The Best of Drugstore Beauty

I am a big fan of drugstore beauty products (as you can probably tell), therefore this is a post that I am very excited about doing. The majority of the time, I don't see the need to splash out and buy high end items as they tend to be identical to the affordable items but with slightly fancier packaging.

I have already done a blog post on my favourite drugstore foundations, but as you probably know, I LOVE L'oreal foundations as there seems to be a foundation for every skin type and they are very comparable to high end foundations. My favourite is the True Match foundation as it feels light on the skin, isn't too dewy or too matte and it suitable for all skin types.

Concealer is one of those items where it really is not necessary to buy high end ones, and many drugstore foundations are actually really good. I really like Rimmel concealers, especially the Wake Me Up concealer as well as the Match Perfection concealer which is a fairly recent purchase but is probably my favourite concealer at the moment.























For powder, I am sure you have heard about Rimmel Stay Matte by now as it is one of the- if not the- best powder I have ever used. It keeps my foundation and concealer in place all day, and keeps my face looking relatively matte. Another slightly more expensive powder that I love is the Soap and Glory Kick Ass powder as it is very finely milled and provides a small amount of coverage. I honestly do not use any other powders other than these two.

I find it really difficult to find a good drugstore bronzer as they all seem to be very orange, which is why I usually stick to using my Benefit Hoola Bronzer. However, I do really like the Bourjois Bronzing Primer as it adds some warmth to the skin but isn't too harsh; however it is too orange to contour with. If you're looking for a powder bronzer, the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer is another nice one for adding warmth to the skin, but I don't tend to contour with it.

The drugstore has many great blushers, from Natural Collection to Maxfactor to Make Up Revolution. Recently I have really been liking the Makeup Revolution blush in 'Treat', however I also love the Maxfactor Creme Puff Blushes and Bourjois Aqua Blushes.

For eyeshadow bases, I really like the Maybelline Colour Tattoos and Kiko eyeshadow sticks. The Colour Tattoos provide a great base for eyeshadow, as they are very long wearing or can be worn alone as they're easy to build up. I own the colours On and On Bronze, 24K Gold, Immortal Charcoal and Pink Gold, and all of them are very highly pigmented. For a more opaque colour, the Kiko eyeshadow pencils are great as you can put them all over the lid, blend into the crease and you're good to go. I have the shades 05 and 06.

In terms of eyeshadow palettes, I really like the Collection Uncovered palette in 'Nude' as the shadows are highly pigmented, wearable, soft and not chalky at all.

Mascara is another one of those products that you really don't need to go high end for, as the drugstore has many great mascaras in it. If you're looking for length then I recommend the Maybelline Lash Sensational, and for volume the Soap and Glory Thick and Fast mascara.

Finally, lipsticks. I personally love all Rimmel lipsticks as they're highly pigmented and aren't drying on the lips. If you're looking for an even more inexpensive lipstick, try the Makeup Revolution ones as they're only £1 and are very highly pigmented, although not quite as moisturising as the Rimmel ones. If you're after a cheap, nude lipstick, Makeup Revolution in 'The One' is a really nice nude shade and rarely leaves my handbag!

My 5 Product Face! (all drugstore)

Today I thought I would share with you my "5 Product Face" featuring the products I would reach for if I could only use 5 to put on all of my make up. This is the drugstore version of this, however I will have plenty of high end reviews and favourites to share with you in future posts. All products are linked at the end of the post and I've also written what shades I own too.

1) A high coverage concealer- Especially in the summer months, many people don’t like to wear a heavy, full coverage foundation so a concealer is perfect for covering up any imperfections, whilst still allowing the skin to breathe. Some of my favourites include the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (for spots and blemishes), and the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (for any darkness under the eyes). 

2) Mascara- If I could only wear one make up product for the rest of my life, it would definitely have to be mascara. I find that it really opens up my eyes, and it is the product that brings together any make up look. The mascara’s that I use the most often are the Maybelline Falsies Mascara and Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara.

3) A tinted lipbalm- On a day to day basis, I don’t tend to use lipstick as it can often dry my lips out, and I also find that I don’t really need to. A great alternative however -especially if you want some extra colour on your lips- is a tinted lip balm (or just a regular lip balm), as they leave your lips feeling hydrated. My favourite lip balms are the Maybelline Baby Lips (which provide more colour) and Carmex lip balms.

