THE HUNT FOR A PEEL-OFF BASE COAT

feat. Maybelline Color Show Latte - one of my fave "barely there" shades

Once you've experienced the convenience and satisfaction of peeling off your nail varnish you'll never want to go back to a bottle of remover and a pile of cotton wool. I have been using the nailgirls 3-in-1 Base/Top Coat for a good year and although it is not marketed as a peel-off base coat, it does exactly that. It dries down quickly, lasts for a good few days, and then simply peels off when you want to get rid. Although it wasn't without flaw - it can a little gloopy, it sometimes flakes rather than peels, and it probably isn't the best for weak nails, I was content. I first received a bottle in a beauty box, then I trolled ebay for a second but have now not been able to get my hands on another. So, the search for a replacement has begun...

After a few half-hearted attempts to look up potential peel-off base coats on google, I finally gave in and just decided to pick up something from my local drugstore to try. With no particular plan in mind for what I wanted to purchase, an offering from Maybelline caught my eye.

I thought that at £2.99, this was worth a try. I've tried it a couple of times now and first off, this stuff is thick. It also requires a bit of drying time. The first time I used it, I tried to go straight on with a coat of colour and it did not go well. The thick and quite gloopy formula mixed in with my first coat of colour and became a bit of a stringy mess. I would recommend wiping off about 90% of the product which comes out on the brush and attempt the thinnest layer you can on each nail and then stick on a bit of Netflix while you wait for it to dry.

If you manage a thin enough layer you can probably go in with your next coat after a couple of minutes. I have to say I'm a three coat kind of girl so I layer up my polish and then top it off, of course, with some Seche Vite.

The second time I tried this, things actually seemed to turn out pretty well on the surface. I was off to sleep (I always paint my nails before bed) and they still looked good in the morning. Unfortunately, halfway through my day I looked down at my nails and one was completely bare with no polish to be seen. It does what it says on the bottle - it peels off... a bit too easily. It peeled off when I wasn't even looking - hence the bare thumb nail in the picture above.

I think I'd suggest you give this one a miss. I might give it one more try but if my polish can't even last 24 hours then the peel off perk might not be worth it in this case!

Please leave any base coat recommendations in the comments... it looks like the search will continue.

THE BALM BLUSHES

I'm not often blown away by a blush, but I have been really impressed from these two from The Balm as of late. The Balm is sort of that inbetween drugstore and high end brand in terms of price, as these blushes come in between £15.50 and £17.50.

Frat Boy is a gorgeous universal blush with both peach and pink tones running through. I've found it pairs well with almost any make-up look, so I reach for it often when I don't want to think too much. Down Boy is more of a mix of pink and purple. Both blushes are very pigmented, which I'm not always a fan of, but they blend so easily into the cheeks and take practically no time to add the perfect amount of colour to the apples of the cheeks. That makes them perfect for a busy lifestyle where quick and easy is so crucial.

I have to say the quality does match up to the slighter more expensive price in this case. I'm already looking into more blushes from The Balm, or maybe even a different product. Have you tried any? Will you be trying these?

Tina xx

(Happy to be back!)

LAURA MERCIER FOUNDATION PRIMER

This is a bit of a "I tried it once, and I already love it" post. I've only been using it for a couple of days so I'm not sure if it'll last the distance (only time will tell), but I just had to share anyway. The Laura Mercier Foundation primer (£29) helps to make my make-up apply so smoothly. As we're now into the colder months, my skin has been suffering with dry patches galore. So not fun. There had been a few days in a row where things just didn't look right. The first time I used this primer I immediately noticed a difference. Everything just sort of sat a little bit smoother.

Not only that but my make-up still looked pretty good after a full day. We're talking 12 hours. I am majorly impressed with this stuff so far. It has a slightly silicone texture but is a bit more liquid-y than your average primer. It has a hint of smell which I can't quite place, but nothing too offensive. It goes on clear and sinks into the skin almost immediately even adding a hit of hydration. There are so many different versions of this primer: oil-free, hydrating, radiance and the list goes on, so there's really something for everyone.

