EMPTIES/PRODUCTS I'VE USED UP ~ OCTOBER 2014

Empties videos are some of my favourite to film, and watch (other people's of course). I usually manage to get through enough products to warrant doing them every month, so here is this month's take! Hope you enjoy it. (My box is already getting filled up for November... eek! Exciting!)

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!

OCTOBER UNBOXINGS

I can admit that I've been slacking a little in the blogging department this last week. However, I did upload two unboxing videos on my YouTube channel. My usual Glossybox VS Birchbox showdown as well as a Love Me Beauty unboxing. Hope you enjoy these for now, and I'll have a new blog post up soon. Promise!

BLOG SALE - MAC, BENEFIT, CLINIQUE & MORE

So, I've found myself here again... I didn't think I'd be having another blog sale so soon, but let's do this. Leave a comment with what you'd like to purchase and your Paypal email address if you would like to purchase something.

Terms:

1. Postage within the UK will be £1 for small items (large letter size) and £3 for larger packages.

2. I'm unlikely to post internationally (it's too stressful), but leave a comment if you really want something and we can discuss it.

3. If you wish to receive your parcel via Recorded or Special Delivery, postage costs will need to be adjusted.

4. I only accept payment by Paypal, and do not accept any returns.

5. Items are sold on a first come, first serve basis and I will hold items up to 24 hours.

Happy shopping!

MAC BROOKE SHIELDS GRAVITAS PALETTE

Let's talk about this beauty. I honestly took these pictures as soon as I opened the box so I could capture the shadows in all their new, untouched beauty. This is the latest pre-made limited edition palette from the MAC Brooke Shields Collection - the Gravitas palette. There are 15 gorgeous eyeshadows with a mix of limited edition and permanent shades. I broke down and swatched every shade in this video. I honestly can't get enough of this palette. If you can get your hands on it, don't hesitate!

AUTUMN BERRIES FROM THE DRUGSTORE

When it comes to Autumn, I'm all about the berry lips. I went through my collection and picked out five of my favourites which in all honesty, are fairly similar in shade but vary in application and finish. You may not need all of these, but I would definitely recommend at least one.

• Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in Berry Much (£4.99) - I reviewed this little pencil when I first purchased it here and not much has changed. I'm still loving how easy it is to apply. I thought that a chubby pencil may be more difficult to get a perfect lip outline but it's actually quick and easy. The formula is so soft and creamy and there's no tugging on the lips. I don't often wear this alone but it works perfectly as a base for pretty much any of the other lip products in this post.
• Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 30 (£5.49) - This was a recent Essiebutton inspired purchase, and it is essentially a non-matte version of the 107 classic with maybe a tiny bit more purple. The Lasting Finish formula is gorgeous - I pretty much love every Rimmel lip formula. This one is quick and easy to apply.
• No7 High Shine Lipgloss in Plum Blush (£9) - I thought I'd include a glossy option which is slightly more sheer and perfect if you want to effortlessly transition back into darker lips. This is a little less in your face but still has those gorgeous berry tones that encapsulate every thing autumn. It has a slightly tacky finish but isn't sticky. They're giving out the £3 off coupons at the moment, so now would be a perfect time to grab this for £6!
• Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in 107 (£5.49)  - the classic. I love how affordable Rimmel lipsticks are and this is one of the best. I did a little review here. This was the original lipstick which made me fall in love with the darker wine berry shade and pretty led me to every other purchase here.
• Rimmel Apocalips Matte Lip Velvet in Meteoric Matte (£6.49) - As I wasn't a fan of the original Apocalips lip lacquers, it was surprising to me how much I loved this. I already wrote a review here, and I'm still enjoying using this. I'm not sure about the "matte" title as this never fully dries down to be matte and is prone to transferring (so, be careful!), but I actually really love the slightly glossy finish and the fullness effect it gives to my lips. 

You can probably tell from this post that I found the tone of darker lips that works for me and I just ran with it. I would recommend any of these lippies and they'll definitely be the ones I'll be reaching for most in the next few months. I chose the No7 gloss today - transitioning and all that.

Hope you enjoyed this! What's your autumn lip go-to? 

Tina xx

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