4) Eyebrows- My eyebrows are naturally very full and very dark (basically jet black), therefore they don’t need much filling in. However, for those days when I do get a little tweezer happy, I like to fill in my brows to add more shape to them, and sometimes to lighten them slightly (by using lighter products). I like to use the Soap and Glory Archery pencils and the two shown are slightly different as one with the pink writing is the brow tint and pencil, and the one with the gold writing is the 2-in-1 brow filling in pencil (if you want more information on these, I have a review on these coming soon!). I also love the Barry M Brow Kit.

5) Blush- This definitely isn’t an essential in my everyday make up bag, however I find that it can be a product to wake up your entire face. In addition to this, I never seem to use a lot of blush, so they’re worth the investment as they last for ages. My favourite drugstore blushes have to be the Maxfactor Creme Puff Blushes and the Sleek ones also as they’re very highly pigmented. 

Products Mentioned:

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer- £4.19 - shown in shade 1 & 3

Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer- £5.49 - no picture as I recently lost mine

Maybelline Falsies mascara- £7.99

Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara- £7.99

Maybelline Baby lips - In "Hydrate Me", "Peach Kiss" and "Berry Bomb"

Carmex Lip Balm Tube Cherry- £1.65

Carmex Moisture Plus Berry Lip balm- £4.49 - In "Berry"

Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil- £10 - In "Brownie Points"

Soap and Glory Archery 2-in-1 Brow Filling Pencil- £8 - In "Hot Chocolate"

Barry M Brow Kit- £5.99 

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush- £8.99 - (L-R) In "Lovely Pink", "Seductive pink" and "Gorgeous Berries".

Sleek Blush- £4.49 - In "Pomegranate"

Best Drugstore Mascara: Maybelline Lash Sensational

I have always loved Maybelline mascaras, and I have never been disappointed with one, which is why when they released a new one a while ago, I went straight out and bought it. It is definitely affordable, at £7.99, and is sold in all drugstores.

The mascara has a curved, plastic applicator, with tiny bristles so you can get between all of your lashes. On one of the curves sides, there are longer bristles, and on the other side there are shorter bristles. To make the most of my lashes, I firstly use the side with the longer bristles, then use the side with the shorter bristles to lengthen them even further. I love the applicator as it is the perfect shape for your bottom lashes as well as your top ones. 

Maybelline claim that this mascara multiplies your lashes, and I 100% agree! After one coat, my lashes look longer and thicker, although are still separated and fluttery. My eyelashes are naturally long, although are quite straight, and I found that this mascara lifted them and gave them a slight curl too. 

I only have one complaint about this mascara, although I have this complaint with most other mascaras too. I found that this mascara was quite runny with the first couple of uses, and smudged slightly within the first hour of applying it. I would only get tiny dots on my skin, but they were quite frustrating! After a couple of weeks however, the mascara dried out a bit more, and this problem no longer existed. I think this can be a problem with most mascaras however, and does definitely not put me off repurchasing!

Overall, I love this mascara and will definitely continue to buy it. It lengthens, volumizes and multiplies your lashes, creating a dramatic effect. I would recommend this to everyone, as it is excellent quality for the price and is better than many high end mascaras. 

Products Mentioned: 

Maybelline Lash Sensational

Mini Beauty Haul (and reviews!)

In the past few weeks, I have accumulated a few new beauty bits and after testing them out for a couple of weeks, I have decided to show you what I bought and share my thoughts on the products. 

Mac Brave lipstick (£15.50)- This is actually a repurchase for me as i bought this lipstick about a year ago and it quickly became my favourite Mac lipstick. This is the perfect dark, pinky nude, not only suiting people with paler skin but also people with darker skin. Also, if you're a fan of Velvet Teddy, then you're sure to love this one as well, since it's a slightly lighter, pinker version of it. 

Kiko eye crayon (£6.90)- Although I do own (and love) a By Terry Ombre Backstar (in the shade Bronze Moon), it is very expensive and I have been looking for a cheaper alternative for a while now. When I saw this eye crayon, I decided to purchase it to see if it was at all similar- and in terms of formula, texture and appearance on the skin, they are practically identical. As well as this, it is about a quarter of the price, and I got the shade 05 which is a perfect dupe for the By Terry Misty Rock. I definitely plan on buying more of these soon!

Mac Warm Neutrals Palette (£65) - This is my favourite purchase of the lot! Before buying this palette, I didn’t actually own any Mac eyeshadows, however now I own 15, I love them all. They’re incredibly pigmented, long wearing, perfectly wearable and although initially the price point may seem steep, buying the eyeshadows individually would cost a lot more.
My favourite shades in the palette include Honey Lust, a glittery peachy shade (middle row, 3rd along); Amber Lights, a shimmery gold colour (middle row, 4th along); Saddle, a matte brown transition shade (middle row, 5th along); Butterfudge, a medium brown with a bit of a sheen to it (bottom row, 3rd along); and Unwind, a neutral olive shade (bottom row, 5th along). 

