Cheeks and Lips.

Just a quicky morning post as I'm off to do some errands this morning and have a little time to kill. I suppose it's a FOTD post, but the lazy version!

Blush.

First things first, please excuse the fact that my nails are covered in concealer, looks lovely I know...!

This cream blush goes so far, I really barely need to use any. This is how much I use to cover both cheeks as I prefer quite a natural pinky tinge.

I then make two dots on each cheek slanting upwards towards my eye. The lighting in my bathroom is rubbish and I'm using my iPhone camera, but I'm sure you get the gist :)

Then I blend the blush up towards my temples but concentrating on the apples of my cheeks. This blush has a very slight shimmery qulaity, and I like to think it makes me look all youthful and what not. Don't disillusion me please, I don't think I could take it.

Lips.

Obviously starting with clean lips, feeling quite smooth after a Vaseline and sugar scrub last night before bed.

This is the part of the day when I look most attractive- clearly. I trace my real lipline with Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain...

And then fill them in. The lipstain feels just like a felt tip, so it's easy to fill the lip and give them a definite edge.

Then I got over the whole lip with lipstick. This will hold in place as if by magic all day, only needing a small reapplication if I'm lucky enough to be getting smooched left, right and centre. Even a couple of afternoon wine spritzers won't make it budge, not that I'd know. Wine, me? Noooo.

I'll do a base and eye post another time, but there're my cheeks and lips. Do you wear lip products everyday? Do you apply your blush with fingers or brushes?

What's in my Make Up Bag?

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a relatively streamlined 'everyday' make up bag. I keep all of my bright eye shadows, sparkly mascaras and impulse buy products kept separately so they don't slow down my morning routine- with a two year old on the rampage, every second counts!
So what do I keep in my make up bag?

Base.

Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation. This is my one luxury item, I adore it. It makes my face feel as though it's been air brushed and gives a perfect, lightweight cover. 

Natural Collection Shine Away Foundation. I'll admit I don't wear this every day, but it lives in my make up bag for those days when I need a bit more coverage than the Mac Powder supplies. It's a creamy, matte liquid, and gives me some extra confidence on bad skin days.

Natural Collection Cover Up Stick. I like this concealer as it comes in a nice pale shade and glides on really easily. 

Maybelline Dream Soft Blush. I love this blush- it's so natural looking and feels light on the skin. It has appeared to last forever, and lasts well on the cheeks too. It's my first foray into cream blushes, and I am very impressed with Maybelline's offering.

Eyes.

MUA 3in1 Eye Liner. I wrote about this product here.

Lacura Mascara. This was a very pleasant surprise. Under the £3 mark in Aldi, and in my opinion rivals Benefit's Bad Gal mascara. Sadly only comes in a small tube, but lasts well. 

Barry M White Eye Pencil. I love this on my lower water line to make my tired eyes look more awake. Does exactly what I want it to and doesn't crumble.

Natural Collection Auburn Brown Lip Liner. No link available for this one, but this is the pencil I use on my eyebrows. I find lip liner to be softer and smoother to apply than eyebrow pencils, and look more natural for me.

Unknown brand Mascara. This was given to me at Christmas in an eye make up set, and it's such a shame I can't track it down to buy individually as it's a really lovely mascara. It's so volumising and doesn't clump, I'll be sad to say goodbye to it.

No 7 Eyeshadow Single. I have this in a very pale cream colour that I use as a highlighter on my brow line and around my inner eye. It's an okay product, but to be honest I wouldn't consider it any better than cheaper brands. 

Collection Eye Shadow in Baked Bronze. I use this mainly for contouring but occasionally use as an eye shadow for a more dramatic evening look. It has a lovely shimmer and is well pigmented for a true to display colour. 

Lips.

Collection Lipstick in Valentine. I LOVE this lipstick. It's the perfect colour and texture, has a pleasant smell and taste and is an absolute steal at £2.99. I'd happily pay far more for this, it's the best red lipstick I've ever owned.

Revlon Just Bitten in Gothic. I use this lip stain to line and fill my lips before applying lipstick over the top. It's a long lasting lip stain but doesn't dry the lips. It's a good colour, and compliments my lipstick well.

Bits and Bobs.

Hair bands. 

Hair scissors.

Make up brushes.

Pencil sharpener.

No7 Protect Perfect Night Cream. Ok, so this doesn't exactly live in my make up bag, but it is an every day essential. It smells lovely and absorbs very quickly into the skin. It was bought for me as a gift and although I would never have thought to buy it for myself, I'm now very attached to it! A little goes a long way, and I love the way it makes my skin feel hydrated before I go to bed.

