Makeup Gallery Blush in Candyfloss Review

Whilst in Poundland I decided to pick up a few different items from their makeup line which is called Makeup Gallery. I selected a blush in the shade Candyfloss. 

The packaging is quite basic but that is to be expected as it is a budget brand however the packaging feels very secure and I don’t think it will break easily. I quite like that Poundland have opted to use square packaging as most blushes come in a circular compact but I quite like that this is different and it matches the other powder products in the range. The blusher feels very smooth and isn’t too chalky. The blush is pretty pigmented as well for a budget product. It is really easy to blend and it creates a really nice natural flush on my cheeks that I really like for every day. I have been wearing this blush a lot and it is quickly becoming one of my most used. For me this is the perfect every day shade and I highly recommend checking it out especially if you want a natural shade. The blush is a warm pink shade that has a slight coral tone to it and quite surprisingly it is a matte blush which is unusual for a budget blush as they are usually full of shimmer. I am really glad that the Makeup Gallery range has shade names as many budget brands don’t name their products and it makes it so much more interesting when they have shade names. 

Overall I really like this blush and I would like to pick up more from the range although there are only 4 shades to choose from. I need to try more from the brand, I have tried the eyeshadows and they are fantastic and I have a couple of polishes to try out too.

Do you have any Makeup Gallery recommendations?

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Collection Bronze Glow in Sunkissed Review

I have never really been into wearing bronzers, but recently I have been wearing bronzer a lot more. I haven’t been going crazy I am not into contouring just adding a slight colour to my cheeks. 

I picked up this bronzer from Collection in Poundworld as I thought it would be a great way to try a bronzer that wasn’t too expensive. The packaging is a big circular compact which does look slightly cheap but when it is so affordable I won’t complain too much. You get a lot of product for your money (19g) I doubt I’ll be running out of it anytime soon. To apply it I use a kabuki brush and I apply it on my cheeks and a little bit on my temples in order to add a bit of colour to my face. 

This bronzer has a light shimmer running through it but it isn’t too much that it makes your face look glittery. The light shimmer in it really helps to brighten up my face and give a healthy glow. I find that the colour is really good for my pale skin as it isn’t too dark or orange. The price of the bronzer is quite good although it is one of Collection’s higher priced products, it costs £4.19 but is on offer for £2.99 at the moment. 

I’m really glad that I picked this up as I have been wearing it nearly every day this month. I think I may be converted to using bronzers now, I don’t think I’m ever going to be a contouring queen but I am definitely into adding a bit of colour to my face. I think it helps to add a healthy glow to my skin which I am really enjoying especially now that the weather is improving.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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NOTD: Optic Wave

I mentioned this nail polish a couple of weeks ago that I got with a Colgate toothpaste and today I thought I would share with you what it looks like on the nails. On a side not the toothpaste is really good although slightly unusual. 

This colour is a gorgeous shade of blue which I instantly fell in love with. When I painted my nails I was slightly disappointed that the finish was matte but I got over it quite quickly as I loved the colour so much. Like most Nails Inc polishes, this one applied evenly and only needed two coats. It lasted really well and as soon as it started to chip, I re- painted it again. This is a true testament to how much I loved the colour as I don’t normally re- paint my nails straight away with the same colour. 

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Dove 60 Second Treatment Shot Review

I received this Dove Treatment Shot in a Glossybox last year but I have only recently got around to using. This is a treatment that can be used to repair damaged hair. To use it you apply it to your hair leave it on for a minute and then wash it off. I used this instead of using a conditioner when I washed my hair, I left it on for a minute and then washed it off. I didn’t notice it repair any damage but I doubted that it would as you only get one use out of the shot. I did notice that it made my hair feel very soft and smooth. I thought this treatment was nice as it did leave my hair feeling very nice however each shot costs £1.49 which is quite a lot considering you only get one use out of it. I would rather buy a hair mask or a treatment conditioner as you get a lot more uses out of them and therefore they are better value for money. I would maybe consider purchasing it again if I was planning on treating my hair.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie Review

I decided to pick up another Lip Butter as I already have a couple of shades and I really like them. The ones that I have are both red shades, and a pink (which I don’t really wear) and I wanted a more neutral shade that I could wear on an everyday basis as the formula is one of my favourites. 

