Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipsticks

As you know I have become a lip product addict (I'm thinking about joining LPA - Lip Products Anonymous). Next up is Natural Collection

Natural Collection Bronzer - Sunshine

When it comes to Spring/Summer that's when I start to wear a lot more Bronzer (you should see my bronzer drawer), as it just gives such a love hint of colour and I don't look as pale as I normally do.

The next contender on my whirlwind Spring/Summer tour of bronzers is Natural Collection with their Bronzer in the shade Sunshine.

Natural Collection Bushed Cheeks - Pink Cloud

I've slowly started to dip my toe into blusher and I picked this up from Boots. When I am trying something I want to work my way up the price ladder so to speak so this was next on the price rung at £1.99

I have found Natural Collection to be hit and miss, there can be some great products, and then there are ones you really need to stay away from, and for me this was a miss.

I loved the colour of the blusher, but I found when applied to the skin it was so sheer on the skin it just didn't show up it was so sheer I just ended up swirling the brush around the pot for ages.

Overall not a blusher I will purchase again.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Travel Makeup Bag - London Edition

As you know if you follow me on Instagram I went to London on Tuesday and just came back yesterday (that's why the blog was a bit quiet, if you were wondering). Being the beauty blogger that I am (it still feels weird calling myself a beauty blogger), I took some makeup.

On with the makeup bag, the theme for this bag is minimal (this is a dirty word in my vocab when packing), as we are only taking 2 small suitcases (1 for clothes and the other for shopping).

The makeup bag I am using is from Primark, I think it was either £1.50 or £2.00, it's quite spacious, you can fit quite a bit in there.

I do love how roomy the bag is so if you were going away for longer you could really fit a lot in before it starts to pull at the stitching.

As you can see I did fit a lot into the bag, I mostly chose things that were waterproof (due to the hot weather, it hit 27 degrees yesterday) and that were quick to apply.

I chose to use MUA Matte Perfect primer to prime my face ready for my base, I've been playing around with this and it seems pretty good, and doesn't feel to slick on the skin. For my base I chose the Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream with an SPF of 50 as it was hot down there and I wanted something light on the skin so it wouldn't be too cakey on the skin. Concealer was easy I had Soap & Glory's Kick Ass Concealer, the main reason as it covers both under eye and any blemishes on the face.
To set my makeup I packed the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in Vanilla, the powder smells really fruity (this is because it has fruit therapy in the product), it applies really well onto the face.
I also took some bronzer and I also grabbed another Bourjois product which was their Chocolate Bronzer in Medium, this was quite pigmented and you only need a small amount of this. I also took a blisher in the shape of Natural Collection Blusher in Pink Cloud.

For the eyes I packed the sample of Urban Decay Anti-Ageing Primer Potion that I received with my Naked palettes (I received 3, 1 with each palette so I put it all into one small pot). I am loving this primer, and I wanted to buy it while I was in Selfridges but couldn't see an Urban Decay counter.
I also packed 2 Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Sticks in Trespassing Taupe and Bluffing , there was also the Avon ColorTrend Colour Elements Eye Duo Stick in Fire. These were packed as they were quick to apply and they were light (didn't want dark colours as it is Summer, let's get some brighter colours in there). I also packed Rimmel ScandalEyes Kohl Eyeliner in Nude, we were walking so much this was good just to take some redness out my eyes so I still looked bright and bushy tailed.
As the weather was roasting I thought it best to take a waterproof mascara so I chose the Bourjois 1 Seconde Volume Waterproof Mascara in Black. This is a lovely mascara that applies well and stayed on all day, really impressed with this.

For lips I packed the Hawaiian Tropic Lipgloss in Island Berry, this has an SPPF of 25 so was protecting my lips from the sun while also adding a wash of colour as well. I also packed 2 lipsticks, Soap & Glory's Super Color Fabu-Lipstick in The Missing Pink, which is one of my all time favourite nude pinks, and Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Rose Tweed, which is another nude pink but a tiny bit brighter.