That's a little peep into what goes onto my face everyday, what are your daily essentials? Do you keep them separately from your make up collection as a whole?

Cheap and Cheerful Feel-Good Tips.

After last night's face pack, I decided that today I was going to give my face a well earned rest from make up. Luckily, I'm currently potty training my miniature whirlwind, so we're having a few days at home- perfect for being kind to my skin.
It seems like a good time to make a post on what you can do to be kind to yourself for minimum outlay and effort, as when you're busy and tight on luxuries it's easy to forget about keeping yourself feeling good.

• Use baby oil as make up remover. I used to use a mixture of baby wipes and all sorts of lotions and potions to remove my make up until I read a tip about baby oil. I've never looked back. Wipes tend to feel harsh and make my face feel 'stripped', whereas since using baby oil it feels soft and cared for. It also manages to tear through even the most stubborn of water proof mascaras without breaking a sweat- miracle.
• Don't neglect your feet. Especially at this time of year, feet are bundled into shoes and boots and we act surprised when they don't look their best. Now we're approaching nice weather (well, for Britain) and summer shoes, it's a good time to start making those feet presentable. After every bath, I coat my feet in a thick body butter (I love this coconut butter from The Body Shop), pop on a pair of cotton socks and leave on until the morning. My soles have never been softer! Also, don't under estimate how much painted toe nails can improve the look of your feet. I like to use a vibrant colour on my toes, such as this from Barry M in Bright Red.
• Make your own exfoliator. I only started exfoliating once I fell pregnant as my skin was terrible and nothing was working. Since then, I only have the very odd flare up and my skin looks much fresher. I came across this recipe for home made exfoliator and it really is as good as anything I've tried from Boots.
• Bottom Butter. This is incredible when your face really needs some intensive care. It's thick and creamy, lasts forever and smells absolutely divine. During the winter months, my skin can get horribly dry, and this cream works wonders.
• Make an outfit look like you did it on purpose. Matching your shoes and accessories for example gives you a much freer rein in the middle to try out new looks and still look pulled together. Have a top you've been trying to find an outfit with for ages and nothing goes? Try it with a matching handbag/shoe combo and see if it ties together.
• Layer your scent. I always try to buy the matching shower gel with any new perfume as using them together really helps up the longevity of your scent. There is usually a moisturiser available too if you like scented creams. Personally I draw the line at the companion talc, but my nan swears by it for keeping you smelling wonderful all day.
• Don't save your clothes for 'best'. Why should the clothes that make you feel the best be worn the least? Maybe it's a carry on from our own mothers, and their mothers, but I speak to so many people that spend the majority of their time in things that don't make them feel gorgeous because they don't want to 'waste' their good clothes. Feeling good is never a waste, ditch the things that don't make you feel fabulous, and wear that dress that makes you smile every time you put it on. 
• Let a friend rummage through your wardrobe. I've lost count of the amount of times I've put off wearing something because I can't make it work in an outfit, only for a friend to point out the perfect thing that I never would have thought to try it with. Get and honest friend whose style you like, and let them go wild in your wardrobe. You could end up with combinations that look fantastic that have just been waiting for you to try them.
• Streamline your make up bag. Most of us have a pretty uniform look that we wear most days and save the adventurous stuff for special occasions  Why, then, do a lot of women have bursting at the seams make up bags that make finding your everyday products a hassle every day? Do morning you a favour and streamline your make up bag. Keep your every day bag simple, and keep your dramatic make up separate. It will save you time in the morning and make your routine seem less of a chore.
• Home tooth whitening. As a smoker and tea addict (naughty blogger, smack my hand), I'm very concious of my teeth and simply cannot afford professional treatments. Before a special occasion, I dip my toothbrush in bicarbonate of soda before brushing and it makes a noticeable difference. Cheap and effective- my favourite combination.
• Put some music on. Seems obvious, but I often forget how much easier the housework is if I'm singing along to some old favourites. The over the top dancing that comes naturally also helps work up a sweat and lets me fit in my 20 mins of exercise a day without even noticing I've done it. Lazy girl win.
• Home made face pack. This is a brilliant little cheat version of facials you might have received in salons. Mix about four asprin tablets into a few teaspoons of milk until they dissolve, then rub onto your face in circles and leave for about 15 mins before rinsing off. The aspirin is saliycilic acid which is the BHA acid used in expensive products and the milk is lactic acid (AHA), another miracle ingredient. Try it, your face will feel like an angels backside.
• Vaseline. Oh, good old vaseline. I use it every night before bed on my lips, I shield my hairline and ear with it while dyeing my hair, I use it around my nails if my skin is a bit tender, is there anything it can't do? Possibly the most versatile beauty product there is, and cheaper than a portion of chips from my local chippy- bargain.