There are really no complaints so far and I may or may not have already ordered the hydrating version too (my skin neeeeds it). I really have been finding some primer gems lately. You may see me raving about some others in the near future.

Do you have a favourite primer? Have you tried this one? You can get on the House of Fraser website for £29.

Tina xx

THE BUDGET BRONZER

My make-up collection is predominantly drugstore packed. It's where I shop the most often, and what I use most of the time. I only really reach consistently for high end products when it comes to eyeshadow (palettes galore!), and bronzer. NARS Laguna is a much loved favourite of mine, and more recently I've also become more accustomed with Benefit Hoola.

The more affordable bronzers in my collection have come and gone in recent months (as I destashed a little with a blog sale - check here for my latest), but I still have a few I held on to, and one that I hadn't given a chance to shine until recently.

The Ultra Bronze from MakeUp Revolution is a huge matte bronzer (15g!). The size is sort of awesome but a bit of a storing nightmare. It doesn't fit anywhere! I absolutely fell in love with it as soon as I swatched it in Superdrug, but it became neglected as I didn't have anywhere to put it and it got a bit forgotten about. Finally, I just decided to put it in my blush/bronzer drawer on top of everything else, making it impossible to miss. Since then, I've been using it every day! I've often found cheaper bronzers lean on the orange side but this is more a cool-toned shade perfect for contouring but not too cool. I still use it to bronze all over and to warm up the skin and the smooth texture is so easy to blend out.

You can pick it up in Superdrug (if you're lucky - they go quick!) or online here for only £3. Such a bargain! Highly recommend giving this one a whirl especially if you have a lighter skin tone. It works great for me!

ESSENCE LOVE ME, CUPCAKE!

I've been sort of discovering the wonders of Essence over the last few months after finding their products in my local Wilkinson's. Their prices are so affordable and so far, I've found a lot of loves. I picked up this polish over a month ago but I've only just tried it out, and I'm impressed. Love Me, Cupcake! is a gorgeous lilac-grey shade with an adorable shade name. It's like nothing else in my (humble) nail polish collection and as I am a fan of purples and neutrals when it comes to nail polish, this is perfect for me!

Usually, I am strictly a three coat polish kind of gal, but this only took two coats and I didn't really see need for a third. The brush is wide so application was easy. I've only had it on a day but so far it's looking perfect still. I've heard raves about the Essence polishes from others so I'm hoping for a couple more days of wear from this! Definitely worth a look at only £1.60 and they have a huge range.

You can browse their collection online here, or check your local Wilkinson's. Also, you can see what other Essence products I've blogged about on this tag.

Tina xx

NEW RIMMEL APOCALIPS MATTE LIP VELVET #30LipsIn30

Let's talk new lip products! As soon as I saw the new Rimmel Apocalips Matte Lip Velvets in Boots I knew I had to give one a try. Even though I wasn't a big fan of the original Apocalips Lip Lacquers (I still have 4 - I seriously tried to like them), this new release still managed to draw me in. The packaging is the same as the original except that it's matte instead of shiny. I picked up the shade Meteoric Matte which is a deep berry-red. I've been on a bit of a berry train recently readying for fall.

The first time I tried to apply this was an utter disaster. It was pretty horrific. The formula is highly highly pigmented and the doe foot applicator has a dip in it so it picks up a lot of product. Although the design is meant to make application easy, I struggled at first. Because this is such a deep shade, if things go wrong it's pretty hard to try and fix any mistakes. I tried first with the applicator, second with a lip brush and then sort of gave up for a while.

I went back to it today and this time lined my lips with yesterday's featured #30LipsIn30 item: the Maybelline Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in Berry Much which is a really good colour match. I used the chubby pencil to outline my lips and then applying the Rimmel Apocalips on top was so much easier. As the edges of my lips need a bit of help in defining, this made a huge difference. I was seriously already considering giving this away after that first try.

I found that this didn't actually dry matte but actually left quite a glossy finish. They are more matte than the originals though, and I definitely prefer this formula. I found that they made my lips look more plump and full and I am really in love with the shade.

Ultimately, I think it's a thumbs up from me. There are some other crazy colours out there if you're up for the likes of the bright orange but I think I saw more of a nude pink too so something for everyone. Will you be trying this new release from Rimmel?