The price of the Lip Butters are £7.99 which I personally think is quite a lot of money so I only ever buy them when Revlon has an offer on and they have offers quite a lot. My favourite offer is the 2 for £10 deal as that is very good value for money. I am a huge fan of the lip butter packaging, the gorgeous lattice pattern on it is very pretty and I like how the packaging corresponds to the colour of the product. The formula of the lip butters is like a tinted lip balm, they are hydrating and add some colour to the lips although the darker shades are very pigmented. Revlon says that the lip butters are a ‘buttery balm with a beautiful shiny colour’ and I would agree with this. 

I find the lip butters to be very hydrating and comfortable on the lips. I really like wearing them on a daily basis as they are so comfortable to wear and although they are not the most long lasting of lip products I don’t mind reapplying them. The shade Berry Smoothie is a light cool toned mauvey pink shade which I find to be an excellent shade for wearing every day as it is quite a subtle shade. The lip butters are very easy to apply and with Berry Smoothie due to it being quite a subtle shade you don’t even need a mirror to apply it with. I have worn this shade so much and it is quickly becoming one of those shades that I always reach for similar to the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey. The texture is soft, glossy and buttery and the texture is one of my favourites as I hate lip products that are drying on the lips. The only downside to the lip butters is that they are prone to melting which isn’t ideal if you want to carry it in your bag. The shade range is really impressive and I believe that there are currently 21 shades in the range so there is something for everyone. 

Overall I am really glad that I picked up this shade as it has become an everyday staple for me. I have my eye on a few more shades from the range; Pink Truffle, Raspberry Pie and Sorbet. I think the fact that I would buy more shades from the range tells you how much I like these lip products.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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NOTD: Lilac

I really like the ELF polishes as they apply so evenly and are opaque with 2 coats. Today I am sharing the shade Lilac which is a gorgeous light purple. I don't wear many colours like this but I really liked it. I think it is going to look wonderful in the summer. This polish seemed dry really quickly and I like the wide brush which makes the application really easy. 

This gorgeous lilac has made me want to try more colours like this as I really liked how this looked on my nails and I know I will be using it again. 

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Collection Little Mix All About The Eyes Palette Review

I haven’t tried too much from Collection and I had heard great things about their eyeshadow palettes. You can never truly have too many neutral palettes. I got the Little Mix Love All About The Eyes Palette. 

This palette retails for £3.19 which makes it a very affordable palette. The packaging is quite simple, it comes in a cardboard palette which has a magnet to close and open it. It isn't the sturdiest of packaging but I think that it feels pretty secure and I would take it travelling as it is so compact. The palette comes with 6 shadows which makes it the perfect size for travelling as you can create so many different looks with it. This palette has a mixture of mattes and shimmers so there is something in it for everyone. Another thing I really like about this palette is that all the shadows have names which makes it easier to identify them in posts but makes it slightly more interesting than shades 1,2,3 etc. 

The quality of these shadows is really good. They are really pigmented and soft which makes them really easy to blend. All the shadows are really wearable and I use all of them. My most worn look is Dazzling Brown all over my lid, Cocoa Brown in my crease and Blackbird as a liner. I also really like Sunkissed and Golden Sand, as they are golden shades and they really compliment my blue eyes. Feather makes a really good brow bone and inner corner highlight. This is one of my favourite palettes as unlike some of the palettes I own I actually use all of the colours and I reach for it quite a lot. I really want to try some of their other palettes as the quality of this one is really impressive. 

Overall I would really recommend this palette, if you love neutral eyeshadows then this is perfect. I love how compact it is, it will easily fit in most makeup bags.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Instyle Makeup Freebie (May 2015)

This month there are a couple of different magazine freebies to choose from. I am trying to be more selective with which freebies I pick up as I have way too much makeup and skin care. I am now trying to only pick up things that I am interested in trying. I will still share with you all the freebies available, but I won’t necessarily be picking them up myself.

