Ready For Spring | Beauty Haul

The good weather is here and the sun is coming out again! What a good excuse to stock up on some new beauty products according to the fresh spring season. Most of these products were purchased for the simple fact that I ran out of my old ones, but some are new products I had never tried before and decided to give them a go.

First off is the Milani Baked Blush. This is the first time I have purchased a Milani product, as I have just discovered one shop that has this make in Spain. What drew me to it was the colour, which is like a dark pink with bits of brown in it. It looks lovely on the cheeks to give you a little bit of that sun kissed look but without being a bronzer. It also has a secret compartment with a mirror and a brush which is great if you just want to apply it throughout the day! It does have a bit of a shimmer to it, but you honestly can't tell once it's on your skin. I think I'm going to be wearing this one a lot this spring and summer!

Next is the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational. I purchased this because I had heard so much about it and thought I would try it out myself. My eyelashes tend to not stay curled throughout the day when I'm wearing normal mascara, so I usually tend to purchase a waterproof one. But I find that my eyelashes would get quite damaged because the waterproof mascara was so hard to get off. I though I would try this mascara as an alternative, as some people say it holds a curl. I still have to try it a few more times to give an honest opinion on it, but I can say it lengthens the lashes surprisingly well and you can build it up to your liking, not sure about it holding a curl though...

I also purchased the Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara. I do fill in my eyebrows but I had never used a product to set them in place. Essence is a really inexpensive make, but this product gets the job done! It doesn't feel like my eyebrows are too hard or full of product... They just feel set in place, and I love it!

I was in need of a new eyeliner so I picked up the Maybelline New York Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24H. I had never used a gel eyeliner before, so I thought it would be a nice change. I like it quite a lot because it's very black and it stays on for a very long time (it's even hard to remove with makeup whipes). I still have to master the way of applying it, but I think I' getting the hang of it. I wouldn't recommend a gel eyeliner if you are just learning how to apply liner, because it's quite messy if you haven't got much practice. It took me a long time to master a normal liquid eyeliner (although I sometimes still make mistakes), but with practice it turns out just fine!

I ran out of my moisturizer so I chose The Body Shop Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream which claims to give a glow to your skin when you use it, as well as add moisture. I've noticed it sinks into the skin really quickly. I've only started using it so I can't really give an opinion on it, but it's looking good so far!

Lastly, I purchased The Body Shop Honey Bronze Tinted Leg Mist because I had heard about it and was curious! I've never used self tanner or anything similar to that, so this is new to me, although it doesn't work like a self tanner at all. You just spray a bit on your legs and blend it in with your hands, wait untill it dries, and voila! You have some colour to your legs! Afterwards, it washes right off in the shower. I have quite fair skin, so this will be nice whenever I'm feeling fancy or when I'm going out and want to show off my legs! I haven't used it yet (only on the back of my hand, but you can't get the full effect) but I'm excited to see how it looks! If you would like me to keep you updated or do a review on it let me know!

Kelsey x

Manchester: Mini Make-Up Haul

On my trip to Manchester (UK) I picked up a few make-up goodies to try out. I bought just a few bits, but mainly brands I can't find in Spain. I had to take advantage!

The first item I purchased was the Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain in the colour Honey Douce (001). The reason why I chose this lip product was because I really was lacking a natural everyday lipstick/stain. I didn't used to wear as much lipstick but now I have kind of got to love it and really enjoy playing with different products. The colour looks darker on the picture than what it really is once you have applied it to your lips, as it turns out more like a pinkish stain rather than a dark pink. I think this is the perfect colour if you are going for a natural everyday look or if you want to go dramatic on the eyes but subtile on the lips. One of my favorite things about this product is it is so moisturizing for your lips and makes them look healthy and glowy (Fun fact: it actually smells like spearmint!)

The second item is the Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in the colour Parisian Passion (005). Now, they did have an offer going on that was 2 Revlon lip products for 10 pounds, which if you ask me if a pretty good deal. I picked this one up because I thought the colour was so pretty, plus I really like the square packaging and I think it looks neat and sophisticated. The colour is a dark red, maybe a little bit on the pinky side, but not too much. It definitely adds moisture and shine to your lips which I'm not too keeing on because I prefer dark colours like ths one to set in place and be matte. I haven't worn it to go out yet but we will see how it goes

The third and last item is the Real Techniques Stippling Brush (by Sam and Nic Chapman). My actual make-up brushes aren't very good quality: the bristles fall off, they prick your skin, they aren't soft or gentle... I was on the hunt for good make-up brushes. I had heard several beauty gurus on Youtube talk about this brand and include it in their make-up routines. I thought they looked like good quality brushes for a reasonable price compared to other high-end brands so I thought I'd give it a go. I haven't used this one yet but I do see a difference compared to my old brushes. This brush feels much softer and you can instantly notice the difference in quality. I will most certainly be purchasing more Real Techniques brushes if this one is as good as I think it will be

That's all for my mini make-up haul. I'm quite excited to start getting some use out of the products I bought and see what I think of them later on. For now my impression isn't bad at all!

Kelsey x