Tina xx

MAYBELLINE COLOUR DRAMA INTENSE VELVET LIP PENCILS #30LIPSIN30

I've been trying out the new Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils and after a few weeks, I think I've finally gathered some thoughts to share. I've never really tried out another product like this for the lips but they are out there, with NARS coming to mind first. I picked up two colours Nude Perfection and Berry Much (I love the shade names!) which I'm in love with. I, of course, had to get the nude but I also really like the berry shade which is perfect for the time of year and things starting to cool down. 

Being in a pencil form, application is quick and easy with a fairly creamy formula and a semi-matte finish. These pencils are a great alternative to a matte lipstick with great colour pay-off. I would say that they fade a little in the centre of the lip so make sure you keep an eye on them after a few hours and reapply. For their price, I would recommend giving them a go - definitely one of my favourite matte lip products I've tried from the drugstore!

Have you seen these in store yet? Will you be picking any up? Let me know!

Tina xx

BOURJOIS ROUGE EDITION VELVET IN NUDE-IST #30LipsIn30

I haven't quite found the right occasion to wear this Bourjois offering out of the house yet but if you haven't been living under a beauty-deprived rock then you've heard of the Rouge Edition Velvets. They apply as a liquid but dry to a very matte finish. My lips don't always agree with matte textures but I've worn this formula for a full day and not had any problems. The colour really lasts all day, and doesn't settle into the lips or crack.

Nude-ist isn't the most nude shade, but in fact has some red tones in there and I would class it as more of a bold than a nude. In comparison to some of the other velvet shades though, it is less bright. The range is full of bright pinks and reds. As a nude-lip lover, this is reserved for special occasions but I can't say I don't love the product.

If you love mattes and bright colours, then this line is the perfect choice for you. Have you tried any of the rouge edition velvets yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

NATURAL COLLECTION JUICY LIPS GLOSS IN CARAMEL SHORTCAKE #30LipsIn30

Today's lip post is a result of "shopping the stash" as they say. I picked this up quite a few months ago using a 3 for 2 offer on Natural Collection - I think I was completing my Natural Collection blush collection. Considering how huge a fan I am of the blushes, it's strange that I've never really checked out much else from the range and even stranger that I waited until today to finally give this gloss a proper go.

I have to say I've never been particularly inspired by this gloss but as I looked through my gloss collection this morning, I found myself picking it up anyway. I was more than ready to switch it out for something different straight away, but was actually pleasantly surprised by how it looked and here we are.

The scent seems to have a hint of blackcurrant, which I don't love but it isn't too strong to completely put me off and you don't smell it once it's on the lips. The non-sticky gloss is very opaque once built up but I did find myself having to dip into the gloss with the small doe foot applicator quite a few times before I was happy with the final result (that might have been where I was going wrong before). This gloss doesn't need a lipstick underneath but works well enough on its own. The colour Caramel Shortcake is a mid-toned pink and a great every day colour. I guess I shouldn't always judge a lip gloss by its £1.99 price tag. I think I'm going to be reaching for this one a bit more often, and maybe even perusing the rest of the range in a future trip to Boots.

Here's how it looks with a very simple face of make-up and a lazy eyeliner application:

Have you tried anything from Natural Collection? Were you a fan?

NYX BUTTER GLOSS IN TIRAMISU #30LipsIn30

Today's lip post comes from NYX in the form of one of their butter glosses in Tiramisu. I always find that the more a product is hyped up, the harsher I am when I get to try it. This was definitely the case for this gloss. I must have first heard about the butter glosses over a year ago now, and it was nothing but rave reviews. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I finally purchased some from a blog sale and here's the verdict.

Tiramisu is one of three glosses I've had for a week or two now, and this shade is definitely my favourite of the bunch. It's sort of that mauvey pink-brown, that is so big right now. For a gloss the pigmentation is extremely opaque but not sticky in the slightest. The glosses have a strong vanilla cupcake scent, which I personally love!

I am absolutely loving this gloss right now, and it is one of my current favourites. I want to try even more from the range now. I love products which actually live up to the hype!