Firstly Marie Claire has a selection of Neal’s Yard Remedies hand creams. I decided not to pick this up as I already have a couple of Neal’s Yard Remedies hand creams and many other hand creams so I didn’t feel like I needed anymore. In Elle Magazine they have the Percy and Reed Volumising No Oil Oil, this didn’t really appeal to me as I don’t need to add any volume to my hair and I don’t use a lot of hair products anyway. 

The one freebie that I was interested in was in Instyle magazine. They had a sample of the Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum, I haven’t tried many serums so I wanted to give this a go. This is quite a generous sample and it will be great for travelling. I am looking forward to trying it out.

Next month Instyle have Nails Inc nail polishes which are my favourite so I know I won’t be able to resist them. There are 4 colours to choose from; Love Will Tear Us Apart (red), The Tide Is High (mint green), Material (pink) and When Doves Cry (grey).

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking Review

Today I am reviewing the Trylle trilogy. I have decided to review the entire trilogy in one post. The reviews may contain spoilers. I hadn’t heard much about this trilogy when I picked the first book up in Tesco but it sounded quite interesting and I thought I would give it a go. I really enjoyed this trilogy and I am glad I picked it up. On a side note I just wanted to mention the covers of these books, they are so beautiful and I love the colour combinations. 

Switched by Amanda Hocking

My Rating: 4

Goodreads Rating: 3.89

Published by: Tor

Pages: 328

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Switched is the first novel in the trilogy. Wendy’s mother tried to kill her when she was younger as she claimed that she had been swapped at birth. Wendy meets Finn who explains to her that she was swapped at birth and she is in fact a Trylle (troll) which explains her ability to influence people’s decisions. As part of Trylle tradition babies are switched with human babies. Wendy discovers that she is part of the Trylle royal family and there is some unrest in the Trylle and it is up to Wendy to put a stop to it. I thought the idea of using trolls was very interesting and unique. I thought the way that Amanda Hocking had thought about all the different customs and traditions was very good. Trolls is a unique character choice for a novel I don’t think I have read any other books about trolls and I really enjoyed it.   

Torn by Amanda Hocking

My Rating: 4

Goodreads Rating: 4.04

Published by: Tor

Pages: 324

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Wendy is overwhelmed by the new changes in her life so she decides to run away however when she is kidnapped and realises she is closer to her enemies than she first thought she must make some difficult decisions. Wendy struggles to decide between two guys; Finn and Loki both are people that she can’t be with. Ultimately she must make a decision that will save her people. I liked this book as you get to learn more about Wendy’s past and who her parents are. We learn that Wendy is very powerful and both her parents are royal but her father is the king of the Vittra who are her enemies. We also get to learn more about the Trylle politics which are very complex and interesting to read about. I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Wendy and Loki although it was a bit disappointing that her and Finn can’t be together. 

Ascend by Amanda Hocking

My Rating: 5

Goodreads Rating: 4.08

Published by: Tor

Pages: 326

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Ascend is the final book in the trilogy and it did not disappoint. At the end of Torn Wendy become engaged to her friend Tove in order to protect the kingdom. They have a great friendship but they are not in love they are getting married purely to protect the kingdom. Wendy becomes queen in this novel after her mother dies and a battle between the Vittra ensues. I was really pleased with how the character of Wendy developed offer the three books. Wendy’s relationships were also very interesting in this book. The relationship between Finn and Wendy was finally ended and she ended up being with Loki which I did not see coming but I was very happy with it.

I really enjoyed this trilogy and unlike a lot of trilogies I enjoyed all the books.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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NOTD: The Boltons

Today I am going to be sharing another NOTD with you. This week’s NOTD features another Nails Inc polish as you will probably know these are my favourite nail polishes to wear. 