Benefit They’re Real! Mascara (£19.50)- Again, this was another repurchase as I’d owned this mascara about a year and a half ago; and despite really liking it, I never bought a replacement as mascaras always dry out quickly and I already had a few opened, however, I decided to finally buy the replacement, and I now remember why I loved it so much in the first place! Overall, this is a great mascara for both volume and length, although it is difficult to take off.

Garnier BB Cream Skin Perfector (£9.99)- I have been after a new BB cream for a while, as I think they are great for the summer months, when you want something with a lighter feel to the skin and lighter coverage. Also, they contain SPF, this one SPF 25, so you can protect your skin. I saw some positive reviews on the Garnier BB cream, so decided to purchase it in 'Light' (my skin is slightly darker than that, although these BB creams are quite dark) and have been impressed so far. My skin looked glowing, and I was given a reasonable amount of coverage.

Beauty Summer Essentials

My first essential for the summertime is a brightly coloured lipgloss or lipstick. I love wearing bright colours in the summer, as I think it gives your entire outfit a summery look. My favourites are the Tanya Burr Lipgloss in 'I Found Nemo', and Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in 'Candy Apple", which is very similar to a lipstick, although is more sheer.

Another must-have in the summer is a moisturiser or body butter. Not only do they keep your skin soft and hydrated, but they also help to maintain a tan. My personal favourite is The Body Shop Shea Body Butter, as it is very moisturising and smells amazing!

Nail polish is great to wear in the summer, especially bright colours or pastels. I really like the Barry M nail polishes, as they are very affordable and long lasting. I really like baby blue in the summer, so I either wear my ordinary Barry M nail polish in Blue Moon, or Sky Blue from the Gelly collection, which is marginally darker. Another nail polish I often reach for is another Gelly polish in Fondant, which is a very pretty lilac. 

Self-tanning is very popular in the summer, to give your skin a golden glow. One of my favourites is the St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse in medium. Medium is the perfect colour for me, as it gives me a golden tan, although still looks very natural. 

Bronzer is definitely a summer essential, particularly when paired with a self-tanning mousse or cream. Benefit Hoola Bronzer is a great all round product when it comes to bronzer, as it can be used all over the face, for a natural tan, or can be used to chisel your cheekbones. It is not too dark, so looks natural, and is matte, so you do not look like a glitter-ball!

Highlighter is not the first thing that pops into your head when thinking of summer essentials, although can actually look amazing! Benefit Watts Up is a gorgeous highlighter and creates a beautiful glow on the tops of your cheekbones, which is a perfect look for summer! 

Dry shampoo is essential for summer, as the heat can often make your hair very oily, which can be very frustrating, particularly when there is no time to wash it! Also, it gives your hair lots more texture, so you can create natural looking beach waves. I really like the Batiste Calypso Orchid & Pink Freesia Dry Shampoo as it smells great, has really pretty packaging (which is always a bonus) and refreshes your hair. 

This is definitely a product that can be used all year round, although is even better in summer. Micellar water is your best friend in the summer, as it removes your makeup in no time, and refreshes your skin after a day at the beach or pool, where the saltwater and chlorine could have dried it out. I really like the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, as it is affordable and is great for sensitive skin.

Sunglasses are one of the most important things you can have in the summertime, as not only are they a fashion statement, but they protect your eyes. They protect your eyes from the sun's powerful rays, leaving them healthy and bright. I love these ones which I picked up in Next, as I really like the purple and blue tint. 

The final item is the most important and is definitely essential; suncream! Suncream protects your skin from the sun's powerful rays, which means that the sun cannot harm your skin. I usually use Nivea Moisturising Sun Lotion in factor 15, although sometimes 30 if the weather is particularly hot. I really like this suncream as it sinks into your skin immediately, as well as protecting it. 

Products Mentioned:

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in 'Candy Apple'

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in 'I Found Nemo'

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter 

Barry M Nail Polish in 'Blue Moon'

Barry M Gelly Nail Polish in 'Sky Blue' and 'Fondant'

St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse in 'Medium'

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Benefit 'Watts Up' Highlighter

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Bloom

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Next Sunglasses

Nivea Moisturising Sun Lotion

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Review

After hearing great things about the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, I decided to invest in it a couple of months ago. Since then, I have been very pleased with the results, and have noticed a difference in the way my skin looks and feels, so have decided to share my thoughts with you.