 I took some retractable brushes with me as well so I could apply the powders as well as the CC Cream (a full summary of these brushes can be found here).

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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What's On My Face - Within Temptation

For Christmas I bought my partner some tickets to see one of his favourite bands Within Temptation, I've not heard much of them but he has been blasting their CD's in the car so I am getting an education into symphonic metal (I know, I never even knew that this was a genre either)
So as a change to my normal review posts I decided to do a what's on my face, and my nails, so here goes:

 

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer - This was a first try of this product so a baptism of fire for it, it is silicone based but once it was massaged onto the skin it didn't feel greasy.

 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Radiance Reveal Foundation - Light Vanilla - I love this foundation, I chose this as it has no SPF in so when photo's might be taken my face won't light up like Blackpool illuminations.

 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - Ivory - This has become one of my favourite concealers it blends under the eye really well and stays for quite a while.

 

SEVENTEEN Hide Away Concealer Stick - Extra Fair - This was just a concealer to hid blemishes, it did a good job but I think it might be time to throw it away.

 

Avon ColorTrend Pressed Powder - Translucent - A really good powder, that doesn't oxidise on the face (well it doesn't on me) really good and it does have an SPF in which I think is novel for a powder, I don't think I've come across a pressed powder that has an SPF in.

 

Avon Lid Primer - This is one of my favourite eyeshadow primers it keeps my eyeshadow on for ages and really brightens it up.

 

Natural Collection LashCare Mascara - Clear - This is just used to protect my lashes from the drying effects of the mascara especially as I am going to be putting on a waterproof mascara.

 

Sleek I-Divine Palette - Garden of Eden - I've not used this fully but I decided to get it out and make a smoky eye look. I used Gates of Eden as the base and used Flora in the crease and blended it all in. It worked really well and I was quite chuffed with the outcome.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara - Black - I thought a waterproof mascara would be good as there might be a bit of sweating in the scrum.

 

Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeliner - Black - I love this eyeliner it is so easy to apply the waterline, and the upper lashes.

 

Soap & Glory™ Super-Colour Fabulipstick™ Collagen Boosting Lipstick - The Missing Pink - I'd gone quite dramatic with my eyes so I didn't want to overdo it on my lips so I applied Soap & Glory's The Missing Pink lipstick just to give a hint of colour.

 

 

Here is the finished look, not too bad dramatic with the eyes and light on the lips.

 

 

Black on Black - Sinful Colors - I used this as a base coat on the nail, easy to apply not too gloopy and really pigmented.

Siren - Collection - I used this just on the tips to give a bit of a punk look with pink on black, this finished product wasn't the greatest but it wasn't too bad.

Delain were the support act and they weren't too bad

Within Temptation was really good and my partner really enjoyed himself (he's got no voice today).

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Natural Collection Pressed Powder - Cool

I love a good face powder, especially one that will set my make up and stop it from slipping off of my face during the day.

This retails for £1.99 so very inexpensive, it helps to combat shine (so good for the combination skin), and sets your foundation to help it last through the day. It comes in 3 shades:

• Warm
• Neutral
• Cool

You can tell by the packaging that it is a cheap makeup product as it's just a plastic pan with a screw top lid (none of that fancy compact with the flip top lid, and mirror, as well as a sponge). For the price of the product you get 10g worth of product which is good value for money.

I was dubious about this powder because of the price the saying cheap and nasty comes to mind, but this was more like cheap, and cheerful.

The powder was easily applied with a powder brush, and went on the skin quite translucent and gave off a cool tone to the skin. You may have to reapply during the day, and this can be difficult due to the no mirror so that does let it down somewhat, but overall it is a good little powder, so if you're facing skint week and run out of face powder this is a good one for £1.99 so it doesn't break the bank.

You can find this product in Boots at the Natural Collection make-up stand or online here.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Natural Collection LashCare Mascara - Clear

I was in Boots browsing the make up displays when I happened across the Natural Collection range, I was just nosing at the mascaras when I saw the LashCare mascara.