The Boltons is a metallic red shade. It is quite a festive shade and I didn’t really realise until I had it on my nails just how Christmassy it looked. I really like the Nails Inc Gel Effect range and I have a few polishes in this range. The formula is slightly thicker than the other polishes but this doesn’t seem to affect the drying time too much. I probably could have got away with just one coat of this polish but I always do 2 just to be on the safe side. The Gel Effect polishes last really well and I only really change them because I am bored rather than because I need to. 

I will be wearing this so much over the festive season as this is the perfect shade of red. I think it would look really good with a gold or silver glittery top coat.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer Review

Today I am going to be reviewing the Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer. We all know that Collection is famous for the Lasting Perfection Concealer which I do use quite a lot. I’ve tried a couple of these pen type concealers, you’ll have read about my disaster with the W7 one, but I can safely say that this has been a much better experience. 

This concealer is slightly more expensive than the Lasting Perfection one, this one costs £4.99. The packaging is very simple and is like pretty much any other pen concealer. You twist up the base and the product comes out through the brush. This concealer claims to help conceal dark circles and blemishes and it also has light diffusing particles to help illuminate the eye area. 

I personally would not use this type of concealer on my blemishes as I prefer something with a higher coverage and I don’t really want to illuminate my blemishes. Therefore, I use this just to cover my dark circles. I find that this concealer is very light in consistency especially when compared to the W7 one. This doesn’t offer the highest coverage so if you have particularly bad dark circles then this will not work for you. I really like this though as it is light under my eyes and doesn’t look cakey and it really helps to brighten my eyes. I have been using this pretty much every time I’ve worn makeup for the past couple of months, I mentioned it in my March Favourites. This concealer blends really well into the skin and I don’t need to worry about it setting into any of my fine lines. I always set it with powder, but I find that it lasts really well throughout the day. I do sometimes touch it up if I am looking tired during the day. The only downside to this concealer is the same downside with all of these pen type concealers is that after a few uses it does get a little messy but I can live with that as I really like this concealer. 

Overall I am really pleased with this concealer and I think it is a really good affordable option. Collection seem to do concealers really well. I haven’t used my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer for ages as I have been using this which shows you how much I enjoy it as I used to use the Maybelline one religiously.

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude 25 Hour Foundation Review

I decided to pick up a new foundation as I don't have that many and I wanted to try out a new one. Rimmel has recently launched a lighter shade (Light Porcelain) which I was excited to try as the previous lightest shade (Ivory) was a little bit too dark. 

This foundation is £7.99 but when I bought it, it was on offer for £5.99. Packaging wise, it is similar to the other Rimmel foundations. It comes in a glass bottle and it has a white lid that makes it easy to identify. The original Lasting Finish Foundation has a red lid. One thing I really like about the Rimmel foundations is that they come with a pump which makes it a lot less messy to apply. The formula of this is said to be a medium coverage that feels light weight on the skin. If you've been reading my blog for a while you will know that I usually opt for a light coverage as I don't like my base to feel too heavy on my skin. The foundation claims to be hydrating and moisturising, blends instantly, creates a nude pore less effect and sweat and humidity proof. 

I would agree that it is a medium coverage foundation it is a lot more coverage than I usually go for and it is a lot heavier on my skin than I normally have. For this reason I would not want to try the original as I think that would be just too heavy on my skin. I find this foundation to be long lasting and it lasts me all day (a typical day for me is 9am- 8pm) I haven't tried the 25 hour claim as I would never wear foundation for that long. I find that this foundation can cling to dry patches especially around my nose. The shade is a perfect match for me and I am glad Rimmel has created a lighter shade, I will be picking up the other foundations in this lighter shade. I personally don't layer foundations much anyway but for the purposes of the review I did try to layer it but I found that it ended up looking very cakey so I stick to 1 pump for my whole face. The finish is very nice, it looks quite natural. It is more of a satin finish as it isn't completely matte and it is slightly dewy. 

Overall I think this foundation is ok, it isn't my favourite formula but I wear it a lot as the shade is perfect. If you do like a heavier foundation then this may be perfect for you. 