What's your favourite product you've tried that has lived up to the hype? Let me know!

Tina x

REVLON LIP BUTTER IN LOLLIPOP #30LipsIn30

Happy September! Here on my blog it is going to be the month of lips. I took the idea of posting 30 products in 30 days from miss budget beauty's blog. I've been in somewhat of a lip product rut recently and I have a few new bits and pieces as well as some things in my collection which have not had enough well deserved love. I thought this would be a great way to test some new things and rediscover the old while sharing them all with you at the same time.

They'll be a lip product post every day this month with lots of pics and swatches which will not interfere with the normal schedule so they'll be practically double the normal amount of posts this month! I'm planning to get my scheduling of posts/videos well and truly down this month so expect nothing but organisation from me (still give me some slack though - I've never been the most organised girl). I'll probably be uploading a post laying it all out soon. But, for now, let's get on with the lips!

I'm kicking it all off with a nice bold purple lip. I'm definitely not one for bold lip choices on a day to day basis but the Revlon Lip Butter in Lollipop is a great way to step out of my comfort zone. If I'm going to go bold, I do love a good purple. I'm still kind of new to the whole lip butter thing, but I think you might be seeing a few more in the next month as I test out some more. The packaging is spot on, as the casing lets you know what colour is inside. 

I love the ease of application but the texture isn't my favourite. They're not quite as smooth as butter. This lip butter in Lollipop has a nice sheen to it and even a little bit of sparkle in there. I'm a fan of the pinky-purple shade in particular. There's no particular scent which is always good - no scent is always safe. This still needs a bit more testing but I'm liking it so far - a great choice for the occasional bright lip wearer.

How do you feel about the Revlon lip butters? Love, loathe or not quite sure? Which colours are your favourite? Are there any lip products you would like to see in the coming month?

So many questions. Answer them in the comments!!

Tina xx

VASANTI BRIGHTEN UP! ENZYMATIC FACE REJUVENATOR

When it comes to skincare, it's not always easy to tell which products are really making a difference, even after multiple uses. So when you see an immediate improvement after one use, it really is something to write home about. In this case that "writing home" was running to show my mum. She's a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to all things skincare aka all things Liz Earle. I've not quite converted her yet, but I'm working on it.

This month's Birchbox came with a sample of Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator and having tried only one other product from the brand (the Purifying Facial Cleanser) which I loved, I was pretty excited to give this a try. I try to use face exfoliators at least a few times a week and was already happy with the one I was using but I decided to test this out anyway. I only needed a small amount for my whole face and the texture is gentle but effective. After I rinsed it off using a muslin cloth, I was amazed to see visibly brighter looking skin looking back at me in the mirror.

Having being blessed with fairly good skin (thank you Asian genes), I don't often come across skincare which invokes such obvious improvements straight away. I am definitely going to continue using this product, and am already checking the Vasanti website as we speak. Did you know they sell make-up and brushes too? With international shipping?! Definitely something to think about...

Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator here or here, £26/$34

MAYBELLINE COLOUR ELIXIRS - UK LAUNCH!

They're here!!! The Maybelline Colour Elixirs have finally launched in the UK. After hearing about the launch today I had to go and pick some up - I panicked when I couldn't find them in Boots but managed to find them in Superdrug. I checked the Maybelline stand first, and they had the teeny, tiniest section dedicated to them with literally only one of each shade left - and only five shades to choose from. I had a little swatch and play, and ended up grabbing two. I browsed a little more around the shop and then found another stand with an extra shade and tons more unopened glosses.

(Sorry for the slightly grainy shots, these were taken on my phone)

I ended up picking up the light pink - Petal Plush and the nude - Nude Illusion. I swatched some of the brighter ones, and they looked really nice but I purchased the two shades I knew I'd wear the most. The packaging is gorgeous - really simple and sleek although the silver tops are prone to fingerprint marks and seem like they'd scratch quite easily.

The formula is very moisturising with no stickiness; I'm on the fence about the spongey applicator and only one coat can look a little streaky so you're going to need to build it up. They have a slightly oily feeling formula; they remind me of the L'Oreal Coloriche Extraordinaires and are very similar, but I think I slightly prefer the Maybelline glosses on first try.