This retails at £1.99 and states that it will protect your lashes from the drying effects of mascara and harsh makeup removers, to me that is always a good thing.

I use this on my eyelashes before I add my mascara, so once I have curled my lashes I then add this just to keep the curl while my eyeshadow primer is drying.

I was quite surprised how well this actually works, it keeps my curl and it does keep my lashes from drying out and for £1.99 that is fantastic.

This has become a staple of my make-up bag and will forever stay there (until Natural Collection discontinue it)

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Make-Up Monday (24.02.2014 - 03.02.3014)

Welcome to the last Make-Up Monday of the month, and the last in the series (if you want the series to continue please leave a comment below).

So let's get on with the show.

Here's the products that are featured this week:

• GOSH Velvet Touch Primer - Clear
• Smashbox Photo Finish Primer - This is a trial size which I just want to finish up, I have a medium size tube ready to go once this has finished.
• SEVENTEEN On The Spot Foundation - Ivory - Again another product that I want to finish up (if it stays in the bag I'll use it.
• L'Oreal Eau De Teint Foundation - Porcelain - A good foundation and with the primer and face powder in the bag this might me my holy trinity of face products (we'll see)
• Natural Collection Pressed Powder - Cool  - This is a really good face powder and cheap as well so bargain!!
• SEVENTEEN Hide Away Concealer - Extra Fair -  A makeup product that I have had in my stash and am wanting to use up.
• Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye Concealer - Light
• Soap & GloryTM It's About Prime Eyeshadow Underbase
• L'Oreal Color Appeal - Platinum Beige
• MUA ColourBlast Eyeshadow Tint - A Girl Like Me
• Natural Collection LashCare Mascara - Clear
• NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray - I have only just started using this as my Collection Fix Me Up has just been used up.
• Bourjois Fan-Tastic Volume Mascara - Fan-tastic Black
• KIKO Lip Base Primer
• Collection Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil - Hot Chocolate
• Collection Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencil - Vanilla Sky
• Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Eyeliner - Nude
• MaxFactor Dip-In Eyeshadow - Posh Pink
• Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holidays Mascara - Ultra Black
• Miss Sporty Studio Colour Mono Eyeshadow - Romance
• Avon Big Colour Eye Pencil - Cocoa Gleam
• Soap & GloryTM Super-Colour Fabu-LipstickTM - The Missing Pink - I love this lipstick for a natural look especially when I'm at work.

Hope you like the selection, is there any products there that you have tried and loved?

If you want Make-Up Monday to return in March please comment below.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Make-Up Monday (17.02.2014 - 23.02.2014)

Welcome to another installment of Make-Up Monday.

The products I'm using this week are:

• SEVENTEEN Flawless Poreless Primer - New product I am trying out
• SEVENTEEN On The Spot Foundation - This doesn't have much left in so it's just a case of using it up
• Soap & Glory SuperFabulipstick - The Missing Pink - I love this lipstick it's such a nude type of colour on the lips.
• NYC Showtime Mascara - Black
• SEVENTEEN Hide Away Concealer Cream - Fair
• L'Oreal Eau De Teint Foundation - Porcelain
• Natural Collection Mono Eyeshadow - Willow
• Avon ColorTrend Eyeliner - Shimmering Silver
• MUA ColourBlast Eyeshadow Tint - Bring It Back
• Collection Fix Me Up Long Lasting Make Up Fixer
• SEVENTEEN Miracle Matte Concealer Crayon
• NYC Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil - Black
• Natural Collection LashCare Mascara - Clear - A staple in my make-up bag.
• KIKO Lip Base Primer - New product I am trying out
• Avon Eye Primer - Light Beige - Another staple in my make-up bag
• Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder - Translucent
• NYX Love In Paris Palette - Madeleines and Macaroons - New product I am trying out
• KIKO Eyetech Look Eyehadow - Grigio Tortora Perlato - New product I am trying out 

Are there any products there that you have tried and loved?

thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Raring Reds!!

