it or apply it heavily. I have dry skin so can find powders to make my foundation look a bit cakey, but I will use a translucent powder down the centre of my face, to lightly set any areas where I've had to do a bit of concealing and just to set the concealer under my eyes. They appear to have about 9 shades online, but when I was in Superdrug they only had about 4 or 5 on display. 

I tend to have problems achieving the exact look I want for my skin. As it is dry, I like to use products that leave it looking dewy, glowing and healthy, whilst giving me good coverage. A lot of these products don't seem to last as well on my skin as perhaps more matte products, so they often need setting with a powder, but if I'm not careful this can take me back to the beginning where my skin looks dull, dry and tired. However, it is nice and fine and allows you to build up the coverage you want, whether you want a light coat to set your make up, or prefer to build your powder up if you have more oily skin.

I really liked the fact that this powder is enriched with silk and Vitamin E, and has UVA and UVB sunscreen. While I doubt the effects of this sunscreen is really significant, it's nice to feel like you perhaps have an extra bit of skin protection in the summertime. I haven't noticed a change in my skin, good or bad, but I didn't expect to, but it's nice to apply a makeup product that feels like it's doing your skin some good. 

For £1.99 I think this powder is great, especially if, like me, powder isn't a huge part of your everyday makeup routine and you just want a cheap one on standby for when you do use it, and I think this powder is a good choice. 

xxx

Collection 2000 Pressed Powder - £1.99 from Superdrug or Boots http://www.superdrug.com/face/collection-2000-pressed-powder-3/invt/236829/

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer!

I was killing time in Superdrug the other day, looking for any good offers, when I saw that Collection 2000 had a 3 for 2 offer on all their products. I was after a new concealer and know that the YouTube and blogging world is mad for the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer, so I thought this would be a great time to give it a try, and I might as well pick up a couple of thing while the offer was on, so I also bought a pressed powder and a liquid liner.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer  (£4.19)


I couldn't wait to try this concealer, given all the great reviews I've heard, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed.

The product says it has '16 hour wear' and it transfer and water resistant. I haven't actually worn it for that long a period of time yet, but when I have worn it it has lasted beautifully. I have really dry skin but am also prone to blemishes, so concealers tend to either go cakey on my skin or not last on the areas and blemishes I want to cover. This did neither. It gives you a sense when you apply it that it is almost setting, and it didn't need layering or touching up as concealers often do with me. Whether it was subliminal because of the great things I've heard, or because of how it applied, I felt completely confident that it was staying in place, despite doing a lot of walking about and, I'm not gonna lie, sweating a bit (nice!). But it did stay on perfectly, I was complimented on how clear my skin looked, and it was a nice relief to get home and look in the mirror without worrying about how long that spot has been on show or my face has looked like it's melted/flaking away!

I like the more liquid concealers with doe foot applicators as they seem to apply more smoothly, look more natural, and allow you to really pinpoint imperfections. However, if concealing an active spot you might want to put it on your hand or finger first and then on your face to avoid spreading bacteria into your whole concealer.

The colour was actually perfect for me. I was wary due to the quite limited colour range (Deep, Medium, Light, Fair), but the shade Fair 1 worked really great for me. Although if you are really pale or dark skinned then these colours may not work for you.

I was really impressed with this concealer and am glad it lived up to the hype. I can see this becoming my staple concealer for a long time to come.


xxx

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19 from Boots or Superdrug (I bought mine from Superdrug but for some reason It's not listed on their website)
http://www.boots.com/en/Collection-2000-Lasting-Perfection-Concealer_984434/

Purple Shampoos for Blondes!

I naturally have light brown/dark blonde hair but I've gone back and forth between dying my hair blonde and a brunette pretty much every year since I was 16. I've always found being a blonde is more costly, with root touch-ups, highlighting, toner etc, as well as the extra care your hair requires after being bleached.

When I go blonde, I tend to have a lot of brassy tones come through from the warm red tones my hair had when brunette, which can be frustrating and take a lot of growing out or many sessions of highlights. Thankfully, my hair has grown quite a bit, and where my natural regrowth has been bleached the colour has come out much better and paler.

However, I'm still keen to do what I can to fight the orange tinge that the ends of my hair has.I try to use an ash blonde semi-permanent colour every couple of months to tone it down, and I like to use purple shampoos, specially designed to fight brassiness in blonde hair, as often as I can.

However, these shampoos can be hard to locate on the high street. I've always bought John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Shampoo and the matching conditioner when I could afford to, but with them coming in at nearly £12 for the pair I couldn't always afford to buy more (and I use a lot of conditioner!).
I recently found PRO:VOKE Touch of Silver Weekly Treatment Shampoo in Sainsbury's, and with a price tag nearly half of the Sheer Blonde shampoo, I knew I had to give it a go. I was excited to see that it was a much deeper, more vivid violet than the Sheer Blonde.