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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Ticker by Lisa Mantchev Review

Ticker by Lisa Mantchev

My Rating: 3

Goodreads Rating: 3.44

Published by: Skyscape

Pages: 273

Genre: Science fiction, Steampunk, Fantasy, Young Adult

This is not a book that I would normally pick up to read, but I was given it by a friend so I thought I would try it out. Despite it being a book that I wouldn’t normally pick I thought that it wasn’t too bad.

This is about a girl who has a clockwork heart. When Penny nearly dies a surgeon called Calvin Warwick implants her with a ‘Ticker’ and she is the first ‘Augmented’. It is soon discovered that Warwick committed many murders as part of his research for the device and he is put on trial. On the day of the trial Warwick escapes from jail and Penny’s parents are kidnapped. Penny enlists the help of her brother, friends Violet, Sebastian and Marcus.

The idea of having a ‘Ticker’ was very interesting but I found that the book had a lot of technical descriptions about machines and other inventions which I found a bit tedious. The character of Penny was not a character I could relate to and I found her very annoying; she was very rude to every one and seemed very obnoxious. The love story between Penny and Marcus was slightly annoying as well, ever since we are introduced to Marcus there is a clear interest between the two but Penny is extremely rude towards him and when they do get together at the end I didn’t really care about it. When reading some books you end up wanting characters to end up together but in this case I wasn’t really interested. This novel was pretty short and the pace was quite quick so it was pretty quick and easy to read.

Overall the plot was a very interesting idea and I thought the book was pretty good. It could have been better written and I feel that the characters could have been developed more. I don’t think I will read anything else by the author as personally this genre is not for me. If you are a fan of the Steampunk genre and enjoy lengthy descriptions of machinery then you will probably really enjoy this.

  

Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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April Favourites (2015)

Today I am sharing my April favourites with you. I have quite a few favourites this month and quite a few of them are eyeshadow favourites. 

First favourite is the N07 Hot Cloth Cleanser I got this with one of the £5 off N07 vouchers that Boots give out. Instead of paying £9 I got it for £4. This is a really rich and creamy cleanser that removes makeup easily. It leaves my skin feeling very soft and doesn't dry it out at all. 

Next is a combination of eyeshadows that I have been loving. This month I have been reaching for cream eyeshadows a lot and my favourite has been the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Creamy Beige which is a matte brown shade. I have been using this as a base for pretty much all my eyeshadow looks. I have also worn it by itself when I am in a rush and don't have time to apply loads of eyeshadows. One of my favourite combinations has been to use Creamy Beige and then apply the MUA Eyeshadow in Bronze over the top. I'd never tried any of their single eyeshadows but I love their palettes. This shadow is so pigmented and easy to blend. I love bronze shades and this is perfect. The next favourite is a representation of a technique that I have been using. I have in the past mentioned using black eyeshadow as an eyeliner and I have continued this but I have been creating wings with eyeshadow. I have hooded eyes and I find that winged liner doesn't really work on my eyeshadow. I use the Miss Sporty Eyeshadow in Night and the Real Techniques Eyeliner Brush to create a winged liner look that works for my eye shape and I have been loving it. I watched a Pixiwoo video that really helped me (link) I don't do it as exaggerated as Sam does in the video but it is really trial and error to find what works for you and lots of practise. For me it is a lot easier than using a pen as I have more control and if you use an angled brush you don't need to worry about placement as it kind of does it for you. 

My last beauty favourite is the Max Factor Crème Puff in Seductive Blush. These have been all over blogs the past few months but they are really nice blushes. They are pigmented and create a lovely sheen on the cheeks. The shade Seductive Pink is a gorgeous pink shade which look gorgeous on the cheeks.

I've got a couple of non- beauty favourites to share with you as well. I have just finished watching Season 1 of Arrow and I am in love with it. I got Season 1 and 2 in the Amazon sale at Christmas time as I have been watching The Flash and I thought I would give it a go and I'm really glad that I did. I'm not usually one for superhero films/ tv shows but these 2 are really good. I've been enjoying the song Hold Back The River by James Bay I saw him perform it on Sunday Brunch and ever since then I have been listening to it.

 Prettylittlefashionista xxx

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