Item marked with * was free gift with purchase.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone, and to celebrate the love here are my top 5 picks for your nails today:

Rouge Escarpin - Bourjois*
This is a lovely red colour, just a hint lighter than Essie's Fishnet Stockings, a lovely colour for Valentine's Day.

Fishnet Stockings - Essie
This is the colour that I am going to wear for Valentine's Day, it's such a lovely classic red

Crush - Barry M
I love my matte nail polish's so this had to make it in the top 5. It's such a lovely dark red, and when it goes matte it just looks so timeless, and a dark berry red.

Burgundy - Natural Collection
I wore this during the festive season but it was such a lovely red with a shimmer that I just thought it would look brilliant on Valentine's Day.

Sardonyx - Models Own
With nail polish and choosing favourites you need a glitter one and this is my pick. It goes onto the nail like a really thick gel and once it dries it has a somewhat gritty texture to it (this could easily be changed by adding a top coat to it), overall my favourite red glitter polish.

Burgundy - Natural Collection

This is a lovely red shimmer, this is a great colour for the festive season or even for Valentine's Day.

I was quite surprised with how lovely this polish is, it has a nice shimmer running through it, so when it hits the light it has a hint of yellow in the mix.

The 1st coat was quite streaky, but once I put the 2nd coat on it became opaque.

The brush is a classic one, and the polish went on to the nail quite easily without too many mistakes on the dreaded right hand.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Make-Up Monday (10.2.2014 - 16.02.2014)

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Make-Up Monday

As you can see there is another bumper week of products:

• SEVENTEEN On The Spot Foundation - Porcelain - I've used this previously and it wasn't too bad, I don't think there is much in there so it's more of using it up.
• Beauty UK Prime FX Foundation Primer - This is a brand new product that I wanted to try.
• Natural Collection Pressed Powder - Cool - Have used this before and it is good, testing it out some more.
• L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara - Black
• Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR - Eternal Gold
• MUA Colourblast Eyeshadow Tint - A Girl Like Me
• MaxFactor Wild Mega Volume Mascara - Black
• Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm - Sultry - Have been wanting these for ages.
• Rimmel Apocalips - Eclipse
• KIKO Eyeshadow - Matt Beaver Brown - Brand new and trying it out for work for a natural look
• Rimmel ScandalEyes Eyeshadow - Bad Girl Bronze
• Rimmel Lipstick Lock
• Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner
• Avon Lid Primer
• Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer - Light - Love this concealer always a firm favourite.

Some of these products are old favourites, and new testers.

Are there any products that you've used and loved, or used and hated?

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Make-Up Monday (3rd Feb 2014 - 9th Feb 2014)

I was sorting out the make-up that I was going to wear for last week when I had a 'Eureka' moment, and thought this might be a good idea for a series on the blog. I have a bit of makeup so I like to change my make-up bag out every week and get everything in rotation so that nothing is wasted (I know I'm not the only one that does this, hands up please).

So every Monday, I am going to post the make-up that I am going to be wearing for that week. So here is week 1:

• Gosh Velvet Touch Foundation Primer - Clear
• Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 51 Light Vanilla
• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Fair
• SEVENTEEN Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - Ivory Porcelain
• Beauty UK Eye Prime FX Eyeshadow Primer
• Natural Collection LashCare Mascara - Clear - This is a staple in my bag so will always show up in the posts.
• Beauty UK Eye Shadow Palette - No 7 Naked
• N.Y.C. Showtime Mascara - Black
• Collection No Clumps Mascara - Ultra Black
• Maybelline The Mega Plush Volum' Express - Very Black
• Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner - Nude
• Revlon Butter Balm - Invite Only
• Collection Fix Me Up Setting Spray

As you can see I do wear a lot of makeup on a weekly basis (I have to mainly plan for what I might wear on a weekend, especially if I am going out somewhere.

I hope you like this series of posts, and I am going to trial it for the month of February, if you readers like this after the four posts then I will carry on and make it a permanent thing.