Although there is only 100ml in the Touch of Silver (compared to the 250ml Sheer Blonde bottles) it does say it is a twice weekly treatment (although I sometimes use it more often), a little goes a long way, and due to the stronger colour I really felt it was doing more to my hair. Also I like the fact it's a treatment (the bottle recommends leaving it on for 5 minutes) cos it feels like it's doing more for your hair. In between treatments I tend to use L'Oreal Elvive Nourish and Shimmer Highlights Shampoo and Conditioner, which I would recommend highly for an everyday shampoo.

I have found daily shampoo and conditioner available in the Touch of Silver range, which I definitely will be trying, and seeing how they compare to the John Frieda Sheer Blonde range.
If you have bleached hair, I would definitely recommend giving this product a try. Although it says on the bottle that it is for grey, white, or platinum blonde hair, it definitely helped my slightly darker blonde hair.

Let me know if you've tried any other purple shampoo or any tips you have for fighting the brassy look!

xxx

PRO:VOKE Touch of Silver Weekly Treatment Shampoo - £3.09 from Boots http://www.boots.com/en/Touch-Of-Silver-Silver-Shine-Shampoo-Weekly-Treatment-150ml_1047911/

PRO:VOKE Touch of Silver Daily Shampoo -£2.09 from Boots (for 200ml)
http://www.boots.com/en/Touch-Of-Silver-Silver-Sensations-Shampoo-200ml_1047907/

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Shampoo - £5.89 from Boots
http://www.boots.com/en/John-Frieda-Sheer-Blonde-Colour-Renew-Shampoo-250ml_122172/

L'Oreal Elvive Nourish and Shimmer Highlights Shampoo - £3.89 from Boots (for 400ml)
http://www.boots.com/en/LOreal-Elvive-Nourish-Shimmer-Highlights-Shampoo-400ml_929841/

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter!

I finally caved and treated myself to one of the new Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters while they were £2 off in Boots.

I opted for the shade Tutti Frutti, which in the bullet looks a bright orange colour. I wouldn't usually go for orangey tones, but I have a lot of pink and red toned lip colours and thought orange could be a nice change for the summer, and would be something a bit different.

I tend to get very dry lips, and thought the texture was great for that - moisturising and it didn't seem to cling to any cracks or any rough bits on my lips. The formula contains mango, shea and coconut butter and claims to 'boost lip moisture by 156%.

I actually really liked the colour. I'm quite fair skinned so was unsure if the colour would work on me but I really like it. The formula is sheer but buildable for a more bold look, and I think this shade would work really well for a lot of different skin tones and is very versatile.

Because I found this gel formula so great for drier lips I would love to try some of the other shades, and I know this product and some other shades are very popular amongst bloggers and youtubers, however I'm not sure if I would buy another at the full price of £7.99, especially the more generic pink shades where very similar colours can be found in other brands. I also really like the packaging, and that it is the colour of the lipstick, which is really handy for storage and finding it easily.

I am loving Tutti Frutti at the moment, and despite normally being a fan of pink lip colours, this is what I have been wearing every time I've been out since I bought it and I enjoy experimenting with different make-up looks with it.

Let me know how you find the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters for you and if you have any recommendations or tips for dry lips!

xxx

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter - £5.99 on offer from Boots (Normally £7.99) http://www.boots.com/en/Revlon-ColorBurst-8482-Lip-Butter_1252852/

Minty Fresh Nails...

I've loved mint green nail polishes for a couple of years now, and as Spring/Summer comes around it becomes my go-to colour.

Until recently I had been all about Barry M's Nail Paint in Mint Green. I love the Nail Paints. They comes in a fantastic range of colours, and at £2.99 you can't go wrong. However, I am a chronic nail chipper, and as soon as one chip appears I set about peeling the rest of my polish off. So when looking for a new mint nail polish the Rimmel Lycra Pro polish in Peppermint tickled my interest with their claims to provide 'long lasting, chip resistant, anti-fade colour' and 10 days of professional finish wear.

While I can't claim 10 days with no chips, I have gone 4 or 5 days without a single chip and without having to worry about the state of my nails, which is miraculous by my standards.
The 'maxi brush' makes a good, neat application really simple and means you aren't left having to go back around the sides of the nails or cleaning up imperfections. It also dries quickly which is a huge bonus in my books as I'm massively impatient and my painted nails have suffered countless times due to this!

Although the price tag is slightly higher at £4.59 a bottle, I believe I'll be returning to the Rimmel Lycra Pro polishes when I'm next on the nail polish prowl.

(As a side note, I have looked at the Essie polishes that have recently come to UK drugstores, but am yet to try them as I personally wouldn't want to spend £7.99 on a nail polish that has had mixed reviews. However, I know the shade Mint Candy Apple is hugely popular amongst bloggers and Youtubers and what I have seen (in the shops and from online photos) I think that both the Barry M Mint Green Nail Paint and the Rimmel Lycra Pro in Peppermint would make great purse friendly dupes...)

I'd love to know what you think and if there are any other drugstore summer colours you would recommend?

xxx

Rimmel Lycra Pro Colour Memory polish in Peppermint (500) - http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-LYCRA-PRO-Colour-Memory-Nail-Polish_1211374/

Barry M Nail Paint in Mint Green - http://www.superdrug.com/barry-m/barry-m-nail-polish-mint-green/invt/561621/&bklist=