The product is designed to gently cleanse and exfoliate your skin, and remove all traces of makeup. I have dry skin, and this product is perfect for me. My sister (who has very sensitive, oily skin) also uses this cleanser, and she loves it too. It seems that this product is great for all skin types, as I have heard many positive responses from people with different skin types.

It comes in the form of a thick cream, which you just massage over your skin and eye area, and it melts away your makeup. Then, soak the muslin cloth in warm water and wipe everything away.

Although the product is very good at removing stubborn eye makeup, I prefer to use eye makeup remover first, as I find that I use much less product. Usually, I use around 1 pump, and this removes all of my face makeup, and any traces of eye makeup that the remover did not. I have been using this product every night for around two months (as I prefer to use a different face wash in the morning) and my 100ml bottle has yet to run out. 

I usually use a toner and a moisturiser after having used this cleanser, and my skin always feels very soft and clean afterwards. In case you are wondering, I use the Simple Soothing Facial Toner, and the Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream.

If you have never used Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish before, or if you do not own any muslin cloths, I would recommend buying the starter kit, which comes with a 100ml bottle of the Cleanse and Polish, as well as two muslin cloths. This costs £15.50, which seems quite expensive, but is actually well worth it. If you are unsure whether you will like this product, or want to try it out first, there is the option of buying a 30ml tube and a muslin cloth for £6. There are many more options of sizes to buy, it all comes down to which size you would like personally!

My Top 5 Drugstore Foundations

Over the past few years, I have tried and tested many different drugstore foundations and seen how they compare to more high end ones. Here are my top five drugstore foundations, that work the best for me on my skin type: 

1) L'oreal infalliable matte foundation (£7.99)- This is one of my more recent foundation purchases, however it has quickly become a favourite. Initially when I bought this foundation, I was skeptical since I usually go for a more dewy look with a lighter coverage (especially since I have dry skin) , however I was pleasantly surprised by it. On the skin, it feels light yet it still had a medium coverage, blends perfectly and isn't too matte. Overall, this is a great all-rounder foundation, and despite the fact that it's one of the cheapest foundations I own, it is also one of the best and is easily comparable to higher end foundations. 


2) L'oreal True Match Foundation (£9.99)- This is quite possibly my favourite drugstore foundation of the lot, mainly because of the excellent shade range (finally a foundation that isn't too pink!) and it's luminous finish. I was initially attracted to this foundation after reading Amelia Liana's review, as she said it was a great dupe for the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation, which I'd looked into buying, but never had done (mainly due to the £37 price tag). The coverage of this foundation is also medium, like the Infallible Matte foundation, but this foundation is more dewy and more suited to my dry skin. Overall, I'd recommend this foundation to people of all skin types and with the 20 shades to chose from, you're bound to find the perfect one.


3) Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum (£10.99)- This foundation is perfect for the daytime, when you want your skin to look healthy and luminous, but you aren't looking for a great deal of coverage. I definitely tend to gravitate towards this foundation more in the summer as I prefer to have a lighter make up look during this time of year. Having owned both the Healthy mix foundation and serum, I much prefer the serum as I can find the foundation to be slightly heavy, and I personally don't need a lot of coverage. The only problem I find with this foundation is that it is very yellow toned, therefore people with pink based complexions may struggle to find a colour match. 

4) Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Full Coverage Foundation (£7.99)- I bought this foundation as a bit of an impulse buy a year or so ago on a three for two offer at boots, and to be honest, I wasn't really expecting a lot from it. However, not only is this my perfect shade (I have a bad habit of buying foundations too light for me), but it also provides really great coverage for those bad skin days. I wouldn't say that this foundation lasts for 25 hours- though i haven't really tested it for that long- however it is my most long lasting drugstore foundation, and not only this, but it also looks great on all skin types. The only problem i do sometimes have with this foundation, is that it can be slightly cakey, and I definitely do not need to power over it; however this may just be due to my dry skin. 

5) Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation (£8.99)- There has been a lot of hype surrounding this foundation in the past few years, and honestly I was reluctant to try this foundation as in the bottle is looks very shimmery and almost like it has chunks of glitter in it. However, when I finally jumped on the bandwagon and tried it, I was pleasantly surprised since it, since my skin looked both natural and radiant, but I didn't look like a glitter ball. This is a medium coverage foundation and overall is definitely worth a try, especially if you struggle to find a foundation that makes your skin look healthy and like it's glowing.