Are there any products that you've tried there and loved (or even hated), feel free to comment.

thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Natural Collection Water Guard Mascara - Black

Now this mascara has surprised even me, I picked it up out of 2 reasons

1) I needed a new mascara,

and

2) I didn't want to spend that much on one as I'd forked out a fortune for Christmas.

This mascara was only £1.99 and I know cheap mascara's are very scary as you never know what they are going to turn out like, but as I said very surprised it didn't clump my lashes together (no spider legs for me thank you), and it gave them a bit of length. Another added bonus is that the mascara is also waterproof, and this has been tested and it does hold.

If you are in a bind and need a mascara during skint week or you are on a budget then this is a good one to choose and for under £2 this is a good buy.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Natural Collection Eye Lines

I don't have many eyeliners, as I only really use them when I am going on a night out, nights when I want to really bring out my eyes (they are my best feature I think).

Whenever I do use eyeliner I always go for the generic black colour but over the festive period last month I decided to buy a green eyeliner.

Now I admit I only really put eyeliner on my lower lash line and the waterline so when adding this onto my lower lash line it does give a hint of colour but it is quite subtle, so if you wanted the green to stand out then you would have to build the eyeliner up.

Overall it's a nice colour I would wear this on rare occasions when I wanted a specific look.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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BLOGMAS 4: Monday Haul

DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own, and I am not bragging about what I have got I am just showing some products that I have purchased recently that will be popping up on the blog in the coming weeks/months.

*denotes a free gift with purchase

So on Monday I went shopping and ended up splurging on some cosmetics.

Superdrug

1) Bourjois Little Round Eyeshadow Pot (no09) - I used to love the little round eyeshadow pots and have not used one for ages, so I thought it might be time to start using them again.
2) N.Y.C. Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer - This was on Superdrug's top 5 primers so I thought I would give this a try.
3) Bourjois Little Round Eyeshadow Pot (no05)
4) N.Y.C. Expert Last Lip Color (Chocolate Chip) - I love a brown lipstick (I have an abundance of them in my make up bag), but you can never go wrong with a brown lip.
5) Bourjois 1 Seconde Top Coat (Vampire Vanity)* - This is a gold lea type glitter (so it might become fiddly when I am applying it but we'll see)
6) N.Y.C Showtime Mascara (Black)

At Superdrug if you buy 2 Bourjois cosmetics you then get the gold glitter top coat for free.

Next

1) NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (French Fries) - I have seen NYX cosmetics and have been wanting some for ages. When I found out Next stocked them that was it I had to get some for my make up bag.
2) NYX Roll On Shimmer (Walnut) - I thought the shimmer roll on's would be good for the Christmas period and New Year.
3) NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (Dark Brown)
4) NYX Roll On Shimmer (Platinum)


Boots

1) Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (51 Light Vanilla) - I have only heard good things regarding this foundation so I thought I would take the plunge and give it a whirl.
2) SEVENTEEN On The Spot Foundation (Porcelain) - I recieved a voucher via the instore machine to get £2 off of this foundation so I got it at £4.99 instead of £6.99. This might be worth a try.
3) Bourjois Fan-Tastic Volume Mascara (Fan-tastic Black) - This I have been coveting for ages (I am fickle as I love the packaging) so I took the plunge.
4) Bourjois Little Round Eyeshadow Pot (no11)
5) Natural Collection Nail Polish (Burgundy) - I thought this looked like a really good Christmassy colour.
6) No7 Matte Top Coat - I have been after a matte top coat for ages, and I finally managed to get a hold of this one from No7.
7) Smoky Eyes Eyeshadow Trio (01 Gris Dandy)* - 
8) Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holidays (Black)*
9) Bourjois So Laque Nail Polish (Rouge Escarpin 24)*
10) Bourjois Effet 3D Lip Gloss (06 Rouge Democratic)*

With Boots if you spend £15 on Bourjois cosmetics you then get the Iconic Glam makeup kit (this features the starred products above).

All the above products will be reviewed in the near future so keep an eye out for the posts.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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