So that's my tips for a fresh feeling you, do you have any secret potions or tips that make you look and feel good?

Superdrug own brand- worth it?

As a proud bargain hunter, I love trying out own brand products to compare and find hidden gems.
I've recently bought a mini haul from Superdrug to see how well they perform against more expensive brands.
I came away with three new products, and one that I have been a fan of for a while.

Superdug Mango Copper Burst Colour Vibrance

This is the product I've used again and again. I'm convinced that I'm supposed to be a natural redhead and have tried almost every permanent home dye on the market before trying and falling in love with this one. It gives an even colour everytime and is currently on offer as two packs for £5! 

This is how it looks on pre-lightened hair- that's my sister making the picture look beautiful by the way- it's a very vibrant and soft looking ginger. Personally I loved the brightness of it at this point, but understand its not for everyone!

I then briefly dallied in being a brunette...

But soon realised it wasn't for me. My hair was in no condition to stand being pre-lightened again, so decided to give the dye a real challenge and try it over the brown once it had faded after a week or two.

This was the result- a far more natural looking auburn than before and much lighter than I'd even hoped it would be able to achieve. 

I really cannot recommend this dye enough, it's the perfect colour whether you're looking for bright and funky or something more realistic and leaves hair soft and shiny.

It's a lovely creamy application and goes on so easily. It stays vibrant unlike any other red I have tried (which are notorious for fading) and one box covers my hair completely. It blows more expensive brands out of the water, I'll definitely be using it as my regular colour.

The next product I picked up was a face mask.

Superdrug Chocolate Orange Self Heating Mask

Now I admit that I was sucked it by the word chocolate... But I have been thinking lately that I should probably be treating my skin better. What better treat than chocolate orange?

The mask itself is thick and easy to apply;

And smells just as scrumptious as the packet would lead you to believe- I managed to resist licking my fingers, but only just! The above picture, on a semi related note, is a pretty accurate representation of how I looked after my one and only tangle with false tan. But I digress.

The warming sensation began almost immediately upon application and was gentle and pleasant. I was soon stone faced and regretting my choice to watch a stand up DVD while waiting to take it off! 

After removal of the mask, my face feels brand new- my skin is soft, supple and fresh, and I smell fantastic.  

I'll be popping one of these into my basket the next time I'm in Superdrug for sure.

Next, I found myself at the MUA display. MUA, if you don't already know, is Superdrug's own makeup range. It's not tested on animals and products start from just £1. Again, my bargain senses were tingling, and I nabbed a nail varnish and an eyeliner.

MUA Professional 3 in 1 Pen.

I bought this in black, which for some reason is not currently available online. I was drawn in by the tapered crayon and was curious as to whether it would be more long lasting than my current eye pencil.

These are the different thicknesses you can produce in one stroke from the product depending on how you hold the nib. It's a very strong line and perfect for the winged eyeliner look I favour. It glides on with no dragging of the eyelid and was a steal at £1.50. I'd buy it again, but it's not quite enough to tempt me away from trying other brands in my quest for the absolutely perfect black eyeliner. A very strong contender that I see myself coming back to though.

The final little treat in my basket was this;

MUA Professional Love Hearts Nail Polish

This was an unusual buy for me. My nails are usually a bright red and I own roughly 15 different shades and brands, but was temped by a more neutral colour for a change. This one grabbed my eye as it is a really delicate strawberry milkshake colour and looked like it would be versatile enough to wear on it's own or as part of a French manicure.

I'm a big fan. This picture is after two coats and is still fairly sheer, but the coverage is completely even. it's a non gloopy polish and I love the soft pink colour. It makes a pleasant change from red, and I think it will compliment a large amount of my S/S wardrobe. Again, Superdrug have surprised me with a brilliant product for a brilliant price.

Overall, I can't find much fault with the range I've tested. For price, convenience and ease of application, these products will take some beating. For longevity, range and luxurious feel, they hold their own against leaders in the market. Whether you're a bargain hunter or just looking for something new, I urge you to have a look at what your local Superdrug has to offer. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Have you tried and loved any Superdrug products lately? Or do you have any recommendations of what to give a miss?