Petal Plush is a light baby pink and Nude Illusion is a medium-toned brown nude. I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of these two. They've already launched on the Boots website and you can find them for £6.99, with a 3 for 2 offer on all Maybelline products. There's a total of eleven shades online which is way more than I found in store. They were also on offer in Superdrug: 2 for £10.

I'm enjoying them so far. It's not quite a rave review like I was expecting; they're not the best glosses I've ever tried, but they're far from the worst. There was a whole lot of hype surrounding these Maybelline glosses and I'm not sure they've quite lived up to it. Are you going to purchase any? Or have you tried them already? Let me know what you think!

Maybelline Colour Elixirs here, £6.99

LOVE AT FIRST APPLICATION: THE BALM BAHAMA MAMA BRONZER

A recent purchase of The Balm's Bahama Mama bronzer was love at first application. I'm sure you know the ones. I haven't been able to put it down since that first use, as it is completely different to anything else in my collection. I adore the super cute cardboard packaging with the old school pin up style picture on the front. It has a magnetised closure so you don't have to worry about it opening up in your make-up bag. The colour scheme and design are perfect for a bronzer designed to give a "sun-kissed glow".

This gorgeous cool toned bronzer is perfect for contouring and that's exactly what I've been using it for. Because there are no orange tones it creates that natural looking shadow when placed in the contours of my face. For bronzing up the face, I pair it with my NARS Laguna bronzer - another favourite.

In the pan, it looks quite a bit darker than my other bronzers but don't let that scare you as it doesn't apply quite as dark and can therefore be used on a range of different skin tones. It might not work quite as well on the very pale complexions as it might start to come off a little muddy - one to reserve for summer then. I'm going to get as much use of it as possible as summer is already being snatched from us!

Do you have a favourite product to contour with? I've heard great things about the Kevin Aucoin Sculpting Powder. Maybe one to try next...

MY MOST LOW MAINTENANCE LIP COLOUR

The phrase "my lips but better" gets thrown around a lot in the world of beauty but this one is a tried and tested old favourite of mine (old being the key word - it's looking pretty battered). I'm pretty sure this was the first high end lip product I ever owned, and I liked it so much that I even bought one for my mum! (shame she never uses it - not much of a make-up lover unlike her daughter).

The Clinique chubby sticks were (one of?) the first of their kinds and now every high-end and drugstore brand has a version of their own. But the original is always better, right? Well not always, but this time I think they are. This particular shade 08 Graped-Up is the easiest day-to-day lip colour I own. The formula is creamy, you barely feel it on the lips, and there's no funky smell. The natural colour means that fading goes un-noticeable if you forget to top it up which is so easy and only takes a quick swipe when you do.

Do you have a favourite "my lips but better" shade? Let me know in the comments!

Clinique Chubby Lip Balm in 08 Graped Up here, £17.99

A BUDGET NIGHT-TIME LUXURY

I'm a bit strange when it comes to skincare as I actually really enjoy the process of taking my make-up off almost as much as putting it on. I definitely love how it feels. Using certain products can make your night-time skincare routine feel luxurious, and calming. A consistent cleansing, toning and moisturising of the face before bed makes a huge difference; at least it has for me.

Once the basic habit is formed you can experiment and find products to add and switch up in your routine. The Body Shop Vitamin E Serum-In-Oil is a recent purchase of mine, and is also one that I didn't love straight away. But after a few uses, it has become a lovely final step before my head hits the pillow.

I don't use it every night but about 3 times a week I take the fun little pippet (I really love those things; see this post for more pippet fun) and squeeze a few drops into my hand. I find the best way to apply the product, is to rub it between my hands to warm the oil and then press into my skin.

This is a perfect alternative to some much more pricey skincare products and comes in at just £12 from The Body Shop. Just a tip; The Body Shop always has sales and offers so sign up to their newsletter to stay on top of that and get even more money off. Also, check in store as they often bundle products together at a discount too (I talked about it a bit more in this haul).

Do you use any cheaper skincare products which you love? Leave them below!

The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil here, £12